Make your own candles! A giveaway from Toadily Handmade

***The winner is Kari who said, “Ohhh the beeswax kit looks like fun for six little hands! I’d like to enter the drawing for the top kit.” Congratulations! I’ll e-mail you soon with more information.

During the week before Solstice my family and I decided to go a week without light bulbs, which you can read about here.

At the beginning of that week we made candles from a kit.  The candles were the no-melt kind and a very three year old friendly activity. So I thought I would get a hold of the lady behind the company Toadily Handmade and tell her how much we enjoyed her candle kit. I also asked her if she would do an interview for me. Here is what she had to say:

1) What was your initial inspiration for starting a candle making company?

I appreciate everything handmade.  I have always loved making things, especially for gifts.  I’ve tried too many crafts to name, but simply put if I thought I could make something, I tried.  I have 2 closets at home packed with supplies that I just can’t seem to part with.  One night about 7 years ago I was at a holiday boutique with a friend.  She picked up a pair of hand rolled beeswax candles and said,  ”You should make these for my Christmas party!”  I had never seen anything like them before, so I went home and searched online for supplies to order.

2) Where does your bees wax come from?

The natural wax I use for tea-lights and solid candles comes straight from a beekeeper in Wisconsin.  The beeswax sheets are made by a family owned company in California.

3) The bees wax sheets are a creative and economical way to involve small children in the candle making process. Can you tell us how the sheets are made?

Several steps go into the making of the beeswax sheets, and I was lucky enough to be able to watch on one occasion.  First the beeswax is melted in a big tank, and as it begins to cool it goes through a machine that presses it flat and places it on big a big roll.  Next, the roll of wax feeds through another machine that presses the honeycomb design into both sides and cuts wax into individual sheets.  It’s kind of like 2 very large pasta machines!

4) I really like the play on words with your company name Toadily Handmade. Can you tell us a bit about the name and how you got started? What is your companies philosophy?

One weekend my son came home with some tadpoles he had caught with one of his friends.  One small plastic habitat quickly grew into several containers as we watched the tadpoles transform into frogs, it was amazing!  Frogs and toads quickly became the perfect gift idea. We began using the word “toadily” for just about everything.  I researched and found there were several companies using the word Toadily, but to my surprise the domain name Toadily Handmade was available.  I bought that domain before I even began making beeswax candles!

Making candles for my friend was the beginning, but over time as I learned more about beeswax and the benefits of beeswax candles I realized I had finally found something that fit.  I owe a huge thank you to my family, they have been toadily supportive!

My philosophy is easy, I believe in what I do.  A little piece of me goes into everything I make and I am proud to offer products that are not only beautiful, but healthy too.   I feel very fortunate to have a job that I love!

Thank you so much Susan for taking the time to talk with me about your wonderful company!  Susan has kindly offered to giveaway one of the following:

or

To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment below and letting me know which kit you like.  The giveaway will close on Friday January 25 at 8pm mountain time. I’ll pick the winner via random number generator. The giveaway is open to all US and Canada readers.  Good Luck and please check out Toadily Handmade!