The Blend or The Name…. Our Small Batch, Hand Poured, Clean Crafted, Travel Inspired Creations

The Blend or The Name…..
I was born in a tiny map dot town on highway 98 in The Big Bend of Florida, spent the early years of my life in The Panhandle, and the latter part of my childhood in a map dot, farm town in South Georgia. The scenic highways and byways that connected the two fostered wanderlust long before I knew the word or the meaning. An undeniable urge to take the long way became instinctual for I knew there was adventure awaiting. 

It was likely no surprise to my family when I met my husband, fell head over heels, and packed my belongings, without any hesitation, to explore the world as Nick’s companion and a military spouse. We spent the early years of our marriage road tripping thousands and thousands of miles all over the continental U.S. exploring all the tiny towns, like the ones that made me, consuming all the history and fun facts along the way. These experiences etched in our minds’ indelible memories of places that otherwise might still be just another map dot to most. His career blossomed and the opportunity to live abroad presented itself. This time, we packed our belongings and three tiny, well-traveled hodophiles and across the Pacific we went to broaden our minds and delight in the journey of new places and new faces.  

You might be asking yourself at this point, how in the world does this saga relate to candles in any way at all? You might also have pondered at some point in your life, does the chicken or the egg come first? As it relates, I get asked frequently did your proprietary blend or the name come first? Neither, the components for the makings of clean products came first (insert laugh). The blend has always come first. But, the process and the blend sparked a scent memory of a place, a lesson worthy of commemorating in a name.

Let’s talk about the names….

•Charleston Sweetgrass

We spent five incredible years exploring every nook and cranny of Charleston, South Carolina. We frequently found ourselves walking the historic downtown market and without fail we were always stopped in our tracks when we came to the live demonstrations of the native Gullah-Geechee basket weavers. The smell of dried sweet grass is delightfully crisp and aromatic. When I created the blend, in my mind and memory it was like I was standing there, chatting with the weavers, kids circling my legs with laughter and the reminder of the stop at the ice cream shop still fresh on their faces while trying to justify the purchase of just one more piece of artwork. Quintessential Charleston.

•Louisiana Early

Our time in Asia and the exploration of the culture’s contributions to present day agriculture was monumental. We pick up an orange or a satsuma, peel it, and savor the delectable fruit with no thought of its origins or cultural significance to some. So few know, citrus plants are native to Asia or that citrus is gifted in many Asian cultures as a token of well wishes and prosperity. We cherished every basket that arrived beautifully and thoughtfully packaged from our South Korean village neighbors. When I created the blend with base notes of satsuma peel oil, I immediately knew I wanted to seize an opportunity to tell a history lesson, one learned as a result of our travels. So, I hit the record books. In the mid 1800’s, cultivars of the satsuma were introduced from Japan to Louisiana. Roughly 100 years later, the LSU Agricultural Department propagated one of the first American varieties named, Louisiana Early.

•Pearl of the Panhandle

We are so lucky to be able to call the Gulf Coast our forever home, the place where I roamed in my early life and the place the military assigned our family for our last duty station. There’s really no place in the entire panhandle one could explore without realizing the inexplicable beauty found in our forests teeming with wildlife, our coastal waters, emerald as far as the eye can see, and the hidden fresh water springs that feed the rivers. When I created the blend, it was unlike anything I had done before. It was extraordinarily complex and beautiful just like the tiny towns and flourishing Panama City that line the Panhandle of Florida, our pearl!

For the sake of this being a blog and not a twenty-two chapter novel, I’ll stop here. I hope my wanderlust inspired, custom blended, clean crafted, small batch candle creations spark a memory or feeling for you.

Cheers,

Jess