Still looking for the perfect gift? A South Whidbey candlemaker is mixing up plenty of holiday-inspired scents.
Three years ago, Lindsay Kelley was searching for a creative pastime to complement her full-time profession in banking. She started experimenting with hot wax and fragrance oils to make candles until she finally came up with a good recipe.
Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and her own Nordic heritage, Kelley created Scandi Co. Candles. She debuted her products at last year’s Cultus Bay Gardens’ Winter Holiday Arts & Crafts Market. To her surprise, they were a big hit.
“I actually sold quite a few,” she said. “That was really encouraging to me, ‘cause you know when you’re starting out and you’re like, ‘I really like these, but is anyone else going to?’”
A DNA test revealed an unusually high concentration – over 90% – of Swedish ancestry, which Kelley always knew about but was fascinated to learn more. One of the Scandinavian design and cultural philosophies, she said, is to keep things straightforward.
“That’s where I took my idea for the candle company was using really simple and clean ingredients, but you can still create something that’s beautiful and luxurious,” she said.
She uses an all-natural blend of soy and coconut wax, which takes about three to four hours to solidify and 24 to 48 hours to cure before being lit. The result is a strong, natural scent, but without the overpowering, headache-inducing fragrance of some other products.
Her candles evoke hygge – a Danish and Norwegian word meaning coziness – and include Spiced Lingonberry and Gnoël. Currently, Kelley is working on a new scent to celebrate the new year called Pear Prosecco.
Other scents, offered year-round, include Outdoorsy, Cloudberry and Pink Magnolia. Lately, she’s been experimenting with adding things to candles, such as “eco” biodegradable glitter in Ginger Snap, coffee beans in Coffee Break and a small amethyst in Spa Day.
Candles cost $39 each and come in a sturdy 12-ounce jar; a wooden lid can be added for an additional $10. They can be found for sale at Linds and the retail section of Fare Market, both located in Freeland.
Eventually, Kelley hopes to expand her business to include skincare products.
Visit scandicocandles.com for more information.
Photo by David Welton Lindsay Kelley poses with an array of holiday scented candles.
Photo by David Welton Lindsay Kelley pours hot wax, infused with the scent of Pear Prosecco, into candle molds.
Photo by David Welton Lindsay Kelley pours hot wax, infused with the scent of Pear Prosecco, into candle molds.
