News and Events
Things are happening pretty quickly around here! I'm really excited about these upcoming opportunities.
One: I have a store owner that wants a candle display!! I've been working on a relationship with my local Postal Connections store that is right across the street. A husband and wife opened the store last year, and I talked to the lady over the holidays about getting a break on my shipping costs, if I agree to ship all my candles through her store. She readily agreed, so that was great in itself! Then last week I went in again (after going to City Hall to pick up my business license application!), since I had a candle to ship. I brought in a sample candle as a gift for her, and she just loved it. Apparently she's been wanting to carry candles in the store, and she wants mine! So just as soon as I have enough candles ready for a display, I can sell them in her store! So I am now working on a line of seasonal candles to have on display (since it's unlikely that a person going in there to mail a package will want a Pagan Sabbat candle!).
Two: I am going to have a table at an upcoming Women Empowering Through Community fair on Feb. 12th! I joined a group last week called the
Birth Year Network, which is a group of professionals "Joining together to strengthen the birthing community through education and support". Basically they work to educate women so that they feel empowered to explore their natural birth options. This is a group I have been looking for ever since moving to Las Vegas! Oregon had several birth centers and lots of natural birthing alternatives - there is *nothing* available here in LV! This group is working to change that - it's all about natural living, natural parenting, promoting natural birth and breastfeeding - it's wonderful! So, now that I am a bona fide member, I get to have a table at their *monthly* workshops, as well as at these sorts of events. So I'm going to work on a nice display of Memento Candles, as well as having the seasonal line and a special Birth Empowerment candle, made with herbs and oils that will help focus a laboring woman's energies in order to have an empowering birth experience.
Simultaneously, I've hit a snag with my wax supplier, so I have run completely out of my lovely natural wax blend! Fun! The wax I just received as a replacement is not working for the regular candles, but it does seem to be working for the Memento Candles, so at least it isn't a total loss. Let's hope I can find a new supplier with comparable wax quickly, and that they have *fast* shipping!! Eek! As Barbara says: "Drama!". LOL Wish me luck that this all works out. :)
Prototype Sabbat candles
Here are some the latest Glow Diva Candles with the *gorgeous* Focal Charm Bracelets that my friend and partner Barbara made. Aren't they great?!? Also check out the prototype of the new logo my awesome graphic designer friend Bridget is making for me. Is this thing coming together or what?!? :D
*Candles pictured are Imbolc and Yule (front L-R), Litha and Samhain (back L-R)
Glow Diva!
I have been working really hard these last couple of weeks to get my aunt's website,
Fey Communique, up and off the ground. I finished it over the weekend, just in time for the workshop last night. Which is great, because I was able to make up some business cards to have by my candle display, and several people took them and there were lots of questions about the site. I noticed there were some hits generated after the workshop, so I'm pumped about that.
So, for those of you who don't know, the workshop was a Spirit Crafting event that one of the local Pagans coordinates. She happened to come to the Cacklefest (our bi-monthly coffee get-togethers) before Christmas, when I brought a lot of my candles since I was giving them out as gifts. She mentioned they were having a candle-making workshop, and invited me to come. I said I could bring some of my supplies if that would help, and eventually it ended up that I would give the presentation and basically do the workshop. She said my candles were beautiful, and that I should bring some to show folks at the workshop. So I've been busy making up a sufficient supply of candles, and I had three Sabbat candles ready for display (I made extra of each in case people wanted to buy, I didn't want to turn away customers!!); I had Imbolc, Ostara, and Beltane candles there, plus a chunk candle and the Memento Candle of Rhia and my nieces (I decided to call the Keepsake Candles Memento Candles instead, since the former gets used a lot).
I went into the workshop with the goal of selling one candle to one new customer, and I sold THREE candles!!! Two Sabbat candles to two of the ladies at the workshop (I was pleased to learn that the ladies who bought them were not even Pagans, so even those have cross-over appeal), and Barb, who was gracious enough to accomodate me as moral support, snatched up my last Cucumber Melon (Bath & Body Works scent) green chunk candle. I am so glad Barb came with me, because I probably wouldn't have sold a single candle if she hadn't. I was busy with the wax, etc., and several times I overheard her telling someone about the candles and how I do them, and how they're all-natural, etc. I had my display candles in a basket on the counter, and when we were nearly done with the workshop, she whispered to me that I might want to mention that the candles were for sale and not just display. LOL So I did, and that's when folks wandered up to the counter and started asking questions about Glow Diva and Fey Communique, and that's when I sold the two Sabbat candles. So a HUGE thanks goes to Barb for helping make the evening such a success for me. :D
Another cool thing that happened is I gave Susan (the workshop coordinator) the remaining Ostara Sabbat candle as a gift for letting me come do the workshop, and she was talking to her friend about burning it at their Ostara celebration (around Easter). Last year it was held at the UU (Unitarian Universalist) church, where the workshop was held, and that would be just wonderful if she did burn it there, because she usually gets really good turn-outs for her rituals. So a lot of new people would see it and that would be awesome! Also, another woman was talking to Barb about homeschooling, since they are on the same hs list; this woman mentioned doing a candle-making workshop for a group of homeschoolers sometime, and I said I would be happy to do that, so who knows.
If you couldn't tell, I've decided to go with Glow Diva Candles as the business name for this little venture. I've been kicking it around for some time, and the more I use it, the more I like it, so I think it's staying. :)
I'm really close to launching the Sabbat candle line on the website; I have the three mentioned above ready to go, and I've been working on Litha and Lughnasadh. After that, I'll only have three more to go before I can get them online to start selling them through Fey Communique. So things are moving pretty quickly, and I'm getting excited. My first foray out into the business world surpassed my expectations, so I can't wait to keep going!!
Sorry this was so long, but a lot of things have been happening. Hopefully soon I'll have pictures of the new Sabbat candles up (they are turning out SO pretty!!!).
Talk to you soon!!
