 It’s that time of the year; candle season! There’s something of utmost importance for you to consider when purchasing candles for your home! If you’re a conscious consumer, here are some questions to consider before your purchase.
If the answer is “No” to any of these questions, then buying the candle is a NO!  I know it’s beautiful, lovely and quite divine to look at a candle with glitter, herbs, botanicals, and crystals on the top. This is a fire hazard! The ONLY time you can safely buy a candle like this is if you intend to use it for decoration only. IF it's a free-standing pillar candle AND the decorations are around the outside edge of a pillar candle, there’s a chance the candlemaker used a high-melt point paraffin to encapsulate the decorations around the edge and away from the wick and melt pool. You can tell this if you can clearly see a ring when you look around the top or bottom of the candle. In this case, the decorations are in a shell and this burns safely. Never buy a candle with combustible materials inside a glass container! Yes, even certain gemstones are considered combustible.  So, let’s consider the vessel. Typically ¼ inch is a really good measurement to think of when being a conscious candle consumer. Not only do we keep our wicks trimmed to ¼ inch for proper candle care, but we can also use this measurement when considering the glass containers we are purchasing. If the glass is thinner than ¼ inch, there’s more of a risk that the heat from the flame will crack the glass. If the glass is thicker than ¼ inch there’s less of a risk that the heat from the flame will crack the glass. However, it’s also important to consider that in my experience colored glass tends to be less heat resistant. What about ingredients! This is a topic I could write on for hours. As a general rule of thumb, if the candle business you are checking out does not mention anything about their conscious selection of oils, it’s safer to assume they are not shopping consciously for their oils and other materials. Oil selection is by far the most important step in ordering ingredients for your candles. Many factors are considered during oil shopping. Typically if a candlemaker takes the time to review data sheets to shop for oils that are phthalate and Nitro-musk free, they’re going to make sure their consumer knows about it either on the candle or on the website homepage.  It’s important to me to educate people about candles! There’s some accusations about candles out there that are not supported by science. I’ve been experimenting with candles regularly since 2001 and I conclude that the soothing, relaxing, mindfulness benefits of burning candles in our home outweighs the chance of air pollution or fire hazard. However, there’s also candlemakers not making safety a top priority, so it’s important to be conscious with our purchases; always! Follow me! I’ll help you be a conscious candle consumer.
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 It’s nearing THAT time of the year! I know many companies have already begun to release their Fall Scent Collections. Here's the thing ya'll... When I make the candles you see on my pages, it's a whole-hearted process. I want to create the fall scents for you when the time feels right. It feels wrong to rush to create to keep up with the retail stores and competitors.🕯 🤷🏽♀️🕯 There is a version of me in this moment, this day, this season, that I want to be. I will never have this version of me again, so I will stay with her and be here. In context, it means creating fall candles when it feels right and only then. 😌  As I'm over here honoring the end of summer and enjoying the few cool mornings we've had, I'm planning what we are going to be burning in our homes next season and what's the best way to serve you all. What better day to release the Fall Candle Collection than the first day of fall?!? Mark your calendars for September 22nd when we will have this season's fresh small batch candles ready for your homes 🏡 ✨️ 🕯 Guess what!?! We also have a pre-order option this year! This is for some of you that I know begin getting those 🍂 fall 🍂 decorations out real soon. I want you to get your fall aromas rolling right away! I'm announcing this year's collection with a pre-order form to email subscribers ONLY on Saturday, September 3rd. Sign up on our homepage if you're not already on the list. And watch 👀 your emails on September 3rd!!! 💃🏻  I know these are your favorite, so I’m pouring them EARLY and to order just for you! ✨️Orders are filled and ready within 3 days! Shipping or pickup is available and we also have special pricing when you order one case. 💥Let us know if you have a favorite scent that you’d like to see in a Sincerely Candle!
 Two Truths and a Lie is a great introductory group gathering game you can play at parties or use as ice breakers. No special preparation is needed and it’s optional as to whether or not to keep track of points for a prize. To play, everyone sits or stands in a circle. One by one, each person in the circle says three statements about him/herself. Two of these statements must be facts, or "truths," and one must be a lie. The other members then take turns trying to guess which statement is the lie. Here are some tips I've gathered from Hannah Muniz over at prepscholar.com! What Makes for a Good Lie? A Good Truth? A best lie to use is one that seems most believable: it'll sound like something you might've done or might want to do (but haven't actually done). A lie that's too far fetched will clearly sound fake, so try to think of lies that are similar to truths to make them as plausible-sounding as possible. For example, don't say, "I can speak 22 languages." This statement is clearly a lie (unless you're a famous polyglot!). Rather, say, "I can speak three languages fluently." This statement is just plausible enough to make people doubt whether you're telling the truth or not. When it comes to telling truths, you'll want to tell the truth in such a way that others think you're lying even though you're not. Therefore, a good truth will sound like something you usually wouldn't do or wouldn't want to do (but have actually done). For example, if you're normally a shy person but have been the first to get out on a dance floor, this would be a good truth to tell since other people won't expect you to have done it.  35 Two Truths and a Lie Ideas
Below are tons of Two Truths and a Lie examples you can use for lies (or truths if applicable!). Just remember this: when choosing lies, always opt for those that will be most convincing for you! Likes/Dislikes
 This month I’ve had a few inquiries about the candle-making process in response to the events I’m posting. I love to share the experience with others here in the shop by appointment or “on the road” at a collaborative partner’s business or a scheduled party. But what of you folks following that are not local? This candle making information is for you! Yeah, so you can search up basic candle-making instructions all over the internet! But what I want to tell you creatives is the juicy stuff!!! There are some things that I’ve had to learn through experience that you may or may not find listed out there. So here we go…  Antique coffee percolators are my best friend! Old glass percolators bring so much to the table, I’ll never buy another aluminum pour pot!!! The thick pyrex glass handles the fluctuating temperatures of my double boiler beautifully. The sturdy handles hold the weight of solid or liquid wax. Since they are glass, they easily wipe clean after each scent. Their durability has lasted me over 10 years of candle-making projects and counting! Hit up your local thrift stores, yard sales, etc. I know there’s still some out there! Oils are NOT created equally! I could go on for a couple hours about this topic, but I’ll keep it real short and sweet. When selecting fragrance oils, be smart! Do not just buy something because it’s affordable. Please check your data sheets to ensure the oils you use are phthalate, nitro-musk, paraben FREE! You can refer to the National Candle Association Standards that advise against the use of oils containing these substances and for a more complete list of things to avoid. That’s all. No soapbox rant.  Wick stickers can be a fire hazard! I used to use double-sided mounting tape to adhere the wick to the bottom of the vessels. This works great when it’s cut small enough so as to not peek out from underneath the metal tab; which is a challenge to finagle. For the past couple of years, I’ve been using hot glue which allows for a more smooth process for production. However, the amount still needs to be small. The key is to keep your “wick sticker” under the metal wick tab to eliminate the chance of the sticker from catching fire when the candle burns down low. And then we can sleep at night!  Set the space to welcome peace! My all-time favorite process of candle-making is setting up the space. Cleaning the room well is important to avoid debris from getting in the candles, especially if you have pets. I adore using a smudge like sage to energetically clean the space after physically cleaning. And the thing that I feel like a beginner may not consider (because I didn’t) is the temperature of the room. Candles really like it warm so they can cool down slowly; the warmer the better, truly. I keep the room 75 degrees Fahrenheit’or higher; even if that means turning off the AC or turning on the space heater. I also clear my mind and do an activity to put me in a good mood like listening to music. I believe the best candles are those that are clean and free of intention so their user can set the intentions they choose.
These are some of the things I’ve been thinking about that you may not necessarily find out there in your candle-making research. Let me know if you have any further questions about what I’m discussing here. I’d also like to see your projects!
For Freedom to Create, Kim the Chandler  When the journalists began to reach out this season, I noticed that the About Us section on my site doesn't quite do the trick. Although it's a descriptive representation of the life of the business, there's not much about personal purpose or intention.
Here in my late 30s I'm moving within my purpose more so than ever before. The mission of this business supports my purpose; to Make Moments Matter. Focusing on the moment has been a life lesson. There are big moments worth a huge celebration and there are small, special moments that no one hears about. All of these moments are special! I strive for our products to be there for your special moments. ❤ Making moments matter is a something of a personal purpose as well. This business serves my family in a specific way that makes our moments matter. Raising two boys and keeping a home for us has had its challenges. When I keep a flexible schedule that this business allows for me to have, I can more easily be Present for my children. This flexibility also allows us to adventure! Participating in pop-up markets allows for us to travel the region, state, coast, and beyond. Being available for my children and showing them the country are create moments that matter for us ✨️ The Sincere Story I was 17 when I starting experimenting with candles. To be honest about it, I was heading down the wrong path in high school. I was taking steps in the direction of parties, boys, and toxic social groups. The problem was that I felt no real connection with the extracurriculars offered at my school or in my community, so I got distracted. Candle-making kept me busy! It kept me at home and gave me a deep sense of accomplishment and joy. This hobby-turned-business saved my life! I’ve had a deep appreciation for candles since I was a kid. There is something special about the soothing and relaxing feeling I get when I burn them. Each time I burn a candle, I’m reminded of the internal flame of peace that is always accessible by reverence. I spent many school-aged years lighting the candles at church every Sunday. In my adult years, I use candles for various moments, practices, and celebrations. My adolescent curiosity and some hand-me-down equipment led me to experiment with making candles in 2001. I was very intrigued by the many different types I learned to make. My mother’s kitchen became my little laboratory, and the ancient art of candle making became my hobby. The family would help me create a better candle with encouraging words and constructive criticism. My sister would tell me that they were good enough to sell and that I should give that a try. She shared them with some ladies at work and had a couple of people using my candles in no time. I followed her example and did the same thing at my job. It worked. This was the beginning of my candle business. Over the years I ran it as a side job, learning through experience and making many mistakes. I created my first candle collection, The Dixie Lane Signature Collection, using all-natural, quality ingredients. These candle scents are country-inspired; a homage to my childhood experience of being a New York transplant attempting to embrace a new culture. This collection expresses a found-love for The South! These candles are still available today on the website along with two additional scent collections I've created to offer something for everyone's taste. In 2019, I started Sincerely Candles & Company, LLC and committed to running this business for good! Since then, we have grown to a regional candle company with two employees offering a wide variety of products and services. Quite frequently, I check in with my initial mission to ensure that the busy of business doesn't lead me astray from making High Quality Handmade Products to help Make Moments Matter. My goal has been to sell candles online, in-stores, and at pop-up markets! We are there!!! Pop-up markets have been my absolute favorite part about this business, even from the beginning! There were two times that I had the gumption open my own store! Although I enjoyed it, retail hours didn't match my single-mom livelihood at the time. There's still a part of me that wants a brick-in-mortar in downtown USA, but when the time is right. For now, I'll see you in my office where all the products online (and more) are on display for purchase. |
Kimberly MicheleHomeschooling Boy Mom 
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