NEXT FREEWHEELING CRAFT MARKET: Holiyay, Saturday Nov 24th
BRAND: The Wax Studio
Ottawa, Canada
Meet Anna, our kidpreneur. Anna is in middle school and made the decision several years back to start this candle company with a family friend. With different visions of growth, Anna wanted to see The wax studio grow more than her partner so they made the decision that Anna would take over. Now this ambitious teen is constantly creating new products, getting into shops and taking on big markets.
1. What can we expect from your brand this holiday season?
I love reimagining what a pure beeswax candle can be. This holiday season I have some brand-new candes from molds that I've designed and fabricated myself, like my burnable bottle candle made from antique Parisian perfume glass that dates from the 1800s. I just created a new double-wicked oval pillar that burns for over 50 hours, with a pure white beeswax snowflake on it. I will also have lots of beeswax candles in glass jars, scented with only aromatherapy-grade essential oils.
2. Do you have any special holiday traditions?
Every Solstice after the sun goes down we only light our home with lots and lots of beeswax candles. It's so beautiful and peaceful.
4. What is your favourite part about the local maker community?
I love being part of the local maker community! I get so many great ideas and support from other artists and makers. I even met a super talented woodworker, @peripherywood , with whom I'm doing a special collaboration this season.
5. Is this a side hustle for you, or a full time gig?
This is a side gig for me, as I'm still in middle school and often making candles by moonlight. Building a business has definitely been the best education of my life so far.
6) What does conscious consumerism mean to you?
Conscious consumerism is a huge part of what I do both in terms of how I make my products, and also in terms of what I want to encourage and offer to the marketplace. I love handmaking an all-natural, chemical-free alternative to GMO and chemically-treated and bleached soy, toxic paraffin and other candles. By choosing beeswax I support local beekeepers and, in turn, the bees. I use only aromatherapy-grade essential oils, non-toxic vegetable-based dyes, all-cotton wicks and recycled paper boxes for packaging.
7. Did you participate in holiyay last year... if yes, what was your favourite part?
I loved doing the Holiyay show last year! It's great to have so many makers, as well as the Ottawa Tool Library, in the same place... it's like a creative hub. I'm really excited to be back this year again.