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The Autumn Flame Candle Company, based in Parwich, is to be re-launched.

Tracy Marshall first set up the Company, making and selling candles from her own home between four and five years ago. “I was always interested in art and crafts and wanting to make my own things. I was interested in making cards and got a craft magazine. I saw a candle making kit at the back and ordered it. I was hooked. I started buying more and more moulds, different waxes and colours, just doing my own thing.”

The idea was to create a home business that could start small alongside having a family, but that had the potential to grow. However, when Tracy was pregnant with her son, now aged two, she had some health difficulties and the wax smells from the candle making process made her feel sick. The new company had to be put on hold. 

Now her son is a bit older, Tracy is re-launching the company. At present she is planning a website that will enable her to sell on-line and has lots of ideas for extending her range.

All the candles are hand-made: they “have quite a rustic feel; they are quite individual”. Tracy has a range of standard candles, but also offers a bespoke service creating candles for special occasions, extra special gifts or particular interior designs. The range includes a variety of shapes, any colour and any fragrance from essential oils, natural fragrances and more designer scents. A lot of the scents are imported from America, as Tracy feels she can get better quality.

The Company also supplies ‘chunk candles’: chunks of wax in a strong colour are made first then incorporated into candles of clear wax or a paler shade of the same colour. Candles decorated with wire, beads and leaves are part of the standard range, as well as seasonal candles (e.g. Christmas candles).

“I love to do wedding candles because you can do so much with different shapes and colours”. People bring along a flower or a fabric, perhaps a bridesmaid dress, and then candles are created to match the colours and theme of the wedding.

At present Tracy is mainly using manmade wax, but is exploring using more natural sources. Beeswax is wonderful, but at present it is not cost effective for the business. Also it has a smell of its own that restricts the fragrances that can be used. Tracy is undertaking trials with a soya based eco-wax, which is looking very promising, though it will not take the full range of scents or colours.

There are lots of ideas to expand the range offered. When the website is up and running it is planned to supply things related to the candles such as the glass holders for the votive candles Tracy makes.

Since being pregnant Tracy has developed eczema and can not tolerate many chemicals on her skin. This has increased her interest in different things. “I want to keep everything very natural”. It is hope that the Company will also be able to supply natural soaps and bath products, perhaps also incorporating them into gift baskets.

You will have an opportunity to by some of the candles on Saturday 6th September, as the Autumn Flame Candle Company is participating in the Project Parwich Snail Trail Sale. Also Christmas range will be available from late October.

A formal launch event will take places at the end of September (more details to follow) where people will be able to see the full range of standard candles or order their own bespoke items. For more information contact Tracy Marshall on tel. 01335 390 552