Story and Photos by Miriam Gershenson
ESCONDIDO, California — I joined a Chabad of Escondido women’s class series about Shabbat candles. During this time, I had the opportunity to meet some incredible women in my community. One of them is Sandy (she prefers her last name not be used). During the last class of the series, we were gifted candle holders from the Rabbanit, Chevy. We were also gifted handmade Shabbat candles from Sandy. Finding out that Sandy makes these candles herself, I knew I had to find out more.
I reached out to Sandy at some point after we finished with the class series. She invited me to come over. I had three goals:
- Take a cutting of the snapdragon growing wild on her gorgeous property
- Candle shopping
- And pet the dogs (probably the most important part!)
The day I came over, I was greeted by a smiling Sandy who needed to feed her chickens. It was such a joy just watching these little creatures. Truly made me want to get some of my own. After feeding the chickens, we headed inside where I was treated to tea and a snack. The two of us finally had a chance to get to know one another one-on-one. I learned so many interesting tidbits about Sandy and her family, one of them being about Linoy Boutique.
Sandy started Linoy Boutique when she became pregnant with her eldest daughter, Linoy. Sandy was searching for a very specific kind of baby blanket, but she was unable to find what she wanted. Her next logical step was to learn to crochet and make it herself. When others saw her blankets, they rightfully wanted one too. So Sandy began making them and selling them in her newly formed boutique. Fast forward a few years and in 2023, Sandy was selling her blankets at markets and fairs.
In the meantime, Sandy was finding herself struggling with mosquitos in the summer. Being frustrated with the quality and price of mosquito candles, Sandy decided to make one herself. Sandy successfully made a citronella candle that impressed her sister-in-law when she came for a visit. Naturally, Sandy’s sister-in-law requested that Sandy make her one. When her sister-in-law took the candle back home, her friends saw the candle and asked to put an order in with Sandy. It was at this point, Sandy’s sister-in-law suggested that Sandy sell these candles. Starting in August, Sandy put a lot of time into research and trial and error. On November 11, 2023, Sandy placed her candles for sale with her blankets at a market was a huge success. In January 2024, Sandy decided to sell her candles full-time.
From a simple citronella candle, Sandy has expanded to party favor candles, wax melts, tea lights, Shabbat candles, Havdalah candles, and others. Obviously, I was hooked and needed to know the process. Luckily, Sandy agreed to have me back and let me document the process.
Step 1. **Gather Your Materials:**
– Wax (Sandy uses organic soy wax only)
– Wick (Sandy uses wood or cotton)
– Container (like jars, tins, or molds)
– Fragrance oils or essential oils (optional)
– Melting pot
– Thermometer
– Stirring utensil
– Heat-resistant surface
– Wick holder
Step 2. **Prepare Your Workspace:**
– Lay down paper to protect your space. (Sandy is putting together a studio for candle making so in the meantime, she uses the kitchen and dining room. This means the space truly does need to be protected)
Step 3. **Melt the Wax:**
– Measure out the desired amount of wax flakes or pellets. Different waxes have different requirements. Everything is measured when it comes to candles.
– Use a melting pot to melt the wax. Be cautious not to overheat it (more on this later)
NOTE: Measuring each aspect of candle making will determine how long the candle will burn, how much fragrance it will have, and how it melts.
Step 4. **Prepare Your Container:**
– Place the wick in the center of the container. You can use a wick sticker to hold it in place at the bottom.
Step 5 **Add Fragrance and color (Optional):**
– If you want scented candles, add fragrance oils or essential oils for scent. Sandy wants her wax at a specific temperature. This changes based on which fragrance she uses. Different fragrances need different temperatures to not burn or over power. When pouring the wax into a container or mold, there are also temperature requirements to be considered.
Step 6 **Mix Thoroughly:**
– Stir the melted wax and additives thoroughly to ensure an even distribution. There is a length of time Sandy prefers to mix her ingredients to ensure everything is well incorporated. This step is just as important as the others. If not mixed well, the oil or colors will create uneven and discolored spots on the candle.
Step 7. **Pour the Wax:**
– Once the wax has reached the appropriate pouring temperature, carefully pour it into a dispenser funnel. Run a little bit of wax into it and dispense it back into the pot. Do this multiple times to warm up your funnel and to ensure an even pour.
– Pour wax into the container or mold. Sandy doesn’t pour all the way to the top of her container because she does add decorative flowers to the candles.
Step 9. **Secure the Wick:**
– Use a wick holder to keep the wick centered and straight as the candle cools and solidifies.
Step 10. **Let it Cool:**
– Allow the candle to cool and harden completely. This can take several hours, depending on the size of the candle. In Sandy’s case, she usually will leave the candles to harden overnight.
Step 11. **Decorative Flowers**
– While candles are cooling, Sandy will go through the same process but with a harder wax to pour into the molds she uses to create decorative flowers that will go on top of her candles when everything hardens.
Step 12. **Use the Heat Gun:**
– Once the decorative flowers are hard after an overnight rest, Sandy removes them from the mold.
– She uses the heat gun to melt the very top layer of the candle and places the decorative flower on top. As the wax hardens again, it will hold on to the new addition.
With attention to detail and a passion for quality, Sandy’s candles are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. I left with an entire collection of candles as I couldn’t decide on a fragrance. I highly recommend you check Sandy’s work at www.linoyboutique.com/ I have no doubt you’ll be just as impressed as I am.
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Miriam Gershenson is a dog-loving, Israel-born, HR professional currently residing in Escondido.