Coffee shop to host candle workshop
On Sept. 28, a candle making workshop will be led by Suz Leal, the owner of Wave of Candles, at Vevi Designs Coffee and Flowers starting at 11:30 a.m.
The two-hour class will teach participants how to make their own candles with a touch of Mexican culture. Participants will be able to choose different scents and handmade barro earthenware vessels for their candles. The workshop will include complementary beverages and an empanada.
When asked about what motivated her to start Wave of Candles, Leal replied, “My love language is gifting and I love DIY-ing. If I can do it, I will. One year, I wondered if I could make candles for my sisters for Christmas. I made them body-shaped candles with a scent that reminded me of them. One of my sisters still has them, she’s an esthetician and she keeps it in her studio.”
Handmade gifts are thoughtful presents for your loved ones and friends, and they can also be personalized and tailored to the recipient’s preferences, she said.
“It shows people how much you care about them. Maybe you aren’t the type to tell people, ‘I love you,’ but you can show them the amount of time you took to create an item that reminded you of them,” Leal said.
Leal said all the vessels for her candles are handpicked by her.
“The bowls and the mugs that they come in are called barro and it’s created from red mud. They’re all handmade. They’re brought from Puebla, Mexico, and each one of them are handpicked by me,” she said.
Wave of Candles upholds sustainability and creating healthier candles, she said.
“The fragrances are mostly organic. We have scents like rose, lavender, and eucalyptus. They’re very earthy. They are soy wax candles, so they melt slow, and it takes about three to four hours to melt the top layer. The fragrances aren’t like your typical store candles, the scents are soft because they’re non-toxic,” Leal said.
Wave of Candles is known for its Mexican artisanal candles, Leal said, emphasizing the importance of cultural representation and her heritage.
“I wanted something unique. I know there’s a lot of people that make candles already. Everything that I do, I want to put a little part of me and family in it. My mom and my husband’s family is from Mexico. I wanted something that I could put there that was part of Mexican culture,” Leal said.
Leal illustrates the multipurpose uses of the barro mugs to create new things. She noted that people are surprised when they see her creations.
“When people walk up to it, they’re in shock about how you can just make something else that you put into the bowls and mugs. The bowls and mugs are usually used for coffee, tea, soups, and sauces. It just shows how resourceful Mexican culture can be,” Leal said.
Wave of Candles workshops have helped people destress and get in touch with their creative side, she said.
“Sometimes you need a break from everyday life. That’s one of the other reasons I started making candles, it’s therapeutic for me. My classes are two hours long, and those two hours can change people,” she said. “I did a couple classes, and the feedback I got was that people felt disconnected from whatever they left back home.
“It’s definitely an experience to create something so beautiful that you get to enjoy. I’ve had people who haven’t used their candles because it is a memory to them. At my last workshop, a mom just had her baby, and she actually said it was the first time she’d left him. She had a blast. To me, that’s what I look forward to when I do these candle classes; to be present and be in the moment.”
Vevi Designs Coffee and Flowers is at 120 S. Main St. Suite D. To book a ticket for the class, contact @waveofcandles on Instragram or Facebook or stop by Vevi Designs Coffee and Flowers.
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