New ~ Bliss Candle Holder by jneale3!

New at Jneale3! The Bliss Candle Holder:

"This little beauty was made out of discarded cedar fencing material. The fence was in excess of 20 years old, and the owner gave me the material after he tore it down. And now you get to enjoy it in your own home!"

Check it out or buy it HERE.

Be sure to check out Jneale3's shop for more awesome candle holders made out of a variety of beautiful wood products.

While the Bliss Candle Holder was made for Bliss Candles, any standard jelly jar will fit. The same holds true with the other items in his shop. If you have a candle vendor you prefer (like Bliss Candles :)), chances are your preferred vendor's votives and jars will fit holders made for another vendor's product as well. Just ask!

Have fun shopping in this awesome Etsy shop! http://jneale3.etsy.com

-Suzanne
The Candle Lady

Bliss Candles Now Available in Saugatuck!

Bliss Pomegranate Premium 10 oz Soy Candles now available at Silverberry Home Decor in downtown Saugatuck!

Stop by and visit and tell her how much you love them so she will carry more!

-Suzanne

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Bliss Featured!

I am always so thankful to be featured on blogs and websites!

This recent blog article is too cute. Check it out and make a comment! I would subscribe to this one -- love her writing style!

http://excusemynonsense.com/2009/07/21/monkey-farts/

-Suzanne

Fragrance List as of April 2009

We have added over 10 new fragrances since March 2009 and we now carry over 200 fragrances! Check out our new fragrance list at:

http://www.blisscandles.com/FragranceList.htm

New fragrances can be ordered with Price Break Listings in our Etsy shop right now (http://www.blisscandles.etsy.com/) . New fragrances will be added to the regular website this weekend (http://www.blisscandles.com/) !

-Suzanne

What's the Big Deal?

I often have people ask, "What's the big deal about Bliss Soy Candles?"

First...I only speak for my own soybean candles. I named my business, "Bliss," for a reason. When I first started making candles, the difference between mine and others was very noticeable. They were much stronger, burned better, and the colors were beautiful (thank goodness I paid attention in that Kindergarten class on blending colors!).

If you buy a Bliss Soybean Candle, here is what you can expect:

1. Zero to little soot. Soy wax produces little to no soot if burned AND made properly (keep out of drafts, use the appropriate amount of oil, etc). I use the no more than the maximum fragrance recommended to make sure you don't get soot.


2. An attractive container that you can be proud to display in your home. There is a reason why I search for cool lids and cute candle caps - I'm a very picky decorator! It would always drive me crazy when all I could find was jelly jars.


3. A candle made with the best ingredients available. My candles are often pricier for a reason. You pay for quality. I don't buy from people who sell "discount oils." I buy the most awesome wax on the market. Most of my jars still say Made in the USA!


4. Metal - free wicks. My wicks are all made with paper and cotton...period. No zinc or lead to worry about.


5. A stronger candle. Most of my fragrances are quite strong. Cozy Home, Hot Apple Strudel, Clove, Victorian Christmas, Christmas Berry...oh I could go on! There are also several that are on the lighter side. Many of your vanilla or clean fragrances are softer. The food fragrances and fruit fragrances will knock your socks off!


6. A better burn. If the instructions on the back of my candles are followed, they will burn across every time and straight down to the bottom of the jar using nearly all of the wax. And if you are a "liquefy" junkie like me, you'll love the burn pool on these!


7. Beautiful colors. I love color and I am very picky about my dyes.


8. A candle that supports American farmers...they make the soybeans (yep..this stuff really comes from soybeans!).

I'll admit it. I love my candles. If you look at my Etsy feedback, you'll see I'm not alone!

DISCOUNT!! If you read this entire article, take 5% OFF in any of my shops below. Just use the code BLOG at checkout and I will send you a refund!

Etsy: http://blisscandles.etsy.com/

ArtFire: http://blisscandles.artfire.com/

Lollishop: http://www.lollishops.com/bliss-soybean-candles-and-gifts

Regular Website: http://www.blisscandles.com/

-Suzanne

Treasury Feature

I have been featured in the cutest little Treasury! Stop by and give her some props and clicks :)

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=21639

Featured Etsy Shop: Treecycle

Featured Etsy Shop: treecycle

The Etsy community is full of a multitude of talented artists. Amongst this community of talent is an incredible team called InteriorDesignTeam (AKA DesignStyleGuide). This team is comprised of artists who create furniture, pottery, home décor, photography, paintings, various artwork, candles, lamps, bedding, and more.
If you are looking to redecorate or just for something special, search “interiordesignteam” to find these fantastic artists. Today’s featured artist is a member of this talented team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell?

My shop name is Treecycle and I endeavour to sell woodturned items such as bowls, hollow forms, platters and sculptured pieces. I also make mirrors and small plant pots. At the moment I am hoping to add more items such as lamp stands, tea light holders and small vases. My partner makes greetings cards and one or two might make an appearance in my shop also.
2. What is your shop URL?

http://www.treecycle.etsy.com/

3. When did you start selling on Etsy?

June 08

4. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?

Obviously with Etsy being worldwide it offers fantastic opportunities to enable my work to be seen and for me to see other beautiful creations which I wouldn't normally search for away from Etsy. Also no matter what time of day it is there is always someone prepared to offer help and advice via the forums if needed. It can also be counter productive because when I log in I find It so addictive to get away!!

5. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?

Wood is such a fantastic medium to work with and can hold some wonderful suprises whilst being turned, in fact many a time I have had an idea for a piece then changed my mind once the grain pattern comes through! It also offers the chance to try various ways of applications such as paints, stains, oils and textures, resins etc, etc.

6. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?

Tough question this one! It is true to say that I do have favourites but to choose one mmm...well I will go for this one because I went with an idea and although challenging for me came out just as I envisaged, the form, the colour and how it finally 'sat' when finished.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12588380

7. What teams do you belong

Design Style Guide, a wonderful and friendly team!

8. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?

On Etsy when time permits I enjoy going into the promotion forum, and away from Etsy I show at a few craft shows and enjoy handing out my buisness cards and spreading the word! I am trying to get more out of various other things like my space and flikr but not being into all this computer stuff find it hard to get my head round it all but I will...
9. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?

I, like everyone else have quite a few and to choose a few again is tough but here goes...
If I didn't turn wood I would be tempted to have a go at pottery but could only dream as being as good as these people...
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14565270
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8773008
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12830762
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8628222
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14525272
and as far as art goes..
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13034698
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8117104
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11311830

10. What do you do in your spare time?

I really enjoy attending rock concerts, listening to rock music such as AC/DC, Deep Purple, Rush, Aerosmith, Nickelback, the list is endless! Motorbikes feature heavily in my spare time, going for a ride out to our beautiful English countryside also offers touches of inspiration, and also the odd drink or two helps the chillout factor!!

11. Do you have anything else you would like to share?

Even though I have not sold anything on Etsy yet (I am patient!) I love what I do and get a great buzz out of people hearting and commenting on my work, It makes me feel like I'm going in the right direction.

About My Etsy Shops!

About My Etsy Shops!

I had so much fun doing this for another blog, I thought I would put it on my own!

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell? I have two Etsy shops! My main shop is Bliss Soybean Candles and Gifts which sells high end, decorative soy candles in jars, teas, gift sets, and the occasional votive. My other shop, Posies for Lewis, sells photography.

2. What is your shop URL? http://blisscandles.etsy.com/ http://posiesforlewis.etsy.com/

3. When did you start selling on Etsy? Back in 2007. I actually gave up after a few months in 2007 and then came back in 2008, learned the “tricks of the trade,” and began to do very well. Posies for Lewis opened in 2008.

4. What is your favorite thing about Etsy? There are so many! Etsy has such a wonderful range of artists. Where else can you go and buy a $2 item or a $2000 item, both of which are fantastic?! I love turning people on to Etsy. From the seller side of things, the buyers are high caliber. I have sold on other sites as well and I just find the experience with Etsy buyers to be top notch! I also love the teams I am on. People are so wonderful and supportive. It is fun to create treasuries, network, blog, and all of that good stuff

5. What is your favorite thing about what you sell? I have to admit I am one of my biggest fans. I have always been a candle addict – especially soy because it is just so much healthier and performs so much better than other waxes. I often tell people if you can’t afford to buy from me, at least promise me you will buy soy. I am so proud of my items because I know the quality is top notch and I love almost every single one of my 140+ fragrances! Sorry…I just can’t stand Patchouli and Clove…not my thingJ I’m all about the food, Fall, and Christmas fragrances making this my favorite time of year! I love to put fun gift sets together and am always keeping my eyes open to see if my suppliers have added any new jars or lids.

6. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why? Oh dear! That’s tough. I LOVE my bigger jars. The Premium 16 oz jars are my fave because of the rusty lids. However, being a candle addict, a girl needs more candle than that so I make the 26 oz for myself! My favorite fragrances are Pumpkin Souffle, Pumpkin Spice, Vanilla Hazelnut Pumpkin, Cozy Home, Cinnamon Buns, Cinnamon Spice, Cool Citrus Basil, Spiced Apple Pecan, Energy, Coconut Bay (new!), Caramelized Pralines, Victorian Christmas, Twigs of Spruce, Balsam and Spice, and Pumpkin Pie. I have several more but those are ones I can’t do without!

7. What teams do you belong to? Etsy West Michigan, Interior Design Team/Design Style Guide, Cruelty Free Etsy, MICE, and Cottage Style. All are wonderful teams!

8. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop? I do so many things. I love to comment in Treasuries and create them. I am just never home any more when they open up! I like to talk in the Forums. My new favorite is doing Etsy Shop features on my blog (http://blisscandles.blogspot.com/) and MySpace page. I am always developing promotional materials. I have the best time with this because I create my own stuff and send it off to VistaPrint and it looks like I paid big bucks – too cool! Yes, I am a computer nerd

9. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy? I have so many! I love Serendipity’s stuff – always have: http://anneball.etsy.com/. I found a handbag shop that is way cool: http://daphnenen.etsy.com/. Dennis Anderson is very inspirational and has wonderful products. He has been so successful on Etsy that he quit his job!: http://dennisanderson.etsy.com/.

10. What do you do in your spare time? Ha! I don’t have spare time. I have been making time to go to the beach lately though and it is time to start thinking about raking leaves and cleaning up the yard.

11. Do you have anything else you would like to share? I highly encourage people to shop and sell on Etsy. The sellers and buyers are wonderful and the products are outstanding. If you are a seller, don’t give up. Learn the tricks and eventually it will pay off!

Great Etsy Finds for Fall!

Great Etsy Finds for Fall!


When I think Etsy, I think "fabulous!" I constantly asked people, "Have you checked on Etsy?" Few sites earn the bragging rights that Etsy does. Etsy means community, quality, handcrafted, customer service, gifts, home decor, jewelry, furniture, scrapbooking, beading, soaps, candles, photography, artwork, paintings, watercolor, drawings, primitives, and more, more, more!!!

If you haven't checked Etsy, you simply must! http://www.etsy.com/

Here are some of my favorites for the Fall season.

Etsy Buy Handmade blisscandles

New Fragrances!

Say Hello to these New and Return Fragrances!



We have added more new fragrances and even brought back some old ones this year! Doing primarily online business has allowed us to expand our fragrance line considerably and we aren't stopping here. Keep checking back for more great new fragrances!


NOTE: Most of our special listings on Etsy have these fragrances listed. However, they will not all be up on the main site until this weekend.

• Artic Air - This brilliant fragrance begins with tops notes of eucalyptus, spearmint, wild rose and dew fresh ferns leading to snow pines, blue jasmine magnolia and white lilies finishing with a base of white musk, balsam and sandalwood.
• Autumn Toddy - Sweet notes of pumpkin. Hot buttered rum and spicy nutmeg.
• Black Currant and Nectarine - Sun ripened nectarines infused with the crisp tanginess of black currant berries. Absolutely wonderful!
• Caramel Cappuccino - Hot steaming cappuccino drizzled with sweet, gooey caramel!
• Caramelized Pralines - An irresistible blend of sweet warm vanilla caramel, dark brown sugar and butter-drenched pecans.
• Cherry Coconut - Sweet, tart cherries blended with coconut cream. Scrumptious!
• Cinnamon Buns - Warm cinnamon buns fresh baked and drizzled with vanilla icing.
• Cinnamon Coconut Cream - This custom blend features delicious cream infused coconut and spicy cinnamon sticks for an unusual knock-your-socks off fragrance that is sure to please.
• Cotton Blossom - Soft breezy top notes of bergamot highlight this rich romantic blend of muguet and cotton flower. BBW Type.
• Cozy Home - Chock-a-block full of warm, housewarming spices with a burst of fresh apple.
• Cranberry Marmalade - Luscious blend of tart cranberries spiced apples and fresh California orange peel.
• Cucumber Melon Mint - Crisp, fresh cucumbers blended with honeydew and a dash of refreshing spearmint. An unusual, invigorating surprise!
• Energy - A refreshing, stimulating lemon type with top-notes of grapefruit, orange, mandarin and lemon, middle-notes of lavender and spearmint, and a cedarwood base-note.
• Fall Leaves - The crisp, sweet earthy scent of autumn with top notes of bergamot, hay, and dried flowers, a woody cedar-moss middle note, and a sweet, musky clover base note.
• Freesia - A clean floral fragrance reminiscent of fresh blooming wild-flowering freesia. It possesses an aldehydic green, floral rosy top note, a hint of spice with clover, cyclamen and jasmine in the middle, and a warm musky animalic base note.
• German Chocolate Cake - Delectable, chocolately cake with creamy chocolate frosting.
• Gingerbread Pumpkin - A scrumptious blend of sweet and spicy gingerbread infused with creamy pumpkin!
• Juniper Breeze - A nice airy floral with fruity and green notes. BBW Type.
• Lemon Lavender - A beautiful blend of lemon, French lavender, and green leafy hints with geranium, rose and eucalyptus oil on a base of Virginia cedar wood and vanilla.
• Lilac Rose - Sweet smelling Spring Lilacs and fresh Summer roses mingling with fresh greenery.
• Macintosh Cucumber - Crisp, fresh Macintosh combines with crisp, cool cucumber in this unusual refreshing fragrance.
• Mango Vanilla - Sweet, delectable island mango with a touch of vanilla to bring home the tropics!
• Orange Vanilla Pomegranate - Creamsicles melting into fresh, juicy pomegranate -- you just can't help yourself!
• Pomegranate Apple - A combination of fresh, sweet pomegranate and crisp apples. One of our new custom blends.
• Pomegranate Mango Swirl - Sweet, juicy pomegranate and refreshing tropical mango are the lives of this party! An absolute delight for the tropical fruit lover!
• Pumpkin Cake - My obsession with Pumpkin continues! Warm pumpkin cake frosted with thick, creamy white buttercream frosting. Definitely one of a kind!
• Pumpkin Spice - A warm spicy pumpkin-clove type with a cinnamon top note, a fruity vegetal pumpkin middle note and a sweet sugary vanilla base note.
• Pure Seduction (VS Type) - A yummy, fruity interpretation of the very popular VS Type.
• Sage and Pomegranate - A vibrant green floral with botanical sage, sweet pomegranate and tropical ferns.
• Satsuma - A wonderful fragrance with top notes of juicy pineapple, apple peel, grapefruit and oranges, middle notes of Mandarin Oranges and sweet sherbert, and base notes of orange, mandarin, and plums.
• Snickerdoodle - The childhood favorite scrumptiously wrapped up in a candle.
• Spanish Cedar - Muy bien! You’ll love whispers of oriental spice with undertones of soothing musk and the pleasant aroma of cedar for an alluring fragrance.
• Spearmint - Spearmint has been a long time native of the Mediterranean. The Romans claimed that this refreshing aroma had the ability to “stir up the mind”. Stir your mind up with this refreshing and minty aromatic fragrance!
• Spiced Wassail - For hundreds of years Europeans have warmed their homes in celebration with this delectably spicy punch. Apple, orange, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon make up this favorite.
• Strawberries and Champagne (VS Type) - A fruity, bubbly interpretation of the VS favorite. I swear you can smell the champagne bubbles!
• Stress Relief - Stress Relief is a blend of eucalyptus and spearmint combined to create the perfect relaxing fragrance!
• Sun & Sand - A YC Interpretation, this is for my customers who asked for something that smells like the beach. A wonderful blend of the outdoors and suntan lotion.
• Sweet Pea - A green spring-fresh bouquet with a top note reminiscent of watery-green-leaves, lily of the valley, and summer melon and apple. The middle note is a floral medley of jasmine and rose with zesty blend of orange and lemon oils and a base note of white musk and vetiver. BBW Type.
• Tranquility - This exotic floral fragrance is a creative mix of rich floral and woody musk base notes. Top notes of fresh ozone floral, muguet and sparkling citrus. A beautiful floral bouquet creates the heart of the fragrance, with notes of rose, jasmine, violet and lilac. A complex base of lasting patchouli, amber, cedar wood, powdery vanilla and musk complete this fragrance with nuances of licorice and spice.
• Vanilla Bergamot - Zesty, lemony bergamot with a touch of vanilla. Wonderful Spring, Summer, and kitchen fragrance!
• Vanilla Hazelnut Pumpkin - This wonderful fragrance takes soothing vanilla and hazelnut and spikes it with scrumptious pumpkin and spices to make a blend that says "you're home."
• White Ginger and Amber - A delightful blend of musk and sandalwood with top notes of jasmine. BBW Type.
• Wino Dreams - Fun blend of our fantastic Merlot and sweet White Zinfandel.
• Witches Brew - Mystical, spellbinding and hauntingly eerie fragrance just right for those Halloween parties.

Featured Etsy Shop: Raid My Stash

Featured Etsy Shops: Raid My Stash & ClawTreeDesign

This blog features another wonderful Etsy West Michigan artist who has two shops. Check out her shops and don't forget to search "etsywmi team" for more great Michigan finds!

1 and 2 - I have two Etsy shops. The first is RaidMyStash.etsy.com
- a little supply shop where I sell small quantities of beads for those who want to try something new without a large investment. My other store is ClawTreeDesign.Etsy.com. Here I sell handmade jewelry in different styles as well as fiber art scarves and handbags.
3 - I started selling on Etsy this summer, and am actually still stocking the ClawTreeDesign store and plan to "launch" it this fall.
I'm still figuring out how to do that.
4 - My favorite thing about Etsy is the creativity of the community.
I can just browse for hours, amazed at the work that I see.
5 - I love that I sell items that are actually used and worn and enjoyed by people. I love to hear someone tell me how much they still like a piece of jewelry years after they bought it.
6. - Currently the favorite item in my shop would be either the shell bracelet with seed beads and pearls "I found Another Shell" or the highly textured nuno felted handbag " Look At Me Now". Both were so much fun to make, both are unique and beautiful in their own way.
7. – I belong to the West Michigan Etsy team. I am new to Etsy and therefore new to this team, but I have enjoyed meeting members of the team and am impressed by how congenial and supportive they are.
8. – I haven't yet promoted my shop, but I will do so this fall. I appreciate suggestions… I did participate in Etsy day at the Fulton Street Artisans Market, and that was fun.
9. I have a list of favorite items that grows daily. I lately have been looking at nature photography, ceramics, and some copper metal
work jewelry. All things that I do not make, but love to have…
10. My art is my spare time lately. I love to read, to hang out at the lake with the kids. I enjoy knitting and crochet, I like to walk and in the winter I ski when I can.
11. The only other thing I could share is the inspiration for the name of my shop – Claw Tree Design. A claw tree – as I call it - is a tree that for some reason has roots exposed that appear to be reaching for or clinging to the ground. I see these trees as a metaphor. They all started out as seedlings in a place that should have given them the nutrients to grow, but for some reason the ground underneath them changed, shifted, eroded, went away. Some trees then just die, but the claw tree extends its roots as far as they need to go in order to hang on to what it needs to stay alive and growing.

Life can be like this. We start out with certain expectations and
plans. Sometimes, our plans don't work, our hopes are not fulfilled, things change, shift, erode, disappoint. We can then be like the claw tree and reach out to cling to what we need and what we know is good.

My avatar is a sketch I made years ago when learning how to draw. A claw tree was a difficult subject given my lack of experience but it turned out well. That was the first time I thought that I may just be able to create. It gave me the encouragement to continue drawing and eventually to pursue my creative urges into different mediums. Creating beautiful things is one of my roots.