01 OKO 02-24

CANDLE
TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYLAN HOWE
Creations
could provide for the community.”
Initially that meant candle bar opportunities.
Events where folks can craft their own scents and make
a candle to take home.
Steiner’s first event was held at The Grove outside Milford
this past fall, followed by a private event at The Barn at
Okoboji in Spirit Lake.
“At candle bar events customers have everything in front
of them that they would need for the night,” Steiner said.
“I have the wax already melted or melting and kept warm
while we explore the fragrances. That’s where we start picking
out the scent and is going to be the longest part of the
process.”
That’s because there are seemingly endless options and
combinations.
There is “Clean Cotton” and “Lush Linen.” “Rain Water,”
“Leather,” “Cedarwood Blanc,” “Mountain Pine,” and much
more.
Each fragrance contains an assortment of smells and up
to four fragrances can be combined in one candle.
“More than four and it can get to be too much,” Steiner
said. “I personally like scents like the teakwood, amber and
musk type fragrances, and I knew I would want to have a
wide range of options because I know some people like
those fresh, clean cotton smells, and there would be an
audience for the fruitier and food type smells, so I knew I
needed to start out with a variety of options.”
Those options also include seasonal scents like pumpkin
and cinnamon and “Fall Breeze” and others that evoke
ideas of sprinkling snow and winter weather like “Nordic
Night.”
Once candle bar customers craft their candle scent, they
get the hands-on experience of pouring their own candle.
The first step is preparing the wick and sticking it to its
holder that is then placed at the bottom of the candle vessel.
Next comes the melted wax poured to a predetermined
mark ensuring the right amount of wick remains for the initial
lighting of the candle.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Crafting a perfect candle scent can be a
challenging, but rewarding process.
The same might be said about coming up
with the right name for a new business.
For Steiner, the inspiration was easy to
come by, with her two daughters, Lottie and
Eloise, leading the way.
“When you’re thinking of the letter “L” you
can spell it out as “El” so that’s for Lottie and
of course then the second “El” is the first
two letters of Eloise,” Steiner said. “Those
two little peanuts were my inspiration, I’m so
grateful to be able to be home with them.”
FEBRUARY 2024 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE 47