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When I started making candles, I loved all the fresh/floral and fruity scents and as my little hobby progressed I concentrated on these types of fragrances so when Padstow Candle Co launched a few years later, I had built up a little range which was Fresh Linen, Peony and Blush Suede, Lime Basil & Mandarin and Sage & Sea Salt these were so popular that I carried on with these scents adding a couple new ones along the way (Plum & Rhubarb and Blackberry & Bay) and although I loved these scents and so did others, I didn't feel a connection with them.
The best thing about scent is it can trigger memories, smell is our most sensitive sense and the one most linked to our memory. So I wanted my candles to not only create a sense of comfort on a gloomy day/evening but to evoke memories that people treasure.
My favorite memories growing up in Padstow is of the beach, especially George's Well (St George's Well as its actually called) It was the best beach and always full of local families sat in their designated spots.
We'd swim in the sea, climb rocks, hunt the rock pools for starfish, pop the seaweed bubbles and make little boats out of driftwood and race them down the stream, but the best would be finding a mermaids purse and hoping it would contain some treasure, later in life I found out that these are actually egg cases of a shark or skate!!
I continued my love of the beach and its treasures into adult life and made more memories with my own children.
George's Well wasn't the same beach it was back when I was a child so we'd go to Tregirls or Trevone and I'd watch them play exactly like I had done.
Using these memories, I started some research into a coastal scents and it began with Sandy Beach, its lemon balm scent reminded me of sun cream on a warm day, it also has a hint of orange in it too and who didn't have warm orange squash on a beach when they was a child? No cool boxes back then!!
Ocean Waves was next, if you've ever swam in the cornish sea you'll know how cold and refreshing it is, it definitely awakens the senses, which is why this particular scent contains a hint of mint.
Coastal Breeze comes from walking my dog Boe around the coastline, we don't get out that far now as he's an old boy that can't handle a long walk but this scent takes me back to those fresh salty sea breeze walks and our beautiful coastline.
Sage and Sea Salt is one of the scents that made it into the new range, one reason being that it was the most popular but my reason for keeping it, is to remind me how far I've come. From what I started with to what I have now
Each candle has something that makes it special to me. Either it's in the design on the label or one of the notes in the scent.
So this takes me back to the title of this blog, what inspires me? The answer is my home town, my family and the memories I hold dear. I hope I've put a little of that into my business and into the new candles I've created, and maybe just one of my scents will bring back some special memories you hold dear.
What inspires you?