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Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Laura, and I’m the founder and maker behind Sota Cracklers candles. I create soy candles with crackling wooden wicks, inspired by places and things that are uniquely Minnesotan. All our candles are poured by hand in my White Bear Lake studio, using 100% pure Midwest grown soy wax and sustainably sourced wooden wicks.
Is this a full-time business for you?
Nearly! My real full-time gig is this unpaid thing called being a mama. Sota Cracklers is how I relax and unwind after tearing it up with two little kiddos all day! Making candles satisfies my creative side, and running the business satisfies my intellectual side.
Have you always been passionate about art and design?
For sure! As a little kid I would always say, when I grow up I want to be “an artist”. I basically took every art and design course I could get my hands on from grade school through college. I’ve dabbled in just about every artist medium there is, and I also adore art history.
Will you be featuring any special holiday items?
Absolutely! In addition to bringing back our classic three holiday fragrances (fan favorites!), we’ll also be creating new and unique holiday scents. We love to stand apart from other candle companies, so we always create our own recipes and fragrance blends. You won’t find our scents anywhere else!
How do you usually prepare for the holiday season?
We actually start preparing for holiday season in July! At that time, I’m starting to stock up on supplies in a big way, planning our holiday show schedule, as well as dreaming up new candle scents & product offerings. I even start pouring some of our holiday candles to build up inventory of customer favorites, which tend to sell out fast. There’s so much to do, and because fall is also a very busy time for candles, I need to start preparing early!
What are some inspirations for your work?
My candles are all inspired by the Minnesota experience. I’ve lived here all my life, and Minnesota is such a special place to call home, from our nature, to our wildlife, and even our seasonal extremes. I want Sota Cracklers fragrances to reflect how wonderful life can be here in Minnesota.
'Sota Cracklers!
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