Featured Seller: AJ's Country Cottage

Our featured seller for this week is AJ's Country Cottage! I'm so excited to feature AJ as I love her candles and I have one in every room in my home! Her scents fill the room and the aroma just spreads throughout the house. My current favorites are Lemon Pound Cake and Pink Sugar, although I will be purchasing some of her Fall scents very soon! She is so great with communication and she convo's you each time you purchase and when she ships, so you always know the status of your order. Thank you, AJ, for allowing us to take a peek into your world!

How did you get started?

I've always loved creating things; I poured my first novelty candles when I was about 13. When I got older, the scent junkie in me got frustrated with store-bought candles that smelled great cold, but not at ALL when burning. So I decided to see if I was up to the challenge of building a better candle, one that actually scented a room when lit. After lots of research and practice, I figured out how to get what I was looking for. From that base, I springboarded into making my own soaps and bath & body items so I could control what went into the recipes and onto my skin. OK, OK ... I'll admit that part of the reason was so I could have my favorite scents with me in the shower!

What inspires you?

Nature! I love taking walks in the country. My rambles inspire reflection, and I think about new scent blends to try, new soap recipes to test, new looks to try to achieve. I want to capture the colors of a sunset, the smell of fresh rain, the feel and look of my favorite garden herbs. I don't always succeed in achieving my vision, but the journey itself is always rewarding. And sometimes the unexpected turns out to be better than anything I had planned!

What do you love most about Etsy?

I love how I can interact with customers on a one-on-one basis. They can convo me about what they're looking for, and I can answer their specific questions and point them in the right direction, if possible. And I love getting feedback about my products! It's the next best thing to selling face to face.

What do you love to do when you are not making your yummy candles and soaps?

I have an awesome family. I don't want to be so busy with creating that I neglect to build relationships with them. So I love spending fun time with my husband and teenagers. I also love crocheting and knitting, even though I'm still a rookie knitter! Working with yarn is so rewarding and relaxing for me, so when our family is resting by watching a video, or when we're riding in the car on a long trip, you'll usually find me with yarn and a hook or a pair of needles in hand. I'm telling you, I was BORN to create! I just can't NOT make things.

What is your favorite item from your shop at the moment?

Ooooh, I'm SO super excited about my new fall candle scents! I have been testing oodles and gobs of new ones, and I'm so stoked about them because I absolutely LOVE autumn! Everything about fall appeals to me -- the weather, the gorgeous colors of the foliage, and the delicious scents of the harvest! Must be because I was born in the autumn. :) It's hard to pick a favorite, but right now I'm especially loving my Cornucopia, Harvest Moon, and Vanilla Butter Cookies soy candles. They're so lovely and just perfect for the upcoming season. I'm such a sucker for vanillas, spices, and woodsy scents.

If you would like to visit AJ's shop, click on any of the photos to the left or go to (and tell her that Sassy Bows sent you:)):
http://www.ajscountrycottage.etsy.com