About me

How I started quilting, crafting, and candle making.

I can do all things in Christ, which strengthens me....Phillipians 4:13
 

Hello, my name is Melissa and I am the owner & creator of Mel's Smells soy candles and bath & body products.
 Our candles are made with soy and are highly scented. We thoroughly test all our candles to ensure a perfect burn and awesome scent throw. They are scented from top to bottom. Don't let the "big time" companies fool you about the qualities of soy candles. Soy candles can have a powerful aroma from beginning to end, they burn cooler, cleaner and longer than other types of candles. In our candles we use cotton braided wicks, safer than lead or zinc based wicks.

Take a look around, you'll also find other crafts that are hand made.
Are you looking for that perfect gift for that special someone or something to pamper yourself?

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I thought it would be nice to add some personal stuff about me to our website. I'm a happily married mother of two small children. I am a stay at home mom or I guess a work at home mom would also apply. I also work part time at a Doctors office.

I've always touched into different crafting techniques most of my life. When I first got married I focused a lot of my crafting energy into interior decorating and dried floral arrangements and wreaths. In 2001 my husband purchased a sewing machine for me as a Christmas gift. I began with sewing from patterns making clothes for my children as well as making the "time out dolls". I began quilting in early 2002. You can say that I'm self-taught, but I like to say I'm Holy Ghost taught.

How I began quilting.

My first quilt was a gift for my expectant Sister in Law as a baby shower gift. We lost both her and my nephew due to an aneurysm during her pregnancy and oddly enough the same day as her baby shower, right after she had opened all of her presents.

 As I said earlier I've been crafting with other types of crafts for years and had always hated to sew, believe it or not. Once I got saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ. God placed it on my heart to attempt quilting,  and since the first quilt I was hooked!

In the very beginning I had  just made quilts as gifts, but I was running out of family members to give one to.. hee hee! I then felt a prompting from the Lord to start a business selling the quilts and other crafts I make in 2003.

How I began to make purses.

In 2001 I decided to make myself a purse. Turned out pretty good.
I was asked in 2003 if I could make one for a friend and so I did. My hubby said "you should make a bunch of those to sell at the craft shows"...hmmm I thought, not a bad idea. So I took it up a notch and incorporated the quilting into them and a new product was born. Thanks darling!!

How I got into candles.
I've always been a candle lover, mostly the Yank** Candles, but I was tired of paying the money for my obsession. Candles from other companies didn't suffice as once burned you couldn't smell the fragrance. I couldn't stand a candle I couldn't smell, at least in the same room. In 2004 I ran across a woman on the net who made and poured soy candles. I loved them..they smelled up my entire house. "Hmmm"...I thought...knowing me with how I like to dabble in other crafts...."maybe I should give it a whirl". Much to my surprise it's more complicated than I first thought, also a lot more expensive to start up than I originally thought, but either way it's now my new obsession along with soaps and lotions etc.
Thankfully some of my family members have helped me "stock up" for craft shows and such.
Thanks Terry, Mom, Rachel and Linda :-)

Do I have a brick and mortar store?

YES!! After many years of praying, seeking and waiting the Lord has blessed me with a store location. On June 12th, 2009 we will be located at Olde Towne Gift Shoppes - 101 S. Mary Street - Hedgesville WV 25427

Why Olde Towne Gift Shoppes, and not just Mel's Smells?
The building became available and 3 of us decided to name the building and split the expenses of running a store. However we are still running as 3 independent businesses!

Are you from the area?
Don't pay for shipping, choose to pick your order up in our store!