With World Mental Health Day this month (10th October) and the nights drawing in for autumn, it was the perfect time for Manchester WI’s Lady Skillers to team up with The Wilton Street Craft Co. for a candle making workshop. Taking time out for self-care is essential, and host Emma’s (with dachshund Lady!) workshops are simultaneously relaxed and informative. There is such simple pleasure to be found in making useful items with your hands and switching off from the outside world.
On arrival to Emma’s gorgeous home, the intimate workshop (never more than six to a group) were treated to vegan-friendly victoria sponge and vegan jaffa cakes handmade by The Vegan Cake Baker and plenty of tea and coffee, as is WI tradition!
For the brand new ‘chandlers’ among us, there was an introduction to candle making with a bit of history, following which we got stuck right in to creating our own soy-wax delights. From simple recipes and fool-proof combinations to begin, Emma was always on hand to answer questions and provide instruction. After a well-deserved tea and cake break, our creative sides were set free with the extensive essential oil collection and we were supported to blend our own scent combination for our final candle of the day. Following the wellbeing theme, information about the benefits of each essential oil was provided to allow the group to choose scents to suit particular moods.
Next up was labelling where you can be as creative as you fancy, and by the end of the workshop, as promised, each of us had three vegan, soy wax candles with roughly 40 hours each burn time. A morning well-spent!
If you love being crafty but struggle with complicated instructions or wracking your brains for original creative ideas, this mindful workshop is for you. Emma can provide expertly blended recipes if you want to switch off and de-stress while others can let their creative sides run away with them. I’m burning my new homemade lavender and sweet orange right now – perfect for de-stressing for World Mental Health Day.
A bit about The Wilton Street Craft Co…
Manchester WI member and independent small business owner Emma set up The Wilton Street Craft Co. three years ago, skillfully blending her own essential oil fragrances to create vegan-friendly soy wax candles that make hygge and self-care easy.
Keep an eye on upcoming workshops here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-wilton-street-craft-co-17545563186
For more information on Wilton Street Craft Co:
http://www.wiltonstreetcraft.co.uk/workshops1/workshops