Michelle will soon give her candle workshops in her new store: ‘At home it became a bit too busy’

Handmade candles in the form of a pastry, statue of Mary and cocktail glasses, dinner candles christened in a hip color. Michelle Zelders (42) has mastered the art of candles for some time. She shares her knowledge during creative workshops. Soon she will give it in her new store in Zoetermeer.

Michelle is now busy preparing for the opening of her store Lont and Lief in the Dorpsstraat. The kitchen and the workshop space are already furnished at the back of the store. “People like to work with their hands and make something beautiful for home. But it is not that simple to make a candle, you have to do your best for it.”

Choose shape

In her web store and soon in the physical store, Michelle will sell handmade candles in all shapes, sizes and colors. Think of bears, dogs, flower, heart, pumpkins and lego boots. But also scented candles, gift sets, plateaus and molds. “My husband makes molds as desired with a 3D printer. I use them myself, but people can also have a form made on request.”

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Pour and dip

During a workshop you can choose a color and possibly scent for your home -made candles of rapeseed wax. You pour the heated wax in the mold and put the wick in the right place. In addition, you can dip dinner candles in your favorite color and possibly extra layers.

You can then make a plateau from ecological resin on which your homemade candles can stand. “Customers respond enthusiastically and pride after the workshops,” says Michelle. “You come out of your head and you make something beautiful in the meantime.”

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Leftover candle wax

From childhood, Michelle has already made candles himself. She kept leftovers candle wax and melts it au bain marie In a sausage. “I put a wick in it and my candle was ready.”

During the Coronalockdown, that memory came back when Michelle had little to do in her spare time. But she had always kept leftover candle wax in a box. “I picked up my hobby again and made a lot of candles in all shapes and colors. The whole house was full.”

Sell and occur

More and more people asked about her homemade candles. Michelle therefore started a webshop and partly due to online visibility, the demand not only rose to her candles, but also to workshops.

“In addition to my job as a team leader at care organization Middin, I worked for Candles by Me in the remaining time, as my company was first called. I started giving workshops at home but it got too busy. I gave up my job and looked around for a separate space. My dream to start my own store, came out.

Candle shop Lont en Lief at Dorpsstraat 112G opens on Saturday 13 September at 10 am