The Candleman’s Blog

Hey gang!!

We’re just past the middle of August… ALREADY!  The kids will be going back to school soon.  Can you believe it?  It’s also time to announce the 2nd book in this summers Annual Summer Book Club.  But before we get to that, I’ve one thing to throw at you… and that’s the fact that I am asking for your help.

The Lit Wick Candle Co. is in the running to win the 2010 Beacon’s Best award.  You can help us win by voting every 24-hours so we can win.  Voting ends September 3rd.  It literally takes seconds to vote.  All you have to do is go to:

www.the330.com/beaconsbest

click on SHOPPING

click on ARTS & CRAFTS

select THE LIT WICK CANDLE CO.

click SELECT

and you’re done for today!!  Then repeat that each day until voting ends and we could win!!  Show the world who your favorite candle company is!  Thank you in advance for your help!  And when we win, there’s gonna be a little something special to celebrate, too!  :D

I hope you enjoyed re-reading (and in some cases, reading for the first time) TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.  I don’t even know how many times I’ve read it over the years, but each time I become enraptured all over again.  Just as I do with the book I’m about to introduce you to.

I chose this next book for a few different reason.  First, like To Kill A Mockingbird, it’s a very special story and very well written.  It’s by an incredibly talented young author and this book will be remembered for quite some time.  Plus, like our kids heading back to school, the characters in this book are attending university.

Our new book, THE REST IS ILLUSION, is by Eric Arvin, with whom I’be been fortunate enough to become friends.  He was kind enough to send us a blurb introducing us all to him and his book.  But before I turn the blog over to him, I’ll share with you what it says about Eric on the back of his book:

“Eric Arvin is a writer of mostly magical realism who resides in the same sleepy Indiana river town where he grew up.  Eric graduated from Hanover College, and now spends his days as a freelance writer and contributor to AfterElton.com.  The Rest Is Illusion is Eric’s first published novel.”

Since this book’s publication, Eric has written a few others which I do encourage you to read; they’re quite fun.  But for me, there’s just something lyrical and magical about this book.  And one scene in particular, replays over and over in my mind and has since the first time I read the book.  For me the image is so light and carefree and yet brave and romantic all at once.  And it speaks of youthful courage and passion that deep down, we all still carry.

So without further ado, please meet Eric Arvin:

Hello everybody!

I hope this finds you well and good and happy and enjoying some good ol’ air conditioning!

Well this blog is, as you may have guessed by now, all about our Annual Summer Book Club. Now I know there must be one or two of you out there who are asking, “Why is the book club starting so late this year?” Well, that’s an excellent question, and to both of you I say, the Annual Summer Book Club is operating a little differently this year.

How is it different this year aside from beginning late? Another excellent question! Rather than reading five different books this summer, we’re only going to read two. Yes, you read that correctly; only two books this summer.

Why only two, you ask? Yet ANOTHER excellent question. And I’ve got to admit, I’m getting a little tired of all the questions and interruptions, so let me finish! Harrumph! We’re reading only two novels because they are both extraordinary in their own right. Their authors are also extraordinary. Their stories touch us and move us like few others. The first book is celebrating an anniversary this year and the second is celebrating its second published and updated release. These novels, to me, are true classics. The books we’re reading this summer were written 46-years apart. Both will stay with you.

Now, the RULES of the club have not changed. You read the book(s), email me at jm@thelitwick.com and I’ll send you three trivia questions about the book. If you submit the correct answers, you’ll receive a coupon for 15% off your next order. And for those of you in the NE Ohio region, you may also come into The Lit Wick Candle Co. shop and answer the trivia questions in person and use your coupon at the shop! You will have six-weeks to read each book; if you have not submitted your answers to the trivia questions within that timeframe, coupon eligibility is expired. Today we will announce the first book selected this year. On August 18^th, we’ll announce the second selected novel.

As for the first book in our Annual Summer Book Club, this year is the 50^th anniversary of a novel that is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature. This novel became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic. With over 15 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, the author always considered her book to be a simple love story. It is much, much more than that.

The first book in this summer’s club is an unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. Compassionate, dramatic and deeply moving, this novel takes readers to the roots of human behavior – to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos.

Okay, is the suspense killing you yet? Well, it’s makin’ me crazy!! Okay, okay! The first book in this summer’s Annual Book Club is none other than Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”!

Here’s a blurb from the publisher: he 50th anniversary edition of one of the best-loved books in American history: Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Featuring some of the most memorable characters in literary history—attorney Atticus Finch, his children Scout and Jem, and of course Boo Radley—To Kill a Mockingbird is the indelible story of race, class, and growing up in the Deep South of the 1930s.

“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

A lawyer’s advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee’s classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man’s struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

Now run out to your favorite book seller (or Amazon.com) and pick-up your very own special copy of “To Kill A Mockingbird” and dive into an incredible story! And if you’re one of those folks who read this in high school, then it’s high time you are reacquainted with this gem.

Now you’ve got 6-seeks to read this one so get crackin’!

Oh, and before I let you go, I wanted to share a picture of my little puppy that I took yesterday afternoon. He’s with his “older cousin” Fritz. My little seven-month-old puppy is growing too, too fast!! He’s becoming a dog already!

Enjoy and I’ll see ya soon!

Keep ‘em burnin’!

J

     Long time no blog!!  How are you doing?  I hope everything’s going well for you.  Well, let me tell you what’s been going on in my world.  I know you’re just dying to hear!

     To begin, a little update on my baby, Helo.  He’s now 5-months old and growing like the proverbial weed!  Since my last blog about Helo, it’s been a pretty busy 4-months with all the training.  Luckily Helo’s almost done teaching me how things are done.  And my little baby is not such a little baby anymore despite the fact that he’s only 5-months old.  He’s actually a horse disguised as a puppy.  Can you say huge?  Yeah, I knew you could.

My ever-so-photogenic baby, Helo Harry.

     Helo is the light of my life and he has taught me a great deal about perspective.  I used to look at my queen-size bed and see this wonderful, comfortable, big place to stretch out and rest.  But Helo’s taught me to see my bed for what it really is:  his.  We get in bed each night he snuggles up to me very warm and sweetly.  When I awaken, I’m clinging to the edge of the mattress for dear life with my little bundle of joy is sprawled out taking up all of the bed.  Ah, the joys of fur-parenthood.

Smiling just after losing his first baby canine!

     What else is new?  Well, there must be one or two of you out there who haven’t heard that I’ve opened up a retail shop.  And to both of you I say… yes, you heard correctly.  The Lit Wick Candle Co. has its very first retail location.  But read the previous blog and keep up! 

     “What?  You’re no longer going to be on the road hitting every fair and festival between Akron and Zanesville”, you ask.  Not true, oh lover of fairs!  Yes, The Lit Wick Candle Co. will still be hitting the festival, fair and show circuit, just not as often as before.  In the past we’ve averaged 40-50 shows a year.  That’s a lot of truckin’ around and luggin’ heavy cases of candles.  And I’m here to tell ya, the life of a gypsy ain’t for the faint of heart.

My shop… well, what I had to work with when I rented it.  This is before I began creating “the look” of the place. 

     I thought it might be kind of nice to have a home base, as it were.  Open up a nice, little retail shop where we can sell candles and then just hit the fairs and shows that we want to rather than throw ourselves like a brazen hooker at every show, sale and fair that comes along.  It’s makin’ me feel more respectable every minute! 

     That’s when I discovered a new retail venue that was right up my alley and yours!  It’s only open three days a week, leaving me four days to pour my as much wax as a body can pour!  Our new home is inside The Weekend Mall.  Now wait a minute.  I can hear what you’re saying!  “The Lit Wick Candle Co. is too nice to be at a flea market or yard sale”.  You’re absolutely right!  We ARE too nice and you deserve a nicer place to shop than that!  And we AREN’T at a place like that!  Yes, it’s new.  Yes, it’s different.  Yes, it’s only open three-days a week.  But The Weekend Mall is “A New Shopping Experience”!  (Pardon me while I toot my own horn for coming up with the mall’s new motto!)

In the process of moving in.

Looking out from my shop at the vast and empty mall… before my fellow merchants began moving in, that is.

     At The Weekend Mall you cannot find anything that is used or junky.  It is full of retail shops offering only new and wondrous items!  I’ll tell you about a few of the other shops in a bit.

     The week we opened, our local newspaper came out to interview the owner of the mall and our fearless leader, Shafeer “Sam” Meeran, a couple other merchants and me.  Without sounding too much like a kid on Christmas morning, it was so cool seeing my picture in the newspaper!  HECK yeah, I’ve got multiple copies and I DO plan on framing it!!  Candleman is a STAR!!

Candleman

 Sara Edwards, my self-adopted sister and owner of The Fig Tree

     We opened to the public (yeah, it was later than originally planned) on Friday, April 30^th.  And what a day it was!  So many of you came to wish us well and to try our 13 – count ‘em – 13 new fragrances (okay, so I got a little carried away with all the excitement of opening the shop!  What dan I say?)!  It was such an amazing opening weekend that by the end of it, my head was swimming!  What fun!

The Lit Wick Candle Co.’s first retail shop!

Large jars on the right wall, small jars and tealights on the back wall, special items on the counter.  (I love my counter!) 

     And now we get to do it all again!!  This weekend, May 21^st, 22^nd & 23^rd is the official grand opening of The Weekend Mall!  Woo hoo!!  Come out and join us in celebrating this NEW SHOPPING EXPERIENCE! 

We currently have over 50 different retailers offering a wide variety of products and services plus the food court, too!  And for our Grand Opening, there will be raffles, give-a-ways, a car show, live entertainment and loves of laughter and friendship!  And of course, YOU!

The very first customers in the door.  Loyal customers and new… good friends all!

The very first customer of The Lit Wick Candle Co.  The myth.  The legend.  The Grapefruit Goddess.

     At The Weekend Mall you can get a new vacuum, sunglasses, jewelry for yourself or someone special.  You can buy clothing to support your favorite teams and you can have custom shirts made.  You can even get your computer fixed for an amazingly low price (and receive quality work, too)!  You can buy your make-up and even get your eyebrows sculpted.  Want some Gionino’s pizza?  You can get that, too.  Need a fireplace?  Gotcha covered!

Mere words cannot describe these women.  They are part of me.  The love I have for them is almost overwhelming.  They make me sing. 

     But let me tell you a little about my favorite of all the shops in The Weekend Mall.  Naturally I’m a bit biased and think The Lit Wick Candle Co. is the very best.  That goes without saying.  But I want to introduce you to a few very special shops and their owners (in no particular order).

Our fearless leader Shafeer “Sam” & Sharon Meeran.  They crack me up!

     HOMEMADE DELIGHTS has the best cookies and cakes and pies you’ve ever had!  Gramma’s got nothin’ on Miriam.  And those of you who came to see me this past winter at Chriskindl Market in downtown Akron will remember her.  Homemade Delights had the chalet next to mine.

Homemade Delights (and no, that’s NOT Miriam!)

     THE FIG TREE sells hand-blown glass birds from Germany and some incredible hand-made pillows made of hand-woven vintage textiles.  They are absolutely gorgeous!  And they were featured in the May 2010 issue of Architectural Digest!  How cool is that?!  The owner of The Fig Tree is my dear friend Sara.  You’ll also be able to purchase some of her beautiful, almost organic-looking jewelry. 

Sara helping a customer select the perfect pillows.

Sara’s pillows and some light meters hand blown in Germany.

Little Sister Sara.

     ROSE GUARDIAN, owned by my friend Carlos is the perfect place for all your personal protection needs.  You can pick-up pepper spray, tasers, stun guns and an incredible assortment of products for your safety.  And Carlos will expertly show you how to use them.  He’ll even give you tips on how to reduce the risk of becoming a victim in this sometimes dangerous world.  This is the fourth location for Rose Guardian; they also have three store-fronts in the greater Cleveland area plus you can order on-line at www.roseguardian.com.  Tell ‘em Candleman sent ya!

Carlos of Rose Guardian.

Carlos giving a self-defense demonstration.  Look closely… that’s an arch of electricity at his fingertips!  Stand back!

     THE UPPER ROOM BOUTIQUE.  First off, I have to say that it’s a good thing that the owner, Leslie, put a couple of chairs in the shop.  There’s so much to see and to try on, you’ll need to sit down and take your time!  Our very own fashionista Leslie has brought world renown international designers to Ohio for the very first time.  Be it hand painted purses, shoes from Spain, hand-carved shoes from Hawaii, to name a very few.  Leslie’s motto says it all:  A Boutique for the Unique & Discriminating Woman.

The Upper Room Boutique

This hand carved shoe from Hawaii fascinates me!

Our sweet, funny and beautiful fashionista, Leslie.

     THE KNOCK BOX is the place to go if you want the world’s best cup of coffee, or cappuccino or espresso or… you name it!  Stephen is a barista extraordinaire!  Let me put it to you this way.  Stephen can brew you something fancy and amazing or just a darn good cup of joe!  I’ve never been much of a coffee drinking (as most of you know, I’m an iced tea-aholic) but I do drink one cup of coffee in the morning.  Barista Stephen’s non-fancy, every-day coffee is so delicious, I’m goin’ back for more, if you know what I’m sayin’!

Stephen of The Knock Box.  Our very own barista extraordinaire.

     So come on out THIS weekend to the OFFICIAL GRAND OPENING of The Weekend Mall!  May 21^st, 22^nd & 23^rd.  It’ll be a blast.  Especially with you there!  We’ll have lots of raffles and give-a-ways, live entertainment, a car show, laughter, fun, friendship and awesome candles!  (You saw that one coming, didn’t you?)

     Remember, our mall hours and location are:

Fridays & Saturdays: 10a – 7p, Sundays:  12p – 6p

The Weekend Mall

1886 Buchholzer Blvd.

Akron, OH  (across from Chapel Hill Mall and next to HH Gregg)

     Till next time, kids, be nice and play well with others.  And I’ll see you this weekend at the Grand Opening!!!  And keep ‘em burnin’!

     J M

The Candleman

Ladies & gentlemen, children of all ages and candle lovers everywhere, it is my pleasure and privilege to make the following announcements to you all. 

FIRST I wanted to share some personal news… I finally broke down and got a new puppy!  For those of you who’ve been with me at least a few years or know me best, you may remember that I lost both of my dogs in 2008.  It was only a matter of time till I got a puppy, but I needed to let my heart heal a little plus I had to wait until I would be home to train the puppy.  Since we don’t do fairs or shows the first few months of the year, I thought now would be the best time.

I would like to introduce you to the little light of my life… Helo Harry (or Helo for short). 

Helo Harry, sound asleep in his favorite napping place.  He was 10-weeks old in this picture.

He’s only been with me a month and has grown to more than double the size he was when I got him.  The vet says he’s gonna be at least 100 lbs.  Oy!!  He’s a Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd mix.  He’s growing faster than I can breath and he’s smart as a whip.  And he’s only 12-weeks old.  His favorite hobbies are bounding through the snow, chasing a ball, playing tug-of-war and generally terrorizing the world.  Ah, puppy parenthood!

Watching a puppy play in the snow can actually make you like the snow again!  At least for a little while.

Helo’s had a tough time, though.  He was 8-weeks when I got him and two days after bringing him home, he was so sick I had to race him to the vet.  He had some sort of virus and if we hadn’t caught it when we did, I’d have lost him.  Once he was over that I took him in for his second series of shots and he had a bad reaction to the medication.  So pain pills and antibiotics were next in line.  We’re still getting over that situation.  Let’s just hope that’s the end of it.

Helo with his favorite stuffed bunny.

SECOND we have some new fragrances!  Yes, that’s right, new fragrances to tantalize and excite you.  And this time we’re not adding just five or even six new fragrances, but a whopping THIRTEEN – count ‘em - 13 new fragrances for your pleasure and amusement.  And there are fragrances in here to satisfy all kinds of tastes and to stir up all sorts of memories!  These new fragrances will be available beginning Friday, April 2^nd, 2010.  They are:

EUCALYPTUS    Fresh picked eucalyptus leaves with hints of lime.  The Koala Bear’s love it!

FRESH RASPBERRY    The extraordinarily and true fragrance of fresh raspberries ripened in the sun.

GRASS    The wonderful fresh aroma of freshly cut green grass.  It smells like someone just mowed the lawn!

HONEYSUCKLE    A wonderful blend of honeysuckle with slight hints of jasmine, rose, and lilac.

JAVA JOE    The woody, aroma of strong black freshly roasted and ground Arabica beans with chicory and just a touch of vanilla.  Anyone for a second cup?

JT COLA    The fun fragrance of a carbonated cola.  Got a straw?

MERLOT    Velvety nuances of plums, apples and red raspberries combined with a light alcoholic and spicy background.  Mouthwatering!  And have all you want… it’s delicious but not intoxicating!

POMEGRANATE  The wonderful aroma of sweet, juicy pomegranate.

RED CURRANT    This crisp and tart fragrance begins with top notes of black and red currants, cassis, and strawberries followed by a sweet deep floral rose and base notes of oak moss and musk.  One whiff and you will be captivated.

ROSEBUD    After years of working to create the perfect rose scent, we have accomplished it!  This is the truest rosebud fragrance on the market!

SWEET ORANGE CHILI PEPPER    This sassy, saucy combination of Valencia orange, bergamot, tangerine, Navel orange juice, ground pepper, chili pepper and musk is irresistible.

SWEET PEA    Reminiscent of an English garden.  Blended with hyacinth, lily of the valley, violets and wild jasmine with a background of light herbal and musky notes.

WATERMELON    Remember sitting outside in the summertime eating slices of fresh watermelon.  This is it… in a candle.  You can almost feel the juice running down your chin and arms!  And no seeds!

I’m so thrilled and proud to offer these fragrances for your enjoyment.  I’ve been working long and hard to get them just right and now they’re ready to fill your homes!

And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for…

the THIRD BIG ANNOUNCEMENT of the day… are you ready?  Are you sitting down?  Are you strapped in good and tight?  ‘Cause here goes…

Since we’re now offering 80 fragrances, we need some room to offer them, so The Lit Wick Candle Co. is opening its first RETAIL LOCATION!  Woo hoo!!!  You read that right, folks!  A Lit Wick Candle Co. retail store for your satisfaction, convenience and pleasure!  You can still see us at shows throughout northeast Ohio, but now you can pop on over to our store at your convenience!

Where will this store be?  When will it open?  What will the hours of operation be?  What can I get there?  I’m glad you asked those questions!  Let’s address them in order.

Where will The Lit Wick Candle Co. store be?  A new indoor mall is opening called The Weekend Mall.  It is a wonderful, upscale venue filled with lots and lots of retail vendors offering unique products and services in an indoor open-market type setting.  Each of us will have a small store of our own while off to the side will be a food courtyard and in the center of everything, a stage with live entertainment.  Fun for all!!  And it’s located right across the street from Chapel Hill Mall in Akron, Ohio.

The mall address is:  1886 Buchholzer Blvd., Akron, OH  44310  (go to our homepage, click on the calendar and there will be a link for a map).

Our location is:  upon entering, immediately turn right and we’re the 3^rd shop.  Can’t miss us!

When will it open?  Friday, April 2^nd, 2010!!  Save the date for our grand opening!!

What will the hours of operation be?  We will be open all year ‘round, but only three days each week (which will give me four days a week to create new fragrances and to pour candles).

Fridays & Saturdays, 10a – 7p

Sundays, 12p – 6p

Plus every day of the two-weeks before Christmas.

What can I get there?  Simple answer.  At The Lit Wick Candle Co. store you can get every size of every fragrance offered by The Lit Wick Candle Co… and as of April 2^nd, all the new fragrances as well!

I can’t tell you how excited I am or how hard it has been to keep this a secret for so long!

So keep the dates for our big Grand Opening Weekend so you can come and join us to celebrate our 1^st retail store and to experience all of our new fragrances!  Prizes, drawings and maybe a surprise or two!

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, April 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th.

1886 Buchholzer Blvd.

Akron, OH

The Lit Wick Candle Co.

(3^rd shop on the right just inside the main entrance)

So be sure to come out and join us for the grand opening!  And come often and tell all your friends!  Let’s make this new endeavor a huge success!!

My father thanks you, my sister thanks you, my vet thanks you, Helo thanks you and I thank you!!

See you April 2nd!

Keep warm, keep happy and keep ‘em burnin’!

J M

Well, it’s over.  Chriskindl Market has come to an end.  Actually it came to an end on very early on New Year’s Day!  But I’ll explain that later.

As I’ve mentioned before, among our compatriot of the cold, there were three German vendors and seven Akron vendors at this year’s Chriskindl Market.  Two of us locals and the three German vendors bonded… tightly.  I guess you could say that the vendors who freeze together, stay together!  And though we’ve all gone back to our prospective homes, to borrow a line from “Casablanca”, we’ll always have Chriskindl. 

But rather than continually calling our little band of chilled vendors the Germans and us, we are now, officially, the Chriskindl Five!

The Chriskindl Five in front of the hand blown glass ornaments highlighted in the last blog.  (Me, Mario, Sara, Mario, Enrico)

So before I go any further, as I did in the previous blog, I’d like to highlight someone else, Mario.  Yes, if you read the photo caption, you did read correctly that we had TWO Mario’s.  A very tall one and a glass-blowing one.  The tall one is who we’re discussing right now.  To quote (the tall) Mario when asked about there being two Marios and an Enrico (normally a Spanish name), “We come froma  poor country; we can only afford one name.  Enrico’s parents went to Spain for his name.”

Mario is a promoter.  He doesn’t actually make all the hand carved pyramids or nutcrackers or smoking men or any of the myriad other items available in his chalet.  Nope, Mario represents the company that makes those wonderful items.

Me, Nancy (brought from Germany to sell the wooden gifts) and Sara.

Mario doesn’t work in the chalet selling items.  He was too busy for that.  Aside from the chalet at Chriskindl Market, he also had two kiosks at a local shopping mall he had to oversee.  So along with Mario came two employees, Nancy and Claudia (seen in the previous blog making love to a space heater).  So Mario’s time was split between Chriskindl and the mall.

When not actually doing business, you could always see him running about, chit-chatting with folks, fetching trays of hot cocoa for all of us or going out on a food-run.  But if you didn’t see him wandering about, he was usually in someone’s chalet socializing, primarilly Mario’s (the glass-blower), Sara’s or mine.

Mario is one of those rare individuals who, when working, is all business and get’s the job done.  But when not working, he’s a candidate for stand-up comedy school.  He’s also a heart-felt, wonderful friend.  Everyone that he developes an affection for is extremely lucky.  He’s kind-hearted, generous, caring and very genuine.  It was very hard to see him leave for home.

Mario & Me in front of that chalet with the amazing candles!

As we have all learned in life, all good things must come to an end.  Or at the very least, pause.  And while Chriskindl Market is now closed, it certainly hasn’t ended.  At least not in the hearts of the Chriskindl Five.  One by one, Sara and I had to say goodbye, albiet temporarily, to our new friends.  Before we did so, we shared a small, make-shift holiday celebration to pay tribute to our friendships. 

And Santa came to Chriskinl, too!  A few times, in fact.  One day we all recieved hand-crocheted scarves (seen in the group photo at top), then another day more gifts arrived.  And yet a third time.  And there were even “parting gifts”.  All of the presents we recieved were incredible.  But none compared to the gift we all carry inside; friendship and love.

Enrico was the first to leave us.  He closed up his chalet and went home to be with his family the weekend before Christmas.  And on Dec. 22nd, Mario (the glass-blower) closed up his chalet to fly to Denver to help his wife, Astrid close up her booth at a Chriskindl Market there.  Then Christmas Eve was our last day with (tall) Mario.  There were many tears and lots of hugs that week.  But not one goodbye was uttered.  “Safe trip!”  “Talk to you soon.”  “Next year!”  “Merry Christmas.”  But no goodbyes.

 Despite the departure of our new friends, Sara and I and our American co-horts still had to carry the mantel of Chriskindl Market through New Year’s Eve.  Maybe it was because there were fewer vendors that week, or maybe we were still feeling the sting of departures, but it sure got cold that last week.  But carry-on we did!  And we still had a lot of fun!  We had:

 Richshaw Willie there to ride people from one locale to another.

We had bonfires to help keep folks warm at night.

We had snowfall and a lot of shovelling each morning so we could get into our chalets. 

We had icicles all over our chalets.  

We even had Sara ice skating for the first time in 15-years.

Then came New Year’s Eve!  Our final day.  Akron’s celebration is called First Night.  There are several venues and countless things to do everywhere downtown.  Stage shows, concerts, craft making, ice sculpting demonstrations, two different fireworks displays and thousands of people!  Needless to say, we vendors had to get ready!  So to prepare… 

Sara made friends with a Nutcracker… 

Kevin of the Highland Baking Co. took a power nap… 

And a representative from a local winery and I made certain we had plenty of anti-freeze on hand…

 Then First Night began and the crowds rolled in…

…and there was a sea of people all night.  What fun we had!  Then the ice sculpter arrived and I had a ringside seat!  The ice sculpting was done right next to my chalet!  Woo hoo!  Three different sculptures were done, but my favorite was the Mardi Gras mask.

Carving out the pattern.  The ice was flying!  The last step was to use a blow torch on it to make it glisten! 

Tah-dah!  A four-foot tall Mardi Gras mask in ice. 

Chriskindl Market was scheduled to close on New Year’s Eve at 11:00pm.  And officially it did.  However, Sara and I were still making sales, plus we’re die-hards, plus we just didn’t want to let go of Chriskindl Market!  So the other vendors closed and we wished them all a safe trip home and a Happy New Year and went right back to our customers!

Then suddenly it was midnight and the fireworks began.  Sara and I ran out to join the crowd and held one to each other as we watched the sky light up with so many beautiful colors as our time at Chriskindl went out with a few tears and a bang!

First Night fireworks over the ice skating rink and Christmas tree.  Happy New Year!!!

 And as soon as the pyrotechnics show was over, Sara and I were back in our chalets selling Turkish Kilim and awesome candles! 

When the crowd finally thinned out and folks were heading home, and around 1:00 am, January 1st, 2010, Sara and I closed down our chalets for the last time and headed home ourselves.

On New Year’s Day I went back down to Lock 3 Park and took my time cleaning and packing up all my things and loading them into my van.  By late New Year’s afternoon, The Lit Wick Candle Co. had moved out of the chalet and was heading for home.

Chriskindl Market on New Year’s Day 2010.  Closed for the season.  All that remaind was the snow and the wonderful memories.

Thanks to email and Facebook, The Chriskindl Five are keeping in touch.  The physical closeness may be missing, but the bond is just as stong.  What wonderful friends I have made.  I’m the luckiest man around! 

 And after all those weeks in the cold, the snows, the rains, the highs, the lows the lack of sleep and utter exhaustion.  Would I do it again?  Heck yeah!  And I happen to have it on good authority that my friends would like to do it again, too.  So hopefuly we’ll all meet again next November in downtown Akron at Lock 3 Park for the 7th Annual Chriskindl Market.  May the Chriskindl Five ride again!

Thanks to all of you, the friends and customers, for being so supportive of me and of The Lit Wick Candle Co.  Each of you are very important to me and you have my gratitude and friendship.  You have all made 2009 a wonderful year!

Thanks also to Akron’s Deputy Mayor Dave Lieberth and the entire staff and crew of Lock 3 Park in downtown Akron for not only giving me a wonderful opportunity but for making it so much fun!

I hope 2010 is a great year for each of you and that this year will bring you all the laughter, joy, good health, success and love your deserve!

I hope to be back at Chriskindl Market next November.  And if I am, and if WE are back, then come down and see us!!

So, until we meet again, it’s not goodbye.  As I’ve learned from my new friends, it’s auf Wiedersehen!

 J M, the Chriskindl Candleman

We’ve just completed our third week at Chriskindl Market in Lock 3 Park in downtown Akron.  I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun we’re having!  Everyone is in a good mood and having fun and laughing.

And everyone is so nice!  One rather chilly eveing a mother and her young son came by and we were smelling all the fun fragrances.  We finally got to Cocoa Therapy and upon smelling that, the little boy told me that hot chocolate was his favorite drink and I said it was mine, too.  When they wer ready to leave my chalet and continue walking around, I told them they could get a nice cup o f hot chocolate at The Chowder House (or as I like to hink of it, our commissary).  About a half-hour later I was visiting at another chalet and looked up and saw the little boy bringing me a steaming cup of hot chocolate.  That was the best tasting cocoa I’ve ever had!

Some Jolly snowmen at Chriskindl Market!

I wanted to tell you a little more about some of my Chriskindl Cohorts.  And to prove that chivalry isn’t dead, we’ll begin with my dear friend Sara and her shop Anatolia Kilim.

Sara and her ready smile; Anatolia Kilim.

Sara sells hand-woven Turkish rugs and runners plus she makes pillow covers made from vintage Turkish kilim peices and beautiful jewelry.

But let’s back up a bit because I know there must be one or two of you out there who haven’t got the vaguest idea what kilim is.  And to both of you I say… I didn’t know either, until Sara nicely explained it to me.  And since she did such a good job with me, I’ll let her explain it to you in her own words:

Anatolia, in what is now central Turkey, is one of the oldest continually inhabited regions in the world and thus has a rich history of fine art and craft.

Hand-woven flat-weave rugs, known as kilims, have been crafted in central Turkey for hundreds of years, using traditional techniques passed down for generations.  Our kilims are woven from pure hand-spun, hand-dyed wool and imported for sale in the U.S. while adhering to standards of fair trade.

Functional and beautiful, our kilim creations add comfort and charm to a variety of living areas.  Kilims are lightweight yet sturdy so they are as well-suited hanging on the wall as they are gracing a hallway or living room.

In addition to the manufacture of kilims we produce pillow covers using vintage kilims.  Our pillow covers feature the beauty of weaving styles no longer used in contemporary kiilim production, making each pillow cover a one-of-a-kind statement piece.

Sara explaining kilim.

As I said before, with all the incredibly beautiful colors and patterns, I’m having a devil of a time trying to choose.  So when you come down to her chalet, Sara will be very patient with you and help you pick-out the patterns that are perfect for you.

If you’re out of this area and cannot join us at Chriskindl Market, you can still enjoy these amazing pieces by visiting Sara’s store at:  www.stores.ebay.com/Anatolia-Kilim

Sara is as kind and generous, funny and brilliant as she is beautiful.  She’s one of those folks who are gracing my life.  Let her and her kilim grace yours and your home.

Pillow covers of vintage Turkish kilim peices and a kilim rug.

Next we come to Mario Hausdorfer, who is spending his sixth season at Chriskindl Market.  Mario is from Akron, Ohio’s sister city, Chemnitz, Germany and he is an amazingly gifted artist.  His medium is hand blown glass.  Mario is the nicest, most soft-spoken dedicated family man who, when not with a customer can be seen chatting via internet and webcam with his teenage daughter back in Germany. 

Mario Hausdorfer and a few of his peices.

Mario with a delighted customer.

And while a quiet guy, Mario is a wild man when it comes to glass, creating traditional glass ornaments and art that takes your breath away.  He has stunning hand-painted glass tree ornaments of figures ranging from alligators to Santas, elephants to snowmen, ducks to pickles!  Each whimsically fun and stunning all at once.  He also crafts amazing birds that turn wildlife into delicate miniature works of art.  My personal favorites are his Lightmills, or Radiometers.

Lightmills vividly show the conversion of light into kinetic energy.  Inside a glass sphere is a solar wing or wheel which are sensitive to light.  When light shines upon the globe, the air molecules on the surface of the wheel heat and cause the wheel to spin.  Or in layman’s terms, Lightmills are glass balls with diamond-shaped wings inside that spin in the light.  But they are so cool!  You’ve GOT to get one (or a dozen) for yourself!

Mario Hausdorfer at work.

And just for the record, I do own several of his ornaments, a few glass art peices and a couple of Lightmills.  Plus the sister of a certain candle maker will be receiving some of Mario’s art for Christmas.  But I trust you’ll let her be surprised.

Now I will admit that being outside in December in Ohio has its ups and downs.   More than not, the weather has been on our side with blue skies and temperatures in the 40’s or 30’s.  However, one particular down was this past Thursday.  It was bitterly cold and very windy and once the sun set, the temperature, with wind chill factor, reached a whopping one below zero!  We were SERIOUSLY cold. 

This is Claudia, another of our German friends and a truly dedicated vendor!  Note how bundled-up she is and that she’s clutching one of her heaters.  This is, of course, before we discovered a temporary cure for that night’s chill.

Naturally we had no customers because apparently the general public is smart enough to stay indoors when Arctic winds blow through downtown.  Vendors are not.  We ARE, however, smart enough to know when it’s time to enjoy the hot spiced German wine offered by the city in our commissary.  So Thursday evening we all “chalet-hopped”, visiting one neighbor after another, drinking hot wine and learning a little of the German language.  Mario Hausdorfer taught Sara and I some of the basics of the language while another of our German friends, Mario (yes, we have two Mario’s with us… and to quote that Mario, “We’re from a poor country; we can only afford one name.”), taught us the obligatory dirty words.  So despite the cold and wind, we had a wonderful evening! 

We did have a MAJOR celebrity visit Chriskindl Market, too!  And I don’t want to spoil any illusions, but a certain white bearded gentleman stopped by all the chalets and I can’t swear to it, but I think he may have been doing a little shopping, too!

Perhaps a little shopping?

So the ice skating continues, the shoppers and merry-makers keep spreading their cheer and we at Chriskindl are enjoying every moment.  Please come enjoy it with us!

And this coming Friday, Dec. 18^th I will have a very special Guest Candle Seller joining me in my chalet!  Come visit Dawn Jones, chairman of Community AIDS Network (CAN) from 7pm – 9pm!

Till next time, enjoy, take good care of yourself and keep ‘em burnin’!

J M

Here’s what it looked like in the beginning…

Front

With the front window open.

Empty and plain. Yep, that's my van backed-up and I'm unloading stuff to try to make it a home.

Look, Ma! It's a tool shed!

Here’s what it looks like now…

Welcome to The Lit Wick Candle Co.'s winter home.

Thanksgiving night... the night before opening.

The left side.

The right side.

The Admiral with a customer while I take a break.

A heavy but short-lived snowfall. Happy Black Friday!

The afternoon was a great time to “warm-up”, as it were.  We had plenty of customers but we weren’t overwhelmed.  It was almost like a dress rehearsal.  That evening, there were people everywhere and it was a blast!  Folks came downtown to join in the celebration and see the tree lighting ceremony and the fireworks.  Santa made a surprise appearance and so did Luke Skywalker who got the ball rolling building up to the fireworks.  Luckily they stayed afterward to wander through and shop with us at Chriskindl.

Luke Skywalker on ice.

Things are heating up at Lock 3!

Akron's tree all lit up.

Already I’ve met some amazing people and many have become friends.  We’ll begin with Cyndy who works for Lock 3 and is the vendor liaison with the park.  She’s also kind and sweet and attentive and funny.  After closing Sunday evening, a group of us went out and celebrated her birthday.  Yeah, we were happy.

Representing Akron’s sister city of Chemnitz, Germany are some of the warmest, funniest people around.  The two I’ve gotten to know best so far are Mario who’s quite tall and is happy to help us vertically challenged folk open the top-half of our chalets and Enriquo, who’s actually a freelance journalist.  Within the three German chalets, we’ve nutcrackers and other wooden items, beer steins and ceramics and beautiful hand blown glass ornaments.

Some of Germany's finest wood working.

Steins, ceramics, linens, stealight holders.

Beautiful glass ornaments sold by the artist.

 

Weaver Industries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sara sells hand-made pillow covers, jewelry and bags as well as imported Turkish rugs and table runners.  She’s also hysterical.  We laugh all day long.  I’m not sure whether I’ve adopted her and her family or if they’ve adopted me.  I’ve spent time with Sara, her husband and son, her sisters and sister-in-law.  No matter who’s adopting whom, I’m winning!

 

Sara and her Turkish rugs..

 

Family train ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Folks are coming down to Lock 3 and hitting the iced… literally!  Lock 3 Park has Ohio’s largest temporary skating rink.  I wish I could get out there and skate around the rink, too.  At times the rink is so full of people It almost seems like one big group slow dance!  The highlight of the skating for me so far was Sunday when Sara’s sister taught her sister-in-law how to ice skate.  Naturally I had to run down to the rink with my camera!

 

And they never fell once!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did I mention that each vendor is donating a portion of their sales to a local charity?  So come one down and enjoy yourselves.  Pick-up some wonderful gifts or just spoil yourself.  Have lunch or dinner and skate around the rink.  And afterward, you can feel proud that all your fun helped local folks in need.

 

So come visit me.  I’m in downtown Akron, OH at Lock 3 Park at the corner of Garden Alley and Center Street, just 2,058 miles from Hollywood, 4,598 miles from Rome and 2,865 miles from the North Pole!

 

The center of everywhere!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More coming soon, including more about my Chriskindl neighbors, but in the meantime, I’ve got candles to pour!

 

Enjoy, come on down and visit, and keep ‘em burning!

J M

(P.S.  Sorry for all the formatting mess… I have no idea why that’s happening!)

Hello my friends! 

Long time no see!  Did ya miss me?  Well, I’ve missed you.  You didn’t think I forgot about blogging to ya?  Never happen.  Have I been so buried in work I couldn’t see straight let alone blog?  Yeah, you betcha!

By now I’m certain you’re all aware that the economy has been, shall we say, a little on the rough side this year.  Naturally it really hits those of us of the self-employed persuasion hard.  Essentially what that means is in order to make proverbial ends meet, we self-employed types must get even more creative and work even harder than usual trying to generate sales.  Part of that involves creating new avenues for sales. 

Simply put, this year has put my title of the King of Shameless Self-promotion to the ultimate test!  And BOY am I beat!

But, by golly, we’re still here and we’re still going!  So I say that, to improve the economy, everyone should buy a Lit Wick candle!  It’ll make y’all feel better and it’ll help pay my mortgage!  I’m just sayin’! 

Because of all the additional work this year, the months have been speeding past faster than I recall them ever going before.  Stop the world I wanna get off?  No.  But it sure would be nice if it could slow down just a tad.

We’ve seen many of you so far this year and we’ve met a lot of new and wonderful friends including a bread-baking nun who likes to let people know that there’s “nun better” than her loaves.  We’ve even seen some new and different sights, not the least of which was a pair of rainbow colored sheep at the Wool Fest in Kirtland, OH. 

Rainbow Sheep

WoolFest 2009  Kirtland, OH

Art in the Square   Akron, OH

Fall Harvest Festival Lake Metropark Farmpark  Kirtland, OH

Fall Harvest Festival Lake Metropark Farmpark  Kirtland, OH

Violet’s Cupbourd Health & Lifestyle Expo  Akron, OH

So much to tell you and share! 

Now that the big festival season has begun, we’re working harder still.  Almost every weekend between now and Thanksgiving (yep, it’s coming up that quickly) we’re double-booked, doing two shows each weekend.  Naturally that means I’ll only be able to attend one fair each week while my associate, the Admiral, will be at the other.    So if you don’t see me, be sure to say, “Hello”, to the Admiral.  You’ll know him when you see him; ‘cause if it isn’t me in the booth, it’ll be him.

This is the Admiral.  He’s a really friendly fella… but he hates to have his picture taken.

We have a new member of The Lit Wick Family and her name is Julie (your Cruise Director).  Julie runs The Lit Wick Candle Co. Fan Page on Facebook.  Join us at:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lit-Wick-Candle-Co/91644484290  We have a lot of fun on there.  Plus Julie’s really good at keeping everyone updated about events and fairs and festivals and answering any questions or comments anyone may have.  Plus Julie’s an all-around wonderful person.  Pop on over to find out for yourself.

Our lovely, talented, brilliant, funny, gifted and amazing Julie, the Cruise Director. 

I have three BIG bits of news I’m dying to share with all of you!

First, we’re now in a SECOND retail store!  Effective 10/14/09 Lit Wick candles are now available in the craft shop at Mapleside Farms in Brunswick, OH.  You want the world’s best apples, pastries crafts and cider?  Mapleside’s the place to be!  www.mapleside.com   

It was a real thrill for me to be asked by Mapleside Farms to have our candles in their store.   My family went to Mapleside all through my childhood (till we moved to Oregon) and I’ve always loved their apples and cider.  Once I returned to Ohio, I started going back.  I was amazed to see how they went from a little roadside store to a large complex.  When I was a kid all you could get are apples and cider… how they have a bakery, huge restaurant, the craft shop, ice creams…  Such a wonderful place! 

When ya stop by, tell ‘em The Lit Wick Candle Co. sent ya!

The front of the main store.  Mapleside Farms, 294 Pearl Rd. Brunswick, OH

I was tempted to pick a few!

Walking into the Mapleside Craft Shop.

Mapleside Craft Shop

Second bit of news is our five new fragrances!  I just (finally) got them up on the website, but I do apologize, I’ve not had time to run over to our amazing photographer, Vicki Lantz, to have pictures taken of the new scents.  So at the moment, there are no pictures of them.  However, that WILL be rectified as soon as possible.  Just please be patient with me.

The new fragrances are as follows:

Anise  (a white candle)   Strong and true to its name.  The primary ingredient in black licorice and even pizzelle cookies.  Sure to please!

Bavarian Pretzel   (a beige candle)  You simply won’t believe it!  It’s just like a big mouth-watering Bavarian Pretzel covered in salt!  What a treat!

Berry Fantasy  (a red candle)  A playful combination of blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, fresh strawberries, coconut milk, black cherry, roses and amber musk.  Let your imagination run wild with this one!

Campfire   (a light gray candle)  The heart-warming smell of a good fire burning in the winter time.  You can almost hear the logs crackle.

Fried Ice Cream   (a golden, creamy candle) Rich vanilla ice cream coated in honey, cinnamon, ginger, oats and nutmeg blend together creating the aroma of that amazing dessert!

I know you’re just gonna love ‘em.  And already I’m having a heck of a time keeping Campfire on the shelves.  People are just snatching that fragrance up like there’s no tomorrow!

Third and most exciting for me… Every year our newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal publishes a list of the area’s best, called Beacon’s Best.  They range from car parts, attorneys, hamburgers, clothing stores, restaurants, clubs, book stores and most things in between.  Votes are cast by readers of the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com. 

I am extremely humbled and so proud to say that on Sunday, October 11, 2009, The Lit Wick Candle Co. was voted Beacon’s Best 2009 - 2010 in the Arts & Craft category!!  Woo hoo!!!!

Thank you for voting for us.  Thank you for passing those ballots around.  Thank you for voting on-line.  I can’t even begin to tell you how thrilled I am.  And how humbled and grateful knowing we have such loyal customers and friends.  You are amazing people.  Thank you.

Needless to say you’re gonna se some new artwork and some new T-shirts at fairs and festivals soon and I am gonna be shouting about being voted one of Beacon’s Best for some time to come.  With me being the self-proclaimed King of Shameless Self-promotion, would you expect anything less?!

The city of Brunswick, where Mapleside Farms is located isn’t too far from Akron, Ohio.  While driving home from Mapleside a couple days ago, I decided to take the back roads to enjoy the colors of Fall.  I took some pictures I thought I’d share with you.  If any of the pictures seem a tad on the blurry side, please forgive me.  My vehicle was moving when the photos were snapped.  Enjoy!

 Leaving Brunswick and heading home. 

 Amazing colors (and a little rain) everywhere!  Welcome Fall!

 Anyone care to go skiing?  This is just 10-minutes from my home. 

 Welcome to Peninsula.  It’s a small, historic village a few minutes North of Akron, OH. 

 Downtown Peninsula decorated for the season.  Left of center is the church steeple. 

 At the bottom of the hill below my house is a bronze statue of a Portage Indian carrying his canoe.

 Heading up the hill to my house.  Home at last.  I hope you enjoyed the drive. 

You are the very best.  I’ll be talking to you (and seeing some of you) soon.

Happy Halloween!!!  And Keep ‘em burnin’!

J M

Hey kids!

I hope you’re all doing well.

Well, it’s time to introduce our fifth and final book in our 2009 Summer Book Club!   So far we’ve read new twists on classic tales, we’ve gone to Venice, we’ve been attacked by prehistoric sharks and taken a trip to Florida.  We’ve even had the chance to meet some great new authors and make new friends.  What fun.

For our final book of the summer, we’re returning to an old friend of ours, Rick R. Reed.  This time he’s gonna give us some suspense, intrigue and even a few chills up our spines.  Now Rick is going to give us a “Deadly Vision”. 

Here’s what Rick R. Reed has to say about his book.

Cass D’Angelo is a single woman living in a small town who has all but given up on meeting a soul mate, and most important, she’s a mom to seven-year-old Max. It is this last role that’s most important to her. But one day Max goes missing during a terrible thunderstorm. In trying to find her son, Cass nearly gets struck by lightning. Unfortunately, she is right next to the tree that does take the hit and a branch comes crashing down on her head, knocking her unconscious. When she awakens in the hospital the next day, she discovers she was a new–and not entirely welcome–power: she can see into the lives of those around her. And worse, she can see into the grisly fates of a teenage girl who has disappeared in her small western Pennsylvania town; she has fallen prey to a pair of cultish killers.

Cass has her basis in the Cassandra of mythology, who was cursed with the gift of prophecy, only to have no one believe her. When another girl goes missing, Cass tries to use her ability to help the families of the girls find their daughters. Only no one believes her: the police thinks she’s a kook, the press wants to sensationalize her, and the killers want to silence her…and quickly discover her vulnerable spot: Max.

When Max is taken by the killers, the plot shifts into high gear and Cass meets a local reporter, a woman named Dani Westwood. At first, Cass is wary: thinking the reporter only wants to use Cass to make a name for herself. When she realizes Dani is her ally, the two begin a suspenseful journey not only to find Max before it’s too late, but to use Cass’s second sight to offer some relief to the other mothers, who need to know what happened to their own children.

Here’s an exciting link to a movie trailer for the book:  Deadly Vison Trailer

And here’s a link to purchase “Deadly Vision” from Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Vision-Rick-R-Reed/dp/1932300961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248804266&sr=1-1

You’re really going to enjoy this book.  It’s one of my favorite of Rick R. Reed’s books.

Don’t forget to come out and see us at one (or all) of the fairs and festivals where we’ll be appearing.  And there may even be a surprise for you when you come say hi!

Have a great day and enjoy!

Keep ‘em burning!

J M

(Be sure to read to the bottom of this entry for something special!)

Hello my friends! 

I hope you’re all doing well and are happy. 

We keep inching closer and closer to the end of summer.  Just the other day my cousin was taking her boys shopping for school clothes… already!  When we were kids, didn’t summer vacation last ages?! 

And now we’re almost to our fifth and final book of the summer!  Where have the days gone?

I know you’re all getting as much of a kick out of “The Awful Truth About Dead Men” as I have.  Isn’t Ms. Bradshaw a wonderful story teller?  I can’t tell you how glad I am I found her book.

Well, it’s time for the trivia questions for this book.

1)  How did Ellie transform her looks?

2)  What did the women stuff in a bottle and throw into the sea?

Email your answers to jm@thelitwick.com.

Coming up in one week, on Wednesday, August 12th will be our fifth and final book.

Also on August 12th is my birthday.  And to celebrate, I’m giving the gift; 12% off your next order, but I’m only giving this gift till my birthday… so get your orders in this week!  During checkout, enter this coupon code:  jollygoodfellow09 

Happy Birthday to me!!  And congratulations to you!!!

Those of you in Ohio, come out and see me Sunday, Aug, 9th at Affair in the Square in Medina Ohio and at the 50th Annual Carnation Festival on Aug. 12 - 15th!  As always, details and maps are on the homepage calendar.  It’s gonna be a lot of fun.  Come out and join us!

I’ll be talking to you soon.  Be well, take care, keep reading and keep ‘em burning!

J M