About Us
W E L C O M E !
I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE!
Callieco began in the spring of 2018 out of pure curiosity. After the birth of my first baby, Callie, while spending lots of gloomy winter days on the couch during a long recovery from a c-section, I would light a candle just about everyday as a treat to myself. Yes, all those candles that had been sitting on my shelf for years waiting to be lit only for a special occasion or when company came over were finally getting used. It just had a way of adding a quaint coziness to the space as I spent my days alone, unable to do much, with a tiny new baby.
Naturally, with a small premature infant in the home I started to wonder, "Are candles safe?" Not just for babies, but in general, is it safe to always be burning a candle. So I dug in to reading about candles and different types of waxes and the pros and cons of each. To my surprise I found out that the candles that I had bought at the store were most certainly not the best option, especially with a developing little one around. I read up on the benefits of soy wax as a more natural alternative to the petroleum based candles I was burning and with a few clicks online a ten pound bag of soy wax and some basic candle supplies were at my front door. My first batch of candles turned out great considering I simply melted the wax in an old pan in a double boiler on my stove and didn't even have a way to test the temperature of the wax.
Ultimately, the rest is history. I started making candles just for me, mostly just trying to perfect the science behind it and create new scents. I set up at a few craft shows but mostly just enjoyed selling to my family in friends. A few years later, and a move across state lines, I opened my own boutique and sold candle after candle to rave reviews.
The name Callieco of course comes from my oldest daughter, Callie, who is named after my great-grandmother Callie. You might notice a "No. 1903" on the front label of all products. My great-grandma Callie was born in 1903 and after researching that year I found out that it was a great year in American history. Not only did some life altering things happen in that year that have moved us into the modern life we know now (the Wright brothers took their first flight, the sale of the first Ford automobile was made, Harley Davidson built their first motorcycle, and the modern espresso machine as we know it was invented, to name a few), but life still felt simple and rich.
Some of my favorite stories ever told are from my Grandma about her mother Callie and her siblings, at home, sleeping four or more to a bed, splitting a whole blackberry pie between the twelve siblings, her parents, and sometimes the preacher, and getting into mischief.
Callieco is about creating our own good ol' days right here in the present and creating cozy spaces where memories are made. You might notice a little bit of a nod to those "simpler" times in my packaging.
I have worked tirelessly to create unique, sustainable packaging, a brand that represents my mission, and a safe product that I am so proud of. My mission with this product is to create something that makes your home feel as cozy as mine did on those gloomy winter days spent mostly on my couch.
What started as a little experiment in my kitchen has now turned into a full blown business selling wholesale, creating custom fragrances for clients, and selling to buyers across the United States.
It is truly my joy to make such a great product for you that I'm proud of. I enjoy making every batch!
I hope our candles make your home your favorite place to be!
Michele