One of the questions I get asked the most is, "Why are you making fall candles in the middle of summer?"

The answer is simple: creating a quality handmade candle takes time.

Unlike mass-produced products that can be manufactured by the thousands, every candle in my fall collection goes through weeks of crafting, curing, testing, and refining before it's ever ready for your home.

Here's what that process looks like.

Step 1: Creating the Vessel

Every pumpkin vessel is hand-cast one at a time using Hydrostone. Once it's removed from the mold, the work isn't finished—it has to cure for about two weeks on a wire rack.

My very first pumpkin was cast on July 5, and it wasn't ready for the next step until July 19.

Step 2: Sealing the Vessel

After the curing period, each vessel is carefully sealed.

Sealing is an important step because it helps protect the vessel, strengthens its durability, and creates a barrier that helps prevent the wax and fragrance oil from being absorbed into the material. This allows the candle to perform the way it's intended while also helping preserve the beauty of the vessel for years to come.

Once sealed, the vessel needs another 3–4 days for the sealer to fully cure before any wax can be poured.

Step 3: The "Naked" Candle Test

This is one of the most important—and least exciting—parts of candle making.

Before I even think about adding fragrance, I pour what's called a naked candle: a candle made with only coconut soy wax and no fragrance oil.

Why?

Because fragrance changes the way a candle burns. By removing that variable, I can focus solely on how the wax and wick perform inside this brand-new vessel. It tells me whether I need a different wick size before moving on to scented candles.

Based on my current timeline, my first naked candle won't be poured until around July 23.

Step 4: Testing with Fragrance

Once I've narrowed down the best wick using the naked candle, I can finally start pouring my new fall fragrances.

As excited as I am to dive into the scents that arrived last week, rushing this step would only lead to inconsistent results.

Each fragrance needs its own testing because every fragrance oil behaves a little differently.

Step 5: The Cure

After each scented candle is poured, it isn't ready to burn.

Every candle cures with its lid on for about two weeks. This allows the wax and fragrance oil to fully bind together, helping create the strongest scent throw possible when it's finally burned.

Step 6: Burn Testing

Only after all that can I begin the real testing.

I evaluate how the candle burns from beginning to end, watching for an even melt pool, proper flame size, clean performance, and, of course, how well the fragrance fills a room.

If something isn't right, the process starts again with another adjustment.

Why I Start So Early

Looking at the timeline, it makes a lot more sense why handmade makers begin preparing for fall months in advance.

• July 5: First pumpkin vessel cast

• July 19: Vessel fully cured and sealed

• Around July 23: First naked candle poured

• Around August 1: Begin pouring scented test candles

• Mid-August: Burn testing begins

• Late August: Confidently release a thoroughly tested collection

What looks like "making fall candles in July" is actually weeks of careful preparation before a single finished candle is ready.

Next year... I might just start in April. 😄

When you bring home one of my handmade candles, you're getting far more than wax and a wick. You're getting weeks of testing, patience, and care—all so you can enjoy a candle that's been thoughtfully crafted from the very beginning.