Kristina is the owner of And She Blushes. She handmakes all of the candles, wax melts, and wax tarts at her home, and she let me interview her today about what having an Etsy shop, living in Texas, and her life goals.
In your Etsy shop, And She Blushes, you sell soy wax candles. How did you get into candle-making?
I do! I sell soy wax candles and plan to expand this summer to bath products! In a nutshell, I used to spend way too much money on candles and wax tarts, so one day I just did some research and found that it really wasn't hard to make my own! I actually only did it so save money, and then some of my friends wanted the candles I make (mostly the Birthday Party one!) so I opened my Etsy a few weeks later!
What's the best thing about owning a candle shop? What's the worst?
The best thing would definitely be the exposure, meeting new people, spreading joy through wax haha. The worst? Well, I don't want to bad-mouth Etsy at all, but the seller fees. I will actually be branching from Etsy in the coming weeks, and selling on my own mostly, from my website called And She Blushes.
You were born in California, grew up in Alaska, and currently live in Texas. What was the best thing about living in each of those places?
We moved so quick from Cali, I never really knew what it was like to be there! But Alaska, was great, small towns, that's actually where most of my friends are from, but for the most part we have all moved away! I truly am grateful for my life in Alaska, it's not as crazy as people think; like we didn't live in Igloos or anything haha! Texas is great too, hot and humid, but it's where we live for now! My boyfriend works on the pipeline, so that's why we live here!
What's one place you've always wanted to visit?
British Columbia! My dad lives there currently, and he always talks about how gorgeous it is! Plus, how fun would it be to just randomly show up on my dad's porch haha!
Do you have a favorite book? A favorite author?
I actually am really not much of a reader, I have tried so many times to get into it, I just can't. I get bored too easily I think. My mind just doesn't slow down enough to sit and read a book. But, there have been a couple books that have managed to grab me! Don't judge me, haha! Veronica Mars, so amazing, as well as most thinks from John Green (The Fault in our Start, Paper Towns!)
What are some of your life goals?
Life goals, well I'm working on them still. But By next year, I want my ASB business, to stand on its own two feet, financially. That's a major goal, and a pretty top priority. I actually, plan to eventually complete a half marathon. Last year, I was in training for one, and then a knee injury put me out, and by the time it healed enough for me to run again, it was too late!
How do you stay inspired? Any tips?
Inspired. Well, memories from being a kid usually, like the Birthday Cupcake, Little Sisters Lemonade Stand (I don't have a sister, but a ton of cousins who had lemonade stands!) One of my most special candles and wax tarts, is called GTFO. I suffer from migraines, and so do some of my friends, so I wanted to create a candle that would aide in the relief, so I spent hours doing research to find scents that trigger migraine relief, and made them into a candle! My friends inspire me a lot, I get texts from my friends that usually begin with "OMG you know what would be awesome..."
Never stop making it fun, once it becomes something you don't want to do, it will never be the same. Just keep it fresh and new, and find someone you can talk business with! 80% of my conversations with my best friend, include business chats of some sort! Bouncing ideas off of someone who gets it, is a serious help!
Kristina is giving away a $20 Etsy credit to buy anything in her shop!
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