Inner Fire Tapers for Sideshow Gallery

Inner Fire tapers made exclusively for Sideshow Gallery in Chicago! These tapers have been dressed with Yerba Santa, a fox rib bone, and garnet crystal.

Sideshow Gallery is a fun and unique shop in the heart of Chicago. They carry unique one of a kind finds, curiosities, handmade jewelry,  oddities, vintage treasures, candles, herbs and tools to perform magic,  and lots of ART!  They always have something going on with classes, art shows, pop ups, and events to keep the community learning.  Owners Cheri Basak and Anne Elliott have been best friends for 25 years created Sideshow Gallery was created to “continually inspire people and live FREE!” The whole crew at Sideshow are super fun and creative and a blast to hang out with. I always look forward to trips up to Chicago for pop-ups and classes in their space!

When Anne and Cheri said they wanted a unique candle style for Sideshow I knew I wanted to capture their wild and creative spirit in the dressing. Yerba Santa to aid in bolstering inner strength. Garnet crystal for strength and finding joy in the physical world. And a fox rib bone* symbolizing transformation, cleverness, and resourcefulness. All together this combination is about tapping into your power and finding joyful expression.

I love the way these tapers turned out, with the fox rib wrapping around the candle and the deep dark red of the Garnet. These candles will also make great divination tapers as the way the crystal and bone fall onto the candle dish may be interpreted intuitively. These tapers definitely feel very lively and energetic… just like SSG!

The SSG Inner Fire tapers are available exclusively in the Sideshow Gallery shop. So if you find yourself in the Chicago area, stop in and take in the wild experience that is SSG!

*The bones I use are sustainably sourced from OracleKC who work with abatement programs, conservation, and small farms with parts that would otherwise go to waste.

Sunset Tapers

I love making special commission candles! I work with the customer to develop a unique candle dressing just for them. Sometimes it’s a particular herb, flower, or crystal they want me to include. Other times there’s a general theme or intention and I develop the candle style around that.

In July, Oracle asked me to make a special candle for the first edition of their Witch Club subscription box which is relaunching in September. The subscription is released quarterly and centered around seasonal rituals, which means I would be making a candle for Autumn. We brainstormed some ideas for the candle dressing and decided on carnelian crystals and yarrow.

I pressed a book’s-worth of yarrow leaves and a few select bloom heads. I let them dry and press for a few weeks before the dipping session. Then, with the moon in Taurus, I dipped and dressed 16 custom 6″ tapers.

©2022 Moth and Candle LLC

Each taper has carefully arranged Yarrow leaves and blooms wrapped up and around the taper. Yarrow represents healing, love and protection. It is also said to be the “flower of death” making it an appropriate choice for Oracle’s Autumn candles. I sprinkled powdered Frankincense resin as an overall light dressing representing spirituality and the sacred. The powdered incense will also release a very, very light scent as the taper burns. Finally, each taper is crowned with a single reddish-orange Carnelian crystal representing warmth, courage, and the sunset.

I am so happy with the way these Sunset tapers turned out. I secretly wish I could make more of them!

But the dressings I develop for custom clients are exclusive to them… so maybe Oracle will ask me to make more? (Fingers crossed.) But until that happens, these Sunset beauties can only be found in Oracle’s September Witch Club.

If you’re interested in commissioning a unique candle style… send me a message!

Elegy Candles

Alessandra Dzuba of Oracle Natural Science specializes in skeletal articulation and does memorial work for clients. Finding ways of honoring memories and soothing grief become a major theme. She has certain rituals such as setting an intentional space, burning incense, and lighting a candle while working on a memorial. She asked me if I would create a special candle specifically with grief in mind.

I started with an herbal blend: Hawthorn for love. Nettle for strength. Lavender for peace.

Although she had not specified, I chose to make this candle a joined pair. So one candle is dressed with an Obsidian crystal for courage and grounding; and the other has a Rainbow Moonstone for soothing sorrow.

There is a long tradition of burning candles during times of loss, grief, and sorrow. We light candles to remember those who are no longer near. Both prayer and homage, a lit candle is a universal offering. The candle’s flame burns bright and flickers with life until the wax has been spent and there is no more wick. Candles are temporary, something we experience, and then it is gone; a ritual for the senses and a small gift of light to the world.

It was an honor to develop these Elegy candles. They are made exclusively for and available at Oracle Natural Science.

Oracle KC’s Raffle for Ukraine

Oracle Natural Science is currently hosting a fundraiser for Ukraine. Ukraine is in desperate need of aid – including medical supplies, food and water, funds for repairing infrastructure and supporting the frontlines. Nine artists have gathered to participate in this grand giveaway; which means nine winners!

For this fundraiser I made a special boxed-set of 6 hand-dipped candles. The Prayer for Ukraine candles are 100% organic beeswax, each adorned with:

• Aquamarine crystals associated with clear communication – releasing old patterns – soothing grief.

• Marigold petals associated with inner strength – power – protection – remembrance.

• Salvia petals associated with healing – long life – safe – secure.

Tickets are $5, and there is no limit on individual ticket purchases.

Check out all of the beautiful possible prizes. Get more info about the organization Oracle will be donating the funds to: Razom for Ukraine. And purchase as many tickets as you can/like by this Friday, May 13th!

The more tickets you purchase the better your chances of winning!