Welcome to Shadow Wick Creation’s Tumblr. Here we’ll talk about crafts, spirituality, art, candles, hauntings, spirits, gods, goddesses, entities, witchcraft, paganism... you name it! But first I wanted to talk a little bit about us.
We are a pagan based craft company, but “company” may be a little bit big of a word... Really we’re three people with a passion and we’re trying to spread that as far as we can, and as in all things in life that certainly has its ups and downs.
Shadow Wick was an idea that a friend of mine and I came up with as we were walking down our pagan paths and exploring the realms of witchcraft.
I had started with making some votive sized candles with some different oils in them for scent and the occasional herbs with the intention of giving off some good energy and doing some “witchy woo” as my roommates affectionately call it. I had sort of fallen off with the crafting getting more into my divination arts and ritual castings when Autumn (my dear friend and business partner) started really getting into the candle making.
With the exception of a few overly herbed near fire starters (which we have since learned to laugh about), the stuff she made was pure magic, and the work she did became the general outline for all of the pillar candles that Shadow Wick has become known for. Her pours are exceptional, the scents used in her candles are always fragrant without being overwhelming, the colors vibrant, the structure solid, and when that woman got into doing the sigil work and herbal blending, they practically took on a life of their own.
She re-inspired me to get back to work, and while my pours are NEVER as spectacular as Autumn’s I found some different ways to do sigils, and some different techniques for enchanting the candles and developed a system of my own.
We kept making them for friends and family members and kept hearing “You should sell these” and we finally decided that was the right course of action.
The name “Shadow Wick” just came to me as we were discussing the possibility of starting a formal business. From the moment we started talking about this the name was in my head and once I said it outloud it was a done deal.
With us the whole way was Phil. He started out as good support, and a set of muscles for helping us haul our supplies all across the state of Minnesota. Then he shifted into more of a shipping manager position, then he started walking his own spiritual path and has made some wonderful pieces that have truly inspired the people who have connected with them.
I, ever the business minded one, have felt like a stick in the mud on more than one occasion. I am almost constantly the one poking holes in ideas, or asking if this is really worth it and being the gravity to my two lovely compatriots who’s beautiful bubbles I fear I far too often pop (though they frequently assure me that’s not the case). I sit and think of profit margins and reinvesting in the business, and finances and feasibility and growth patterns and how I should do more, or back off, then... something happens and I am reminded of why we set out on this journey...
It was never for the money. Our crafts inspire people, and that was what we wanted, and still want more than anything else.
Today I am sitting at home looking out the window at the dreary, cold Minnesota rain, surrounded by candles and plants and statues... Some I made, some made for me, some were gifts, and I just can’t help but think of life’s ups and downs. How the good comes with the bad and how the scales balance themselves with little to no regard for those of us trying to tip them one direction or the other and I am reminded of the phrase “As Above, So Below,” but not in the way that it’s generally intended.
Life is a roller coaster and we can go up and up seemingly ad infinitum but inevitably we have to come down, and when you come down it is often passed normalcy and drops as far on the downswing as it flew on the up.
I have two lovely people who remind me to fly, they inspire me to be better and do more, and I hope I inspire them as well. I hope, eventually that they’ll be posting in here as well, but for now...
This is Brandon with Shadow Wick, and I hope you have a magical day!
