Candle making, according to Elissa Carr, is a science.

Sure, there’s not a whole of steps to follow, but one has to be precise—one wrong step and the candle is ruined. Oh, and make sure the melted wax won’t burst into flames.

But to her, it means so much more.

Carr, a Rochester resident and owner of Candles by Willow Ridge, started making candles last fall. She says it was just a hobby, a way to relax while being a full-time mom to her 10-month-old son, Toryn.

“I just dove into it,” Carr says. “All of my friends and family love candles. And lately, just from word-of-mouth, things have really taken off.”

She’s now making up to three batches a day (with 15 to 17 candles per batch) and
taking in orders from up the street or as far as Ohio and Georgia.

The homegrown operation’s success might be attributed to the all-natural soy wax and fragrance oil recipes, but Carr’s caring nature also contributes.

A horse lover, she raised about $200 for the Scarlet Rose Equine Farm Rescue in New Milford, Connecticut, last fall. Her family took in a rescue horse from there as well, and she’ll be working with the group again this year.

Her candles have also been used for charity events at It’s All About the Animals in Rochester and as get-well gifts for hospital patients. An avid knitter, many of Carr’s creations are also given to homeless shelters and hospital patients.

Growing up, Carr was affected by epilepsy. Though she has been nearly seizure-free since 13 (she’s now 25), Carr admits candle making helps her slow down
and relax.

“It’s soothing,” she says. “Being a mom can be stressful. Sometimes I think, ‘I need to just make some candles.’ And the nice thing is that my whole house smells good all of the time. I don’t even need to burn a candle because I make so many.”

Though the entire process of making a batch takes around an hour, the steps are important. Overheating the melted wax could result in a fire. Different candles call for different wicks, and the wicks need to be fairly straight (tip: lay a pencil across the top of the jar). Sometimes candles need to be cooled in a freezer as well.

“This started out as a hobby to make a profit,” Carr says. “I like being my own boss. And now I’m ready to think bigger and grow from there.”

Visit Candles by Willow Ridge online at http://candlesbywillowridge.weebly.com/ or check out the Facebook page.