My Story
Hello, and the warmest of welcomes to Feather & Thistle Candles.
My name is Laura and I’m delighted to welcome you to “The Candle Bothy” at my home in rural Scotland, where I hand-pour small batches of premium soy candles.
I believe we all have things in life which we need strength for; we all need to believe in something. Fragrances have the power to create an experience, change a mood and evoke a memory. In my beauty business I need beautiful, clean-burning candles to create the right ambiences for my clients. As an aromatherapist my standards are high, and many of the candles I’ve tried, even luxury labels, have fallen short of what I expected and hoped for.
After many months of research, testing hundreds of fragrances, I have created my own collection of artisan candles that I am proud to launch under the luxury Feather & Thistle label.
But it was not just the scents that drove and inspired me.
Feather – a message
During long periods on my own as a military wife while my husband was deployed, it was my Dad who was always at the end of the phone getting me through the difficult times. My Mum had passed when I was young. With three children to raise, it was my Dad who provided the support I needed. He was the hardest working person I have ever known. He taught me how to be a better person, to fight for what is right and more importantly that “nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”
It is these qualities that have driven me to produce the most exquisite candles. My starting point for the Living Inspiration Collection was not a place, or a memory. It was a set of experiences and qualities that I’ve captured in gorgeous, exotic and evocative scents. It’s my way of sharing my story.
My Dad also had a wicked sense of humour and since he passed in 2019 I’ve been finding small white feathers in the strangest of places, so my family gave me a ring engraved with the words, “When feathers appear, angels are near.” This has given me comfort and plenty of laughs. The feather is my gratitude to my Dad who taught me many valuable life lessons.
Thistle – a celebration of Scotland
Growing up in the north of Scotland provided me with the perfect palette from the wonderful natural surroundings to work with, and it has influenced my Caledonian Inspiration Collection. My childhood memories are filled with weekends and school holidays travelling all over Scotland with my Dad in his lorry, stopping for roadside picnics and taking in the beautiful Scottish countryside. The fresh and earthy tones of “Lochside” capture happy memories of carefree moments and who can resist the iconic romanticism of a Scottish Castle? From the comforting smoky embers you will find in the “Highland Bothy” warming up a chilly evening, to the invigorating oak weed and fresh peppermint of the “Wild Thistle,” this Collection is my invitation to you to take a tour of our glorious Highlands. The iconic Scottish thistle is my tribute to my Dad, more than just the amazing memories I cherish.
I hope you enjoy exploring the scents I have created, finding your own connections, meanings, experiences and making your own memories.
Thank you for reading my story and for being part of my journey
Laura
About our candles Cruelty-free and Eco-friendly
All of our candles are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and paraben-free. They are made with premium quality soy wax. Soy is a sustainable and renewable resource which burns cleanly and slowly, giving long-lasting enjoyment from your candle. The candles are shipped to you in a beautiful giftable and recyclable cardboard boxes. I have purposely not added any Logos to the box so you can reuse them yourself or reuse them to package a gift for someone else
Fragrance throw
My fragrances have been selected not only for the experiences they create, but for the best fragrance throw when combined with soy wax.
Elegant home décor
Your Feather & Thistle candles become an elegant part of your home décor. The fragrant wax is hand-poured into statement classic white and black glass jars. After the candle is finished, I hope you can reuse the jar for many years to come. I have added a seeded dust cover which you need to remove before lighting your candle. Once your candle is finished. Wash out the vessel add some soil, plant the dust cover, water and grow some wild flowers. We would love to see some pictures of what you grow and resuse your vessels for. Send us your Pics and with your permission we will post them on social media.
Quality seal
I produce small batches of candles, meaning I can ensure the finished product is of the highest quality. The finished candles are placed in a eco-friendly linen gift bags, to which I attach a feather and a thistle charm. This is my seal. Having read my story, you’ll know the Feather and Thistle cannot be attached to anything substandard. The full collection (all of which give a nod to my Dad Jimmy) can be found on this website. Again these bags can be reused. Would love to see what your reuse your bag for. Send us your pics and with your permission we will add them to our social media.