Jennifer Bunkers started making candles as a hobby and a passion. She quickly saw a chance to create a business and began to research ingredients and perfecting her methods. Today, Jennifer makes various candle sizes and scents as well as reed diffusers and candle melts. Some of her most popular candles have included Clean Cotton and Pumpkin in the Fall. In May, she plans to release Spring scents of Cotton Candy, Lemon Pound Cake, and more.
Jennifer and her family have made Queen Creek their home since 2005, and although it started small, she says she has enjoyed watching it grow. Something of that small town spirit and hand made craft can be seen in Jennifer's work. Her business, Candle Creations by Jennifer, began in 2017. She produces candles that come in various containers from 'Apothecary' to 'Farmhouse' and 'Jelly' jars. The scents can be simple and nostalgic like 'Banana Bread' or 'Strawberry Shortcake'. However, she also has more original scents like 'Volcano Beach' that has tones of citrus and pineapple, evoking the tropical aromas of Hawaii.
Her candles are 100% soy which is grown and sourced from the USA. Jennifer uses essential oils and cotton wicks to ensure a clean and long-lasting burn time. Her candles therefore burn slower with no black soot and don't potentially trigger headaches and other reactions that paraffin candles may cause. Her careful attention to quality ingredients extends to the development of the scents as well. Her process in designing scents includes making small samples and testing them on families and friends. Jennifer says she enjoys creating candles that remind us of a time and place.
One scent called 'First Date' is a nod to a memory of a nervous and exciting evening. The scents blended together are a mix of Eucalyptus, Dark Musk, and Sandalwood, among others to give a more 'masculine' scent. The hint of a cologne worn by your date could be one of those memories you recall with a smile. I asked Jennifer why she thought a scent could be so powerful? Jennifer replied that she believed that very often a smell could 'take someone back to a memory or a place, or even their childhood.'
Jennifer's own personal inspiration comes from her grandmother, Joanne Niffenegger. Today Joanne is 86 and is an important role model that Jennifer looks up to you. 'She has always been a rock to me, somewhere I could escape to.' she says. Her grandmother was a single mother to four children, juggling family and a career. Jennifer, herself is a mother to two teenagers even as she builds a local business of hand crafted candles. Jennifer often attends local markets to sell her candles or you can go directly to her website and select the perfect scent to create a mood, a memory, and warmth within your own home. Not only do these candles smell good, but you can feel good about buying something local and hand-made.
www.candlecreationsbyjennifer.com
'... she believed that very often a smell could 'take someone back to a memory or a place, or even their childhood.'
