Artisan Spotlight featuring Auntie Di's De-lites

Remember the something new and different I mentioned from a previous post?? It's here!

Don't you think it's interesting to people watch? I mean people are so interesting! I could sit and people watch for hours and I don't think they'd ever get boring. I also feel the same way about looking at items on Etsy. However, I often look at items on Etsy and wonder things like: "What's this person like?", "How do they come up with these ideas?", "What's their favorite product?" And that's when I got the idea for "Artisan Spotlight".

Artisan Spotlight is a new series I'm starting that will feature Etsy Sellers that I love. The idea is simple really.... I'll ask them a few questions, share with their answers with you, and highlight a few of their products!

And up first in "Artisan Spotlight" is Auntie Di's De-Lites. Actually Auntie Di has three shops....Auntie Di's De-Lites, Auntie's Card Shop, and The Tempting Tart. I have ordered items from both Auntie Di's De-Lites and The Tempting Tart, and I can tell you for sure that her candles and tarts DO NOT disappoint! I'll admit at first I was a little nervous purchasing candles on-line. I mean, aren't you supposed to go to a very smelly store and smell every candle before deciding on the one to take home??? So, I started out small and ordered a pack of tarts. I wasn't expecting it, but I fell in love! Her tarts were wonderful! I'm not sure if she remembers but I complimented her tarts in an Etsy chat room, and someone said, "If you think her tarts are wonderful you should try her candles!"

The first candle I tried was Hot Apple Pie (which also on sale this month b/c it's the "scent of the month"!!). One of the things I love about her candles are that they are made of soy wax. Soy candles burn longer, burn cleaner, and hold and throw scent better than paraffin candles (oh so true). Soy is also a highly renewable resource which helps our friend the farmer! The wicks in the candles are all cotton cored, so no worries about burning wicks with metal cores! Her 16 oz. candle also burns for 110+ hours! Not to mention she has great prices! They are awesome! But enough about what I have to say....what does she say?? See the interview below!

(psst...clicking on the pictures below will lead you to the item in her shop!)

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SweetSamantha: You have 3 wonderful shops! How do you manage your time between all 3? Have you ever accidentally posted a listing in the wrong shop? Because that's totally something I would do!

Auntie Di: I'll let you in on a little secret.....most of the time I'm flying by the seat of my pants!! I have 3 kids, a four legged child, and a soldier husband who is frequently not home, so lots of times I'm running Mock 5 with my hair on fire. If there wasn't some level of 'crazy' going on, it wouldn't be me! My general rule is processing in the order things are received. As for time to create, I do that when I get the chance to think a complete, coherent thought without "Moooooooooooom, he looked at me!" "Mom, I'm bored!" LOL Every once in a while I have an idea that makes me lose sleep at night, so I lock myself away in my workshop, and threaten life and limb for interruptions.

SweetSamantha: Your candles are to die for. My favorite is the Hot Apple Pie. Do you have a favorite scent?

Auntie Di: I love the Cinnamon Buns, it's always been my favorite, however, I have really never met a baked food scent that I didn't like! Most recently, this has been carrying over into fruity scents also.

Cinnamon Buns - Yum!

SweetSamantha: What's your favorite part of the creative process? (coming up with an idea, buying materials, creating the product, etc)

Auntie Di: I reach a stage of nirvana when I get to create uninterrupted. (Come to think of it, it hasn't happened any time recently!) Lots of my ideas come from the Food Network, so I do enjoy coming up with new ones, I always have it on in the background when I'm creating! Cook books, family recipes, magazines all have delicious treats in them that I often wonder to myself "I wonder how this would smell as a candle?"

SweetSamantha: You have excellent customer service. Would you care to share what you think is the best customer service advice?

Auntie Di: I am a firm believer that customer service is second only to an awesome product! My customers ARE my business, without them, where would I be? I try to be prompt, fair, and treat them well, much as I would like to be treated when I place an order, whether it be from an Etsy shop or a big box store. Sadly, I think many times companies really get away from that. I have promised myself that my customers will always come first, no matter how big I grow.

SweetSamantha: How did you come up with the names for your shops?

Auntie Di: I started my candle business 10 years ago. My niece was then 5. She decided that I should call myself 'Auntie Di's De-Lites'...and so it was. I started my paper shop next, so the natural progression was "Auntie's Card Shop". When I started my tart shop most recently though, I wanted something a little 'tongue in cheek', so I thought long and hard and came up with "The Tempting Tart".

Check out some of her products below!! (p.s. I realize I posted a lot of food scents, but those are just my favorite! She has a wide variety of scents that anyone would love!)

From Auntie Di's De-lites:

Hot Apple Pie - 16 oz. (Scent of the month - On sale through July)

Vanilla Smoothie - 8 oz.

Cucumbers and Melons - 8 oz.

From The Tempting Tart:
Apple Brown Betty Tarts

Almond Coconut Cookie Tarts

Creme Brulee Tarts


And last but not least, From Auntie's Card Shop:

Orange Creamsicle gift tags

Feeling Fishy Get Well Card

You're a Peach Thank you cards

And that wraps up my very first Artisan Spotlight! I highly recommend checking out the products that Auntie Di has to offer....I promise you will not be disappointed! Thanks so much Auntie Di for being such a gem to work with!!