We all love a good origins story- well, here's mine! I have always been a smell-goods girl. I love making a space my own, whether it’s my home, workspace or car. I love being surrounded by fun, happy smells! My all-time favorite, I-feel-rich candles were from Yankee Candle. 😁 After each of my kiddos was born, I gradually got “crunchier”. It started with hours of researching vaccines (this is my own journey, so please, no negative comments! 😘), and then it was finding a cleaner laundry detergent after my son and I both had bouts of eczema. After daughter no.1 was born, I went through months of severe ppd, which eventually launched me into the world of gut health and supplementation. While I was pregnant with daughter no.2 most home fragrances were chopped. 😅 Christmas 2020 my sweet husband gifted me 2 big Yankee candles, but I was so worried about burning them around my itty-bitty baby that I didn’t use them for months, and when I did finally use them, I was so paranoid about how it was polluting my home. And of course, THAT completely took the joy out of burning those candles… 🥺 So, once we found our new routine with 3 littles, I found myself ready to reestablish my identity- not just as a mama of three, but also as a person. I love makeup but wasn’t feeling the draw to dive into that. I can crochet, but don’t have the patience for that unless I’m pregnant, lol. After a friend mentioned she had played around with making a beeswax candle, it hit me… CANDLES!! I love candles!! Why not try my hand at making a good candle that I know is cleaner than Yankee candles, and then I won’t be paranoid to burn it around my kids! 😱😃 This would satisfy my urge to take up a hobby for myself, and fill a void I was feeling about my favorite candles, lol… I spent hours looking for the purest waxes, and even more hours looking for nontoxic fragrance oils (also known as safe synthetics). Hundreds of hours… 😅 Finally I had everything lined up, I had a basic knowledge of how to make a candle, so I went for it… Lemme tell ya, the first 20-30 candles were verrrrry interesting… No, to be super transparent- they sucked... 🤣 But I stuck with it. I missed my home smelling like cookies or apples, and I was determined to learn this stuff... And soon enough I nailed it. My first candle that actually smelled good and burned correctly had me all giddy! And then The Lord opened the door and nudged me through it- I made the leap to make this more than a hobby… After years of working hard at a NM gig, I was super hesitant to do anything like this. I had tried for years to build a “business” and never got anywhere, but this felt different. Even if no one ever wanted these candles, it has been so fulfilling for me to make them for my little family… 🥰 But God has blessed this adventure and led me where I should go. I can’t take any credit for Crunchy Mama Candles, because if it weren’t for my heavenly Abba I would have just kept these candles to myself. 😉

It has always been part of my heart to help bridge the gap between the crunchy and non-crunchy world, specifically for the folks that find themselves still adjusting to a nontoxic lifestyle. As I “leveled up” in the crunchy world, one of the things I missed desperately was a nice-smelling home. That’s part of why I taught myself candle making.  Although diffusing essential oils was nice, it couldn’t replace all the fun scents I was used to smelling like apples, pumpkins, or vanilla. So, if you like your home smelling nice but would rather not have to worry about exposing your family to carcinogens, mutagens, or endocrine disruptors- give Crunchy Mama Candles a follow this week as we explore more of what makes us different. And because I love y’all, I’ll be sharing some of my most used “crunchy” products to help give you an idea of what to start swapping to begin your own low-tox lifestyle! What exactly does crunchy mean?! Sounds like cereal or crackers, lol… Crunchy folks are people who leans toward more natural, holistic ideas and methods in most areas of life. It's the ideology of deciding what is best for your own family, and not relying on the societal "norms". It looks different for each family, but the heart-cry is always the same- doing what we believe is best for our own families. Here’s a fun quiz to see where you land on the crunchy spectrum: https://www.mamanatural.com/how-crunchy-quiz/ Feel free to share your results in the comments! One question I get asked a LOT in the crunchy world is: “What do you use for fragrances?”… Well, while I can’t give you my exact recipe (), I CAN tell you that most of my products use safe synthetic fragrances. These have all been professionally formulated using nontoxic ingredients that comply with California’s Prop 65 (https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/proposition-65-list/)… Because at the end of the day, I use these products around my own little family, and as much as I love each of YOU, these humans will always be my favoritest favorites and I will always do everything in my power to give them the safest environment to thrive in! I know it can be so confusing and kinda frustrating to begin swapping out your normal household items for cleaner options… I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve poured over brands, and items, and ingredient labels. So here’s a quick list of my household staples! Take a peek, and maybe try swapping out one thing at a time, as you finish your current product. Shampoo/Conditioner/Body Wash - Shampoo: https://a.co/d/cKeU6bx - Conditioner: https://a.co/d/7aA9Kd2 - Body Wash: https://a.co/d/25cHOL3 - Baby Wash: https://a.co/d/bOnWP7V - 2-in-1: https://a.co/d/3uPZVBe Household Cleaner - Branch Basics: https://branchbasics.com Diaper Balm - Calendula Salve (also works as moisturizer and lotion!) https://www.crunchymamacandles.com/produc.../calendula-salve Have a product you’d like a crunchy swap suggestion for?? Comment below! Another great way to begin your crunchy/scrunchy journey is to find some local farmers markets! Two of our FAVORITE places to go in the Conroe area are Wholesome Living Dairy for delicious raw guernsey milk, and Twisted T Farm for scrumptious homemade jams, jellies, pickles, and fresh veggies! Whether you’re just starting out on your crunchy journey, or you were crunchy before it was cool, there’s nothing like having a solid community to help research, bounce ideas off of, or ask questions. I have been incredibly blessed to find several groups that have been so supportive and full of knowledge. If you’d like to join them, let me know in the comments, and I’ll gladly help you get connected! Till next time, my friends!

In August of last year, I made the decision to increase my prices across the board. It only made sense- the economy is rough, the cost of components has increased, etc. But that was a mistake. Yes, the economy is rough, the cost to make these products has increased- that’s all true. But it was a mistake for me to lose sight of one of the reasons I began my business. When I decided to take candle-making from a hobby to a business I wanted to provide a HIGH QUALITY, clean product with a price tag that the average mom would be comfortable with. I wanted to share a little piece of joy wherever I could, especially for those moms who were just beginning their “crunchy” journey. I allowed outside influences to catch my eye and sway my thoughts from doing good in this world to making more money. Not that making money is wrong- it’s not. But I don’t believe God brought this company into fruition simply to make money. I believe He did it to bring joy, to show in the smallest details that He loves us and provides in the kindest of ways. I’m sorry that I lost sight of this foundational concept. It’s not about the money or making a name for myself. It’s about honoring Jesus in everything I do, including how I do business. I will be updating all shops and websites to reflect our new price list as soon as possible, so please keep an eye out for that. And please know this… Crunchy Mama Candles will NEVER compromise our beliefs, our quality, or our product safety. Jesus is KING, and I will not dishonor my King. I love y’all dearly! Ps. 37:2-9 “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.”

Here's the inspiration behind one of our best sellers! There is something about rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty. Rewarding. Fulfilling. Today we rolled up the proverbial sleeves (because let's be real- October in South Texas doesn't always mean its actually cool enough for sweaters, lol), roasted a beautiful punkin, peeled and pureed it, and then whipped together the inspiration for our favorite fall candle- pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies! Want the recipe? Click here. Want the candle? Click here!

you can implement NOW! I was 12 years old when I flew for the first time. I was going on a trip with my mom to visit family, flying from Texas to Wisconsin. I remember listening to the flight attendant going over all the protocols, but when she got to the part about the oxygen masks- I couldn't wrap my mind around it. How selfish of someone to put their own mask on first, and not help the person next to them... so I asked my mom. Isn't it better to help the people around us before we take care of our own needs?! Her answer was surprising, and it took me years to realize that the best thing I could do in that situation would be to put my mask on FIRST, because an oxygen deprived Allie wouldn't be as helpful as a breathing one. 😅 Confession: It has taken me quite awhile to embrace the idea that taking care of myself is not necessarily a selfish thing to do. When it comes from a healthy mindset, and has boundaries, self care is a crucial component of a healthy, happy life! As a busy mom, I acknowledge that it can be difficult to find and set aside time to do things for ourselves. But when we don't make that a priority, we lose some of the pizzazz that makes us the spectacular humans that we were created to be. So how can we actually start to implement a few ideas to take better care of ourselves, WITHOUT carving out hours or shucking out moolah??? 😉 Check out these 6 simple things that are budget-friendly or freeee and can be implemented asap. No. 1 - Drink WATER Nope, coffee doesn't count! We're looking for straight up H2O. Aim for half your body weight in ounces per day. Feeling extra?! Dissolves a pinch of Celtic salt on your tongue before drinking a glass for better hydration! No. 2 - Get Some Sun Did you know that vitamin D (aka sunshine) is a necessary vitamin for simple bodily functions like going to the bathroom?! It also helps increase serotonin, so soak up some rays for a free mood booster! No. 3 - Get Grounded Although every parent has joked about being the one who's grounded for a week, that's not quite what we mean. 😂 Grounding (aka earthing) is the practice of realigning your electrical energy by reconnecting with the earth. In layman terms- standing in the grass or dirt with bare feet. Trust us, it feels better than it sounds! 😉 No. 4 - Don't Skip Meals Maybe I'm the only mom who looks up and realizes I've missed lunch... And when I do, I grab the nearest food source (hello kids snacks) and chow down. But when I actually stop to eat lunch, my mood stays balanced, the kids snacks are unharmed, and I don't have to battle guilt for binging on a week's worth of Pringles. 😝 No. 5 - Light A Candle There's something so calming about a beautifully scented candle. With every whiff, I am centered and soothed, and can't help but smile. Aaaaand we happen to know where you get get some awesome ones! 🙃 So remember- life isn't a practice run. Burn the candle. 😘 No. 6 - Turn Up the Tunes What's the one song that gets you swaying? What playlist has you belting out a ballad like no one's watching? Music is known to boost our happy hormones while helping to lower stress hormones, so... Crank. It. Up. 🎵 Cheering you on, my friend!

Should you use essential oil candles in your home? No doubt you've heard at least one person mention the hazards of burning traditional candles, and how they are chock full of harmful toxins that fill your home (and lungs) as you burn them. You may have even heard them suggest finding candles scented with essential oils, touting them as a safer alternative to those store-bought candles. But are essential oil candles truly as safe as people believe they are? What do essential oil manufacturers say? During our research and development stage, we reached out to one of the leading essential oil manufacturers to see if they had any advice or guidance on using essential oils in candles. We were rather surprised with their quick response. A straightforward reply of "We do not recommend burning essential oils in candles" left us questioning everything we had planned thus far. But why not? What makes it so hazardous to burn essential oils? Glad you asked! A simple explanation as to why we believe it's best to avoid essential oil candles: when some essential oils are heated, the compounds can be damaged, completely changing the chemical composition of the oil. When candles are poured, the temperature of the wax ranges from 185*-200*, much hotter than the recommended temperature of 98* (the average body temperature). Soy wax needs to be heated to 185* in order to allow any fragrance oils to bind with the wax, otherwise the candle will not properly perform. Since we are not licensed aromatherapists and don't have unlimited time to test each formulation, we thought it wise to not "play with fire" (pun intended) and leave that to those that have the knowledge and skill to create quality fragrances. Our fragrance oils have been formulated by candle scientists to ensure the safest performance possible, giving you peace of mind knowing your loved ones aren't being exposed to harmful toxins while you still get to enjoy your favorite candles. So, what's the best non-toxic candle? If you take a moment to research, you'll see that beeswax is the cleanest-burning wax available, with pure soy wax coming in second. Unfortunately, beeswax can be on the pricier side, so we decided to go with soy wax. That's why our soy wax is the purest available, free from additives and unnecessary ingredients. The end result- an array of clean burning soy wax candles that fit into most budgets! Ready to swap your store-bought candles for a cleaner option? Click the link below to browse our catalog! Have a question? *DISCLAIMER- this information can easily be found on Google or DuckDuckGo. Each person is entitled to their own opinion and must decide for themselves whether or not the risk is greater than the reward. .

And how to get rid of them. We all remember the days of scary monsters lurking in our closest, waiting to jump out and scare us. Although we know that there were no scary monsters waiting to get us as kids, the majority of the population might not realize they probably have some terrifying "monsters" lurking in their homes now. Scary Monster No. 1 - Carcinogens The "C" word that no one wants to hear, and too many people have been faced with. Cancer. But did you know that carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) are rampant in items and foods we use every day. Air fresheners, furniture, pest control products, plastic food containers, fried foods- the list goes on. Scary Monster No. 2 - Phthalates Dr. Axe states- "Phthalates are chemical compounds that are commonly added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability and longevity... Diet is believed to be the main source of phthalates because fatty foods such as milk, butter and meats are commonly packaged or stored in plastics containing this dangerous toxin." Scary Monster No. 3 - Parabens Although the topic is still being investigated, a huge concern with the use of parabens is the potential of parabens being hormone disruptors. Parabens are used as a preservative and are found in personal care items such as toothpaste, lotion, makeup, hair products, and even food items. Enough Doom and Gloom- how do we handle it? Although it does require a little extra brain power, with a methodical and calm approach you can eliminate much of these toxins with simple swaps! It's as simple as choosing a nontoxic option when your usual choice runs out. Here are some ideas to get those ideas flowing: -- Ditch the pesticides for diatomaceous earth, cinnamon powder, or even flowers to control the bugs. -- Swap your plasticware for glass. -- Throw out the Febreze and use our Haven Spray. -- Opt for glass bottles of milk (raw milk in glass bottles from the local dairy = bliss!) -- Swap the drugstore makeup for clean brands (Crunchi is my personal fave) -- Set aside a little time to learn how to make your own toothpaste, or join a local Crunchy Mom facebook group to find recommendations (my alltime favorite group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/HealthyHappyHomemaker/) I know it seems overwhelming, but if you make one small change each week, you're gonna look up in six months or a year and see just how far you've come. Plug into a crunchy community (like the facebook group I linked) and you'll be encouraged in your journey! You only get one life, so make it a good one! I'm cheering you on!

Last night, after the toddler went to bed and the bigs were enjoying the remainder of their one day of the week to play xbox- I got one glorious hour to relax on the couch…The momentary struggle raging in my head on how to use that time was an intense moment, but the book worm in me won out, and I delved into an antique book I had started months ago. *A little background story- Hercules (aka my husband) literally spent HOURS last year researching this authoress I told him I wanted to eventually add to our library, tracked down several of her books (quite possibly first editions!) dating around 1860… If I didn’t already love him infinitely, I would have last Christmas!!! BEST. GIFTS. EVER!!!!! But it was just so refreshing to put aside a device we as a society are addicted to, and choose a slower, more restful and calming pastime. It helped me remember the girl that would voraciously read entire books in mere hours. The countless adventures I had as I read the works of Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen, and so many others. It also gave me pause to reflect- how often do my kids see my face glued to a screen versus buried in a book?! How can I encourage them to sharpen their minds in the classics, if I myself don’t make that a priority to model for them? I know, I know- what on earth does this have to do with candles or crunchy mom stuff?! 😅 Simply this… If we want better for our kids, we need to prioritize doing better for ourselves. If we want them to learn the skill of putting technology in its proper place, we need to be able to put the phone down. If we want them to learn how to dance in the rain, we have to let them see us embrace the clouds. Because we all know the saying… “Actions speak louder than words.” So here’s to a new week, a fresh opportunity for us to make wiser choices, set better examples, burn cleaner candles (there’s that pitch you’ve been waiting for! 😉), and LIVE the life we used to pray for… 😘😘😘

Laundry… The never-ending chore we all dread… Mountains of clean and dirty clothes seem to grow out of nothing, and jeer at us as we go about our days… 😝 But although we all dread this chore, we looooove that clean and fresh smell! I think it’s a reminder of a job (at least mostly) well done. 😉 Because let’s be realistic here- who ACTUALLY washes, dries, and puts away all the laundry in one day?! But did you know?! Our beloved clean smelling laundry detergent and dryer sheets could be causing mayhem in our families??? Most detergents are laden with artificial “fragrances” that have been shown to be endocrine disrupters, which in turn are linked to some MAJOR health hazards like birth defects, infertility, obesity- the list goes on. I’ve gradually switched my family’s cleaning supplies (as the budget allows) over the last couple of years, and although I’m loving the clean cleanness, my husband has lamented recently that he misses the SMELLS clean part. So I went a-digging and found this brand HIGHLY recommended in the crunchy circles! I’m so excited to get it today, because wouldn’t you know- tomorrow is laundry day! 🥴 So although I can’t say how well we like this new product just yet, I CAN say that it smells fresh and clean!! And it looks like it’ll last us a decent while! I will be sure to update on our social media platforms, so be sure to follow those for updates! Till next time! 😘

Here's 5 tips to help make your Mondays a little less, well, Monday-ish. Although it's an oldie, it's definitely a goodie! If you want to start enjoying the beginning of your week more and more, check out this short video.

"Look for the bare necessities The simple bare necessities Forget about your worries and your strife I mean the bare necessities Of mother nature's recipes That bring the bare necessities of life" This week I've been noticing a pattern... I feel happier and have a better outlook when I add in some happy, peppy, or worshipful music to my day... Especially if I get the chance to turn it on in the living room while I'm making breakfast. I don't always remember to do it, but man, when I do, there's a SIGNIFICANT improvement in my day overall. Strange, huh?! Don't worry- that tidbit was just a freebie, a peek inside my weird brain. You're welcome! We live in a day and age where bigger is better, more is mandatory, and the next big thing is ALWAYS flashing before our eyes. The average person sees/hears around 10,000 ads a day. We are inundated with so much "stuff" that it's getting harder to weed through the UNimportant to find the important. And as a result, we are becoming disconnected from those things that truly mean the world to us. Which leads me to tie in the title- The Bare Necessities... What is TRULY important to you? Relationships? Hobbies? Work? When was the last time you slowed down and evaluated your priorities? Are your daily habits and routines aligned with your priorities? I ask this, because it is so incredibly easy to get bogged down with all the things that take up "space" but don't actually contribute to our bottom line. And when we get weighed down with all the peripheral details, it's all too easy to start feeling overwhelmed and have no energy or brain space left to feed the important things. Case in point- last night I was looking over my business calendar, checking inventory, and starting to feel a tad overwhelmed. Hercules (aka Hubby) helped me take a deep breath, reevaluate my business priorities, and get refocused. Today we have a "parent-teacher" meeting (it still counts even as a homeschool family, right?!) to evaluate the kids progress in school. We are wading through all the daily "noise" to really focus on a few things that are hugely important and will make life better in the long run. So, I am making it more of a personal priority to focus on those bare necessities, and not get so carried away with all the millions of details that just distract me from the more important things. Wanna join me in getting back to the basics??

Hello, one and all! This blog post finds me scrambling to get my website update completed (I swear I was only going to update some SEO, but ended up creating an entirely new website), get the kids cleaned up and in bed, and pause long enough to shrug the last few hours out of my tense shoulders. Thankfully the dishes were just finished by Hercules, so that's one less thing to worry about tonight. Don't get me wrong, I love my life! It is infinitely more beautiful than I ever fantasized as a girl. But some days, when mama has some work that needs tending to, the kiddos just seem to know (yes Squishy, I'm talking about YOU!) and decide to do all the things that you don't want them to do. ;) But I digress... I've made it a goal of mine to blog once a month about *something* that has helped my family on the road to a more balanced way of life. Whether that's the new vitamins we switched to, or the new cleaning products we use, to a new candle or product we're launching, here is where I will share our very real, very authentic journey of eliminating the bad, adding in the good, and growing as individuals, a family, and a business. Stay tuned for more (you know, when I have a few more seconds to jot down some thoughts!) ... xoxo, Allie aka Crunchy Mama