Welcome!
Hello! I’m Beth, the founder of Beldamia, a small batch candle making company in Fort Collins, CO and the co-owner of an Old Town shop called Makerfolk.
The name Beldamia (pronounced bell-dame-ee-ah), is a made-up word with witchy roots. I love all things magical and witchy... crystals, cats, tarot, spellbooks, herbs, and especially the natural world. These are the inspiration for my candles and pretty much everything else I do.
My love for making candles began as a hobby 20 years ago. I’ve always been crafting and creating, but I immediately fell in love with making and burning my own candles. For years, I made and sold candles as a passion project, then in 2016, I joined an Artist Way bookclub and that book (and amazing group of women) led me to officially start Beldamia. That book kickstarted my dream of building a creative life. A few years later, I opened Makerfolk with my friend Melissa of PageFiftyFive and I was finally able to quit my non-profit job and do what I love full-time. Each year, my business grows a bit more and I'm just so grateful for all the new candle-lovers that keep finding me!
All of my candles are made with soy wax, a touch of beeswax, pthalate-free fragrance oil, and cotton wicks. I use soy because it burns cleaner and lasts longer than paraffin (a petroleum by-product). It also has one of the best scent throws of all natural waxes, in my opinion.
To get the best scent throw, always trim your wicks (1/4 in) before each burn! And burn until you get a full melt pool (approx. 3 hours).
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A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME:
Practical Magic is my favorite movie. I love the book too. Often, I imagine having a greenhouse and little shop like the ones pictured in that movie. I definitely took some inspiration from that movie to develop Beldamia, and when I do markets and craft shows, I like to recreate the Practical Magic aesthetic on my table and imagine myself as an Owens sister.
I have two cats, Beatrix and Bellatrix. They are currently chasing each other through the house being terrors. I’d have many more kittens (like 100) if my husband would agree to it. Recently, I’ve been thinking about fostering rescues, but until that happens I will just support my local Cat Rescue whenever possible.
I’m originally from Grand Forks, North Dakota and every time I see someone with a ND license plate, I have to fight the urge to follow them and introduce myself. I’ve also lived in Oregon and Washington, and miss the lush greenness so much sometimes, but nothing beats the Colorado mountains and endless sunshine.
Books are one of my biggest passions. I worked for a nonprofit publishing company for 12 years before opening Makerfolk. Reading has saved my life (or my sanity) more than once since adolescence and I really should have that Borges quote about paradise being a kind of library tattooed somewhere. But instead I have a quote from Little Women about not being afraid of storms. It’s metaphorical, but I also LOVE storms. One day, I’d love to (safely) go tornado chasing or experience hurricane-like winds on a coast somewhere.
Other passions include learning new crafts, crocheting, reading tarot, nature walks, birding, and being involved in my local community. If you live in Fort Collins, stop by Makefolk and chat with me about candles, books, or outdoor adventures.
You can find my candles in these shops:
MAKERFOLK
326 Walnut
Fort Collins, CO
ESSCENTUALS
142 South College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO
BOOKSTORE ON THE SQUARE
113 Linden
Fort Collins, CO
GOLDEN POPPY HERBAL APOTHECARY
223 N College Ave,
Fort Collins, CO
GARDENS ON SPRING CREEK
2145 Centre Ave, Fort Collins, CO
BOULDER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (BMoCA)
1750 13th Street Boulder, CO
Wholesale, consignment, and custom order inquiries can sent via the contact page.