Olympia Crafts
Olympia Crafts - Eco-conscious candles and amazing art prints for your home or office.
DESIGNED for the DIVINE. We all know how small a typical NYC apartment can be. In a crowded city like the Big Apple space is at an absolute premium. Whether you call the neighborhood of Astoria,
Long Island City, Park Slope, Williamsburg or Chelsea home; the odds are that there's precious little elbow room in your crib.
But, a lack of space doesn't necessarily mean that you can't enjoy your living quarters. It's all about the ambiance. Small can definitely translate to cozy. It all depends on how you decorate your space.
An exciting new brand by the name of Olympia Crafts can definitely assist you when it comes to enhancing the atmosphere in your apartment.
Founded by the brother and sister team of Peter and Michelle, Olympia Crafts features a wide array of handcrafted, beautifully-scented candles and colorful art prints that
will give positive energy to your living room or bedroom.
These game-changing candles and art prints will even make your office space at work a LOT more peaceful and Zen. You will FEEL the change in the energy flow.
From day one, Olympia Craft's mission has been to provide its customers with aesthetically pleasing home decor with an emphasis on affordable luxury and, of course, sustainability.
Just think about coming home from a stressful day at work and chilling out with
a nice glass of wine as you are enveloped in the scent of Michelle's Strawberry Mochi candle, with aromatic hints of guava, strawberry, watermelon and garden mint. There's a reason why the Strawberry Mochi candle is one of their best-sellers.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the Amethyst Sage candle. Unlock the secret to a more peaceful state of mind with Michelle's made-for-Spring candle which contains an intoxicating white sage and lavender mix.
Also from Olympia Craft's Spring collection is Vibes. This candle creation is topped with cute little seashell molds and has an enthralling santal coconut scent. Currently, Michelle is developing a brand new offering by the name of Lush Garden. As you might expect, this candle will have a multitude of floral notes to it.
Instead of turning on the TV straight away, play some music and gaze upon Peter's magical Sunset Forest painting. A tranquil scene where time has stopped, this magnificent work of art will transport you far, far away from the noise of the city. If you can't make it up to the Hudson Valley, then Sunset Forest is the next best thing.
When it's time to gather your friends and family for an intimate brunch; be sure to
light up a couple of Olympia's clean-burning candles. Your guests will adore the Orange Haze candle that will send hints of watermint, clementine, rosemary sage and mint throughout the room.
One potential conversation piece at brunch will certainly be Peter's Psychedelic Elation art print. The swirling blend of colors is brighter than a rainbow. The color scheme and theme of the painting call to mind those vintage posters from the hippie era of the sixties, that advertised appearances by The Doors and Jefferson Airplane at the Fillmore Theater in San Francisco.
Explore the outer limits of your imagination with Psychedelic Elation.
As far as Peter is concerned, art, whether it's a more traditional style or digital, is a way in which he can not only express himself but call attention to some of the serious, man-made issues that our earth is facing.
"My favorite themes are emotions, concepts of thought, the world around us and, essentially, life itself. Every interaction that I have with people, nature, the architecture around me, and my inner self is my motivation."
Peter is justifiably proud of his paintings, many of which make a strong statement about our environment. They are true, a call to action.
Pollinator of Life, for example, depicts a beautiful bee with wilting flowers beneath it and a sky ridden with pollution in the background. This art print is a must-have for anyone who loves nature. The bee's colors pop off the page.
Creatures of the Depths features one of the ocean's most majestic creatures, the turtle, set against dying coral reefs. This print will evoke some serious emotion in the viewer. Peter's use of color blends brings the sea turtle to life.
Peter is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts with a degree in computer arts and animation. He is forever striving to learn something new and improve his skill set as a painter.
Olympia Crafts was launched in November of 2020, at the height of Covid. It was a daring move on the part of these two young entrepreneurs. Peter and Michelle, however, were determined that they were going to make the best use of their time. Covid may have forced them into quarantine. But, it wasn't going to stifle their creativity.
We'll let Peter take up the story from here.
"My sister and I were just talking about stuff that would be interesting to do and keep us engaged creatively. Eventually, our conversation evolved into starting our own business."
At the time, Michelle was preparing to graduate from John Jay College and Peter was growing as an artist, something he had always enjoyed doing ever since he was a kid.
Michelle started handcrafting unique types of candles in order to destress and learn something new. Friends and family loved the candles that she gifted them with and Michelle thought that she might just be onto something, business-wise.
With a degree in criminal justice, a minor in psychology and a certificate in dispute resolution, Michelle spends her days working with youth in juvenile detention centers. The candle-making helps Michelle get through some high-pressure situations, for sure.
The brand's tagline is "Designed for the Divine". The name Olympia reflects the family's Greek heritage and is inspired by the Divine Gods of Mount Olympus in Greek mythology. Combining their culture and crafting just seemed like a good fit for Peter and Michelle. The Divine also refers to you, their sacred customers!
By the way; Olympia Craft's candles are not only good for your lifestyle; they are good for the planet, as well. This is a point of pride for Peter and Michelle.
"Our candles are made with all-natural hemp wax, which is a combination of multiple safe and eco-friendly waxes. The scents we create are also clean fragrances" explained Michelle. "They are clean-burning, which means that they're free from hazardous groups such as carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins and acute toxins."
And, get this ; their candles have wicks that are 100% natural wood. The wicks on certain candles even cackle to give off a " campfire " vibe. That is way cool.
Aplez.com asked Michelle to take us through the candle-making process. She was happy to oblige.
"Our candles are made with intention. I only like to make candles when I am in the right headspace because I touch something that is going to enter your home. Before starting the process, I like to cleanse my home and feel gratitude as I start to pour. The change of the seasons is what inspires me. I match the scents and designs with what can be found around us in nature."
"When it is time to create, I prioritize the wax melts. Then, I focus on creating small batches. Candles take two weeks to cure after designing. Day after day, the scent that the candles throw becomes stronger."
Although the candles are Michelle's baby, so to speak; Peter gets involved by designing the artwork and labels for them. Everything is packaged in an attractive manner with our environment first and foremost in mind.
Aside from their superb line of decorative candles, Michelle and Peter are happy to work with you on custom orders. Create the perfect birthday gift for a friend or loved one with a personalized candle that gives off their favorite scent. Olympia Crafts can make that happen!
On a larger scale, business owners can take advantage of Michelle and Peter's skills to commission a set of candles that promotes their brand. Whatever your brand's "vibe" is, Peter and Michelle will work with you every step of the way to come up with a product that you will ADORE!
Please reach out to Olympia Crafts, at least, three to four weeks prior to the desired finish date so that they will have all the time needed to turn your candle-making dream into reality.
Peter and Michelle were both born and raised in Astoria. They love the neighborhood's diversity and convenience. As Peter puts it " Throughout Astoria, but, especially in Ditmars, you can find almost anything to eat and do."
Among Peter's favorite Foodie destinations are Local Kitchen, the famous Souvlaki Lady and the Queens Room.
Michelle then chimed in as to her fave places.
" I personally love visiting all the boutiques to find gifts that speak to me, for myself or others. One such store is SIDE B. Here, you can find an array of goodies from our candles and art prints to locally-made jewelry and apparel. As far as food goes, I love Gold and Honey. They specialize in Greek desserts called loukoumades which are fried dough balls. You can add ice cream or other toppings to them. "
At one with nature, Michelle also told Aplez.com that she frequently walks her dog in Astoria Park and finds the waterfront view to be quite relaxing.
Over the course of time, Aplez.com has been proud to introduce quite a few artists and craft-makers to our readers. We were curious as to what kind of advice Peter and Michelle would give to others who are thinking of starting their own business.
"If you have an idea, I would say start with a small-scaled product first, look at the cost and see if it's feasible to scale up," said Peter.
Michelle's advice to would-be crafters is to find a niche they're comfortable with and, " If you can, find a way to make your product just a little bit different from the competition. Candles aren't such a niche category. However, we stand out because of our eco-conscious nature, our variety of scents that you can't find anywhere else and the decorative molds on top of our candles. That is the WOW factor."
Above all else, Peter and his sister emphasize that when starting up a business do NOT be afraid of failure.
"A fear of failing will prevent you from being your authentic self. It will also hold you stagnant from improving your skillset. Instead, let the fear guide you and be a reminder that we all start off new with something we are learning. Constant practice and experience cause improvement, thereby making the fear smaller or even disappear altogether."
This talented and enterprising duo has big plans for the future. Olympia Craft is a brand that you'll be hearing more and more about.
Michelle is looking at getting her candles into stores, not just in NYC, but across the country.
Peter wants to expand his artwork into multiple mediums including sculpture, apparel and even furniture.
"Ultimately, added Peter, "we plan to open a storefront where we can sell all of our products while also showcasing the work of other local craft-makers and artists. I see how challenging it can be to create brand awareness and get products into stores. We want to create a safe space for artists so that their work can be recognized. "
Follow Olympia Craft's progress right here at Aplez.com or check in on the brand's website, Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram!
Contact Info:
Email:
Facebook@olympiacraftsofficialLLC
Comments