Starting a business has always been something I have wanted to do since I was a teenager. Back then, I really wanted to open a coffee shop somewhere in the world - that is still a dream.
Candle making is something that started as a hobby. A Christmas gift I got for Michael sat there for quite sometime until we picked it up and made our first, and really rough, batch.
Since then, it has been a source of self-care as I have creative freedom in creating candles and wax melts. Thinking about, planning, and executing each candle is such a fun artistic process for me, which really brightens my moods.
My last name, Vela, means candle and tuning into that through lavelaa feels like a wise move for me.
A major part of my work and my self is spreading love and positivity into the world. With lavelaa, we are committed to doing so. Living in Austin, Texas for a while and now Denver, Colorado, Michael and I have seen the results of government policies that disregard groups of people. There should not be people living on the streets without warmth or food to eat. We are a small business, but we will continue to commit a portion of our revenue to giving back to the communities we love. Right now, we believe making meals with those funds for people in our neighborhood is the best we can do.