How We Started
Hi! We’re Angie and Ashley, the heart and hands behind Blended Collective Co.
Our story began in 2013 at a community mental health center, where Ashley worked as a case manager and Angie as a therapist. The intensity of our work turned us from co-workers into close friends.
Our bond grew stronger over countless texts checking on each other and the families we served, car rides between home visits, and shared lunches from the local Chinese and Celina Wine Store. We soon realized we needed a creative outlet for our energy. Angie, who learned to sew from her grandmother, and Ashley, who had just picked up crocheting, decided to channel their creativity into making baby blankets, and thus, Blended Collective Co. was born.
One holiday season, our favorite candle company’s Merry Mistletoe scent left us with headaches, and a spill of a plug-in ate the finish off Angie’s dining room table. Frustrated but inspired, Ashley experimented with pouring soy candles while Angie wrestled with her seam ripper. The first candles didn’t impress us much, but a few nights later, Angie had a revelation. She told Ashley, “Those candles… I think we need to do that. I’m either going to do it with you or without you.” Ashley chose to join forces, and our first batch of candles came to life.
From that moment, we knew we wanted to be more than just a candle brand. Our journey was filled with learning and laughter, like when Angie spilled Lemon Bloom wax all over Ashley’s counter, leading to Ashley’s memorable, “Get out of my kitchen.” Since then, Ashley has poured every single candle we've made.
Our first launch featured 36 candles, some in wedding decorations from Angie’s wedding. We learned the ropes of the business through tiny vendor shows and managing orders on Facebook. Despite the challenges, our passion kept us going.
In 2020, after Angie’s foot reconstruction surgery, the Sniff Event was born. Unable to leave her house, we invited people to sniff the new holiday line in Angie’s driveway, lined with Christmas lights. The response was overwhelming, and since then, every launch includes a Sniff Event, now held at our production warehouse with additional vendors.
From our first candle pour in November 2016, we’ve held onto a few key mottos:
Head down, get back to work. No matter the competition or outside opinions, we focus on our business and keep pushing forward.
Put your heart in the right place and the rest will follow. Small business ownership has its highs and lows. We stay true to our values, trusting that the right outcomes will follow.
Our children will inherit this earth! Sustainability is crucial to us. We encourage customers to return jars, recycle everything we can, and constantly seek the best eco-friendly practices.
Quality ingredients. We prioritize clean, high-quality ingredients, ensuring our candles honor our original purpose while remaining affordable for our customers.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Our customers who have turned real life friends have 1,000% been our favorite part. We can’t wait to see the heights Blended reaches!!