Hi. I’m Stacy.

I’m the maker, the mover, the shaker and Dill & Izzy’s Granddaughter.

Dill & Izzy Candle Co. started back in 2014, when my boys were little and I was fortunate enough to be home raising them. I wanted to contribute financially while also having something creative that was mine. Something I could build from home while still being there for my boys.

Candles were a pretty natural place for me to start.

I’ve loved them since I was a teenager. There’s just something about lighting a candle that has always brought me a sense of peace. The glow, the scent, the way it changes the whole feeling of a room. Even back then, candles had a way of making me slow down and feel a little more settled.

The more I learned about what I was actually burning in our home, though, the more I realized not all candles were made the same. I found cleaner options I loved, but choosing safer products meant the cost went up significantly.

So I figured out how to make my own.

There was a lot of research, testing, experimenting, and more than a few batches that went directly into the “well, we won’t do that again” category.

Eventually, Dill & Izzy was born.

What started small grew into weekends at craft shows, candles in local shops, wonderful customers, and even being recognized as a “Good Company” by Twin Cities Live. I loved it.

Because I was building the business around raising my boys, they grew up right alongside it. By 2018, I even had help in the shipping department.

Evan, Employee of the Month. The applicant pool was admittedly pretty small since his big brother was in kindergarten.

Those years gave me so many memories I still love. Dill & Izzy was part business, part creative outlet, and very much woven into our everyday family life.

Eventually, life changed and I stepped away. What I thought would be a pause became years.

A lot of life happened during those years, and so did a lot of growing. With a few years of sobriety behind me, a clearer mind, and finally feeling like myself again, I found myself wanting to come back to something I had always loved.

But I didn’t want to recreate exactly what I had before.

This time around, I wanted Dill & Izzy to feel a little different. I have more patience, a whole lot more gratitude, and a much bigger appreciation for the little things that make life feel good.

I want fewer things just for the sake of having more. I want a home filled with things I actually love. Good smells, open windows, people I enjoy, lots of laughing, and enough room in life to notice when something is good.

And I have a feeling I’m probably not the only one.

Maybe you’re craving a little less noise too. Maybe you want to be more thoughtful about what you bring into your home, what gets your attention, and what gets your time.

That’s what Dill & Izzy means to me now.

And somehow, this second chapter brought me right back to Afton.

My family spent a lot of time here when we first moved to Minnesota. My mom loved Afton because it reminded her of home on the East Coast. Years later, she opened Afton Creative Art Studio here.

Then a little space opened up right across the street from her studio. It felt like it was meant to be.

Now my mom and I are building our businesses across the street from each other, both creating things we love in a town that has been part of our family’s story for years.

I’m back to pouring candles, meeting new clients, helping people find something they love, and figuring out what this little business can become.

I’m still a work in progress. So is Dill & Izzy. I think that’s kind of the point.

Life moves ridiculously fast.

This is my little reminder to slow it down.

And I’m really glad you’re here for it.