Today we’d like to introduce you to Allie.
Hi Allie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been a gardener and a student of plants since my early twenties. My love of plants (and the pollinators that make it all possible) led me to beekeeping — I’ve been tending my backyard hive for 8 years now. In 2020, I had some extra time on my hands so I rendered the beeswax I had collected from the honey harvest. This is how I fell in love with the meditative, ancient process of dipping taper candles and started my product line Feral Queen. Along with candles, I make various small batch herbal remedies that are seasonally inspired and crafted in cahoots with the plants that grow around me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Entrepreneurship has been the biggest challenge and the biggest blessing at the same time! As someone without a background in business, that side of things has been a steep learning curve, and I’m still always learning something new. But I’m grateful to have a community that always shows up to support me, and my love for the craft keeps me grounded in purpose.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a folk herbalist and candlemaker. I work with Michigan beeswax and bioregional botanicals to craft handmade, small batch beeswax candles and herbal remedies. My candles are made using the hand-dipping technique, which is a slow, meditative process that produces one-of-a-kind candles. I’m intentional about using time-honored processes that honor the materials and celebrate the folkways of the herbalists and craftspeople that came before me.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Detroit is a special place, and the people that live here are what make it so. The joy, tenacity, and deep sense of community that is cultivated here keeps me constantly inspired.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://feralqueen.com
- Instagram: @feral.queen
