Texas To-Do List: Davis Street Mercantile Candle Workshop
DALLAS - Do you have a burning desire to spark your creativity? On this week’s Texas To-Do List, we take a candle workshop at Davis Street Mercantile located in Dallas.
"Davis Street Mercantile is a teeny, tiny little store in the heart of Oak Cliff. We're right outside the Shop Arts District. We do a lot of home decor, boutique gifts, gourmet food and wine. We're kind of known for gift baskets and our candle workshops," said owner Kristen McDonald.
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The two-hour workshop walks you through the entire candle-making process. So no prior experience is necessary.
"We love an eight-person class for the workshops. That gives us enough time to really get hands-on with each of y'all and it doesn't feel rushed. It also gives us some good use of the space where we can sort of spread out," McDonald said.
You have upwards of 150 scents to choose from when making your candle.
If you are struggling to decide on which fragrances to pair, ask for help.
"You do get to choose the scent of your candle! People do tend to create sort of a signature scent. So, they'll come back, they'll bring that piece that they poured. We encourage you to write down your little recipe for future reference. But yeah, we're happy to get hands-on and make suggestions," McDonald said.
There is limit as to how many fragrance oils you can use. In fact, the more the merrier.
"Don't feel limited. Don't think of a singular note as sort of just good enough. If you brought in ‘White Gardenia’ with ‘Black Pepper’ and ‘Birch’, that ‘White Gardenia’ is going to smell even better because you have those supporting fragrances behind it," the owner said.
No custom-made candle would be complete without a unique vessel to match.
"We have tons of options for what you're going to turn into a candle. We have pieces made out of cement, some wood pieces, obviously glass and porcelain. We have shapes. We have square pieces and round pieces. You can certainly find one that will fit your esthetic or personality on the shelves behind us," McDonald said.
Group activities are always better with an adult beverage involved. They also have an impressive collection of non-alcoholic drinks available.
"You for sure can sip and pour. We have a great wine selection. We also sell glass bottles, sodas and some really great waters and some ciders. Whatever your preferences, yes, we can couple those with a really great candle making experience," McDonald said.
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While the workshop may seem like it caters to adults, there is no age restriction to participate.
"We do ask if you're going to be consuming a lot of wine, maybe don't bring your toddler. But we have had a 2-year-old take the class. If you can get your child or a little one to sit and follow directions for a little bit, we're happy to have them back here," she said.
You’ll want to carve out some time during your visit to actually browse the store too. It’s full of cute local items that would make great gifts.
All of the candles sold at Davis Street Mercantile are made in-house.
"I think you should expect a little learning experience, but a really relaxed, really productive couple of hours here with us at the store," McDonald said.