Sometimes you just get a feeling, right?
That little nudge that says, "Go for it!" That's exactly how we felt about signing up for the FindersKeepers design market here in Copenhagen to present our candles. Even though we had less than 10 days to prepare, something just felt right.
We create handmade candles meant to be seen, touched, and experienced, and we had this burning desire to connect with people face-to-face and hear what they thought about our unique creations. So, fueled by excitement, we jumped in!
The 10-Day Dash: Crafting Under Pressure for FindersKeepers Design Market
Making the candles themselves? That's our happy place. Even with the rush, pouring the pure Nordic rapeseed wax and setting the wicks felt like second nature. Hitting our candle stock target was intense but joyful.
The real challenge? Building the stand!
We envisioned a clean, minimalist space, a little pocket of calm in the busy market. We wanted focused lighting on just a few candles, separating the scented candles from the unscented candles. But it also needed to be practical: collapsible to fit in the car, with hidden storage (no messy piles!), and three different sized cubes instead of a table dedicated for our scented candles collection. Oh, and the main event: our interactive string art panel, dotted with hundreds of nails!
Then came the sticker saga! Nine days wasn't enough for our ordered stickers to arrive. Panic? Maybe a little! But then came the solution: buy a Cricut cutter, learn new software overnight, and make them ourselves! Those late nights were tough, but holding our own, perfectly cut stickers? Totally worth it. It felt like a true testament to the handmade spirit.
The "I FEEL" String Art: Connecting Through Craft
Since all the candles and accessories we do are handmade in Denmark, we wanted an activity that celebrated that human touch. We created a large string art panel with "I FEEL" in the middle, surrounded by eight feelings: Loved, Joyful, Amazing, Perfect, Present, Grateful, Powerful, and (for a bit of fun) Like getting a 10% discount for your candle! The message was simple: Choose a color. Continue the story.
The reaction was amazing! People were curious at first, asking "What's this?", but quickly got the hang of it, choosing a string color and connecting their feeling to the center. It was incredible to watch. The "10% discount" got plenty of laughs, but very few strings – Grateful was definitely the feeling people connected with most. By the end, the blank canvas had become this intricate, vibrant web of shared emotions, a true piece of collective art that people were associating with our unique marbled candle collection.
What We Learned (and Loved!)
Those two days at FindersKeepers were a whirlwind, but the feeling we took away was pure warmth. Hearing people say "Wow, are all these candle jars made by hand?" or seeing their amazement at the unique beauty of the candle jars was incredible validation. The excitement about our all-natural ingredients, the sustainable rapeseed wax, and the gentle crackle of the wood wicks was huge. It confirmed that people truly appreciate thoughtful, sustainable gifts and home decor.
We also learned a few practical things – note to self: get a card reader and print way more handouts next time! But mostly, we left feeling so grateful for the connections we made and the shared moments of creativity. It reminded us why we started Copensense: to craft pieces that bring a little more stillness and authentic beauty into the world, one handmade candle at a time.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by and added their thread to our story!
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