December was, as you would expect, an extremely busy end to 2011 and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support. We know times are proving a little tricky all round at the moment and as a small, independent business we really appreciate your loyalty and custom, and as a little thank you we hope you found the 25% off all candles offer this month a nice treat.

Whilst Christmas was nearly a month ago, we have been reliving it this week at the Harrogate Christmas and Gift Fair showing our wares to retailers looking for lovely gifts for the 2012 festive season. It was a great success and we picked up some exciting new retail accounts and the new packaging continues to be a talking point.

We’re busy planning for the next quarter of activity with some brilliant offers planned for the website including Valentine’s Day and Mothers’ Day (so keep an eye out in your inbox) and an exciting project with a Lancashire connection which we’ll tell you more about in the coming months.

We’re also looking at evolving some of our products, which is all very exciting and with the Olympics, Diamond Jubilee and EURO 2012 all happening too, let’s hope 2012 proves to be a cracking year for us all.

Until next time

Cheryl x

After receiving over 20,000 units of our new packaging it’s been a very busy few weeks for us here at Melt HQ, as we’ve been fulfilling orders for retailers up and down the country. The response to our new look from customers like you has been phenomenal, and many of the retailers have already sold out of their Christmas stock and re-ordered, so we’ve another shipment landing this week!

The ‘12 Weeks of Christmas’ promotion on our website has been very well received and we’re pleased that we’ve been able to offer you all a little added value as we know how expensive Christmas is for everyone. There are three more fragrances to feature so keep a look out on your e-mail and on the website for more information… Noel and Christmas are coming!!

Our Backridge store is open 7 days a week, so if you’re in the area pop in for a glass of complimentary mulled wine and a mooch… as well as our candles we’ve got some lovely gifts for him and for her that will appeal to all budgets. The farmyard really does come into its own this time of year and looks very Christmassy with warming fire pits and Christmas lights.

Our last posting date for web orders is Monday 19^th December, but our shops at Backridge and Ramsbottom will be open until midday on Christmas Eve for any last minute purchases.

Have a lovely Christmas and from us all at Melt we wish you a very peaceful and happy 2012.

Cheryl x

We took the decision to introduce the new packaging as we felt we needed to take Melt to the next level and present our candles in a way that represented the quality of the fragrance and the brand.

The elegant, black cylindrical design envelopes the candles perfectly and the bottom of the box acts as an instant and secure base on which the candle can be displayed. It looks great on the shelf too, which will certainly appeal to retailers and the box gives the candles some added protection against knocks and bumps.

So now it’s arrived, we’re busy fulfilling orders for our retailers and our online customers as quickly as we can, and would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your patience… we hope you think it was worth it!

The ‘12 Weeks of Christmas’ promotion is going very well – we know how expensive Christmas can be so thought we’d offer you some of our most popular fragranced candles with a little bit taken off… 25% in fact! Keep an eye out on your e-mail for each weekly offer, or if you’ve not signed up for e-mail alerts, drop us a line via our contact page on the website.

Until next time,

Regards

Cheryl x

Not complaining though… it’s a chance to get some warmth to the bones before winter sets in, and it’ll be on us before we know it!

This is traditionally our busiest time of the year and this year is no exception… in fact we’re busier than ever. As well as getting plenty of winter fragrances poured so we can get plenty of stock out to our retailers, we’ve had a tremendous response to our exclusive online offer of 30% off our three new fragrances, Verbena & Clary Sage, Neroli & Rose Geranium and Cedar & Pepperwood. Thanks to all those who ordered and we’d love to know what you think of them, so please drop us a line.

In early June we were approached by the team behind the hugely successful West End production, Wicked. This year they’re celebrating five years and to celebrate commissioned us to produce an exclusive Wicked candle which could be given to all their production team, cast members and friends of the show.  After much ‘toing and froing’ early this month we finally produced over 750 glass jar candles featuring our Nocturne fragrance, with the line ‘5 Spellbinding Years’ across the front  – a great commission and rather apt given that we’re based in Pendle Witch country!

X Factor continues to be a major talking point and many of our customers have seen our glass jar candles on the ITV2 show, The Xtra Factor. Late last month we supplied the judges houses with more candles and last week sent more to the finalists house (top secret location!) Keep a look out for them in the coming weeks.

Right time to get out of the sun and back into the workshop… we’re re-configuring the layout for the arrival of our new packaging which should start to filter through to stores mid October… so exciting!

Until next time…

Cheryl x

Our annual attendance at the Harrogate Home & Gift Show last month was a great success and our new fragrances and packaging concept, which you may have seen on our Facebook page went down a treat. It’s now full steam ahead to get the packaging and new labels produced, and get everything on the shelves in the next month or so. Watch this space and we’ll let you know when you can expect to see them.

Everyone at X Factor continue to love our candles and the production team and judges like them so much they’ve asked to supply candles for the bootcamps and the bootcamp parties. Gary Barlow’s favourite is the Saddle fragrance… the man obviously has great taste! We’ve also been given a mention on the X Factor website which is brilliant.

Christmas is the next big thing on our agenda, so we’ll be busy pouring all the winter favourites such as Autumn, Aubergine, Saddle and Burgundy over the coming weeks to get stock levels up. We’re also on the brink of signing a very exciting contract in association with a West End production… more news on that next month.

Enjoy the rest of the summer, what’s left of it and keep your eyes peeled for the candles on X Factor if you’re planning to watch it.

Best wishes

Cheryl x

P.S. To keep away those late summer midges burn Shine. The sharp citrus is a great deterrent for the little blighters!

We’ve not let the rain dampen things at the workshop, in fact it’s been a hive of activity. We’ve been finalising three gorgeous new candle fragrances, jumping through various hoops to get our lovely new packaging project underway and saying goodbye to some of our old fragrances which are ‘retiring’ to make way for the new ones.

We’re looking to launch the new fragrances in the next six weeks, so keep an eye out on the website and our Facebook page www.facebook.com/meltcandles for launch details. The new fragrances are Verbena & Clary Sage, Neroli & Rose Geranium and Cedar & Pepperwood… and they’re all fabulous!

Last month we told you that we were supplying candles to X Factor and they’ve gone down an absolute storm! Apparently Gary Barlow actually took a few home with him as did a number of the production team! We’ve just sent the next batch to auditions in Cardiff and London. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled during the backstage clips when the series kicks off in the autumn.

Don’t forget there’s 35% off our ‘retiring’ candles while stocks last, so take a look at our ‘It’s on Offer’ page on the website

Regards

Cheryl  x

Last week, the sun was certainly shining in our office after we were contacted out of blue by the X Factor production team. We had been recommended to them and they wondered whether we’d be interested in supplying candles for the dressing rooms of the four judges and the lovely Dermot, as well as the Green Room as they tour the UK to find the next singing sensation.

Desperately trying to stop jumping around the office and appear composed so it sounded like we had these types of calls all the time, we said we’d be delighted to… and the first batch goes off to Birmingham at the end of the month.

We chose Eden, Shine, Saddle, More, Nocturne and In the Pink fragrances, and are sending them lots so they don’t start fighting over them… we’ll let you know what the feedback is.

You may have seen last month we have been helping nine year old Bethany Rose raise money for Breast Cancer Care in memory of her mum Katy. She was hoping to raise £5k, but has smashed her target and raised a whopping £15k, with more still to come in. If you bought one of our Candle 4 Katy candles, thank you very much for your support.

Best wishes

Cheryl x

We love Spring at melt – it’s a chance to finally throw open the windows and fill your home with some fresh air, and indulge in some wondrously fresh and citrusy fragrances such as Eden, Joy, Hush, Shine and Listen.

If you follow us on Facebook and Twitter you’ll know that we’re supporting a fundraising campaign called Candle 4 Katy, set up by nine year old Clitheroe girl Bethany Rose.

She is looking to raise £5,000 for Breast Cancer Care, in memory of her lovely mum Katy who died last year. As well supporting a 5k sponsored walk on Mother’s Day we’ve made some special candles for Bethany to sell and she’s sold over 100, so she’s well on her way to achieving her target – a big thank you if you’ve bought one. If you’d like one, just give us a call on 01200 443377 – they retail at £20 with £12 going straight back to the fund!

Finally, you may have seen us in the March issue of Homes & Gardens – they did a little feature about how good our website is… but you know that because you’re already here!

Best wishes

Cheryl x

We’ll be adding more elements to it over the coming months including new luxuries, so please do keep a look out.

Our lovely friends at Country Homes & Interiors have very kindly featured melt in their January 2011 issue (out now), as part of their Earning a Living feature.

They came to see us in February and whilst we were a little scared about a national magazine coming to see us, Homes Editor Vivienne and photographer Brent were absolutely lovely and we had a fab time; and we’re absolutely thrilled with the five pages of coverage!

We’re now in the throes of organising a Christmas Market at Backridge Farm (11/12 December) where our workshop and flagship store is based. We’ve got festive food, crafts and gifts, roast chestnuts and lots, lots more… we’re keeping our fingers crossed the snow stays away!

With the big day looming we just want to wish you all a very magical Christmas and if you’ve still got gifts to buy our last posting date is Tuesday 21st December… so hurry!

Best wishes

Cheryl x