Something about a flickering flame sets the right ambiance for a cup of tea. It’s even better when it is accompanied by a soft crackle from a wood wick candle. Annabel Okeya, the founder of Seventh & Oak, crafts scented wooden wick candles with coconut soy wax. They are designed to uplift your space or even your tea table! After recommending teas to her, I learned more about Annabel’s love for the beverage and how it plays a role in her life as a small business owner and candle maker. At the tea table she shared an early tea memory with her mum, her daily tea routine, how she creates exquisite scent combinations for her candles and more.
The kettle is on and I can hear it about to sing. What tea are you going to steep for us today?
I’m going to steep a vanilla bean black tea latte. I recently got it and I’m absolutely obsessed. You just can’t go wrong with this combination.
Can you recall one of the first moments you had tea and what your experience was like?
Ah yes, my mum has always been a tea lover. During the slightly colder months growing up, she’d steep some black tea for my sisters and I to warm us up.
I guess that’s why I’m such a big fan of black tea. It was the first kind of tea my mum ever made me. We always had it with milk and sugar and I still do that to this day.
As a small business owner, candle maker and design enthusiast, what are some of your daily tea rituals?
I love slow mornings and tea has always been a part of my slow morning routine.
First thing I do when I wake up is open up the blinds and head down for a warm cup of tea. While the water heats up, I do some stretches to loosen up my muscles.
I then steep my tea as I sit on the couch with a book (I’m currently reading “Get A Life, Chloe Brown” by Talia Hibbert)
You have created so many wonderful candle scents! How do you decide on scent combinations?
Thank you! I absolutely love my job.
Coming up with a scent depends on the theme. Every collection I have created serves a purpose. For example, I knew I wanted calming scents for my first collection as I’m so big on wellness and self care.
Before I launched Seventh & Oak, I was working at a job that really stressed me out and lighting candles were one of the ways I unwound.
After doing some research on scents and how they make us as humans feel, I did some tests (I lied, I did A LOT of tests) until I was satisfied with the scent combinations.
With testing lots of scents, I’ve grown to love lighter scents the most. Though I personally stay away from the stronger floral scents, we have some in our line up that our customers love so much.
I love the lighter scents as well. I especially adore your Om candle. Can you share a couple of your personal favourite Seventh & Oak candles?
It’s hard to pick a favourite. I love all my babies.
Of the 3 collections we have released so far, I’d say the Travel Bug collection is one of my favourites. We were all home as a result of the pandemic and people missed their summer travels.
These 3 candles (Bora Bora, Bahamas and New Orleans) were created with the intention of having our customers experience their favourite travel destinations without leaving their homes.
The scents are sweet and fruity like Tangerine and Peach to Kiwi and Honey. We can’t wait to make them available again in the summer.
Speed Round:
Black, Green, Yellow, White, Oolong or Puerh?
Black
Hot, Iced or Cold?
Hot
Teapot, Infuser or Gaiwan?
Teapot
Straight, Sweetened or Latte?
Latte
Cheese or Chocolate pairing?
Chocolate hands down
If you could create a wood wick candle with a scent inspired by a tea, what would that be like?
We are actually in talks with an amazing tea brand on creating a tea-infused candle for the fall. So stay tuned for that 🙂
Find Annabel Okeya / Seventh & Oak:
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ABOUT THIS SERIES: Tea tells stories and when connected with humans, more are created. That’s where the idea for this blog series, At the Tea Table, originated. With this series, The Cup of Life asks tea lovers around the world to take us inside their tea lives to share their favourite steeps, spaces, routines and more. Meet some of your fellow tea drinkers here.