Meet the Makers: Fall 2022

If you're one for crafting, consider Heidi a long-lost friend. Before Excelsior Candles, Heidi Mueller worked in finance but spent all her free time reupholstering furniture, making jewelry, sewing, and of course, candle-making. Her family encouraged her to run with one hobby (for her sanity and theirs), and after carefully considering her fascination with fire and penchant for sentimentality, she lovingly decided on candles.

Heidi's known for her unique, comforting, and nostalgic scents. What generates a rush of remembrance from her candles is the fond memories they're derived from. Lake Superior Mist, for example, is one of her favorite and best-selling scents. It's one of the first scents she created, inspired by the memories that reminded her of her childhood up north.

Not only can you buy Heidi's candles, but you can also take a candle-making class from Heidi herself! And if you're looking for advice on how to transform your hobby into your livelihood, she says: "Surround yourself with people above you who can mentor you. Always surround yourself with people you aspire to be so you’re always challenged."

Taking a leap of faith looks different to everyone. For some, it’s moving from a city you’ve lived your entire life to a brand-new place thousands of miles away. For others, it’s trying out a bold new pair of glasses that say, “I’m turning awful eyesight into an incredible fashion statement.” For Jena Holliday, it meant quitting her full-time job to start her own business at eight months pregnant, knowing that whatever happened, sharing her gift with others would be worth a try.

She sought to inspire others by creating whimsical and uplifting designs ranging from art prints and stationery to apparel and accessories. Her designs are peaceful and calming, yet bright, positive, and joyful. Diversity is another essential part of what she does.

"Being a black woman and a creative is something I didn't see every day. I get to be a voice I would’ve loved to have for myself."

Jena also comes from a very creative (and big!) family. Her background is unique because she grew up in a quite religious household but had parents that always inspired her to do what she loved and carve out her own path. She has four sisters which, along with her passion for inclusivity, has lead her to draw mostly women.

"Being surrounded by such different, unique women helped me tap into my own uniqueness and differences from others. It helped me be ok with who I am."

If you haven't heard of All Saints yet, prepare to be blown away by the extraordinary conglomerate of Twin Cities restauranteurs that have come together to create a menu and experience just as singular as their team.

Denny Leaf-Smith and Kim Tong, the owners of All Saints, met in 2018 while working at the Esker Grove restaurant at The Walker Art Center. The two always shared the same ideas about how a restaurant should be run, what purpose a menu should serve to its customers, and how someone should feel when they go out to eat. When we asked them to elaborate on their "Veggie-forward, meat-friendly" menu, they explained:

Denny: I look at a lot of menus in town and feel like everyone’s kind of got like the same style of vegetables (side dishes), and they’re all very heavy and very …

Kim: Covered in fat and cheese.

Denny: Yeah. We want to make people say, “Oh, I never thought of it like that!” They maybe have never thought of cauliflower or broccoli as a main dish before.

From this very intentional planning for their new restaurant came their wonderful sous chef, Ben Morris, and head of the bar (or "Bar Dad," as he likes to say), Scott Weller. While shooting with these four, it was so easy to relax in the restaurant and feel like "one of the family." Sharing makers with you is one of our favorite parts of what we do, particularly when it gives us an excuse to meet a handful of inspiring individuals all at the same time.