The Story of Shadowflame Creations
Welcome to Shadowflame Creations!
About the Owner
Hello! My name is Damon Phelps, the owner of this little shop. I am FTM (female to male) transgender, an animal lover, a crafter, candlemaker, and general artist.
This humble shop has been a passion project of mine since 2010, when I was in my sophomore year of high school. It began as a hobby to keep me busy. At the time I was making palm wax and paraffin wax candles to gift to my fellow classmates and teachers. It was something fun and entertaining to do, and the gifts were well appreciated by those that received them. Once high school ended, I entered the fast-paced world of college to obtain my Bachelors of Science in Business Administration.
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After college graduation I put more emphasis on bettering myself and exploring who I was and who I wanted to be. It was during that time that I realized how much I didn't identify with the gender assigned to me at birth and began taking steps to become who I am now. There were rough patches during the transition. Fear of losing my job (I didn't, but so many others in the community do during their transitions), and of losing friends and family. While I did lose a few people along the way, it's likely for the best. I gained some amazing allies along the way to replace those who no longer accepted me. People should surround themselves with others who support the effort of trying to better yourself and living authentically.
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By 2019 I had reached a much better place, both mentally and physically. It was around that time that I picked the candle-making and art up again, more seriously this time. I started doing commissions for friends and family, and painted a mural for Ziggy's Haven Parrot Sanctuary in their new location in Inverness, Florida. I also started doing more research into the ingredients that go into candles in an effort to craft safe products with minimal negative environmental impact.
I have a wonderful editor and artist who both help with different aspects of this site as well!
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About the Writer/Editor
Jess loves writing and editing, and she helps with many of the words you see around the Shadowflame site. Her Three Amigos candle (Story Steeper) was inspired by her favorite kind of writing fuel, bubble milk tea. Aromas of black tea, sugar and spice, rose, and cream come together to recreate the experience of sitting at her favorite cafe, sipping some bubble tea, and letting inspiration flow from her fingertips like magic.
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About the Artist
Greetings traveler, and thanks for the interest. I'm Artodile, a visual artist hailing from the far lands of South America. I do the vast majority of the label and box artwork for Shadowflame Creations! I hope my creations reach the four corners of the Earth to embellish and brighten your day, should destiny bring you and them together, as it has now. May this be a sign of good health and fortune coming your way.
The scents in my Three Amigos candle (The Artist) were chosen to represent my journey: where it started and where I hope to be in the future. Each scent represents a different stage in life, from early childish innocence to the ever-changing and stormy future. I believe that events happen in cycles, that beginnings and endings intersect, and that hope and life are interdependent. I tried to convey that in this little candle.
If you like my art, you can find more here!
Ko-fi Page | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
About the Candles and Collections We Make!
We started thinking about creating not just candles, but themed candles and collections. Soon, the Explorer Collection was formed! I had help from friends to make the labels and designs (Thank you, Jess and Artodile!) but the scents and general theme were unique to me and themes that interested me. I wanted it to be like a mini expedition, especially since it was created during Covid-19 when most people were stuck at home. I also wanted it to be safe for birds, because we own birds and other animals. The gems we use for our Explorer Collection come from a local business as well, and we're proud we have the opportunity to work with them. You can check out Forevermore Crystals Here.
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The candles that we make at Shadowflame Creations are made with 100% Soy Wax from USA grown soybeans. This was a deliberate choice, as paraffin wax is toxic to birds. With prolonged use it is also harmful to people and other pets, but birds especially. We also ensure that the scents that we use are carcinogen free, phthalate free, and free of other toxins commonly used in fragrances. We wanted a product that would be good for everyone, including pets of all sorts. While this isn't the most cost effective route, it is the most ecologically friendly route. We also use cotton and paper core wicks and do not use zinc core wicks. We don't use uv stabilizers, vybar, or any other additives in our products. We also make a conscious effort to try to ensure that our raw materials are coming from US owned and operated locations and not from overseas.
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Recyclability is another thing that we look at when choosing our packing materials. The materials that we use are either sourced from pre-recycled materials or are recyclable themselves, or a mix of both! We encourage people to find creative and unique ways to recycle their materials, like turning the metal tins from our various candle lines into trinket containers or using them in craft projects.
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Why make them safe for birds? ​
The folks at Ziggy's Haven are the main reason I started looking at candle safety more seriously. They rescue parrots from all walks of life, and take on parrots that are surrendered by those who can no longer care for them. They also offer services like beak, wing, and nail trims as well as ensuring parrots in low income housing get food, because they want to make sure that if a parrot is in a good home it stays in that home with the people the bird cares for and knows the best (This is called their Angel Fund). The owner wanted to offer the soy candles that I make in their shop as an education point because they have had parrot owners unknowingly place their birds at harm by using paraffin wax candles near them.
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Parrots lungs are small compared to their body size. They're also not great at filtering out toxins, and anything inhaled metabolizes directly into their bloodstream. Paraffin wax is a petroleum or shale derived product depending on the way it is manufactured, but both are toxic to birds and can result in death when used near a parrot. My family has parrots we've adopted from Ziggy's Haven in our home.
I wanted to do whatever I could to support parrots, and to help educate people on the dangers of using paraffin around birds so I agreed. This is one reason I've taken the eco-friendly approach for Shadowflame's goods. If a candle isn't safe for a bird, imagine what it could do to a person with prolonged use! My candles and other products can be found at Ziggy's Haven Parrot Sanctuary in Inverness, Florida as well as in a few other local shops. The staff at Ziggy's educates on safe practices and on what is harmful or safe for birds. They also offer tours, so go check them out if you're in the area! You'll find Shadowflame Creations products in their lobby area, so give those a sniff while you're there too.
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Thanks to Ziggy's Haven's continued support, and the support of friends and family, Shadowflame Creations now has LLC status! This exciting venture has brought about this website, which will be improved upon as time goes on.
A portion of our sales gets donated to Ziggy's Haven Parrot Sanctuary for the continued enrichment and improvement of outdoor aviaries and indoor spaces.
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In addition to the candles, I also make reed diffusers, perfume oils, watercolor art and do acrylic pours. These were hobbies picked up after my grandmother passed away in 2018. You'll find some of these pieces listed in the shop too. I've also done pet portrait commissions, one of which you can find here on my YouTube channel.
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While we do not have a physical shop space yet, we hope to one day open a physical location. Until then, we will periodically update where our candles can be found.
Ziggy's Haven Parrot Sanctuary in Inverness, Florida - 80 N Florida Ave, Inverness, FL 34453
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Unlucky Roll Café in Inverness, Florida - 1454 US Highway 41 North, Inverness, FL 34450
Conworld's Emporium in Tarpon Springs, Florida - 9 S. Safford Ave Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
Life is about the pursuit of happiness and challenging yourself and others to do better and to be better. Chase your goals, no matter how far fetched they seem to be. Thank you for supporting us and keeping us going. We couldn't do it without our customers.