Sunday, July 12, 2009

Let me Introduce Myself

Hello Everyone! Thanks for joining me on Blogger.com - How to Make Soy Candles. My name is Laureen Falco, and I live in Houston, Texas. I'm a CPA, graduating with my Master's in Accounting in order to teach in December 2009.

I also have a very strong creative background. I've spent many years in the vocal arts - singing for churches, children's theatre, opera and music theatre, along with a degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Houston in May 1993. I studied with the best vocal coaches, Houston had to offer - Dr. Lynn Lamkin - now Assistant Dean of the University of Houston. I also studied with Lynn Griebling (Rice University) & my last serious teacher was Lois Alba (Opera in the Heights), who had the most professional working students in the business.

In order to improve my "presentation"on stage, I started studying acting in 1991 with Dr. Sydney Berger - head of the University of Houston School of Drama, and studied seriously with the late Cecil Pickett for the last 7 years of his life. At his funeral, there were hundreds of his students that flew in from all over the world, including Dennis Quaid, Brent Spiner (Data on Star Trek), Cindy Pickett - his daughter (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) and Marianne Williamson (Return to Love). "Mr. Pickett" as we called him was a major influence in thousands of students lives, whether they studied literature with him at Bellaire High school, or drama at the University of Houston. He was very well-loved & respected. It was a blessing to have spent so much time with Mr. Pickett - both at UH and at his home in private lessons.

I performed in many stage plays - including the Houston Shakespeare's Festivals - As You Like It, Jewish Community Center's "A Shayna Maidel", Actor's Theatre - Stage Door, The Emperor & His New Clothes (children's), Galveston Outdoor Musicals - Children's Theatre - Anabelle Broom & Cinderella and toured with Express Theatre's Cinderella & Pocahontas. I sang for Unity Church of Houston, St. John the Divine, Diverse Works, Opera in the Heights, Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston, University of Houston Opera Theatre, among many other venues. I studied Opera Theatre with Wesley Balk for two summers in Minneapolis, Minnesota - performing scenes from new music theatre & operas.


In the fall of 1996, I went to NYC and lived there for approximately 2 years, auditioning for Soap Operas, Broadway, Operas, Touring Theatre productions, plays and film & TV - participating in over 80 auditions. I was featured in a Kurt Weill - 10 x 10 - production in Washington Square , in which 10 singers sang songs of Kurt Weill. There were 2 reviews in NYC papers with my picture and write-ups about me. I studied acting with lifetime members of the Actor's Studio, and voice from Metropolitan Opera Teachers.

Since 1999, I came back to Houston and rebuilt my accounting career. I was a Divisional Controller for a $600 million zinc recycling division of a NYSE metals conglomerate that had changed corporate structure 3 times in 3 years! With long hours, travel and supervising a large international department, I had little time to participate in any kind of music theatre.
I continued to foster my creativity with beading classes (making jewelry) and making candles.

Originally, I started making regular paraffin candles. A year later, I was introduced to Leisure Learning University (http://www.llu.com/), in which I agreed to take over a soy candle class for a teacher that was taking personal leave. I didn't know anything about soy candles in 2004, but I quickly learned. The first time I actually made a soy candle was in front of 14 students! At first, I wasn't convinced of the benefits of using soy wax and for the next six months, I continued to make both paraffin & soy candles. After making a hundred soy candles for my friends and family, and seeing how they burned (cleaner), less soot, longer burning times, incredible fragrance throw, how easy it is to clean up after using soy wax, I was hooked! From then on, I only continued to make soy candles and teach others how to make their own beautiful soy candles too. I was even featured on "Great Morning Houston" - in March of 2006, in which I taught Houston audiences how to make soy candles - promoting Leisure Learning University at that time.

I love teaching, I love writing, and I love performing. So, I found the perfect way of combining all of my talents in one place - a DVD on "The Art of Soy Container Candle Making" - soon to be released in September of 2009. I'll continue to keep everyone updated when the website is up and running and the DVD is available for purchase. I am also offering affiliate commissions to those of you that want to earn some extra money, and put a link on your websites to promote & sell my DVD. We both win that way! The DVD was filmed in High Definition with $10,000 Sony HD Cameras, and the latest and greatest software and graphics were used to give a visually enjoyable video in which you learn how to make regular fragrance oil candles - with segments on all of the components to make a beautiful soy candle: Wax Melting Methods; Different Types of Soy Wax; Benefits of Soy Wax; Dyes; Fragrance Oils; Wick Centering Tools; Wick Adhesion Tools; Wicks; Challenges of Working with Soy Wax; Tips; Safety; a beautiful montage of the History of Candles; a 10 minute segment on "As Green as You Can Get" candles - with Essential Oils, 100% Recycled Glass, 100% soy wax, and 100% cotton wicks with recycled tin sustainer bases. Bonus Materials include: Selling Soy Wax Candles at CenterPoint Houston, an Interview with me and Outtakes (bloopers).

I hope the information on the upcoming DVD excites you in learning how to make your own Soy Candles at home at your convenience. You'll save the drive time, the gasoline and you can play this video at home as many times as you like. My goal is to write & teach for a living and to offer great quality products at affordable prices in all my creative "niches". Stay tuned to my blog for continuous updates, upcoming website information and great offers that you can't refuse! Thanks for being a part of my world - and let me hear from you! Thanks.

Laureen Falco

No comments:

Post a Comment