It has been a busy little season here at Petersham Cottage Candles, and we thought it was about time we shared what we’ve been up to behind the scenes.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working away on something very exciting, five brand-new scents. It has taken a while to get them just right, but after weeks of testing, sniffing, comparing, and going through just over 50 different scents, we finally found the ones.

We are so pleased to introduce:

Ginger Jar – Spicy ginger notes bring a gentle warmth, with soft hints of verbena 
Morning Wood – Earthy comfort of moss, soft woods and a gentle hint of spice
Old School House – Inspired by the charm of traditional classrooms and well-worn wooden interiors
Rhubarb Patch – Bright, crisp and gently sweet, it captures the charm of freshly cut stalks
The Greenhouse – Fresh, green and quietly uplifting, capturing the scent of tomato vines warming in soft summer light

Each one has its own little story and cottage-inspired feel, and we’re really proud of how they’ve come together. It has been a long process, but one we’ve enjoyed, even if our noses did need a rest now and then.

A Peek at Shaftesbury Emporium & The View

To give you a little glimpse

We also had our first market of the year at Shaftesbury Emporium, which turned out to be such a lovely day. The setting was beautiful, the view was amazing, and it felt really nice to be back out again meeting people, chatting candles, and sharing what we’ve been making.

While we were at Shaftesbury Emporium, we were asked if we were available to attend Stourhead Craft Fair. As luck would have it, our calendar was free that weekend, so we said yes, and we’re so glad we did.

A Peek at Stourhead Craft Fair

To give you a little glimpse

Stourhead was a great day for us. We met lots of lovely customers, chatted with other traders, and even shared a bit of advice on how to make a candle. One of the nicest parts of doing markets is the people you meet along the way, and Stourhead was full of friendly faces and good conversations.

Our Next Market – Downton Cuckoo Fair

Next up, we’ll be heading to Downton Cuckoo Fair on Saturday 2nd May, and we’re really looking forward to it. This will be our biggest and busiest market so far, so it feels like a big moment for us. We’re excited, a little nervous, but mostly just looking forward to being there with our candles and seeing what the day brings.

Thank you, as always, for supporting our little candle business. Whether you’ve bought from us, stopped by for a chat, followed along online, or simply told someone about us, it really does mean a lot.

We’ll see you at Downton Cuckoo Fair.

With warmth,
Gareth & Danny
Petersham Cottage Candles

After a wonderful little break, we’re now back at it here at Petersham Cottage Candles, and it feels so good to be back in the cottage, pouring, planning, and creating again.

We’ve been keeping busy behind the scenes, spending time finding new scents and testing new fragrances (one of my favourite parts!). There’s always something exciting about trying new blends and seeing which ones capture that cosy cottage feeling we love so much. Some are soft and comforting, some are fresh and uplifting, and a few have already made us very excited for what’s to come.

A Peek at The Emporium Window Display

To give you a little glimpse

We’ve also had a lovely little moment recently, as Petersham Cottage Candles appeared in The Emporium window display as part of their Bridgerton-themed Valentine’s display. It was such a special thing to see our candles included, and the whole display looked absolutely beautiful. A real pinch-me moment!

Christmas in February 🎄

And as if that wasn’t enough, we’ve also been busy booking markets for the months ahead, including… yes… a Christmas market

I know, I know… Christmas in February?! I can’t quite believe I’m saying it either! But when you run a small business, these things come around much sooner than expected, and it’s all part of the planning (even if it does feel a little early to be thinking about festive scents and twinkly displays!).

It’s been a busy and exciting start back, and I’m feeling really grateful for all the opportunities ahead.

Most of all, thank you to every single customer who supports Petersham Cottage Candles, whether you’ve bought a candle, shared a post, visited us at a market, or simply cheered us on. Your support means so much and truly helps our little cottage business grow.

We’re so happy to be back, and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next 🕯️

With warmth,
Gareth & Danny
Petersham Cottage Candles

We’ve just arrived home from a wonderfully busy day at Pearhaus Coffee’s first ever Christmas Market, and we’re still a little bit amazed by it all.

When we pulled up and started unloading the car, we honestly didn’t expect it to be quite so lively… but within no time the place was buzzing. The coffee was flowing, the air felt properly festive, and there was that lovely kind of hustle where you can hear happy chatter everywhere you turn. It was so busy, and in the best possible way.

A Peek at Our Stall at Perhaus Coffee

To give you a little glimpse

Once the doors opened, the day absolutely flew by. We loved chatting with so many of you, hearing which scents you’re drawn to, and watching people pick up jars and take that first proper sniff (you can always tell when someone’s found “the one”!).

A big thank you to Edd and Charlie. We came away feeling really grateful, not just because it was a successful day, but because it was such a warm, supportive atmosphere. For a first Christmas market, Pearhaus Coffee absolutely smashed it, and we’re so glad we got to be part of it.

And with that… it was also our last market of 2025

Looking back over the last couple of months, the markets have been a whirlwind. Each one has taught us something new, from what scents you’re drawn to and which displays catch your eye, to the little practical things that only experience can teach (packing, setting up, keeping everything flowing when it gets busy!). We’ve come away from every event feeling grateful, a little more confident, and full of ideas for how to make the next one even better.

Time for Christmas holidays (and a little cottage rest)

Now we’re heading into our own little Christmas holidays, ready for a pause, a tidy-up, and some slow mornings after what’s been a wonderfully busy season.

To everyone who has supported us in 2025, whether you’ve ordered from the website, visited us at a market, recommended us to a friend, or popped into one of our lovely stockists to have a smell, thank you! It genuinely means the world to us.

We can’t wait for 2026, especially as we start dreaming up and making new fragrances for spring, ready to bring a little fresh cottage cheer into the new season.

With warmth,
Gareth & Danny
Petersham Cottage Candles

We left Laycock Cider Christmas Market with the car still smelling of wax, spices and pine, and headed straight to Brewery Square in Dorchester for the Christmas light switch on. Two markets in one day felt a little bit mad… but in the best possible way. This one was extra special too, it was our very first outdoor market with Petersham Cottage Candles.

By the time we arrived, the square had that lovely festive hum of people chatting, laughing and warming their hands on hot drinks. We layered up in scarves and coats, unpacked the candles, and suddenly there we were: our little cottage stall tucked amongst the sparkle of Brewery Square, ready for the lights to be switched on.

A Peek at Our Stall at Brewery Square

To give you a little glimpse

It was such a joy watching people stop, lean in over the jars and discover their favourite Christmas scents. Seeing that moment when someone’s face lights up because a fragrance reminds them of home, a memory, or a tradition, that’s the bit that makes all the late nights pouring and labelling feel completely worth it. Dan even made another lovely video of the stall, capturing the twinkling lights and the rows of candles.

Christmas Market Stall Video

At one point in the evening, Dan wandered over to a nearby stall to buy some mulled wine to warm us up. When he went to pay, the stall holder just smiled and told him it was on the house. It was such a kind surprise and honestly made our night, standing there in the cold with free mulled wine in hand, looking back at our little stall, felt incredibly special.

As the Christmas lights flickered on and the whole square glowed, we had a quiet little “we’re really doing this” moment behind the stall. Our first outdoor market, surrounded by festive music and kind neighbours, it’s an evening we won’t forget in a hurry.

Here’s to more festive weekends, twinkling lights, and cosy evenings ahead

With warmth,
Gareth & Danny
Petersham Cottage Candles

This past weekend felt like the true beginning of Christmas for us here at Petersham Cottage Candles. It was one of those wonderfully busy, joyfully tiring weekends where you fall into bed with cold feet, a full heart, and the faint smell of Christmas still clinging to your jumper.

Laycock Cider Christmas Market

On Saturday and Sunday, we packed up the car from our little cottage in Dorset and headed off to the Laycock Cider Christmas Market. By the time we arrived, the air was already full of that proper festive mix, woodsmoke in the distance, mulled cider, and the soft murmur of people pottering between stalls.

Unpacking the candles is always one of my favourite parts. There’s a quiet little moment before everything starts when the jars come out of their boxes, labels straightened, wicks trimmed, and suddenly the stall looks like a tiny extension of the cottage kitchen: rows of Orange Pomander, Christmas Wreath, and Festive Orchard, all lined up and ready to be discovered.

Over the two days we met so many lovely people, some who had never heard of Petersham Cottage Candles before, and some who came over saying, “I saw you on Instagram and wanted to find you in person!” That still feels a bit surreal, in the best possible way.

I loved hearing which scents reminded you of your own homes and Christmas memories.

A Peek at Our Stall at Laycock Cider

To give you a little glimpse

One of the unexpected joys of the weekend was getting to know the other stall holders. Between topping up stock and chatting to customers, there were stolen moments to wander around, say hello, and admire everyone else’s work. We came home with a few gorgeous bits from our neighbouring stalls, little handmade pieces that are now hanging among our own Christmas decorations at the cottage, making the place feel even more special and full of memories from the market.

Handmade Christmas Decorations

Handmade by AsterCollective_uk

Christmas Market Stall Video

To top it all off, Dan created an amazing video of our stall. You can watch the video below.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, picked up a candle, had a sniff, or just lingered for a chat. As a small, home-grown business, those conversations really do mean the world. Every time someone chooses one of our candles, I don’t take it lightly, I know you’re trusting us to bring a little comfort and warmth into your home or to someone you care about.

As if the weekend wasn’t festive enough already, we also headed to the Dorchester Christmas tree light switch-on.
You can read more about our evening in Dorchester via this link: Brewery Square

By Sunday night, we arrived back at the cottage tired but happy, the boot a little lighter and my head buzzing with ideas for future markets and little tweaks to the stall.

Weekends like this remind me exactly why I started Petersham Cottage Candles. It’s not just about wax and wicks, it’s about the people who stop, smile, share a story, and go home with something that will quietly glow in the corner of a room and make it feel just a little more special.

Thank you, truly, if you came to see us at Laycock Cider Christmas Market, waved hello, bought a candle, or even just had a sniff and a chat. And to everyone following along from home, online orders, kind messages, likes, shares and little comments, you are very much part of this cottage story too.

Here’s to more festive weekends, twinkling lights, and cosy evenings ahead

With warmth,
Gareth & Danny
Petersham Cottage Candles

I know it might feel a little early to be talking about Christmas… but in our cottage, it’s been Christmas for quite a while already.

For the past few weeks, the kitchen has been quietly taken over by festive fragrance testing. I’ve been trying to find Christmas scents that feel warm, familiar and a little bit nostalgic, the kind that make you think of twinkling lights, cosy evenings and busy kitchens.

And now, I’m really happy to say that our Christmas candles are finally ready and available. There are three festive fragrances in the collection this year:

A Peek at our Christmas Candles

To give you a little glimpse

Orange Pomander – bright, zesty orange wrapped in spice, like the bowls of oranges studded with cloves that used to sit on the sideboard.

Christmas Wreath – a comforting, classic Christmas blend with berries, greenery and gentle spice, inspired by a wreath hanging on our cottage door.

Festive Orchard – a softer, fruitier festive scent, with hints of winter fruits and a touch of sweetness, like a cosy kitchen filled with baking and mulled treats.

Each one has been hand-poured in small batches in the kitchen of our cottage, with more test burns than I can count to make sure they smell just right when they’re flickering away in your living room.

If you’d like to smell the Christmas candles in person, you can find them at:

1855 in Sturminster Newton & The Emporium in Yeovil

Both have a selection of our festive scents on display, so you can pick them up, have a good sniff, and choose your favourite before taking it home (or gifting it to someone who loves Christmas as much as you do).
(And also available on our website – Christmas Shop)

Behind the scenes, I’ve also been looking at Christmas markets and fairs, hoping to bring Petersham Cottage Candles to a few festive events this year. I’m in the middle of browsing dates, locations and stall spaces, and I’m really hoping to have some Christmas markets booked very soon.
The idea of a little stall filled with flickering Christmas scents, surrounded by lights, music and wrapped-up shoppers, feels really special, and I can’t wait to share more once things are confirmed.

So, even if the calendar says it’s a bit early, the cottage says otherwise, Christmas really has arrived here.

Thank you, as always, for following along, for your lovely messages, and for choosing to bring our candles into your homes.

With warmth,
Gareth
Petersham Cottage Candles

I’ve got more amazing news to share this week from our little cottage…

Every so often, this candle journey gives me a moment that makes me stop, smile and think, 
“Goodness… this is really happening.”
Seeing our candles on the shelves at The Emporium in Yeovil is one of those moments.

So much of Petersham Cottage Candles happens quietly at home, the late evenings at the kitchen table, wax splashes on the worktop, labels stacked in little piles, jars lined up to cool as their scent fills the cottage. It all feels very ordinary when you’re in the middle of it.

And then, you walk into The Emporium, turn a corner… and there they are. Our jars and linen bags, tucked amongst beautiful handmade pieces and treasures from other local makers. It’s a mix of pride, gratitude and a tiny bit of disbelief, all rolled into one.

If you’ve ever visited The Emporium, you’ll know it’s the sort of place you can happily get lost in for ages, full of character, cosy corners and one-of-a-kind finds. To have a small corner of that space filled with our cottage-inspired candles feels incredibly special.

On the shelves at The Emporium you’ll find candles inspired by the simple comforts that mean a lot to us at home, fresh coffee in the kitchen, hedgerow walks, log fires on chilly evenings, muddy boots in the hallway and slow Sunday afternoons that don’t rush. Each one has been hand-poured in small batches, carefully labelled and packed before making its way to Yeovil.

To think that those same candles are now waiting to be picked up, turned over and taken home by someone who may never have heard of us before… it’s a really great feeling.

If you’re in or around Yeovil and fancy a wander, we’d love for you to pop into The Emporium and see if you can spot Petersham Cottage Candles. Pick up a jar, breathe in the fragrance and imagine it flickering away on your own mantelpiece or kitchen table.

A Peek at the Display

To give you a little glimpse

Thank you, as always, for supporting us on this tiny cottage candle dream, whether you’ve bought a candle, sent a kind message, told a friend about us, or simply taken a moment to read this. It all matters, more than you know.

With warmth,
Gareth
Petersham Cottage Candles

This week brought a little milestone I’ve been quietly hoping for…
Petersham Cottage Candles had its very first craft fair at Bloxworth.

To think that those same candles are now waiting to be picked up, turned over and taken home by someone who may never have heard of us before… it’s a really great feeling.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. In the days leading up to it, I was checking and double-checking lists, packing boxes, wondering if I’d forgotten something important, and trying to picture what the stall would look like once everything was set out.

When I arrived, I did what I think a lot of first-timers do… I secretly watched the other stall holders set up first, just to see how they did things and to make sure it didn’t look too obvious that this was my first fair. There was a little voice in my head saying, “Don’t give yourself away, just blend in and figure it out as you go.”

Of course, that didn’t last long. As I started to chat with the people around me, I mentioned that it was actually my first ever craft fair and they were so supportive. There were kind words, tips, reassurance, and a real sense of “we’ve all been there.” It made the whole morning feel much less daunting and a lot more like being part of a little community.

Once I began setting up properly, the nerves slowly shifted into something else: excitement. Watching the display come together, jars lined up, linen bags propped just so, little touches added to make it feel like a tiny piece of our cottage, it was a really special moment.

My First Craft Fair Stall

To give you a little glimpse

And then the best thing happened……..

Someone stopped, picked up a candle, have a whiff… and decided to buy it.

That first ‘in person’ sale felt huge. Online orders are wonderful (and I’m grateful for every single one), but there’s something very different about watching someone discover your candles in real time, seeing them lean in to smell the fragrance, ask questions, and tell you who it’s for or where it’s going in their home.

Throughout the day, there were lovely chats with people passing by, kind comments about the scents and the display, and that gentle hum of a busy room filled with makers, stallholders and curious visitors. For a first craft fair, Bloxworth was exactly the warm, welcoming experience I’d hoped it might be, even though I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first signed up.

After a great day and packing everything back up, I headed home to the cottage happy and with a head full of ideas for little tweaks and improvements for next time. There will be a next time!
This first fair has definitely made me want to do more markets and events in the future, to keep meeting people, sharing the story behind the candles, and bringing a little cottage cosiness to new places.

If you were at Bloxworth and stopped by the stall, whether you bought a candle, had a sniff, or just shared a few kind words, thank you. It meant more than you know.

With warmth,
Gareth
Petersham Cottage Candles

It’s been a very busy here at Petersham Cottage Candles, and I wanted to take a moment to share a lovely bit of news with you

Over the past few weeks, the cottage has been filled with the scent of melting wax and freshly poured candles. My kitchen table has completely disappeared under jars, labels and packing tape, and there always seems to be a timer beeping somewhere for the next batch to come off the pour.

It’s been full-on… but in the nicest possible way.

Our Candles Are Now available at 1855

I’m really excited (and a little bit proud!) to say that you can now whiff and buy Petersham Cottage Candles at 1855 in Sturminster Newton

Instead of just seeing photos online, you can now:

• Pick up the jars and have a proper look
• Try the different scents in person
• Choose a favourite to take home, or a gift for someone special

It feels very special to have our candles sitting on a real shelf in a lovely local shop, right in the heart of town.

A Peek at the Display

To give you a little glimpse

I’m so grateful for all the support so far, every order, every kind comment, every share on social media really does mean a lot and has helped Petersham Cottage Candles reach this point.

If you’re in or around Sturminster Newton, do pop into 1855 and have a sniff of the candles. You might just find a new favourite scent to take back to your own cottage.

With warmth,
Gareth
Petersham Cottage Candles

I’m so happy to finally say… Petersham Cottage Candles is open!

It’s been such a journey getting here. The past few months have been filled with late evenings in the kitchen, wax pilled up on the counter, test wicks everywhere, and a steady parade of fragrance oils lined up along the worktop. There’s been spiced berries one day, smoky tobacco the next, and sometimes a blend of both drifting through the cottage at the same time

My kitchen table hasn’t looked like a kitchen table for a while now, more like a little candle workshop with jars, labels, and pouring jugs permanently taking up residence. But honestly? I’ve loved every minute.

There’s something incredibly grounding about melting wax on the stove, stirring in a new scent, or trimming wicks by hand. Each candle has been poured slowly, labelled carefully, and made with a huge amount of heart. Most of the fragrances are inspired by the small, comforting moments of cottage life, the kind that make a house feel warm and lived-in.

And now, seeing it all finally come together…
Shelves quietly filling up, candles curing in their rows, parcels ready to send out… it feels a little surreal, but in the most wonderful way.

This is only the start of the adventure.
Through From the Cottage, I’ll be sharing the behind-the-scenes bits, the scents I’m working on, the ups and downs of market days, cosy cottage moments, and a few things I’ve learnt (often the hard way!) along the journey.

You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok where we’ll be sharing glimpses of daily life in the cottage kitchen, from the first pour of the day to the gentle flicker of a finished candle.

Thank you for following along and for all the kind words, encouragement, and excitement as we’ve prepared to open our doors. It means the world to us, and we can’t wait to share what comes next.

With warmth,
Gareth
Petersham Cottage Candles