Coming Home to Myself

Why am I sharing this now?

For a long time, I held this story close.

Not because I was hiding it — but because some parts of life are so tender, they take time to find words for.

The Burnout I Didn't See Coming.

It didn’t start with stress or work, not exactly.
It started with loss.

I was navigating infertility — something that felt both invisible and all-consuming.
Around the same time, I experienced the heartbreak of losing several family members, one after another and health scares. And then, as if the world hadn’t already tilted too far, I said goodbye to my beloved pets — the ones who filled my home with comfort, routine, and unconditional love.

It all seemed to happen at once.

Grief arrived like a wave and just kept coming.
I pulled back from everything. Became a recluse.
The version of me that loved beauty, connection, and small joys… she disappeared for quite a while. I didn't recognize myself anymore. 

I was surviving — barely — but not really living.
And that’s when I knew I needed something to help me come back to myself. I always enjoyed having beautiful fragrances at home, but nothing was lifting me the way it used to. I wasn't feeling a connection. That is when my husband gently suggested making my own...and Homestead was born. Now, whenever I make Homestead or light it, it grounds me and calms me. Every fragrance in Woodland & Bloom has a loving memory that brings joy to my life.

I don’t believe in trends. I believe in tenderness.
I believe in products that help us feel grounded and loved — not performative, but real.

If You’re Still Reading…

Maybe you’ve felt it too — the exhaustion, the ache, the quiet need for something soft.
Something real.
Something that says: You’ve done enough for today. Come home now.

If that’s you, welcome.
You belong here.
And I hope, in some small way, my candles help you feel that too.

With warmth,
Tara 🩷