We are super excited to announce we now have our signature granite candle coasters available for purchase on our website! Available in Polished Pearl or Concord Gray, both candle coaster options complement the unique textures and designs of Granite Firefly candles.
And now, it's story time.........
I came to New Hampshire from my Colorado home in October 2018 as a travelling Physical Therapist. I expected to be here for a three-month contract, before moving on to see more of our great country. Three months turned into six, I met Donnie at a ski area that winter, and little did I know, New Hampshire was soon to become my forever home!
From the moment I first arrived in New England, I was in awe of the magnificent granite formations found at every turn.
I've always loved history and adventure, so the first week I was here, I raced up to view the iconic "Old Man in the Mountain" of Franconia Notch. As I stood peering from below (for quite some time....) I wondered why I just couldn't make out the Old Man's image.
Of course, I soon found out the historic landmark had tragically collapsed nearly 20 years before!!
However, my obsession with the beautiful New Hampshire granite continued. I even deemed November "rock-wall viewing season." With the foliage gone, and the snow yet to cover the landscape, the many rock walls (originally constructed to clear fields, denote property lines and even to fence the local livestock population....mostly sheep at that time) were in perfect view! And yes, we had to stop to view them all.....
When I created the candle company in 2022, the name "Granite Firefly" seemed a natural choice, to pay homage to my new home in the Granite State.
By pure coincidence, as product development advanced, the appearance and apparent texture of the wax I had chosen bore a striking resemblance to the beloved granite itself! On a whim, Donnie and I decided to drag a box of candles up to the "little quarry on the hill" for an early photo shoot.
It was instantly a great match, and here is a photo to prove it...even if I must be reminded of our original, 100% homemade labels!!
The "little quarry on the hill" was Swenson Granite. There is nothing "little" about it!! It just happens to be the very first granite quarry in the nation. Concord Gray granite was shipped by railway to construct influential and historic buildings throughout New England, in New York City, and most notably, in our nation's capital! The Library of Congress, a large portion of the Washington Monument, and many more were constructed from Concord Gray. Swenson's remains a leader of American granite production. Check out this great article, The Wicked Yard, for more granite history! We absolutely LOVE the history, the fact our coasters are quarried locally, and the distinctive speckled, raw texture!
After further research, we discovered the wonderful array of other types of granite found throughout the world. A Norwegian granite called 'Blue Pearl' especially caught out eye. The shiny, silvery blue flecks again complemented the feathering designs of Granite Firefly candles exquisitely! We became acquainted with Rumford Stone, also of Concord, and soon they were busy creating custom coasters for us, too. We also discovered that the Rumford family has a deeply intertwined history with this area, and in fact, the City of Concord was originally incorporated as the Town of Rumford! We are proud to collaborate with yet another local, family-owned business steeped in New Hampshire history, and bring you our Polished Pearl coasters.
Not only do the two coasters compliment our candles perfectly, together they also create a truly unique and special gift; a bit of history and significance from the Granite State.
We want to thank our new friends at both Swenson Granite and Rumford Stone for their vision, incredible service and impeccable craftsmanship, allowing us to bring these beautiful new products to you. Make sure to click on the links above for any and all your granite needs, and as always please contact us with any questions!
Love and Candlelight from the Granite State,
Alicia
PS--Donnie is now even more obsessed with the granite than I am....I think he might want to be in the granite business too. Stay tuned, as I'm sure we will be adding more granite to our collection soon!
Comments