Notes of pumpkin and apple fill the air inside chef April Vinson's workshop. She now utilizes her culinary skills for another hands-on activity: candle making.

" I like to mix and blend my own fragrances together," she said. "Depending on what I'm mixing and blending and how that actually makes me feel, [that] is what I use to make all of my candles."

As she puts her love and soul into each new creation, Vinson reminisces on how far she's come, after a dark time led to the beginning of this journey during the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago.

"My husband had a traumatic brain injury," she said. " [During COVID] was rough because, while my husband was in the hospital and I was pregnant, I wasn't able to go see him until he got out of the ICU. He actually had to have three surgeries before we had our son in July."

Throughout her life, Vinson has always turned to candle making as a way to cope, and this situation was no different. It led to her starting her shop, Soul Candles, which helped her find the light at the end of her family's tunnel.

"I used candles to cope before I even started a business," she explained. "I would just make candles. Make candles when I felt happy [and] when I felt down. Whatever mood I was in, I would just make candles because of that itch to create something to make me feel better [and] help me cope. Fast forward to 2022, I had our daughter, so that was another reason for me to continue making candles. We also found out that both of our kids are diagnosed with autism. So, that was another thing. I was like, 'Okay, what else are we going to have to go through?' But candles truly helped me create all of my products, and this being my passion actually helps [me] and my family."

Vinson originally sold her candles exclusively online, but by 2023, she decided to share her creations with customers in person at local markets. From there, she realized her candles had also helped customers find their light at the end of the tunnel.

"The tragedy that we went through, I see in so many of my customers," she said. "For instance, one of my customers came to my booth at a market, and she was like, ‘Do you have anything that can help me get through a breakup?’ She said it jokingly, but I think aromatherapy can have that effect on people. It can help you get through certain situations. I had another customer who said one of my fragrances reminded her of her mom, and she started to tear up before purchasing that candle. So, for me, candles have intention, and they're so personal. They have so much meaning individually to all of us."

In addition to her website, Vinson's candles can be bought at Celestial Art Gifts in Woodstock and the Beehive Designer Collection in Mount Kisco. Soul Candles will also have booths at upcoming farmers' markets in Nyack, Mount Kisco and in Grand Central Station, which makes Vinson ecstatic.

"I'm so happy," she said. "I can't even put it into words. I'm just like, 'Is this really happening?' It's a 'pinch me' moment, oh my God."

She also plans on offering something new to customers in the near future.

"I want to start candle workshops to help others learn how to make candles," Vinson said. It was an outlet and a release for me, and I've gotten a lot of feedback from my customers that [workshops are] something that they would like to do. You can bring a friend, or you could come by yourself."

In addition to her candles, Vinson has incorporated her custom scents into self-care products like reed diffusers, linen sprays and body oils. Those are also available for purchase on her website and at local markets in the region.