By Carmen Brown
What started along the California coast has grown into a 5-star Etsy business with more than 1,300 sales for Hoover resident Renee Roy. Roy owns Wood & What Knot Co., where she sells original, handmade goods and unique scented candles.
A lifelong crafter, Roy grew up in Syracuse, NY, but moved to Los Angeles in her 20s. She lived in the area for seven years, and this was where she developed her unique style of “beach and desert, boho and farmhouse.”
“I started making wood projects and selling them at the LA farmer’s markets,” Roy said. “I also made candles for the teachers at my kids’ daycare.”
One day while on a train in San Diego, she met her husband, Drew, an actor originally from Clanton, Ala., whose credits include “Hannah Montana,” “Secretariat,” and “Falling Skies.” After getting married and having two boys, Roy and her husband moved to the Hoover area five years ago to be closer to family.
“It was right during Covid, and aside from his family, I knew no one,” Roy said. “I thought, what am I going to do with all of this time?"
Roy started experimenting and making more crafts to sell to friends on Facebook and at the Farmers Market at Brock’s Gap on the weekends. She started selling on Etsy in 2020.
Roy describes her style as “clean and minimal, yet unique. She handcrafts her candles with all-natural soy wax and premium fragrance oils so that it gives off “the best scent possible” without releasing toxins.
“I try to think about what I would want for my own family, which is clean, high-quality ingredients,” Roy said. “I only use wooden wicks because they have a much longer, cleaner burn [than cotton or linen].”
Her Christmas candles are a top seller, and Roy is gearing up for the holiday season, where she will offer the following candles and more:
Woodland Snow: a fresh mix of eucalyptus, cypress, sage and mint.
Black Currant Absinthe: “This is a customer favorite as well as a personal favorite,” Roy said. “It’s a blend of blackberry, dark musk, saffron and tonka bean. It’s heavenly.”
Fraser Fir: “This is a Christmas favorite! It smells just like a fresh Christmas tree.”
Balsam and Lavender: “This was inspired by my military brother,” Roy said. “He asked for something ‘Christmasy and herbal.’ This one blends alpine balsam, pine and lavender. It was really unexpected, and it turned out divine!”
With occasional input from her husband and kids, Roy continues to create new scents. She has a fifth scent coming soon that she describes as “something apple and cinnamon.” Stay tuned!
For more information and to explore all Roy offers, visit Wood & What Knot Co. on Etsy.com or contact her at woodandwhatknotco@gmail.com.