Ciao! (Hello!) I am Renea, the founder of MODA Fragranza. I was born and raised in Texas so why did I name the candle shop MODA Fragranza?

Well, like many Americans, I have an affinity for all things Italian. :)

I absolutely love the language, culture, architecture, and food!

I have been making candles for over 20 years so I thought to myself why not combine my love of Italy and my love of light and fragrance together?

MODA means fashion, trendy, or style. Fragranza is fragrance.

MODA Fragranza is Fashion Fragrance.

I call it MODA for simplicity.

What got me started making candles? Well, it wasn't what you would think. It was my love of fragrance that started it. I remember my first bottle of perfume/spray: Love's Baby Soft. I still love that smell!

About 20 years later, I was purchasing a lot of Glade candles. I didn't like the fact there were not many choices. I also didn't like that they didn't last long. One life-changing day, my Aunt Mary Nell made an observation: You should make candles. So I did. My daughter, Alexis, and I started on the journey of candlemaking. It wasn't as easy back then to learn as it is today. I immersed myself in learning how to make the best candle. I researched all the companies but I didn't want to be like everyone else.

The first candle style was Bone China Tea Cup candles with Scriptures on the handle to be removed after reading. While it was a nice way to offer encouragement, hope, and love to the person receiving the candle, it is especially important to show them the True Light.

Less than two years later, I suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. I couldn't add more than single-digit numbers. I couldn't complete simple processes like making coffee. I struggled with everything! Making candles? Forget about it!

At this time, I had just started making my first website. I would sit for hours at my keyboard, cry, and hit my head exclaiming to myself:

You are going to work!!!

I also noticed at this time, that my sense of smell was really off.

I was determined to overcome this disability. By the grace of God, He helped and He healed me.

During this difficult time, I learned a lot about the brain. I took up learning all I could about the brain, specifically neuroscience. I loved to learn about the brain in regard to scent and memory.

This afforded me an opportunity 10 years later to be the Keynote Speaker at Procter & Gamble's event called Fragrance Exploration 2013.

The topic was How Scent Affects Purchase Decisions

It was a really fun team-building event!

Five years after that, we (my son, Dylan, and his wife, Cherokee, and me) had DaySpring reach out to us. DaySpring is a subsidiary of Hallmark. We made wholesale candles for them for a time.

Last year, I embarked on certification with The Predictive Index to become a certified consultant.

I have not yet, but I see it as a great opportunity to work again with team building and help teams to bond and work together while adding candlemaking as part of the team building experience like I did with P&G.

My dream is to build an absolutely gorgeous boutique for you to come and experience rest and relaxation. I want you to enjoy a quiet, loving space full of elegance and beauty where your presence is welcomed and appreciated.

Lord permit, it will happen.

Currently, I am in the process of gathering stories from people all over the world about their experiences with fragrance.

If you would like to share a memory or tell me a story by video or by email, please feel free to share it by emailing me at: ciao@modafragranza.com

It would be an honor to hear your memory.

Thank you for stopping by to learn more.

Let All You Do Be Done In Love,

Renea