Hello,
My name is Janene Lamon and I am the Owner of You Make Scents Candles in Bel Air, Maryland. I have lived in Harford County most of my life and currently live in Bel Air with my husband, 4 of our 5 children, two dogs, and 2 cats. I was a stay-at-home mom for seven years before deciding to start YMSC. I started pouring candles in our kitchen in January of 2021 in the hopes of creating a small business. In February 2022, I opened our shop on W. Courtland Street in Bel Air which has offered over 30 local vendors opportunities to sell their handmade products. We have grown the business to offer a candle studio for our customers to pour their own candles, and make their own bath and body products. In January of this year, we began offering DIY experiences for customers to come in and make a variety of products such as succulent gardens, sand wax candles, charm bracelets, etc. Our goal is for our shop to provide a family-friendly environment for our customers to have fun while making things and shopping.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband and I were married in 2002 and I became a Bonus Mom to his biological son. In 2008, we began our journey with the Harford County Foster Care Program. We closed that chapter in our life in 2014 after adopting 4 children who are now 16, 15, 12, and 12. We also have 2 dogs – Eevee and Ollie, and 2 cats – Luna and Nugget. Our house is very busy, very loud, and full of love. We couldn’t imagine our life any other way and so fortunate that the stars aligned for us to be the parents for these children.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I worked in the Early Childhood Education field for over 26 years, being a Center Director for 20 of those years. I came home to be a stay-at-home mom for seven years until I opened You Make Scents Candles in 2021. I’m not sure what the future holds for us, but I love our shop and am working hard in growing our brand. We love our community and want to offer a welcoming environment for families to be creative. We offer DIY experiences and product making for all ages. I love coming to work everyday and it not feel like work. I love sharing our knowledge for candle making with our customers and allowing them to experience making a candle the same way we do. I love talking with our customers and learning a little bit about them.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Some of our favorite restaurants include: Margaritas Pizza, MaGerks, Sunny Day Cafe, and Vagabond’s. We are always open to trying new restaurants.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I have lived in Harford County since I was two. I have worked in Harford County most of the time. We opened our shop in Bel Air in 2022.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
My favorite TV shows are crime, police, and hospital shows. Gray’s Anatomy, The Chicago Trio, Yellowstone, Sons of Anarchy, and FBI Trio are my favorites.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Be kind! Show kindness to everyone, even if they don’t show it to you. We never know what a person is going through, and just maybe, a touch of kindness can make their day.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
The Roller Rink.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would love to have lunch with anyone who has a story to tell. I would love to have a meaningful conversation that is fun and entertaining. So many of us get stuck in the daily routine, we forget to have fun. The restaurant would need to have outdoor seating.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love the small town feel. I love how everyone works together. When I opened our shop, I immediately felt accepted and a part of such an amazing community.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
In 5 to 10 years, I hope our business has grown so much that we have the opportunity to open a second shop. The goal is always to provide fun DIY experiences to our community and for our customers to leave happy.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I am very shy, I love to sing, and I used to be a pretty good bowler.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
to be rated 10 out of 10 – The experience should be fun, customer service should be top notch, and all requests should be met.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My family inspires me to be better. My husband is my biggest motivator. He pushes me to be better and helps me to always see the positive.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Love, Comfort, Busy
