Bath Township Resident Makes Art and Light From Stones

If Renee Flynn were to ever to find herself between a rock and a hard place, she would surely have a creative solution to the problem. 

The resident has used her ingenuity to launch a successful business. She sells “Fire Stones,” decorative candles made from real rocks and stones. In place of wax, the wick is fueled by lamp oil contained in a glass reservoir beneath the rock. 

“I saw a variation of this at an art show about nine years ago and thought I could come up with a better design,” said Flynn, whose father was an inventor and encouraged her entrepreneurial spirit. 

Flynn sold her Fire Stones last weekend at the Made in Ohio Festival at . It was the second year for the show and Flynn was instrumental in starting it after noticing that so many art shows she attended featured artists and craftsmen from other states. 

“I did some research and did not see any other festivals exclusive to Ohio made arts and crafts,” she said. “We had 1,500 visitors last year.” 

The Fire Stones come in two basic styles: a more rugged landscape stone and a polished Brazilian agate, which come in a variety of colors.

 “They can be used inside or outside the home,” said Flynn. “They seem to really grab the attention of young people who did not grow up with oil lamps. We also sell quite a few as gifts.”

With supervision, Fire Stones are as safe as wax candles, said Flynn. The stone does not heat up, can be placed on any surface and will extinguish itself after the oil runs out in about four to five hours.

Making Fire Stones is a family affair for Flynn. She gets help from her husband, Dave, and children, Evan, 20, Kyle, 16, and daughter, Grace, 9 with various aspects of production and manning the booth at shows. Friend Tim Myers also helps with production and with sales at the shows.

 The wicks are made from fiberglass and never need replaced. The height of the wick can be adjusted to control the height of the flame.

 Individual Fire Stones sell for $23 and gift sets, which include the stone, a bottle of oil and a small funnel to replenish the oil into the reservoir, sell for $29. Flynn also sells Fire Stones that are much larger and have multiple wicks.

 Flynn juggles her craft business with a career as a freelance writer, Web designer and event planner. She also is a Girl Scout troop leader and active in her church, , the and the non-profit, Chinese Adoption International.

Growing up in Parma, she inherited her problem solving and creative thinking skills from her father, Ray Setteur, who tinkered with prototypes of a hot air popcorn popper and a cookie press among other products. Her mother, Norma, a Girl Scout leader who earned her college degree late in life, gave her the model for leading life to its fullest.

“I have made a lot of new friends on the craft show circuit and it’s been a lot of fun,” said Flynn. “My parents encouraged me to make a living at what you enjoy and that’s really what I have tried to do.”

In addition to the Made in Ohio Festival, Flynn will be selling her Fire Stones at the Village Peddler Festival in Kirtland Sept. 17 and 18, the Old Worthington Market Day in Worthington Sept. 24, Ohio Mart at Stan Hywet Hall Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, Gifts from the Heart in Beachwood Nov. 20, and the American Holiday Fine Arts & Crafts Show at the Butler Institute in Youngstown Dec. 2 to 4.

Fire Stones also are sold at Sarah’s VineyardHolden Arboretum.