About CORDA

We’re Michael and Anna, makers and a husband-wife team, and we’re glad you’re here - thanks for being part of our CORDA family!

Something we love about our faith is how the saints are our family, too. These men and women had such diverse personalities, circumstances, gifts, foibles, and missions. And they lived real, complicated lives, working and praying and failing and repenting and suffering and loving, just like us.

What gave them the greatest happiness and fulfillment, and what draws us to them now, is how they loved God with everything they had.

St. Joseph has long been a favorite of ours. He wasn't perfect, but he was humble, strong, and faithful. We love how he lived a simple life with Jesus and Mary, providing for them through the work of his hands.

For years, Anna asked for his intercession, praying and hoping for some kind of work that was creative and let her work with her hands. There were plenty of ideas that didn’t pan out, but she kept bothering St. Joseph for one that would! And then one day during prayer, the idea for CORDA was born.

The name means “hearts” and comes from the Mass when the priest says, “Lift up your hearts.” In Latin, that’s “sursum corda” and literally it means “Hearts up!” We love, too, how the heart is a source of strength and courage. The name also gives a nod to how we proudly make everything by hand in the heartland, where we were born and raised.

It took many months and exhaustive testing to take CORDA from an idea to the launch of the first products: handcrafted candles with scents directly inspired by saints and the faith.

Each scent combination is created in house, and is the fruit of love and prayer. The inspirations come from the day to day lives and heavenly patronages of these holy men and women. Our faith gives us so many things that make concrete and visible an invisible reality, and our hope is that CORDA candles do the same for you.

In enjoying these products, you support this small business and bring a bit more light into the world. Thank you!

Hearts up,
Michael and Anna