HER STORY ⟡ Danielle DiBlasi
Hi I'm Danielle DiBlasi, founder and maker of Casa Figlia. I act as a full time caregiver for my father who lives with brain damage after his bout with brain cancer. My husband, father and I live with our two adorable rescue dogs, Debra and Cecil in a quiet waterside community right outside of the city. I'm passionate about raising awareness on what it's like to care for an elderly parent and how to balance the role of a caregiver with a life of your own, as well as embracing the simple things in life that bring us joy. Born and raised in Baltimore, my goal is to shine a light on a city that gets a lot of shade, with a reminder that there is beauty to be found here in our people, history and traditions.
HOW I GOT STARTED:
The name Casa Figlia is an homage to my Italian roots and a nod to my role as a full-time caregiver of my father, as it translates to 'house daughter,' My role as a Stay at Home Daughter began in 2017 when I made the easy decision to take on the very challenging task of leaving my home to move in with my father and support him as he began to learn how to cope with brain damage that resulted from a rare form of brain cancer.
As a believer in hygge and its contribution to the overall wellness of mind, body and soul, I began making clean burning, toxin-free candles as a way to bring light, warmth, and joy to our home.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OWNING A SMALL BUSINESS:
While maintaining a traditional full-time job is not possible as the primary caregiver for my dad, making candles and perfumes is something I can do from home while caring for him. The fact that I can make my own schedule and pursue my passion of creating non-toxic fragrances that elevate the ambiance of not only our home, but yours as well, brings an overwhelming feeling of fulfillment and joy.
Who or what inspires you?
Stepping outside of my comfort zone to pursue things that seem out of reach has always been extremely scary for me. I draw inspiration and strength from fearless trailblazing women in history that defied all odds to pursue their dreams, despite in some cases, seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Since launching Casa Figia, I've met so many other female business owners/creatives/entrepreneurs from Baltimore and its surrounding areas and the women in this community are all so incredibly inspiring.
What type of impact do you hope to have on those you meet and/or who purchase your products?
My goal is to get people thinking about the kinds of products they are bringing into their home and questioning what's in them and where they came from. Many people don't know that candles as well as other household products can have toxic, harmful ingredients in them. I talk about this a lot when I'm out in the community at farmers markets/festivals/events. I'd also love for folks to think about the importance of who they are buying from and what their story is. When spending their money, who would they rather support - large box stores pumping out mass manufactured products? Or would they rather know they are supporting small, local, businesses run by people in their own community, that hand craft their products? The end goal is to raise awareness around buying clean, toxic-free, quality made products from independent small business owners.
Where can our community find you?
Instagram: Casa Figlia @casa.figlia
Personal /Caregiver Blog: @thestayathomedaughter
Website: casafiglia.com
