Joie De Vivre, Bottled & Brushed: Inside The Charming World of JoieByLise

Inspired by the beauty of French culture and created with love in Vancouver, JoieByLise is where hand-painted watercolour cards meet hand-poured soy wax candles—each piece a tribute to slow living and everyday romance. We sat down with founder and artist Lise Boullard to learn how she brings a little more “joie” into the world, one brushstroke and candle pour at a time. —Noa Nichol

1. What inspired you to launch JoiebyLise, and how does the brand reflect your personal connection to French culture and artistry?

My father, artist Alain Boullard, was born in Paris’ Montmartre region. Growing up, I spent many summers visiting his side of the family in France — sipping Citron Presse on hot summer days, eating Éclairs au Cafes from the local bakery, and enjoying celebratory Champagne aperitifs in my aunt’s farmhouse living room.

For as long as I can remember I have been passionate about French culture, and the French lifestyle. In 2020 I started getting serious about candle-making, which I had been doing casually for about seven years, and I began to do more watercolour painting under the guidance of my dad and mom, who is also an artist. Inspiration began to flow, and over time I continued following the inspiration until the next thing I knew, I had developed a collection of cards and candles. 

Launching JoiebyLise is my personal love letter to France; an ode to France’s slower pace of life, and a reminder to us here in North America to take the time everyday to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

2. Your candles are hand-poured and made with soy wax. What drew you to this medium, and how do you craft each scent?

Our candles are made with 100% natural soy wax. Compared to other waxes, soy burns cleanly, is non-toxic, and has excellent scent throw—both hot and cold. I spent over a year and a half developing our fragrance collection, which now includes 10 core scents and seasonal rotations. Each one is carefully blended using phthalate- and paraben-free fragrance oils, essential oils, and hours of testing to create memorable, mood-enhancing experiences.

3. The phrase “joie de vivre” is central to your brand. How do you infuse that spirit of joy into your products and packaging?

A few years ago, I wasn’t ready to move to France, so I decided to bring France to me. I spent weekends visiting French cafés, watching French films, and cooking French meals. My evenings were filled with candle-making and watercolour painting—glass of wine in hand, 60s French pop playing. This became my happy place. Every element of JoiebyLise—from scent names to label designs to packaging—was created from this state of joy. I only created when I was inspired, and I believe that energy infuses the products.

Creating with intention also became a form of mindfulness. It brought a sense of calm and helped me slow down and be fully present. That mindset—of grounding yourself in the moment and realizing everything you need is already within you—is deeply woven into the brand.

4. How do your watercolour cards complement your candle collection, and what role does illustration play in telling your brand’s story?

Slowing down to paint or create can feel frivolous in our fast-paced world, but that very slowness is the essence of French joie de vivre. My parents met at art school in the 70s, and I grew up surrounded by creativity. My great-great aunt, Marie Antoinette Boullard Devé, was a prolific artist in France, Indochine, and Morocco. 

I like to think that my family’s legacy lives within every brush stroke of my hand-painted watercolour designs printed on my multi-lingual greeting cards. While candle making can be quite scientific at times, watercolour painting is free flowing, romantic, playful and spontaneous. When customers buy one of my cards they’re getting a little piece of my heart: purchasing something that was made with authentic love, care and attention. It’s very personal.

5. Can you walk us through the creative process—from ideation to final product—for one of your scents or card designs?

Looking back, creating the collection felt like a whirlwind—a vortex of inspiration. I drew on memories from childhood, beloved French foods and drinks, and iconic French experiences. St. Tropez (santal coconut) evokes memories of beach days, warm salty air, and coconut scented sunscreen. Champagne and Crème de Menthe were inspired by classic French apéritifs, while other scents reflect my personal faves: grapefruit, lemon, and sandalwood.

Once I have the idea for the ‘scent story’, I blend phthalate- and paraben-free fragrance oils and essential oils, then test, cure and burn the candles using different ratios over days, weeks and months, until one makes me say, “Wow.” I also mix different combinations of dyes with the soy wax, like a painter, until the colour feels just right. Once I’m satisfied, the recipe gets written down and locked in my vault!

6. Your products feel like the perfect gift. What makes a gift truly special, and how does JoiebyLise capture that?

I think the best gifts are ones that tell a story, whether it’s referring to something that happened between you and the giftee, or alluding to the giftee’s passions. Even better if you and the giftee saw the item together and they indicated they wanted it; and then you surprise it with them later! That’s my favourite. 

Our candle packaging—13 oz pastel glass jars and 3 oz gold tins—is designed to feel luxurious and magical, like something you’d discover in the window of Galeries Lafayette in Paris. I want the giftee to feel that little heart-lift the moment they open the package—and then again every time they light the candle or see the hand-painted card that was chosen just for them. 

I also care about sustainability and I don’t like too much clutter in my house, so personally I think the best gifts are consumables — flowers, food, wine, and experience, or of course, candles. The vessels can be reused as vases, drinking glasses, paintbrush holders—or even as vessels for new candles after you’ve attended one of our workshops! 

7. Where do you draw inspiration for your aesthetic—whether scent profiles, illustrations, or branding?

My design choices are largely intuitive, shaped by my life experiences. I love 60s-era French music and fashion—think Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg. I’ve been surrounded by art since childhood, lived in Montreal for five years, and spent 15 years as a luxury lifestyle journalist and marketer. These influences shaped my blend of timeless elegance and playful edge: classic black-and-white labels and gold candle vessels with neon touches; a scent named “Weekend à Paris” inspired by a woman’s perfume as she walks by you on the street in Paris.

8. How do you envision JoiebyLise fitting into someone’s home or self-care routine? What feeling do you hope it brings?

The candles are designed to be an effortless, everyday luxury that blends seamlessly into your home and your routine. Lighting our St. Tropez candle, for instance, is designed to give you a little boost—that je ne sais quoi—that turns a humdrum Wednesday afternoon into something special. To take it to the next level, you can add some 60’s era French pop in the background, pour yourself an apéritif, close your eyes and pretend you’re lying on the beach in the South of France.

Our products are designed to inspire dreams, but their design is elegant, unfussy and grounded in practicality. The jars are sturdy enough for the bath, the patio, or the bedside, and you can easily throw the small and light 3 oz gold tins into your suitcase to bring along a little ‘joie’ for a weekend away. 

I believe the candle-lighting experience is an important part of our customer’s self-care ritual. If my French grand-mother woman saw me lighting a JoiebyLise candle with a short drugstore match, she would say “quel horreur!” 

Our vintage-style mason jars are filled with 100 4-inch matches, with tips available in different colours. They make lighting a candle an important part of the experience. Striking the match alongside the jar’s striker is a clever little trick that’s sure to impress your guests (and yourself). When you run out of matches, simply purchase the refills (which include 4 replacement match strikers), and voila! You’re good to go.

9. What’s next for JoiebyLise? Any upcoming launches or collaborations?

Right now I’m focused on expanding my wholesale retail partnerships across the Lower Mainland, as well as my candle-making ateliers. Upcoming events include:

• August 9: Wicks ‘n Wine Candle Atelier at Everything Wine (North Vancouver)
• September 20: Candle Marbling Workshop at Everything Wine (River District)
• September 27: Scented Candle Workshop at Everything Wine (Surrey)

These workshops are little escapes to France—joyful, hands-on experiences where you sip wine, learn new skills, and leave with 2–3 custom candles. There will be more of these to come!I’m also beginning to order supplies for the upcoming holiday season. This will be JoiebyLise’s second Christmas and I’m really excited to be offering my candles, matches, and cards via Joiebylise.com, and in six stores across the Lower Mainland, and counting. I’m currently open to aligned retail, workshop, and custom label candle opportunities and partners are invited to reach out at [email protected]

Win! A $150 JoiebyLise Prize Pack!

Congrats Shannon T. of Kelowna, BC, who will receive the entire JoiebyLise candle collection, plus four hand-painted watercolour greeting cards, to one lucky winner. Prize includes: 10 3oz JoiebyLise candles, hand-poured in Vancouver, valued at $150, plus 4 hand painted greeting cards. Candle fragrances include: Champagne, St. Tropez, Weekend a Paris, Bourbon Sandalwood, and more! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.