Sunday, August 31, 2014

Missouri River Soap: Small Wax Tart Order


I blame the owls and vanilla pumpkin scent. That is my excuse for placing a teeny order from Missouri River Soap, again, when Holly restocked recently. With a few exceptions, I find it easier on my stash and wallet if I place really small orders than larger orders. I know that seems like a "DUH" comment, but in the past I rationalized if I bought larger orders then I would not have to order as frequently. Well, that was joke. I like too many smellies and vendors. So, unless it is Rosegirls or SMT (who only open about twice a year, thus requiring "Go Big or Go Home" orders from me) I am keeping things small. And cute things come in small packages....




Vanilla Pumpkin- These caramel colored cuties weighed in at about 0.7 ounces each and were $3.25 for a 4-pack. I have never laid nose on a pumpkin that smelled like this! It reminds me of a pumpkin coconut flan. No spice. All creaminess. The vanilla is so rich and creamy it comes across as coconut milk. I love it.


Cherry-Dipity Donut- I wanted to share this amazing scent with a few friends so I ordered another one for myself.  Each donut is about 0.7 ounces and the 4-pack was $2.75. I reviewed this on cold previously, here I will review it warmed. I put one of the tarts in my living room/kitchen area and probably should have used two in hindsight. The scent was a cheerful cherry heavy serendipity with coconut and tropical fruits accompanying. I got more of a glaze from the donut than dough. The throw was medium light which is not bad for a little 0.7 ounce tart in such a huge open space. I am excited to use two next time and splurge a little. I have to say I never realized I enjoyed cherry scents so much until I met this blend.


Apple Almond Cookie- These bitty baby owls are about 0.3 ounces each and cost $2.00 for a 6-pack. Ruby red Macintosh apples with a whisper of cherry-almond. Another unique blend and lovely twist on a fall scent.


Free Samples:

Clean Cotton- Reminds me of Gain and my mother-in-law's clean smelling home. Strong and fresh like its name implies.

Gourding Around- Holly informed me that this scent is composed of fresh aloe, green clover and bright citrus. These all combine to create a unique and fun fragrance. My nose gathers: lemons, a touch of greenery from the clover and a raw butternut squash hint. Seriously! Like that faint squishy squash smell from carving pumpkins? I think the aloe is what is giving the illusion of actual squash. This is one neat scent.

Enchanted Apple- Winter Candy Apple and a great duplication. It smells more magnified some how to the point of bordering on a mild soapiness. It is beautiful.


I am happy with my Missouri River Soap wax tarts. Yesterday I plopped two Fruit Loop Dreams into the bedroom warmer and they threw a strong orange focused citrus blast all around the room. I look forward to discovering the new blends Holly will come up with in the future. And the owls... too cute. 


Friday, August 29, 2014

Butterfly Lane Scents


Melissa opened again for RTS (ready to ship) at Butterfly Lane Scents so I popped over to claim a few. This time around she went dye free on the wax. Unfortunately, none of the scent shots are coming out of the cups this time. I only had one like that last order. I noticed Sunnee at Fragrance Obsessed had the same issue and mentioned the freezer. She was right, into the freezer they went for a few minutes and all came out nicely.  


Apple Bliss- Cheery, red candy coated Macintosh apples. Deep scarlet and shining like a jewel in the candy shop window. No spice.

Mountain Cider- Cinnamon broom! In the guise of a wax bundt cake. I buy a cinnamon broom every year in September and use it as a witch's broom propped by the front door for Halloween. This scent reminds me of that tradition. There is the merest hint of apples and fruit but the cinnamon by far is the star.



Marshmallow Lemon Custard- Lemon meringue pie. A base of tartly sweet, thick lemon custard, crowned with a pile of fluffy white whipped marshmallows. Smells exactly like its moniker.

Caramel Covered Marshmallow- Caramel so decadent it crosses into butter brickle territory. The marshmallow folds in gooey vanilla scent into the caramel.

Mountain Moonspice- My favorite! Celtic moonspice. A comfy cozy sweatpants and quilt and tea and book on a rainy day scent for me. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and spices that enfold the home.




Key Lime Cupcake- The tart lime yogurt hint of Key Lime Pie. The cupcake portion has an elusive almond scent. I was not sure until I smelled the next one.

Peppermint Cupcake- Lovely white peppermints with the barest touch of almond bakery.

Pink Sugar Cake- Pink sugar and white cake. The cake gives it an almost dry crunchy vanilla cookie aroma. Loving Butterfly Lane's Pink Sugar blends.



Free Samples! They melted a bit, but it was 98 degrees when they were delivered.

Apple Pie- Baked Red Delicious apple slices smothered in brown sugar and cinnamon glaze.

Cookie Shoppe- Oatmeal butter cookies, but a little strange. Not liking it on cold but will melt to discover if it morphs at all.

Banana Cream Pie- Banana Runts, Banana Laffy Taffy, banana candy. With Cool Whip. 

Melissa has re-poured and will be opening her site again sometime this weekend for RTS wax. If Buttercream Crunch is on there I will be one happy lady. Have a great Friday! Holiday weekend! Yea Yuh! Currently reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I am enjoying it. Lots of vendors restocking this weekend. Anyone looking forward to an order? I really would like more hair conditioner from FuturePrimitive, as I am almost out.


Thursday, August 28, 2014

FuturePrimitive: Mama Didn't Listen Soap


Mama Didn't Listen, So I Told the Bees. Sweet name and lovely soap. Lemon zest, fresh green sprigs of herbs and a dollop of golden amber honey is what this rustic soap embodies. Friction creates a plethora of whimsical bubbles that whisk away the grime of the day. As the bubbles emerge, so does the orange blossom note. While somewhat hidden in the bar, it releases nicely in the air when used.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Warmed Wax: TDC Honey Lemon & Alamo My Chai


Alamo Candelaria My Chai mimics a freshly steeped bag of black chai tea. No cream. No sugar. Pure unadulterated black, peppery chai tea. The throw was medium strong, filling my whole bedroom and lasting several hours. Love it. I will repurchase.


Ten Digit Creations Honey Lemon releases the most beautiful powdery golden sweet honey and lemon union. The scent was medium in my bedroom, and long lasting. At least 8 hours before I decided to turn it off. I will repurchase.





Tuesday, August 26, 2014

FuturePrimitive: Lughnasadh Soap




Lughnasadh is a Gaelic festival marking the start of Autumn. This soap is a stunning celebration of this upcoming season. Not the pumpkins, spices and apples type of autumn. Think out of doors. Wafts of distant smoke from burning brittle leaves, pine needles releasing their camphorous resin when you crush them under your leather boot, and the ancient perfumes of the woods that rise from the moss strewn forest floor. Creamy, silky lather that slides like satin onto the skin, leaving it feeling soft and moisturized.


Monday, August 25, 2014

Vintage Chic Scents


When Vintage Chic Scents opened for the very first time several months ago, I placed a small order consisting of a handful of scent shots. The scents were good but I just never got back around to ordering again. The buzz of love for Kirby's wax, fall sampler talk, and great scent blends functioned like a homing device to bring me back to VCS. I was late to the opening so I only grabbed a fall sampler. I really wanted Beautiful Jackie O Loves Fall and Mamma Mia in addition, but maybe another time. My leaves hover between 1.8 ounces and 2.6 ounces. The total sampler was 11.1 ounces for $12.75 and $7.95 shipping with two free samples.




Annabelle Doll- Sweet Cranberry Strawberry Pomegranate. The scents here mesh to create a fruit punch or fruit candy aroma. The cranberry and pomegranate lend a tartness and complement each other well. 


The Sanderson Sisters- Caramel Apple, Candy Corn, Marshmallow. Candy corn and marshmallow are easily detected first with the apples coming in to play at the tail end. Overall, a cream thick pale golden caramel coating a slice of red apple. 


Night of the Living Dead- Satsuma, Blonde Moment, VBN, Zucchini Bread. Based on description alone, I was a bit wary of this leaf. And in all honesty I would probably love this a bunch more without the zucchini. All the ingredients can be broken out by the nose piece by piece, but satsuma zucchini is the overriding feel. I like trying new things. This will be a new thing! It is Scarlette's favorite by the way. Not sure if it is the smell or color. 



Bride of Frankenstein- Green Apple Blueberry Wedding Cake. Blueberry! Tang of green apples. Not sure about the cake on cold, it has a boxed cake mix sitting in the plastic bag quality. And the leaf smells a little different than the free scent shot. The leaf is more blueberry/granny smith apple while the scent shot is more the cake. I bet when it is melted it will transform beautifully.


The Great Pumpkin- Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Amazing. This leaf smells JUST like the pumpkin roll ups I make every year for Thanksgiving. I have to make two so my Dad can take a whole one with him home to eat at his leisure. Pumpkin puree baked into a fluffy cake with a dash of pumpkin pie spice. Smeared with cream cheese frosting, powdered sugar sweet, creamy thick with just the smallest hint of a vanilla yogurt type bite. My absolute favorite of the sampler.



The Cresent Hotel- Salted Caramel Mocha. The coffee chocolate aspect is prominent. Not picking up the salted caramel on cold but it may bloom when melted. 

Bride of Frakenstein- Blueberry Green Apple Wedding Cake

I am very happy with this order and I am looking forward to her future fall samplers to come on August 31st. She restocks between 12-1:30 CST. The theme of the next two fall samplers will be: Monster and Evil Villains and Haunted People, Places, and Things. Sounds like a ghostly good time! I hope you have a great new week that contains many blessings and much love. Cheers!


Sunday, August 24, 2014

FuturePrimitive: Owlette's End Soap




The complex, refined scent of a quality chai tea. The scent description: simmering black tea, clary sage, and coariander leaves, nutmeg dust and cinnamon sticks, sticky dark orange oil and blackened cardamom pods. Less peppery than most chai scents, it is smoothed and enhanced by the orange oil. A gorgeous, brilliant scent. The lather builds many tiny soap bubbles that leave the skin a refreshed, blank slate.


Saturday, August 23, 2014

Melting Basket 11




Wax I would repurchase from the previous basket include: Rosegirls Yoshi's Island of Yummy strong, fruity berry scent that filled up my bedroom and made me smile, great blend! UTC Marshmallow Butter Fudge another strong scent, creamy vanilla overload, like a cashmere sweater for your nose, Ten Digit Creations Rosewood Amber backups... I need more backups. It melted just as beautifully as it smelled on cold, elegant and sophisticated.


Ten Digit Creations- Sandalwood Cardamom
Ten Digit Creations- Honey Lemon
Beezy- Cotton Candy Frosted Twinkie
Book Scents- Naughty Celt
Lasting Scent Candles- Raspberry Love
Up The Creek- The Cookie Bakery
Up The Creek- Caramel Apple/Cool Whip

Make Scents- Country Bake Shop
Make Scents- Royal Sugar Cookies
CFTKR- Spiced Apple Citrus
CFTKR- Marshmallow Bomb
iheartwax- Apple Butterscotch Cake/Cider Lane/Maple Sugar Candy
Rosegirls- Strawberry Jam
Rosegirls- Simply Amazing Bakery
Front Porch- The 1970's incense, patchouli and nag champa not for the faint of heart
Front Porch- Caramel Apple
Sassy Girl Aroma- Pink Snow Angles
Haley's Heavenly Scents- Raspberry Zinger Twinkies
Missouri River- Peach Paradise
Sugar Scoops- Fall Dessert
Enchanted Candle Co.- Mr. Darling's Treasure Map

If you are curious about the performance of any of these just let me know and I will do a more in depth review of that particular scent.

Only about a week or so until the fall decorations come down from the attic. The girls and I are excited to spruce up the house a bit for autumn. Maybe I should start trolling Pinterest for some fall crafty decor. Do you have anything you decorate with that you made? Any fall Pinterest projects catch your eye?

Friday, August 22, 2014

Round Robin Deuce!


Lightening struck twice. Another Round Robin swung by these parts and came to visit the Johnson house. The timing was a bit rushed as we were getting ready to head out the door for a visit to southwest Florida for the weekend. My OCD, gotta-be-there-promptly standards mocked me as I tried to fit in my exchanges, weights, photos and what not so I could ship it the next day. Little did I know I would have been better off waiting until Monday like a normal person. It turns out Bonita Springs post office is closed on Saturdays! What?! Do I take it for granted that our Lakeland branches are open on Saturdays? How about y'all? Can you go in and have packages mailed and weighed and buy stamps from a person at a counter on a Saturday? Just curious. Anyway, for expediting, I chose UPS. Which, did not ship until Monday afternoon. :-) Joke is on me for being a rushy-rusherton.


My put-backs, weighing 49.5oz. Please ignore the horrid artificial lighting of a 9pm photo shoot before being carefully placed into the packed box. The following are my take outs, at 48.3oz. In much better, natural lighting upon our return.


Rosegirls Ooey Gooey Caramel/Macintosh Madness/Butter Brickle- I love the sharpness of Rosegirls' Butter Brickle. It hits me right in the back of the nose like a ton of caramel coated toffee bricks. This muffin smells like the most indulgent caramel apple ever created. Like, just looking at it creates a pocket of 10 pounds added to your outer thigh.

Rosegirls Baked Zucchini Bread/Celtic Moonspice/Royal Sugar Cookie- Snickerdoodle cookies to the 10th degree. Extra spicy, extra bakery, extra everything.

Rosegirls Simply Amazing Bakery- Not entirely sure what all is in here but my nose grabs some apple pie, some pink sugar and the barest hint of spice. I really love it. I had one chunk in my sampler and once I melted it I pooh poohed the fact I did not order any at this last opening. But wait! Look what the Good Lord saw fit to bring across my path once more! Thanks ladies!

Rosegirls I Can't Help Falling In Love- ....with this chunk! Strawberries. Must be more. Let me go investigate... ooooo... strawberry jam, cotton candy and sinfully sweet pops. I do not know what sinfully sweet pops are but there is the faintest bakery note. This is very potent with a tad tartness.

I chose several LSC shots for many reasons. 1. I am slap out. 2. Have not been able to place an order since the last time they did an announced opening time, eons ago. 3. They are pretty darn good. Please forgive me.


Lasting Scent Candles Cinnamon Sugar Donuts- Great traditional spiced donut scent. On par with the Butterfly Lane one I just melted and adored.

Lasting Scent Candles Candyland Dreamin'- Peppermint and maybe marshmallow? Clear, sweet peppermint candy disk waiting to crunch under my teeth.

Lasting Scent Candles Raspberry Love- Thick, jammy raspberry sauce, the kind that Outback Steakhouse zig zags over their New York Cheesecake.

Lasting Scent Candles Toasted Fireside- Nice dupe of Bath & Body Works Marshmallow Fireside. Gooey, warm vanilla marshmallows just barely touching the smoke.

Lasting Scent Candles Pumpkin Filled Twinky- Creamy, spice free pumpkin with a tease of a perfume note. Maybe that is the natural chemical a twinkie emits, that lone perfume note? I like it. Different.


CFTKR Creamy Peppermint Serendipity- I have always wanted to try CFTKR peppermint. It is nice and icy. The serendipity take a backseat, but you know serendipity, it wants to be a backseat driver. So it nudges its way through the ice blast of mint.

CFTKR Celtic Moonspice- LoLo.... how I love our love of Celtic Moonspice. This one came recommended and I am thrilled to possess it. Pure, sugared cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, maybe a pinch of clove.

CFTKR Apple Cobbler Delight- Minimally spiced apples. Not much in the way of cobbler dough but very nice and mellow.

CFTKR Fresh Picked Strawberry- Strawberry perfection. From a gal who has spent many hours stemming flats of strawberries at her kitchen sink until her lower back ached and wrists twinged, I know a realistic strawberry aroma. This is it. I have only ever had the pleasure of getting this as a sample once and I am happy to have it once again. I have not had much luck ordering from CFTKR in the past few months, but hopefully that will turn around.



Ava's Country Cupboard Autumn Wreath- Dried apples, cinnamon bark and potpourri in a glass bowl displayed on a crocheted doily.

Ava's Country Cupboard Pumpkin Marshmallow Crunch- Spiced pumpkin with a dry, crunchy cookie note. Cuteness abounds in these, my first waxy pumpkins.



Rainbow Melts Sugar Cookie Zucchini Brickle- I wanna eat this Rice Krispie shaped tart. The zucchini is extremely creamy and mild. No Fritos-Vomit-Feet-Chips tang that sometimes accompanies zucchini. The brickle hides its teeth too. It smells like a rich gourmet sugar cookie.

Makes Scents Honey Drizzled Gingerbread- A warm sweet cinnamon spiced donut. Lovely!

Rainbow Melts Gooey Caramel Cider-  Apple cinnamon mulled cider goodness. Not sure if I can locate the caramel, but it may come through when warmed.



 Sniff My Tarts Peppermint Noel- Another beautifully cold and creamy peppermint. I love how I can feel this tingle inside my nose. Excellent.

Sniff My Tarts Pink Noel- Pink Sugar and Vanilla Bean Noel combine to create a gorgeous relaxing scent. Vanilla and strawberry cotton candy perched on a stark white paper cone.

Vintage Chic Scents Film Noir- These roses from VCS are pretty to gaze upon. This scent embodies cinnamon donuts generously glazed with vanilla bean royal frosting.



Beezy Pink Loopy Loops- One of my favorites from Mr. Beezy. It is just a plain 'ol pink fruit loop scent but so strong, soooo good. A fun crowd pleaser.

Ten Digit Creations Honey Lemon- Brilliant, just brilliant. Musky, mellow, sensual. This honey is not sickly sweet or overpowering. It lends a golden light to the fragrance. Not a honey and lemon candy or drink. More of an abstract modern honey and lemon high end perfume. Very unique.

Beezy Cotton Candy Frosted Twinkie- Candy scented dolls and stickers. Fun and funky with no actual cotton candy or twinkies but a bright pop art rendition of said treats.


Lake Providence Lodge Country Cottage- A muted version of a country craft store. 


Haley's Heavenly Scents Raspberry Zinger Twinkies- Almost a blackberry butter jam cookie feel with a helping of coconut and cake. Excited to have some more HHS in my life.

Up the Creek Scents The Cookie Bakery- These cookies are so chock full of vanilla, buttery richness they *almost* lean into zucchini bread territory. Very nice.

Tiffany Candles Lemonade Pink Sugar- Nice mellow pink sugar that sweetens up a tart lemonade. I think these lil chunkies will be great in the wall plug-in warmer in the girls' bathroom.

I am so excited and thankful to be a part of another awesome Round Robin! Smelling scents I would never think to combine or order, trading wax that I have multiples of to get more variety, vendors I have never experienced, and new friends made. Thank you ladies!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Alamo Candelaria: Santiago Blackberry Candle




It took about an hour for this pool of wax to form. The flame stayed small but mighty. The scent gradually floated about my bedroom. Eventually, I turned off the ceiling fan to it could gain some steam. Santiago Blackberry is truly a wonderous scent. I stick to my story of spiced blackberry sangria. This 7oz candle from Alamo Candelaria costs $10 and is housed in a bell jar from Spain made of recycled glass. Her Gypsy Jar is making eyes at me. That will be the next type of candle I try from Alamo Candelaria, now what scent? Hope everyone has a great day! 



Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Butterfly Lane Scents


Butterfly Lane reopened recently and I placed my second ever order from Melissa.


I originally ordered 3 bundts and 6 scent shots but one is already shipping north in a Round Robin box. Three free samples were included in this order.



Pink Marshmallow Cake- Pink Sugar to the 10th power. The marshmallow and cake add an extra dimension of creamy vanilla to the Pink Sugar. Lovely!

Peppermint Marshmallow- When I open the bag and inhale the peppermint literally travels in a haze to my eyes and makes them feel icy cool. Powerful minty action with candy sweet sugar crystals. Strong peppermint, I adore.

Granny's Kitchen- All things Apple Cinnamon Autumn. Granny is baking an apple pie from scratch, dusting the extra cinnamon and clove powder off her apron. There are red and green curls of apple peels strewn on the counter top. I want to linger with my nose in this bag.


Caramel Apple Pie- This apple pie claims a deep flaky crust and an extra heaping of caramel. I love that I can smell the crust and caramel so well. Cinnamon and spices are present too.

Warm Cinnamon Donut- I melted this one right away. The throw and longevity are pretty awesome. I am on day two of this scent shot. I did have to cut this one out of the cup but the others popped out just fine. Traditional cinnamon spiced donut scent that feels cozy and comforting.

Wassail- Spiced oranges and apples mulled into a lovely holiday aroma. Craving hot ciders and Christmas punches just sniffing this.


Pumpkin Cupcake- Spiced pumpkin pie. Maybe some white cake buried under the thick pumpkin filling.

Pink Cupcake- Pink Sugar that is maybe a touch more sweet. Compared to the Pink Marshmallow Cake, this one smells like more of a straight Pink. A very good Pink Sugar (perfume dupe of Aquolina Pink Sugar in case you are not familiar with "Pink Sugar" in waxes). And I lurve me some Pink Sugar in wax.


Buttercream Crunch- Melted this straight away as well! For such a tiny lil thang it was strong and lasted for at least 4 hours. It filled my bedroom with a rich, almost caramel like vanilla fragrance. I would repurchase in a heartbeat.

Butterfly Candy- I read on her group page that this is bubblegum (and something else! sorry!). It has almost a SweetTart vibe behind the burst of pink bubblegum. My littlest will love this, so it will go in her room. I have not found a bubblegum scent in wax that I care for. Yet.

Marshmallow- Simple, puffy, sugary marshmallow. Strong and a staple.

Butterfly Lane will be getting my business. As long as she is open, I am in line.

So, I read Gone Girl. Yes, I am probably the last person on Earth to read it. But man, what a mind probe. I could not help but to turn the pages and question the author's sanity for even contriving a story this mentally twisted. I am shaking my head and riveted to the pages as they turn. I can't decide if I loved it or hated it. But it was enthralling. I feel like I need to go read an Amish romance by Beverly Lewis for grounding.







Monday, August 18, 2014

Missouri River Soap: Camocado


Missouri River Soaps set the bar high on texture. Camocado is slick and smooth like an eel, that leaves a pleasant slip as it is lathered. It rinses cleanly leaving fresh tug on the skin without the tightness of residue. My skin feels softer after bathing with Camocado. The scent is sweet mint, not overpowering or tingling. I detect the barest whiff of chocolate to my nose. Almost like an Ande. Camocado feels and smells solid and practical. My skin and senses are comforted.

Enjoy your week!

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Cooking Cove: Coconut Caramel Delight

My sister Heather celebrated turning 23 recently and I was happily signed up for birthday cake duty. I inquired as to what she would like and she said "that one really yummy dessert you made one holiday." "Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake?" "No." "Coconut Caramel Delight?" "Yeah! I think that is it!" So that is what I made. Coconut can be really polarizing, some loath it, some adore it. I am entrenched in the latter camp.



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups self rising flour
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup butter, softened

Combine these three ingredients and press (lightly or it will be like cement) into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cool. This crust tastes similar to a Pecan Sandy. Not sweet at all, but a nice juxtaposition to the sweet filling.


Anytime a recipe calls for pecans, I like to toast them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes... watch out, they burn easily. Toasting brings forth a richer, more complex flavor.





1/4 cup butter
7 ounce package of flaked coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Melt butter in a skillet, add coconut and pecans. Cook on medium low heat until coconut is golden and toasted, continuously stirring. Cool. 



8 ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
12 ounce tub of Cool Whip, thawed
12 1/4 ounce jar of caramel topping

Combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Beat at medium speed. Fold in Cool Whip.

Layer 1/3 of each: cream cheese mixture, then caramel, then toasted coconut and pecans. Like a lasagna. Cover and freeze until firm. Thaw a bit before serving. Store in refrigerator.