Friday, January 2, 2015

Melting Basket 23: Happy New Year!


Wax I would repurchase from the last basket include: TDC Plumberry Spice wonderful spicy Christmas scent that reminds me of my favorite Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, CFTKR Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, CFTKR Balsam & Citrus, Streetman Cotton Candied Spruce, Book Scents Fiery Cross smokey campfire scent with a masculine edge.

Alamo Candelaria- Raven's Myst
Up The Creek- Rose Jam <3 gift
Ten Digit Creations- Coriander & Tonka
Ten Digit Creations- Cinnamon Sandalwood
Enchanted Candle Co- Tammy's Pie <3 gift
Can-Do-Candles- Twinkle Toes <3 gift 
Glitterati- Black Currant & Raspberry Vanilla
Sniff My Tarts- Cotton Candy Bliss/Butterbrickle/Cotton Candy
Sniff My Tarts- Serendipity Fudge/Strawberry Jam/Willow's Cuppy Cake <3 won
Rosegirls- Watermelon Slush/Raspberry Sauce/Pink Sugar muffin <3 gift
Rosegirls- Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

All these fruity and fun fragrances have me giddy to start melting. I enjoy being a seasonal melter, it gives me a chance to miss certain scents and then I get excited when the time rolls around to break them out. Plus by the time they get old I look forward to whole new rounds of scents. If there is anything you would like to see more in depth feel free to holler!

2014 Looking Back:

I had a great year in general. Very blessed and thankful for all the new things I got to experience: NYC, North Carolina mountains with my family, a proper tea at the Oxford Exchange, meeting some resolutions about quilting and reading, new flooring, a ten year anniversary getaway with my husband for the first time since having kids (to Savannah, GA and Tybee Island), and growing closer to many sweet ladies in the wax world and here at home. And blogging of course! There were a few heartbreaking moments but the sad make the happy that much more sweet. 

In wax related reminiscing, it was fabulous. I had a blast spreading the wax love to my friends and family, as well as diving nose first into some varied and amazing scents. I scored on some great openings and a giveaway and I learned more about what I like and dislike. 

Here is a recap of my favorite things about particular vendors (what keeps me coming back):

Sniff My Tarts- Strong throw, great scent selection and custom blending, multiple shapes and sizes offered. Easy to communicate with, great customer service. Sniff My Tarts pulls me in with their lavenders, pink sugar blends and marshmallows. Fave Scents: Sweet Lavender Marshmallow Cake, Pink Peppermint, Marshmallow Noel, Peggy's Blueberry Noel, Honey Gingerbread/Ice Cream Scoop Bread, and anything Pink Sugar. I do not care for their milk/cream scents (not a fan in general anyway).

Ten Digit Creations- Fast TAT, great prices, and unique, strong blends, simplistic beauty. Excellent customer service. TDC does amazing earthy scents, florals, and sophisticated blends. Fave Scents: Rosewood & Amber, Lavender Mint, Basil Sage & Mint, Patchouli Passion, and Honey Lemon. I have not had luck with the throw on some discontinued tarts like Sugar Rush or Mexican Vanilla. 

Front Porch- Fast TAT, strong scents, free shipping. I really enjoy Angie's mints, pink sugar blends, apple blends, marshmallow blends, and non fruity bakery. Fave Scents: Pink Peppermint, Pink Chill, Marshmallow, Twilight in the Woods, Coconut Mallow Bread (thank you Sunnee!). I have not had luck with most of their berries, wintergreen or 1970.

Rosegirls- Quality scents and wax, great throw, custom blending option, and visual appeal. Great customer service. I gravitate towards fruity, bakery and mints with Rosegirls. Fave Scents: Peppermint Coconut Mallow, Frosted Streuselkuchen, Soothing Lavender Dreams, Wonders of the World, Dunk My Donuts, Ooey Gooey Caramel, Marshmallow Smoothie, Margarita, and pretty much anything except for Pear scents (I am sure I am in the vast minority), pineapple or Badger State Cocoa (I just don't care for chocolate). 

Other wax vendors I have enjoyed this year include: 
Candles From The Keeping Room (serendipity blends, strawberries, woodsy/earthy, and cookie blends)
Glitterati (Country Fair, Hansel and Gretel's house, pink blends, Christmas Ivy and Pink Marshmallow Fireside)
Streetman (Summer Lovin', Cotton Candied Spruce, Lemonberry Fields Forever)
iheatwax (cotton candy guava blends, watermelon patch blends, and do try a Pink Strawberry Serendpitiy blend! yum)
Vintage Chic Scents (Central Park Snowglobe, The Great Pumpkin, Mamma Mia)
Missouri River (Butterscotch Rum, cherry-dipity blends, fruit loops blends)
Up The Creek (American Cream, marshmallow blends, zucchini blends, apple blends)

Soap makers I have loved this year include:
FuturePrimitive (Shadow Show, Mama Didn't Listen So I Told The Bees)
Villainess (Sol Bacio, Kill Switch)
Arcana (Filthy Viking, Goofyfoot)
Bodygoodies (Spa Bar 2)
Alchemic Muse (Countrycide, Bad Wolf) 

My favorite vendor who sells both wax and soap of 2014 is Alamo Candelaria (Wax: Raven's Myst, Courtesan, Chai Tea, Blackberry Santiago. Soap: Tuscany, Fairy Tale, Fig et Citron).

2015 will include more of the same. Some wax and soap hauling/reviewing, recipes, sewing, travels and random geekery. Is there anything else you would like to see here at The Mermaid? More of or less of?

What were some highlights of the year for you? Any fun plans for 2015?



6 comments:

  1. The best thing about your melting basket is that the amount of wax in each is relatively small, so there's no pressure or feeling like it's an overwhelming amount to melt at once! Thanks for sharing these with us, you always give me so many ideas of scents that sounds good.

    Streetman Cotton Candied Spruce, one of the best! Please include thoughts on Twinkle Toes next post!

    It sounds like you had a great year, in wax and otherwise. Minus those few sad moments, your year does sounds quite lovely. Please keep up with all of your postings, don't drop anything! I love your mix of wax, soap, bath and body, perfume, home goods, decorations, holiday posts, cooking posts, geekery, sewing, travels...I LOVE IT ALL! <3

    You have a great mix of vendors on your list up here. I always seem to forget about TDC...we might need to rectify this in 2015. :) Rosewood and Amber is so good!

    No fun plans in 2015 for us, well, nothing specific. Maybe a small trip somewhere!

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    1. I really love using the basket. I spend a few minutes digging through my stash, picking older scents, gifted scents, and ones that catch my fancy.

      I am excited about Twinkle Toes!!! It smells like a fun grapefruit. Unfortunately my nose is beyond stuffed so I might be a few days behind on melting it.

      Thank you! I will keep chugging along then. Sometimes I get the urge to do an empties post but I toss them all out before I can let them pile up.

      I hope 2015 brings you many happy surprises and a few new travel experiences. :-D

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  2. I want to know more about Ravens Myst! it makes me think of a computer game called Myst I used to play.. a mysterious, foggy, abandoned island...
    I love your blog! I would love to see more of your crafty/sewing-ness.. but it's fabulously balanced either way!
    2014 was very good to us, but I am SUPER EXCITED for 2015!! I have a hot date with a mermaid! ;)

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    1. Yezzzzzz! Can't wait to see you!

      I remember playing Myst back when I was in middle/high school. It was frustratingly fun. And I saved one disk of Raven's Myst for your birthday box so you can sample it. I like it a lot! It smells like that mysterious island.

      I want to do more crafting and sewing this year so that will be a great way to kick start me! My mom wants an apron and I need to make more tissue holders anyway. Hope you are having a good day!

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  3. Happy New Year!! I hope 2015 is even better for you & your family! And your blog too! It's great as it is but I agree with Ashley -- I'd love to see you show off your crafty-ness! :-)

    I really enjoy your blog & you've educated me a lot in this waxy & scented world! :-)

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    1. Thank you Tricia! More sewing and crafting are things I want to do as well. I enjoyed getting back on the machine over winter break.

      I hope you and your family have an awesome 2015 as well! I love reading your blog posts too! <3

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