Friday, November 30, 2018

Ebb & Flow: November 2018

The highs and lows of the month.


Perfume:
Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille

Perfume Oil:
Sixteen92 Dancing in the Snow

Soap:
Paintbox Soap Works Sisterhood of the Moon

Bubble Bath:
Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Comfort: Vanilla & Patchouli

Lotion Bar:
Cosmic Cleanse Scentsation No 3rd Wheel

Skin Care:
Blood Moon Botanica Moon Dew

Lip Balm:
Blood Moon Botanica Bourbon Vanilla

Candle:
Bath & Body Works Fresh Balsam

Wax:
Beezy Apple Clove Butter

Jewelry:
Dida Metals crescent moon and star stamp necklace

Eating:
A strange blend of shredded cole slaw mix, shredded carrots and edamame beans dressed with olive oil, apple cider vinegar and orange juice or apple cider depending on what is in the fridge and a pinch of salt. It is like a refreshing salad without worrying about lettuce.

Drinking:
Club soda with a twist of lime. Coffee with a pump of cinnamon brown sugar syrup and creamer.

Reading:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (large fully illustrated edition)

Watching:
I finished Sabrina on Netflix,  I started Merlin on Netflix and I am also watching Fairytale anime with the girls on Netflix. Plus Birchwood Fireplace and Harry Potter Christmas ASMR Room videos. 

Listening:
Christmas songs! Yep. Midnight Syndicate, The Carpenters, Mickey's Christmas Around the World and whatever is playing on the radio. 

Baking:
Rosemary Bread from this recipe here.

Dreading:
Getting out of the steamy hot bath tub and into the freezing cold bedroom. Brrrr!

Awaiting:
Christmas break! Woot! Two weeks to hang with my family and celebrate all the good and yummy things.

Hit:
Blood Moon Botanica Pitch Pine Salve- it stinks but it works. It has cleared up many irritations and skin conditions for me. But it does smell a little fecal. Don't let that stop you if you need an effective salve though.

Miss:
Handcrafted Honey Bee Rosemary Mint deodorant- it could be just me but it kept giving me a red, raised irritated rash on my pits. Hence, the Pitch Pine Salve. I couldn't understand if the deodorant was it but after much trial and error it was.

Low:
Nothing terrible. Some bumps here and there but overall November has been a steady month. The stress will ebb and flow like usual.

High:
Thanksgiving food and family, a trip to The Barn with mom and Lindsey, some sister time with Darby, family time in Orlando with Adam and the girls at Universal and being excited for Christmas to come. 

How was your November? What are you loving this month? What are you dreading? Any good shows?

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Bath & Body Works: Fresh Balsam Candle


Adam surprised me a few weeks ago when I came home. There was a big Bath & Body Works bag sitting on the bed with two candles and some shower gel and scrub in it. He chose this candle, Twisted Peppermint and Snowy Morning in the body care. It was a hugely sweet gesture and I think it made this candle all the more enjoyable. 

Fresh Balsam- Woodland balsam, crisp eucalyptus, fir branches and cedarwood. $24.50

I adore this scent and always have. I feel like there is a touch of sweetness in this blend of evergreens and pines and all things green and woodsy. This almost leans sugared spruce but not quite that sweet. This particular year's label and and formula threw strong and truly created a beautiful atmosphere in the living area. As it burned it emerged with a slightly smoky aspect but more of a warm shadow rather than campfire smoke. I would pick this one up again in a heartbeat. 

Alas, this one is all burnt up and has moved on but it was a wonderful home fragrance experience. 

Are you thinking about taking advantage of the yearly BBW Candle Sale? Does anyone know when it might be?

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Melting Basket 132


Wax tarts from the last basket that I would buy again in a heartbeat: CFTKR Amish Quilt and Sugar Cookie Latte, VCS Cozy Jackie O and Murder House Coven, Beezy Country Bumpkin and Dessa's Apple Cinnamon.

Bohemienne Life- Mabon
Bohemienne Life- Pacific Forest
Book Scents- The Gathering
Beezy- Apple Clove Butter
Beezy- Country Bumpkin
Obscurus- The Hermit
Golden Willow Wax- Black Friday Breakfast (Pumpkin Pecan Waffles)
Sniff My Tarts- Banana Nut Bread/Celtic Moonspice/ Honey Gingerbread
CFKTR- Maple Buttercream Cookies
CFTKR- Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow

Now that we are finally getting some lows in the 40's I am not quite ready to put away the cozy, the pumpkin bakery and the smoky woodsy scents. So I am prolonging Thanksgiving a little and adding in some repeats too. If you are curious about any of these scents please let me know and I will review them in depth for you. 


The weather has seriously been amazing as of late. Thunderstorms bringing in cold fronts and cold breezes ringing the wind chimes on my porch. One nice Sunday evening my sister and I went to Ybor, a historic small neighborhood near downtown Tampa. It was founded by cigar manufacturers and was home to many Cuban and Spanish immigrants. It now mostly features restaurants, bars and shops in a motley mix from dilapidated pirate themed rum shanties to an upscale historical Columbian Restaurant. Darby and I ate Carmine's where I noshed on a pressed Cuban sandwich and drank some ginger ale. 


The real reason we trotted over the Ybor City was to celebrate our birthdays by getting an ear piecing at Las Vegas Tattoo. Darby chose a forward helix and I ended up getting my rook pierced. I have been swimming under the load of worry and stress and some anxiety over the future move and all the changes that will come with that. I have not been very active in engaging my friends or finding time to disengage my spinning mind. Nothing like a huge hollow needle to crunch through layers of cartilage to take one's mind off a few worries for a second. 


Ybor City at night offers a melange of scents and sights. 

How are you doing? Are the Christmas lights going up near you?

Monday, November 26, 2018

Nocturne Alchemy: Midnight Syndicate


The perfumers at Nocturne Alchemy collaborate with talented artists from an array of genres to create meaningful perfumes from time to time. I posted about one such collaboration with the artist/writer/filmmaker Clive Barker and his Tarrie Cats, here. I also reviewed a perfume from their duet with Dan Brereton and his Nocturnals comics, here. Today I am featuring two perfumes that Nocturne Alchemy created in conjunction with the musical talent of Midnight Syndicate. I found myself listening to the haunting music of Midnight Syndicate last year after discovering this perfume line. The atmosphere created from the spooky haunted houses to forbidding carnivals to a ghostly Christmas amps up this particular time of year for me. I have the Christmas: A Ghostly Gathering playing on Spotify at work between bouts of a Carpenter's Christmas.


Under the Big Top- Notes: Confection os sweet blue and pink cotton candy, a drop of black sugar, aged vanilla syrup, and a few drops of aged five year old amber resin along with black saffron and mahogany wood. $26

From the glass vial wisps of cotton candy curl up from an earthy base of saffron. Dripped on the skin the vanilla and saffron mingle with carnival sugar like a slightly off kilter Fun House. Are your jitters from excitement or fear? Perhaps a little of both? Is this sugared candy innocent or infused with something a bit more naughty? Subtle saffron and amber whirl like a melodious calliope around a cloud of dark vanilla spun sugar. These are the sweet shadows of the Big Top where kisses are stolen and cotton candy clouds float from fingers to tongues. 


Mists of Arcacia- Notes: Black incense, black cedar, black sandalwood and Sapphire amber. $26

Darkest frankincense accompany the smudged silhouettes of a spooky tree line in the distance within the bottle. Rolling along the skin like a creeping fog the sacred incense smoke and cedar transpire to evoke a smoky aquatic perfume. It glows with a green phosphorescence. As the mists thicken they hold the pitch darkness of the forest and carry the perfume of the woods to the nose. Brackish sandalwood and amber sap the shades of peridot cling to the dew drops that hover in the quiet air. 


These perfumes fit beautifully with this evocative tale I recently finished, Night Circus. My friends have been urging me to read this for some time and I am thrilled I finally did. The author is a fan of indie perfumes herself. She acknowledged Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab as an inspiration. Her innate ability to describe scenes and scents resonated with me. I think Erin would appreciate the Midnight Syndicate line from Nocturne Alchemy as well.

Do you enjoy atmospheric or carnival scents? Have you read this book? What did you think?? I loved it all but the ending was a touch "hm" for me. 

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Candles From The Keeping Room: November 3rd Order


Carol's early November opening at Candles From The Keeping Room was the most recent and last order for me for a little while. I kinda knew it was about time to take it easy so I made sure to try and grab everything I wanted to last me a little while. Today I am going to showcase only the new-to-me scents I have not blogged about previously. I will mention all my repurchases at the end. 

Pumpkin Patchouli- Sweet pumpkin, a hint of spice and rich patchouli.
A gorgeous spiced patchouli aroma. This patch is deep and herbal with an almost iron tang to it. I love it. It reminds me touch of the Witch's Brew and Pumpkin Stew scent but darker and more patch heavy. I would buy this one again in a heartbeat. 

Pink Sugared Pumpkin- A delightful blend of one of our best pumpkins and pink sugar. 
Mmmmmm! Pink sugar deluxe!! This smells like pink sugar and Carol's Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow. No spice. Heavy creaminess and loads of vanilla. It will be beautiful once melted.

Pumpkin & Cardamom- Pumpkin pie with cardamom, clove leaf, nutmeg and rum. 
The cardamom is not quite as strong in this as I had hoped but it does smell like a yummy rum cake with very soft spice and that is cool. 

Maple Pumpkin Stout- Whipped pumpkin puree, maple sugar and dark spiced stout.
After falling in love with Pumpkin Lager I knew I wanted to try this one out. It is delicious! I almost like this one even better than the Pumpkin Lager. The pumpkin with the dark maple syrup and touch of dark Guinness-like stout is rich. It is not sweet at all and will be a warming fragrance.

Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte- Creamy pumpkin latte topped with melted marshmallows and a dusting of nutmeg, sugar sprinkles and a drizzle of caramel.
I love this version of a pumpkin spice latte. Mostly becuase it basically smells like sugared vanilla musk. The coffee and pumpkin is very mellow if present at all. This is one of my favorite fall Bath & Body Works hand soap scents. It smells of caramelized Pink Sugar without the "pink."


Pumpkin Oud- Smoldering woody notes, incense and spice add a darkness to pumpkin,
This one is incredible. Smoky warm woods and sweet creamy pumpkin. This takes the place of Pumpkin Firewood for me as I like the darker musky tones this one carries. 

Cinnamon Apple Cider- Fresh fruit, apple juice and rich spices with vanilla, warm wood and creamy musk. 
The cinnamon is very quiet in this one. It is a lovely wooden apple aroma with about a medium throw. 

Apple N Spice- Macintosh apple, robust cinnamon and clove.
This is my new favorite apple cinnamon scent. Robust is the perfect word indeed. A fiery blend of sweet cinnamon sugar and apple pie filling. I could eat this up with a spoon.

Harvest Moonlight- A spicy and creamy blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, black peppercorn mixed with pumpkin puree, mahogany woods, whipped cream and vanilla bean.
Dusky woods with musk and a pinch of cardamom greets the senses. This one is lighter on the spice than I anticipated but it is a beautiful scent nonetheless. It would make a wonderful scent all year through. 

Nights of Autumn- A designer scent of nutmeg and cinnamon, cedar, applewood.
I very much enjoy this one! I just burned through my old Bath & Body Works Autumn Day candle and these tarts will easily take its place. An autumn musk with soft harvest fruits and bundles of rich wood. Pure bliss.


Country Gift Shop- Gift shop potpourri.
Mmmmmm!!! Strong cinnamon and dried fruits along with some cheerful rose hips and perhaps a few dried eucalyptus sprig leaves. There is something quietly floral and tea-like in the back ground of the spice and fruits. 

Apple Clove Butter- Apples, clove and warm spices.
Just as mouthwatering as Beezy's version! I am stoked to have it from Carol too. This is one of my favorite apple scents. It is sweet and clear with nuances as applesauce and a dash of spice. So so good.

Cane Sugar Cookie- Cane sugar, butter, rum, caramel, vanilla extract and vanilla sugar.
Very sweet with sugar and a drop of rum. There is almost a tint of almond within the intense vanilla. I melted this in the kitchen and living area and it threw medium-strong and created a delicious pool of wax. Some of the sweetness calmed and it left the most divine vanilla scent.


Noels of Autumn- Crisp fallen leaves, cinnamon apples, clove scented pine cones and vanilla bean noel.
I have been looking forward to trying this one for some time. It was worth waiting for it! A creamy blend of Bath & Body Works Leaves scent and I am here for it. 

Autumn Spice- A warm blend of cinnamon, allspice and clove simmered in a sweet, buttery vanilla.
An interesting blend. Undertones of crunchy leaves that come from the cloves and perhaps the allspice, a touch of anise and then the vanilla base all rise from the bag when I bury my nose in it. I need to melt this one soon and see how it unfolds.

Wood Vanilla- Coconut milk, black vanilla absolute, caramelized benzoin, bitter almond, tonka bean and sandalwood. A Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille dupe. 
This is not quite as sweet as my Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille but it is still darn good. I love my vanilla woods scents and this is a nice one. Not overly sweet and with oaken woods.

Clove- A true, realistic clove.
It has a base of licorice leaning clove, but there is a plastic tone to this on cold. It melts off once warmed. It throws medium-light. 


Frosted- Fresh mint and white musk.
The white musk makes up 80% of this scent with soft, unsweet mint as the remainder. The white musk as a clean spa quality to it that also is fluffy and starchy like fabric softener. This is an interesting fresh aroma.

Icy Peppermint- The strongest peppermint at the Keeping Room.
This is a true statement. Pure arctic peppermint with icy spikes of coolness and a touch of menthol. Just the barest hint of sugar but no vanilla here. A clean classic peppermint.

Peppermint Cream- Pure peppermint with notes of marshmallow fluff, vanilla sugar and creme de menthe. 
A brilliant frozen mint with a stunning backdrop of vanilla sugar. It smells like the ultimate peppermint ice cream. I want this as a perfume. I want to smell this every night.


Free samples! Carol always blows me away with her generosity. I love the wide variety of samples she gives and the adorable shapes. 

This Santa gnome is the cutest. 

Spearmint and Basil is an invigorating blend that smells like a kitchen herb garden. It is slightly cool and green and watery. I will be saving this one for spring. 


Pumpkin Coconut Sugar Cookie smells delicious! Carol always does the best sugar cookies. Add some sweet creamy coconut and a touch of caramelized pumpkin and it is the bee's knees.

Honey Pear Cider vibrates with a fruity clarity of gingered pears. 

Applesauce Cupcake rings my chimes. Apple cinnamon with just a pinch of vanilla cakes in the heart. 

Bourbon Pumpkin Almost smells like it has coconut in it too. Maybe this is Bourbon vanilla pumpkin? Either way it is yummy and rich. A touch bakery. 

Brown Sugar and Fig is gorgeous. Just like the Bath & Body Works perfume. Sweet musky figs and velvety brown sugar. Lovely.


Amber and Oud. Oh good gosh. This is dead sexy. Smoldering oud incense with warm glowing amber shines in this sensual aroma. I need bags and bags of this. So do you.

Cozy Cabin is warm with a crackling birchwood fire. Smoke and embers and toasty woods. Another one I need more of in my life.

Honeyed Pineapple Pumpkin is all about that pineapple. I don't get much pumpkin on cold but it does sniff like a caramelized pineapple cake.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookie is crunchy and not too sweet at all. I would even go as far as to call this a pumpkin shortbread cookie.

Bergamot Rosewood brims with citrus brightness. Like orange wood. A lovely unique scent.


Winter Flannel slays me. This is Marshmallow Fireside with a tiny bit of spice to warm it. I was not expecting that when I opened the bag and it took me by surprise. I seriously am in love. Two bags, please.

Sugar and Spice Noel, oooo yes ma'am. A creamy vanilla sugar and spice delight. I am ready for some more of this one. 

Cucumber Cilantro is as realistic as it gets. The cilantro zings with a touch of lime and the watery vegetation of cucumber pairs beautifully with it.

Coconut Lavender Sugar Cookies combines Carol's yummy sugar cookie with a coconut milk and Lavender Vanilla. It is the same lavender vanilla that smells like the Bath & Body Works candle or similar to Rosegirl's sweet lavender. The one that has a fabric softener lean. 

Charcoal Tonka and Amber & Oud are both extremely spectacular scents. Charcoal Tonka is a plush vanilla tonka scent that is dark and smoky. I would be stoked to get both of these one day. 

My favorite samples are Charcoal Tonka, Sugar and Spice Noel, Winter Flannel, Amber & Oud and Cozy Cabin. 

Other scents I repurchased this time that I did not feature include: Strawberry Martini, Sugared Strawberry Spruce, Pumpkin Lager, Homespun Sugar Cookie, Olde Town Bake Shop, Frosted Pine Noel, Peppermint Cypress and Warm & Cozy.

Did you pick anything up at Carol's November opening? She is set to open December 1st I believe. Carol ships fast enough that they would make it in time for Christmas. What are your favorite CFTKR scents?

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

2018 Holiday Gift Guide

Welcome to the 2018 Redolent Mermaid Holiday Gift Guide.


As the giving time of year approaches, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite small business, artisan and independent creators along with their fabulous wares that I have tried and adore. Click on the vendors' names like always to be taken to their store. I have only recommended those items that can be purchased easily at the time of this writing.

Artisan Fragrances

Arcana Wildcraft creates many of my staple scents. My personal favorites ($23 each): Holy Terror, Bonfires at Dusk, Filthy Viking, The Huntress (all natural), Devilish and Cake Lust.

Nocturne Alchemy's Studio Limited line houses some of the most exquisitely crafted aromas. Ones that would make beautiful gifts ($29 each): Crystalline, Santalum, Tibetan Crystalline, Bloodstone Dark, Ember, Pyramid Santalum, Hessonite and Moonstone.

Solstice Scent's 10 pack perfume sampler for $30 makes a thoughtful fragrant gift. You can choose any scent you think would appeal to the person upon whom you are bestowing but here are some of my Solstice Scent stars: Manor, Basilica, Vanilla Pipe Tobacco, Gibbon's Boarding School, Foxcroft, Night Watcher, Pinyon Truffle and Lavender Vanilla.


Bath & Body 

Latherati is a company I tried from a Sihaya & Company box. I loved the body lotion. These bookish scents make lovely gifts. Julie currently has bath, body and personal fragrance items based upon the Nutcracker which is perfect for this time of year and the new movie that just released. Some of my picks are: Sugar Plum Fairy body lotion ($8) which showcases sweet almonds and musk,  Mouse King soap ($6) that sparkles with fruity citrus and melons and is grounded by light oakmoss, and the perfume and body gloss companions would be nice as well. Drosselmeyer (caramel, leather, tobacco and sandalwood) sounds like a warm and cozy scent as well. 

B. Perry Soaps at Sihaya & Company would be an indulgent gift for the bar soap lover. I have tried and adore the Dangerous Places soaps ($15) and I am eyeing up the Pumpkin Spice Latte ones ($10) pretty hard. I also recently bought the Arcana Haint version and cannot wait to tear into it.

If you have a bath lover in your life then a "Most Wanted" bundle set of CBD infused bath bombs from Life Flower Care would be the ultimate gift ($60). These bath bombs have become my very favorite. The addition of botanicals and crystals along with nourishing and healing essential oils makes these a wonderful experience. 


Bookish Gifts

I never really understood the practicality of book sleeves until I began using them myself. Book Beau's sleeves are brilliant. I enjoy the button and loop closure, the four sizes and the whimsical fabrics. They range from $15 to $30 depending on the size. These keep my books in nice condition when they are tumbling around in my purse or bag. Tucking a book inside would be a thoughtful gift.

Bookish candles from Wick & Fable make nice treats for bookworm buddies. It is easy to find cozy scents in pretty much any fragrance genre within each fandom, from herbal and fresh to spicy or gourmand. They are currently having their BOGO 1/2 off candle sale on their 8 ounce sizes. You can grab two nice sized candles for $27 when they are normally $36. 

Book plates and accessories from Sunshine & Ravioli would stuff nicely within a book as a gift. I have purchased and enjoy the Mermaid bookplates for $9.95, they can be customized as well for $11.95. 


Nature's Apothecary

For all natural desires, I love King's Road Apothecary. Rebecca wild harvests and brews all her own products that are meant for healing of the mind, body and soul. I have tried a vast array of her products through her Surprise Boxes. She makes tinctures, elixirs, digestives, slaves, ointments, teas, bath soaks, body oils and more. I particularly enjoy her Deep Woods body oil ($26), Deep Forest tea ($16) and the big ticket gift, a Surprise Box ($56). Honestly, there hasn't been anything from Rebecca that I have not loved. 

Mandy Aftel at Aftelier is a wonderful source of finely made natural products for the body and kitchen and they always come packaged with vibrant beauty. Perfect for gift giving. I have tried and loved Mandy's Face Elixirs, Body Oils, perfumes, teas and Chef's Essences. I highly recommend her Ancient Resins Body Oil ($40), Chocolate Chef's Essence Spray ($24), Vanilla Smoke 2ml perfume ($50) and Mandy's Book Fragrant ($28) along with the Companion Kit ($25) to sniff along with while reading.


Wax Tarts

Of course I cannot have a Holiday Guide without including wax tarts! Wax can be tricky to purchase from some vendors so I am including only tried and true and easy to purchase from vendors.

Ten Digit Creations is always open and always has high quality affordable wax in a plethora of scents. I have gifted Amber's wax many times to friends for their birthdays or Christmas. Currently there are several pages of Ready To Ship scent shots that start at $1.15 for one ounce. 

The Bathing Garden is perfect for gifting too. Shannon makes the most beautiful creations and she always has stock. Her current shipping time is at 2 weeks so there is plenty of time to place an order. Her clamshells are $3.95 and her scrubs start at $9.75. From her current collections I love: Sleepy, Plum Ballet, Crystallized Spearmint and Peppermint, Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and Yuletide Trimmings.


Artisan Jewelry

Nicole at Arrok always has some amazing hand forged pieces in her shop. If you have friends who wear earrings or necklaces this would be the place to go for real silver and gemstone pieces that are unique and edgy while being utterly wearable. Some stars of the show: Mood Stone earrings ($38.50), Small Bee earrings ($34.50- pictured above), All Seeing Eye necklace ($46.50).

Rachel at Dida Metals offers some lovely and affordable pieces as well. I am a fan of her crescent moon studs ($24 for brass and $30 for silver), her midi ($16) and stacking ($18) rings, and the circle studs with chain fringe earrings ($65). 

Marta Oms is one of my favorite places to buy handmade silver stud earrings. She is currently having a 20% off sale in her Etsy store, makign them even more affordable. Though Marta lives and works in Spain, she ships quickly and inexpensively. Some of my personal favorite pieces are: punk studs ($14.18), mini skull earrings ($14.18), turquoise studs ($18.91) and her mini star earrings ($9.46). 


Pottery

Pitch Pine Pottery is one of my favorite potters. The multitude of hues in the glazes, the whimsically primitive sgraffito and the pure comfort of the pieces speak to me. Tara currently has nine goddess mugs in her shop for around $90 each. 

A handmade ceramic incense burner from Barchilon Ceramics on Etsy would be a nice gift as well. I particularly like my lotus incense burner that was $18. Add a few hand made incense sticks and that would be a nice gift set. 

I enjoy giving gifts that were made with love and passion from talented small business owners. 

Are there any particular gifts you are excited to be gifting this year?

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Beezy Tarts: August Pre-Order


Even though I am planning on not buying wax for the remainder of the year, I still have a few orders to blog about from previous pre-orders or earlier RTS orders. This is my small Beezy haul from John's August 19th pre-order. Each scent shot was $1.85 with shipping at $7.25. 

I picked up five Apple Clove Butter scent shots. John was the original Apple Clove Butter dude, but I do have some from Carol now too. I simply adore the juicy sweetness of this subtly spiced apple scent. 

Baked Apples is a much more intense cinnamon along with vibrant apples. I first fell in love with Baked Apples from Carol's version. Her and John tend to do really well pouring single fragrance oils in a way that maximizes their throw and clarity. Baked Apples is perfect for pungent spice lovers. 

Amish Quilt is a softer version of spice than Baked Apples, but still warm and toasty. John and Carol have this scent in common as well. This is a sweet cinnamon sugar scent that adds a few more kitchen cupboard spices in there as well.


I picked up two scent shots of Country Bumpkin. Deb made me aware of this scent years and years ago and I have always loved it since. It is a homey fall scent that merges apples and sweet potato, buttery brown sugar and spice. This scent always reminds me of the country gold song "Country Bumpkin." It tells the story of a girl who meets a boy then they get married and have a boy of their own and the lyrics change as she ages but still use the same theme. Come to think of it, the Frost on the Pumpkin scent reminds me of this song too.

She said, "Hello, country bumpkin
How's the frost out on the pumpkin?
I've seen some sights but, man, you're something.
Where'd ya come from country bumpkin?"- Cal Smith "Country Bumpkin"

Apple Cinnamon was a bit of a let down. It smells light and artificial with hardly any spice at all. More of a Mac apple scent.


Mint Lavender is brilliant. An herbal lavender with a hint of mint to create the perfect bedtime scent. Wishing I had picked up more of this one. 


A free sample in Autumn Magic was generously included in the order. It is a creamy leaves and floral aroma that reminds me of some type of Bath & Body Works scent. It is outdoorsy without being masculine. A nice scent. Interested to see how it melts. 

Did you order from Beezy? What Beezy scent is your favorite? Have you put up your Christmas decorations yet?

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Melting Basket 131


Wax from the Halloween basket that I would love to have on hand again in the future includes: TDC Haunted Soul/Pipe Tobacco/Vintage Vanilla, CFTKR Witch's Brew and Pumpkin Stew, LSC Cast a Spell, Dracula's Dungeon, Candy Corn Cookies, The Great Pumpkin and Jack O' Lantern Cookies.

CFTKR- Pumpkin Lager
CFTKR- Amish Quilt
CFTKR- Sugared Cookie Latte
CFTKR- Caramel Pumpkin Swirl
SMT- Cider Lane/Apple Cinnamon/Warm and Cozy
SMT- Peppermint/Marshmallow Fireside/Vanilla Sandalwood
VCS- Cozy Jackie O
VCS- Murder House Coven
Beezy- Country Bumpkin
Dessa- Apples & Cinnamon

Thank you for indulging me in the sub-par photo above. I literally just got home from an extra long day of work last night and wanted to get a post ready for today to go live. If there are any tart scents you would like to hear more about, just let me know. 


This past weekend I spent cleaning. After dropping a fair amount of wax into a large Rubbermaid I decided I am going on a wax no-buy for the rest of 2018 and then evaluating it from there. I squeezed in a nice fat Candles From the Keeping Room order a couple weekends ago so I will still be posting that haul but I am good. I am done for now. Time to focus on melting before I have to pack it all up in six months for a move anyway. 

Other goals for the rest of the year:
- Track food, paying attention to portions, veggies and water intake.
- Get more active, walking/working out three times a week.
- Limit myself to 4 perfumes for the remainder of the year. 
- Finish my sister's wedding quilt. 
- No wax purchases.
- Paint a pair of Toms.
- Listen to as much Christmas music as possible. 
- Pierce my ear.
- Read five more books.
- Bake those ding dang cinnamon rolls using yeast!

What are you hoping to do by the end of the year? How are your wax or perfume collections coming along? 

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Arcana Wildcraft: Yule Scents



Vanilla Craves Gingerbread- Notes: Rich gourmand vanilla with our Gingerbread accord (luxe golden ginger, gingerbread, warm ginger cookies and delicately piped icing).

Julia utilizes the most fiery, piquant, zesty and golden ginger out there. From the vial wafts a sinfully delicious slice of gingerbread resting on a wooden platter with the knobby and papery bodies of ginger root laying alongside. Moistened on the wrists, Julia's signature ginger comes to life with lemony fire. It smells amazing. Realistic. The vanilla aspects sweeten the gingerbread, adding a mouthwatering drizzle of icing. As it settles into the skin the ginger calms into a papery wooden aroma that pairs wonderfully with the vanilla. 


Hotboxing the Gingerbread House- Notes: Odd things happen inside gingerbread houses at night. Piped vanilla icing on gingerbread, cinnamon sugar, tobacco seeds and leaves, petitgrain, uncured hemp and sweet smoke.

This one made a return last year and I could not wait to scoop it up. Julia has a knack for blending interesting scents and this one called to come home to me. From the vial wafts bitter green petitgrain and smoke. It brings to mind piles of wild sour orange trees dried and dead and stacked into burn piles then lit on fire. Alight on the flesh the hemp cigarette glows in the gloaming like a lone beacon in winter's early evening. It is smoke and naughtiness, a means to stay warm that mother would not condone. But return home you must. The succor of mom's gingerbread cookies awaits on a china plate. Flopping on the bed with a warm spiced cookie releases a puff of smoke from your sweater and the two scents mingle pleasantly in your room. Sweet and smoky. The sweetness fades into a smoked wooden haze with a breath of hemp. If you have ever tried Jasmin et Cigarette from Etat Libre d'Orange this will feel similar but more along the lines of Gingembre et Marijuana Cigarette. I love it. I will wear this often this year, but perhaps not to work. 


Dirty Nog- Notes: Eggnog, yellow cake, rum, fresh milk, nutmeg, toasty caramel, roasted Venezuelan coffee and a glug of Holy Terror.

Julia's yellow cake accord tickles my nosebuds. CakeLust is one of my favorites, a yellow cake and tobacco blend, but Dirty Nog plays with extra vanilla and a dash of coffee and incense along with the cake. From the bottle the Holy Terror incense curls around that thick vanilla cake like a heady, devilish treat. Freshly flavoring the skin, Dirty Nog warms up into a creamy cafe latte with eggnog creamer. The cup of coffee comes with a generous slice of buttery vanilla cake, but the Holy Terror incense keeps it from being a foodie experience. Perfect for fall and winter wearing. This one should be dabbed at first, don't slather right away. It is pretty potent.

Nog AF- Notes: Eggnog, yellow cake accord, rum, fresh milk, nutmeg and toasty caramel.

If Holy Terror and the darkness of the coffee is something you might would like to do without, then Nog AF would be more up your alley. This is a foodie experience, but a most delicious one indeed. Viscous eggnog pools in a chilled mug, spiked with a dash of rum and spice. Nog thickens even further with the addition of caramel cake. This toothsome fragrance is not too sweet despite the notes. There is a chewy caramel flavor but it is tempered by the eggnog and milk. Despite not being overly sweet, it does carry some weight to it.


Krampusnacht- Notes: Old leather, infernal smoke, vintage patchouli, cubeb, ho wood, a drop of fir oil and a touch of brisk Alpine night air. 

I love this brimstone black beauty. A leathery shadow slinks from the bottle, tarry and ancient. A harbinger of wintery darkness and nocturnal retribution. Creeping along the skin, Krampussnacht howls with a fuming breath that arises from the bowels of a leathery gullet. The black rawhide creature carries a dusting of snow on its shoulders and an aura of deep forest and gasoline trailing behind. Woodsmoke spools out in long reaching fingers as the creature fades into the night.

Schnaps Mit Krampus- Notes: A boozy, rummy blend of apple, tangerine and pear schnaps over woodsmoke, labdanum and Arcana's Growl blend (caramel, chandan, tiger maple, burnt vanilla, smoky musk and vetiver).

Dark fruits stewed into a compote and soaked in brandy lift up from the bottle. There is a bit of resin and black stickiness from the labdanum peeking through. On the skin the harvest fruits snugly buss the senses. The fruity schnaps linger in the foreground with just a hint of gingery flavor while the earthy vetiver darkens under the penumbra of the labdanum resin. This scent is drinking a hot toddy laced with schnaps in a dark cabin with only a small Yule fire to gild the sepia scene. 


Even though these are holiday scents that sometimes re-emerge during the winter time and are not currently available, I decided to feature them so you can be prepared once that time comes back around. Julia operates from her own website now, found here. I like to stuff these away and much like my wax tarts, bring them back out once the season hits to bring me cheer and warmth and festivity. Do you change your personal fragrances to align with the seasons? What scent best suits the winter holidays for you?

Friday, November 9, 2018

Wick & Fable: Gryffindor Candle


Wick & Fable Gryffindor- Notes: Cozy fire, warm spices and golden amber.

Beautifully burning candle. Strong wicks, steady flame, no tunneling. Medium-light throw in large areas and medium-strong throw in bedrooms. Aroma of warm resinous amber with wooden tones and soft incense. An enjoyable candle I would purchase again. 

An 8 ounce soy, vegan candle for $18.00, purchased during BOGO 1/2 off sale. 


Adam, the girls and I will be spending the weekend in Orlando and some of that time will be spent sipping some Butterbeers. My sisters and I have already been texting and planning Christmas celebrations. Plotting Thanksgiving get togethers. Plus my mom and Darby have a shared birthday coming up and mine just around the corner too. This year's holidays will be bittersweet as they will be the last ones in this home of ours that we have nested in for the past 14 years. 

Are you looking forward to some good food and friends or family for Thanksgiving? What are you doing this weekend?

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Wick & Fable: Hogwarts Box


I mentioned getting this September Hogwarts box from Wick & Fable a little while ago. I enjoyed the fantasy box from August so much that I knew I simply needed the Hogwarts box that was to follow. It did not disappoint. I picked up the Deluxe Box for $49.99. It contained four 2 ounce candles and one 4 ounce candle that magically transforms into a house color, sorting you by the flame of House Pride. The wand pencil was quickly put to use at school.

Studying at the Library- Notes: Old books and warm crackling woods.
Not a fan of this one on cold. It smells like glue but not in a good way. There is some kinda funk to it. Like the first day of wearing new leather shoes without socks and a sprinkling of plastic. 

Hogsmeade Weekends- Notes: Butterbeer, creamy vanilla and bourbon spice.
Aaahhhh... much better. This one smells delish. Creamy caramel and butterscotch with a touch of vanilla whiskey. 

Mischief Managed- Notes: Cold air breezes, peppermint and sugar crystals.
My favorite candle of the bunch. A cool vanilla mint with a touch of crisp ozone that takes it through the crunching snowy day into Hogsmeade. The vanilla possesses a drop of coconut. 

Detention with Umbridge- Notes: Vanilla orchid, pink floral and cozy fire. 
Unique indeed. A smoky fireside floral with hints of tea and something that almost smells like Pink Sands. A near perfect rendition of what Umbridge's office would be redolent of. 


House Pride- Notes: Pumpkin juice, cookie crunch and maple sugar.
I was sorted into Ravenclaw! But I think perhaps this was meant for Savanna as she is a Ravenclaw and I am truly a Hufflepuff. But it was cool to see the blue hue melt and swirl up to the surface. And the candle smells amazing. Like a chewy pumpkin cookie with a drizzle of caramel on top. This one throws nicely in smaller areas and is my new bedside candle. 



A large zip tote meant for holding books, along the lines of a book sleeve, was in the box. I don't think I will use it for that purpose given the dimensions but I will happily use it for travel purposes. It does sport one of my favorite quotes from Ron about Hermione. I think it will be a great makeup bag or sewing pouch.

The Hogwarts professors featured as magnetic bookmarks are adorable and will keep watch over my book learning. Kawaii anime images of Snape and McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick all pose with some of their signature magical tools.


A wooden art card of Snape's patronus makes for a lovely bookmark. I currently have mine hanging up on my bulletin board at work above my desk. The wood is thin and can warp but it is quite beautiful.


This box also came with a Luna Lovegood cork coaster that can be paired with other coasters from other boxes I believe, but not sure. A postcard art with the magical trio depicted in a cozy warm Gryffindor common room came in the box, that also hangs on my cork board. 

Lastly, a Hogwarts Express wallet was tucked into the box. It is nice! Initially, I had not planned on using it but it is growing on me. I bet before the week is out I will have switched all my cards and such over to it.