Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Ebb & Flow: April 2019

The highs and lows of the month.


Perfume:
Olympic Orchids Woodcut

Perfume Oil:
Filthy Viking

Body Oil:
Aftelier Ancient Resins

Lip Balm:
Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Organic Lip Balm

Linen Spray:
A mixture of lavender, peppermint and witch hazel that I threw together in a glass spray bottle.

Skincare:
Sea Witch Botanicals skin care collection, still running strong.

Wax:
Candles From the Keeping Room Wood Vanilla

Candle: 
Bath and Body Works Island Margarita

Drinking:
Peppermint tea (for some heinous reason coffee it giving my heart burn in the morning and it has me all kinds of sad).

Eating:
Petit Pots in vanilla bean custard, lemon curd and chocolate. Also loving the chopped salad kits still. And Sumo oranges.

Watching:
Alien, ASMR rooms, birbs.

Reading:
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Listening:
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Wearing:
New Balance Fresh Foam sneakers cuz they feel sooooo good, Ashley Weber crystal point necklace, jeans, graphic tees and my heart on my sleeve.

Awaiting:
Finding out where we will land next. Hoping for a home that will be a cozy place to stay for the next ten years or so. Also awaiting a really cool shelf that Achy Joints Creations is making. It is coming along so well and now I just need a home to hang it in. <3

Dreading:
Having my coffee mugs or pottery break during the move.

Hit:
My record player. I miss it so much!!! I cannot wait to unpack it and listen to some more tunes. It is a Crosley off Amazon with some stand alone speakers. Another hit: The Wax & The Needle record store in Lakeland, hundreds and hundreds of $1 vinyl. A last hit, an old German Beer Garden Musik album with polka and Oktoberfest tunes. It's righteous.

Miss:
I miss my hair.
I miss having the motivation and energy to really workout.
I miss being comfortable in my skin.
I miss being able to prioritize my time better.

Low:
Fights with Adam. Tension. Uncertainty. Self-doubt.

High:
Cabin camping with my friends, Garth Brooks concert, selling our house quickly, the girls getting into a public Montessori school.

How was your April? Did it come in like a lion and go out like a lamb? Mine is still all lion. Lamb days are coming soon. I can feel it in my bones.

Monday, April 29, 2019

Arcana Wildcraft: Green Dream Collection

These perfumes were sent gratis from Julia at Arcana Wildcraft. All opinions are my own. 


Julia at Arcana Wildcraft used cannabis as her muse to cultivate an innovative and dreamy spring collection unlike any other I have had the joy to experience. Please don't think these are head shop aromas or all smell like that one time behind the bowling alley in high school. These don't smell like skeezy bars or Grateful Dead concerts but instead utilize the full array of notes and nuances that fresh varieties of the cannabis plant can possess. No actual cannabis was used in the compositions of these perfumes.


Beta- Endorphins- Notes: When these are released into your brain, food begins to smell and taste irresistible, causing the side effect known as the munchies. Chocolate milk, salty popcorn, cold vanilla ice cream, peanut brittle and a drizzle of caramel sauce. $28

From the bottle comes a holograph of buckeyes, those candy balls of homemade peanut butter yumminess coated in milk chocolate. Dipped onto the skin the chocolate briefly takes on a boozy aspect before turning into salted peanuts and Cracker Jack. The dry down melts into creamy peanut butter with just a hint of that saltiness lingering on the palate. 


Rose Petal Blunt- Notes: Delicately beautiful and delicious, this is probably how fairies partake. Dewy red rose petals and fresh green stems evolve into a heart of soft tuberose and Silver Haze accord. $28 

In the bottle the tuberose has a jammy almost fruity tone to its heady richness and the green Silver Haze accord twines like wild ivy around it. On the skin the tuberose looses that fruitiness and the jammy aspects morph into turpentine laced petals. I love how wild and raucous this one is. In the heart the roses and tuberose merge into a halo of honeyed lemon softness. Now I see where the fairies come in. The wanton beginning spirals down into a vulnerable core then drifts down like dandelion seeds to a bed of sweet green hay, almost with a creamy edge like coumarin or tonka. A magical fragrance.


Chillum- Notes: High in the Himalayas, herb is often smoked in a cylindrical pipe called a chillum, as it has been for thousands of years. Opening with a whoosh of cool blue pine, then expanding into a heart of sensual Yeti fur, animalic mountain musk, Himalayan cedarwood and Himalayan Gold accord. $28

Based on notes alone this was the one I was about to pop into my cart immediately. It was also the one I wore first, right off the bat. I will warn you, in my desire to douse I did go a little overboard and smelled myself all day long. To the point that even cuddling the cat later that night, Savanna mentioned that Toddles smelled amazing. A little bit goes a long way on this one. 

From the bottle an angora blanket pours forth in a rippling soft body of tactile bliss that carries the perfume of dried sage and conifer laden air within its warp and weft. Draped onto the skin that sage green hue pushes and pulls with pillowy amber resins and a growl of something a tad naughty. The growl possesses tones of leather and warm pelts, skin musk and smudge. It is beautiful and smooth, velvety and rich.

It exceeds all my expectations and they were high. It is dead sexy.


Coconut Chalice- Notes: Created from a coconut shell, this traditional Jamaican water pipe represents the elements of earth, air, fire and water. Green coconut, coconut husk, rich Cuban vanilla, dark Muscovado sugar and Lamb's Breath accord. $28

The aroma lifting from the vials speaks of coconut cream and custard eaten from a fresh coconut hull by the shore. Cracked onto the wrists the perfume drizzles out with a sap filled greenness the likes of broad banana leaves. The tropical foliage fans out to reveal the coconut within, allowing the sharp green tones to mellow and pool into cool creamy coconut sweetness. As the coconuts settle they oxidize with sepia and caramel tones that hint at vanilla and tawny richness. This perfume feels like it moves from a cool dew filled island dawn to a warm glowing tropical sunset as it develops. Sharp green and vibrant to dark sweet and placid. 


Shiva's Trident- Notes: Indian sandalwood, Nag Champa incense and Hindu Kush accord. $28

A hand rolled incense cone forged with sandalwood chips, beeswax, resins and plumeria warms and sends its tendrils of incense smoke up into the air when the cap is removed and a whiff is taken. Wrapped around the wrists the incense slinks like velvet cords but then the kush comes in and gives it a slightly sour and skanky edge that brings interest to the scent. It reminds me of green quinine in a tonic water. A sour bitterness that pushes the palate into tasting more and experiencing more when paired with the plush softness of the Nag Champa and incense accords. It dries into a grassy vetiver hued sandalwood that embodies serenity. 


Waterfall- Notes: The green dankness of resin, wet leaves, lichen, water-drenched tree moss, fucus, French seaweed absolute and Northern Lights accord. $28

This is one of those scents that I fall for immediately. It reminds me of the hiking I did a week or so ago. Those streams I forged and the wet muck underfoot and the soil teeming with earthworms, ferns and cypress knees jutting out of swampy wetlands like the fringe and fingers of Titans reemerging from the earth. Water, soil, flora and mycelium. Splashed onto the flesh oakmoss glows brilliantly with its flush green aroma, almost dewy and water beaded in its turgidity. The heart sinks down into the loamy leaf litter and begins to sketch out soil and its inhabitants. Before it gets too earthy the mineral aspects of sea plants wash in with a lap or two of clarity. It almost reads like lavender and parsley growing by the ocean in a cottage garden, with clumps of salted water weed resting on the edges of the driftwood barrier that serves as a garden gate. It is beautiful and watery and green while maintaining a grounding of musk and ambrette that keeps it from being sharp or overtly aquatic. The drydown veers back to that stunning oakmoss beginning. I find it a joy to wear. 


I am loving this collection from Julia. It makes for an innovative spring release with its green tones that are complemented by various themes. 

 I am giving away Beta-Endorphines and Shiva's Trident as well as an autographed book called Ash by C.G. Blade. The gifts will come with chocolate for mandatory reading snacks and some tea for warmth and joy since the book may be a bit scary. This book was a gift from a dear friend who also happens to promote for authors. This is being given with her knowledge and gratitude. 


To enter please comment with your favorite scent notes at the moment or your favorite book from either this year or last year. I am currently loving juniper, pine, mint and bookish smelling perfume notes. I loved reading two books in particular so far this year: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood. Leave your comment below by May 5th and I will draw that evening. 

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Melting Basket 140


Wax from the last basket I would buy again because it was so good: Bohemienne Life Raven's Myst, Dessa's Smoky Mountain Berries, CFTKR Creamy Peppermint Serendipity, Woodland Festival, Celtic Moonspice, Mulled Wine and Pink Sugared Watermelon. Oh! And the Witch's Brew and Pumpkin Stew. I like that one.

CFTKR- Patchouli Chocolate
CFTKR- Wood Vanilla
CFTKR- Strawberry Margarita
SMT- Campfire Marshmallow/Fireside/Vanilla Sandalwood/Marshmallow Fireside
SMT- Peppermint/Blue Sugar/Campfire Marshmallows/Fireside

I know it is a small basket but if you are interested in hearing about any in particular just let me know. 


So this is probably one of my last melting baskets in this house of ours. I plant on melting all the wax in these bags, not just a piece or two so it should last me a good few weeks. A couple days ago we signed a contract to sell our home. Our move out date is May 31st. Which just happens to be my very last day of work. 


Hoping the inspections and everything go well. It is an older couple who bought our house. I hope they enjoy the quiet peace it holds and the birds and the woods. I hope it treats them well in the twilight of their lives. 


I went to a job fair for the Orange County School Board and have a couple options brewing for my own career. I have also started hitting Zillow pretty hard looking for a place we can land. I am trying not to order too much that might take a while to ship while we transition. I keep eyeing up a Bathing Garden order but I think I will wait until after the move. 


Thank you guys for the support and encouragement. I will have a post tomorrow with a small giveaway. Hope you check it out. I am also trying to brainstorm ideas for my blog's 5th anniversary celebration that will be at the end of this month. What kinds of things would be nice to giveaway?

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Astrid Perfume: Bath Treats


Astrid Perfume, formerly Blooddrop Perfume, makes on of my favorite bath time ritual products... Froth. When Astrid of Astrid Perfume announced a pre-order for some bath time goodies I was trying to pinch some pennies so I only picked up one Froth and one Bath Salt. During the pre-order process she mentioned that sales were low and she might not produce the bath products again. Insert sad face here. So I will use what I have and be happy that I got what I did.


Undo Bath Salt Soak is a relaxing blend of lavender, chamomile, peppermint and black pepper with a few other herbs thrown in. These salts made for a truly soothing bath with a skin softening and muscle relaxing effect. I will be running through this bottle in about a week I think. Especially with trying to sell the house and having to keep it clean for a showing just about every other day. Kicking myself for not buying more of these.


This particular Froth is scented in Lavender and Vanilla. I am a sucker for milk baths ever since I was gifted a Haunt milk bath product long ago. Astrid's milk bath is amazing. It froths up on the surface of the bath water and makes for a hazy and nourishing bath experience. It is like bathing in silk. The lavender and vanilla fragrance is mellow and creamy. A dream to slip away into before bedtime.


Astrid was very generous and included this Lotus Serum face oil as a freebie in the bath product orders. I am blown away by her kindness. I had made a bone head move and picked the wrong shipping but she was polite and provided good customer service through the kerfuffle. Anyway, I am almost 2/3 of the way through my current face serum but I look forward to trying this one out. It is loaded with skin pampering ingredients like rice bran and kukui oils, squalene, lotus extract, green tea and ginseng to name a few. I will report back once I add it to my rotation. 

Are you loving anything in particular in your bath lately? How about skin care? 

We had an offer on the home and another showing for this Saturday so things are picking up. The girls both got into the public Montessori school we applied to so that was a huge blessing. Thank you for your kind words and well wishes. Pieces of our next adventure are beginning to fall into place one part at a time. <3

Friday, April 19, 2019

Murava Ceramics: Amanita Mushroom Spoon


My friend Susie posted a photo the other day of one of her coffee mugs and I noticed that right beside it was the most stinkin' adorable mushroom spoon I had ever laid eyes on. Thankfully Susie is a savvy social media queen and loves to support artisans like I do and she linked the maker in her post. The maker was Victoria Khostsianvich who uses her Etsy store called Murava Ceramics based out of Belarus. The spoons were made to order and estimated to take 4-6 weeks. Mine came right at one month. It was packed very well. Actually, quite beautifully. The brown box tied with string was wrapped in bubble wrap and sent in a bubble mailer. How adorable is it?


The spoon itself was snug in a blanket of grasses and leaves. Now I have a small piece of Belarus of my own. <3 


The spoon emits a rustic appeal with its antiqued patina and old-world charm. The detailing is charming.


There is a hole towards the top that can be run through with cording in order to hang the spoon. It came with a tag that had a wonderful thank you note attached. 


My new coffee spoon is pure magic. It will rest beside my Coffee-Mate for years and years to come. If I was an Egyptian Pharaoh I would want to be buried with it so I could stir my coffee in the afterlife with it. 

I am smitten. 

Now I kinda want a gnome themed kitchen. Poor Adam. I really put him through the wringer. 

Monday, April 15, 2019

The Mellow Mermaid Soap Co.

These products were sent free from The Mellow Mermaid for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.


Gayne from The Mellow Mermaid Soap Co contacted me through Instagram and asked if I would be interested in trying out some of her handmade products. Her company is based out of Florida and prides itself in being vegan friendly, cruelty free, palm free and made with organic and fair trade ingredients.


Bar soaps run about 4.5 ounces and cost $8 each. Most are made with avocado oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter and castor oil. A couple of the soaps does have shea butter in it as well. I am going to give away three of these soaps at the end of the post so I am only going to use and review Beach Hippie, the others I will only mention the scent. 

Paradise Found- A refreshing blend of citrus, floral and ozone. 
A mildly sweet clean aroma of Valencia oranges mingling with freshly laundered sheets. 

Turbulent Seas- An energizing blend of eucalyptus and spearmint. 
Evocative of a spa day with cooling gels and herbal aromatherapy massages. The spearmint isn't too chilly and the eucalyptus possesses a smoothness. This is one of my favorites in the bunch.

Beach Dream- A dreamy blend of lavender, florals and vanilla.
This one is Scarlette's favorite. It has that freshly laundered softness of dryer sheets. A clean linen scent with the vanilla softening the edges. 

Beach Hippie- An earthy blend of orange and patchouli essential oils.
What? Me try the earthy one? Who woulda guessed. Beach Hippie is a great scent for my preference profile. It actually wasn't extremely earthy or musky. It has more of a wooden lean with the patchouli and the orange aroma veers into the dry orange rinds and aged orange wood territory. It lathered up beautifully with abundant bubbles and it felt nice on the skin. The lather rinsed clean and left no residue. Overall, a nice sudsing experience.



The Mellow Mermaid also sells scoopable wax, which couple be fun.  

If you would like to have the other three soaps please be the first to leave a comment claiming the soaps and I will mail them off to you. 

Friday, April 12, 2019

Femme Fatale: Obscurus Wax Tart


Femme Fatale is an Australian based webstore that curates a collection of talented indie vendors and sells their wares. From cosmetics to bath and body to home fragrance and nail polish. Femme Fatale runs a monthly Indie Pickup page that features themed products. 


The month of May will be themed after those fun 80's scratch n' sniff stickers and today I have the home fragrance component to share with you: Obscurus' (aptly named) Scratch 'n Sniff!


Scratch 'n Sniff- Notes: A juicy delight of boysenberry, pink berries, pineapple, sea salt, mandarin, mango, citrus and melon.

A sweet melange of bright, tart and vivid fruits swirl about like a flavorful sorbet. Oranges and the peach-like nectar of mangos are lifted by an airy aquatic breeze and rounded out with honeydew and cantaloupes. This tart is a tropical fruit forward aroma that smells incredibly summer-like and fun. It gives the impression of all those fruity stickers mixing their perfume in their cellophane package just waiting to be opened.


The colors in this soy based tart match those fun stickers too. 


This tart threw in my kitchen and large living area at about a medium-strong scent level. Very nice. Uplifting and pleasant.

These tarts will be for sale May 4th 1am AEST- May 7th 1pm AEST via the Pickup site I linked above (no affiliate link). 

Are you melting any summery scents? What fruits are your favorite in wax?

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Mermaid Treasure: Laurel and Lime Earrings


The next installment in the Laurel & Lime Snail Mail Society was a sweet little note with a discount code. I browsed Katie Kelly's site and found some beautiful studs. They arrived wrapped delicately in tissue paper and tucked into this rustic pouch. 


I love it. And I love handwritten notes. I don't do enough of that. I hope to get back to that one day soon. 


The "Old Growth" studs came framed by a sleek black cardstock piece. I believe these are pyrite and silver. 


The setting detail echoes the meandering lines of woodgrain.

Katie has been forging some really lovely pieces. Her ferns and dangle earrings are artistic and stylish. 

I mentioned wanting to try and hand write more notes to people. What small something do you appreciate that you would like to do or start doing again? 

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Little Garden Pottery: Mushroom Mug




Elizabeth Erdener is the potter and artist behind Little Garden Pottery. She is a deft hand at painting botanicals and some of their happy pollinators. She does her hand-painted glazes on her hand-thrown mugs that are a loamy brown hue with a fine sand texture. I really enjoy tactile mugs like this. 


There are actually three mushroom tumblers much like this but without the handle left in her Etsy store at the time of this writing. She is an inspiring person to follow on IG as well with all her gardening and outdoor adventures and studio moments. 

What botanicals do you gravitate towards?

Monday, April 8, 2019

Bookish Jay & The Reading Mermaid: 2019 Reading Challenge Update



I hope the first quarter of your 2019 has been going well. Mine has been a touch strange but good, if frantic. I gave away the books above via Instagram and may give some more away too once I read some more. I read several books so far and wanted to post an update on the reading challenge Jay and I brewed up together. 

I use a short star system to rate the books I have read:
* = meh, save your time and skip it   ** = good, might be worth reading   *** = great, do yourself a favor and try it

1. A book set in your home state, or province for our Canadian buddies.

2. You saw the movie but didn’t read the book…. now read the book.

3. Carpe read ‘em- a title on your TBR for 1+ years.



4. Flora: flower on the cover.
The Witches of New York by Ami McKay almost fit into the 1890 category. It is a Victorian novel that tells the tale of three young ladies and how they find their strength both in themselves and as a unit of friends when an evil presence tries to eliminate them. I enjoyed the writing and setting though it was a touch shallow as far as depth of story. It was a fast and easy read. **

5. Fauna: beastly book.



6. Scandinavian setting- create your own Jolabokaflod, or Yule Book Flood.
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent is a deeply moving and beautifully written story. It is based on the true events surrounding the last woman in Iceland to be hanged as punishment for a crime. The author did justice to the young lady's tale. The pages turned and turned of their own volition. ***

7. Flavor- a book built around food.

8. Passport required… set in a country you have never been to. 
A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman is set in Sweden, a place I would love to visit one day. More than the setting itself, the man Ove is compelling, bittersweet, hilarious and heartbreaking. I cried and laughed, many times within the same chapter. It reminds me that everyone has a story and sometimes effort should be made to break down walls. ***



9. Yellow/Gold is the color of novelty, so read a yellow novel. 
The yellow novel was easy once my eyes landed on this collection of short stories at the library for sale, Vampires in the Garden by Karen Russell. I wasn't sure what to expect but these were great reads! Some were funny, morose, horrifying and others just plain weird. I liked them very much. **

10. Something witchy this way comes. Witches, man, read a witch-centered tome. 
I easily could put about a dozen books in this category but instead I read the All Souls Trilogy  by Deborah Harkness. I loved the first book, A Dicovery of Witches and reading the next two books, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life were easy to continue but perhaps not as gripping as the first. I am happy I read them. It follows an Oxford professor who tries to bury the fact that she is descended from a long line of witches in order to deny her powers and rely on reason. She encounters a magical tome one day while researching in the library and a chain of events unfolds and a vampire comes into her life. 1st book ***, 2nd and 3rd **

11. A novel that is now a Netflix series or adaptation.

12. Shallowness: pick a book based on its spine appearance alone. 
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund made for a definite change of pace. I almost put this one in the gothic tale and then in the bildungsroman prompts but I had others I wanted to place there. A young girl grows up in a commune that disbands leaving her to fumble about in life with a laissez-faire mom and a father who is uncommunicative. She ends up taking solace among a new neighbor who moved across the lake and the neighbor's younger son. Trouble ensues and the results follow the girl the rest of her life. Well written. Disturbing at times. Sometimes disjointed. **

13. Nature Lover: non-fiction about the environment.



14. How old are you now? Read a book from your birth decade. 
I kind of wanted to read a book published in 1980 on the nose as that is my birth year but I ended up reading this gem instead, The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. I have never read a fantasy piece by Stephen King but it proved to be entertaining. It is the story of a prince wronged by the king's power-hungry magician and his battle to reclaim his throne and people. It was published in 1987. Not an epic piece but still tickled it my fancy, greatly. ***

15. A book written by an author with your same initials.

16. Gothic read.

17. A retelling.

18. A guide. 



19. BINGO Free Space- pick your own.
As I previously mentioned, I am going to visit Salem and my friend Jay recommended this book for me to read to brush up on the history of the Salem witchcraft trials. This is a great non-fiction accounting of the trials in an easy to read format. In fact I finished it in about two hours. I, in turn, highly recommend it too. ***

20. A book discovered by scrolling #bookstagram.



21. Bildungsroman: a coming of age tale.
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood is powerful. I am technically currently still reading it but I only have a few pages left. This story is built around a girl growing up with her brother and parents: an unconventional mom and an entomologist dad with a brainy but unreachable brother. The girl-child, Elaine, begins to suffer issues with bullying from her "best" friends that goes on to affect her relationships with others in her life. The play between growing into a woman in mid-century Canada into the late century and maintaining male and female relationships is painted in brilliant colors and vivid words. Atwood is a master story teller. ***

22. Turn and face the strange- an out of your comfort zone read.

23. A last book written by your favorite author. 

24. Hygge: a book for comfort.

25. A happy little accident… or a book that has a title Bob Ross would appreciate.

26. A numeric title.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was the perfect book for this one. I have been wanting to read this book for ages and what better prompt for it? I loved it. I will be reading this again one day. Not going to describe it since I am pretty sure I am one of the few people remaining who have not read this book yet. Bradbury is incredible. If you are one of the last others, please read it. ***

27. Crossover- a book written by a beloved artist, musician or figure.

28. A tale where the main character loves to read. 

29. 1890’s- a great Victorian vintage.

30. Celestial object on the cover or in the title. 

I have packed all but five of my books. I am hoping they will tide me over until the move. But, you know, in case I read them all and have not moved yet I will just have to visit the library or used bookstore and grab some more. It will be a hardship to shop for more books but I will have to push through the pain. 

Have you read any books from the challenge yet? Which ones? Do you recommend any? I am having a hard time with the cross-over prompt or a "JJ" author. 

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Arcana Wildcraft: Quick Bright Things & The Huntress


Arcana Wildcraft Quick Bright Things- Notes: Sweet lavender absolute, French vanilla, wild orange, ruby grapefruit, sandalwood, amber resin, a dash of cognac and a hint of green violet leaf absolute. 
In the bottle lies a dreamy mixture perfect for summertime: melting vanilla and orange Dreamcicles and sugared lavender buds. Hyppo gourmet ice pops should make this a flavor- lavender and blood orange sorbet swirled with vanilla bean custard. Oh my. Dabbed onto the wrists the same scent lifts up then the lavender truly spouts into a field of purple spikes that sway under the beat of tiny fairy wings. Julia crafts magic with her lavender notes, this one is earthen, piney and a smidge smoky. The citrus glints in the aroma like sunset hued fireflies sparking above the lavender fields. A grounding of smooth woods and resins enrich the perfume and lend the Quick Bright Things that flutter within the scent a stillness and a quiet place to land. This is a beautiful perfume that wears easily in spring and summer time. I will be keeping this one out so I can wear it often these next few weeks.


Arcana Wildcraft The Huntress- Notes: Sweet clove, black pepper, aromatic mint, blood orange and a whiff of her sacred oak groves. *All natural*
My sweet friend Jean talked to me about this particular scent. I love all natural perfumes and Julia has quite a few in her repertoire. This one and Herne are currently available and for some reason I always think of these two as a pair. I recently picked up Herne but today is all about The Huntress. Diana, to me. Based on her notes alone I was a touch leery to try her but since my friend Jean has great taste and Julia is a master perfumer I figured I had better get over my apprehension of mints and fruits being combined. I am so happy I did. The Huntress is superb. She opens with a wild and feral sighting of succulent sweet oranges chased by clove that zings with licorice and cooling spearmint. For being as raucous as it is, The Huntress remains surprisingly grounded. The base of oak leaves hints at a crisp dry wooden foundation where discarded bows and half fletched arrow shafts pile like small pyres and altars in the grove. A soft spore of smoke leads like a trail of will-o-wisps into the dark gathering of trees under a peppered moon. The Huntress is invigorating and wanton, she makes me want to be buffeted by spring breezes or walk barefoot through piles of brackish leaves. She is a true siren and a natural beauty.

The Huntress is for sale right now at Arcana Wildcraft. Julia has also released new classics and a couple new layering notes. I did pick up some goodies myself. I keep waffling about Ganesh. Should I get it?


Hey! Check out my pink poppy! This was the first one to bloom from this specific poppy plant but since this photo three more have bloomed and about four more are getting ready to. I have been taking more solace in my garden and buying more seeds here and there online. So far I have picked seeds up from: Botanical Interests, BBB Seeds, Sustainable Seed Co., Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and Renee's Garden. Do you have a favorite place to buy rare or heirloom seeds or just seeds in general? I do have a ton from the Dollar Tree that I love too.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Melting Basket 139


Wax from the last basket I liked enough to want more of: Bohemienne Life Folktale, Rosegirls Winter Mermaid, Super Tarts Hades, Beezy Apple Clove Butter. I was kinda bummed my VCS Edelweiss was a touch on the too light side. Maybe I just like it blended better. 

Bohemienne Life Raven's Myst
Dessa's Smoky Mountain Berries
CFTKR- Creamy Peppermint Serendipity
CFTKR- Woodland Festival
CFTKR- Celtic Moonspice (why do I always forget how much I adore this?!)
CFTKR- Mulled Wine
CFTKR- Boogeyman
CFTKR- Pink Sugared Watermelon
CFTKR- Witch's Brew and Pumpkin Stew

Can you tell I am all over the place? Spicy holiday scents, summery fruits and a dash of woods. These last few cool fronts have been messing with me. 


As we wind down here in our home I go from thinking about the girls when they were babies (gazing at the height markings in the door frames) to watching them grow into their own selves.


Soaking in the quiet moments when we can. I think even Toddles knows that something new is about to unspool from the thread of our future. 


Habitats are about to morph.


And we might a little too. But we will still have each other.


And that is good.

I have an interview set up for next week. Feel free to wish me luck!