Friday, May 31, 2019

Ebb & Flow: May 2019

The highs and lows of the month.


Perfume:
Hermes Eau De Merveilles

Perfume Oil:
Whisper Sisters Mabon

Body Oil:
Blood Moon Botanica St. Johns Wort Oil

Soap:
Handmade in Florida Moroccan Mint Tea

Bath:
B. Perry Studios Strawberry Soak

Eye Drops:
Rohto Cooling eye drops

Bra:
Warner's without underwire... what took me so long to leave Victoria's Secret?! This is bliss.

Watching:
Black Mirror, The Society and Monty Python's Flying Circus

Reading:
Night Birds by Thomas Maltman is one I just started a couple days ago after finally finishing Deliverance Dane. I can't seem to stop reading historical fiction books. I hear this one is good and it is about an occurrence I know nothing about, the Dakota Conflict/The Great Sioux War of 1862.

Eating:
My feelings.*

Drinking:
Club soda with lime.

Awaiting:
Actually moving into our new home.

Dreading:
That the home we are trying to sell gets pushed back more... VA loans are so difficult to deal with.

Hit:
Loving the Obscurus wax tarts. They throw very well and smell fabulous.

Miss:
Bilibency shoes. I saw some cute flats on a Facebook ad and purchased them only to be left with shoes way too big for me and no way to exchange or even return them. Lesson learned. Only buy from companies I know and trust.

Low:
Home buying. Pretty much any bump in the road that could happen, has. Being told our closing on our old home is being pushed back. Then stressing that the home we want to buy is being pushed back. Will they back out? Do we have to start all over? Stress. Stress. Stress. *Just gimme the damn donut.

High:
Despite the stresses of the home buying/selling, I have remained sober (no alcohol almost 8 years come August 1st) despite sometimes thinking about numbing some of this chaos, and I even managed to have some fun with Savanna by checking off items on our "we're leaving Lakeland" bucketlist. Highs came from my students toasting me goodbye and telling me sweet things, writing me sweet things and giving me hugs and high fives. I will miss those kids so much. Highs came from Adam and I wading through some of the most difficult moments our marriage has faced, coming out on the other side with stronger ties and even some laughter. 

How has your May been? Was it crazy too? Are you ready for summer?

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Five Years of Blogging: Plus Another Giveaway!


Five years! In the grand scheme of things five years is not really that long. But for some reason in the blogging world it can feel like it. Not that this statistic is verified but after poking around the internet I found that the average blog is dead after 100 days. Which jives with other loose figures like 60-80% of blogs die almost as soon as the they are created. So I celebrating five years. <3

Some trends I noticed about my blog and blogging in general: if I don't post every day my views and readership decline, which goes hand-in-hand with the fact that I had the most views at around year three since I was blogging pretty steady and had gained traction. I think it is pretty obvious, but for those who might not realize... I don't get any actual cash from blogging. I don't run adds or use affiliate links where I actually earn a cash flow. Other than building relationships (which is my favorite thing about blogging) the material perks have been free product and discounts and sometimes trying things before they are released to the general public. Another benefit to blogging has been some freelance writing gigs and some paid photography opportunities from companies. Honestly, the biggest benefit is the creative outlet blogging gives me. 


Some stats:
- All time views 702,578
- Most viewed post: Tutorial on Paper Piecing with over 7,000 views
- Most viewed month: May 2017 with 24,608 views
- Most viewed country: US with 409,418 views
- Browser: 36% of viewers use Chrome, followed by Safari at 21%
- Most frequent point of entry is Google and the term "redolent mermaid"

Some feelings:
- I have enjoyed most the comments that allow for a conversation to form and where I get to know someone better.
- My favorite posts are bucket lists, reading challenges and summer plans.
- I hate proof-reading and editing and sadly, it shows. 
- The perfume reviews take me the longest to write, at about 5-6 hours for one post and end up making me feel like they have the most heart and passion in them.
- Perfume reviews are the most challenging. 
- I hate including prices on jewelry and pottery posts because I feel like they are little works of art and hearing someone potentially bitch about the cost would set me on edge. So I don't list prices on those.
- I love seeing how my girls have grown and how my tastes have changed over the years.

I do have some things I would like to carry on documenting and writing about as the blog goes on. Some future ideas:
- Perfume collection
- Wax collection update
- Home decor as it evolves in the new place
- Gardening

Even though I plan on picking up the pace this summer a little as far as posting, it will go back down once school starts. Adjusting to a new school is challenging enough but I will also be adding my own schooling back into the equation. I will be starting my Montessori certification courses in September. 

Thank you for reading and commenting and being a huge part of this blog. I want to host one more giveaway. There will be two winners: one will be a perfume of your choice from Julia at Arcana Wildcraft and the second will be a soap and scrub of your choice from Brooke at B. Perry Studios. To enter please comment below with either your choice of Aracana Wildcraft or B. Perry Studios along with how you found my blog. Winners will be randomly drawn in about a week.

Thank you!

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Lori Phillips Ceramics: Mushroom Coffee Mug


Ladies and gentlemen... I present to you.... the mushroom mug of my dreams. Yes. I dream about mushroom mugs.

Lori Phillips is the potter and artist and fungi aficionado behind Lori Phillips Ceramics out of Arizona. She specializes in mugs, incense dishes, incense burners, plates and pipes stylized after some of her mushroom muses. 


She does sell out pretty quickly so this is definitely a scenario where you follow her IG updates for restock times and set your alarm. After getting my mug I feel like it is utterly worth it. This multi-layered piece is a cornucopia of textures and colors. The purple bark-like top and bottom possess a satiny sheen with almost duo-chrome qualities, shifting from maroon to silvery lavender. The buttery yellow center is glassy and shiny, yet pitted with depth. The green mossy lichen feels like the raspy bones of coral. The mushroom fans and dotties are my favorite details.


The inside has this stunning aqua glaze. The handle is a one finger handle. I will say that the dimensions of the mug were hard for me to gauge online and for some reason I thought these were bigger and bulkier than they really are, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise to discover otherwise! It has a nice thin wall and light but sturdy feel.


The bottom is fluted but stands flat and echos the gills of a mushroom. The maker's stamp is in the center button.


I did pick up an incense plate holder too that I will share after we move since I packed all my incense and most of my non-necessities. My eyes are on an incense burner. Those things look epic, like wild blooming fungi in some fantastic primitive forest.

Doesn't this mug look like art? 

Is it weird to dream about mushroom mugs?

Monday, May 27, 2019

Indie Pickup: June Wax

This Obscurus wax was sent gratis from Femme Fatale for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.


Indie Pickup offers a monthly themed release that features many awesome hand crafted artisan bath and body products and more. June's Indie Pickup theme is Weather Phenomena and Obscurus offers the June wax scent Solarfall.


Obscurus' Solarfall- Notes Cedarwood, heather, dewy moss, apple, fir, pine, caramel and grape.

Solarfall is a beautiful atmospheric aroma that whispers of a forested fantasy realm. Woods bracket moors that bristle with wildflowers and burbling streams while ice coated mountain peaks reign in the distance, studded with castles  and colorful banners. The evergreens and cedars lay a foundation for the aquatic apples and moss. The subtle breath of grapes pushes this scent out of the strictly "fresh" category, giving it something extra, something magical. The sweetness is a nice buffer to the greenery. This is a lovely scent that makes for an inviting home. 


Obscurus' soy wax is pretty awesome. The throw is great, the scent blends are unique and the styling is cool. Two cubes threw very strong in my bedroom and strong in the larger living areas. It lasted a few days, being melted about 8 hours each day. I was impressed.


This wax and many other artisan goodies will be available at Indie Pickup from June 8th 1am AEST- June 11th 1pm AEST. 

What notes are you enjoying melting in the house right now?

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Whisper Sisters Perfume: Semi-Retired Release


I placed another order at Whisper Sisters when Daral mentioned that she was bringing some of the semi-retired scents back for purchase. Darla charges $10 per bottle for her perfumes. She wraps them beautifully in dictionary paper and seals it with decorative washi. The perfumes are then placed in a decorative organza drawstring bag and accented with a charm. A free sample is normally included.


I picked up two favorites that I have drained rather quickly... Brigid and Frankincense Dark Cedar. You can read about them here. I got these a little while back for only $5 or $6 during a sale. I am leaving them wrapped since I have a few drops left in the original bottles. 


Banchouli- Notes: Red licorice, patchouli, sugar and a hint of smoke.

Banchouli is incredible. The pairing of sticky black patchouli with the dark wooden and ominous tones of licorice is intoxicating. The light smokiness only adds to the gothic atmosphere that they create. The sweetness adds a nice touch and makes it incredibly wearable for me. Repurchase for sure.

Cloven- Notes: Clove bud, clove leaf, vanilla musk, vanilla bean and black vanilla. 

If you have been searching for a clove scent this is your ticket. Clove to the 100th power. The vanillas only serve to deepen the clove aspect. Spiced, warm and sweet. This oil does make my skin tingle a touch but nothing that bothers me (I am actually one of those who enjoys the tingle of minty and spicy scents on my skin). My husband hates clove so this will get worn sparingly, but will get worn nonetheless.


Mabon- Notes: Patchouli, cedar, dragon's blood, cinnamon and elemi resin. 

Mabon is one of my favorites. It is a deeply dark dragon's blood and patchouli with spices and sweetness. Sugared cloves and cinnamon back up against the inky patchouli and thick dragon's blood to create a witchy delight. The classic Yankee dupe, Witches' Brew, comes to mind but this one is definitely more wearable as a person scent. I love it.

Bastet- Notes: Marshmallow, musk, cotton candy, sugar, Egyptian musk, patchouli, vanilla bean and a touch of cinnamon.

Bastet is a sweet and fun marshmallow perfume! The chewy vanilla sugar goodness of the marshmallow and cotton candy are joined withe a touch of spiced patchouli to twist the candied vibes towards a slight darkness. The patch and spice are very low key and only serve to ground the sweetness just a tad. I have already drained half the bottle since this is such an easy flirty pick-me-up.


A free sample in Violet Ginger Ale was generously included. I love the delicate purple hue of this scent. It is quite vibrant and tangy. The ginger ale is citrus laden and lemony bright. The violets add a slight powdery softness but only hover around the edges of the ginger ale. 

Darla actually has these perfumes and more wonderful semi-retired scents on pre-order right now! Her semi-retired scents will be open to buy until May 31st. I highly recommend the Frankincense Dark Cedar if you like woods and incense without the sweetness and Brigid if you like sweet spiced patchouli. Any of these that I picked up are good choices but I especially love Banchouli. Darla's prices are excellent!

Do you have a favorite Whisper Sisters perfume?

Friday, May 24, 2019

Nocturne Alchemy Giveaway!


Good Morning!

Today I would like to giveaway a 5 ml Nocturne Alchemy perfume of your choice from their website to two readers. In celebration of my blog turning five years old, I knew I wanted to include Nocturne Alchemy. They create some really stunning scents that personally work on my skin really well. 

To enter, please comment below with the scent you would choose if you won and what you recommend watching on Netflix or Amazon Prime. I just finished Black Mirror and am halfway through The Society. 

Two winners will be randomly drawn on May 31st. More giveaways to come from some of my other favorite brands.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Wylde Ivy: Boho Garden Part Two and Giveaway!

These perfumes were sent gratis from Wylde Ivy. All opinions are my own.



Running with Butterflies- Notes: Crushed nectarines, wild blackberries, sugared violets, star jasmine and lemon sugar. $25

Running with Butterflies is a beautiful fruity-floral that opens with candied lemon peels then falls deliciously down into juicy nectarines. Their peachy sweet aroma is made three dimensional with the addition of the tart lemons that temper the sugariness. The blackberries float lightly in the background lending a perfume of their own. These aren't dark sticky blackberries, they are diluted with the haze of plumeria and sweet pea and peony. The heart has a hint of citronella perhaps from the lemon and jasmine, and it brings some sunshine into the scent. As it dries down the blackberries become more tart with a citron hued musk. A vibrant and sunny scent that recalls butterfly nets in childhood with rays of sunshine touching cheeks, grass stains coloring knees, daisy chains as crowns and summer fruits flavoring lips.



Like Sugar and Flowers- Notes: Red raspberry, crushed strawberries, wild honeysuckle, raw sugar, pink musk and bergamot spiked white sandalwood. $25

Sparkling bergamot shines off of tiny red berries buried inside a pink sugared musk. The opening is reminiscent of Pink Sugar lightened with citrus and aldehydes. Love those top notes. The glinting effervescence fades away to sweet musky strawberries and apricot laced honeysuckle. The heart softens as it moves into a base of arid sandalwood adorned with drying oakmoss. Like Sugar and Flowers tells the story of innocence maturing into strength, youth giving way to seasons of experience and tempering. It is a beautiful scent. Sweet fruits and sugary musks falling into honeyed florals then blonde woods.


Midnight Bella- Notes: Over ripe strawberries, vanilla orchid, moonlit heliotrope, sugared violets, white amber and sugar musk. $25

Midnight Bella is a creamy orchid suspended over a sugared amber base. Crystalline berries fly from the atomizer and dance on the skin in a jubilant romp. They quickly land on creamy white and purple orchid leaves that are thick and pliant with perfume. There is a putty texture to the scent, like pollen filled custard. Murky musk and sweet amber cast a veil over the exotic flowers and wild strawberries, creating a smudged and darkened sense to the fragrance. It is a lovely scent.



My blog is turning FIVE at the end of May and to begin the celebrations I have four gifts for you today! The first is 15% off anything at Wylde Ivy with the code: MERMAID15 that is valid through May31st. The second is a Boho Garden perfume sampler that I will purchase for one reader. The third and fourth are a giveaway of two full sized perfumes: Barefoot in the Garden and Running with Butterflies. There will be three winners randomly drawn. To enter please tell me which you would rather win (the sampler, Barefoot in the Garden, or Running with Butterflies) along with your favorite summer activity or summer childhood memory.

Three random winners will be drawn on May 28th.

Monday, May 20, 2019

CBe Ceramics: Totoro Mug


My dear friends. I cannot begin to tell you how freakin' excited I am about this mug. Cate at CBe Ceramics created her two sided Totoro mugs ages ago and I have been stalking her ever since I discovered them on her IG page. She mentioned bringing them back for a pre-order and I stalked twice as hard. Alarms were set, nervous jitters ensued and I even drug a friend into the melee. Once these handsome chunky fellas hit the Etsy shelves we both managed to snag one.

Totoro is a magical Miyzaki film that features a creature of the same name. No one is quite sure what type of entity Totoro is exactly but I like to believe him a guardian forest creature. He is lovingly illustrated on this mug both in the nighttime on his favorite tree perch and during the day up to his frolicsome shenanigans.  


I have had the joy of watching Cate hand carve her art painstakingly on the mugs she throws via her IG stories in the past. Even just the lined border takes her considerable time and meticulous attention.


The inside of the mug is a desert sky blue. And the tiny tree rings in that handle tuck a tiny sliver of happiness in my heart. 


Cate finesses details in a way that takes my breath away. Little spots of art like this handle turned twig, add so much to the overall piece.


The glazing merges sea foam blue with rocky tones of slate and speckled granite that fade upward into the umber then ocre hues of golden hour. The sides, handle and Totoro are sleek and shiny while the borders and night sky are sandy textured.


This mug is the bee's knees. I will cherish it for a long time to come. Thankfully my girls love Totoro too and will be happy to share it with me.

This pre-order ran along her previous turn around times at about 6-8 weeks. I love that Cate offers pre-orders and custom pieces.

If you were to get a custom mug or planter from Cate, what would you want her to make you?

Sunday, May 19, 2019

The Long Exhale


Thank you for being present for me while I navigated one of the more challenging transitions I have had since blogging. Thank you for the words of encouragement and the well wishes. They have been a balm to my frazzled mind and worry burdened heart. Guys. I think we are almost to the other side. 


Our move to Orlando is happening in a mere fortnight. The girls are registered at their new school. I am officially fingerprinted and hired at my new school, which happens to be the same school! We will all be together at the local public Montessori school and I will be teaching a 9-12 year old class. 

Obtaining our next home had Adam and I at our wits end and ready to pull the plug. Our first home we built through a community builder so the typical home buying process was foreign to us. Buying a home in a hot market is stressful. Three-way bidding wars, realtors who enjoy radio silence and appraisals that fall about $17,000 below the offer price. We think we finally muddled through it though, after a few amendments to the contracts, and hoping to move in on June 3rd.


So here I sit, typing with light hands, a clear head and a quiet soul. Thankful.

I am softly allowing myself to daydream once again. I am plotting vegetable gardens, native plant lawns, hammocks between oaks, rockery gardens, kindling my first ever fire in a fireplace, painting rooms and decorating our new space.

I am also looking forward to blogging this summer and showing you guys my new digs. 

Thank you, again. 

You guys are the best.

Friday, May 17, 2019

Sihaya & Company: "In the Forest of Wonder" Spring Box

This box was sent free from Sihaya & Co. for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.


Christina at Sihaya & Company is back from her maternity leave and her shop is open for business. She kicked off her restart with a beautiful spring box themed "In the Forest of Wonder" that held seven full sized artisan made products for $60. 

First up is a body scrub from Indie Beautique in the scent Vio'nilla which marries delicate violets with sweet, creamy vanilla. This full 4 ounce whipped soap scrub runs $7 on the Indie Beautique website. This was the only product in the box that wasn't a good fit for me. I have had wonderful experiences with the bath salts at Indie Beautique but the sugar scrub was off for me. The ingredients left my skin sticky and coated and the scent did not jive with me. It had a strange hint of moldy cardboard. The sugar crystals were sparse and not really effective. Only one dud in a slew of seasonal boxes is not a deal breaker for me. I highly recommend Indie Beautique for their bath salts and other goodies.


Parchment Nail Polish is a brand created by Latherati. These polishes are 10-free, hand blended and made in small batches. They run $8 each. The color Charmed came in the box. It is a blushing pink beauty that is highly pigmented. The pink is a medium tone and slightly dusky. Two coats level perfectly to make a beautiful manicure.

Sihaya & Co candle in Le Papillon features notes of orange blossoms, jasmine and two soft, golden ambers. Sihaya & Company candles cost $12 each. I am saving this candle for burning in our new home so no warmed reviews but I do have good luck burning my Sihaya & Co. candles. This scent is beautiful. It is an airy sweet neroli and white flower bouquet with glints of citrus and a base of gilded amber. It will make an enchanting bedroom scent for this spring and summer. Looking forward to burning it. <3


Luvmilk Bath and Body is a brand I have wanted to try for a good long while now. This box came with a 4 ounce shampoo in the scent Tremble Dance with notes of honeysuckle, lilac, jasmine, pear, greenery, vanilla bean and sweet honey nectar. This size normally costs $7 each on the Luvmilk website. These shampoos can be used as body wash or hand soap as well. This smells incredible. Candied honey drenched honeysuckle and watermelons. I want to eat it. Or at least have it in a lollipop flavor. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, so I can't speak much to how it performs but I can report back if you are interested, or more likely, if it knocks my socks off you will see me haul more and review at a later time.

A bar of luxury glycerin soap from Paintbox Soap Works in Elysian Woods holds the scent of cedar woods, ice cold streams and tender woodland flowers shaking off the last chill of winter, basking in the warmth of golden amber, bergamot and honeycomb. These soaps run $6 each and are quite awesome.


Elysian Woods is pretty brilliant. I cut a thick sliver off to bathe with and it lathered thickly and easily, rinsed cleanly and the fragrance lingered on my skin until I drifted off to sleep. My daughters were mesmerized by the decoration. I admit, I was too. Hayley's use of mica hypnotizes me. The scent does too. It is a lush, almost green, mildly amber scent, perhaps the ephemeral trees in the Elysian Fields themselves leaking golden sap from their lush leaves like tears for the lost. Naturally, it is my kind of fragrance.


An exclusive, beautiful perfume from Nui Cobalt Designs in Glen Echo in Spring was included.

Glen Echo in Spring- Notes: Budding dogwood, forget-me-nots, sunlight on spring water, cotton flower and smoky birch. $19

This is a beautiful scent. Forest is a talented perfumer and possess a deft hand at blending. Glen Echo in the Spring shows that. It is a cottony clean perfume with a natural musk and sweet floral bouquet that wears like gauzy white linen. In the bottle the smoky birch emerges alongside the cotton flower and it reminds me of chilly bonfires on a beach built of driftwood. On the skin the cotton flowers bloom first amid a clean musk, creating a veil of imagery where brooks burble and lace-like flowers bloom in prolific displays under a canopy of trees. This scent smells fresh and renewed, just like springtime. The drydown is a beautiful creamy woods, hinting at an airy vanilla sandalwood. From start to finish this is a scent I will wear again and again. 


Three stunning lollipops from Pamplemousse Sucre were the crowning trio of the box. Seven lollipops cost $18 in her Etsy shop.  So about $7.75 for three of them. These came in the flavors: Ginger Lime Prosecco, Peeps and Lychee, Raspberry & Rose. The Peeps was dusted in sugar crystals and tasted just like the puffy marshmallow treats. the other two I am saving for our summer vacation which calls for a lengthy 9-10 hour road trip. These will be the ideal pick-me-up while on that long ride.

The total product value is roughly $67 so a savings of $7 if purchased in this carefully curated box. I always find these seasonal boxes a joy to open. These would make awesome gifts too. 

Are you subscribing to or indulging in any one-time curated boxes? 

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

B. Perry Studios: Body Scrubs


Brooke Perry, the original founder and nose behind Villainess Soaps, has been hard at work creating beautiful smells and products to adorn the body with as of late. She opened a new shop in Etsy called B. Perry Studios. I reviewed some of her fabulous soaps that she made in collaboration with Julia of Arcana Wildcraft not too long ago. Brooke mentioned she was making a killer Abalone face oil so while I was busy pre-ordering that I also added some other goodies to my cart. I will be sharing those with you as I get to use them. The first things I could not wait to open up were the two scrubs. 

Cinnabar- Notes: Honeyed buttercream veined with streaks of cinnamon bark and nutmeg and pools of oppoponax and opium.
Cinnabar Cocoa Butter Body Scrub comes in an 8 ounce jar for $15 and is full of nourishing cocoa butter, olive oil and coconut oil. I love the texture of this scrub. It is a little loose and easy to stir with the finger but also scoop out and apply. It doesn't crumble and fall everywhere and applies like a loose cream. The sugar is fine grained but definitely has exfoliating power. The scrub takes on a milky quality when buffed into the skin, feeling like a lotion. My skin is so soft and satiny after using this. I love the aroma too. At first I thought this was going to be an homage to the classic Cinnabar perfume from Estee Lauder done back in the 90's. However, a quick look at the notes told me otherwise. You know I was sold on it once I read it was a creamy vanilla spice. The resinous base and dark sticky opium keep this from being too much of a foodie scent and more of a rustic gourmand. The vanilla and opium notes feature heavily with the cinnamon and nutmeg lending a comforting woodiness. The spice is not "hot" or fiery but simply warm and deep. I see there is only one of these left in Brooke's shop and I am thinking I might need to make it mine.


Citrine- Notes: Bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, with green notes of tomato leaf and cucumber, over earthy oud wood. $15
Don't let these notes fool you. In fact don't let the scent right out of the jar fool you.... get in a tub and lather up with this sunny beauty, let the warm water make it bloom. This scrub has the most amazing smell once the hot steam and water get a hold of it. Sophisticated and luxurious. It smells vibrant with the citrus notes but then that woody oud sends a refined musk through it that really sets it off and makes my eyes roll back into my head. This is one that has to be tried to be appreciated.


I am loving my B. Perry Studios bath and body care. I have the salt soak and some bar soap that I am going to be using and featuring next. I will definitely have some B. Perry Studios goodies to giveaway on my blogiversary here soon. Keep an eye out!

Have you tried any of Brooke's new goodies since she set out on this new venture? What item from her Etsy store would you be most excited to try?

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Wylde Ivy: Boho Garden Part One

These perfumes were sent free form Wylde Ivy. All opinions are my own.


Wylde Ivy released some stunning floral perfumes for spring. Ashlee's Boho Garden release has me spraying with abandon. Her perfumes are so beautiful and for $25 for a one ounce bottle they are easy to collect and gift. I will be giving some away, myself, here on the blog and have a coupon code to share with you too! But first, let's dive in with Green Lady. 

Green Lady- Notes: Fresh cut aloe, sweet prickly pear, cucumber tonic, wild violets, agave nectar, willow and water lotus.
I love this one. This was my first choice to wear of the five I was sent. I liberally sprayed it on for Mother's Day as we headed out the door to the flea market and fruit stands. Scarlette immediately commented on how good it smelled. I couldn't agree more. Green Lady is a lightly sweet verdant aquatic with watery melon tones that wears effortlessly. No harsh or jarring notes, no strange astringent tones at all. Just lush, dewy green goodness. The top sparkles with pulpy sweet cactus fruits and crisp cucumbers, dewy and fresh. The heart pools the watery sweet goodness into the belly of a leaf where tiny violets float on the surface. The cupped leaf has a musk of its own, akin to bamboo, I think it is the lotus. Fragrant and green. Wild and verdant. The drydown remains green but more like a sweetgrass and bamboo musk. This perfume is what I wish Cucumber Melon had smelled like as I grew older. More refined, beautifully blended and wildly green and gorgeous. I will be wearing this one heavily during spring and summer. Heck, all year in this sultry Florida weather. 


Barefoot in the Garden- Notes: Sun warmed blonde woods, lilac nectar, jasmine petals, bergamot and lily of the valley. 
I was just talking with a friend on IG about how there needs to be more lilac perfumes. This one definitely suits that desire. Barefoot in the Garden opens up with a zest of bergamot and retains some of that aged golden musk into the heart where lilacs and Confederate jasmine vines entwine. The lilacs and lily of the valley possess the heady perfume of bulb flowers, like dandelion and freesia, simply narcotic in their full papery aroma. The drydown mellows into dried lilacs and pale woods and then into a sweet woods melody. A touch of powdery amber filters into the base too. The base of this perfume is my favorite part.

This collection is amazing. If you want to sample all five scents from the Boho Garden, there is an adorable tin sampler for $21.25 for sale. To get 15% off your Wylde Ivy purchase use code: MERMAID15. 

What are some of your favorite flower notes?

Monday, May 13, 2019

Red Hot Pottery: Coffee Mug


I have been admiring Christine's pottery at Red Hot Pottery for a while now. It was her "stash" jars that initially drew me in (I am still planning on getting one of those next time she restocks) but my first purchase was this beautifully rustic coffee mug. Christine began playing more with glaze tiers and etching, stamping and embossing, creating mugs that blow me away. This particular owl and full moon with stars among the forest immediately pulled at my heart strings.


I love how the colored glazes leech and drip into each other illustrating depth and dimension. 


I love the larger handle for ease of holding.


The thinner walls are a joy to sip from and make for a lighter mug. I am coming to appreciate a thinner walled mug.


Christine signed the bottom of the mug, dated it and stamped it with her company logo. 

I have noticed that this is my third owl mug. <3 I have one more coming from Cate at CBe Ceramics as a custom. 

I do have a palo santo incense burner I picked up from Red Hot Pottery a while back but I packed it up. I will show it once we move in. Do you have any favorite potters? Please share!

Sunday, May 12, 2019

Sixteen92: Resurrection Perfumes


The Sixteen92 Resurrection comes around each new year. Claire re-releases many favorites and cult classics to be shared once again. I like to pick up a couple scents during this time. I have been meaning to add Super Cell to my collection but somehow I end up missing it. I did come away with two great scents though: Liber Officiorum Spirituum and Black Sugar.


I ran across Liber Officiorum Spirituum when I picked up the mystery samplers during Sixteen92's birthday celebration. I wore it when we vacationed in Savannah, Georgia and didn't really pay attention to it until a lady came up behind me and said how wonderful I smelled. Naturally, that made my day and I decided to buy it if it ever came to be for sale. 

Liber Officiorum Spirituum- Notes: Ancient parchment, leather bindings, smoldering resins, frankincense tears, ritual candles, black fire, soot, steel, dust and smoke. This fragrance was exclusive to the 2016 Sisterhood of the Moon box from Sihaya & Co. 
Freshly imprinted on the skin the leather presses in with with dust in the bindings and a hint of dry cocoa floating around the edges. The leather shifts from rawhide to supple suede as warm hands cradle the book and the resins and incense rise from between the pages in the heart. The leather lives for the duration of the fragrance, worn and rubbed with ashes and soot. This is a gorgeous perfume. Ideal for leather lovers, bookworms and those who enjoy an unsweet scent for a change of pace.


Black Sugar- Notes: Brown sugar, red berries, caramel, vanilla, tonka bean, dirt, cauldron smoke and cocoa absolute. 
I am so sad I waited too long to get this in the EDP. This scent is discontinued from the general catalog but when I saw it come back in the Resurrection I knew I was going to get it. Black Sugar is a darker, earthier play on Aquolina's Pink Sugar perfume. If you have read my blog for any length of time you know my deep and abiding love for Pink Sugar as a home fragrance. I never wore Pink Sugar as a personal fragrance, but add a healthy dose of dirt and cauldron smoke and I am there showering myself in it. Black Sugar opens with the dark cocoa and rich soil and quickly melts into the vibrant candied berries and cotton candy caramel scent of Pink Sugar. As it settles a little the sugar does darken into brown sugar and tonka with cauldron brume winding its smoky path into the murky edges of the scent. I love this one and have already worn half of my 5ml bottle.


What Sixteen92 scents do you look for during Resurrection? I was recently able to pick up that SuperCell that went on sale in April. I was pretty stoked about that. I will blog it once it comes. 

Whatcha wearing? What are you favorite Sixteen92 goodies?

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there: with or without children, moms to furbabies, moms to students and moms who are out there nurturing whom or whatever needs nurturing. <3 Your love is appreciated.