Ebb & Flow: July 2019

The highs and lows of the month.

Perfume:

Wylde Ivy Green Lady

Perfume Oil:

Blood Moon Botanica Summer Dreams Conceived in Winter Days

Soap:

Future Primitive The Ancients

Scrub:

B. Perry Studios Cinnabar

Skin Care:

Kore Herbals Rune exfoliation scrub

Lotion:

Trader Joe's Coconut Body Cutter

Candle:

Sihaya & Company It's Practically Magic

Wax:

The Bathing Garden Deadly Sleeping Draught

Eating:

Eggs, Rainier cherries, All-Dressed Ruffles. But not all at once.

Drinking:

Coffee, water, kombucha. Loving the GTS Mango kombucha.

Watching:

The Office, Stranger Things 3, and our wedding video.

Listening:

Old Jimmy Buffet albums and lots of rain. 

Reading:

I finally finished House of Leaves and boy howdy was it intense. I am now reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I had to go non-fiction about food in order to clear my head space a little from the House book. Yikes. Spooky.

Awaiting:

My first paychecks so I can get a nightstand and finish the flower bed by the front door.

Dreading:

Finding a primary care physician for the girls, Adam and I. 

Hit:

My new Achy Joints Creation wooden shelf in the shape of mountains. I cannot wait to blog about it!

Miss:

Home Depot's color matching paint program. Close but not close enough to paint over patches in the walls.

Low:

A little bit of nervousness for starting my new job and thinking about beginning my Montessori training on top of that. But no big lows.

High:

Getting the house in order. Planting plants. Painting rooms. Playing records. Just enjoying my new nest. 

How was your July? Was it as fast as mine? Did you get some sun?

Wick & Fable: Rowan Candle

I brought this candle with me to North Carolina and burned it in our bedroom. It was one of a few I bought from Wick & Fable a while back. I would normally link to the shop as I usually do but Wick & Fable is currently closed to revamp their offerings. I believe they decided to amp up their subscription box game and make it more of a true subscription box rather than the order one-at-a-time that they used to offer. I am guessing candles will still be on offer to purchase as that is in their name. Either way. I wanted to tell you about this particular one. 

Rowan- Notes: Frosted pine, icy snow and spearmint. 

This 8 ounce candle threw strong in the bedroom and burned perfectly. The fresh cut scent of resinous pine trees and cool sweet mint is paired in a creamy cool cabin-esque aroma. I love it. And I burned it all. When they open back up I will be adding this one to a cart quickly. 

Are you loving any candles lately? I have a ton of Sihaya & Company candles to share as I burn them too. 

Melting Basket 141: The first basket in our new home and a GIVEAWAY!

Would ya look at this?! The one hundred and forty-first basket of weekly wax I cobbled together to melt is the very first one in my new home. I only have one melter going in the kitchen right now and I may set one up in my bedroom once I get a nightstand. But I think that will do it. I tend to enjoy a candle in the living room at the moment. I am not going to talk about the wax in the last basket since that was back in April (yikes!). But here are the wax tarts in this basket:

Three Ravens Co.- Myrkwood

Handmade in Florida- Moroccan Mint Tea

Bonjour Wax Co- Cabin in the Woods <3 gift

Bohemienne Life- Wise Woman

Sniff My Tarts- Candy Cane/Marshmallow/Lord of Misrule

Pixie and Toad- unknown scent in a dragon shape <3 gift

Ten Digit Creations- Bamboo Teak/Dragon's Blood/Teakwood and Coconut

TSGS (?)- Patchouli Vanilla Teakwood Rose <3 gift

The Bathing Garden- Widow's Walk

The Bathing Garden- Rosemary Mint

The Bathing Garden- Winter Woodland

The Bathing Garden- Blackberry Balsam

CFTKR- Celtic Moonspice

CFTKR- Crafternoon

CFTKR- Garden Mint

CFTKR- Creamy Peppermint Serendipity

If you would like any of these reviewed in depth, just let me know which ones and I will make a post.

I am deriving much pleasure from nesting right now. Gathering up trinkets and putting them in their places, painting rooms, hanging pictures. Each day settles the murky waters so more sunlight can filter through and clear the vision. 

Small pleasures right now include: falling into bed with huge relief and tired aching feet, lighting a new candle, weeding the butterfly garden by the front door, driving down new roads, spending time with the girls running errands or organizing their rooms.

I have discovered I have enough wax to last a year and a half or so. I have my two three-drawer storage bins and a long shallow Rubbermaid under the bed chock full. Even though I have no business ordering wax I do have my Sniff My Tarts order here to review and I placed a small order with Handmade in Florida and Bohemienne Life. 

I do have a nice little giveaway though!

To thank you guys for sticking in here with me these past few slow months I want to share some wax fun.

I have a $25 store credit coupon code to Vintage Chic Scents to giveaway. Since she just restocked I don't want to wait too long so please comment below with what the best thing to happen to you this summer has been. One random winner will be drawn tomorrow (Friday) night before I go to bed.

Obscurus: Northern Skies Perfume Collection

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

Obscurus released their summer 2019 collection of scents called Northern Skies. Each fragrance in the collection was available in a scrub, body balm, solid perfume, wax tart, shower gel, a body whip, hair tonic and bar soap format. These can be found at Femme Fatale via the link above (click on Obscurus). I was pleasantly surprised to see these perfumes in a solid perfume medium. I enjoy a solid perfume from time to time. Each scent is built around a constellation and runs $9.35 AUS which is about $6.50 USD.

Cepheus- Notes: White peach, citrus, grape, light musk, dry ozone, blossoms, vanilla, moss and wood. 

Fuzzy peaches and cottony blooms breeze into the opening of the scent once rubbed into the skin. The cotton blossoms settle and the pale peach and oakmoss pull into the center, lightly sweetened by the grapes. Birch woods and gauzy vanilla musk lie at the base of this constellation. This is a fresh, springy scent that will wear beautifully in warmer weather without being cloying.

Ophiuchus- Notes: Dew drops, apple slices, vetiver, clove, fir needle, vanilla, musk, grape and lemon.

White grapes on a vine, plump and shimmering like ivory opals, cling to the trunks of fir trees when initially applied. Watery and dew riddled apples comprise the heart of the aroma, like taking out a ruby snack to fill the belly while sitting beside a mountain fed stream.The aquatic aspects evaporate and leave behind a drydown of pillowy vanilla with a pinch of lemon zest. 

Cygnus- Notes: Summer rain, tulips, daisies, sugar, peach blossom, green melon, pink apples and vanilla.

Bright young peaches, slightly tart and firm are plucked with glee by tiny hands splayed like starfish. Dimpled cheeks and spritely curls are haloed by a flower crown, lips shining from a sweet apple snack. A frolic in the orchard where pink and red and coral fruits extend from the finger tips of generous branches. A beautifully rendered fruity-floral that will be worn with pleasure.

Lyra- Notes: Pear, white rum, strawberry, black tea, tobacco leaf, lemon.

The pear and rum possess a crystal quartz firmness to the scent which has a pale amber quality to it. Ghostly bergamot and subtle greenery garnish the pear skin and rum infusion. Perhaps it is the tea and pale tobacco that lend the clean yet musky vibe. 

Aquila- Notes: Bay rum, cedarwood, pine, citrus, bergamot, sandalwood and green leaves.

Aquila smells like the soundtrack to watching a bald eagle soar: bracing evergreens, mountain air so pure it stings the lungs and shards of sunshine squinting in the eyes. It glides down into smooth polished sandalwood. Pure fragrant freedom.

Draco- Notes: Fresh apple, stone fruits, passionfruit, balsam, cedarwood and jasmine.

Sunny jasmine and tart fruits greet the nose. The passionfruit emits a mango meets grapefruit aroma that is vibrant and pairs wonderfully with the shimmering jasmine.

All these scents are lovely. My favorites are Aquila, Cygnus and Cepheus. 

Are you wearing any perfume in this hotter than hot summer weather?

Daydreaming

My daydreams as of late have been fueled by thoughts of gardens. Butterfly gardens, old Florida landscape beds brimming with hydrangeas, azaleas, caladiums, gingers and lilies, raised bed veggie gardens and sunny plots bursting with a motley variety of wildflowers. Everywhere I go I yard gaze. Collecting ideas and shapes, colors and patterns. I notice what people plant in their shady spots or in clusters. And as we have been on vacation it has been even more fun stare out the window as gardens spiked with day lilies and zinnias streak by and mountainsides heavy with rhododendrons hypnotize me. 

I found the cutest blog called Hoe and Shovel curated by a lady who lives in Lutz, FL which is across the state from me near Tampa Bay so we are in the same planting zone. I love reading her water and ecosystem friendly plant choices. She has been inspiring me to visit some local nurseries. Green Acres in Apopka has been my favorite. My mom and I picked up tons of beautiful plants to start my front door butterfly garden: milkweed, pentas, firebush, bulbine, white salvia, pink whirling butterfly plants and mona lavender. Now I daydream about starting in on the back garden within the next year or two... one plant at a time.

Being outdoors working in the garden has definitely helped my frame of mind and my body physically. I am more apt to drink tons of water and crave healthier things. I am excited about this new endeavor. 

What are you day dreaming about?

Sihaya & Co. Summer Box: It's Practically Magic

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

Sihaya & Company's curated summer box of indie and artisan makers was themed "It's Practically Magic" and contained some really fun and unique items.

Three postcards featuring art by the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic came tied with twine and a sprig of blue silk flowers. The cards display poetry or play scenes typed up and framed by artwork or photography. Not sure of the actual value/price but they are on thick cardstock and beautifully rendered.

A fun witchy brew of tea came in the box that has me excited to try it, Cherie Anne Designs Butterfly Pea Tea is a blend with apple, carrot and ginger pieces, bean peels, goji berries, raisins and butterfly pea blossoms. It steeps up a blue hue that turns purple when lemon is added. $6.75

A lovely lip tint from Wild Rose Herbs in Roseberry came in the box. It is an all natural, vegetarian product tinted with natural ingredients like alkanet, elderberry and rosehips. It imparts a soft rosy hue to the lips that looks natural and blushed. It has a nice slip and feels cushiony on the lips. I will happily use it all up and explore their other shades. If you sign up for their newsletter you get 10% off. $5.95

A witch bottle from Vasilion Apothecary containing lavender (for luck), salt (for cleansing), rose (for love), calendula (to attract love and success), peony (for self-love and good fortune), hibiscus (for harmony) and a small quartz was sheathed into a muslin bag. $5.99

Glamourkin is a shop on Etsy ran by Bridget Essex. She made and contributed a handmade wooden decoupaged pendant crafted with old fairy tale books. $12.00

Dreaming Tree SoapWorks is an artisan brand that I have tried and enjoyed in the past. I used this bubbling bath melt the other night int he tub and it was awesome. This bah truffle was scented in Midnight Margaritas which smelled like limewood and dark summer skies. It bubbled and frothed in high mounds of white clouds and made the water silky smooth. I used the whole bar at once but cutting it in half would have been adequate. Not sure of value since Dreaming Tree isn't currently open. 

 Sucreabeille is an indie company that has been gaining traction as of late. Much like Femme Fatale this is a webstore that features artisan and indie makers from bath and body to perfume, home fragrance and more. Sucreabeille also has creation of their own such as this perfume called Fall In Love Whenever You Can. $12

Fall In Love Whenever You Can- Notes: A rich, sultry vanilla, a perfect red rose, spicy coumarin, a touch of labdanum and a whisper of wormwood.

From the cobalt vial blooms a dark mahogany rose amid powdery green wormwood fronds. On the tender skin of the wrists the green sap of the wormwood, softly bitter and pleasantly pungent, remains tied closely to the dark silken rose. The labdanum creates the dark spaces and pockets of warmth while the vanilla gently rounds the fragrance out. It is a lovely scent.

One of my favorite parts of a Sihaya & Company box is the candle included by Sihaya. $12

It's Practically Magic- Notes: A sprinkle of rosemary, a blanket of lavender, a plume of sage smoke and a palm full of pink rose petals. 

That teal glitter. So gorgeous! I like that both the perfume in this box and the candle both nod to rose. The candle is a sweeter rose, more plummy and jammy and framed by the sweet sage and smooth lavender and rosemary, it really shines. I have not burned it yet but plan to very soon.

Another thoughtfully assembled box of treats from Sihaya & Co. I am already anticipating her fall box which will be on pre-order August 1st for about $65. 

This box reminds me that I need to read the book Practical Magic. I loved the movie but once I found out Alice Hoffman wrote the book first it threw me for a loop. Have you read it? Do you enjoy Alice Hoffman books?

Candles From The Keeping Room: Samples

These are the free samples from my huge order from the Candles From The Keeping Room I just posted the day before. Carol has some of the cutest molds out there and she packed up some of her new succulent shapes as free samples for the folks who ordered recently. I love them! They are so cute. I am going to just give brief impressions of the scents in case you are curious about trying any of them in future openings.

This variegated succulent is my favorite of the succulent tarts as far as color and shape. It is gorgeous. 

Garden Mint is pretty much a true and realistic fresh green living mint plant. There are subtle basil and watery dill tones but the garden mint is so strong and real I want to crush it up and drop it in a summery green tea lemonade.

Fresh Strawberry Cut Grass blends up fresh picked strawberry and green dew drop riddled blades of grass. An excellent summer scent.

Cucumber Mint is a nicely done garden mint and watery cucumber blend that is soothing and fresh without having harsh detergent tones. 

Cucumber and Oakmoss are the tarts on the right. I love those minty colors and cute little hen and chicks plant shape. This is another pleasing aroma of cucumbers but this time with masculine oakmoss in the mix. I love oakmoss.

Green Goddess is a charged scent that has some movement to it. Turgid greenery, popping jasmine, peppery bergamot and soapy coriander all make for an energizing scent.

Jolly Rancher Pineapple Type is just that. A sour and tangy pineapple flavored Jolly Rancher.

Raspberry Lemonade is a twangy powdery lemon drink with sour raspberry flavoring.

Strawberry Fig is beautiful. A juicy sweet strawberry with a green fig leaf to set it off.

Market Front is a chocolate I can melt without reservation. It is a trip to a local coffee house to get a mocha latte and chocolate croissant while wearing your favorite vanilla sandalwood perfume. A day I think I would like to have soon.

Morning Beignet smells like a box of all your favorite assorted donuts: lemon curd filled, cinnamon sugar dusted, powdered donuts and cake donuts. Mmmm... yesssss.

Lavender Latte reminds me of the trip I took to Savannah, Georgia last summer and ordered a lavender mocha latte and it was the best thing I have sipped at brunch for a long time. There are soft cocoa tones with this creamy coffee and soft lavender scent. I cannot wait to melt this one.

Powdered Donuts is pretty much perfect. Gently spiced vanilla bean donuts. Delish.

Warm and Toasty is an exotic take on a fireside scent. This is more like the scent of the warm embers rather than smoky clouds of burning. Not sweet. Very well blended.

Whiskey Go Go Pops is probably the coolest whiskey tart blend I have sniffed. It smells like a date night line dancing: bourbon, a single rose and her perfume and his cologne mingling nicely.

Exhale brings sea salt crusted shells, clean beach towels and cedar trees by the shore all together for a fresh air ocean experience. Lovely.

Southern Plantation is one that my mom loved. It smells like peach tea turned Long Island Iced Tea. 

Pink Fresh and Clean Type is lovely. It is a soft citrus scent with light florals and a subtle pink sweetness.

Lake Adventure features ozonic musky florals and mellow aquatic fruits to mimic a relaxing lake home.

Moringa made me super curious to sniff. Adam and the girls bought me a moringa tree for Mother's Day this year and I planted it in our new yard. It seems to be doing well. Moringa trees are pretty cool. You can eat/use just about any part of it. This is a sharp green scent of green peppers, tomato vine and peppery geranium. This one will clear the sinuses. 

Lucuma is a lovely creamy tropical aroma. Coconut milk and pineapples with plumeria blooms and green musk. 

This group of samples contains really incredible blends! I love all these and would buy each in a full bag any day.

Barley Grass is complex and beautiful. Lavender, meadow flowers, herbs, amber and airy musk make this one to have any time for a sophisticated home atmosphere.

By The Campfire definitely smells special. The mirage of a sparkling summer night in the Appalachian mountains with wine and friends and happy chatter lifts up with notes of blackberries, tobacco, sandalwood and amber. This is not a smoky campfire scent but a cheerful summer evening.

Mamey Sapote came in the cute Jack O' Lantern shape and is packed with creamy pumpkin and cardamom. I do get some pie crust in this one too. 

Crafternoon has a name I love and happily it smells fabulous too. It is a soft herbal scent of dried apples, greenery, roses and rosemary. 

Silver Birch and Vetiver features bountiful woods and fresh breezes. Executed beautifully.

Hippy Cakes blends up buttercream, bakery, chocolate and frankincense. The gourmand parts are strongest but have a perfumed undertone. It is a complex and interesting scent that I need to melt to see how it plays out. 

Day Tripper is one I love. To my nose it smells like jasmine and white florals paired with juicy berries and smooth musk. 

Tequila Mockingbird  definitely emits that boozy tang of hard liquor along with a splash of unsweet black tea and green herbs. 

Tiffany's Mango Cupcakes has a vibrant juicy mango that I love. The Tiffany's Cupcakes is about half of the blend so I will be passing it on but if you are a Tiffany's fan this is a nice one.

Coconut Milk Sorbet is a crisp and clear coconut shaved ice treat. Delicious.

Mezcals On The Pier is flipping incredible. Fuzzy peaches, breezy freesia, salted amber and wood all make for a divine scent that will warm any home. I will be picking more of this one up.

Weren't those some amazing samples?! I am very much looking forward to seeing these added to the store. The ones I want to add to my list to buy are: Mezcals On The Pier, Barley Grass, Mamey Sapote, By The Campfire, Crafternoon, Silver Birch and Vetiver, Warm and Toasty, Market Front, Powdered Donuts and Morning Beignets. 

What samples did you enjoy most from your order? How do you like the succulent shapes?

Candles From The Keeping Room: June 2019 Order

Carol opened up this past June after getting back from her yearly vacation to visit family. Carol desires to keep Candles From The Keeping Room open on a more consistent basis rather than her past open/close restocks of the past. She is trying to avoid the crush of orders that rush in and allow more of a steady stream to take place. I am excited for her and hope this will work out for her and her customers. Carol is a little hindered by a hurt arm but she does have her helpers in the wings until she heals.

I placed a huge order. This first part will be the actual order an the second part will be all the yummy samples. Each bag of tarts contains at least 6 ounces of paraffin wax shapes and costs $6.25 for most shapes except the pumpkins and strawberries which are a little more at $6.50 per bag.

Fresh Picked Strawberry comes home with me every time I can grab a bag. I love to share this wax scent with friends and family. In fact, I just melted this scent a few days ago at home. It throws strong and fills the house with the juicy and joy filled scent of robust strawberries. Sweet and true. 

Jill's Strawberry  Cream Filled Jelly Roll is insanely delicious. It has been way too long since I have had this one on hand to enjoy. This blend of jelly filled donuts, fresh picked strawberries and whipped cream is sweet and fruity and intense. The soft vanilla and bakery aspects really make it a special scent. It is more strawberry jelly than donut.

Strawberry Cream Soda is one I have been wanting to try for a while now. Carol has a fizzy and yummy cream soda so I knew it would be even better with the addition of strawberry and it is. Like an old fashioned flavored soda from the fountain.  Very happy with this one.

Carol poured some jumbo tarts this time around and I don't recall ever picking these up before so I had them in mind to try. I grabbed two in Celtic Moonspice which is a comforting sugar and spice aroma that throws strong. These were $2.50 each I believe and can be cut to make a few melts. 

Celtic Moonspice also came home in a bag. I recently ran completely out and I lurve my Celtic Moonspice.

Cinna Bits is one I have not bought until now. I noticed Carol restocked a ton of cinnamon centered wax tarts and so many were ones I had not tried yet. So I tucked this one and the next one into my order. Cinna Bits melds cinnamon sugar with coconut and buttercream to give it a chewy caramel tone that really makes it gooey and rich.

Cinnamon Fire meshes cinnamon sugar with the cinnamon broom and a touch of musk. The bark and musk are also accompanied by a slight bergamot brightness. If Amish Quilt and Celtic Moonspice are grandma's kitchen cupboard of coziness then Cinnamon Fire is grandpa's woodshed with a cinnamon broom hanging in it.

Lavender Mint was a long time coming. Not sure why I have not brought this home yet but here she is. The lavender is airy and earthy with an herbal lean and is joined by soft mint and spearmint. This is not a candied sweet scent but more velvety and spa like. It's a beauty.

Raw Sugar and Mint was one I fell for as a sample a while back. The mint in this one is strong and slightly perfumed with a touch of sweetness. Candy canes and white musk. I find it to be beautiful and relaxing.

Grapefruit and Mint is another one I discovered through Carol's free samples. I would not have picked this based on the notes but this goes to show me that going out of my comfort zone is worth it. This is a truly refreshing and lighthearted scent. The grapefruit zest is electric while the mint is bracing but a gauzy sheerness washes over the whole to make them pair effortlessly.

Lime Leaf and Lily was one that Lauren from LoloLovesScents recommended on her blog many moons ago. It is a lovely rendition of a fresh green scent with dried lime peels and musky bamboo and florals. 

Cedar Leaf and Lavender is a hazy masculine fresh scent where the cedar and lavender have a cleanliness to them. It throws strong and makes my home smell amazingly clean but not harsh. This is one I repurchase frequently.

Tuscan Lace is a new scent from Carol that I was excited to sniff. It is an amber and earth toned scent that ends up reminding a little of Moonlight Path from Bath & Body Works. I do like it very much and will happily melt this whole bag. 

Cedar and Spice is new to me. But spiced woods are definitely my cuppa and this is just that. Cedar plank hope chests and dried spices with nary a scoop of sugar to be seen. A rugged spiced cedar. Excellent.

Cashmere Cedar smells like sex on a stick. Smooth silky blonde woods and amber with vanilla sugar highlights. I need lotions that smell like this. Perfume. Body wash. And more. I wouldn't call this a cedar scent unless it is candied cedar dipped in vanilla beans. So. Good.

Cashmere Cream is less candied and more musky than Cashmere Cedar but they have a similar plush woods underlying both. Both feel very boudoir. I will absolutely be picking both up again in the future.

Winter Flannel was a fast fave. I love this smoky woods and spiced marshmallow scent. Its like Marshmallow Fireside's smokier and more rugged older brother who is also Grizzly Adams. 

Cozy Cabin rings my chimes too and is yet another sample that Carol gave out in the not too distant past. This is a cedar and soft spice scent. Mostly cedar. Not sweet. Realistic, primitive and charming. This is what Bob Ross would smell like.

Lumberjack, however, is not the masculine scent it sounds like. This was also a love at first sample. Sweet juicy apples and a hint of tobacco (although none is in the notes, it is what it reminds me of). A beautiful fall scent along the lines of Rustic Lodge, fall without the spice. Apple goodness without being artificial. Pretty much perfection. Try it!!!!

Mulled Wine is an old favorite. Richly spiced mulled cider wine. I love this for fall and winter comfort.

Amish Quilt is along the same vein as Celtic Moonspice. Sugar and cinnamon. I like to pick up Amish Quilt too since it throws so nicely and is good for me to have on hand when I run out of Celtic. Either one scratches that spice itch I tend to have all year long. To me, sweet cinnamon is very much a "home" scent.

Down Home Country, speaking of home. :-) This is a woods and eucalyptus scent that is quietly camphorous and cedar-like. No sweetness, all woods and nature and breath-of-fresh-air.

Cardamom and Star Anise is one I have not sniffed before. It was a total blind buy. It is also just like opening up a box of Mike and Ike's. A true to life black licorice, chewy sticky sweet with a touch of citrusy zing. Very cool.

Farmhouse Kitchen is also one I haven't tried. It is a fiery spicy aroma with a backbone of bakery goodness rather than sugar. Reminds me of coffee cakes and snickerdoodles. Very yummy.

Pumpkin Patchouli is a repurchase because I love it. Dark and earthy patchouli freshly ground in a witch's mortar and pestle sitting next to fat jolly gourds. Similar to Witches Brew and Pumpkin Stew but darker and earthier, more rich.

Frosted Sugar Cookie is a classic. A very strong throwing, dense, flavorful sugar cookie. Doesn't get much better than this. I always make sure I have a bag of this one on hand.

Tiffany's Apple Fritter Cupcakes is the only one out of my order that I am not sure about. I want to love Tiffany's Cupcakes. And then I think I do, but then I melt these blends and I just don't really enjoy it. And it isn't Carol. I have tried Tiffany's from a few different places but it just isn't my thing. I was hoping the apple fritter would spice it up some but the chocolate note in Tiffany's is pulling ahead of the rest. I will melt it soon and see how I like it. If I don't I will happily pass it on to a new home. Are you a Tiffany's fan or not? Why does everyone love this and I don't?

Blue Spruce is amazing. A chilly and menthol hued evergreen scent that is strong and festive. Cannot wait to melt it this winter.

Roasted Pine Cones kinda made me laugh. I have tried SO MANY of Carol's amazing scents that I sometimes forget ones I meant to buy in a big bag once I liked them in sample form. I literally went back through my whole blog reading my CFTKR posts and saw how much I liked this one and made sure to add it to my order. It is a creamy vanilla woods with some warm toasty tones. It reminds me a little of the White Cedar Woods I love so much. Definitely a win. Plus I love Carol's cute evergreen shapes.

Did you order from Carol? She still has a few of these scents in particular available right now on her website. I believe Carol just restocked too. Are you thinking of fall scents??? No? Just me?

Sixteen92: Summer 1989- Live Shows- Collection

Sixteen92's summer collection arrived a while back from The Circle subscription I purchased but I had not really been in the frame of mind to devote time to experiencing multiple perfumes until recently. This turned out to be a totally rad variety of scents that ranged from darkly intense and atmospheric to sweet, young and innocent. All are built around various songs from the summer of 1989. This sample set can be purchased for $24.

Cruel Summer- Notes: Beach rock, hot sand, palm fronds, sunblock, salt and rum.

From the vial a sweet mixture of coconut nectar and creamy banana florals washes over the senses. I dig it already. Creamy coconut gardenias open up the scent once applied to warm skin. Then rum, sweet and tropical, streams into the heart. Cruel Summer dries into a sandy amber and golden driftwood with a whiff of soft leathery ambergris. This one is a stand out for me and probably my favorite of the bunch. It is a beachy tropical scent that is complex but also distills a Florida beach summer down into a heady concoction that can be enjoyed easily.

Pour Some Sugar On Me- Notes: White peach, raspberry syrup, citrus flower, sweet mango, cotton candy and pink lipstick.

Oranges, lemons, peaches and berries- a tangy sweet ode to a candied Carmen Miranda. Bits of Skittles, Starbust and Now and Laters tucked tightly between molars and tie-dying the tongue. On the skin the fruits dance taking raspberry's lead. They kick up a fluffy nimbus of strawberry hued candy floss that swirls and floats in the heart, highlighted by a halo of subtle musk. Powdery pink orris licks at the edges of plump mango as the scent shifts. The drydown still carries some of that violet flowered orris and tucks it into a banana vanilla custard treat. This is a vibrant fruity perfume with undertones of budding womanhood that make it intriguing.

Bad Reputation- Notes: Rolling paper, cannabis, cherry cola, worn leather jacket and torn magazine pages.

In the vial lies a half drunk Mr. Pibb frozen in time within its hourglass shaped bottle next to a stack of Teen Beat magazines with their plasticky sheen of ink and hairless boyish faces. Glossed onto the flesh the theme of Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers and plastic film encased heart throb 'zines continues. Light leather and singed papers, perhaps love notes from an old flame, creep into the heart with a fresh and clean Teen Spirit vibe. This is no rugged leather but a fresh leather. The cannabis is quiet and the drydown retains the leathery Dr. Pepper/Mr. Pibb ghosting of cherry cola.

Shout At The Devil- Notes: Smeared makeup, cocaine, hairspray, fog machine and nag champa.

The sample vial holds the scent of tuberose laced hairspray and thin threads of incense smoke. Wet on the skin clean, crisp jasmine and honeysuckle petals rip and shred in an electrical storm where silvery aldehydes give an impression of a static hairspray thundercloud. The florals dart in and out of the aroma as steely incense curls like barbed wire through the white flowered musk. The drydown features a pyrite fog of stony incense. This scent is my second favorite with its push and pull between silvery mineral and ozonic incense and narcotic florals.

Youth Gone Wild- Notes: New vinyl records, warm night air, polished arcade wood, hot asphalt and burned rubber.

Rocky concrete pavement pushes up through the glass vial while on the wrists the vinyl aspects pull through first: blackened rubber, wax and ink. Echoes of endless albums stacked dozens deep in wooden crates. Wet steamy pavement presents itself after the opening. Night rains on the street after a long hot summer day, the petrichor and stone fragrance so solid and visceral the steam can be felt on the face like a tangible memory. The base of the scent veers into the vanished mahogany territory with crevasses of labdanum darkness to warm it up. 

Time After Time- Notes: Watermelon lipgloss, peony blossom, new roller skates, vanilla malt and sugar musk.

Watermelon syrup drenched sno-cones and vanilla marshmallow musk can be inhaled from the sample. It reminds me of the creamy Rosegirls wax tart that Jenny made with marshmallow watermelon peppermint but without the peppermint. On the skin it opens up the same way but more of the malty aspects emerge to mimic crisp sugar cookies. It is the spirit of the cookies rather than the realism of them, this is not a bakery scent. A subtle waft of shiny new leather skirts the heart. Peony and watermelon marry effortlessly given peony's melon-like roundness. As it dries the plastic-y leather skates to the center then vanishes in a puff of clean powdery musk. Distant memories of Love's Baby Soft scented school days rise to the surface of my mind. This scent is one that morphs in many unexpected ways but it works somehow. That drydown is what really ensnares my appreciation though. 

This is a fabulous collection of scents. I am happy I got to experience them all. Cruel Summer, Shout at the Devil and Time After Time are my favorites. Youth Gone Wild is a fun one though too with its steamy pavement realism.

Did you try out any of these? Are you a Circle member? Which of these songs is your favorite? I Cruel Summer is mine.

Femme Fatale July Wax of the Month: Obscurus Damballa

This wax was sent free for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Femme Fatale's July Wax of the Month is Obscurus Damballa.

Damballa- Notes: Green apple, purple violet, leafy greens, tuberose, redwood cedar and clove. 

This beautifully refreshing scent is a fountain of lush greenery that wells up from a spring fed glen. The green apples lend a dewy beading of sweet water to the leaves and the florals breath their limpid perfume into this full-bodied scent. It is softly sweet with the apple, dewy and fresh with the flowers while the redwood lends that essence of the wooded glen. This is a gorgeous scent for the home that evokes a meadow in early morning spring.

The throw on this one is great. Two cubes threw medium to medium-strong in my kitchen area and living room. 

This scent is available for pre-order until the end of the day today on Femme Fatale's website (here). Extras will be listed for RTS.

So I dove into a new book, The House of Letters. It is intense. I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up or follow it but so far it is enthralling me. I like the suspense of it and the unfolding of the multiple story lines/perspectives. It fulfills the prompt on the reading challenge for "out of my comfort zone." I am not sure if I will finish it while we are away on vacation but if I do I will be taking along a Barbara Kingsolver book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle this is a non-fiction journal/investigative book about eating local and fresh. I am hoping it will motivate me to grow my veggies soon and shop the local farms here in Winter Garden/Apopka. 

Are you reading anything thrilling this summer? Are you melting tarts? What smells are wafting about your home?