Saturday, February 29, 2020

Ebb & Flow: February 2020

The highs and lows of the month.


Perfume:
Solstice Scents Headmaster

Perfume Oil:
Arcana Her Coal Black Hair (violet oudh)

Body Oil:
Kings Road Apothecary Inner Compass Body Oil

Skincare:
Kings Road Apothecary Conifer Mist

Sleep Aid:
Mixing peppermint, rosemary and lavender oils in witch hazel along with some red cedar oil to mist my neck, chest and pillow.

Candle:
Sihaya & Company Anne Boleyn on nightstand

Wax:
The Bathing Garden Magician's Bonfire in bedroom

Eating:
Gummy Berry grapes (I swear they are actual fruit- not gummy bears) and spicy chicken ramen for lunch

Drinking:
Water, coffee, kombucha. My trifecta of liquids.

Watching:
Savanna and I watched Goonies, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Beetlejuice.
We are trying to watch some "classics."

Reading:
Little Green by Tish Cohen, not my usual genre of domestic drama but it is reading decently well. A marriage on the rocks type of scenario.

Listening:
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and John Prine

Doing:
Planting bulbs, seeds and bare root things in the yard. I have my first ever hostas sprouting up right now. I think I made a mistake by ordering from Michigan Bulb. I ordered on a whim without researching and now all the reviews I read are pretty bad and sure enough they have most of my order on "backorder" and the shipping dates of the "ready to ship" items get pushed back every week. Ah well. Lesson learned. Read reviews.

Awaiting:
My first ever trip to the Rockies. Adam has a business trip and I am tagging along. I plan on doing lots of mountain gazing, snow gazing and book gazing while at a fireplace sipping some tea. I hope to find a cute coffee shop and a nice bookstore to frequent while he is in meetings. Also awaiting spring break. March will be insane, but good.

Dreading:
The return of the mosquitoes. The return of the love bugs. The return of scorching heat.

Hit:
Zapp's potato chips in Cajun Dill and Voodoo flavors from the Dollar Tree

Miss:
Michigan Bulb.

Low:
Hard health news about family members, difficult seasons for our youngest and low energy days.

High:
A new hot water heater on the horizon, wildflower seeds germinating, enjoying time with family and cuddles with Toddles.

How has your February been? Do anything fun on this extra day of the year? We are taking Savanna and her friends and Scarlette and her buddy to an escape room in Orlando and out to dinner at one of my favorite places, Cafe' Tu Tu Tango.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Beezy Tarts: October Order


Back in December I happened to catch John announce a Beezy pre-order ,and since I was pining for my Mint Lavender that I had melted all up as well as my Apple Clove Butter I figured it was time to dive back in. I enjoy John's tarts for their throw, simplicity and quality. The long TAT doesn't bother me but sometimes the cracking lids do. Thankfully I still have some bags on hand so I ended up bagging about 2/3 of my order. Most tarts were $1.85 each and some were on sale for $1 each. Shipping was $11.20

Serendipity is one I picked up for nostalgia's sake. It is a sugary sweet candied cherries and cream with a little coconut on the side. This one is intense and will be a joy to melt.

Cinnamon Broom will be a forever favorite. The fiery Red Hots and Atomic Fireball nose hair burning cinnamon is something that I crave. It is truly a childhood throw back for me, that fireball clanking against my teeth with my tongue burning in a blaze of sugar and liquid cinnamon. 

Pink Sugar is one I miss melting on the regular. I don't often have it solo either so this will be a treat once I get around to melting it. A cotton candy musk dreamboat.

Cranberry Woods used to be my first true love at Bath & Body Works before Marshmallow Fireside came along. I have not burned it in a candle in eons but having a couple of these tarts on hand will warm up the place next holiday season. The cranberries are tart and crisp, much like pomegranates, and the woods are soft and dry. 

Cinnamon Apple Berry is new to me from Beezy. I am happy with it! The apple cinnamon is classically sweet and spiced but the berries make it more into a juicy and fruity mulled punch type of aroma. I am here for that.


Mint Lavender, one of the reasons for this order. I enjoy this in my bedroom for a mellow sleepy time scent. The mint is cooling but not obnoxious (but hey, let's be real, I don't mind obnoxious mints) and the lavender is sweet and rich. Not too sharply herbal, not detergent at all and certainly not fabric softener. 

Witching Hour is a spicy rose patchouli that brings to mind the Claire Burke dupe that is along these same lines. I love a spicy earthy floral so this one is wonderful. 

Witches Brew is more dark and deep with it's spice and patchouli where there are woods instead of roses when compared to Witching Hour. I love both.

Harvest Gathering is a cinnamon apple and cranberry scent. I picked it up on a whim, having never tried it but I quickly fell in love. The apples are swollen with sweet golden juice and the cranberries are plump and stewed. The spice is minimal, just a subtle tang. 

Pumpkin Apple Strudel might be hit or miss for me. It does smell just like a pumpkin and apple strudel with its soft buttery bakery tones and there is a vanilla icing on top but there is a cloying note in there that I am not sure how it will play out. I will be either loving it or dumping it I feel. Caramel. There is caramel too. 


French Vanilla and Oak is one I like to have on hand every once in a while. It is a pretty scent of blonde woods and vanilla musk that is similar to Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille. 

Amish Quilt times four because that is how many I bought. One of my favorite versions of cinnamon sugar. 

Apple Clove Butter times three. This one is a long time thank you to Lauren who introduced me to this yummy sweet apple. 

Apple Strudel is basically a for real apple pie, crust, sliced apples and bubbling sticky filling. 

Free Samples:
Strawberry Crunch is a milky version of Crunch Berries cereal. I have never been a fan of this scent from any vendor. But I do like to eat the cereal.


Marshmallow Fluff is pretty awesome. It truly is a fluffy white cloud of vanilla goodness. 

Nana's Bakery  smells like a cherry almond turn over.

Black Cherry Bomb is going to my friend Ashley who adores everything cherry. This is a cherry and grape mash up of tart sweetness.

Beezy has many of these scents still for sale right now, and even better, they will be RTS so no waiting. Ever since I saw Jay post about that Rose Milk I have been craving it. Did you order any Beezy? Tell me how you feel about cherry.

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Bohemienne Life: December Order


My name is Julie and I have a confession. I am thoroughly addicted to Kyme's wax crack from Bohemienne Life. I renounce any and all low buys and no buys for the sake of adding more Bohemienne Life to my wax stash as the desire manifests.

I did place a delayed order with Kyme in December. She was having a wax release when I was working and let me tell you, there is no getting away from the kiddos when teaching. But once I got home I added all the goodies that were left to my cart happily. Most of these are new to me but there are few old favorites. 

Empanada- Notes: A warm pumpkin and cream cheese filled pastry spiced with cinnamon, ginger and cloves. $6.25

I had this one in a candle once and it was delicious. This is my first time having it in wax tart form. I still have the handmade glass jar that the candle came in. I use it to propagate plants. Empanada is just as decadent as it sounds. There is a sweet flaky quality to the pumpkin and mouth watering spices, as if someone on the Great British Making Show made hand laminated pastry a' la baklava and layered the pumpkin with honey and spice. It is righteous. 


Oh No! Gingerbread Boy- Notes: A spicy cookie with a blend of ginger, clove, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg, drizzled with honey.

This one is new to me and I am head over heels. Even though some of the notes are similar to Empanada I find them to be different enough that I am glad I have both. This one is a fusion of gingerbread cookies and snickerdoodles with some soft sugar cookie chewy center thrown in. I want to nibble something that tastes as good as this smells.


Crushed- Notes: Crushed juicy cranberries and blackberries mixed with red wine, lemon, pink grapefruit, strawberries, and pomegranate.

This is one I have had before and needed for spring and summer melting. Fruity scents have to really stand out for me to enjoy them. I love deep, dark vibrant fruits with nary a harshness to them and Kyme delivers. Her berries are lush. This one is just such a scent. The zingy citrus keeps it from being overly sweet and syrupy while the wine adds a grape hue to the berries. This one gets me excited about the blackberry and blueberry shrubs I planted. 


Mistletoe & Spruce- Notes: Citrus, blue spruce, and frosted cranberries create this perfect holiday scent.

This is truly festive but I am not going to blink an eye melting it right now. We keep having rainy days and cold snaps so this evergreen scent is still right on the nose. The cranberries and citrus are lively and not very sweet but bright and cheerful. They pair up well against the fresh and bold spruce. No spice notes in this and that is part of what I feel like makes it a lovely year 'round scent too.


Leatherosa- Notes: Roses and leather.

Leatherosa and I first met when she was a rustic yet silken soap that I lathered with while in raptures. This is my first time trying her in wax form and she does not disappoint. I can tell a little will probably go a long way and melting this one in the bedroom will be a must. The roses are blowsy and and old fashioned, deep in color and aroma, luring noses into their soft hidden parts. The leather is rich and almost woody in its intensity. The paring is classic.


Under The Mistletoe- Notes: Irresistible blend of Yuletide spices, woods, hay, musk, green fresh air, oakmoss, vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli.

Kyme got a request for "spicy sexy man" so she created this fragrance to suit that desire. It does have that classic cologne scent of a rich balsamic musk and oakmoss but the vanilla adds a smooth edge creating a touch of softness. When my Pop-Pop passed away I inherited a box of some of his office supplies (he was a self-employed CPA and mostly got his income by doing people's taxes and such- so his office supplies were intense). Inside the box was this tiny brown plastic cologne pen and when I uncapped it the scent of his hug wafted out. If there was one thing he was know for, it was the genuine love in his hugs. He hugged with his whole heart. His button up bowling shirts always smelled like this. I will melt this one sparingly as I know it will always remind me of Pop-Pop now. What does this smell like? It smells like a Pop-Pop.


Fraser's Ridge- Notes: Strawberry, peach, and raspberry with a hint of violet and grounded in earthy patchouli take you to a place where the wild strawberries grow.

A forever favorite. If this is ever offered, do yourself a solid and buy it. Don't let the violets and patchouli run you away. Try it. They only serve to enhance the natural beauty of the berry. 


Sparkle Wonderland- Notes: Icy grapefruit, orange, bergamot, and lemon. Fruity and clean, sparkling, fizzy and very good.

I am a sucker for these types of names. I also was kinda wanting a citrus heavy scent for spring and summer. This one is beautiful. The grapefruits and oranges and lemons are intensely flavored and sweet, striking in their robustness, but the bergamot truly comes in and elevates the citrus into a dreamscape rather than a grove. It goes from Polk County, Florida backyard oranges to sunset in Tuscany with jeweled fruits and hazy sunsets spiked with cypress trees and terraced villas. She's a beaut.


Selene- Notes: White poppy, snowdrop flowers, eucalyptus, yuzu, oranges and grapefruit, along with spices, woods and velvety musk.

Selene and I are friends. I had the pleasure of using her in a bath salt potion in the past and she made for a beautiful bathing experience. I am thrilled to smell her again now. Her velvety musk is a delight. This is a smooth and round scent, much like the moon she evokes. There is a tender sweetness and the florals are gauzy and luminescent. It doesn't list vanilla but it feels like there is something along those lines present, tonka, benzoin or coumarin? Or perhaps it is one of those thing where the sum is more than its parts. Either way it is a magical experience and will make any bedroom an inviting place to rest. 

I am so very happy with my order. I have since placed another one for some other scents I have yet to try along with some lollipops and a soap. A Fraser's Ridge soap to be exact. I will be spring ready. 

What are you melting right now? Any vendors you cannot get enough of melting?

Friday, February 14, 2020

Possets Perfume: Ode to Aphrodite

This perfume was sent form Possets gratis. All opinions are my own.


Ode to Aphrodite- Notes: Oakmoss, sandalwood, sage, citrus, and Possets' synthetic ambergris accord. 6 ml $20

Possests' inspiration for this scent is from Sapphos' poem to Aphrodite. It seemed apropos to feature this scent today, on the day chosen to celebrate love. Adam and I do not celebrate Valentine's Day in the sense of romanticism, however, we do celebrate it in our love for Savanna as it is her birthday. This year is a big one. She is turning 13. Our very first teenager. She is growing into a beautiful and kind and brilliant young lady. Happy birthday, Savanna!

Ok enough gushing about my oldest. Time to dive into this perfume. In the bottle it smells of light citrus with a buttery sandalwood with a touch of sparkling herbs. Brushed onto the skin the creamy sandalwood spills into rivulets, warm and lush. As the scent moves in the heart the oakmoss sharpens the woody aspects of the sandalwood and highlights some sage and herbs. There is a salty tang to this that reminds me of the sea from which Aphrodite arose. This must be the ambergris moving through the currents of the fragrance. Possets' ambergris accord is beautiful. It is smooth and velvety with nuances of plush woods and warm skin, lightly salty and with a breath of suede. This perfume is stunning and moves from a toothsome sandalwood, brimming with thick cream, to a sultry ambergris embrace.

Hope you have a wonderful day whatever you are planning. We are going to spend our evening at Disney Springs watching the Sonic the Hedgehog movie and dining in at the AMC there for Savanna's birthday. 

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Possets Perfume: Gypsy Grave

This perfume was sent gratis to me from Possets. All opinions are my own.


Gypsy Grave- Notes: The grave of the Gypsy Queen at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio adorned with expensive flowers, a bit of the clove cigarettes she smoked, a deep base of dark, earthy, oriental musk, a touch of vetiver and a puff of incense along with the smell of pasteboard picture cards. 10 ml roll-on $33

This Possets scent is an homage to a specific grave of a rather beloved lady. This fragrance is a beautiful creation that would honor any lady with an appreciation of nature and the mystical, the wild and rare secrets that can be found in dark shadows. It begins life with the golden arid aroma of myrrh and dark moist vetiver. Earthen and dank, lilies and a few scattered carnation petals. The heart decomposes the flowers into overgrown clumps of damp grasses that garland tombstones trimmed in rain swollen lichen. A small wooden box clutching an old moldy deck of Tarot cards lies hidden nearby. These aromas are thinned into repose and beauty by musk gilded with oakmoss and incense. This fragrance wears like a second skin with a Tudor past. I love the push and pull of fecundity and elegance. It is one I will be wearing and exploring more fully in various seasons. 

20% off with code: HEART2020
Not sure for how long.

I normally don't choose roll-ons but I do find I tend to wear more of the scent and go through it quicker if it is a roll-on. What types of lids/dispensers do you like for your perfume oils? Wands, roll-ons, reducer caps? 

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Possets Perfume: Midnight Mass at Old St. Mary's

This perfume was sent to me by Possets gratis. All opinions are my own.


Midnight Mass at Old St. Marys- Notes: A resinous incense blend redolent with the polished wood of pews, beeswax candles, and offertory fruits. 10 ml $31.66

I love that Possets perfumes recommends aging this one for two years. I used to be skeptical about aging perfume oils but I recently bought a very old version of Ember by Nocturne Alchemy which is a frankincense heavy blend and compared it to my newer bottle and it is night and day difference. The incense smooths out like silk, becoming velvety and mildly sweet. I will definitely store this one away after I review it. In the vial it already exhibits a unique take on incense. The darkly sweet viscousness of bruised berries and fruits set out as offerings overnight enriches the frankincense smoke. Anointed on the skin the stewed fruits carry the suggestion of faint spices, the waxy texture of the candles wafts in soon after. A heart of sweet incense and cherrywood showcases their fulsome beauty. I can see how aging will refine these lovely notes into a more fluid offering that is nonetheless appealing even now. A sacred blending that Dionysus would appreciate I think. 

Do you age your perfume oils? What is one of your favorite aged scents? I am still aging some Arcana Estella and Love Her, Love Her, Love Her along with Nocturne Alchemy's Oudh Ombre and Blood Moon Botanica Dark Winter Amber. 

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Possets Perfume: Water Witch

This perfume was sent gratis from Possets for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.


Water Witch- Notes: An aquatic fragrance with pools of salt, jasmine, mandarin, rosehip and an underlying hint of animalic essences. 10 ml $31.66

This is another beautiful rendition of an aquatic from Possets, but this one diverges from the oakmoss and swollen vegetal roots and explores the dewy floral range of this genre. From the vial this springtide water witch laces her hair with the narcotic sweetness of pink jasmine, her mouth houses the robust roundness of oranges and her skin reflects the luminous moon over rippling water. Wet on the wrists the jasmine drifts down in cottony clouds onto still waters. Their elegant perfume wafts out heady and enchanting. This jasmine is wild but not overly feral, moody and luxe but not overbearing. I will be wearing this one often.

For 20% off your Possets order use code: HEART2020

Guess who took some photos of her wax orders?! I finally had a weekend of relaxation so after sweeping and vacuuming and plant watering I hauled out my camera and my Bohemienne Life order, my Glitterati mystery box, the Beezy pre-order from ages ago and the most recent Candles From the Keeping Room haul. I am abashed to say I have a hefty Bathing Garden order coming too. I think I was trying to lift my spirits when I placed some of these. However, they are here and I will own up to them. Now to start saving in earnest for my sister's wedding. Gulp. 

Have you ordered any wax recently? Who from?

Monday, February 10, 2020

Possets Perfume: Beautiful View

This perfume was sent free from Possets. All opinions are my own.


Welcome to Possets Perfume week! I will feature one scent each day to celebrate their Valentine's Retour.

Beautiful View- Notes: An aquatic composed of cedar, pine, oakmoss, sea salt, ambergris accord, lavender and grapefruit. 6ml $20

This Possets perfume is an ode to Buzz Aldrin's first words upon seeing Earth from space, "beautiful view, magnificent desolation." This scent was built to capture the forest, flowers, ocean and fruits of nature. From the cobalt glass vial lifts a placid aquatic stained with oakmoss and tannins. Fresh, watery and aromatic. On the skin the oakmoss shimmers with sparkling grapefruit and the herbal tang of lavender. I love the verdant energy of the opening when wet on the skin. As it settles the zest of citrus settles into watery ripples of sea salt and ocean. There is a hint of vegetal roots turgid with water and minerals. This is the dewy heart of the scent. It does begin to dry down into a blissfully woody and slightly leathery greenness. The ambergris accord is lovely and makes the final wear a breathtaking snuggly scent, round and warm and furred. I love that this scent really does travel from watery echoes to sharp botanicals then trails into airy woods and finally the sweet darkness of human embrace.

Possets offers free shipping with purchases over $75 and they currently are hosting 20% off with the code: HEART2020

Are you a fan of aquatics? How about space? I am anxious to take the girls to Kennedy Space Center now that we live so close.