Ebb & Flow: July 2022

 The highs and lows of the month.

Perfume:

Solstice Scents Headmaster (craving fall already)

Perfume Oil:

Arcana Wildcraft Oberon (best pine ever)

Scrub:

The Bathing Garden Magician's Bonfire

Shampoo/Conditioner:

Future Primitive shampoo bar and conditioning hair rinse (in the scent Dusty Dogwood)

Soap:

Future Primitive Lagoon (sample sliver- very nice)

Lotion:

Cosmic Cleanse Magnesium Body Creme (unscented)

Candle:

Acorn Moon Mercantile solstice candle

Wax:

Candles From the Keeping Room blend of Lemon Noel and Serendipity Marshmallow Delight

Incense:

Exploring The Mother's Fragrances line of nag champas from India

Reading:

All the things. I cannot stop. I think it is my way of burying my head in the sand? Coping? Mental health maintenance? Ray Bradbury and Tanith Lee short stories have been devoured, poetry, novels and memoirs. I am only a few books away from finishing the reading challenge on here and my GoodReads number. 

Listening:

Twenty One Pilots Scaled and Icy album (the vinyl is really cool on this one- crystal clear)

Watching:

Whatever spooky movies Savanna chooses, also Archive 81 on Netflix (hated the ending though). And Stranger Things of course. Scarlette actually went back and re-watched them all so I stuck around for that.

Drinking:

Three Spirit Drinks- Nightcap

Eating:

chocolate

Doing:

Lighting incense and placing it on the edge of the pool while I swim, relax, and read.

Awaiting:

The start of a new school year. I go back to work very soon. 

Dreading:

Not a dread but a nervousness about the future. A pressure of, ok, well yes. It is dread. A pressure of dread on the back of my neck and around my heart about teaching. All these laws. Shootings. The kids' futures. Their unrest. My inability to reach even my own sometimes. Feeling like a failure. Not knowing how things will mesh with new co-workers. Pressure. Pressure for sure. A weight. I was actually told over the phone last year, by a parent "I thought you were one of the better ones..." and it sucked. Real hard. But I promised myself I would take it one day at a time. And I need to make that my mantra. 

Hit:
I think I have mentioned it before, but after a vicious twig ant (I always called them oak ants) attack while pulling weeds (invasive air potato vine) I used my Life Flower Bug Bite Elixir and found immediate relief. I swear this stuff really is magic. 

Miss:

I miss my Walkman cassette player. 

Low:

Everything the Supreme Court altered and destroyed. Monarchs. My girls' future. Attitudes towards teachers. So much. So much heaviness. It is hard to breathe sometimes.

High:

Seeing my niece. Seeing my sister Lindsey and her husband Dustin. Seeing England. Scotland. Belgium. Seeing poppies. Cathedrals. Castles. Having the summer to spend with my girls and husband. Getting in a ton of books and even some friend time.

How was your July? Are you craving fall or are you content to laze under the sun a bit more?

Felin Lune Apothecary: Natural Deodorant Paste

 

I have a holy grail all natural deodorant from Wild Roots Body Care but sadly it has not been restocked in quite some time. That put me back in the market for one I could more easily replace. I was scrolling through some indie groups online and saw a haul post from Felin Lune Apothecary that included a deodorant paste. I quickly picked up a 2 ounce jar for $14 in the scent Garden Hippie (Ylang ylang, patchouli, orange, lavender, sandalwood, and jasmine essential oils). This paste is aluminum and baking soda free. It is soft, creamy yet firm, and putty-like. It spreads easily and melts beautifully into the skin. I have been using it for over a month now and I find that it neutralizes odor very well. It doesn't irritate my skin, it doesn't pill up, and it lasts all day. 

It is my new holy grail. There are smaller one ounce travel tins for $8 that I plan on buying to try other scents too. I am looking forward to sampling other products as well. Have you tried anything from Felin Lune? 

Stone Roses Handmade Rosaries

 

Kirsten, at Stone Roses Handmade, is a maker I discovered through following Britton (Archaic Honey/Blood Moon Botanica). In fact my first rosary bracelet came from a collaboration they did together, where Britton created a Holy Mother anointing oil for a crone memento mori bracelet that was sold as a set. 

Kirsten creates rosaries, chaplets, and bracelets to honor a wide range of deities and saints. She utilizes stainless steel wire for durability, which I appreciate as I tend to be klutzy and these have held up beautifully. 

Over time I have picked up three bracelets:

Crone Memento Mori- Black obsidian beads. Used to meditate on our mortality as a way of staying present to the moment.

Mary Magdalene- Red agate. Teachings about the balance between esoteric and exoteric spiritual practices, sexuality, and devotion.

Saint Joan of Arc- Garnets. Visionary, warrior, martyr, badass.

The bracelets were $40 each, but until Sunday everything is 20% off in her Etsy store, and are currently $32. Kirsten does customs as well.

Do you have any connections with a particular saint or deity? Are you drawn to any? How do you honor them?

Siren Co.: Waxed Canvas Bags and Goods

 

As of late I have been buying my underwear from WhiskyDogWares, by golly she makes the best buttery soft undies ever. Anyway, I noticed she shared her sister's business (what a creative family!) and I immediately fell in love with her wares as well. Her company is called Siren and specializes in waxed canvas bags and accessories. 

I picked up the Legion 3-way satchel in olive for $95. It can worn cross-body, around the waist or through a belt. The construction is impeccable. I have worn this as my go-to bag for over a year now and it has endured with grace and durability. 

I attached a lucky Mercury coin for my travels. I enjoy the two small side pockets. One houses an amethyst worry stone and the other is where my For Strange Women Baba Yaga lip balm tin dwells.

I love the indigo ticking lining, but you can choose your own lining color among several.

It snaps closed in the front and the back has an outer zip pocket. I tend to keep my money and cards in the back zipper.

The inside houses hand sanitizer, balms, cards, notepad, pens, my phone, perfume roll-on and more. It holds just what I need while I zip about.

For work I need a bit more room. The past two years I have been using one of those free Vans bags they give you if you buy a pair of shoes in the store. It finally ripped apart and I was on the hunt. It did not take me long to remember where I should get my new work bag: Siren. 

I tend to carry a laptop, charger, legal sized clipboard, composition notebooks, pens, lunch, papers, folders, wet wipes, masks, markers, water bottle and a whole universe of whatnots in my work bag as a teacher. I knew I needed something large, with lots of pockets, and versatility. My choice... Tote #2 for $160. It comes in six color combinations and I chose tan on olive. I liked tan on tan as well but my oldest voted on this one between the two.

It boasts two front snap pockets, two side pockets, one large back pocket and one inside pocket that is perfect for a water bottle.

It is deep and wide and features two styles of handles, long for over the shoulder, and short for hand carrying.

I enjoy how great these pieces look and function. The waxed canvas really holds up well.

Both of these pieces are currently available. And luck you, the Tote #2 is on sale for $20 off, making it $140. It is going to be one of those bags you have forever. Support a small business. I know she would appreciate it! Links for WhiskeyDogWares and Siren are in the first paragraph embedded in their respective names (as always in case you didn't know- my hyperlinks don't show up visibly). 

I am eyeing up that duffle next.