Sihaya & Company: (Not So) Dark Ages Dream Box

There really is nothing like some classic creepy medieval times art. I love that Sihaya & Company curated a dream box that revolved around this very topic. The (Not So) Dark Ages box was brimming with tongue-in-cheek naughty frivolity that would go perfectly with the jangly buzzing sounds of a hurdy gurdy. This spring box was $65 and packed with goodness.

Three amazing notecards with envelopes came from Bingham and Bloom on Etsy. One notecard is $3.09, which is about $9.25 plus shipping for three. These are great quality cards. Bright jewel-tones, sturdy cardstock and excellent graphics. I look forward to gifting these to some quirky friends and family who will appreciate the humor.

The grey cat licking its butt reminds me fondly of my own cat, Toddles. This enamel pin is from P S Brooks Illustration on Etsy and runs $6.12. I cannot wait to put this on my backpack.

I love when a bag of Dryad Tea comes in the box. One ounce of loose leaf Strawberry Imp can be purchased on their website for $7.00. This is a fruity and bright tea that will taste incredible as iced tea during the summer, gently sweetened with honey. 

The body care items were lively and perfect for a spring awakening. 

Paintbox Soapworks Sorbetto sugar scrub in Illuminated Dick Joke- Notes: A proud shaft of ruddy cedar and cypress showered in orange blossom honey and red musk, gilded in amber. 8.4 ounces is about $9.16

I enjoy Paintbox Soapworks sugar scrubs. The sugar particulate is on the larger side, allowing for longer and more effective scrubbing. The texture is very thick and grainy when scooped and emulsifies beautifully when scrubbed in with water. It provides a bit of lathering and rinses clean, leaving behind soft and smooth skin. I enjoy picking up a ton of the sample size scrubs in several different scents just for fun when I can. I always throw in a bar or two of the soap as well. I really should start blogging my PBSW hauls. I think I have some still wrapped up. Anyway, this scent is gorgeous. The woods and musk are papery and elegant. While the honey and amber smooth it out a bit without making it sweet. A wonderful scrub to use any time of year.

Dreaming Tree Workshop Magical Luxury Soap in Totally Not A Witch- Notes: A bewitching blend of jasmine, herbs, black tea, incense and cauldron smoke. $8.50

I love Dreaming Tree soaps. This bar is lovely! I love the dried flowers and subtle sparkle on top, the rustic texture, and the beautiful soft smoky floral scent. It really does smell like the wake of a witch's robe as she twirls about. It lathered up with some friction with tiny bouncy bubbles and a buttery texture. The soap rinsed squeaky clean leaving only a tiny bit of grab behind and no residue. 

Deconstructing Eden Sex or Cake- Notes: Inspired by Struffoli, deep fried balls of citrus zest spiked dough, drenched in honey, and dusted with hazelnuts. 5ml is $9.75

This 5ml parfum extrait came in a sleek black box with a window. It is a spray bottle with a gorgeous label. Sprayed on the skin the citrus zest springs up, sparkling and energetic. Quickly the velvety cocoa aroma of hazelnuts slinks in and you know you are in for one of those desserts. The moaning, sighing, lip licking type. Creamy honey and silken textures shoulder any hints of chocolate out of the way. This is a gooey baked vanilla treat dripping with golden caramel honey. It settled down to smell of vanilla tobacco and chewy vanilla amber. Lovely.

Sihaya & Company Murder Bunny candle- Notes: Decadent shortbread cookies, topped with costly marchpane, then paired with a rich red berry jam. $13

On cold sniff this has a putty like quality from the marzipan, but once burned it morphs more into sweet vanilla sugar cookies. There is the merest hint of berry candy but the vanilla cookie is most noticeable to my nose. It was a great candle that burned perfectly. I do recommend that the wick is trimmed before each burning so that it burns evenly and doesn't produce soot. 

Sihaya & Company Moisturizing Lip Color in Earthly Delights which is described as a warm rosy peach shot through with delicate rose gold shimmer. $6.50 I love Christina's lip colors. This one leans pinky nude on my skin tone and makes an ideal spring time blush on my lips, like pale ballerina slippers. The slip is cushiony and the pigment lasts a few hours. 

Sad that this candle is already a part of history. I did use it all up with frequent evening burning.

This is a box well worth the money. The time, creativity, and passion that all the makers put into this was obvious. I loved the theme, the goodies, and the joy of opening this up. I will be visiting these shops in the future for sure. 

This box made me want to read more medieval historical fiction. Any recommendations?

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?

Dreaming Tree Soapworks

After happily using my Snow Queen Dreaming Tree soap that Jean gifted me, I headed right over to their website to shop around. I actually placed these in two separate orders but she combined the shipping and it arrived all together. She included a sample soap and a cute tree charm on a ribbon. 

Siren of the Sea Luxury Spa Sea Salt Bar- Having never really used a sea salt bar soap paired with the name, I knew it had to be mine. It runs $7.50. Notes include: sea moss, lavender, sandalwood, ozone and florals. The lavender and sea moss come through the strongest and the lavender even more so when bathing. The bar has the slightest grainy feel from the salt, very fine, but still present. I quite enjoy the texture. Lathering takes a bit more effort but put puts out a milky fine foam that cleans thoroughly without any residual dryness. The heft and density of this bar is gratifying.

Wicked Embers Handmade Luxury Soap- On sale for $4.90 currently, it is a blending of their Wicked Queen and Fires at Midnight (sandalwood, marshmallow, lavender, patchouli, and vanilla). Sweet campfire takes the lead in aroma strength with the herbs creating a cleanliness that keeps it from being smokey. The gold and deep copper mica on top provide a subtle shimmer when lathering. The lather builds nicely, emitting large popping bubbles of clean. 

Wax Tarts are 100% soy and on sale for $4.00 per clamshell with a nice curated scent list:

Black Pearl- Scent notes include: leather, tobacco, spice, black tea, resins and woods. The website said this was a tester favorite so I figured it would be nice. In fact it is. The fragrance bounds off the wax like Captain Jack Sparrow off a sinking ship. Incense, amber and woodsy leather feature prominently in an exotic and virile blend. Quite nice indeed. When melted it was a tad too light for my needs. It threw about medium-light in my bedroom, using two cubes.

Nevermore- Scents notes include: absinthe, spices and sandalwood. The absinthe's anise notes comes off herbal while the sandalwood is creamy and the blending is enchanting. It reminds me a tad bit of something I would smell from Two Timing Tart, sophisticated and unexpected for home fragrance. 

True Love's Kiss Lip Balm is full of oils (olive, pumpkin seed, and coconut) and mango butter, they are on sale for $4.00 each and come in a variety of fragrances. The lip balms are double sealed, perfect for gift giving.

Misty Mountain- Hobbit reference? Yes please. It was also a sure bet since it is minty. The balm slides on very easily and feels a tad more oily than waxy. The mint tingles very nicely. 

Emperor- A clove based fragrance that leaves a tiny tingle as well, less so than the mint I find. More of a cinnamon vibe. Again, same texture, more oily than waxy. I will probably keep these in the house and not my car due to melting concerns (pretty much everything melts in the FL heat at any rate). I am enjoying these.

Free soap sliver sample in:

4&20 Blackbirds- Another well done blackberry with perfume undertones that will be lovely to bathe with. 

Overall, I am enjoying my Dreaming Tree products. I can see myself buying the lip balms for gift giving (and keeping) and I can see my love for sea salt soap being kindled. Have you tried sea salt soap? Handmade lip balm?

Dreaming Tree Soapworks: Snow Queen

This soap was gifted to me by Jean and I became quite enamored with it. Dreaming Tree Soapworks has quite a few interesting scents on their site right now (Nevermore, Misty Mountain, and a particular mermish soap that I netted). I also decided to grab two lip balms while I was perusing. Back to the soap at hand, Snow Queen.

"Feel like the queen of your own beautiful and myserious winter wonderland when you get lost admist complex mysterious blend of frozen blackberries, fig, amber, spice, and winter woods. You will never be forgotten."

Even though it is spring, the crisp berries and musky woods make this soap feel perfectly in season. It lathers wonderfully and feels clean on the skin, leaving a pure slate behind. I did have the merest hint of tightness, but that does not bother me, just felt "squeaky" clean. The fragrance is ethereal and conjures magical places indeed. 

This soap goes well with my Once Upon A Time marathon viewing. Watching anything interesting lately? What are you lathering up with in the shower?