Sihaya & Company: Autumn Delights Box

The Autumn Box was given for free from Sihaya & Co. for photography purposes. All opinions my own.

The deliciously gourmand Autumn Delights Box from Sihaya & Company has landed. Normally the seasonal boxes run $65 each but this one was a little less at $50. 

It included a candle, a wax tart, a lip balm, shower cream, perfume, soap and a trio of lollipops all handcrafted by various talented makers.

Hickory Ridge Soap scented in Pumpkin Apple Butter caught my eye immediately. It is a generous size and smells like pure autumn bliss. Pumpkin pie with gingered spice and a side of apple cider. I took it in the bath last night and it felt wonderful on the skin. It bubbled up merrily and the scent became a little more sweeter with the apple once it was wet and lathering. It rinsed without any tightness. The whipped meringue topping was used as a nice exfoliant. I am very happy to have this soap this fall. It normally runs $7.99 but is currently sold out on the Hickory Ridge Soap website.

Nui Cobalt Designs perfume in A La Mode was nestled inside the box. I am a fan of Forest's scents and was thrilled to see this. 

A La Mode- Notes: A marvelously melty concoction of vanilla bean ice cream, warm dulce de leche drizzle and toasted honeyed almonds. $19

In the bottle this scent fluffs up with pillowy vanilla and sweet soft almond. I can practically taste the Haagen Dazs vanilla bean ice cream on my tongue. Sprinkle some slivered almonds on top with a ribbon of caramel and this is the aroma. On the wrist the vanilla lifts up with a touch of the orchid it derives from wafting gently about. The tender floral aspect fades beautifully, morphing into honey so that the skin is drenched in milk and honey. There is a sweetened condensed milk richness that makes this a warm fragrance. 

I recently had some Epically Epic lip balms gifted to me so I was happy to try this one too. 

Pumpkin S'mores- Notes: Pumpkin spice graham crackers, melted marshmallow, whipped cream, white chocolate and a spoonful of pumpkin pie filling. $3.75

This vegan lip balm goes on buttery smooth and feels nourishing on the lips. The scent is... well... epic. The pumpkin and white chocolate pull through the most with graham crackers coming up close. I don't get any of the spice but it is wonderfully creamy. There is no flavor to the balm. After it fades it leaves the lips feeling nice and smooth and hydrated.

Blooddrop Shower Cream scented in Autumn apple, lush caramel, cream and salted popcorn was included. This is a 4 ounce size when Blooddrop normally comes in a 9 ounce size for $16.50, so this would hover around $8.25. Blooddrop recently closed and the owner, Astrid, has opened up Astrid Perfumes.

I have tried a few things from Blooddrop in the past: bath truffles, perfumes, soaps and her Bath Froth (which I freaking adore). I have never tried her Shower Cream though. It smells of apples and caramel corn. It brings to mind carnivals and fairs, festivals and fall snacks. Unfortunately I am not a fan of popcorn in fragranced items. I will be passing this one on to a friend.

Sihaya & Company always contributes a candle to the box. I love the artwork on the label, the glitter that coats the top and the wonderful scent blends. 

Pecan Toffee Pie- Notes: A decadently sweet slice of pecan pie topped with caramelized pralines and melted toffee bits. $12

This 6.5 ounce candle burns well and throws the scent of dark brown sugar and caramel into the air. It has a cozy and warming aroma that compliments a fall evening without having to be doused in spice (not that I mind spice- but a change is good). It throws about medium-light in the larger living area and a solid medium on the nightstand in my bedroom.

Three sweet lollipop confections were in the box from Leccare Lollipops. These look to run at about $1.25 each on Etsy (linked to their shop in their name above if you want a fast click over). Flavors: Apple Pie, Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate with Caramel and Sea Salt. I ate up the Chocolate one and it was delicious. The sea salt studded into it was the perfect touch. It had a light sweet flavor that was not over powering. It reminded me of a chocolate liqueur flavor. I am tucking the other two away for later enjoyment.

This is the first time I have tried a wax tart or have seen them offered by Sihaya & Company. I believe of these three fall scents, only one was randomly added to the boxes. I have all three so I want to share my thoughts with you. I am not sure what the price point would be on these individually. 

Blackberry Bergamot Tea smells fantastic. The blackberries are clear and sweet and really do have that white tea crispness that makes me yearn for a cup. The bergamot keeps the dark berries from being syrupy or jammy. I am wowed by this blend.

Spiked Oak Barrel Cider holds the spiced apple cider sweetness in check with a small glug of oaken bourbon. Two cubes threw strong in the living area and kitchen. 

Oak Lawn (hot coffee and fresh cinnamon buns) is all about that coffee. The coffee does have a bit of cinnamon laced in there, but the coffee is there, front row. Thankfully it is not the puppy toes coffee some wax vendors use. It actually does smell roasted and toasted. 

The wax is soft in these, making for easy breaking. Sometimes they will pop out of the clamshell in one piece and sometimes they don't. But the fragrance load is high and I am looking forward to melting the Blackberry one next. 

If the retail value of the clamshell is $5 then the total value of this box is $60, which is a nice box to get for $50. 

I am on pins and needles awaiting the Sisterhood of the Moon box that is shipping in mid-October. 

Have any plans this weekend? We are about to go and pick up some trash around a lake for the girls' school then I get some lunch and sister time with Lindsey. Other than that I am fully absorbed with reading and maybe some perfume testing.

Sihaya & Co.: Journey Into Mystery Summer Box

This box was provided to me gratis in exchange for photography. All opinions my own.

Last year I purchased a Sisterhood of the Moon fall box from Sihaya and Company and loved every last bit of it (review here). 

Sihaya and Company offers seasonal boxes in a pre-order, single purchase format which I really enjoy for its ease and simplicity. The summer box was themed Journey Into Mystery and had an enchanted fantasy feel with a dash of European forest and castle whimsy ($65).

This box included eight items from six vendors. Almost all of them were full sized products. 

I will start with the edible portion, a generous 12-pack of Honey Lavender Shortbread Cookies from Whimsy & Spice out of Brooklyn ($8.50). These cookies are the perfect accompaniment with hot tea or coffee. They have a buttery delicate soft crunch. The lavender and honey are merely wisps of flavor highlighting the butter. Delish.

At the bottom of the basket you can see two tiny jars of cosmetics. These are from Crow & Pebble, a UK based handcrafted cosmetics company. They included exclusive half sizes of an eyeshadow ($4) and a highlighter ($6.25). 

The eyeshadow is in Asleep Under the Willow which looks the color of lemony spring grass with golden shimmer highlights. It is a beautiful green shade that has nice color payoff and lasts for hours even without a primer. 

The highlighter is in The River Daughter and holds a pearlescent pink hue, the color of the heart of a seashell, with hazy golden shimmer. This is a touch pale for me to use as blush but does act as a wonderful highlighter as it is meant to be. It is easy to blend and does not make me look like a disco ball. I don't often use indie makeup but these were exciting to try out.

Sihaya and Company not only curates these brilliant seasonal boxes but the owner, Christina, also creates her own line of jewelry and candles. This locket necklace features silver plated findings and a color shifting resin cabochon. I am not sure of the exact value of the necklace but there is a similar silver locket, here, for $42. 

Poesie Perfumes is a perfume house I have reviewed before in the past so when I saw this room and linen spray I was excited. This 4 ounce vegan fragrance mist can be used as a body spray as well. 

Queen of Air + Darkness- Notes: A veil of mystery and enchantment. Deadly nightshade berries, hypnotic dragon's blood resin, cold earth, deep forest and a hint of blackest leather. ($12)

This is gorgeous. Sweet dark berries and floral yet earthy dragon's blood lulls the senses into quietude. I sprayed this on my pillow and in my room and it was lovely. It lingered delicately on my pillowcase for most of the evening and long enough for me to fall asleep. I will be buying more of these for sure. I see that Poesie Perfumes has these in stock in many other fragrances (plus free shipping).

I have burned and enjoyed a few Sihaya and Company candles. They come in sturdy tins with lovely labels; they are about 8 ounces and burn 30-35 hours and run $12 each. 

The Unicorn- Notes: Only those truly pure of heart can glimpse a unicorn. A sweet and innocent confection of rainbow sherbet topped with coconut shavings and a cherry.

A bright and fruity treat where the coconut shavings give it a slight bakery tone. The cherry is creamy and almost like serendipity. It certainly smells "pink" and youthful. It burned beautifully, like they all do, with a steady flame and a slow melting wax pool. The scent threw medium-strong in my bedroom and mostly smelled of candied fruits, festive and jovial. The coconut just added a mellow creaminess and did not come over as bakery once melted. A magical summer scent.

An exclusive nail polish from Blush Lacquers featured in the box. This 5-free artisan nail polish vendor created Evenstar, a blushing periwinkle shade with violet highlights, electric blue microflakes and holographic pigment. It has a nice wide brush, much like OPI. Two regular coats was enough to cover visible nail line and achieve a beautiful shimmery opaque look. It dried reasonably fast. It wore well, staying chip free without a top coat for several days. Evenstar is a fitting name as it does glow mysteriously and beautifully. Blush nail polishes run anywhere from $8.50 to $13.

A four ounce vegan body lotion from Latherati lied nestled in the box.

Celaena's Chambers- Notes: Lotus blossom, rose, nutmeg, mahogany and rosewood. ($8)

This scent was inspired by the Throne of Glass series by Sara  Maas... which I desperately need to finish. I ended up stopping at book three waiting for the next to come out and know I think two more did. Oops! I am rather impressed by the scent blending here. The lotus blossom is decidedly aquatic and watery but it is warmed and tempered by the subtle spice and rich wood. The rose lends a vintage nostalgia to the scent. No one note overpowers the other and it melds together to smell elegant and sophisticated. The cream is silken and thick yet easily spreadable on the skin. It sinks right in and is a great formula for summer time. I will be back to Latherati, they sell wax tarts, lip balms, milk bath soaks and even bookish gifts, as most of the scents are inspired by literature. 

The value of this box is about $60 not including the necklace. If the necklace is around $45 then the total value of the box hovers around $105. 

Everything in the Sihaya and Company box is high quality and very tasteful. The Autumn Delights box is debuting today, August 1st, and will include a gourmand collection of scents and flavors, everything apple, pumpkin, caramel and coffee. This is one for the foodies and fall lovers. Check it out here today!

Have you tried a Sihaya and Company box yet? Do you enjoy seasonal box offerings? 

Kings Road Apothecary: Tulsi and Pinon Surprise Box

I previously featured a body oil I purchased from Kings Road Apothecary not too long ago and it spurred on a desire to acquaint myself further with Rebecca's wares. She creates and sells these Surprise Boxes themed around particular ingredients that can be used to mediate or enhance certain health concerns or situations. These boxes run $56 each and come with 4 items. They can be ordered individually or as a yearly subscription. I opted for just one box for now but that may change.

This Tulsi & Pinon box inspired Rebecca to hone in on holy basil (aka tulsi, aka the queen of herbs) and its power to help mitigate stress. She blended up holy basil with pine to concoct many wonderful potions for both the body, mind and soul. She packaged everything wonderfully. All items are housed in glass bottles and those were wrapped in crinkle paper and tucked in copious mounds of it as well as folded into a scrap of linen. Note cards to educate one on the properties of holy basil and recipes and ideas were printed on vellum and cardstock and presented beautifully.

Tulsi and Pinon Elixir is a tincture to be taken one dropper full orally as needed for a boost to deal with stress that may be encroaching or anticipated. It tastes like moonshine medicine with a back note of pine and astringent herbs. I have taken this from time to time and though I cannot say with any scientific proof that it works... I do feel I have been able to cope with some extreme stressors in a semi-functional manner. I have my faith, and I will say this didn't hurt to have too.  I did pick up her Elderberry Elixir which supports immunity. As a teacher I am eager for that one to ship out to me. Cold and flu season is thickly upon me. ($16)

This is in a similar vein as the Deep Woods body oil but this one oozes that herbal basil and is more aromatic than the jammy evergreen I get from Deep Woods. I love it. I use it on my face and body after bathing. ($29)

Holy Basil and Pinon Syrup is for use in teas, drinks, desserts and whatever you may wish to sweeten. I drizzled some on my vanilla ice cream for a piney treat and I really enjoyed using it in my afternoon tea for an ethereal magical woods experience. I have to admit I drained this very quickly and readily look forward to sampling more of her syrups. I adore them in hot tea. ($15)

Speaking of tea... this Smoky Tulsi and Bramble Tea takes my beloved lapsang souchong to a whole new woodsy level. Lapsang souchong is married to pinon pine nuts, blackberries, tulsi, vanilla and puerh tea. It is deeply smoky, woodsy and rich. My only wish is that the jar was bottomless. This will be my winter staple. ($18) 

I enjoyed this box immensely and look forward to trying more Kings Road Apothecary Surprise Boxes. I feel it is a nice value for hand harvested ingredients used to craft hand made products for better health and happiness. If you love teas, body oils and unique bath and food items I think this might be right up your alley. 

Do you try and use more natural or holistic means to care for your body? Have you ever wild harvested plants for use in concoctions?

Fall Fun Series II: Pumpkin Soup

Confession: I have baked nearly a dozen pumpkin pies in my life, yet I have never actually cooked a fresh pumpkin. 

That recently changed about a week ago. 

This recipe for pumpkin soup calls for canned pumpkin, which is all well and good, but I did want to try my hand at making it with fresh roasted pumpkin and it turned out quite well!

Pumpkin Soup with Brie Croutons

1 large Granny Smith apple

2 tablespoons of butter

1 small diced sweet onion

2 (15 oz) cans of pumpkin puree OR two small pumpkin pie pumpkins

4 cups of chicken broth

2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (and I added ground cardamom too)

2 cups of half-and-half

pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for topping

real maple syrup for topping

I washed then cut the pie pumpkins in half.

Scoop out the guts and seeds (save the seeds for roasting if you wish or to add to the soup, I tossed ours outside for the birds to eat).

Hollow pun'kins. <3

Place pumpkin halves cut side down in baking dishes and add 1/4 inch of water and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Cool, then scoop out the flesh with a metal spoon. You can store the cooked pumpkin flesh in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

I found the fresh pumpkin to be preferable to the canned and I look forward to baking my very first fresh pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving. The scent held notes of squash and warm watery gourds and a touch of mellow sweetness akin to sweet potato. 

Now on to the soup! 

- Peel and core apple, dice. Repeat with onion. Preheat stockpot on stove at medium. Melt butter and add apples and onions and sauté for about 8 minutes or until softened. 

- Add pumpkin puree (or fresh scooped pumpkin!), chicken broth, salt, pepper and spices. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add half-and-half. 

- Use either an immersion blender (stick blender) or food processor to blend the soup mixture. Place pot back on the stove at low heat to keep warm. 

Brie Croutons

1 loaf of bakery bread (breakfast bread works well with this but I chose sourdough)

1 (8oz) wedge of brie

butter

sea salt

fresh thyme if wished

- Cut bread into 8 (1 inch) slices, arrange 4 slices on a cutting board. Thinly slice brie and place on the four slices, top with remaining four slices of bread. Butter the outsides. Basically, make a grilled brie sandwich. Cook the sandwiches in the pan on medium heat until golden brown, crisp and the brie is melty. Sprinkle with sea salt and thyme and slice into strips or serve alongside the soup. 

Garnish the soup by sprinkling in the pepitas and adding a generous swirl of maple syrup. Throw in the brie croutons or serve on the side. Or both.

The girls do not enjoy pumpkin pie so when they heard I was making pumpkin soup there were some moans and groans. They were surprised (as was I) that they actually liked it. Adam enjoyed it too and so did my mom. I will be making this again next year. The brie. Mmmmmm! And if you are curious... the spice is minimal and not overly noticeable but adds nice flavor. 

Pumpkin soup! What say you?

Fall Fun Series II: All About Apples

All About Autumn with some apples thrown in.

It's time for some apples today on this Fall Fun Series post.

Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite apple pie recipes. I think this came from Southern Living magazine. It uses Granny Smith apples and a cornmeal crust dough. 

First up, the dough!

Cornmeal Crust Dough:

Makes 2 dough disks

2 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour

1/4 cup of plain yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cold butter, cubed small

1/4 cup of cold shortening, cubed small

8 to 10 tablespoons of chilled apple cider (or unfiltered apple juice)

Stir the first four ingredients in a large bowl.

Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry blender (or fork) until mixture resembles small peas or rocky soil in my case.

Mound flour mixture on one side of bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of cider along edge of mixture and gently toss with a fork in that small area until the flour is moist. Yeah, you read that right. I said moist. 

Keep adding cider/juice until all the flour is.... moist. It should form a sphere of dough easily. If too dry, add more juice, if too wet try adding a touch of flour. Do your best not to over mix. The butter and shortening being in clumps helps make the dough flaky. 

Split dough into two roughly equal portions and form a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1 hour to 24 hours or freeze for a few weeks. These are nice to make ahead for holidays. And this cornmeal crust tastes great with pumpkin pie as well. 

Homemade Apple Pie:

Serves 8

- Preheat oven to 375. Peel and cut 4 1/2 pounds of Granny Smith apples (I doubled this recipe so I could make a pie for my grandpa so I used 8 apples for 2 whole pies). Slice into 1/2 inch thick wedges. 

- Mix apple wedges with 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of flour, 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Let stand 15 minutes, gently stir. I like to add in a bit more cinnamon and a touch of vanilla extract if I am feeling frisky. 

Roll out both discs of dough onto a well floured surface. Flour your rolling pin from time to time too. About 11 inches wide will work to cover a 9 inch glass pie plate (non-greased). 

- Spoon apple mixture onto crust, pack tightly down and mound in the center. Dot with butter. I use roughly 1-2 tablespoons cut up. Top the pie with the second disc of rolled out dough. Fold edges over and crimp. Cut 4-6 slits in the center for steam to escape if using the whole sheet of crust. Or get creative and do some fun pie artwork! Place pie on a jelly roll/cookie sheet. 

- Bake at 375 in center of the oven for 50 minutes, then cover loosely with foil and bake 40 minutes more. Cool 1 1/2 to 2 hours before serving. 

Mine are not Martha Stewart worthy but they tasted pretty darn good. I may fancy it up next time. Or not. 

Here is a link to a Fresh Spiced Apple Cake I enjoy baking this time of year as well. 

Last year I sang the praises of Solstice Scents' Corvin's Apple Fest for all things apple scented. I do still enjoy that perfume oil, but this year I am adding two more apple filled fragrances: Arcana's Apples Crave Terror and Mulled Apple. I particularly enjoy these two layered together. Mulled Apple is in fact intended as a layering scent. It adds a warm spiced apple clarity to any scent and is nice on its own as well. Apples Crave Terror is a scent I purchased second hand after reading some recommendations. It is a resinous apple scent that smells rather naughty. Arcana has a whole "Apples Crave" line but this is the only one I have sniffed and worn. I do enjoy the sample of Sixteen92's Bourbon Apple Cider I have from a Mystery Sampler as well. 

Do you have any apple related scented products your are enjoying that I should try? 

Japan Crate: Umai Crate

My friend Marie on FB (used to run a fabulous blog called Nails&Noms) posted a photo of some kick butt looking ramen and I had to know where it came from... ended up being a subscription box called the Umai Crate, run by the Japan Crate crew. I placed my order on February 28th and I got this April box the first week of May. It does take a bit to kick in and then get the order since it does ship from Japan. I got worried at week 5 after getting the shipping notice but it came the next day. And it was pretty darn big. It is $25 per month and includes 7-8 noodle meals plus an extra surprise gift. 

I got 7 various noodle meals, many of which were large enough to share with another person (that other person being Savanna as she is my Asian food lover). This month featured a few vegetarian ramen meals, a super cute bowl featuring Japan's unofficial mascot, , an S&B white pepper packet and a pink stretchy lid man who keeps the ramen lid down for you so your soup doesn't get cold. 

I have had a great time embellishing my ramen meals with homemade momofuku eggs (recipe here), nori, enoki mushrooms, seasame seeds and oil and more. I have consumed 3 of the noodle packages so far and loved them all. I do have next month's crate coming but I canceled after that because I wanted to try the Japan Crate Premium that sends candies and snacks. But I would not hesitate to sign up for this crate again. It give me a nice variety for my lunches and quick dinners.

Do you have a subscription box you are loving? Do you enjoy Japanese goodies?

A Secret Forest Patisserie: Artisan Lollipops

A Secret Forest Patisserie is run by Vanessa, a talented artist and confectionary out of L.A. who crafts the most beautiful lollipops I have ever seen. They taste amazing too. Vanessa paints her creations on formed marzipan, adding sparkles, florals and gold flake along the way. Lollipops are sold in sets of three usually and range in price from $15 to $36 a trio.

A perfumer I follow in Instagram shared a photo of her cherry blossom pop and I swooned. Immediately I began window shopping A Secret Forest's website and building a cart for Christmas gifting. The silver mouse lollipops are the largest of her lollis, about the the width of the palm of my hand. The girls got these in their Christmas stocking and Scarlette already devoured hers. I saved the third one to photograph for you guys. And mayhap for my own tasty pleasure. You can select the flavor of your choice for certain designs and this was one of them. I chose a simple strawberry for the girls. ($36 for three x-large lollipops)

These holiday bluebirds are stunning. They are flavored in sugar cookie. I have not tasted these but plan to soon. I have one set aside for a giveaway that is currently happening on my Facebook page. ($21 for 3)

I bought a few Christmas themed pops for tying on packages: snowmen, Rudolph and Clarice and gingerbread houses. The snowmen are flavored in peppermint marshmallow and tasted minty delicious ($21 for 3), the reindeer in natural peppermint ($21 for 3) and the gingerbread houses in gingerbread ($30 for 3). The gingerbread houses blew me away with the level of detail and pure cheerfulness. I loved eating it. The gingerbread flavor was more sweet than spicy and mellow yet delicious. Eating the actual marzipan gingerbread house was my favorite part though. The chewy almond flavor and the sweet crunch of the decorations satisfied my sweet tooth.  

The girls also got a Lucky Cat lollipop in strawberry in their stocking as well. ($18 for 3)

When browsing her actual website make sure to just scroll through all the lollipops and not just click on collections or you will miss a lot of fun things to look at. Her Halloween and Valentine's lollipops are divine. I am dying to try her Marie Antoinette one, and a moon, and a lavender bud, as well a few others. I ordered several lollipops and it took a couple weeks to get them since she crafts each one by hand. Make sure you message her if you are wanting a certain amount for an event. She also does custom orders and can do rushes. I had a great experience and will be back for sure. 

I do recommend gifting the lollipops as soon as you get them or at least within a couple weeks. After about a month the clarity does cloud as is the nature of sugar and candy. They still taste amazing but just won't be as crystal clear. She also has premium flavors you can add to your lollipops like elderflower and organic plum for an extra charge. 

I am in love with artisan candies and these fit the bill for beautiful sweets to both enjoy and gift.