Wednesday, October 31, 2012

November fragrance of the month - Cranberry Pomegranate

November is the month to give thanks. While we should always give thanks, whether because we are not in a path of destruction, or whether we've survived the path of destruction, there is always a reason to give thanks.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the Fragrance of the Month for November is Cranberry Pomegranate.

Bowing to my love of trivia, here is some background information on cranberries:

The name cranberry derives from "craneberry", first named by early European settlers in America who felt the expanding flower, stem, calyx, and petals resembled the neck, head, and bill of a crane. Another name used in northeastern Canada is mossberry. The traditional English name for Vaccinium oxycoccosfenberry, originated from plants found growing in fen (marsh) lands. In 17th century New England cranberries were sometimes called "bearberries" as bears were often seen feeding on them.

Native Americans had been using cranberries long before the Europeans arrived. In addition to eating the berries as fruit, they used the fruit to preserve meat, dye fabrics and to treat wounds. Cranberries away have been part of the foods Native Americans introduced to the Pilgrims which helped the,survive their first winter in North America.  

Here is some additional trivia about the cranberry:
  • The cranberry is one of three fruits native to North America. The other two are the Concord grape and the blueberry.
  • There are approximately 333 cranberries in a pound, 3,333 cranberries in one gallon of juice, 33,333 cranberries in a 100-pound barrel
  • Cranberry juice contains a chemical that blocks pathogens that cause tooth decay
  • John Lennon repeated the words Cranberry sauce at the end of the song Strawberry Fields Forever, a fact that Lennon confirmed in a 1980 interview. He stated it was a kind of icing on the cake of the weirdness of song, where anything he might have imagined saying would have been appropriate.
  • Cranberries have been named the official state fruit in Wisconsin, which is a leader in the business of cranberry production.
Cranberry Pomegranate fragrance tarts
For my candles, I have chosen the blend of Cranberry Pomegranate as the November Fragrance of the Month. I would describe this fragrance as citrusy with a hint of bubbly. Juicy pomegranate combined with tart cranberry create a unique and fresh alternative to cinnamon based fall fragrances. 

Cranberry Pomegranate is available in all candle and home fragrance products: 12 oz and 7 oz candles, wickless candles, tea lights, votives, fragrance tarts and diffuser oils and fragrance sprays.

Also try Cranberry Pomegranate in body fragrance products such as lotion, body spray, and soaps.

Throughout the entire month of November, all Cranberry Pomegranate products are 10% off.  Please see my Fragrance of the Month section of my Etsy shop for more details.

  


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Featured artist - Sarah B. Haffner of 2 Bee Press

Today I'm pleased to introduce to your Sarah B. Haffner of 2 Bee Press. Read more about here wonderful work here:



I am a native Oregonian and grew up on a small family farm outside of Corvallis.  I was a rambunctious child but if you gave me some paper and crayons I was quietly entertained for a good hour.  

Pocket travel journal, set of 3
Growing up I had dreams of living abroad or in a big city and I am lucky to have done both.  I lived in Toyama, Japan for a few years and in NY City.   I love all the color, texture and creativity found in all of the places I have lived.  I especially fell in love with Japanese Decorative Paper and while in NY I took some book binding classes.  

Cozy Camper moleskin travel journal
I would design just to unwind and I would give my creations away to friends and family.  One day a friend suggested I open a shop on Etsy and that is how I got started. 

Pine tree Christmas gift tag

I love everything I create.  If I don’t love it I won’t sell it.  All of my creations have different origins and inspiration, no two were created in exactly the same way.  One of my earliest creations is a simple design inspired by my time in Japan.

Waves, water, clouds gift tags
My main job is as a research assistant providing information to help teachers.  I also work for my husband prepping canvases and working on his online site – to premier soon.  My other interests are; movies, hiking, beach combing and growing flowers in the garden.

Origami paper cranes in blue
I hope you enjoy my designs as much as I enjoy creating them. The designs for my cards, journal covers and gift tags have a rustic, homemade feel that all things made by hand have. My items are meant to be used and shared, by doing so I hope they will have a life of their own. 

Nautical moleskin journal set

I can be found at:

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Fall Decor: Decorating with Candles, part 2

It's been a fun but long few weeks recently discussing aspects of writing a newsletter, so I thought it would be a good time to take a break. So let's go back to my favorite topic: candles!

I love candles. Even before I began making them, they were always burning in my home.  I find there is something almost magical about a candle: from the basic element of fire to the combustion of wax and fire to create light, fragrance, and ambiance.

The upcoming four or five months are candle season. When we're home for the holidays, we light candles to welcome guests into our homes. We display tapers on our tables to help set the mood for a special dinner gathering. We light a votive in the power room to make it feel special to our guests. Maybe sometimes we even light a candle when we're alone at night, watching a movie, just to bring a sense of comfort to our world.

Today I want to share with you some fantastic inspirations I've found for decorating with candles. These ideas and more can be found on my Pinterest boards, which I hope you will also follow. I hope these ideas may inspire your holiday homes.


Add white pumpkins and pistachios to a white pillar candle


Place a white pillar candle in a hurricane vase, surround with Indian corn and raffia for a centerpiece worthy of your Plymouth ancestors.

Hollow the center of decorative pumpkins and add a tea light.

Adding a step to from above, make the hollow a tad larger, add a votive and a hurricane globe.

Dip your pumpkins in glue or Mod Podge, dip again in sugar or kosher sale for a simmery glow.


More ideas on my Pinterest board here.



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