January Fragrance of the Month - VANILLA TOBACCO!

I have to admit - Vanilla Tobacco is not a fragrance I could have concocted on my own. A coworker came to me one day saying that she fell in love with the cologne a family member of hers was wearing, and could I please replicate it? The fragrance was Tobacco Vanille, a unisex scent from Tom Ford.

Really? Tobacco? I'm sure this is what you're thinking.  I did too at first, but then I began thinking about the tobacco plant, not the burnt cigarette. I prefer to think of the houseplant Nicotiana, a cousin to the southern crop. Thinking of tobacco as a plant was easier to think of it as a fragrance, slightly floral and slightly herbal. 

My first attempts at the fragrance were too vanilla.  It took a few attempts to find the musky nuance. While the Tom Ford version speaks of notes of honey, it was the touch of Sandalwood my blend needed to find the undertones. Top notes begin with Tobacco, which is actually an herbal, slightly floral scent. Don't think of Grandpa's pipe here!!! Middle notes bring out my rich Gourmet Vanilla, and the candle lands with bottom notes of Asian Sandalwood. Now, this is my favorite fragrance, and I'm so glad to offer this custom blend to you as the January fragrance of the month! 

All January, Vanilla Tobacco is offered to you in all home fragrance products and 10% off. For a current listing of products, please see the Fragrance of the Month section of my shop.

Happy New Year!

Dorene

Etsy shop review - The Beetle Wing/Kelsey Payton - Jan 6th

Today's Etsy shop review features Kelsey Payton of The Beetle Wing.  Please take a moment to view these unique crafts!

 I love animals, I always have ever since I was little. My parents let me own pretty much any animal I wanted, and I've always been fascinated by birds. Anything with feathers I just love.

Arrowhead and Braided Hemp Choker

So I have had the chance to own a variety of chickens, ducks, pigeons, geese, guinea, parakeets and peafowl throughout my life. At my shop, I sell feather earrings and other animal or nature inspired items. Shell, Bone, Wood, porcupine quills and more.

Iridescent Beetle Wing Earrings

And I'm constantly experimenting with new materials and new designs. I can't stay hooked on just one thing, I have to explore all of the possibilities! Nature inspires me in almost all of my projects, It is a major factor and all of my projects. Nature is so full of interesting things.

Brown Seashell Earrings

I'm proud of every item I make, but I have to say I'm most proud with the feather earrings I make. I take a lot of time making sure the feathers look just right and they are durable to wear.

Long Pigeon Feather Earrings

Outside of Etsy, I'm finishing school, taking care of my pets and just trying to enjoy life. My main hobby of course is Etsy, but I also collect salt and pepper shakers and do Photography. I don't have a full time job yet, but I'm hoping after school I can become and Art teacher or professional photographer.

Dried Sweet Gum Seeds

You can find us on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/KelseysCreationsMore?ref=hl 

I'm also hoping I can get a YouTube account soon for videos of my birds and DIY crafts!

2012's Top Ten

I'm pleased to introduce to you today's Top Ten List (with a nod to Kennedy Center Honoree and fellow Ball State alum) of my best selling fragrances:

#11 - Orange Blossom and Pumpkin Chai Tea

There were quite a few ties in this year's list, so I chose to list my Top Eleven fragrances.

Orange Blossom is a custom blended fragrance I created early in 2012. I had read in Perfume & Flavorist that 2012 fragrance trends came from a perspective of "Wild Luxury Consumer"  Orange Flower was second on the list. Blending orange and jasmine fragrance oils, I found a fragrance that my Florida customers consider to be just like the local fruit trees. Personally, I love this scent in the body fragrances I've developed.

Pumpkin Chai Tea was another original creation from October 2011.  I'm not sure I can tell you where my creativity for this originated, but I remember I was looking for a more unique pumpkin fragrance than pumpkin pie. Pumpkin Chai Tea was the first of my custom blends and has been a top seller since that first fall introduction.

#9 - Apple Harvest

Apple Harvest is a true apple orchard fragrance, combining Red Delicious, Macintosh, and Granny Smith scents. If you love a trip to your local orchard, you will love this fall favorite!




#8 - Gourmet Vanilla

What can I say? Vanilla is the most popular candle fragrance across all candle companies, so the challenge is to find a vanilla that is special to you. Originally, I called this fragrance Very Vanilla, because that's what I thought it was. But as I was rebranding my product in the fall I realized this fragrance smells like a vanilla extract, so why not rebrand the scent as Gourmet Vanilla?

#6 - Orchid Rain and Rum Raisin

Usually, I am not a floral person, so it's a challenge to me to include floral scents in my collection. What I love about Orchid Rain is that is certainly a floral, yet the spa-like additions of bamboo and watercress bring a light and powdery finish to a scent that isn't overly sweet.

Rum Raisin has become a holiday classic, especially to my local customers. Combining rich caramel with butterscotch and vanilla cream, this luxurious fragrance reminds me of my favorite bread pudding!



#4 - Home for the Holidays and Stormy Weather

Both fragrances are similar to the national Y***** C*****, but hand poured for a personal touch! Home for the Holidays combines cinnamon and baking spices with a touch of pine and smell just like cookie baking day during the holidays!

Stormy Weather became an instant best seller once I entered the wholesale market. Similar to Stormwatch, this unique fragrance combines lavender and ocean scents with a slight hint of spice and musk. It was a favorite of mine before I began making candles, and I was so glad to find a similar fragrance to offer to you!


#2 - Cinnamon & Balsam and Cranberry Pomegrante

Cinnamon & Balsam is a custom fragrance I created last year.  True story - I was attempting to create a Cinnaberry fragrance, and used Balsam rather than Bayberry.  Well, sometimes best sellers are inspiration and sometimes perspiration! After much sweating and stewing, I decided to offer the fragrance as the mistake it was, and I'm so glad I did! It is a strong fragrance and not for the faint of heart, but absolutely wonderful for the holidays!

Cranberry Pomegranate is an unusual fruity fragrance for the holiday season. With top notes of the citrus fragrances it's named for, Cranberry Pomegranate has a secondary top note of bubbly champagne. For those looking for a fruity alternative to holiday fragrances, Cranberry Pomegranate is a perfect choice and can freshen your home year round!

And now Number One on Today's Top Ten.....

LAVENDER

Of course. What else could it be? My Lavender is admittedly more floral than grassy, yet conveys the same sense of clean you'd expect from this eternal favorite. I wish I could invent a scratch & sniff application for your computer, your phone, or your tablet so you could smell on your own, but for now I'll have to rely on selling a few to you!




So what's your favorite? What are your predictions for the 2013 Top Ten list? My offer to you, my loyal followers, is 15% off any of the fragrances listed above next time you shop D'Lites by Dorene. Just use coupon code BlogLover at checkout!

Happy New Year!