Monday 23 September 2013

Halloween Release 2013

Wow, what a crazy time!
I decided to create a double release this season (one for the arrival of Autumn and one for Halloween) and all products from both releases are now available to purchase in the shop.
I gotta admit I'm pretty tired after all the work that has been put into this over the past couple of months.
I just have to keep ploughing through however as it looks like I won't be getting a break for a while yet.
Matt and I hope to catch a mini break in Cornwall at the end of October, so fingers crossed.
In all I have created 18 scents for this release, some of which are keepers for next season and some of which are tests to see how they're taken.
Here are some soap pics from the two releases:

10,000 Pumpkins soapThe Scent: October – full of cold winds, long nights & dark promises. Days get short, the shadows lengthen. Those special autumn days when the air smells like smoke and the twilights are orange & ash grey, and right up ahead 10,000 Pumpkins lie waiting to be cut! (Ray Bradbury). 
Warm gingerbread, Pumpkin spices, cold Laurel leaf and frosted soil with a hint of metal from a lightning rod.

Dust Witch soap:The Scent: Crushed Dragonsblood incense, aged Patchouli, resinous Vanilla, Sweet Orange oil & Oakmoss absolute with a pungent heart of Stewed Rhubarb stalk.


Lughnasadh soap: The Scent: Patchouli, Frankincense, Labdanum & Ho Wood sits beneath Lavender, sparkling Orange & Lime with heart notes of Geranium leaf, Black Spruce, Rose absolute and the barest hint of woodsmoke on the wind.


Mama Didn't Listen So I Told The Bees soap: The Scent: A heavy blossom honey, the nectar collected from Myrtle bushes, Orange blossoms, Ylang Ylang blooms & Jamarosa grass, the hive made of Himalayan Cedar & Camphorwood. A deep resinous base aroma of Myrrh, dark Vanilla, Cypress, Bergamot and Vetivert.


Owlett's End soap: The Scent: Simmering Black Tea, Clary Sage & Coriander leaves, Nutmeg dust & Cinnamon sticks, sticky dark Orange oil and Blackened Cardamom pods.


Soul's Midnight soap: The Scent: October air tainted with the scent of acrid smoke, dead leaves swirling over the grounds’ surface & Cypress trees swaying forcefully to warn you of the arrival of Dark & Cooger’s Carnival. 


Sparklebox soap: The Scent: Sugar-dusted Orange wheels, Italian Mandarins, Dark & Sweet Amber resin and Black Madagascan Vanilla beans.


Toffee Moon Face soap (now General Catalogue): The Scent: English Butter Toffee shards, Baked Mandarin rinds & Spiced Apple compote, topped with a Caramelised Sugar nest.


Witley Court soap: The Scent: Oak leaves, Lemon-scented Fir trees, Black Spruce & Scotch Pine, Hay absolute, Copaiba balsam, Labdanum & Frankincense with hints of sticky Benzoin, Oakmoss and smoke. Utter perfection and England at it's glorious best.


I will be coursing my way through the orders from the Halloween Release, which went live on Saturday (21st) then I will be working on a few Ltd Edition test soaps, then I will move swiftly on to our Christmas release stock.
This year I will be bringing back some favourites from last year but will also be introducing some new 100% essential oil blends.
It has been my mission for quite some time to introduce more and more scents using only essential oils.
It's how I started out and I'm at my most comfortable when blending EO's as opposed to FO's.
Blending EO's seems to come naturally to me and I gain a lot more excitement out of my products when using only pure oils.  Luckily a lot of my customers enjoy them as well and would prefer them over FO's.
I have been battling with the crossover for a long while and I still am battling but as I explore new oils to use I am positive that I will end up in the direction I should be going!

A great big hearty thank you to all of my customers who have paved the way for me and who have allowed me to follow my passion by being so supportive of my business.