The Nook at JenSan Candles

2012-01-01T11:50:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all our friends and customers. We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season and we wish you peace, joy and happiness in 2012.

Thanks for your continued support in 2011 and we hope to see you again in 2012 when we will be bringing you some wonderful new product offerings.

Lavender Magnolia Scented Duotone Decorative Pillar Candle

5 Piece Al Fresco Market Tote Aromatherapy Goodie Bag

New at JenSan Candles for the holidays

2011-10-24T07:30:00.000-04:00

Just in time for the holidays are these fabulous candle scents and gift certificate that would make wonderful gifts for loved ones and friends including mom, significant other, hostess, and co-workers.

Cinnamon Apple Scented Candle

Christmas Wreath Pillar Candle

$50 JenSan Candles Gift Certificate

The Autumn by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

2011-10-14T07:09:00.000-04:00

Yellow Shoes by Shannonpix

Nutmeg & Cedar by JenSan Candles

Harvest Gold by Raceytay

Go, sit upon the lofty hill,
And turn your eyes around,
Where waving woods and waters wild
Do hymn an autumn sound.
The summer sun is faint on them --
The summer flowers depart --
Sit still -- as all transform'd to stone,
Except your musing heart.

How there you sat in summer-time,
May yet be in your mind;
And how you heard the green woods sing
Beneath the freshening wind.
Though the same wind now blows around,
You would its blast recall;
For every breath that stirs the trees,
Doth cause a leaf to fall.

Oh! like that wind, is all the mirth
That flesh and dust impart:
We cannot bear its visitings,
When change is on the heart.
Gay words and jests may make us smile,
When Sorrow is asleep;
But other things must make us smile,
When Sorrow bids us weep!

The dearest hands that clasp our hands, --
Their presence may be o'er;
The dearest voice that meets our ear,
That tone may come no more!
Youth fades; and then, the joys of youth,
Which once refresh'd our mind,
Shall come -- as, on those sighing woods,
The chilling autumn wind.

Hear not the wind -- view not the woods;
Look out o'er vale and hill-
In spring, the sky encircled them --
The sky is round them still.
Come autumn's scathe -- come winter's cold --
Come change -- and human fate!
Whatever prospect Heaven doth bound,
Can ne'er be desolate.

Mom

2011-10-02T16:00:00.000-04:00

Our mom Marjorie has been there for us for so long and worked so hard to support us all of our lives but like most kids, we probably don't show enough appreciation of our parents. Mom has always had so much life in her and continued to work well into her 70s. We finally talked her into retiring a few years ago and now she lives with us. She had a major illness a couple of years ago but thankfully God allowed her to continue to be with us. And although she turns 82 in about three weeks, she has never seemed old to us because she has always been so active. However, this year for the first time Jennifer and I have really noticed that she is getting older and so we try to spend as much time with her as possible.

We also try to record as many moments with her as possible. She looked so beautiful when she came home from church that I had to take these photos of her.

Mom still looking great at 82

She's smiling at Happy here

We tried to Nibbles entice to join us on the lawn and have his
photo taken also but like all cats, he couldn't be bothered.

And he decides that he wants his photo taken too

Happy July 4th

2011-07-04T08:55:00.000-04:00

A celebration of red, white and blue on Independence day!

Stars and Stripes - Fine Art Photograph

Printable 4th of July A4 size Poster

Sewing Box Vintage Button Bracelet

JAZZ Scented Candle, 14 oz Pillar

Embroidered Pendant Necklace Blossom in Blues on Red Linen

SUMMER SALE at JenSan Candles! Enter Coupon Code "SUMMER" & save 15% storewide

2011-06-26T10:08:00.002-04:00

Get a head start on summer by stocking up on your favorite JenSan candles, Dead Sea salt scrubs, organic soaps, and reed diffusers. Enter coupon code SUMMER at checkout and save 15% storewide.

Hawaiian Breeze Scented Candle

Orange Dead Sea Salt Scrub

Mint Tea Organic Soap Bar

Vanilla Reed Diffuser

Preparing for the Christmas Season Part 2

2011-06-25T15:56:00.000-04:00

In our continuing preparation for the holiday season, we have launched our new premium soy candle line and have also been working at adjusting some of the existing scents and colors of our regular fragrance candles.

Our new Citron Splash Premium Soy Essential Oil Candle is refreshingly cool.

Jennifer was never happy with the light brown of our Sandalwood candle so we have changed it to a deeper
richer more masculine brown. What do you think of the new color?

Our new Pink Grapefruit Dead Sea Salt Scrub will leave your skin feeling silky soft.

Preparing for the Christmas Season

2011-06-20T07:25:00.000-04:00

Yes I know, Christmas is over six months away! However, it is never too early to start preparing. At JenSan, we are working very hard at developing new products to offer our customers this holiday season and we would like to share a little taste with you.

One of our goals for the holiday season is to increase and diversify our organic soap scents. And Jennifer has been hard at work developing and testing out several new combinations. Here she is preparing a new shea butter based soap.

Adding essential oils to soap mix. Smells divine! Jennifer is using rubber gloves as she works to protect
her hands from any accidents with the lye that is used to create cold processed soaps.

Adding mixture to one of the handmade wooden soap molds that Jennifer made.
Since this is just a test, Jennifer is using a small 3 lb mold.

This will make approximately 5 to 6 soap bars

Covering soap mix prior to insulation

Insulating soap batch with towel. Will remain insulated for at least 24 hours during the initial cure.

Cut soap is now ready for the 6-weeks curing process. At the end of this period, we will test the
soap bars and if we are happy with the results, this combination may become one of our new soap
scents this holiday season. And if we are not happy with the results, it will be back to the testing board.

It's a Girl!

2011-04-11T10:11:00.006-04:00

We had a baby shower yesterday for our niece Keisha and it was so much fun. It was not a surprise because Keisha was very involved in the planning. Which is not a bad thing because when was the last time you went to a shower where the mom to be was really surprise...LOL! There were 75 people on the guest list and although my sister-in-law and future grandma Marlene said that not everyone came, I think that attendees must have brought friends because the room was packed. Needless to say baby Kimora and her parents received lots of beautiful presents. Mom and dad won't need to buy much of anything for the newborn. However, as quickly as kids grow out of clothing, that won't last for long. Here are a few photos of the happy event. And if you looking for the perfect gift for an upcoming baby shower, check out my suggestions below.

Jennifer and I gave the happy parents this adorable 3-in-1 basinet from Kolcraft. It looks so

comfy that I almost wish I was a baby again so that I could get to sleep in it for at least one night.

Girl with flower and yellow birds by Tutika

Handmade eco-friendly organic cotton and bamboo Apron Hooded Towel by purepixie

Hand-printed linocut polaroid baby onesie by betsy

Baby Feet Custom Key Chain by riskybeads

Crafter's Paradise

2011-04-08T01:02:00.005-04:00

Remember when you were a little girl and you worked at crafting in school or with your mom. My mom Marjorie is a knitter/crochet artist extraordinaire. I've lost count of the many projects knitting/sewing projects I started with her as a child and never completed. My mom is also a hoarder and even into my adult years, she would sometimes bring out a piece of needlework, an unfinished scarf or sewing pattern and say to me, "Sand, do you remember when you started this." All I can do at those times is laugh. I just never had her talent for crafting. But I've always wished that I did when I see the beautiful pieces created by her and other crafters.

"I Will Be Back" Organic Hand Embroidered Wall Hanging for $17 by BelleCoccinelle

Delightful Easter Tree for $40 by Fairyfolk

Cuptopus Water Bottle for $20 by Handamade

Printable Smile He Is Coming Easter Gift Bag for $6.75 by petekdesign

Triple strand cuff bracelet in sea foam for $25 by PonderandStitch

JenSan Soy Essentials—A Preview!

2011-04-07T00:37:00.001-04:00

In the next couple of weeks at JenSan, we will be launching our new Premium Soy Essential Candle line. We are very excited about this new product line which has been over a year in development as we tested different soy waxes, essential oils and cotton wicks to find the perfect combination. I will be writing a longer blog post at a later date about what goes into bringing a new product to market but for now, I just wanted to share a brief preview with you.

Tranquility Premium Soy Essential Oil Candle: A serene blend of lavender, rosemary, ylang ylang,

orange, lemon and lime essential oils.

Vanilla Anise Soy Essential Oil Candle: The warm spicy scent of anise is blended with

the aromatic bouquet of vanilla to fragrant this richly bodied candle.

Etsy Wednesday

2011-04-06T03:17:00.001-04:00

Etsy has some amazing artisans and every Wednesday, I will try to share a few with you.

My "Flower Show" collection is my reinterpretation of the annual Macy's event Etsy Style!

I think that every woman should be a little daring at some point and my "Dare to be..." collection is a homage to those risk takers.

I was inspired to create "Abstract Geometry" by the amazing collage painting, Diving Deep by SarahJohnAfana. I love that painting and I see something different every time I look at it.

Mildred Pierce, the ultimate fashionista

2011-03-28T07:06:00.001-04:00

The remake of Mildred Pierce with Kate Winslet in the role made famous by Joan Crawford in her Oscar winning performance premiered last night on HBO. And so far I'm really enjoying the remake. It is more faithful to the James M. Cain novel and Kate gives a more restrained performance than La Diva Crawford but she has totally makes the role her own. If you missed it, you should most definitely try to catch the re-broadcast of the first part along with the remaining 3 episodes.

A salute to the style of Mildred Pierce

Accessorize Your Home for Spring

2011-03-25T16:54:00.001-04:00

Spring! The season of cleaning, gardening, renewal, and maybe a few updates to the home. Below are a few wonderful accent pieces for the home that I discovered while surfing Etsy.

If this vintage jazz saxaphone from CathodeBlue could still blow, the stories it could tell. It's broken and a bit

old and rusted but would make a unique decorative statement for anyone with a vintage jazz soul.

The perfect accent piece to fill those bare walls, this gorgeous painting by SarahJohnAfana

is sure to be a conversation piece.

Make a decorative statement with this wonderfully retro vintage metal sculpture, made of brass and copper

attached in a gnarled wood base from calloohcallay.

Refresh your sofa pillows with this beautiful Fandango quilted pillow cover by warmnfuzzies.

This vintage wooden shoe from GlassnMore is wonderfully multipurpose. Use it for storage, as a planter or simply

as a decorative statement. And at $18, the price cannot be beat.

Pamper your body and senses this spring!

2011-03-24T07:12:00.000-04:00

Favorites for any time of the year but especially for spring our Rosemary Eucalyptus candle and Calendula Sage organic soap bar are the perfect way to pamper your body and senses!

Rosemary Eucalyptus

A dash of rosemary and a touch of invigorating eucalyptus are blended to create this herbal lovers delight.

Calendula Sage Organic Soap Bar

A wonderful soap scented with a blend of lemongrass and sage essential oils with calendula petals for added beauty

When Old is New Again or Vintage Rules!

2011-03-23T02:00:00.004-04:00

They say that great fashion never goes out of style. What's old always comes back into style again! These sayings have never been truer than today when vintage is all the rage. And you don't have to pay Hollywood prices. Today, the style conscious fashionista can find vintage classics at very affordable prices. Below are just a few examples from the fantastic vintage shops found on Etsy.

1950s Nantucket Sky Shirtwaist Dress for $54 from Small Earth Vintage

1980s pumps in a celestial print for $47 from Marie's Vintage

1980s Picasso Art Deco top for $98 from KMalinka

1980s Lace Corset Dress for $36 from Brown Bag Vintage

Brighton Genuine Leather Brown Crocodile Shoulder Bag for $75 from KMalinka

The Reading Room

2011-03-22T06:00:00.003-04:00

I think that I've mentioned previously that I'm an avid reader—which may explain how I ended up with a day job in publishing. I read all types of books, contemporary romance, classic literature, contemporary fiction and more. However, my favorite genres are probably mystery (particularly the English variety), science fiction, and fantasy. So I've decided to add a monthly feature to the blog called "The Reading Room" where I’ll recommend a book that I’m currently reading or have read in the past. I hope that you enjoy this feature.

And first up is A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.

I totally enjoyed this novel about the romance between a witch trying to run away from her powers and a 1500 year old vampire. If the romance was all there was to the story, it would still be an enjoyable read. However, this is not your typical vampire love story. It's about the search for a lost manuscript, magic, alchemy, evolution, genetics, the possible extinction of a species, the definition of a family, and the search for the philosopher's stone and just maybe the meaning of divinity. This book has it all! It is also the first in a proposed trilogy so there is more story to come about historian Diana Bishop and Matthew, her 1500 year-old vampire love.

Do you have a favorite book that you like? Share it with us below.

SUPPORT THE VICTIMS OF THE JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND PACIFIC TSUNAMI

2011-03-20T19:27:00.002-04:00

When a tragedy of the magnitude of the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami happens, it leaves you with a feeling of helplessness. Nothing you do can undo the tragedy and being so far away, you cannot offer personal help. We offer our prayers but in times like these it is also very important to offer something more tangible. And that is money. For this reason, during the week of 3/20 to 3/26, JenSan Candles will donate 20% of the proceeds from the sale of all Dead Sea Salt Scrub to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. And we hope that if you see your way, you also join us in donating to the fund.

JenSan Candles Dead Sea Salt Scrubs

Halloween Preview

2010-09-08T12:55:00.000-04:00

I love science fiction and fantasy novels. And I also love Halloween. I have wonderful memories of going trick-o-treating with my friends when I was a kid. I grew up in NYC so I had the opportunity to go trick-o-treating not just to houses but also to the numerous apartment buildings in my neighborhood. Of course that was a different time and we did not have the very real frights of today so our parents did not have to overly worry about letting us kids go out on our own. Remembering the things that we got up to sometimes, maybe they should have been worrying....LOL!

So why am I talking about Halloween and science-fiction/fantasy novels in the same breath. Well other than the obvious fantastical relationship, today my Etsy team, TeamtT was presented with the challenge of creating a halloween treasury inspired by Elvis Costello's Miss Macbeth. As soon as I heard the title of the song, I knew that Ray Bradbury's classic horror novel would be my inspiration. After all, Bradbury's title was inspired by the famous line from Macbeth, "by the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes." So with a thank you to Ray, Elvis and the Bard for the inspiration, here is a little halloween preview...Etsy Style!

xoxo Sandra

Knitting with Marjorie

2010-08-29T08:00:00.071-04:00

Some of my earliest memories of my mom are of her sewing or knitting. From the time I was little, she made clothes for friends and family. My mom is now 81 and while her eyesight is not there to allow her to sew like she once did, she still knits up a storm.

In addition to just loving knitting, she says that it also helps with her arthritis. And while she still knits things for the family, now she just knits for the pure joy of it. She knits so much that I talked her into opening a store on Etsy to sell some of her pieces. And she is having a ball and I along with her. One of the things I love about mom selling on Etsy is that I get to spend extra time with her when I take her out choose her wool or just sit down to discuss what she is going to create next.

At right are a few samples of her creations, which can be found in her Etsy store. Simply click the photo for more examples.

I Wondered Lonely As a Cloud

2010-04-10T19:46:00.052-04:00

This William Wordsworth poem has always been one of my favorites—especially during spring.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils,

Beside the lake, beneath the trees

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: -

A poet could not but be gay

In such a jocund company:

I gazed -and gazed -but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills

And dances with the daffodils

A Little Pampering for Valentine's Day

2010-01-30T17:39:00.020-05:00

Looking for the perfect romantic gift for valentine's day, then check out these wonderful selections from JenSan Candles Shop JenSan Candles

Shop JenSan Candles

HANDAMADE FEATURED ETSY SELLER

2009-12-23T13:16:00.000-05:00

I love it when I can share wonderful news—especially when it's great news for someone else.

I am so happy to say that my fellow Etsy TeamT member Geraldine Handa is the feature seller on Etsy. Geraldine makes and sells the most adorable water bottle and apple cozies in her Etsy Shop. So if you are looking for that unique item for yourself or as a gift, check out her store. Her monster shark cozy is not to be believed.

You can read about her creative process and how she got started here Etsy Featured Seller or click on the link below to get started shopping.

Handamade

Snow, Snow go away and come again another day!

2009-12-20T12:51:00.000-05:00

Remember that nursery rhyme from childhood about the rain, well that is how I feel today about snow. As I look out my window it looks so beautiful but there is so much of it that I feel sorry for those family members neighbors all along the street who are digging and plowing out. We got about 15 inches in my area of the woods and generally I would be outside helping to dig out but my bum knee (torn meniscus) got me out of snow duty. And I really wish that I could be outside helping. Really, I do! I really, really do! What could be more fun than digging out of 15 inches of snow? My dog Happy is having a ball.

All of this snow makes me wish for a white Christmas. With so much of it falling this weekend there will still be some on the ground on Friday but it won't be a pretty so I'm hoping for some new snow to hide dirty piles at the side of the street.

And speaking of Christmas, shop with JenSan and Marjorie's Nook today for those last minute gift items. JenSan offers guarantee delivery by Christmas day for orders placed by midnight on Sunday Night. And Marjorie's nook offers the same on selected items. It maybe necessary to upgrade to express mail shipping via the USPS. Click on links below to start shopping.

JenSan Candles

Marjorie's Nook

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2009-11-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe its Thanksgiving and almost the end of the year already. The years are just going by so fast. I remember when as a child it took forever for my birthday or Christmas to come. My 14-year-old nephew said to me a few days ago that the year have gone by so fast. If it feels that way to him at 14, imagine how it feels to us older folks.... LOL! So remember to enjoy the little things while you can or to paraphrase Robert Bralt, "one day you may look back and realized that there were the big things."

And as you sit down to dinner with friends and family today and during the holiday season, I ask that you not just give thanks for what you have achieve and accomplished but more importantly—to remember the less fortunate among us who have not been so lucky. This is truly the time to remember that old axiom—"there but for the grace of God, go I."

There are lots of food banks in your area that need monetary donations and or supplies to help feed the hungry this holiday season. Please give what you can in support—even if it is just some of your time.

Below are links to some Food Banks in the NJ area but I am sure that there are in your local community who are in desperate need of support. Search for them on Google and do what you can to help.

Trenton Soup Kitchen

Community Food Bank of New Jersey
The Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties

And again, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Jennifer & Sandra