Happily, though, it’s a time to feel hope and anticipation. We feel it in our hearts and spirits. We’re ready to stretch and open ourselves to life.  Whether March brings soft breezes or harsh winds, that force us to rely on our strong foundations, it promises change and vitality. March is a month of possibility. We watch for signs of new growth.

Our March fragrance is “Green is Good”…. fresh green notes that come from the earth.

If you really want to share the joy, we suggest you make it a Strawberries and Champagne day…week…month! Our fragrant candles will delicately scent your home and lighten your heart, helping create that special mood.

Champagne truffles are a tiny indulgence that can be shared with ALL your loved ones. Bring out your best crystal for a girl’s night and share some bubbly for no special reason.

And, when you want to go the extra mile, try this dreamy-sounding cake from a charming blog called ‘Flour Child’. This high-school senior loves to bake, and we love to find yummy recipes, so (just like Strawberries and Champagne), it’s a match made in heaven!

http://flour-child.net/2011/02/14/happy-valentines-day/

As winter settles in for a good long visit, our spirits crave warmth, comfort and rich scents.

As we patiently wait for our planted bulbs to bloom, we turn our focus indoors, brightening rooms with vases filled with evergreen branches, rich toned roses and pinecones. Although the holidays have come and gone we want that feeling to linger just a little longer.

Some of us seek sunshine and freshness—so we brighten our kitchen with bowls of lemons and limes (and we choose tart marmalade over sweet jam).

That’s why we’ve named our January fragrance of the month, ‘Winter Garden’. What grows there? A scent of rare beauty and icy drama, with light notes of citrus and florals that hold the promise of spring.

We try to do it all: visit every friend and family member, turn out homemade pies and cookies (even if we haven’t baked since last Christmas), and decorate, shop and spend like we’re being judged by a panel of home decorating experts.

Let’s not aim for perfection this year: the perfect gift, the perfect tree, the perfect party. What would happen if instead, we simply spent time with our family—or on our own? Just read all the greeting cards or emails aloud, rather than feel guilty about not having sent out yours.  Make plans to spend time with your friends in February, when we all have cabin fever. Give a gift of time and attention to your parents or children, rather than an expensive gadget.

More time to spend Christmas by the Fire, with your loved ones by your side or in your heart. That’s the best gift of all.

Baked Pull-Apart Pumpkin French Toast. Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 loaf hearty whole wheat bread, sliced

3 large eggs

1 cup milk or cream

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

2 Tablespoons molasses

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend

1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

The night before…
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, 2 Tablespoons melted butter, molasses and 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend.  Dip each slice of bread into the mixture to coat well, then place, one layer thick, on a 13×17 baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining pumpkin mixture on top of the bread.  Place plastic wrap over the soaking bread slices and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

In the morning…
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter an 8 x 11 baking dish. Mix together brown sugar with remaining teaspoon of spice blend. Remove plastic wrap from the soaked bread and brush tops lightly with remaining 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle French toast tops all over with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Starting with the smaller pieces, arrange the slices of bread in the buttered baking dish, propping them up on top of each other until the pan is full. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the tops are crispy. Serve at once with Molasses-Cinnamon Syrup or pure maple syrup, and whipped cream.

Happily, once we accept that Mother Nature always wins, everything falls into place. Soccer cleats are packed away and skate blades are sharpened. Pumpkin, cranberry, vanilla and caramel are my new favorite colors….and scents…and foods, too!

Vanilla Caramel really is a perfect November choice for both color and fragrance. Classic creamy hues match the lush notes of imported vanilla and deep brown sugar. Create a candlescape of varying jar sizes on your mantle or coffee table, and imagine you’re finishing an intimate dinner for two with a decadent crème brûlée.  Keep the furnace down low and snuggle up instead, by the light of flickering candles. Get cozy.

I’m proud to say, I am one of those people who thinks Halloween isn’t just for kids! I love dressing up, I love ghoulish creations, and I love candy. What better excuse to indulge than on a special day dedicated to spooky fun?

Of course, the classic witch ensemble is fast and easy. But the team here has also been:

• A skeleton
• A Spanish senorita
• French toast!
• A Christmas tree
• The Queen of Hearts
• A football player, thanks to an older brother with a stinky uniform!

I guess that’s why we created lots of fun little home fragrancing ideas for Halloween. If you’re hosting (or attending) a party this year, surprise everyone with a Spooky Loot Bag!

For kids: check our fruity-scented Spooky Lip gloss rings, spooky bath fizzies and soap sponges shaped like bats, skulls, jack-o-lanterns and ghosts.

For grown-ups:  spooky candle tins, haunting glittery reed diffuser sets with bats, spiders and skulls, tapers that look like they’re bleeding blood, and of course all sizes of candles in black, white and orange.

What was your fave Halloween costume? Post your answers and pics on our Facebook page and we’ll all be inspired before October 31!

Like our adventurous Anne, we love autumn.

Our female hearts celebrate—layered t’s & chunky sweaters!

We crave squash soup and butter tarts (a Canadian obsession), warm cider and long-simmered stews… (while wearing yoga pants!)

Truly, though, autumn is a season of scent. Goodbye, airy florals and cool water scents. Welcome warm spices, pumpkin pies, mulled cider and crackling fires.

Our October Fragrance is White Pumpkin and Gourds.

It’s a harmony of rich fragrance notes: lush pumpkin, juicy orange & cinnamon, ginger and patchouli to name a few favorites.

The visual is captivating…why not duplicate it for your autumn centerpiece? Simply purchase white pumpkins and gourds, (or paint standard ones) and spray finish with a coat of clear shellac.  Intersperse gourds and our scented votives down the length of a harvest table, and add brightly colored leaves for contrast.  As the candle fragrance unfolds, your guests will truly feel welcomed…and glad to live in a world that has October, and you.

So why are we so excited about our Unscented Collection? Because, sometimes, what is left out tells the story. That understanding led to our recent re-formulation of our personal care lines, without parabens, synthetic dyes and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.

We recognize that many people have fragrance sensitivities. if you’re one, or if you simply don’t want to use scented products, you can still enjoy our lush creams, lotions, washes and specialty products.  Maybe you have a husband, son or boyfriend who needs a great shea butter but doesn’t want to smell ‘girly’? We’ve got the answer. We always indicate whether a specific item is scented or scent-free, and our full Unscented Collection is totally giftable too–for your fragrance-free friends!

We’re passionate about scent, color and quality–but we’re most passionate about our customers!

‘Bakery’ scents can capture us that way, because we don’t expect to find them outside of a kitchen or shop. The fragrances have powerful, happy associations too…we only have to read the words, ‘fresh-baked bread’, ‘cinnamon buns’ or ‘apple pie’ to almost taste the scent while we smile.

Angel Food cake is like that…creamy and sweet, light as air and gently appealing. You’ll detect drifts of soft vanilla and warm baked accords. It’s a friendly, welcoming scent that’s not overdone. I think of special birthdays, Saturday afternoons in the kitchen, and my girlfriends. What does our September Fragrance of the Month ‘stir’ in you?