Keep Calm and Cozy On

The weather here in Castine has turned nippy and the Maine Fall foliage tracker is showing color in the Northern regions.  Monday we received yet another package of smile-inducing product.  This shipment came to us all the way from the Lake District of England.

Katie Mawson established her business in 1991 after graduating from Camberwell Art School with a degree in textile design.  She started with hand knitted sweaters (jumpers in England) and went on to create a children's wear collection.  Over time, her work has evolved to her current line of felted wool gloves, hats, scarves, and home accessories  Katie's husband, Chris, joined the business in 2000 and everything is made by them with the help of their knitters, Kerry and Norman.  Katie carefully finishes every piece, felting them for extra softness, hand stitching, and labeling them as genuinely made in England. 

Wide stripes, narrow stripes, and tipped solids in fun colors.  Thanks to Katie and her team we can happily say, bring on the cold weather.....and smiles!

A Little Piece of the Big Easy

We have New Orleans to thank for more fabulous things than I can even begin to count....gumbo, Mardi Gras, Po' Boys, the Sazerac, and a vibe that can never be recreated anywhere else.  One of the other amazing products of the Big Easy is Alexa Pulitzer.  From the first time I set eyes on her stunning line of notes and list pads I was smitten.  Lucky Hill is now thrilled to announce it is a purveyor of Ms. Pulitzer's magic!

Finding a new line is exciting.  Ordering a new line is like a kid in a candy store.  Opening the boxes when the new line arrives in the shop is nothing short of Christmas morning!  Sometimes, however, it's more like getting the shiny bike on Christmas morning as opposed to the flannel nightgown.  Yesterday was a shiny bike day here at Lucky Hill.  You always know you have a winning line when you are selling to customers straight out of the shipping box.  A King Kitty notecard set went straight out the door with our dear customer, Jody.

Our antique wire garden half rounds are now laden with notecards, long pads, sketchbooks, and mousepads adorned with the most whimsical of creatures.  All are fabulous, but the mousepads are simply ingenious.   The actual pad is comprised of fifty sheets of paper sporting either the Royal Tiger, Royal Elephant, or Royal Owl.  While working on the computer, jot notes, numbers, or doodles and when that sheet has served its purpose....off it goes to reveal a sparkling new one. 

Yes...I'm gushing.  My big quandary?  Which pattern will become my signature stationery?  It looks like the Royal Goldfish may be swimming away with the title.

Hand-Poured Personality

As I previously mentioned, we've been on a mission to seek out products that celebrate our male clientele.  Our newest candle line, 2550˚, speaks to the personal habits and tastes of men.  However, these are definitely NOT the "man candles" that smell like beer, pork rinds, locker rooms, and other things I refuse to mention. 

After tiring of heavy and uninspired men's home fragrance choices, Jason Linscott worked to create a line of products with more "personality".  The resulting line is comprised of four fragrances that are richer in character, deeply layered, and infused with scent aspects that more closely capture a very definite personality profile.

Joe  Whiskey & rocks, a smoldering bonfire & a well-worn leather jacket
Notes of whiskey, woodsmoke, and leather overlap to create a warm, rich scent with a kick.  Oakmoss and cedarwood help to round out this scrapper.

Clive  Black tea, a hand-rolled cigarette & a mossy windowsill
Fragrant tobacco leaves blended with rich black tea, followed with bright green notes of bergamot and earthy vetiver- a perfectly balanced gent.

Luc  Green absinthe, a cobblestone street & a dark velvet topcoat
Mysterious and deep, notes of absinthe, bitter almond, and oakmoss blend together for a multilayered experience.  Rich dark chocolate, amber and flig slip in for added dimension.

Kurt  A saltwater breeze, sun-bleached driftwood & a tropical beach
Smoky sandalwood and briny kelp interplay with notes of banana and coral flower.  Geranium and vetiver jump in- reminiscent of afternoons in the surf.  

The candles are prepared using an all-natural, clean-burning soy wax base enhanced with botanical and fragrance oils.  Each candle is hand-blended and hand-poured in limited production runs to ensure consistency and quality.  The packaging is fully recyclable and the glass containers and hand-roughed lids are intended for reuse as cocktail glasses or catch-alls.  All 2550˚ candles are produced and packaged in Portland, Oregon.

So which one do I like?  Let's just say I was quick to inform Dan I will be spending the long, cold Maine winter with Clive.  I don't think he minds....after all, it's just a candle....not Clive Owen.