Scents of the Season

Scents and aromas have the amazing ability to transport one back in time, recapture a favorite event or place, and soothe or stimulate.  The olfactory memory of something yummy baking in the oven, freshly laundered sheets, flowers you carried when you walked down the aisle, or baby powder can bring a smile to your face and warm your heart.  Nothing warms a home more than a beautifully scented candle during the cold winter months.  LUCKY HILL has a wonderful assortment of candles throughout the year, but an especially lovely selection for the holiday season.  

From the pages of Paddywax's Library Collection emerges the ultimate in Christmas literature:  Charles Dickens.  The quote on the candle reads, "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year".  Top notes of tangerine, clove, and juniper herald in the season.  Charles Dickens is available as a boxed candle ($25) or a 2-wick travel tin ($8).

Simpatico by K. Hall brings two holiday fragrances to their hobnail collection.  As with the year-round fragrances, Scotch Pine No. 26 and Reindeer No. 29, have an astounding 100-hour burn time and the option of re-purposing the hobnail glass vessel after the candle has finished surrounding you in scent.

Scotch Pine No. 26 is a warm, woodsy fragrance reminiscent of crisp winter nights.  The true pine scent is known for its clarifying and uplifting properties. ($29)

Reindeer No. 29 combines fall and holiday as red currants and cranberries collide with cedar wood, Frasier fir, and embers.  It's an exhilarating and cozy fragrance contained in a stunning cranberry glass hobnail. ($29)

And not to sound like a broken record.....but I can't help but once again utter that lovely name, Clive.  If you've read the post about 2550˚ candles entitled,  Hand-Poured Personality, you'll recall my desire to spend the winter months with Clive ($28.50).  No, not Clive Owen, but rather the candle that embraces you with fragrant tobacco leaves blended with rich black tea, followed with bright green notes of bergamot and earthy vetiver.  Sigh.  Simply brilliant.....and always the gentleman.  Where's the mistletoe?

 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

LUCKY HILL is twinkling with little white lights and garland adorns the banister and armoire.  While I'd like to say the little elves came in one night and did all the work, unless the elves were named Dan and Kristin that wasn't the case.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE decorating for Christmas.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas.  I love the holiday so much Dan and I had a December wedding.

The interior was decorated just prior to Thanksgiving.  I've always been a stickler about not decorating for Christmas too early....it's always so disturbing to hear Christmas carols playing in shops before the kiddies have even been around for Halloween.  We have a rule in our shop....no carols until at least the day after Thanksgiving.

For the last few days, I've been wiring greens into garlands, swags, and onto the wreath frame for the front door.  This year they will be adorned with pomegranates, apples, petite pine cones, pods, dried hydrangea blossoms, berries, and cranberries.  Two small Christmas trees with white lights now grace the antique urns that flank the front door.

Last night after everything was in place outside, I helped our dear friend Michele carry packages out to her car.  As we stood chatting and laughing, it started to snow.  Truly....life doesn't get more perfect than that!!!

Here's a glimpse at what's in store for the holiday at LUCKY HILL

Maileg mice are nestled in their matchboxes for a long winter's nap while the juniper, clove, and clementine aroma of Paddywax's Charles Dickens candle wafts through the shop.

It wouldn't be Christmas at LUCKY HILL without a GurglePot or two....who would have thought they would be hanging on the tree?  GurglePot has created ornaments in Bright Red, Cobalt, and Kiwi to keep you smiling.

Maileg pixies frolic on the top of one of the garden half rounds......

and mice and a pig on the other

Sydney Hale Co. candles celebrate the season amid foraged berries and remind us that the holiday is about giving back as they donate 10% of their profits to animal shelters.

I grew up with advent calendars, but nothing as magnificent as this one from Maileg.

A rainbow of GurglePots are flanked by Oh, Little Rabbit organic cotton flour sack Christmas tea towels.  I especially love the one of the vintage Woodie with the Christmas tree on top.

The armoire is filled with bamboo nighties and PJs from Yala in silhouettes and colors perfect for Christmas Eve.   

Gift baskets laden with Big Paw olive oil and Mary Judge Designs dipping dishes are ready for holiday giving.

Our first holiday window with boxwood outside and glass icicles suspended from the famous white birch branch.

And finally.....my little elf who puts up with a lot of holiday decorating nonsense from me.  Doesn't his look say it all?

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.