Candle Shop renovation

I sat down today and took a look at my candle shop... and I think I need to spruce it up a bit. I've been trying to pump out some bright, fun summery scents like Coconut Lime and Freesia Blossoms. ((Still in the works is a smoothie blend, apricot, canteloupe, and watermelon!))

But I still think it needs ... something.

In addition to brightening up my selection, I'm toying with the idea of changing the way my photos are taken. I love to take macro shots that show the colors and textures up close, but I wonder if shoppers enjoy those photos as much as I do?

Should I add fun text to show off the scent and the feeling I want to get across to potential buyers? Or is it enough to show just the candles themselves?

I've put together a little survey... I would truly appreciate your feedback!

Click Here to take survey

yes.

i feel good today. sort of a giant weight lifted from my shoulders, temporarily of course, kind of feeling. its like when you get your first paycheck after several months of unemployment or when you make it to the bathroom just "in time".

my situation, however, is the first rather than the latter.

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work: day four

so... i took a quiz on facebook once upon a time ago, ''what 80s movie defines you?'', and my result was Say Anything.. Fabulous movie, if i had to be anything i'm glad it was a john cusack flick...however, this title should not literally translate into real life. there is nothing on my forehead that says 'say anything' or 'tell me your whole life story' or even 'we just met, i'd love to hear about your menstral cycle stories and how much you love tequila' ...

i miss writing this way...

ok so i am catching up on my 'social netoworking' skills and decided that i cannot exclude myspace any longer. too many of my friends are still there, and i miss them. they are not on facebook, most of them, so i have to play both sides. it is what it is. anywhoo...

i was looking through some of my old blogs on myspace and found this one, from nearly two years ago. but it struck me, one because i had completely forgotten about it, and two, because its still true:

1000 miles away
i want to meet a child in mozambique. i want to ask him where he sleeps at night. i want to ask him about his favorite color and the dreams he awakes with. i want to touch his nose and make a silly pinkie swear. give him a balloon and a rice crispie treat. a twistie straw and a flintstone vitamin. i want to give him a best friend and a game they can share.

i want to write in the colors with which i dream. i want to speak with the tones that beat in my chest. i want to light the world with the candles i make. i want to make a difference to at least one person. i want to capture light in all its beauty, put them on bilbourds across the world, then simultaneously set them ablaze. i want to ruin pixie sticks. i want everyone to have at least one gummy worm. i want dancing to become prescribed therapy. i want to send slushies to the kid in mozambique.

i once read that if you write Thank You's on small sheets of paper and put them in a small box - cigar box, jewelry box, etc - that they will become part of your every day. like 'thank you for the most efficient copy machine repairman in the city' and he will become what you say 'thank you' for already having. part of the self-fulfilling prophecy i suppose. i tried it. i dont think the rolodex was the proper sort of box for this type of life changing magic.

i want to adopt a million dogs to give them a special life, on a farm where they can chase chickens. too bad for the chickens, but the dogs will be happy. i want kirby to swim right-side-up. i want azreal to love mew again. i want a lot of things...

i want to hear the sound of birds singing and actually enjoy it. i want to smell roses while they are still in a garden. i want to smell the sea. rain. wet concrete. popsicles.

i want to meet a buddist. breathe in his peace. learn of gods and wisdoms. even if only in stories. good stories, not gods that thrive on war. i want to remove this blindfold to find there really is a pinata, and find reassurance that i'm not just swinging at air with a wooden bat. perhaps a giant carrot. either way, what am i fighting for? against? with or without?

there is a path. green. yellow. orange. red. and blue. with a giraffe as my guide. ...man i need sleep.

"...what kind of scale compares the weight of two beauties, the gavity of duty or groundspeed of joy? tell me what kind of guage can quantify elation? What kind of equation could i possibly employ?..." AD

there's just more to life than this.

when my hubbs is out of town, i just can't sleep. i drown myself in crafting and watching movies and i'm up till i realize how late it is and fall over into bed.

scream #1: this morning i overslept.

i woke to the cat, who had snuck into my bedroom, lying his f@t A$s on my chest, pushing on my throat. i couldn't get moving in time to make my first class this morning, not that i cared, because i dislike that class very much, and since my final is next week i do not care about missing one more time. my second class, however, i had to go to. so i readied myself and went off to school.

i came home from school chipper and looking forward to my job interview at 3pm. i had a plan, things to do until it was time to get ready. i was excited to get dressed up, as its been quite a while, and i was looking forward to wearing my new suity skirt and vest ensamble with the cute silver top with plum colored polka dots. i spent nearly 20 minutes fussing over pantyhose, choosing the right color, then deciding to skip them cuz i couldn't find shoes to go with pantyhose... make up, hair, perfume, all nice. ready to go...

scream #2: and as i'm picking up a purse to swap into, a button pops off... seriously? i've never worn this before, just pulled the tags off! a button. came off my right sleeve, not in a place that i could easily cover, and i had no jacket that matched my silvery plummy gray outfit.. so in a flash i had to completely change.

scream #3: tried a new route to job locale, and almost was late. but on time, i met the manager and was offered the job!

scream #4: why doesnt anyone answer their phone when you have good news?

i went through the drive through to order celebratory taco bell.

and i've been on the couch ever since. time goes by so quickly when the sun is up all day.

Coconut Lime candles

It's official. I've given in to color. I made a new set of candles this week, and boy are they bright! Electric lime green with mottling, and scented with coconut and limes. They are adorable, and would make a great accent to a back yard barbeque!

Here's the super mottled tapered hexagon, now available on Etsy:





The pillars and votives:



I'm looking for some other bright and fun scents/colors to make... suggestions? I'm thinking that the next batch may be bright pink watermelon or orange cantaloupe...

jazzed for more

Made some new smellies yesterday, and now I'm jazzed to make more!

These creamy springy green pillars (there are votives, too!) are exactly what I needed to refresh my creative scentenergy!


I'm usually a sucker for any warm, rich foodie-type scent - but this week I was craving something fresh. This mix of Rosemary and Ylang Ylang was just what the doctor ordered! It brightens my day with the clean, refreshing fragrance and the light spring green color.


Rosemary is a woody, fragrant herb that has been associated with improving memory. It is traditionally used in weddings and other ceremonies as a symbol of remembrance.


Ylang Ylang is rich and deep with notes of rubber and custard, and bright with hints of jasmine and neroli. It is a flower derived from the rainforst cananga tree. In Indonesia, its petals are spread on the beds of newlyweds.


This candle set will make a lovely handmade wedding gift!



I'm now offering a free tart with any purchase over $10 (before shipping). There are several scents to choose from, just let me know which one is your favorite! See my shop for details!

yo-yo

I'm annoyed today and i'm not sure why. It is increasing as the day wears on.

I had two preliminary interviews for jobs. The second I feel much better about than the first. Not sure which I want to pursue, however, because the first will pay more...

I have a lot of homework due tomorrow and I cannot bring myself to do it. At all. I read the book, I really did, but weeks ago and there is so much packed into each chapter I can't remember what happens where and am finding it hard to do the chapter by chapter writings without rereading the book... and I just can't focus on that now.


I've been swapping bedrooms while the hubbs is at sea this week. Moving his stuff into the cave that was once my craft room, and moving my craft stuff into the light-filled airy room that once held his untouched drums. perhaps that is what is annoying me. I cannot finish it. I do not wan tto move his computer and large amps for fear that I will break something, and I want to have it as done as possible before he comes home as sort of a surprise for him (for me). but the more i realize i cannot do, the less i feel good about doing this while he's gone, and the more i am annoyed at just how much 'stuff' is needed to make yet more stuff.

i'm craving organized space and i cannot accomplish it like i want to. and that is frustrating. and getting frustrated is annoying.

and taco bell is just too far away to make me feel better. and that is annoying.

and the dog is in a sneezing fit, such sneezes that makes her whole head shake. when you ask her if she is ok, she just gets up and walks over and sneezes in your lap. and that is annoying. turns out she had a hair in her nose. now on my thumb. and yes, annoying.

i want to be outside but i dont want to leave my house. annoying.

i'm complaining, and i apologize. i am annoying myself.

now i really want nachos.

there is a taco shop a block away. they don't have nachos. i could get a burrito. and a coke. for a dollar. the coke will be a dollar, i mean, not the burrito. if that were the case i would be stuffing beans down my throat and not writing about all of this. but a can of coke for a dollar is annoying. and they dont have nachos to make it better.

i ran out of cat food for two days and they got really angry. azreal broke my fairy. he broke into a bag of treats and ate them all. and some dog food. i got them food today and they ate three bites and walked away. bastards. cats are aweful companions when you're irritable.

unless you are looking at lolcats. then it gives you a lot of ideas... and that makes me feel better.