September brings a shift in the air and a long awaited respite from a heat (and fire) scorched summer. In any normal year, autumn gently nudges us back into comfortable routines, family celebrations, and indoor comforts, anchoring us in the familiar. This particular year, however, we’re at sea in the unknown, and we’ll be reinventing all of those things and more.

One season’s ending initiates another’s beginning, potent with possibilities. With eyes on schools starting, the pandemic slogging on, an election coming up, and holidays on the horizon, it feels like we’re holding our breath and willing with all our might the flip of a page, the end of this chapter. Taking a step forward into a future of something . . . new? Easier? Better?

Change is in the air. It’s in the wind, in the earth, inside each and every one of us. We are ready to harvest the bounty of summer’s planning, adapting, resting and resolutions. While Mother Nature snuggles in for a nap, big dreams are afoot, for a return to togetherness, health and vitality, abundance and joy.

Autumn nights, a few minutes longer each time, are crisp, cool and the best of the year for sleeping and dreaming. With a hope-filled heart, we can dream new life into the next season and a brighter future. Sleep well.

AUTUMN SEASONAL SOAPS

Autumn rains clear the air, rinsing the world clean from a dry, dusty summer. All of our senses are intensified, as if everything is new. Our gaze is drawn to brilliant blue afternoon skies and twinkly night heavens filled with infinite stars and wonder. Vivid colors of fall leaves, the howl of winds and crackle of leaves, and the scents of the season – ah yes, the scents – are a beauty to behold. This year’s autumn harvest soaps feature the very best fruits and spices of the season. ($ 5.00 each)

PUMPKIN PEPPERCORN: Can it possibly be fall without pumpkin and spice? My spin on the classic is more pumpkin, more spice, less sweet. This is pure pumpkin puree – literally – a scoop of organic pumpkin is in the recipe, adding skin nourishing vitamins and nutrients, plus extra creamy lather. I’ve blended in the best fall spices including cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and then tossed in a pinch of pink peppercorn, which just brings it all together beautifully for a fresh, clean fall favorite. This one is a treat for both your skin and your senses.

PERSIMMON APPLE: Persimmons are a new love. Never living in a place where they grew, I thought they were exotic and rare. But in Northern California, they grow like crazy and people with trees in their yards can’t give enough away to neighbors and friends. The flavor is sweet and custardy, like a ripe pear, mixed with a bit of juicy papaya and peach. It’s delicate and delicious, and around here, a quintessential fall fruit. This soap scent is persimmon puree brightened with peach nectar and a squeeze of green apple for the perfect delectable fruit scent of the season.

ROSEWOOD SANTAL: Two of the most gorgeous wood scents, even better together. This is a fragrance oil blend, meaning it’s a synthetic duplication of natural wood resins, since both of them are endangered due to illegal and irresponsible logging, almost to the point of extinction. Rosewood has a light floral rosy note to the soft blonde woods, and is elegant and sophisticated, slightly herbaceous at the end. Santal is a lighter, smoother extraction of sandalwood, understated and subtle but with all the warm wood coziness that makes it so iconic. Together they are beautiful, enchanting, sacred – a new fall ritual you will fall in love with.

DEAD SEA BATH SALTS

What nicer way to pamper yourself on a dark, stormy, bone-chilling evening than a soak in a luxurious hot bath? Dead Sea salts, packed with minerals, have remarkable benefits - silkening skin, soothing aches, releasing stress and calming jangled nerves. Three additional favorite autumn fragrances return: Rose Petals & Cardamom, Sweet Fig, Bourbon (Vanilla) Sandalwood. More scents to indulge in! (16 oz bottle - $ 8)

THE GIVING OF GIFTS

Holidays and the season of gift giving is just around the corner. This year will be different, so it makes sense to plan ahead. If you’ve had to make a trip to a retail store lately, you’ve seen that shelves are somewhat bare and inevitably you cannot find that one thing you needed most right now. The holidays will be frustrating too, with supply chains in disarray, the trade wars with China impacting every type of product, safety protocols and slowdowns taking their toll. Malls haven’t even reopened here, so last minute shopping is out. Online orders will take longer too with postal delays, so get a jump on your gift list early.

Handmade by local artists seems like the best possible choice – supporting communities and businesses close by, while making sure your gifts arrive safely, and your loved ones receive uniquely wonderful treats. With that in mind, we’re adding more gift-wrapped items to the “Gifts” section on our site, more tote bag and box sets, ideas for every budget and taste. We’ve also stocked a bunch of new Swedish dishcloth designs in fall leaves and trees, a fun and useful way to add seasonality to your kitchen.

THE SHORTEST SEASON

Please note these Autumn Harvest seasonal products are like the fleeting colors of fall leaves - the time to catch them is short and sweet. Our Winter Holiday menu arrives November 1st, chock full of Christmas and holiday favorites, stocking stuffers, and unique gifts. If you’ve got a yearning desire for something mentioned here, jump quickly!

May autumn’s gifts of natural beauty inspire your creativity, spark your dreams and lift your spirit.

Autumn 2020