Autumn Harvest 2021
Hello friends,
After a long, scorching summer of heat waves and wildfires, September breezes in, bringing a shift in the air. Cooler weather, longer nights, perhaps that rain cloud we’ve been longing for - the promise of autumn and a change of seasons has never been more anticipated. Welcome home fall – we’ve been waiting for you.
Snuggling into our cozy sweaters and fluffy slippers, we tuck inside to nestle in front of a warm, crackling fireplace while wafting smells of simmering soups and just baked treats beckon from the kitchen. Stormy skies and longer nights gently nudge us to take extra naps and sleep longer in our comfy beds. Autumn draws us back indoors to a sense of place, peace, security and deep rest - exactly what we all need right now.
Each season has its own special beauty, sometimes brilliant, like the pattern of fall colors across a hillside, or the spectacular golden sunsets across the water. But the gifts are often hidden in the mud puddles too. When we notice the storm clouds, we need to look for the silver linings, keeping our eyes open to the tiny mushrooms bursting out of a pile of dead leaves and the secret wisdom whispering to us in the blowing wind.
Autumn rains clear the air, rinsing the world clean from a dry, dusty summer. The cool crispness heightens our senses, intensifying the luminous colors, the sounds of howling winds and crackling leaves, and the wondrous scents too. Aromatic spices, delectable fruits, fragrant earth - this year’s autumn harvest soaps are inspired by all the best of this spectacular season. ($ 5.00 each)
CINNABAR: Cinnamon + Zanzibar, the exotic island of ancient spice trade routes. This fragrance is a nod to Spice Island - mostly warm, cozy, cinnamon, with a pinch of pepper and clove, a base note of sandalwood, and a hint of tropical floral blossoms.The result is completely enchanting – a tantalizing scent that is spicy, slightly mysterious and ultimately, somehow, absolutely clean smelling . So, so good – in a way that literally everyone, male or female, will love.
PERSIMMON APPLE: This was a runaway favorite last year when it was introduced on the fall menu and I’ve been anxiously waiting to make more. Persimmons are a quintessential fall fruit here (Northern California). They are sweet and custardy, like a ripe pear mixed with a bit of juicy papaya and peach – delicate and delicious. This soap fragrance is persimmon puree blended with peach nectar and a squeeze of green apple for the most scrumptious fruit scent, beautifully bright and fruity in a soft blush colored bar.
FIREWOOD & FIR: Warm woodsy coziness – this fragrance is a beautiful blend of blonde woods, sandalwood, white musk, and fresh fir boughs. A dark green bar with herby flecks in it, this soap smells earthy and at the same time super clean - and almost pretty in that tempting way that some men’s colognes can be (what? haven’t you obsessed over a men’s scent and wanted to wear it yourself? yeah, we’ve all done that). Natural woods meets soapy fresh – this one is kinda irresistible and sexy, and not just for men.
EXTRAS! I made a couple of additional batches and have averylimited supply of these, if you’re quick on the draw. APPLEJACK: ripe juicy apple, dried orange peel and fall spices – that perfect fall scent. AUTUMN ROSE:an elegant blend of dark red rose, amber, orange zest, vanilla orchid and cinnamon – sophisticated like those fancy hotel soaps.
NEW HELPING HAND SOAPS – CALIFORNIA DREAMING
Our immensely popular mini soap sets are back on the menu with a new combination of scents, inspired by the natural beauty of my new home state. Helping Hand Soaps are sets of mini 2 oz bars in 5 different scents, a sampler of limited edition soaps. A portion of the proceeds is donated to Kiva.org, the world’s first (and largest) person-to-person micro lending group. These funds go directly to individual entrepreneurs, other women with small business, needing a helping hand to make their work sustainable for themselves and the families they support. It takes so little to offer a step up for others following in the same path in places where the struggle is a lot harder. These loans are continuously re-loaned as soon as they are paid back, becoming a growing fund of opportunities for women all over the planet.
Stacked up and tied with bakery twine, it’s a sweet little package with scents of: (top to bottom): Midnight Jasmine (white), Citrus Grove (orange), Eucalyptus & Desert Sage (olive green), Ocean Breeze (blue), Redwood Forest (dark green). These make perfect small gifts for any occasion - or treat yourself! Try a few new unique soap scents made only for this set. Cleaning up not only does a body good, it makes a difference in people’s lives too. ($12/set of 5 soaps)
OH, HOW WE LOVE THE JOY OF GIFT GIVING!
Can you feel it? The holidays and the season of gift giving is just around the corner. And what feels even better than receiving gifts . . . is the GIVING of gifts! Science has even proven it – the good feels we get when we share something or do something for someone else is neurotransmitters in your brain lighting up. Oxytocin (the love hormone) is triggered, giving us a sense of belonging, which lingers longer than the momentary pleasure.
Human beings are hard wired to be generous and take care of each other. Doing something kind, helping someone out, giving to charity, and yes, giving little tokens of happiness to somebody who needs a lift – these are the small acts that give us joy. Can something as simple as gifting a bar of really good soap really make your day? Yes! If I’ve learned anything over the years from reading your notes, it’s that sharing your favorite things with friends, family, your kid’s teacher – it’s a win-win and everyone gets to feel good. And if it smells yummy and makes their skin feel great day after day? Does it get any better than that? A bottle of wine only lasts an evening. A bar of soap lasts for weeks.
Under the “Gifts” tab on our website, we’ve recently added new selections of soaps, sprays, totes and sets. And we’re working on a few fun holiday ideas for the Winter Holiday launch in November. You’ll find all the best gifts there!
May autumn’s gifts of natural beauty inspire your creativity, spark your dreams and lift your spirit.