senses, scents, and cents

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I love fragrance. Especially in the home. I used to be a simple sniffer…..would check out the candles at the grocery store and would happy with a pear or melon scent. On occassion I might splurge and sniff around at Bath and Body for something a little more exotic, like tuberose. One Christmas Judi gifted me with Frosted Cranberry and I was hooked on that one….lit daily….restocked, lit more….until I realized it was seasonal and hard to get past January. Drats. Then Lisa entered my scent scene. She took me from Glade to gourmet. The first was Elton John's Fireside. Swoon. Like a woodburning fire mixed with mens cologne, the kind you like, not the kind that makes you gag. Lit daily…restocked, lit more…..until it was no longer available. Stalked ebay. Got more. Savoring the last one. THEN she found us Votivo: Champaca. Followed by Diptique: Feu du Bois. These are very special gifts as she *gets* my favorite scentage, they are stunningly gorgeous smelling, and they are not candles I would buy for myself. ($$$)

I keep this *scent graveyard* because I cannot part with the remnants of scent left in the bottom of the glass. I love taking a whiff now and again. The fragrant intake reminds me of treasured moments, and treasured friends.

Here's another thing about certain scents – you already know this – that it can transport you to a memory. I use that to play subliminal tricks on myself when in my studio….lighting a candle while working on a project so that the scent association launches me back to that creative mindspace when I resume working. I pour wax right on a page, or chip fragments of dried wax to tuck in my journals. Our senses are powerful tools.

For a time I was addicted to Cedar incense from Pier 1. Then they discontinued it. Drats. Happy news: my latest find is from Target. Chesapeake Bay Candle: Fireside. An affordable jar candle with that woodsy scent I love. After lighting it at home several nights I have confirmed it's a good one and will go back for more because I can't be without a scent in the home…..or my studio.

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Comments

11 responses to “senses, scents, and cents”

October 12, 2010

Samantha Marshall

I love the scent graveyard! I know what you mean about throwing out the last little bit in the containers.I love fragrant/essential oils and have discovered one made by a friend called Kimberley Moon and it absolutely captures the essence of where we live.

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October 12, 2010

Sherry Ball Schoenfeldt

I have gone thru this very process so many times. I again just found one only to find out it’s discontinued (INCENSE by Lil’ Flickers). My second favorites are the fall & Christmas with all the heavy baking spices – guess cuz I don’t bake.
I love your graveyard. I keep my chunks and warm them in a bowl on a candle warming plate.

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October 12, 2010

Barbara

One of my favorites is from a company called Trimmings (company is located in Texas). My favorite scent is Pecan Sandies and it is truly divine. I always purchase a bunch of them to give as gifts during the holidays, because they are so well received.

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October 12, 2010

Kim Mailhot

I have noticed the powerful impact of scent on me many times. The problem for me is that the captured scents never quite get the ones in nature that fill me up – sea salt and sea weed from the ocean, crisp white sheets that have hung out to dry in the sunshine, the crushed oranges and yellows of Fall leaves… Some come close but don’t quite do it for me. I guess I will have to content myself with sucking them in in the great outdoors and just enjoy the bee’s wax smell from my favorite candle glow…
Enjoy the coziness of your scents, Lovely Michelle !
xoxo

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October 12, 2010

Carrie

Ooo you like the same kinds of scents I like, it seems. I love that you keep the remnants; usually with candles I’m just afraid to burn them. There’s a candle I got last winter at Anthropologie, with a fireside scent that takes me back to Williamsburg at Christmastime. If nostalgia itself had a scent, that would be it. You should check out my new favorite perfume shop, it’s faaaabulous. She’s got a great Fireside scent, too, and her Conservatory is to die for. http://www.etsy.com/shop/SteamBathFactory Tell her pocketsize sent you!

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October 12, 2010

Lisa Hoffman

*door swings as Lisa rushes out to Target and keyboard catches fire as she visits SteamBathFactory and drops the name: Pocketsize….*
Love having a Sister of the Scents. SO easy to buy for you, we both prefer the spicy, woodsy scent to something flighty and floral (although I sometimes like it on OTHER people).
Here’s to our newest scent season….

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October 12, 2010

Betsi Goutal

Oh boy, I know what you mean! I wish I had some one who “got” my favorite scentage – even I don’t! I had a wee set of tea lights I bought on Etsy and when I went to buy more it was discontinued! 🙁 Candle love is a rather frustrating thing… Perhaps I will ask Santa to scent up my studio this Christmas. I sure could use some more good vibes in my art space.
I *love* you tips on playing subliminal tricks on yourself! I will have to try that if I can get my hands on more good candles.

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October 13, 2010

Cath

My husband loves scented candles but unfortunately our home stays very fragrance free because smells can trigger migraine for me. He always has something nice in his car to enjoy. I once had to ask a staff member to stop wearing a certain famous perfume – it made me really ill…
Haven’t some of them got wonderfully exotic names 🙂

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October 14, 2010

Unzadi

The fragrance graveyard is beautiful, and might be inspiring me to take a picture of my own. Candles with stubs and long-empty bottles that I still visit for wistful sniffs. Thankfully, we live close enough that a visit to the Yankee Candle home store is a very doable trip.

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October 14, 2010

TJ

Empty glass graveyards makes scents to me!

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October 14, 2010

RobinG

You are lucky! My olfactory sense is bad :(. Some things I can’t smell others I can just get a wiff of 🙁

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