Tuesday Quote

Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations.

~George Bernard Shaw

Dear Maven - Milder Scents?

Dear Maven,

Your candles are fabulous! I always look forward to burning them to freshen different areas of my home. I have, however, noticed that some candles do not seem to have as much fragrance as others. Sometimes I feel like I’m smelling the wax more than the scent and I’m tempted to add some of your Diffuser oil with a dropper to give the candle a fragrance boost. What do you suggest when I get a candle that seems to have limited fragrance?

Well, first let me say that flattery will get you everywhere. I like to think that I had a little something to do with your satisfaction with our candles, as I am always offering our R & D department my sage advice – sometimes solicited and frequently not.

Moving on to your question, my answer is best summed up in the old saying, ‘Patience is a virtue.’ When you receive a candle that does not seem to have a strong scent, the best recommendation is to put it away and smell it again the next morning to make sure your nose isn’t playing tricks on you. Personally, after a long day of latte runs to my local café, slathering myself with cosmetics, heading to the mall food court to grab a bite to eat, re-spritzing myself with my favorite body spray (Your Inspraytion™ Body Mist from our EMERGE™ collection, of course) and pumping gas (ick!), my nose understandably has an identity crisis on its hands and can’t smell the full bouquet of fragrance notes that may be present in one of Gold Canyon’s amazing candles. Bottom line: it’s a good idea to give your nose a break and check out that new candle a second time when you know your nose is fresh and hasn’t been assaulted by the variety of smells you’re likely to encounter throughout the course of your day.

If you have given your olfactory senses a break and are certain your new candle doesn’t smell like it should, please contact Gold Canyon and let us send you an exchange. Everyone here takes maintaining our reputation as “The World’s Finest”® quite seriously and we truly want you to be completely satisfied. Additionally, we may request that you return the candle to us so we can get to the bottom of it if there is a quality issue. Our goal is that every single candle produced be perfect every time.

One last note of expert advice, DO NOT use your Diffuser oil in your candle! This will eventually cause your wick to stop functioning correctly and your candle will not burn. For more information about the appropriate use of Gold Canyon Diffusers (and every other fabulous product we offer), consult your Gold Canyon Demonstrator.


Dear Maven is a column in our monthly demonstrator’s newsletters. I have not written any of these articles, but am sharing them here for your information.

Thursday Quote

A good friend is cheaper than therapy.
~Author Unknown

Scent Recipes - Thirsty?

Thirsty for some more scent recipes? Try these delicious combinations!

Cappuccino
Hazelnut Café au Lait
Cinnamon

Vanilla Cappuccino
Hazelnut Café au Lait
Cinnamon Vanilla

Orange Spice
Fresh Orange
Cinnamon

Cherry Limeade
Cherry Pie (tealight)
Ginger Lime

Scent tips

Want to make your home smell great while vacuuming? Put about 15 drops of one of our scented oils onto a cotton ball. Drop the cotton ball into the canister of your vacuum cleaner. The scent will be released as you run the vacuum.

Currently we have six different scented oils available, for only $6.98*:

• Clean Sheets
• Cozy Christmas (seasonal)
• Holiday Wreath (seasonal)
• Pomegranate
• Sugar Cookie
• Sweet Pea

*price does not include Shipping & Handling and taxes. Price is in US dollars.

Tuesday Quote

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

~Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.

Scents for Aromatherapy

"For the sense of smell, almost more than any other, has the power to recall memories and it is a pity that we use it so little" Rachel Carson, biologist and author

• Cedar: Speeds’ healing, purifies, and enhances your spiritual connection.
• Eucalyptus: Clears congestion and improves concentration.
• Juniper Berry: Calms the emotions, enhances healing, and fosters a sense of love and protection.
• Lavender: Puts the body and spirit at ease, and evokes deep serenity.
• Orange: Restores strength and uplifts the spirit.
• Patchouli: Stimulates the senses and restores tired muscles.
• Peppermint: Clears the mind; stimulates and refreshes.
• Pine: Invites a deep sense of relaxation, purifies, and promotes healing.
• Rosemary: purifies, heals, refreshes sore muscles, and encourages loving protection.
• Sage: regulates the central nervous system, eases night sweats, soothes sore throats, and promotes healing and protection.
• Sandalwood: Enhances sexuality, healing, and spirituality.
• Thyme: Encourages love, eases insomnia, and soothes bronchial infections.
• Verbena: Lowers blood pressure and eases stress.
• Ylang-Ylang: Ignites passion and desire, heightens joy, and creates an atmosphere for romance.

http://decoration.com/decorating-tips/healing-fragrances/index.html

The story of us

Have you heard of StoryCorps? The organization is “an independent nonprofit whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.” How cool is that?

Check out the website. There is a Question Generator, information about participating, and even a do-it-yourself guide. Read the FAQs. Listen to podcasts. There is a wealth of information available on the site.

Everyone has a story. What’s yours?

Scents to fall for

The Fall/Holiday catalog has been released. While there are some new, wonderful scents, there are also several returning from last year. Of these, two make me the happiest. Gingerbread House and Pumpkin Pie.

Not only are both of these holiday scents popular, but they happen to be two of my all-time favorites available through Gold Canyon. The spicy sweet smell of both Pumpkin Pie and Gingerbread House are delicious, yet don’t make me want to eat a bunch of sweets (like other baking scents). I adore them both so much that I keep a sample of each in my office for when someone heats up a stinky lunch across the hall.

New scents for the season:

• Apple of my Eye (Candle for Kids scent)
• Brown Sugar Spookie
• Candy Cane
• Cider Brew
• Iced Bayberry
• No More Sniffles (Candle for Kids scent)
• Roasted White Peppercorn
• Sugared Vanilla Bean

Scents returning from last Fall:

• Candy Corn
• Christmas Presence
• Cinnamon Garland
• Cozy Christmas
• Days of Christmas
• Gingerbread House
• Holiday Wreath
• King’s Myrrh
• Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen
• Mulled Harvest
• Peppermint Bark
• Sleigh Ride
• Spiced Gumdrops

Project Backpack update

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by the kindness of others.

Last week I talked to the current president of the branch library’s Friends group. As an official group donation, the Friends purchased two backpacks and the supplies to fill them.

A coworker who lives in the community that's being served by my backpack project sent my email to her friends and family.

Yesterday she brought in several bags worth of school supplies, including two nearly complete backpacks and three empty backpacks.

Then...Sharon, who I already know is an all around awesome person, donated money - enough to purchase 3 more backpacks!
All in all, I think that about 15 backpacks will be donated, and a bunch of excess supplies! I'm also donating a bunch of books for the classroom libraries.

Each backpack has a sheet of stickers, 2 silly bandz and 3 paperback books in them in addition to the supplies.
I'm just amazed. I hope that next year goes just as well - if not much better.
Here are a couple updated photos of the goods. What you can’t tell is that there are three completed backpacks and six nearly completed backpacks. You also can’t really tell just how many school supplies are in that crate. It’s amazing.

Thursday Quote

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.
~Russel Baker

Bonus quote! (I couldn't decide which I like better.)

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.

~James Dent

Mason Jar

Mason Jar

When the sun begins to set but your barbecue’s still hopping, scatter Mason jars filled with white votive candles—a more casual take on hurricane lamps—around the yard.

From: 50 Summertime New Uses for Old Things

Tuesday Quote - garden update

With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy.

~Lope de Vega

Ah….my garden. Last week I took a few photos with my phone so I can share on here. What you can’t tell from the photos is that some of what appears to be weeds are actually volunteer tomato plants and a few bean plants. Funny thing about the beans…I kinda just tossed a few seeds into the garden. Didn’t plant them or anything. I was just curious to see what would happen. Remember, I’m going for royalty in the concept of lackadaisical gardening. LOL

So, without further ado, photos of my gardening “efforts”. Note: These were taken around 10:30 a.m. on yet another humid-as-all-get-out morning. My glasses and the lens of my phone were fogging over a bit due to the humidity.

Freshly picked produce - the first of the summer (from mid-July)


The overgrown garden

Some of the potted herbs. Chives and mint.




The plant in the corner is totally taking over. I think it will need to be moved before next spring!


Peach tree! I can't wait until they are ripe and ready to eat.

Why yes...I am a nerd.

The hubby and I know that we are nerds and even kind of take pleasure in this fact. There was a time when we would even take Trivial Pursuit cards with us when we went out to eat, and would spend the meal asking each other questions. It was a lot of fun. Honestly!

Recently the hubby showed me this website. It’s a wonderful site for trivia buffs and general nerds. In fact, even more recently, my friend S and I spent at least 30 minutes playing on the site and sending the quizzes (and our results) to one another when we really should have been heading to our respective beds. Oops.

The site: Sporcle.com: mentally stimulating diversions.

Check it out. It’s not really a waste of time if there is intellectual stimulation involved, right?

Dear Maven - Wick won't stay lit?

Dear Maven,

What do you do with a candle, or specifically the wicks, that won’t stay lit especially in the larger size jars?

If you have a wick that won’t light, you’ve simply gone too far. It’s like saying, “now that I have a traffic ticket, how do I make it go away?” The trick is not to get the traffic ticket to begin with! Let me explain…

When you first receive your candle, you may notice that sometimes the top is not completely flat across. This is completely normal. The top becomes caved in when the natural crystallization process experiences slightly differing humidity and temperatures.

If you come across a candle like this, the trick is not to trim your wick for the first lighting. I know you’re thinking about that mantra that’s ingrained in your brain about always trimming your wicks. However, this is a special case. I give you permission to not trim your wicks—just this once!

You’ll need to plan on a first burn of approximately four hours to condition the candle but after this first burn it should level itself out. Once your candle is flat, then trim to ¼ inch and continue to burn.
Dear Maven is a column in our monthly demonstrator’s newsletters. I have not written any of these articles, but am sharing them here for your information.

Project Backpack

I think I mentioned recently that I’m doing a little community project. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years, but finally contacted the right people this year.

The project? I’m calling it Project Backpack. Its purpose it to provide backpacks filled with needed school supplies to students at a local elementary school. I’ve opened the project to friends in the area, and so far a handful said they are interested in participating.

Last week I went shopping for some school supplies. Of course I forgot the list of supplies on my desk, so I was winging it a bit. I did purchase two backpacks, along with a ton of other things. I need to go back to the store and buy some more items to finish filling those two book bags, as well as a couple more backpacks to fill. I should be able to donate four filled bags. I’m hoping that with the other donations that have been promised that I can deliver at least 8 total bags. It’s a small amount, but it is a start.

I’m also going to donate some of the many paperback books I’ve accumulated at home. These books will go into the classroom libraries.

In addition to the school supplies in each backpack, I am going to put a few fun things. Stickers, Silly Bandz (or whatever the off brand is called) and a book.

The local elementary school that is receiving the donations begins the term on August 30, so I will be delivering the backpacks (and any extra supplies) to the school sometime the week before.

Here’s a photo of what has already been purchased and put together:

TGIF

This is going to be a busy weekend. That’s ok, though. It is also going to be a fun one!

Tonight is scrapbooking. Usually I’m there from 6:30ish until it ends for the evening at midnight. I’m still working on my sister’s wedding, and anticipate finishing it sometime close to never. lol

Saturday I am off work. Yay! Instead of sleeping in, though, I will be returning for day two of scrapping. I’m not staying the whole day, though, as I have an appointment at 1:30. Time for some pampering. I’ll be getting a manicure, pedicure and getting the brow situation taken care of. I adore this bi-monthly treat. Not only because it is great to be a little pampered, but because my friend MM is such fun to be around. She does a great job, too.

The hubby returns home sometime Saturday evening. We have talked about painting the living room. I really hope we can get started on it then, though I haven’t had a chance to prep the walls yet. Hmmm…

I have Mass on Sunday morning. I really enjoy going to this Church.

There aren’t any other definite plans for the weekend. I would like to go and see a movie – perhaps at the local drive-in? Guess I should see what is playing. Hubby and I are both off on Monday, too, so we’ve lots of time to go out and have fun. Perhaps the humidity and heat will not be so oppressive and we can actually spend time outside.

Thursday Quote - Get Happy

Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower, and draws all good things toward you. Allow your love to nourish yourself as well as others. Do not strain after the needs of life. It is sufficient to be quietly alert and aware of them. In this way life proceeds more naturally and effortlessly. Life is here to Enjoy!

~Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Happiness can be found in such a variety of things. It’s also something that may be long lasting or fleeting. No matter, it is definitely something that is always good.

Have you ever thought about what makes you happy? What are the things that bring your pure joy?

A few days ago I had a group of kindergarten students visit the one of the library branches. I had quickly put together a story program to share with them. They LOVED it. We did a simple call and response/repeat chant – in different styles of voices, of course – and read three books. While showing them the various parts of the library, they wanted to stop and look at the books and magazines. It was a great visit. Thinking about it after a few days have past still brings a smile to my face.

Helping others also makes me happy. For years I’ve thought about “adopting” a student or two and purchasing school supplies for them at the beginning of the school year. Recently I finally looked up the information needed to contact a local Board of Education. I emailed the secretary (because secretaries are almost always in the know) and asked how to go about doing this. She passed it along to the elementary school principal, who stated that he can make sure the items are passed along to needy students in a discrete and non-embarrassing way. Yay! Now several of my coworkers are also going to help me with this little project. I’ve also opened it up to my local friends. I’m so excited to be able to help at least a few children start off the school year with the supplies that they need.

Little things make me happy too. Seeing a beautiful nature setting, like the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Getting a cute card from a loved one. Spike being his usual crazy puppy boy. Snuggling with the hubby. Celebrating my birthday (I’m a little nutso about my birthday). Reading a great book.

There are so many ways to bring joy to life. Sit back. Enjoy. Do what makes you happy.

Sand

Sand

Prevent melting wax from sticking to a glass hurricane lamp. Pour in sand to cover the base, then nestle in a pillar (or votive) candle. When the light goes out, toss and repeat.

From: 50 Summertime New Uses for Old Things

Tuesday Quote - love

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring.

~Oscar Wilde

The Beatles sang, “All you need is love.” In a way, they were right. While the hubby and I have had our share of ups and downs over the past 10 ½ years, we have gotten through due to our love for one another. But more than that, we have the love for and of our friends and family. Together that love has lifted us up when we’ve needed and celebrated when it was time.

Most of us often take that love for granted, forgetting that there are people in the world who truly have no one – no shoulder to cry on, or hands to hold while jumping for joy. How sad such a life must be.

Take a moment today to tell someone that you love them. While actions often speak louder than words, those words still need to be spoken from time to time.

New Uses for Mismatched Dishware

Champagne Flutes as Candle Stands

If you find yourself with a mismatched collection―or without bubbly―flip thick-walled Champagne flutes upside down to create a beautiful grouping of candle stands for a shelf or a mantel. Use heavy wineglasses for table centerpieces, as the wider mouths will provide more stability to withstand bumping.


Information and photo from this article on Real Simple's website.

how does my garden grow?

My garden isn’t going as well this year as I would like. Partly this is due to my lackadaisical approach to gardening. At least I know it’s my own fault!

I like to refer to my garden as uncertified organic. I don’t add anything to the soil that it didn’t come with when I purchased the bag at Home Depot. I spray the plants only with water. Heck…this year I even let the rabbits nibble, as I didn’t even put up fencing! (Remember, lackadaisical gardening.)

Surprisingly to me, there are tomatoes growing. They aren’t pretty, but they sure are tasty! The other night I made a delicious tomato salad for dinner. It was simple to make. Fresh tomatoes diced. Cracked black pepper. Cracked sea salt and garlic. Olive oil. Balsamic vinegar. That’s it. There were leftovers, so I went out and picked several sprigs of fresh basil and added it to the container. I would have brought some in before, but decided I didn’t want to go out in the rain (yay! Blessed rain!).

I should have taken a photo. As well as being delicious, it was also very pretty.

There are a lot of green tomatoes still on the plants. Some plants even have flowers still! I might end up with a decent crop yet.

One other thing to note. As well as loving the taste of freshly picked tomatoes, I also love the smell of tomato plants. Sure moving the leaves and stems around to pick the ripe red tomatoes leaves my hands a greenish color. But the scent is nearly as intoxicating to me as the taste of the fruit itself.

Where does it go?

Question: Where Does Candle Wax Go?

Answer: Have you ever noticed how you have less candle after burning than before? This is because the wax oxidizes (burns) in the flame to yield water and carbon dioxide, which dissipate in the air around the candle, in a reaction which also yields light and heat. Candle wax (paraffin) is composed of chains of connected carbon atoms surrounded by hydrogen atoms. These hydrocarbon molecules can burn completely. First the heat of the flame vaporizes the wax molecules and then they react with the oxygen in the air. As long as the wax doesn't melt away from the flame, the flame will consume it completely and leave no ash or wax residue.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingsworkfaqs/f/candlewax.htm

iConvo

As anyone who has been around me since mid-April knows, I love my iPhone.

I find it interesting how many people will use the iPhone as a conversation starter. For instance, the other day I went to lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. I had my phone sitting out on the table, as I didn’t take a purse or my backpack in the restaurant with me, and I needed to keep track of the time. There was one other table with customers. That was it. Of course, that’s the norm when I go to lunch, as it is usually between 2-4 p.m.

After those customers left, the waiter noticed my phone sitting on the table. He asked if it was an iPhone. That was the beginning of a 20 minute conversation about iPhone, various apps and other cool things you can do with the phone. Granted, our conversation was interrupted a few times by a ringing phone. It was also slow at times due to the waiter’s heavy accent and us both having to work a bit to understand one another. Overall, though, it was a good conversation.

All because we both have iPhones.

At first glance, many might not realize that my phone is an iPhone. I have an OtterBox case on my phone. Goodness knows I’ve needed that extra protection, as I drop my phone at least once every two weeks. My black and pink case adds quite a bit of bulk to the phone, hiding the slim rectangle of the iPhone. Yet I’m amazed by how many see it in my hand or sitting beside me and ask, “Is that an iPhone?”

Does this happen to others, or am I just someone that everyone wants to talk to?






iPhone 3G photo from: http://www.macmend.com/archives/38

Otterbox case photo from: http://www.buyercheaper.com/buy-cheap-otterbox-defender-case-for-iphone-3g-3gs-blackpink-special-price/

Thursday Quote - knitted edition

The second Monday of the month is knit night for several of my friends. Several of them are quite accomplished knitters, completing such projects as socks and sweaters. Most of the group are admittedly yarn snobs, choosing the more natural fibers and blends over “squeaky” acrylic yarns. We all enjoy the camaraderie of working with wool and sticks.

I always look forward to these nights. While I rarely get much of note accomplished, my inability to correctly follow patterns reigns high when knitting around a group of friends, the wealth of knowledge around the table (or three) is wonderful. Plus, there’s the whole hanging out with friends.

I think that my issue with patterns and completing more complex knitting projects is all due to my being easily bored and distracted. This is helpful, though, when I want to take a small project or two – like a simple scarf or washcloth – along with me when I have to do some waiting. As the Yarn Harlot Stephanie Pearl-McPhee says in At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much:

Knitting is a boon for those of us who are easily bored. I take my knitting everywhere to take the edge off of moments that would otherwise drive me stark raving mad.

So true, Stephanie, so very, very true.

I’m a party girl…

Each time I do a candle party, I try to tailor the even to the host. If one likes games, I have a few we can play. If she isn’t fond of candles due to the flames, I focus on the products that are flameless. But, there are several things that I try to remember to do each time.

• Talk about how and why I became a Gold Canyon demonstrator
• Give the host her gift for having the party
• Mention the various lines that Gold Canyon offer (Candle lines, Suddenly Scented items, Homeology, Emerge, holders)
• Talk about candle care and why it is important
• Explain the catalog inserts (order form, customer info card, Deal or No Deal envelope and business card)
• Point out the Party Perks and other customer promos
• Offer three opportunities – To get the customer promo, To get free products (host a party), and To make money (become a demonstrator)

I will admit…there are times that I forget an item. Usually it is the three opportunities. I am getting better with each party, though.

Once upon a time, I was nervous about presenting at parties. Lately that has changed. I’m less nervous about talking in front of a group of mostly strangers. That’s one of the many great things about becoming a Gold Canyon demonstrator.

Tuesday Quote - scent memories

Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains; another, a moonlit beach; a third, a family dinner of pot roast and sweet potatoes during a myrtle-mad August in a Midwestern town. Smells detonate softly in our memory like poignant land mines hidden under the weedy mass of years. Hit a tripwire of smell and memories explode all at once. A complex vision leaps out of the undergrowth.


-Diane Ackerman

Do you have a particular scent that brings to mind a memory?

One scent that triggers memories for me is the scent of welding metal. Yes, it’s an odd scent! My dad is a steelworker. When I was younger, we would often bring him lunch at the foundry where he worked. I would go into the foundry to give him his meal. I didn’t realize that I had a scent memory until years later when my husband was working on a car and welding metal. Instantly I was brought back to that foundry in my hometown, walking into the building to bring lunch to my Daddy.

Quotable quotes

Twice a week throughout the month of August I will be sharing some quotes that I’ve enjoyed. These posts will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting tomorrow. Some I may expound upon; others will just be the quote. The topics will vary from one thing to another. Regardless, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Scent Recipes - Baking

Want to make your house smell like you’ve been baking all day? By mixing and matching your candles can make some great new scents for your enjoyment! For example, if you love the scent of Apple Pie a la Mode, try burning 1 each of Sugar Cookie and Warm Apple Crisp. Delicious!

Here are some other great scent combinations:

Chocolate Covered Cherries
Fabulous Fudge Brownie
Cherry Pie

Cinnamon Apple
Cinnamon
Apple Spice

Cinnamon Bun
Birthday Cake
Cinnamon

Candy Apple
Cinnamon
Apple

Snickerdoodle
Sugar Cookie
Cinnamon

Cherry Pie a la Mode
Cherry Pie or Warm Welcome
Vanilla or French Vanilla and Buttercream

Cherry Almond Pastries
Warm Welcome
Cake Batter
Cinnamon Vanilla

Grandma’s Kitchen
Mulled Cider
Sugar Cookie

Sweet and Smooth
Pomegranate
Sugar Cookie

Banana Orange Nut Bread
Banana Nut Bread
Fresh Orange