A quick (if much delayed) review of some truly stunning scents from Two Timing Tart. The upstart venture specializes in all-vegetable, phthalate-free room scents by way of the wickless wax tart. But then there’s also the delightful aesthetic, the wicked sense of humor, and a fabulous proprietor.

I got to test “Silk Sheets” first. A perfect balance of creamy and crisp notes. Sniffed cold, this one reads as an indecipherable gourmand-floral. Warm, it opens up into a “silky” soft background-scent.

Hedonistic Self-Indulgence, probably shouldn’t be my favourite. The olfactory equivalent of polishing off the entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s. Barely nutty, and not cloying in the least. This one has a very realistic savory quality, as if you’d actually baked a panful of buttery treats.

Peacock Plumes just conjures notions of emeralds and vivid textiles. For room scents, fruits are easily my favourite - especially crisp citrus-y concoctions that pull more green than sweet. This one is expertly blended, a sophisticated counterpoint.

Sex Kitten is sweet, soft, and prettier than I’d have suspected. I love a nice earthy patchouli, and this one is barely sweetened with honey and vanilla. Perfectly balanced.

Insomniac is currently hogging my warmer with gooey caramel and coffee - I’m told there’s a touch of almond in this, but espresso is easily the star here. And no complaints - I don’t need to brew an entire pot of the stuff to make my space smell life coffee. This way, I actually get some sleep.

Two-Timing Tarts are scented “just right.” Strong enough to get an accurate impression of the scent cold, but not so strong as to bloom and morph and become headachey when hot. I melted my tartlettes (1/6 of the clamshell) around the 3 hour mark, and was thrilled with that lifespan, because that’s right about when I want to switch scents.

So? What are you waiting for?

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So Villainess has clearly cultivated a sense of tactile and olfactory indulgence. It’s probably no surprise then that I’ve got a weak spot for shiny, colourful baubles. We’ve wanted to do a series of enabling features for the lifetime of this blog (that is, nearly three years), and figured that starting with one of our favourite jewelers is a great place to kick this off!

Sihaya Designs has been keeping me in earrings since February 2008. My very first must-have purchase was the Gunmetal Valentine - a sweet pair of earrings done up in pale pink, blood red and my favourite gunmetal (obvs) finish.

Since then, I’ve gotten to watch Christina’s work expand to include intricate wire work, gemstones with the most intriguing features, innovative resin techniques, precious metal clay sculpture, and some truly stunning fusions of wire wrapping and hammered metal. Most recently? Persephone Rising:

I’m very close to treating myself to this gorgeous collar, but I don’t think I’d have anywhere to wear such an elegant statement piece.

In the meantime, my bat wings should keep me happy!

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My winter traditions are fairly unconventional. I wait for Celestial Seasonings’ winter teas to show up at my local grocer’s (so I can stock up on enough Candy Cane Lane to last me until spring), I make Smashing, Gloop and Frostbite soaps, and I hit Sock Dreams for a selection of stripes to keep my toes warm.

Continue reading "Drowning in Footwear"

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Vil·lain·ess \ 'vi-lən-nəs \ n : a woman who is a villain

Vil·lain·ess \ 'vi-lən-nəs \ n
1 : an uncanny, articulate woman
2 : a deliberate antagonist or tease
3 : an intelligent woman in a tabloid or gossip
4 : the fall-girl in a particularly difficult situation

Villainess. Redefining "bad."