Since I’ve built a career in the world of scents, I am always interested to hear what has inspired some of the world’s most renown olfactory experts. Jean-Claude Ellena, the official perfumer of Hermès, shares his thoughts on perfume in his new memoir and I think this will be the perfect summer read for me.

A scent is such a personal thing, capable of transporting you to your past, of kindling fantasies… out of thin air. It is quite a task (one that I love) to create each candle, capturing the essence of the candle’s namesake (Peony, Vetiver, Wild Fern…). And so, in the name of research, I am looking forward to sticking my nose into this memoir by Jean-Claude Ellena, the official perfumer of Hermès: “The Diary of a Nose: A Year in the Life of a Parfumeur“. Available now from Rizzoli.

Per the Rizzoli website:

An intimate exploration of inspiration and creativity, from the “parfumeur exclusif” of the house of Hermès. Where does inspiration for this visceral art come from? How does one capture the essence of emotions, of desire? Jean-Claude Ellena has a sublime gift. As “parfumeur exclusif” (or “the nose”) for Hermès, he elevates fragrance to an art form. A “writer of perfume,” his concoctions are as finely composed and evocative as a haiku. He is also a conjurer of sorts: “I create an illusion that is actually stronger than reality . . . you enter the scent and follow the path.” The Diary of a Nose is a collection of Ellena’s meditations on the world of scents, and what stirs his creation of some of the world’s most desired fragrances. Inspiration can come from anywhere—a market stall, a landscape, or even the movement of calligraphy. Though each smell has its own distinct character, a gifted perfumer creates olfactory experiences that are intensely personal and unique, that blossom on the body and leave a trace of us lingering after we have left a room. Seductive, delicate, and elegant as any of Ellena’s creations, The Diary of a Nose seeks to capture the most elusive facets of this rarefied and mysterious art.

About the Author

Jean-Claude Ellena has been the exclusive perfumer to the house of house of Hermès since 2004. Over the course of his career he has created some of the world’s bestselling fragrances, including “First” from Van Cleef & Arpels, “Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert” from Bulgari, and “Déclaration” from Cartier.

Photo by: Con Poulos; Image courtesy of Bon Appétit

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo is always a fun way to enjoy the warmer weather and eat some great Mexican food and fruity drinks with friends. This year I wanted to think outside the margarita box and thankfully, Bon Appétit posted great ideas for what to drink on Cinco de Mayo: Margaritas, Palomas, Micheladas, and Aguas Frescas.

Good things come in our small packages

Linnea’s Lights Mini Votives: 15 hour burn time

With Spring and Summer around the bend, I look forward to some weekend trips out of town. One of the first things I pack are a selection of our smaller candles in my favorite scents like Cashmere, Ocean and Sweetgrass. Petite but as powerful as our traditional size candles, our mini votives come in a variety of classic Linnea’s Lights scents. Without taking up much space at all, they make great hostess gifts if you’re staying with friends or family, or perfect if you just want to make a new space feel like home! They can be lit alone or try combining different scents together and enjoy a unique atmosphere.

Our mini votives are available online at Urban Farmhouse for just $15. Which scents will you bring on your next trip?

Spring is a time of magic, as the natural world miraculously comes alive after the barren winter. Because this is such a wondrous season, I wanted to create a new scent to pay homage to the enchantment of nature.

Our new Wild Fern candle is a verdant escape, with crisp & fresh leafy greens, stems and herbs blended with sheers woods. I tried to capture the essence of the warming earth, of soft sunlight and intense green. The fern is ancient, older than the dinosaurs and predating flowering plants by two hundred million years. It derives its name from its aesthetic likeness to a feather, and has long been associated with fairy lore for its powers of invisibility and supernatural protection.  It is suggested that the person who breaks the first fern frond of Spring will have good luck all year round. Step inside the fairy ring and become enchanted with redolent primeval forests of vivid green.

And good news! Our friends at Uber Boutique and Design just got some of the new Wild Fern and Peony candles in, so I hope you’ll enjoy!

Each spring the earth comes alive again, blossoms and green abound. To celebrate the season of renewal, we’re thrilled about our newest releases. First up is our new Peony candle, inspired by my favorite flower.

Timeless, lush & creamy peony petals, green stems & wildflowers, Indiana’s state flower takes center stage, with notes inspired by the lush blooms of a perennial favorite. Cultivated in Asia for thousands of years, prized for its vivid beauty and warm floral scent, the peony is regarded as a symbol of happiness and prosperity. In the Middle Ages, Peony seeds were swallowed whole to ward off bad dreams and the flower is still used today in alternative medicine. Awaken your inner healer and allow the spacious aroma of freshly cut peony to soothe the senses.

Keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest to be first to know just as soon as this launches in a shop near you!

Image courtesy of angeladalinger.tumblr.com

We turn to nature for candle inspiration often and are always looking for ways to bring the outdoors into our home. With an obvious weakness for botanicals, we fell for these sweet illustrations of potted plants and flowers by German illustrator Angela Dalinger. The 28-year-old illustrator and painter makes her own books and prints and makes them available on her online store. Check out some of the other illustrations and photographs on her tumblr for a nice dose of fresh energy.

One goal I set for myself in 2013 was to be more active. I’ve been setting aside time to fit in some yoga, go for long walks, and ride bikes with the kids when the weather permits. One activity I’ve been hearing a lot about is SoulCycle which apparently has a cult following in NYC, though it isn’t yet available here in Indiana. Have any of you tried it?

Besides the rigorous workout, I love how they incorporate candles into their workouts as an energizing tool and thought I’d bring some of that into my own at-home sessions. Our new Grapefruit candle is perfect for people who workout at home and want to set a motivational mood, or for people who just like the inviting scent of a citrus candle. A beguiling scent, this grapefruit candle offers a fresh infusion of citrus with spicy bottom notes of ginger and green wood. Would you incorporate candles into your workouts? I’ve really been enjoying it!

If you’d like to give it a try, you can purchase our new Grapefruit candle, here.

Image courtesy of DesignSponge

We have been thinking a lot about our New Year’s Resolutions, as we mentioned last week, and have been focusing on incorporating good habits into our daily routines in the new year. One idea we loved came courtesy of one of our favorite blogs, Design*Sponge: meditation.

Have you ever tried it? Admittedly it’s difficult to find the time as a mother and an entrepreneur, but the benefits might outweigh any temporary inconvenience. Amy Azzarito had some helpful thoughts for creating a meditation space at home, and was even kind enough to include our very own Hearth candle into the inspiration board!

Of course, you don’t need to buy anything to start a mediation practice. But it can be helpful to have a space dedicated to meditation when you’re trying to quiet your mind. Creating a meditation space is about tapping into what centers you, so it should be completely personal. If you do decide you want to create a meditation space, check out the blog post for a few starters!

Image courtesy of Karen Adams Designs

With holiday party season now in full swing, we’re always on the lookout for tips and tricks to help keep entertaining fun and stress-free. We were delighted, then, when we received Gwyneth Paltrow’s beautiful GOOP newsletter last week and floored when we saw our very own Cashmere candle staring back at us! We are honored and humbled and just beyond excited to have caught Gwyneth’s keen eye.

In addition to make us blush, the newsletter was chock full of helpful notes to keep the holiday crazy to a minimum. I love the idea of printing menus on bespoke papers, and using the ease of cleanup after a paper plate pizza party as an excuse to order in the night before the main event? Genius!

This particular newsletter is our recommended reading of the week. It was inspiring and productive all at once.

You can find our Cashmere candle with our friends at: Terrain, Candles Off Main, ABC Home, and many other fine retailers.

How are you planning on ringing in the holidays this year?

Image courtesy of the Empire State Building & Fashion's Night Out

As many of you know, especially those on Twitter (it’s been mentioned non-stop!), Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week has begun, and tonight marks the official kick off with Fashion’s Night Out. We can’t get to the Big Apple for the stylish festivities but we’re channeling the slick city streets in the studio and burning our chic Cashmere candle. A timeless classic, like fashion’s best offerings, our clean-burning soy candle is scented with a sophisticated herbal blend, marked by patchouli and mixed with vanilla and a twist of lime.

Whether you’re in New York burning the midnight oil or elsewhere like us, there are so many fun ways to track the latest trends and get sneak peeks into the latest “it” party. We’ll be glued to Twitter, Pinterest and Style.com for our fashion fix this week.

What shows are you most looking forward to seeing? Is NYFW on your radar?