Vanilla Noir is the next new scent in our Linnea’s Lights Fall lineup and we are so excited to share it with you. Vanilla is such a classic and comforting smell bringing me back to when I was growing up and helping mom bake in the kitchen. Over the years though, I’ve come to understand the complexity of the vanilla bean and it was important to me as we developed our first vanilla candle to keep it sophisticated, sensual and dynamic.

Vanilla has long been one of western civilizations’ most essential flavors, first discovered by Central Native Americans. Our new Vanilla Noir candle is infused with creamy and exotic Madagascar bourbon vanilla, intertwined with soft woods and musk… the perfect finishing touch in any home.

Available for purchase, Fall 2012. What does Vanilla remind you of?

Summer is fantastic, isn’t it? The sun, the outdoors, it’s all great, but I have to say there’s something beautiful about the cooler months. During Fall and into the holiday season my home becomes my sanctuary. I live for the hours when I’m free to curl up on the couch and let the warmth of the fireplace engulf me. The smell of the embers are so enticing and relaxing. It seems to lure the rest of my family away from their rooms and down the stairs to the comfy couch and me. That scent is home to me.

With my new few posts here on the blog, I wanted to give you a closer look at each new candle we’ll be rolling out in the coming months. Production is in full swing here and the studio smells divine!

This fall Linnea’s Lights is introducing a new scent named Hearth. For centuries, the hearth was considered an integral part of a home, often its central or most important feature. On brisk nights, find comfort in hearth and home. The candle’s scent will linger throughout your whole house creating a loving and warm environment. Smoky & captivating cedar wood is kindled with sweet amber and leather accords to welcome you.

Available for purchase, Fall 2012. Which season do you look forward to most?

Image courtesy of terrain

We are thrilled to let you know about our newest creation, a private Linnea’s Lights pour of Hydrangea in two colors of a custom clay pot (blue & purple). We created a letterpressed seeded cover to plant inside the vessel once the candle is finished and this special candle is now available exclusively at terrain.

Inspired by the early summer garden and poured especially for terrain, this candle boasts the scent of hydrangeas in bloom, mingled with fragrant lily of the valley and fresh, green notes. Nestled in a pretty clay pot, each candle includes a paper tag studded with wildflower seeds to plant once the wax has burned through. Combining natural soy wax, lead-free cotton wicks, and pure scents, Linnea’s Lights clean-burning candles are carefully hand-poured in small batches.

Get yours here now!

Image courtesy of kentuckyderby.com

As most people who will be watching the Kentucky Derby this weekend know, the official drink of the race is the mint julep, one of the oldest and most iconic American cocktails.

Since of course we’re candlemakers and not mixologists by trade, consider our new Garden Mint candle our ode to this exciting tradition.

From Esquire, we found a good old-fashioned julep recipe. Not too sweet, just the way we like it:

Instructions

In eager anticipation of relaxing afternoons spent at home gardening, Linnea’s Lights is proud to present its fresh Garden Mint candle. There’s no finer feeling than planting new seeds with love, allowing mother nature to work her magic, and with some  of our own delicate nurturing, seeing what grows.

Garden Mint ~ Known for its therapeutic properties and cooling scent, Garden Mint thrives no matter how green the gardener’s thumb. A perfect aroma to take the edge off summer’s fiery heat, watery notes of garden mint leaves mingle with cucumber, spearmint and hints of citrus. Cooling.

Linnea’s Lights® candles combine natural soy wax, lead-free cotton candle wicks, pure essences and fine fragrances to create clean burning, perfectly scented and highly aromatic candles. Each signature double wicked glass candle provides over 60 hours of illumination and is mindfully packaged in recycled materials, printed with soy inks and hand stamped.

Each 9 oz. candle is $30. Pick yours up now at Oliver’s Twist!

Happy spring! With March 20th ringing in the official start of the new season, say hello to sunshine, spring flowers, and longer days. In honor of spring, I’m excited to introduce to you our newest scent of the season: Wild Honeysuckle!

Inspired by childhood memories of searching for a single dewdrop at the center of fresh flowers under the warmth of the Texan sun. Sweet honeysuckle nectar mingles with leafy vines and a hint of mandarin and musk. Energizing.

Doesn’t it sound lovely? I like to have Wild Honeysuckle lit in the background to give me an extra boost of energy while I get myself ready in the morning. You can get yours here from Terrain, a terrific spot to find all things home, garden, and beauty. When do you feel most energized?

Image courtesy of serenebeautyphotos.com

We’re getting ready for St. Paddy’s Day festivities and I can’t wait to celebrate with family and friends. To get in the spirit, we’ll light our Garden Mint candle and the whole family will help bake some delicious Irish Soda Bread. This year, I think we’ll try a new recipe found over on Rachel Ray:

Cranberry Irish Soda Bread with Lime Glaze

What you’ll need:

• 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Grated peel and juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/3 cups milk and the lemon juice; let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Rub in the butter until coarse crumbs form, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cranberries.
3. Beat the egg into the milk mixture; stir into the flour mixture until just combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it just comes together; form into an 8-inch round and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a knife, score a 1/2-inch-deep “X” in the round. Bake until dark golden and crusty, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, lime peel, lime juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon milk. Drizzle the cooled soda bread with the lime glaze.

(6 servings)

How yummy does that sound?

Tell me, what St. Paddy’s Day traditions do you usually look forward to?

Well we hope the suspense hasn’t been too painful! We’re back again with the latest installment of our romantic new scents, and this time we’re thrilled to introduce you to our cupid-approved Rose candle.

In ancient mythology, Roses were associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Isis, the goddess of motherhood and magic, and Eros, also known as Cupid. In modern days, the Rose is a time-honored way to say “I love you” when words just aren’t enough. Warm, inviting, and intoxicating all in one, this timeless blend is inspired by the endless bouquets of roses that our loved ones shower upon us. Close your eyes and be swept off your feet. Romance. Love. Seduction. What do Roses mean to you?

Plus, shop the Rose candle, now available at Terrain!

With Valentine’s Day around the corner and Spring following shortly after, we’re excited to be introducing our latest candles for your enjoyment. Wouldn’t it be nice to give your sweetheart the ultimate floral bouquet and one that will last a heck of a lot longer than just a few days? Personally, I’d love to receive something like that too!

Now I’d like to introduce the first of our newest additions to the Spring 2012 collection: our Violet scent. It is said that those with violet auras are forward looking visionaries while in ancient Chinese paintings the pigment cultivated from pure violet flower extract, represents the harmony of the universe, the yin and yang. Violets are known to have a flirty scent as its fragrance comes and goes with the gentle winds of spring. Inspired by the beauty and elegance of the color Violet & the simplicity of the plant itself with Iris at the heart, Violet represents love & luxury. This blend has top notes of florals & leafy greens, middle notes of violet & iris and bottom notes of musk.

Enjoy and once you try it, we always love to hear what you think!

chinese-new-year-cards.blogspot.com

Happy Lunar New Year! As a little bit of background, Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival) is one of the longest and most important celebrations in the lunar calendar. Festivities begin on Monday, January 23, and continue for 15 days to usher in the start of a new year and the beginning of  the revitalizing spring season. The events consist of fireworks, family feasts, “lucky money” given in traditional red envelopes and on the final day, the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival is an exciting, action-packed day filled with music, dancing, acrobatics, parades, Yuanxiao dumplings, and, of course, the release of beautifully decorated lanterns.

I think Lunar New Year is a perfect time to revisit some of the resolutions we made at the beginning of this month and to evaluate our progress in each of them. In honor of the occasion, I will be celebrating the Chinese New Year this Monday by curling up in a comfortable chair with a good book and the Asian-inspired Bamboo candle in the background. The Bamboo scent, which has notes of Asian spices, grasses, citrus and lavender, is the perfect way to enjoy the New Year since bamboo is traditionally believed to bring in prosperity and good luck.

How are you celebrating the Lunar New Year?