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.

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?

Image courtesy of tumblr.com

In these final dog days of summer, I’m trying to take advantage of the next few weeks of wonderful weather. I thought the perfect way to enjoy a warm summer’s night would be to host a garden party for friends and family. This time around, I wanted to bring the scents I love so much while inside, outside, and thought our Garden Mint candle would be just the thing.

Garden Mint highlights the yard’s natural, welcoming perfume and is absolutely perfect for these final hot summer evenings. 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. The scent is known for its therapeutic & cooling properties and has a gentle aroma that is never overwhelming. This an important thing to consider at an event revolving around dining;  you never want to compete with the aroma of a home cooked meal!

We love the balance of using our candles both inside and out, they’re multi-taskers just like us! As always and no matter where you’re enjoying your candles, just remember to always keep your eyes on a burning candle and never to leave one unattended. Candle safety comes first!

Pick one up at Candles Off Main in time for your next dinner party.

Image Courtesy of Vogue.com

Before summer comes to a close, I like to make the most of seasonal produce and flavors that just aren’t as fresh the rest of the year. The perfect way I’ve found to beat the heat is by indulging in a nice cold popsicle. I found this Honeydew-Lime Pop recipe on Bon Appetit and thought it would be a fun activity for you and the whole family. I also enjoyed this recent article from Vogue about ice pops and their evolution. I’m excited to enjoy these next few weeks of summer with my family and indulge a bit with these refreshing icy pops!

Ingredients

• 4 cups 1″ cubes peeled honeydew melon
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup mild honey
• 1/4 cup sugar

Preparation

• Purée all ingredients and 1/4 cup water in a food processor until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium pitcher; strain, pressing on solids to extract purée. Divide among molds. Cover; insert ice-pop sticks. Freeze until firm. Dip bottoms of molds into hot water for 20-30 seconds to loosen pops. Remove pops from molds and serve.

How easy does that sound? Do you have any favorite popsicle flavor combinations I should try?

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 geotravellers.com

Linnea’s Lights is an American company through and through so like most of you, we’re beyond excited for the upcoming Olympics and filled with pride for our country.

It’s so awe-inspiring to watch these skilled athletes who have trained their whole lives hoping for a chance at victory. Personally, my favorite summer events to watch are track & field, swimming and gymnastics. I also love seeing the kids cheer on their favorite athletes and remember back to when I was young and how the Winter Olympics Figure Skating events inspired me to take up lessons at the local rink.

The games have become so much more that just an athletic event. The Opening Ceremony is a true spectacle and I never know what to expect. The games are also a source of pride and community, something our team at Linnea’s Lights relates to completely. For the next few weeks, you’ll find me wearing my red, white, and blue around the studio proudly!

What’s your favorite sport to watch during the Olympics?

Image courtesy of wdrb.com

The heat wave has not let up by us, so we’ve been trying to get to the local pool with the kids as much as possible. I’ve also been making ice-cold lemonade and keeping temps down indoors with A/C and a mix of my favorite Linnea’s Lights Summer-inspired White Coral, Ocean, & Sea Salt candles close at hand. Chill out at home with candles like these or for something clean & fresh, our Garden Mint candle is also a favorite. Available from Oliver’s Twist.

How are you all holding up in this heat?

To buy: http://www.oliverstwistllc.com/category/Candles/c57pg

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!

After hearing the buzz and so many of you talk about your love of Pinterest, we’re thrilled to join the club. What a great way to keep up with our favorite designers, venders, friends and fans, and we hope you’ll enjoy what we share with all of you. Linnea’s Light’s board features our newest spring and summer-inspired scents, exciting news from this here blog, beautiful pictures of our lovely candles, and much, much more. Go check it out for yourself here! Won’t you welcome us to Pinterest with a friendly follow? Find us at http://pinterest.com/linneaslights!

This warm weather makes me so happy but I have to say, it already has me dreaming of summer. I can’t wait for a little family summer getaway and am already starting to make plans for where we’ll go. In honor of warmer days and exciting summer adventures, I’d like to introduce to you our newest scent, Sea Salt!

Inspired by our summer journey to Saint Cyr sur Mer, a sleepy, coastal town in the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France. We chartered a boat and took to the turquoise waters, enveloped by the smell of salty air and inspired by the way natural salts were infused in coastal delicacies, fresh from the sea like mussels & the region’s infamous bouillabaisse. Invigorating.

I love to have Sea Salt lit while I reminisce about all the fun times we had in France, taking in all the lovely scenery and scents of Saint Cyr sur Mer. What kinds of summer getaways are you dreaming about?

Stock up now and bring the ocean home to you, available at Terrain!