Thank you for all your support! We are so busy this holiday season that we are going to take a break from our blogging. We will be back in 2010! Season’s Greetings!
SALE November 29, 2009
Save up to 50% on Orion Botanicals products – hurry, this is a limited time offer!
November 10, 2009
Orion Botanicals is a proud sponsor of New Moon Rising Over Arizona! Our Vamp Candles line is sponsoring this event, which is turning out to be one of the largest New Moon premier events in the country!
Diffusers—A Unique Way to Fragrance Your Home November 6, 2009
Plugging a gel filled capsule into an electrical outlet is one way to fragrance your home. However, you must admit this is not very attractive and the fragrance is often too overwhelming for your space. Scented candles are another way but they can be a safety hazard and only release scent when they are lit. Using a diffuser will allow you to control the amount of fragrance you need in a safe and much prettier way.
A diffuser consists of a small container, perfumed oil and reeds. You simply pour the fragrance into the container, place the reeds into the oil and you have instant scent! The number of reeds you use will allow you to control the amount of fragrance the room receives; more reeds equal stronger scent.
While very functional, diffusers are also a very decorative way to fragrance your home. The bottles range from inexpensive ceramic jars to hand blown Italian glass containers. You can choose clear or frosted glass or, for a more whimsical look, try mixing and matching colored glass bottles. Even the reeds can be decorative. You will often find them twisted into floral or geometric shapes such as circles and stars.
Since you control the amount of fragrance released, you can place a diffuser in pretty much any room in your home. For example, adding a pretty diffuser with star shaped reeds to your powder room is a nice way to welcome guests during the holidays. A frosted glass apothecary jar is an elegant addition to a master bedroom. And since you do not have to worry about the flame of a candle, tucking a diffuser into bookshelves will fill your room with the scent of your choice.
Promote Handmade! November 4, 2009
Introducing Promote Handmade a new way of promoting handmade products & supplies. You can ensure your advertisment reaches a targeted market of consumers who actively purchase and seek out handmade and one of a kind (OOAK) products by participating in Promote Handmade. Offer your customers special discounts and goodies on handmade goods by simply including a Promote Handmade Gift Packet with your orders.
How it works
- Purchase your ad spot and email your ad & website banner to us.
- Promote Handmade prints out ads, assembles the Gift Packets and then mails them to every participant.
- Participants include a Promote Handmade Gift Packet with their shipped orders.
- The more stores that participate, the greater exposure everyone gets!
What’s included
- Gift Packets of printed advertisements/promotions mailed directly to you via USPS
- Banner ad with link to your store & a 20 word description of your store on our Featured Sellers page
- If your sales go through the roof and you need more packets, more can be ordered!
Genie in a Bottle November 2, 2009
How powerful is the sense of smell? As one of our five senses, smell can evoke powerful emotional responses. Imagine a time that you were the happiest – chances are you can also recall the smell of that experience. Alternatively, some smells can drudge up unpleasant memories.
Studies have shown that out of all our senses, we most often take the sense of smell for granted. Many people report that perfume, candles and/or potpourri help to enhance their quality of life. But let’s take a step back and think how our emotions can be affected by the sense of smell. By survey, joy, anger, love, sadness and contentment are the top five emotions affected by smell. As such, 80% of people use environmental fragrances such as scented candles, reed diffusers, sachets and potpourri to augment or alleviate these emotions.
So the next time you light a fragranced candle or spritz on your perfume think… why? Connecting your emotions to your smell may just be your magic genie in a bottle.
We’re back! October 31, 2009
Sorry for the extended time between posts. We’ve been busy ramping up for the upcoming holiday seasons! Check back soon for our new series and announcements.
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Holiday Decorating with Candles October 16, 2009
Holiday Candle Gift Set
• Glass hurricanes are a popular way to display candles. They not only showcase a beautiful candle but are safer than having an “exposed” candle. Pillars are most often used in a hurricane. But consider grouping 3 or 5 tapers together. ( an odd number works best) Simply fill the bottom of the hurricane with sand or decorative marbles to hold the candles in place, tie the candles together with a pretty ribbon and you are done.
• Lining a walkway with luminaries is a nice way to welcome guests. However, filling brown paper bags with sand and trying to light the candles can be tedious. Try using old mason jars in place of paper bags. The thick glass is sturdy enough to withstand the elements and the candle light will really flicker. You can even use etching cream to spell out a welcome on the jars that will show through when lit.
• Clustering candles together in a centerpiece or tablescape offers a lot of decorating impact for very little effort or money. Use candles of the same color if you prefer a monochromatic look. For example, shades of red grouped on a shiny silver tray offer an elegant look. If you prefer something a bit more whimsical, choose candles of varying colors and height.
• Tea lights are a decorating dream. They can be used anywhere and will turn any container into a candleholder. If you do not have tall candlesticks, try filling a champagne flute or any stemmed glass with seasonal filler (i.e. fake snow, small colored crystals etc.) and topping it with a tealight. Vary the height of your glasses for a very beautiful and unique centerpiece.
• There are hundred of embellishments you can find in crafts stores to personalize a plain pillar candle. These include crystals, studs, marbles, special paints etc. Or simply tie a beautiful velvet ribbon around a candle, secure with a rhinestone stud and you have a custom candle your friends will envy.
As always, do not leave a lit candle unattended. Check out the new battery operated candles that are now available in pillars, tealights and even tapers.
Weekly Featured Home Decor Designers October 15, 2009
Looking Your Way $25
The simplicity of black and white brings beauty to Looking Your Way by Amelia Kay Photography. This piece of art would blend with almost any decor to bring elegance and nature back into the room. Arranged with a few color photos would make this piece pop.
Sushi Dish Set $42
This set comes from the Keep It Simple Series [KISS] by Bailey Bowls. The simpleness of the dandelion against the white of the clay is perfection. This set consists of one large plate for serving sushi and two smaller plates for soy sauce or wasabi. These dishes are made of porcelain that is off-white and contains specs of gray grains here and there. It complements the gray of the line drawing.
Modern Pillows
Modern Fleece Pillow Set $25
Sewn Inspirations has created a chic pillow set that would work in both a bedroom or living area. These pillows bring a modern twist with bold contrasts and texture of fleece. The back is solid black and purple, which allows you the flexibility of changing it up every now and then.
Silver Knick-Knack Dish
Silver Knick-Knack Dish $15
This wonderful vintage dish has been refashioned by Reclaimed Designs to included a colorful mosaic. This dish would be perfect to keep on a hall table to collect your keys or on the nightstand to organize your lipbalm and jewelry.
How do fragrances escape candle wax? October 13, 2009
The aroma from a scented candle is released when the candle wax is melted and the fragrance evaporates. A properly-formulated candle, whether scented or unscented, will primarily produce water vapor and carbon dioxide when burning correctly. The water vapor & carbon dioxide are released into the air thus creating your fragrant ambiance.
