Spring 2011 Fragrance Line, Part 3

Continuing on, I bring you part 3 of the Spring fragrance line. People often ask me what my favorite scent is. That question for me, doesn't have an across-the-board answer. I change favorites often. Sometimes I like fresh, clean scents. Other times I want a nice fruity combination. What I find myself going back to most often, however, are the bakery scents. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that maybe it's due to my MASSIVE sweet tooth, but they really are my favorites. If I had to choose just one scent family, I'm pretty sure the bakery scents would be it. (Guess that's good, considering I'll be starting Pastry Arts school next month!) Anyway, enough about me. On to the good stuff...

SJ Candle Shoppe Bake Shoppe

Apple Cinnamon

Banana Nut Bread

Blueberry Cobbler

Buttercream Supreme

Creamy Vanilla

Red Hot Cinnamon

I'm going to be honest here: I foresee this line being much larger. I didn't want to overwhelm myself out of the gate and try to offer too much. That's a lot of inventory, and supply costs add up quickly when you're starting up. On the other hand, there's so much to offer, and everything smells so good! I have a feeling I'll be adding on sooner than I had first thought!

What are your favorite bakery scents? Is there anything missing from this line that is a must-have in your kitchen? Feel free to leave a comment. I love feedback! (Oh yeah, and follow me on Twitter @TXshoppegirl.)

*SJ*

Spring 2011 Fragrance Line, Part 2

As promised, here is the next category in my Spring 2011 fragrance line.

SJ Candle Shoppe Designer Types

Citrus Cilantro (Pier 1)

Coconut Lime Verbena (BBW)

Cranberry Peppermint (YC)

Green Tea & Cucumber (BBW)

Harvest (YC)

Home Sweet Home (YC)

Lemon Lavender (YC)

Polo Sport (Men's)

SJ Signature

These "duplicates" are very accurate representations of the original fragrances, although not affiliated with the same company. If you'd like something you don't see listed here, I am happy to try to find it and create a replica for you. Contact me at sjcandleshoppe@gmail.com or on Twitter (@TXshoppegirl) for more info or to place an order.

*SJ*

Spring 2011 Fragrance Line, Part 1

To help me get back on track with blogging and setting up the business, I thought I would post here about my new fragrance line-up. I've retired some fragrances from the past, and brought in some new ones I hope you'll love. I also decided to break the scents into categories or "fragrance lines" to more easily target what you want. So without further ado, I present the brand new

SJ Candle Shoppe Aromatherapy Line

Balance

Breathe Easy

Depression Relief

Energizing

Headache Relief

Muscle Relaxer

Sinus Relief

Snore Therapy

Soothing

Tranquility

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@TXshoppegirl) for up-to-the-minute updates, blog posts, and whatever else is on my mind!

*SJ*

Please know, I am not a certified Aromatherapist, nor any kind of doctor. I have, however, done research on what types of herbs, plants, and natural extracts can help aide in the relief of certain symptoms. It is based on this research that I offer this line of candles and bath products.

Back in Business

I'm super excited to share this post today. I've had something in the works now for quite a while, and I've finally gotten the motivation to do it.

I'M STARTING UP THE CANDLE BUSINESS AGAIN!!!!!

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I am super excited to be starting up again. I've been absent from it for about a year and a half, while I went through my separation and divorce. I'm starting over again, and that means starting fresh with a lot of things. I've missed my little business so much over the last several months. I made a lot of friends, and had so many loyal customers from the different venues where we would show. I can't guarantee that I will be at every single event, but I'll make it to as many as I can. It'll be just me for now, but I'm coming back in a big way! I have to repurchase the domain name and set up shop online. Besides the independent site, I'll also start posting on Etsy again. For now, the easiest way to reach me is to email me at sjcandleshoppe@gmail.com or find me on Twitter (@TXshoppegirl) if you want some info, to place an order, or just wish me luck! *SJ*

Recent Events & Other Ramblings

Hey everybody!

I just wanted to take a couple of minutes to let you all know what is going on with me, with Jay, and with the Shoppe. First of all...YES! We are still here, and we're still taking orders. We are about to enter our busy season with Christmas just 14 weeks away (hard to believe, isn't it?), and we are gearing up!

Secondly, thanks to so many who have asked about Jay and his health. He is doing great. For the most part, we have things pretty much regulated, but every now and then we have an episode. Everything is under control, and he's doing well. Plus, he's on vacation this week!

No vacation for me, though. After five very long unemployed months, I am finally back to work. I started working August 28 at a new local place in town, but found out quickly that wasn't going to work for me. Way too many hours, not enough money, and I never felt comfortable working there. So...today I started a new job! The schedule is much better (no more 15 hour days!) and the rewards much greater. Not just better money, but I already know some of the people, so I'm more comfortable immediately. Plus, it is a faith-based company, so no more questionable ethical decisions to make.

I apologize for not updating more frequently, as I had promised. I had hoped the first job would be a little more flexible and still make it possible for me to take care of the shoppe. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, but again, that is changing now with this new employer. I will begin updating again regularly. I like to hear what interests you, and love to hear feedback. If there is something you are looking for, or questions that you have, feel free to contact me anytime at sjcandleshoppe@gmail.com You can follow me on Twitter @TXshoppegirl or call (817) 846-1642. I look forward to hearing from you!

*SJ*

Etsy $5 Monday

I wanted to post early today to let you all know of a special promotion on Etsy today. Each Monday, the Etsy Texas Crafters (ETC) team does something special to promote our team. Some weeks it is a special sale, other times there are contests, a scavenger hunt, etc.

Since this is the fifth Monday of the month, today is $5 Monday. Many of the ETC crafters are participating by offering items for $5 in their shops. There are a lot of great deals going on today, and we're participating, too.

You can check out our $5 items in our shop, or type "ETC5" into the search box on the Etsy homepage for all participating items. Happy shopping!


*SJ*

We're Baaaaaack!

First of all, I want to thank you all for your patience while we sorted out some issues we were having. As some of you know, Jay has a genetic heart condition. For the most part, it is under control with daily medication and common sense (i.e. no marathon running, etc.) On occasion, he will have an unprovoked incident that causes concern, such as what happened a couple of weeks ago. He was unable to catch his breath after a coughing spell. I ended up taking him to the hospital, where they kept him for observation overnight. He is now, thankfully, recovered, and doing well.

At the same time, I was having some medical issues of my own. I have a very unique condition which, when under a great amount of stress, causes my hands to swell. Most times, the swelling is minimal, and, while uncomfortable, I am still able to function. On very rare occasions, the swelling becomes too great to function. Such was the case over the last few weeks. It is predominantly brought on by stress, and I have to assume it was a combination of looking for a job, Jay's troubles, and everyday life that caused this particular flare up.

My condition, which is extremely rare (it affects only about .6% of the population, and how mine manifests itself is even more rare), is under control now, and the really fantastic news is I am starting a new job today! Both Jay and I are still fully committed to SJ Candle Shoppe, but we are not in a position right now for it to be our sole source of income. Thankfully, it has helped get us through this extremely rocky time, and we appreciate our loyal followers!

I will begin updating regularly started immediately, now that things are back to normal. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, our show schedule will probably change now that I have a job. I'll be sure to keep the schedule updated as quickly as possible. Thank you all again for your support. You have really made the last several months more bearable and enjoyable!

*SJ*