Today is our experimentation day with Red Licorice and blending it with other scents. It's an interesting process because what you think the end results will be, often is not. We hope to launch our Red Licorice blends in February. By then, we should have some winning scents. I can tell you I'll never look at a bag of Twizzlers the same again.
Our Valentine Boxes are doing well and most surprising to us is that the Dark Seductions box is outselling the others. We are constantly replenishing so right now, they should be available for you. I know many of our customers are not "posters" on the candle boards but some are and we're anxious to read the reviews. We'll need to put on our big girl and big boy pants on and make sure we always use reviews as learning and growing experiences!
We had snow yesterday and that was nice. I like the four distinct seasons we have here in northern Illinois. I think this first year will be interesting to trend the scents that sell each season and which are year round favorites.
Cheers,
Lulu
pertandlulu@cozycottagescents.com
http://www.cozycottagescents.com
http://www.facebook.com/cozycottagescents
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Blenders Naming Contest
I'm finding that it's quite a bit of fun to create scents by blending various oils. Granted, there have been quite a few we had to toss but the process is still fun, especially when you come up with a winner. Back in the day when I was a tart melter instead of a tart maker, I remember often wishing a certain tart had more berry in it or more crust. Cozy Cottage Scents is introducing Blenders to help our customers cravings for creativity.
Blenders are single note mini tart packs. Each mini tart weighs .25 oz and each pack will weigh 2 ounces which gives you 8 mini tarts per pack. You can buy several and completely create your own scent (3 root beer + 2 vanilla +1 musk) or just add a few to an existing tart (add 2 lemon to a Lemon Meringue Pie tart that has a too heavy crust scent).
We aren't convinced Blenders is the best name. CONTEST! Submit your idea below or on our Facebook fan page. Winner will win $25.00 in Cozy Cottage Scents tarts, blenders, or Valentine Boxes. Contest ends January 11, 2011.
Cheers,
Lulu
pertandlulu@cozycottagescents.com
http://www.cozycottagescents.com
http://www.facebook.com/cozycottagescents
Blenders are single note mini tart packs. Each mini tart weighs .25 oz and each pack will weigh 2 ounces which gives you 8 mini tarts per pack. You can buy several and completely create your own scent (3 root beer + 2 vanilla +1 musk) or just add a few to an existing tart (add 2 lemon to a Lemon Meringue Pie tart that has a too heavy crust scent).
We aren't convinced Blenders is the best name. CONTEST! Submit your idea below or on our Facebook fan page. Winner will win $25.00 in Cozy Cottage Scents tarts, blenders, or Valentine Boxes. Contest ends January 11, 2011.
Cheers,
Lulu
pertandlulu@cozycottagescents.com
http://www.cozycottagescents.com
http://www.facebook.com/cozycottagescents
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Day Two - Thinking about a contest
Publicity is key. We need to get our name out there. We need to run a contest, everyone loves contests. Maybe a "like our FB page" contest and we'll pick a winner at random. Prize will be something. Need a prize. Maybe one of our Valentine Boxes. I'll keep you posted.
I wonder how other Tartists handling pouring tarts they just don't like. I'm not one for roses, never have been but need to have rose scents. We have been testing Sweet Green Grass oils for what seems like weeks. Haven't found one we like. Yesterday, a shipment of oils arrived from a new supplier and most of the oils were excellent but the Sweet Grass was so bad that I can't even describe it. More like grass that's been sitting in a compost pile for a few weeks. Eeeeew.
Do you ever wonder what tart makers melt for their own pleasure? Most of the time, our house is filled with whatever tarts we're pouring that day and no need to melt anything extra. But on days like today, when we didn't have many to make, I've been melting our Sugar Corn Pudding. It is a crazy scent description but so delicious. Sweet notes, hot very buttery corn and salt. You can actually smell the salt! And a custard, creamy sweetness throughout.
Tomorrow is Friday and that is always a good thing!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Opening Day is Finally Here
Hello World and Happy New Year!
Today is the day, our Grand Opening. The Cozy Cottage Scents story started in 2006 when Tammy Allen began this wonderful wax tart company in her kitchen. Over the years, she perfected her craft, tested 1000s of oils, mountains of wax and wax blends. Her hard work payed off as her loyal client base continued to grow. In 2010, Tammy found her life and other career were getting busier and at a cross road with Cozy Cottage Scents which needed to grow. Tammy made the very difficult decision to sell CCS and my husband, Pert, and I bought it.
Over the past month, Tammy has shared suppliers, wax blends, formulas, success stories, not so successful stories, trained us on ordering, inventory, website design and everything in between. My background in aromatherapy and skin care helped me understand that there really is a difference between Supplier A and Supplier B when it comes to the subtle nut notes in a Banana Bread fragrance oil! Quality does matter.
Now here we are, Opening Day! We've made mountains of tarts, experimented with colors and sizes. We have mastered the pouring techniques and getting the wax to the exact right temperature to absorb the fragrance oil and learned from mistakes. It's been fun finding short cuts that work and, of course, short cuts that we'll never try again!
This is a dream come true for us. My husband, Pert, or Mr. Cozy as I now call him, is having a blast and is the main Tartist in the family - who knew he could be so in touch with his feminine side? Each tart is like his baby and you'd better oooh and ahhhh over each batch and color selection! We love our tarts. Each one is sprinkled with glistening fairy dust and packaged in cello bags tied with raffia ribbons. Of course, we lable each tart with the scent name and our name, too. Each order will have samples and sweets and filled with fun crinkle cut paper for padding. This is what I love! Mr. Cozy makes the tarts and I take care of the pretty packaging. What a team!
It's been fascinating how much my own scent taste has changed in just one short month. Suddenly, I love everything. I never considered myself a floral person but now I swoom when Mr. Cozy is pouring Moonlit Magnolia or Lilac Park. I couldn't tell you Sandalwood from Cedarwood but I sure can now! For years I thought of myself as a "bakery" and "fruity" person but now I gravitate to the woods and spa scents. Don't get me wrong, I still love my bakery tarts but have a new delight with the mysterious woods.
We are hoping to introduce a limited, good for your skin, bath and body line. First in the line up will be sulfate, paraben, and phtalate free shower gels and a wax-free, silicone-free body balm, all infused with natural oils. This is a long way off, perhaps in 2012.
Our first big splash will be our Valentine Boxes and we'll offer our customers three choices: Romantic Rumors, Deep and Seductive and Hot Night Cravings. The tarts will be right on theme with the name of the box and each box will have some oooo la la fun surprises perfect for Valentine's Day.
Look us up on Facebook and please "fan" our page. You can also follow us on Twitter, @cozycottagesnts. Which reminds me, I have to get those links up on our website, too!
Stop by soon and choose from our 100+ scent list and take advantage of our Grand Opening Specials!
I have to figure out how to get this blog linked to the website so that maybe somebody will read it. I wonder how many followers Cozy Cottage Scents will have when we ring in 2012.
Happy New Year,
Lulu, Owner and Tartist
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