Bum Knee

This is what my grandfather used to say when his knee went out.
This is what I am now saying because I can not walk. I am bed ridden and not loving it. I pulled some ligaments on the plane and now I can not move. Or at least I should not move. It is hard to get me to stay still.

I did visit Glassy Baby this morning and I am super excited to say the place was packed. They have almost sold out of the tea lights and I will be bringing in more in the morning. Even with my knee out, I can not stop doing what I love. I am catching up on reading new books. And I have my lap top in bed with me so I can do research for my next projects. But I would love to be at my studio, making candles, smelling the oils and enjoying the heat of the steam rising as I pour candles into the molds.

So hopefully tomorrow I can get to the studio and do what I love. Make candles and relaxing.

But alas, my knee is swollen, I may have to get surgery and I start my new job on Monday. My today is better than yesterday so keep your fingers crossed.

Thank you Berkshire Country!

I had my most successful show this last weekend in the Berkshires!

The Berkshires are home to the Kirpalu Yoga retreat center, Lenox, MA and loads of writers from the past, as well as countless amazing artists from modern times.

I had such a lovely visit to so many small towns. I just drove around on Friday and looked at all the wonderful houses and buildings that I would love to house Odessa's Herbals in. Sunday was my show and I met so many new and wonderful people. I was a little quieter than normal due to a sore throat but it was still amazing to be a part of the sale and see old friends from when I lived in NYC.

I have started to make a list of small towns that I would love to move too in the North East and unless something really big happens, I maybe moving soon! Of course, I always say this and never do because my heart is in the Northwest.

I am now currently in Virginia where my family lives and where I spent half my childhood. It is a very warm fall and I have been totally overdressed. Seattle is colder than the East Coast right now! I am visiting Family members I have not seen in over a year and just enjoying a little relaxation time before I return back to the Holiday season.

Another highlight of my trip so far has been seeing old friends in NYC. I was able to visit two friends that work on Sailboats and live on the water in Long Island. One friend I talk with almost everyday, but the other friend I had not seen or talk with in almost a year. It was so lovely to see Natalie and experience a little of her life. I will be having dinner with her on Monday night before I head back to Hudson.

I will be doing the Ladies Who Launch winter show in Seattle on December 2nd if anybody would like to stock up on candles. I have all new packaging and different pillar sizes to choose from. As well as new candle recipes and colors.

I am so inspired right now to make candles. I miss it more than anything. Next time I go on vacation, I must remember to bring a candle making kit with me! I never thought I could miss something this much, but my days feel empty without being able to make and share my candles with the world.

Look out for Odessa's Herbals coming to stores on the East Coast this summer! I am talking with a few different venues that would love to sell my candles. Wholesale is such a different world and one that I am going to slowly work towards because I still want the energy and passion to remain in my candles while my production volume goes up.

And look out for the new Jennifer Worick candle I am going to make her in honor of her new book!

Pomagrantes and late night walks

This weekend I fell in love.

I read a book called Kiss me I'm Single: An Ode To the Solo Life.
While I was reading this book and enjoying being a part of the Crave Show in Seattle, the author Amanda Ford came up and signed some books. I was able to talk with her about how much I was enjoying her book. Reading her book was like reading my cool sister's diary. She has an outlook on life and an energy that is infectious for loving life. I hope to create a candle in her honor because her book made me realize how amazing and loving life is no matter what.

I am off next week for my show in New York. I am also busy making tea lights for Glassy Baby.
Preparing for the Ladies who Launch show in December and my booth at the Rainier Club on Tuesday! It has been a very busy month and I am so sorry I have not written more.

Tomorrow I pick up another 100 pounds of wax and more essential oils. Candle making is quickly becoming the thing I truly love in life. I can be at my studio for 10 or more hours and be so calm and peaceful when I leave all thanks to my love of candle making. I feel so passionate about it. It's like falling in love with your soul mate. No matter how cranky I am when I get to the studio, by the time I leave, I am calm and settled.

My other passion in life right now is Rick Bass and his book Winter : Notes from Montana. I keep rereading passages of this book and then taking long walks at Discovery Park to think about what I read. He really is a beautiful writer and his books have me longing to move to Montana or Mississippi to experience a tiny piece of his world. Actually, on my road trip I took this summer with my friend Jeff, we did go near Rick Bass in Montana. Jeff and I decided to drive back from Great Falls, Montana where my family lives to Seattle on Highway 2. We had dinner in a town called Libby, Montana after swimming in the most beautiful Glacier Swimming hole I had ever seen. So in September on a day when it was almost snowing at Glacier, Jeff and I jumped into the water in front of 10 people that all gasped when I jumped in. After 20 minutes we put on our most warm and cozy clothing and kept on driving.

What I did not know at the time was that Rick Bass wrote about his life an hour or so outside of Libby. I now wished we could have stayed longer or gone off deeper into the woods to see what Rick Bass saw while writing this book.

But alas, I will just have to use my imagination and think about my next road trip. I am thinking Mississippi in January.