2022 Boxes

SPRING 2022: THE NOT SO DARK AGES

The medieval world was no fun. Drudgery, poverty, plague. Right? Well, yeah.

But it was also full of humor, revelry, and absurdity as well! We must look no further than some of the period's marginalia - the drawings that monks and other scribes often doodled at the edges of their decorated pages - to see some of this humor. They are filled with delightful images of knights fighting snails, murderous bunny rabbits (one of the West's first memes!), nuns gardening and flying upon penises, and quite literal butt trumpets. The folk tunes of the day were often equally as lewd! So for this box, we take a foray into the past to uncover some of the lighter aspects of the age: The (Not So) Dark Ages!

Featured:

A trio of notecards from Bingham & Bloom featuring some of the era's more amusing marginalia.
An eau de parfum from Deconstructing Eden. Sex or Cake: Passion has to go somewhere - and for the women cloistered in the Dark ages, this often meant (literally) divine pastries and sweets. Inspired by Struffoli - "Sex or Cake" is deep fried balls of citrus zest spiked dough, drenched in honey and, dusted with hazelnuts.
A bar of vegan, coconut-free soap by Dreaming Tree Workshop. Totally Not A Witch: A blend of jasmine, herbs, black tea, incense and cauldron smoke.
An ounce of loose tea by Dryad Tea. Strawberry Imp: Black tea, strawberry, papaya pieces, strawberry pieces, freeze dried strawberries, heather flowers, blackberry leaves.
A 6 oz sorbetto sugar scrub by Paintbox Soapworks. Illuminated Dick Joke: A proud shaft of ruddy cedar & cypress showered in orange blossom honey & red musk, gilded with amber.
A hard enamel marginalia pin by PS Brooks Illustration.
A moisturizing lip color by Sihaya & Company. Earthly Delights: A warm rosy peach shot through with delicate rose gold shimmer.
An 8 oz candle tin by Sihaya & Company. Murder Bunny: Decadent shortbread cookies topped with costly marchpane, then paired with rich red berry jam.

SUMMER 2022: INTO THE DEEP

Sail with us upon the sea to discover the mysteries of the deep! Long have there been tales of singing sirens, gigantic monsters, and shape-shifting miracles beneath the waves.

Featured:

An enchanting perfume by Astrid Perfume. Nereids: luminous ocean water, sweet kelp, whispers of temple incense, cypress, salt-crusted wood, and warm breeze accord.
A mesmerizing duochrome highlighter by Crow and Pebble. Allur'd to Destruction: A loose powder highlighter in radiant gold shimmer that shifts to seafoam, evocative of the shapeshifting Kelpie that charms its prey as a beautiful person and then abducts them to the depths of the sea.
A set of four postcard prints by acclaimed watercolorist, Joanna Barnum. Big Blue Octopus, Chambered Nautilus, Green Sea Turtle, and Sea Nettle Jellyfish. The 5" x 7" flat cards feature vivid artwork on one side and a matte blank back, perfect for filling out as a postcard, or framing for display.
A trio of delectable confections by Leccare Lollipops. Blueberry Lemonade, Margarita Sea Salt, and Island Dream.
A light, creamy 4 oz lotion by Luvmilk. Shark God: Pineapple shave ice capped with condensed milk, a drizzle of thick honey, and a sugared mint leaf; enjoyed by the beach.
An 8 oz glittering candle by Sihaya & Company. Release The Kraken!: A roiling sea of salty foam, mingled with the tropical scent of mango, tangerine, and palm leaf.
An iridescent glass pendant Wyrding Studios. Sirens In The Seafoam: a pendant with three shimmering mermaid glass beads, one for each of the Graeae Sisters, strung on a deep blue ribbon necklace.

AUTUMN 2022: DARK ACADEMIA

Do you long for days spent walking the polished halls of academia, browsing ancient library stacks, and searching for hidden knowledge? Sipping on hot coffee as browning leaves softly crunch underfoot? Meeting up for a forbidden tryst? This box is for you.

Featured:

A gorgeous 8 x 5 3/4" hardcover journal by Madam Firebli9ht. Its cover will feature an array of Autumnal leaves, florals, and ephemera in a full, wraparound print. It has lined pages.
A 5ml perfume rollerball by Poesie Perfume. Firelight Study: Remnants of your pumpkin spice latte and vanilla scone crumbs on a rosewood desk, a wool blanket with the lingering scent of a cozy evening by the fireplace
An 8oz, glittering candle tin by Sihaya & Company. Dark Academia: Golden amber, teakwood, white cedar, leatherbound books, and a touch of caramel.
A tube of shimmering lip color by Sihaya & Company. Elixir of Life: A plum-brown with entrancing blue sparkle. Mocha coffee fragrance. Note: this product can be swapped for a lip balm if a color product is not desired.
A bar of decadent caramel from returning favorite, Virtuoso Confections in their Butterscotch flavor.
A 3 oz clamshell of wax melts by Willow Waxcraft. Natural History: Step into the museum vault and explore the archived wonders inside: Spiced honeycomb, rich cognac, minerals and fossilized resin, teakwood, dry prairie grass, crumbling papyrus, coumarin, oud, and animalistic musk.

HALLOWEEN 2022: BLEAKTHORN HALL

The ancient wrought iron gates are wound with sharp thorns. The bare branches of trees rise through the mist, jabbing towards the house in the distance. Lights flicker dimly within, and you recall the stories. The ghostly footfalls, the woman on the stairs, the howling across the moors at midnight. Surely, they're just tales, told to frighten children at night. Right?

BLEAKTHORN HALL is our love letter to gothic horror.

Featured:

A 3.5 oz sea salt soap bar by Athame + Alchemy. The Poison Path: Baneful herbs and blossoms grow in a dilapidated, wrought-iron, Victorian greenhouse. The misty, midnight air is filled with the scent of sweet basil, mint leaves, thyme, ancient vines, woods, amber, marigold, violet, vetiver, geranium, sage, datura, mossy pathways, and broken glass.
A 5ml perfume oil rollerball by Death & Floral. Whispers Of Strange Sounds: Creaking floorboard wood, sweet olive tree, dark patchouli and rye, overgrown ivy on abandoned brick.
A small package of skull-shaped sugar cubes by returning favorite, Dem Bones.
A 1 oz bag of Dryad Tea's fantastic loose tea. Of Umbra and Omens: Elderberry and mulling spices pair with black tea to create the feeling of crisp autumnal evenings and fall leaves underfoot. A great tea to cozy up with, pair it with your favorite book or film.
An 8.6 oz sugar scrub by Paintbox Soapworks. Let Me In At Your Window: Strong black tea with whisky & cloves, dark-as-night patchouli, & the uncanny tapping of rose geranium & oakmoss on drafty windowpanes.
A fantastically spooky enamel pin from our friends at The Pickety Witch.
An 8 oz, glittering candle tin by Sihaya & Company. The Woman In Black: A haunting, hypnotic blend. A spectral vanilla musk infused with spiced honey, white cedar, oud, and tonka bean.
A trio of haunted house sticker sheets by White Stag for all of your gothic journal and planning needs.

WINTER 2022: SIDHE SOLSTICE

Mists roll across ancient hillsides, portending the coming snow. Evergreen and pine sway in the icy breeze. But under the hill, the sidhe prepare their revels. Glass chandeliers glitter with dripping tapers. The banquet halls are set with ripe fruits shimmering with sugar. Silks and taffetas gleaming in the flickering light of the hearthfire. And in their eyes, mischief.

SIDHE SOLSTICE offers many temptations. Do you dare?

Featured:

A 12.5 oz sugar scrub from Birch & Besom. Dryad in Mourning: A lone dryad grieves the death of the Sun God. Distant memories of sweet orange blossoms are stifled by frozen rain and midwinter gloom. She weeps for lost summer love, languishing in dark forests. Notes: rain-soaked spruce tips, icy mountain air, frosted oranges.
A 5ml perfume oil from Nui Cobalt Designs. Winter Court: A sinister scent trails behind Unseelie beings who haunt the forest at Yuletide. Frozen wild roses abounding in thorns, musk mallow, meadowsweet, bitter almond, and white clover.
A 1.75 oz bag of loose leaf tea from Old Growth Alchemy. Solstice Court: A gathering of the Fae courts during wintertide calls for a grand feast. A delicate oolong swirls with sweet and woodsy cedar to make a lush base for rich plummy elderberry and sweet soft apple. Allspice adds a touch of baked spices with a kiss of smoke from the winter fires with lapsang souchong.
A 6 oz bar of luxury glycerin soap from Paintbox Soapworks! The Cailleach: Frost-rimed birch forests, sharp winter winds, the musk of the red deer, & an offering of rosemary, sweet bay, & allspice.
A tube of our moisturizing lip color by Sihaya & Company. Winterspell: A vivid sheer plum with color-shifting sparkle. Sparkling sugar scented.
A glittering 8 oz candle tin by Sihaya & Company. Sidhe Solstice: Scarlet winter berries simmering with orange peel and spice, fairy cakes decorated in swirls of shimmering sugar, and a cascade of effervescent ice wine.
A nine piece pâte de fruits collection from Virtuoso Confections. Each box will contain three winter fruit flavors.

All photos taken by The Redolent Mermaid and used with permission.