Inside the Apothecary

1/31/21 COVID 19 and the election fracas caused delays within the USPS over the past three months, affecting the timeliness of deliveries, and in some areas, brought them to a standstill. It all boiled down to the distribution hubs. Our mail goes to the Richmond hub, which was flattened by labor shortage amid package overload. […]

This is the first in a series of posts about our beloved stockists. Today is about Annette Barrett. Annette’s warm, vibrant personal style is reflected in the cozy farmhouse ambiance of her two shops, Lacy’s Florist in Orange and The Flower Cottage in Locust Grove, near Fredericksburg. Annette is a strategic thinker, and when the

Happy New Year! …from your favorite apothecary makers. We miss you since closing C’ville Soapbox, and were sorry to disappear overnight! Read on for the back-story… So what happened? When a place like C’ville Soapbox closes, everyone wonders why. You have been amazingly supportive customers and we love you. We know how much you appreciate

For those of you affected by the invasive Brown Marmorated Stinkbug… We’ve created an essential oil complex that stink bugs run from, in an all natural wax base. The idea is to keep them from getting inside. If the cold of winter naturally diminishes their numbers, all the better. I tested all the essential oils

When the sun shines, January boasts the bluest sky of the year. The world is crisp and quiet and new, waiting to see what will happen. The oasis of calm after the rush of late fall feels like a good time to reflect on the past year and mentally prepare for the new. Nearly a

On our snowy way back from a trade show in Philly, we came up with a farmhouse line. I poured and poured and poured. And over the course of a few months, these little candles made themselves right at home. From farmhouse candle concept on that long February drive from Philadelphia, to the realized creation

>>> EDIT 2018/01/01 We closed our beautiful tiny boutique in Charlottesville. When it came time to renew our lease, the landlord wanted 20% of our revenue as base rent, plus another 20% in additional fees such as parking, janitorial services, etc. With that decision, a billionaire caused a lovely local retail location to close. Our

Getting ready for a trade show in Philly. In February. ❄️

Inside the studio of our shop Lux Aromatica in Orange, our big sign on the massive window facing Madison Road. Those are 10 foot high windows. Big melter silhouetted on a sunny November day. Exposed brick walls and bright sun make for a cozy workspace.

I like to start our rare company emails with a little tidbit about family life. We’re halfway through Brian’s deployment in Japan! About one year to go… The ship is in dry dock and Brian has been enjoying the kinder schedule and better opportunities for connecting with home. We recently had a conversation that went