We all have experienced in some way, the power of scent in evoking memories–most of them pleasant ones. For me this morning, I realised that whenever I walk into my office/soap studio, I always feel happy and energised, no matter what my state of mind was when I woke earlier that morning.
I don’t think it’s just the effect of essential oils though. All I have on the curing rack at the moment are Friday’s batch of Goats Milk and Patchouli, and some bars of Songbird. This feeling of well-being is ALWAYS present when I’m here.
I look at my hard floor work area in the back. It is lined with vinyl squares. It finally dawned on me that THIS was the scent that gets me going each and every time I step into this place.
Why?
I spent my university years studying at the University of Warwick in Coventry, UK. The university housing, as well as the terrace house that I eventually shared with my flatmates used a lot of vinyl flooring, especially in the kitchen areas. And those years were chock-full of heady experiences, emotional highs and lows, a sense of invulnerability, curiosity and an inexhaustible supply of optimism.
It was a happy time, and the vinyl flooring here evokes those memories and emotions.
And that is what is being channeled into all the stuff that I make here, for you. 
How cool is that?
Have a terrific week ahead everyone!