Blue Star peeps (local *and* distant): St. John's order on the horizon

[sabrinamari]

EDIT: Non-local peeps are welcome to throw in orders---pagandelight pointed out that we can distribute the goods at FSG.

Also, remember that we're ordering wholesale and it's ridiculously easy to pick up everything starting at an ounce+. I start my ordering at an ounce here. Sharing the excess is never a problem.
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This Neophyte will wipe out the last of my vetivert and oakmoss. This is not a problem, but I need to replace my stock sooner rather than later. You know what this means: a St. John's order is on the horizon.

1. Who's in?

2. Who can coordinate?

3. Who can scan the website/order a catalogue and report back?

Link is here: http://www.stjohnsbotanicals.com/

We'll be ordering wholesale through Michael's business.

Reply here (prob I won't respond much until tomorrow) and we'll get this going. The order needs to go in soon---I have 2 more Neophytes in the next few months plus some other RoPs.

Remember: This is where the dark vanilla 5th comes from. We should probably buy a couple of pounds.

Comments

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Mmm...vanilla! I need to get some vanilla and rose oils. I was thinking about ordering from Eden Botanicals.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Don't know about the Eden rose, but the St. John's vanilla 5th is incredible. This is the only source I know for it.

My rules of thumb: buy vanilla 5th and Tunisian amber from St. John's, and scan St. John's for oils that only need medium+ grade. I avoid their Parvati sandalwood at all costs.

Buy oakmoss [absolute?] only from Penny's in New York and scan www.leydet.com for anything unusual or anything that demands superior quality.

I also like www.whitelotusaromatics.com for their pine, fir needle and evergreen oils.

Wild Oats used to have an absolutely fantastic private label 5% rose absolute and a 5% jasmine absolute---both reasonably priced and pure shuddering delight. OK, I take that back. For me, only oakmoss absolute and vetivert are pure shuddering delight, but the florals were pretty damn good. : )

Since Wild Oats was bought by Whole Foods, I'm not sure what's happened. Next time I'm in Whole Foods, I'll spend some time breathing in their private label offerings.

But based on prior experience, I'd check out the Whole Foods rose first, before I ordered it online.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I don't believe I've seen Whole Foods carrying a private label of essential oils. They have a modest selection of Aura Cacia stuff at the one near me.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

No way---run run run from Aura Cacia! Only in an emergency...

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

This is where I've bought the oakmoss for the last many years: http://www.pennysherbco.com/oils.html#O

But I haven't been there in at least 4 years, since I bought a bunch last time and I've hoarded it carefully.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

i only have the whole plant right now, not the oil.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Do you have the Braided Stream RoP recipes? Do you want them?

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I think I do--I'm pretty sure I got them by e-mail a while back!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Excellent.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I like using the whole oakmoss in a Samhain incense...that with some clove and cinnamon and a little patchouli makes for a nice spicy dead autumn leaves scent with a certain somberness to it, like walking through a leaf-strewn graveyard!

[pagandelight.livejournal.com]

Would it be ok for me to share this with North Star folks for an order? We could get it from you at FSG?

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm delicious...sounds good and earthy to me.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, that's an idea. It's OK with me, honey. Always happy to share with people I love for the delight of all.

[pagandelight.livejournal.com]

Excellent - I've sent it out and will get back to you by Monday with any orders! XO

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely in. (Thank the gods, I just got paid. :-) I probably shouldn't coordinate, though.

I want vanilla, I'd be up to try their dark amber (usually I only ever both with Eden's amber, it's what they do best and I think it's the best in the world, but if you like the St. John's, I'll at least try it. Never hurts to have more than one version.)

I'd be in for an oakmoss order, too, but that's Penny's, and there is apparently some concern that the current product is not the same as the fabulous thick green tar we all love so much? I don't know if that's true or not.

The St. John's website doesn't seem to allow for bulk orders, so it's likely a phone call will be required.

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

I love Eden's amber, I think it's the best ever, but compared to the St. John's dark vanilla, I wasn't overly impressed with the Eden vanilla. NOTHING compares to the St. John's vanilla, IMO.

Once I was wearing some, and walked in to my chorus's rehearsal hall at the same time that someone was walking in who had gone outside for a cigarette. We both took our places on opposite sides of the room, and about thirty seconds later, the director looked up and asked "who's got the really nice cigars?" >:-)

[sligoe.livejournal.com]

I can coordinate as well as scan the website. St. John's has deals when ordering in bulk, and phone calls are definitely the way to go. The last time I got the Vanilla 5th, I had to place a call (Of course, I ordered a pound of the stuff, and that's not listed!)I wanted to place a St. John's order in the next week or so, so this comes right on time! If everyone can let me know what they want and how much, I can go from there.

Oh, BTW---Liberty Natural has awesome rose absolutes at fairly reasonable prices. I have two of theirs---Rose Kanzanlak and Rose Damask, and they are so potent and wonderfully rose-y!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

"here is apparently some concern that the current product is not the same as the fabulous thick green tar we all love so much?"

OK. this means I must visit Penny's this summer with remnants of the last batch of oakmoss absolute and plenty of cash. If I talk to the owner and he remembers that I really care about oils and herbs, he'll pull out his amazing behind-the-counter oh gods I-must-take-another-breath-of-that miracle stuff.

Last time he offered me a 17-year-old patchouly that was deep and musky, complex and so delicious!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I do like Liberty Natural. They have some yummy stuff.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Keith, you are welcome to come along, but BE WARNED: I could drop $500 in this place without even blinking. Temptation levels are very, very high here. The only thing that might be a saving grace is that the last time I was there, he dealt only in cash.

So...think carefully about how much you want to spend and prepare to be a grownup. Also please remind me to be a grownup if you see me starting to lose it...

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Can I have some of your Eden amber? Or at least smell it?

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I will call and see if they still do wholesale print catalogues. It used to require real persistence and extended pestering to get them, but they were full of awesome.

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

Yes, PLEASE coordinate this trip so I can go. I will bring cash, I will be frugal, I will restrain you if you ask me to. (Otherwise I will encourage you, because I am an instigator. >:-)

And in answer to a different comment above, yes, I'll dig out my Eden Botanicals stuff for you to smell. I have their whole sample kit, too.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Kay honey. As soon as it gets reliably warm off we will go for a weekend trip into the city.