Menu
The Island Octopus
  • Home
  • Shop Online
  • News & Events
    • Blog
    • Local Events
  • Our Journey
  • Home
  • Shop Online
  • News & Events
    • Blog
    • Local Events
  • Our Journey

THE ISLAND OCTOPUS BLOG

Mountain Meditations Incense

8/26/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Near the beginning of this summer, I was approached by a friend about collaborating on an incense blend. A retreat in Utah was to host an event focusing on various aspects of wellness. I wanted to give the incense a traditional yoga theme, inspired by the sandalwood heavy blends of India, but also incorporating elements of the flora of the American West, especially its forested and mountainous regions.

Copal and their relatives are often the building blocks of my incense blends at the moment. Especially the members of Bursera, one of the most important sources of incense in the Americas. Copal blanco from Mexico was blended with numerous coniferous tree resins including two species of pine from Utah, spruce, and possibly a Pinus originating Copal from Tulum. Small amounts of other ingredients where finally added to sweeten the background of the base. While I do have other ingredients which would have been local to the setting, I decided against them as they have such  heavy, smokey and wintery characteristics.
Picture
Halmaddi is an essential ingredient when working with Indian inspired blends, which was further mixed with other exotic exudates. Various herbs and roots bring their green, earthy, herbal qualities without leaving the "burnt leaf" aroma, as their whole forms would. Finished with top-shelf quality propolis...
Picture
​Next, various dried woods and fragrant herbs needed to be blended as close to a powder as achievable. Sandalwood, birch, lavender, homegrown sweetgrass and others made up this base. Then the final floral and classic incense notes were mixed into the powder, absorbing the essential oils into the mix. 

Finally, it was time to combine all of the ingredients. Using so many conifer resins, the mix was difficult to work with. Thus needing to be frozen and then blended numerous times to finally create the proper consistency.
Picture
After weeks of experimenting, planning, testing, blending, and creating the illustration for the label, the incense is now complete. A small space was left for the names of those attending the class focusing on natural aromatics.
Picture
The blend itself was a pleasure to work with. Maybe what I liked most about creating this blend specifically is that it allowed me to work with different scenery, one which was far removed from my current seaside themes. There is a high probability that I will take what I have learned here and transform this into a "coastal meditation" blend for our shop.

Now, off to my next incense project for the 15th Annual SWFL Peace Day Festival!

Matt
August 26, 2022
0 Comments

Celebrating the Summer Solstice

6/18/2022

0 Comments

 
How to celebrate the Summer Solstice from The Island Octopus
The Summer Solstice is the day with the longest period of sunlight. In the northern hemisphere the Summer Solstice usually falls on June 20, 21, or 22. In 2022, it is on June 21. Continue reading for some fun ways to celebrate this time of year! Check out our Pinterest board for other related recipes and tutorials.

Crafts & activities:
  • Make a flower crown
  • Have a picnic
  • Gardening
  • Watch the sunrise or sunset
  • Outdoor yoga
  • Make an herb wreath
  • Burn an summer-themed incense (find a recipe below!)
  • Make a suncatcher

Decorations and accents:
  • Dried fruit
  • Beeswax candles
  • Suncatchers
  • Summer flowers (such as sunflowers, coneflowers, dahlias)

Food to make and enjoy:
  • BBQ
  • Fruit pies
  • Honey cakes
  • Seasonal fruit and veggies
  • Sun tea
  • Mead
  • Lemonade
  • Cherries, apricots, blackberries and peaches
  • ​Herbed bread
  • Salad with garden veggies

Scents:
  • Cinnamon
  • Chamomile
  • Rosemary
  • Mugwort
  • Yarrow
  • Rose
  • Lavender
  • Vervain
  • Sage
  • Cedar
  • Frankincense
  • Mugwort
  • Citrus
  • Lily
Summer Solstice incense from The Island Octopus
Summer Solstice incense recipe:

Ingredients:
  • copal (golden or white)
  • benzoin
  • sandalwood
  • allspice
  • lemon peel
  • honey

​Directions:
Grind all dry ingredients with zested lemon peel in a mortar and pestle. Add a small amount of honey and mix. Dammar and other citrus or spices may be used as replacements if desired. Smolder on top of a hot hookah charcoal.

Feel free to experiment and use different ingredients as necessary. Any white or golden copal or dammar will do. Benzoin is for the sweet notes, which you can also get from vanilla. Cinnamon or clove can be used in place of allspice. And your favorite citrus peel can be used in place of lemon. The sandalwood is not necessary, but having some powdered wood helps with the consistency of the mix.

0 Comments

The Rebirth of Mermaid's Dawn...

2/9/2022

0 Comments

 
Mermaid's Dawn Incense
Find them in our shop here : The Island Octopus Incensarium
Mermaid’s Dawn was originally created under the banner of Ethereal Aroma’s Incense Company in 2018. While there was only one edition of this particular blend, it became one of the most popular and well received. When Melissa and I decided to create a new LLC and house our artistic endeavors under one roof, there were a handful of blends I wished to carry over and brand as standard house blends. Mermaid’s Dawn was one of these, and the upcoming Island Nag Champa (which is a combining of Nag Champa Mediations and Hawaiian Nag Champa) is another. More names will be announced when the time is right.

Read More
0 Comments

Celebrating the Autumn Equinox

9/10/2021

 
How to celebrate the Autumn Equinox by IslandOctopus.com
The Autumn Equinox is one (of two) moments in the year when day and night are of equal length. It marks the beginning of autumn. In the northern hemisphere the Autumn Equinox usually falls on September 22 or 23, and in 2021, it is September 22. Continue reading for some fun ways to celebrate this time of year! Check out our Pinterest board for other related recipes and tutorials.

Crafts & Activities:
  • Make a dried fruit garland
  • Make a leaf rubbing
  • Write a gratitude list
  • Make a corn dolly
  • Make or buy an autumn wreath to display
  • Go on a nature walk and enjoy the changing leaves
  • Burn an autumn-themed incense (find a recipe below!)
  • Clean your home and decorate for autumn

Decorations and accents:
  • Acorns
  • Leaves
  • Apples
  • Corn
  • Autumn flowers (such as marigolds and mums)
  • Pine cones
  • The colors orange, yellow, red, and gold

Food to make and enjoy:
  • Bread
  • Grains
  • Apples
  • Squash
  • Pumpkin
  • Cider
  • Corn
  • Pies, especially apple pie
  • ​Seeds and nuts

Scents:
  • Cinnamon
  • Clove
  • Apple
  • Sage
  • Oak leaves
  • Yarrow
  • Pine
  • Rosemary
  • Sandalwood
  • Fern
Autumn Equinox Incense recipe by IslandOctopus.com
Autumn Equinox incense recipe:

Ingredients:
  • pinyon pine resin or other sticky pine resin
  • fallen sycamore leaves or oak leaves
  • cinnamon
  • rosemary
  • storax or honey

​Directions:
Grind dried leaves, cinnamon and rosemary with a mortar and pestle. Press in pine resin. Add small amount of storax and knead until thoroughly mixed. Roll into small balls if desired. Smolder on top of a hot hookah charcoal.
Autumn Incense on charcoal

    THE ISLAND OCTOPUS BLOG

    Follow our journey, learn more about our products, join us for events, and view behind the scenes photos!

    CATEGORIES

    All
    Behind The Scenes
    Coloring
    Florida
    Fort Myers
    Halloween
    Holidays
    Incense
    Mermaids
    Monthly News
    New Products
    Patreon
    Press Releases
    Sanibel Island
    Sanibel Seashells
    Sea Turtles
    Virtual Events

    ARCHIVES

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021

    RSS Feed

Picture
SHOP
SHOP ONLINE
POP-UP EVENTS
SHIPPING
​FAQS/RETURNS
ETSY & ZAZZLE
ABOUT
OUR JOURNEY
BLOG
ISLAND OCTOPUS PRESS
INCENSE
​WHOLESALE
MEDIA
CONNECT
PATREON
SWFL EVENTS
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
HIRE US
ENJOY A LITTLE ISLAND TIME! SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER.
Send us an email: contact (at) IslandOctopus.com!

© 2023 THE ISLAND OCTOPUS™, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TERMS & PRIVACY.
DESIGNED IN FORT MYERS, FLORIDA