CLOSED Giveaway! Featured Favorites Friday: Aromatherapy from the Mountains

Essential Oils

This week I had the pleasure of checking in with the amazing Gretchen and Thomas of Adirondack Aromatherapy, one of the fantastic members of the Witches of Etsy team.  Aside from their products being beautiful, natural ingredients are very important to this pair of artisans.  Gretchen is a published author in the subject of alternative medicine and a Certified Aromatherapist in an National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy approved program.  Her 15+ years of education and experience is complimented by the 10+ years of experience her partner, Thomas, brings to the table.

All the oils at ADKAromatherapy are natural, completely derived from Mother Earth herself. I was not aware but there are many ’magical oils’ on the market are made in the laboratory.  Gretchen believes and I agree that these oils might smell good but there is nothing that connects you to the earth. For Gretchen, aromatherapy is really about bringing the sacred into everyday routines and connecting to the natural world with all the senses.  What a great philosophy!

This amazing pair is celebrating 1000 fans on facebook and two years of selling on etsy with a giveaway hosted here!  Read down to the bottom for a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate to spend on soap, essential oils, amber and perfume oils, aromatherapy mists or whatever else strikes your fancy.  They even offer custom fragrances!  Best of luck!

Forest Jade - Fennel and Sage Glycerin Soap Detox Bar

Q: What got you into your work here on etsy?

A: Three years ago, at the age of 2, my daughter was diagnosed with autism. Up to that point I had been a stay at home mom and I knew I was going to need something to keep myself busy while she was in preschool. I started looking into taking aesthetician classes, one thing led to another and I ultimately decided to take a certification course in aromatherapy, one of my first loves. I completed the first portion of my coursework and established Adirondack Aromatherapy late in 2009. Shortly afterward my husband, with his background in soap making, decided to sign on too. We started selling together on etsy 2 years ago this month (March). This coming July will be the second anniversary of our first craft show together. Our daughter is now 5 and goes to a typical kindergarten program in the fall; she is doing great and is the light of my life. She loves sitting down with my box of oils and sniffing them and especially loves making soap with her daddy so we may have a second generation aromatherapist here :0)

Q: Where does your inspiration come from?

Victorian Flowers Botanical Perfume

A: The plants themselves. I’m a plant person, I love plants. Some people are people people, some are pet people - I love plants! I love to garden, I love spring and summer when the Earth is verdant, vibrant and alive. Since the 90’s I have studied and written about Herbs and alternative therapies, gone on herb walks, and taken Herbalism classes. I feel it is important to connect with the living energies of the plants we work with in aromatherapy as much as possible, it keeps you in a state of gratitude for the true origin of the oils. I most of all adore working with native and local plants as much as possible. Aromatherapy has truly changed my life from the inside out and I feel passionate about sharing that with anyone and everyone who wants to listen. Anyone interested in the subject should definitely get a copy of the amazing book ‘Magical Aromatherapy’ by the wonderful Scott Cunningham, may he rest in peace. This book is invaluable, there is none other out there like it!

Terra Crystal Earthy Soap: Patchouli Vetiver Amber and Ginger

Q: How does what you make support people of faith and earth-based spirituality?

A: Scent and the sense of smell have a rich history in all faiths which is so significant to me. Muslims purify with Rose water, Christians have a long history of practicing anointing rituals, Buddhists and Hindis rely heavily on incense in their temples and worship ceremonies. And it goes without saying that those of us practicing a more earth based spirituality love to smudge and anoint pretty much anything & everything! So there in something to be said there about the universality of scent in worship, and I find it indispensable
(Kat says: Check out the Ancient Aromatics Set!)

Q: Which piece in your shop has the most meaning for you?

Crystal Gem Mini Soaps

A: We are most proud of our trio of tiny crystal gem soaps being featured in Time Out New York magazine last year, as a part of their 2011 holiday shopping guide issue, and also on their website. It was a huge break for us during our first full year of being in business together, and got us lots of exposure in our home state. Holiday season sales were phenomenal that year and we were pretty much in a state of shock that such a big city publication would feature a small new business from Upstate NY. Every single person who ordered from our website ordered the item that was featured in the magazine so I guess New Yorkers really stand by what they see trending in Time Out New York!

White Cedar and Sage Sacred Smokeless Smudge

Q: Which piece is your favorite to make?

A: I love making my smokeless smudge! I got my own small copper distiller this past winter and have been having a blast distilling some our native Adirondack plants like the sacred white cedar, which grows wild all around here. To these distilled waters from our local trees I add the oils of sacred plants from around the world - such as a rare wild white sage from California, Chinese Cedar and Hinoki White Cedar from Japan. It smells so crisp and fresh; I am really proud of creating this blend and my customers rave about it.

Enter Below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway ends in two weeks at midnight on 13th April 2012 .  Open WorldWide!  All winning entries will be verified.  If a winning entry cannot be verified a different winner will be chosen.
The Winner will be notified by email and has three days to reply or another winner will be chosen.

 ***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.  Please note that I  am not responsible for the delivery of this prize and can not be held accountable if, for any reason, is it not received. Furthermore, I am in no way liable for any injuries that may result from the use or misuse of this product. **