Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.
~ The Muppets, Rainbow Connection
Our 2024 Realms of Enchantment collection has taken us on a whirlwind tour of magical places, walking us through enchanted mirrors, through doors leading to secret gardens, down rabbit holes to curious realms of fantasy and imagination, and on flights powered by pixie dust to lands of eternal youth. Now we rise on roaring winds of change, travel a certain yellow brick road, and slide down rainbows to discover a place where we can ALL be loved for our unique gifts. Somewhere all of our races, religions, genders, sexual identities, sizes, and ages are accepted. Somewhere we are not only tolerated but celebrated. Somewhere we can be free, be secure, and be proud.
Being a small biz owner in a small community means that I’m personally enmeshed in the community and that also means showing up for your community. That’s why every year when we introduce our Pride collection, we give back to the LGBTQIA+ community. We participate in our local PBO Pride event AND we donate 10% of proceeds from all of our Pride related product sales to The Trevor Project. Why does this matter? Because, sadly, even in 2024, the LGBTQIA+ community still struggles with acceptance, representation, and legal protections. We want the world to know that everyone is included and safe here at Solstice.
Our Rainbow Connection Collection is all about finding yourself, your tribe, and following your dreams. With a bit of courage, a big heart, and armed with the right knowledge, you can overcome your deepest fears, opposition, and life’s darkest challenges and realize your own power. Never surrender your brilliant spirit!
Wait up! Courage? Heart? Knowledge? Sounds familiar, huh? Well, of course, this month’s collection is a nod to Oz! Rainbows and wishes are central themes in L. Frank Baum’s celebrated classic children’s book. But there are deep messages contained within his works that hold true for us all, even today. The Wizard of Oz highlights the challenges we all face in life, on our personal yellow brick roads, and the things we need to discover within ourselves to successfully navigate the many obstacles we all encounter. Through the various characters and magical creatures encountered in the land of Oz, the book promotes acceptance of diversity and respect for others' differences. Each character brings unique qualities to the group, highlighting the importance of appreciating individuality and celebrating diversity.
Our Rainbow Connection Collection is a virtual tour of Oz through the lens of acceptance and inclusivity. We invite you to join us and skip along the yellow brick road as we seek to raise our collective consciousness, embrace what makes us unique and joyfully celebrate each other for who we truly are.
Let’s jump into our collection!
**Please note that our limited edition Pride-specific products will debut at PBO Pride on Sunday, June 2nd, and will not be available for purchase until that time. You'll be able to view the product listings on our website, but those items will show as out of stock. Our boutique will be fully stocked with the rest of this month's collection until then!
FEATURED PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
Chasing Rainbows Candle Collection
This extraordinary candle collection features a striking artistic rainbow splash design in each vessel - every one is completely unique! The candles are topped with a full rainbow of wax hearts encircling the wick.
This very limited edition collection will debut at PBO Pride on Sunday, June 2nd. No pre-orders, sorry.
Our Chasing Rainbows collection offers candle lovers two distinctive scent options:
Heart to Heart - Bright, tangy citrus top notes illuminate a sweet heart of luscious ripe berries wrapped in a creamy base of vanilla and sugar. Scrumptiously sweet!
The Rainbow Connection - Bubbly, effervescent top notes of champagne and zesty orange peel cradled by a heart of refreshing pink grapefruit, juicy peach, and invigorating peppermint, enhanced by a smooth base of vanilla and ginger. Bright and zingy!
LOVE IS LOVE...AND OTHER LESSONS WE'RE LEARNING
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”
The quote by Glinda of Oz succinctly captures the essence of unity and harmony. Glinda, the embodiment of wisdom and compassion, highlights the root cause of conflicts and divisions among individuals. It is not the differences in themselves that create discord, but rather our failure to acknowledge and appreciate them. By embracing and celebrating our diversity, we pave the way for collaboration, understanding, and inclusivity. Glinda reminds us that it is in these acts of recognition, acceptance, and celebration that the path towards a harmonious and unified world lies.
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true-ooh-ooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops that's where
You'll find me, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to
Oh why, oh why can't I?
Songwriter Harold Arlen; written for the 1939 film version of Wizard of Oz and sung by Judy Garland
The universally loved song represents every child's yearning of escaping into another realm of existence where all their dreams can be realized. Judy Garland’s performance of the song is both gorgeous and painful as the lyrics beg the universe for a glimmer of peace far above the troubled reality of life on earth. The song has been woven into American culture and awareness for the last 80 years, becoming an anthem for optimism and hope. Coincidentally, the song became something of a cultural catalyst propelling the eventual embrace of the rainbow symbol by the world's LGBTQ communities. Gilbert Baker, the Vietnam War veteran and drag queen who designed the original Pride flag, once told MoMa in an interview that "I thought that we needed that kind of symbol, that we needed, as a people, something that everyone instantly understands..."
Our Somewhere Over the Rainbow bar proudly celebrates all people without judgment. We love how the sharp angle emulates a Pride flag! Its radiant and joyful scent profile offers armfuls of optimism for an instant mood lift! Juicy orange and sunny lemon top notes pair up with succulently sweet pineapple, rounded out by smoothly serene vanilla and musk. Let your troubles melt away in bright sunny bubbles....
PBO PURRIDE! artisan botanical soap
Our newest cat design was created specifically for Pittsboro's PBO Pride Fest! These happy cats with rainbow raindrops are the purrfect Pride prezzy for your partner. With each use of the bar, new drops will be revealed until the full spectrum of the rainbow appears like magic! You could even say that our rainbow drops "come out" with your tender loving care. ;) Do you know someone who wants to come out, but needs extra support in order to feel fully safe in doing so? Offer them a safety net of purrfect love and community for this challenging time.
Purride is scented in a juicy and sparkly blend of ginger ale with bright notes of lemon and lime. It's a true bubbly delight!
KALEIDOSCOPE OF LOVE artisan botanical soap
The term "kaleidoscope" is derived from the ancient Greek kalos, "beauty"; eidos, "form,shape"; and skopeo, "to look/examine"...thus meaning "observation of beautiful forms". The kaleidoscope contains mirrors, pieces of colored glass, and other odd shapes, whose reflections produce changing patterns when the tool is rotated by the viewer.
The kaleidoscope can represent the ever changing and limitless possibilities contained within the human experience. Like the kaleidoscope, each one of us has our own unique patterns and characteristics. In different environments, these patterns change and new ones are revealed. As we turn the kaleidoscope (or interact with one another), our inner beauty dances and evolves. What traits do you see evolving in yourself? What turns will it take for you to reveal your true self?
We at Solstice accept everyone....so you can be uniquely you!
Our intricate rainbow Kaleidoscope bars sparkle with the bubbly effervescence of champagne and a heart of grapefruit and peach, cradled in a gentle base of ginger and vanilla. Each bar is completely unique (just like you!) and well....we're gonna be honest...the corners are not completely straight (you're not going to mind though, right?!). They still soap the same!
LOVE IS LOVE artisan botanical soap
Love is Love celebrates love in all its forms. We're all just here to love and be loved!
Our rainbow-swirled heart embeds brings a unique design to each and every bar...just as different and unique as YOU are! As you use the bar, each of the hearts will reveal new layers of the rainbow, so that the design changes with every wash. Humans are kinda like that, don't ya think? Revealing new layers of themselves and their hearts as you get to know them? We hope you love this bar as much as we do!
Love is Love is scented in an effervescent, bright bubbly citrus zing! A heart of grapefruit, ginger and peach gently cradled in a base of smooth vanilla. Zesty and oh so cheerful!
THE MORE YOU KNOW....
So you’re a fan of the Wiz, but are you a “friend of Dorothy”? My friend, Zed, recently enlightened me to this cultural code phrase. During the many years before greater openness and understanding, members of the LGBTQ community sometimes resorted to coded speech as a safeguard. "Friend of Dorothy" (FOD) is a euphemism for gay culture, and was created as a way to discuss sexual orientation without others knowing its meaning. The term is most likely based on our dear friend, Dorothy Gale from the Oz series of novels. Some believe it comes specifically from The Road to Oz (1909), a sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), wherein Polychrome says, "You have some queer friends". Another origin story is the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, because Judy Garland, who starred as Dorothy, is a gay icon, and beloved by the gay community for her incredible talent and unwavering loyalty to her gay fan base. TMYK ;)
POPPY FIELDS artisan botanical soap
"All across the meadows, many poppies blossomed, and that were so hypnotic and brilliant in color they nearly dazzled Dorothy's eyes. "Aren't they beautiful?" the girl asked her companions, as she breathed in the spicy scent of the big, bright flowers."―The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
During the long, epic journey to the Emerald City to visit the great and powerful Wizard, Dorothy and her comrades come upon the cursed scarlet field and wander knee deep into the flowery red carpet. Dorothy, Toto, and the Lion all fall victim to the opium overdose and its deadly hypnosis immediately. Fortunately, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man, not being of flesh and thus unable to be affected, are tasked with rescuing their friends so they may continue on their merry way.
Metaphorically, the poppy field represents blind contentment and being lulled into a static way of thinking, and/or buying into dogmas that we don't truly believe in and/or those that are outdated. As we celebrate Pride month, let's take a hard look at those blindly accepted beliefs that prevent us from accepting others who may be different from ourselves. Let's all try to be more like Dorothy and be accepting of new levels of awareness that expand our reality and free us from our ignorance.
Our stunning Poppy Fields bar contains mesmerizing kaleidoscopic designs of red, yellow, green and orange on a vibrant blue background. You'll certainly become entranced by their fresh and floral scent! Bright mandarin, exhilarating eucalyptus and airy ozonic notes rise above soft florals of restful chamomile, tingling-fresh freesia, and delicate rose. It finishes with earthy patchouli, amber, palo santo and musk for grounding and balance.
LOCAL LOVE
Pittsboro's own PBO Pride Fest is a fun and festive event, and we are so proud to be part of this spectacular festival. We hope that you will join us on Sunday, June 2nd, from noon to 5p at The Plant!
Of course, if you are unable to make it, you know that our charming little boutique in downtown Pittsboro will be all rainbows and sunshine all month long! In fact, we'll be glamming up the shop to bring OZ to PBO! Just follow the yellow brick road right to our door; you don't even have to click your heels 3x, but you just might want to.....;) If you haven't yet visited our shop, this is your official invite....we'd love to see you!
And we'll be back at the Pittsboro Farmers Market on Thursday, June 20th to celebrate both the Summer Solstice (you didn't think we'd forget about that, did you?!) and National Pollinator Week! We'll be bringing along the entire June collection (or what's left of it!), including a whole lot of products not featured here in this blog post (oh yes, there is sooo much more! Don't worry...you'll see them on the socials soon!) AND some fun pollinator themed surprises and giveaways! YAY for free stuff!
Before we leave the magic of Oz, did you know that North Carolina is home to a real life Oz park? The Land of Oz Park in Beech Mountain, NC, is a charming immersive theme park that opens up just 3 weekends each year in September. If you’ve visited it, tell us all about your adventures there!
Photo property of Land of Oz NC
Bountiful blessings to all and MUCH LOVE!
xoxo
Steph
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