Monday, January 19, 2015

Dream Enhancer Balm from WildHillHerbal.com


Dream Enhancer Balm from WildHillHerbal.com

 

Wild Hill Herbals have concocted a balm for dreams. The back label does provide a caveat “Not for use during pregnancy.” The ingredients list includes almond or apricot kernel oil, along with jojoba oil, beeswax, and Vitamin E. Other unspecified ingredients are essential oils, flower and gem essences.
 

Here at the Merry Rose, we tried this balm. The sweet smell is pleasant, and dreams did seem to be pleasant also, though we didn’t keep a record. We also have tried it at the beginning of the day. Using this balm seemed to help keep busy days from becoming overwhelming. Overall, we like this calming balm.


 


“Wild Hill Soap & Herbals of Vermont is a small family business located in Chelsea, Vermont…dedicated to promoting a Healthy planet & Healthy bodies by providing clean & pure alternative products that are bio-degradable and animal friendly with minimal packaging. We use no chemical preservatives, additives or synthetic colors.”

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Dishes from Taylor, Smith & Taylor Co. 1900 to 1981, Chester, West Virginia.

 
It's a rare home that doesn't contain at least a few assortments of dishes, such as mismatched cups or saucers. The photo above shows a saucer that has been around our home for longer than I remember, and where I got it is also a mystery. After running an Internet search, I found some information. I still couldn't find an exact match to this saucer. But I learned a lot about an American manufacturer, and will keep looking for more TS&T dishes.

A close-up of the flower pattern.


The back of the saucer.
 
The Laurel Hollow Park website has a bit of history of the manufacturer:
"Taylor, Smith & Taylor Company (TS&T) was in operation from 1900 until 1981 in Chester, West Virginia."
http://www.laurelhollowpark.net/tst/taylorsmithandtaylor.html

On Etsy, one seller shows a very similar flower pattern, but larger for an oval serving platter, with an approximate date of 1916.
"DISCONTINUED 1916 Oval PLATTER by Taylor Smith Taylor pink & yellow ROSES."
https://www.etsy.com/listing/179694830/discontinued-1916-oval-platter-by-taylor?ref=sr_gallery_14&ga_search_query=taylor+smith+taylor&ga_page=8&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

Robbins Nest in Glasgow, Kentucky, has a detailed selection of replacement pottery.
http://www.robbinsnest.com/american-dinnerware/taylor-smith-taylor/


There is a very similar one on ebay, labeled "Empire Floral Garden."
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201253431221?rmvSB=true

Another site, My Granny's Attic, also offers a similar pattern.
http://www.mygrannysatticantiques.com/html/taylor_smith_and_taylor_-_ts_t.html