One of the pleasures of working in the way we do is the people we meet. Those who write to me directly for help or advice, those who trek to Harris to visit the workshop and shop, who have seen it on the TV, and are full of excitement to see what Banjo did, and gaze in wonder at the piles of Roses on the work bench every morning through the summer.
Then there are the local folk who wander in to see what all the fuss is about, those who find us by accident whilst waiting for the ferry and come in gasping for really good coffee, the odd walker who sees Harris Outdoor emblazoned across the roof and comes in for a pair of boots and, if Ellen is front of house, leaves with a Wild Beauty Balm.
It is such a brilliant mix of people from all walks of life. What we have noticed is that every person who crosses the threshold steps in and takes a big deep breath, inhaling the scent of plants and oils that fill the space. It's so lovely to see, that inhalation and then the slow out breath, almost like the start of a meditation. Each comes in for a chat, tells their story, wanders around a little and then we see them starting to pick up products and test them, smell them and then they are in our world and it's wonderful.
Beyond the individuals and small groups that visit us, there are our collaborations. We have a few and they are precious to us. The longest is with the Isle of Harris Distillery, for 10 years we've been making products for them to sell in their shop and the Sugar Kelp Aromatic Water, known affectionately as the SKAW, which is the signature serve for their Gin. As they now move forward with new leadership, I hope our collaboration can grow into something even more exciting - there's so many possibilities still to explore.
The Distillery is in part responsible for my move to Harris, the trips I made looking for botanicals for their products reminded me of quite how beautiful it is in the Western Isles. I had visited as a child growing up in Fife and then Edinburgh, but forgotten what an incredible place it is. It rekindled my love of wilderness, of wide open spaces without dense population, of living by the sea. It reminded me of my early childhood spent walking in the hills and playing by the sea. Moving to Harris has often felt like a return to myself.
We recently started working with Saltbox Sauna, I'm filled with admiration for Norma and her team. The rise and rise of sauna culture in Scotland has been thrilling to watch and Norma has been the champion in the Western Isles. Her original little sauna moved around some of the most beautiful beaches, allowing clients to experience the very best of Harris and Lewis. Joined by two new saunas, the options are ever expanding, reaching into Uist and beyond.
Norma approached me asking for a set of products for spa visitors to use, we made a simple but stunning three step ritual. A scrub, a mask and a balm. They work beautifully together leaving people smelling delicious with glowing revitalised skin.
Finding the right people to collaborate with is pivotal to the success of any joint venture. For us they have to really understand what we do and the small volumes we offer. We apply the same standards to everything we do, we make by hand, we use our botanicals and we create exceptional products - it all takes time. We don't compromise.
By early next year we hope our collaboration with Crossbasket Castle just outside Glasgow will be into the delivery phase. It has been a long time in the making but worth every minute. The products we have made for Alison and Steve are stunning and totally unique. 4 sets of products to capture a landscape. Beautiful.
I'm now busily putting the final touches to the Greek project, which I have loved working on - products for face and body. Southern Greece was so familiar from living in Cyprus for so long. The scent, the plants, the landscape all captivating, different but carrying the resonance of Cyprus. I brought home resins and leaves, flowers and seeds and have spent the last 5 months experimenting until last week, when it all came together and the products were finally created to my satisfaction. The moment when everything aligns is beyond exciting, it's like a perfect alchemy, every oil and butter responding harmoniously to the other, the beeswax and resins finding their balance, the essential oils singing as one. The distillations having settled, the macerations finally ready, infused by the sun, the flower essences bottled and ready.
It is hard mental labour as well as physical work to bring a collection into being. It's about ensuring that every part does its job, not just for the skin but for the mind as well. How you feel as you use products is every bit as important as what they do for your skin. The very best products have both in mind. I certainly am acutely mindful of both. I look at the mental/emotional therapeutics with the same scrutiny as the effects on the body. To me, they are two sides of the same coin, without both the product fails. It is the difference between beauty and wellbeing.
Soon the shop will become quiet as the visitors depart for the winter, we'll be back in our thermals braving the cold of the workshop in winter. The plants will gradually stop flowering and enter dormancy. Our making will slow a little as seasonal shops reduce hours or close. The 15kg buckets of coffee we've roasted that have headed up and down the islands will stop. The winter sauna goers will reduce right down. The Distillery shop will close. The time we gain from reducing production for others will be poured into our own products ready for Christmas which creeps up so quickly every year.
Wild Eve production will step up for our stockists and in anticipation of a busy sober October and dry January although increasingly we're finding a steady increase in non alc popularity throughout the year. I love that we supply so many beautiful places. I often think about customers at the Fat Duck or the Kitchin, Heckfiled Place or The Fingal sitting drinking a Wild Eve before a delicious dinner.
Next year is looking busy for us on all fronts, we look forward to welcoming Pippa back for longer next year to help with everything and Ellen is increasing her hours which is great. Sam should also be wending her way back to us at some point and we'll look forward to that. Slowly but surely we're finding the people who bring wonderful energy and heart to our island home, who fit seamlessly into our little team. Ours is a very special, if a little unconventional Apothecary made better by our collaborations with friends.