Frippery – Excessively Diverting

19 June 201810 March 2022

Pembertea: The Great Unboxing

Last month, I wrote about a new Jane Austen / Tea monthly subscription box by Pembertea. Subscription boxes are pretty awesome—every month (or quarter or whatever the time frame is) you receive a box in the mail on a particular theme. For Pembertea, the main theme is Jane Austen with a side of tea along with a specific monthly theme.

“Books, Tea and Austen are our spirit animals.” is their motto.

Pembertea reached out to me after the post was published and offered to send me a few boxes to review which I gladly took them up on their offer. This post is an honest review of those boxes.

Reader, they are exquisite.

Pembertea sent me two boxes, April and May 2018.

The boxes arrived in a branded mailing box.

First up is April.

The treats in each boxed are delicately wrapped and when opened, the delights are thoughtfully and carefully packed.

April’s theme was “Emma” so the box contained all things Emma.

There is a tea strainer, tea, a bracelet charm, an Emma candle, Emma air freshner, and finally an Emma bookmark.

May’s was especially a delight as it celebrated “Music, Mothers, and Matrimony.”

It was especially adorable since Pembertea included buttons of Harry & Meghan to celebrate the Royal Wedding.

Frameable music sheet, Austen soap, tea, Darcy pillowcase, bracelet charm, and Harry & Meghan buttons.

Overall, the boxes are divine. The items are thoughtfully curated and well made. I liked that the months I received were timely, Harry & Meghan!, other than the bracelet charm and tea which are constant, the boxes were wholly unique and catered to that month’s theme.

I love how involved they are within the Janeite community and their dedication to Austen (and tea) is evident in the items they choose for that particular month.

Pembertea also sells clothing, mugs, and other gifts as well as you can buy previous month’s boxes and specialty boxes.

The boxes are monthly and are $35 which for the amount of stuff you get is a great deal. If you prefer to order the boxes by theme instead of month, Pembertea has created a list of 2018’s boxes here.

This box is especially necessary for Austen fans as well as fans of Regency era gifts and most importantly, tea.

You can find Pembertea on their website, Facebook (where they post memes and all things Austen in addition to their wares), Twitter, and Instagram.

14 June 2018

Jane Austen Architectural House

Image of a Timothy Richards' Jane Austen house

Timothy Richards is a plaster genius. Working in the style of Jean-Pierre Fouquet, who worked in Paris between 1780 and 1830, what we know as plaster of paris, Richards builds one of a kind commissions as well as models of popular work scaled to size. He’s recently turned his eye to Jane Austen’s home in Bath:

This detailed scale Timothy Richards house model made famous by its association to Jane Austen, her home and her life in Bath would make a beautiful decorative piece for display in any office, upon mantelpiece or bookshelf next to the complete works of the much loved author.

This typical Bath terrace is Palladian in its origins consisting of three storeys with an attic above. As with many Georgian houses it contains a fireplace in most rooms and represent the best of 18th century living. Jane Austen’s uncle lived in The Paragon and Jane would have visited regularly.

The models are handmade and are, as of this writing, in stock. Austen’s house is available to ship in the US and sells for $150.

15 May 201810 March 2022

Pembertea: A Monthly Jane Austen and Tea Subscription Box

On a recent post of pop culterization of Jane, I wasn’t too surprised to discover there exists a subscription box dedicated solely to tea and Jane Austen.

A subscription box is where you pay a flat fee every month for a rotating themed box. A couple of long-standing ones is Birchbox, a subscription box dedicated to health and beauty, Barkbox for your pets, Graze for snacks, and Lootcrate, a subscription box for geeks. The general idea behind subscription boxes is to try new things whether it’s a new snack, mascara, dog food, or collection items like shirts or toys. The boxes are usually monthly and range from $10 a box on up to over $100. There is a box for just about everything.

Pembertea is a subscription box service dedicated to tea and Jane Austen. The subscription is pretty straightforward enough. Every month you get Jane Austen trinkets whether it’s a charm bracelet, bookmark, Austen inspired games, postcards or something similar and of course, tea. The theme varies every month and you can see the 2018 themes here. Boxes cost $35 a month and you can cancel at any time.

Reviews seem highly favorable for the boxes and if you get one, let me know in the comments!

You can find Pembertea on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

21 April 2018

Smells of The Brontes

Image of Latherati Soap's The Moors perfume

This can’t be a Jane Austen and Bronte blog with naming only Jane Austen perfumes, lotions, and soaps without finding them for the Bronte’s.

While finding the smells of Austen was pretty easy, the Bronte’s were a bit more difficult. You can find more scents by going here and here.

A Breath of Fresh Eyre by BiblioBibuliCrafts ($12)
A solid perfume “…was inspired by the fresh airs on the moors, cheerful banters by a cracking fireside, and early morning walks in the Thornfield garden.”

Jane Eyre by Wrapped and Read ($30+)
A solid perfume locket using “…the scents of summer roses, wild autumn woods, and hearth fires to bring you a floral scent with smokey, dark undertones.” (The seller would like to note the price is for the perfume and locket only. You can purchase a chain for $10 more.)

Jane Eyre Oil Fragrance by Raven’s Ct Apothecary ($43.57)
Vegan perfume that has a “…romantic union of the bashful rose, elegant bergamot and the subtle clary sage.”

The Moors by Latherati Soap ($9)
Inspired by Wuthering Heights, the fragrance is “warm cedarwood, patchouli and black pepper with hints of ripe raspberry and a lush green forest.”

Latherati Soap has additional Bronte inspired products here.

Wuthering Heights by Little Book Eater ($12)
“This fragrance is inspired by Emily Bronte’s only novel, Wuthering Heights. Made with the scents of black chamomile, wild lily, herbal lavender, fresh fern, and earthy juniper.”

Wuthering Heights bar soap by The Soap Librarian ($6)
“The lavender green tea fragrance is a soothing blend of earthy green tea and floral lavender that creates a deep, mysterious scent.”

14 April 201810 May 2023

Smells like Jane Austen

Image of the perfume stick of Longbourn by Latherati Soap.

I am a big fan of perfumes, scented oils, candles, and anything else that smells good and has some kind of theme or idea attached to it. It should be no surprise, then, to discover there are quite a few perfumes, soaps, and oils that can help you feel like you’re a part of Austen’s world whether drawing from the Regency era or inspired by.

Below are some of the scents you can buy to get you in the Austen mood.

Pemberley: A Jane Austen Inspired Perfume by Immortal Perfumes ($30+)
The notes are rosewood, coriander, cedarwood, honeysuckle, hyacinth, peony, and vetiver. The scent is best described as sweet and floral.

Longbourn by Latherati Soap ($12)
The scent is best described as sweet honeysuckle & tart lemon mellowed and warmed by amber, tonka bean and musk.

The Jane Austen Solid Perfume Palette by Latherati Soap ($16)
Six samples of the following scents:

Barton Cottage – rose, violet & lily of the valley sit on a bed of green ivy with fruity notes of juicy raspberry & sweet yellow pear grounded in patchouli, caramel, white vanilla and sandalwood
Hartfield – ripe strawberries mingle with orchid, jasmine, muguet & violet and a touch of plum, musk & vanilla
Longbourn – honeysuckle with green leafy grass notes smoothly blended with zesty lemon and herbal undertones immersed in tonka bean and musk
Mansfield – a cup of red clover tea marbled with sweet baby roses and earthy sandalwood
The Abbey – soothing lavender floating on a base of cedarwood, rosewood, cardamom, warm amber, vetiver and tonka bean.
The Cobb – marine, ozone & sea spray with whispers of jasmine, freesia, lily, citrus and wood grounded by the slightest hint of musk

Latherati Soap has an extensive collection of perfumes, lotions, bath salts, and soaps inspired by Austen.

Jane Austen Perfume Collection by Wicked Good Perfume ($14.95)
Another sampler based on Austen’s six novels. Each perfume is paired with a quote from the book it is named after and is “Impeccably packaged in a commanding book cloth covered print.”
The scents are:

Sense & Sensibility – ‘Sense will always have attractions for me’ – Scented with earl grey, vanilla and lavender.
Pride & Prejudice – ‘Happiness of marriage is entirely a matter of chance’ – A mysterious blend of exotic, spicy pomegranate, wild bergamot, dewberry, iris, jasmine; followed by spicy notes of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, with base notes of precious woods and cedar.
Persuasion – ‘What is right to be done cannot be done too soon’ – Frankincense, myrrh, patchouli and warm, powdery sandalwood
Emma – ‘There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart’ – A delicate tea rose with nuances of green and powder.
Northanger Abbey – Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothing’ – Tea at the Abbey. Berry sorbet, vanilla and lemon ice infused with Kombucha tea create an addictively refreshing impression with an Asian twist.
Mansfield Park – ‘There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort’ – Top notes of pear and a hint of raspberry are blended with mid notes of osmanthus, vanilla, cinnamon, and clove, on a base of redwood, cedarwood, sandalwood, and light musk.

Mrs. Bennet’s Anxiety Balm by Little Bits(LBCC Historical) ($10)
Little Bits has an extensive collection of make-up and perfumes that replicate make-up from the Regency era or is inspired by Austen.

Elizabeth Bennet by The Little Book Eater
The notes are white tea, apricot, nutmeg, ginger, and gardenia. The scent is best described as sweet and floral. The Little Book Eater also has a few other scents available in the vein of Austen.

You can check out more scents at Etsy!

*Prices subject to change

7 February 2018

Wear Your Love of Jane Austen

For me, and other obsessive readers and writers, the love of a favorite author goes beyond just the books. I’ve collected coffee mugs, t-shirts, pins, and a whole lot more to showcase how much I love Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and others who have long been trusted friends. In addition to beloved authors Austen and Fitzgerald, Storiarts will be launching a Roald Dahl collection in the spring.

You can check out one of their pieces such as the Pride and Prejudice Lightweight Literary Scarf as well as pillows, gloves, and more.

The care and love of long favorite authors are why I’m super excited to partner with Storiarts.

Started in 2011, Tori Tissell started Storiarts with the inspiration of the handmade gifts she made for friends and family for the holidays. The products were so well received, Tissell knew she had something special on her hands and Storiarts was born.

But Storiarts’, well story, goes beyond just making wearables and home goods as they’ve recently partnered with LitWorld to combat illiteracy worldwide. For every purchase made through Storiarts, part of the proceeds will go to Litworld. The goal is not only foster reading and writing but to help those in need to write their own stories. Bravo Storiarts!

Especially for Excessively Diverting readers, I’ve partnered with Storiarts for a 15% off coupon for purchases made on the Jane Austen collection. Just use the coupon code Austen15 at checkout. Enjoy!

*sponsored post

27 January 2017

Top 5 weird Jane-related things

My grand plan, if you will, is to push Jane out into the world via pop culture. While yes, media reviews, notices of upcoming events, notes of newsworthy information will still reign on the blog, I am more curious about the huge wealth of Jane-related stuff that does not follow the aforementioned. I remain vigilant that if a Pride & Prejudice and Doctor Who fan fiction mashup exists, anything is possible.

This is why a listicles feature will appear on a semi-weekly basis and they will be on anything from coloring books to toothpaste.

Jane Austen Cookie Cutters
Isn’t this the perfect accouterment for the holidays, an afternoon tea, or even just for a lovely snack? I mark this as “weird” for the simple reason biting Jane’s head off seems a bit cannabilistic, but hey, if you’re a tried and true Janeite, this may be perfect for your collection.

The cutter is shipped from England and
costs $11.28 USD (£8.95 GPB) plus there is shipping involved. If you’re looking for something a bit closer to home, this Etsy seller is located in the US and is selling their design for $7 USD. She also has a recipe for “Jane’s Best Sugar Cookies” on the product page.

Straight Outta Pemberley
Right, it’s a t-shirt, why is this weird? Straight Outta Compton is the 1988 debut album (and song) by rap legends N.W.A. Doing a mashup of N.W.A. and Jane is hilarious. (And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, just read the wiki articles I linked and soon you’ll get the joke or be appalled.)

The t-shirt is sold on Amazon and costs $19.99 plus free shipping if you’re a Prime Member.

Jane Austen Temporary Tattoos
Not so much as weird as adorable, this pack includes 22 temporary tattoos from images to words. While you can buy these across the internet from different vendors, Amazon is offering them with free shipping for Prime Members.

Jane Austen Toothpaste
Yes, you read that correctly: Jane. Austen. Toothpaste. When I mentioned this to a pal at our last JASNA meeting, she looked at me incredulously as if how could such a thing happen. The answer: Apparently very easy. But I suppose if you’re fond of dancing, having fresh breath would be helpful.

Another Amazon find, the toothpaste is $7 USD and is available for free shipping for Prime Members. (The toothpaste allegedly tastes of “rose” which I’m not a fond of so if you bought it and used it, let me know in the comments!)

Emma Matches
The item is billed for use at weddings, I suppose to be used in gift baskets for wedding members or as a token on the dinner tables. But still. Matches?

(I had many of these bookmarked but the rest were a little too easy to find.)

7 January 2017

Jane Austen replica ring now on sale

The Jane Austen Centre in Bath has a replica of Jane’s ring for sale for a mere $71.67 USD (£58.33 GBP) and it’s currently on sale.

The original ring, you may recall, was in the midst of a controversy when singer Kelly Clarkson bid and won the ring at an auction. There was an export ban on the ring, disallowing Clarkson to take it to the US, and the ring was purchased by Jane Austen’s House Museum in Hampshire, where it now resides on display.