You've seen the Doctor Who lip balms, and you've checked out the Legend of Zelda temple candles*. Now, take a look at the newest, exciting fandom items from A Bit of Geek and Earthtastic!:
I don't mean this to sound so damn cheesy, but I'm incredibly excited! It's a blast to work with my sister (the one-woman wonder who runs Earthtastic!) to incorporate fandoms into her thriving, wonderful business. Together we get to dream up (and make!) items that neither of us could handle on our own.
Keep reading to learn about how these items came to be, or go ahead and jump to her etsy shop to check out their full contents and descriptions.
Unsure of what Outlander even is? Here's a brief description: a historical fiction, time-traveling, 18th-century-Scotland-romance/medical journal with war and adventure. The author frequently jokes that her books are impossible to categorize, with many book stores having no idea which section they belong in. It is a novel series spanning 8 books (so far), with a number of side novels involving secondary characters. If you're looking for a new book series to fall in love with, then this is it.
My sister and I are both huge fans of the Outlander book series, and we're ecstatic at the fact that it'll be making its way to Starz as a high production TV show starting next month (Saturday, August 9th). Our mother and grandmother, plus an aunt or two, enjoy the series as well, making it something of a family "thing" and therefore close to our hearts.
Months and months ago we began to discuss ideas for the next big fandom collection that we could release. We're both currently re-reading the series, and it was brought up that Claire, the protagonist, concocts many healing items to use in the throes of her dangerous, 18th century life. Seeing as my sister already makes a myriad of body care products, it seemed like the perfect alley for our pet project.
A sampling of Earthtastic!'s herb collection. A modern day apothecary.
We set to work noting specific creams and ointments that Claire makes (she being a 1940s combat nurse, and well practiced in medicine), jotting down their uses and components. This was no small feat; the books are enormous! I'm currently listening to the audio versions, while my sister is reading them in physical format. This resulted in texts flying back and forth, quoting characters and marking page numbers. Together, and slowly over time, my sister and I compiled a large list of amazing Outlander items to begin making.
I am incredibly proud to announce that the following items are now available for purchase: skin balm, marigold salve, camphorated goose grease, and Jamie's soap. The skin balm is effective for soothing rough, cracked, and sore areas. Marigold salve will heal broken, sore, and cut skin. Camphorated goose grease aids in clearing sinuses and easing internal congestion. Lastly, Jamie's soap is an intoxicating blend of smoke, musk, and sweetness, aimed to mimic the descriptions of Claire's husband, Jamie, while also cleaning the user (duh).
Loads of love and care have gone into these products. They're all made in small batches to preserve freshness, and are created entirely by hand by my sister, Cassidy. The labels were designed (from start to finish) by me, and we spent a few happy and giggly afternoons creating the perfect Jamie scent. Claire is such an inspirational character, which makes pretending to be her, via bringing her balms and ointments to life, that much more special and fun. We have many more ideas coming down the pipes, too!
Be sure to take a look at the products, which are legitimately wonderful (and effective) and not just flashy fandom items, and if you're curious to watch the premiere of Outlander on Starz but you don't have cable, then you're in luck! On Saturday, August 2nd, Starz will be simulcasting the first episode for free across multiple platforms, including their website. You can all get a taste of that magic that IS Outlander. I also encourage you to read the books! They're simply amazing.
-MJ
*currently in a re-stocking phase, should be available for purchase again soon!
All photos property of Earthtastic!
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