Making Scents

Happy Holidays!

At the risk of overstating the obvious, 2009 has been a wild year, hasn't it? For many, it's a year that simply can't come to its natural conclusion soon enough. Historic, depressing, scary, hopeful ... it has surely been a year of extremes for the inhabitants of planet Earth.

We'd like to thank everyone who helped to carry us through our own trying times. To our many blog readers, Facebook fans, newsletter subscribers, contest entrants, retail stores, direct customers, friends, families, coworkers, and well-wishers, we'd like you to know how very much we appreciate you! We hope that, in some small way, our incense products have helped to calm and sustain you during your own stressful moments.

Looking ahead to 2010, we have lots of big changes in store ... a new product line or two to announce, new contests for cool stuff, and bunches more plans that we just aren't ready to talk about yet! Please stay tuned, because we promise that you'll be the first to know.

Stay safe out there!

2010 "Zen Tiger" Calendar Contest: We Have a Winner

We would like to announce that we have a winner in our 2010 Zen Tiger Calendar contest!

First, our heartfelt thanks to everyone who entered. We've received nearly 200 entries since announcing this contest 10 days ago. Your collective sense of fun and your enthusiasm for our incense products reminds us that we have the most wonderful customers. We only wish we had a prize for everyone.

Without further ado, the winner is: M.J. of Willmar, Minnesota!

Congratulations, M.J.! We'll mail the calendar to you today, with the hope that you will enjoy it in good health throughout the coming Year of the Tiger.

For all who entered but didn't win, please stay tuned to our monthly e-newsletter, our Facebook page, and this blog - it won't be long before we do it again.

Note: We have a limited quantity of the calendar available for purchase on a first come, first served basis. To order, please visit us at www.shoyeido.com, or call us toll-free at 1-800-786-5476.

Update: "Zen Tiger" Calendar Contest

We've been very impressed so far with the reaction to our new calendar giveaway contest!

If you received our e-newsletter on Friday but haven't yet entered our new contest (per the instructions therein), please don't wait too long to send in your entry - we're only taking entries through Sunday, October 18, 2009.

For anyone who wasn't able to subscribe to our e-newsletter in time to receive the latest edition containing contest instructions, you can click HERE to view a temporary online version of it. But don't let that stop you from subscribing!

We're Giving Away a Cool "Year of the Tiger" Zen Calendar!

It's contest time once again!

In June, we gave away a nifty kneaded incense-making kit. The prize this time is different, but no less hip: a gorgeous, artsy, oversized 2010 "Year of the Tiger" Zen calligraphy calendar!

For instructions on entering, simply subscribe to our monthly, free e-newsletter, The Scentinel - full contest details will be included in the very next edition. Please subscribe promptly, because that very next edition comes out this Friday afternoon, Oct. 9.

There are three ways to sign up for our newsletter: 1) if you're currently on our blog, www.makingscentsblog.com, look for a link in the left-hand margins; 2) if you're on our Facebook wall, notice an e-newsletter tab at the top of the page; 3) our online store, www.shoyeido.com, contains a subscribe link a little ways down the home page.

(If you'd previously subscribed to The Scentinel, rest easy. Unless you unsubscribed at any point, you're set to receive Friday's new issue).

If you're uncertain about signing up for our monthly e-newsletter, just remember that it's free, that you can easily unsubscribe at any time by clicking the links contained in each issue, and that we will never share your email address with anyone else, ever.

Once you receive Friday's Scentinel, read the article therein on how to enter our contest for this lovely calendar. Thanks, and good luck!

Japanese Fall Festival: This Weekend in Albuquerque!

If you are in or near beautiful Albuquerque, NM this coming weekend, be sure to take part in the city's annual Aki Matsuri (Japanese Fall Festival). There will be lots of activities to enjoy, including:

• Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) exhibition/demonstration
• Japanese/Okinawa Dancing
• Taiko Drumming
• Shigin Martial Arts
• Tea Ceremony
• Kimono Demonstration 
• Origami, arts and crafts
• Food

Our good friend Mary Burnett De Gomez, proprietor of lovely Hanayagi: The Japanese Garden and member of event sponsor the Japanese American Citizens League expects a large turnout and gorgeous fall weather. Truly, there's no place more stunning than scenic northern New Mexico in autumn.

The event is being held this Sunday, Sept 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th Street SW. Parking is free and admission is only $3, with proceeds going toward the creation of a proposed local Japanese Cultural Center.