The Educator Holiday Gift Guide 2017 series is written by Lauren Moore based on interviews with Lotus Blooms educators. It covers OUR holiday season, which runs through Valentine’s Day!
I’m really excited for this entry. Every time we hire a new educator, we’re eager to see what perspectives and energy they will bring to our team and our store. Mindi is a new addition to our staff, and while her picks were products I’ve become very familiar with over the last 3 and a half years, Mindi offered a new great twist.
Mindi is a personality you remember who’s full of smiles and energy. In addition to Bloomin’, Mindi adds to the sex positivity community by co-hosting Smut Slam DC with our own marketing guru, Diva Darling (stay tuned for Diva’s picks!) Mindi is also super active in the local burlesque scene and brings so much life and enthusiasm to the shows she MCs.
I shouldn’t have been surprised when Mindi picked our sensation toys as the ultimate play tools. In her choices, Mindi matches the five senses with a playfulness we don’t always talk about during sex. That’s what makes me so excited to share Mindi’s perspective with you in this blog post! So here it is, Mindi’s “ultimate goodie bag of different feels”!
BoundAids Soft Cuffs in Faux Fur ($39).
Mindi loves the surprise of our BoundAids–they look like regular fabric but do so much more! BoundAids are mysterious, adding anticipation to a scene. They look like 2 long pieces of fabric with loops on the end. The length between the loops folds in to make cuffs perfect for wrists and ankles or wraps around bedposts, chairs, and more (all without leaving marks)! In terms of feel, they are luxuriously soft and are a great beginner-friendly bondage choice. You can’t help but to play with the feel of these lovely cuffs!
Seagrape Edible Massage Candle ($22).
Mindi and I laughed, “Who isn’t a glutton for massages?!” Massage oil candles combine sensory delights by bringing the heat of a candle to the incredible touch and feel of a good massage oil. In case that wasn’t enough for you, Seagrape adds flavors which invites little nibbles and offers an aromatic aphrodisiac. While Mindi’s favorite flavor is Raspberry, you are also able to pick Vanilla or Chocolate, depending on what awakens your senses. Worried about the mess of a candle? May we suggest Seagrape’s Edible Honey Dust? It comes in two great flavors to indulge in those touch and taste senses!
Zeus Twilight Violet Wand ($149).
As we slowly build the intensity on touch and tomfoolery, we cannot go without talking about the violet wand. Violet wands use low levels of electricity to excite gases within hollow glass tubes of different shapes and sizes, that create tingles and static shocks (think scuffling around on carpet in a sweater during winter) on the skin that Mindi suggests using in both sinister and whimsical ways. The connection you can enjoy with the conduction pad cannot be matched–it turns your whole body into a shocking machine of touch!
Cold Metal Paddle ($89). [currently in-store only]
The skin has about five different receptors and you can play with all of them with this one toy! Swat, chill, drag, and spank with this toy all night long–the versatility and hijinks you can get into with this paddle are endless! Mindi reminds us that since the toy is completely metal, you can pair it with the violet wand for even more devilish drama.
Rosa Petite Flogger ($49).
While the Cold Metal Paddle brings all the thud and cold, the Rosa Petite introduces a stinging warmth. Exploring with the spectrum of touch is easy when you pair them together! Mindi adds how the vast visual and sensational difference between the pieces makes for quite the journey during a scene.
Like me, Mindi was drawn to the Wartenberg Pinwheel ($22) because it’s different and shocking in its own way, rounding out the basket of touchable goodies. It can be paired with the Violet Wand for the ultimate stinging tickle or as a wave of sensation caressing the skin during a massage (with or without the massage candle).
Mindi has been a big fan and supporter of Lotus Blooms for a few years now (check her out modeling our Purple Midnight Corset!) so I was curious about what the transition from fan to employee was like. Mindi picked up on something we are very proud of–we strive for intentionality and quality in our choices. She remembered at first how our little store didn’t seem to have a large selection until you realize the intimate knowledge we have of all of our pieces. With this specific curation, we’re able to discover things that are perfect for you and your partner(s). Mindi particularly loves how she has more opportunities to learn as an employee for Lotus Blooms.
In closing, I’ll let you in on a little secret–Mindi didn’t really want to create a basket. She felt the ultimate gift was to bring people in so you can shop and learn together! And she’s so right. We’d love to help you learn about each other and be assured that you get the best gift that keeps on giving–knowledge! I knew I liked this woman’s enthusiasm…
Check out Lauren’s, Hancie’s, Diva’s, Teal’s, and Alyssa’s gift guides for more gift ideas and product recommendations!
