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  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
    • 5 comments
    • 3,732 views
 

Bye-bye Independent Foreigner

So no more Ethiopia, no more Africa. Bacca, bas, halas, vso, that's it.   I am back in the Soviet Union, working for an organization I swore I'd never work for again.   They made me an offer I could not refuse.   Still, it's nice: with my white complexion, round face, lean build, tight skirts and high heels I fit right in. It is so pleasant to walk down the street and have no one scream "foreigner!" at me every few minutes like they did in Ethiopia--and the sour cream is amazing.

Confection

Confection

 

Yup. More SW. Tired of it yet?

If you had to chose one BPAL scent and only ONE to have forever what would it be? Melisande. Because.. er.. I'm on the bottle and it makes me happy just to look at, much less smell.   Who here likes Betty Page? I admire what she did, and who she was, and what she stood for. She doesn't do it for me physically, if that's what you mean. I kinda prefer the more classic 'pinup' look than the 'vamp' or 'dominatrix' look. I prefer my women to be soft and cuddly, not scary.   How about original Trek Characters? I'd have to say.. either Scotty or Bones.   If you were my witchee, would you like a jar of home made apple butter? This is assuming it turns out good... Not only yes, but hell yes. I love home made baked goods. I have made jam exactly once. (Gingered Peach Jam - which turned out to be more of a very good sauce for meats, than jam.)   Are you interested in Tarot cards? And if so, are there particular decks you like (or don't or already have or whatever)? I haven't read cards in a really long time. I haven't found That Perfect Deck... but I also haven't been looking.   What kind of tea (or coffee) puts you in a fall/Halloween mood? And where do you get it? I drink hot cocoa by the gallon. Year round, because my office is usually so ridiculously cold all the time. When ill, Mint Medley by Bigelow, with honey and lemon. Just To Feel Like Fall: Spiced Cider, using my own mulling spices blend. (I'm making some this week to send to my witch and to my card swappies!)   If you were my witchee, would you like dried honey crisp apple slices or other dried fruit? (We don't add anything to it AFAIK -- no sugar or spices.) Honey Crisp Apples are the exquisitely beautiful child of the World's Most Perfect Apple - the Macoun. If I could get my hands on a bag of those babies, I would .. well. I would do ridiculously gluttonish things with them. It is my favorite fruit, bar none. However... since you can only get the Macoun in the Northeast, and I am trapped in the Midwest, and Honey Crisp Apples can generally be found at my grocery store... I will happy take what I can get. So that was a wee bit long and rambly and odd, but the short answer is : YES. (Dried pineapple drizzled with honey is also Happy Making.)

Bethany

Bethany

 

Wishlist

Deleted everything, starting over more simply...   General Catalogue
Zombi (retry)   Limited
Dead Leaves and Blackberries (2016)
Pumpkin Princess (2011)
Olisbos (any)
Womb Furie (any)
Marae (2008)
Enlightenment of the Courtesan Jigokudayu (2011)
White Chocolate and Asian Pear (2017)   Hair Gloss
Honey
Hair Loosened & Soiled in Mid-Orgies
Fig & White Sandalwood   The Hoard List
Tiki Princess, Fairy Market, Dee, Gold Phoenix
Coconut, Vanilla, Tiare Hair Gloss

Pika

Pika

 

Some recent tests

Black LaceThe embodiment of Victorian funereal elegance. A delicate sugar-spun vanilla cream cotton, stained by tobacco and incense, Indian musk, and drops of cognac. I was lucky enough to snag a bottle of this for a fairly reasonable price on eBay. In the bottle, I can smell vanilla, cream, cognac and musk. There's also a hint of something vaguely floral. On wet, the floral lessens and the incense comes forward. It's more cognac-y. It smells warm. Dry, this is really lovely. It reminds me a bit of Snake Oil, but it's definitely got its own distinct thing going on. I like it quite a bit. Glad I snagged a bottle.   ThanatopsisA meditation upon death. Inspired by William Cullen Bryant's poem. A deep, solomn earthen scent containing pine, juniper and musk. I got a very nicely aged imp of Thanatopsis in a swap. In the bottle, it smells lovely. Musk, with subtle juniper and pine. On wet, the pine is very strong on me, though I can still smell the nice musk. I waited, hopefully, for this one to dry, but sadly, on me it's just too Pine Sol-y. Luckily, I found it a good home with someone who will love it and can wear it.   BakenekoIn sharp contrast to the stark sterility of Hunger Moon, we present a carnivorous chaotic charmer: the bakeneko. The Monster Cat is a shapeshifter, and is empowered to take the form of a beautiful woman (to entice lonely gentlemen) or a winsome young maiden (to the peril of childless couples). Though some bakeneko are benevolent, and only wish to find someone to care for them, or to show gratitude to a mortal that has done them a great service, others are furry balls of malevolent mayhem. Their mischief ranges from simply destructive — knocking over lamps and destroying property, tossing ghostly, freezing fireballs from their hands — to horrifying acts of carnage.   Warm amber musk, Satsuma tangerine, black tea leaf, cardamom, cherry blossom and cinnamon. I picked up a decant of this in a swap, and I was a little concerned the little cat demon might wreak a little scent chaos in my life. Tangerine is usually a Note of Doom for me. In the bottle, it's pretty crazy. Musk, tangerine, cardamom and cherry blossom. I'm a bit worried, because tangerine is usually a Note of Doom for me. On wet, it's tangerine, amber musk, black tea and cinnamon. Dry, the tangerine softens and you can smell more cherry blossom. It's really nice. I may need to find a bottle somewhere.   Devil's NightGuy Fawkes, Guy; Stick him up on high! Hang him on a lamp post And there let him die! Guy, Guy, Guy! Poke Him in the eye! Put him on the fire, And there let him die! Burn his body from his head: Then you'll say Guy Fawkes is dead! Hip, Hip, Hooray!   Beer, woodsmoke, tar, and treacle. In the bottle, I get smoke, a bit of beer and treacly sweetness. Wet, it's very similar, but warmer and musky. Dry, this is really nice. The scents are very well integrated. Smoky-sweet autumn joy.   SamhainophobiaThe fear of Halloween. Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves. Bottle: Vetiver, patchouli, wet leaves and fir trees. Wet: Pretty much the same, with some smoke. Dry: Wow! I didn't really expect this to work for me; seems more of a Ben scent. Once it's dry, though, it's really great. The crazy green scents calm down . It's musky and vetivery, with a hint of soft green. Very fall.   The Parliament of MonstersYou pass through the golden mouth, and find yourself inside a narrow, cramped corridor. Large wooden paintings of skeletal hands crook their bony fingers, leading you forwards. At the first turn, you hear a bizarre jumble of sounds: the high-pitched sound of gears grinding, metal on metal, the sound of sultry, low-pitched laughter, a clattering, wings flapping, soft hissing. Suddenly, a sharp howl pierces the darkness. As you make your way around the corner you are momentarily blinded as floodlights flicker to life, and thirteen gold-gilded stages are illuminated, bathed from beneath in sinister, caramel-colored light.   Dust, incense, wet tobacco, and a curl of opium smoke. In the bottle, the opium smoke is strong. I also get incense and tobacco. On wet, it's about the same, although the opium softens a bit. Dry, it's pretty much as described. Pretty nice, although not something I see myself really reaching for.

cam

cam

 

More answers at last!

Your thoughts on the update? I'd quite like to try the scents if the opportunity arises, but I won't be placing an order. The T-shirts aren't my thing. And from now on I'm being cautious about untested scents since I'm not liking Hellhound or SM, which I ordered unsniffed.   How do you decide what to put in which package for your Witchee or how many packages to send? I don't know. I haven't decided yet   If you were my witchee, would you be terribly offended if I sent you a box containing project "experiments" or random miscellaneous pretty bits of brainstorming that I thought you might like/wear? Please do! It's all good by me.   Do you often drink take away coffee in paper mugs? Take away coffee is the work of the actual devil. I can't understand how people are able to drink and walk at the same time. If I try it, I end up either pouring hot liquid all over myself, or else snorting it up my nose. Or dropping it. Sometimes the Starbucks serves the drink-in stuff in paper cups when they're too lazy to wash their mugs. That's the only time I'll take a paper cup, and then I glare at it.   What would a perfume based on you smell like? Weird. Myrrh and roses, with woods and a side order of coffee.   Who here likes Wizard of Oz things? Believe it or not, I have never seen Wizard of Oz, nor do I ever intend to. It's one of those things I have an extreme aversion to the mere thought of. (I've had some slightly odd fixed beliefs ever since I was a child: it's an Aspie thing). Anyway, I have always flatly refused to be exposed to that movie. I've also never seen Chitty chitty bang bang (and seriously? That's a stupid effing title for a movie).   Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? Have you tried out (and if not, would you be interested in doing so) its weird little brother, RiffTrax? Don't know what it is, actually. It sounds like technology, meaning I intend to stay out of it. *Is a technophobe*   What will you like from Singapore? Candies? Food? Asian crafts/toys? Candies/food is always good. I don't really know what's available, there's probably a load of great stuff I've never heard of!   Do you like art deco/nouveau - style prints? I like Art Deco/Nouveau, but often don't care for its depiction of the human form. (I've seen too many weird looking figures in Deco/Nouveau - style art) I prefer nature forms or animals. I used to have *this* poster, which I loved, but it got torn. Advertising art in the Jugendstil/Nouveau style appeals to me quite a lot. I also like absolutely anything by Louis Comfort Tiffany or Tiffany Studios. Obviously they worked in leaded stained glass, but a good selection of prints exists. There are some *here* And I like the rose designs by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.   What is one thing that, if you received it in the middle of all the hubbub, would make you smile and take your mind off of all you have to do for a bit? Any pretty thing that I can wear, sniff, read or otherwise get distracted by. I don't know, surprise me!   How do you feel about Hello Kitty? Please, no. It creeps me out. Horrid not-cute little beastie thing!   Legwarmers? Armwarmers? Armwarmers, yes! Legwarmers, possibly? - I've never tried them. Scarf, yes. Temperatures are dropping already over here.   What is your favorite category of the GC? Bewitching Brews, off the top of my head.   Stance on Joss Whedon and his enterprises? I got bored of Buffy, and don't know about any of his other stuff. I wouldn't go looking for it.   Has anyone tried ice wine before? Do/did they enjoy it? Never heard of it, but am curious now.   What other perfume companies (besides bpal) have you been curious about? Arcana, HAEE, Madini, a couple of others.   Does anyone here do anything with grave rubbings? Actually I've always wanted to try it out, but have never got around to it yet.   Would you enjoy art based on original Graveyard photography? Yes! Very much yes!   What's in your Netflix or Blockbuster queue, do you want any new Netflix/Blockbuster friends, if so how do we find you on there? Er, what? Never heard of it.   Do you play a musical instrument? Nope. Clumsy fingers = no musical talent. Plus, I can't sing. Really, really can't. Like, what kind of horrible noise do I even make? It is very bad.   What do you think of Irrelevant Disturbing and Surreal Crawdad Dream? Love it? Hate it? Kicking yourself for not getting a bottle? Didn't like the look of the notes, didn't order, haven't tried it, and don't regret it.   How do you feel about trinkets? You know - tiny toys or doodads that serve no purpose than to be cute, take up space and make us smile. Love them or waste of money? I don't like 'em, for 3 reasons. First, I don't have enough space as it is; second, I much prefer things that are useful. Third, I've a tendency to get a little compulsive about hoarding stuff, and I really don't want to encourage that in myself.   Can melty things be shipped to you, or will they be in puddles by the time you open the package? Things like chocolate will be fine now that the summer's finished.   Who likes pirates? Me! Jack Sparrow... mmm! *wants one*   What are your feelings about Dia De Los Muertos? I'm curious about it, but it doesn't seem to exist over here.   What do you think about the Nightmare Before Christmas? It's over-hyped and over-merchandised.   If candy is sent, would you prefer small amounts to a Halloween sized bag? I shall decline to answer that on the grounds that I do not wish to incriminate myself!   Do you like notes in your soaps or bath stuff that you don't like in your perfumes? If so which? I'm not sure. Probably not.   Do you like floral soaps or bath stuff? If so, what florals work and what don't? Jasmine disgusts me in all products. Geranium makes me ill, and Lily of the valley doesn't work for me. Rose is good as long as there is no Geranium in it (but there almost always is, at least in the ones I've tried). Mimosa, Lavender, Magnolia, Iris, Neroli, Wisteria, and most other florals are fine. Love the hypnotic florals like hyacinth, jonquil, osmanthus.   How do y'all feel about honey and maple? And different flavored honey, not just the standard kind? I've never knowingly tried flavoured honey, but would gladly try it. I like maple over pancakes or ice-cream. Actually, I don't use much of either honey or maple because I don't sweeten my tea or coffee and I don't often put them on/in food.   What is your favorite thing to do on a cool fall day? Go for a walk in a forest or in the countryside. Which I sadly do not often get to do because I live in the city.     What one (or two, if you really must) BPAL bottles are you most longing for? GC bottles? Aziraphale, 'cos I've almost finished my 1st bottle already; and Pride, because I *need* that scent and couldn't quite afford to stick it on the end of my last order. (I don't normally do delayed gratification, but I was ordering SM and Hellhound plus backups, and it got a little expensive!)   If you could have dinner/drinks/coffee with any 3 living people that are not your family/friends already, who would they be-? Pass. I'm not sociable enough.   Band-aids: do you like the fun and funky ones? Nope. Hate plasticky and sticky things, which would include all band-aids.   What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you? I guess I'm lucky, I can't think of anything enormously scary that's ever happened to me. But then again, I have constant low-to-mid level anxiety, which is annoying.   What is everyone's favorite Halloween song?! Didn't know there was such as thing as a Halloween song! I guess I'd have to go for the tubular bells theme from The Exorcist, and Bela Lugosi's Dead or Of Lilies and Remains by Bauhaus.   What would you tell yourself 6 months in the past about 2008 so far? Don't worry about it; yes, your instinct's right and you won't regret it; omg you need to start saving up for a new wardrobe because that diet will work and you will end up with your pants literally falling off; leave that scab alone or else it'll scar.   Robots versus zombies: who wins? Robots, because the zombies are dumb and slow, and the robots have built-in machine guns.   What would zombie say? *in between mouthfuls of brain* Grrh, arrrhgghh.... *munch, munch* ...MMmmm ... Graaarrrgh...*Burp*   Do you decorate for Halloween? What sort of decorations? Dress up for Halloween? I usually carve a pumpkin, and dress up in something Goth, but don't otherwise decorate. I'd love to make a bigger fuss of it, but I refuse to buy the throwaway plasticky decorations that the shops sell, because I hate plastic and hate throwing things away. Wish I had the time to make some decent handmade decorations. I might try for a pirate costume this year, now that I've dropped enough weight to wear so-called 'normal' clothing sizes.   Bats, cats, skeletons, monsters, vampires, witches or what other ghoulies do you prefer? Vampires! And bats, cats, werewolves, demons, warlocks, Grim Reaper   Do you like horror flicks? Sure, but not that demented horror-porn stuff like Hostel. Anything else goes, though. And especially vampire flicks. Interview with the vampire is a favourite.   Who here prefers stylus and ink to ballpoint? Anyone invested time and effort into calligraphy or proper Victorian writing? Only wish my clumsy fingers could hold a pen properly, because I love that stuff.   What about stationery? Need some? What styles do you like? Sharpie pens in bright colours are always good, because I make mind maps instead of taking linear notes in lectures and get through loads of pens that way.   What is one item that you've wanted forever, could have afforded, but have never gotten and why (haven't you gotten it!)? A mind machine (e.g. like Nova pro), and I haven't bought one because... I don't know, there always seems to be something more important, and also the technology might get out of date quickly. I'd love to buy Wild Divine, though. Maybe my Christmas gift to myself...   What Halloween scent are you most looking forward to? John Barleycorn, and To Autumn. (I got my decants yesterday!)   Reduce - REUSE - recycle. Do others feel the same? Sure, but I'm not a fanatic about it. Basically I'll do it if it's easy/practical.   What is your favorite crafting supply? Beads, especially glass beads 'cos I hate the plastic ones.   Weigh in...Are you right or left-handed? Right.   Any period of time that you love? I guess I'd say the Renaissance times.   What's your favorite part about Fall? The smells and colours, piles of leaves, the texture of the breeze, the way the colours of the sky change in the evenings. I feel it's a kind of relaxing time of year generally.   Do you like office/school supplies? If so, what is your favorites? Pens in bright colours.   What's your favorite Halloween candy? Don't know, but that candy corn stuff looks truly revolting. Do. Not. Want!   Will you be participating NaNoWriMo? If so, is there anything you'd like to have for that? Nope.   Where does everyone like shop for witching goodness? That's my sneaky secret!   What is your favorite pumpkin goodness? Pumpkin pie. But that's a winner by default because I haven't tried any other pumpkin-y baked goods!

Lumina

Lumina

 

Wishlist (with reasons)

Need GC:   Bengal A sultry and unruly blend that emulates the ambient scent of the markets in ancient Bengal: skin musk with honey, peppers, clove, cinnamon bark and ginger. Sounds good no? I need something spicy without being heady.   Baghdad Amber, saffron and bergamot with mandarin, nutmeg, Bulgar rose, musk and sandalwood. Huh, amber AND musk....   Embalming Fluid A light, pure scent: white musk, green tea, aloe and lemon. I think I might hate it. But as sooo many people love it, I should at least try it. The lemon is a real dealbreaker, though.   Harlot Based on a Romany incense blend reputed to induce sexual dreams: Somalian rose, Moroccan rose and Bulgar rose with a sultry dribble of cinnamon. Roses and cinnamon? I'm almost sold just by that.   Hollywood Babylon The essence of innocence shattered: glittering Egyptian amber and heliotrope, infused with the sweetness of strawberry and vanilla - dragged into debauch by lusty red musk and a dribble of black cherry. Supposed to be sexy as well. Strawberry, vanilla? Interesting. I can imagine this to work great but it highly depends on the strawberry used. Also - it has red musk. Hum. Undecided.   Jack The scent of warm, glowing jack o'lanterns on a warm autumn night: true Halloween pumpkin, spiced with nutmeg, glowing peach and murky clove. New Formulation. Sounds good.   Lyonesse Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss. I love the thought of this, I'm a sucker for everything Arthurian. Is described as O without the honey. Vanilla and amber. Hm! Amber can turn into powdery mess on me.   March Hare A twisted teatime tart: apricot and sweet clove. Apricot clove and cinammon sounds like a hit. Doesn't seem to have a lot of throw, while other people say it's strong? I loved every Mad Tea Party scent so far.   Morocco The intoxicating perfume of exotic incenses wafting on warm desert breezes. Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia. Supposed to have a lot of throw and similar to Scherezade.   Mouse's Long and Sad Tale Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood. everyone seems to love it. I'm scared by the sweet pea though, and again, amber.   No. 93 Engine Balm of Gilead, benzoin, frankincense, balsam of peru, beeswax, saffron, galbanum, calamus, hyssop, mastic, lemon balm, and white sage. beeswax! I loooove how beeswax smells.   Obatala Obatala’s ofrenda is soft, white and pure: milk, coconut meat, shea butter and cool, refreshing water.   Regan A deceptively sweet orchid vanille with a faint trace of stephanotis. Sounds a bit one-dimensional if you ask me.   SHUB-NIGGURATH Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, the All-Mother and wife of the Not-to-Be-Named-One. The lust incense of a corrupted Astarte. A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices. everybody loves it, goodness knows why, has been compared to Red Hots   Silk Road A panoply of cultural treasures, spanning the herbs, flowers, oils and balms of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Mediterranean, the Levant, Northern China, Eastern Europe, Iran, the Bulgar-Kypchak, Mesopotamia, the Crimean Peninsula, Anatolia, Antioch, and North Africa.   Sudha Segara Named after the primordial ocean of milk where Lord Vishnu reclines upon the thousand-headed Naga. Sweet milk and warm, healing ginger with a touch of golden honey and our blend of Ambrosia. Supposedly calming and soothing. Just the thing that I'm going to need this winter for sure. Doesn't seem to have a lot of throw or staying power, meh.   Velvet Envelop yourself in the soft, sensual embrace of gentle sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh. everybody loves it – and I love the cocoa in Tezcatlopica or how you write it.   Water of Notre Dame Brings peace to the spirit, a sense of calm and fulfillment, and attracts the aid of beneficial spirits.   Limited Editions:   Love's Philosophy Vanilla, saffron, and cream. sounds good but is supposedly boring   Snake Charmer Sensual, sibilant, sexual and hypnotic: Arabian musk and exotic spices slinking through Egyptian amber, enticing vanilla, and a serpentine blend of black plum, labdanum, ambrette, benzoin and black coconut.   Three Witches If it gets ever back

Juliet's Silk

Juliet's Silk

 

Damn.

So now I'm kicking myself, because I just tried Brom Bones, and holy-mother-of-pearl......this is beyond sexy. I'm definitely going to need a whole bottle of this, rather than a puny decant. I already loved Quincey Morris, and this is close but even better. Just incredible. This should have been my bottle choice, rather than Chant D'Autumne (which I like, but nothing like B. Bones......).

forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

 

Different BPAL everyday - October challenge

10/1 - Parlement of Foules 10/2 - Psyche; Gladdener of all Hearts, Lilith Victoria, Bon Vivant - test drive 10/3 - random smell I never tried before - The Deep Ones, Night-Gaunt, The Phantom Wooer, Tezcatlipoca - test drive 10/4 - Viola, Scherezade 10/5 - random smell I never tried before - Hi'iaka, Athens 10/6 - Kajuraho 10/7 - White Rabbit 10/8 - exam day - Lilith Victoria to the party in the evening 10/9 - Antique Lace 10/10 - Samhain 07 10/11 - Kurukulla, Magus 10/13 - random smell I never tried before 10/14 - 10/15 - 10/16 - 10/17 - 10/18 - 10/19 - 10/20 - 10/21 - 10/22 - 10/23 - departure   available BPAL: 1 Alice 2 Antique Lace 3 Athens* 4 Black Cat* 5 Bon Vivant* 6 Dana O'Shee 7 Dragon Moon 8 Dragon's Milk 9 Enraged Bunny Musk 10 Fae 11 Gladdener of all Hearts 12 Hearth* 13 Hi'iaka* 14 Inez 15 Kajuraho 16 Kurukulla* 17 Lilith 18 Lilith Victoria 19 Magus* 20 Maltese Cross 21 Marianne 22 Night-Gaunt* 23 Parlement of Foules 24 Persephone 25 Psyche 26 Samhain 27 Scherezade 28 Snake Oil 29 Snow White 30 Tezcatlipoca* 31 The Deep Ones* 32 The Phantom Wooer* 33 Viola 34 White Rabbit (* scent I never tried before)

Juliet's Silk

Juliet's Silk

 

Wish List / Curiosities...

Well, I got asked recently to put together a wish list... so... er... here goes.   The Unreachable Grails: Black Lace. Monsterbait: Underpants, Snake Charmer   Halloweenies: Hellhound On My Trail, Samhain, Brom Bones, Fearful Pleasure, Katrina Van Tassel, The Haunted House: The Atrocious Attic   Four Seasons: La Primavera, L'estate.   Carnaval Diabolique: Mme. Moriarty the Misfortune Teller, Hope & Faith, Agrat-Bat-Mahlaht, Ashlultum, Gwyneth, Inez, Marguerite   Good Omens: Nanny Ashtoreth, Pepper, Madame Tracy   Lupercalias: Anactoria, Khajuraho, Parlement Of Foules, Smut, The Clod And The Pebble, Her Voice, Longing, Love’s Philosophy, The Presence Of Love, Dolce Stil Nuovo   Carnival Noir: Bearded Lady, Gypsy Queen   Assorted LEs: Beltane, Sea Of Tranquility, Christmas Rose, Egg Nog, Rose Red, Peacock Queen, Samhain, Love in the Asylum, The Darkling Thrush, Salon: Lady Lillith, Lillith Victoria   General Catalogue: Ars Amatoria – Delight, Harlot, Jezebel, La Belle au Bois Dormant, Lucy’s Kiss, O, Rapture, To A Woman Ars Moriendi - Les Fleurs du Mal Bewitching Brews - Kubla Khan, Namaste, Rakshasa Ilyria: Viola Mad Tea Party: Mouse's Long and Sad Tale, Two, Five & Seven, Maelström : Imp of the Perverse Sin & Salvation : Dorian   Also curious about what ‘aged’ Snake Oil is all about…   TALS: Arabian Nights, Aphrodesia, Fire Of Passion, Helping Hand, Blessing Of Isis, Radiance Of Ra, Peace   Haves, And Always Happy For More: Melisande, The Puppet Mistress Morocco Seraglio TAL: Calif’s Beloved

Bethany

Bethany

 

Lady Lillith Enters the Scene

The woman wore shadows like aristocrats wear their fine furs. Shrouded in darkness she extends a pale skinned leg and walks into the moonlight with the smell of burnt leaves and blood lingering in the air. The soft click of her heels on cobblestones echoes down the buildings external coridors and sends wayward creatures of the night scampering to their hiding spots.   Her crimson stained lips curl in a satyrical smile as her alabaster flesh glows beneath the leather and lace that caresses her body. The scent rolling off of her is that of her namesake, Lillith.   Turning golden orbs of honey to the pale moonlight, she emerges on the outskirts of a carnival, slowly she makes her way to the big top.   Lillith has arived.

LillithIncarnate

LillithIncarnate

 

Must Be the Mica

September 26, 2008   I found a foundation! Two weeks ago I started using Alima foundation and so far no bumps or breakouts. It has less mica than the foundation I had been using so I'm assuming that that may have been the problem - or at least part of the problem. Either way I'm happy that it doesn't bother my skin and it looks great.   As for my OCM routine, I adjusted the oils a bit last week for the cooler and drier weather and it's working out really well. My mixture is now:   2 Tbsp. castor oil 2 Tbsp. jojoba oil 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (for more moisture and exfoliation) 2 drops tea tree oil (antiseptic and anti-bacterial) 2 drops rosehip oil (for Hyper-pigmentation and sun exposure)   I am seeing more improvements in my skin's texture and appearance. No bumps, no breakouts, and even the small scar above my lip is faded.   Other products I use:   Alba Botanica Coconut Milk Facial Wash (In the morning and sometimes when I get home from work) Alba Botanica Aloe & Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer Villainess Mud masks: Scintillating or Pearl Diver (A light application 2 to 3 times a week) My own toner blend of 1/2 green tea and 1/2 witch hazel       If anyone actually reads this, and may even be considering starting OCM, I would again strongly caution you to think about it, ask around, and do some research. The reason I'm saying this is that lately I’ve come across a number of people on different health and beauty forums that tried OCM and had terrible reactions that either exacerbated an existing problem, like acne or rosacia, or created new problems like acne, skin sensitivity, and/or blackheads and whiteheads.   Some helpful advice: Be very careful when trying something new on your skin - pay attention to ingredients and how you might react to them.
 
Don't replace everything in your regimen all at once. Make changes in stages over a period of a few weeks. This way if you have a bad reaction or see no improvement it's easier to determine the source of the problem.
 
Give your skin time to adjust, but if you have a bad reaction, stop immediately and go back to your old product & routine for a while until your skin settles down.
 
Don't be sucked in by someone else's excitement over a product, routine, or treatment without asking three important questions: How long have you been using it? What was your skin type and condition before you started? What other products or treatments do you use?

Archaic Smile

Archaic Smile

 

Buh Bye Mineral Makeup?

September 12, 2008   Over the past couple of weeks I've had some additional breakouts and several small bumps on my forehead and jawline. The odd thing was most of them wouldn't appear until the end of the day. I'd do my OCM routine at night before I went to bed, my skin would look a lot better the next morning, then by the end of the day it would be a mess again. My first thought was to blame the OCM, but then I remembered that I had changed my brand of mineral make up a few weeks ago. So I stopped wearing foundation for three days and the skin problems immediately went away.   I'm happy it wasn't the OCM causing the bumps and breakouts, but I'm frustrated as hell that I probably won't find a mineral foundation that will work for me. At least the eyeshadows appear to be OK, however, I'm not willing to take a chance on the finishing powders or concealers. The ingredients are too similar to the foundations.

Archaic Smile

Archaic Smile

 

A Quick Update

August 29, 2008   I got such good results when I did my OCM routine right after sweating through a day's worth of yardwork in the hot weather last week. More plugs than usual came to the surface and my skin looked much better. I'm beginning to wonder if steaming my face a minute or two every night before I massage with the oil mixture might be a good idea.   I am still getting a few little bumps, which sucks, but my pores continue to look good and I'm not at all oily like I used to be.

Archaic Smile

Archaic Smile

 

Switch Witch Mega Post

What are your favorite colors? Blue. Virtually any shade of blue. Particularly a medium light blue, and a dark navy blue. Blue. Strong blue-greenish greens. Black. Nothing with a pattern in it – I don’t know why, they make me uncomfortable.   What colors do you hate? Hate’s a strong word… I don’t feel even vaguely comfortable in reds, oranges, yellows. Anything too bright. Anything with patterns.   What colors do you have strong emotional connections with, if any? (what do you find comforting, what perks you up, what gives you energy, etc.) Blue. Did I mention… blue?   What colors would you never wear in combination with each other? Things that are Not Blue, with other things that are Not Blue. * blush * wow, I’m starting to sound like a total freak. Uh. Yeah. I wear a lot of blue and black, sometimes white and green, once in a while I am brave and venture into brown….   What was the first concert you went to? Hall & Oates, back in 1986. I climbed onto the speakers (got my hands whacked by a security guard for doing so) and actually touched John Oates’s pantleg. Whee!   Girl Scouts: Got all the way to Cadette. Was vastly unpopular. Dropped out when the troop dissolved.   Fairies vs. Gnomes: Fairies. Though gnomes seem to hang out around me more.   Video Games / board games: er, neither. I have a weird problem with my eyesight such that graphical games make me motion sick. I generally suck at games, except text based RPGs.   Alcohol: I was raised Mormon, so I never really got into the habit of drinking. I Do Not Like beer. If I drink, I drink a wine called ‘Rosa Regale’ which is very fruity and light and raspberryyummilicious. I do a * lot * of cooking with alcohol, however ; mostly cordials, which I put into chocolate truffles. I'm always curious to try something really interesting and new, like meads or cordials or home brewed things with fruity flavors. Something in wine causes my whole body to shudder in an odd fashion when I sip - Maybe the tannins? So the more mellow and light it is, the better off I am. Deep reds make me look epileptic for all the involuntary shudders. Grandma used to say she developed an allergy to alcohol; I wonder if I have some sort of weirdo sensitivity? Dunno... I don't get the shudder with things like cider (yum) or wine coolers or the occaisional taste of hard liquor, like Jack Daniels.   Magazine Subscriptions: Taste of Home. Figure. National Geographic.   Shoe size: 7 1/2 women's. warm socks are Very Happy. Not so much on fuzzysocks - texture violation on the feet- but thick boot socks to wear during wintertime is Very Happy.   Anything you’ve been wanting to learn? Metal cutwork jewelry making. How to do better detail work in illumination. Calligraphy. Carving amber. How to make pickles and jam.   Do you like buttons/pins? I used to have quite a collection back in high school. Haven’t worn any in about 20 years, but might, if it was the right sort of thing…   Is there any particular period of history that you especially love or are fascinated by? The culture of the middle east, and the middle ages of Europe.   Any one have a favorite poet? Elizabeth Barrett Browning is the closest thing to a favorite poet.   Any unusual hobbies? Society for Creative Anachronism: illumination, beadwork, middle eastern dance   What is your ULTIMATE comfort food? Either: Chicken Korma from a good Indian restaurant or Chicken Parmesan from Zios .   Shoe size: 7 1/2   Do you cook? Yes, and love to do so.   Any cookbooks you want? Quite nearly any. Alton Brown, Paula Dean, Julia Childs, Sandra Lee…   Car: A 2006 Malibu Maxx, named Gertrude. (after my grandma)   Candles/incense/tarts: I prefer candles - I tend to stay away from fruity scents, and love stuff like vanilla or sandlewood. Rubber ducks: er, I have no moral objection to them, but also no particular use for them.   BPAL boxes: Mine are currently in used cigar boxes, which make the labels smell like… yep. Cigars. I would love a BPAL box.   Favorite Holiday/seasonal music: Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Mariah Carey. Michael Buble. Not so much with the Elvis. I tend to like the classics and shudder away from anything involving people being run over by reindeer, or anything sung by Eric Cartman.   Fiber/dye allergies & preferences: Wool makes me itch a bit.   Package content rating: I’m .. hrm. I’m a naughty thing, but with my New England background, get easily embarrassed. Probably best to keep it PG 13, if you don’t mind, dear witch!   Ornaments: Yes, absolutely. I have a very eclectic tree. My husband loves country kitch, and I love Elizabethan/Victorian loveliness.   BPAL in SW box: lovely but not necessary.   Organic/indifferent: I buy some organic, but it’s not a big issue for me.   Homemade: Love it. Got a lovely choker made by Igloogirl in the Autumn 2007 switch, and just adore it.   Bags/purses/etc? No thank you. I tend to be very particular.   Favorite artist, both contemporary and classic? Oh my. I do not like contemporary/modern art. It just doesn’t speak to me. However: Waterhouse, Leighton, Bouguereau, Vermeer, Rembrandt, daVinci… these resonate.   1.)Q. Can you cook? 1.)A. Yes. And I’m good at it.   2.)Q. What was your dream growing up? 2.)A. To be a late night radio DJ 3.)Q. What talent do you wish you had? 3.)A. An innate sense of grace and movement.   4.)Q. If I bought you a drink what would it be? 4.)A. Pear Cider   5.)Q. Favorite vegetable? 5.)A Yes. I like many. Asparagus wrapped in bacon slathered in cheese goo sounds pretty nifty right now. I love salads. I enjoy squash - both butternut and acorn. (Not so much with the zucchini - had to eat too much of it growing up)   6.)Q. What was the last book you read? 6.)A. the newest Jacqueline Carey book.   7.)Q. What zodiac sign are you ? 7.)A Gemini   8.)Q. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? 8.)A. Yes. Phases of the moon tattoo surrounded by Celtic knotwork on the back of my neck. Also, my husband's signature on my lower back.   9.)Q. Worst Habit? 9.)A. Taking things personally.   10.)Q. If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride? 10.)A. Probably not; my husband would get worried about my safety. My instinct is yes, but he’s asked me not to pick up strangers.   11.)Q. What is your favorite sport? 11.)A I don’t much like sports. If it's required, then Olympic gymnastics.   12.)Q. Negative or Optimistic attitude? 12.)A. Both. (See above: Gemini)   13.)Q. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me? 13.)A. Pull out a book and start reading.   14.)Q. Worst thing to ever happen to you? 14.)A. Having my husband nearly be ‘the one who got away’. Some painful medical things. Heartbreaks. Being tortured with spiders as a kid by my older brother.   15.)Q. Tell me one weird fact about you: 15.)A I was born with white blonde hair, and it’s gotten gradually darker (and grayer) and is now a non-descript color somewhere between gray and light-brown.   16.)Q. Do you have any pets? 16.)A. Yes: 2 cats: Radar & Bobo.   17.)Q. What if i showed up at your house unexpectedly? 17.)A. Uh. It’s a mess. I don’t like the unexpected. How about we meet elsewhere for hot chocolate?   18.)Q. What was your first impression of me? 18.)A. No idea, this was forwarded to me by someone I don’t know.   19.)Q. Do you think clowns are cute or scary? 19.)A. Vaguely both.   20.)Q. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be??? 20.)A. My vision: I’d get Lasik. #2 would be to get my teeth fixed. #3: weight loss.   21.)Q. Would you be my crime partner or my conscience? 21.)A. Both.   22.)Q. What color eyes do you have? 22.)A. blue hazel. Sometimes they go light blue, sometimes dark blue, sometimes grayish. 23.)Q. Ever been arrested? 23.)A. Nope.   24.)Q. Bottle or Draft? 24.)A. Neither.   25.)Q. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it? 25.)A. Half would go to house improvements. The other half would be a trip to Europe with my husband.   26.)Q. Would you date me? 26.)A. Nope - happily married.   27.)Q. What 's your favorite place to hang at? 27.)A. Home.   28.)Q. Do you believe in ghosts? 28.)A. Yes. Hard not to, when you've seen a couple.   29.)Q. Favorite thing to do in your spare time? 29.)A. Crafty stuff. Reading books.   30.)Q. Do you swear a lot? 30.)A. Too much.   31.)Q. Biggest pet peeve? 31.)A. My boss and my mother - who are remarkably similar both in their good points an bad.   32.)Q. In one word, how would you describe yourself? 32.)A. Addled.   33.)Q. Do you believe/appreciate romance? 33.)A. heck yes.   34.)Q. If you could spend 12 hours with me and ask/do anything you like, what would it be? 34.)A. Dunno, this was sent to me by someone I don’t know.   35.)Q. Do you believe in God? 35.)A. Sort of.   Where are a few of your favorite places? ; Otter Cliffs, Maine. In my husband's arms.   Out of curiosity, all the fall babies who are celebrating their birthdays during the round - who are you, and when is your bday? - I'm a June baby so this does not apply.   What is one (only one) object that you collect, that totally goes against your personality or beliefs? I don't collect many items, and don't collect anything that goes against my beliefs.   Are you a soap addict? Anything you like to avoid in soaps (goat's milk, lye, dyes, etc...) or any particular scents you like or brands you want to try? I am really not an 'addict' of anything beauty product wise. I'm always interested in trying new things, though.   Do you like kilts and would you wear one? : Kilts on a man who can carry one off are Teh Awesome Sexxxxy. On me, not so much. I have knobby knees. What's your favorite book? Oh lord. it's impossible to pick one. I read a lot of different genres. Sci-Fi, fantasy, historical, etc. I love Dame Dorothy Dunnett, JRR Tolkien, Jacqueline Carey, Spider Robinson, Robert Heinlein, Francis Hogson Burnett, EE Milne, etc.   What size socks do you wear? How about hat size? Erm, I wear a 7 1/2 shoe, so normal sized socks. not much of a hat wearer.   By nature are you a morning lark or a night owl? Somewhere in between. I can work in either space.   What's your favorite type of music to hear live, rather than recorded? Folk. Joan Baez, Indigo Girls, etc.   What is your favorite autumnal-seasonal drink? I make an amazing mulled cider spice blend...   What keywords do you use when searching for items for yourself on Etsy? I've never shopped there. Money tends to be tight, and I try not to wander in areas that would be way too tempting.   Are there any of y'all who are allergic/sensitive to having natural fibers on your skin? Wool makes me itch.   What was your favorite ghost/scary/campfire story growing up? I don't like them. I get nightmares too easily.   Bugs? Do you like 'em or not? [/b]**N**O**T**!!!!!!!!! Big huge NOT.   i haz no imp storage. do you? Currently just a cigar box. Nothing fancy/special.   If you have a garden/planter box, what do you grow? I have roses, daisies, herbs, marigolds.   Do you decorate for Halloween? What sort of decorations? Dress up for Halloween? A little decorating in my office. None at home. I don't generally dress up unless I'm going to a party, or expecting trick-or-treat-ers   Bats, cats, skeletons, monsters, vampires, witches or what other ghoulies do you prefer? Cats. Vampire erotic fiction is yummy.   Do you like horror flicks? No. They give me nightmares.   Who here prefers stylus and ink to ballpoint? Anyone invested time and effort into calligraphy or proper Victorian writing? I should, but haven't. I have a calligraphy set, but I'm better at painting than calligraphy.   What about stationery? Need some? What styles do you like? I'm more of a computer / email girl than a hand writing girl.   What Halloween scent are you most looking forward to? I won't be buying any. I'm keeping my 'fun budget' for switchwitching.   Reduce - REUSE - recycle. Do others feel the same? I live in an area that has practically zero recycling infrastructure, so that makes it a lot harder. I'm a member of the local free-cycle group, but haven't dived into it just yet. When I lived in California, yes, I recycled a lot. I'm not habitual about it, however.   Weigh in...Are you right or left-handed? Extremely right hand dominant.   Any period of time that you love? the Rennaissance: both in England and in Florence. I'm also intensely curious about the middle east, Ottoman Empire.   What's your favorite part about Fall? The crispness of the air, the scent of the trees.   Do you like office/school supplies? One can never have too much of them.   What's your favorite Halloween candy? I like candy corn, but not the marshmallowy pseudo-candy-corn-figure-thingies. I like Indian corn. I haven't tried too many other candies that are specific to halloween.   Will you be participating NaNoWriMo? Nope. Not enough confidence in my writing skills.   Where does everyone like shop for witching goodness? All over the place. I make a lot of my own stuff, too.   What is your favorite pumpkin goodness? Pie. Homemade. I don't like it in fragrances, candles, etc.   How do you feel about Gaelic Storm and other Irish folk/drinking song bands? I've no idea who they are, but I rather like Tommy Makim and the Clancy Brothers. My parents played them a lot when I was a little girl. They had a lot of fun, rollicking songs that we would play on long road trips.   What is your favourite Asian candy/food? Do you have any you want to try? I love vietnamese / chinese / pacific rim / Indian foods. Not big into Japanese (sushi, etc), but I do like hibachi. I haven't tried any of their candies.   What would YOU do if your SW offered, all unknowingly, to swap with you? I don't generally swap on the forum. I give stuff away from time to time to newbies, as a means of paying forward some kindness given to me. But if somehow the situation came up, I'd go ahead and make the swap, but use my PO box or my sister's address in Colorado.   How do you chat with your witch/witchee without giving yourself away? If it gets figured out, it gets figured out. The 'secret pal' aspect is fun, but if it slips away, there's still the fun of a friendly exchange and interaction.   Do you like oddly flavored snacks, like pimiento, Louisiana roadkill, garlic, pepper, etc? Not so much, no.   For those from previous SW rounds: What do you do after your witch reveals? Do you say thanks and move on? Do you retroactively stalk her? Become friends for life? Please share any SW etiquette and/or stories of past SW experiences, if you would. I don't spend a *lot* of time on the forum, because I just get wistful about wanting to get things I can't afford. I wander the forums, and when I see the folks I have had positive switch witch experiences with, it makes me smile, and I'll sometimes say hi or drop them a note.   How do you feel about homemade pet treats? I would be uncomfortable with that.   Gifts for SO? Not neccessary. I think he might find it weird.   Lush you are lusting after? Never tried any of it.   If you have children, would you want something included for them? I don't have children, so not neccessary.   Are you lusting after any of the new limited summer releases from Villainess?. I've never tried any of their stuff.   bubble bars or bath bombs? Both? Neither? Bubble baths, absolutely. It aint a bath unless there's silky, lathery bubbles.   How you feel about the single mug tea filters? The kind that have a mesh or ceramic filter that fit right it the mug? I'm not a huge tea drinker, and have more than enough specialty stuff for the amount that I drink.   Shoe size? 7 1/2.   Pet neck size? Pet would be hugely pissed if i tried to put something on his neck. He is, after all, a House Panther. Panthers do not wear collars.   How do you reveal? I got guessed both rounds. I guess I suck at the stalking part.   BPAL postcards? Lovely. I've given most of mine away to past switchwitches or as freebies in packages.   What was your wedding song? "The Weekend" by Steve Wariner   Favorite GC/LEs ? I honestly don't have a vast amount of experience with BPAL. I've tried perhaps 100 scents, and really only about 10 of them stuck with me as something I could wear. I rather like Rose Moon, Seraglio, Bagdad, Melisande, and Calif's Beloved (TAL).   I have a question: What's your most often overlooked scent in your bpals? Scents you know you should wear, but for whatever reason you can't bring yourself to do it- either it's rare or it takes a few minutes on the skin to smell lovely. Not applicable.   Haircolor experimentation: I am strongly considering getting 'low lights' done, with the goal of a richer, chocolately brown.   What I covet at the checkstand: Chocolate. Dark Chocolate.   What's your favorite theme or characters? For example, do you like gothic looking items or classical? Do you love Hello Kitty, Harry Potter, etc? I'm not much of a theme/fangirl, honestly. I'm extremely conservative in a lot of my tastes.   Favorite flavors: Dark chocolate. Orange. Mint. Maple Sugar Candy.   Chex Mix or Puppy Chow? Why would I eat dog food? Or is that some sort of snack I haven't heard of? I like the new Turtle Chex Mix...   What's hanging on your walls? What do you want hanging on your walls? A lot of art WILL be back on my wall, but at the moment, I haven't gotten my space settled enough for much decor yet (recently moved into my first HOUSE ever...). I have some wedding photos and an illuminated/calligraphed version of my Handfasting Certificate.   What are you? CORSET or CAMI??? And....why? Both. Corset for wanting to feel more slender and pretty. Cami for hanging out around the house in.   Maple syrup: Y/N? One does not truly live without having tasted real, honest to goodness, not-artificial-anythinged maple syrup. Maple sugar candy is my *favorite*.   Undies--- Sometimes! Sometimes not!! I'm a boyshort or bikini girl. Thongs look ridiculous on a girl my size, and I refuse to wear grannypanties.   Tattoos: Yes, two: celtic knotwork on my neck, my husband's signature as a tramp-stamp. Piercings: ears: Double pierced. Have thought seriously about elsewhere, but am too much of a chicken.   Most Coveted BPAL: Black Lace. It sounds exquisite.   How conventional/weird are you comfortable with? I can go either way...   What kind of socks do you like and wear? Um.. the comfy kind, without holes in them...   Are you a good witch or a bad witch? Both. I strive to be a force of light in the world, but I am very good at being bad in certain private situations...   First concert: Hall & Oates, back in the 80s. I've also seen RUSH a few times in the early 90s. No concert going experiences for well over 15 years.   Incense: Yummy.   Candles: Yummy.   Would any of you like to receive plants? If so what do you like? (herbals, florals, houseplants, tree seedlings...) Also if the answer is yes, what zone are you in? I'm past the growing season for my area, so they probably wouldn't survive well. If this was the Spring SW, I'd say yes, unequivocally. I love wildflowers, herbs, daisies.   What sort of crafties do you do and what sort of crafty supplies do you like? I love sewing, beading, painting with opaque watercolor (gouache), I do scrapbooking, jewelry making.... I love any form of supplies for anything along those lines.   Is there anything that you have been wanting to try/buy but haven't? One of those maginifying glasses with a lamp surround thingies.   LJ: bethanyhansen -- though please don't be offended if I don't 'friend' people... the entries that are friends-only usually contain content that's not appropriate for folks who haven't known me a long time and have perspective on them.   Are they up to being gifted with anime? I'd prefer not. It just doesn't appeal to me at all.   For those of you who play video games, what consoles do you own? My husband has one, and I sometimes play Harry Potter or Viva Pinata with his daughter. I don't enjoy them in and of themselves for my own entertainment.   Mailbox situation: I have a mailbox... I also have a PO box... the mail man is pretty good about leaving things where only we will get to them.   What’s your favorite genre of books to read? I enjoy supernatural erotica, fiction, science-fiction, fantasy, and some historical stuff.   How much do you still enjoy playing with toys? erm... I don't play with children's toys, if that's what the question is.   What practical goals to you have for the upcoming season? To get through a really rough time that's coming up at my office, and trying to find a different job.   Phobias? Spiders. Bigtime.   Things I find offensive? Racism. Sexism. Anyone who is trying to force their own beliefs on me.   What goodies do you love that you can't usually get? Spices, herbs, good fabrics, trims... raw materials for arts and crafts...   What is the hottest and coldest it gets where you live? Coldest: Winters get down to -15, and summers get up to 105.   What's your most obscure interest? The Society For Creative Anachronism.   Favourite childhood book(s): The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, Just So Stories, Little House in the Big Woods.   Do you still read any children's books? Sometimes - - the Susan Cooper books are particularly nice.   Feelings on used books (& CDs and DVDS for that matter)? Lovely : )   Treats to spoil myself: dark chocolate with orange or mint candy bars. Maple Sugar Candy. Books. Pretty underthings. Craft supplies. BPAL storage: an old cigar box. Sports: Preferably not.   Pirates or Ninjas? Ninja pirates? Pirates.   Is any witchee opposed to "naughty" gifts? Er, depends. I got a e-card of a bunch of penises one time and that was startling and made me blush. I prefer to purchase my own sex toys. : ) Guilty pleasures? see the 'treats to spoil myself'.   Handmade jewelry Love it.   Witch remain a secret? Up to the witch. I would prefer a reveal of some sort...   Soaps: I currently use a moroccan scented body wash, and am (impatiently) waiting for an order from Silk Road Trading Company containing some Seres and some Kashmira.   Ocean: Atlantic. Otter Cliffs, Maine. It's beautiful.   Rice Krispies treats: Especially the kind with peanut butter in them with chocolate on top.   Do you play online games? I did, for about 10 years. That's how I met my husband. Not so much any more.   Do you prefer one large package, a couple of medium packages or a handful small ones spaced out? I am happy with whatever my witch wants to do.   Favorite Beatle? John seemed pretty thoughtful, but Yoko Ono sorta spoiled him.   Hair things/sticks/barrettes: Sure!   Floyd or zeppelin? Neither.   Nail polish? Not nearly often enough for my husband He'd love it if I wore it more often. Platforms? Shoes? no. Mary Janes with ankle straps. I walk/slip out of any shoes that don't have ankle straps.   Salty treats? not so much, no.   Purses? I'm _awefully_ picky about them, so no.   Scarves? For cold? I have several. For dance/just for pretty - awesome, the more the better. (I do middle eastern dance, so one can never have enough filmy drapy pretty scarves.)   If you could design your own perfume oil, which notes would it have? Beth already sorta did that... (Melisande - I'm the label art model.) Morocco / Bagdad have virtually every note I love.   Anyone here like pecan brittle? Never had it, but it sounds lovely.   What bpal didn't work on you? A lot of them. Out of around 80, only 5 have really smelled good on me.   Do you have pictures of your art? http://zubeydah.northkeep.org/projects.htm   How do you feel about homemade body care products such as lotion and sugar scrubs? and do you have any allergies? I'm fine with it. No allergies except to cilantro.   What chat/im capabilities do you have, or would you be able/willing to chat up your witch?? I would prefer not to. I don't IM much.   What sorts of things--products, foods, household items--do you absolutely love and constantly try to enable people with? Heh. Bpal. Silk Road Trading Company. Febreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator. Working Assets Long Distance.   What is your favorite beverage (adult bev. if you are of age)? Apple or Pear or Peach cider.   Who here reads comics/graphic novels? And Which ones? I don't read any at the current time. I have read some of the XMen graphic novels, and have the Moonshadowe comics. I'm curious about the Anita Blake graphic novel. I've read the Killing Joke, and also the Watchmen -- both were excellent, as was the Swamp Thing: Life and Death book. Board games? Only when forced to do so in awquard social situations.   How do people feel about feet? Well, it's darned hard to walk without them. They're extra good with toes. (The usual number, no more, no less). They get cold a lot, so I stick them on my husband's legs. : )   Card games anyone? I'm not much into them, no.   If you were to get earrings from your SW, what kind would you prefer? Studs? Pull through? Hoops? Dangles? Yes. : )   So what's everyone's favorite BPTP nail color? I haven't tried any of them. Hubby likes a deep, slutty red.   What insects do you delight in where you come from? Insects (do not equal) delight. Butterflies and dragonflies are as close as I get to enjoying bugs.   How do you feel about leather/leather scraps? I have a ton already, thanks...   Anyone need scent lockets? Who wouldn't?   Strange Fondness for: uncooked Chocolate chip cookie dough.   Do you like spicy/asian food? Asian food seasoning, anyone? I enjoy eating it. I haven't gotten much (any) experience making it.   How adventurous are you when it comes to food/candies? Somewhat. Ok. No. Not really.   What websites MUST everyone visit at least daily? CNN. The Armour Archive.   Tarot Decks? I have one but I don't generally use it.   My Space: myspace.com/zubeydah   Who likes hats, and what styles? not so much.   My appearance in general: 5'3", 170. Long light-brown hair, blue eyes. Pale skin.   My job: Payroll Admin.   Dreams I have for the future: Stay at home housewife. Travel to Europe. getting fully unpacked from the move. Having a beautiful space in which to create and make and craft.   Issues that I will get on my soapbox about: Sex education & pro-choice.   What are the general patterns in your house / bedroom? There's supposed to be a pattern?   How important is BPAL in your Switch Witch packages? If I receive some, lovely. If I don't, lovely. I'm easy going.   "Used" BPAL? Ugly BPAL? Empties? Sure.   deadly sin? Oh dear. Gluttony. Lust. Covetousness.   song that when it comes on the radio, you look around guiltily, roll up the windows, and then sing along to at top volume? I'm supposed to roll up the windows and feel guilty? Sorry.... I sing along at will.   What did you sing along to in the shower this morning? I'm quiet in the shower - husband is still asleep at that hour.   TV shows you wish hadn't been canceled: Uhm..... The West Wing.   If you could take on an existing superhero identity... None. I would want to be a healer, and I can't think of any super heroes with that power. Did you ever attend a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Do you know the callbacks? Did you come dressed as a particular character? *blush* Yes, I have gone to Rocky. Yes, I know the call backs. Yes, I have been part of the cast in the front. Yes, I have come dressed as Janet, or as a generic Transexual Transylvanian.   If you could meet anyone living and anyone dead, who would it be? Hmm.... Robert Heinlein. Elanor of Aquitaine. Joan of Arc. Artemisia Gentileschi.   Webcomics: Nope.   Fun fact about me: I bellydance.   How much personal swapping/purchasing do you plan on doing this round? None planned.   What if your witch gets you something you've already ordered? I don't have any ordering plans for the near future.   Hard Candies: Butter Rum Lifesavers.   Other Mailable Food Items: Sure!   If Your Job had no Dress Code: Jeans and tees. Shirts with cleavage.   Scent diffusers? Never tried em.   Genetic brushes with celebrity? Genetic? Uhm... I'm decended from Elanor of Acquitaine. I've "met" a couple folks from hollywood (, from having lived there and worked at a fashion magazine.   what is your favorite time waster? Painting or playing on my pc.   Pictures: See here: http://zubeydah.northkeep.org/stuff/bethany/index.htm

Bethany

Bethany

 

More Switchwitch Questions

What do you think of Irrelevant Disturbing and Surreal Crawdad Dream? Er, I have no idea. I think I completely missed that one. A forum only, yes?   How do you feel about trinkets? My house has SOOO much STUFF in it already that trinkets might be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Or caused the shelf to break. Or the hubby to become irritated. Probably not a good idea.   Can melty things be shipped to you, or will they be in puddles by the time you open the package? Unfortunately, they would be melty.   Who likes pirates? I have nothing against pirates, but I have no favor for them, either. They’re just sorta … there.   What are your feelings about Dia De Los Muertos? Not a day I celebrate.   What do you think about the Nightmare Before Christmas? I have a lovely Jack mug I stole from my husband. He’s my favorite character from it.   If candy is sent, would you prefer small amounts to a Halloween sized bag? Candy? Candy is dandy in whatever size or shape or amount.   Do you like floral bath soaps, shower gels, etc? If so, what florals work on you and what don't? I love florals with a rose or peony base. Many other flowers smell meh on me, but those two tend to work.   How do y'all feel about honey and maple? And different flavored honey, not just the standard kind? How does any sane person feel about honey and maple? They are proof that the Divine loves us and wants us to be happy.   What is your favorite thing to do on a cool fall day? Sit/lay on the porch swing (if I had one) and listen to the birds sing, while idly swaying along.   If you have pets, is there a SPECIFIC toy they like to play with; brand and size? Is there a treat/cookie they eat? What brand and size? I have pets, but they are very meager in their demands.. er.. Preferences. Extra Long Shoe laces make them delirious with joy.   What's your ringtone? For the husband: a old-timey telephone. For everyone else, some fairly innocuous chiming. Both are standards on my phone – nothing custom. I’d like to get a specific ring tone for my husband but have no idea how to download one: Steve Wariner, The Weekend (our wedding song).   Just to throw a silly question out there...Munsters or Addams Family, y'all? Addams family, of course.   What think you about receiving tea accessories and/or miscellany (like mugs, cups, saucers, strainers/filters, honey, natural sweeteners [like stevia])? I haven’t had very positive experiences with sweeteners like stevia or splenda, so I would prefer to steer away from them. Honey is All Good. Agave Nectar is All Good. I have more mugs / cups etc than I can shake a stick at. I’m not a big fan of tea: I only generally drink two kinds, both herbal. I don’t ever drink black, green, or white teas – only herbals, and generally only your standard run of the mill Mint tea. Sometimes chamomile if I’m not feeling well. Sometimes an orange blend. But I’m pretty bland with my tea preferences.   How do you feel about copies of music or dvd's that your witch might have that you might enjoy? Not just mixes, but whole copies? Hm. I think that goes a little bit too close to the ethical line for me to be comfortable with. Mixes are good. Whole cds… I would feel guilty about.   Say, witches, I have a question about birthdays. do you expect/rely on other people to plans birthday outings and activities? Heh. If I did that, I wouldn’t get celebrated at all. My husband Does Not Like parties. Does not think adults should celebrate birthdays. So if I don’t arrange it, it doesn’t happen.   Tarts? Yes/no? – I don’t have a tart warmer, soooooo…. Never tried them.   I'm wondering if my witchee would like to try these types of things (like the caramel with sea salts or chocolates with chilis/bacon/salt etc.)? I like bacon. I like chocolate. DO NOT WANT chocolate bacon. (Now, deep fat fried bacon, or chicken fried bacon, all good.) Chocolate should be sweet – with nuts, with fruit, with creamy goodness… it shouldn’t be spicy or hot or with foreign objects, like two bolts which spring through one’s cheeks, or with crunchy frog bits in them. (sorry, couldn’t help the monty python reference).     What's your favorite animal? Hawks (in person) make me bounce up and down like a two year old. I adore kittehs and have two. Horses are something I admire deeply. I am enormously amused by Lolcats / Lolruses / cute critters.   What one (or two, if you really must) BPAL bottles are you most longing for? Black Lace. Or more Melisande, since I’m on the label. Can’t ever have too much of that, for vanity’s sake – I only have one bottle of it.   If you could have dinner/drinks/coffee with any 3 living people that are not your family/friends already, who would they be-? Hm. John Malkovitch. Jacqueline Carey. Bill Gates.   If you could bring back any TV show from cancellation what would it be? Carnivale. The West Wing.   I wonder if my witchee would like a blanket type thing. Would you? Oh heavens, YES.   What's your favorite "I know it's bad for me but I can't help myself" treat? Anything to excess. I’m a sugar addict, and once I get started, I have a hard time stopping until its all gone. I can and will and have made myself sick eating sweets. Favorites include Godiva chocolate with raspberry, any form of dark chocolate with orange, dark with mint, maple sugar candy, etc.   Very important question: Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL and/or other wishlists during the round? No. I’m saving all my money for my SW.   Do you wear a watch? If so, what kind/style? Yes – it’s exeedinly plain, white metal, made by Acqua, purchased at WalMart. IT does, however, have the Indiglo feature, which I use. A lot.   How do you feel about having a donation made in your name to something?If you like that idea, what types of organizations/groups would you want the donation to go to? I think that’s a beautiful thing. My mom regularly sends me the gift of a bunny being donated in my name to Heifer International. I also strongly support NARAL, but know that might make folks uncomfortable because its so political. Any charity that supports education, children, animal rescue, rainforest preservation, etc… I am not, however, comfortable with religious-based charities… I’ve seen up close and personal the kind of problems / abuse / strings-attached they can come with.     What is your favorite art movement and/or style? ie impressionist, surrealist, art nouveau, etc. Preraphaelite. I’m definitely a romantic. I adore Waterhouse, Leighton, Bougereau, etc.   Do you have a case for your mp3 player/digital camera? If you would want one, what size is your digital device? I do not have any digital devices except for a camera, which simply sits in my purse 24/7.   For tea drinkers, do you bag it or prefer loose: I prefer hot chocolate to tea.   Does the weather change where you are, as in, does it get cold in the winter? Yes, it gets down to around -15 or so.   Anyone need homegrown scarves, hats, mittens, etc? I’m a glove wearer, over mittens, really. I have two handmade scarves that keep me taken care of, that were custom made for me.   Who are your forum buddies? People you know well enough online or IRL to help your Witch pick out stuff for you? I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t have a lot of folks who are really close to me on the forum. Of everyone, I have known Macha in person for a long time – she and I used to play a LARP together for about 5 years. But I haven’t seen her in 8 years. : (   Does your cell phone have a place to attach charms? It does not.   If you drink coffee (and make it yourself) do you use a French Press, regular filter basket coffee maker, Espresso Machine, Percolator? I don’t drink coffee. I drink hot chocolate, and have a wonderful device called a Cocomotion.   What movie soundtracks (or scores) do you love? Streets of Fire. Braveheart. The fifth Element. Message in a Bottle. The Mists of Avalon. Phantom of the Opera. Bellydance Superstars. Camelot.   How do you scent yourself? Do you layer soaps, moisturizers, etc. or do you go straight to slathering your bod with BPAL? I actually use BPAL somewhat rarely – just for SCA events, special occaisions just for me. My husband likes Fredericks of Hollywood’s “Seduction” so I use that on a daily basis. I would love to find a BPAL that is a similar enough match that I could get away from the spray bottle, and stop supporting the big business and instead support the Lab.   Do you/how do you scent your world? Candles, incense, diffusers, potpourri? None of the above? Candles and incense.   BPAL is such a scent-ual experience. What are your other tactile, aural, or olfactory pleasures? I love to cook, so the scent of food as I am making it is a big thing. I adore flannel as a texture, as well as velvet – soft fabrics with warmth to them, as I’m cold all the time. Music is a huge thing for me. If I have a choice, there is always some form of music playing, and I have a very eclectic range I enjoy.   How do people feel about receiving baked goods/kits to make said goods? Or other cooking items? Would you enjoy oil or vinegar flavored with herbs grown at home? Strange and exotic spices with recipes to try? Cookies made with carnation petals? I enjoy receiving home made goods, but shy away from anything like flavored oils because its hard to make them in such a way as to avoid botulism or salmonella or other problems. I enjoy strange and exotic spices, such as saffron and cardamom, and cook with them happily. I’ve not had edible flowers before – that would be new!   What are your pet's names, and what are they named for? Radar and BoBo were named by my husband; he owned them before we got together. Radar is a coal black hunter kittie of Abyssinian ancestry, with a narrow, sleek body, regal face, and GIANT radar-dish shaped ears. Bobo is a longhair, pudgy version of cartman in cat form. I think he was named by the ex-wife.   Who here is a complete, over the top, Alice In Wonderland fanatic? I am not.   Are you a Trekkie? If so, which series do you prefer? Do you have a favorite character? I am not. Of all the characters, however, I like Picard, mostly because it’s Patrick Stewart, who is teh sexy.   Do you have phobias? Spiders. Bugs of most sorts I do not like, but spiders… gah.   How do you like your mix CDs? Random? Stuff you know you'll like? Hm. I prefer to listen to things I like, but I’m also open to new experiences.   Would you rather get food or jewellery? Now that’s a cruel choice to force on someone. Either is welcome.   Do you like children's toys, such as jacks, those little things you tilt around to get the ball in the right hold (wtf are those called?), the aforementioned caplet dinosaurs, cap guns, etc?: Not so much.   English candy/tea/marmite or other stuff that you love and can't easily get outside of England? Hmm… no.   Fanfic as a gift* - yay or nay? Your fandom? Slash preferences?*well, a virtual gift obviously. You know what I mean. Not much of a fangirl, really.   Any beaders here? Need beading supplies? Oh, gawds, yes. One can never have too many beading supplies / beads / colored silks / findings / etc.   Do you like making up your SW packages around a theme, or prefer to mix it all up? I like to do themes. It’s my anal-retentive / ocd-wannabe self.   Band-aids: do you like the fun and funky ones? I didn’t know they made them, until recently. I’ve not explored the full range of options. Though I think they could be very fun.   What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you? Nearly losing the one who almost got away. Being attacked by a dog at age 11. Going into surgery for my leg when I was a kid, and not understanding why. Being date raped.     What is everyone's favorite Halloween song?! Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo.   How many of mah fellow witchies play video games? Platform? Do you like used games? I don’t play video games, because the motion makes me sick. I used to play text based games a lot.   What kind of music (genres, please) do you like? Folk. Country. Western. Rock – classical, modern, hard, etc. Classical. New Age / Celtic. Show Tunes. R&B Slow Jams. Electronica. Acid Jazz.   Have any of you ever received a book from a Witchy and loved it so much you ended up buying a copy for a later Witchee? Not as of yet.   What kinds of eye shadows do we all like? I stick to Clinique in shades of purple, sometimes grays, sometimes browns.   Do you like lip balm? If so, do you like tinted, glossy, sparkly, pearly or just plain lip balm? I have only ever used plain ole ChapStick. Am open to new experiences.   What are some of the SW gifts/finds from past rounds (or you can just name a gift in general that you found for someone if this is your first round!) that you are the most proud of in terms of your sleuthing skills? I made some custom decant labels once that turned out pretty coolies. I dunno, I’ve only had few rounds, and haven’t gotten a huge amount of feedback on 2 of the 3 rounds.   And, secondly, what is something you've been searching for but just can't find? My waistline? : P   Do you knit/crochet? Do you need any supplies? No. I fail miserably at knitting.   Who here has an etsy shop? I do not. I have been encouraged to do so, but haven’t ever done it.   What are your two favorite etsy shops? I don’t have any – I haven’t really visited the place at all.   Are you active on any other boards/forums? If so please specify where and your username there. The Armour Archive – Zubeydah. Though it’s really not gonna make much sense to anyone outside the SCA.   What would you tell yourself 6 months in the past about 2008 so far? Ouch. That’s a painful question. Relative and Coworker are gonna go psycho – be ready. It’s ok to keep the weight off. Concentrate. Unpack more boxes.   If you had one minute of fame, what would you do/say in the spotlight? I would express gratitude and love to my husband for all that he is to me.   Robots versus zombies: who wins? Robots.

Bethany

Bethany

 

Yet More Switch Witch Questions

Speaking of historical fiction, how does everyone feel about Sherlock Holmes? - I have no opinion, positive or negative, about Mr. Holmes, other than the fact he's generally _portrayed_ in films as being quite a misogynist and a twit.   Favorite cartoons or animated films? - Films: The Secret of Nimh, Ratatouie, Robin Hood (Disney), Jungle Book (Disney) Lady and the Tramp. Cartoons: Anamaniacs   Your take on the election? In other words, would you enjoy campaign related gifts, or prefer to stay neutral? I would prefer not to receive election related gifts.   Villians you sympathise with, or are interested in boinking? The Marquis de Sade. The Sheriff of Nottingham, as portrayed in Robin Hood by Alan Rickman.   Your stance on the all important peanut butter issue: crunchy? creamy? allergic? chocolate? maple? go directly to nuttella, do not pass go? Creamy peanut butter. Never had chocolate peanut butter. Nutella is proof that our Creator loves us.   Who here likes to read historical fiction? If you do, what eras/people/countries intrigue you the most? I *really* enjoyed the Lymond Chronicles by Dame Dorothy Dunnett in a huge way. A lot of other historical fiction doesn't grab the the way her work does.   About incense: do you like sticks or lose incense? Have you got one of those devices to burn lose incense over a bit of charcoal? I like sticks and cones and use them both. I don't have any of the charcoal style burners.   What's everyone's favorite fairytale and what are your favorite versions of it? Hm. It's been way too long since I read any of my rather large collection of fairy tale books (some of which are antiques, but the one with the coolest name is "A Real Queen's Fairy Tale Book" written by the Queen of Romania, over 100 years ago. I think I'm gonna have to go read them....   So how many imps/decants is officially 'you have gone overboard and your Witchee is going to expire from scent overload'? No idea. I tend to pick them specifically off their wishlist, so it depends on what I can get my hands on and what I can't...   Who needs a recipe box? Not I : most of my recipies are 8x11 and not card sized.   ANYONE ELSE want a home-made cookbook? Recipes are always enormously welcome.   How do you avoid popping an item for yourself into an order you're placing for your witchie? Because I'd rather buy something for my witchie with my Fun Money than for myself.   Underpants? Do you like them? What's your style? Size? Er, I'd prefer to buy my own, unless you somehow find Eeyore Undies. But if you must know... I wear size 9s, usually in black or white, generally either a girl or boy short style, or bikinis. I like soft, silky fabrics or lace. I have a mantra: Life is too short to wear ugly panties.   What is your favorite? What tea would you love to try but haven't because of price or difficulty to get? I don't covet any particular tea - I drink Mint Medley by Bigelow and that works just fine for me.   BPTP Room Sprays...your thoughts? I'd love to try them, but they're simply out of my budget range.   Would you like to receive baked goods from your Witch? And if so, are there things you WOULDN'T like? No Crunchy Frog Chocolates. (sorry, monty python reference). Baked goods are lovely.   Do you often drink take away coffe in paper mugs? I don't drink coffee. I don't generally get hot beverages at drive throughs / take aways. I make my own hot cocoa from a packet at work and drink it from a mug. At the moment, that's a Jack Skellington mug I stole from hubby, to celebrate Halloween.   What would a perfume based on you smell like? Hrm. Me, huh? It wouldn't smell like the things that I LIKE my perfume to smell like...If it was focused on what is pure and ME: soft breezes through an oak's leaves entwined with cool breezes racing over the Maine shore, entwined with the scent of a cat's fur that's been resting in the sunlight, birdsong, old books and quilts, a wood stove, and hot chocolate. If it was focused on my actual LIFE: the catbox that needs cleaning, sweaty sexy sheets, cooking chocolate, my husband's cigarettes, and herbs from my garden.   Who here likes Wizard of Oz things? - Not particularly... Though, the line, "Don't make me send my flying monkeys after you" is smirk enducing.   Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? Have you tried out (and if not, would you be interested in doing so) its weird little brother, RiffTrax? - MST3K is amusing, though I haven't watched it in years. I have not checked out RiffTrax. My humor tends to lean far more towards Monty Python / British humor, rather than American.   What will you like from Singapore? Candies? Food? Asian crafts/toys? Oh gawd. Fabric. Fabric. Fabric.   What is everyone's "luck" item? My husband's dog tags. Though it's more of a "Love" item than a Luck item.   Do you like art deco/nouveau - style prints? Nope. Now, Pre-Rafaelite, now we are talking...   What is one thing that, if you received it in the middle of all the hubbub, would make you smile and take your mind off of all you have to do for a bit? A book.   How do you feel about Hello Kitty? Death.   Legwarmers? Armwarmers? Haven't worn leg warmers since the 80s.. yikes! Never tried armwarmers, but I am growing intrigued.   What makes everyone stand out from the Switch Witch herd? I don't honestly know. There's a variety of things about me that are unusual in the 'usual' crowd, but around here.. not so much. I'm in the SCA, I'm pagan, I'm in a power-exchange relationship, I'm a bead artist, I'm an intermitant bellydancer.   If you are into the original Nintendo system, what 3 games would you want that you don't have? I do not have such a thing. My husband has an XBOX, but I don't play it.   What is your favorite category of the GC? - Love Potions. They're the most likely to have rose scents.   Stance on Joss Whedon and his enterprises? - Who? No particular like or dislike.   Has anyone tried ice wine before? Do/did they enjoy it? - Haven't ever tried it.   What other perfume companies (besides bpal) have you been curious about? - None.   Does anyone here do anything with grave rubbings? - Er, no... Mom used to make me go to graveyards as a kid and do them of the headstones of our ancestors (She's a geneologist). Had some very Wierd Things happen on those graveyard excursions.   Would you enjoy art based on original Graveyard photography? - No thank you...   What's in your Netflix or Blockbuster queue, do you want any new Netflix/Blockbuster friends, if so how do we find you on there? - Don't have one.

Bethany

Bethany

 

The Shelby...

Yes, that is my dad washing the car in the rain. We took it out yesterday morning when we went for breakfast, drove through a construction site on a road we didn't know was being torn up ahead of time, and thus covered the car in all sorts of fun stuff from the torn up pavement. So today, when he took it to to go to the store, he ran down to wash it after getting beef stew going in the crock pot. It wasn't raining when he started. It stopped when he was done rinsing it off.

heartbreakangel

heartbreakangel

 

And more questions

Historical fiction? Absolutely, yes. I adore this stuff despite cringing inwardly due to inaccuracies. Some authors really do their research, though, so I tend to read them. I love Tudor (although Philippa Gregory annoys me), medieval, and some Victorian.   Speaking of historical fiction, how does everyone feel about Sherlock Holmes? He is okay. I liked the PBS series where Rupert Evert played Sherlock. Mmmm, yummy!     Favorite cartoons or animated films? I like Gir off of Invader Zim. I like some Disney films, but, otherwise, I don't tend towards animated films.     Your take on the election? In other words, would you enjoy campaign related gifts, or prefer to stay neutral? Please don't send me anything campaign related. It is interesting to follow and I will vote, but, I am not a huge political person.     Your stance on the all important peanut butter issue: crunchy? creamy? allergic? chocolate? maple? go directly to nuttella, do not pass go?   Smooth Peanut Butter for the win! Jif is awesome! That spicy stuff sounds good, though. No nutella. It is certain death to me since it is made of hazelnuts.

darharper

darharper

 

Scent preferences

Here's the deal: I've tried all the BPAL I'll ever want to try try except for old/unreleased/impossible to find scents. I'm open to trying other companies, but I have so much BPAL and Possets and designer perfumes that I will never ever use even a tenth of it in my lifetime. And what's worse is, I run decant circles so for the forseeable future I'll be able to try everything the Lab puts out. Bottom line is, I really don't need any more perfume. I know (shocker) NONE of us does.   But that's why I hesitated on doing this perfume wish/favorites list.   BPAL, etc Favorite BPAL oils: Sudha Segara, Mme, Moriarty, Miskatonic University, Pumpkin III (2007), Count Dracula, Faith, Rose Red (all years), Anactoria, Bonfire Night, Hearth, Shub, Sunflower, Snake Oil, Dorian, 51, Aeaea, House of Mirrors, Midway, Embalming Fluid, Kumiho, Fruitcake, Smut, Ace of Hearts, Bearded Lady, The Apothecary, Leanann Sidhe (the one fave I don't have a bottle of), Amsterdam, Lyonesse, Victoria, Snake Charmer, Luperci, Krampus, Cheshire Cat, Red Lantern, Sin, Urania... Favorite notes: Ginger, lemon/lemongrass,/verbena lime, mandarin, currants, pineapple, grapefruit, pumpkin, plum, rose, lilac, freesia, honeysuckle, lily (particularly stargazer), peony, pine (though I amp it, so it needs to be blended well), lavender, leather, smoke, sandalwood, incense, amber, patchouli, musks, dried woods, dried grasses, caramel, cocoa/chocolate, booze, baked goods, metals, aquatic notes, ozone... Notes I love as long as they're not BPAL: Vanilla, coconut, fig, sugar, almond, honey, apple, peach and berries. Favorite non-BPAL perfumes: Issey Miyake's L'eau D'Issey, Stella McCartney's Stella Absolute, Prada, Lolita Lempicka, Aquolina's Pink Sugar (there's a time and place), Gucci Rush, Gucci II, Benefit's Maybe Baby, Nanette Lepore, Valentino V, Burberry Brit, Thierry Mugler's Angel, Possets: Gingerbread Whorehouse, Indigo, Glee, Silver Carnations, Maggie and Id Least favorite BPAL oils: Many of the Tarots and Conjure Bag. Glitter, Saturnalia, Love's Philosophy, Yggdrasil, Katharina, Dragon's Milk... the list goes on and on... Anything containing my vvv least favorite notes vvv Least favorite notes: Blossoms (ex orange blossom, apple blossom), lotus, wine, fresh grass/dirt, cinnamon, damp woods/leaves, apricot, black tea, eucalyptus, grape Last favorite non-BPAL perfumes: All Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and Vera Wang perfumes.   Also, somewhere I said I didn't want candles. They're expensive to ship and I have cats so I never know what's going to happen. But I do really love to scent my house. So there's the quandary. If you can think of a solution, kudos to you. Love!

Spacekitty

Spacekitty

 

Another round of SW questions

What a perfume based on me would smell like? Clay (dirt), sandalwood, metal, a drop of blood, lavendar and chamomile (our soap), and a touch of pop fizz. (I’m a ceramics major…) Who here likes Wizard of Oz things? The movie is ok, although I like Return to Oz better. The Wheelers and flying monkeys are so terrifyingly awesome! Do you often drink take away coffee in paper mugs? I don’t drink coffee, but I continue to buy bottles of water. Blood Moon update? Bought a bottle and decants of everything else. Am eyeing the volunteer shirt. Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? I used to watch it every Saturday morning on Sci-fi. I wish they’d bring it back. What will you like from Singapore? Candies? Food? Asian crafts/toys? Um…yeah!, yum!, maybe, and YES! What is everyone's "luck" item? I agree that ‘luck‘ shouldn‘t be focused on one item in case it‘s lost. Do you like art deco/nouveau - style prints? I like all art. What is one thing that, if you received it in the middle of all the hubbub, would make you smile and take your mind off of all you have to do for a bit? Something bright and cute. How do you decide what to put in which package for your Witchee or how many packages to send? I’m thinking about three packages, each with a loose theme. If you were my witchee, would you be terribly offended if I sent you a box containing project "experiments" or random miscellaneous pretty bits of brainstorming that I thought you might like/wear? Not at all. I love pretty bits. Are you in need of BPAL storage? My imps are desparately in need of a home where they can stand up. I already have a nice paper suitcase for my bottles. My thoughts on oreos? om nom nom nom nom nom BPTP room sprays: I have a decant of some of the Halloween scents coming soon. I’m curious about some of the others, but right now am using one from Bath and Body Works…cucumber melon. Would you like to recieve baked goods from your Witch? And if so, are there things you WOULDN'T like? I’m not too fond of cheese danishes. How does everyone feel about really green gifties? I was thinking of giving my witchee some of my handy-dandy "paper" towels (hand-sized, washable muslin squares--kinda like ultra-cheapo cloth napkins) in a kitchen-friendly decorative box, but I didn't want to seem preachy ("Stop using paper towels, you environment destroyer!"). Would y'all use something like that? I’m actually embarrassed by the amount of things I throw out: paper plates, paper towels, water bottles (I do recycle these, though), etc, so nothing like that would sound preachy. What craft (or crafts) have you been wanting to try but have no idea where to start? Even though I make jewelry, I’ve been wanting to get into the altered, mixed vintage, pile on the charms look. Or soldering pictures between microscope glass. Would you appreciate some tunes in future packages? And if so, do you care if you get any CDs or mp3s you might have all ready? Or would you be able to find a way to post a list of things you're (a) looking for, or ( b ) all ready have? Duplicates would be ok since pretty much all my cds are in my car. I’d rather have a mix though. Polish goodies! Who wants them? Baked goods, candies, kielbasa, pirogies, magazines, you name it? I don’t know anything about Polish food. How do you avoid popping an item for yourself into an order you're placing for your witchie? I have no will power, but I’d just have it sent to them. Underpants? Do you like them? What's your style? Size? I don’t take undies from strangers…lol. What is your favorite? What tea would you love to try but haven't because of price or difficulty to get? I’m determined to find that jasmine tea I had at that Chinese restaurant. Do you prefer gummy, soft candies or hard candies? Hard or taffy like. What sort of colors do you currently wear? Do you want to branch outside that? What would you like to try? Shirts: red, rust, orange, purple/orchid, teal, green. I seem to be drawn to orchid cause I have like five or six different tops in it. I try to keep white to a minimum since I seem to be a walking mess. I used to wear black all the time, but with the cats, it seems like I'm forever using a lint roller. About incense: do you like sticks or lose incense? Have you got one of those devices to burn lose incense over a bit of charcoal? I’m not into incense. What's everyone's favorite fairytale and what are your favorite versions of it? I like the original creepy versions of fairytales. Where the Wild Things Are and Tuesday are my two favorite kids books. So how many imps/decants is officially 'you have gone overboard and your Witchee is going to expire from scent overload'? There’s no such thing as scent overload. Who needs a recipe box? Not me. ANYONE ELSE want a home-made cookbook? I don’t really cook, but do like to bake. Speaking of historical fiction, how does everyone feel about Sherlock Holmes? Not much. Favorite cartoons or animated films? Cartoons: Animaniacs, Tom and Jerry, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Invader Zim, the Tick. Movies: The Aristocats, Fox and the Hound, pretty much anything that has talking animals in it. The Iron Giant is great and Princess Mononoke/Spirited Away. I was never into princesses. Your take on the election? In other words, would you enjoy campaign related gifts, or prefer to stay neutral? No thank you. Villians you sympathise with, or are interested in boinking? haha…I love me some villains. I always sympathize with the bad guy. Heath Ledger was all sorts of awesome as the Joker, and Slyer (Heroes) is… Your stance on the all important peanut butter issue: crunchy? creamy? allergic? chocolate? maple? go directly to nuttella, do not pass go? Peanut butter: anything but crunchy. And nutella is the best thing ever. Who here likes to read historical fiction? If you do, what eras/people/countries intrigue you the most? Not really.

DogNPonyShow

DogNPonyShow

 

Sheesh... even more questions!

It's a little after 2 a.m. and the mysterious heartburn I've had for over 24 hours for noooo reason is keeping me awake. So... it's time for questions!   ***9/25*** Favorite cartoons or animated films?   Oh, I like so many animated things, it's really kinda too hard to pick here. As long as the cartoon is either hilarious or at least a little bit thoughtful, I'll probably watch it. Really.   Your take on the election? In other words, would you enjoy campaign related gifts, or prefer to stay neutral?   Obama all the way. I'm not really into campaign related gifts, though.   Villians you sympathise with, or are interested in boinking?   Londo from Babylon 5. There's just something about him that resonates with me. He's so proud and imperious, but he's really rather silly and under the pretty frock coats and face powder, he KNOWS it. Everything he does, he does because he genuinely thinks he's helping his people. And he wants to help them because he wants to be liked. He just... gets sucked down a very wrong path. Poor Londo.   Your stance on the all important peanut butter issue: crunchy? creamy? allergic? chocolate? maple? go directly to nuttella, do not pass go?   Largely disinterested! On the rare occasion that I want to eat it, I go for crunchy, though.   Who here likes to read historical fiction? If you do, what eras/people/countries intrigue you the most?   Not a huge historical fiction person, though I'll read basically anything.   ***9/24*** What sort of colors do you currently wear? Do you want to branch outside that? What would you like to try?   Is this about clothing or makeup? I don't wear makeup, so let's assume clothing. To my mild chagrin, I've come to realize that almost all of my shirts are either red, black, or brown. Oh, sure, I have one or two baby blue ones and one noteworthy green shirt (one!), but really... I don't get around much when it comes to clothing colors.   I don't know what colors I'd like to wear. Not yellow. Not orange.   ***9/22*** About incense: do you like sticks or lose incense? Have you got one of those devices to burn lose incense over a bit of charcoal?   No burny things! No incense! Alas!   What's everyone's favorite fairytale and what are your favorite versions of it?   Probably The Tinder Box, sometimes called The Magic Tinder Box. It's... well, you'd have to read it. It's full of all sorts of horribleness, and dogs with eyes like saucers! In browsing the internet, I found about seven different versions of it that're the same up until the end. But the weirdest thing about the endings is that they are always varying degrees of happy. What! This horrible man gets a HAPPY ENDING out of this all! ... Still, it's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of fairy tales that I enjoyed reading as a child.   Also the one where the guy kills his grandma and sells her. You know, the one where the guy sees someone do something similar and gets confused and is like hurrah I shall be so rich if I only just kill my grandmother! And then he kills his grandma and tries to sell her and is like driven out of town and dies a sad and lonely exile. Um... I had NO luck finding this via Google, and I've long since lost the book it was in, so I have no idea what it's called or anything.   So how many imps/decants is officially 'you have gone overboard and your Witchee is going to expire from scent overload'?   Haw. As if! I guess that if my witch did something INSANE like send me a hundred imps, I might be a little overwhelmed... but I'd catch up eventually. (On the other hand, I'm perfectly happy with the two she's sent so far!)   Who needs a recipe box?   I don't need one, per se... I'm perfectly happy sticking recipes into other cookbooks! And to be honest, I rarely print out or copy down recipes these days.   ANYONE ELSE want a home-made cookbook?   Cookbooks are one of my favorite things, so yes, I'd be open to this!

coldandsleepy

coldandsleepy

 

Waiting

I got a CnS last Saturday (9/20, unexpectedly early even!) which said my stuff was going to be sent out on Monday 9/22. I know that 5 days might not be enough for the package to arrive but the USPS status still says "Shipment accepted" so I worry if my leettle package is still laying around in Hollywood. I mean, it's nice in Hollywood I'm sure of that but... can I please get my baby scents? I am positively sure that I am going to love them so much that I will never use them out of fear of running out of them. So I figure I should get backups, but since no one knows when the update is going to come down, it could be ANY DAY. I'm a bit anxious... but I'm still sane enough that I'm not going to order backups for something I haven't even tried yet. So, let's see what the mail-woman brings today.   That explains it...   Later that same day: No mail for me at all!   And one day later, 9/27: Still no mail for us. Or rather: as I was typing this, the mail-woman came. At least that because yesterday we received no mail at all. Who needs to receive mail everyday anyway? Anyway - no mail for me. NOTHING. Three packages on hold and none comes in my greedy little fingers. I don't want to get them all at once, I want to get them one after the other. NOW. Gah.   9/30: GAH. GIMME MY BPAL ORDER. NAO!

Juliet's Silk

Juliet's Silk

 

Love it!

Here is a list of the scents that I have fallen in love with!! (I tend to like vanilla, skin musk and other light musks, honey, spices, snake oil, lime, carnation (I think!), cardamom, a true to life jasmine scent, amber, stargazer lily, possibly red musk, leather that plays nicely....!)   This is a list of the scents I love, but don't necessarily need. Ones in bold I can always use more of!   GC (In no particular order...) Phantom Queen Robotic Scarab Shub-Niggurath Vechernyaya Morocco I Died for Beauty Snake Oil!! Prague Jack Sin Bathsheba (bottle worthy!) Spellbound (partial bottle worthy!) Lady Una TKO! Al-Azif (Need a bottle someday!!) Bow and Crown of Conquest La Petit Mort (NEED A BOTTLE!!) The Lion Rogue (paired with Sin is amazing!)   Carnaval Mme. Moriarty Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn   LE Cabaret.Goth L'inverno I Married a Vampire from Planet X The Girl Glowing Vulva The Malignant Dreams of Cthulhu in Love Midway/Midway Resurrected Haloes Hod Hua Mulan Lilith Victoria Count Dracula Clockwork Couture: Female   Protos ELF V4! PL176 Hod v2 Misfortune Teller v? Saqqara v2   For my boy:   GC Bow and Crown of Conquest Dee Dorian   LE Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn - This smells so good on him, it isn't even funny!! Sacrifice (SO likes this one) Count Dracula

ami226

ami226

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