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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
    • 5,209 views
Cam's Blog
 

Switch Witch Winter 2008-09 Q&A

12/15 What do you collect...besides BPAL? Oh, good grief. A million things. Comics and books. Action figures (mostly from comics and anime). Postcards, movie tickets, and other memorabilia. I'm desperately trying not to develop an addiction to iitala glass birds, but a friend from Finland brought one back for me from her recent trip home to visit the family. And I can get them at a local store in my city...   12/14 Anyone a fan of Goddess art? Love it.   Anyone else a Luis Royo fan? Yes, I like his work.   What are your favorite websites (i.e., the ones you visit every day, or almost every day)? Well, this one, obviously. Also these (although actually, I mostly watch these via various feed readers): http://purefelinity.com http://dragcave.net http://mcsweeneys.net http://cuteoverload.com http://warrenellis.com http://ursalavernon.com http://twitter.com http://postsecret.com (weekly visit)   Do you want to try the Will Call only Champagne scents? Oh yeah. With serious desperation.   Would you please share your favorite e-card site? I like BlueMountain.com and Care2's ecards.   Do you play on-line games? Which one and which server? Do you need any funds/equipment/help adventuring? Already answered part of this before. I can always use help with mats (tailoring and enchanting). I'm just 10 points away from leveling out tailoring, but I have a looooong way to go in enchanting.   Do you have traditional holiday movies you like to watch? My favorite holiday movie is Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas I also love A Christmas Story and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.   What are your "guilty pleasures" type movies? That you really secretly like but don't like to admit to it? Only You with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey, Jr. Those lul-inducing "Sci-Fi Original Pictures."   How do you feel about Lush? Anything you want to try? Delphinine enabled me last round, and there's SO much I want to try! I will also need another bar of SJG soon.   How do you feel about home made lip balm, salt or sugar scrubs, soap, bath salts, etc? I would love some! I like all kinds of different lip balm flavors, and there's a link in my signature to favorite notes.   If you were to receive a hand-knitted item, what color(s) would you prefer AND are there any types of yarn that you just cannot handle (e.g. wool, llama, etc.)? I would like something in purple or green maybe. I try to stick to natural fibers (cotton, wool, etc.) because sometimes synthetics screw with my skin.   12/13 What is one REALLY expensive, completely outrageous thing you would LOVE to get but totally don't expect to ever get from anyone? I'm hardcore lusting after one of the new MacBook Pros.   Do you like coffee mugs? Travel or stay at home? How big? Do you like ones from Starbucks? I do like coffee mugs, both travel and regular. I especially like travel mugs that are actually ceramic. The hubby gave me one for our anniversary, and it's really neat. Keeps the coffee/tea warm, doesn't spill, and still feels like a "real" coffee mug, if you know what I mean.   If you drink coffee, do you like whole bean coffee or prefer ground? What grind? What roast (mild, medium, bold, extra bold)? Do you like flavored coffee? I prefer whole bean, fair trade whenever possible. I like all different roasts, and flavored too.   Do you like tea? What kinds of tea (green, red, white, black, decaf, herbal infusions)? Feel free to get specific on brands and tea types. Loose or bagged? Do you need any kind of tea accessories? Pots/cozys/presses/strainers? I love tea! All kinds of tea (but nothing with lavender). I prefer loose. And yes! I need accessories. I've been trying to find a good infuser for my loose tea, but keep winding up with these kinda crappy ones.   What is your favorite hot chocolate or drinking chocolate? Do you need Vegan or no? I don't really have a favorite brand. I especially like hazelnut hot chocolate if I can find it. Don't need vegan.   Do you need any decanting supplies? Pipettes? Vials? How about any wand caps? Roller bottles? Some spray bottles (for oils mixed with alcohol?) I really need wand caps.   12/12 Alright witches, who is ordering the Moon of the Terrible oil? I am trying to resist.   I wanted to ask a question: are there any rare (or even uber-rare) scents that you'd really like to try? Storyville and Mabon are at the top of my stuff-I'll-probably-never-get-to-try list.   Does your forum name have a special significance? Refer to something or someone you admire? Reflect your interests? Come on, spill! No, it's just my name (short for Camellia).   12/11 What's your favorite texture? Velvet. In general, though, I love soft and snuggly things.   What's one luxury item you want to pamper yourself with but haven't yet? I would love to try some Lush buttercreams, shower gels, and emotibombs.   Do you prefer arm warmers to the wrist, to the base of the fingers, or half fingered? Half-fingered or to the base of the fingers. I need to keep my hands warm yet still be able to do things like type.   Any favorite cartoon characters? Disney, Sanrio, etc? Chococat, Simon's Cat, Eeyore   Have you (or maybe the younguns in your family) been exposed to the Webkinz craze? No idea what that is.   Who's your favorite playwright? I love theatre, but don't have enough opportunities locally to go to plays to really have a favorite playwright.   Anyone into physical activities? For instance- I'm training to become a Combat Archer in the SCA, and something I would use would be an Archers glove...is there anything you do as a sport/hobby in which you might need equipment? I'm heavily into yoga (I've been practicing for 4 years now) and I could really use a couple new blocks (example), since my cats clawed my old pair to ribbons. I'd also love a meditation cushion of some sort.   I just started doing a serious fitness regimen with a friend who's a personal trainer, but I really don't need anything for that. At least not yet.   Are there any witchy type supplies you're in need of, or would like to try etc.? Herbs, smudge sticks, resins, tarot/oracle cards, incense burners, pretty tools, stuff like that? I can always use another incense burner.   On nut intolerance - does it include things like almond/coconut oil bases and essential oils in perfume oils, skincare products, scented candles and the like? I don't have any nut allergies, and I like nutty-scented things.   If you are a fan, who were your favorite Buffy and Angel characters? Spike   Do you like Shakespeare? Which plays? Yes. I tend to prefer the comedies, but also love Macbeth and Hamlet.   12/10 Question for the Class: Favorite Musical? Sweeney Todd, but I should note that as a rule, I am not a huge fan of musicals.   How do you like your chocolate? White, milk, bittersweet, as dark as possible? Plain, with flavoring, with chunks of stuff in? Fairly traditional, or weird and experimental? I like all varieties of chocolate, and I'm very adventurous about it (and almost all foods, really).   Favorite animals? Least favorite? I LOVE animals. Practically all of them. As I'm sure my witch gathered from my questionnaire, I'm a cat lover, but honestly, I really just love animals. The only ones I really don't like are snakes and spiders (I have a deep and abiding horror of spiders).   How do you feel about Heifer International? Or do you have other favorite charities not mentioned in your application? Heifer is a great charity.   So for all witches of the shimmying types - would you like tassel belts/jingle belts/ ect and if so, how big are your hips? Sadly, I haven't shimmied in awhile. I was taking classes a couple of years ago, but my teacher's day job got a bit too busy, and she had to quit teaching.   12/9 What are 3 places that you'd like to visit, or re-visit? Tuscany - The hubby and I spent our honeymoon there, and we it. Can't wait to go back. Spain Argentina   Literary erotica. Who doesn't love it? Like it.   Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL wishlist during the round? Probably not, at least until after the holidays.   Do you read graphic novels/comics? Which ones? LOVE comics! Favorites include Sandman (and anything by Gaiman), Hellblazer, Transmetropolitan (and really, ANYTHING by Warren Ellis), Planetary, Fell, Fables, Y: The Last Man, Watchmen (and again, anything by Alan Moore), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 30 Days of Night, Desolation Jones... I'm sure there's some stuff I'm forgetting. I really want to check out Poison Elves and House of Mystery. If my witch is into comics, though, I'm happy to check out anything she/he thinks I might like.   Which witches would want Bpal boxes? Or imp cases? That would be really nice. My shelf is full now.   How about a short - or longer - piece of fanfic? Not really into fanfic.   What is the weirdest and/or most practical thing you are not buying for yourself right now? The thing that you probably should be buying, but have been putting off in lieu of something else? I desperately need to replace my contacts (one of the last pair tore, so right now I have none). Also, a laundry hamper with a lid (to keep pets out). I just can't seem to find the time to go pick up either of these.   Would you like handmade piece of calligraphy as a gift? That would be awesome.   What jewelry are you wearing now? What jewelry do you wear everyday-or do you change jewelry all the time? My wedding ring (which looks like this; I love it!), a handmade amethyst ring with a silver band that my mom gave me, my CD scent locket, amber plugs, silver hoop earrings. I wear the wedding ring, one of my pairs of plugs (I have amber, jade, and a carved wood pair), and the little silver hoops every day. I wear one of my lockets almost every day.   Boxes, baskets, etc.? I can always use more decorative storage objects.   Chia Pet, do you need one? I would undoubtedly kill it. Or the cats would eat it. I do best with plants that live outside.   Houseplants and/or things to put them in: thoughts? Again, I'm not very good with them, and anything I have has to be pet-safe (my cats absolutely will chew on the leaves).   Do you like baskets, jars and other interesting containers? Filled or Empty? Sure. Either filled or empty is ok with me.   12/8 Who are your forum friends, person or people your witch can contact for ideas? Ravyn1 is probably my closest forum buddy. We have a lot of common interests, and appear to be scent twins.   What cartoons did you grow up watching? Any animated shows you still watch? Um... I know I liked the Smurfs. And Thundercats. I love Batman cartoons still, and the Justice League. I'm also a HUGE anime fan. Some faves are Vampire Hunter D, the second Vampire Hunter D (whose name escapes me right now), My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns, Spirited Away, Millenium Actress, Blood: The Last Vampire.... I know there are more, but can't think right now.   Do you like honey? Will you like to try creamy honey with black sesame or with cinnamon powder? Yum! That sounds awesome.   What is the biggest problem or sad thing in your life? Of course, I mean the saddest or worst thing you can confess here. I would say dealing with my hubby's ex-wife. There's a whole long history of crap that she's done, but suffice to say she is not friendly. Last year she moved with my stepson to Miami, which is 13 hours from where we live (before, they lived two hours away). This is extremely hard on my husband, and yesterday we found out that she's refusing to bring him for the holidays this year, as she is obligated to do by the custody agreement. So yeah. That pretty much sucks.   What fashion item or style do you like, but never wear? Heels. I love them. I have several sexy pairs. I almost never have any excuse to wear them (and not much in the way of clothes to wear them with).   Do you like to cook? if so, what? Would you like things like spices, cookbooks, recipes, tips? I'm not much of a cook, sadly. There are a few things I can make well, but my hubby does most of the cooking. I do like spices and such.   Do any of you like puzzle books? I love logic puzzles.   12/6 I love Christmas music even though I'm pagany -- how about you? There are a few Xmas songs I like. Carol of the Bells is always a fave, and anything Celtic-y. Of course, I'm dying to have A Very Scary Solstice, since someone posted a link here.   Anyone else have a sudden and unexpected favorite BPAL lately? I wasn't sure I would like Snow White, but then someone swapped me a decant of Snow White 2007, and I love it. Dying to get 2008 now.   It's cold outside - what are your favorite drinks to keep yourself warm and cozy? Cider, tea and cocoa are my favorites. Peppermint Mochas from Sbux are always tasty too.   Would my potential Witchee be up for some music stuff they'd never heard before if they couldn't understand the words? Definitely.   12/5 What kind of candy/sweet treat would you like to receive? Chocolate is always welcome.   Would you personally rather get handmade jewelry or the beads to make something yourself? I'm happy with either.   12/3 - 12/4 Since we're talking about warm winter wearables, who likes hats? Mittens? Arm warmers? I love them! And I've really been dying for a pair of fingerless gloves/armwarmers since the weather turned cold where I live.   If your witch were to send you cookies, what kind of cookies would you like? I like all kinds of cookies, really. I'm particularly fond of cookies with toffee, and my hubby is crazy about white chocolate macadamia nut, which I also like.   Who likes tshirts? What about homemade tshirts? Like with transfers I made myself.... Sure! That would be awesome.   Another question! How does everyone feel about steampunk? Steampunk is . I'm lusting after this t-shirt.   Question: who would like a pair of handknit socks? Size? Color preference? Cabled, ribbed (for your pleasure), stranded colorwork, etc.? I would love a pair of handknit socks. Shoe size is 7, so you know, whatever that translates to. Cabled or ribbed is nice, stranded colorwork is very nice.   So, question all - how do people feel about unusual ornaments? As in, for holidays other than Christmas? Sure, that would be neat.   How do people feel about cat hair? I have 9 cats and a dog. 'Nuff said.   Anyone else a total nerd like me and would like DnD/Roleplay stuff (Dice, minis, books, corny tees, etc.)? Sure. Especially dice. I'm always looking for new dice in neat colors.   On a similar note, who likes yarn? What kinds/colors/weights/fibers? Handspun? Glitter? Funky art yarn made from shredded jeans, fake flowers, lace, sequins, and the tattered souls of your enemies? Other craft supplies you desperately want more of and can't live without? Sadly, not a knitter or similar. Just not my skill. I really do need jewelry fittings, though. Clasps, c-rings, settings, anything like that is much appreciated.   Which witches would like hair accessories: clips, scrunchies, hairsticks, headscarves, etc? That would be great. I am especially fond of scarves and clips. I used to love hairsticks, but my hair isn't long enough to put up at the moment.   Hand beaded jewellery, yay or nay? Yay!   To make up for the fact that I probably won't be able to send my witchee homebaked goodies, will Tim Tams in any number of varieties be an acceptable replacement? Not sure what they are, but sure!   Is there any time during the holidays (or the rest of the round) when you'll be away from home for a significant period and it'd be best not to send anything by mail? Nope, not that I know of. If anything comes up, I'll post.   11/28 Would you like to receive ATCs (artist trading cards) or would you prefer something more usable, like bookmarks or something? I would like ATCs. I also like bookmarks, though.   What witch would like a cloak? That would be awesome!
cam

cam

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Alianthe on BPAL
 

Witching on a Budget - Stealth (How to Stay Anonymous Without Buying Everything Online)

Autumn 2008, I had a major dilemma. I knew money was tight, so it was going to be a mostly-handmade round for me. BUT, I was assigned a witchee from my immediate geographic area, and she knew me and, because of our special gatherings, she either knew personally or knew of pretty much all the other Switch Witches in the immediate area. As much as she might try NOT to sleuth me out, the game would be up pretty much the moment she saw the postmark. How was I to stay an anonymous witch right up until I was ready to reveal, yet also stay in contact with her and make sure she got multiple packages, without breaking the bank?   See, the easiest way to confuse your witchee as to your location is to make sure early packages come from etailers or etsy sellers or the like. Or, if you're one of those people who use Paypal or Stamps.com or other postage-from-your-computer services (I'm not), you can edit, forge, or otherwise obscure your postmark that way. If you like to use UPS or Drop Ship Express or FedEx, you may still be able to work with your shipper to fudge things a bit. Most places, USPS is too paranoid to help you out with this anymore. I can't say for sure with any other country's mail system.   Now, let's assume that for whatever reason, those methods aren't going to work for you. What's a sneaky witch to do? Here are some time-honored tips gathered from many veteran witches out there. I didn't come up with most of them, but for reasons of maintaining anonymity, I'm only going to attribute ideas to witches who ask me to. Your fellow witches would love you to use these tips and submit your own - the more people who use them, the more effective they'll be!   * Sneaky barter. Barter is the bread and butter of resourceful witchery, and it applies to everyone, not just those trying to witch on a budget. I've known witches who had no crafting skills whatsoever, but made sure a made-for-witchee item, the equivalent of which could never have been found in stores, arrived on their witchees' doorsteps. I've known witches who have teamed up to witch each other's witchees. I've noticed somebody who wasn't my witchee mentioning that she'd like to try scents from a non-BPAL perfumery I knew I had samples from that were languishing. So I posted to General Chatter "HEY, <witchee>'s WITCH! You should PM me!" When the witch in question responded, we arrived at the agreement that she'd paypal me some $ for the samples, and I'd make up a package for her witchee, complete with personalized note and frimpage. If she hadn't already revealed, it would have been a great way to obscure her location. I've also crafted items for another witch's witchee in exchange for the other witch sending my witchee a package of bought goods from a store local to her (other witch), thereby making it look like I might be in a completely other country and NOT be doing an all-handmade round. As another example, say you've got your eye on another crafty witch's merchandise for your witchee. It costs you nothing to PM that witch and ask if there's something you could barter for it. Or, you notice another witch lamenting that ey has no crafting/cooking skills but wants to witch eir witchee with something handmade/nommy, and it just so happens that you've got the crafting/cooking skills and a little time to do it. You should totally approach that witch via PM and ask to barter. It's also a good idea, if you'd like others to approach you for this kind of action, to post in General Chatter about your barterable skills and willingness to be a co-conspirator or conspire together, so other witches can find you. Many witches will use these words as search keys in the General Chatter Thread to find witches like you to conspire with. You could be one of us!   * What should you do if your witchee contacts you for a barter? The simplest way is to respectfully turn 'em down. If you don't want to do that, you could offer to send stuff to eir witchee in exchange for em sending you something YOU want. If you're really resourceful and into the witching web, you could even offer to send stuff to eir witchee in exchange for em sending stuff to a third witch's witchee (and you don't even need to tell your witchee that third witch's witchee isn't your witchee, ie that third witch is involved at all), in exchange for third witch sending stuff to your witchee. Did you get that? It can get complicated. If you start getting the Nacho Witch Sombrero involved, it can get really tangled, but totally awesome.   * Sneaky seller. If you're a seller on Etsy, or otherwise have a company to sell your handmade items, particularly if your work has been sent to other witchees in the past, it's extremely effective subterfuge to send your witchee a package of your goods made specially for your witchee and pretend you're just the middlewitch and the package contains only items eir witch commissioned from you and had you send em. Pack it up just like you normally do with your outgoing packages, and add a note like "from your Switch Witch" or something else that could imply that you're just the middlewitch, but doesn't exclude you actually being the real witch.   * Sneaky not-seller. If you've got time and materials to make up a couple of fake handmade business cards, hang tags, letterhead, etc, you can invent a handmade items company to send your witchee stuff from! This one's tricky, though, as your witchee is likely to try to find out more about the company and their merchandise, which will expose the fact that it doesn't exist if you don't make it suitably obscure.   * Sneaky packer. If you're a witch who works for an etailer or mailorder company of some sort, particularly a well-known one like B&N or Lush, and you have access to their packing supplies/department, you can make it look to your witchee like ey's getting a package from that etailer, which could have come from anybody anywhere. To accomplish this on the cheap, make your package up out of samples or stuff you aquired with your employee discount, and ship it out through their shipping department (arranging for S&H and packing it yourself).   * Sneaky redirect. If you're not lucky enough to be one of the above, you can still do the sneaky redirect. Say you want to send your witchee some cheaply aquired or like-new-from-your-stash books/DVDs/games/fabric/yarn/tea/etc from your stash, and you've ordered from Amazon/B&N/fabric.com/KnitPicks/Zhena's/SBS Teas/etc in the past. If you carefully saved the packing materials from past orders, you can reuse the them (save $) and make it look like you had those items shipped from that company (obsfucate geography) all at once. Just remember to use the same shipping company they usually do (ie, UPS for B&N), and write the return address so it says something like "Shipping Department," and the zip code matches the postmark (for USPS) or origination (for UPS), etc.
alianthe

alianthe

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Femme_Fatale's Blog
 

GOP

I didn't want to like this one (it's the GOP afterall....shudder), but I am ashamed to admit....I do. At first it is more on the masculine side, but then developes into a slightly sweet, woodsy scent with a hint of musk. It's really very unisex and gorgeous on both me and dh. I will definitely keep and wear this, while just ignoring the name.
femmefatale

femmefatale

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Diplomatka
 

Those Three Little Letters

I am not really sure why I did it; I already had one from when I was 23 (and one is usually enough for most people). I was in-between jobs and desperate, so I took a drastic step: I got another Master’s degree.   After three years of running off to take exams while my husband lounged by the pool in Kigali, lugging statistics texts to my office in Kabul, and declining friends’ Friday night invitations to Harlem Jazz so I could write reports, it’s all over. Now my business cards read:   Confection Marzipana MA, MPH   A tad anticlimactic, no?   Three years of my life, countless hours and thousands of dollars for three little letters. And--get this--I am not even employed in the sector of my new degree (but rather in the discipline of my former Master's).   Yeah, so now that it’s all over I am a little bit at loose ends. Without the demands of writing a thesis and taking courses I am not sure what to do. However, I have some ideas (in no particular order):   -Get a pilot’s license (impossible for Americans in former Soviet Union) -Write a cookbook -Take up violin again -Learn to kick-box/cage fight -Improve my Russian grammar   So heed my advice: if you have one Master's degree and are considering getting another, don't. It's really not worth it. Plus, you get yourself worked up into a frenzy of being active and studious on weekends that is really hard to undo.
Confection

Confection

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nightchylde's Blog
 

Wishlist

I'm iso an aged bottle/partial bottle of Fae!     BPTP   Morgause and Maiden claw polish (possibly Blood Countess, too) Samples of Invidia and Patientia bath oils   --   BPAL   Bottles/Partials   Fae (aged) June Gloom*** L'Autunno perfume oil *** Living Flame, The Lump of Coal (haha riiight) Miskatonic University (aged) The Knave of Hearts (aged)*** Noche Buena November Queen Mab (partial preferred) Silence Skadi (haha, I know) Snow Bunny Snow White 2008 Tarot: The Hermit full, partial or empty   ---   Imps/decants   Ashlultum Belle Vinu Bensiabel Cthulhu Death of the Gravedigger Eat Me Egle Flower Moon (decants for my bottle) GOP, Election Day 2008 Forum Only Ice Queen Honey Moon June Gloom*** Kiyohime Changes From a Serpent*** La Befana Lump of Coal Mag Mell Maiden Marcilla Meditation in Autumn Miskatonic University (aged) Night Thoughts (decants for my bottle) Obatala Pickled Imp the Sea Foams Milk The School-House Skadi*** Snow Moon (decants for my bottle) Sudha Segara Tarot: The Hermit (looking for a full/partial bottle, decants, and/or an empty bottle to house my imps)     2008 Yules   HANEROT HALALU LARENTALIA LICK IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT THE MAGI THERE'S A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN RAT THE SEA RAT ALL THEY HAD SEEN, AND ALL THEY HAD LOST     Villainess   Gloop Smooch Villainess perfume oils (except Jai Mahal, Decadence, Ginger-snapped) Shanghaied Soap
nightchylde

nightchylde

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General Ramblings of Spicecandy
 

Wishlist~

It kept getting lost in the thread, so I'm putting it here for safekeeping!     Bewitching Brews Belle Epoque The Hesperides Hymn to Proserpine Juke Joint Mata Hari Poisoned Apple Schrodinger's Cat Ulalume   Ars Moriendi Embalming Fluid* Zombi   Ars Amatoria Bordello Snake Oil! Whip   Diabolus Pain   Gaimans -I want to try any and all Gaimans!   Mad Tea Party Alice The Cheshire Cat The Mock Turtle's Lessons Two Five and Seven   Wanderlust 51 Kyoto London Manhattan Paris Venice   Picnic in Arkham Miskatonic University   Excolo Eve Obatala Persephone*   Panacea Moxie TKO   LE Hungry Ghost Moon Any of the Snake Pit Strike that, any of the Carnaval Diabolique Kindly Moon Flower Moon Mourning Moon Madame Moriarty* L'Autumno (I'm always looking for more!) Samhain Katrina Van Tassel Fearful Pleasure     *On my bottle wishlist!     Oh GOODNESS that was long! icon_redface.gif Hopefully this will be getting shorter and shorter!
spicecandy

spicecandy

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Alianthe on BPAL
 

Witching on a Budget - Presentation Makes A Difference

Personally, I've never managed to successfully plan and execute a theme, but I can say that one of the biggest differences between the feeling of opening a package I ordered from a random etailer and the feeling of opening a care package from somebody who loves me is the personal touches. So, once you have your package contents settled out, doing little extra things like taking the time to individually wrap gifts in a pretty way, adding a personal note on a nice card, using unique and witchee-useable packing materials, and otherwise paying attention to the presentation of your package can give your witchee's package opening experience a huge boost and make em feel extra special.   Tissue paper is cheap, pretty, and makes a great lightweight wrapping. I'm not a wrapping-paper-saver, but I DO save reasonably-unripped tissue paper from whatever source, fold it flat, and store it against the inside of my "Switch Witch & swaps supplies" box, which I also keep stocked with smaller stuff I want to remember to add to my witchee's package, smaller materials I've bought for witchee projects, samples of tea my witchee might like, BPAL/BPTP swag (stickers, postcards, etc), padded envelopes, saved bits of (good condition) bubble wrap, packing/teflon/scotch tape, Priority Mail address stickers, Delivery Confirmation slips, and occasionally shipping boxes that I've broken down flat for storage. This ensures that I always have exactly what I need, right down to a variety of colors of tissue paper to ensure I have some of my witchee's favorite colors, to quickly pack & send a package to my witchee on the slightest whim.   Other good things to boost the presentation of your package include bits of ribbon, pretty yarn, sparkly elastics, etc, for use in wrapping - they make it easier to get into small packages than tape, and they're reuseable if your witchee is a thrifty witch. Also those little plastic bags with themed stuff painted on them make a good and inexpensive presentation boost. Halloween, holiday, hearts & flowers, smileyfaces, whatever. If you're a longtime Switchwitch or you do a lot of swapping, chances are you'll find an occasion to dress up your gifties in a fancy bag like this.   Say, for example, it's the Halloween round and you'd like to send your witchee some unique candy corn you found. Or maybe you made em a batch of Jack-O-Lantern cookies. They'll be yummy and great if you ziplock them, but it's even better if you dress them up in a little Halloween-themed baggie tied with black ribbon or yarn.   Now, say for some reason you're fresh out of tissue paper and pretty decorated baggies. Never fear, you can get creative with ziplocks, newsprint, etc, and permanent markers! Or nail polish! Or whatever you have on hand (just remember to put down newspaper first). You could even send a package that's 100% handmade - right down to the wrapping paper.   Seriously, adding that extra little personal touch of wrapping it up pretty is something that can be done inexpensively, quickly, and makes a HUGE impact.   Happy budget-witching!
alianthe

alianthe

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My Askew View
 

ATTN Pm'rs

Didn't know where I could put this in my profile...but I think I may be having issues receiving pms. So if it appears I am not responding to messages try adding a comment here...I check my pm box just about everyday so I am not ignoring you if it appears that way. Just wanted to clear that up just in case. Thanks!   Edit... all is fine
lectriceye

lectriceye

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down the rabbit hole...
 

list

bold are scents i'm keeping. italics are scents i want to trade, feel free to contact me about them regular font are scents i havent tested yet, but own, or are on the way to me.   imps   al-azif anne bonny arkham aureus black opal burial croquet darkness dragon's claw(x2) fenris wolf(x2) gluttony hairy toad lily hellcat hell's belle himerus hunger hurricane incantation jolly roger miskatonic university morgause music of erich zahn nosferatu peitho persephone pele schrodinger's cat shango shattered sundew the caterpillar the isles of demons the great sword of war the jersey devil the lion tombstone tintagel titania two, five, and seven viola voodoo lily wicked white rabbit vice veil zombi       5ml   13-the original, white label blood kiss blood moon 05 channukiyah chaos theory: strange attractors diary of a lovestruck teenage cannibal diwali eat me ghastly garden glitter gomorrah hanami jailbait jezebel lolita marae midnight kiss mourning moon mouses long and sad tale o privilege sticky pillowcase sugar moon sugar skull yog sothoth yuki-onna
aviva

aviva

0
Alianthe on BPAL
 

Witching on a Budget - Food!

From what I can tell, the real meaning of Switchwitch is to give and get individual personal attention and recognition. That's pretty much what the requirements constitute, with of course the caveat that there be something tangible exchanged, because that's measurable and "attention spent" isn't so much. But really, it's all about the individual personal attention and recognition. As a witch you get to feel that you're having an effect, which is awesome because so much in life it can be difficult to measure the effect of our work, but a good witchee will report when ey receives our gifties, and generally also says how it brightened eir day, so look! Noticeable effect! As a witchee you get to feel that somebody's paying attention to you, which is awesome because it's also so easy to feel taken for granted in life, but a good witch will read your questionnaire and stalk your posts and send gifts aimed at your tastes, so look! Somebody's paying attention! And you didn't even have to figuratively stomp your foot and demand that ey pay attention. On the contrary, it's an anonymous person who's probably never even met you!   That said, I'm out to prove that it is totally possible to do justice to your witchee even if you're on a tight budget.   In this installment of Witching on a Budget (which, because blogs can be edited, will be added to as I think of more things), we talk about something that a great many of us can do - cooking!   --- In this entry: (use bolded words to search within entry) * Mixes in a Jar * Chocolate Bark * Vegetarian Doggie Treats * Cook up that Pumpkin ---   Make em a Mix In A Jar - seriously, this is a great idea. I love having a jar in the pantry that I can just toss into a pot with some easily-available kitcheny stuff, and have an awesome dish come out the other end, with most of the prep work done for me. It's like having a boxed brownie mix or a bagged soup/side mix, but with a lot more love and flavor, and can be made to your witchee's exacting tastes. Also? Prettier, and with no artificial ingredients, because you made it yourself! Thanks to <B>gatesofrocknroll for this link with lots of mix-in-a-jar ideas and recipes. Let your imagination go wild!   Super-easy Chocolate Bark (cost dependent on choices made, but I estimate about $5 for a cookie sheet full) You will need: - A working burner of a stovetop or hot plate that is capable of boiling water - Chocolate, any type, any form. Don't be afraid to experiment, or to use whatever you have on hand. I like it midnight dark, as have some of my witchees, so I often do something like one block of Trader Joe's bulk dark chocolate blended with a few bars of baker's chocolate. If your witchee likes white chocolate, you can find that in bulk, too. - Bits, any type, dry. Finely diced crystallized ginger, dried cherries, blueberries, cranberries, raisins. Nuts? Whatever strikes your fancy. Try looking through the pantry. - A big (heat-resistant) spoon or spatula - A cookie sheet, preferably with a lip all the way around the outer edge - Wax paper or parchment paper. Aluminum foil or the thicker type of plastic wrap that will stand up to boiling water will also do in a pinch (it's not as pretty), but an unprotected cookie sheet is not recommended. - A double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, you can make on out of a metal bowl and a saucepan it will fit inside, or two saucepans that can be nested so that the inside one doesn't touch the outside one at the bottom. Just put your (larger) saucepan on the stove, arrange your smaller receptical inside it so the bottoms don't touch, and pour water into the bigger one (don't get the water in the smaller one). Turn on the heat, the heat warms the water, the water warms the smaller receptical, and that warms your chocolate. Voila, instant way to melt your chocolate without burning it!   Line you cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Put water in your double boiler, and warm it over medium heat. Throughout these instructions, keep an eye on it and adjust the water level if necessary, to keep it from boiling over or boiling dry. Dump in the chocolate. As it starts to melt, stir it up so it blends properly and melts evenly. When the chocolate is completely melted, dump in the bits, stir it up, and take it off the heat. Pour the melted chocolate with bits onto the cookie sheet. Working fairly quickly, smooth it down with the spoon/spatula so it's about evenly distributed. If you are going for a swirl effect, melt two types of chocolate simulaneously and separately, then pour them on opposite sides of your cookie sheet and swirl them together with your spoon/spatula while smoothing them down to make them even. You may wish to hold the bits until the chocolate is all smoothed down, then scatter them over the top of the melted chocolate bark and tamp down lightly to make them stick. I usually put mine in the freezer to cool, particularly if it's summertime. If you do this, make sure to either carefully cover your chocolate so it doesn't freezer burn, or keep an eye on it and take it out as soon as it's solidified. Chocolate can also be chilled or left covered on the counter to set, just make sure you use a hot mat to protect your counters, as the cookie sheet will heat up to the temperature of the chocolate. When it's set up nice and firm, turn the cookie sheet upside down over a clean counter, peel off the paper, and break it into pieces. I generally break it by hand. I didn't include instructions for tempering your chocolate, because I like to make it so it'll melt in your hand. So... it'll melt in your hands if it isn't frozen, and it will melt together if improperly stored. Work quickly, and store in a tightly-sealed container (such as a ziplock baggie) in a cool(!!) dry place.   As if you'll have to store it anywhere after you (and your family) realize(s) you just made chocolate bark.     Breath-Freshening Dog Treats, from Veggie Life Magazine (contributed by the illustrious Ahania, a witch of kitchen magic)   3/4 c minched parsley leaves and stems (1 medium bunch) 1/4 c finely grated carrot 1 T vegetable oil 3/4 c whole-wheat flour 1/2 c corn flour or finely ground corn meal 1/2 t baking powder 1/4 c water   Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together the parsley, carrot, and oil. In a large bowl, mix the flours and baking powder. Add the parsley stuff and mix until it's all in coarse crumbs, then add water until it's a smooth ball. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it's 1/2 inch thick, then cut into shapes. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes for soft biscuits, 30 minutes for hard.   They can also be rolled out thinner to make human crackers, too. They're preportedly quite tasty with a good dip.     How to turn that pumpkin into something you can cook with - Use this as a cheaper alternative to canned pumpkin. You will need: - a pumpkin, any type. Frankly, the ugly red ones are tastier than the Jack-o-lantern type, but the former tend to be more expensive than the latter in, say, November when nobody wants to make Jack-o-lanterns and there are lots of big orange pumpkins left at the store. - a really sharp big knife - a big flat-bottomed baking dish with sides (such as a brownie pan), the bigger the better, best if you have a few - water, or butter and a brush - a working oven - patience   Preheat oven to 350°F. De-seed the pumpkin. If you desire, separate the seeds from the stringy pulp for seasoning & baking, but that's another recipe. Cut the pumpkin into pieces that will lay mostly flat.    Option 1: Fit the pieces, skin-side-up, into your "brownie" pan(s). Put about 1/2"-1" of water in the brownie pan(s), and lay the pumpkin into the water skin side up. Making sure the water never runs dry, bake until the pumpkin feels tender when you insert a sharp knife. You'll probably need to do this in batches.   Option 2: for more flavor, brush melted butter all over all surfaces of the pumpkin, paying special attention to the non-skin surfaces. Fit the pieces, skin side down, into your brownie pan(s). Put about 1/4" of water in the bottom of the pans, then lay the pumpkin into the pans skin side DOWN. Being careful to brown but not burn the pumpkin, bake until the pumpkin is tender when you insert a sharp knife. You'll probably need to do this in batches.     When done baking, take the pumpkin pieces out of the pan and let them cool on a towel or plate until you can touch them comfortably. Cut/peel the skin off. Put the flesh into a big bowl or food processor and mash it to a pulp. Alternatively, if you want chunks of pumpkin, chop it into chunks instead of mashing.   Pumpkin prepared in this manner chills and freezes well. From this state, you can use it any way you'd use the canned stuff, but it'll taste fresher.
alianthe

alianthe

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Femme_Fatale's Blog
 

Kubla Kahn

In the imp it's mostly jasmine. Uh oh.   Wet it's still mostly jasmine but it starts to darker a bit and it's beginning to smell like jasmine incense. Very pretty.   But then...I start to catch a hint of the dreaded cat pee, but that lasted about 2 seconds and it's gone. (sigh of relief)   As it dries further it starts to smell like this shop I used to go into that sold soaps and incense. It's actually very pretty and surprisingly clean smelling. I actually expected something a bit smokier and spicier. It's a lovely scent though and I'm very happy I got to try it. I think I will have to see how it does in my locket, hopefully it will be a bit more complex without my wonky chemistry.
femmefatale

femmefatale

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

Bien Loin D'ici

Category: Ars Amatoria   Dammit! I don't detect *any* of these notes in this at all! To me, this is all jasmine, with maybe a barest hint of musk. It's definitely pretty and sensual...but not the OMG yumminess that I was hoping for.
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

To Autumn

Category: Limited Editions -- Samhain 2008   There are definitely dry, dead leaves here, but they are accompanied by sweet, warm apple cider and poppies. It's a very nice autumn scent -- right smack in between the earthiness of Chant D' Autumne and the warm deliciousness of Fearful Pleasure. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long on me, which is why I'll just content myself with an imp.
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

Sugar Skull 2008

Category: Limited Editions -- Samhain 2008   As much as I like sweet, foody scents, the just-straight-up sugar note doesn't do too well with me. It has an overly-sweet, plasticky edge to it that is not fun.   There *is* a warmer, almost boozy undernote to it, but it's overpowered by the plastic fruitiness. Not for me!
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

The Hessian Of The Hollow

Category: Limited Editions -- Samhain 2008 -- Sleepy Hollow Series   Initially, it's a very dry, smokey scent; it doesn't have the sharp tang of cordite that I was expecting -- it's more like the last traces of smoke after a flame has been snuffed or blown out, sans the wax.   This is very fleeting, however; after that, I swear that it smells like Axe Body Spray. LOL Not really my thing.   This does strike me as a very masculine scent, and I'd recommend it, along with Brom Bones, for anyone seeking out a late 'Weenie purchase for their male companions.
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

Day Of The Skulls

Category: Limited Editions -- Samhain 2008   This didn't strike me as a 'rosey' scent when I initially tested it, but now that I am re-sniffing it to jog my memory as I write this, I can smell the rose. It's definitely a very sweet floral scent...any incense is just peripheral, but I can detect the undercurrent of cocoa lurking at the very, very bottom of it all.   I think I'd agree with another reviewer above, and say that this is a smokier, foodier version of Mictecacihuatl. I don't think one needs to be afraid of the rose note...so if you like a hint of cocoa in your perfume, I think you could safely give this a shot.   I'm almost regretting not having gotten a bottle...
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Catseyes' Wishlist/ Info page
 

Wishlist!

Ta-da! My lovely wishlist! Well, at least the beginnings of one. There is so much to choose from!   These are scents I have never tried before, so I would definitely rather try imps of these than bottles first (for the most part).   This Wishlist is being Updated! Always a work in progress.   ALL YOUR ELF V4 ARE BELONG TO ME!   Current Needs 10 ml of Sin, Snake Oil, Bow and Crown of Conquest (does it exist?), and Loviatar would be HEAVENLY!
Lurid Library
Perilous Parlor
Wretched Rose Window
Ghost House
Mischief (tester)
Third Charm
Mariposita
  My ALL TIME Favorites!
CC: Female
Original Hod
Jingo-Kogo
Bow and Crown of Conquest
Glowing Vulva
Elf v4
Sin
Rogue
Loviatar
Mme Moriarty
Joyful Moon
Pallas Athene
Tombeur
Body: Remember
Joyful Moon
A Wonderful Light
 

      GC   Labyrinth!   RPG   Evil   Last Unicorn The Last Unicorn The Midnight Carnival Mommy Fortuna   Bewitching Brews Blood Amber Blood Pearl Meliai Tushnamatay   Ars Moriendi Sheol   Sin and Salvation Gluttony Oblivion   Excolo   Ars Amatoria Debauchery Defututa Les Bijoux Maiden Salomé   Diabolus Goblin   Mad Tea Party Against Idleness and Mischief Alice's Evidence   Wanderlust   American Gods Mama-Ji   Anansi Boys Spider   Good Omens Famine Pepper   Stardust Tristran   Steamworks   Marchen The White Rider Baba Yaga   The Salon Silence The Cup of Death Cupid Complaining to Venus Fox Fires on New Year's Eve at the Garment Nettle Tree at Oji Schlafende Baigneuse   Rapacini's Garden     A Picnic in Arkham The High Priest Not To Be Described   Panacea Seduction   TAL White Light Milk and Honey   Carnival Diabolique Anaconda Doc Constantine (bottle!) Knucklebones Tabula Smaragdina The Parliament of Monsters   Retail Exclusives   Tarot The Devil The Hierophant Judgement King of Spades (anything!) The Lovers The Sun The World   Single Notes Egyptian Amber!! Vanilla (any kind)   LE (decants or testers to try unless otherwise specified) Blood Moon Bonfire Night Brom Bones Buck Moon Chokmah Donna con Ventaglio The Fairies Geburah Ii No Hayata Kills the Nue at the Imperial Palace Irrelevant and Disturbing Surreal Crawdad Dream Le Pere Fouettard! Anything! Leo 2007 Pa-Pow Quincey Morris bottle or decant for the SO Red Lantern Red Moon Red Phoenix Schwarzer Mond Storyville a tester would be awesome! The Death of Autumn Theotokos Velvet Bandito   any interesting SN's/testers would be fun!
ami226

ami226

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Siryn's Lair
 

Our 2nd batch of BPALs!

I just noticed this forum has a blog function, so I decided use it to record my BPAL purchases and other activities   My man and I just received our second package from BPAL yesterday! Shipping was swift and the items arrived safely.   I got two 5ml bottles--Wanda and Kali--and a set of imps: Phantom Queen, Perversion, Seraglio, Scherezade, Sacred Whore of Babylon and Nefertiti.   The man got a set of imps too: Dragon's Tears, Nyarlathotep, Highwayman, Tezcatlipoca, Black Forest and Plunder.   We also got a whole load of frimps! Machu Picchu, Anubis, The Ghost, Incubus, Brown Jenkins, Uruk, Kali and Siren! I think they threw in so many frimps because there was a bit of a miscommunication about our first order, but then again it could be because the BPAL staff are just really nice Can't wait to try all of them!   P/S: I'd gotten Siren on my first order, but it didn't go well with my skin chemistry; I'm hoping that this new frimp would be better... wish me luck!
sweetsiryn

sweetsiryn

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Gaidig's Blog
 

Aeval

Imp #19: Aeval   "A raven-haired Fairy Queen of Ireland. One of her eternal duties dictates that she must hold a midnight court every season and hear the pleas of married Irishwomen. The court serves only to determine whether or not husbands are adequately serving their wife's sexual needs. A judicious yet powerfully sensual blend, a mingling of justice and sexuality: sage, sweet pea, bold pale musk and warm tonka."   Note: Late cycle. Imp from littleone101701's sales.   In the bottle: A sweet floral with a warm, more sophisticated base.   On me: Sweet and floral with musk in the background. Possibly tonka. I don't smell the sage.   1 hour+ later: A bit less floral and more musky. A very feminine and floral sort of sensual, but a watery floral. I could see this being very good when I am going '20s glam.
Gaidig

Gaidig

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Gaidig's Blog
 

Ouija

Imp #17: Ouija   "Lush parlor rooms draped in thick velvets and gilded in gold, unearthly whispering in the distance, fleeting flashes of wraith-like figures rushing just outside your vision, the chill of a phantom presence brushing by your cheek, the inscrutable knowledge that disembodied eyes are peering at you from darkened corners… this is the essence of Victorian-era spiritualism: rosewood, oak and teak notes with wispy blue lilac, tea rose, dried white rose and ethereal osmanthus."   Note: Late cycle. Imp from fruitycake's sales.   In the bottle: I definitely get the rose and maybe something woody.   On me: Lilac comes to the front. I get the feel of an old library full of hard bound books with thick rag-paper pages. A home library in some Victorian, where there are built in shelves along the walls, rather than stacks of books piled close. There is a table in the middle of the room with a centerpiece of dried flowers. A velvety chaise sits in the corner with a Tiffany floor lamp to read by.   1 hour+ later: As time passes, the rosewood and teak emerge. This room is definitely paneled and the table in the center has been polished. Now, the velvet curtains are pulled shut, and it is warm and dark in the evening. Later the blend is mainly lilac with the other notes in the background making it more sophisticated than a simple floral. The old book smell is also kind of an incense smell as well.
Gaidig

Gaidig

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Gaidig's Blog
 

Eclipse

Imp #18: Eclipse   "All the glory, warmth and majesty of the sun -- darkened. A delicious blend of bitter almond, vanilla, frankincense and heliotrope, with a drop of cinnamon."   Note: Late cycle. Imp from fruitycake's sales.   In the bottle: Red KoolAid in the package before you add the sugar. I'm sorry, but that's what I got from the first hit. I smell something fruity and I can smell the cinnamon. I'm not sure I can identify the other scents.   On me: The cinnamon steps back and the vanilla and almond step forward. This has a spicy almond cookie scent. It is definitely foody on me.   1 hour+ later: Bitter almond and vanilla have a strong staying power. They were still there after many hours, but the spices eventually faded. I smell like a Madelaine cookie.
Gaidig

Gaidig

0
Cam's Blog
 

Possets KITTEHS!

Gabby - The Sweetling Ghost
Like a ghost drifting into your consciousness. Very smooth, very suave, very insinuating. Gabby is the perfect Halloween kitty who has you loving her sweet soft ways. Two ambers twine suggestively like a cat's tail around a center of pure milk and a shot of sugar, or better than sugar! Very nice stuff.
Oh, yeah. This isn't one of those ambers that goes all wonky/powdery/old lady on me. This is pure heaven. Soft and sweet and fabulous.

Libby - The Classic Halloween Black Cat!
Just plain old fun at Halloween. Just about all the things that you can revel in once a year and a few more. Coconut lovers rejoice, licorice lovers rejoice, A big glob of Blood Orange and a shot of plain old sugar candy, and goodness knows what else. This one does a wild cat dance.
In the bottle, the blood orange is pretty strong, which had me a little worried. Citrus doesn't always work on me. No problem! The coconut and licorice keep it under control, and it's just a fun, fabulous fall scent. I definitely get a candy scent from this, but it's not too sweet thanks to the coconut. Also very nice.

Thanks to my awesome witch, SeaMonkey, who sent me these!
cam

cam

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Review Round-up!
 

Irrelevant and Disturbing Surreal Crawdad Dream

In the bottle: Blueberries!   On wet: Blueberries instantly give way to tea and the currant - no problem, I love them, too!   Drydown: Powdery lemon? Where is this coming from? This odd stage lasts for several long minutes, then the blueberries return with the tea in tow. Ginger lingers on the sidelines, as does the vanilla and currant. The musk is developing slowly - darkly sweet, vaguely leathery, working (surprisingly!) well with the berries/tea combo. Not picking up the benzoin (good - not a favourite), or the squash blossom/coriander.   Overall: Another good fruit-tea-musk combo for me! I'm not even very interested in blueberry as a scent to wear, but it's really nice with the supporting notes in this blend - and it's incredibly fresh/realistic! A unique addition to my BPAL box, and a nice change of pace from what I usually wear. 4/5
furygrrl

furygrrl

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