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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!
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Die Eier von Satan
 

More Quotages

“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses. You build up a whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life... You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' or 'how very perceptive' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. Nothing should be able to do that. Especially not love. I hate love.”   -The Sandman, Neil Gaiman   I don't hate love, but the majority of that quote is definitely something I can relate to.   “I only have two kinds of dreams: the bad and the terrible.   Bad dreams I can cope with. They're just nightmares, and they end eventually. I wake up.   The terrible dreams are the good dreams. In my terrible dreams, everything's fine. I'm still with the company. I still look like me. None of the last five years ever happened. Sometimes I'm married. Once I even had kids. I even knew their names. Everything's wonderful and normal and fine.   And then I wake up. And I'm still me. And I'm still here. And that is truly terrible.”   -The Sandman - Dream Country, Neil Gaiman     “There is a theory which states that if ever for any reason anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”   -Douglas Adams   “I'm spending a year dead for tax reasons.”   Douglas Adams
eternalargus

eternalargus

0
vultureguy's Blog
 

Package received and BPAL scent thoughts/ideas

We got an enabling package from pugmom! She totally spoiled us with imps of Mechanical Phoenix, The Music of Erich Zahn, Diwali & Dragon's Bone for me and Vampire Tears, Belladonna, Frumious Bandersnatch and Salome for Carol. Wow, really really cool of her!   My spreadsheet is updated now and I'm testing Mechanical Phoenix. She sent it in plent of time for me to smell and test it before the lab pulls this Anniversary scent. It's definitely on the order list!   I be a very happy and a very nice smelling Vulture now. Every vulture should have something to cut the smell of carion!   I had an idea today. I thought it would be great if Beth could come to NZ and smell some of the typical Kiwi smells here. She'd be able to expand her single notes and add another dimension to the scents on offer. I would love to smell her interpretation of the NZ bush, with it's pungas and kauri and rimu. It would lend itself well to masculine scent, earthy and wet and natural-bush. I would love to smell her rendition of manuka/kanuka flowers, it would be a nice feminine scent. Not the tea tree kind of scent you get in essential oils but the sweet-florally scent that you get from the bushes when you walk through a patch of them. Then there are things like the native clematis, the flax, the pohutakawa and the Earina orchid (http://www.kaimaibush.co.nz/Orchids/orchid_frameset.html) I used to have one of those until it died. For such a tiny orchid it has an amazingly powerful scent. If I could get them to live I'd offer to mass-grow them and produce essential oils for Beth to use! I think for now I'll see what essential oils I can find. If all else fails, 'cause I don't remember seeing flax or clematis scents anywhere I can see if Cal will let me buy some of the nice lotions based on these scents I got at Craftworld for my Secret Santa. I'm sure Beth wouldn't mind getting them to at least smell the fragrance, and to use for her and the labbies if she'd share.   I could see either a whole line based on Maori mythology (don't know if they'd go for that, she'd have to investigate it since they are sensitive about people using their culture to make money) or on Lord of the Rings or just on NZ native things (ie--a scent incorporating flax called The Tui or something like that.   I'd like to pick up some essential oils made out of native plants/scents and mail them to the lab for her with the idea. Even if she didn't go with it, it's a nice thought. Though I can dream about her coming here to check things out and we pick her up and take her around places in AKLD like the Waitaks and the Botanical Garden to check the possibilities out.   PS- along the dream of Beth creating Kiwi smells and showing her around, I imagine we'd bring her back to our hovel and make her manuka-smoked lamb shanks and for desert pavolva with passionfruit and kiwi fruit. I could see her adding pav as a scent that the foody-loving customers would...well, eat up.
vultureguy

vultureguy

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Abstract Associations
 

Strawberry Moon

Strawberry moon is a blending of strawberries and cream with light, dry lotus and soft ylang ylang and a touch of green tea and sage to bring it closer to Earth.   Reviewed 01/04/2008   This is absolutely beautiful. It's very true-to-life, like a bowl full of fresh strawberries and homemade cream. I don't get the plastic, fake note that other people have mentioned, but I also don't get any hint of tea or anything green at all. This is very fresh and summery and delicious, and it breaks my heart that I adore it so much because I know I'll never be able to afford a bottle of it!
Rovylern

Rovylern

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Abstract Associations
 

Midnight Kiss

Eternal desire, unquenchable passion: red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine.   Reviewed 01/04/2008   One of my resolutions for the new year is to be more on top of testing and reviewing my BPAL, especially the approximately 100 untried imps sitting in my imp box. So I've started randomly grabbing two each night and testing them out, whether I thought I would like the notes or not.   Wet and Initial Drydown: Ew. EWW. I smell like BO and something flowery. Normally musks work with my skin, so maybe it's the nicotiana or the patchouli.   Complete Drydown: Oh yes. This is finally coming together and smells wonderful. Now I get the cherry cola-ish scent that people mention. It's dark, but sparkling and not overpowering. I'm in awe, the lab made something that is dark and light at the same time. It's very sexy, in a commanding way. I think that I could get past the initial funky stage and wear this, but it's definitely not an office scent.
Rovylern

Rovylern

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What ever happened to Generation X?
 

Friday, Jan. 4

I just arranged my first MUA swap in ages. I will be getting a bottle of LUSH Karma, for free! Well, I have to send the other person a bottle of fragrance, but it's something I never wear, so it's a win-win situation.   It's kind of funny -- I have 238 swap tokens at MUA, from my heydey of 2003-2005 when I was really "into" high end and niche fragrances and was swapping, RAOKing and decanting like a madwoman. When I look back on those days, I realize I must have spent at least six hours a week just on swapping, sampling and "maintaining" my collection. For a variety of reasons, I drifted away from MUA in the summer of 2005 and haven't been as interested in (commercial) perfume ever since. It's like the obsession just burned itself out. I became interested in BPAL in 2005 and I've been "into" it ever since, but not to the strange, obsessive degree I was about perfume on MUA.   I used to not be that interested in LUSH but I've changed my mind. I got all kinds of awesome deals at their sale last week; I now have enough soap and bath bombs/bubble bars to keep me clean for the rest of the year. I've discovered their skin care is pretty nice as well; I really like Angels on Bare Skin and Skin's Shangri-La. And the Karma Komba shampoo solid is to die for. It smells great and made my (long-ish, fine and limp, color-treated) hair fluffy, shiny and soft.   Today I'm home with the kids all day; I hope to get some housework done as well and maybe place a DHC order. They're having a sale and I need to pick up a few items. My skin is starting to get that winter dullness/dryness/sensitivity and redness it always does, so it's time for some new products. I'd also like to do some reading; seems like it's been ages since I curled up with a good book, uninterrupted.   I'd like to do something fun this weekend but DH and I are still kind of on the outs. If nothing else, I want to go to dinner at my favorite restaurant and do a little shopping, and I guess I can do that by myself or with a friend if necessary. I'm not sure how the weather will hold up; I wonder if we'll have more snow on the way. A lot of people hate the wintertime in Chicago but I find it tolerable. I'll be sick of it by March, but right now the snow is enough of a novelty that it doesn't bother me much. It's certainly preferable to super-hot temperatures.
parrot_suspect

parrot_suspect

0
Abstract Associations
 

Nuit

She is the Goddess of the Sky, one of the Ennead, daughter of the air [shu] and water [Tefnut], lover of Geb and Hadit, the Eternal Mother, and the Receiver, Reviver and Protector of the Dead, whose loving, divine embrace shields our souls from annihilation. She is love, rapture, splendor, continuous and eternal birth and rebirth, infinite space, and the “the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night”. Nuit is Earth’s guardian, and shields her lover and her mortal children from the primeval chaos that threatens Existence. Her perfume is starry and crystalline, a jewel-clad and glittering paean to night: dazzling white musks, white rose and night-blooming jasmine with the soft moss of moonlit meadows, a waft of Egyptian incense, and a gentle breath of moonflower.   Reviewed 01/03/2008   Gorgeous. Florals aren't my normal favorites, but this is beautiful and calming. It's pure, feminine, floral. I rarely get a color feeling from a scent, but this 'feels' midnight blue to me. While sniffing I had an undeniable urge to just close my eyes and breathe very slowly and deeply, and I actually almost fell asleep. I think this would be amazing as a meditation oil or a sleep aid, maybe on an eye mask or a pillow. The throw is medium and it has a long wear time.
Rovylern

Rovylern

0
Abstract Associations
 

Incubus

Spectral white musk and the heart-stopping chill of sheared mint, fanned by caramel-touched body heat, and the diabolical sensuality of black musk, nicotiana, and sage.   Reviewed 01/03/2008   I got this as a frimp from the lab, so I decided to try it without looking at the notes beforehand.   This, on me, smells like vomit and cigar smoke. My arm smells like a bar bathroom at closing time. I don't know what happened between this and my body chemistry but oh, my dear gods. This is definitely going in the swap pile.
Rovylern

Rovylern

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I smell glorious
 

LUSH: Hey Blondie

Trying to figure out a haircare regime that will coddle and lighten my fine, ash-blonde hair. I'm now using The Blonde shampoo and Marilyn hair mask, which I think will become staples as they both lighten nicely; but I'm finding that the blonde colour they deposit is more yellow than I would like, so I'm thinking about following up with Daddy-O shampoo. I'm also considering investing in a pot of Jasmine Henna Fluff-Eaze hair mask, not that my hair needs deep-conditioning but just to make it a little silkier and shinier. Still experimenting on finding a good conditioner. I think Veganese is going to be it for my regular conditioner, but I'd also like to invest in some Jungle for when I shampoo with Daddy-O and Big (both of which are much more drying than The Blonde).   I have: Marilyn x 4 Big x 2 The Blonde x 2 SAMPLE Veganese SAMPLE Jungle   I want: Jasmine-Henna x 1 Daddy-O x 1 (250mL) >> these two will fall under the Clean Slate promotion Veganese -- whenever they have it back in stock Jungle -- sometime next month, I'll splurge on a piece of this
myoubi

myoubi

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What ever happened to Generation X?
 

Thursday, Jan. 3

I've decided to start using this blog as a diary of sorts -- simply recording what I do or what my thoughts are on a given day. I think I was trying to use it as too much of a "creative writing exercise" previously, which is why I rarely posted.   So, today is a cold yet sunny day, and I'm at the office. Just got done having Chinese food for lunch -- kung pao chicken. Kinda greasy, but not bad. I'm trying to avoid overeating in anticipation of starting my weight loss program next week. Not sure if I should go back to Weight Watchers or try Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. I'm not that heavy but I need to drop 20 lbs. of pregnancy weight that doesn't seem to be in a hurry to leave.   I'm wearing my glasses still. I've had to wear glasses since Dec. 12, when the eye doctor gave me a lecture about the condition of my eyes and the need to stay out of contacts. I have severe dry eye syndrome, most likely brought on by overwearing the contacts, and my corneas are irregular. The doctor says they need time to heal. For me it's a real bummer to wear glasses, mainly because my nearsightedness is so severe (which means I have very thick lenses) and, let's face it, I'm vain and I prefer the way I look without glasses.   I'm not looking forward to going home after work today. DH and I had a big argument last night and still aren't speaking to each other. He tends to sulk for several days after a fight; the atmosphere is thick with tension. It's really pleasant to be in that kind of environment. Maybe things will get ironed out tonight -- but maybe not. The house is a mess, too.   I think I'll go make myself a cup of tea and try to think about something pleasant. I need to assign a story to run next Thursday, so perhaps I should get on that. I just hope there's something happening next week that's worth writing about!
parrot_suspect

parrot_suspect

0
Maps and Legends
 

Analysis of 2007 reading

So, to start, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't reach 100 books. At some point, I thought I'd counted and was way ahead of 89 - 93 if you count the books I finished in 2007 that I'd started previously, 99, if you count books which I didn't finish in 2007 as well - I can get to 100 if you count the one book I read about 75 pages of then decided to abandon. Although I think I'd still have to go with 99, since I don't think I actually read anything of Ulysses last year.   Braking down the 89 that I read entirely in 2007: * 78 were new to me, 11 were re-reads * 22 were children's/ya books * 6 were graphic novels + a 7th novelization based on a comic series * 3 were non-fiction (2 books of essays, 1 of literary criticism) * 41 were installments of fantasy/sci-fi/historical fantasy series * 35 were by authors which were new to me in 2007 * there are 42 unique authors represented
emzebel

emzebel

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Maps and Legends
 

Book List 2008

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2008.   Read Entirely in 2008 1. Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents Who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn't Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out - McSweeney's YA Short Story Collection 2. Lunatic Cafe - Laurel K. Hamilton 3. M is for Magic - Neil Gaiman 4. Dead as a Doornail - Charlene Harris 5. For a Few Demons More - Kim Harrison 6. The Cat's Pajamas - Ray Bradbury 7. The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost - John Bellairs 8. The Thief of Always - Clive Barker 9. Burnt Offerings - Laurel K. Hamilton 10. Blue Moon - Laurel K. Hamilton 11. Obsidian Butterfly - Laurel K. Hamilton 12. Train Man v1 (manga) 13. The Innocent Man - John Grisham 14. 6th Target - James Patterson/Maxine Gross 15. Narcissus in Chains - Laurel K. Hamilton 16. The Dark Secret of Whetherend - John Bellairs 17. Definitely Dead - Charlene Harris 18. Cerilean Sins - Laurel K. Hamilton 19. The Bloody Chamber - Angela Carter 20. Kushiel's Scion - Jacqueline Carey 21. Incubus Dreams - Laurel K. Hamilton 22. Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War - Clive Barker 23. Yuki Huma Dream Shoppe (manga) 24. Wild Ones v.1 (manga) 25. Not Safe After Dark - Peter Robinson 26. Micah - Laurel K. Hamilton 27. Friend of the Devil - Peter Robinson 28. Farewell Summer - Ray Bradbury 29. Serenity Rose Vol. 1 (graphic novel) 30. Mistral's Kiss - Laurel K. Hamilton 31. Grave Sight - Charlene Harris 32. Shakespeare's Landlord - Charlene Harris 33. Danse Macabre - Laurel K. Hamilton 34. Killing Yourself to Live - Chuck Klosterman 35. Roomates - Emily Chase 36. My Roomate is Missing - Emily Chase 37. Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey 38. Strange Candy - Laurel K. Hamilton 39. The 13th of Never (graphic novel) 40. Hellboy - Seed of Destruction - Mike Mignola (v. 1 graphic novel) 41. Justice Denied - J.A. Jance 42. Emerald Magic, Tales of Irish Fantasy - Andrew Greeley Ed. 43. The Harlequin - Laurel K. Hamilton 44. Nature Girl - Carl Haissian 45. 7th Heaven - James Patterson 46. Grave Surprise - Charlene Harris 47. The Outlaw Demon Wails - Kim Harrison 48. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris 49. You're No Friend of Mine - Emily Chase 50. My Dead Girlfriend (graphic novel) 51. Kushiel's Mercy - Jacqueline Carey 52. Keeping Secrets - Emily Chase 53. Hellboy - The Chained Coffin and Others - Mike Mignola (v. 3 graphic novel) 54. Hellboy - The Right Hand of Doom - Mike Mignola (v. 4 graphic novel) 55. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris 56. Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris 57. Hellboy - Conqueror Worm- Mike Mignola (v. 5 graphic novel) 58. Hellboy - Strange....- Mike Mignola (v. 6 graphic novel) 59. Rose - Jeff Smith & Charles Vess (graphic novel) 60. Dark Side of the Moon - John Sanford 61. Stardust - Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess (reread of text, first time w/illustrations) 62. Lady Friday - Garth Nix 63. Watchman - Alan Moore (graphic novel) 64. Parable of the Sewer - Octavia Butler 65. From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris 66. Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi 67. A Lick of Frost - Laurel K. Hamilton 68. Glasshouse - Charles Stross 69. Daughter of the Forest - Juliet Marillier 70. Hellboy - The Troll Witch and Other Stories - Mike Mignola (v. 7 graphic novel) 71. Son of the Shadows - Juliet Marillier 72. Persepolis 2 - Marjane Satrapi 73. Child of the Prophesy - Juliet Marillier 74. Storm Front - Jim Butcher 75. Maus I - Art Spiegelman 76. Maus II - Art Spiegelman 77. Kindred - Octavia Butler 78. Summer Blues - Emily Chase 79. Best Friends Forever - Emily Chase 80. Blood Noir - Laurel K. Hamilton 81. Wild Seed - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 82. Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens 83. Invisible Prey - John Sandford 84. Hellboy - Wake the Devil - Mike Mignola (v. 2 graphic novel) 85. Hellboy - Darkness Calls - Mike Mignola (v. 8 graphic novel) 86. Mind of My Mind - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 87. Clay's Ark - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 88. Patternmaster - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 89. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 90. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman 91. Parable of the Talents - Octavia Butler 92. The Host - Stephanie Meyer 93. Bloodchild and Other Stories - Octavia Butler 94. Lover Enshrined - J.R. Ward 95. Across the Wall - Garth Nix 96. Phantom Prey - John Sandford 97. Survivor - Octavia Butler 98. Winter Study - Nevada Barr 99. Bitten - Kelly Armstrong 100. Exit Wounds - J.A. Jance 101. Dead Wrong - J.A. Jance 102. Halting State - Charles Stross 103. Silver Screen - Justina Robson 104. Swallowing Darkness - Laurel K. Hamilton 105. Shakespeare's Trollop - Charlaine Harris 106. Scent of Shadows - Vicki Peterson 107. The Marriage of Sticks - Jonathan Carrol 108. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs 109. A Secret Rage - Charlaine Harris 110. Shakespeare's Counsler - Charlaine Harris 111. The Egypt Game - Zilpha Keatley Snyder 112. A Cristmas Carol - Charles Dickens (annual reread) 113. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (annual reread) 114. Outlaws of Sherwood - Robin McKinley 115. The Shining - Stephen King 116. The Final Death (Anita Blake Graphic Novel) 117. Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling (read stories to son as well)   Chapter books read with Son 1. Charlotte's Web - E.B. White (reread with son) 2. Stuart Little - E.B. White (reread with son) 3. Matilda - Roald Dahl (with son) 4. Trumpet of the Swan - E.B. White (reread w/son) 5. George's Marvelous Medicine - Roald Dahl (w/son) 6 - 45. The Magic Treehouse series (v. 1-40) 46. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler - E.L. Koningsberg (reread with son) 47. The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling (abridged, w/son) 48. Who Really Killed Cock Robin - Jean Craighead George (reread w/son) 49-60. The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 1-4, 6-9, 11-13, 17) 61. The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum (w/R) 62. Cam Janson an the Mystery of the Missing Dinosaur Bones - David Adler 63. Transformers: The Search for the Allspark   Started in 2007 or before, finished in 2008 Dead to the World - Charlene Harris (2007) Les Mis - Victor Hugo (via LJ) (2007)   In progress (if not started in 2008, starting year in parens) Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren(2006) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins Blood Lite (anthology) Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris   In progress with R The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 10, 14)   Island of the Could Not Finish Death of a Darklord - Laurel K. Hamilton Hand of Evil - J.A. Jance Children of Chaos - John C. Wright Black House - Steven King/Peter Straub (2007) Artimis Fowl - Eoin Coifer Fool Moon - Jim Butcher Septimus Heap Book 1: Magyk - Angie Sage Mr. Monk in Outer Space - Lee Goldberg Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
emzebel

emzebel

1
alterosen's Blog
 

Rose smellies

I'm a big rose fan & am still searching for the ultimate scent in that category. I have over 40 very fragrant varieties growing in the garden (mostly old roses & David Austins) & find perfume hard to measure up to the real thing. Having said that, Beth has a huge number of rose blends and anyone (except the absolute rose-haters) is sure to find several to their liking.   Some of my notes on the rose scents I've tried: GC London - pretty tea rose, a classic (my imp is different than the aged bottle I acquired which has an acrid background or bitterness to it - rather disappointing) Two,Five & Seven - rather sharp & overwhelming Marie - lovely rose & violet Harlot - sweet, faint & powdery, couldn't sense the cinnamon Rose Cross - love the rose & resin combo, like an old moss rose Persephone - juicy rose with a berry finish Zombi - couldn't sense the rose in this, only the dirt which turns spicy & ginseng-like: neat! Moon Rose - aquatic, green-tinged rose, not my thing Black Rose - too heavy for me Blood Rose - nicely sultry & fruity, then gets sharp & the rose disappears under the dragon's blood Whip - sharp rose & the leather note turns my stomach Seraglio - rose, almond & orange work together wonderfully on me Rakshasa - rose, patchouli & sandalwood: a really nice blend if you like strong woody notes Eve - perfumy, honey & sharp rose: changes to honey & apple blossom, a bit musty Knave of Hearts - caramel with hint of black currant & fleeting rose Maiden - nice & spicy but the carnation gave me a headache Viola - sweet & pretty: seems kind of innocent & young, girly? The Rose - similar rose as Rose Red but not as strong or long-lasting, nice for when RR seems like too much Snooty Rose - I would have guessed there's cedar in this - the sandalwood is not behaving, perhaps aging will help Miller's Daughter   LE/Unimpables Rose Moon - bright tea rose, hint of other florals, bit too fresh Pulcinella & Teresina - too much resin for me, I smelled like pine sap Victoria - sweet tea rose, hint of lily & musk, a bit soapy Rose Red '07 - bright juicy rose with a hint of earthy honey ('05 is a bit earthier, both are fabulous ) Libra '07 - lovely fruity(cherry) rose, not as tart as Persephone Parlement of Foules - nice: sweet rose with raspberries. This is my #1 - the rose blend I wear the most Peacock Queen '07 - tea rose, a bit sharper than London Silentium Amoris (DC) - rose & ylang ylang, I had high hopes but the rose is too sharp for my tastes Hope - sweet (duh, sugared rose) like the rose in Harlot/Lucy's Kiss but much stronger, little bit powdery Queen of Clubs - strong dirt note fades to nice berries, roses far in the background Tabula Smagdarina - like P of Foules with slightly sour wood note Lady Luck Blues - honeyed floral with spiced rose, lovely skin musk finish April Fool - citrusy rose with touch of green, rosy berry finish Katrina von Tassel - sweet Hope-like roses with cream, honey not very noticeable; this one can feel a bit thick & cloying sometimes Autumn (Salon) - rosy, then autumnal smoky leaves, hint of apple (this one is so very me - must track down a bottle) Blasphemare Reliquary - bubblegum, powdery rose with a sharp edge RETEST Eustephanos - very sweet, thought there was honey & peach in it (actually pomegranate), rose in background contributing to general sweetness RETEST Pothon Meter - interestingly spicy, pepper combining with something to become almost gingery, not very sweet or rosy but very enjoyable Unity Set 1) Red Rose - not very rosy on me, strong tobacco/fir combo with the Indian musk is a bit harsh 2) White Rose - fruity & creamy (hint of coconut?), not super rosy either but very nice 3) Combined - very nice, complex Gwyneth - sweet coconut & sage, bit of a sharp floral/rose note, goes to harsh cleaning product (orchid & lily= nasty on me) Chaos Theory IV CMXVII - soft roses & lilies, spicy floral, bit too powdery Last Rose of Summer - a woody rose that works on me! Madeline Maud Ruthyn The Masque
alterosen

alterosen

0
Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

this is where I bitch

I've been meaning to complain about this for a while but was never sure where to do it. Let me just get it out of my system so I can move on.   I get so irritated when I see someone post: "Oh, just buy the bottle! Even if you don't like it, you can always swap it later!" Um, I disagree that it's totally easy to just swap stuff away.   I have had lots of good swaps, and even successful sales, so don't get me wrong. Also....I do not bump my swaps/sales posts a whole lot, not even once a week. Usually I'll give it a bump just to keep it from being sent to the post cemetery. So it could possibly be said that I don't try hard enough.   BUT.......   I couldn't even swap away rares like Vanilla Bean SN, Corazon, Ice Queen, Snow Angel......things I wanted to swap for stuff on my wish-list, which IMO is a pretty long one and not too narrow. And I don't think I was being too picky about what I would swap for. A single note for a single note......well, that's what most everyone else does, isn't it? A whole bottle of Samhain sat on my swaps/sales pages for weeks, until I finally decided I would rather just keep it. In fact, I took pretty much everything off my posts and even retired my swaps post.   Actually I'm not completely bitter. Part of it is indecision on my part. I hate to get rid of something unless I'm absolutely sure it's not going to work for me (Pruno, Selkie, ahem....). I'm glad I didn't get rid of Samhainophobia because it turns out I really do like it. Also....I don't regret my purchases. I have found a new hobby and I feel more enriched because of it. : )
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

0
Argentwolf's Blog
 

Aizen-Myoo

Category: Excolo   In the imp: Whoa, that grapefruit is aggressive! I could smell it as soon as I took the stopper out of the imp.   Wet: Very citrusy/fruity, though it quickly had a mellowness to it, which I am assuming was brought on by the tea.   Dry: This is a very fresh, clean, crisp scent; I detected the grapefruit throughout, and also fancied that I smelled the tea...like I was near a fresh, cold glass full of green tea on ice on a summer's day. It's really lovely! Unfortunately, I think my skin eated it, pretty much...it lasted the majority of the day, but now I have to get my nose to my wrist and huff forlornly to get any residual nummy smell. Strangely enough, now that it's been quite a while, I smell a sweet cherry scent, mostly.   Verdict: I like it, really I do. I wish that it came in some form of spray, though, or a lotion...it would be a really great scent to slather on in the summertime, when you're showing lots of skin.   What I liked: Citrus! Whee!!   What I didn't like: The fact that my skin seemed to slurp it up; it didn't throw very much. But hey, maybe in summertime, with short sleeves? I might have better luck.
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

Aglaea

Category: Excolo   In the imp: Oh my goodness, this was a beautiful scent. It actually brought tears to my eyes for a moment because it was so lovely. Very sweet, definitely redolant with peach, though I could also smell the warm tones of the musk and, I am assuming, amber around it as well.   Wet: Very sweet and peachy. The fruitiness and sweetness predominated.   Dry: The muskier tones come back, but the peach is definitely not to be undermined, and conquers all. It is *almost* a little cloying.   Verdict: I really like this scent, though I am almost thinking that it would be better as a room scent, as unfortunately I think it tends to get a little sour and cloying on me. I'll be willing to try more of it, though.   What I liked: The peach, and I think I liked the amber.   What I didn't like: The fact that yes, I think musk likes to misbehave a little on me. Though thankfully it's just a little.   Overall, I can live with this scent, I just don't feel like it's *perfect* on me. It's so gorgeous, though, that I can't give up on it. I wonder if it would work in a locket, where it is warmed by me but not in contact with my skin. I'll keep the imp around but hold off on getting a bottle for a while, I think.
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

Aeval

Category: Bewitching Brews   In the imp: Very, very sweet and floral, with a haze of warm, herbal scent about the edges. When people describe this scent as smelling like a garden, it is very apt.   Wet: The sweetpea comes to the forefront, resonating with a very strong sweetness. It seems like a feminine scent, but one that is more sweetly seductive than powerful and sensual.   Dry: The other notes return; I can definitely smell the musk, and I am assuming that warm tone that envelopes it is the tonka? Now I begin to see why this scent is named after such a fae. It sneaks up on you, but once you become aware of its power it is inescapable, and a little overwhelming.   Verdict: It's very interesting; certainly not a bad mix of scents by any means. I don't know if I would go for a whole bottle of this...I'll be wanting to try other floral-type scents and see how those strike me. It will definitely be a standard that I compare the others to.   I'm a bit relieved that it seems to smell good and 'appropriate', i.e. like the notes that are supposed to be in it, rather than melon-like, sickly-sweet, or just plain icky, as other reviewers had experienced. I'm a little torn on whether or not I like the musk of it...on the one hand, it's nice and warm and strong, and on the other hand it comes dangerously close to turning into 'old-lady' perfume. It may be one of those things that will be iffy on me.   What I liked: The warmth; also the sweetpea was surprisingly good. I will have to keep an eye out for that and tonka in future scents and see if those are the exact notes that I liked.   What I didn't like: The fact that the musk is iffy...almost dangerous, like it could turn on me at any moment. It's less of a dislike than something I'll try to be aware of.
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

Absinthe

Category: Bewitching Brews   I could not wait to try Absinthe today. I was worried that I would either not wear enough to scent it beyond initial application, or slather it on and overwhelm everyone around me. But I think I did okay.   In the imp: Very lemony. Oddly enough, when I sniffed the applicator, it had that very strong "Lemon Pledge" scent, while in the imp itself the lemon was more subdued and woody...it reminded me of the inside of a wooden cabinet that had been maintained with, perhaps, lemon oil.   Wet: When first applied, it was still quite lemony, though not in an obnoxious way; it quickly toned down to more of a lemon-drop sort of smell -- sweet and sugary. As it dried, the anise hints came through, in a very soft, sweet way; and very quickly, these two scents blended together into a very pleasant amalgam.   Dry: The scent was delightfully subtle, and yet deceptively strong; I couldn't necessarily smell it on myself, but I would find myself scenting just the faintest hint of it if I would walk back over an area I'd just covered. It lasted all day. I would say that the scent was more 'woody' than herbal -- perhaps that's the wormwood? And around the edges, there was that faint, sweet snap of citrus from the lemon.   I really, really like this scent. I'm trying not to make it my favorite just because it was my first, but hey...shouldn't your first time be a sweet, wonderful experience that you *want* to repeat? Preferably, yes. I'll consider buying a bottle of it later on.   Notes that I liked: The lemon. This may mean that I like citrus scents.   No notes that I particularly disliked. I was afraid about the anise, but it was subtle and behaved itself quite well.   Qualities that I liked: The faint woodiness of it, definitely the citrus snap around the edges, the subtle strength and lasting power.
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Bloggerrific!
 

The Beginning: BPAL as evidence from the universe pointing me toward love!

I only discovered BPAL about six months ago when I saw an advertisement for the Neil Gaiman collection on the back of my copy of Bitch magazine. I had just confessed to a good friend of mine that I was madly in 'like' with him, and discovered (to my surprise!) that he was in 'like' with me and had been for a good long while. I wanted to get him a present, and since the very first thing we ever did together as friends was go see Neil Gaiman read and, since he had also loaned me Stardust, and Good Omens, and American Gods and Sandman and we'd bonded over each of those, I ended up ordering him a bottle of "Tristan".   When I next saw him I told him that I'd gotten him a present, and he said that he had ordered a present for me too! We decided to trade clues...I told him that what I had bought for him was connected to Neil Gaiman, and not a book. He told me that he had got me something connected to Shakespeare that was not a book. I told him that his present was something that could be worn, he said that mine was too. And then, looking at me, he asked if the site that I had ordered his present from, also sold things with a Shakespearean theme. I said yes, and asked him if the site he had ordered from carried Gaiman themed products. He said yes. I asked him if the first initial of the place he had bought my present was 'B'...yep, and the second turned out to be 'P'.   Neither of us had heard of BPAL before, but seperately, and simultaneously, we'd both gotten an impulse to give the other something, we'd both discovered the site and ordered bought each other our first BPALs. A few weeks later I gave him a bottle of Tristan, and he gave me Katharina (with a note saying 'because you are strong') and Juliet (with a note saying 'because you are beautiful').   It could be an entirely coincidental event, but we'd both like to think that it is evidence that we are perfect for eachother.   Since then there have been about nine orders between us, me and my man are blissy, in love, and probably the best smelling couple in a 20 mile radius.   Thank you BPAL!
Emerrific

Emerrific

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Forspecial Plate's Blog
 

decant or bottle......

......the inner debate continues.   I want Old Moon. I really do. All of this 'pining' I've been doing for a wintery/pine/fir scent (sorry, could not resist the pun).....and now people are saying this is the perfect one. On the one hand, I already have decants of Yuletide, Ice Queen, Death Of The Grave Digger, Jolasveinar, The Snow Storm, Mistletoe......Shivering Boy......Cloister Graveyard......in other words, many many wintery blends that I really like. More than I could use up in quite a long time. On the other hand.......that addition of 'lunar herbs and flowers' sounds soooo promising....makes me really lustful for Old Moon.......so I just don't know. I can't imagine that decants are going to be hard to find once people start getting this. But I haven't had a pending lab order in so long!   Bottom line.....I have way too many bills right now. I just better sit this one out. : (
forspecial_plate

forspecial_plate

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The Fae Fatale
 

Our Famous Relation!

Ok, I don't normally use this blog, but I'm cross-posting this from LJ with some of the more personal stuff removed, b/c it's really cool but too long to go into it on the Forum.   Short version: my sister and I just learned that we are cousins, a few generations removed, to the great Czech composer Antonín Dvorák (!).   Detailed version for my fellow geeks: My mom's family is Czech--although it was still called Bohemia when they emigrated from Prague, and we have always joked about being Bohemians. My maternal grandmother was the first generation to be born here. They came over to Chicago and lived in the area known as Little Prague, as well as other parts of Illinois. My mom's cousin still lives in Chicago, and recently she went to the Bohemian Cemetary there and took pics of our ancestors' gravestones (some are really cool!) and sent them to us along with an extensive family tree she's been working on for some time--an unusual Xmas gift. Well, my Gram's grandmother, Marie Dvorák, was apparently one of several of the composer's cousins who settled in Illinois. He spent a bunch of time there, too; I think that may have been around when he wrote his New World Symphony. I think it's completely badass, and my sister (the fledgling opera singer) is beside herself with glee and planning to do his "Song to the Moon" for her senior concert this spring. I LOVE that piece--the Italian translation, "La Luna", was recorded by Sarah Brightman, whom I just simply worship. My sister wants to do it in the original Czech. I've also told her that if I should ever re-marry (someday...), I want her to sing it, as a tribute to our roots. Extra cool part: that aria is from his opera Rusalka, which is a version of The Little Mermaid. My Pisces heart rejoices. My boyfriend and I have talked about our future-theoretical-pagan-wedding being on a boat in the waters around Seattle, by moonlight. So for my sister to sing an aria that is a mermaid's song to the moon...that was written by an ancestor...I mean, holy SHIT, people. How freaking cool is that???
Laurel the Woodfairy

Laurel the Woodfairy

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Argentwolf's Blog
 

My First Order

My very first BPAL order came today! I brought in the mail just a few minutes ago. I was excited, but made myself linger over the box, because I love to do so when opening any kind of present.   I had ordered six imps: Absinthe, Aeval, Aglaea, Agnes Nutter, Aizen-Myoo, and Akuma. (Yes, I meant to do that.) Agnes is not available as an imp, as I found out soon after I had placed the order, but whoever had packed my box had kindly substituted Al-Azif for it instead. Hee! Thanks for understanding my wacky system, whoever you are!   I received 3 frimps as well: Fruitcake (I have heard much talk of this scent), Tushnamatay, and Wrath. I love how Wrath is so cutely furious inside its vial, bright cherry red compared to the others.   Mmm, and the very sweet, faint scent that caressed the packing materials, as if to reassure me that these were not going to be like any perfume I had yet smelled. Lovely...   Thank you, oh BPAL dieties. I can't wait to embark on my explorations...what a wonderful way to celebrate the Solstice...
Argentwolf

Argentwolf

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Review Round-up!
 

Urania

In the imp: Strong and soapy - like good shampoo. Definitely picking up on the jasmine.   On wet: Sweet soap, jasmine, the sharpness of the ozone.   Drydown: Reminds me of a very traditional, department store perfume - though I tend to get that impression from most jasmine-heavy, shampoo-esque scents. The jasmine totally dominates on me, but I think I'm picking up on a higher-pitched sweetness, could be the moonflower. Moss and benzoin don't typically play nice on my skin, and the longer I have this on, it becomes apparent that this trend is going to continue. The benzoin is the more obvious of the two, and it almost *always* smells like burned/sour amber to my nose - not good. My two favourite notes in the blend - the iris and white musk - haven't appeared at all.   Overall: FYI, this imp is over two years old. When I first tried it, it smelled a lot lighter, a lot fresher, and the white musk was very prominent on the drydown - that's the only reason why I kept it, actually - I'm a white musk fiend! With the new round of discontinueds on its way, I figured I'd better give this one another go. With the absence of musk, and the heaviness of the jasmine, I'm glad I did - if only to rediscover that this scent isn't for me. It *is* a very high-end, classy kind of fragrance, though - something I could see wearing to a fancy dinner or the theatre. A 2.5/5 on my skin, though.
furygrrl

furygrrl

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