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Mail call: Karme, Pandy, Hippie Ghost, Snake Charmer, 8 Bit Cosmetics

I discovered how BPAL-licious today would be when I keyed open my mailbox and found not one, not two but three packages. Without further ado: One of the packages is not a swap, but instead an Etsy order: mineral makeup from 8 Bit Cosmetics. I'll review that separately.... The first package is from the lovely Gateau. Karme, Pandy and Hippie Ghost. Originally what drew me to it was Karme-- I've been wanting to smell it since I read the description. Karmê (Κάρμη): Sun-warmed squashes, peppers, salad greens, snap peas, radishes, green onions, and silphium. Lab imp. In the imp: a familiar floral? no... oh no. Aquatic note with an undercurrent of garden-y complexity. I never trade for or buy aquatics, because there's a note that smells identical to me in all of them and it reminds me of some perfume-in-a-can I had from Walgreens when I was a kid. And in all those drugstore perfumes it's supposed to be 'water' but to me it's sweet and formulaic. I smell it in Karme. I capped it back up for a minute because if that's what I get from this scent I'm going to cry. On me: The aquatic dissipates, thank heavens, and morphs a dandelion very reminiscent of Roadhouse or... it's been a long time since I smelled One to Tie Two To Win, did it have this? A Blade of Grass? ... It does smell like plants, though no onions- people mention cucumber, and I can see that-- not actual cucumber but perfume-cucumber, a sweet flowery version of the real. I like having this imp and I will definitely keep it-- at the very least until I acquire Roadhouse and do a side-by-side sniff comparison. Pandy: Fresh white musk, honeycomb, sweet apricot, elemi, orange blossom, and mischievous pink pepper. In the decant I smell the sweet apricot and what I'm GUESSING is the honeycomb, because it's reminding me of a sweet food I can't place. on me: ooh, that's nice. apricot with a sweet background of gentle honey. I wish I knew more about honey notes and how to distinguish them. But other people mentioned they mostly got a honeyed apricot too, so there you have it. I think I smell a bit of pepper beneath it, but as for the rest, if it's there I can't tell. But what there is of it I do like and I'm a-buying a bottle. Comforting and feminine, this is a scent I would proudly go out wearing and expect to catch a few looks. Hippie Ghost: A faded snapshot of patchouli-stained peasant blouses, soft suede boots, and smoke. In the decant I smell patchouli and a kick of disagreeable stinky smoke. Some people said pot smoke, but that's a nice smell and this is nasty to me. on me: Well-blended but not pretty smelling... I don't get anything but a vaguely cologney bite under a muddled grimy almost-patchouli. Maybe a little more weedy-smelling than it was in the imp. It mellows out pretty quickly-- When dry it's a well blended sharpish pot-smoky patchouli with leather peeking out. I like it when it's dry- well-blended and smooth, but I don't need a bottle. And along with the imps, Gateau included a huge, lovely jar of Nyx eyeshadow powder! Now I'm about to carry my pretties off and incorporate them into my collection....

January 4, 2013

From: Water of Notre Dame

I usually hate the very light/white/green/soapy/floral aquatics and they hate me right back, but wow, this is so different, and it's a little frustrating I don't know why because I can't suss out the notes. I get a lovely pale glassy green from this, maybe a green-blue, lilies, watery tones, but nothing soapy or sharp about it. Usually I can't wear these scents at all, and my skin amps green notes like it's my job, but this is gorgeous, pale, pretty, and very soothing. It reminds me of Lyonesse, Glasgow, Venice, Sea of Glass, and a few other light florals I really like (maybe Muse and Danube?), but there's something special about this one. I can't order a bottle now but it is definitely going high on my "must buy a bottle when not completely broke" list. Maybe there's a faint cucumber note in it? but it's not bitter.....It really is amazing. Source: Water of Notre Dame

January 3, 2013

From: The Zieba Tree

Got this as a frimp from the lab -- which I highly appreciate! but man, I am reminded all over again why these sorts of light/high/white florals don't work on me. From the first brush of the applicator to the drydown hours later, this just smelled like soap -- soapy sandalwood, and not even like perfumed soap, but that just-got-out-of-the-shower soap or commercial shampoo smell. Which is a nice enough smell for about fifteen minutes after you shower, but not at all what I was expecting from the description of musks, lemon, peach, &c. It even has that sort of bitter tang that happens when you get soap in your mouth by accident. :-/ "Floral laundry detergent" or "scented dryer sheets" about sums it up for me too, sadly. Source: The Zieba Tree

December 31, 2012

bottle collection.

So let's see. Current as of 2/13/13. The bottles with asterisks are not up for swap except in certain Grail-scent-related-cases. Albedo v5 x3 Atlas Badgers* (decants poss for Storyville, Voodoo Queen, Dolly Kei, and Pinched.) Blood Moon 2005 x2 Dead Man's Hand v8* Gaoler's Daughter Geek x2* Gypsy Harikata Hod (original 10mL) Hod Res x 3 Hungry Ghost Moon (pending) Loosening of the Obi* (boyfriend appropriated this one...) Men Ringing Bell With Penises* (...and this one) Mum Moon* Nagarjuna v2 Phyllocrania Paradoxa v1 Planting Moon* (see Badgers restrictions) PX23 Ronin Sachs Shanghai Tunnel Shub-Niggurath Snake Charmer (orig CN version)* Taphophobia v2 Tamamo-no-mae x2 Trick #1 * Vipralabda x3

December 28, 2012

From: Mag Mell

In the imp: Ginger, verbena, citrus, faint grass. Very pretty. Wet: A faintly fruity? smell, then -- ginger and lemon, ginger and lemon, and then LEMON LEMON LEMON. Slightly mixed with ginger. Drydown: Amber came out slightly, in a vanilla way. Still LEMON. I now smell exactly like one of those awful Starbuck's fake lemon pound cakes with the gross white icing. Hours later: Ginger came up a bit more, so did the grass, but it was still ONE LEMON TO RULE THEM ALL AND IN THE CITRUS BIND THEM (just finished traditional Yule LOTR rewatch). This also disappeared on me really fast -- in less than an hour. Pretty disappointed in this one, since I love the description and waited ages to try it, but between the Godzillemon and the vanishing act, it's awful. I might wait and try this again later, but I'm not optimistic. Source: Mag Mell

December 27, 2012

From: Versailles

In the imp: Mildly flowery citrus. I don't smell any rose or amber. Wet: WHAM! Citrus. A very strong orange/lemon/grapefruit bright smell on me. I kinda love it, as I love citrus smells, but not something I'd want to put on right before stepping into a crowded elevator. Drydown: The citrus backs off a couple miles and a pretty, warm sort of creamy floral comes out. Still rather tart, but I like it (then again I used to suck on lemons as a kid. I can't get enough of tart citrus). It stays juicy, not getting either too soapy or powdery. I think I'm getting more jasmine-and-amber, not the rose or orris (whatever orris is). The citrus comes back out every once in a while, like the sun peeking through heavy velvet perfumed drapes (or something). Verdict: I really like it. It's a very bright cheerful scent, and reminds me of a bowl of oranges in the sunshine scenting my kitchen. Unfortunately the pretty subtle drydown stage -- it does smell a lot like orange blossoms -- fades out on my skin. However, this is a very strong, long-lasting perfume with decent throw. It'd be great for summertime. I have to say that while Venice smells the way I think of Venice -- bright, aquatic, a bit sharp -- this doesn't smell anything like powdered decadant aristocrats. Unless they're sitting in L'Orangerie de Jussieu. Source: Versailles

December 8, 2012

From: Rose Cross

I used to wear this all the time, and I just don't know what happened since my return to the sweet, sweet crack BPAL. I love the description and it smells pretty in the vial, but the INSTANT Rose Cross hits my skin, it turns into sharp, bitter, soapy ugh. Stays that way all through the drydown and hours and hours later. A second opinion was sought, and soon secured. HUSBAND: It smells like insect repellent -- it smells like a TRUCK of insect repellent. It smells like the WHO going after Dengue fever. MOI: Not -- not a sacred blend of rose essence and frankincense? Like rose incense? HUSBAND: NO. sigh. Source: Rose Cross

December 7, 2012

BPAL wish list.

Grail scents I would always buy or swap for: Cagliostro Crumpet Rebellion Geek Graveyard Dirt Pinched With Four Aces Planting Moon Quincey Morris Severin Storyville Snake Charmer Res. Voodoo Queen Protos, event-specifics and similar that I desperately want to try, even a small amount: Amaterasu v2 & v3, Sekhmet v5, Kinnabari, Capela dos Ossos, Anti-Saloon League, Hermes Tris v2, Vrishka Rajaya v2 BTPU1, PX717, PRC12, XCDL13, PP42005 LE/DC (sought in any amount): Atlas Antique Lace* Autumn Lace Black Lace De Sade* Gothabilly Glowing Vulva* Inquisition 07: Ecstasy of Passion Karmê (Κάρμη)** Lughnasadh Mabon Res.* Pumpkin King LE/DC- prefer a bottle: Black Temple Burlesque Troupe** Byron v13* Diable en Boîte Hanerot Horn of Amalthea Katrina Khrysopelex Lambs-Wool Loosening of the Obi Men Ringing Bell with Penises the Smiling Spider Smut Sunflower Toad Hall Unheavenly City** LE/DC- prefer a decant: Arrival @ Sabbath & Homage to the Devil Carceri d'Invenzione CD: Parliament of Monsters* CD: Faith* CD: Gennivre* CD: Western Diamondback* Great Grey Witch Infernal Lover** La Mano del Destino the Magdalena Miles** Mother Shub's Gingerbread Temples/Stygian Nougat** Nothing Gold Can Stay Pickled Imp Pisces Sweet Lavinia's Dread Puddings/Risalamande** Tobacco Honey GC (indicated below if I prefer imp but bottles always OK): Aperotos Eros*** Bensiabel (imp) Bien Loin d'Ici Death on a Pale Horse (imp) Depraved Herbert West (imp) Kumiho (imp) Le Lèthè Mr. Ibis Nero (imp) Panacea TKO (imps ok too) Penny Dreadful Perversion Port-au-Prince** The Red Rider (imp)** Roadhouse (imp) Shoggoth Panacea: TKO** Panacea: Moxie Witch's Garden**

December 5, 2012

non-BPAL wishes.

CB IHP: try me. I like it all, but esp. tea/water/dirt/rain/stone, etc. Greenbriar 68*** Memory of Kindness*** In the Summer Kitchen Violet Empire M2 Black March** M1 Narcissus Under the Arbor Revelation I Am A Dandelion In the Library Grass Soaked Earth Ginger Flower Hay Rich Tobacco Forest/Wild Hunt Viennese Pastry Tomato Vine Rainstorm Falling Water Bamboo Flower Wildflower Honey Gathering Apples Sweet Smoke Cedarwood Tea, Lavender Tea, Black Tea, Russian Caravan Tea, Japanese Green Tea Conjure: Nejla (The Souk) Golden Amber, Tomato Leaf (Apothecary) Twr, Anna, Fire In The Earth (Feri) How You Doin', Queen Elizabeth Root, Bling Bling (Hoodoo) Earl Black, Befuddling Fan (Miss Victoria's) Notus, Anemoi (Elementals) El Alacran, La Corona (Loteria) Shakti (Mythos) DSH: Erotica (oil) Special X (any) Eden Botanicals: Pepper CO2 Select, Black German Blue Chamomile Ginger Immortelle Absolute Liquidambar HAEE: Fairy Queen, Vanilla Musk Haus of Gloi: Perfume, soap, scrub, you name it. Haus Amber, Lavender Sugar, Mango Sticky Rice, Moon Dog, Old Cider Haus,Picaroon, Pumpkin Queen, Honey Tree (soap/scrub) MAC: Both Lustreglass and Lipglass in anything but really dark colors. Eyeshadows: I'm open to all shades and styles. Want to try the pigments too. propaganda: Opium Den soap Villainess: Dulces En Fuego, Friction, Grampa Joe, Spun Sugar. Pretty much all non-fruity scents... just a slice? Whipped: Possets Indigo, Mud: Scintillating, Pearl Diver. Killer Beez oil sample, Nesthtai anything, Datura and Scintillating oils wicked cosmetics: Abricot de Vanille WoobieBath: Vanilla Tea

December 5, 2012

Notes, good and bad.

There are always exceptions, but as a guide to what works and doesn't. Generally good: amber, benzoin, bergamot, cardamom, clove, dirt/earth/soil, subtle wood scens (e.g. fir), ginger, grass, incense, leather, musk of ALL kinds, oakmoss, opoponax, peach/apricot, delicate floral (e.g. rice flower; T-n-M, HGM, Obi), white sugar, tomato leaf and other plant scents, tonka, vanilla of all kinds, subtle foody scents. Generally bad: Anise, Aquatics (except The Deep Ones), brimstone/smoke, uber-buttery, candy, civet, cinnamon, cypress, dragon's blood, most strong/sharp florals (e.g. ylang ylang), most fruity scents, harsh wood scents (e.g. juniper) , muscadine, neroli, ozone, pennyroyal, vetiver, wine (except rice wine)

December 5, 2012

From: Bastet

One of my long-time favourites. In the imp: Cherry, definitely, but not the fruit -- more dusky cherry blossoms. Not Jurgen's. Wet: Almond almond almond! But not almond-cookie sweet. Drydown: Morphs into a GORGEOUS sweet musk-amber-gold scent. Lots of throw, lots of staying power. Sultry, spicy, golden, sweet -- yes, yes, yes, yes. Definitely for those who love Morocco, Queen of Sheba, maybe O, &c &c. Seductive and slinky but not CFM-sexy. Don't be scared off by the smell in the imp or if you get ALMOND at first, this really shines after an hour or two. Source: Bastet

December 2, 2012

Laforetnoire's Blog

[Review: the RPG series] Half-Elf

This is a green, sweet and slightly earthy scent (probably from the sandalwood?). It's indeed, a sophisticated scent and it's definitely sexy. I love scent that reminds me of forests and earth (yeah, my username, I know). With this sexy, sweet, forest combination, I totally adore this scent! Oh yes, I will be wearing this while playing my chaotic neutral half-elf beguiler! Source: Half-Elf

laforetnoire

November 18, 2012

maikastar's Blog

Nightmare Before Christmas questions answered.

favorite candles, companies and/or candle scents? I'm not too worried about the brand, but my favourite scents are vanilla, incensey/resinous scents, and especially over Christmas, foody spicy scents like gingerbread. favorite kinds of tea (flavors, companies) I love tea! Pretty much all tea. I would love to get my hands on some more Adagio tea, but they won't let me directly ship it to Australia. any of the Villainess autumn or winter soaps appeal? Another soap company you'd like more? I love Villainess! At the moment, Criminy, Letitia, Discord, Proscription, Twistappel, Smashing, Mudslide, and Moral Decay all sound good! I also love Paintbox, but the things I love there have their own spots on my etsy wish list. Any of the bpal Halloween scents you wished you'd gotten? Any Yule scents you're hoping to see come back? The Yules I haven't had a chance to get my hands on yet are Witch Dance, The Tears of Lilith and The Sinister Salon. As for returning Yules, I'm thrilled to see that BTBT is back, and Krampus too! Do you have a general swap-related help post somewhere? In my siggy Do you have Etsy/Amazon wishlists linked somewhere? Amazon - http://amzn.com/w/37A9GWTI3GD3X etsy - http://www.etsy.com/people/maikastar/favorites?ref=si_fav Do you have a Tumblr/Pinterest you'd share with everyone (these can be really informative as to style?) I have a Pinterest, but I don't really have anything on it yet. I'm in Japan, anything that would interest you from there? A good bb cream maybe? Interesting flavoured Kit Kats. Do you like knitted items? If so, any fiber sensitivities/allergies? What kinds of items would you like? I knit, so yes, I love knitted things. I have no major fibre issues, and I love the idea of anything being knitted for me! New sneaky question (because I don't want to give away my idea completely) - words, numbers or spatial manipulation? Probably words Anything from Paintbox Soaps? On my etsy list Your package must contain "-A 'Sugar Plum' (ie a sweet treat)." With that in mind, what are some of your favorite sweet treats? Is there anything you really don't like? I love dark chocolate, salted caramel, and crunchy nutty type things. I was also sent Candy cane Jo-jo's once, and the were amazing. I don't like licorice. Do you have an eReader, and if so, which kind? Would you be interested in eBooks, and if so, how about a list of your favorite authors/books? I have a Kindle app in my phone, and I have a Kindle in my not too distant future, As for books/authors, my Amazon list should give you an idea of what will work. Alternatively, if you have a favourite author or book you would like to share with me, I would love that too. How do you feel about other perfume etailers? Any you love, hate, are dying to try? How about perfume with alcohol in – do you love all perfumes, do you dislike commercial brands but not mind the inclusion of alcohol if it’s a boutiquey or fancy company with unique scents, or are you strictly oils? I mostly buy BPAL, but there are some Possets and Conjure Oils that I like too. I love some of the Villainess oils as well...if you want specifics on any of those, let me know Checking out other brands is always interesting, but at the same time, it is a bit scary in terms of potential new extra spending. I don't mind perfume with alcohol, I mostly just use oils, but there's one particular commercial perfume that I really love - First, by Van Cleef and Arpel - and the only way I can have that is with alcohol. Other than fragrance oils/perfumes what is your number one (or a tie between 2-3) favorite type of toiletry or scenty item? Scrubs, bath-y type things, and moisturisers Pirates or ninjas? Pirates Zombies – love, hate, obsessed, don’t care, think they’re coming for us any day now, other immediate/passionate thoughts? Love! I just discovered a new (to me) candle company, Witch City Wicks. Does anything you see there tempt you? Antique Lace, Bondage, Church, Dragon's Blood, and Vanilla melts What about desires (limited edition or not) from Black Phoenix Trading Post? Mrs. Palmer's Establishment Atmosphere Spray, C8H10N4O2 Soap, Black Clove Candle, Spanish Red Carnation Soap, Skully Cupcake Tissue Tee in the XXL, Morocco Bath Oil, Snake Oil Bath Oil, Gula Bath Oil, Luxuria Bath Oil, Castitas Bath Oil, Hedonism Bath Oil, Opium Tar Bath Potion, Tears of the Seraphim Bath Potion, Shub Niggurath Soap, Snake Oil Soap, TKO Massage Oil, Frankincense Clove Hair Gloss, Snake Oil Hair Gloss, Morocco Hair Gloss. Favorite Disney villain? Maleficent Is there any BPAL oil that you are dying to get your hands on? It doesn't have to be a rare, just something you really want to try There's a list of scents I would love to try under BPAL wishlist in my siggy. Do you want to see things in your box for your significant other/spouse/kids/fish/whatever? Or do you want to keep it allll about you? That's totally up to you. I do have a 16 year old daughter, Maia, plus Amber the big tough cattle dog, and Leo and Rincewind the cats. We've had a lot of questions about coffee and tea - how do you feel about other things? Cocoa, spicing for ciders, flavoring to add to water is what I mean? I love cocoa! I would also love to try cider mixes - they don't have them out here, and I would love to try them. Flavourings to add to water sound more than interesting too. It's not Christmas/Solstice/Yule until...? It's hot, there are Christmas beetles dive bombing my enterance porch, and I've had to buy half a dozen chunks of Snowcake. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT RECEIVING MOSTLY HAND CRAFTED GOODIES? Handcrafted is love! What other movies do you like to watch during Halloween and Christmas? Frankenweenie has just been added to the mix, Nightmare Before Christmas (of course), Elf, Bad Santa, Olive the Other Reindeer, Drop Dead Fred, Edward Scissorhands, The Orphanage Would you, dear little Nightmare, like to receive something from one of those silly-yet-nostalgic Holiday food companies, like Omaha Steaks (which totally has a ton of yummy veggie items, btw!) or Swiss Colony? Interesting in theory, but I don't think much of it would travel well, and even if it did, I can't see our Customs letting it through. What fandoms are you a part of???? Doctor Who, Torchwood, Game Of Thrones, Nightmare Before Christmas, Dr Horrible, Firefly, Discworld, Sandman, Good Omens Is there anything under $10 that you've been wanting from World Market? Any of these look wonderful http://www.worldmarket.com/product/toysmith-lazer-fingers-set-of-2.do?&from=fn http://www.worldmarket.com/product/andes+cr%C3%A8me+de+menthe+baking+chips+bag.do?page=2&from=fn http://www.worldmarket.com/product/salted-caramel-bark-tin.do?&from=fn http://www.worldmarket.com/product/vosges-black-salt-caramel-bar.do?&from=fn http://www.worldmarket.com/product/divine-70-dark-chocolate-with-raspberries.do?page=3&from=fn http://www.worldmarket.com/product/republic+of+tea+chocolate+merry+mint%2C+50-count.do?&from=fn http://www.worldmarket.com/product/twinings-holiday-teas-20-count-boxes.do?&from=fn I can get Twinings out here, but they don't seem to sell these two. Two Timing Tarts? Freak Flag, Pretty Boys in Eyeliner, Vampires Don't Fucking Sparkle, Bigger on the Inside, Pride and Prejudice v1, Femme Fatale, Frankly, My Dear... , Mae West's Diamonds, Satin Sheets, Silk Sheets, Gingerbread Pimp, Pucker Up!, Where's My Damn Spoon?.

maika

November 15, 2012

thepiratequeen's Blog

Winter Solstice swap Q&A

Dear fabulous future Celebrant(?); are there any things that you used to love to have for your holidays/this time of year that you can't get where you are now? Graeter’s eggnog ice cream ---- Where can I find your Q&A? Do you have a wishlist post/blog and does it link other things like Etsy/Amazon? They’re all in my sig and the stupid amount of questions from SW are on my blog. ----- Yules- there were only 4 that interested me – Mother Shub’s Cthulhustollen, Sweet Lavinia’s Risalamonde, Knecht Ruprecht, and The Shivering Boy. i think I’d hurt someone for a bottle of The Shivering Boy. I’ve been waiting for Beth to redo it… ---- So, if you were to come into an unexpected windfall (a huge amount of cash), what would you get for yourself? The Hunter dress from Ravenswood Leather in the dove grey. --- Do you prefer votives, tarts, tapers or jar candles (if you are into candles)? Jar candles. They’re easier to keep from being knocked over, etc. by a 5 year old and a cat. ---- Any books you've been meaning to get for yourself but haven't yet? ALL OF THEM. No, seriously – just about anything on my amazon wishlist. I keep meaning to get myself a copy of the Oxford Book of Gothic Tales but I never do… ---- Is there any Bath etailer that you want to try? That you love? What do you want from there? What's your favorite bath item? Love to try some of the Haunt stuff – Cask lust (!), Salem series, The Collector’s Cabinet, Cloak, Winchester (!), Rising(!), Burying Tree, Watcher(!). soaps or scrubs would be awesome. Villainess – want to try: Discord and Just Right, and I love Birth Rite, Trauma, Blood, Jade, Ginger Snapped, and Jai Mahal, soap or smooch. Paintbox Soapworks – the Yuletide sample box, want to try: The Englishman, This Charming Man, Sweet Cheeks, Second Breakfast, Whiskers. Love: The Queen is Dead and Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground Lush – Caca Rouge henna, Glogg shower gel. Want to try: Soak and Float, New! Shampoo bars. ---- Would you want something included for your pets? If so, is there anything they really like? The cat would just look at anything included for him with disdain and then try to unravel my knitting. --- Tea? Hot cider? Other Hot beverages? Tea and cider both. I don’t do coffee, usually, and roohiboos(sp?) is foul. --- Recipe in a Jar; soups, cookies, etc? soups, maybe. Cookies, no. I like to bake – I’ll make my own. ---- Do you have any fiber allergies? Nope. I can’t stand scratchy yarn, though. --- What colors do you like? (Pictures would be helpful!) purple, cobalt blue (TARDIS blue), ruby, pumpkin, greys, black. Fall or Winter colors. In reference to yarn, Lion Brand Homespun colorways Amethyst, Edwardian, Gothic, and Autumn are faves. ---- What colors do you not like? Pink, yellow, light green – anything considered Spring or Summer colors. ---- what color of nail polish would brighten your senses or make you smile? Glitter or no? purples, reds, blues, bronze/copper/silver metallics. No glitter, though. I like glossy, not matte. --- Socks? short? long? fuzzy? Yay socks! As long as they fit my big ass feet, that is. Not big on fuzzy socks but I’m about to *beg* someone to make me a pair of handknits. ---- Jewelry? Pierced Ears? Do you like necklaces/pendants? Bracelets? Rings? My ears are a 00ga. Double flare plugs in natural materials only – allergies suck. I generally don’t wear rings, bracelets are kind of hit or miss, but I’ll always wear necklaces. I like choker length or the very long drop necklaces that hit between the boobs. ---- Anything you're particularly wanting from the Lab/Post at the moment? How about GCs you keep meaning to get but never get around to? I neeeeed some more Honey or Fig and White Sandalwood hair gloss… GCs – Lady Death: Savage, Goblin, Imp, Poisoned Apple, Depraved, Brown Jenkin, Mag Mell. ---- Do you have any fandoms? Dr. Who (9th Dr. FTW), Firefly, HP Lovecraft/Cthulhu, generic tabletop gaming (especially about neutral/evil/chaotic stuff or related to ‘misunderstood’ characters-there’s one I’ve been wanting that says ‘I’m *NOT* a necromancer… I don’t care what you *heard*.’), zombies, hello kitty (and any combinations of my other fandoms), nightmare before xmas, pirates, Futurama, batman, x-men --- Does anything from Two Timing Tart interest you? Sex Kitten, Shemar Moore in my Bunk, Vampires Don’t Fucking Sparkle, Bigger on the Inside, Femme Fatale, Frankly, My Dear…, Satin Sheets, Sunshine, Leaf Pile, and Winter’s Kiss candles, Devil scent beads. --- Does anything from Sock Dreams interest you? All the things? Stripey knee socks, sock garters, argyle socks… plus size, though. --- Any movies (holiday or otherwise) that you want to see but never get around to? Not really. If I want to watch it, I usually do. There are movies I need *copies* of, though. I really need a copy of Sweeney Todd on blu ray. --- Do you need any smartphone accessories (case, skin, etc)? other than a better headset than the one I have, nope. --- Small samples of homemade booze? Cider, mead, and cordials, sure. Beer, no thanks. --- Is there anything from local farmer markets that would interest you? Local honey. --- Do you have a favorite animal (or breed of animal)? Snakes, bats, ravens. --- Do you like stuffed toys/animals? Only weird ones. I have a giant Squishable Cthulhu on my bed and a Lenore doll on my dresser. --- Would you like/want anything Disney-related, or from Disneyland? Nightmare Before Christmas (esp. Oogie Boogie or Lock, Shock, and Barrel), The Haunted Mansion, or Villainesses (esp. Ursula or Maleficent) stuff. --- Another question! How do people feel about puzzles? Board games? Any particular ones that you might like or have and would like additions to? Not big on puzzles. The games I’m interested in are on my amazon wishlist, too – cards against humanity, fluxx, miskatonic school for girls, kill dr. lucky, etc. --- Is there anything under $10 that you've been wanting from World Market? Not that I know of, except maybe some Jaffa Cakes or pickled lotus root. --- If you answered yes to any beverage-related questions, what exactly do you like in tea, coffee, alcohol, cocoa, cider, etc.? black tea – peach, mint, orange, spice, pomegranate. White tea – pomegranate, mint, peach. Green tea – mint, plain. Coffee – no thanks. Alcohol – med. Dry ciders and meads, peach, pomegranate, apple, pepper vodka or schnapps, spiced rum, scotch. Cider – hard cider and regular spiced cider. --- Stones? What color/types of stones, precious, semi precious or otherwise do you like? My absolute favorites are lapis lazuli and sodalite. After that, green jade, blue lace agate, tiger’s eye, amber, hematite, opal, moonstone, and rough amethyst. --- Any small things you need? Nice measuring spoons, knitting notions – needle caps, circular needles, stitch markers, a tart warmer, a nice change purse, a shawl/scarf pin --- Would you like a scarf, or knitted dishclothes? If so, what colors? Scarf – yes, if they’re not the straight kind – heather grey or black with color accents, maybe. Dishcloths would be awesome – cobalt blue and white.

sarielswish

November 14, 2012

Laforetnoire's Blog

[Review: the RPG series] Paladin

In the bottle, it’s clean, sharp and green. Wet on skin, it’s still clean and green. Maybe it's my imagination but at that stage, I get a tart green apple note, similar to what I remember from Sleeping Beauty. Once dry, it's all vanilla and the scent of church incenses. I personally love incense notes but, often, they tend to be very strong and have lot of throw. Paladin doesn't have this problem; it's a discreet incense note. One that won't make your D&D partners loose their concentration! Overall, it's a lovely vanilla, incense and clean scent. It has just enough throw for me. I love it! Source: Paladin

laforetnoire

November 14, 2012

From: London

In the imp: Very very sweet, and slightly chemical. A little more "perfumy" than most BPALs, to me. Wet: Immediately less sweet and less strong -- there was a slight soapy edge at first, which had me worried, but this fades into a quiet, simple, quite pretty scent. It might be good for someone who's not sure if they like rose scents, or a delicate office scent for a woman. I don't get any dust, blackness, wickedness, or boldness at all, sadly. There does seem to be a note which is suppressing the rose a little bit and keeping it from going either powdery or soapy, which is nice, but I can't tell what it is. Drydown: This doesn't change on me much, except it continues getting ever fainter. Someone said "translucent" earlier and that sounds right -- it's more essence of rose, or preserved rose, rather than a strong fresh flowery smell. Dry: My skin ate this pretty fast, so almost no throw, but it had good staying power for such a delicate femme scent. I'll keep the imp, and maybe get another one, but I'm not that interested in a bottle, mainly because on me it is pretty much just one note and it fades very quickly. The verdict: I agree this is maybe more English countryside than London, unless it's a shady little corner of Queen Mary's Rose Garden. Sweet, quiet, maybe easily overlooked -- this is more of an Anne than an Emily or Charlotte perfume, Cassandra rather than Jane. -- Actually now that I think on it this is really kind of a Jane Bennet scent. Sweet, steady, classy, delicate. It's sort of a young pretty perfume, rather "girly" -- which isn't bad, just really, really not my thing. I tend to prefer the more complex "storytelling" BPALs too, and this is definitely not one of those. It's maybe the closest I've seen BPAL come to a more simple "regular" perfume. Which isn't to say it's bad at all, it's very sweet and pretty. I wouldn't include it in a BPAL starter imp pack, but I might suggest it to someone who's put off by the stronger scents and more elaborate descriptions. I also might put it in a BPAL rose imp pack as a contrast with the more complex and strong rose blends, some of which do turn to powder or soap. Source: London