Dinah

My favourite method of getting stuff from GER to the UK is having it shipped to me. MOST of the time it works, though beware, it lost all my imps when the Christmas package got lost.

I custom mix nail polish, a process called 'frankening'. If you were my witch, would you enjoy a custom 'franken', based on whatever colors/theme you chose? I love nailpolish and interesting colours, so sure, why not?! Since everyone is spending the same amount of money on this swap, would you be interested in seeing the cost breakdown of each item in your package? Not really - I figure money is a private thing and I'm not interested in whether it comes in a bit under or over. Would you like or accept an energetically-charged item or gift? Something that had power poured into it? If so, do you have a particular purpose that you'd prefer? (Love, protection, money, etc.) I'm weird like that: I like to 'take care' of my own spirituality, and so, while I appreciate good thoughts sent in tough situations, I wouldn't be interested in something like that. Do you have any significant upcoming events in your life you'd like something for? A child/yourself graduating from high school/college? Are you buying a new home or car soon? Moving in with someone/getting married? Taking a new job? Moving to a new part of the country/world? Not really. My work contract runs out June and I'm not sure what'll happen after, but that whole situation is so unresolved it's not really a big event. Ooooh! BPAL's beloved alicia_stardust is having a contest! If you're my Witchee, would you like a chance to win these earrings? Nope, not pierced! How are we feeling about burlesque? Love it. I like the aesthetic and the fun, and would love to learn more about its history. Is there anything you're lusting after in the Villainess update? I've never tried Villainess (I know, the horror!) but I love spicy, rich scents for bathproducts. What is everyone's take on Valentine's Day? I've been single for a long time and it didn't mean too much to me then. Now, it's a fun day to go on a roadtrip together and just do something special. It's not about romantic gestures (we don't need a day for that) but about having fun together. Do you like traditional Valentine's Day colors (red, pink, white, more?) ? I love pink kitchen gear (I have pink bowls, a pink colander, pink toaster, pink kettle, pink scales) and a good dark, rich red can never be beaten. Not too big on white - I don't look good in it and it just gets too dirty too quickly A Favorite love poem? I love poetry but I really can't answer that since most of what I like isn't love poetry. What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal? Capybara! What is your favorite sign that spring is coming? Birdies chirping in the early morning dawn Do you like hand-knit Things? I love them! I especially love fairisle and lace knitting, but also chunky, bold-coloured things For those of you with pets, would you like pet things? Toys, treats, etc? Two cats, they'd appreciate treats and action-focused toys What's your favorite Love Story? The quiet, strong kind where two characters grow closer until they realize they belong together Would anyone like receiving naughty/sexy things? Sure, why not. Who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them? I love both RenFaires and SciFi - Im more likely to dress up for RenFaire than a Con, though Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, etc.? A funky skin/cover for my Kindle wouldn't come amiss What are your feelings on gently used CDs/DVDs? I buy used stuff all the time. First five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on iPod. Nope. I haven't used my iPod a lot recently, my library disappeared several times, and all I've been listening to is the Glee! OST. I can give you 5 songs I really like, though! David Gray - Baby you're the world to me ; Naked Raven - Velvet Sky ; Great Big Sea - Boston to St. John's ; David Bowie - When the world falls down ; Eddie Reader ; Galileo Would you like a mix cd from your witch? I'd love a mix CD! Are you interested in receiving gifts representative of Witch's country or culture? No knick-knacks! Photos, art postcards & recipes would be fantastic Do you like candy? What kinds? Dark chocolate, truffles Do you play WoW? No Would you like one of those Plush Microbes? No. What are your feelings on Mardi Gras? I've always wanted to go! And I miss German Fasching so much,.. Would you like homemade sewn stuff? Any fabrics to avoid? Sure, why not? Do you need any kitchen-related gadgetry? Tongs & spatulas? Would you like new nail polish? Yep. Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? I like scented candles, especially autumny/spicy/warm scents. Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise I don't need any, but otoh, a lovely box is always wonderful! Would you use a natural sea sponge? Already have one. Are you interested in bacon chocolate? Not really. Coffee, hot chocolate, or tea? Most of the time tea. Would you like some of my favorite recipes? YES! I love cooking and always love getting new recipes. Would you like posters, pictures, art? I'm not too much into art, but if it's my witch's thing I'd love it! Would you like soaps? Especially from Paintbox? And ESPECIALLY the Valentines Special Edition Soaps?? They look good, yes. Though i do have quite a few soaps in my stash! New question--I'm calling this "could never happen in a million years": Your Witch is perusing the wares at a local yard sale. S/he looks down and sees [insert impossibly rare item that you've always wanted but could never afford] with a $5-10 sticker on it. Sheepishly s/he takes it to the guy behind the folding table. "Do you know what this is?" s/he inquires. The gentleman states that it belonged to his mother/sister/grandmother/Great Aunt Beulah and he thinks it's for, like, hair or something. With a trembling hand, s/hes pays the man and heads home with the inconceivable riches. So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found? Polaroid 600 film or an Alice in Wonderland tea-set. Or maybe Disney's Beauty & the Beast and Alice in Wonderland on dvd. Do you like salted caramels? I SO want to tryyyy! Imagine that someone hands you their wallet and sends you into a really good bakery. They have everything, from breads to brownies, cookies to croissants, anything you could imagine, and you're allowed to pick out five things for yourself. What do you pick? A Krapfen (round donut filled with rosehip jam), a loaf of sourdough rye bread, a chocolate croissant, a piece of baked cheesecake and a Laugenstange It gets asked every round but sockdreams? Have never owned socks from them. Love socks, would love knee-highs, DO have really fat calves though Do you like alcoholic beverages? If so, what is your preference (beer, wine, liquor...)? Wiiiine! But don't worry about buying me booze, lovely witch. Are you into steampunk? I love the aesthetic of it, especially the rich contrast between polished warm metals (brass, copper) and shining dark wood. Do you need/would you like wall art? I have a bunch of posters that I haven't even hung yet - I just kept the landlords BOOOOORING art on the walls. I'd love something colourful and interesting. It's all a bit tame atm. What's your favorite cookie? Tough question. I like peanut butter cookies, I quite like choc chip, and I LOVE anything gingery/spicy. I've never tried snickerdoodles, but always wanted to (hmmmm, cinnamon!) Lib Balm? Love it. Love flavoured/scecnted one. My lip stuff is ok, but sometimes the texture can be a bit off. I like my lip balm a bit thick and creamy, but still smooth. Baked Goods? Yes please. I love cooking, but while my baking skills are ok I prefer eating over baking. And vegan is fine, too. And if it is indeed vegan, I want the recipe. I have the vegan cupcake book and it's great. Canned goods? Know what I love? A good chili jam/jelly. Yum! Pickles not so much, I run from vinegar. Favourite flowers? Bright pink tulips, all sorts of roses, sunflowers, gerbera, calla lilies - and all sorts of wildflowers, as well. Hair things? I have thick hair, so it needs to be sturdy. But I love hairclips and barettes, so bring it on! I used to have a butterfly-shaped metal clasp that I loved. I love MZB's Darkover books, so I'm a bit obsessed with butterfly-shaped hairthings. OPI Alice? Love the blue and the multiglitter.

I want 5 bottles of this stuff. It is so good - it's like slipping on your favourite comfy sweater and snuggling up in front of the fire with your favourite book. I absolutely love it.

It's pure Snow Flakes + Rose (and yes, Snow White smelled exactly like Snow Flakes on me, only less good) and I'm on the fence. It's a soft fluffy bunny scent, but rose was a risky note to go for and it's just something that is not entirely me. It's wonderfully girly, though, so I might keep it for the days where Snow Flakes alone isn't enough.

The butter note hits again! It's fiendish that out of my 4 new bottles, 3 have that rich butter note that on bad days can make me a bit queasy. Boo definitely has that milky-thick cream note with just a hint of sourness, mixed with some vanilla and butter. It smells like the most delicious, freshly made fudge ever, but this is another one that works in the kitchen but not on me.

Sweet screaming butter cherry-almond, Batman! This is rich, rich, rich and very sweet. The pastry + butter hit reminds me of Jack and I think it is more than I can handle! I don't get any apricot at all from this. I knew there was a risk with the butter note - it is a gorgeous scent, but I'd rather have it in my kitchen than on my skin!

In the last month or so I've gone off my usual foody scents so that's probably clouding my judgment here. The first hit is very rich and buttery - then spices are in the background, but it's all butter and sugar. Thankfully, the butter note calms down and recedes to the background and the subtle spices come out more. Just like with real Pfeffernüssen there's lots of nutmeg and black pepper (though not sharp, just aromatic), with some cinnamon. At the dry-down there's a rich, strange note in the background. To me, it smells like mix-peel and dried dill (often found here in Mixed Spice), the BF says it reminds him of jasmine. It's a calm and complex scent and very comforting, but that sharp dill note is acting up a bit.

Ouch ouch ouch! I just had a nice long soak, slathered myself in TBS Almond lotion and wondered what fragrance could possibly suit my plans for a lazy evening of lying around on the couch, feeling fabulous. Queen of Sheba seemed like the ultimate choice - but oh the horror, when I applied her on my neck and cleavage there was a great burning in the house! I know some scents can irritate, especially on still warm from the bathwater skin with its opened pores, but this still came as a surprise. Well, I've dabbed the spots with water and they're not as red anymore, but I wonder what in this caused that strong reaction? Apart from that, however, Queen of Sheba is a fabulously decadent toasted almond, very strongly foody at first, and just don't try it when you've got a queasy stomach because the blast of foodieness might just be too strong. But it settles down really well and turns into a mellow, round, slightly honey-toasted smell that is sweet and spicy, yet still has something clean about it.

Oh, wow, my skin eats that one up. The first blast that hits me is the same, wet-air pure cucumber note that I get from Snow Flakes. As the scent developes it gets fainter and upon dry-down, the soft almind/coconut combo sweetens it up a bit. As the sugared notes becomes stronger the perfume is a bit more noticable. On the whole, this is like a lighter, fainter and less-cucumbery version of Snow Flakes on me. To me, it doesn't smell like I imagine Snow White smelled like - it smells like whatever special, magical concotion she used to keep her complexion so clear and youthful. In fact.... *runs off to sniff* yup, my B Gone cleanser smells similar, only lacking the sugared note. This is a truly lovely scent, but I think I might have to slather this to get any proper effect. As others have pointed out this should be perfect in warmer weather.

I dragged out my imp of Tushnamatay in hopes of it helping me concentrate better on working on my thesis and clearing my head. I do feel calmer and more positive, but the fact that I'm here and not looking at my .doc makes me wonder. On me, Tushnamatay is a very soft sandalwood with a hint of dry cedar, but there is something very warm, spicy and soothing that makes this scent absolutely calming and soft. There is the idea of vanilla there, but you have to lean in close and take a big whiff in order to notice it. Even though I slathered it on quite thoroughly I can barely detect it and have to press my wrists close to my nose in order to smell it. Still, even the gentle, faint aura of scent that surrounds me now is enough to make me feel calmer and more clear headed. A definite winner and going on my 5ml list!

I have a bathtub now, but lots of bottles of LUSH show gel leftover from my shower only days, so naturally I use that as bubble bath, and when whipped to a fenzy of hot, foamy water I found that the Trampy patchouli that wafts through my bathroom actually reminds me a lot of Snake Oil. I kept on wrinkling my nose and sniffing, because in the bottle and actually when you just use it as shower gel the similarity isn't that obvious, but it's definitely there.

Mania is frenetic, in-yer-face strawberry, then the sweet blast gets tempered by something musky and bitter. What is left after drydown is a strange, sweet-bitter, slightly medicinal combination that is interesting but probably not something I'd want to wear as a perfume.

Bengal works on me despite the honey-note (or maybe I'm getting used to the honey-note?). It's soothing, spicy, comforting, with a slight honey-sweetness that reminds me more of beeswax than pure, dripping honey and that has a strong throw without becoming smothering. Lovely.

This goes on creamy and tropical, very coconutty. The shea butter comes out later and gives the coconut more depth. There is a slight, buttery note that reminds me a bit of sour milk but it is very faint and doesn't really deter from the beauty of this scent. It's more of a double-take (double-sniff? lol) moment before you realize that it's the shea butter making noise. Very summery, a perfect, buttery beach-smell without becoming sun-tan lotion.

Oh, this is lovely. All those comparisons that it smelled a lot like LUSH's Snowcake are completely correct, only something in this makes it a bit less harsh and almondy. It's a softer, more rounded, comforting scent, and I'm very glad the honey in here behaves itself. I think I need a bottle of this, it is perfect.

This frimp came with my last order, and since I've develope a bit of a fascination with dragon's blood recently I'm very glad I got to try it. Fresh on all I get is the sweet, fruity, resinous smell from the dragon's blood, almost too strong and fierce. As it dries that smell gets tempered by the sandalwood - it turns into a round, mellow, very sexy and faintly masculine smell. Warm woods and sweet resins and just perfectly blended. I love it. For some reason, I think this is what Severus Snape would smell like - I can't really explain why, but it seems to fit.

It's on the website, in the Love Potions section. "Hibiscus syriacus, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, apple blossom, and green fig. "

http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/sin.html It's in Sin & Salvation - it's probably newer and that's why it's not in the search engine on the site...

Oh wow. This isn't what I expected at all. This is fiery and sensual and very sweet - it's a very round scent with all elements complimenting each other. It's strong, too, and I adore it beyond reason.

Buttery and rich like pie-crust with something juicy, zesty underneath. There are definitely spices there but it's hard to say what kind. The buttery note doesn't disappear on my skin, as it has for others, but stays pretty strong while the scent develops. The initial sweetness tampers down a lot and the amber comes into play. A very interesting, changing scent, somewhere between foody and elegant.

All the depth, beauty, and darkness of All Hallows Eve. Truly, the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. I adore this! There's something spicy, herby and fresh, definitely patchouli, but also fresh, autumn air and sweet fruits. There are spicy apples and earthy woods, but the whole thing is so well blended that it's incredibly difficult to pick out separate notes.

There are buttery, yummy cakes and frankincense, but over that there is a very sharp, spiky incense smell that has indeed something slight rosey about it. It's pleasant but probably not something that I'll wear often - that sharp note is just too distracting.

This is just sort of... soapy? Clean, fresh? Certainly nothing that suggests mischief and sexiness. There's the barest hint of spice but it's not very noticable. This does a similar thing to what Hexennacht did - it's awfully demure and not at all what I was expecting. Seems that my skin chemistry and smoky scents just won't play nice.

Lick It Again Every holiday season should be full of lewd suggestions and filthy double entendres, right? This is a new take on last year’s Lick It – a peppermint candy cane with an extra jolt of sugar. Mentholly sharp, sweet peppermint that gets softer and a soft buttery vanilla note comes into play. This is beautiful, I've had a big grin on my face ever since I opened that bottle and got my first whiff of sweet candy cane.

Green, fresh and clean, but with a creamy sweetness. On my skin, this blooms immediately and that minty cucumber note comes out, along with something perfumey. This is gorgeous and evocative - not too strong, more a scent I will put on for myself instead of for other people to smell. Somehow, it captures the stillness in the air, the kind of frosty, pure quiet you can only find in a snowy forrest or in a clear, star-filled winter's night. Brilliant.