tapestry

In the bottle, I took this to be a strange mash-up of watered-down Snake Oil, fruity notes (not bright or particularly light, but not entirely dark, either), and mellow coffee. Very pretty, except for when it would occasionally remind me of super fruity bubble gum. Wet, the coffee, patchouli and what I'm assuming are the spice notes came out to play. I'm one of those people who amps any vanilla note to the point of drowning out all else, but this is one of the precious few instances where that hasn't been happening. Instead, I get something which reminds me of Villainess' Mudslide soap (A positively filthy mix of day-old coffee grounds and vetyver, blackened hazelnut, sweet graham, and rich cream), if Mudslide had a darker fruit note -- a hollowed-out pomegranate note, perhaps, where you get the shape and the feel of the fruit, but nothing actually tart or juicy about it. Dry, Und wir Dachten der Toten starts to calm down a bit and smell less like something I want to put in my mouth. The spices ramp up, figuratively hugging the bourbon vanilla and coffee notes. It has moderately decent throw for me, and is really interesting for how it morphs from one pleasant state to another, going from sweet-but-not-heavy to sweet-and-lickable, and finally spicy-sweet-slightly-dirty, courtesy the patchouli -- I do agree that the patchouli isn't your typical dirt-dirt-sexy-dirt, but rather something with just enough weight to prevent the blend from spiraling off into heady sweetness. It doesn't truly smell like masala chai, but it gives me the same feeling I get when I sit down with a steaming cup: spicy, sweet, warm.

Hey, BPAListas. I've recently lucked into A Gentleman Friend with fondness for cologne, and to no surprise, am looking to turn him toward BPAL. He's currently wearing Realities ('Italian Grapefruit, Madarin, Wet Greens; Sueded Cedar Wood, Cashmere Woods; Nutmeg, Ginger, Tea'), though he's told me that his favorite cologne to date is actually Pi by Givenchy ('Citrus, Aromatic, Green, Floral; Magnetic Wood; Benzoin Crystals). Both smell nice on him, though Realities is typical-men's-cologne, and Pi felt a bit... powdery, maybe? A bit off, for lack of a better word. He's repeatedly mentioned a mad love affair with sandalwood, and at one point when I had a list of BPAL Tapestry is Interested in Trying open, he expressed curiosity about Arachne of Lydia. He's tested Dracul to decent effect (though it was washed off somewhat quickly), and also reacted favorably when I've worn The Illustrated Woman, Tombeur, Liz, Intrigue and Voodoo. With all that in mind, I'm trying to hunt down a few scents which carry some warmth to them, preferably with a strongly discernible sandalwood note. Unfortunately the catalogue is overwhelming me at the moment, so I was hoping to pick the forum's collective brain. Are there any sandalwood-heavy scents which you lot would suggest for a man who also seems to like vanilla, pine, clove, almond, and (maybe) musk? I will be pinning him down and testing my own bottles of The Illustrated Woman, Tombeur and Voodoo on him, but my tastes tend to run super dark -- as in patchouli, patchouli, and maybe a drop of vanilla on top of more patchouli -- whereas his appear to lean more wide, warm and comparatively 'fresh'. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

TKO decant means TKO bottle is not too far off for me. Unf. I can see the lavender marshmallow comparison, but upon smelling TKO I find that I agree more with the lavender branches covered in vanilla-scented crystal sugar mental imagery instead. Usually I can't handle scents this sweet, but there's something zen about TKO (lavender), something endearing. My sleeping problems are that no matter when I go to sleep, I get up at almost exactly the same time daily. The older I get, the earlier that time becomes, so that on a workday I find myself waking up in between 4 - 4:30 regardless of when I actually fall asleep. I'm a chronic waker -- in between six and eight times a night is average for me -- and on weekends I'm lucky to sleep 'til 6. Well, I tried TKO Friday and Saturday evenings. Friday I woke twice (one to feed the cats, which is unavoidable), and rather than leaping out of bed as per my norm, I kind of staggered around blearily in hopes of going back to sleep. I think I was out of bed by 7. Saturday evening I woke once(!!), and gave up right before 8 AM. Which, uh, is basically like the sleeping lottery. TKO leaves me a little fuzzy around the edges, but that is because I am sleeping hard, something i hardly ever do. The blend itself is very pretty, but what's sold me is the effect it had on my sleep thus far. I'm actually a little scared to use it on a work night! Even if the effects are psychosomatic, I've every intention of saving up for a bottle.

I'm going to make another Lush comparison here. I had an impromptu MnS at a friend's house last night where I got to test her bottle of Bandito. I liked it very much, but found that it smelled almost exactly like Lush's Skinny Dip shower gel to me. There was a bit of a woodier note during drydown, but it was faint and so I found myself huffing my arm over and again marveling at how similar the two smelled. So if you love Skinny Dip, I definitely recommend Bandito for you. It's a very lovely blend, but there's something about the similarity which makes me okay with not picking up a bottle.

Definitely not my cuppa. What smelled like Thin Mints in the imp turned into this weird combination of cloying and sour on my skin. This is especially weird because I amp vanilla like no one's business, so at worst the mint should have just been overwhelmed. Instead, I smelled like a variation on the stereotypical old lady theme and actually had to wash it off. Definitely not the worst BPAL experience I've ever had (Florence, I'm looking at you!), but it wasn't pleasant and I was happy to rehome my imp somewhere more loving.

Where with White Rose I didn't smell much at all in the bottle, Red Rose immediately gives me flashbacks to The Illustrated Woman. I'm assuming it's the fir note here standing in for Illustrated Woman's pine, tonka standing in for IW's vanilla, plus similar musks and tobacco t'boot. It's intriguing and sexy without question, the kind of scent you want to wear on a night of conquest. Mentally I associate the color amber and dark, dark reds with this oil. Wet I still get a lot of Illustrated Woman vibe, but the cloves come out to play. Although every now and again I feel like I can catch a whiff of rose, it's always fleeting and always faint. And it really isn't rose buds as the Lab describes, but more like a bastard child of rose and carnation -- a vaguely rosy scent that has carnation's spice (the cloves, presumably), and brings to mind a full rose that has bloomed and blown, having reached its peak. After some wear, this is a gorgeous blend of notes where one flows into the other without any real noticeable points... except for the rose. I lose a lot of the rose on drydown and walk away with a deliciously spicy scent, but not a rose one. This does wear for awhile, though, which is nice. White Rose disappeared quickly on me, but the heavier notes in Red Rose almost guarantee that it won't need to be reapplied quite as often. (My skin chemistry eats lighter notes, though, so your mileage may vary.) I haven't layered the two Unity blends yet -- that's tomorrow -- so I'll be updating my reviews to add that impression later.

In the bottle, I actually find that I don't smell very much at all. Not so with Red Rose, which is spicy and strong -- White Rose is soft and barely there. Wet, however, is another story entirely. The listed vanilla tea is, as so many others have already mentioned, very Dorian. It lacks the added twang of musk or fougere, and where those notes are in Dorian, in White Rose we have -- surprise! -- a pale and soft rose. I love the smell of real roses, but in perfume I'm usually a bit hesitant. White Rose lands me in middle ground territory since it doesn't smell real to me and does in fact make me think of perfumey roses, but not in a way which is actually unpleasant. At first I was unable to pick up any kind of coconut, but after huffing my wrist a couple of times I think that it's there... just faint and in the background, rounding the scent out without making its presence known. That's clever as hell, IMO, because it prevents things from getting too cloying or so over-the-top feminine that I get the vapors. When it comes to identifying notes that aren't common as dust... er, well, I'm piss-poor at it. So I can't find much of the frankincense, orris or benzoin in this blend -- it's too sweet, too pale and airy. Drydown sees White Rose turning a bit creamy, and methinks that might be the vanilla and coconut more than anything. It's sweet and girlish, something I would encourage ladies to wear in the springtime with cotton dresses and bare feet. I haven't layered this with Red Rose yet -- that'll come after wearing both blends separately -- so I'll update my review to reflect those thoughts later.

In the imp and wet, this is a shockingly sweet scent reminiscent of almonds. There's some resiny goodness to it which ultimately makes me think of some of the Snake Pit blends -- Snake Oil with who knows what. Maybe it's the myrrh, maybe one of the many notes I'm not readily familiar with, but I actually found myself worried about how sweet it was. After appliation but before drydown, some of the sweetness cut out and I picked up on notes which made me think of Shub-Niggurath's gingery zing. In fact, during the hour or so that impression was there, I told myself "you don't need to find a bottle of Schwarzer Mond; just buy a bottle of Shub already!" I wouldn't really call this Shub Lite since it's a darker scent, but that gingery hint of spice lasted awhile. I'm now at the point of drydown a few hours later, and what I walk away with is a faint but dark perfume which is very reminiscent of incense. It's very lovely, and were it a stronger wear or throw I'd probably want to hold on to this. As it is, I went through all stages of perfume in about four hours, and I just can't be bothered to reapply that often. I might just look into layering Shub with another GC to achieve a similar effect. Schwarzer Mond is very lovely, but this isn't one I can justify hunting down.

I hardly have experience with all the GC blends, but I've worked through a good number of them and think that Voodoo is one of the most complex scents available. My nose isn't incredible, but I'm okay when it comes to picking out notes... Except for with Voodoo. To me, this initially smells rich and deep, reminiscent of Coca-Cola syrup or the flavored Cokes you can get at soda fountains. I know that it's some strange bastard combination of what Beth put into the perfume, but for the very life of me I can't pick individual notes out! Instead there's nothing but mental associations with Voodoo. It's a sex scent, something to put on when you want to seduce, to be in control, to be on top, to strut away sweaty but satisfied. How in heaven's name I manage to simultaneously think "Coca-Cola!" and "sex!", I have no idea. There's something about these notes thrown together which causes magic to happen. I think in the imp and wet, Voodoo strikes me mostly with pine, myrrh, patchouli, lime and clove, with vanilla to sweeten it all. The almond does not smell remotely like almonds, but it's present and lurking, lending something rich. After application when there's been some wait time, a bit of the sweetness fades -- and that in itself is impressive, because I amp the Lab's vanilla notes like you wouldn't believe. I get a heady, deep and dark scent. It's reminiscent of incense, and although they really don't smell anything alike, I think of Mme. Moriarty and how she also fades into a sexy, confident incense scent. I think that's the vetiver coming out to play, but it's well-balanced and not harsh. Voodoo is, as a lot of other folks have said, quite the morpher. It also lasts and lasts with the right skin chemistry. It does fade on me a bit, but never much, and this is one of those perfumes I can wear for ten hours without having to reapply. Love, love, love Voodoo.

I bought this during my first BPAL-apalooza experience back in '04, because I like anise/licorice and enjoy cherries (though am on the fence about smelling like them) -- I didn't know much about musk at the time. Blasphemy, I know! I was a heathen back then who literally shoved her imp back into the closet and forgot about it, so the damn thing aged four years before I found it again. Aged Kabuki is much like fresh Kabuki. It smells gorgeous, dark and just a bit hedonistic. Unfortunately, Kabuki is not for me. There is some component in this blend which gives me the same reaction as the Lab's cinnamon and cassia notes -- when I put this stuff on, it burned. Within minutes I was covered in welts and had to wash it off, only for them to last a good long while. If you have sensitivies, I'd stress caution with Kabuki. It's a beautiful, rich and heady perfume, but for skin contact us wussy folk (who knew I was one!) ought to be careful. Aged Kabuki: Not for the faint-hearted. The red musk deepens, darkens, the cherries become richer and less medicinal and the anise turns into something you desperately want to either eat or make love to. It's really hard to tell.

I think MisterShrapnel summed The Antikythera Mechanism up perfectly with Kate Beaton's comic (<3 beatonna!), and ephemera nailed it with "warm but not soft". I <3 steampunk and tobacco and vanilla in small doses and wood besides, so this perfume is magic to me. And thanks a million to my Winter Switch Witch for the gift of a bottle! <333 In the bottle and wet, The Antikythera Mechanism reminds me of something I made with a perfume kit as a child. It's mostly woods, teak and oak, with the barest hint of tobacco and no real vanilla to speak of. It's interesting. Captivating, actually, because in writing this paragraph alone I have opened, closed and opened my bottle again and again to catch another whiff of the perfume. This is well-oiled wood furniture in the perfect library with a warm fire burning in the background and the evening outside at bay. It is the glow of light off of smooth wood surfaces, bright and light and full of life. Applied it doesn't so much morph as bloom for me. The tobacco comes further into play and everything is sweetened by vanilla. And oh, the vanilla! It's magical -- I amp the Lab's vanilla notes beyond 11, but that's not the case here. With this perfume the vanilla doesn't leap out and scream for attention so much as wind through and wrap itself around the remaining notes, making the whole thing come together in a heady, blissful mix. Drydown is similar, and damn but this lasts for hours upon hours. In my mind, this is a man's cologne. It's burnished brass and polished wood, leather chairs and a pipe in front of the fire, as well as the unspoken possibility of sex on top of that carefully polished desk. I could wear for a very long time and not get tired of it.

So long story short, I am a whore for pomegranate. When I read about Crypt Queen for the first time, I think I might have actually widdled myself in excitement. Of course it was relatively rare, so chances of ever coming across a pomegranate-patchouli scent of magic and win seemed pretty slim. Then! Someone was kind enough to swap me her half-bottle, and lo... it was mine! In the bottle and wet, Crypt Queen is rich and red -- not fire engine red, but dark shades of burgundy, of dark pinks, of tousled bed sheets made from silk and sheer veils and perhaps some velvet thrown in for contrast. The pomegranate and rose happily leaps out at me, with the raspberry giving a little extra zing just to mix things up, and down deep at the bottom in rich soil is the patchouli, just waiting. Basically it's like a stiletto heels version of Persephone, IMO. I had the misfortune of being a spastic, so I over-applied (re: spilled) on myself and my desk, which meant a lot of oil to make use of (and a lot of waste <sigh>). A couple of hours after application, I'm sad to say that Crypt Queen wears a helluva lot lighter than I'd like. I'm not swimming in a cloud of perfume, which I had seriously expected after this morning's accidental drenching. What I can pick up are faint, occasional wafts where rose, pomegranate and raspberry are happily marinating in patchouli. The patchouli is smooth, though, earthy without being heavy. There might be some plum kicking in now and again, but the overall impression is like the bastard child of Persephone and Mme. Moriarty. I like it. A lot. And feel like an utter goof for spilling so much without even realizing it. Boo! But win for Crypt Queen. She's gorgeous and lovely.

In the bottle, this is faint but lovely. It makes me think "blue" and water -- deep, dark water like a lake at night, ringed by lights. I don't love it. Hell, I don't even particularly like it all that much, but for some reason I almost feel compelled to lick the bottle in hopes of getting that water, that texture that this scent fills my head with. On application, I had a hell of a time picking up the scent. The bottle top gave me rather a lot of oil to smear around, and even then it was faint. For a good quarter of an hour or so, I then got soap. Afterwards The Grindhouse got stronger and I could pick out the magnolia, rose and what I am assuming is the iris. They were blended rather well into a floral that I'm on the fence about, but no clove jumped out at me, nor any red musk. If there's vanilla, I'm not finding it. And that's damn impressive since I amp vanilla to high heaven. Having worn this the better part of an hour now, it's now a skin-hugging scent that I really have to huff in order to find, and when I do find it there's not much else than bare-bones florals. I can see how this would be quite lovely on the right woman (or the wrong one, I suppose), but this resin-loving girl is just not able to work with the Madame of the Grindhouse.

Unf, Yvaine. That could basically be my review right there. I have loved Neil Gaiman for what feels like half my life. I have loved Stardust for years, Yvaine for just as long. I deeply and truly love when the Lab collaborates with Neil, and I am such a whore for Lab blends that only have a small number of notes. So yeah, this sounded like heaven when I first read about it. I received an imp in a swap, and from the moment I took a whiff I was bowled over. Yvaine took me over completely -- I had never smelled anything quite like it before, and all I could think of were indigo skies deep in the night, bright stars, silvery silk, lush blue velvet, and yes, the word "crystalline" did spring to mind. I wore it on my way to work the next day and could have wept for its beauty. It was like hearing Mozart after a lifetime of no music. It was also completely gone by the end of my 20-minute commute. Months passed, and I basically just hoarded my two leaky imps, huffing them once a month or two while my eyes rolled back into my head and I dreamt beautiful waking dreams. I tried wearing Yvaine again once or twice, but it was always heartbreaking since the damn thing wouldn't last on me. Why I swapped for a bottle of it, I still don't know. The crazy things BPAL makes us do, I guess. When I wore it... lo! A miracle occurred! The seas parted, war ended and best of all the perfume lasted! It became a little less chilly when I wore it -- the star coming down from the sky to the earth below, I guess, if you want to be poetic about it -- and changed slightly from crystalline to something a bit more floral, a bit warmer, a bit more approachable. Florals typically do not like me, so I was shocked when it lasted the entire workday well into the evening. Unfortunately I developed a monster headache that day which may or may not have been Yvaine. I'll be testing it again to see if this beautiful perfume has gone from ignoring me to trying to kill me. Either way, I really recommend picking up a decant of this if you're interested in the notes or the character. It's something everyone should sniff at least once. This is a perfume that is, to me, about the character is conveys as much as the scent itself. It's a masterpiece.

I'm a lot like Pottersville in the sense that my skin chemistry amps sweet notes. And yet I can't help but love Elegba... so long as it's fresh from the Lab. This perfume seems to come in two flavors. There's Lab-fresh -- how I was introduced to Elegba and all his glory. It's my favorite option, and is to me very much a summer scent. There's a strange, bitey kind of tang to the coconut, almost like a musk (the white musk effect on Dorian comes to mind). The coconut is fresh rather than toasted or sweetened, as it's the rum and tobacco which lend their sweetness to the fruit. This will wear for hours and hours and glorious hours, and wafts like nobody's business. There isn't much morph, and what I walk away with tends to be rummy (but not boozy) coconut with the barest hints of tobacco to further ground the scent. Aged Elegba is, IMO, very different. When I first received an imp of this, I actually recoiled. What had happened to my beloved Elegba?? It smelled thick and rich, like the coconut sunblock I had grown up with. This wasn't the almost sharp thing I'd come to love! Well, I have an aged bottle of Elegba now and while I think it's very wearable -- foodie fans, you should love it -- it's still not the magical being the fresher oil is to me. Aged, this sees the coconut as much stronger, much richer, much more foodie. A lot of the sweetness is amplified into something edible, so it's almost like having coconut rum cake or something to that effect. Positively (I guess), it continues to be a long-lasting scent so a little application goes a ridiculously long way. I'd still rather have my new Elegba, though.

My very first bottle purchase! <3 My feelings on that bottle purchase: NOM NOM NOM Lilith Victoria is lovely. I have never picked up too much Snake Oil in the blend (which is a pity, because hey, Snake Oil), but in the bottle and on application it's always struck me as a gorgeous blending of notes with little break between them. My bottle is a happy combination of Dorian and Snake Oil, with a tad more emphasis on the former than the latter. I've always been able to pick up the fennel and lavender notes LIKE THAT -- they jump out to me that much. Which is keen, because of the added notes those are my favorites. This is a sweet scent in both feeling and actual scent, although the lavender in particular cuts through some of that before it becomes too cloying or sugary. I'll admit that I'm curious as to what this would smell like on male skin chemistry, but when it comes to the fairer sex, I think almost anyone could wear it -- young girl or confident woman, Lilith Victoria can be anything she wants. Overall impressions are just that: impressed. This is a long-lasting perfume that I consistently get compliments on. The only morphing which happens is that it turns more towards vanilla over time, but that's me and my vanilla amping rather than anything else. The added herbs stop it from becoming a toothache, and ultimately I <3 Lilith Victoria.

I was very generously given a decant of Shub that seems to be mighty aged. It's a bright orangey-red -- mostly red -- which is gorgeous to look at. Actually, in terms of aging re: color and consistency, Shub reminds me a little bit of Snake Oil. When I open the imp it's all about the ginger. Not the astringent sinus-clearing kind, but a sweet ginger tempered by some heavy duty resins. I don't pick up specific herbs, but I can see how they'd further ground the scent and prevent it from possibly becoming too sweet. This is something I'm unsure about associating with Lovecraft, but still, no complaints from my corner. During wear... Well, that's a harder one. The first time I wore this was last November, and I loved it. It reminded me a little bit of my late grandmother, a very detached and distant woman whose primary culinary love was ginger, ginger, ginger. We had very little time together, so Shub made me smile at the connection. But then -- and maybe this was just my skin chemistry at the time -- I got something weird from the blend. Something which made me think of cleaning products. In retrospect, I wonder if that's the lemon note other folks have mentioned. Regardless, it was weird and unsettling and I decided to not wear Shub again for awhile if ever. Well, four months later I gave it another shot, and hooray! No cleaning products! What I walked away with yesterday was a decent wear length -- probably about five or six hours -- and that deep, dark, sweet ginger all day. There wasn't much morphing, which was lovely. Still unsure about how I feel re: Shub the perfume and Lovecraft, but this is so much nicer now.

Oh, man I love blends with simple note lists. This seemed like such a win to me! And wet or in the bottle, it is. It's as others have described -- a gorgeously spiced apricot, studded with cloves and who knows what else gloriousness. It's a cooked scent, a 'wet' scent rather than the raw fruit. It's more like apricot cooked for preserves or as a glaze. Unfortunately when I actually wear the perfume? I turn into a Yankee Candle. I know there are folks who don't mind that, but me? Not so much. I foolishly wore this to the gym where I, y'know, got warm and sweated, and it was like torture. Washing the candle smell off of me was a heavenly experience. This would make a nice room scent to me, but I definitely can't wear it and envy those who can! Naturally it had some major lasting power. Figures!

Mr. Nancy is one of the most unique perfumes I've ever had the pleasure of smelling. Not because of its notes, exactly -- I've smelled cookie scents before, and as a mostly non-foodie scents kinda girl, I'm traditionally not impressed. I think it's more because it seems to capture the feel of Mr. Nancy as a character. When I first got a leaky imp of this scent, I fell a little bit in love. It is everything I love about old men. It's charm and panache and horrible jokes, panama hats, slightly tatty clothes and the comforting scent of "grandpa". And, of course, it's the notes. In the bottle and wet I get lime sugar cookies. Someone further up-thread said key lime, and that seems pretty true to me. As someone who does not enjoy smelling like baked goods, I still can't get enough of this scent. There's a hint of tobacco further sweetening the blend up, and thankfully that gets grounded a bit by the bay rum. When the Lab releases perfumes with fewer notes, like this one, I find myself smiling stupidly ever time. Sometimes it's just as simple as Mr. Nancy. During wear -- and this one lasts awhile, let me say that much -- I'm always shocked by the lime. Citrus is one of those finicky notes which goes fast, so the fact that the lime stays pretty consistent throughout Mr. Nancy is the bee's knees. Hours into wearing this, I get sweet, tangy lime cookies with a touch of equally sweet but musky tobacco. The bay rum is always the lightest note for me here. Drydown brings out more of the vanilla sweetness, but I amp vanilla like no one's business, so that's more me than the perfume. Overall this is such a hugely comforting scent -- I think it's awesome that so many of us seem to walk away with the impression, and the idea of cuddling up with someone wearing Mr. Nancy? Not a bad idea at all. This wears and wears and wears for a long time, and although the foodie aspect prevents me from wearing it daily, it's definitely a scent I'll go to regularly for comfort or a smile.

Dorian is what made me fall in love with musk notes, particularly the 'pale' ones. Dorian is also what made me realize that my skin amps the shit out of vanilla, so that almost any Lab oil with vanilla in it turns into: The Vanilla Show!! Starring Vanilla With Guest Appearances By Vanilla, Vanille and 'Nilla Which could be worse because I don't hate vanilla, but whoa there! That said, Dorian remains one of my favorite perfumes. Wet I get vanilla (obviously), but heavy on the musk which gives it such an interesting kick. There's not a ton of lavender here for me -- sadness, because I <3 lavender so! -- but I do get the barest hint of something else, something teasing at the edges of one's senses. I've read a lot of folks mention it as citrus, and I can kind of get that. Presumably it's the tea, so maybe it's a kind of bergamot? On application, I wear Dorian the way described above for a little while -- my VANILLA PARTY WOO doesn't usually happen until closer to drydown. My dentist, leaning over me during drydown and thus getting a schnoz full of Dorian, told me that I smelled like vanilla cake. I would have booed her out of the exam room, but she had sharp instruments in my mouth. So! If you love vanilla, Dorian is for you. If you amp vanilla like a mofo and don't mind that, Dorian is for you. If you hate vanilla? Um, need not apply. After coming into possession of two bottles, I found that I actually needed to take a break from Dorian because of the vanilla, and my personal opinion is that it's a scent better suited to spring days or summer afternoons.

Oh, Snake Oil... I covet you so, but ours is a complicated relationship... Fresh Snake Oil is a problem for me. It has a very distinct plastic note to it. Which, in fairness, I've tried to ignore a million times over, because it's Snake Oil... But realistically, what's the point of wearing a perfume if you can't love it wholly, right? Aged, however, is another story entirely. Today I'm wearing from an imp that is probably about two years old. The color of the oil is a gorgeous thing, the color of really rich cherry wood -- you know, the furniture that you pay a mint for. It's also incredibly viscious. I know that all of the oils are just that, oils, but with Snake Oil you don't doubt that for a moment. Hell, the consistency is more like sludge when you let the stuff age! Turning the imp to one side doesn't see the perfume sloshing about, but rather slowly creeping its way along. I received an even older imp from a generous friend -- from '04, I think -- and that stuff practically needs to be pried out with a spoon. So with that said, obviously Snake Oil is more about the smell. It's a larger experience than that thanks to all the hype (most of it more than justified). From the imp, aged snake oil is rich and resinous sweetness. In my mind it smells like really dark amber -- the resin in appearance, not the actual scent used for the perfume -- and I imagine something silly from Jurassic Park where this tree sap oozes over a gigantic bug and turns into a beautiful stone. Applied I lose a bit of the smokiness which is found in the imp, but I'm also free of that damn plastic smell. Unfortunately, I turn most all BPAL blends into vanilla after extended wear, and since there is vanilla in Snake Oil, that's kind of inevitable. It wears long, though -- I applied moderately around 7AM today, and almost four hours later I can still get the occasional waft. This is the kind of perfume I want to wear generous amounts of when I go out on the prowl. It's a scent that is powerful, and makes you feel emboldened. Frankly, it's a sex scent. It's something to wear when you plan on fucking as opposed to making love. Dark and heady, it's low-lit rooms, clutching at the sheets, telling your partner what you want and otherwise being in control of the situation. I don't get much incense, because I don't get much smoke. I know there are spices, but they aren't spicy, if that makes sense. The impression I walk away from after a few hours of wear is vanilla and spices steeped in oil for a short lifetime -- long enough so that the finished product is that beautiful color, the incredible viscosity. I have a bitch and a half of a time figuring out exactly what the notes are, but I don't have the most well-trained nose, either. All I know is that this is an amazing scent that would be on my favorites list if it wasn't quite so sweet (and I'm willing to blame that on my vanilla-loving skin chemistry rather than the Lab's blend). This is what I fancy women in control should wear, women who want to make and break and feel confident while they do so.

I got into BPAL back in 2004, bought a bunch of imps, did not appreciate them for what they were and shoved them in the closet (literally) for four years. Last spring I got back into the company and Persephone was one of the six imps I ordered to test out. As someone who loves Greek mythology, loves pomegranate and likes rose, it seemed like a win. In the bottle, untested, this is a simple but lovely scent. It's bright and vibrant and inescapable -- you can see why Hades would have become obsessed with his niece (oh, you zany Olympians...). The rose is vividly present, but it's prevented from becoming cloying by the tartness of the pomegranate. I reminds me of spring, of rolling fields and bare legs stretched out while running for the joy of running. Persephone works fairly well with my skin chemistry, because during wear it's not much of a morpher. This in itself is like a gift from the gods, because I am the lady who turns most BPAL blends into straight-up vanilla. A deep vanilla, but the point remains. Persephone, thankfully, is exempt from this -- on me it's the warm afternoon sun shining down on roses dressed with pomegranate juice. The first time I wore this I got some serious compliments, and though other blends have since replaced Persephone on my top 3-5 spots, it remains a gorgeous and simple perfume I'll come back to when I need a pick-me-up. Wear time is three to five hours, which could be a heck of a lot worse. Drydown is a hair more rose than juicy pomegranate, meaning that the scent sweetens up and loses some of its tartness. On someone who doesn't turn non-vanilla scents into vanilla, this probably won't be an issue.

A friend of mine let me test from her bottle, and I had no expectations walking in since I didn't know the notes. After an initial sniff that left me feeling questionable, I went ahead and applied. And because my nose is a neophyte, I actually thought the patchouli I picked up on was vertiver. Whoops! This is a unique and interesting perfume to me sheerly because of how it turned on my skin. I've never had anything smell like actual dust before. Powdery, yes. Dusty, sure. But never real, nose-prickling dust. That's all I got, but two friendly forumites raved about how Uncertain Horror turned into a dusty rose on me and I was encouraged to buy a bottle. Apparently this one is a winner! Who knew? It lasted for hours and through a shower (with Lush products, which is no small claim to fame), and though I'm unsure how I feel about smelling like dust, it was an interesting experience to be sure.

This is one of those scents I'm struggling to define, but which ultimately is breaking my brain. I've never smelled anything quite like it before. The champagne note is, like a lot of other folks have said, highly fizzy. My first thought when I sniffed the bottle was "whoa, carbonated!", then "whoa, sweet!" In the bottle, I think soda first and foremost. It's like getting a whiff of some alcoholic drink made with little alcohol, but heavy on the Sprite or 7-Up. I'd call it a light scent, but the tobacco note -- and it has to be the tobacco note since there's only two notes here -- drags that bouyant girly drink back down to the ground for a quick grope beneath the table. This is, if I'm honest, something I wouldn't mind drinking. Even though the scent isn't sugary sweet, it is sweet. Not to my tastes, I'm afraid, because on application I find my skin chemistry heightens the sweet soda aspect of the blend and tamps down some of the tobacco. And even as a non-smoker, I find tobacco in perfume to be hawt, so more's the pity. I applied this somewhere around 6:30 in the morning. Less than four hours later it's mostly gone, except for the occasional waft when I rearrange my clothes or start flailing around. It's an interesting perfume, but I don't think it's a very "me" scent. Those who like lighter blends might do better -- I'm a resin gal, personally -- or those who enjoy the idea of smelling effervescent, which is the perfect word for Champagne & Cigars.

This is more fun than it has any right to be. How often do untested BPAL scents work on you? (excluding notes you already know will go bad / you dislike) Not particularly often, but I'm of the school where if a scent doesn't leap out and make sweet, sweet love to me upon wearing, I won't keep it. So I guess technically a scent might work, but if it's not magical? Into the swap box it goes. That happens perhaps 20% of the time. What does everyone want out of the new update? (Lupercalia, Bony Moon & Earth Ox) Disappointment. A lot of the scents I got excited about had caramel in them, so that was a no. I settled on Couple Consulting An Enpon, Lovers In A Ricefield, Makhanitis, Manners Among Men & Women In The Red Light District, Pontia & Voyeurs Among The Cherry Blossoms as scents I'd like to check out. But, uh, won't 'cause I'm cheap. Who is your favorite villain of all-time? I'm more of an anti-hero type of lady. Pete Wisdom, John Constantine, Methos, etc. are more my thing. I liked Spike before he became all Buffy-obsessed. Truth be told, no one really leaps out at me nowadays. Does anyone like Valerie Anands books?Or her Psuedonym Fiona Buckley...? I'm not at all familiar with her, actually, but new authors are always fun. If you could subscribe to every magazine you wanted, money no object, what would your list of magazines that would decorate your coffee table be? I worked at Barnes & Noble for a year and a half, and a few months after starting was made a full-time employee who ran the newsstand section. It made me kind of tetchy when it comes to magazines, because I have flashbacks of a sort when I handle the damn things. Lots of papercuts and cleaning up those inserts! That said, I like things like National Geographic and cooking magazines with nice photos, reasonable recipes and inventive ideas (not so much Good Housekeeping as, say, Food & Wine). What plans does everyone have for NYE? A little late to answer this now, but my plans consisted of having a few friends over for a get-together. It was the first "official" party we've ever had in almost five years of living here. Pope and I tend to be a little slow socially. It was great fun, though! Who is interested in the room sprays? esp. from the inquisition? Yes, please! A very generous friend gave me her bottle of L'Autumno, but I'm very interested in trying all of the room sprays. The GC ones sound especially interesting to me, and of the Inquisition Yuletide Past and Bah Humbug sounded best to me. Who's a Disney fan? Cartoons, theme parks, or just general stuff? Kinda/sorta. I grew up Disney, basically, and do enjoy a lot of the movies. My favorites are Oliver & Co. and Fantasia, though Robin Hood is up there, too. I've always been enamored with the Pirates Of The Caribbean ride and interested in pirates besides, so the first PotC movie just kind of propelled me to fan geekery. (I have Jack Sparrow's tattoo. 'Nuff said.) I actually went to DisneyLand for the premiere of the third Pirates movie. Uh, never again, thanks. The theme parks are love for me, though I prefer Land to World, EPCOT aside. I'm not much of a collector anymore, though some Disney-obsessed friends game me Disney cookbooks and woo boy, there's a happy combination. Do you like mythical/fantastical creatures? Which ones? Pegasus has always interested me, especially back as a teenager when I was huge into Greek mythology. I'm actually more interested in things like lycanthropy and shape-changers than I am your standard dragons, griffins, etc. I'm passing interested in fae, but not in the sense of faeries. It's more along the lines of the seelie and unseelie courts, that sort of thing. What's on your key chain? Depends. My house keys are on a Buttercup Power Puff Girls lanyard. Not really my thing anymore, but it's convenient. On that keychain are all my little store bonus cards and a seated pewter wolf howling at the moon. My ex-stepdad gave it to me over a decade ago, but to be honest I don't really notice it anymore. My car keys were just the key and alarm fob, as a friend had her car key bend out of shape due to all the stuff on her keychain and the key would no longer start the car. Nothin' like that to set off borderline OCD. Do you like caramels like coconut lime? Salted? Yay caramel! I love the idea of mixing sweet and savory, so salted caramels are fab. I bought a package from Trader Joe's during my New England Thanksgiving pilgrimage (get it? har har), but was disappointed at the lack of salt to sweet. Infusing caramels with things like tea or lavender also sounds nice, though I do love me the lime, so coconut lime sounds fab! Do you speak any languages besides English? How fluent are you? Would you be interested in literature in a foreign laguage - phrase books, fiction, childrens stories? Not even remotely fluent in anything but English. I know very, very basic Spanish -- enough to follow parts of slower conversations, get me beer and to the bathroom, etc. I know even less Yiddish, though that and Hebrew were ones I was always disappointed that I was never taught. I'd like to learn, but wouldn't even know where to start, especially since hearing pronunciation is so important in these cases. What's your favorite animal? Wolves, closely followed by domestic dogs. I love canines as a general rule, as well as ravens and sparrows. I'd like to know wrist size, circumference just below the elbow, and most importantly; what kind of fiber can you tolerate/not tolerate. Please be more specific than non-itchy wool. Alpaca, merino sheep's wool, silk, acrylic, stainless steel, you name it. I don't have measuring tape, unfortunately, but I know that my wrist is just over 6" -- 6 and 1/4, maybe? Just below the elbow I'd put between 9 and 10", and so far as I know I don't have any major fiber reactions, but I do prefer to avoid man-made fibers when at all possible. My familiarity with specifics isn't, uh, too specific, really. Question to all the knitters out there, what size knitting needles do you use the most? I haven't been knitting long enough to be able to say, but I'm making my first "real" scarf right now on a pair of US 8 needles and enjoying that very much. All my needless are 9" long, though, and I'd like to try some 10" or 14" ones sometime. How do you feel about winter-themed but not really holiday type decorations? Things like snowflakes and fake icicles and the like? I like the idea of winter-themed decorating very much, but in all honesty, it just gets too damn cold in my house for any of us to get in the decorating spirit. We don't turn the heat on very often so as to keep the bills down, and as such we're usually all huddled upstairs waiting to go to our electric blanket-heated beds. Do you have a personal 'Good Luck' charm? Maybe you have a goddess figure to remind you of your Inner Goddess, or maybe you have a beautiful Cross to represent your faith...Or maybe you wear a Hand of Fatimah for protection....That kind of thing. Not so much. Turning into Miss Minimalist and feeling like I've spent a goodly amount of my life striking it out on my own... Well, it's made me feel like I make my own luck. Plus I have a habit of the items (jewelry, etc.) I consider to be of personal worth and thus lucky disappearing on me. Bracelets drop from my wrist into the great unknown, earrings break (just today, actually, one of a pair from my friend broke), necklace clasps snap, etc. I don't know what the world's trying to tell me, but... If you were to attend Hogwarts, into which House would you be sorted? Oh, boy. I'm so Pottered out, it hurts. I guess I'd be a Ravenclaw, but given the choice I wouldn't even attend. Would you be interested in some knitted wire jewelry, like this? Oh my goodness, yes. That was a stunning piece that I can only dream of creating. This is kind of a getting-to-know-you-type-thingie, but I always find it illuminating--what's on your computer desktop? Images? Color scheme? Right now it's an image someone from Etsy used to give me feedback. It's a beautiful aerial photo of water and water-worn cliffs with caves and trees growing liberally atop the cliffs. Over the years I've veered away from fandom desktops and started to prefer using my own photos, but this one really called to me. What do you collect...besides BPAL? Comic books (trades nowadays, really) and comic book statues. Scarves. Fedoras. Books of many shapes, sizes and colors. Bath products! I try to be less cluttered than I used to, so nowadays there isn't a ton of collecting going on. Anyone a fan of Goddess art? I love images of women, in beautiful poses, strong women, powerful women (No- Not Hilary ROFL) I like dark, vampire types too, not *too* dark- okay for general consumption type art too. I like it the way I like Luis Royo. All well and good, but not particularly my cuppa. I also make it difficult by being picky about goddess art -- I want the strength of a woman, the power to her rather than straight-up cheesecake. Anyone else a Luis Royo fan? I'm more familiar with the art than the artist, and even then just in passing. He's talented and has a few pieces I really, really enjoy, but I wouldn't call myself a fan. What are your favorite websites (i.e., the ones you visit every day, or almost every day)? My own RPG, bpal.org (of course!), LiveJournal, various e-mail sites. I used to skim along the Interwebs like crazy, but nowadays I mostly just putter along and act the voyeur. How do you feel about Lush? Anything you want to try? I like Lush rather a lot, but their price hikes since I met them 4.5 years ago have just blown me away. Unfortunately, their hair and facial products have been best for me, so while I'd like to get away from expensive Lush, I'm still buying shampoo, conditioner and face care from them. <huffs> All the nice and potentially effective alternative e-tailers I've found on this forum are, unfortunately, just about as expensive or don't have scents I enjoy. How do you feel about home made lip balm, salt or sugar scrubs, soap, bath salts, etc? Yes, please! I would love any of the above except bath salts, as unfortunately my bath is a wreck and I'm stuck taking showers. Actually, if my witch knows of a good place to find lip scrubs or balms, I'd appreciate a tip! If you were to receive a hand-knitted item, what color(s) would you prefer AND are there any types of yarn that you just cannot handle (e.g. wool, llama, etc.) Knitting! <333 I have a harder time with acrylics, or at least the full-blown acrylics; blends are okay. Natural fibers are love. I like vibrant, earthy colors, general deeper shades like rich blues or purples, or really any yarn that has threads of another contrasting color woven through it. I'm currently working on my first knitted item (technically just me practicing stitches, but it's taking the shape of a really ugly scarf) that's a pretty teal with tiny threads of yellow-green threaded throughout for contrast. Totally wasted on my knitting. What is one REALLY expensive, completely outrageous thing you would LOVE to get but totally don't expect to ever get from anyone? Hm. Either the Promethea comic book statue, or the Brian Bolland Wonder Woman full-sized statue. Or the Death and Dream or Dream and Daniel full-sized book ends. Sense a theme here? <grins> Do you like coffee mugs? Travel or stay at home? How big? Do you like ones from Starbucks? I don't have too many mugs, so larger ones for tea purposes are nice. Most of what's in my house is on the small side, which doesn't quite work for tea, IMO. Travel mugs are nice provided that they can be completely dismantled for cleaning. I currently have a lovely Pirates Of The Caribbean travel mug, but water has permeated the piratey paper inside, and it's a bitch and a half to clean. I know nothin' about Starbucks mugs, but what I've seen actually seems pretty nice. If you drink coffee, do you like whole bean coffee or prefer ground? What grind? What roast (mild, medium, bold, extra bold)? Do you like flavored coffee? Not a coffee person. Sometimes it smells nice, and while coffee ice cream or chocolate-covered coffee beans are a bit of all right, I just can't seem to drink coffee unless it's heavily iced and sugared. Do you like tea? What kinds of tea (green, red, white, black, decaf, herbal infusions)? Feel free to get specific on brands and tea types. Loose or bagged? Do you need any kind of tea accessories? Pots/cozys/presses/strainers? Tea! I love loose leaf tea, but have none of the accoutrements needed -- strainers, teapots, etc. I basically have a tea kettle I bought on clearance because it was dinged up, and a deep and abiding love for tea. Chai is my new favorite, though I'm having a hard time finding spicier versions -- the one brand I found was, again, on clearance and now can't be found in WNY anymore. <kicks ground> Blacks are great, as are herbals and fruitier teas provided that the tannins don't go batshit crazy. Honestly, I'll drink anything. What is your favorite hot chocolate or drinking chocolate? Do you need Vegan or no? Not a vegan here. The idea of drinking chocolate is fascinating to me, but I'm too cheap to purchase stuff like that for myself, so usually I just get gifted with powdered hot chocolate and kind of suck it up. Chocolate with spices, especially chile, is love. Same with mint or really anything that prevents it from being super sweet. My only no-go is white chocolate. Do you need any decanting supplies? Pipettes? Vials? How about any wand caps? Roller bottles? Some spray bottles (for oils mixed with alcohol?) My last witch, Neyahala, was a clever and kind lady when she gave me wand caps. I would definitely dig on more of those, along with perhaps a roller bottle to play with; I have no idea how to go about that stuff. I wanted to ask a question: are there any rare (or even uber-rare) scents that you'd really like to try? Um... <pulls from wishlist> Day Of The Skulls, Sugar Skull, To Autumn, Bad Luck Woman Blues, Chanukkiyah, Earth Phoenix, Fire Phoenix, Lydia, Mead Moon, Metal Phoenix, Schwarzer Mond, Wood Phoenix, Hanerot Halalu, Nuclear Winter, Snow Bunny, Snow White. I try to avoid the uber-rare scents because I'm never quick enough on the draw to catch/find 'em (a la Pokemon), and in all honesty, I just don't want to get obsessed with something I can't have. Does your forum name have a special significance? Refer to something or someone you admire? Reflect your interests? Come on, spill! I used to read Marvel Comics' Excalibur series, and one of the characters in that book took on the codename Tapestry, which I immediately picked up for one of my own fanfic-ish characters. She's stuck with me since I was twelve -- well over a dozen years now -- and for the convenience of it being a fairly easy-to-remember name, I've just kept using it since. What's your favorite texture? I have a hard time nailing down specific fabrics, but if it's soft and nubby, I'm bound to love it. Natural fibers are my preference, which of course affects price. For bath products it's probably a good quality soap or sugar scrub. For food, I seesaw between crunch and that velvety texture really good soups have. What's one luxury item you want to pamper yourself with but haven't yet? Probably one of El's creatures. That or a new digital camera, preferably one I can't break within a week of owning. Do you prefer arm warmers to the wrist, to the base of the fingers, or half fingered? Hm. Half-fingered ones are my favorite, though I'd definitely be willing to take any arm warmers in light of where I live! Any favorite cartoon characters? Disney, Sanrio, etc? Bob from ReBoot. The cast of Gargoyles. I like various cartoons, but those are my two loves. Have you (or maybe the younguns in your family) been exposed to the Webkinz craze? Who's your favorite playwright? Alas, I'm not cultured enough to have one, though Tom Stoppard tends to duke it out with Shakespeare for me. Anyone into physical activities? For instance- I'm training to become a Combat Archer in the SCA, and something I would use would be an Archers glove...is there anything you do as a sport/hobby in which you might need equipment? I haven't even been to the gym in months. It's embarrassing. Are there any witchy type supplies you're in need of, or would like to try etc.? Herbs, smudge sticks, resins, tarot/oracle cards, incense burners, pretty tools, stuff like that? I'd be a piss-poor witch, though I do covet the Vertigo Tarot Deck. DC is re-releasing it, and OMG! On nut intolerance - does it include things like almond/coconut oil bases and essential oils in perfume oils, skincare products, scented candles and the like? No nut issues here! If you are a fan, who were your favorite Buffy and Angel characters? Meh. Not so much a fan anymore; I'm burned out on Joss. I liked Spike until he started obsessing over Buffy. I also loved Willow until her character went all over the frigging place. Now I guess my preferred characters would be Giles and Wesley. Do you like Shakespeare? Which plays? My favorite of Shakespeare's work is Hamlet. I love the Kenneth Branagh version of the movie, and just about died of joy when it came out on DVD! I also have a passing fondness for The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night's Dream -- I've got the version with Kevin Kline floating around on DVD somewhere, and love it almost as much as I do my Branagh Hamlet. Question for the Class: Favorite Musical? The Producers, although I like The Scarlet Pimpernel and would like to see Spam-a-lot. How do you like your chocolate? White, milk, bittersweet, as dark as possible? Plain, with flavoring, with chunks of stuff in? Fairly traditional, or weird and experimental? I like milk chocolate and dark chocolate, but have yet to have white chocolate I liked -- it's usually too sugary-sweet. Cadbury Fruit & Nut bars were my great weakness for awhile (along with those candy-coated eggs they release at Easter), and while I usually don't like nuts in candy or ice cream, I'm getting over that. I love weird, "experimental" food and that includes in my chocolate. Vosges is love. Favorite animals? Least favorite? Canids; I love wolves and dogs especially. Corvids; I have a thing about ravens, although am charmed by crows even if it's not nearly as much. I'm a bit soured on cats -- like 'em, but once the two cats currently in my life are gone, that's it and I'm done. The only animals I really dislike are certain insects: silverfish, maggots, roaches, centipedes and millipedes. I'm okay with spiders and actually kind of like the little guys. How do you feel about Heifer International? Or do you have other favorite charities not mentioned in your application? Funnily enough, I read about Heifer International for the first time the day before this question popped up. I like the premise behind what they do and with a little additional research would probably be willing to support them. I lean towards supporting cancer research, but that's from losing family and tends to conflict with my views on overpopulation. <realizes she sounds creepy and shuts up> Uh, and I'm also big on animal rescue and wildlife conservation. So for all witches of the shimmying types- would you like tassel belts/jingle belts/ ect and if so, how big are your hips? No shimmying here, I'm afraid. What are 3 places that you'd like to visit, or re-visit? NYC has always been home in my mind, and it drives me nuts that I haven't been there since I was living in Massachusetts. Needless to say, New York City is highest on my list. I'd also like to visit New Zealand and Greece, having never been. That's a very pared down version of my travel list. Literary erotica. Who doesn't love it? Another one of my questions which I think got funnily misinterpreted. I meant actual, older literature. I'm fairly blase about erotica as a general rule -- much prefer to be a dirty lecher with another person -- but stories like Alan Moore's Lost Girls was very interesting to me, and I can't say no to antiquated porno. Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL wishlist during the round? Probably not. Money is going to be very tight for the next six months minimum, so I'll be cutting down on me-purchases for awhile. Do you read graphic novels/comics? Which ones? Oh, god. The Question for me. Astro City, Top Ten, Promethea (favorite!), Preacher, Hellblazer, Runaways (sometimes), Ex Machina (favorite!), Excalibur, Kabuki, Iron Man (sometimes), She-Hulk, The Ultimates (older issues), Transmetropolitan (favorite!), Sandman (favorite!), The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V For Vendetta, Watchmen, Desolation Jones, Fables, Powers, and it goes on and on and on. If you want all of the titles, just ask and I'll rattle that off when I get home. Which witches would want Bpal boxes? Or imp cases? Yes, please! I am shit for storage right now. I have a box for bottles, but I'm paranoid that they're going to smash together and break. >_< I keep my imps in plastic baggies. <hangs head> How about a short - or longer - piece of fanfic? I don't seek fanfic out anymore nowadays. I used to all the freakin' time, but life, age, etc. I do like Kitty Pryde/Pete Wisdom stories if done well, or probably anything about any of my favorite characters. That said, my favorite stories tend to involve my RPG characters. What is the weirdest and/or most practical thing you are not buying for yourself right now? The thing that you probably should be buying, but have been putting off in lieu of something else? I should be buying a new router for the house, but Christmakkuh shopping has been taking priority. I've also been meaning to buy some new rat hammocks and cage mats for the three boys/two cages -- keeps 'em warm and comfortable in the winter -- but something else inevitably seems more important at the time. Would you like handmade piece of calligraphy as a gift? Oh my goodness, yes! What jewelry are you wearing now? What jewelry do you wear everyday-or do you change jewelry all the time? Today, nothing other than a stretched-out hair elastic. I wear my clocket now and again. I also have a plain silver chain I wear on occasion in addition to a gold bracelet, some plain silver hoops and a small handful of cheap earrings. I like rings a lot and wear all kinds of jewelry so long as it's either simple or only has one extravagant focal point, but rarely on a daily basis. Boxes, baskets, etc.? See: the awesomeness of storage. Chia Pet, do you need one? No plants for me. <woe> Houseplants and/or things to put them in: thoughts? Probably not. It's the dead of winter for me right now, and we can't afford to turn the heat on in my house very often, not to mention the lack of sun. Combine that with three cats, and, well... Do you like baskets, jars and other interesting containers? Filled or Empty? I friggin' love storage, especially if it's decorative. Empty, filled, whatever! Who are your forum friends, person or people your witch can contact for ideas? My best friend and roommate is Pope. I'm offline friends with The_Witching_Hour. Rackham's Vanity is my other best friend. Neyahala was my witch from last round. What cartoons did you grow up watching? Any animated shows you still watch? Anything from the '80s with an emphasis on the girlier shows rather than Voltron. A lot of early '90s cartoons from Saturday mornings, including obscure shit I can't even remember the names of but would know if I saw. I live for ReBoot and Gargoyles, but those are the only kids shows I still have an interest in. Do you like honey? Will you like to try creamy honey with black sesame or with cinnamon powder? Love honey. Love interesting honey. Love. What is the biggest problem or sad thing in your life? Of course, I mean the saddest or worst thing you can confess here. The lack of my mother's mother and my father's father. My grandma passed away ten years ago; I went to her funeral and haven't seen her since. My grandfather died two years ago; no one told me about it for five months. It's frustrating, because they were the best parents I'd had. I ran away from my mother eight years ago and we no longer talk. I left my father almost five years ago, and we don't talk, either. Needless to say, I miss my grandparents a lot. What fashion item or style do you like, but never wear? Steampunksteampunksteampunk. It's out of my budget and my neck of the woods is not overly conducive to cobbling outfits together. I could, I guess, but haven't searched. Mostly I just suck. <facepalms> Do you like to cook? if so, what? Would you like things like spices, cookbooks, recipes, tips? I live to cook; it soothes me and I get to eat, so best of both worlds. Cookbooks I only have three of, but they're something I enjoy in a roundabout way -- one of Nigella Lawson's is on an active wishlist at the moment, which is not at all like me. Tips are super, recipes from my witch would be incredible. I have some spices and could and would always use more. Do any of you like puzzle books? Not particularly. I like them generally, but knowing me would never find the time for them. I love Christmas music even though I'm pagany -- how about you? Oh, my. No, thank you. I sound like such a Scrooge, I know, but I am burnt out on X-Mas for a number of reasons. I try to avoid X-Mas music as a general rule so that I don't crab at people who would rather enjoy the holiday (and rightfully so). Anyone else have a sudden and unexpected favorite BPAL lately? Nope! Dorian and Casanova are still my favorites (and I have a bottle of Dorian now thanks to my fall witch! <3!) for the moment. Nothing too sudden or unexpected there. It's cold outside - what are your favorite drinks to keep yourself warm and cozy? Tea, always tea. I'm sadly out of my preferred brand of chai -- can't find it out here, alas -- so I've been making do with what I've got available. Heavily-spiced hot chocolate is nice, as is peppermint chocolate and the occasional cider. Would my potential Witchee be up for some music stuff they'd never heard before if they couldn't understand the words? Absolutely. I love new music like I love breathing oxygen. What kind of candy/sweet treat would you like to receive? Mexican candy = love, i.e. candy with chili and the like. Higher-end chocolates or chocolates mixed with interesting things like the Vosges line are nice. I can't say no to sour patch kids or gummi watermelon, and Cadbury owns my soul. Most candy, unfortunately, just doesn't do it for me and I try to avoid it as a general rule. Would you personally rather get handmade jewelry or the beads to make something yourself? Oh, hand-made, without a doubt. I like being surrounded by artistic, crafty people but have no skill at it myself. It's compensation. It seems like there are quite a few knitting witches, so I assume they are on the Ravelry forum as well. If so, what are your names on there so I can stalk you? Not yet, but hopefully soon! Speaking of which, how many Browncoat witches do we have?? And if you are, would you be interested in getting a Kaylee parasol? If not, would you be interested in getting a paper parasol hand painted with your favorite colors? I'd had a bitch of a time getting into Firefly, and suspect that a fan friend will just have to sit me down with the entire season for a good watching. Until that happens, it's not really my cuppa. Is there any time during the holidays (or the rest of the round) when you'll be away from home for a significant period and it'd be best not to send anything by mail? I'll be out of town from January 22 - 27. Outside of that, I'll be around for a good long while. To make up for the fact that I probably won't be able to send my witchee homebaked goodies, will Tim Tams in any number of varieties be an acceptable replacement? Having never had Tim Tams, I'd love to try 'em. Hand beaded jewellery, yay or nay? Yay! Jewelry made by someone you know is always the best. Which witches would like hair accessories: clips, scrunchies, hairsticks, headscarves, etc? I am actually a descendent of Medusa the Gorgon, as my hair has a mind of its own. I buy those no-metal elastic hair bands and am known to snap them apart before I can even finish tying my hair back into a ponytail. Because it's so thick and kind of unwieldy (and because I was a tomboy for so long), I am completely unable to do anything feminine with my hair. Headscarves do sound interesting, though I'm known to snap the teeth on clips. I'd love to learn how to use hair sticks, but suspect I wouldn't be able to make my hair stay up. On a similar note, who likes yarn? What kinds/colors/weights/fibers? Handspun? Glitter? Funky art yarn made from shredded jeans, fake flowers, lace, sequins, and the tattered souls of your enemies? Other craft supplies you desperately want more of and can't live without? God. I am so bad at crafting. I'm a texture freak, though, and loveLoveLOVE yarn, but don't yet know enough about weights and the like to have a preference other than "this feels awesome!" Anyone else a total nerd like me and would like DnD/Roleplay stuff (Dice, minis, books, corny tees, etc.)? I don't LARP or tabletop, but I have been role-playing online since I was 14 or thereabouts. It's all text-based, kind of like a group writing project. I used to be part of a Marvel Comics/X-Men RPG (which will eventually get resurrected), but right now I'm co-running a game set in the Anita Blake world and populated with original characters. Wicked fun, without the crappy canon. How do people feel about unusual ornaments? As in, for holidays other than Christmas? I don't celebrate Christmas and don't really have anywhere to hang ornaments. That said, I'd certainly be willing to try and cobble together a mobile or something. Question: who would like a pair of handknit socks? Size? Color preference? Cabled, ribbed (for your pleasure), stranded colorwork, etc.? I'm hooked on Sock Dreams right now and am trying to teach myself to knit for the third time (now with my fall SW's help!), so socks = awesome. My feet are between 8.5 - 9, and I will accept any color or style, provided that they're a little longer and not footies or anklets. How does everyone feel about steampunk? Squeal! Love it a hundred times over. I want to be fabulously wealthy so that I can afford to dress steampunk. Since we're talking about warm winter wearables, who likes hats? Mittens? Arm warmers? Yes, this. I am always cold, oftentimes even in the summer, and my circulation is piss-poor. I'm more a gloves kinda gal than a mittens one -- actually, I prefer the amalgam "glittens" and have an old pair of those which have seen me through the past few years. Scarves are always popular, and I love the idea of arm warmers. Hats can be iffy, because I have a crapload of hair and my head is inherently difficult, t'boot. I look oddly good in lumberjack hats, but could probably not pull off a beanie. If your witch were to send you cookies, what kind of cookies would you like? Cookies! <3 They are my greatest weakness when it comes to pastries. I'll accept anything, though I'm an especial sucker for neopolitan/rainbow cookies (more like tiny cakes, to be fair), or butter cookies with rainbow sprinkles. As a cook rather than a baker, I'm in awe of anyone who can make any baked good. Who likes tshirts? What about homemade tshirts? Like with transfers I made myself.... T-shirts are fab, though I don't wear them as often as I used to. Most of my t-shirts nowadays are from my Threadless shopping period. Would you like to receive ATCs (artist trading cards) or would you prefer something more usable, like bookmarks or something? Bookmarks, whee! ATCs aren't something I have a lot of experience with, but as someone with no artistic skill whatsoever, I really do enjoy receiving artwork. On the other hand, bookmarks are neat. (I usually use receipts or post-its, to be honest.) What witch would like a cloak? I am totally, 100% charmed by this idea. Provided that it's warm, a cloak sounds awesome. I have one quasi-cloak which I caved and bought at this year's renaissance festival, but it's lightweight and more for when I'm pretending to be fashionable than anything that would keep me warm. Which is, unfortunately, a chronic problem of mine.