caitilarkin

This was a gift from my lovely and generous Switch Witch! In the bottle: I looooove the Lab's clove note, and at first sniff I noted rich clove tempered with brown sugar. Wet on skin: The clove is blending beautifully with the sugar and sassafras...not getting much plum as of yet... Dry on skin: Oh, how I love this! Somehow this combination of very foody notes is melding into a very sophisticated, non-foody scent. I'm tempted to think that there's a touch of brown musk in here... Lasts over eight hours on me and is appropriate for both work and play. This one's a Top 10 for sure!

Yes, fry sauce with cayenne pepper is a legitimate condiment. And it's yummeh--I made sliders for a barbecue this weekend that were topped by swiss cheese, prosciutto and a little bit of spicy fry sauce and everyone inhaled them. And now that THAT particular bit of rambling weirdness is out there, here are some virtual condiments: So I have a question for y'all in the hope my witchee will answer - is there anything you would like from Conjure Oils general catalogue or the new updates that isn't already on your wishlist? Nothing from the Conjure Oils really grabs me. What is your favourite habitat and climate to live in? How about to visit? I prefer cooler climes--I'm definitely a four season girl. I love mountains, forests and the ocean. (So why do I live on the prairie?) How do people feel about edible arrangements? I've had bad experiences with that particular company..so, no thanks. Anyone need address/phone type books? No thanks, it's all online and on my phone. Do you read/like fantasy? What kind of books or authors do you love? Which one would you like to read? Would you like gifts related to it? I haven't read much fantasy but I'm open to suggestions. Did someone ask about incense yet? Would you like some? I like incense, but if I started using it regularly my neighbors would assume I'd started tokin'. How many bottles of BPAL do you have? Holy crap, I have no idea. I'm afraid to count them. I know it's under 100. Is there any exercise program that you're interesting in learning? I would really, really like to learn Pilates.

Let's see if this works... Etsy Wishlist Amazon Wishlist Okay, the etsy link is problematic. But I made the wishlist public so you should be able to find it when you log in. My username is caitilarkiin. (Note that there are two letter "i"s in "larkiin" because I'm an idiot.)

Hello, dear witch! Here's more info for ya: How do you feel about recipes? Love them, collect them, read them, test them! What kind of a cook/baker are you? Slightly inept and very enthusiastic Are you happiest calling for delivery or microwaving a lean cuisine, or will Food Network be asking you to host their new program? I only use my microwave for popcorn or re-heating. The last time I called a pizza place (or any other food delivery place) was in college. Food Network will NOT be pursuing me, however. If I send you something home made would you like the recipe for it? of course! If you are someone who doesn't want baked goods sent, would you like a collection of some of my favorite recipes? I would love both baked goods and/or recipes. How about home made mixes or kits? Kind of like the cookie in a jar thing, where you would need to add the perishable ingredients? Not so much... Dollar store trinkets? I like silly refrigerator magnets; other stuff, not so much. Word magnets? I would love this! It would be great for the filing cabinets in my office at work. Crafting vs buying? Whatever you want to do would be great by me! Would you like stuff that's not on your wishlist but that you think your witchee would like? Yes!! My witch has already come up with wonderful suggestions. Socks? I love socks--crew length, warm, cotton, wool, non-itchy acrylic, wild colors and silly patterns. I'm trying to make my Amazon and Etsy wishlists public and will add their links to the next entry in my blog.

A few other relevant questions (from the Master SW Question list courtesy of the lovely lioness) Chocolate or other types of candy? Chocolate is my favorite, as you already know from my questionnaire, but I also love caramels, Laffy Taffy, Red Vines, Swedish Fish and anything soft and fruity tasting. If you would enjoy something of a knitted persuasion, do you have a preference on type of thing? Since making a scarf for someone who has 10 might be a smidge excessive? Also, how do people feel about shawls? I love both scarves and shawls. During the dark days of a Chicago winter it's possible to wear 10 at a time and still feel a bit chilly. Is there a TV, movie or literary character that you are a lot alike, or would like to be alike? Supposedly I look like Agent Scully from the X-Files and Anne of Green Gables. I don't see the resemblance in either case other than paleness and reddish hair. Is there anything you need for your kitchen, ie measuring cups, spoons, grater, ect? I keep forgetting to pick up a pastry brush and a pastry cutter. Both of these would have come in handy this past weekend while I was in a baking frenzy. Music, DO you prefer Live or Studio? Edited or explicit? I prefer live concerts, especially classical or jazz. Neither of them ever need to be edited. For recorded music, I like either (depends on the piece) and hate editing. I'm Irish, have five brothers and come from a quasi-Navy family so I've heard it all. Also flowers and plants- If you like flowers/plants, do you have a favorite(s)? I love tulips and would put in some bulbs this fall if my neighbor's annoying dog wouldn't dig them up. I like to keep an aloe plant or two (or more) around the house at all times. what interests you from the latest lab update? I've ordered lots of decants as well as unsniffed bottles of Blue Pumpkin Floss and Pumpkin Latte. I need to add Ginger Skulls, Sugar Skull, The Infernal Lover and Unsteady Governess to my list of wants based on reviews.

Here's ketchup from the SW thread, which moves way too fast for my feeble mind. Do you hate any food things with a passion?? Liver, cauliflower and white chocolate. Please, no liver. I already have one. (har) Would you be opposed to receiving a digital version (via email) of a magazine you like but don't subscribe to...you know, in the interest of saving a tree? I'm already getting Mother Jones via email (which is one of the mags I mentioned in the questionnaire) but wouldn't mind getting any of the others digitally. How do you feel about stationery, like nice pens or notepaper? I love stationery and office supplies. I feel the same way about cool stationery that some women feel about cool shoes. What kind of make-up do you wear? What colors? Is there anything you'd like to try but haven't yet? I'm pretty well set on makeup. My dry, ghostly pale skin is pretty sensitive (especially my face) so I get hypoallergenic stuff that won't cause it to go into a tizzy. Do you crave many Ecards and contact or are you okay with little contact from your Witch? I love contact (and I LOVED your first email) but I don't expect you to plan your life around me. Go to your spice cabinet, what are the three most used spices? Black pepper, cumin, chili powder (with paprika a close fourth) Do you have a place where you list all the BPAL you have or have tried? I have a mostly updated Excel file, which I can email to you upon request. That might be more info than you want, though. Microsoft or Apple? Someday, somehow, I will have a Mac. Until then I make do with my wretched PC. (I shouldn't complain, though. My neighbor gave it to me for free.) What is your position on the chocolate & bacon flavor combination? Love chocolate, love bacon, but the combination of the two may be too much of a good thing. Where was your last vacation? What did you like most? It's been nearly three years since my last vacation, which was two weeks in India. We spent a few days in the Himalayan foothills (beautiful!), which I loved. My favorite part of the whole vacation, though, was definitely the food. It was TO DIE FOR. Would you appreciate receiving handwritten letters and/or postcards (anonymous or not)? How about sending them? I would love to both send and receive them! With regards to your gifts, would you prefer your presents' awesomeness evenly spread out (several packages of pretty terrific things) over the round or a slow build-up of awesomeness (going up from pretty cool things to something super-duper cool at the end) to go out with a bang? Do you have a preference? That is completely up to you, dear witch. Please do what is most convenient for you.

Will you be going out of town during the round, or is there any other time during the round when it would not be ideal for you to receive a package from your witch? I'll be out of town November 6-12 but will have access to email. Are there any soundtracks that you'd like? Someday I will track down the soundtrack to Room With A View. I think it's out of print now. If you are a crafter, would you like to receive supplies from your witch (beads, fabric, yarn/roving etc?) I would LOVE embroidery supplies, so if this would interest my witch then let me know. Find your iPod (or other MP3 device), put it on shuffle/random. What are the first five songs to come up? This will be embarassing... Fleetwood Mac, The Chain (from their live album) No Doubt, It's My Life The The, This is the Day Annie Lennox, Wonderful Kiri Te Kanawa, Un bel di...aria from Madama Butterfly are you interested in mini bottles (under 100ml for hand luggage ) of bath and body products? Yes, I love samples!

Answers to more SW questions... Steampunk, yay or nay? Mostly nay, although I love my BPTP Clocket Favorite word? YES Dried Honeycrisp apples? That would be delicious, as would any other dried fruit except banana. Or dried durian. If you were to receive a knitted item (such as a scarf, hat, etc), what colors would you like? And do you have any sensitivies/allergies to any materials? Knitted items would make me weep with joy. Colors I would like include teal, seafoam, aqua, gray/blue, gray, light green, cream taupe and warm brown. I have a slight wool sensitivity but I can deal with it. Gift Certificate: physical or email? Whatever is most convenient for my witch would be fine with me.

Movie that scared the beejeezus out of you as a child? The Deer Hunter, from which I am still trying to recover some 32 years later. Mommas, do NOT take your young child to scary movies because you yourself don't want to go alone. I was also traumatized by Bambi. (There was a fire! His momma died!) What other websites do you frequent? BPAL is the only daily one, but I also follow Apartment Therapy, dooce and passiveagressivenotes.com. Favorite Muppet? I LOVE the Muppets! Love them! Choosing a favorite would be like choosing my favorite child. What creature (real or fantasy) would you like as a pet? A fantasy pet would be too much responsibility--what if I exposed it to bright light or got it wet a la "Gremlins?" Someday when I have a house I'd love to get a collie or a golden retriever. For now, I have to be content with occasionally babysitting my neighbor's neurotic dachshund. Comfort reads? Anne of Green Gables books, Jane Austen (especially Persuasion), The Deptford Trilogy (Robertson Davies), Mark Twain books, biographies Halloween treats? This is the only time of year I will eat candy corn. Do you need a BPAL box? My bottles have good storing places but my imps are homeless at the moment (except for the few that I have in my lovely BPTP imp case). Warm drink? Hot cocoa or cider Astrology chart? I would love to get a professional chart done someday. Favorite historical time? Actually, I'd love to go 100 years into the future!

Hi, dearest Witch! I'm guessing you will be the only one really interested in this. This is my very first Switch Witch round (even though I joined the forum two years ago) so I'm still getting the hang of answering questions, etc. Here's a list of the questions so far (and I will try to keep this updated). Socks? I love socks! Crew or knee length are preferred. I don't really like anklets. Cotton, wool and soft acrylic are my favorite. The crazier the better! What is something you use to comfort yourself when feeling yucky, depressed, or in pain? Chocolate is my panancea for all ills. When things get really bad, I make myself a batch of homemade chocolate buttercream frosting, put on my pink fleece jammies which make me look like a giant marshmallow peep, and read Anne of Green Gables books whilst nomming on previously mentioned chocolate frosting. Favorite Halloween/Scary movies/books? Hmmm...don't really have any...perhaps you have some suggestions? Not too scary, please. COMIC BOOKS. Do you read them? Never read them When you go to an etsy wishlist, it will tell you what things are sold. If you click on the sold item, sometimes it will give options that are similar to what was sold, but not identical, would you like the similar item or prefer not to get it at all unless it's the same item? How picky are you? I would love things that are similar to my etsy wishlist (which reminds me, I need to update that sucker). Do you wear make up? Yup, I wear a full face of paint every day: foundation, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara. Mostly neutral colors with a bit of pink and/or coral. Disney movies, Yay or Nay, and favourites if you do like them? I love Fantasia, Beauty and the Beast and Bambi. Do you have A VCR, DVD Player or Blue Ray or a combo of the three? DVD player Would you like custom icons as a gift? I would love this! What is your favourite snack food, something you could grab any time? Chocolate-covered almonds, or chocolate caramels, or chocolate covered raspberries, or salted caramels Ebooks? Nope, I like IRL books. Nail Polish: I haven't painted my fingernails in at least five years, but my toenails are always red or hot pink. Soft/plushy things: Only if it's a sweatshirt What hobby/craft would you like to learn how to do? I would love to learn to knit! For those who decorate for Halloween, do you prefer cute decorations or creepy ones?: I lean more toward the cutesy or ironic Halloween decorations. Also, as part of the cute-or-creepy question, would you want hand made, molded, glazed (by yours truly!) ceramic decorations (napkin rings, potporri/tart warmers, etc) to add to your stock? Sure! how do you feel about mortars and pestles LOVE THEM! I have my grandma's and it's getting too worn. Is there anything you have a phobia of, or that would make you go "squick" if you saw it in a package? Spiders or anything with more legs than me. Also not fond of skeletons. Are you into Austen's books? Very much so! I own all of them! Do you read Tarot cards? If not, would you be interested? Not really my type of thing What, if anything, is your guilty TV watching pleasure? Seinfeld Celebrity crush?: John Cusack I walked past him on the sidewalk near my work a few years ago and I was way too excited. I really need to get out more. Knitted things?: LOVE! What about [mixed or otherwise] DVDs? Sure! DVDs: Do you prefer widescreen or formatted? Either or Music: Any preference towards MP3 or CD? Either is fine Do you like scented tarts? I don't have a tart burner, but I love scented candles. Lip balms? Love them, collect them, and need as many as I can get! Do you have any body mods? Just 2 pierced holes in each ear. Booze. Do you drink it, would you like some? No booze for me What is your favorite artist or art style? I love Baroque and Classical Western art--my favorite painting right now is Allegory of Peace and War by Pompeo Batoni. (I can send you a link upon request.) Hallowe'en plans? Handing out candy at my house! Girlyness level? I look pretty girly (makeup, hair done), but have a very tomboyish lifestyle. I just changed the oil in my brother's car (he couldn't do it himself--HA!!) and have a fully stocked tool kit. Baked goods: Love 'em! Gifts for other household members: I live alone so I will hog everything my SW sends. Are you someone who'd rather have lots of small testers of different things on your wishlist, or would you rather have one or two "big" things? I'm very backlogged on testing new scents right now and am expecting a shipment of Halloweenie decants, but whatever my witch sends will be received gratefully. Would you like to receive Groupons or similar deals/gift certificates from your Witch? I would love Groupons! How about tshirt/bottoms sizes? I would love jammie-type bottoms (size 10). Symbols? Seashells, ocean waves, aspens, pine trees (I spent half of my childhood in Hawaii and the other half in the mountains.)

In the bottle: Holy Mother of Clove...accented by dry woods and a leetle bit of bay Wet on skin: Still exceedingly clovey, which I expected since I amp clove like WHOA, but I'm starting to notice a hint of sandalwood. Dry on skin: Here we go! The clove has calmed down, the woods are less dry and the sandalwood is playing nicely with the vanilla and carnation. This is lovely after about 10 minutes and really hits its stride after about half an hour. It lasts well over eight hours on me and becomes deeper and more complex as the day goes on. Even in the dog days of summer, I love this one and expect that it will be a huge favorite.

In the bottle: Cool coconut with light tropical florals Wet on skin: I love the Lab's plumeria note and it's fantastic here blended with the same coconut-type note from Snow White Dry on skin: The florals deepen and blend beautifully with the coconut. One of the floral notes--I'm not sure which one--is similar to guava or passionfruit. Tiki Princess smells like the lovechild of Snow White and Cheshire Moon. Since those are two of my favorite BPALs, this is a big hit with me. It was very light on me and faded after about 4 hours on the first skin test (most BPALs last all day on me). It will be perfect for the hot, sticky summer that is bearing down on us.

On Darkness, which was mentioned on the previous page, is a deep, warm, velvety purple to me. The incense, lavender, violet and poppy combine to make a very comforting purple night sky type of scent.

In the imp: Plum and lots of musk Wet on skin: The incense is taking over my lovely musky plum and making it too sharp and sweet. Dry on skin: Luckily, the incense calms down as the oil dries, allowing the plum and red musk to shine while florals add a touch of sweetness. I never detect the beeswax at all in this blend. The Witch Queen reminds me a lot of Prunella (due to the plum, no doubt). I'll have to test them side by side to determine which is more bottleworthy, but they're both lovely when dry.

In the imp: Moist, fertile soil...if you like earth notes, you'll love this. It really does smell like...fertility. Wet on skin: The balsam amps on me, hugely, and I'm about to wash off the blend when the myrrh and cedar notes come to the forefront and balance the scent. Dry on skin: Resin, florals, earth and woods...this is absolutely beautiful. The balsam is present only enough to add a pleasant sharpness to a well-grounded blend. I usually love the Lab's dirt blends, but this is the first one I can really see myself wearing in public.

In the imp: spicy Mexican hot chocolate Wet on skin: The maize note is coming to the forefront, which I thought would be weird but it's really yummy, especially with all spices. Cocoa and maize as a delicious combination...who knew? Dry on skin: The cocoa recedes and the maize/spice combo blends with something sweet (must be the agave wine). I like this best in its early stages--this might be one for my scent locket.

In the imp: Milk--very goaty milk Wet on skin: Ooh, much better! The sweetness of the myrrh and the deep fruity fig are tempering the goat's milk. I'm a big foodie lover so this blend is right up my alley in its present state. Dry on skin: The milk is almost entirely gone--once dry, the blend is primarily myrrh with a touch of fig for the rest of its 3-4 hour life. I'm not normally crazy about myrrh, but I really like it in this blend. Very yummy.

In the imp: Bright, fizzy fruit--heavy on the lime and white grape Wet on skin: The fizziness (which, as others have said, is probably from the juniper) is more soda-like than alcoholic on me. And the fruits are well-blended so I can't really pick anything out except for the lime. Dry on skin: This was surprisingly long-lasting on me--over five hours. It didn't morph much, although the fizziness did die down somewhat after an hour. Me likey! This is a nice summer scent.

Vanilla is always win, cedar is almost always win...the other notes in this I wasn't so sure about before I tried it... In the imp: Lovely rich vanilla with hints of sassafras and dry cedar Wet on skin: Ugh, the cedar is amping and it's turning to pencil shavings! I've heard about this phenomenon before, but this is the first time it's happened to me. Dry on skin: The vanilla and sassafras are struggling to climb out from under the Godzilla-sized pencil shavings, but it's a losing battle. This is the first time cedar has hated on me.

I did not submit a plea for this Yule Inquisition--even though I really wanted Gluhwein--due to my incredible self-discipline no monies because I bought too many Yules and Anniversaries. Now that it's a rare, I had to do a bit of stalking to find a decant. In the imp: Red wine--very boozy Wet on skin: Mulled wine is at the forefront, but I can actually pick out every one of the other notes, even the bay leaf. The ultra-booziness is fading, too. Dry on skin: The honey is now as strong as the wine--how I love and adore the Lab's honey notes. The spices are sticking around, too. This lasts for over eight hours on me, with the honey being the longest-lasting note. Love, love, love and will have to find more.

Vetiver and I are not on speaking terms since the Velvet Tiger Disaster of 2009 (wherein the vetiver did kill all the other notes and eat them), so I was a bit afraid to try Prurience. And if I had read the reviews beforehand I NEVER would have tried it at all. In the imp: VETIVER Wet on skin: Initially it's more VETIVER, but slowly the carnation and musk start to peek their little heads out. Dry on skin: Ah, much better. The lovely spice of the carnation and sweetness of the tonka are holding their own. This is ideal after about 40 minutes. Based on other reviews, I'm going to hand on to this and see how it ages.

In the imp: Mandarin, vanilla and faint sandalwood...oh mama, this is delicioso... Wet on skin: The lily has joined the other notes, and if this dries down as a lovely melange of mandarin/vanilla sandalwood/floral then I will have to spring for a bottle. Dry on skin: Nope, the mandarin has disappeared and the whole scent has turned to faint floral powder. Oh, the humanity. Does opium go powdery? None of the other notes in the blend have ever done this on me.

In the imp: Wood and amber with a touch of citrus Wet on skin: The citrus is coming to the forefront and the wood is now identifiable as cedar--lovely! Dry on skin: I think that labdanum does not like me...the blend has gone powdery and shrill; this has happened with other blends containing labdanum. Sadly, this ends up being too sweet and powdery on me. Even the amber and cedar couldn't save it.

In the bottle: Red musk and dark fruit Wet on skin: The tartness of the orange blossom is coming out, and so is the medicinal quality that is sometimes apparent in fresh red musk. Dry on skin: After about 20 minutes, the sharpness of the red musk yields to the sweetness of the orange blossom and the deep earthiness of the pomegranate. I can't detect the melon at all. This is a very sensual, grown-up, take-no-prisoners kind of scent. Even though the red musk is very raw and strong right now, I still love this blend and will probably adore it even more as my bottle ages.

In the bottle, I got lots of cherry plus a little bit of red musk and myrrh. I use the BPTP bath oils as after-shower moisturizers, so I slather lots of this on and get beautiful blood orange, cherry and red musk. The citrus comes out even more as the oil dries. Like the other BPTP bath oils, this lasts from shower to shower on me, and it's absolutely gorgeous. Those who like red musk absolutely have to get some of this before the Warrior Queens leave.