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  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
    • 5 comments
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Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Puddin' Tom in the fur

Here'a a photo of Puddin' Tom, the cat who came to live on my front porch. He's lounging on the bench, contemplating his next nap. As you can see, he's a little rough around the edges, but he's probably around 10 years old and he's earned his rugged good looks:  
valentina

valentina

7
captain diana's log
 

Qliphoth (quikslvr)

A'ARAB ARAQ wet: woodsy/patchouli, i think. there's a faint sweetness to it too. dry: much the same as wet. It's a nice sweet & woodsy blend.   *GAMALIEL wet: ooh. this one is juicy & sweet smelling. like citrus, berry & white musk. love it so far, and i just put it on! dry: it's really nice. there is a refreshing, juicy quality to it, and a slight creamy backdrop. It's along the lines of Dorian or F5, but more fruity.   THAUMIEL wet: ozoney, but also something a bit smokey in the background dry: still very sharp ozone, but the "smokey" has gone and turned very plastic-smelling. I'm not a fan of ozones, so this one is not for me.   *GOLACHAB wet: juniper berries? it's sweet, but not the typical sweetness encountered with most fruit blends, and there's a super faint evergreen note to it. dry: still fruity, with a bit of greenery to it. there may even be a bit of spice to it as well. it reminds me a bit of a strawberry Malkuth. Huh.   GHA'AGSHEBLAH wet: smells like my deodorant...no, seriously. It's kind of a "fresh/clean" scent. dry: still very sharp floral. I think that some sort of lily may be the culprit. I love it in blends when it adds a cool, "crystaline" note, but here it's just sharp & cloying, which is just overwhelming my nose.   SATHARIEL wet: florals... and something else. I am becoming more and more horrible at picking out notes. dry: warm, slightly floral, and slightly resiny. i think it might be myrrh, which tends to go a bit bitter on me. it's not terribly strong, and I'm having a hard time describing it or picking out a note. It's pretty, but just not something that's calling to me.   NAHEMOTH wet: patchouli, and a berry note? something sweet, at any rate. dry: the berry note reminds me of red phoenix. it is a bit sour on me, and overwhelming any other notes that might be lurking. There might be a bit of a dry wood/incensey note behind it, but i'm too distracted by berry/plum/whatever fruit this might be.   SAMAEL wet: uh. not liking this. it's like bad, sour floral notes and socks. that's one way to poison god, i guess. dry: This is one of the rare oils that just goes totally wrong and awful on me. It's a really floral blend (of the sort that must be made entirely of flowers i dislike, like lilies & irises) backed by possibly honey? But it really smells like old, stale flowers, and dirty laundry. It is a testament to my love of bpal that i've had it on for over an hour to review it. Ugh. Total thumbs down on this one.   THAGIRION wet: a hint of mint and a hint of citrus. fairly pleasant. dry: it's still really nice. light, clean, fresh. the mint note isn't quite as strong (which wasn't all that strong to begin with), but it's just barely detectable. This would make an outstanding summer scent! It reminds me a bit of Usher.   GHAGIEL wet: more floral notes. It smells vaguely familiar, yet I can't pick any note out. dry: more vague notes! I have no idea what I'm smelling. It's very light with a hint of spice to it. the floral note i'm most able to detect is cool and light, maybe muget? everything else ould be a total guess, and most likely wrong.
Diana

Diana

0
Whiskers and Whispers
 

Seasonal musings.

I hope this post doesn't sound grouchy, as the it's that time again, rampant hormones control my brain, and my cramps feel like someone has placed a concrete slab in my tummy, and this slab is swelling. Ugh.   My maths resit is over, thank goodness...I now have about three weeks and a bit before uni starts. A part of me wants to start uni asap (one reason being STUDENT LOANS! MORE WONGA TO SPLASH ON SMELLIES!! ) another part of me wants to relish in the delicious, lazy, no-coursework, no-study days, the days of staying at home away from those awful flatmates I had last year...ah, bliss.   Seems like I've been getting a taste of autumn as September arrives. Makes me wonder...am I, and my mother and RL friends, the only ones who like warm summery sunshine? Ok, so I don't mind wind and rain-provided I'm not out in it. I'm one of those people who tolerates heat much better than cold. It does make me feel less guilty to be inside, I must say. Perfect 'curl up with a cuppa and a kitty by the TV' weather. Perfect 'lazy weather', the time for lie-ins, especially now the nights are drawing in. I suppose the rainy, gusty days have a bright side when I think of it in those ways. Plus, rain is seriously needed after the desert-like conditions of summer we've had.   However, I do like the autumn. I like those balmy September days that are warm and sunny but not unbearable like summer days are, just pleasant enough to go out with a t-shirt and enjoy the few days before the cold kicks in. I also love the dry autumn days, especially at sunset when the colours of the sky and the leaves match-and the nights. Oh, those cold, crisp, clear, smoky-scented autumn nights, always with the crackle of fireworks in the air in this country. Not as bitter as winter but those nights give a hint of the winter to come. I remember such a night last year, it was out at the observatory where I study, and the night was magical...cool, but not too cold, and with the most magnificent full moon illuminating the countryside all around (and yes, at the time, I was wearing Hunter Moon. It's a sign of true addiction, remembering what BPAL you wore on a random day a long time ago...). Not ideal for astronomical observations of course but just so beautiful.   It's also the perfect time to crack open the autumnal BPALs-tonight, it's Devil's Night, which seems to have aged fantastically, with the smoky note much more pronounced, like a fragrant bonfire wafting over airy fresh musk...so beautiful. Hopefully the new DN will be the same...I need more!
PurringPulsar

PurringPulsar

0
captain diana's log
 

Chakra (filigree_shadow)

VORTEX Wet: sharp citrus, very lemony drydown: softer lemon, something bitter in the background. I'm not getting anything I can describe as creamy or vanilla, unfortunately. Smells mostly like a lemon-flavored lollipop.   MULADHARA (ROOT) Wet: vetiver! drydown: mostly vetiver with a bit of spice to it, possibly ginger or pepper. very earthy & grounding.   SWADHISTHANA (SACRAL) wet: sweet--dragon's blood and something else, possibly a light floral? dry: sweet florals, mostly. possibly jasmine. it's a bit too sweet for me, but if I were to get this, I'd probably not be really wearing it as perfume anyway.   MANIPURA (SOLAR PLEXUS) wet: slightly earthy/spicy, i can't put my finger on what this note is. it's almost like vetiver + cinnamon. drydown: must be ginger; it's gone all spicy-soap on me.   ANAHATA (HEART) wet: soft, slightly herbal/floral. i can't pick out this note dry: sweet, very light florals. i can barely smell it anymore, so it's especially hard to pick out anything specific from it at this point.   VISHUDDA (THROAT) wet: sweet lemon candy dry: almost disappears in the drydown; it's similar to the Vortex, but much softer. This also loses much of the pretty citrus note and becomes a bit more bitter. Not particularly long-lasting.   AJINA (THIRD EYE) Wet: medicinal; eucalyptus plus something else herbal Dry: The "something else" smells a lot like anise or licorice. Very yummy smelling.   SAHASRARA (CROWN) Wet: oddly, this smells a lot like chicha morada - a sweet purple corn drink popular in south america. maybe it's lotus? drydown: i can't even smell it anymore! i get a light, super faint woodsy smell, but i'm straining to find any scent on my arm.
Diana

Diana

0
captain diana's log
 

ancilla #1 pack

TOMBSTONE Wet: dry woods, leather(?), just a hint of sassafras Drydown: sweet, dry woods. the sassafras isn't really detectable as a single note, but along with the vanilla (almost gooey-seedpod-like) adds a lift to the cedar note, which on its own is usually darker & drier. I really like this a lot. It also reminds me a bit of Chokmah.   BESS already reviewed; have 5mL; grapey-lemon herbal concoction   LIGHTNING wet: ozone aquatic, with a slight floral undertone Dry: oddly enough, this is a bit better than I remember. It isn't quite as sharp, and there's a bit of a floral/clean aroma from it. A bit like hyper-clean laundry. I don't think this is something I'd wear on my skin, but I think it might make a nice room or linen spray!   EPHEMERA wet: heavily sweet florals, slight fruit note? Dry: the florals aren't as cloying as I thought they'd be. It's soft & light; quite pretty. Even as much as I love violet, they aren't detectable enough on their own for me. If you're into soft florals, you'd probably like this. As it stands, this is really not my style.   ROSE CROSS wet: rose, obviously. there's a bit of a playdoh-ish note in the background Drydown: I really wish I knew what specific type of rose this is, because I think this is a similar one that I've tried in a few other perfumes. I really don't like it. It's super cloying, waxy, sour, and plastic smelling, and I usually love roses. I think it reminds me of Netzach or Hymn, both of which really have started turning me off of floral blends. Not me in the least.   HAMADRYAD already reviewed; minty floral; on wishlist   DOVE'S HEART wet: odd florals, almost plastic smelling, possibly rose dry: this is an odd blend; it smells almost like artificial rose potpourri room spray. Not something I'd personally ever wear as a perfume, though I may invest in some at some point for the magical purposes.   JACK already reviewed; own 5mL; buttery pumpkin     The only one I liked but didn't already review or own was TOMBSTONE. the rest were kind of gross on me. Ew.
Diana

Diana

0
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Older guys who have been to the moon

Today was a quieter day than yesterday, but then, how could it help but not be? I did have some other character at Meadowlark come over and bug me at noon. This guy is an attorney, about 60, has the worst effing teeth I have ever seen. They look like Keith Richards in his pre-veneers days. This guy was telling me he has a 10-year-old son, and I'm thinking, "who would have sex with you?"   Now don't get me wrong, my taste in men is about 50 years wide and transcends ethnic and socio-economic boundaries. In fact, last night I was at the gym and listening to music, but I was semi-watching CNN. Who's the guy who does the mid-evening talk show, sort of politics, sort of entertainment? Is his name Glenn Beck? Is that right? Anyway, he was talking to a guy about space travel, and why this country had such a boner about going to the moon, then just shut it off. The man he was talking to was older, maybe in his mid-late 60's, but I thought damn it, that old guy is hot!   I was getting worried about myself; in fact, I was almost ready to toss myself off a tall building, but then I figured out (because I unplugged my music and plugged the headphones in to listen to TV) that the older man in question is a former Apollo and maybe early Space Shuttle mission astronaut. He's been to the moon! And back! Who gets to say that and have it be literally true? While the media and NASA portrayed these guys as squeaky clean aw-shucks American-as-apple-pie guys, anyone who's read or watched "The Right Stuff" knows these were manly men, macho as hell, and some of them probably were rather white-hot stud muffins behind the scenes. (Or at least I like to think so.) And really, that was some wild-ass shit those guys were doing; the technology in the late 60's and 70's was pretty damn rough compared to today. It's a wonder they all made it back from the moon safely. Their balls were either brass or so big that they had to ride shotgun in sports cars.   This one is still exuding testosterone, to such an extent that I could sense it over TV. All I could say was, hot damn!
valentina

valentina

0
Bronwyn's Blog
 

I hath a blog!

Hi. My name is Bronwyn, and I'm a BPAL junkie.   Scents I've tried: Lilith (yes, please! this one likes me.) Rakshasa - there is no citrus in this, yet I smell like a citronella candle when I wear it. Veto. Kathmandu - Nice and spicy. A keeper. Tushnamatay - ZOMG!!! Luff this. Luff! 5ml is mine! BWAhahaha! Fae - A little TOO unicorns-and-rainbows floral for me, and yet, the anise note likes me. It fades very quickly, though. Leanan Sidhe - Love the scent. It, however, does not love me very much. A passing fancy would be asking a bit much, I think. Coyote - I've tried it twice now, and it seems to be flip-flopping between good and bad for me. Huh. Tintagel - I like it. It likes me. Life is good. 5ml is on its way next order. Highwayman - A little too men's-cheap-cologne to me. Naamah, however, luffs it. So. Swapped~! Vicomte de Valmont - I really need to get the Boy to wear this one. Oh yes... Snake Oil - Nice, vanilla... oddly strong, though. Needs another try or three to reach a solid conclusion. Akuma - Nice, citrus and spice, but not really 'me'.   I don't have the nose for all the individual notes in these, so the above reviews are about as poetic as they're going to get, really. More to come later as I go through more of my stash (and get my next order ). So.
bronwyn

bronwyn

0
pessimystic's Blog
 

Want List!

Feel free to show me your swap list! I tend to wander in and out of BPAL fandom for months at a stretch, so I'm not always up to date on releases, and there are plenty of things I haven't known I've needed until they've been pointed out to me; that being said, I have been around awhile, so please do not be offended if I decline. Things with lime that are not Mr. Nancy or Serpents With... as well as things reminiscent of Nosferatu are generally well-received.   I will not swap for things in unusual containers. I have received too many rollerballs/dram vials/etc. that have been diluted or otherwise not as expected.     Bottles I'm Looking For (I will probably say yes to partials) 5/10mls 51 Geek.Goth Ginger Skulls Halloween: New Orleans* (please!) Hunter Moon 07 Manhattan New Orleans Night's Bridge Occupy Wall Street Playing With A Loaded Gun Scurvy (either one) Tiki Princess* The Lovers*   Decants To Fill My Bottles Snowblind 08 Strawberry Moon 09   Limited Editions I Would Like To Sample (starred scents are particularly coveted; I'll likely be willing to swap for bottles of them) Athahoor* Arise, Lift Up Thine Eyes And See Aurelia A Wonderful Light Banned in Boston* Banshee Beat Blue Snowballs* Buck Moon But Men Loved Darkness Rather Than Light Chewing Little Bits of String* The Chilling Cellar* Comforting Plush Companion* Creature Feature Cthulu In Love Days And Nights In Vaults And Charnel Houses Destructive Vagina of the Fox Spirit Dia Echo Egg Moon Elaphospyris Elegy No. 1 S. 196 Elixir V: Moxie Epibulia Faunalia Frost At Midnight The Fruit of Paradise 2013 Furo Gothabilly The Governess* Gun Moll Hesiod’s Phoenix Ivanushka Josie Kiss Among Discarded Tissues Lawn Gnome* Left His Nurse While In A Crowd* Lick It Discreetly Lips Full of Lust and Laughter Love's Philosophy Lovers In A Ricefield Lycaon Manus Dei Marotte Minotaur Monsieur Petitbled's Frivolous Wheeled Footwear Narkissos Overprotective Possessed Talking Doll* Phasmophobia Placophobia Pink Phoenix Plastic Pink Flamgino The Premature Burial Purple Snowballs Quincey Morris Red Rose Rivet.Goth Romanti.goth The Sailing Stones of Death Valley Season of the Inundation Secret Lovers and Sleeping Husband September Midnight She Crushes for Dead Men Deadly Wine Sleipneir The Sound of Insects* Spinning Metallic Multicolored Pinwheel Stinky Traipsing Through the Crop Circles* Treasure Ship Coming In U Velvet Cthulu Velvet Unicorn Very Slightly Haunted Dollhouse* The Volstead Act White Rose The Worm Shall Revive Thee with Kisses Yellow Snowballs   General Catalog Imps I Would Like To Try (starred scents are particularly coveted; imps, decants, and sniffies all welcome!)   Bewitching Brews Delirium Scherezade     Diabolus Hell's Belle Troll   Excolo Odin Thaleia     Gris Grimly Detestable Putrescence   Ars Moriendi   Marchen Prunella The Little Wooden Doll The White Rider The Black Rider The Red Rider The Witch's Repast     Ars Amatoria Ave Maria Gratia Plena Carnal Jezebel Les Bijoux Prurience   Mad Tea Party Bread-and-Butterfly High Strung Daisies How Doth The Little Crocodile* Mouse's Long and Sad Tale* Queen Alice Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat   Wanderlust Dublin Neo-tokyo   Sin & Salvation     Steamworks No. 93 Engine Obsidian Widow   Pharmacopoeia Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener   A Picnic in Arkham Shub   Rappacini's Garden Death Cap Destroying Angel Ya-Te-Vo   Carnaval Diabolique Midnight on the Midway Banded Sea Snake Isaac, the Living Skeleton Theodosius, the Legerdemain* The Chapel* The Grindhouse Ashlultum The Torture Queen The Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus   The Carousel Mr. Ibis Spider   Good Omens War   Stardust Fairy Market Victoria       Notes Of DOOOOOOM Red musk Skin musk Vetiver Caramel
good_mourning

good_mourning

0
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Bottles

Retail therapy, moi?   Well, I must stay true to my word, and when I say in my sales thread that I'll reinvest the proceeds from my sales in the Lab (and then some), I must follow through. I placed a tidy little order for a bottle of each of the following: The Brides of Dracula, Theodosius, the Legerdemain and Snake Oil. The Brides of Dracula was the only scent of the recent LEs that really tripped my trigger. I hadn't ordered the Legerdemain with my Carnaval order because the jasmine made me jittery. Then I tried Siren, fell in love with it and realized that jasmine need not be a reason to rule out a scent. So the Legerdemain it is. And of course I need a bottle of Snake Oil to sit in reserve and age like a fine wine while I use my current bottle.   And in the wine mode, I just finished regaling a friend about a Austrian (and I mean Austrian, not Australian) white wine, brand name Lois. Specifically,, it's Fred Lois Gruner Veltliner. It's very nice white wine, not too sweet -- dry, but not dry in an icky way. It's delicious. Really, really nice. As in, grab a bottle of it and sit in the sun and eat cheese and crackers over the long weekend. Preferably with someone you like, but if keeping yourself company is the best option, don't forget to treat yourself. Put on your favorite BPAL scent and let it waft around you.   What is it that the Lab's postcards say? Sensualist stimulation? By all means, go for it.
valentina

valentina

2
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Miss Ray of effin' Sunshine

I was late, as usual, for work (it's a slow time of the year and no one really cares), so I did my usual run to the coffee house. I was still in my weird semi-funk that started last night. So here's what happened.   I got out of my car, and a guy who works at a store next door, who I visit with a lot, is getting off his bike. He's gay, but he's very sweet about giving his female friends compliments, so he started whistling and yelling that my outfit deserved a hug. So he ran over and gave me a hug.   Then, sitting outside the coffeehouse, was one of the characters who frequents the place. This guy seems like a bit of a burn-out, although he bikes a lot and is pretty good shape, although he was sitting around talking to me about long-distance cycling as he smoked his cigarette. (People who do things like that crack me up, I think it's exquisitely amusing.) I don't know his entire story, except that he has been around and around and around. He likes to tell me that he's in love with me, which always confused me, because I was sure that this guy is gay, but I think the honest truth is that he loves everyone so much that he sleeps with men and women. He just can't help himself, you know. So much love, so little time... Last week he told me that his name means "wandering gypsy" in Czech (yeah, right) and now he calls me his "gypsy girl." So I've been called worse, and actually, I like that moniker.   I noticed the barrista who normally works there in the early mornings was standing outside talking to someone in the parking lot. I walked in to find one of the owners there, in a very weird mood. He blurted out me that he and the barrista wouldn't be working together any more, because they just got into a big fight in front of customers. I tried to sympathize, but he was about ready to cry and he couldn't talk.   I went back outside to talk to Mr. Wandering Gypsy, who is friends with both the barrista and the owner. The barrista then drove past in her car, stopped and yelled out the window: "Just so you know, I just got fired. Just so you know." I'm thinking, hmmm... I just thought you got moved to night shift, not fired. I think she'll still have a job if she wants it -- she was probably fired when she walked out, but the owner had started to change his mind and come up with other options.   The Wandering Gypsy and I visited a bit and I discovered he's not the brain-dead slacker that I thought he was, he's just a character and a horny slut, but otherwise an OK sort. I went to work and he went in to talk to the owner and try to figure out what the story was regarding the firing and/or reassignment of hours.   I got to the office to discover a phone message from a friend announcing that she'd spent $150 to purchase something from a dermatologist that's supposed to make your eyelashes grow. Then she called me to tell me the same thing one more time. Considering she called me about 5 times a day Monday through Wednesday to obsess about her job, this is at least a change. Do I ever call this woman and freak out about my problems? No.   Then I got a phone call from a woman who used to work across the hall from me, until she had a stroke. Her optic nerve was affected and she sees prisms if she doesn't wear special glasses. I feel very badly for her, but she was a treacherous and difficult person to deal with professionally. Most people in this building stayed the hell away from her. I used to be cordial enough with her, and apparently she has decided that I am a good friend. That is so sad -- she had so few friends that someone who was merely polite with her is a good friend. She was upset I hadn't responded to her email from last Friday and wanted to make sure she hadn't offended me. I feel sorry for her, being stuck at home all the time, and I'm sure she needs human contact. I'll talk to her every now and then, just because if I were in the same situation, I'd want as many outside world contacts as possible. That's one of those things where I'll invoke karma, and say it just must be part of my karma.   But. Le sigh. I get really tired of being a ray of fucking sunshine or a wailing wall. Nevermind that most of my troubles are things that I won't or can't share with anyone, much less acquaintances. And a lot of my troubles are so sterotypical that they embarass me. I would sound like a composite of the "Sex And The City" characters, but mainly Carrie. That alone could get me in a bad mood; can't I have more unique "issues?" I'm just joking here. None of us want to have issues or problems or ill health. I am Miss Crabbypants and this morning I've seen someone lose their job and talked to someone who can't see unless she wears special glasses to make the prism-vision go away.   It is all a matter of perspective, I say, and yet... I still want what I want and I want it now. Waaaah! But I better not say that, I'll probably get it, and then ask "What was I thinking????"
valentina

valentina

15
Eoywin's Blog
 

Unpopular

I was never popular in school - I was too geeky, shy and quiet to be popular. Most of the time I was okay with that, but sometimes I longed to be noticed.   I'm not liked at work because I don't smoke. Nearly all my co-workers smoke, and take smoke breaks together. I try to engage them in conversation, but they don't really seem all that interested because they are at totally different phases of their life.   I don't have a lot of friends, and the several attempts I've made to make new friends since moving to NC have failed for reasons that are unknown to me.   I miss when I did have a group of friends - my last year of college was the only time I've felt vaguely popular. I was in a larp group on campus, and was friends with most of the people who played. The group was very large (nearly 40 people at one point) and I felt liked and wanted.   Now my wedding is less than a month away, and I'm keenly aware that I have no friends coming. My sister has more friends attending my wedding than I do.   I feel sad because I wish I had someone to go shopping with and do girly type things, but more often than not when I reach out to someone to be their friend they just don't seem interested.
Eoywin

Eoywin

0
Diplomatka
 

Hitting Close to Home (literally)

At 3 am exactly: boom. It sounded like a thunderclap above my house but without the crackling sounds.   “Did you hear that?”, I asked my husband. Before he could answer, boom, boom, again in quick succession. The house shook. “Should we go downstairs?”   I grabbed my laptop (important work information) and we ran down the stairs, afraid to turn on the lights and possibly make our house a target (although strange that the one night we have electricity all night there are rocket attacks). At the bottom, I missed a stair and went flying on to my face and my laptop landed with a smack. We decided to turn on the lights and go back up to bed.   This was the second rocket attack in so many weeks, but this was close. It sounded like it hit district 10, over near Butcher Street. Last week the target was the district 5 police station.   It’s only been about five hours so no news yet on what happened or where the rockets hit.   There are only two fucking hills in Kabul. It looks like the ANA/ANP (Afghan National Police/Army) could get a few guys together for each hill to apprehend the motherfuckers when they shoot these off. You’ve let me down again, GoA!
Confection

Confection

1
Fishnets and Frankincense
 

Summer romantic

Is September already over? Is summer almost over? Waaaah! I don't know why I'm always so romantic about summer, but I am. I think I took summer romance songs entirely too seriously when I was in high school. And I love autumn, so why am I sad to see summer go? I don't get it. However, it's a good excuse for that case of wistfulness and poignancy that I like to carry around with me, although if you were around me at all, you'd probably never guess that those tendencies were part of my baggage.   Ah, baggage...we all have it, and it's recently started to amaze me how people who a lot younger than I am already have a lot of really serious baggage. Nothing against them, not at all... I think it's more a reflection of my relatively sheltered upbringing and generally cautious nature in my teens and 20's. Actually, I was also a bit of a pinhead, at least emotionally and interpersonally. I couldn't even begin to get myself into anything especially complicated, but I did just stupid rather well.   Sometimes I think my wistful, poignant moods are a result of my former, younger self doing battle with the current, older self. I can be very realistic and pragmatic, but I can still be hopelessly romantic and a real dreamer. But if I let myself think back to early June, the beginning of summer and the smell of Dorian, I realize that there were some achingly gorgeous moments this summer. Sometimes it's hard not to look back and try to wish yourself back into certain moments. But every time in my life that I've wanted to do that, I have later realized, there was always something else better waiting around the corner. That heartbreakingly perfect moment was just a warm-up, and it's always a lesson to get my head out of the clouds and take a look-see at what's going on around me.   So I'll pull my head out of June, put my chin up and head towards September!
valentina

valentina

3
circe_blue's Blog
 

Update Wishlist

*Emphasis on the Wish!* (I'm trying let my credit cards have a rest, I gave 'em a workout by buying textbooks )   A Picnic in Arkham   Miskaonic University-"The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls. "   Night Gaunt-"Their scent of their slick, rubbery hides is bittersweet, ticklish, and skin-creeping: something akin to yuzu, white grapefruit, and kumquat mixed with the snow-dusted flowers of Mount Ngranek."   Arkham-"A shadowy, unapproachable forest of maple, birch, dogwood, cypress and pine softened by a garland of New England wildflowers: bergamot, columbine, rue anemone, blue violet, creeping phlox, bloodroot, toadflax, and pixie moss."     The Order of the Dragon   The Brides of Dracula-"Unquenchable desire, seething lust, malevolent sexuality, and voracious hunger lurking beneath a shimmering veil of unearthly beauty: gleaming skin musk, honey and white amber, plum blossom, osmanthus, sandalwood, calla lily, and a light, sensual blend of Eastern spices."   Wilhelmina Murray-"Tea rose, white sandalwood and a flurry of pale, virginal blossoms, smeared with a smoky, blood-soiled blend of myrrh, hyacinth, Daemonorops resin, dark musk and blackcurrant."   Halloweenie   Devil's Night 2006-"This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk"   Pumpkin Queen-"The Glorious Grand Dame of the Pumpkin Patch! Regal Egyptian Amber, red ginger, orange peel, mandarin, cardamom, fig leaf and warm pumpkin."   Samhain 2006-"Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. "
circe_blue

circe_blue

0
Sourball Ho!
 

Halloween update!

First off, the update last week! I was so surprised to see the Black Moon bottles appear. Nothing like a couple of unexpected LEs to totally throw me off! I went back and forth and decided to get just the Schwarzer Mond with all the smoky resins.   And Halloween! My favorite time of year, and my favorite bunch of BPALs. I already have bottles of Samhain, Dia, Sugar Skull and tried/swapped away Devil's Night. But I'm totally blown away by all the new blends! I'll wait for the next Lunacy to order and am interested in:   --All Souls-- I love the incense blends like Midnight Mass and Pit and the Pendulum, as long as they aren't too woody. Incense + currant sugar cakes sound great --Creepy-- all the ingredients are favorites: butterscotch, caramel, apples, and coconut rum. This will be the first bottle ordered --Pumpkin Queen--I liked 3 of the 5 Pumpkin Patch bottles (cider, cocoa and pomegranate) and will want to check out the mandarin/orange peel/ginger version --Punkie Night--I love cranberries and these don't pop up very often   I fell over and died when I started reading the Order of the Dragon scents. While the original Bram Stoker novel was OK, Coppola's Dracula film is one of my all-time favorites. Swoon! I want to try:   --Brides of Dracula--this sounds like another Smut-O-Rama with the skin musk and honey and Eastern spices --Dr. John Seward--[tangent] don't even get me started on how great Richard E. Grant was in this role. My favorite scene is when he's dictating the latest diagnosis of Renfield while "self-medicating" and thinking of Lucy *sigh* [end tangent] Ahem. Anyway, another "poppy smoke" blend that sounds dark and brooding and great --Quincey Morris--hello? Texas guy! This sounds more masculine with the tobacco and leather, but if I end up buying a bottle I can hopefully persuade DH to give it a try   And of course the Arkham bottles becoming GC! How great is that? I want to try: --Al Azif--another dark incense that many people raved about --High Priest Not to Be Described--yet another incense, but maybe too masculine with the leather. Great name, though! --Night Gaunt--lots of fruit with that elusive "snow" quality that's so popular --Shoggoth--this may be too much floral, but I want to test "green coconut meat"
dawndie

dawndie

7
This Old Snark
 

Actual BPAL Content! Horrors!

Much to her (and her checkbook's) chagrin, Snarky has developed a taste for LE's.   In keeping with her sporadic - if not downright sparse-to-non-existant - BPAL purchasing/swapping habits, she's probably a couple-three updates behind everyone else in the taste testing. Case and point? Her current go-to scent is Bearded Lady. Her first great love was French Creole. Luckily her day-to-day scent is the comfortably GC Tombstone (albeit combined with a breath of single note sweet clove thanks to minilux).   The Mister insists that all of her BPAL at the end of the day smells like band-aids, so this is purely an exercise in selfish hedonism for her. (Though he does respond positively to just-applied Bearded Lady. For a man indifferent to most BPAL, he sure does have rarified taste!)   Snarky's new job (which, IEEEE! ) comes with many benefits. She keeps herself awake at night just imagining how it will feel to actually look forward to work - something she hasn't honestly done in years. But the job comes with a substantial pay cut. This is admittedly made up for by the inherent awesomeness of her new company and the possibilities that will be open to her in this new field of work, but at face value less moolah is less moolah.   And with less moolah (and the Snarks' joint checking account) Snarky is feeling the pinch on her already fairly anemic impulse buying budget.   The emergency flight Back East, her parents' impending arrival (tomorrow night!!) and the upcoming five-day cruise have and will also drain their resources a bit.   But Snarky has perspective: they are not hungry. They are not drowning in debt. She has plenty of clothes and yarn and, to be honest, BPAL to last quite a while. She could make a large (for her) order and not break the bank.   Still... she wants to celebrate her new direction. So she's going to make a list. It isn't a wishlist so much as a... well, it's just a list. Sometimes Snarky just has to indulge her Cappy tendencies and organize her pipe dreams.   slipped through the fingers -Hungry Ghost Moon -Chrysanthemum Moon   constant craving -Faustus   goin' a-courtin' -Mme. Moriarty -Organ Grinder -Pumpkin Queen -Count Dracula -Wilhelmina Murray, maybe (Snarky is, after some fashion, named after this character, afterall - but currants + Snarky = weird fruitiness) -Dr. John Seward   Ugh. Snarky is really not trying to make this some whiny-pantsed post. She is thrilled to pieces that the Lab continues to mesmerize and delight (exponentially it seems lately). So she'll settle for being happy for everyone who is taking part (and maybe she'll sneak in a wee ickle order of her own under The Mister's nose... so to speak.)
darkitysnark

darkitysnark

5
Slave1's Blog
 

Another day with Tina

I haven't really had much to say lately. I've been in a fog. Spencer is still unemplyed and I'm working but barely functioning. Our sleep schedule is so messed up I'm getting about 2-3 hours of sleep a night. It's starting to make me sick, really. My stomach always hurts, I'm never fully "here", I'm always tired.... it sucks. I'm thinking I may have to give notice at the salon and find a job with later hours.   Club drama is still hell. I wish everyone would grow up and live their own lives. It really is hard to keep doing things for the scene when they turn around and bite you.   Oh well... let me end this on a good note. The fur-kids are doing great and Nitzer Ebb is playing here at the end of the month.
slave1

slave1

0
Whiskers and Whispers
 

This is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween...

I just knew it would happen but Beth has outdone herself yet again. How does she do it? I'm amazed and flabberghasted. It looks like the updates are going to become even more devastating (financially, that is) over these next few months...   So, what do I think of Halloween 06? There are some that really call to me, but luckily most of them are only decant-worthy for now. My bank account is safe for now-at least until Kindly Moon...   Bought:   ALL SOULS -- An incense blend that invokes the higher qualities of mercy and compassion, mingled with the soft, sugared currant scent of offertory soul cakes. As soon as I saw 'sugared currant' and 'cake' I immediately thought of Eat Me, which I adore. And it has incense, which I also adore. Bought a bottle.   SHOGGOTH -- white amber, green coconut meat, iris, palmarosa, Chinese peony, lime, water lily, snowdrop, muguet, lemongrass, osmanthus, wisteria, glassy musk, and hinoki. White amber? I've not seen that in BPAL. I have no idea how it smells (lighter and softer than other ambers?) and I love the coconut meat note in Obatala (better than just plain coconut), so green coconut really intrigues. And it's good to see waterlily in a scent-there are too few waterlily scents. This scent description seems to bring to mind the words 'iridescent pastel technicolour', a mix of white and pale-coloured notes.   Will definitely get when I have money/next update:   PUMPKIN QUEEN -- The Glorious Grand Dame of the Pumpkin Patch! Regal Egyptian Amber, red ginger, orange peel, mandarin, cardamom, fig leaf and warm pumpkin. This is where the two consciences in my head argue. The little devil says 'get a bottle! it has Egyptian amber and cardamom, and I know how much you loooooove those notes, and you know it's going to be lovely with pumpkin! BUY IT NOW.' but the little angel says 'not so fast! Your skin turns red ginger-or at least the one in the SN-to rubbery asphalt! and that's not a good smell! You have a decant on the way, and if you like it, only THEN you can get bottle(s)!' but then the devil beats the crap out of the angel with a pitchfork...   THE BRIDES OF DRACULA -- gleaming skin musk, honey and white amber, plum blossom, osmanthus, sandalwood, calla lily, and a light, sensual blend of Eastern spices. More white amber-now I'm very curious about this. All the other notes-skin musk, honey, sandalwood, osmanthus and Eastern spices look gorgeous too. Especially Eastern spices-this seems like a softer, floral equivalent to Snake Charmer? It's the plum blossom that may go odd on me but it didn't in Peony Moon and there are loads of winning notes here. Will grab bottle!   COUNT DRACULA -- black patchouli, neroli, tonka, cinnamon, bitter clove, leather, black musk, coffin wood and fiery ginger. This really does seem like bottled sex. Cinnamon, clove, and ginger? Yum. Leather, patchouli, rich black musk and delicious tonka? I'm there. And it's Dracula...how can I ignore a Dracula scent-and such a sexy one at that? Now I need a man to rub these oils all over...   LUCY WESTENRA -- A wanton beauty, corrupt, hypnotic, seductive, and feral: magnolia, iris, Moroccan rose, frankincense, crushed jasmine blossom, blood orange, tobacco flower and white musk. This to me looks like one of those fantastic, complex, rich, resinous and heady rose-based floral scents which I love so much-it does seem to remind me of some favourites of mine, the likes of the Haunted Palace and LitA, the resin-rose scents like Rose Cross and Magdalene, and also Three Brides which I am coveting fiercely. And I want to collect all those wonderful rich musky/resinous rosyscents so I need a bottle of luscious Lucy asap!   MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY -- The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls. So glad to see it as a GC. Coffee and old books and Baileys. I love it. I don't need a bottle urgently though but this is my favourite BPAL coffee scent so far.   Decants and imps:   THE HIGH PRIEST NOT TO BE DESCRIBED -- Monastic incense, blood musk, black leather, cypress, pimento, white pepper, and Roman chamomile. Ohh, this looks intriguing. Incense, blood musk and leather are all favourites but this scent may be a little masculine. Worth an imp, for now.   THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZAHN -- A ghoulish and tortured scent, suffused with the blackness of space illimitable: ajowan, vetiver, black musk, opoponax, mimosa, and tamarind. I have no idea what ajowan smells like but apparently it's cuminy/caraway-ish which seems interesting, and vetiver is either nice or too much, and I'm not keen on tamarind (hate drinking tamarind juice) but I'm still interested in trying this, just for the opoponax and black musk.   NIGHT-GAUNT -- something akin to yuzu, white grapefruit, and kumquat mixed with the snow-dusted flowers of Mount Ngranek. Mmm, sharp citrus! this sounds like a kind of Aizen-Myoo type scent which might be fresh, tangy and light. A tangy, pretty floral with a load of citrus. This will be one for next spring, I think.   Y'HA-NTHLEI -- A swirling, lightless, effervescent scent: the deepest marine notes with bergamot, eucalyptus and foamy ambergris. Hmm. suddenly my skin has become quite the aquatic-hater (turns them to soap) but not all of them. This looks very unusual-eucalyptus and ambergris? I have no idea what this will be like-very piercingly cold and nose-decongesting, probably.   ALL SAINTS 2006 -- Based on a venerable French pontifical incense blend: monastic frankincense and myrrh, Damascus rose, Russian gardenia, cassia, and lily of the valley wafting on a chill Autumn wind. Love the 05 version, may consider getting the 06 just to see how different it is.   CREEPY -- This season’s Ridiculous Scent! As creepy as Spooky was spooky, this is the scent of butterscotch-kissed, caramel-smothered red apples spiked with a blast of coconut rum. Mmmm, this looks yummy. Toffee apples and coconut rum? I still want to try a decant since some rum scents can be a little dusty or a little too boozy on me. I want a toffee apple scent that works on me...   DEVIL’S NIGHT 2006 -This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk. Love DN 05, may want to see how different this year's version may be-and to have another bottle of DN! To me, it's my Guy Fawkes firework watching scent, so evocative of dry autumn night air and gingery musk.   DIA DE LOS MUERTOS 2006 -- dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus. Hmm, it seems the Dia scents do vary wildly from year to year but since I liked 05 I might get a bottle of 06, maybe this one won't be overtly floral? The 05 version was rather too heady at times, but very pretty.   PUNKIE NIGHT -- apple orchards, bright cranberries, and a touch of warm cider. This looks very apple-y indeed with the orchard and cider notes. decant. Sometimes apples can be nice but sometimes they can be too sharp on me. But orchards sound lovely-this may be a very natural apple scent.   SAMHAIN 2006 -- Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. Worth trying to see if it's different/the same and for another vintage bottle of this iconic LE. And it smells gooood.   SAMHAINOPHOBIA -- The fear of Halloween. Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves. Vetiver...now that's either too much for me or just bearable. I dunno but Haitian vetiver, I think, is the strong stuff. I'm reminded of Baron Samedi's vetiver which overwhelmed the scent. But it's got bourbon geranium, which I love! And clove! And autumn leaves! I'll try a decant.   SUGAR SKULL 2006 -- Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits. Ditto with the other '06' scents-I don't know if I need more SS but I'll try a decant and see if it's the same or different. My 05 has turned to deep, boozy, rummy sugar, but sometimes it's a bit too much to handle.   THE BLOODY SWORD -- dragon’s blood, myrrh, black pepper, labdanum, benzoin, leather, fire, and steel. Steel in perfume? and fire? This I must smell. How it will do on my skin I don't know but it has some lovely resin action going on as well-love myrrh, pepper, labdanum and benzoin, and leather usually smells good on me. It may be verging towards the masculine though.   CARFAX ABBEY -- The scent of abandoned places, of desolation and emptiness: heavy woods and thin dusty herbs touched by the wafting incense of a nearby chapel. Looks very gloomy and grim but this might be really nice-decant. I have no idea what this will be like apart from dismal and dusty and maybe quite lonely-it may be nicely evocative though.   THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS -- Mountain air and the scent of crisp snow blanketing the mountain’s flora: Scottish fir, beech, cembra and mugho pine, rhododendron, currant, honeysuckle, raspberry leaf, dwarf juniper, sedge, meadow grass, snowdrop, rose bay, lily of the valley, starwort, lichen and mosses. This looks quite stunning, I must say. A complex mountain forest scent? If the snow is like Skadi...mmm. I have no idea what cembra, sedge, snowdrop, rose bay (is it like rose, or bay?) or starwort smell like but I do like fir, woods, pine, currant and if the honeysuckle is that new honeysuckle note like in Litha and BatWoman, then this looks very promising.   THE CASTLE -- A distant whisper of pine, wet moss and dry leaves passing through vast halls and winding dungeons whose scent bears the memory of blood, faded splendor, imperial elegance and stunning violence. This looks intriguing enough to warrant a decant, though it does seem very gloomy (rightly so, though) but it might be really atmospheric. There's also a degree of mystery and vagueness after the moss and pine-the smell of dungeons? Interesting.   JOHNATHAN HARKER -- A respectable gentleman’s scent: lavender, iris, white tea, verbena and white sandalwood. Hmmm, I'm reminded of Usher and Villain when I see this-could be really nice but also too cologne-like, or too manly? I'll try a decant.   QUINCEY MORRIS -- Rough on the edges, but possessing the true essence of valor and nobility of spirit: tobacco, vanilla, white pear, cedar, rugged musk and saddle leather. Mmm, this looks very nice-it seems to be Tombstone/Dead Man's Hand-esque. I might want to try a decant since Tombstone's vanilla did go crazy on my skin. I hope the 'saddle leather' isn't too rawhide-like though. How the pear will fit in intrigues me...   WILHELMINA MURRAY -- Tea rose, white sandalwood and a flurry of pale, virginal blossoms, smeared with a smoky, blood-soiled blend of myrrh, hyacinth, Daemonorops resin, dark musk and blackcurrant. Another interesting scent, but aren't they all? A dark floral…I love rose, myrrh, hyacinth, sandalwood, not sure about Daemonorops (dragon's blood apparently?). Decant first.   R.M. RENFIELD -- Unhinged: moss, cumin, patchouli, Balsam of Peru, and neroli. Looks reminiscent of Dracul. I do like most of the notes but I want to get a decant first. I'd love to know what Balsam of Peru is like-is it that note that turned to lovely amber in Dracul? Mmm...   DR. JOHN SEWARD -- poppy smoke, champaca flower, tonka, sandalwood, ginger, white pepper. Poppy/opium can be nice or nasty. But all the other notes look so tempting. Champaca, sandalwood, ginger and yummy tonka? One to try a decant of for sure.   Don't need:   AL AZIF --A sinister, sinuous incense of summoning, a herald and paean to the Primordial Gods of Darkness, Chaos, Madness and Decay. I adore this scent and I'm so glad it's now GC! But I have a bottle so I don't need more for now,   ARKHAM -- A shadowy, unapproachable forest of maple, birch, dogwood, cypress and pine softened by a garland of New England wildflowers: bergamot, columbine, rue anemone, blue violet, creeping phlox, bloodroot, toadflax, and pixie moss. Not so keen on this-something in it went too sweet, and something else made it smell like some old designer moisturising cream my mum used to wear. Something in it screams 'department store body lotion' and the phlox is over-sweet.   AZATHOTH -- tangerine, saffron, vetiver, black amber and cedarwood. Way too masculine for me. Scaaaaary vetiver.   CTHULHU -- A creeping, wet, slithering scent, dripping with seaweed, oceanic plants and dark, unfathomable waters. Ditto Azathoth. Yes, this has scaaaaaary vetiver as well.   PUMPKIN PATCH REVISITED Don't really need more PP-I only liked the apple cider one enough to keep and I have a bottle of that, which is enough for now.   ~~~~~~~   Ok, that's done and dusted. I now can't wait for Kindly Moon (I imagine that will be a tiny update of just the moon, like CM was). And then the BPTP updates...I swear that Puddin' hinted at incense going live (a little mention of 'stuff you can set on fire') and if that's the case, I really hope this incense ain't LE, since I have been looking forward to BPAL incense since it was mentioned last year and I want to buy it all! I have a feeling the next Wallet Armageddon big update to look forward to, BPAL wise, is on October 13th. I predict that the CD Thirteen in One freak show scents will go live, along with 13, and...Yules!!! Since the Yule scents went up in mid-October last year, so it seems reasonable. And if this Halloween update was huge, then it's possible that Yule will be even bigger and more mind-bogglingly amazing...
PurringPulsar

PurringPulsar

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Trouble

I don't know if this is just me, but sometimes I have trouble dealing with kindness when I'm going through a rough time. I don't know how to explain it, other than it makes me break down, because it's overwhelming, or something... does that make sense? At any rate, there's a whole heck of a lot of kindness here and as much as I appreciate it, I think I need to sign off for the evening. Love to everyone.     I can't stop crying. I'm not even sure I know why anymore.
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Is Anybody Out There?
 

Money

I'm upset with my husband and I'm upset with myself. My bank account is in the negative, and my husband just spent $60 that could have easily been avoided. He was too proud to do anything about it, and I wasn't bold enough. I feel. . . sucky.  
smallvoice

smallvoice

0
Sourball Ho!
 

Some more estate sales!

The past couple of weekends have been great. Last Sunday was a little cottage with a bunch of cowboy art and memorabilia. I got a signed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans postcard -- I talked to the woman running it (her dad's place? not sure) and she got it in a lot from an autograph dealer friend, so as far as she's concerned it's legit. I love it and want a cool cowboy frame for it.   I also got 10 Siesta Ware mugs for $15 -- glass mugs with wooden handles, 1960s and real Western-looking. I've always liked them and would see them pop up in TV shows and on eBay but never bought a set. Now I have 10 in all different colors, and one has a Longhorn steer on it! I also got some free mini-souvenir plates (maybe 3" across instead of 10") for a few places like DC and Chicago. The entire lot was $40. Score!   Yesterday was crazy, we ended up spending at least an hour at one woman's place. She had TONS of stuff crammed into this teeny house, and we met her on the porch (she hired estate sellers to handle the process). Among the huge stacks of books and weird kitchen gadgets, she had hundreds of souvenir plates! They were stacked everywhere. We ended up with 10 for $38.50: California, Hollywood (Grauman's! Movie studios!), New Orleans, Ohio, New Mexico, NYC, Wyoming (where DH's dad is from), Winchester Mystery House, Victoria BC and the kicker: DISNEYLAND! I found one for Walt Disney World and DH ended up finding a Disneyland one in a stack on the floor. That one is my favorite!   So I'm motivated to display them like the Snarks are doing, maybe in the dining area! They'd look fab.
dawndie

dawndie

2
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