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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
    • 7,000 views
 

From: Water of Notre Dame

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

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

From: The Zieba Tree

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

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

bottle collection.

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

ND¢

ND¢

 

From: Mag Mell

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

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

From: Versailles

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

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

From: Rose Cross

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

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

BPAL wish list.

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

ND¢

ND¢

 

non-BPAL wishes.

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

ND¢

ND¢

 

Notes, good and bad.

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

ND¢

ND¢

 

From: Bastet

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

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

[Review: the RPG series] Half-Elf

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

laforetnoire

laforetnoire

 

Nightmare Before Christmas questions answered.

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

maika

maika

 

Winter Solstice swap Q&A

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

sarielswish

sarielswish

 

[Review: the RPG series] Paladin

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

laforetnoire

laforetnoire

 

From: London

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

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

Winter Solstice Swap Q&A

1. Dear fabulous future Celebrant(?); are there any things that you used to love to have for your holidays/this time of year that you can't get where you are now?   There are, but most of them are food items that would not travel well.   2. Where can I find your Q&A? Do you have a wishlist post/blog and does it link other things like Etsy/Amazon? My Q&A is right here. Links are: Etsy Amazon BPAL Deviantart   3. if you were to come into an unexpected windfall (a huge amount of cash), what would you get for yourself?   4. Do you prefer votives, tarts, tapers or jar candles (if you are into candles)?   Jars candles and pillar candles. Votives are cool, too.   5. Any books you've been meaning to get for yourself but haven't yet? So many books. My wishlist on Amazon is probably the best place to look. If only Half.com would let me share my wishlist, there would be eleven more pages of books. I like books.   6. Would you want something included for your pets? If so, is there anything they really like? That would be nice, buty isn't necessary. The cats like toys, and Goodlife Recipe naturals snacks. The dog likes rope toys, and any kind of food. I prefer they not get any food item that came from China.   7. Is there any Bath etailer that you want to try? That you love? What do you want from there? What's your favorite bath item? I'd like to try Paintbox Soapworks, and Long Winter Farm. I love Lush and Arcana's Murder Ballad Blues soap. I would like to try Arcana's Blue Geisha soap, almost any soap from Paintbox(there are many examples in my Etsy fav.s), and I think I have some things from Long Winter Farm in my Etsy fav.s as well-- though I don't know if they are bath products. My favorite type of bath products are soaps and scrubs.   8. Tea? Hot cider? Other Hot beverages? Tea is great. Green and white preferred. Hot cocoa and Punjabi chai are delicious. I am not a fan of hot cider.   9. Recipe in a Jar; soups, cookies, etc? Sure! cookies, soups. Just not tomatoes, please.   10. Do you have any fiber allergies? Not that I know of. I knwo I am *not* allergic to cotton, bamboo, silk, acrylic, or wool.   11. What colors do you like? (Pictures would be helpful!) I like blues, greens, yellows, silver, gold, copper, bright violet, and lots of other colors. I made a blog post with pictures, as requested.     12. What colors do you not like? I don't like...dead-looking? colors. Like things that are inorganic and soulless. Those colors aren't that common, but you see them and are sad. I also don't like colors that look really dry.   13. sweet Solstice Sister, what color of nail polish would brighten your senses or make you smile? Glitter or no? Yes to glitter, without glitter is fine, too. I love colors, I love sparkly things. I like pale, icy mattes and bright, glittery shimmers. I think I just really like nailpolish and it makes me happy.   14. Socks? short? long? fuzzy? Over the knee, thigh high, ankle; any kind, really. Fuzzy is cool.   15. Jewelry? Pierced Ears? Do you like necklaces/pendants? Bracelets? Rings? I do not have pierced ears. But that's okay. Something about earrings and my face shape makes me look like a failed drag queen in earrings. If I could look like a successful one, I might want to wear earrings. But as it is, no. I wear mostly necklaces, bracelets, and rings necklaces--any length; I think my neck is 13", so smaller than that would be a problem. bracelets-- I seem to have a preference towards bangle, but really, anything is fine. rings-- from a 5.5 to a 9, there will be a finger to fit them.   16. Anything you're particularly wanting from the Lab/Post at the moment? How about GCs you keep meaning to get but never get around to? Post: samples of the Halloween(and potentially Yule) bath oils Lab: Halloweenie and Yule testers of some of the ones I didn't sign up for. I think they are covered in my wishlist. I'll check when I finish this post.   17. Do you have any fandoms? Yes, and no. I have many things that I love and follow(or used to) pretty closely. Sailor Moon, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Yami no Matsuei, Kuroshitsuji(Circus arc totally killed it, though ), Harry Potter, JR Tolkien related things, Narnia, Xanth, weird crack "how-could-you-even-think-that?!" fandoms of fandoms that just make me laugh. I'm a big Agatha Christie fan-- Miss Marple especially. Pip and Flinx is another awesome series. I like a lot of stuff.     18. Does anything from Two Timing Tart interest you? Leaf Pile Candle.   19. Does anything from Sock Dreams interest you? Yes. No specific example springs to mind, though.   20. Any movies (holiday or otherwise) that you want to see but never get around to? There is a rather massive list on my Amazon wishlist.   21. Do you need any smartphone accessories (case, skin, etc)? Yes. A rubberized hardcase for my Galaxy Note i717.   22. Small samples of homemade booze? Sure!   23. Is there anything from local farmer markets that would interest you? Local Honey, salts, spices, vinegars... all the non-perishable small things. If your farmers' market has black walnuts, my mother would love you forever.   Do you have a favorite animal (or breed of animal)? Don't make me choose..... My favorite dog breed is the Akita. Greyhounds are beautiful, also. Cat breeds are Rex, Sphynx...okay I'm in love with most of them-- just not the ones with no nose and/or no legs. Simply because I feel so horrible that they are essentially stuck with super respiratory issues their whole lives. Their personalities are usually lovely, despite that, though. However, my boys(and one girl), are all Mogs-- so I have to say MOGS RUUUULE!!! *ahem* Other animals that will always elicit a include: Hedgehogs, bats, otters, baby just-about-anything(just saw a baby echidna for the first time; nearly died of the CUTE: of course then I went to find a link to share and Google gifted me "the world's most terrifying penises." Thank you, Google, for ruining that for me). I'm fond of pygmy hippos, seals and sea lions, and herons/ cranes, and sea dragons as well. This list could go on for ages, but I will stop. Fantasy animals: Dragons, Kelpies, pokemon(?), Alaspian mini dragons, and most of the magical people groups(selkies, merfolk, gnomes, elves, brownies, faeries, domovoi[the tiny ones that live in fireplaces not the folkloric ones who look like grown men and strangle people],naiads, dryads, nereids, Ents, etc).   Do you like stuffed toys/animals? I do.   Would you like/want anything Disney-related, or from Disneyland?   Sure! Don't know what, though...   How do people feel about puzzles? Board games? Any particular ones that you might like or have and would like additions to?   I like sudoku and word searches/scrambles. I like traditional puzzles also. As far as board games, during family holidays, we get together and play what I like to call Lazy Trivial Pursuit. This is, basically, where everyone gets a stack of Trivial Pursuit cards and asks questions in turn, and the person who answers correctly either gets the card or there is a point system. Although, by the end no one really cares anymore, and everyone is just fielding really weird answers. It's more entertaining than it sounds. That's really the only board game played.

Usagi

Usagi

 

Winter Solstice Swap 2012

Wishlists/Favorites: Etsy Wishlist Amazon wishlist (If this link fails for some reason, the e-mail to search is the one listed on my questionnaire)     Yule UpdateI have not yet bought a thing since my husband's birthday is this week and all my extra pennies are going toward a super nice dinner out for him! I actually probably will not buy much from this one -- I might try and snag a decant or two after the whole thing has blown over and people are selling theirs off. Yule is just traditionally not my best scents. The things that intrigued me and that I'd like to smell are: Black Temple Burlesque Troupe (but I fear it will be a dark musk which is death for me), Gingerbread Temples (I do like ginger, but traditionally most Yule gingerbread scents have been too sweet/foody for me), Risalamande (I like almond, but tend to loathe cherry, so this is one I purely want to sniff in a TINY amount), Mrs. Grose (this could be one of those rare roses that works on me), Gacela of the Dark Death (this actually sounds like an awesome room/candle scent to me), Krampus (a traditional favorite, but I have aged back-ups so don't neeeeeed it.) I'm looking forward to the bptp update since winter makes me in the mood for bath products and I am drooling over that teaser picture Puddin' posted of a Spanked candle! If it's a Yule candle inquisition, I am afraid I will not be able to control myself.   Holiday things you miss? The one thing I've been whining about is that New Belgium has not released Frambozen in Michigan (at least it's not on the inventory lists I've seen at the bar). It's such a lovely seasonal treat. Otherwise, I miss my grandpa's peanut butter fudge. We have his recipe, but it never tastes the same. He must have had a secret he failed to pass down.   Where can I find your Q&A? Do you have a wishlist post/blog and does it link other things like Etsy/Amazon? I do believe that my two forum wishlists (the bpal one and the non-bpal general swap help one) are both linked in my signature. I'll put these questions in a blog post and link that as well. There are a TON of old blog posts with Q&As from several years worth of circular swaps as well. I'll throw amazon and etsy wishlist links onto the blog post which I will make for this swap.   So, if you were to come into an unexpected windfall (a huge amount of cash), what would you get for yourself? A really big windfall would go to paying off debt and making home repairs on the rental house we own so we could stand a better chance of selling it. Smaller windfalls would go toward smaller things: A month or two of unlimited yoga, a new yoga bag, jewelry, some new sweaters (I'm wanting to phase in some V and round necks so I'm not all turtlenecks all the time!), socks, bath scrubs or soaks, good tea, fancy chocolate, nice long underwear, etc.   Do you prefer votives, tarts, tapers or jar candles (if you are into candles)? My tart burner is MIA, so at the moment I prefer other varieties. Jars are nice because they are self contained and do well in the bathroom. Votives and pillars are both easy because I just throw them on a saucer and go! Tapers are a bit more bother because my candlesticks like to hide from me, but are so pretty when they're lit at a meal that they're almost always worth the hunt.   Any books you've been meaning to get for yourself but haven't yet? My amazon wishlist is pretty complete and up to date. Someone else mentioned the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, and since I LOVE that site, I bet I'd also love the book.   Is there any Bath etailer that you want to try? That you love? What do you want from there? What's your favorite bath item? No etailer in particular, but I am open minded and love many of them. New to me or local to you is also great! We go through a LOT of bar soap in my house and in winter I do also use soak and scrubs.   Tea? I know there was a favorite foods ...but what about drinks? Hot Tea? Hot Cider? other hot beverages? what about perhaps one of those soups in a jar mix? Tea is always lovely. I drink loads of black tea and flavored black tea, oolong, and a bit of green. For herbal teas, I tend to like mint or licorice blends and dislike rooibos and rosehips. I have a mild chamomile allergy, so unless it's way far down on the ingredients, I avoid it. Lately, I've been having a hard time finding one of my favorite brands of ea: Kusmi. It used to be everywhere and now is nowhere! I love the Zoubrovka, Anastasia, Troika, Bouquet #108, and Prince Vladimir. Hot cider is lovely and is cocoa. And soup in a jar sounds fun!   Colors You Like/Dislike?I tend to prefer bright, cool, jewel tones (sapphire and cobalt, kelly and emerald, scarlet, deep turquoise), black and grey. Pastels are not my thing. Autumnal hues I like in small doses (orange, muted greens, browns, etc). They're OK, just look bad on me! I'll try to throw some photos/links on the blog post under this question.   Colors coming soon....   Do you have any fiber allergies? Nope!   sweet Solstice Sister, what color of nail polish would brighten your senses or make you smile? Glitter or no? I only paint my toes, never my fingers (it feels weird!) and I tend to like bright somewhat traditional colors: Red, hot pink, etc. I will occasionally also do bright blue, green or really dark blood red. No glitter and I like colors with coverage (not sheer). This is because I paint my toes to hide the fungus.   Socks? I wear a US shoe size 6.5 which usually puts me in the standard sock size (I think the sock size says 9 to 11?? It always confuses me. What I know is that most off-the-rack socks will fit me just fine.) I'm a fan of stripess and argyles in not too crazy colors, less a fan of cutesy designs (animals, cartoon things, etc). (Purple, red, blue, green, black, gray, etc = love. Orange, chartreuse, silver, gold, sparkles, not as much love.) I like knee socks. I like wool and wool blends, cotton and cotton blends. Smartwool is the gold standard, but too expensive. Sock Dreams makes some lovely styles and I do also like their OTK socks, but prefer the ones with more synthetic in them fro stretch since I have really scrawny legs and the more cotton kind tend to fall down. The slubby OTKs are great with boots. I also seriously heart tights and all the same color, pattern and material preferences apply.   Jewelry? Pierced Ears? Do you like necklaces/pendants? Bracelets? Rings? I love jewelry. My one planned indulgence beyond bpal and good soap is is jewelry from bpaler updates on etsy. I tend to wear mostly necklaces and earrings. Bracelets I wear rarely and the only rings I wear are my wedding band and engagement ring. For necklaces that are made to sit close to the collar bone I liked 16". I do wear turtlenecks in the winter, so some longer things designed to sit more in the mid-chest area be they strands of beads or single dangles are also lovely. Earrings I wear both studs and dangles, but I tend to prefer shorter dangles (because of the turtlenecks!)   Anything you're particularly wanting from the Lab/Post at the moment? How about GCs you keep meaning to get but never get around to? The GC I always want, but never seem to buy is Sudha Segara. I'm not DYING for anything, although that may change once we see the BPTP Yules...   Do you have any fandoms? Not really. I like Harry Potter all right and Twin Peaks, but I'm not an active fan girl of either.   Does anything from Two Timing Tart interest you? I've never heard of this seller before, so I'm not drooling. However, I'm always open to new things. I would say if it inspires you, just use my general likes/dislikes as a guide and have fun!   Does anything from Sock Dreams interest you? Many, many things. See my general comments about tights and socks. I think on my general wishlist (linked in signature) I have some Sock Dreams specific hints.   Any movies (holiday or otherwise) that you want to see but never get around to? Not that I can think of off the top of my head...   Do you need any smartphone accessories (case, skin, etc)? I am all set thanks!   Small samples of homemade booze? That would be lovely.   Is there anything from local farmer markets that would interest you? Soap, jam, syrup, spices, etc. Really, I'm game to try anything local to you that you think looks awesome!   Do you have a favorite animal (or breed of animal)? (Red) Foxes and crows/ravens.   Do you like stuffed toys/animals? I don't love them for myself, but I do keep a toybox at my house for visiting children. They tend to play with those items.   Would you like/want anything Disney-related, or from Disneyland? No thank you. Posted Today, 01:05 PM You know, I feel like I should revise/expand my Disney answer. I'm not a big fan of animated films -- Disney or otherwise. And I don't collect related merch. However, I love a lot of the old live action films that they used to re-run on Wonderful World of Disney when I was a kid: Davy Crockett, Swamp Fox, Thomasina, Pollyanna, One and Only Genuine Original Family Band, Swiss Family, Watcher In the Woods, Something Wicked This Way Comes, the Witch Mountain movies, etc.   Another question! How do people feel about puzzles? Board games? Any particular ones that you might like or have and would like additions to? I haven't built a jigsaw puzzle in years. I remember liking it, but having the clear table space might be an issue. I loathe Sudoku, but like crosswords. Someday I will complete the Holy Grail of Crosswords: An unaided NYTimes. The only games my husband and I own is Scrabble. We play occasionally, less often now that he works nights. I hate cards. I like Scattergories, but that game lives with my parents. We once in a great while play Cranium or Settlers of Cataan with my sister and her husband. I love Trivial Pursuit, but no one will play with me.   $10 Wal-Mart type thingamabob: Nothing in particular, but when I have an extra $10 in places like that I tend to buy peppermint gum, chocolate, lip balm or tea.   If you answered yes to any beverage-related questions, what exactly do you like in tea, coffee, alcohol, cocoa, cider, etc.? I think I have some good guidance on this in my general swap help post which is linked in my signature.   Stones? What color/types of stones, precious, semi precious or otherwise do you like? Lately I seem to be drawn to blue and blue/green stones: turquoise, prehnite, labradorite, moonstone, chalcedony, etc. I also always love carnelian, amber, jade (green and honey), hematite, citrine, and pearls.

kakiphony

kakiphony

 

2012 Winter Solstice Swap Q&A

Newer questions towards the top!   11/15/12   24. Do you have a favorite animal (or breed of animal)?   The noble tree kangaroo! Also pygmy shrews. Also guinea pigs. And wrens are really special to me.   25. Do you like stuffed toys/animals?   Sorta! Okay, let me explain. I love stuffed animals, but I'm pretty much at capacity for them unless they're really special. Beanie babies = probably not something I need more of in my life. (My kid would steal them anyway.) A stuffed animal you made = omg awesome. Something unusual that you think I'd love = probably cool too.   26. Would you like/want anything Disney-related, or from Disneyland?   Can't think of anything! I like older Disney animated movies but that's pretty much it.   27. How do people feel about puzzles? Board games? Any particular ones that you might like or have and would like additions to?   I'm crazy for crossword puzzles, but that's about it. I like board games but rarely play then.   28. Is there anything under $10 that you've been wanting from World Market?   Not that I can think of! Though I fucking love Hob Nobs (oaty biscuits!!) and pretty much never say no to them.   29. If you answered yes to any beverage-related questions, what exactly do you like in tea, coffee, alcohol, cocoa, cider, etc.?   Did we already have a question about this? Um... hm. My general food answer is that I like pretty much everything that's vegan. It's true for drinks too. For tea, I mostly drink chais these days (but I like black, and green, and herbal, and roiboos), there is no coffee I don't like (I'm not super into flavored, and I will generally pick a dark roast over a light one), I like most booze (particularly fond of red wine and gin (not together of course), love craft beers, pretty much anything unusual or small batch gives me grabby hands), cocoa (if it's vegan I like it; I'm a bit disappointed by the Theo brand one), cider (hot and spicy).   29. Stones? What color/types of stones, precious, semi precious or otherwise do you like?   I like shinies! Amethyst is a favorite, and garnet, and labradorite, and agate. Shiny glass is okay too.   30. Anything small you need?   Small size or small price? I'd love a bottle of nail polish (see: sparkly!). Or a ball of rubber bands. Or plain black metal hair clips.   31. Would you like a scarf, or knitted dishclothes? If so, what colors?   Sure! For dishcloths, color doesn't matter, though not white because I will stain it instantly. I love dishcloths though; we don't use paper towels so new cloth ones are always welcome.   For scarves, I generally go towards darker colors (charcoal grey! dark brown! etc!) but anything other than rainbow multi-colored (I don't have the panache!), or bright orange or bright yellow or bright pink, I'm into it. Red, blue, green, dark orange, it's all good! Sparkly yarn okay too.     11/12/12   14. Socks? short? long? fuzzy?   sure! Handknit socks are sort of my dream gift right now, but storebought socks are okay too! I don't like velour or weird stuff like that... no novelty stuff or stuff that's too bumpy. Cotton or wool would be ideal. I've loved some of the socks I've gotten from SockDreams over the years but in general they tend to carry socks that are pretty thin and (this is awful to admit), my terrifying toe chitin tends to destroy them quickly.   15. Jewelry? Pierced Ears? Do you like necklaces/pendants? Bracelets? Rings?   I don't have pierced ears. I like necklaces, pendants, bracelets and rings though! My wrists are smallish, my neck is smallish, my fingers are sort of fat. I can give you more specific sizes if you need them.   16. Anything you're particularly wanting from the Lab/Post at the moment? How about GCs you keep meaning to get but never get around to?   I want all the Yules. What I really, really want are Yules from 2 years ago. (Nutcracker stuff.) Life got in the way and I missed all of those and have been mourning it ever since.   17. Do you have any fandoms?   Doctor Who, and Lovecraft! I love all things related to either, but I'm not socially part of any fandoms. (Know what I mean?)   18. Does anything from Two Timing Tart interest you?   I don't really like scented candles!   19. Does anything from Sock Dreams interest you?   See above re: socks. What I would love from Sock Dreams is another pair of the EG Smith space-dyed tights. I got a pair in a clothing swap and loved them so much that I bought another pair from there a few years ago... muy expensivo but so warm and so beautiful. It looks like they're out of stock right now though (maybe forever?).   20. Any movies (holiday or otherwise) that you want to see but never get around to?   I'm terrible about remembering movies. Nothing's coming to mind!   21. Do you need any smartphone accessories (case, skin, etc)?   Not really! I have an iPhone 4 and while I can't think of anything I really need for it, you're welcome to send something if you have a good idea! I have a bumper thingy on it currently but am not married to it.   22. Small samples of homemade booze?   YES PLEASE.   23. Is there anything from local farmer markets that would interest you?   I love food and I love local shit and I would love if you would send me local foods! Anything mailable and vegan works for me... nuts or jams or sauerkraut or whatever.   -------------------------------------- Where can I find your Q&A? Do you have a wishlist post/blog and does it link other things like Etsy/Amazon?   All links in my sig!   If you were to come into an unexpected windfall (a huge amount of cash), what would you get for yourself?   A nice hair cut and a trip somewhere I've never been before. And probably a shit ton of nice soap, heh.   Do you prefer votives, tarts, tapers or jar candles (if you are into candles)?   I don't really do candles (see: small people running full tilt around my house at all times). I also don't really like scented candles. (Isn't that weird? I don't like my house to smell like anything but a house.)   Any books you've been meaning to get for yourself but haven't yet?   There are some things on my Amazon wishlist! My husband and I have pretty similar taste in books (mostly SF with occasional jaunts into fantasy etc), and he tends to buy books he wants as soon as they come out. So most of my wishlist is stuff that only I like (vegan cookbooks, memoirs... I love memoirs) or that I want but am not desperate for.   Right now I *really* want a copy of Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope Romero... not sure that's on my Amazon list yet.   Would you want something included for your pets? If so, is there anything they really like?   Ianto, my guinea pig, isn't really into toys or guinea pig treats or anything. Such things do exist but he could care less!   Is there any Bath etailer that you want to try? That you love? What do you want from there? What's your favorite bath item?   Oy. I love all things bath related and pretty much want to try ALL THE RETAILERS. You can never go wrong sending me fancy soap, even if it's from someone I've never heard of before. As for people I have heard of, I loooooooooove Paintbox Soapworks and pretty much anything new that shows up there, I instantly want.   Tea? Cider? Others?   I'm mostly a coffee drinker these days. I like tea, I just don't have time for it! Hot cider is great but I rarely drink it.   Recipes/Soup in a Jar?   Sure! I cook all the time and am always happy for new recipes. Soup in a jar would probably sit in my cabinet for a long time and then one day I'd be near starving to death and be like HEY GUYS LOOK SOME SOUP and get really excited.   Fiber Allergies?   Nope!   I will note though: I don't do silk generally. "Tussah" or "peace" silk is okay with me, but plain ol' mulberry silk squicks me out.   Likewise, anything else you have to kill the animal for (like bison fiber, sadly) doesn't appeal.   Colors You Like/Dislike?   For wearing: dark colors, but not necessarily black. Charcoal grey is probably my super favorite. Also browns. Red is my favorite color overall but I don't wear it a ton. (I like it, just don't seem to buy it much.)   I don't love pastels in general and I don't usually care for yellow. Otherwise, I am pretty easy to please.   Oh, and anything white quickly turns another color in my possession, so, yeah.   Sweet Solstice Sister, what color of nail polish would brighten your senses or make you smile? Glitter or no?   Glitter! Glitter! Glitterrrrrrr! Um, if it's sparkly, I like it. I have a 3 year old's taste in nail polish.   The one color of nail polish that I actively dislike is blue. A light sort of ice blue might be okay but mostly blue isn't my thing for polish.

coldandsleepy

coldandsleepy

 

Pretty Colors

http://a1.s6img.com/cdn/0007/v/1520279_7830855-stscrd01_l.jpg http://www.deviantart.com/download/123361964/Blue_Green_Texture_1167_by_Moon_WillowStock.jpg http://www.touristmaker.com/images/croatia/croatia-green-forest-and-waterfall.jpg http://poetrycorner.freedomblogging.com/files/2012/06/Summer-Forest-Dark-Green-Vegetation.jpg http://www.imgbase.info/images/safe-wallpapers/photography/water/15463_water_tropical_island.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/118/260036403_020100cbac.jpg And my avatar in the side bar, made by the ever-fabulous mousesong.

Usagi

Usagi

 

From: O

In the imp: YO, cherry cough syrup. But exactly. I am a little terrified.   Wet: Not cherry cough syrup, thank God. Almost immediately musky, on my skin. A little vanilla, not a lot of honey. Husband says it smells "sexy" and "like cherry incense" (WTF). I'm guessing the vanilla + honey is making him think of a darkly sweet cherry, and the amber is the resinous incense-like note. A sweet but definitely not flowery smell, pretty musky and dark on me.   Drydown: I spilled TWO THIRDS of a NEW bottle all over so for a while it was impossible for me to smell the perfume itself! Still musky, a bit sweeter, but more vanilla, less honey. Usually honey works well on me (I love Athens) so not sure what is happening here, unless I'm amping the hell out of the amber. This blended really well, and was a very pretty scent. It didn't seem to morph and I couldn't pick out the individual notes much. Not at all a foody scent, which works for me because I really don't like those much.   Hours later: More musky, maybe a faint powdery scent from the amber, no honey. I don't think the honey ever really came out on me, unless it was very very subtle. Not much throw from the start, but a fair amount of staying power.   The verdict: Definitely a sexy scent. I wouldn't want to wear it on a job interview -- maybe a serious date, or on a sexy afternoon. It's nice, but it doesn't really wow me like Athens or Bathsheba (two all-time favourites). Then again....given the way my husband reacted, maybe I'll replace my spilled bottle! Or, since this is related to Snake Oil, I might try that again (it's been quite a while) to see if I can get that heavier sweeter scent I thought O would be.   Source: O

theredshoes

theredshoes

 

Winter Solstice Help!

if you were to come into an unexpected windfall (a huge amount of cash), what would you get for yourself? Not a house or paying off credit cards kind of thing, but something special just for you? Poppets! And some of those one of a kind poppets! And a glass buffet thingy, to fill with awesome teapots! And more awesome teapots!   Do you prefer votives, tarts, tapers or jar candles (if you are into candles)? No tarts, and I don't use tapers much. I like votives, and jars and pillars!   Are there any things that you used to love to have for your holidays/this time of year that you can't get where you are now? Not that I can think of...but I did have the chance to try some awesome German marzipan stuff that was coated in chocolate, more of that would be fun.   Where can I find your Q&A? Do you have a wishlist post/blog and does it link other things like Etsy/Amazon? Yes! If you look at old blog posts, there's a few from other swaps, I think most of them have links to kaboodle and my wishlist is linked in my signature.   Yules I am going to be bad and order a bunch of decants.   Any books you've been meaning to get for yourself but haven't yet? Yes please! See my kaboodle!   Would you want something included for your pets? If so, is there anything they really like? My fishy would like a bag of live goldfish to eat, but I don't think that would travel well.   Is there any Bath etailer that you want to try? That you love? What do you want from there? What's your favorite bath item? Yes please! I like any bath items that aren't really floral!   Tea? I know there was a favorite foods ...but what about drinks? Hot Tea? Hot Cider? other hot beverages? what about perhaps one of those soups in a jar mix? Yes, yes, yes, yes! All of them!   Do you have any fiber allergies? Wool, even the nice soft fancy stuff, gives me a rash.   What colors do you like? (Pictures would be helpful!) Colors! I'm a minority in that I love pinks (not the really pastel though), and oranges.   What colors do you not like? I like colors!   sweet Solstice Sister, what color of nail polish would brighten your senses or make you smile? Glitter or no? Yes! So far, I have a pink metallic, a clear with various sizes of pink glitters, and a blue-grey metallic. And a top/bottom coat. I saw OPI has some james bond colors now. Mr Boy would get a kick out of me wearing some of them. (I think I saw a pack of mini-sizes in my Ulta flyer.) More glitter=more funner! I would like to try one of those shatter polishes too. (note: I don't need them to be opi, or anything fancy, cheap $1 nailpolishes make me happy too. They're usually destroyed after a couple of hours at work, so its not like they last longer if I get the fancy ones.)   Socks? short? long? fuzzy? I am of the festively plump size. So, longer ones have to be bigger around. other than that, and wool making me itchy, I like them all!   Jewelry? Pierced Ears? Do you like necklaces/pendants? Bracelets? Rings? Yes please! I have pierced ears, and no metal allergies. Necklaces/pendants are good, no chokers/smaller lengths, since my neck is festive too! I destroy bracelets and only wear my wedding/engagement rings.   Anything you're particularly wanting from the Lab/Post at the moment? How about GCs you keep meaning to get but never get around to? Umm...more hair glossing oil! Lucyboo gave me her decant of the snake oil one and its fabulous! I'd like more decants or bits of them, partial bottles would be nice too. (I wouldn't object to a whole bottle of one of them either.) My hair is amazing when I use it! Lets see, for other stuff, I'll probably hunt down the Weenies that I want bottles of, and I have decants coming of the Yules that I want to try. I'm a bad girl that way. See my wishlist for other wants!   Do you have any fandoms? Not really. Maybe the firefly stuff, I've been wanting to see the comic books.   Does anything from Two Timing Tart interest you? I'm sure it does!   Does anything from Sock Dreams interest you? Most likely! As long as they fit!   Any movies (holiday or otherwise) that you want to see but never get around to? I need a copy of Christmas vacation on dvd, my vhs is starting to not work in a few places.   Do you need any smartphone accessories (case, skin, etc)? My phone is smarter than me, but still a dumb phone.   Small samples of homemade booze? Sure! However, I have issues with wines and migranes. I hear from my auntie who makes wine, that homemade wine might not bother me, because it doesn't have all the preservatives and sulfates in it. I'm still a little scared of wines though.   Is there anything from local farmer markets that would interest you? Yes please! With the exception of vinegars! They are icky!   Do you have a favorite animal (or breed of animal)? No favorites!   Do you like stuffed toys/animals? Sure, but I like little wooden animals better if they're easily found! Small stuffies would be more fun! Even tiny, then they could ride in my wooden semi truck toy!   Would you like/want anything Disney-related, or from Disneyland? Sure, I think Alice in Wonderland and Jungle book are probably my favorites!   Another question! How do people feel about puzzles? Board games? Any particular ones that you might like or have and would like additions to? Yes to puzzles! Board games are trickier, we have a lot of them and keep getting more!   Is there anything under $10 that you've been wanting from World Market? I'm sure there is! I'm a big fan of any sort of special treat or snack! Neat (or horrible) Ornaments or decorations will be met with glee!   If you answered yes to any beverage-related questions, what exactly do you like in tea, coffee, alcohol, cocoa, cider, etc.? Yes! I'm not big on roobios (though the ones at teavanna were tasty), jasmine/florals are usually a little icky. I like everything else!   Stones? What color/types of stones, precious, semi precious or otherwise do you like? I'm a big fan of any jaspers or agates. I like the blister pearls too. In terms of faceted-type stones, citrines and garnets are really nice! Anything with colors is welcome! ANd anything that is pretty! YAY!   Any small things you need? If you would like to get me some pretty address labels, that would be fun! I print up plain little black and white ones on my computer.   Question of my own; I like to knit. Would you like a scarf, or knitted dishclothes? If so, what colors? Yes. Just no wool on the scarf please, I get a little rashy from it.   Plants: It is winter here, and I have no yard of my own, so probably not. I don't think a houseplant would survive the sit out by the mailbox, even if it lived through the journey.   Baked goods! Would you like some, and if so, any allergies/intolerances I should know about? I am Team Eat All Things! That includes candies and all nommy stuff. I'm not big on vinegars, olive or licorice, but if you already got them, please send them. Mr. Boy likes some of them, and I can always find a new home for something I don't love to gobble.   Books, fuzzy posters, Coloring, etc.? If they are are small and easy to finish quickly, then yes. I've gotten those big tube coloring things a few times, and always throw them away before I finish them.

arlith

arlith

 

My list of things yet to try

Just removing this from my wishlist because it's too damn long to manage.   All Saints All Souls Allison Gross Anactoria And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt Andreiphontes Angeronalia Anne Beany Antique Lace Aphrogenes Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil Australian Copperhead Autumn Lace Autumn Moon of the Mirror Stand Aziraphale Bah Bakeneko Beanman & Beanwoman Prepare to Attack the Vagina Beaver Moon (any year) Beltane (any year) Bezoar Bilquis Bite Me Black Heart Blue Pumpkin Floss Boomslang Brotoloigos Buggre Alle This Bible Candy Butcher Carceri d'Invenzione Changing The Shadows Chant D'Automne Chrysanthemum Moon Cicuta Clarimonde Clio Clod and the Pebble, the Comforting Plush Companion Common Jezebel Coral Snake Count Dracula Couple Consulting an Enpon Crowley Crypt Queen Cup of Death Cupid Complaining to Venus Curator Cytherea Day of the Skulls Death and Life Completed Detestable Putrescence Devil's Night (any year) Diary of a Lovestruck Teenage Cannibal Diwali Doc Constantine Dolce Stil Nuovo Door Dorian Dragon Moon (any year) Ecclesiastical Excesses Echo Ecstasy of St. Theresa Egg Moon El Amor y la Muerte El Dia De Los Reyes (any year) Emma Enkhespalos Enlightenment of the Courtesan Jigokudayu Enraged Groundhog Musk Enyalios Epistrophia Et Lux Fuit Eustephanos F5 Fairy Market Faiza, the Black Mamba Fearful Pleasure Female Nude, Three-Quarter Length, Beside Her Left an Apple Tree Festival Mask First of the Three Spirits Floating Market Flower Moon 2009 Gaoler's Daughter Geek Gemini Ghoulish Giant Squid Giant Vulva Ginger Skulls Gingerbread Poppet (any year) Girl, the Glowing Vulva at Ryogoku Bridge Glukuprikos Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed With the Sun Green Apple of Venus Gypsy Haloes Hand of Glory Harigata II Harlequin & Columbine Harp Of Cnoc L'chosgair Haunted Palace Hearth (any year) Heavenly Love & Earthly Love Hekaerge Hellhound on My Trail Her Voice Herr Drosselmeyer (any year) Hetairae Hexennacht 2008 Hideous Heart Hilma Hope House Of Mirrors Hunger Moon Hunter Hymn I Fell In Love With a Floating Brain I Married a Vampire from Planet X Il No Hayata Kills the Nue at the Imperial Palace Illuminati Cotillion Illustrated Woman Inez Infernal Lover Interfector Jerusalem Cherry Infused Honey Joyful Moon Judith and Holofernes Julia Stone Kaidan Kathmandu Katrina Van Tassel Khajuraho (any year) Khalkokorustes Khrysee Kindly Moon Klara Labores Solis Lady Amalthea Lady Lilith Lady on the Grey Lambs-Wool (any year) Lamia Last Rose of Summer Lawn Gnome Le Revenant Left His Nurse While In a Crowd Lemon-Scented Sticky Bat Leo Lilith Victoria Lilith vs. the Giant Crab Lilith's Tea Party Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills Liz Longing Loosening of the Obi Lot and His Daughters Lotus Moon 2010 Lucretia Lucy Westenra Lune Noire Magi, the Magic, Do As You Will Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus Mama-Ji Man With Phallus Head Manilus Hurled from the Rock Marquis de Carabas Masque Mead Moon Melainis Midnight Bell Midnight Kiss Midnight on the Midway Milk Moon (any year) Minamoto No Yorimitsu Cuts at the Earth Spider Minotaur Misericordia Miss Lupescu Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller Molly Grue Monarch Monna Vanna Monster Bait: biggerCritters Monster Bait: Bloody Mary Monster Bait: Ventriloquist Dummy Monsterbait Closet Monsterbait Tokyo Stomp Moon of the Terrible Mother Shub's Pfancy Pfefferneusse Mother Shub's Toothsome Banketstaaf Mr. Jacquel Mr. Nancy Mysterious Warning Nanny Ashtoreth Nocturnal Reverie Nothing But Death Now Winter Nights Enlarge Ostara Paduan Killer Swarm Paper Kite Pa-Pow Parlement of Foules (any year) Parliament of Monsters Penitent Magdalen Penumbra Peony Moon Pepper Perfumed Garden (any year) Perversion Philologus Phoenix in Autumn Pickled Imp Pink Moon Pink Phoenix Piper at the Gates of Dawn Pit & The Pendulum Pomegranate II Presence of Love Priala, the Human Phoenix Prince Lír Pyramus Queen of Clubs Queen of Diamonds Queen Of Spades Quicksilver Phoenix Quietude Quincey Morris Raven Moon Red Moon (any year) Red Rose Resurrection of the Flesh Ring, the Rose Moon Sachs Sailor's Den Saint Foutin de Varailles Sara Pezzini Schmendrick Schwarzer Mond (any year) Sea of Tranquility Season of Ghosts Shadowless Like Silence Silver Apple of the Moon Sir Hugh Ockram's Winding Sheet Skytyping with Chemtrails Smoky Moon Snake Charmer Snow Moon Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree Spooky (any year) Sportive Sun Springtime Playfulness St. John's Eve Staged Moon Landing Standing Female Nude Story Time at Dark Delicacies Sue's Great Old Puppet Show Sunbird Svadhinaopatika Swan Maiden Symmakhia Tenochtitlan There's a Certain Slant of Light Three Brides Tiki King Tiresias, the Androgyne To Helen Tombeur Tombstone Tomoe Gozen Torture Queen Tristran Tupapau Ü Mütter Museum Uncertain Horror Under the Harvest Moon Unicorn, the Unveiled Upa Upa Velvet Tiki Velvet Unicorn Velvets, the Victorian Garden VILF Violens Virginia War (Good Omens) Wezwanie/Hold When the Winter Chrysanthemums Go Whirling Wind Moon White Moon Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn Winter of Our Discontent (any year) Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse Witchblade Wolf Moon (any year) Wulric, the Wolfman Ysabel Yurei Zombie Apocalypse

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