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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
    • 7,002 views
 

More trieds, SNOW WHITE '07, update madness, etc.

I finally found a BPAL that just plain ol' doesn't work for me. The Hesperides. Boo. The first of the many Greek mythology-named BPAL oils, and it's just not so good on me. The notes sound like what I would like: oak bark, leaves, twilight mist and crisp apple. I don't even know which note in it turns yucky, but one does. Too bad, because I was hoping it might be nice and autumnal.   I've also recently tried a tiny dot of Boomslang (verdict: too heavy for right now, will try again at night in the late fall.) Black Rose (verdict: nice rose with something else.) And Belle Epoque (verdict: fresh and green, loving the lily of the valley.) Belle Epoque and Black Rose are both scents I like a lot and I would like to explore a bit more; Boomslang is strong, so I need to try it at an appropriate time.   I purchased a full bottle of Snow White '07. She's one of the top oils I've wanted to try since joining, and boy howdy I'm so glad I purchased it here on the forums. It does smell like coconut, but IDGAF... It's freaking amazing. It's so soft and warm and womanly and alluring. I've read the reviews and I'm happy to have found '07 as the more recent years seem to be not as good.   I am waiting on pins and needles for the Halloweenie update. I really want to read about Pumpkin Princess, that sounds *so* like something I would like. I'm off for the next three days, so I am sure I'll be F5ing it all day and all night.

killersandliars

killersandliars

 

Neck-alicious Swap Questions & Inspirations

In-Thread Questions   -Any specific scents, which may be part of a fiber or attached to a fiber, that you can't deal with(i.e. wet sheep, cloth dye,wood)? most scents should be fine as long as it goes away when it dries. As for koolaid, lingering scent isn't a problem. (though since I live in a hot and humid place, make sure dye isn't gonna release while I'm out sweating or something lol)   -are you cool with the neck accessory itself decorated by me? that's fine with me, I like looking unique and that sounds pretty cool. I like embroidery, beading, I've seen lace applique that looked cool, painting can be totally awesome (altho hopefully not too stiff afterwards). Just not cliche, I don't really go for applique flowers or pompoms...   -patterns and fabrics I like for non-knit stuff I like silk, chiffon, jersey, fleece & felt can be really nice but keep in mind it can get pretty hot in HI! I like houndstooth, pin-stripes, checkerboard/plaid, and cool repeating prints (be it like the skulls or oranges below, or eyeglasses). When it comes to painting, it's kinda free reign i guess.. I kinda like stylistic foxes, bunnies, houses, deer/antlers, food, typography (ampersands are pretty), dissection/instruction/blueprint-like images, or kinda fairy tale-esque.... (here's a few etsy stores of art styles I like... ink and watercolor oddness cool topography red reding hood love this piece odd mix type & blueprint I'm not really into dots, paisley, floral (unless it's more geometric rather than realistic), rainbow, or classic tie-dye. here's a link to different items, i really like the look, feel, materials, and construction of these...   -Would you enjoy a novelty scarf? And if so, at what level? I have always loved the fox-shaped (white or red) scarves... but in hawaii it tends to come off too weird >_> but I wouldn't mind fox imagery (embroidery or something). I also like retro-y themes like skulls, eyeglasses, bows (embroidery.. not actual bows attached). I also do like text if it applies... but nothing comes to mind as far as what to write. In general, I like a good-looking crisp, clean scarf that has a cool/slight punk/young feel....   -Delicate, tough, or it doesn't matter? I would rather it not be SO delicate that I can only wear it to special occasions (b/c those are VERY few and far between). It's probably going to be worn as a fashion statement (or as an inside item to keep me warm) so it can be anywhere between somewhat-delicate all the way to rough and tough! (i don't mind handwashing)   -What scarf-types do you like? exs: Cowl (either the scrunched down kinds... or the tall ones that shield your neck while you wear a jacket), hooded scarves, shawls, poncho-like, skinny (or wide) and long (or short) normal scarves, wrap, fashion types (like necklace-like, or shawlettes), moebius?? I like cowls (probably more scrunchy as a tall one would probably be too hot!), shawls, ponchos, not really normal scarves so much, wraps, shawlettes, moebius! (a lot of them lol)   -what kind of non-knitted scarves/wraps do you like? Length? Style? I have some examples below in the "etsy" section of non-knit stuff... I tend to be attracted to the shape, pattern, and finishings of non-knit-neckwear... I like... -Cowls- kinda loose at like boob or higher length -shawlettes- fringe/no fringe is cool.. anywhere from slightly above boob to tummy length (for the point hanging down in the front). Also, maybe a way to button/clip the ends that wrap around the neck could be nice... -ponchos- any length... i'll probably be wearing it inside. It could be from the elbow (like capelet length), down to waist or past the waist length. Though the longer it is, it may be nice to have some buttons or something to open it on the front or side or something... -as for finishings, i mention it below...   -how do you feel about ruffles/pick ups? I guess I'm sorta kinda picky on scarf-finishings.... I am not a huge fan of the ruffles, no pom-poms, most crocheted flowers, tie-dye... I DO like buttons (snap and normal)(i tend to like being able to open/close things), those gold-pyramid stud thingies, fringe (if it's a shawlette), zippers, embroidery, tasteful beading, i do like the swarvorski/judith leiber purse/bedazzle-esque section, and painted stuff can be fun too! I like the different fabrics or sewn lines that can make stuff interesting, (like these kinds of items)   -what are your least favorite colors? No pastels, no orange, sorta not pink, not really black (i see all kinds of fuzzies and stuff all over it), or "faded" colors. I don't really like any color that's dark (so no forest greens, dark blues, wine-reds, etc); the only exception is royal purple/plum and gray. (i like brighter colors... not neon.. more like "vivid" lol).   Most colors I can deal with if it's part of a gradient or something, as long as it's not too much...   How do you feel about art yarn? it looks cool as a skein, but I wonder how nice it will look when it's knit up? some of the crazier-mixes seem like they'll look too weird.. (i like more of a clean look) but I'll trust your judgement if you're sure it's gonna awesome, it probably will   How do you feel about mixing up textures? I don't mind if it still looks nice (i don't love patchwork).. I think it may be cool if they're the same color but in different textures. Though I think it could look really cool in non-knit stuff (like the outside in 1 texure, lining in another... or something lol)   Stripes? I don't always love stripes, but there are def examples of very-nice looking ones! i like stripes if they come off more clean/modern-looking. (not a fan of self-striping unless it's socks). Noro stripes look awesome... plues this and this.   Do you have preferences for lacy scarves? like in my ?-airre, it depends on the usage. honestly I like both.. as long as it's pretty, I don't mind   is there any crafting related but non-scarf item that you would want as an additional gift? notions, needles, fibers, etc? any skill you want to be enabled in (spinning, knitting, crocheting, etc?). I'm still fairly new to knitting so things related to that would be fun. It's totally not necessary to get me anything extra, but any of these would be fun and greatly loved: yarns (any weight), a bit of roving for thrumming, stitch markers (with a very-thin loop), dpns and circular needles (anything above US6), tiny beads/crystals. Also plain jersey and/or fleece fabrics, and sheets of felt would be fun for sewing up some plushies!! Lately I've wanted to do some embroidery too; get a lil fabric, that wood loop, some needles and thread and work it lol. so... yea... I like LOTS of things lol     -How do you feel about scarf/shawl accessories, i.e. pins or brooches; would you use them? I would love it! I've seen very pretty pins that others have had and am a bit jealous   -are we talking just delicate laceweight lace or is a nice openwork pattern out of a larger gauge yarn probably more delicate and relatively tight... if I can stick more than 3 fingers in a hole then its probably too openly knit for me...   If you like to read, what kind of books are you into? I def don't NEED any books, but I do enjoy them. Like: funny, interesting information, historical fiction, slightly morbid (ex: books by Mary Roach)   If I add candy/tea/etc to your package what would you prefer? What would you rather NOT get? I don't mind any, but once again I don't NEED any of it. I like white/green tea... and chocolate is yummy!   Any favorite: animals, sports/teams, bands/singers, etc that I might include in my plotting? animals- I like foxes, bunnies, and mushrooms (yes I know they're not an animal but they fit into that foresty scene) and on that same vein I like hydrangeas/poppies/orchids/airplants sports/teams- not interested in any bands/singers- not any enough to warrant plotting. In general I like kinda popie-indie-rock   -What do you see as your "gender style" ie: Girly Girl, Sporty Spice or Tomboy, Absolutely Butch Girl, Sort of Femme Guy, Total Queen Guy, Man's Man. Let's see, I would kinda place between between girly girl to possibly metro guy? lol I like slightly nerdy (like computer or art-school nerdy), super girly (be it cute or sexy), and/or modern fashionable with clean lines     -------------------------------------------------------------   Ravelry Favorites here are a bunch of ones I've seen and loved! feel free to mix and match, or straight up use one of these patterns! I thought it was a nice mix of different techniques if you're knitting, and a lot of different styles if you're crafting in another way...(my super-top 5 are *-ed)   --outside types: cowls, moebius, shawls nice wrap coral-like scarf great in blues, beige, white, red.. Houndstooth bandana-scarf cowboy cowl *pretty pretty shawl airy cowl   NEW cool pattern/texture scarf *NEW clean and modern moebius     --inside types: wrap, capelet, shawls *comfy cool shawl love the red grey combo! big and whimsical wrap giant shawl with arm holes *insanely warm wrap clean and warm maybe even wider? lol   NEW 1 sleeve wrap *NEW sexy plaid wrap and i love the color combination! -------------------------------------------------------------   Etsy Favorites oops! b/c I knit, I kinda forgot that people may be using other crafty methods to make their scarves! So here are some cool etsy things (not knit) that may give some inspiration too (*-ed my awesome top 3!!)   jersey scarf felted scarf hand painted hand painted skulls scarf hand painted scarf screenprinted cool cowl *super cool convertible poncho not sure about the border design/color in the featured pic, but love the design! also cool convertible capelet also not sure about the design/color combo in the featured pic, but love the design! unique classy scarflette *assym poncho *cool capelet

Clover01

Clover01

 

Stash

My Bottles   BPAL   Anne Bonny Antikythera Mechanism Athens Autumn Moon of the Mirror Stand Banshee Beat (3) Beaver Moon 2010 Bengal Black Butterfly Moon Black Lace Resurrected Black Pearl Boo! 2009 Cake Smash The Changeling* Countess Willie Crib Girls (2) Dark Chocolate and Pepper-Smoked Caramel Door Dorian Falling Leaf Moon (3) Feast for the Greatly Revered Ones First of the Three Spirits Gennivre (2) Halloween: Las Vegas* Heroine Hope (2) Hygeia The Illustrated Woman Katharina The Last Unicorn Lawn Gnome Les Bijoux Liberty Lilith Victoria L'Inverno Madame Moriarty The Magician (Vampire Tarot) March Hare The Midnight Carnival Midnight Kiss Mircalla Mother Ginger Mother Shub's Pfancy Pfefferneusse Nocnitsa No. 93 Engine (2) Okayaki Paduan Killer Swarm (2) Pallas Athene Pickled Imp (2) Pink Snowballs The Priestess (Vampire Tarot) Priala Pumpkin Latte Pumpkin Princess 2011* Pumpkin Queen 2006 Red Lantern 2011 Rose Red 2010 Shanghai Skytyping with Chemtrails Smokey Moon (Tristesses de la Lune) The Soldier Snow White 2009 (2) Snow White 2010 Sonnet D'Automne* Sunbird Tamora Temple Viper Tree of Life Waltz of the Snowflakes The Wiley Grasser* Zombie Apocalypse     Conjure Oils:   Adoration de la Terre The Azure Dragon Black Cat Crossed My Path Evocation des Ancetres Jeu du Rapt Khosrow and Shirin Midnight Chai with Kali Ma Nuit Vajra (2) The Vermillion Bird The Yellow Dragon     Violette Market   Antoinette's Tea Cakes Baby New Year 2010 Calaveras Chocolate Chocolate Antlion* Chocolate Fire Ant* Chocolate Horse Lubber Grasshopper* Chocolate Mallow Pumpkins* Chocolate Snout Beetle* Chocolate Vampire Bat* Chocolate Honey Chocolate Forest Chocolate Magi Hestia (2) The Lion and the Lamb Lost Woods of Killarney Lydia's Firefly Lanterns Miss Susanna West Smoking Plum Sophia Peabody The Spice Islands Sun Bear Honey Co. Bass Wood Honey Veronica's Chocolatier* Custom 1: Chocolate, Incense, Woodsmoke, Cardamom   Nocturne Alchemy   Bastet's Crystal Pumpkin* Bes*   Possets   Archangels Cherubim Dangerous Oil Dominions Cri de Couer Dangerous Flossing Hearts and Flowers High Tea Isabella Limoncello: Giardano Rosmarino Madame X Perpetual Motion Machine The Scent of Angels Seraphim Silver Carnations Silver Ginger Tisane of the Witch Silver Neroli Tisane of the Witch     Arcana   Devilish     Blood Drop   Dixie Elouise Adelaide Deschamps Perfectly Legal and Innocuous Kiss Cake     13 Gypsies   Cauldron Smoke Which Witch   * = waiting on this

Siberia

Siberia

 

Two more additions to my "tried" BPAL oils

Yesterday I sold my bike (an Electra Townie 3 in metallic fucshia.) I was sad to see it go, but since I never ride it, it was time. And I got moneys.   I wore Blood Amber yesterday, which was one BPAL I felt kinda iffy about. I like amber as a note, but making it bloody just seemed a little unappealing to me. Surprise, surprise but I actually *really* like Blood Amber and I think it's a scent I'll be coming back to in the fall. It lasted really well on me and it smells divine. Another winner. When will I start smelling oils that I hate?   Today, I purposefully picked one that sounded rather like a "no" to me: Eat Me from Mad Tea Party. In general I don't like foody scents (with the odd fruit or well-done vanilla being the exception.) The "three cakes" note just really turned me off. I don't want to smell like a teeny bopper or a cupcake, so Eat Me was seeming like something I'd hate. In the vial it smells vanillaish and sweet, but I decided to keep an open mind and tried it on my skin anyway. Lucky for me, the red and black currant notes really come out on my skin. Eat Me turned in to a lovely berry-vanilla that doesn't smell synthetic or sticky (which is what I had expected from reading the notes.) Eat Me was a big surprise winner for me, which shows me that I should always try the oils on my skin before passing judgement.   All in all I've at least liked all of the oils that I've tried, and I love several of them. I suppose I'm lucky that it takes so little product each day, otherwise I would have a hard time narrowing down which scents to buy in full bottles.

killersandliars

killersandliars

 

Working on my wishlist (and waxing poetic about Poisoned Apple)

The sheer amount of BPAL stuff out there is overwhelming. I don't really need to smell everything, but there's still so much that I want to try. Should I just pick a scent family (ie rose scents, green scents, etc.) or one of the Lab's collections (Marchen, Sin & Salvation, etc.)? How exactly does one *manage* their obsession?   I didn't smell a new imp today. I wore Poisoned Apple all day. Lemme say, the second bite is as good as the first. It doesn't smell as dirty to me today, but it does still smell very dark. I did get a better whiff of the opium smoke today. A lot of the reviews say this is a straight up sweet red apple, but I don't get that much. It smells a bit green to me, and there's the darkness from the smoke. I get apple, but it's not fake or terribly sweet. As a matter of fact, I think that the sweetness is nicely tempered by the other elements. The only thing I don't get directly is the oleander, which is odd. There's tons of oleander around here (it lines the streets and freeways in so many places in CA), so I should know what it smells like. Or maybe my nose is just so used to it that it doesn't register. The official notes from the lab are red apple, opium, oleander and hemlock.   Tomorrow I do plan on trying a different imp. I feel a bit guilty for planning a Lab haul soon with so many imps to go through (upwards of 20 that haven't been tried or even sniffed.) Perhaps I'll do a few more days of testing and then order. The Halloween update should be happening soon, and there are already a handful of scents that I really want to try from that. Wallet, be damned.

killersandliars

killersandliars

 

THREEFER today, including one of my top wish-sniffs and new obsession revealed

Last night before bed I decided to try another of my RAOK frimps. Again, I grabbed at random and ended up with Kiss Amongst Discarded Tissues, which according to the label was from Novel Ideas 2010. I don't know the notes because I'm having a hard time locating the review. It's a light floral to me, very pretty. I still suck at picking out particular notes. It's not as sweet as Desdemona, but it's not overly rosey either.   Today I had a long day of classes, getting my car serviced, and dinner with my husband's (boring) family. I wanted something daring and fun. I chose Black Opal from a recent forum imp purchase. The Lab doesn't list the notes on the main site, so I might have to look it up in the reviews. If there ever was a way for something to smell both sparkly and black, this oil does it perfectly. It smells so smooth and luxurious, it's a total winner. It's definitely the first imp that I've smelled that I would look for a full bottle of. I even put some in my hair, and good god I smelled so sexy and wonderful all day long.   I also received yet another forum imp purchase, and this forumite was kind enough to include one of my top wish-sniffs, Poisoned Apple. Naturally I had to try it as soon as I could, and I am just so in love. In the course of one day, I have tried two imps that I now need full 5 ml bottles of. Poisoned Apple does smell like, well, apples, but there's something kinda dark and wet that comes across too. Earth isn't one of the notes, but this one pulls a bit dirtish on me. Like just the barest hint of dead leaves or dirt. It's amazing. It's very complex and beautiful, and I am so grateful to the amazing girl who sent me this. I was going to purchase a 5 ml of Snake Oil, but I guess that one will have to wait.   Finally, my husband has now seen my new BPAL obsession. (He already noticed the Paypal transactions, but he hadn't seen or sniffed any imps or anything like that.) He doesn't *get* it, but I did know he wouldn't. At least I can ask him for imps and bottles for Christmas without feeling like a total fool.

killersandliars

killersandliars

 

Day two (still on the RAOK package)

Today was my second day of *my* personal BPAL madness, as I would like to call it. I sorta grabbed something at random, which happened to be Emma from The District. This is one that I actually smelled when my RAOK package came. (Some of the others I still haven't sniffed because I want to be surprised. I also haven't read the notes for almost all of them. Look what a weirdo I am.) That's not the point though. I'm talking about Emma. Prior to trying this, I would have said that in general patchouli is a note that I'd most likely avoid (with the main exception being Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.) Patchouli isn't the main thing that I get from Emma, but it's definitely there. I get a greenish-pepperish-patchoulish-sweetish sort of feeling from this particular oil, but it ends up being pretty awesome all combined. (Per the Lab, the notes in Emma are vanilla bourbon, tea rose, jasmine, pink pepper and patchouli.) I find that the pink pepper and the patchouli are really softened by the florals and the bourbon kinda adds this nice sensuality to it. I like Emma a lot, and I look forward to revisiting this oil in a couple of weeks after I've tried some more.   On a not-even-related note, I painted my nails neon yellow (like a highlighter) and I want to add some crackle polish to them. Fun times!

killersandliars

killersandliars

 

The Stash--for tracking purposes

BPAL/BPTP 5mL A Bachelor's Dog A Blot Upon The Earth Anne Bonny (2) Amaterasu v2 (2) Amaterasu v3 Autumn Moon of the Mirror Stand (11) Banshee Beat Bastet Bengal Black Forest Black Lace (original) Black Moon Blood Kiss Blossoms In Springtime Blue Pumpkin Floss v3 Body, Remember Boo '09 Boo '10 Boomslang Bordello Butter Arsenic Cabaret.Goth (2) Cake Smash Cake Smash v6 Candy Phoenix '05 (2) Cat Allingham Cathedral (2) Celeste Chaos Theory IV: Edge of Chaos MCCLXV Chaos Theory VI: Vanilla #426 Chaos Theory VI: Vanilla #543 Cheshire Moon Chimera v5 Chrysanthemum Moon Crowley Crypt King (2) Death Adder Devil's Night '11 Dia Dia de Los Muertos '04 Dionysia Dorian Dreadful Lies Eat Me Eat Me v6 Elf v4 Epomophorus Monstrosus Faiza, The Black Mamba (3) Fetish.Goth Fledgling Raptor Moon Giant Vulva Ginger Skulls Glitter '06 Glowing Vulva Goblin Gothabilly Grand Guignol v4 Gun Moll Gypsy Moth Habu (v low partial) (2) Half Elf v5 (2) Halloween: Las Vegas Halloween: Montreal (4) Haloes Heavenly Love & Earthly Love Hexennacht '05 Hod Resurrected Hod v2 In The Forest (2) Inez Invasion of the Flesh Eating Reindeer from Uranus IXHV4 (2) Ivanushka Jacob's Ladder '05 Jacob's Ladder '10 Joyful Moon Kali Kitty (2) La Mano Del Destino (2) Lady Una L'Essence De L'Engouement L'Essence De La Passion (3) Loli.Goth Loosening of the Obi Luna Negra Lune Noire (2) Luperci '11 (3) Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller Marshmallow Poof Mead Moon Metal Tiger Midnight Mass ‘10 Midway (original) Minotaur Misfortune Teller v3 MB: Bloody Mary MB: Bones Trombone MB: Closet MB: Underbed (2) MB: Underpants Mouse's Long and Sad Tale Mr. Jacquel Nepthys v11 O (2) #Occupywallstreet Odd Portents Orange Phoenix v6 Osiris v4 Paduan Killer Swarm (2) Panther Moon Penumbra Phyllocrania Paradoxa v1 PRC12 PSX54 Pumpkin Princess (2) Raven Moon Red Lace Samhainophobia Saqqara v2 (2) Senelion Schwarzer Mond '08 Schwarzer Mond '11 Serpents with Glittering Eyes and Forky Tongues Silas Ruthyn Silver-Haired Bat Smut '06 Smut '10 Smut '12 (2) Snake Charmer Resurrected (2) Snake Oil Snow White '04 Snow White '08 (trunk show label) Spanked '11 (2) Spellbound Spicebush Swallowtail (2) Sprinklecake Stardust Sugar Skull '05 Sugar Skull '06 Sugar Skull '10 Sybil (2) Temple Viper (2) The Anti-Saloon League (2) The Antikythera Mechanism The Arabian Dance The Candy Butcher The Coiled Serpent The Crumpet Rebellion The Elephantine Colossus The Harp of Cnoc I'Chosgair The Illustrated Woman (5) The Infernal Lover (3 heavy red musk, 1 light red musk, 1 no red musk) The Unheavenly City Thirteen (10/06) Thirteen (2/09) Thirteen (8/10) Thirteen (6/11) Tiki Queen Tombeur Tombstone (2) Touched Twice Triple Benevolent Conjunction UOH2 (2) Vamp.Goth Velvet Nudie Velvet Panther Velvet Pink Kitty Velvet Tiki (2) Velvet Unicorn White Chocolate, Marshmallow and Coconut Truffle WILF (2) Womb Furie ‘10 XCDL13     BPTP BATH OILS (2) Bittersweet Chocolate Bourbon Vanilla Frankincense & Myrrh Glowing Vulva L'Eau De L'Engouement L'Eau De La Passion Looking Glass, Looking Glass (~3 oz decant) Snake Oil Spun Sugar Spectre Tricksy   BPTP HAIR GLOSS Frankincense + Clove Snake Oil     BPTP ATMO SPRAY Aphrodite Kypria The Ghoul-Haunted Woodland of Weir     TAL OILS Anechoic Chamber Benevolent Triple Conjunction Samhain Yule     OTHER ETAILERS Haunt Blood Orange Cacao 5mL Solstice Scents Sandalwood Vanilla roll-on

Gold Dust Kitten

Gold Dust Kitten

 

Virgin no more!

Yesterday, I got my first package of imps from a very generous RAOK. There were a lot of scents to choose from (many of which I will post about as I get around to trying them.) But I chose one that I thought would be semi-safe as my first real foray into wearing BPAL oils instead of traditional mainstream perfumes.   The one I chose to start with was Desdemona from Illyria. I tend to like floral fragrances, though I can safely say that things like sweet pea are usually kinda... not good on me. (The other notes are carnation and water lily, and I do like both of those.) Also, I'm an English major and today was the first day of classes, so I thought that made it all the more fitting. In spite of my initial misgivings about Desdemona, it actually smells really pretty on me. I completely suck at describing scents, but it is very sweet and soft and floral with just the barest touch of sensuality. In a word, I would describe it as feminine. It lasted pretty well on me, and I am still getting little whiffs of it 15 hours after applying. I'm not really sure that I'd buy a full bottle of this one yet, but I will come back to it soon and decide. For my first time, I'm pretty satisfied.   I'm not sure if I'll try something more daring tomorrow. Time well tell.

killersandliars

killersandliars

 

BPALs tried

And here's a list of the BPALs that I've tried (though don't necessarily own). Again--if I've reviewed any of them, I'll likely link to the review (at some point...)   Aelopile Bliss Calico Jack Dragon's Blood Eat Me Eve Fenris Wolf Galvanic Goggles Good - RPG Series Gremlin Cake Grog Hellcat Kitty Miskatonic University Nyarlathotep Phoenix in Autumn Red Lantern 2007 Schrodinger's Cat Strawberry Moon 2009 Thanatos Vice Whoop Yggdrasil

Aracose

Aracose

 

BPALs owned

Here's a list of the scents I currently own. And if I can figure out how to work this blog, I'll probably make links if I've reviewed them anywhere...   In generally, there are all imp-sized. For one or two I might have a bottle. Except for bottles, I'm pretty willing to trade just about anything, so if you see something you're interested in, just ask. There's a good chance I'd be willing to trade for it. And if I'm not--then you just managed to stumple on to the rare scent that I've decided to attempt to hoard all for myself!   Aelopile Antikythera Mechanism Ave Maria Gratia Plena Bliss Calico Jack Cthulhu Dee Dragon's Blood Eat Me Eggnog Eve Fenris Wolf Galvanic Goggles Good - RPG Series Gremlin Cake Grog Hellcat Kitty Kyoto Minamoto no Yorimitsu Cuts at the Earth Spider Miskatonic University No. 93 Engine Nosferatu Nyarlathotep Perversion Phoenix in Autumn Rat King 2010 Red Lantern 2007 Schrodinger's Cat Shoggoth Shub-Niggurath Smokestack Strawberry Moon 2009 Thanatos Tin Phoenix Tintagel Vice Whoop Yggdrasil

Aracose

Aracose

 

Wishlist

I'm sure this will get larger as time goes by...but currently there are only a couple of scents on my wishlist. Don't judge me!   Beatrice - sample Liz - sample FOUND! Phoenix in Autumn - bottle FOUND! Weeping Branches Moon - sample

Aracose

Aracose

 

Fall SW 2011 notes (?)

This is being written IN CASE there is a Fall 2011 round & I manage to enter it DESPITE being on vacation & away from the internet for a whole week in early Sept.   I will be updating & condensing previous blogs for the aid of my dear witch, who ever she may be!   Big (new) stuff around here includes:   - Daughter now loves pandas and penguins ALMOST as much as turtles.   - We hope to start house hunting sometime Feb/March!   - I hope to make some extra income for the family via etsy.   - daughter starts preschool this September   - I've started knitting! But am working on stuff for everyone in the world EXCEPT me, so feel free to knit me anything if you are so inclined! LOL   - I'm trying to loose what's left of my "baby weight" before we start trying for number 2 (which may be soon!) Green & Oolong teas are supposed to help with that . . . I'm exercising whenever I can, . .. anything helpful you know of is great. **ahem** this doesn't, however, mean that I don't want any chocolate, brownies, cookies or the like. One must splurge now and again, regardless!   I think that's it for now . . .

lmfaith

lmfaith

 

Fille en Aiguilles...Serge Lutens

Finally got a bottle of this, one of my favorites! Gave myself a pretty intensive application today to get the full experience, as before I only had a 2.5 ml sample.   Well, what to say, how to describe this. It's a very 'me' scent, woody, spicy, kind of sweet, also deep, dark and....almost smoldering. Not really an incense, but it has a quality of incense about it. The notes listed are "pine needles, vetiver, incense, fruit, spices, fir balsam, amber". So yeah.....there is a feeling of pine but in no way sharp or cleanser-like. Add to it sugary fruits, but not candy-like....more of a sweetened boozy fruitcake with pine and resins, maybe frankincense? I dunno it just smells damn good.   I applied pretty heavily and this seems to be a scent that stays close to the skin. There aren't any "high pitched" notes. According to the box it is eau de parfum strength and in my experience, the stronger concentration of scents seem to stay closer to the skin. That's what my Bois des Iles does, anyway. It's somewhat closer to the way perfume oil behaves on the skin and in the air around me. I love this so much and it just hums in a quiet way....I can't imagine ever feeling like I put on too much. I don't think I'd fill up a whole room with this one, sillage-wise.   Anyway, so glad to finally have a bottle! Just in time for late summer going into fall. Beautiful.

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Kouros by YSL

Ah yes.....the legendary Kouros. I bought a small bottle, totally untested, just based on the infamy of this fragrance. It's a love-it-or-hate-it scent, those who love it praise it to the high heavens, and those who hate it invariably mention bodily waste (human or animal, often cat) when describing it. It's pretty cheap and apparently being discontinued, so I went for it.   First try was.....alarming. At first, I smelled a sort of dated men's fragrance, something from the eighties, nothing too earth-shattering. Then, as it warmed up and dried on my skin, I smelled......the elephant house at the zoo. There's a large part of men's cologne, and up close, there is a large part of elephant dung. Interestingly, this didn't totally turn me off the scent, but I didn't think I'd be wearing it again. Very animalic if I understand the term correctly.   Well, fast forward to tonight, and I'm just sitting at home doing laundry. I wanted to try something unusual and it doesn't get much more unusual than Kouros, so I gave it a second try. Yep, the elephant house is still there. But, what's this? I am liking this? Wow, I can see how this fragrance can be addicting, and I think I actually like it! The scent hasn't changed, it's just so.....intimate? I don't know, just compelling and weird, and I am now glad I have a bottle. I think I'll have to try Body Kouros too.

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Notes I Like, Notes I Don't [11/2023]

LOVE: Amber (particular white, but I love all), Apricot, Aquatics (as long as they are not soapy), Balsam, Barley, Benzoin, Blueberry, Cake, Cardamom, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Earth/Dirt/Damp Soil, Ginger, Grass, Hay, Herbs, Honeysuckle, Ho Wood, Incense, Lavender, Lemon, Lemon Verbena, Licorice/Star Anise, Marshmallows, Milk/Cream, Mint (particularly herbal), Moss, Orris, Osmanthus, Peach/Peach Blossom, Pine, Red Musk, Resins, Rice/Rice Pudding/Rice Wine, Saffron, Snow, Spices (love them all but less so nutmeg and clove, and cinnamon is good as long as there is no red hots to be seen), Tea (green, black, all really), Tomato Leaf, Tonka Bean, Vanilla/Vanilla Orchid (really just all vanillas with a preference for airy ones), Violets, Woods.   LIKE: Apple, Beeswax, Berries, Caramel, Clove, Cocoa, Leather, Patchouli, Pear, Plum, Rose, Sandalwood, Sarsaparilla, Soft Florals, Tobacco, Vetiver.   QUESTIONABLE/NOT A FAN: Booze, Cherry, Clove, Coconut, Coffee, Indolic Florals, Milk Chocolate, Nutmeg, Nuts, Pumpkin, Smoke (some smokiness is okay, but it can nauseate me)

CiaoBonefish

CiaoBonefish

 

My Favorite Indie Perfume [11/2023]

My Current Favorite Perfumes!   Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: My Little Grotesque (Lilith) Eat Me (GC) Tamora (GC) Edith Cushing (Crimson Peak) Wulric, the Wolfman (Carnaval Diabolique) the Soldier 2010 (Yule) Snow-Flakes 2009 (Yule) Zombi (GC) Celeste 2011 (BPTP) Lady Una (Stardust)   Other Brands: the Fox Sisters (Fantome) Namba (Fantome) Curiouser and Curiouser (Poesie) Eternal Ankh (Nocturne Alchemy) Twice to Tea (Poesie) Honey Craves Sunshowers (Arcana) Gehern the Troll (Arcana) Lycanthrope (Fantome) Poison Pen Lane (Poesie) Pavane (Possets)

CiaoBonefish

CiaoBonefish

 

The Box of Awesome (AKA the scents currently living in my "favorites" box)

This is my (not so) "short" list of favorite BPAL scents. Things get moved in and out now and then, so this list is constantly in a state of flux, although most of the older scents are perma-faves.   Bolded scents are ones I would wear any day, regardless of the sort of mood I'm in, without hesitation. I love the other scents, but not everything is something that I always feel like wearing.   Anne Bonny
Aureus
Badger
The Black Rider
Black Temple Burlesque Troupe
Bloodlust
Brom Bones
The Buggre Alle This Bible
Captain Cully
Cathedral
CD023
The Coiled Serpent
Coyote
Dancing Koi
Dark Chocolate, Whiskey and Cognac Truffle
Eat Me
Fenris Wolf
Fighter
51
The Forbidding Foyer
Gothabilly
Hellion
The Infernal Lover (red musk)
The Infernal Lover (no red musk)
Invasion of the Flesh-Eating Reindeer from Uranus
Ivanushka
Tarot: Judgement
Lump of Coal
Lust v7
Madame Moriarty, Misfortune Teller
Mad Sweeney
March Hare
Mole
Monster Bait: Closet
Mouse's Long and Sad Tale (very aged)
Mr. Jacquel
Nonae Caprotina
#OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Paladin
Panther Moon
Penitence
Pinched with Four Aces
Quincy Morris
Rivet.Goth
Rogue
Scherezade
Sin
Snake Charmer
Snake Oil
Storyville
Troll
Tushnamatay
Typhon
Umbra
Velvet Bandito
Voodoo Queen
Western Diamondback
White Chocolate, Black Raspberry and Apricot Cordial Truffle
White Peacock
  The second string favorites:   (A lot of these would be in my main favorites box if I had more room. Some are in here because they're too similar to other favorites already in The Box of Awesome and others are here because I really like them, but have to be in the right mood to wear them. Still others are just ones that I wear often enough to want them to be a little more accessible than the scents in my BPAL cabinet are.)   Blue Moon 2004
Boomslang
Calaveras
CD: Misfortune Teller v3
Chaos Theory VI: Recursive Self-Similarity V7 #36
Damnation
Dorian
Elf
Elf v4
Event Horizon
The Forbidding Foyer
Half-Elf
Herr Drosselmeyer
King of Spades
La Mano del Destino
The Lion
Magic, Do as You Will
Marianne
MB: Underbed v1
Miskatonic University v3
Pancake Breakfast
Phyllocrania Paradoxica v1
Phyllocrania Paradoxica v3
Queen Mab
Queen of Spades
Raven Moon
The Red Rider
SAQQARA v2
Stranger in Camp
Tamora

Penance

Penance

 

The wonderful, magical smellies list...eight bagillion scents tried (and counting) - PART 3 (untested)

Bold = I own at least one bottle (or at least a partial bottle in a couple cases) of this scent Italics = I own an empty/tester/very low level bottle   Waiting to be tried:   Aeval Alice's Evidence Alien Invasion All in the Golden Afternoon Andreiphontes The Apple of Sodom Arcana Baghdad Baku Baneberry Bathsheba Bensiabel The Black Apple of Saturn Black Heart Black Hellebore Black Lily The Black Swan Bleeding Heart Blood Moon 2008 Blue Phoenix v2 Boadicea BRAII (tester) Cabaret.Goth (sniffie) Caligula CD: The Geek Show (unreleased prototype; tester) Champagne and Party Hats (tester) Chaotic (unreleased prototype version; tester) The Chilling Cellar Chintamani-Dhupa Cobra Lily Cockaigne Cordelia Couple Consulting an Enpon (sniffie) Croquet The Curator Danube Dead Man's Hand v8 (tester) The Death-Horse Deadly Nightshade Honey Deep in Earth The Deep Ones Defututa Delousing Powder Detox Dia Diwali (tester) Dragon's Reverie Elegy IX: The Autumnal Envy Epitaph Erato Eros Ether Evening Cicadas and Red Peppers Evil (unreleased prototype version; tester) Expressive Head Faeu Boulanger Faunalia The Festival of Anuket The Forest Reverie Frumious Bandersnatch The Ghastly Garden Golden Wave The Gorobble Hairy Toad Lily Halloween: New Orleans Haloes Hi'iaka Horreur Sympathique Hymn to Proserpine (or Prosperpine...that's what my imp says!) Iambe Ichabod Crane The Ides of March 2010 Illuminati Cotillion The Isles of Demons Jerusalem Cherry Infused Honey Jólasveinar 2010 Khandita Kitsune-Tsuki Kubla Khan Kumari Kandam Lamia Languor La Primavera Leather Phoenix Les Bijoux Les Fleurs du Mal Liberty Libra 2007 Love-Lies-Bleeding Lulu (unreleased prototype version) Lyonesse Mag Mell The Mandrake Charm Manhattan Mania Manipura Marquis de Carabas Masquerade Mead Moon (sniffie) Miaiphonos Mictecacihuatl Molly Grue Monarch Moscow Motley The Music of Erich Zahn MVJHL Bake Sale v3 (tester) Niflheim The Night Hag Visiting the Lapland Witches Noisome Clockwork Tin Locomotive Odd Portents Ode on Melancholy Ogygia Old Demons of the First Class The Old Goblin Olokun Oneiroi Parthenope The Phantom Wooer Philologus Phobos The Phoenix in Winter Phoenix Steamworks The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (tester) Pollution Pontarlier Pothon Meter Prurience Queen Alice The Reaper and the Flowers Roses, Pearls and Diamonds Rozpustnica Sanctus The Sea Foams Milk Sed Non Satiata Sekhmet v5 Shanghai Shattered Shill v1 (tester) Shoggoth Silenti (sniffie) Slobbering Pine The Sluggard Smokestack Smoky Moon 2009: Tristesses de la Lune Snap-Dragon-Fly Soothing System v1 Sticky Pillowcase Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener Strawberry Moon 2009 Suspiro Symmakhia Tabula Smaragdina Terpsichore Toad Toad Hall To a Woman The Torture Queen The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil Trinket The Triumph of Death Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat Uncle Travelling Matt Unveiled Velvet Clown Velvet Unicorn Verdandi The Vine Violet Ray White Chocolate Mango Buttercream Whoso List to Hunt The Wild Swans at Coole The Witch's Garden Yürei   On the way:   Dark chocolate with merlot-infused black cherries and star anise French Tobacco Mayan chocolate with annatto seed, Anaheim pepper, cinnamon and vanilla bean Sic Erit Voyeuristic Monkey  

Penance

Penance

 

The wonderful, magical smellies list...eight bagillion scents tried (and counting) - PART 2 (more scents tried)

The first part of this list can be found here! I had to split it up because it was getting cut off otherwise.   Purple = love this scent (these are my absolute favorites, the best of the best)   Green = like this scent (there's a lot of variation here, I may like it--even like it a lot--but just don't absolutely love it or I might think it's nice enough but not the kind of scent I enjoy wearing)   Orange = this scent is just okay (I try not to lump scents into this category if I think they're nice but not for me; these are mainly the scents that I don't hate, but can't see a lot of appeal in, on me or on someone else)   Red = don't like this scent (I rarely actively hate a BPAL scent...these are the scents that provoke an immediate "Get it away from me!" reaction for some reason, often because they have almond or rose in them, but those two notes aren't automatic qualifiers for inclusion)   Bold = I own at least one bottle (or at least a partial bottle in a couple cases) of this scent Italics = I own an empty/tester/very low level bottle   BOOM! Studios:   Bette Noir   Diabolus:   Akuma Baobhan Sith Black Annis Black Phoenix Black Widow Blood Countess Bloodlust Bluebeard Catherine Deimos Dracul Ekhidna Fenris Wolf Goblin Hellcat Hell's Belle Incubus Kuang Shi Kumiho Loup Garou Maenad Malice Marquise de Merteuil Masabakes Medea Nephilim Nocnitsa Noir Nosferatu Phantom Queen Phobos Rage Serpent's Kiss Szepasszony Troll Typhon Unseelie Venom Villain   The District:   Countess Willie Crib Girls Josie   Doc Constantine’s Pharmacopoeia:   Bruised Violet Compound   Excolo:   Aglaea Aizen-Myoo Alecto Al-Shairan Anubis Bastet Baron Samedi Centzon Totochtin Clio Coyote Czernobog Elegba Eos Euphrosyne Eve Gaueko Grandmother of Ghosts Hades Hecate Kali Kurukulla Lilith Loviatar Nemesis Nyx Obatala Ochosi Odin Ogun Old Scratch Oya Peithos Pele Persephone Polyhymnia Queen Mab Sacred Whore of Babylon Santa Muerte Shango Skuld Tezcatlipoca Thalia Thanatos Urania Urd Xiuhtecuhtli Yemaya   Gris Grimly:   Detestable Putrescence Hideous Heart   Hellboy:   Kroenen Liz   Illyria:   Antony The Apothecary Caliban Desdemona Goneril Iago Jester Juliet Katharina Lady Macbeth Lear Oberon Ophelia Othello Queen Gertrude Robin Goodfellow Rosalind Tamora Three Witches Titania Titus Andronicus   The Last Unicorn:   Arachne of Lydia Captain Cully Elli's Song Hagsgate The King's Daughter Magic, Do as You Will The Midnight Carnival   ParaNorman:   Hippie Ghost   The Mad Tea Party:   Alice Bread-and-Butterfly The Caterpillar Cheshire Cat The Dodo The Dormouse Drink Me Eat Me How Doth the Little Crocodile Jabberwocky The King of Hearts The Knave of Hearts The Lion Mad Hatter March Hare The Mock Turtle's Lessons Mouse's Long and Sad Tale (I only love this when it's very aged, otherwise it's a like, not a love) The Pool of Tears The Queen of Hearts The Red Queen Rocking-Horse-Fly Snooty Rose Tiger-Lily 'Tis the Voice of the Lobster Tweedledee Tweedledum White Rabbit   Marchen:   Baba Yaga (GC version) Beer From the Marsh Woman's Brewery Belle Vinu The Black Rider The Chicken-Legged Hut Egle The Grave-Pig Grief The Light of Men's Lives The Little Sparrow The Little Wooden Doll (not so great on my skin, but pretty in the bottle or a scent locket) Moonshine and Mist The Night-Raven Prunella The Red Rider The Rose Rumpelstilzchen The Sea Foams Blood Serpents with Glittering Eyes and Forky Tongues (kind of in between; I like it but it's bordering on being just okay) Vasilissa The White Rider The Witch's Repast   Neil Gaiman:   Aziraphale The Buggre Alle This Bible Crowley Hunter The Ifrit (tester) Ligur Famine Hastur Mad Sweeney I. The Magician Mr. Ibis Mr. Jacquel The Potters' Field Shadwell Sunbird (LE) The Velvets War   Panaceas:   Lustration Moxie Quietude Safari Seduction Succor TKO   Phoenix Steamworks:   The Antikythera Mechanism (I'm ambivalent about this one) No. 93 Engine The Robotic Scarab (in between liking it and feeling meh about it)   A Picnic in Arkham:   Al-Azif Arkham Azathoth Brown Jenkins Cthulu Miskatonic University Nyarlathotep R'Lyeh Shub-Niggurath   Rappaccini's Garden:   Belladonna Black Hellebore Honey Black Rose Blood Lotus Blood Rose Bohun Upas Death Cap Destroying Angel Devil's Claw Dian's Bud Hemlock Hemlock Honey Love-in-Idleness Mandrake Mantis Moon Rose Shadow Witch Orchid Strangler Fig Tobacco Honey Wolfsbane Yellow Jessamine Honey Yew-Trees   RPG:   Chaotic Cleric Dwarf Evil Elf Fighter Gnome Good Half Elf Halfling Lawful Mage Neutral Orc Paladin Ranger Rogue   The Salon:   And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt Carceri d'Invenzione Cloister Graveyard in the Snow Death of the Grave Digger Garden Path with Chickens The Isle of the Dead The Smiling Spider Two Monsters   Sin & Salvation:   Anathema Black Dahlia The Bow and Crown of Conquest Cathedral Damnation Death on a Pale Horse Dorian Fallen Faustus Gluttony The Great Sword of War Greed Hellfire (original) Hellfire (new) Hymn Jailbait Laudanum Lex Talionis Lust Magdalene Malediction Nero Oblivion Paramatman Penitence Roadhouse Rose Cross The Scales of Deprivation Sea of Glass Seraphim Sin Sloth Tzadikim Nistarim Vice Wrath   Somnium:   Nanshe Somnus Temple of Dreams   Vampires Don't Sleep Alone:   Tombeur VILF (the wet stage and early drydown are made of fail, but the later drydown is nice enough)   Wanderlust:   51 Amsterdam Athens Bayou Bengal Cairo Crossroads Delphi Dublin Eden Florence Glasgow Gomorrah The Hamptons The Hanging Gardens Hollywood Babylon Ile de la Tortue (tester) Kathmandu Kostnice Kyoto London Machu Picchu Manila Morocco New Orleans Paris Port-au-Prince Port Royal Rome Santo Domingo Silk Road Sri Lanka Sybaris Tenochtitlan Tintagel Tombstone Uruk Venice Vinland Whitechapel Yerevan  

Penance

Penance

 

Grand Guignol v4

In the bottle: Super dark, super rich, medicinal fruit cough syrup.   On wet: Ooooh...delicious apricot simmered in sweet musk. Decadent and candylicious.   Drydown: There was a brief, worrisome moment of "omg, EVIL PLASTIC!" but that seems to have faded. Now I'm getting a sweet, lightly fruited musk with a vague brandied undertone. I also keep getting these odd hits of...violet candy? Whenever it registers, I'm reminded of Psychological Horror, even though they're nothing alike in terms of notes or "feel". Weird.   Overall: I like this blend! It's not as smooth as I would like - especially when compared to the gorgeous released version - but I think that age will help with that. Fruit and musk and sweet stuff grounded with a smidge of something darker are favourites in my scent stable, so I think this proto - which hits all those marks - will eventually do very well for itself. Until it has a chance to soften those rough edges, though, it rates a 3/5.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

CD: Misfortune Teller v3

In the bottle: very similar to the released version, but there's a hint of something lighter/sweeter swirled into the mix. Interesting...   On wet: Sweet vanilla with a fruity sparkle - creamy and smooth. Definitely not the heavy, heady red musk n' fruit combo I'm used to!   Drydown: It's kinda difficult to get this scent sniffed out accurately - it's faded down so much! What I can smell is a much softer, lighter version of my favourite Misfortune Teller - like someone's added a few drops of the released blend to a bottle of creamy vanilla. The red musk and fruitiness is still present, but not as prominent, and there's a much sweeter edge to both. I'm not certain - it could be the way my nose is interpreting the mix of components - but I'm catching a hint of leather and possibly something resiny, too. Hmm...the longer it dries, the heavier/richer it gets.   Overall: M. Moriarty is my favourite scent and has been for quite some time now. Mlle. Lilith is a close second. They're similar in feel, but serve the many different moods I have. When I want something close to either released version - but NOT a released version (gotta love those annoyingly indecisive days, lol) - then this proto will be a great option, especially once it's had a chance to age into the glorious deliciousness I know it will become. Currently a 4/5 and a keeper.

furygrrl

furygrrl

 

Fourreau Noir-Serge Lutens

Fourreau Noir by Serge Lutens......tonka bean, lavender, musk, almond, smoky accents   When I first put this on I could tell right away that it's an unusual, striking creation. I wasn't sure if I actually liked it but, like many other Lutens perfumes, that didn't seem to matter.....just the experience of trying it reminds me of why I got into this habit.   So, up close, Fourreau Noir is a little scary, almost harsh and chemical smelling. It reminds me of hot rubber or maybe leather. But the throw is quite beautiful and I think I mostly get the lavender, but the musk is very nice too. It's almost like what I wanted from Miel de Bois, but in the end couldn't love that one. But I do love this. It also reminds me a bit of the tonka in my beloved Chene but this is more.....what's the word....not really sinister, but more like this has a dark secret. This is more of a dressy occasion type of scent.   *sigh* Only problem is, there are already at least 3 other Lutens that I want full bottles of! Guess I have to add this to the list!

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