Spacekitty

I'm looking for something similar to Avon's discontinued Far Away Sensual Embrace. A friend of mine has hoarded bottles over the years, but is now running low. And it's ALL she ever wears. I was hoping to find a BPAL blend that is similar, but so far all I've come up with is other commercial perfumes. Far Away Sensual Embrace is described as an Oriental Floral with notes of camellia, passion flower, amber, hibiscus, orchid and vanilla. I think Cacharel's Amor Amor is similar scent-wise (by memory only, I can't compare as I no longer have Amor Amor), but the notes are pretty different. Amor Amor is described as a fruity floral. The main notes are: pink grapefruit, mandarin, blood orange, Malati Flower (Malati is a very fragrant Indonesian Jasmine Sambac), lily-of-the-valley, white musk, sandalwood, vanilla and ambergris. I also think Valentino V has a similar vibe, but also not so similar note-wise. V is a woody, floral oriental with heliotrope, rose, and orange blossom, pink grapefruit, green fig, freesia, amber, mysore sandalwood, cedar and musk. I'd be happy with recs that are of a similar tone - they don't need to have the exact same notes. But I would prefer to find her some BPAL rather than another designer fragrance.

I did a search, but came up empty. So I apologize if someone has asked this before and I couldn't find it. Saint-Germain (St Germain) - I am dying for more or a recipe that is similar. Can anyone help? I never would have thought this one would be so difficult to find!

Okay, I haven't been around for like, two years so I've missed a lot. What's Dia and where can I find it?? I've literally looked everywhere. Can I still get Harigata II?? I can put it in my cart but it was offered so long ago... What about Tiki Princess - and what happened to the Atomic Lounge section?? I can't get in there. I thought they were GCs. Were they DC'd? Where can I find Paduan Killer Swarm and Roses Pearls Diamonds?? I've never heard of either. HELP! I never ever thought I'd be so lost here. And with coconut blends, no less! (To put my 2cents in... I love The Star. It's my fave coconut blend. I have a 10mL of it. However, it's SO limey that I can't wear it too much or get really sick of it. I need something more chillax and smooth... like suntan lotion but... not.)

Here's the deal: I've tried all the BPAL I'll ever want to try try except for old/unreleased/impossible to find scents. I'm open to trying other companies, but I have so much BPAL and Possets and designer perfumes that I will never ever use even a tenth of it in my lifetime. And what's worse is, I run decant circles so for the forseeable future I'll be able to try everything the Lab puts out. Bottom line is, I really don't need any more perfume. I know (shocker) NONE of us does. But that's why I hesitated on doing this perfume wish/favorites list. BPAL, etc Favorite BPAL oils: Sudha Segara, Mme, Moriarty, Miskatonic University, Pumpkin III (2007), Count Dracula, Faith, Rose Red (all years), Anactoria, Bonfire Night, Hearth, Shub, Sunflower, Snake Oil, Dorian, 51, Aeaea, House of Mirrors, Midway, Embalming Fluid, Kumiho, Fruitcake, Smut, Ace of Hearts, Bearded Lady, The Apothecary, Leanann Sidhe (the one fave I don't have a bottle of), Amsterdam, Lyonesse, Victoria, Snake Charmer, Luperci, Krampus, Cheshire Cat, Red Lantern, Sin, Urania... Favorite notes: Ginger, lemon/lemongrass,/verbena lime, mandarin, currants, pineapple, grapefruit, pumpkin, plum, rose, lilac, freesia, honeysuckle, lily (particularly stargazer), peony, pine (though I amp it, so it needs to be blended well), lavender, leather, smoke, sandalwood, incense, amber, patchouli, musks, dried woods, dried grasses, caramel, cocoa/chocolate, booze, baked goods, metals, aquatic notes, ozone... Notes I love as long as they're not BPAL: Vanilla, coconut, fig, sugar, almond, honey, apple, peach and berries. Favorite non-BPAL perfumes: Issey Miyake's L'eau D'Issey, Stella McCartney's Stella Absolute, Prada, Lolita Lempicka, Aquolina's Pink Sugar (there's a time and place), Gucci Rush, Gucci II, Benefit's Maybe Baby, Nanette Lepore, Valentino V, Burberry Brit, Thierry Mugler's Angel, Possets: Gingerbread Whorehouse, Indigo, Glee, Silver Carnations, Maggie and Id Least favorite BPAL oils: Many of the Tarots and Conjure Bag. Glitter, Saturnalia, Love's Philosophy, Yggdrasil, Katharina, Dragon's Milk... the list goes on and on... Anything containing my vvv least favorite notes vvv Least favorite notes: Blossoms (ex orange blossom, apple blossom), lotus, wine, fresh grass/dirt, cinnamon, damp woods/leaves, apricot, black tea, eucalyptus, grape Last favorite non-BPAL perfumes: All Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and Vera Wang perfumes. Also, somewhere I said I didn't want candles. They're expensive to ship and I have cats so I never know what's going to happen. But I do really love to scent my house. So there's the quandary. If you can think of a solution, kudos to you. Love!

My BPAL inventory - http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pkQ...-sPBg&hl=en My blurb/first impression BPAL reviews - http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pkQ...wc0Dw&hl=en BPAL wishlist - http://www.bpal.org/index.php?showtopic=12...amp;#entry63783 Facebook - http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=722180694 MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/gingerkangkang My other MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/102983818 Twitter - http://twitter.com/gingerkangkang MakeupAlley - http://makeupalley.com/p~witchbaby Netflix - http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/PYPc6B9L7Dmg3NKZh3zR Pandora - http://www.pandora.com/people/apirkl Last.fm - http://www.last.fm/user/gingerkangkang Amazon wishlist - http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2B5M110CX3EX6 Video game wishlist - http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/15C4WJXOT32PQ

Changes/Additions/Things I forgot to fill in are in PINK. I will update the entry title with the date if changes were made. ---------------------------------- Switch Witch Questionnaire Personal/Basic Information Birthday: September 23, 1974 Location: The Twin Cities, Minnesota Pets: Two 2-year old cats. They are both all black with a little white locket on their chest. Izzy is a girlcat, Bowie is a boycat. We call them "bears". Quick explaination: Bowie actually has a little strip of white running down his tummy. When he was a kitten my husband thought he looked like the Hamm's bear (which is the only tattoo he's ever wanted). ANYWAY, now we call all cats "bears". Children: None yet. Had a miscarriage last year and plan to try again this fall. Religious orientation: Agnostic. Favorite Holiday: Christmas, Canada Day, Halloween, Guy Fawkes (we burn stuff in a fire pit) and Groundhog Day (my husband and I exchange "sensible" underwear on Groundhog day. It's been a tradition of ours since before we were married.) Occupation/Major in school: Currently work for Public Television. Went to film school and cosmetology school. Living arrangement: Live with my husband and two bears. Livejournal/Blog/Website: http://gingerkangkang.livejournal.com; http://twitter.com/gingerkangkang; Facebook ID: 722180694 Just mention Mob Wars and I'll accept your friend invite without a clue that you're my Witchee - I'm not sure how much you can see that way because I have all my Mob Wars friends blocked out of everything personal. You could just invite me and tell me you're my Witchee and block me out of everything on your Facebook so that I can't tell who you are. You can also look up my MySpace. I have everything super privacy protected but if you invite me, the likelihood of me trying to figure out who you are is nil. I much prefer to be surprised and really don't want to know who you are until you want me to know who you are. Honest. Organizations/Causes/Activities (Things you belong to or causes you believe in): Public television, public radio, grass-roots orgs and the Green Party. I am pro-choice, anti-death penalty, against animal cruelty (abuse, use for entertainment, factory farming, vivisection and animal testing), for the legalization of marijuana and am anti-war (not just the Iraq war). That said, I am not a hippie and I don't do drugs. BPAL, etc Favorite BPAL oils: Sudha Segara, Mme, Moriarty, Miskatonic University, Pumpkin III (2007), Count Dracula, Faith, Rose Red (all years), Anactoria, Bonfire Night, Hearth, Shub, Sunflower, Snake Oil, Dorian, 51, Aeaea, House of Mirrors, Midway, Embalming Fluid, Kumiho, Fruitcake, Smut, Ace of Hearts, Bearded Lady, The Apothecary, Leanann Sidhe (the one fave I don't have a bottle of), Amsterdam, Lyonesse, Victoria, Snake Charmer, Luperci, Krampus, Cheshire Cat, Red Lantern, Sin, Urania... Favorite notes: Ginger, lemon/lemongrass,/verbena lime, mandarin, currants, pineapple, grapefruit, pumpkin, plum, rose, lilac, freesia, honeysuckle, lily (particularly stargazer), peony, pine (though I amp it, so it needs to be blended well), lavender, leather, smoke, sandalwood, incense, amber, patchouli, musks, dried woods, dried grasses, caramel, cocoa/chocolate, booze, baked goods, metals, aquatic notes, ozone... Notes I love as long as they're not BPAL: Vanilla, coconut, fig, sugar, almond, honey, apple, peach and berries. Favorite non-BPAL perfumes: Issey Miyake's L'eau D'Issey, Stella McCartney's Stella Absolute, Prada, Lolita Lempicka, Aquolina's Pink Sugar (there's a time and place), Gucci Rush, Gucci II, Benefit's Maybe Baby, Nanette Lepore, Valentino V, Burberry Brit, Thierry Mugler's Angel, Possets: Gingerbread Whorehouse, Indigo, Glee, Silver Carnations, Maggie and Id Least favorite BPAL oils: Many of the Tarots and Conjure Bag. Glitter, Saturnalia, Love's Philosophy, Yggdrasil, Katharina, Dragon's Milk... the list goes on and on... Anything containing my vvv least favorite notes vvv Least favorite notes: Blossoms (ex orange blossom, apple blossom), lotus, wine, fresh grass/dirt, cinnamon, damp woods/leaves, apricot, black tea, eucalyptus, grape Last favorite non-BPAL perfumes: All Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and Vera Wang perfumes. Beauty Hair type: Super fine, curly Skin Type: Combination - dry and oily; sensitive (Yes, I realize many people say they have sensitive skin who don't. I definitely do.) Allergies (specifically B&B related): Sodium Laurel Sulfate, Bismuth Oxychloride, unnecessary natural ingredients like mint oils. Other things to avoid: I can't use most Lush products because they use too many irritating ingredients. Bare Escentuals rips my face apart, but I seem to have had good luck with Everyday Minerals so I'm not entirely anti-mineral makeup. Tub, shower or both? Shower Favorite bath & beauty products: I use a lot of Paula's Choice for skincare. MAC is my favorite makeup but I'm not cultish about it. I also really like Stila. I don't think you need to spend a lot on cosmetics. I like Jane and some other drugstore brands. I'm desperate to find a new shower gel since discovering the Olay STILL tests on animals (I loved the Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter). I like Paula's Choice Hair & Body Wash but it's expensive. I use Paul Mitchell Shampoo (One and Two) and The Rinse, Sexy Hair Concepts Healthy line and some Rusk styling products. I recently tried a sample of Cocoa Pink's Shine Sweetie and I really liked it. I love love love Lush Sympathy for the Skin. Clothing Style/Fave garments: I dress like Bobby Brady 95% of the time. Jeans, t-shirts, comfy casual shoes (usually Skechers or Rocket Dog flats), hoodies, turtleneck sweaters, men's oxford dress shirts, scarves/passhminas. T-shirt size and preference (standard, babydoll, tank, cami, etc): Standard T. My favorite fit is American Apparel's 2102 in XL. I also like shirts from Threadless in XL. Type(s) of jewelry worn: I don't have any piercings - yes, that includes my ears. But I like rings and bracelets and, on occasion, necklaces. Mostly costume-styles - nothing really dainty except for fun-colored bobby pins. Ring/wrist/collar size: (ACK! I have to do this yet!) Do you have any allergies to metal? No. Favorite gemstones: Alexandrite and Sapphire (my birthstone) are my faves. I also like emerald, ruby, amethyst. I can't stand diamonds or light-colored stones. I don't like pearls because they're made with cruelty. Jewelry - gold or silver? Both. Pierced ears, stretched ears, neither? Neither. Lifestyle Favorite colors: All of them. Depends on my mood. Mostly RED, purples, greens and darker pinks (magenta). I also like odd shades of blue but not BLUEblue or light blue. And black, of course. LOVE black. Style/home decoration style: Mod/retro... I have a tiki bar in my basement. Things you collect: BPAL, tiki/retro decor, KITSCH, silly Archie McPhee-type stuff, books about booze, makeup (I'm a lipgloss FIEND), DVDs, CDs, books and I've always wanted to start collecting those stupidly revolting ceramic kitties with rhinestone eyes or... big-eyed art. I live low class. Favorite music: Sloan, Bowie, New Pornographers, J5, Cheap Trick, Decendents, ALL, Stevie Wonder, Komeda, BIS, Old 97's, Queen, Talib Kweli, Buzzcocks, Smiths, Common, The Cardigans, The Who, Tom Waits, Ramones, that dog, Tahiti 80, Replacements, Thievery Corporation, Poster Children... Jazz standards, europop, 70's funk, rockabilly, old skool country, deep soul, electronica, east coast swing, underground rap, french cabaret, latin jazz, bluegrass, afripop, exotica, rocksteady, west coast jazz, glam, ska, punk, surf, house... Look here: Last.fm, my other MySpace, Pandora. Least favorite music: The Beatles, southern rock, Coldplay. Vegetarian/Vegan?: I don't eat red meat. Other food restrictions: None. Favorite flavors: Chocolate, candy, salty snacks, well-made tiki drinks. I'm a candy freak. I also love cupcakes and cookies. LOVE popcorn. Love but never get 'cause my husband doesn't: Indian, Greek, Italian and Thai cuisines. Also love sushi, some Chinese, Mexican, Middle-eastern and classic American fare like fries, burgers (turkey or veggie), pizza and salads with no iceburg lettuce. Favorite foods/drinks: (See above) My favorite drink that I usually order out is a Tanqueray Gimlet with lots of Rose's lime. My favorite drink that I never order out is a properly made Mai Tai. Favorite authors/genres: Andrew Vachss, David Sedaris and Raymond Chandler. I like detective novels - new and old (John Sandford, Nelson DeMille). Children's books (Harry Potter, Phillip Pullman, Block, Tolkein). Some fantasy/horror (I like Gaiman's style, but his books tend to disappoint). Some Sci-Fi (Huxley and Orwell, and Ender's Game might be my favorite book of all time). I also like the old Spy vs Spy books, alternative comics/graphic novels, political commentary and conspiracy theory non-fiction. Least favorite authors/genres: Romance isn't high on my list - that includes most women-empowering "chick lit". Books/authors you'd like to read, but haven't yet: I'm into any and all suggestions based on any of the above. I'm always looking for something new. How do you feel about receiveing gently used books as gifts? I LOVE USED! Favorite stores (including clothing stores): Sephora, MAC, Gap/Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, Half-Priced books, antique stores, H&M and I LOVE TARGET! Favorite online stores (including B&B stores): Amazon, Paula's Choice, Sephora, Threadless, iTunes store, eBay, Etsy Magazines you subscribe to: Mojo, Tiki Magazine, Modern Drunkard, All You, Allure, Martha Stewart Living, Cook's Illustrated, InStyle, Twin Cities Metro Magazines you like, but don't subscribe to: EW (it runs out and I forget to reup), Harper's, In These Times, Multinational Monitor, Cook's Country, Domino, Dwell, Real Simple, Make, Ready Made, Shop Smart (LOVE that one), Bust, Mental Floss, AdBusters Favorite movies: Creepy, dark and/or unintentionally funny (read: Bad) I especially love when filmmakers aren't afraid to disappoint their audience. * Films: The Thin Man, The Maltese Falcon, ChungKing Express, Gilda, When Harry Met Sally, The Station Agent, Amelie, Swingers, Singin' in the Rain, Valley Girl, The Bad Seed, Uncle Buck, Double Indemnity, Rushmore, Vacation, Elf, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sin City, Shaun of the Dead, Akira, It's a Wonderful Life, Eternal Sunshine, Freaks (1932), Donnie Darko, Willy Wonka, Caddyshack, Blue, Mr.Smith Goes to Washington, Casablanca, Heathers, Repo Man * Bad horror: Spider Baby, Phantasm, any Hammer Horror, anything with Christopher Lee * Good horror: Halloween, Night of the Living Dead (1968), The Vanishing (Dutch version), The Haunting (1963), anything that keeps me up at night * Filmmakers: Hitchcock, Hayao Miyazaki, Sofia Coppola, PT Anderson, the Coens * Actors: Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, Hepburn & Tracy. And Clooney. Favorite TV show(s): All of them? No really, I am a TV addict. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Dexter, Weeds, Law & Order: SVU & CI, So You Think You Can Dance?, Lost, Futurama, Supernanny, Scrubs, House, Gossip Girl, The Office (both UK & US versions), 30 Rock, Daily Show, Colbert Report, Extras, Reno 911, ATHF, No Reservations, Moonlight, Veronica Mars, Buffy & Angel, Bones, South Park, Home Movies, Biggest Loser, Kids in the Hall, MST3K, Survivor, Heroes, Spaced, AbFab, Coupling, Mr. Show, The Riches, Penn & Teller's Bullshit, Gilmore Girls, Amazing Race, Dead Like Me, Firefly, The OC, Damages, 24, Sex & The City, Ugly Betty, The Soup. I like to say the one genre I don't watch is dating reality and the one show I don't watch is Grey's. Hobbies/crafts done: I like crafting, but I'm too lazy to clean up. I like to knit in short bursts. I like to cook and bake. Wishlists BPAL Wish List (including SW/SF Help): Wishlist here. I'm not really looking for any BPAL right now. But I would like a bottle of Peacocks someday. Other website Wish lists (amazon.com, etc): Amazon, Amazon - Video Games And now for something completely different: - Let's say you're "Lost" on an island: what two people and which three things would you want with you? My husband and - because I can't decide - a completely random stranger. We'd all have more to talk about since we don't know each other. If the things include survival items, then a flint, a knife and shelter. If the things are luxury items and we already have what we need to survive, then.. a radio, a board game or cards and a good supply of sunscreen. - If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Telekinesis. - What things do you consider a necessary part of your "comfort" ritual? PJs. - If you were a household appliance, what would you be and why? A cookie press. Hardly ever comes out of the cupboard, specialized use, unreliable and finicky. But when it works, it's makes killer treats. - What are the last 3 CDs you've had in your CD player, or played all the way through on your MP3 player? Robbie Williams "Rudebox", Robert Drasnin "VooDoo II" and Sloan "One Chord to Another" - What are the last 2 movies you watched all the way through? Stepbrothers & Be Kind Rewind Notes (Here's where you can add additional information you'd like your Switch Witch to know!): I love candy of all kinds - especially chocolate. Or fun salty snacks. I like tea but I'm trying to cut the caffeine these days so I'm sticking to interesting herbals. Stickers, toys, useful things like pens, hair clips/pins, fun office supplies, lip gloss. Anything with skulls, pirates, zombies, black cats, TIKI, retro lounge, deco, monsters, etc are ALL GOOD. From MySpace: I believe there is no better time of the year than when we dress in layers, gorge on candy and celebrate the dead. * I'm an unapologetic tv addict. * I have a really hard time expressing myself, I'm shy and my memory's as solid as a sieve. (Remember Mr. Short Term Memory on SNL - "You're Tony Randall!!!"? That's me.) This perfect (shit)storm of social inadequacies often comes off as cold, rude or stupid. I don't really believe I'm any of those things. * I like candy. All candy. * My personal style is fashioned after Bobby Brady. * I spend more money on perfume than anything else. * There is simply no way you can offend me. * Did I mention I like candy? * Sam Raimi and Bill Hicks are my idols * I invent Life Hacky gadgets. One day I'm gonna actually make a prototype of something.... when there's nothing to watch on tv. * I'm passionate about a lot of things (Surprise!) but I'd rather listen to your feelings and ideas than stumble and struggle to find the words to describe mine. * I hate the term "acid jazz" * I like finding money in clothes I haven't worn in a while, but I LOVE forgetting that it's payday * I don't believe in souls, but I'm afraid of ghosts. * If you want to make my day, tell me I smell nice. From Facebook: Activities: Mixing cocktails, reading, internet "research", hanging with my sweetie, sleeping, cuddling with my kitkats, emailing Steve, working out (huh?), baking, playing games, inventing stuff, crafting, internet shopping, organizing, gift-giving, sloth. Interests: Comedy, tiki, Macs, Canada, cocktails, crime novels, sushi, perfume, mid-century modern, KidLit, coffee, monsters, cosmetics, music, cuteness, SparkPeople, hair, celebrity dirt, kittens, candy, scarves, health stuff, 43T, lounge culture, dark humor, deco, camp, kitsch Random Questions (Just a sample snagged from Scotchgrrl's round-up. Feel free to add more or make up your own!) If you have children, would you want something included for them? I don't have kids. What are your travel imps? Rose Red, Midway, Embalming Fluid, Aeaea, and Mme. Moriarty. What is the most unexpected but thoroughly loved SW gift you've received? If you have a pet, do they like to play with toys? Yes. Do you like audio books? Yes. How do you feel about bands you may not have heard before? Sure! Or, how do you feel about mixed cds of classic stuff that you probably have heard? Love it! Most obscure interest: ALL of my interests are obscure. A better question would be what's my most NORMAL interest. And that would be TV. What goodies do you love that you can't usually get? REAL Cadbury chocolate or UK versions of American candy. What was your favorite childhood toy? Play-doh, crayons, Intellivision. How would you describe yourself--do you feel that you're shy or outgoing, laidback, high-strung... and in what ways? Shy, laidback AND high-strung. INTP. What's a talent you are most proud of? Being talentless. Actually, I make great drinks and cookies, can cook pretty darn well when I want to, beat everyone in my department (except my boss) in a proofreading exercise, and - my therapist tells me - introspection and intuitiveness. Religious preferences and patron saints/goddesses/spiritual mentors: James Randi What's your favorite flower? Tree? Flower: Stargazer Lily, Freesia, Gerbera Daisies; Tree: Maples (Canada!), Willows, anything fruit-bearing. Do you like homemade gifts? Like foodstuffs or crafts? Yes. Yes. What's your guilty pleasure? Boxed wine, ranch dressing, cheese curds, Diet Dr. Pepper, Hall & Oats, Bon Jovi, anything Oprah does. If handmade stuff is okay, and it all goes horribly wrong, would you want it anyway? Yep. Are you an indoor person or outdoor person? INDOOR! If I didn't have to leave the house, I probably wouldn't. What's your favorite color? (See above.) ---For wearing? Black, greens, purples, blues, red ---For decorating? Reds, cream, neutrals for the upstairs. Silver, grey and minty white for the bathroom. Obnoxious brights for the tiki bar. How would you describe your sense of humor? Dark, offensive, sarcastic, mean-spirted, blue, crass Anything you really absolutely don't want to get? Like, something you could imagine would be seen as a good gift idea but is, in fact, not? Candles. Lip balm, yay or nay? Yay! But with applicators or in tubes. I prefer not to put my fingers in things. 5 things that get you through the day: Coffee, comfortable shoes, the internet, earbuds, working at a tv station that requires us to have tvs in our offices ad ON while we work. Favorite Halloween Costume? While I love Halloween, I don't dress up. I do love the old ghost/sheet idea - particularly the Charlie Brown one. Forum Information (Everything written below this line is removed before questionnaires are forwarded, and is only meant to help out the Ringleaders.) Are you willing to ship internationally?: (This question is removed before questionnaires are forwarded.) I'd prefer not to. Date you Joined the Forum: March 21, 2004 If you joined under 2 months ago, do you have a history/feedback under Ebay, MUA, etc (please list): Have you participated in Switch Witch/SwapFaery/BirthdaySprite before?: Nope but I did a candy/sweetie swap. If yes, who did you send to/receive from: Sent to catsoap; rec'd from Esmeria Please talk about your past experiences and, if applicable, give us feedback on your most recent SW: As a Witch (giver), are you more of a "silent stalker", or do you like to keep in close contact?: I haven't done SW before, but I'll probably be a silent stalker. As a Witchee (receiver), do you prefer a Witch that keeps in close contact, or does it not matter? It doesn't matter. (Note: Mentors are separate from your Switch Witches. New witches will be paired up with more experienced witches to help them learn the ropes) Do you want to be a Mentor Witch this round? Do you want to be matched with a Mentor Witch? Sure!

This is a work in progress since people are constantly asking new, fun questions. I will update the entry title with dates when and if I've edited anything. scotchgrrl's question roundup ----------------------------------------------------- ***10/6*** If you had to chose one BPAL scent and only ONE to have forever what would it be? I hate this question. I suppose for sheer originality and the improbability of the commercial world ever making something similar (and impossibility of me blending something similar on my own) I'd say Madame Moriarty. Or maybe Luperci, 51, Bonfire NIght, Voodoo, Red Lantern or Krampus - one of the really complex blends. ***10/4*** Who here likes Betty Page? Sure. I like pinups in general. The kitschier the better, I say. How about original Trek Characters? Nah. If you were my witchee, would you like a jar of home made apple butter? This is assuming it turns out good... Sure! ***10/1*** Are you interested in Tarot cards? And if so, are there particular decks you like (or don't or already have or whatever)? Not really. I mean, I like the art and the "idea" of Tarot. But I don't believe in it and don't collect. What kind of tea (or coffee) puts you in a fall/Halloween mood? And where do you get it? I really like pumpkin pie lattes at Caribou. I much prefer the sweet pumpkin syrups to Torani's pumpkin spice syrup. That stuff's gross. I also really enjoy hot apple cider. Actually, I think that's my go-to autumn beverage. Right now I'm using a mulled cider mix I got as a gift last year. Favorite Halloweeen song? Funny you should mention this - I woke up with "This is Halloween" (NB4C) in my head this morning and can't get it out! Two non-Halloween songs that totally put me in the mood for the season are "Killing Moon" (Echo) and "Bela Legosi's Dead" (Bauhaus). But honestly, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for "The Monster Mash". If you were my witchee, would you like dried honey crisp apple slices or other dried fruit? (We don't add anything to it AFAIK -- no sugar or spices.) Sure! I love dried fruit (except raisins). ***9/25*** Favorite cartoons or animated films? I really like Home Movies, ATHF, just getting into Metalloclypse, and South Park, of course. For films I love anything by Hayao Miyazaki. Your take on the election? In other words, would you enjoy campaign related gifts, or prefer to stay neutral? I'm passionate about politics, but I prefer not to display my political endorsements, leanings or affiliations on my person or posessions. I do have a STEWART/COLBERT '08 bumper sticker on the wall of my cube, though because it's hilarious and they are awesome. Villians you sympathise with, or are interested in boinking? Nah. I guess I'm attracted to good guys (for instance, I was going to say "Spike" but he was never entirely bad, was he?). Your stance on the all important peanut butter issue: crunchy? creamy? allergic? chocolate? maple? go directly to nuttella, do not pass go? Creamy Jif all the way. Never had maple, sounds divine. Who here likes to read historical fiction? If you do, what eras/people/countries intrigue you the most? Nah. Not my thing. I mean, if a book/story I like HAPPENS to be historical, I'm down. But I don't seek them out for being of a particular time. ***9/24*** What sort of colors do you currently wear? Do you want to branch outside that? What would you like to try? I think this is in regards to cosmetics. (?) I'm all over the map. I'm not afraid of color. I tend towards muted tones, though - blue-greys, lavenders and olives instead of say, electric blue, grape or kelly green. I stay away from pretty much everything in the red/pink/magenta range, though, for eye color because I've got a bit of a ruddy complexion. For lipcolor, I'm not a huge lipstick wearer, although I do wear it for special occasions. I do carry, in my purse or pocket at any given time, anywhere from 3 to 8 lipglosses. Seriously. It's a problem. For blushes, I play around depending on my mood. Mostly peachy-pinks but have been obsessed with my Benefit Dandelion lately. I am always willing to branch out and try new things. I've been wanting to try the MAC Shadestick in either Sharkskin or Beige-ing because I love love love Lauren Luke and everything she does and she swears by Shadestick as a base. ADDED 10/9: I've also recently been directed to NYX for shadows that might be similar to MACs in pigment and consistency, but cheaper and hopefully fewer allergens (the last two MAC pan shadows I bought I was allergic to. ) They have a huge range, but mostly I want to replace the lavender/lilac/purple shades that hated me from MAC. ***9/22*** About incense: do you like sticks or lose incense? Have you got one of those devices to burn lose incense over a bit of charcoal? I love incense, but haven't burned it in years. Mostly 'cause my bearbears will think of it as a toy and we can't have that. I have recently found ('cause I'm thinking of it for MY SWitchee) a covered incense burning box or "coffin box" that looks pretty cool. It accommodates both stick and cone incense. I like the basic resin scents. Nag Champaa, amber, sandalwood, patchouli, etc. Although now that I'm thinking of it, a fruitier one would be great burned in my Tiki bar. What's everyone's favorite fairytale and what are your favorite versions of it? My mom always caled me Princess Pea because of the story of The Princess & the Pea. I'm the youngest of four with three brothers - need I say more? I was the baby, the only girl and my parents did well back in the 80s. I was SPOILED ROTTEN. And so, while my own budget can't always afford it, I do have higher quality tastes and can be a bit of an elitist and on rare occasion, a snob. I have some Pea related things, mostly from my mom who still gives me a lot of crap even though she was the one who indulged me. Haha. So how many imps/decants is officially 'you have gone overboard and your Witchee is going to expire from scent overload'? Interesting question! I don't think I ever updated the BPAL section of my questionnaire, did I? I guess when I've run decant circles, I tend to put off reviewing and testing anything over 10 scents because it seems so overwhelming that I don't know where to start. I like to sample a few at a time. Who needs a recipe box? I would love one! ANYONE ELSE want a home-made cookbook? I would love one! As long as it contained recipes that were relatively easy with ingredients that were easy to find. ***9/19*** How does everyone feel about really green gifties? I was thinking of giving my witchee some of my handy-dandy "paper" towels (hand-sized, washable muslin squares--kinda like ultra-cheapo cloth napkins) in a kitchen-friendly decorative box, but I didn't want to seem preachy ("Stop using paper towels, you environment destroyer!"). Would y'all use something like that? I'm not huge on green stuff because a lot of what's being marketed as such is just a replacement for something you already have - which is just redundant and wasteful. But I do like the muslin square idea. I used to have something similar a long time ago. What craft (or crafts) have you been wanting to try but have no idea where to start? OMG - crochet. Glass etching. Would you appreciate some tunes in future packages? Always. And if so, do you care if you get any CDs or mp3s you might have all ready? Nope. Or would you be able to find a way to post a list of things you're (a) looking for, or ( b ) all ready have? My Amazon list has a bit of what I want right now. As for what I've got... we have over 2000 cds so this would be impossible. Polish goodies! Who wants them? Baked goods, candies, kielbasa, pirogies, magazines, you name it? I love Polish food and treats. My husband's 1/4 Polish. ***9/18*** How do you avoid popping an item for yourself into an order you're placing for your witchie? Oh man, this is hard but I tell myself that: a) it was just my birthday, I have a SWitchy of my own, c) Christmas is coming, and d) I have to get approved for a mortgage and can't afford to be stupid now. Underpants? Do you like them? What's your style? Size?What is your favorite? Too personal and would think it weird to receive as a gift from anyone who wasn't my husband or my mom. (My husband and I celebrate Underwear Day on 2/2 of every year so I'm well-stocked anyway.) What tea would you love to try but haven't because of price or difficulty to get? I used to work at nearby TeaSource - one of the nation's most prolific importers of unique teas - so I don't have a problem finding what I want. BPTP Room Sprays...your thoughts? I think they are way way way over-priced, but the ones I have (which I only bought because they were part of the Inquest packs) are really nice. Ultimately I think there are much cheaper ways to scent your world. Would you like to receive baked goods from your Witch? And if so, are there things you WOULDN'T like? Sure! As long as they come with recipes. I'm open. I like sweet and savory. I'm not too keen on raisins so there's that. ***9/16*** Your thoughts on the update? I passed on Blood Moon because of the cinnamon. The MVJBA scents sound yummy. I'm hoping to find someone to split the Gear Pack with because"smokey, sun baked grass" sounds awesome. I'll probably get the pancake scents, too, but I'll hold off for a while. How do you decide what to put in which package for your Witchee or how many packages to send? I try to do find themes in her wishlists and interests. I'm trying to do smallish ones every like, 10-14 days. If you were my witchee, would you be terribly offended if I sent you a box containing project "experiments" or random miscellaneous pretty bits of brainstorming that I thought you might like/wear? Not offended per se, but disappointed. ***9/14-9/16*** Do you often drink take away coffee in paper mugs? Yes. I should bring my own mug, but I always forget to. What would a perfume based on you smell like? Sweet, warm, cozy. Ginger and sweet patchouli. Perhaps a bit of rose and some herbs akin to those in the Apothecary or Leanan Sidhe. Who here likes Wizard of Oz things? Love the film, but that's about it. ***9/13*** Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? YES!!! They're hometown heroes! Have you tried out (and if not, would you be interested in doing so) its weird little brother, RiffTrax? Nope. Kind of afraid to. ***9/12*** What will you like from Singapore? Candies? Food? Asian crafts/toys? Exotic candy (as long as there are no bugs) is cool. I love Asian culture so I'd definitely enjoy that kind of stuff. What is everyone's "luck" item? I don't really believe in luck. Do you like art deco/nouveau - style prints? Yup Yup! What is one thing that, if you received it in the middle of all the hubbub, would make you smile and take your mind off of all you have to do for a bit? Wow. I don't think I can answer that. Every gift - as long as it's thoughtful - makes me smile. How do you feel about Hello Kitty? I love all that cutecore/kawaii stuff. ***9/11*** Legwarmers? Armwarmers? Nah. What makes everyone stand out from the Switch Witch herd? Definitely not the most generous, but I think the most thoughtful SWitches stand out. If you are into the original Nintendo system, what 3 games would you want that you don't have? Not into the original Nintendo, but I do have a DS Lite and LOVE it. What is your favorite category of the GC? I don't really pay attention to category. (Am I doing it wrong?!) ***9/10*** Stance on Joss Whedon and his enterprises? Love it all. Has anyone tried ice wine before? Do/did they enjoy it? Nope. What other perfume companies (besides bpal) have you been curious about? Conjure, Nocturne, Cobalt, Mythos. Never tried any of them, but I hear they're pretty good quality. Does anyone here do anything with grave rubbings? Nope. Would you enjoy art based on original Graveyard photography? Sure. Not my first choice, but it might be interesting. What's in your Netflix or Blockbuster queue, do you want any new Netflix/Blockbuster friends, if so how do we find you on there? I think I listed it elsewhere in my blog. ***9/9*** Do you play a musical instrument? Not for a long time. What do you think of Irrelevant Disturbing and Surreal Crawdad Dream? Love it? Hate it? Kicking yourself for not getting a bottle? Not overly impressed. A bit too sweet. How do you feel about trinkets? You know - tiny toys or doodads that serve no purpose than to be cute, take up space and make us smile. Love them or waste of money? Hey, this is my question! It totally depends on the trinket and how much room it takes up. If I can hang it, that's great. If it rolls, is heavy or takes up a lot of real estate, I'm less hesitant to display it. Mostly, they're a waste of money but I often find myself squeeing over these kinds of things... so... Can melty things be shipped to you, or will they be in puddles by the time you open the package? Should be fine. Who likes pirates? Me me! What are your feelings about Dia De Los Muertos? Love it! I've wanted to go to Oaxaca for DDLM forever! I have skull molds for sugar skulls that I haven't used in years. What do you think about the Nightmare Before Christmas? It's fun. Me like. If candy is sent, would you prefer small amounts to a Halloween sized bag? Either. Do you like notes in your soaps or bath stuff that you don't like in your perfumes? If so which? I don't really like bar soaps because I'm allergic to a lot of ingredients that cause residue on the skin. (That said, knowing this is after you sent the Margarita soap, I want you to know that I LOVE the Margarita bar and can't wait to try it out. The ingredients look pretty safe so please don't think I don't appreciate your gift. I totally do!) I like the same notes in my soap as I do in my perfume. Although I do tend towards cleaner, fruitier, fresher scents for showering. Do you like floral soaps or bath stuff? If so, what florals work and what don't? Florals are cool, sure. I love lilac, lavender, rose, sunflower, freesia... I try to stay away from magnolias, gardenias, orchids and some of the heavier, more cloying flowers for getting clean. ***9/8*** What is your favorite thing to do on a cool fall day? Take walks and crunch in the leaves. Or sit wrapped up in sweaters and a blanket in my living room (we don't have a porch) with all the windows open and read. How do y'all feel about honey and maple? And different flavored honey, not just the standard kind? ***9/7*** If you have pets, is there a SPECIFIC toy they like to play with; brand and size? Bowie likes mice (something with a tail) made of practically anything and Izzy will ONLY play with pom pom sparkle balls - which I can't find locally anymore. These look fun. These, too. For me or the bears. Is there a treat/cookie they eat? What brand and size? They like the 'nip and Greenies treats. What's your ringtone? Just a low-toned ring. It used to be Jim Gaffigan, but I recently upgraded my phone and can't figure out how to xfer it. Just to throw a silly question out there...Munsters or Addams Family, y'all? You can't compare. The humor is totally different. That said, I think Chas Addams' original cartoons rival Edward Gorey's work. I'm a huge Gorey fan so that's saying a lot. What think you about receiving tea accessories and/or miscellany (like mugs, cups, saucers, strainers/filters, honey, natural sweeteners [like stevia])? Nah. Unless it's like, to "round out" a theme gift, I don't really need any of those things. How do you feel about copies of music or dvd's that your witch might have that you might enjoy? Not just mixes, but whole copies? Sure! Pirate on, I won't tell. Say, witches, I have a question about birthdays. do you expect/rely on other people to plans birthday outings and activities? Gosh no! That's egocentric, unrealistic and weird. IMO. Ecch. Tarts? Yes/no? No. Nor candles. And definitely not reed diffusers. My cats get their little noses (and paws) in everything. I do have an electric oil burner that they are totally disinterested in. I'm wondering if my witchee would like to try these types of things (like the caramel with sea salts or chocolates with chilis/bacon/salt etc.)? Caramels with sea salts sound fricking awesome. But I'm kind of a purist with chocolate. Kind of. ***9/6*** What's your favorite animal? Aside from the obvious (cats), I love love love cephalopods. They're smarter than we are. I never NEVER eat squid, BTW. I don't eat my friends. (As an aside, I can't stand dolphins. They're bullies and rapists.) What one (or two, if you really must) BPAL bottles are you most longing for? Noir. (I know.) Peacocks. The Apothecary ('cause I love it and always forget about ordering a full bottle). If you could have dinner/drinks/coffee with any 3 living people that are not your family/friends already, who would they be-? I'm horribly shy, get panic attacks at the very thought of social "command performances" and am a notorious "conversation killer" so to spare everyone, I'll just say no one. ***9/5*** If you could bring back any TV show from cancellation what would it be? Veronica Mars. One might think I'd say Buffy, but I actually thought it ended when it should have. I wonder if my witchee would like a blanket type thing. Would you? I'm a freeze baby so I would never say no to a blanket! What's your favorite "I know it's bad for me but I can't help myself" treat? Super premium ice Cream or gelato - specifically the higher content stuff like locally made Izzy's or even Cold Stone. Very important question: Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL and/or other wishlists during the round? I'll have sniffie bottles of all the Halloweenies from my decant circle, and had planned to order the ones I love from that update before they came down but I can hold off. I'm also buying the new LilithBaby scents. I will probably do decant circles of the lunacies, anniversaries and Yules but won't order full bottles for myself. I promise. Do you wear a watch? If so, what kind/style? Not anymore. Probably should. I like chunky men's and kid's styles. How do you feel about having a donation made in your name to something? If you like that idea, what types of organizations/groups would you want the donation to go to? Sure. Whatever current natural disaster area needs it the most. ***9/4*** What is your favorite art movement and/or style? ie impressionist, surrealist, art nouveau, etc. Deco, Mod, mid-century modern, film noir, manga, Polynesian Pop/exotica, big eyed kitsch and BAD art. A few examples: Shag, Heather Watts, Chris Reccardi, Walter Keane, Tamara de Lempicka, Vladimir Tretchikoff, Edward Hopper, Jessica Dickinson Do you have a case for your mp3 player/digital camera? If you would want one, what size is your digital device? No thanks. I'm between phones right now and I hardly ever use my camera or iPod. For tea drinkers, do you bag it or prefer loose? Loose. Does the weather change where you are, as in, does it get cold in the winter? Anyone need homegrown scarves, hats, mittens, etc? It changes a lot and gets ASSCOLD in the winter. I LOVE homemade scarves (or any scarves)! Mittens, too, but mostly scarves! I'm more particular about hats, though. Isn't everyone? Who are your forum buddies? People you know well enough online or IRL to help your Witch pick out stuff for you? Tasty and I have started getting to know each other. She lives in town so we order stuff together to save on shipping and hang out with drinks to swap. She's awesome! ***9/3*** My questionnaire is chock-a-block with ideas for Witching me on the cheap, and without sending "stuff for stuff's sake". And I just came up with another one--make me a Pandora, Finetune, or Last.fm station you think I might like! What manner of affordable Witchery might you covet? This would be made of win. I listen to internet radio all day long. I currently use Pandora and Last.fm... but I'm heading over rightnow to check out this Finetune business. Does your cell phone have a place to attach charms? Nope. If you drink coffee (and make it yourself) do you use a French Press, regular filter basket coffee maker, Espresso Machine, Percolator? I use a regular filter auto drip maker. What movie soundtracks (or scores) do you love? I like old film noir or cult mystery/suspense soundtracks. I'm really into old movies and music. The lower-fi and more unknown the better. The last one I bought was for a movie called Baby Doll. I also like Henri Mancini-style cocktail lounge soundtracks. Love the Ultra-Lounge series. Oh, and I love the creepy percussive sound of Danny Elfman. How do you scent yourself? Do you layer soaps, moisturizers, etc. or do you go straight to slathering your bod with BPAL? Mostly just perfume or perfume oil. I forget or often don't have time to moisturize properly. I do like lotions, but they often go unused. I do try to coordinate my shampoo and conditioner scents with whatever 'fume I'll be wearing. I'm also not a habitual slatherer. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Do you/how do you scent your world? Candles, incense, diffusers, potpourri? None of the above?BPAL is such a scent-ual experience. What are your other tactile, aural, or olfactory pleasures? I have an electric oil burner that my cats don't mess with. I mostly burn Possets in it - I don't have anything cheaper than that. I love candles, but the cats haven't let me have any since we adopted them two years ago. =( When we have guests I can get away with having a small one in the bathroom because the door is usually closed and the bears can't go messing with the fire. As for aural pleasures, we have music or the tv on all the time. ALL the time. There is rarely silence in my house. Besides music, I enjoy talk radio (I can't really listen to political stuff because both "sides" piss me off) and we have quite a collection of comedy and talk cds. The old Jack Benny ones are great, but also love newer comics like Lewis Black and the Sklar bros. (FYI I cannot stand Dane Cook.) We're also kinda sorta hugely leftist so we have a bunch of Jello Biafra, Alexander Cockburn, Nader and Chomsky. Bill Hicks, BTW, is my hero and personal god. ***9/2*** How do people feel about receiving baked goods/kits to make said goods? Neato! I'm much more a baker and bartender than cook. I guess I like the science more than the art of food. Or other cooking items? I have what I need, but interesting drink syrups, booze or baking vanilla extracts are welcome! Would you enjoy oil or vinegar flavored with herbs grown at home? That would be really cool! Strange and exotic spices with recipes to try? Sure! As long as there would be instructions or tips on how to use them. I'm not a creative cook. Cookies made with carnation petals? I'd try that. Sure! What are your pet's names, and what are they named for? ***9/1*** Do you have phobias? YES! Large bodies of water. Large boats, subs or machines (oil drilling rigs) in or on bodies of water. And earthworms (not snakes). Also, the IDEA of being a witness to a crime and having to appear in court to give testimony is like, my biggest fear. How do you like your mix CDs? Random? Stuff you know you'll like? Obviously if someone gives me a mix of music that was thrown together without my tastes in mind I wouldn't much care for it because I'd know that it wasn't really made FOR ME. But I do enjoy hearing what other people like. I guess I feel if a mix isn't special for the recipient, there's no point. Would you rather get food or jewellery? Food. Do you like children's toys, such as jacks, those little things you tilt around to get the ball in the right hold (wtf are those called?), the aforementioned caplet dinosaurs, cap guns, etc?: Not particularly. English candy/tea/marmite or other stuff that you love and can't easily get outside of England? Love UK candy - especially chocolate! I have never had marmite, but have always wanted to try it. UK crisps are always fun. Fanfic as a gift* - yay or nay? Your fandom? Slash preferences?*well, a virtual gift obviously. You know what I mean. Not into fanfic. Any beaders here? Need beading supplies? Nah. Do you like making up your SW packages around a theme, or prefer to mix it all up? I'm new to this, but I think I'll be working in multiple themes. Like, 3 or 4 packages each with its own theme. Band-aids: do you like the fun and funky ones? YES! What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you? I was diagnosed with cancer when I was 16. Hodgkins Lymphoma, stage two. Chemotherapy, surgeries, radiation and horrible side effects. Lots of my chemo-mates died while I went into remission. 6 months later I relapsed with stage three. Experimental high-dose chemo put me in a coma - but also got rid of the cancer. I've been cancer-free for 14 years (3/7/04 is my transplant date/re-birthday). Having cancer as a teenager was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me. ***8/31*** How many of mah fellow witchies play video games? Platform? Do you like used games? Nintendo DS! Used is awesome. What kind of music (genres, please) do you like? Crikey, I know I answered this already. Have any of you ever received a book from a Witchy and loved it so much you ended up buying a copy for a later Witchee? Nope, but I did almost buy the Ginger lip balm for my SWitchee. What kinds of eye shadows do we all like? Ones that don't irritate. I love MAC, Stila, Jane, Everyday Minerals, Paula Begoun, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Nars, Becca, Pop Sugar... REALLY WANT TO TRY NYX. Do you like lip balm? If so, do you like tinted, glossy, sparkly, pearly or just plain lip balm? I do. I'm mostly a gloss girl, though. I love my sparkles. What are some of the SW gifts/finds from past rounds (or you can just name a gift in general that you found for someone if this is your first round!) that you are the most proud of in terms of your sleuthing skills? I can't answer this without giving away who I'm SWitching for. And, secondly, what is something you've been searching for but just can't find? Not that I can think of. ***8/30*** Do you knit/crochet? Do you need any supplies? Not yet, but I really would love to learn to crochet. I don't have any supplies. Who here has an etsy shop? What are your two favorite etsy shops? I've only bought materials on etsy - no completed projects so I'm not sure about fave shops yet. When I'm browsing I want to buy everything on there. I seriously have yet to find anything on there that's lame. The things that draw me in, though, are the jewelry, scarves, bags, art prints and cute kitschy too dads because a) they are things I hate to spend a lot of money on and they're some of the most creative things on Etsy. Are you active on any other boards/forums? If so please specify where and your username there. MUA - I'm witchbaby. I used to participate on the Possets and Lush forums, but I stopped using their products. ***8/29*** What would you tell yourself 6 months in the past about 2008 so far? "Don't worry, it gets better." (It has to - this year has been pretty crappy for me so far.) If you had one minute of fame, what would you do/say in the spotlight? Not really my deal. I fear the spotlight. Robots versus zombies: who wins? What would zombie say? Robots are some scary shit. The zombie would say nothing because it's dead. Where are a few of your favorite places? Toronto. Chicago. London. Out of curiosity, all the fall babies who are celebrating their birthdays during the round - who are you, and when is your bday? Me. 9/23. =) What is one (only one) object that you collect, that totally goes against your personality or beliefs? Christmas stuff: ornaments, decorations, etc. I'm agnostic. Are you a soap addict? Anything you like to avoid in soaps (goat's milk, lye, dyes, etc...) or any particular scents you like or brands you want to try? Not particularly. I'm more of a shower wash/cream person and I'm desperate for a new brand since learning that my fave (Olay) still tests on animals. I avoid Sodium Laurel Sulfates as they dry out my skin. Soldium LAURETH Sulfates are okay. Do you like kilts and would you wear one? BoiWitches? Question for you both.....Hath any of thou own a Kilt? Nah. What's your favorite book? Probably Ender's Game. What size socks do you wear? 9s. How about hat size? Dunno. Sorry. Do you read comics? Which ones do you love and which can't you stand? I love comics, but I never read because you have to buy and I never buy because I know (from the past) if I stepped in a comic book store I wouldn't leave without spending $100. Basically, it's a habit I can't afford. I love alternative comics. Not particularly into superheroes, although I like Joss' Buffy comics and I don't have the season 8 collection yet. Symbols that are meaningful to me? Triangles, pyramids, skulls, monkeys (particularly the "no evil" monkeys) By nature are you a morning lark or a night owl? NIGHT! What's your favorite type of music to hear live, rather than recorded? This is a weird question. What is your favorite autumnal-seasonal drink? Cider hands down. ***8/28*** Crossword puzzles? Other pencil puzzles? YES! I love crosswords and have always meant to buy a book, but never think of it when I'm in the bookstore. FYI - I'm not smart enough for NY Times or Will Shortz crosswords. Favorite artist? Edward Gorey. Favorite poet? *Ducking* I don't understand poetry. If I had to name someone, though, I'd say Paul Westerberg of the Replacements. Halloween. Do you like it kooky or creepy? Reserved or Raunchy? Kooky, creepy and campy. It's for kids, it shouldn't be raunchy. But it should be scary. Earth, Wind, Fire or Water? I think I'm technically an earth although I have a temper of a fire. The symbolism of wind is neat, but as a weather phenomenon, I detest. Tea or Coffee in the morning? Coffee. Fruity snacks or chocolate? Depends on if I'm watching my nutrition. 75% of the time it's chocolate. Would you accept art? Antiques or Brand New? For sure - I have bare walls. What keywords do you use when searching for items for yourself on Etsy? scarf, pendant, purse, kawaii, cute... Are there any of y'all who are allergic/sensitive to having natural fibers on your skin? Nope. What was your favorite ghost/scary/campfire story growing up? ... Bugs? Do you like 'em or not? HATE! I'm severely allergic to mosquito venom. i haz no imp storage. do you? I have imps in lots of various empty truffle gift boxes. ***8/27*** If you have a garden/planter box, what do you grow? I has brown thumb. What incense scents do you prefer? Resins, the basics. Do you decorate for Halloween? What sort of decorations? I don't really. I decorate by having bowls of candy everywhere. Oh, and a sparkly bat sconce on my door. Dress up for Halloween? Nope. Bats, cats, skeletons, monsters, vampires, witches or what other ghoulies do you prefer? All of the above plus zombies. Do you like horror flicks? YES! Both scary and campy. We always have a B-movie marathon on Halloween. We loves Hammer Horror and Christopher Lee! Who here prefers stylus and ink to ballpoint? Nah. Anyone invested time and effort into calligraphy or proper Victorian writing? Nope. What about stationery? Need some? What styles do you like? I have too much as it is. I love it, but I never write to people. I love journals and notebooks, though. I'm always buying (and writing in) some kind of spiral-bound book of blank pages. My fave are the 9x6" non-lined sketch books they sell at like, Walgreens or Target. But I don't mind colorful covers or lined sheets or differently sized pages. They're all good. ***8/26*** What is one item that you've wanted forever, could have afforded, but have never gotten and why (haven't you gotten it!)? I mostly buy what I want... This is a very tough question... What Halloween scent are you most looking forward to? Hellhound on my Trail, Katrina Van Tassel, Huesos de Santo, Brom Bones, The School-House and Sticky Pillowcase. Tattoos! Do you have em? Do you want em? Whatcha got or getting? Not a tattoo girl. I can appreciate the really pretty, unique and funny ones, but I'm 99.9% sure I'll never get one. Reduce - REUSE - recycle. Do others feel the same? Reduce and reuse for sure. I prefer used items. However, I do think that recycling (are you sitting down?) is more wasteful of time, money and resources than NOT recycling. What is your favorite crafting supply? Pens, pencils, markers, stickers, tape, fun paper. Weigh in...Are you right or left-handed? Right. Any period of time that you love? I like the 20s-50s. ***8/25*** What's your favorite part about Fall? I love it all. I love the changing of the leaves, the smell of bonfires and dying vegetation. I love dressing in layers - i love mittens and scarves. I love pumpkin-flavored everything. I love the holidays: Halloween and Thanksgiving. I love the colors of the season: oranges, browns, greys, plums, black; the flavors of the season: nutmeg, clove, apple, comfort foods like chili and corn bread and hot drinks like cider, toddys and chai. I love football and apple-picking and new seasons of TV. I love fall movies and awards shows and cuddling under blankets with my cats. I love seeing my breath in the dark morning and peeling off layers in the hot sunny afternoon, then turning on the heat at night and - oh the smell of turning the heat back on! Do you like office/school supplies? If so, what is your favorites? I love office supplies! I'm a pen hoarder. I can never have enough pens. My favorites are rollerballs with medium points, but lately I've been into gel pens in metallics or with sparkles. I also like felt tips with finer points. Mostly, I like pens that have some heft or some width. I have long fingers so I like something substantial to hold on to when I write. For instance, the pen I carry with me everywhere is the Bic Pro+. I'm also crazy about dual-ended Sharpies. What's your favorite Halloween candy? Caramel-flavored things and caramel apple things. I already stocked up on Carmel Apple Pops. Will you be participating NaNoWriMo? If so, is there anything you'd like to have for that? Nope. ***8/22*** Where does everyone like shop for witching goodness? I've been looking on Etsy, UncommonGoods.com, Patinastores.com.... What is your favorite pumpkin goodness? I literally love everything pumpkin. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin bagels with pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin fragrance, pumpkin syrup for my coffee (not Torani's "Pumpkin Spice", though), pumpkin seeds, pumpkin muffins. I love it all.

Um, I don't want to compare apples to oranges (or big etailer perfumer to little etailer perfumer), but to me this scent - with its theme and components says, "If you steal from betray me, I'll steal from betray you - only I'll do it better so don't F with me". Mort de Cesar is a wonderfully woody/spicy/sweet blend. It's dark and angry and hot and... violent. But beautiful the way a fire or electrical storm or well-choreographed kung-fu fight is violent and beautiful. On me the clove is the most prominent, but not in the way that Three Witches was where it was almost one dimensional because there was so much spice and not much else. This one is definitely multi-dimensional (God, Beth just keeps getting better and better at her trade) and multi-layered. Every note plays off each other beautifully. I keep visualizing a three-dimensional equalizer, with the all the blend's components moving up and down and back and forth, helping each other and pushing each other around. I'm not a huge fan of heavy spice scents, but this is incredible. This is what I was hoping Minotaur was going to be.

Blood orange, King mandarin, nectarine, patchouli, violet, ylang ylang, and amber. Was anyone else hoping this would be like Lush Karma? Sadly, it's not (though I'm still looking for a smell-alike if anyone has any suggestions). Though it is nice, it's just a little too violet and not enough patchouli for me. It's still in the early stages, though, so I'll update after an hour or two. I will say, though, that this is NOT Children's Tylenol "orange flavor" orange that most orange and orange blossom scents turn into for me. This stays pretty straight up citrus orange. Which is a total relief and a welcome change.

This is my mom's super delicious, super rich, super easy dump cake. I'm not kidding. Recipe: * 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling * 1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple * 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix * 1 cup butter 1. Pour pie filling into bottom of a lightly greased pan, and on top of that pour the pineapple. 2. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pineapple. 3. Slice butter or margarine over cake mix. 4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top. Or just wear Drink Me.

The first time I tried it, I hated it. Mostly because my expectations were really high. I love the imagery and the very idea of the scent. I was hoping this was going to be my signature scent. Other than just being really disappointed, I don't even remember what it was that I hated about it. I actually don't think my nose was experienced or sophisticated enough then to wade through the complexity of this blend. So it was a total shock to me when it showed up again in this update and it screamed out to me to try it again. And I can't tell you how happy I am that I tossed the dice again - and with another whole bottle, no less! It's so complex and multi-layered. It's the scent I could live in. It's what my fantasy world smells like. It's what my dreams smell like. It's comfy and mysterious and familiar and hazy and exotic and gawdy and shiny and swank and unusual and fascinating and jaded all at the same time. It's what I have lived my life trying to achieve: simultaneous high and low class. When I think about how I want to smell in the morning or before I go out or whatever, this is not a scent that would come to mind. When I shop for perfumes or oils, this is not something I would pick out as a "treat" for myself or something I "wish" for. This is the scent I must wear. There is no question as to whether it's "me" or not or whether it fits an occasion. It's like, the perfect backdrop for my life. This will become my signature scent. I want this scent to follow me everywhere. I want it around me everywhere I go. I will be ordering more bottles of this. No question. (FYI - My mom's signature scent - the scent of my childhood, the scent I attribute to her and to "comfort" and "love" - was YSL Opium.)

Thank god! Or, rather, Thank Bill the Lab Rat! I just got this from him on behalf of Customer Service at the Lab: It won’t be a problem, you order will certainly be honored. Thank you for your inquiry!

The same thing happened to me! I didn't mean for it to come out of the bank - I had funds! Anyway, the Lab isn't responding to my frantic emails. Can someone please help us? I'm considering placing another order (And it's a $200 order!) and putting it on my credit card just to make sure the order goes through before the Moons and LEs are taken down.

I've got another one (because I just tried it for the first time)! Island by Michael Kors : Caliban (But Caliban is MUCH better!)

I totally get Lolita Lempicka when I wear Australian Copperhead. As others have said - Xiuhtecuhtli is very Thierry Mugler Angel Imp smells like Chopard's Casmir (on me - on my friend Imp smells like Angel) I get Issey Miyake L'eau D'Issey with Urania. Carnaval Diabolique is similar to Fresh's Sugar scents. Whip is the BPAL rose that's closest to Stella's rose on me. Dragon Moon had a very Jil Sander/LaCoste "feel" to me. Midway was a much more complex and multi-dimensional Aquolina Pink Sugar. And Venom was totally Poison.

This is hilarious. This smells exactly like my basement tiki bar (or like me after 5 hours of mixing cocktails). It's fresh juices and booze. I LOVE THIS!

As I took my first sniff I started to breathe in and just instinctively opened my nostrils wider to get a bigger taste - making me look exactly like the bottle label. It made me chuckle as the bottle is sitting across from me on my desk, staring me down. This is a big BIG scent. Big and heavy and hot and ballsy. I wouldn't say it's masculine (although I will be trying this on the dude later)... but it's got a nice big shot of testosterone. I like sixthsentinel's use of the word "threatening". It's that, but I also get a little bit of a confrontation. Instead of just, "Don't F with me" - it's also a little bit of, "Come on, F with me - I DARE YOU". It's sexy (obviously), and dark and heavy (like other reviewers have said). But one word that keeps beating around in my brain - and I apologize - is 'PENETRATING'. To me, this is a club scent. This is the kind of BPAL scent I would have hated in the first year of my BPAL experience when I was more into foodie vanillas and fruity florals (not that I'm NOT into those anymore. I've just since branched out.), but now - holy balls - all this resin is making my heart skip.

I was holding my breath on this one. I HAD to love it. My husband and I were married on April Fools, so the day holds a lot of meaning for us. This scent, sorry, is just so fricking CUTE. It's bright and cheery and duh, springy (of course), but it's just so damned adorable. Like a little stuffed turtle -or jellyfish- you just want to give it a big hug. It's bottled giddiness and silliness and cuddles. (Which totally sums up our marriage. ) It's a little sweet, but mostly just bright and floral and sunny and fun. This is a mood-enhancer. I simply can't see myself wearing this and feeling blue. So YAY! This is beyond all my expectations and desires. This is perfectly April Fools. Me LOVEY!

Okay so... What about a rec for a 70's-style black & white wrap dress paired with bright red 60's-style bangles and beads? It's like, Diane MOD Furstenberg. (oh lord.) I was thinking Vixen, but maybe that's too obvious a choice?

Hm. I never thought I'd get this excited about a clean scent, but I absolutely adore Ibis. Firstoff, I can't pick out notes. To me, it's just sweet (not "candy sweet" or "foodie sweet") and fresh. And clean.... sort of. It's def gender neutral. I will be testing this theory out on the husband later, but I suspect this will work out JUST FINE on him. It is the perfect scent for those ghastly summer days when your makeup migrates, your hair goes flat and your clothes start sticking to you - after a mere 10 minute car ride to work. You look and feel gross and it's not even 8am. BUT... at least you smell fresh! Secondly, this LASTS! It almost intensifies throughout the day. It's much stronger now - five hours after application - than it was when it was wet. SO AWESOME. I rarely do the "can't stop sniffing my arms" thing (especially at work - where I should be working and not sniffing my arms or uh.. not.. writing.. perfume.. reviews). But seriously, I love this. I must get a bottle of this. Or two. Minnesota summers suck worse than the winters.

I don't know... I HATED snake oil for the first couple of years I came to love bpal. I like it now, especially as a base to make other things last longer, but it took a while to acquire a love for it. I also was floored to find the patchouli scents that have NOT been mentioned here, smelled NOTHING like the patchouli I know and love. Beth uses it for a lot of different blends, but it is only true to form in the ones I have seen mentioned here. YOU TOO?? When I first tried SO I was like, "What's the big deal?!?" But then it totally grew on me and now I couldn't live without it. And, it is the perfect base for cocktailing/layering (hence the Snake Pit).

Wow, everyone! Thank you! I find it very interesting what "real" patchouli lovers enjoy (compared to someone like me who only really likes patchouli when it's well-blended). I have tried the Coiled Serpent a few times and I just can't get into it, but I'll dig around and see if I can find one for her. From your recs today and from the recs from previous patchouli topics, it remains high on the must-haves list for patchouli fans. I do have Masquerade, Malice and Malediction... and Mr. Jacquel so I'll have to reconsider those. Crap. You guys are making this more difficult! LOL! And to quickly defend my Snake Oil choice... isn't giving Snake Oil to a BPAL virgin in the rule book somewhere?

I'm trying to enable a friend who pretty much only wears patchouli oil. Every day. I'm hoping to give her the most diverse bunch of BPAL patchouli blends I can. And, as wonderful as they are, I don't want to give her too many similar-smelling smutty, sexy, spicy blends. (I'm just not sure she'd be able to tell the difference.) To prevent overwhelming her, I think I'd like to keep it around 10 imps. I went through the patchouli recs topics and found that these were the top ten forum faves (in order of most recommended, cause I'm a dork): Sin Vixen Anne Bonny Depraved Urd Tez Snake Oil Imp Greed Ravenous/Vechernyaya (tied) The only two I don't have are Greed & Vechernyaya. But I do have: Lust The Caterpillar Voodoo Wanton Tweedledum and Bloodlust (Which, oddly, wasn't mentioned in any of the patchouli recs topics, but I love it so there. ) I also have Asp Viper, Mme. Moriarty, Smut, Snake Charmer and Luperci - all LEs that *I* think are fun and interesting patchouli blends - but I'm hesitant to give them to her knowing many of them are no longer available. So... how would you choose? I think I only need help filling the last 5 or 6 spots because I'm pretty sure Snake Oil, Sin, Vixen, Tez and Imp are going in for sure. Thanks!

Jesus. This one just jumped out of the bottle at me and started smacking me repeatedly over the head with musk. Good for me - musks like me. But then it quickly turns from MUSK! to Old Lady and then Headshop on me - which is weird because there's no "traditional" old lady/headshop notes listed: heady florals, patchouli, incense, etc. - it stays that way for over an hour. Are these the unguents? Must be. Another change happens. Fast and strange. I start to get slight intermittent wafts of the caramel over the hippie smell but that might just be the power of suggestion and/or my imagination. It doesn't last long. It's replaced by the very sharp and sickly honey note that never works on me and then turns into something distinctly woody - fresh woody like trying to tear a stubborn young branch off an old tree. At two hours it's green and herbal and incensey..... and then the musk reappears, soft and sweet. I never get Smut. (I luuuurve Smut so I was hoping to get it's little sister.) I never get O. Luperci, maybe. But this is totally a Love scent to me. It's very complex and I admire it, but I don't think I can wear it.

Wow. WOW. With lightning speed, this one shot to the top of my favorites list. This is one of those blends I'm terrified to describe. I just know that I love it and any words I use will not do it justice. The visual I get is one that will not conjure up anything remotely appealing (something similar to how habuchan labeled it), so I won't share that. And I can't pick out a single note because on my skin they all just meld together as one perfect scent. It's warm, yet bright. It's sexy, yet comforting. It's mysterious and mystifying. I love it. LOOOVE it. This will not be my only bottle of this.