Katherynne

In the dark shadow of the grove, on the margin of the brook, he beheld something huge, misshapen, black and towering. It stirred not, but seemed gathered up in the gloom, like some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the traveller. The hair of the affrighted pedagogue rose upon his head with terror. What was to be done? To turn and fly was now too late; and besides, what chance was there of escaping ghost or goblin, if such it was, which could ride upon the wings of the wind? Summoning up, therefore, a show of courage, he demanded in stammering accents-"Who are you?" He received no reply. He repeated his demand in a still more agitated voice. Still there was no answer. Once more he cudgelled the sides of the inflexible Gunpowder, and, shutting his eyes, broke forth with involuntary fervor into a psalm tune. Just then the shadowy object of alarm put itself in motion, and, with a scramble and a bound, stood at once in the middle of the road. Though the night was dark and dismal, yet the form of the unknown might now in some degree be ascertained. He appeared to be a horseman of large dimensions, and mounted on a black horse of powerful frame. He made no offer of molestation or sociability, but kept aloof on one side of the road, jogging along on the blind side of old Gunpowder, who had now got over his fright and waywardness. Ichabod, who had no relish for this strange midnight companion, and bethought himself of the adventure of Brom Bones with the Galloping Hessian, now quickened his steed, in hopes of leaving him behind. The stranger, however, quickened his horse to an equal pace. Ichabod pulled up, and fell into a walk, thinking to lag behind-the other did the same. His heart began to sink within him; he endeavored to resume his psalm tune, but his parched tongue clove to the roof of his mouth, and he could not utter a stave. There was something in the moody and dogged silence of this pertinacious companion, that was mysterious and appalling. It was soon fearfully accounted for. On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck, on perceiving that he was headless!-but his horror was still more increased, on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of the saddle; his terror rose to desperation; he rained a shower of kicks and blows upon Gunpowder; hoping, by a sudden movement, to give his companion the slip-but the spectre started full jump with him. Away then they dashed, through thick and thin; stones flying, and sparks flashing at every bound. Ichabod's flimsy garments fluttered in the air, as he stretched his long lanky body away over his horse's head, in the eagerness of his flight. The scent of fear, and terrifying pursuit: wind-whipped, chilly night air, oppressive black pine, globs of dark opopponax, and bleak cedar, and distant, unreachable church incense. I've never done a first review before. Review: The label on this is all dark and blue-y artwork. It's definitely gorgeous. So far I am really into these Sleepy Hollow bottles' artwork! In the Bottle: High, cold, forests. I'm not getting much incense in the bottle. It's definitely dark and sleek, absolutely reminiscent of fear itself. Wet: Hello ozone! This smells WONDERFUL wet, it's got a ton of throw and the woods are really coming together. The church incense is barely lurking, it's probably feeling a little swallowed by the opopponax. For the record? I love opopponax. This scent is heavy, almost like it's bearing down on you with the ferocity of its chill. Drydown: Frankincense? Is that frankincense? It smells a bit like mass, with which I am much more than down. On the drydown it seems like that distant incense is coming a little closer, but it's remaining high, cold, and shrouded in forests. I am in love with this. Throw: Good-to-strong. It starts off with this awesome POW and on the drydown it's still strong, but it's not slapping my surroundings with its might. Overall: FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC. This is everything I had hoped for and more. Keep or Swap?: I'm keeping this so hard I might buy a second bottle.

His school-house was a low building of one large room, rudely constructed of logs; the windows partly glazed, and partly patched with leaves of old copy-books. It was most ingeniously secured at vacant hours, by a withe twisted in the handle of the door, and stakes set against the window shutters; so that, though a thief might get in with perfect ease, he would find some embarrassment in getting out; an idea most probably borrowed by the architect, Yost Van Houton, from the mystery of an eel-pot. The school-house stood in a rather lonely but pleasant situation just at the foot of a woody hill, with a brook running close by, and a formidable birch tree growing at one end of it. From hence the low murmur of his pupils' voices, conning over their lessons, might be heard in a drowsy summer's day, like the hum of a bee-hive; interrupted now and then by the authoritative voice of the master, in the tone of menace or command; or, peradventure, by the appalling sound of the birch, as he urged some tardy loiterer along the flowery path of knowledge. Dandelion, white clover, balsam fir logs, and birchwood switches. Am I first here too? ........ Review: I pictured this scent, in my mind, as very "green". Well, it's definitely green! But it's a light, white-veined green. I'm definitely getting a mental image of birch trees. Label is also light greens and a cute little school house. In the Bottle: Very green and planty; it smells of cut grass. Wet: Is that the dandelion note? This is lightening up, and a floral is coming through that's almost... buttery? It's a very pretty scent, much cleaner and prettier than I thought it would be. There's the clover under everything, barely peeping out. Drydown: Clover comes up top, hopping over the dandelion, which is in the background now. I still don't get much fir or birch from this, and I'm disappointed about that. I wanted more wood in here. It seems like a bare peep of wood as the lowest bottom note. eta: about two and a half hours later, the only scent left on my wrist is the softness of dandelion, backed by whispers of birch next to my skin. Throw: I can just smell it from my wrist when I'm typing, like an afterthought. I think this one is going to be a pretty "personal" scent, one that keeps close. Overall: This is not what I was expecting. I like it, I really like it a lot -- but I'm not certain if I should've sprung for a bottle before getting a decant. It's much more a green floral than a wood scent, and I think I was hoping for more wood. C'est la vie! Keep or Swap?: I think I should've stuck with a decant on this one. I like it, but I don't LOVE it. A little more wear and I'll be sure about it.

Try Perversion, that's a good suggestion. It's fairly similar to the Flames soap, I think.

What, if any, winter holiday do you celebrate? Do you celebrate religiously or secularly?: I celebrate the Winter Solstice as a pagan. What are some holiday/winter traditions you love?: Lighting candles, drinking cider, carols, mistletoe kissing What's the winter weather like where you live?: ICY ICY HELL What is your favorite thing about winter/the holidays?: The cold weather and the warmth of winter clothes, fires, and camaraderie What's your least favorite thing about winter/the holidays?: All the Jesus messages around Holiday music- yes or no?: YES and the older the better What kind of things do you like to eat?: Dark chocolate, avocadoes, fruit snacks What do you like to drink?: apple cider, iced tea, hot tea, coffee... What do you NOT like to eat or drink?: Actually, is it okay for me to ask not to be sent food? I am in eating disorder recovery and having sweets around can be a huge trigger for me. Alcohol, yes or no?: Not unless it's gluten free Any allergies we should know about?: Casein, latex, dairy, gluten, cucumber Are you vegan or vegetarian?: Pescetarian Scents/notes you love?: Chamomile, rose, tobacco flower, champaca, carnation, lavender Scents/notes you HATE?: I DON'T LIKE FOODY THINGS Do you use a bathtub or a shower?: both Clothing size?: I don't wear t-shirts and things like that; my waist is about a 25-inch size, usually "smalls" fit me. What kind of jewelry do you like?: I love brooches and pins, WWII Sweetheart jewelery, lockets, pearls, charms for my charm bracelet (which is yellow gold). Jewelry sizes?: My ears are stretched so please don't send me earrings. My ring size is a 4. My wrists are quite small, but I haven't measured them recently. Sock/shoe size?: I wear around a size 8 to 8.5 US What are your hobbies and interests?: WWII -- especially the homefront, the 1940s in general, vintage fashions and style, swing music, jazz, home-made cleaners and the like, candles, polaroid photos, writing, learning to sew, playing piano, old movies, yummy tea Describe your personal style/aesthetic (kitschy, cutesy, classy, rustic, etc.): vintage 1940s is my favourite style and how I tend to try to dress -- seamed stockings, pussybow blouses, WWII-era a-line skirts, cardigans... Do you have any wish lists?: my amazon wishlist is here -- http://amzn.com/w/110LFVA1V71J6 Is there anything you specifically DO NOT want?: please don't send me FOOD. I know it says something yummy, but really, I don't want food. Tea or cocoa or something else like that is okay, though! Is there anything else your partner should know?: I don't like knick knacks or empty journals. Adding questions on from the thread...: Do you have any children or pets?: 2 cats, 2 dogs Dark, milk, or white chocolate? I can only have chocolate that is gluten & dairy free... Are there any past or present Yules you are currently interested in? I always wish I bought a bottle of "Yule" but I never do. That's about it really. Would you be interested in soap? If so, do you have a preference? I love soap. I like Villainess, Paintbox Soapworks, and Arcana soaps. Do you watch tv? If yes what kinds of shows/programs do you like? Right now I watch Glee, New Girl, The Secret Circle, and Big Bang Theory. And uh, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic OBVIOUSLY. Astrological sign (purely for convenience)? Aquarius Favorite genre(s) of music? swing, folk, bluegrass, sweeping instrumental film soundtracks... but I also like punk, jazz, old country like Patsy Cline, piano, and Asian pop (all kinds, really). Do you wear or like makeup? If yes, colors/brands/favorite items? I have some trouble with allergies when it comes to makeup. I kind of stick to what I've got. I love Besame lipsticks though, and many of the nude/neutral shades of MAC eyeshadow. Do you like any other scenties/brands? I like Guerlain & Chanel perfumes generally, and LUSH bath bombs. In commercial perfumes I tend to stay towards ones that were popular in, like, the 1940s. MORE QUESTIONS: 1. If you were to receive socks, what kind would you like? Do you have a preference about style, length, color, etc? I'm picky about socks... there are some ones at Sock Dreams I want that have terry-lined feet. I have a pair in grey that I like and I'd like more colours of them, but, I can't remember what they cost so I'd not expect such a thing from someone. 2. What are you really interested in reading? Would you like a hardcover, softcover or electronic copy? I have a Nook. I think my Amazon wishlist has books on it I'm interested in, but I'm particularly hankering after the newly-released Sailor V and Sailor Moon manga volumes. 3. Are you planning on going anywhere during the round? Yes. I am going to Iowa tomorrow to see my parents. 4. Would you be interested in recipes? If so, do you have a preference? I can only use meat-free gluten-free dairy-free recipes, but feel free to lay 'em on me. 5. Do you have a favorite cuddly character or plush? I don't care for stuffed animals. 6. Are you interested in anything from the BPAL Anniversary update? The Phoenix at Dawn sounds nice. 7. Would you be interested in any artsy or baking related supplies? Shaped cookie cutters would be fun for me. Bunny, how do you feel about holiday zombies? OBVIOUSLY. Is there anything you are just craving to have from Etsy? My etsy favourites are here: http://www.etsy.com/people/katherynne/favorites?page=1 How would you feel about receiving dried fruit? Any preference? I like dried fruit quite a lot, actually. All kinds. Is there any holiday movies you are looking for? Format? I think they're all on my Amazon wishlist. If you were to receive a giftcard from anywhere, what giftcard would you like the most? LUSH or Amazon!! Say I were to make you or find artisan or custom chocolate. Is there any ingredient that I should avoid? oh fox, please don't end send me food.

Every time Devil's Night comes around for sale, I think about buying it, but don't. This year, after it was cancelled out of a decant circle, I decided to just go ahead and buy a bottle unsniffed because of how I always think about it -- and I am so glad I did! As I have always suspected, this is just. gorgeous. This is sweet and chilled like the autumn air, warm with the sugar and deep with musk. I really love this. While I love Samhain, this is a less cinnamon-y foody autumn and it really smells like the autumn air, to me. There's a smoky vanilla to this I love, and the "autumn night" seems similar to October, which I also love. So happy I bought this.

This is a spiced cousin to my ever-beloved Verdandi. Sweet, ginger-y spiced apple, I do get the amber base here and the champaca really blooms on the drydown. This is a warm, almost autumnal apple for me, very pretty. I had hoped for a bit more spice from the carnation, but the level we have here is very nice. The only pitfall for apple scents for me is that my skin eats them, so I'll be counting on wear-time for whether or not I'll purchase a full bottle of this one.

On me this smells EXACTLY LIKE Bath and Body Works "sweet pea" fragrance. Which I hate. I've let it dry down to see if it would stop smelling like that, but nope, still going strong. I have to wash this off.

Oh, this is so pretty! This is a sparkly, bright apple with a smooth floral drydown. I love the tiare in this, it's soft but stil noticable. The musks are sheer and sweet in this blend as well. I am very pleasantly surprised.

You know, I put this on and it just KICKED ME IN THE FACE and I thought, wow, no. But as it started to dry, the notes really began blending, and it's turned into the beautifully autumnal scent I'd hoped it would be. The honey and maplewood blend sweetly with the cognac. The patchouli dirties it up a bit and overall this is a sweet, earthy, pretty autumnal scent. I don't know if it's bottle worthy, but I do like this.

Like many others, I bought this because it's full of notes I really like. That said, it's very... sharp. I think there is a rawness to the red musk that is going to have to age a little before this becomes the scent I really thought it was going to be. The Arbor is very pretty and the floral notes are present, but for me, the red musk is really overpowering everything else and I have difficulty picking out the subtleties in the blend. Of course, THAT said, don't get me wrong: I like it! it's just not what I thought it would be. I'm going to give it some time to age, and then try again and re-review. So I'm 'on the fence' on this one.

This scent just SMELLS like the Sabbat, to me. I put it on with some trepidation, because it smelled like pinesol in the imp -- but wow, once it was on, it bloomed. I am in love with it. It is herbal and crisp but also resinous and sweet, and it blooms brightly on the skin. I will wear this on the Sabbat itself and enjoy it throughout the winter. I bet it's amazing in an oil burner, too!

I'm in the lemon pledge club. I'm not washing it off because I want to give it a chance, but if this scent stays it's heading towards migraine territory, and it will have to come on. Distinctly disappointing. eta: one hour later it began to smell strongly of rose. it also somehow later began to remind me of ouija. two hours later on, it's lightened up into a still-very-lemony rose and herb scent, and I'm definitely getting the olive now. may keep decant, but most likely not.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, from start to finish. This scent is, as a side note, a perfect companion to Villainess' Proserpina soap. This is darkly, richly fruity. My beloved vetiver & carnation take this to a grittier level than just fruit, and the neroli really comes out on me during the drydown. Slight points off for short wear-time, but it seems like anything fruit has that problem on me. A possible bottle-worthy scent.

to me this is aquatic and sad, a beautifully melancholy scent. I get the dogwood, weeping cherry, and and camellia. I think this scent is beautiful, but I'm not sure how much I'll wear it.

I take back everything bad I ever said about you, Samhain 2009. You aren't synthetic and cloying at all -- no, now you're rich, honeyed, and spicy-smooth. You smell just like my kitchen after a round of mulling cider and baking pies, with a touch of cool autumn air through the window, and the warmth of a candle's flicker on my hearth altar shelf. I get rich honey, soft but full-bellied pumpkin, ripe apples and kicks of spice. What a mood lifter you were for me today.

This is nothing but sugary vanilla for me. It's bland and disappointing. I was hoping for some of the spice that others are reporting, but I don't get any. It fades out into plain vanilla after about one hour or so. Swap pile.

This is quite beautiful! I was worried about the sugar, but for me, this is all ripe, juicy apricot with a grounding undercurrent of my beloved vetiver. The red currant helps make this scent fruity and juicy, but I get no coconut whatsoever. Well, I take that back. On the initial application, I get a blast of coconut and lemony sugar, but it wears off quickly. It smells, strangely, like Villainess's "Peach" Smack! note before it dries down. This one has little throw on me, too, staying close to the skin. It's very nice, but the wear time is only a few hours before I can't smell it any more, not even if I press my nose to my wrist. I'll keep the decant, but it's not a bottle scent for me.

I'm getting the red ginger and buttery pumpkin. Not much mandarin, which is really disappointing. The sweetness is more defined as it dries down, so is the powdery amber note. The more I try things with pumpkin in them the more I think I don't like it. Swap pile.

This is mostly the lily and sandalwood. Wet, I get a hit of the citrus & mint combo, but once it dries down, it's all dry sandalwood and pure stargazer lily. I really like it. Very nice for summer. I was hoping for more blood orange, but as it is, this is a very haunting, ghostly scent. I wonder if the notes besides the lily will come out more with age?

Mmmmm. This is dark and cologne-like to me. It's got that sweet rot-like edge to it that The Forbidding Foyer had, but it's not as heavy on that. I definitely get a whiff of the alcohol of wine and mimosa, though I don't get any citrus which I was kind of hoping for. Not much raw earth, either -- this is a deeper, darker sort of dirt. The woods come out as it dries and it's morphing into a forest on a moonless night, the sweetness fading to the background. This is really beautiful, but I'm uncertain of how much I will wear it. I will have to keep trying it on to see how I feel about it. eta: oh! I turned my head and got a whiff of rich, brilliant pomegranate! I think this one may be more fascinating than I had thought!

Wow, I love this. I got thick pepper as soon as I put it on, followed immediately by a soft sweetness that I think comes from the white honey. Then it gets smokier with tobacco and woods, and it dries down into this beautifully rich, sweet-woody-smoke smell, spiked with pepper. I knew I would love this because pepper is a love note for me, but I am happy that this is so heavy on it.

After asking about tobacco flower, this was a blend I got recommended. I am so glad I finally just went ahead and bought a bottle -- on me, this is purely tobacco flower with a soft sandalwood & floral background. It's perfect, perfect, perfect. It definitely feels pearly and luminescent, it's soft and demure enough for work, it's strongly tobacco flower which I have been CRAVING... yeah. Exactly what I was hoping for out of this one. A+

I really thought I'd love this -- carnation & pink pepper are favourites for me -- because I was hoping it would be a good GC replacement for Pink Moon '07 (which is the carnation & phlox one...). And to be fair, it does remind me faintly of Pink Moon 07. HOWEVER. This is way, way, WAY too sweet for me. This is almost bubblegummy, and it has a definite rock candy-ness to it that I just don't like. I don't like to smell this sweet and sugary; it's almost nauseating. It takes it some time to dry down past that initial SWEETNESS, and once it does, I do get green, peppery carnation... but I don't think this will be a bottle purchase because the bubblegum business is too much for me. I can't wait for the drydown on this one. I'll keep my imp, but that'll be that. I guess I will have to keep hoarding my Pink Moon 07 & using it sparingly! Oh well. It was a good thought!

So... I ordered 5mls of Dorian & Autumn Moon of the Mirror Stand on February 24th. Via paypal. Are we not getting CnS now? I haven't seen anything and it's almost April, so... I am wondering if something is wrong?

So, I was looking at my BPAL box today, dreaming of warmer weather and the impending spring, and I realized: all my stuff is heavy, or incense-y, or something I consider too overpowering in hot weather. I have maybe one or two scents that are appropriate in the summer! And that just won't do. Last summer I didn't wear my BPAL much because of this, but I didn't do a thing about it. So! Lay it on me! What scents do YOU think are the best for hot weather and summertime? I'm thinking crisp, bright, cool.....