phantasmmysteria

Scent Description: I actually don't get much leather or vetiver from this at all -- perhaps from the bottle, but wearing it? It's a really lovely musky floral! I was quite suprised by that, but the scent really agrees with me. I can definitely see myself using this within a D/s context as a perfume. It certainly sets the mood. And now, if you wish to hear about its ritual effectiveness, prepare to be Wall of Text'd! I only ordered this bottle a few months ago wondering if I'd ever have a reason to utilize it, but I am here to report that it works when used responsibly! The Background: My grandmother was having worlds of difficulty getting a passport issued to her for my upcoming wedding. The holdup being because she had been born at home, and her birth certificate was not issued until she was in her 30's. All of the other documentation she was able to provide was also denied by the Passport Authority as being insufficient. She was distraught that she wouldn't get to go, and I was at my own wits' end trying to finish planning and help her get this bureaucratic nightmare straightened out. Two weeks before we were scheduled to leave, I was working from home and trying to get this mess resolved when I remembered that I had my bottle of Bend Over. I immediately marched upstairs with my intent: I took a slip of paper and wrote down exactly what I needed -- for my grandmother to have her passport issued without any further documentation -- and then I anointed the paper with Bend Over. The remaining oil left on my fingers was dabbed over my Root Chakra. I immediately took the anointed paper outside to the corner of my yard. I prayed to patron God and the God I was requesting help from, burned the paper, and made offerings to both. As soon as I returned inside, I felt infinitely better about the situation (as well as feeling about twenty feet taller). I spent the next couple of hours making more phone calls about the situation and finally getting some movement in the process. The Conclusion: A week went by, but the Passport Authority did issue her a temporary passport good for 1 year (and with the condition that if she could provide further proof of her citizenship, she would be granted a full passport). They even overnighted it to her! I really, really could not be happier with the results of this spell. This oil's notoriety is very well deserved!

Try The Illustrated Woman -- on me it smells almost exactly like the scent you've described.

I must admit, I was a bit wary of this one from a sniff of the bottle. I generally really like honey, but Teh Manthing has a weird aversion to it. And from the bottle, this smells WAY sweet. Now, my Hair Gloss is in a decant, but it appears that the Gloss comes out in a stream from most bottles. Knowing that, I spritzed 3-4 pumps in my hand and rubbed it into the ends and worked my way up. I suddenly found myself enveloped in the most heavenly scent imaginable! This oil really blooms once it's sprayed, and it's a dead ringer for wildflower honey -- the florals are quite prominent at first, but they do not stick around for long. There is also a muskiness present, but once this sinks into my hair I'm basically left with a honeyed sweetness. This scent has more throw than Fig & White Sandalwood Gloss, but it's not overpowering even when applied as liberally as I did. If you are a fan of honey, this is an absolute must try!

Oh.... oh my, yes. In the bottle and wet, I swear that this is the red musk of my much-loved Marianne (though perhaps it's a trick of the berries' sweetness mixing with the musk). There's also a burst of floral here, which I am going to guess if from the kewda attar. "Heady, pungent and very tenacious..." yes, I would agree! It seems to lend a bit of spiciness to the scent, as well, particularly in the throw. As it dies, I no longer get the Marianne association, but am reminded of another fruity floral, Dark Delicacies. As this dries, it does go a bit sharp on my skin, and the note I was hoping for most (the nepalese amber) is hidden in the mix of fruit and floral. Still, this is a gorgeous blend. I have no doubt that a little age will do wonders for this blend, and I think I'll be seeking out another bottle just for that purpose.

This is my Shunga winner for the year! Now, my skin has a tendency to amp sweets, so this smells much more like coconut macaroon, less like fresh coconut. If I concentrate on huffing my wrist, I can detect the slight nuttiness and the hint of anise blending with the coconut (the white amber is basically undetectable, but I imagine that will change with time). The combination really sings on my skin: it's creamy and comforting, but still light enough to wear in the office and as the weather warms. Love.

I had no idea how embarrassingly olde my previous entries were. How do you feel about stationery, like nice pens or notepaper? And if you're in favor, do you prefer classic/contemporary or cutesy stuff? I would love to have some Calling Cards to write on, as the lost art of the hand-written note is something I am terribly neglectful of. As for the design, I'm flexible! I also love to write with felt-tip pens, and getting those in fun colors are always nice. If you've got stuff on your BPAL wishlist, would partial bottles be okay? Are you kidding? ABSOLUTELY! Say you were my witchee, and I found things on your wishlist that I could totally make. Would you want me to make it? Or would you rather it be purchased for you? If you could totally make it, and you WANTED to make it? I would be tickled pink! What about vintage decoration items, teacups, etc etc? Our house definitely has a vintage aesthetic (as do we), though when it comes to decoration items gifts like these would be more likely to wind up in my office, which has no aesthetic. With regards to your gifts, would you prefer your presents' awesomeness evenly spread out (several packages of pretty terrific things) over the round or a slow build-up of awesomeness (going up from pretty cool things to something super-duper cool at the end) to go out with a bang? Do you have a preference? I do not have a preference, and so whatever is most convenient for my Witch is perfectly fine with me. What kind of make-up do you wear? What colors? Is there anything you'd like to try but haven't yet? I'll wear damn near anything. My makeup kit has both high-end and drug-store items in it, depending on what I need. I do also formulate my own makeup for personal use, but I always like to be enabled by new etailers (especially for loose eyeshadows). Do you like maple sugar candy? Nom. Who would be on your top 5 (IE famous people you’d date/have relations with) Okay, I don't really fantasize much about boning any celebrity, but Christina Hendricks (Joan of Mad Med) is TOTALLY RIGHT UP THERE. Holy Gods, what a woman. Others celebrity crushes include (my "TV boyfriend") Hugh Laurie, Olivia Wilde (Thirteen, also of House), Christopher Gorham (hominahominahomina), and Michael C. Hall (but only as Dexter). For holidays, do you decorate? Would you like decorative stuff, weenie or otherwise? If so, do you lean towards the elegant, the crafty/folksy, or the more, erm, campy? Last year, at work, we had an office-decorating contest for Halloween. My office windows were smeared in stage blood, there was an outline of a body in the floor, and crime scene tape on the walls. So yeah, I'd say I totally go for elegance when I'm decorating. Homemade bath products YES PLZ! Are you a foodie? Absolutely. I love to cook and to play with new flavors in the kitchen (though ATM just thinking about food makes me a little nauseated -- thanks, oxycodone. At least I can always keep black beans and rice down!). Vampire shows, literature, etc? Yay or nay? It has to be "good" vampire stuff, though what that means is highly subjective and difficult to define. I can tell you I enjoy True Blood, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, 30 Days of Night, and the Blade movies (okay, the first 2). Soundtracks you'd like? I was actually thinking about how I'd like the True Blood soundtrack, or songs featured in the show. If you could see one concert right now, who would it be?Lady Gaga. I am not ashamed. If you witch made you something and it didn't come out just right, would you still want it? Totally! I know how freakishly perfectionistic I am, but if you put a lot of time and effort into something and were worried that it wasn't "quite" perfect, please don't be. I'd be thrilled just the same! Would you like homemade preserves (e.g. marinated vegies, pickled onions, chilli jam)? Oooo, chili jam does sound good. I love spicy stuffs, but not so sure about the pickled/marinated veggies.

I cast Magic Missile at the darkness. Hey guuuuuuuys, wheeeeere's the Mountaaaaiiiiin Deeeeeeew?? Seriously, the moment I sniffed this, that short is all I could think about. This smells just like Mountain Freaking Dew! How does she do that?? I'm sorry, but that's really all I can contribute to this thread, because the only difference I get wet-dry is that the scent loses its "carbonation." Now, I don't really want to walk around smelling like I've spilled soda on myself, but the concept is hilarious.

In the Imp: Hmmm, there's a tartness here that I wasn't expecting -- perhaps the strawberry and the effervescence mingling together? Wet: Upon hitting the skin, this threatens for a moment to turn into Generic Shampoo Fragrance #4, but once it settles down I am reminded of one of those scent memories I cannot quite figure out. It's the damndest thing, and I always hate when that happen-- Oh! I remember now. It's the way the fruits and the iris are mingling together, but it reminds me of a Bath & Body Works perfume I had about half my life ago. At one point B&BW had astrologically-themed perfumes marketed toward the tweens, and Loli.Goth reminds me of Libra. Now, typically anything described as "tween-oriented" would be an unappealing characterization, but we ARE talking about Lolitas here. Dry: This doesn't morph much on me as it dries. If I were to give it a color, though, it would be apricot instead of pink. It'b both bright and soft simultaneously, if that makes any sense at all. Verdict: What I really think is that Beth has managed to obtain unicorn piss and is passing it off to us as Loli.Goth. I'm just sayin'.

Mmmmmm, now THIS is a cherry I can love! Thank you so much GypsyRoseRed for sharing with us by was of sniffy circle. In the imp: Definitely cherries, but this isn't a cough syrup or are-these-cherries-or-are-they-almonds? kind. They are deep, velvety, and sweet. On Skin: This quickly mellows out and the cherry fades to the background, letting the musk come forward -- not a lot, but I can smell it. I usually amp musks, but here the effect is soft and pretty. Dry: This lays close to my skin, imparting a subtle, feminine fragrance with the slightest hint of cherries. Verdict: I like it so much more than I expected to, but I am most certainly going to have to track down some for my own!

So.... Teh Manthing seems to have finally lost his damn mind, because he went and proposed to me last Saturday!! I knew that someday we would marry, but he completely took me by (a very, very pleasant) suprise. *stares at Teh Shiny he bought me* So!! Even though we're planning on a long engagement (like, 2 years), of course I've been thinking about wedding plans. And what better detail to start with than what BPAL to wear on The Day? Nothing's been hammered out yet obviously, but of the ideas I've gotten from Teh Manthing and what friends have been helpfully giving me, I have two ideas so far: Either having a small wedding with close family and some friends at the beach, and then perhaps another reception for all of our friends here at home; or a large outdoor wedding closer to home (Sewanee Mountain is not far from where I grew up, and the scenery is gorgeous). Now if we go with the beachside wedding, I'm not sure what I'll wear; Teh Manthing is rather peculiar in his scent preferences, so I have to be careful of anything with a lot of musk (anything with white musk he says smells like incense) or honey (he hates it!). But something oceanic and tropical feeling would be perfect, so I am thinking maybe Thalassa the Galapagos Mermaid (one of the ONLY acquatics that actually smells good on me and that I enjoy), Snow White (total opposite end of the spectrum, but the strong coconut I get from it would make it read very beach-appropriate), or Tiki Princess (once I smell it! I'm hoping for a Hawaiian Snow White, TBH ). If we do decide upon the destination wedding, then I would like to have the local reception and wear Agape -- it just seems so appropriate for the spirit of coming together to share in a newly-wedded couple's happiness and wish them well. Now, for Scenario Numbah Two! The mountains of Tennessee in autumn are pretty damn gorgeous, I'm not gonna lie. HOWEVER, there are exactly zero BPAL Halloweenie/Autumn scents which work with my skin chemistry!! Aaaack! The only two scents I can think of off the top of my head are The Illustrated Woman (which is aaaaahmazing, to be sure) and Crypt Queen (). This one is definitely a bit trickier, so if anyone has any suggestions for things I might try, please let me know!

This is one of those scents that's been on my wishlist for a good long while, but that I never actively persued because I didn't think it was going to work for me. I love it when I'm pleasantly suprised! Wet: Judging from the wet stage, this spells doom for me. There's LOTS of rose right off the bat, as well as something that lends an incensy vibe to the blend without being particularly resinous because I don't amp it -- I recall someone mentioning champa flower, so perhaps that's it? Man I am no good with floral notes... Dry: It takes about a half hour to get there (during which I have to resist the urge to huff my wrist because it's all sour rose and cardamom doing something weird in the background), but after that I get this amazing blend of spices and sweetness with just the faintest whiff of flowers that flit about. It's really magical. I'm not quite sure if there is anything in this blend sweetening it up or if it's just my chemistry, but this eventually smells like vanilla chai or spice cookies on my skin with a throw of roses (mmm, spice cookies made with rosewater? I might have to try that!). Verdict: Big bottle plz.

Okay, I have NO IDEA what's going on here, but my impression of this scent are so far out in left field I wonder if we are even sharing the same perfume! When I first sniffed this the musk most closely resembled Ivanushka to me -- a sweetish-powdery-animalistic musk, but even out of the bottle I keept thinking, "there's something about this that I don't like." Just like any good future victim of this type of horror film, I dismiss my first sniff and swipe a bit on anyway. This would be the part of the story where all hell starts to break loose. This scent never gets to the point where I have to wash it off (though I didn't apply much), but it just slowly amps up on my skin over time, and eventually it gets to the point that smelling it actually makes me feel physically repulsed. Perfume... that gives me the creeps?? Holy shit! Verdict: I don't know if this was Beth's intention for this perfume or not, but it's pure genius. I love musks, and I wish I could wear this one, but the simple fact that this rings so true to the feel of this horror genre makes me love it anyway.

I am just thrilled to pieces to have found a swapee who was willing to part with her bottle of Bat of Wealth! I'm always on the lookout for something similar to Crypt Queen, one of my undying (pardon the pun) loves, and so that's what I was hoping for with Wealth. In bottle: LOTS of heliotrope as well as bergamot! The effect is sweet and fruity, but the florals fake my nose out at first by lending the impression of a much sweeter fruit than I know are lurking about underneath. Wet: For the first few minutes, the florals are still dominant, but not overwhelming. As I was hoping for something akin to Crypt Queen, this is a much a much juicier scent than I was expecting -- these are fresh fruits and flowers from the garden, with just a tinge of soil still clinging to them, as opposed to overripe fruit (juices fermenting) at the bottom of the compost heap. Sadly for me, whatever blackberry is lurking in this scent seems to be hiding. Dry: Ahh, the patch is finally coming out to play and comingling with the fruit a little more. It's pretty faint, but has a little spicy tang which I get when I take a deep breath. Verdict: I think with some further aging everything will round out, but I have to say this is the less dead cousin of the Crypt Queen. It's very pretty, and will make a great earthy scent for the summers down South.

I would just like to add two more recs to the list: Eos and Twilight (but Eos especially). The South (to me) always smells like blooming honeysuckle, which is probably why both of these immediately sprang to mind. Eos: The Rising Sun. She is Ostara, Easter, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility and the dawn. She is a protector and friend to all children. Her scent is that of softly glowing skin, jasmine, buttercup and honeysuckle. Okay, so no gardenia (and I'm not sure how you feel about jasmine, but it's not the dominant flower for me. If you're looking for eternally youthful perfume, you can't get much better than this. Twilight: An enigmatic, otherworldly scent, brimming with power and mystery. Lavender and jasmine, with a touch of glowing honeysuckle. Again with the jasmine, but the three flowers balance each other very nicely. If you're looking to layer some gardenia with your Antique Lace, I might suggest Sacred Whore of Babylon -- it's very heavy on the gardenia.

I can pick out the acai in both of the aforementioned blends, but neither works half so well for me as Australian Copperhead does. The acai is more prominent in SPT, but the poppy has a LOT of greenery. It smells very fresh and almost damp (slippery!), which is probably why it doesn't work for me. If you can do green/aquatic blends, you might enjoy it. Daiyu was more chrysanthemum tea with a hint of acai.

There's little I can say about this blend other than it's absolutely fascinating. I was really skeptical about the seemingly random list of notes, but as the protrait on the bottle is my favorite of the Ode to Aphrodite series I just couldn't resist. In the bottle: WOW, that's got some zing to it! The pink pepper is all I can make out -- not a bad sign IMO. Wet: This sweetens up on the skin, but not overly so. It took me a couple of wears to register the scent memory, but the wet stage actually reminds me of my favorite chai. It's warm and a little kicky and just a tad sweet. The pink pepper remains in the forefront, and everything else just swirls together beautifully. Dry: As this sinks into my skin, I can faintly make out some of the other notes -- a tiny bit of rose here, maybe a smidge of Balsam of Peru... I was hoping for a little fruitiness and dreading the caramel, but neither of those want to make an appearance. Verdict: I can see why this blend was named Mother of Desire. She is beautiful and warm, arms open and inviting her lover into her bosom for comfort; all the while making her lover's body burn with passion and need. A definite keeper.

Well, I'm going to skip the BPAL comparisons completely and venture over into another perfumer entirely! In the imp, this is thick, luscious, but slightly unripe fruit. I think this wine has some raspberry or stone fruit in addition to the plum. On my skin, this is a dead-ringer for Mara Fox's Nox. Definitely some strong-tasting fruits (rarely plum plays nice on it's own, and here this reacts much the same way the fruits in Crypt Queen do) and sharp sandalwood. This is no wallflower, people! I only swiped the wand onto my wrists once, but I got strong wafts of this one all morning. Upon drydown, the champaca/sandalwood threaten to become overbearing, but this eventually calms down. Verdict: I get from this what I was hoping to get from Dionysia, though this is going to need some age to take the edge off.

White amber, coconut, white musk, oakmoss, and tobacco flower. In the imp: LOTS of gorgeous white musk, almost to the exclusion of everything else. I might be able to detect just a little bit of floral mixed in (I'm guessing the tobacco flower, which has a sort of dry quality) Wet: More of the same up close on the skin, though I get some sweetness in the throw. Luckily for me, the oakmoss is behaving! Up close, this blend is very reminiscent of Ozymandias, but isn't nearly as sharp and dry thanks to the other notes. Dry: This blend morphs very little for me, though as it wears the white amber/musk combo does get more powdery in a pleasant way. I can also pick out the tobacco flower a bit more, but the oakmoss is still being incredibly subtle. The throw remains sweet coconut meat -- I keep catching little wafts of it when I more my arms . Verdict: I really enjoy this, and now I'm sad that I ordered a bottle of Yvaine in my 13 order, because now I think I'd prefer a bottle of Dia for my musk needs!

I think one scent that might just be up your alley is the '07 Yule Angeronalia (olive blossom, white nectarine, vibrant blood orange, honey absolute, lemongrass, elemi, sensual patchouli, and the quiet purity of gardenia). True, it was an LE, but I see it crop up on the swaps now and again, and it's a gorgeous blend -- the whole is definitely greater than the sum if its parts. Eat Me is most certainly a blend you need to track down! If you love gourmand and berries/currants, this is the blend for you. I know everyone is probably sick of me pimping this one, but Australian Copperhead is one of my all-time favorites, and you should try it now before it goes away forever so you have plenty of time to hoard . I don't do Snake Oil, but the acai berry really pops in this blend and makes the scent both fun and sexy at the same time. Also seconding the suggestion for Lady Una -- it's rare I can handle a honey perfume, but the tea and blackberry here work with the honey musk and make for a gorgeous springtime blend. Katharina is also a great springtime/daytime blend, and is GC to boot. And finally, everyone (EVERYONE!) needs to try Snow White at least once.

I generally don't find this to be the case at all! In fact, most of my vanillas have aged spectacularly, but that isn't to say that perhaps the interplay of notes in Mouse's Long and Sad Tale don't somehow overwhelm the vanilla as it ages (that's one of those blends that doesn't much agree with my chemistry). Have you tried Stimulating Sassafrass Strengthener yet? The sassafrass burns off fairly quickly and leaves me with smelling of cream soda -- delicious!

Yes! Lady Una is gorgeous.

I would like to second two aforementioned blends: Morgause and Yvaine. Both of these are scents I would put into the category of "floral," but they are not girly perfumes in the slightest. But are cool, razor-sharp, and ethereal -- they definitely put me into a certain mindset.

OMG, These questions are so old! I wanted to ask a question: are there any rare (or even uber-rare) scents that you'd really like to try? I've gotten a teensy sniffy of Storyville once, but it wasn't enough for me to get a feel for it (though what I could smell was pretty nice). Other than that, though, I would love to have a decant of Gothabilly to call my own. If you drink coffee, do you like whole bean coffee or prefer ground? What grind? What roast (mild, medium, bold, extra bold)? Do you like flavored coffee? I do drink coffee, but the worst thing about coffee is how bitter it can be. I've actually been wanting to try white coffee for the same reason. Barring that, I like flavorful mild to medium roasts, ground please. Do you like tea? What kinds of tea (green, red, white, black, decaf, herbal infusions)? Feel free to get specific on brands and tea types. Loose or bagged? Do you need any kind of tea accessories? Pots/cozys/presses/strainers? I've only recently started to drink anything other than herbal tea -- still, in general I prefer my fruity teas. Adagio's Berry Blast is by far one of the best berry blends around, it's delicious! I also have some Orange Chamomile from a local teashop that's been getting a lot of mileage, and Teavana's White Ayuervedic Chai is absolutely TDF (if you have any rec's on white chais from other companies, please let me know! Teavana's is too expensive for my blood). So, in general I prefer tisanes to teas, and I prefer fruity and spicy to other flavors. When it comes to actual teas, I love really-fragrant jasmine oolongs. The more jasmine, the better! What is your favorite hot chocolate or drinking chocolate? Do you need Vegan or no? You know, Starbucks new Signature Hot Chocolate (particularly with the salted caramel topping!) is AMAZING. It's the perfect balance of sweetness and complexity that makes it awesome. Sadly, I can't drink Starbucks very often because it's WICKED fattening. For at home, any good no-sugar-added cocoa mix would be excellent. Do you need any decanting supplies? Pipettes? Vials? How about any wand caps? Roller bottles? Some spray bottles (for oils mixed with alcohol?) Decanting supplies would be excellent! I have no pipettes and I'm running out of vials and wand caps. So any of those would be most welcome! How do you feel about Lush? Anything you want to try?I do like LUSH, but there's not a single one anywhere close to me (I still can't figure out why there's no Nashville store?? ) *Ahem.* Because of this, I usually only allow myself a splurge every now and again (usually when there's free shipping). I am a sucker for bath bombs, and unfortunately theirs are the best. I was dying to try the Chocolate Santa and Twinkle bath bombs, but of course they were sold out when I made my last order. Favorite Websites: ICHC, Overheard Everywhere, Cute Overload, Etsy, Facebook, Temptalia; plus about a dozen other blogs about nails, makeup, sweets, and wedding stuffs.

U CAN HAZ UPDAYT FOR TEH HALLOWEEN TIEMS. How do you like your chocolate? White, milk, bittersweet, as dark as possible? Plain, with flavoring, with chunks of stuff in? Fairly traditional, or weird and experimental? While chocolate is tasty, it's not my first choice since I prefer a sweeter treat. This is why I am one of the few people who likes white "chocolate!" () I also eat milk chocolate and some semisweet -- generally nothing darker than 62% cacao. I am also pretty adventurous when it comes to my additions in chocolate. Last round (I'm pretty sure!), I received the most heavenly bar of white chocolate flavored with rose water... I cannot tell you how long I made that bar last, but it was divine and I savored every bit of it. Favorite animals? Least favorite?I love cats (big and small), rabbits, horses, hawks, and snakes. My least favorite "animal" would be spiders. So for all witches of the shimmying types- would you like tassel belts/jingle belts/ ect and if so, how big are your hips? Once I recover from my surgery, I am going to be seriously hitting the bellydance classes! So any hip-shakers are awesome. What are 3 places that you'd like to visit, or re-visit? I would love to visit Savannah, GA on the domestic-travel side; and one day I hope to travel to Scotland (there are many countries in Europe I'd love to see someday) and maybe Japan. Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL wishlist during the round? Oh wow, my wishlist needs updating! I'm still waiting on my Halloweenie decants (maybe today!), and so I don't know if anything there will strike my fancy. I'm seeeeriously tempted by BPTP's Ginger Skulls, though, and I don't know if I can pass it up. What is the weirdest and/or most practical thing you are not buying for yourself right now? The thing that you probably should be buying, but have been putting off in lieu of something else? Eh.... probably a no!no! or some other laser hair removal type device. I've just about HAD it with shaving! What cartoons did you grow up watching? Any animated shows you still watch? I grew up watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony (!!!), The Gummi Bears, Care Bears (!!!), Captain N: The Game Master (OMG I loved that show), Super Mario Brothers, and Ren & Stimpy (another OMG love show). I sometimes still pull out my season 1 & 2 R&S DVDs, and I currently watch Family Guy, American Dad (sometimes), Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Robot Chicken. Do you read graphic novels/comics? I used to, but not anymore. I was a HUGE X-Men fan back in the day, and I also read Batman. Boxes, baskets, etc.? I can always use more pretty storage. What jewelry are you wearing now? What jewelry do you wear everyday-or do you change jewelry all the time?I'm currently just wearing my diamond piercing studs, two silver bands on one ring finger and my engagement ring on the other. I tend to change my jewelry every day depending on my outfit, but Teh Rock always stays on. Do you like honey? Will you like to try creamy honey with black sesame or with cinnamon powder?I love honey! My grandfather actually keeps bees, so I get big jars of it from him, but I'd love to try some exotic stuff (especially after hearing so many good things about Meadowfoam Honey). Do you like baskets, jars and other interesting containers? Filled or Empty?As above, I love pretty storage solutions, and interesting goodies in pretty jars work for me too (empty or full, either works) Houseplants and/or things to put them in? The idea of houseplants is great, but I have a black thumb! I would like to have some fresh herb plants to tend do, but I'm just not sure how successful I'd be at keeping the things alive. Oh, um, favorite musical. On stage or on film? Comedy or drama? On stage? Cabaret!! Though Spamalot is a close second. On film: Sweeny Todd, but probably only because I haven't seen a live production (and Johnny Depp is amazing). On the same note...do you like Shakespeare? Which plays?YES! I prefer stage productions, but there are a couple that I enjoy watching on film as well. My favorites are A Midsummer Night's Dream (in fact, I played Helena in a stage production once -- one of my favorite roles), Much Ado About Nothing (which is a great film adaptation as someone mentioned in the SW Thread), Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet.

UPDAYT FOR HALLOWEENIE ROUND! Dearest Witch, Oh hai. Plz to b reedin mai ketchupz. Kthxbai, Witchee ------ Is there any time during the holidays (or the rest of the round) when you'll be away from home for a significant period and it'd be best not to send anything by mail? I will be on a cruise October 25th-30th, but if you're planning on sending something I can always make sure our neighbor checks the front and back doors for delivieries too larger for the mail boxes. Speaking of which, how many Browncoat witches do we have?? And if you are, would you be interested in getting a Kaylee parasol? If not, would you be interested in getting a paper parasol hand painted with your favorite colors? I LOVE Firefly, but thb I have three parasols already which don't get much use. Hand beaded jewellery, yay or nay? YAY! Would you personally rather get handmade jewelry or the beads to make something yourself? As I mentioned earlier, when it comes to crafts I'm a sprinter, not an endurance runner. But if you give me something ready to wear, I'll definitely be rocking it out! Everyone who wants a beaded potholder, please to be raising the hands! Sure? To make up for the fact that I probably won't be able to send my witchee homebaked goodies, will Tim Tams in any number of varieties be an acceptable replacement? Definitely. Which witches would like hair accessories: clips, scrunchies, hairsticks, headscarves, etc? I wear long wigs, and my hair is a modified pixie (which I am trying to figure out why I have no picture of... I will rectify immediately!). So barrettes, small clips, bobby pins, and headscarves are the only things that will work for me. Edit: dammit, NO good short hair pics -- but how 'bout me with a sweet-ass mohawk?? If your witch were to send you cookies, what kind of cookies would you like? I am not a huge cookie eater, but I do love sugar cookies. AND chewy gingersnaps OMG Anyone else a total nerd like me and would like DnD/Roleplay stuff (Dice, minis, books, corny tees, etc.)? Particularly nerdy tees/gags, though I don't have much time to actually play anymore. Cat hair? I already have plenty -- what's a little more? Who (of course excluding Schackjj ) would like a pair of handknit socks? Size? Color preference? Cabled, ribbed (for your pleasure), stranded colorwork, etc.? That would be amazing! I love fuzzy socks for bedtime (any length, really). I do also wear socks during the day, but those are thigh high ones and I wouldn't expect anyone to have that much spare time for knitting! I wear 9 1/2 size shoes. Since we're talking about warm winter wearables, who likes hats? Mittens? Arm warmers? I like hats! I keep eyeing ones like this, or pretty much anything that will cover my ears and keep them warm. I like arm warmers in theory, but I seldom figure out how to incorporate them into my regular wardrobe. I prefer fingerless gloves to mittens. Oh, and whoever posted this scarf -- OMGCUTE! I immediately thought "and then Trogdor comes in the NIIIIIIIGHT!" So, question all- how do people feel about unusual ornaments? I typically stick to plain ball ornaments in a certain color scheme for my tree -- nothing funky. On a similar note, who likes yarn? What kinds/colors/weights/fibers? Handspun? Glitter? Funky art yarn made from shredded jeans, fake flowers, lace, sequins, and the tattered souls of your enemies? Other craft supplies you desperately want more of and can't live without? If I were to receive any kind of "craft material," it would be some cooking item I either don't have access to or just don't have atm. So small amounts of interesting spices or extracts, King Arthur/Tollhouse Cinnamon Baking Chips (these would rock my socks!), colored decorating sugars, anything like this would just tickle me pink. What kind of candy/sweet treat would you like to receive? I do have a weakness for sweets. And I mean SWEET sweets -- you could send me a tub of frosting, and I'd eat it (just not all at once!). I also used to get this delicious Turkish Delight/ fruit pates which I loved (I can't remember if they had nuts or not, but either way I would be happy to try them again). Who likes tshirts? What about homemade tshirts? Oooh, a homemade tee would be fun! I've gotten into wearing tees more and more for casual clothing (thank you, Threadless sales). Another question! How does everyone feel about steampunk? I <3 <3 <3 it! ------ New Stuffs: What is the biggest problem or sad thing in your life? Of course, I mean the saddest or worst thing you can confess here. I'm having more good days, but it can be a lot of work sometimes. Then again, when is being happy something that comes naturally? Question: do you like to cook? if so, what? Would you like things like spices, cookbooks, recipes, tips? One of my favorite pasttimes! I love cooking just as much as I like to bake, though Teh Manthing would say I'm a more accomplished baker. I love to cook anything and everything (and I especially like to try new regions of cuisine and/or new cooking techniques). I would love any of the things listed in the question. And.... what fashion item or style do you like, but never wear? I love Lolita style, but I very seldom find a way to pull it off without making Teh Manthing look like a pedo. Would my potential Witchee be up for some stuff they'd never heard before if they couldn't understand the words?Sure! Since I love industrial music, I have quite a bit in German (they always have the best industrial). I also have some in French and Spanish (I love The Pink Martinis, who sing in both English and Spanish). Of course, I have come across music in another tongue I did not care for, which I think was more because I couldn't understand what the song was about... so, I guess it's all about context.