Wanderlust

Ooooo, in the vial I knew this was going to be wonderful. Wet get the Muscadine grape and walnut/faint hazelnut instantly ~ refreshment and warmth all at once. It is red wine consumed on a cool, crisp evening..slightly chilly breeze, but toasty warm and glowing inside. I think the nuts and amber combine with the marshmallow and somehow give off a whiff of chocolate. I get little to no ginger, but it must be adding to the warming effect. The pomegranate and lime seem to blend with the grape to create a single bright note. After an hour, the amber begins to step shyly forward, but does not overpower the now warmed grape. I just had a scent memory flash of Saturday mornings, sitting at the kitchen table with my neighbor's Italian grandma during her summer visits. She was forever baking biscotti and pouring red wine into glasses, telling us we must dunk biscotti in our wine to give us strength for the day. That and a cappuccino made for a great Saturday perk me up..at the ripe old age of 14! After all, who were we to disrespect our elders? Grandma is 98 years young and still makes the best cannoli I've ever had the pleasure to gluttonously devour. Cheers, Grandma!

Oh my gosh, Mara, you captured and bottled Anne and George's Scottish garden the day we renewed our vows. Their home (built in 1811) is located in a village just outside of Stirling. Their bedroom widows face the Wallace Monument. You must have been there, othetwise, how could you have so perfectly recreated my memory of that beautiful day? When they purchased their home, it was November, so they had no idea what spring would bring in terms of flowers. They have close to an acre of ground, with a completely walled garden. Toward the back there is (we couldn't see it in the autumn) a formal area, lined in paver and divided into four squares with a lovely nymph fountain taking center stage. The areas are planted in old fashioned pink and white roses, columbine, iris and daffodil, thyme and lavender, and potted proper Scottish Thistle. Hawthorne, Holly and lilac have overgrown and created a small forested spot. Over time, lupine, violet (purple and white),poppy and beloved bluebells have spread into patches that cross paths and scent the air. Fresh moss and ivy trail along the wall and roses line the walk and trellised arch. Elderberry, so sweet it could make you cry, stretch across the corner of the property. The day we renewed our vows, we had just finished unloading the moving boxes and placing the furniture in the house. George's family and some close friends were coming for a BBQ reception, so the men were gathering wood for the evening's bonfire..there is always reason enough to have a bonfire in Scotland. Anne, George's mum and I had just finished arranging the house and decided to have a glass of wine and a sit down to rest before the renewal. The sun decided to burst through the clouds and the garden began to warm. The breeze carried the scent of bluebells and roses across the garden. Anne shouted, "Oh no! We didn't order flowers!" I told her I had no intention of carrying anything but what was in her garden. She and George's Mum hopped up and started gathering bluebells, violets and columbine and no tiny white flowers I'd never seen. They grabbed some greenery from the heather near their doorway, and some white and purple lavender. I had just enough flowers for a posey. Anne put sprigs of bluebell and lavender in my hair, and away we marched into the their glorious Scottish summer garden, where George's da & mum our sons, Anne and George and the dogs witnessed the hubby and myself saying "we still do" after all these years. I was wearing Bonnie at the time (and Gretna Green during the evening BBQ), but Seelie was right there with me all the time. Mara, any time I'm missing our pals, I can wear this and be instantly transported to their garden. Thank you for knowing exactly what Scotland's summer gardens are: lush and green and fresh with a Sea air rain/ freshly snipped bluebells, roses and heather/pine and hawthorne and holly/elderberry blossom and violet..I'm home away from home.

Got this as a sniffie. I was worried about amping the rose and amber, and sullying the chocolate and currant, but everything seemed to work together as a team. I was thrilled when the currant and rose combination carried a freshness alongside the chocolate. The amber truly just grounded the scent without trying to pull ahead of the other notes, even after a couple of hours, chocolate was the predominant note. That's always a plus.

Dark Berry Scone with a proper builders' tea, add cream and sugar.

I've got it: "Dame Helen Mirren"

Wearing this on one wrist and 221 B on the other. Seaside Sizzle is THE WOMAN, before she was quite aware of who she could become, prior to the first realisation that brilliance and high character could create a perfectly controlled demiworld. Oh, yes, she so adeptly maneuvered her way across every chess board of her choosing..not even Holmes was immune to The Woman. These two scents are the workings of an evil genius of a Potion Mistress..and I do love an evil genius..and she wins. There will be a full bottle in my next order.

Ha! Aww, gee, shucks and stuff, Halo!

Got this in a trade from Halo. Wow, this made me smile and sigh a little. This is Saturday afternoon on holiday. Sheets are crisp-white and lightly scented when we return from a morning stroll by the beach. I open the French doors to let the breeze into the room. Everything is a little bit hazy and the waves are just playing with the shore line. I turn and see..Ooooo! Fresh chocolates on the pillows. Nom nom nom.. This scent goes on as chocolate-covered cotton blossom. I'll eat chocolate anything, so that's fine. Within ten minutes, the cotton blossom has faded and I'm left with a phantom Fannie Mae Milk Chocolate Buttercream. Where the hell IS it?! I want chocolate..really good chocolate. Halo, you evil woman! Now I know why you wanted me to have this. Torture! Pure torture! That's it. I'm busting out the Toll House Morsels. Desperate times, people. Don't judge me.

This is my early teens, late afternoon and into the evening when the air is bone-dry, the corn is beginning to sound rustly and restless, and the late night bonfire will be hot instead of snuggly. The late summer has claimed everything but ironweed, chicory and zinnias. The rambling rose is dust-covered, but it still gives off a breath of sweetness in the heat of the day. This is a Saturday, during Labor Day Weekend. This is the shindig that Russ and Mattie Jane threw down every year on their farm. The house was set way back off the barely paved road. There was always more food than could be eaten spread out on long wooden tables with gingham cloths. Folks sat on metal green lawn chairs or freshly baled hay..itchy and sweet-smelling and perfect for chewing. I tended to park myself beside the vat of butter with grilled ears of corn waiting to be dipped, the green beans and the platters of fresh tomatoes. Imagine all manner of side dishes, every form of zucchini bread, flour sacks and brown bags of fresh veggies, apples and more dreaded zucchini to take home, hand churned ice cream, pies and cakes and cobblers and cookies..oh thank you, yes! Bring it all to mama! The star of the show was always a hog roasting for the carnivores..much appreciated and revered for his contribution. For days, people cooked and helped set up for the party. It was big doins in our Midwestern farmtown. Every year, it would be hotter than hell and so dusty everybody in the place got a mouth full of grey grit cloud every time another truck pulled up the lane. At some point, there would usually be a baseball game, sack races, and those who could play brought out their guitars, banjos, fiddles and mandolins to play live music..usually Johnny Cash, Hank and Waylon and Willie, and Patsy. The barn floor became the dance floor. The kids ran around the fields playing tag and hide and seek. The older kids were noticing eachother..and stealing away for a quick smoke a cheap beer and a go at spin the bottle. By nightfall, everybody had had their fill of food..at least twice. Music and dancing were in full swing. Laughter and tall tales and gossip take center stage. The young kids are bedded down in the backs of pick-ups and the older kids are ..well..a little overheated, but haven't hit the hay loft for fear of getting caught. This is the scent of the flowers along the cattle fence, the dry air of late summer, the heat and sweet sweat from a sunny afternoon in the dusty breeze. This is the hay loft calling your name, but you stay seated on the hay bale in plain view of your folks and the preacher because church is coming up with the sun in about eight hours. Next time..maybe.

Hubby walked by me and said,"Oh my god, what are you baking? That smells really good!" The first hour was all nutmeg, all the time. That's perfectly fine by me. After that, hot buttered rose petals appear, with just a crystalline sprinkling of sweetness. This is beautiful. Thank you, Halo, for this sniffie!

Roses can sometimes run sharp on me. Not this time. Irish Rose comes off cool and refreshing, like when you've opened the rose cooler at a florist. You get the scent of chilled roses ahead of you, whilst the freshly clipped greens and fillers are behind the counter with the arrangers. I do not get any cedar, or if there is, the scent is so faint that it only adds to the freshness. The mush is very light, very soft. Thete's a sweetness here as well, not overly sweet, a "just right" sweetness. It reminds me of the first warmth of the day after a good rain shower, when the roses have just been touched by the sun. Again, clean, fresh, a blush rose.

I got this as a trial from Halo in a trade, so I had not read any notes regarding some entertainment or intent. This is quite nice..soft, sweet, musk without being musky, lays like chiffon.

Halo and I traded some yummy things this week. Oh, and then there's the sale..during which anniversary and holiday shopping got off to a proper start. Three particularly beautiful sun catchers are on the way to 'framily' and myself, because PRETTY! An amber hued pendulum and board will be a stocking stuffer. The perfumes are as follows: Stacy's Lady Luck/Sugared Apples, Chai Spices, Black Currants/(2) Tropical Musks (Thank you for the rebrew, Mara!), one for my daughter-in-law. Freebies include Unwrapped/Pumpkin Juice Cocktail/Unreasonable Pumpkin/221B (my husband begged me to get a bottle of this so I don't run out any time soon). So happy with all the offerings. Thank you, LPMP!

Hearts, I've been so eager to read a comparison between TM and V&S (my favourite scent of all time, hands down, from anywhere). Sounds Like Has done it again, with a coconut on top!

In case anyone else is searching for a bottle but is afraid of the patch, I have never been able to wear wear patch..until this scent appeared..and now it has disappeared. Typically, I get headaches and nausea when I wear patchouli. Not this time. This is EXACTLY the scent I've been searching for, the level of spice is perfection. It smells precisely like the pumpkin spice cake my grandma used to make. I've got to track down a bottle.

Well, this one didn't work for my skin. It went on with a Loyd sharp clang and ended with Frank and Murray walking through Pell shampoo. I have no idea what my crazy skin did to this. Sorry kitty, but your arrow missed me completely.

Got this as a sniffable. I wanted to love it, but something turned to plastic and refused to leave. Darn it!

Wore this yesterday and the beachy notes have come through..travel shock took awhile to hit the road. Even more beautiful than the first trial runs!

These are all terrific! Such a large variety of ogferings, all of errors the spectrum. Bohemian Beauty is definitely intriguing. Starry Night fits my Van Gogh addiction. Hiker's Morning Woods may be the one that sends me over the edge. I have to be outside every day or I go a little nutty..nuttier. Mara, how many flipping hours do have in your days?! You have a tardis, don't you? Come on, you can tell us. We can keep a secret.

I just found this sniffing in my stash..oh WHY did I not get a bottle of this? I must've had my head stuck in the fear of patch. I was so wrong! This is so spicy, so edible, so perfectly what I love during autumn and winter. I'll be searching for this on the trade pages.

Wellll, for anyone who has ever seen my favorites listed, Velvet and Steel has always been tops. Needless to say, Tropical Musk was the no brainer. I'd love to get a sample of Body Paint and Velvet Kisses, but I am fairly certain I'd amp the hooha out of the amber and resin. Still, may give them a whirl. Ordered a bottle of Stacy's Lady Luck from Etsy. Thus far: I'm getting bottles of Unwrapped, Pumpkin Juice Cocktail as freebies. Also requested a pendulum and two sun catchers. Starting holiday shopping this month. Got a bracelet for my sweetheart of a daughter-in-law.

Oh crap! Tell me I didn't email you late last night. I meant to email Mara.

Stacy, I'm snagging a bottle of your Lady Luck. It sounded spectacular. Had to go for it!

I just had Mara brew a sugared for me, but I don't know if she has it on the website; let me ask if it is okay you bring this forward as a sale item.

I wore it yesterday to an Indy Eleven football match. Very cool and refreshing on the heat.