i accept :: the dragon’s loyalty award

I’ve thought a lot about the concept of acceptance;  in the last couple of years especially.  It is easy, as you can imagine, to accept what is beautiful, sweet and glowing but not so much what is unruly, misshapen, dark, and even tragic.  And yet so much of life is made up of these ‘less than perfect’ experiences, things, people (ourselves)…and it is acceptance that makes happiness possible in this world.  I am still working on all manner of acceptance but doing the work involved brings me opportunities otherwise unavailable.

So, it is with many meanings in mind that I gratefully accept the privilege of the “Dragon’s Loyalty Award”.    I had never heard of it until Dan, from Apothecary’s Garden nominated me but I am very glad to know about it.  It feels very human and real to me after having read what Dan had to say about it:  “The Dragon’s Loyalty Award is self-explanatory, though there is loyalty given, loyalty received, there is also a loyalty one sees in others who are authentic, or genuine in their writing.  They maintain a loyalty to self.”  I don’t mean to imply that there is anything less than perfect about the award, but I do get the sense that loyalty and true authenticity come with all the beauty and the warts, together.  At this point, I am coming to accept and cherish that.

It has taken me a surprisingly long time to even figure out how to share this honor and I feel that I should start by mentioning that I have had very little time to read / enjoy blogs since getting pregnant and having a baby (two and a half years ago).  But before that *I did* have more free time to enjoy blogging and reading blogs and so these are my nominees to pass this award to (there won’t be nearly 15, I’m afraid , it’s more like 5 but you will surely notice a theme in the blogs I’ve read):

Ayala’s Smelly Blog:  Ayala Sander has always been an inspiration to many bloggers as well as aspiring Artisan Perfumers.  She shares her joy and her passion on her blog as well as incredible amounts of information.  Her Smelly Blog is always a joy to read.

The Clarimonde Project Blog / indie perfumes blog:  Lucy Raubertas brings an incredible amount of vision and otherworldly aesthetic to her blog indie perfumes and something that I can’t even explain, it’s so lovely, in her Clarimonde Project Blog.  Her dedication to art and artistry is unmatched and her sensibilities are a palpably gorgeous.

The Alembicated Genie: Doesn’t the name tell you something?  Sheila Eggenberger *is* a genie.  She conjures unique realms and universes with her words so beautifully crafted they make one swoon.  Her portrayals of what perfume can do and where it can take you are some of my favorite writings. period.  She is very passionate and tells it just like it is, but in the most graceful and gracious way.

Olfactoria’s Travels: Olfactoria (aka Birgit) has a wonderful perfume blog but even more what I love about it is how she has created a sense of community within the realm of the blogging / perfumista community.  I just love the sense of sharing the passion and love of great perfume and how it fits into our lives.  She’s just fabulous.

Perfumes in Progress: Laurie Erickson’s blog is a lovely insight into a fellow aromatic artist’s world, thoughts, creativity and journey.  She writes with great sincerity and shares so much of what the perfumer’s life is.  It’s always a pleasure to read and I have to thank her for being an inspiration for me to start my blog.  She gave me some wonderful advice when I was contemplating DSH Notebook back in 2010.  {A heartfelt thank you to Laurie!}

I send much love and blessings out to everyone in the blogosphere and again, with gratitude, accept and share the Dragon’s Loyalty Award.  oxox

Read Full Post »

paradise lost :: found

I wish I were in NYC tonight.  Something magical is happening… a rare event that I imagine will be like walking in a dream.  The Clarimonde Masquerade hosted by MiN New York, produced by Lucy Raubertas, is taking place and if only my perfume, who will attend in my stead, could send me a post card from beyond the mighty river to tell me of the delights.

It was nearly a year ago that the first unveiling of the Clarimonde project perfumes and sundries happened.  I was just beginning the pregnancy and a bit preoccupied, so didn’t really get the chance to talk about the project, the wonderful concept and inspiration or the perfume when it first came out.  So, what am I waiting for?

The Clarimonde Project is the brain child of the wonderful Lucy Raubertas (of indieperfumes blog fame) and again she is the same visionary who put tonight’s Masquerade together.   But what or who is a Clarimonde?  you might ask.  Well, to begin Clarimonde is a who and the starring  persona of an incredibly beautiful, haunting gothic tale of an obsessive, passionate lover and his object who commands his very soul… until she reveals herself as an act of true love and he rejects her and thus their paradise is lost forever.  I don’t want to give away too much as it’s a wonderful read or even to listen to and you should, you really should take the time to either read or listen.  Please go check out Lucy’s blog dedicated to he project to get the whole story : http://clarimondeproject.wordpress.com/   and here’s a link to a very special version of the story:  http://soundcloud.com/ondynesdemise/clarimonde-recitation

Lucy got this image perfectly right in it’s color, sensual feel and mysterious glance when choosing an image to speak to the perfume that I created to tell the story of Clarimonde: Paradise Lost.  It really does feel like what I had in my head as I was designing it… although this Bronzino portrait an integral part of my design as well.  It was my original visual inspiration, as well as the many visual images, colors, spacial designs, textiles and textures alluded to in the story itself.

Paradise Lost, of course with the other literary reference to Milton, seemed the perfect to fit the story for me.   An ardent love is indeed a paradise until something comes to break the magic spell.  Then all is lost.  It can never be the same again.  There is a sense of loss  in this perfume; an opulent yet melancholy tone.  It speaks to the time in which the story is written, during the first decade of the twentieth century, as well as the otherworldly and altered sense of time and space woven into the story. I would describe Paradise Lost as an Oriental perfume, as there is an exoticism and spiced warmth about it but it also has a distinct animalic nuance in the drydown and a very unusual twist in the opening notes.  I designed a number of accords to accommodate qualities in the story that I wanted, such as “sable fur, pressed violets, faded flowers, candlewax and bloody sweet”.  Certainly there are no essential oils or even compounds readily available of such notes.  This was half the fun of the design and a challenge: how to create these accords and then stitch them together to make a tapestry that is complete and distinctive.  (I have to admit that the bloody sweet note did double duty as it found it’s place in some multi-sensory art works I did for the Dairy Center for the Arts at Halloween last year as well…but that’s another story).  The proof will be in the pudding as Lucy and the lovlies at MiN show the perfume to the party goers in NYC tonight.  We’ll see what is said at the Masquerade.
Here’s the little bit of verbiage that I state at the website about Paradise Lost: “The phrase “A twilight blue oriental perfume” most captured my imagination from the first time I heard it along with the image of faded flowers along side a bed of gold and silver, attended by a negro page wearing black velvet holding an ivory cane; and the satiny hand of “Clarimonde” as she lay dying. This cool, almost misty scene that might have been a last glimpse of Clarimonde paired with an alternate universe of warm opulence in Venice were always shimmering in my mindʼs eye as I created “Paradise Lost”.  Paradise Lost is a limited edition.

Paradise Lost won’t be alone on a mantle at beautiful MiN… the stage will be shared by a singer, a dancer and number of other Indie Perfumers: Ayala Moriel, Alexis Karl and Maria McElroy, Mandy Aftel and lip stain by Monica Miller of Perfume Pharmer.  If only I could transform into a butterfly myself tonight and flit my way through the ethers.  I would land on a lace mask and sip champagne from my hosts glass.  I believe I will have found my paradise.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Now for the commercial AND a little draw:

Paradise Lost in a limited edition that found it’s way into two antique bottles: one a Parisian charm bottle with an Art Nouveau motif that is wearable on a chain and the other our classic French 5 ml flacon.  Both are lovely and available at our site. 🙂

Now, since you’ve read so far, I thought that it would be fun to create a limited edition of three Paradise Lost solid perfumes and give them in a draw.  To enter just post a comment about your favorite part of the Clarimonde story or a favorite aspect of the Clarimonde Project blog that Lucy has so beautifully created.  Three winners will be chosen at random on Halloween, October 31.

Read Full Post »

otherworldly {aka pandora part 1}

It’s not the first time that I have been late to my own party.  It’s a full moon in Pisces… I’ve been lost swimming today.

Not literally swimming but I did get lost in another world.  Maybe it’s all just Pandora…the new perfume that I have been working on that came together to launch on the site today.  I’m still under it’s spell… so I think I will just be posting the artist statement that I had prepared for it.  After all, what else can I say? (I’m sure I’ll think if something. 😉 )

Pandora: A Beautiful Evil

The “Beautiful Evil” is a quote from the story of Pandora as told by the Greek, Hesiod.  She is the all gifted, all giving one, a singular woman and synonymous with Eve in many respects.  It is she who opens humankind to the knowledge of good and evil and ultimately breaks the utopian ideal.  With Pandora, mankind has plagues but also knowledge and maturity.  She opens the door to truth and hope.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

I first began this design as a ‘project’ scent that had very specific criteria.  The gist of the original “brief”  was to utilize only materials on a set list.  This list was comprised of numerous, relatively new materials available to the natural perfumer circa 2011.  From this somewhat limited palette (of all natural materials) I derived most of my inspiration for Pandora focusing on a new way of interpreting a classic accord, Mousse de Saxe, out of these ‘new’ materials.

Along the way, my focus changed and the original project fell away, which released me from all limitations.  It was at this point that the name changed along with my focus… and the final concept emerged: Pandora.  It expresses a new and an old energy; something ancient and modern, too.  There is something “retro” in the mousse de saxe reference but with the addition of oakmoss (not on the list) and some subtle aldehydes and ozone (also not on the list) it’s right here and now.

In the final design, I utilized 97.5% botanicals and a mere 2.5% synthetic content.  It is that last addition that polishes the whole and brings it into complete focus.  Amazingly, it’s the synthetics that turned out to be the ultimate catalyst, both creatively and aesthetically.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

The notes for DSH Pandora are :

Top: ruby fruits (botanical accord), bergamot, aldehyde, spice notes, ozone, violet leaf absolute, davana, cassis bud, green and pink pepper
Heart: rose de mai absolute, juhi jasmine, linden blossom absolute, yerba maté absolute, cabreuva wood, orris co2, green tea absolute
Base: mousse de saxe accord (botanical) , cyperus, fossilized amber absolute, ambergris tincture, patchouli co2, vetiver co2, muhuhu, australian sandalwood, tonka bean absolute, oakmoss green, vanilla absolute.

* the image is Odilon Redon’s “Pandora”.  Redon is one of my favorite artists and on going inspiration.  Image found here.

And for some really wonderful writing and reviews of Pandora, check out the following blogs:

eaumg
scent hive
indieperfumes
eyelineronacat blog
thisblogreallystinksperfume
perfumepharmer (with special guest David Lincoln Brooks)
esscentualalchemy

oh true apothecary

A HUGE thank you to everyone who showed up and wanted to support the first launch of Pandora! ❤ Much love to you all!!

ps: there’s a draw at the linked blogs for a 3 ml mini spray of Pandora EdP; be sure to leave a comment at all of the blogs to increase your chance of winning! hoo hoo! 🙂  *****We’re having a draw here as well, so please leave a comment to enter!***** the draw ends at 12 noon Sunday, September 18, 2011 (mountain time).

(and pps: We’ve also decided to do a little impromptu sale until the end of September: use member code “extra15” to get 15% off anything at the site!)

Read Full Post »