loving the blog-o-sphere

What a terrific bunch of people!

My latest gift through the post - a goodie bag of perfume and lip stuff from Carol!

 (Lip goodies- Cle de Peau lipstick, MAC lipglass, Laura Mercier lipstain, Giorgio Armani lip wax. 

And HdP Vamp a NY perfume!)

Thank you so much!

I'm going to have lots of fun this weekend.  I still haven't sampled everything I have received from Olenska or for that matter from a swap months ago from Jess. 

And Michael offering to send a sample of Grey Flannel for me to reminisce.

Squeeeee!  I feel the love!

Understated confidence - Chanel Cuir de Russie

This morning, I needed to gain some confidence.  I was attending a meeting and one of the participants is someone who doesn't like me for some reason.

So I grabbed Chanel Cuir de Russie (a very large decant was given to me by my perfume sniffing pal FF - thank you!!!)

I spent extra time getting ready for work this morning - making sure my hair was done (pulled out the old straightener wand!), applying makeup (not just my normal lip color) and wore my best work clothes.

The meeting went very well - I met and chatted with another participant, a new employee where I work, and was at ease when said-me-disliker walked in the room.

Cuir de Russie doesn't knock you over the head (or should I say kick you in the shin).  It's a wonderful warm, slightly sweet leather that helps me square up my shoulders and lift my chin.  It's more beautiful well-worn leather gloves than motorcycle boot.  It's understated, confident and gorgeous.

Notes from Chanel.com : Albanian Birchwood, Jasmine, Oriental Rose, Ylang-Ylang,Tunisian Orange Blossom, Calabrian Bergamot and Sicilian Mandarin.

Reviews from Angela at NST , from Perfume Shrine, and from Chicken Freak

Lip color help

(me in 1986, attempting to emulate Theda Bara.  Gosh I loved Polaroids)

I wear lip color of one type or another ALL the time.  I tend to buy the cheap stuff (because I'm usually broke) but I'm tired of having to re-apply over and over again.  My lips are very pale, which means when I don't wear color, I look really tired.   Yes, I have not-seriously contemplated tatooing my lips.


Anyway, I was hoping some of you make-up fans could steer me in the direction of a lip color that lasts and won't break the bank.

I have tried Cover Girl's Outlast Lipstain, but found it too drying.

Also have tried L'Oreal's Infallible Lipcoulor, which I do like for the most part.

But I would like to try other as well.  Any help is greatly appreciated!

Sunday Scent Memories

This past Sunday, our gathering was about Scent Memories.

It was wonderful to hear what everyone had to say.  J started off the conversation saying his favorite scent memory is of chitlins cooking all day long.  His wife D talked about her summer working in very hot weather at a zoo - can you image those fragrances!!  H talked about finally realising that to her the scent of Mexico is rotting garbage and diesel fuel (a good memory for her!)  T said that the worst smell ever is the scent of the autopsy room (he had started studying to be a doctor at one point in his life).  The Moth said that sometimes when walking in our little downtown in cold weather, certain smells (greasy food cooking and gasoline) brings him immediately back to Amsterdam - and T nodded and added mold to his scent remembrance of Amsterdam!

I mentioned incense in the Catholic Church I attended, and the smell of that clean-up sawdusty-stuff when kids would puke (was it wintergreen? the Moth seemed to think it was), explaining that way back in the day, one would have to fast before having communion, adding to the light-headed-ness of many children in church.

I am not sure if this is the exact brand I remember from grade school

H brought some Manuka honey to sniff (wow that stuff is awesome).  D sent around a few different types of rose water.  Ahhh, I love rose!

Then I pulled out the piece de resistance - Secretions Magnifique!!

Oddly enough, only me and P (female) have bad reactions to it.  Nearly everyone else who sniffed (esp the men) thought it was nice!  The specific things people can and cannot smell - it's so interesting - and baffling.

I brought out samples of CB I Hate Perfume's Winter 1972 and Black March" - everyone enjoyed Black March a lot.  Most everyone agreed that old newspapers/book were a wonderful scent.  We also talked about the "worm smell" - and both H and I couldn't remember the word for that!  Is it petrichor? But the definition doesn't specify worm.


Then D and I went into the dining room, so she could sniff some of my perfume in bottle form.  She loved Diptyque's   L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, and she had never sniffed Shalimar so I made up a good sized sample for her.  She also really enjoyed Samsara.

T walked through the dining room and I had him sniff another one of my favsMiller Harris L'Air de Rien.  I explained to him I think that Jeanne from "Last Tango in Paris" might have wore a fragrance like it, and that it brings to mind second-hand clothes stores and he said "and something else...." and I said "skank?"  And he laughed and said "yep!"

His partner L asked me to make her up a sample of my favorite perfume, so I sent them home with some of that skank! heheeee!

I was really amazed by the participation with my guy friends.  I know that sounds sexist, but I really didn't know how they would react.  I mean, I know the Moth likes scent (in fact, he sent around a very old "scratch and sniff" card from the movie "Pink Flamingoes" -I didn't take the opportunity to sniff that ;)    It made me really happy that everyone enjoyed themselves!

So, I suggest to all my readers to have a Scent Memories/Sniff-Fest with friends and family.  The two that I have been involved with have been amazing!

Second Sunday Salons

 (my perfume bottle collection)

I know this is the third Sunday, but because of the holidays, we're having it today.

The title of this gathering is "Scent Memories" and yes I'm hosting!

I'll have some photos to share and I'll talk about what my pals were bringing and talking about this afternoon.  Looking forward myself to what will emerge.

So happy Sunday to you all - more in the next post.

Bloody Frida blog is one year tomorrow

So I am totally overwhelmed with the one year anniversary tomorrow.

Everyone does such wonderful things (sample give-aways) on their anniversary/birthdays, and I don't think I have anything in bottle form anyone would want!

So instead of freaking out, I'll just talk about my home life.

Here's a few pictures

Our house! We had it painted two years ago. It was 'born' in the 1860s we think - there are no real records as we believe the house was moved from it's original site to where it is now.  There are logs holding up the house in the basement, and hand-hewn beams in the first floor ceiling.  The porch is an early 1900s add-on (again we think)  I wish we could find more information about it, but we're not finding too much.  Other than I found an old College yearbook that has a photo of one of the residents of our home in it! 

My latest knitting project  (I knit nearly every night - my knitting obsession and my perfume obsession are, well, obsessive!)

Ahh that makes me feel calm! (although now I'm thinking "oh crap, the landscaping stinks! what will people think!?")

Anyway, I'll come up with something good by tomorrow.

Thank you all my perfume loving buddies!

Dior - J'Adore

oh.
hmmmm.


that was pleasant.

photo by me

next.


(here's a substantial review from Perfume Shrine)

Happy 2011: Bvlgari "Omnia" and Bois 1920 "Sushi Imperiale"

Oh the New Year!  We rarely venture out for New Year's Eve and this year was no different.  The Moth and I stayed in our pajamas all day long, and streamed Netflix videos (horror movies mostly) using the new blu-ray player my son got us for Christmas. But if I stay up until midnight on December 31st, I will bang pots and pans together to welcome the new year in from our porch.  This is a family tradition, and when my son was growing up he seemed to enjoy it too.  But last night, I was in bed at 10:00 pm.  I'm in the midst of re-reading all the "Little House" books which I try to re-read every winter.  Those books help me to remind me that I am indeed very fortunate and to look to the little things in life for joy.

 I wonder if LIW would have liked Sushi Imperiale?

I must admit though that I mostly feel New Year-ish on the Winter Solstice but in the spirit of this holiday, I will say that I have truly enjoyed blogging and reading your blogs, and getting to know some of you folks better through swaps and emails.  What a delight to find like-minded folks throughout the world.  Thank you all so much!!


A few posts ago, I asked for help finding a ginger perfume.  What wonderful responses I received from you.  I received a sample of Omnia from Olenska at Parfumieren (thank you!!!)  and also purchased a sample of Sushi Imperiale from Luckyscent (I promised myself that I wouldn't purchase any more samples until I sniffed and noted all the ones I haven't reviewed yet - but I'm a weak-willed woman)

Unfortunately the first thing I get from Omnia is an alcoholy-hairspray scent with the slightest hint of ginger. It super-quickly fades away to, well, nothing. But then after 10 minutes or so, it pops back up and blooms to a soft and pleasant fragrance.  In this review from Robin at NST, she mentions that some people cannot detect the musk note in it.  I'm bummed because I was really hoping to understand and love this one. To me, it's very pleasant, but not much else.  Sigh.

Now, Sushi Imperiale.  What a fragrance! On the website of Luckyscent : notes of  citrus, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, Madagascan vanilla.   This juice makes me smile! I believe ChickenFreak said the same think about it - read her review here  . Though no ginger is mentioned, it sure does seem like it is in there.  I wish I had a larger spray sample of this - I really want to slather it on, as it's just perfect for this time of year and this weather.  I still am on a search for a pure ginger and have a long list of samples to purchase, but I do have to remind myself again to test all my un-tested samples first!

Hoping that everyone is having a wonderful first day of 2011!