posted August 26, 2004 09:01 PM         

It also reminds me of fur and lace, old books, hidden stuff. I have cedar closets so I don't use moth balls.

posted August 28, 2004 02:13 AM         

My favorite perfume is Casmir by Chopard.

Top Notes: Peach, mango, coconut, bergamot, hesperides

Heart Notes: Jasmine, lily of the valley, geranium

Base Notes: Vanilla, amber, sandalwood, patchouli, castoreum, musk

posted August 28, 2004 02:09 PM         

I found this on the net a while back... thought you might like it:

How to make your own perfumes
Learn how to make perfume and cologne. Now you can make your own, right in your home. Come and see how it's done.
The ingredients in a bottle of store bought perfume or cologne cost about ten percent of the retail price, the rest is in packaging, advertising, sales profit, and tax. Now wouldnt you rather put your money into really exotic essential oils that you could afford, by simply making your own perfume? Havent you ever smelled a fragrance and you just knew that if you were a perfume that this one would be you? Now these essential oils could set you back a dollar or two, but dont panic, you need only a drop or two of jasmine, for example, to infuse a bottle of really luxurious perfume. Unlike many store bought perfumes you can be sure that you are buying the real thing.

Maintaining the natural essence is one of the advantages of making your own perfume. You dont have to worry about added chemicals and preservatives going onto your skin and drying it out or even worse having a severe reaction to it. Now I am not saying that you cannot have a reaction to the essential oils, each person has an individual chemistry in their body, so it might be best to try a sample of the essential oils.

Now for your first formula, especially if you have chosen an expensive oil, these oils come packaged in all different size bottles from a dram up to a gallon at a time. The dram is like a sample size tube, like the perfume they used to give out in the department stores. These are perfect for testing the oils if you think you might be allergic.

The strength of your aromatic liquid or perfume depends on the ratio of essential oils to water and alcohol. Perfume is the strongest formula: 15-30 percent essential oil, 70-85 percent alcohol, and the remainder or at least 5 percent water. Be sure and use bottled distilled or spring water only. 100 proof Vodka should be used for the alcohol, you may also use Brandy, but it has a distinct aroma of its own and sometimes gets in the way of blending in the essential oils. If you want to add color, use a high quality, natural, vegetable food dye. You will also need sterilized bottles to put your creations in, and as much as you want to use the pretty clear cut glass bottles, please dont. They attract perfumes worst enemy: the sun. But if you feel you must display your new creations in a beautiful bottle, at least store the majority of your perfume in a separate container and only what you want to display in the pretty glass one.

Finally, you need a notebook to record the exact formulas, in drops of essential oils, that you use when making up your concentrate. Remember that one drop of essential oil can change the whole formula. For instance you know you put in jasmine, ylang-ylang, and vanilla, but was it one drop or two of jasmine, and 3 or 4 drops of vanilla? So if you stumble upon a masterpiece you sure want to have everything nice and neat to look back on.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Concentrate of essential oils

2 1/2 oz of 100 Proof Vodka or Brandy

2 tbsp of Distilled or Spring Water (add more water if needed)

Take your essential oil concentrate and add to Vodka, stirring slowly but long enough to disperse the oils. Let this mixture stand for 48 hours, then add 2 tbsp of distilled or spring water, again stir slowly and thoroughly. Let this mixture stand another 48 hours. Some people let there perfume stand anywhere from four to six weeks curing time, this way you will get a stronger perfume, and not a cologne. This choice is up to you, just remember if the formula seems too strong you can always add more water and dilute it back down. After letting the perfume mature or cure, pour through a coffee filter (so any sediment does not get in the final product) into your bottle. Voila your very own signature perfume. Enjoy!!!!

Here are a few formulas so you can practice and be ready to create your own perfume soon.

Tender Mercies:

2 drops lavender Oil

4 drops carnation Oil

3 drops juniper Oil

2 drops jasmine Oil

3 drops ylang-ylang

Sultans Pleasure

2 drops patchouli

2 drops lavender

3 drops ylang-ylang

1 drop jasmine

posted September 01, 2004 03:25 AM         

I always knew you were a country girl at heart Philly. I mean only you would say you liked the smell of horse sh*t!

My book is not going well at the moment. I thought I'd be finished by now and I'm not. I'm aiming for the end of the year. I hope it's finished before Christmas. I've never written a book before only short stories and a couple of articles for the local rag.

posted September 02, 2004 02:04 PM         

------------------
Sincerely,
divinia

posted September 02, 2004 02:55 PM         

3 is a magic number, yes it is, it's a magic number

Somewhere in that ancient mystic trinity

You get 3 as a magic number