The Queen’s Obsession ~

There used to be a woman that I knew who made the ***most*** incredible soaps, body butters and other body delicacies named Anastasia Crabtree. Some people thought it was just pure debauchery the way that Anastasia would freely add exotic, rare and precious essential oils, absolutes and attars into her products. Personally, I fully enjoyed the debauchery of it all and it was my way of reaching heaven through her exquisite creations. Anastasia had a true passion for aromatics - without a doubt she was the most magical, mystical and giving person and everything she did or said to you came straight from the heart. I absolutely love Anastasia Crabtree.
One day, Anastasia decided she was going to close up shop. Anastasia you see, is a free spirit sort of like the the character Vianne Rocher in the movie “Chocolat.” She introduces people to her fantastic creations and then once they’re hooked and can not imagine life without them…..*poof*
She vanishes like wisps of incense plumes being offered up to the gods. Anastasia’s work was done here.

Anastasia is currently traveling foreign lands from one adventure to the next which has left those of us who worshiped her genius sort of at a loss. WHO was going to fill the void? Who was going to create with such wild abandon and do it her way, not the way that other’s expected her to do it?
I know who that person is.

No, it’s me you silly! (although I do whip up some fabuloso buttuhs, balms and perfumes of my own if I do say so myself…heee!)

This person has the same magical, mystical and giving nature and I love her just as much as Anastasia. If it wasn’t for this person, I certainly wouldn’t be making my own products again. It’s because of her lighting the fire under my ass to do just what I know and love doing ….and by the way don’t worry about what other people think! that I’m going forward with The Queen’s Obsession.
This person is Mme. Justine. Whether she thinks so or not - trust me dahlings. I have a nose that knows and Mme. Justine has that Anastasia Crabtree touch - but in her own wildly unique way.

I recently received a box of wickedly divine goods from Mme. Justine and I am left wanting more, more, more! Mme. Justine did send a luscious recipe inspired by one of Anastasia’s legendary butters and I have already used it up. I keep opening up the jar just to get a whiff of the stanky, spiced sweet butter. Oudh, patchouli, sandalwood, vetyver, rose, vanilla, blood orange and spicy amber. It’s beyond anything I’ve whiffed up my nose before - and I am hoping that she decides to make one of her fabulous perfumes from it. (She MUST, you hear me….she must!)

Speaking of her perfumes - the perfume that was sent was absolutely yummy. A spicy-sweet-hot-summer’s day-sticky-buttered-honey sort of a scent that I’ve become quite addicted to called Eye of the Dawn. How can I not be addicted to it? Drool dahlings….drool over this fabulous concoction~

Head notes of FRESH ginger, Frankincense, Vetyver, Galbanum and Green Tea tincutre.

Heart notes of Honey, Butter (yes!! I said Butter!) Champa and Jasmine Grandiflorum.

Base notes of Australian Sandalwood, Himalayan Cedar, Ambrette & Siam Benzoin.

*Swoon!* One moment the perfume is pow! Spicy and the next moment it’s almost candy-ish, then you swear that you can almost smell something buttery - or is that only because you know it has butter in it? So you smell again and then it’s that sultry, heady aroma that you just can’t quite figure it out so you smell your wrist yet again - and from there the perfume just keeps morphing. There is never a dull moment with any of Mme. Justine’s perfumes!

Now, if I could only get Mme. Justine to make some more of her Patchouli/Rose soap. Everyone here in our house knows if that particular soap is in the house - no one had better touch it or else! It’s just too luscious to share.

Please visit Mme. Justine at Sierra Soapourri and at The Scented Djinn. You’ll love her products.

I just made a batch of whipped buttuhs…..now. What blend will I be using to scent them with? Spicy? Earthy? Floral?
Decisions……decisions……..

Building a museum for scent - now he’s smelling the stars.

“I sing of smells, of scents, perfumes, odours, whiffs and niffs; of aromas, bouquets, and fragrances; and also, though tempoerately and restrainedly, I promise you, of effluvia, reeks, foetors, stenches, and - stinks.” ~Dan McKenzie, “Aromatics and the Soul”

January 24th, 2007

Piesse’s Smell Organ

The 19th century French chemist and perfumist G.W. Septimus Piesse was convinced that music could be translated into aroma and vice versa. According to Piesse’s rigorous research, heavy odors corresponded to low notes, sharp odors to high notes.

Piesse’s Smell Organ, a contraption that may or may not have actually been constructed, consisted of a row of perfume atomizers actuated by piano keys. The odors were projected towards the listener/smeller by a steady stream of compressed air. From a 1922 article in Science and Invention, reprinted in Experimental Musical Instruments magazine, and discovered by the Dead Media Project:

Of course, the combination of odors will creates a smell entirely different from any individual qualities of the various perfumes and it is necessary that, in the soft, dreamy compositions, the odors blend harmoniously. Discords will have a decidedly unpleasant effect but inasmuch as the composers did not dwell upon discords to any great extent, the audience will be saved the rather unusual embarrassment of smelling disagreeable combinations. Some music would perhaps have to be changed and the odors carefully graduated so that no particular perfume will predominate, except when the loud pedal, or rather in the smell organs, the *strong* odor pedal is trod upon.

The smell organ’s register:

“there is also something sinister about a beauty that doesn’t decay.”

The Undying Garden

“And the rose like a nymph to the bath addrest, Which unveiled the depth of her glowing breast, Till, fold after fold, to the fainting air, The soul of her beauty and love lay bare.” - Percy Bysshe Shelley

Oh.  It’s a blend I was working on.  For a moment there I thought it was a Corpse Flower that I could smell all of the way from the Botanical Gardens!

A Patchouli based blend that I just couldn’t quit adding to.  It was sort of like…..an obsession.  Now it smells like dirty-stinky-rotten feet that someone tried to cover up with perfume.  Or dog paws.  I can’t decide.  Too much vetiver I suppose.  *sigh*  I hate getting rid of patchouli, rarely have I ever done so.

I suppose I’ll have to run this by the Queen of Stink before I go tossing out my aged patchouli!