lavender pays

25 March 2007

This lavender from pays or country lavender is fresh and clean yet rich, not too sharp and with and excellent soft top note dropping down to a warm green undergrowth. There is a sweetness there in the middle that is not too overpowering and a lightness that is enchanting....I seem to have collected lavenders since starting my blueprint perfumery in 1998 and I have quite a few. I have my favourites and for a long time The English Hampshire lavender Co was number one . That is until Salaam from Profumo.it send me a sample of his lavender pays.....This lavender transported my back to my childhood. It is the exact note I remember of the lavender I used to smell in colognes that my mother used to bring home. As a child I was brought up by my grandmother , a Tambour Beader who worked for Norman Hartnell(Couturier to the Queen Mother and other members of the Royal family) and my mother was one of the first air-line stewardesses working for TWA and travelling the world.... she always brought me back perfume samples....... and the obsession was born !Yes, my top three lavenders now stand as Profumo.its lavender Pays, English hampshire lavender and Seville lavender(the Seville Anya sent to me and I just love it so different from other lavenders)

taking the plunge

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Well after being totally in awe of her for nearly a week now... much to humourous delight all...... I read the pamphlet oiled her up.... and paced around...

Today I took the plunge...... she is fast!!!!!! The spool was wound in seconds! The threading is a little different from what I am used to but the real fun was trying to use the automatic needle threader.... well I couldn't get it! and because I just wanted to see what she could do shelved that for another day.

It is very earlier days as at the moment I have just tried the straight stitch taking her up to the 6mm..... beautiful stitch put the pedal to the floor and she flew in my hands....... and reveresed her back up...all on painters canvas and a fairly thick cotton .....

I will continue gently now next using a thicker thread on the bottom and reversing my fabric so I shall be working from the back. and using the quilting foot as well as no foot to see how we go.... alot to try out before I start ....... this will take quite a few hours before I feel as comfortable as I do with my brother but there is no doubt she is a thoroughbred, perfect for me.

Peony the Imperial Flower

' surely there has never been such a flower among mortals' (9th century chinese writer)

A sweet and heavenly perfume, inspired by Artists and poets.

Peony
Originally uploaded by bernadettemacphersonmorris.

I have collected and specialised, delighting in old and highly perfumed roses for many years. While browsing through some old master botanical paintings a couple of years ago I realised that it was the peony that had captured my heart. This spectacularly beautiful, fragrant plant, thornless and healthy, ruffled, soft and gentle. There are so many beautiful photos of this glorious flower I could not make up my mind.... it is now late and I will write more tomorrow.... I may even change this whole piece and photo but this will suffice for now....gifts of peonies are an exchange of friendship and prosperity.

Buddha revisited with Sandalwood

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The photo here is a Sandalwood buddha from Mysore India-


I am sitting here swathed in the aroma of Sandalwood. This beautiful meditative wood completely assails my senses as I write this.

A few weeks ago Salaam from Profumo.it kindly sent me some samples of raw materials .This first one is Sandalwood Mysore. I have a few other samples of Sandalwood oil and I have decided to compare this one with the agmarked (Indian government stamp of approval) Sandalwood from Nishan oils, a gift from Bernie and Sandie, Butterbur & Sage and have now had for some years.

Of course today this particular Sandalwood is endangered so thus for ecology it may be prudent to look for alternatives in managed woodlands and alternative type for this most special of oils.... I am writing about this, as this particular type has been used in rites incense religious festivals for centuries and I love its aroma. It is a great benchmark for other more ecological sandalwoods that are now offered.

Both penetrate and surround the air with its woody meditative ambience. Salaams has a greener note than the fuller and rounded ag-marked sample. Poucher describes the true oil as pale yellow and viscose which indeed profumo.it sample is.. I am amazed at how the aroma penetrates deeply into my senses and through to the third eye. The agmarked sample is also pale yellow and viscose. So it looks as if these are both true for which I am delighted as adulteration can occur by using castor oil and cedarwood oil. The agmarked seems sweeter and fuller as if one has put a minor third in it than Profumo.it's greener higher note which may have something to do with the age. I would have no hesitation in recommending Salaam's beautiful calming Sandalwood. You can find Salaams site on my places to visit link. I have also some very fine sandalwood chips given by Dorian Schneidman which also pervays its calm aroma when warmed.