Natural Perfume, Music and Embroidery this Trinity weave through my life. They support and give each other inspiration. It is my lifes work and profession. I think about Natural Perfume everyday. It is my reason d'etre. It brings joy, fulfills my soul. Creating beautiful perfumes from flowers, fruits and resins is superlunary. I am besotted, obsessed, deeply in love.

Saturday 21 July 2007

Riverside and Anya's Garden ... Ode


Jemina on smelling Riverside this morning

"It's like a secret garden!"

This photo is from Fin Garden in Iran and represents Persia's Garden of Eden.... Riverside will no longer be available. This is an honouring of Anya McCoy's roots.

From Anya's Garden Blog early post there is another Anyas Garden, an entrancing story. Click onto url below and then Anya's Garden link in fuschia there to read. http://www.suhsd.k12.ca.us/mvm/netlinks/1anya/1anya7-8.html

This story beginning in India and ending in Saudi Arabia and this perfume Riverside , are linked together and form the corner stones and paths for which Anya has nurtered and gently strolled .
The perfume conjures all that is comforting happy and joyful...From the moment I poured the sample into my hand and applied to pulse points I immediately sensed a feeling of deep happiness , fulfillment and contentment.

Citrus and pink peppercorn romp to meet you in a welcoming hug. It is like being taken on a walk through your favourite garden with a dear and beloved friend. Bees and Roses encircle and surround the air as you stroll through this most magic of gardens... The sense of purpose and idealogies are represented in this building forming the canopy of wonderful intricate patterns.....symbolically expressing Anya's work at Riverside and the Citrus garden she enjoyed and the knowledge and fun that was accumulated there at the University and beyond...the river path into the Garden represents clear vision...

The dry down lasts ages and goes on and on of soft creamy vanilla as does the euphoric and relaxed feeling of wellbeing.

Pan and Fairchild both have a freshness and sharpness where.... Riverside is warm, friendly and unashamedly beautiful... It is a best companion that you could reach for time and time again..... A classic.

Au revoir till we meet again..... would be its motto:

Friday 20 July 2007

Indigo - mysterious, meditative


Ayala Moriels' perfume samples created by perfumer Ayala Sender came with the postman today. Indigo and Tirzah...... Along with a surprise treat from Salaam it felt like it was my birthday opening packages and placing my nose into the delicious offerings and revelling in the aromatic delights that assailed my senses. Salaams Bergamot oh my... this will be in a post of its own.....

Indigo... mysterious , individual and reflective... The overall feeling is of delicious dark secret green floral. Ayalas unusual and deft touch at the top of Aniseed (spice) Tarragon(herbal) and Neroli (floral) blends together in cool symbiosis... the anise wafting gently over tarragon and neroli not in a dominent way but as a breath... beautiful Boronia, spicy warm Carnation and Orris slip quietly into the heart notes silently and without fuss , refined, unfussy , smooth, silent and silky with a drydown of warm oriental amber, hints of meditative incense and sacred cedar from the Himalayas rising like smoke through the perfumes centre.

A perfume that can be worn seamlessly in life , quietly yet full of individual deferred character..cool, reflective yet quietly making its statement. This is me, this is who I am.....
....

Saturday 14 July 2007

frutti paradisi - a garden of Eden

Salaam from Profumo.it sent me a sample of his Frutti Paradisi when posting some raw materials of perfumery.

A couple of weeks ago we were invited to a wedding. I have been helping Kath and her daughter, Laura for the last six months with singing lessons, as both wanted to surprise Sean with a song that would mean something to them and celebrate their feelings. They chose 'These words' by Natasha Bedingfield .... I thought what a wonderful way to exalt their wedding by wearing a natural perfume. It seemed fitting to choose Frutti Paradisi. It was an amazing day, poured with rain but it didn't matter. The service included a Male Voice Welsh Choir. 'Love is like a rose' was beautifully emotive. The bride and maids looked stunning and Sean ( former Sandhurst man) was resplendent in a Kilt. My daughter took pictures which I am wanting too add but she is still to upload them to the computer... so here are the words for now.

I literally poured most of the sample into my hand and applied to pulse points, wrist, behind ears, back of neck and hair. By anointing this perfumed nectar in my palm gave a feeling of pure unequivical pampered indulgence...

The first instant is a delicious explosion of fruit black currants... this perfume gives a cohesive scent of its own and the blend of the fruity and delicate apricot tea osmanthus, creamy sultry jasmine and vanilla is sublime.... as I entered the church and was greeted with a murmur of what a lovely perfume .......a compliment to Monsieur Dubrana. The perfume lasted well into the afternoon where I applied again to last the rest of the evening. There was not one jarring note... Beautifully balanced as if stepping into the Garden of Eden. Exotic, fabulously fruity and with a touch of sensuality without it being crude or decadent. the drydown smooth and multilayered is without any complexity. In fact an elegance that would quite easily move from Theatre, Ballet or Concert to the bedroom... not cloying or narcotic, too sweet or hedonistic but elegant, full bodied and refined..... with a touch of suggestiveness that draws you in..

Sunday 8 July 2007

great day in london friday 6th july


This is my second year at New Designers in London and once again this proved to be both exhilirating and inspiring exhibition full of new and exciting ideas from some of the new up and coming, rising talent in the UK.

Designers from all the major universities come together to exhibit the very best from their degree final shows. Textiles, jewelry, print, fashion, ceramics,. This is their 22nd year and was opened by our now very own Mr Brown ( our new prime minister) who stamped his approval on the future for UK design.

Lots of 60's retro, ruching, pleating, knotting and knitting.... the jewelry was fantastic .... embroidery on net. I chose this photo from flickr as there was one piece that used photo fingerprints as part of the dress and this reminded me of it and also combined with the netting that I saw.

The building itself is very modern and beautiful to look at and I had a very intensive 2 hours going round everything collecting makers postcards and details to peruse at a later date and gather information for us girls in Bowie & Hulbert, Hay-on-Wye. The glass work was also very beautiful

Wednesday 4 July 2007

Independence Day 4th July celebrate


Happy 4th July.........Many of you will be celebrating with fireworks picnics, water fun.......

Here in Wales I celebrated in a different fashion ... Today Ed our drummer from Babe Ruth bought the first test download from our site and it was a joyous exaltant feeling that what we had accomplished all by ourselves. Record companies have alot of power over artists who sometimes end up with a ball and chain around their necks beholden to a company and losing all their artistic freedom... with the evolution of computer downloads , you tube and such , individuals, now, have their say in how to make their music.... so record company roles will drastically change in the future on how they will perform in the music industry..... I think we still need expertise help to get the music out there....but how it is done that is truly changing. There are some great people in the music industry and it is good to see it evolving so positively.

Happy Independence Day.... Happy 4th July. and a big thanks to Tom Paine.......