MonkeysInk

Here's a list of my Switch Witch answers: 1) Would you like any of Cat Coven's Halloween goods? It's her original artwork based on medieval art. (It's a limited edition of everything, so hopefully things arent sold out yet.) No, thank you. 2) Look at The Green Salmon's webpage The Green Salmon - do you fancy any of the teas, coffees etc? It's a favorite place for me to stop on the coast, and I'll take any excuse to drive to the ocean. All of those teas look amazing - that fairy realms blend and the bathory blend both look fantastic. 3) What are your favorite halloween/samhain treats to eat? Please be specific. I have access to various candy stores, including healthy candy lol. Any kind of sour gummy candy. I love chocolates, but I also live in Texas and have concerns about mailing melty things. Would you like any of these Snag Halloween tights? And if so, which of their sizes? https://snagtights.com/pages/halloween Grimoire, Gully, carnelian. Size D, please. (I have some of these in basic colors, but recently changed sizes and would love some new ones!) I would love a scarf! Fall colors - brown, olive, orange. Bulky. Spa cloths for the bathroom would be lovely! I love pastels for the bath. What Halloween things off RedBubble do you like? Share link if possible. Unsure - let me come back to this one as I'm not familiar with the site. Is there anything you might want from Japan? Snacks (autumn flavors are out~), nerdy stuff, cute stuff anything! Totally open - I love trying new snacks and cute office supplies. is there anything being removed from site or a virtual con scent you are interested in trying? No, I don't think there's anything specific. Moonalisa.....she just released her new Halloween scents, lip balm, candles, and soaps, want anything? (mooscents.com) Oh, so many things here look good! Blood orange & cotton candy, Bohemian velvet, candied apple, COCONUT PUMPKIN LATTE ❤️ I was wondering whether Tim Tams in any incarnation would tempt my witchee? I've never had them, so yes, I'd love to give them a try. On the less sweet side, are there any other Australian things you might be tempted by? Nothing comes to mind, although I will admit not knowing much about Australian treats. Do you enjoy fanfic? I would be happy to write something for you, and/or read/comment upon/gush over thing(s) you've written, if that's something you'd enjoy... Not really... Would you appreciate rare TAL decant(s) in 1 mL amber roll-on bottle(s)? Yes! I've never tried anything from TAL. How do you feel about enamel pins? If positively, which fandoms or topics would you like? Feminism, cows, flowers, rainbows I make lightweight hairfalls, the kind that can be attached to a pony tail or to pig tails. They are good for those of us that are more tender-headed. I use a variety of materials like shibori ribbon, and puffy yarns and pieces of lace and silk. You can use them for every day or as part of your Weenie costume. Is this of interest to you? If so tell me what length, what color(s) and if you want one for a pony tail or two for pig tails. Probably not, but they sound adorable and I'd love to see others' photos with them. During my recent travels I got to experience the incredible delight of Serge Luten perfumers here in Paris (imagine if the Lab and Anna Sui made babies inside a Cadbury Cream Egg decorated with stained glass windows and...you've come close to the experience of being in that shop). Anyway, after spending gobs of monies, they loaded me up with delectable samples of their insanely expensive wares- do you want some??? OH HECK YES. Haus Of Gloi just had their Halloween update! Anything appeal to you? https://www.hausofgloi.com/collections/fall-1 APPLE MILK sounds amazing. Kitchen witch, little hedgehog, Persephone's descent, pumpkin eater, spider silk. They all sound awesome and I'd love anything, especially pumpkin butter. I just came across this Etsy shop (TheGrayMuse) and I WILL BE ORDERING and wondering if you would like something from there as well? Those are gorgeous. I would wear a poppy or a pansy. Future Primitive Soaps has released it's fall stuff. Would you like anything from there dearest witchee? https://futureprimitivesoap.co.uk I would love some bath milk or a soap sampler. I harvested some elderberries yesterday and I have a lot more out there, so I made a batch of elderberry syrup. Would you appreciate a 4oz bottle of it? Very much! Do you want anything from Sea Witch Botanicals (I can buy it locally from shops)? Lip balms, soaps, anything you recommend - I've not tried this brand and it looks fab. Hirons Drug Store - which is basically an Unbelievable place to browse for every kind of eclectic, fun, spooky, weird, and even useful thing you could want - so tell me some Odds And Ends of things you like or want, I know this is open ended, sorry - - gadgetry, stickers, toys, pens, costumery, snacks, decoration, kitchen stuff, etc. I love little toys to play with on my desk, I love gel/rollerball/fountain pens, stickers, Halloween/fall decorations. Kitchen/tea towels Gift Certificates you'd like to places that are local to you? George Coffee + Provisions. Liberation Coffee. There is a local Nespresso store I like to go to. How do you feel about ILNP nail polish and what are your favs from the new Cosmos collection and any others on their site?? Thank you, but no thank you. I'm not really so much into nail polish. Would you be interested in anything from Alobudra? https://alobudrallc.company.site/products/ Anything bath-y. Their bracelets are really pretty. are there any more “traditional” Japanese souvenirs you’d like to have (think chopsticks, tenugui, washi paper, etc.)? I just googled tenugui and I would love some! I also like paper for my art journal. Would you like anything from Trader Joe's? (Pumpkin products are, sadly, not in stores yet, but they will be during this round!) yes! I have a TJs near me and rarely go - I love their pumpkin treats! Do you have any Halloween traditions? We watch family-friendly Halloween movies and trick-or-treat in our neighborhood. I usually make a big batch of chili and all of the kids' friends come to our house as their jumping off point for trick-or-treating. What about Halloween-related fandoms? (ie. The Nightmare Before Christmas) Love Nightmare! Also love Hocus Pocus! I make things from thrifted sweaters that I cut up & make things from. Do you like armwarmers? - no thank you, it doesn't really get cold enough here for that. How do you feel about cherry things? Check out Cherry Republic and let me know if anything catches your eye! YES. Cherry salsa looks awesome. Chocolate with cherries is a yes. Really, anything cherry is amazing. Similarly, are you into fancy flavors of olive oil or vinegar? Check out Fustini's and let me know if anything appeals! YES. My family cooks nearly every meal at home and we love spices and oils and vinegars. We love to make salad dressings with flavored balsamic vinegars, so one of those would be lovely. We also have an awesome store for jams and sauce, American Spoon which you should totally check out! This looks fantastic! I do not much like maple syrup, but everything else looks great. Would you like some locally sourced maple syrup? I do not like maple, but my family does, so it would not go unappreciated. Finally, I live in a place known for fudge. Do you like it and/or are their flavors you particularly like? My favorite shop is Murdick's if you need to see a flavor list. Oh, these look delicious. Cherry. Peanut butter, pumpkin...it all looks amazing! Anything from the IKEA Halloween store catch your witchy eye? https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/campaigns/halloween/ I love that spooky purple wreath! https://wildsoulriver.com I own the Magical Nature Tarot and love the feel of the cards. They have candles and teas and tinctures and books of the activist or witchy sort. Anything you see that you'd like? I am learning more about mushrooms lately and would love some mushroom-based products. I live near a Penzey's Spice https://www.penzeys.com - do you cook? - very much! - Do you want fancy schmancy spices or spice blends? sure! - Do you have a favorite alternative source that you prefer and or recommend? For example egads I am asking lots of Qs Curio Spice Co, Diaspora etc do ethically sourced spices. - If you cook is there a type of cuisine you are interested in learning more about and would appreciate a starter pack of spices for that type of cooking? - I cook all the things and we love Penzey's! I rarely buy blends, so I'm open to trying some of those. Colourpop's Haunted Mansion collection dropped today. If you're interested in makeup or skin care, are you interested in anything from Colourpop? https://colourpop.com/ Yes! Love the super-shiny lips (not matte) and the creepin' and frightful super shock shadow. Anything of interest from Cellar Door? (They have candles and soaps.) Soap or candles would be great - that Northern Lights soap looks amazing. Are you into wax melts, candles, incense, room sprays, or none of the above? Candles, yes. Room sprays, yes. Would you like anything from Luvmilk's Monster Mash? Alien and Ghost both look delish! I dye yarn. Are you a person who crafts with such? What fiber, weights, and colors would tickle your fancy? Would you rather have two different 100g skeins or enough of the same something for a bigger project? I love yarn, but I am presently drowning in it and have to say thank you but no thank you right now. Provided my experiments work, would you be interested in a bar of homemade tallow soap? I promise I will not send you anything particularly suspect, so this is entirely contingent upon my competence. yes! Do homemade caramels or shortbread tickle your fancy? Shortbread, yes! because I’m a knitting kind of witch, would you appreciate a pair of hand knit socks. If yes, would you like them in a particular colour? yes! I love burnt orange colors and would happily wear those. What type of spooky season imagery do you like? (Ie. bats, ghosts, vintage Halloween, etc.) Frankenstein, witches, crows Astrid's Autumn Line and Anniversary Tea Party just dropped. Anything you want? Homemade and preserved food goodies - Which of these things would you like my dear witchie? All are organic and grown or made by me. sun-dried heirloom tomatoes - yes dried ancho chile peppers - can be whole halves or ground into a delicious powder - yes sugar-free candied pecans and walnuts or almonds - yes gourmet quality fudge in many flavors (formerly from my ETSY shop which I had to close until I have my own home again) please give me an idea the kinds of flavors you like. My more popular ones are Penuche, Choc & PB, Pumpkin pie, Forest fruit (with cherries, blueberries and cranberries), Vegan chocolate - yes, PB, pumpkin pie, forest fruit - those sound amazing! dried italian plums (pitted) - I have not had these and they sound fun to try! sugar-free canned plum or logan berry jam - I'm not sure I've had either of these made into jams, so they sound fun to try, too! freshly dried rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley individually or in combo - I have plenty of these from my garden. almond flour baked goods (low carb, sugar free, and gluten free) - give me examples of savory and sweet things you'd like - I love snickerdoodles or sweet breads. Might you like a witch hat? Later this month I'm taking a class at an area museum where I'm supposed to decorate 2 hats. Also I crochet wicked cute witchy hats. That sounds like a fun Halloween decoration! Do you see anything here that interests you? They have dry shampoos, whipped soaps, awesome hand cream, linen spray, sugar scrubs and perfume. https://www.etsy.com/shop/faefragrance/?etsrc=sdt Heavy hand cream or sugar scrubs would be lovely. It's also that time of year where I make handmade soap (usually with calendula infused olive oil, tallow, oatmeal and honey) and candles (feel free to specify color and size, I don't usually scent them, but I do have a clover and apple scent I've been wanting to play with). I can also annoint and dress candles with TALs and herbs. Any interest? - yes, those sound lovely, including clover/apple scent. I have not tried TAL yet and would love something anointed with it. I also grow herbs which can be culinary or magical. I'd be happy to prepare a smudge or dry some herbs for your enjoyment. I currently have oregano (yellow and standard), mugwort, thyme, sage (purple or garden), tea peppermint, chives, lovage, plantain, comfrey, raspberry leaf, and yarrow. I'm probably forgetting something. - I would love some magical herbs - that is something I have not tried much of and would love some to try, especially if it came with some guidance. I also make salves! My go to in an arnica, calendula and comfrey mix for healing wounds or chapped skin. This can also be used on pet paws. We do have barely enough time that I could do a custom infusion. - that sounds fantastic! I use arnica on my shoulder when I have ouchies there, so I would love a custom salve. If you have a furry friend living with you, what sort of treats do they like? Lillian, my French sheepdog, loves crunchy treats, especially with pumpkin or blueberries in them, but she is not picky. She also really likes rice. What is your feelings on seasonal mugs? Yes or, no? Too many in your house or bring them on?? Bring them on! Are your wishlists - Amazon, Etsy, etc - up to date, and if so, are they all linked somewhere that I can find them? Etsy here. Do you have anything you use every day that you wouldnt mind getting more of? lip balm. Hand cream. Fountain pens and fountain pen ink. Notebooks. Anything you love or need to have from Adagio or Rishi teas? I love tea, especially green tea and fruit teas. Nocturne Alchemy just dropped their Halloween update! You like the looks of anything? https://nocturnealchemy.com/collections/limited-collection Wicked capcake, vintage witch - those look great! Is there anything you would like from the Weenie update? So many things! Pumpkin latte, pumpkin spice everything, pumpkin trash bag. Witches current cake. Witches tea. Any of the atomo sprays. I'm very interested in bath oil or hair gloss. How do you feel about stickers? If positively, are there any themes you'd rather not have stickers of? I love stickers! I"m not so much into scary things or bloody things. I'm more into cute/vintage/kitchsy. What about crystals, cool rocks, and gemstones? Yes! I love small things that can go on my desk to look at or handle while I work. How do you feel about Squishmallows and Squishables? (They have mini and micro sizes for those who like cute plushies but don't have a lot of space.) OMG yes. I have a shark and an octopus that are Flipmallows on my desk. I would love a bat or a pumpkin spice latte or witches brew or a bunnycorn or really anything squishmallow/squishable. Would you wear enamel pins with chains that are meant to be put on lapels? (Something like this.) Maybe not. Speaking of enamel pins... The Pickety Witch's Autumn and Halloween collection just dropped. Has anything caught your eye? No thank you. I used to make mobiles out of paper cranes, would you appreciate something like this? if so, what size restrictions do you have, if any? ie., should it take up less space vertically or horizontally? color palette preference? That would be very pretty in my office! The walls are a very pale yellow and my very favorite color is orange. Anything you'd like from my Ren Fest? There is an outstanding garlic based shop I'll be going to next weekend, for my annual stock up of their spice blends & garlic oil blends. Any other Renny stuff that you like? Oh, garlic or spices would be great! I haven't been to Ren Fest in many years, but I do remember lovely handmade ceramic mugs and I drink a lot of hot drinks, so I would be delighted with one of those. know we are looking at a lot of candles, but if you are into looking at more (and it is ok to say you are not), do any of these strike your fancy? https://www.lakewoodwax.com/candlesforacause (Feel free to take a look at their current and signature scents too but I wanted to highlight these fundraiser scents first!) all four of the cause scents look fantastic.

This one smells so so so green to me, like some kind of luscious green tropical fruits. I read all of the reviews that say pineapple and rum, but I just don't get that at all - it almost smells like a Luper-esque mix of fruits to me. My skin eats it up and I'm left with almost nothing by the time it dries down. If I sniff very closely, I get a whiff of what might be some greenish raspberry? I wanted so very much to like this one, but it's just not at all what I expected it to be. I bought it from a swap and it's fifteen years old at this point, so I guess aging has been less kind to this than to others. I will use it up and enjoy it for what it is now, but it is not one I will hoard or seek out a replacement.

Found an old imp in my stash and I don’t think I’ve ever tried it. If I had to guess, it’s at least 10 years old and probably older. I’ve also never tried Dorian (blushes…) so maybe I need to try that next. In the imp, this smelled like lemony tea and bright leaves. On the skin, this smells like cedar. Lots and lots of cedar. It smells sweet and fresh, but all I get is that very bright woodsy note.

I tried an extremely old imp of this - if I had to guess, I’d say it’s around 10 years old. When I opened the imp, it was a blast of lemongrass. I tipped the imp over and…nothing. I waited and waited and waited - the perfume had turned into a syrupy texture that very slowly oozed out. On the skin it was straight lemongrass that faded almost immediately into a very faint, slightly feral musk. Within a few minutes, the scent had totally faded.

I have no idea how long I’ve had this imp, but I will guesstimate around 10 years. I have worn it several days before writing this review. Wet, it smells like pine trees and a man’s cologne. As it dries down, it gets a little fruitier and there is basically no throw - I can only smell this by pressing my nose to my skin. I like to put perfume in my hair and even today after several days of brushing the imp’s wand through my hair, I can’t smell anything. I was hoping for some of the fruity, woodsy goodness listed above, but perhaps my imp’s day to shine has come and gone.

I bought this one from the Swaps some time ago. I always expect citrus scents to fade with age, and this one has not. It’s gotten more sugary, but it is still quite lemony and tangy and delicious. I am nearing the end of my bottle and desperately hope this one (or something v similar) will make a comeback. It’s like a lemon cooky or a lemon candy or lemoncello sorbet - it’s not sweet, but you know it’s meant to be a dessert of sorts. If you’ve had one of those half-lemons filled with lemon sorbet, it smells like those taste.

I have had the bottle for a long time and rarely used it, and I am now trying to work my way through my stash rather than succumbing to the ever-present temptation to buy New & Shiny BPAL. Something in this blend smells like a Lunacy - it’s a watery herbal-floral blend and I have a hard time parsing individual fragrances from it. It’s always been like this, which is why I haven’t used it - it smells like one big blobby scent rather than my nose being able to pick out individual notes. I read back through all of the previous reviews and have sniffed and sniffed trying to pick things out, but alas, it continues smelling like one inseparable thing. It’s fine. I’m going to use it because I have it, but it’s not a favorite nor did it get better with age. My youngest says it makes my hair smell nice when he hugs me, so that’s the best kind of review.

I get apple blossom and neroli and orchid, with a little sandalwood in the background. This smells like expensive department store perfume in the best way - it’s floral and interesting and long-lasting while still still unique and complex in the way that BPAL does better than anyone else. ETA: I have been wearing this every day this summer and it’s been just lovely. It stays close to the body and doesn’t feel overwhelming for long, hot days but still manages to be delicious and sexy and complex. I’m almost at the end of this bottle and will miss Miss Addie when she’s gone.

I bought this directly from the Lab when it was first released and I did not love it. It was very sharp, it was very loud, it felt obnoxious to wear it. I have opened it a few times since and still did not feel like it was something that I would feel confident wearing. Today, I found it in my collection and decided to try it again. It's probably been three or four years since I last opened it, and today, it hs transformed into something very wearable. There is a lot of lavender, some grounding from the resin of the elemi, and a very light waft of sandalwood. When I first put it on, I thought I'd put on too much and was going to overwhelm my family (I'm writing this during Covid shut-down) while we were home together all day. Quite the opposite - within a few minutes, the scent was close to my skin and felt really sexy and unexpected. It's definitely what I would describe as a masculine scent and on the verge of being commercial, but somehow it's not. I really love this, I will definitely be wearing it again, and I think that I'll make some bath salts with this as it would make a very relaxing scent to soak in.

I am writing this review, fascinated that this perfume is now 12 years old. It smells light and less floral than I suspect it did when it was younger. The incense has moved further forward with orchids behind it. It’s lovely like flowers at dusk, lit by a barely smoking tiki torch. I diluted a bit in my palm with some liquid coconut oil and drenched myself in it, and it’s just perfect for a warm summery date night.

I am a gin fanatic, so I was excited to find this imp in my stash. There is a gin called St. George Terroir that was made to taste like the things the creators loved about California. I'm not sure if Beth was intentionally imitating the scent of this gin, but if not, I hope that she'll buy some of it and try it, because St. George and Bagpipe Dog are very similar. It's one of my favorite gins because the fragrance and taste are so distinctive and stay very green, never straying into sweetness. Anyway, back to the perfume: I agree that it has the fizzy quality of other alcohol-inspired scents, but it goes away quickly. There is juniper and pine with a whiff of lime. This scent stays very lush and green and unisex. I love it and am sad that it's too late to buy a bottle.

Rich champaca and peppery bourbon vanilla. Green tea came much, much later. The throw was moderate. This one was nice, but not one I would reach for again as it was pretty intense for work. (still a little amused that I wore Injured Dickchest to work without knowing it...I grabbed an imp and put some on without reading the name or the notes.)

Somehow I have an imp of this that I just found - probably a gift from a generous forumite. Ten years after its creation, I’m finally using this and wow, is it amazing. It smells of cinnamon and allspice and something shiny - it’s like a gorgeous warm, pie pulled from the oven with that beautiful glowing, shiny top. I am soaking in a bath after a long, cold, rainy day and this is the perfect comforting scent to immerse myself in. 🧡

This smells like cake and flowers. I never got any lavender, just sweetness and florals. It reminds me of of a friend showing up with a cupcake and flowers for your birthday - not too much sweetness, not too many flowers - everything in the right proportions. For my taste, it’s a little foodie, but I knew that going in and wanted to try it anyway.

In 2020, this is a dry, yellow scent with some clean musk behind it. It has very little throw, but is really lovely and soft and I keep sniffing my wrist. I can smell ginger and amber, but the florals seem to have long faded away.

I did not read the review of this before I opened the imp, so I didn't realize it had pumpkin in it until I came here to write this review. This was all caramel and vanilla and honey for me. I strongly dislike caramel and honey smells rather meh on me, so I was pretty disappointed by the scent. I went ahead and put some on, hoping it would morph, but by mid-day, it smelled exactly the same. (Why is it that a scent I don't like stays on forever and the ones I like get eaten by my skin?) Once I read that this had pumpkin in it, I might have called it pumpkin caramel cheesecake or pumpkin caramel tart - something very foodie with a heavy, heavy drizzle of caramel on it. For me, this was a bust. If you look sweet, foodie scents, this might be one to consider.

2015 version in 2020: I didn’t read the description before I put it on, and I was convinced the primary note was sugared mango after I wore it for a while. After looking at the description, I can definitely separate out the fruit and the apple blossom and the sugar. I don’t get any pepper, just leafy, sugary fruit. Very nice, but faded quickly and was not one that would tempt me to find a bottle as it just didn’t have enough staying power.

This was pretty with a sweet apple scent as it went on, but my skin ate it and it didn't even make it an hour before there was just a whisper of flowery sandalwood left behind. I would describe this as light and ephemeral.

This is a delicious, amazing grapefruit fragrance - like all grapefruit, all the time. The other citrus comes through nicely, too, and it's all just totally fantastic. This reminds me so much of the late-80s Body Shop grapefruit bar soap. I got an imp from the forums and now I want an enormous bottle. Sadly, it does fade fast. 😥

I realized that I never put this in the tub to soak, so I’ve started using a few drops as body moisturizer in the shower. It’s mainly musks with some very faint floral undertones. Morocco is my go-to daily wear perfume, and the combination of the two is heady - all the swirling warm musks is delicious.

I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I bought this in a swap In 2008 and never opened it until today. It has a delicious clean, outdoorsy smell that is very unisex and fresh. I get some woods, but they’re white and in the background - like polite, well/behaved trees waving hello. Here in North Texas, it’s just starting to get cool and this is the kind of scent perfect for our October days. It’s fall without being heavy or overly spicy, it’s cool outside without being smoky or dark. In short, I love it and I wish I had more than a single imp.

2017 Version: I put some on just before getting in the car with my kids. My four year old yelled "Mom, you smell like marshmallows!" They're his favorite treat, so this is high praise. I get delicious vanilla with a soft ivory floral underneath. It's sweet but not foodie and hasn't tended toward plastic. At the end of the day, I get old, gauzy lace - like a doily in an old library...there's something a little dusty and book-ish underneath. When it was announced this was available, I bought some without even reading the description because I knew it was such a cult favorite. It totally deserves the hype it has gotten for so long.

This is so amazing, even hot from the mailbox. I stood in front of my house and sniffed and sniffed this one - it reminds me of something that my great-grandmother used to wear (Chantilly, maybe?) in the most perfect of ways. I'm going to let this settle for a few days and then try it again, but if it smells like this even under the worst of conditions I can't wait to see what it's like when it's had a few days to cool and settle. ETA: I went and read the scent notes and reviews of Chantilly, and I suspect it's the jasmine and musk in this that's giving me that scent memory. Part of me wants to go smell Chantilly somewhere to see how close I am about how similar they smell. Another part of me wants to continue letting Miss Addie give me this memory without spoiling it with whatever contemporary Chantilly smells like. I'd be curious to see if another BPALer has the same association.

I used to volunteer at my produce co-op, where we'd wait in the morning air for the truck to arrive with the crates of vegetables. We'd open the back of the truck and this blast of cool veggie-scented air would spill forth. That's what this smells like - lettuce and squash and fig all rolled together. As it dried, I got some of the cream, but it's mostly vegetables. This is not a scent that I would reach for, although I'm thrilled to have gotten it as a gift from a sweet Forumite so I could try it. 2020 edit: going through old imps and found this one again. Still smells like green veg, but now the honey and cream are screaming loudly to be heard. It is now a weird, sweet creamed vegetable scent that I do not enjoy at all. It’s so interesting to find imps that I’ve already reviewed and try them again to see how they have changed for me.

This smells like green and white florals (is there green floral? If so, this is definitely it.) and clean, outdoor air. This didn't have much throw or last very long, although it was lovely for the short time it lingered. This is one I think would smel especially lovely spritzed onto my hair, to have the fresh, clean smell follow me around.