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monsteralice

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Everything posted by monsteralice

  1. monsteralice

    What I have

    These are the imps I've kept after testing, and the 5s I have. It seems I like resins and flowers mixed with non-florals. Aeval Ahathoor Alecto Bess Black Dahlia Black Forest Chaos Theory III – MLXII 5mL Chuparosa Darkling Thrush 5mL Dee Delphi Dr. John Seward 5mL Endymion Euterpe Frumious Bandersnatch Gaueko 5mL pending Ginnivre 5mL Hesperides Kumiho Laudanum Maenad Morgause Nocnitsa Oneiroi Parlement of Foules 5mL Pool of Tears Silk Road Thalia Thanatos Tiger Lily Tzadikim Nistarim Uruk Venice Verdandi White Moon 5 mL Xiuhtecuhtli Yerevan
  2. monsteralice

    100 Things About Me

    100 things about me 1. Books fill my house, both on shelves and in heaps and cartons. 2. I have two dogs, both are mixed breed and come from the local animal shelter. 3. I’m not planning to attend, but 2007 is my 25 year college reunion. 4. I went to a women’s college, Mount Holyoke in central MA. 5. I’m childless by choice. 6. I have two cats, they come from the same litter from a feral mom. They are friendly, however, and like to cuddle. 7. I’m really short for someone who had good nutrition growing up. 8. I spent four years in a tight brace (a Wilmington Jacket) that went from just under the arms to my hips. I was being treated for scoliosis and I wore the brace 23 hours a day to force my spine back into position. 9. I was reading at a college level by 5th grade. 10. During the years that I was being treated for scoliosis I read an average of three books a day. 11. I used some of my hours out of the brace to go horseback riding. 12. I’d like to be an alpaca rancher. 13. My husband and I have been together for nearly 19 years. 14. I’m a tech writer by profession. 15. My hair is long, straight, and fine. I keep it my natural color, which is near-black with a silver streak just off of the center of my forehead. 16. I wear an XL or XXL/18 or 20, depending on whether the size runs large or small. 17. I love cicadas. During the last 17-year emergence I would walk down the road picking them up and putting them in trees and bushes, so they would die where it was cool instead of on concrete or macadam. 18. I grew up walking distance from an art museum, so I developed strong tastes in art fairly young. 19. I like Pre-Raphaelites, Art Nouveau, and illustrators whose pictures look like the part of the story they are depicting. I also like most Asian art, most African art (but especially ancient Egypt), and most Meso-American art. 20. I dislike most schools of art that look like the paint was thrown at the canvas, or are just big blocks of color. 21. I love theater. 22. I have season tickets to one of the local Shakespeare theaters. 23. I think it’s ridiculous to spell theater, “theatre”. 24. I was born right on the cusp of Scorpio and Libra, but there was a complication with my breathing and by the time I took my first breath it was Scorpio time. 25. I like beads and making jewelry. 26. It’s a good thing beads are smaller than books, because I really can’t resist them. 27. Okay, I confess, I have four boxes full of beads of all types. 28. I couldn’t control my credit card debt, so now I purchase everything with cash, which I replenish once a week. 29. I want to get a new-to-me used car this year. (Even though it means I’ll have a monthly car payment again.) 30. I love station wagons. 31. I tolerate my current car, which was affordable but is a sedan. 32. I usually drive a car into the ground before getting another one. The car I have now is my fourth in nearly 30 years of driving. 33. I’ve had one new car. I’ve concluded that it just isn’t worth the extra money to be the first owner. 34. I’ve been to England and Eire, but not Scotland (yet). 35. I love cloth of all kinds, and have lots of it, though never enough… 36. I like to sew, but I prefer to make historical garments rather than, say, work clothes. 37. I have two quilts in progress, one in WV and one in VA. 38. I’ve realized that the one in WV is actually pretty hideous – there are so many different fabrics that it’s hard to see the orderliness of the patchwork. I think I must have been manic when I was working on it. 39. I also spin yarn, mostly with a drop spindle, but I have a spinning wheel. 40. I collect pictures of people spinning. 41. I used to weave, but space issues have kept my loom folded since we moved into our house. 42. I’m bi-polar, as well as clinically depressed. I’m medicated for both. 43. I hate taking vitamins, but I do it to keep my husband happy. 44. I’m the oldest of my siblings. 45. I have two nieces, 9 and 5. 46. I sometimes enjoy cooking. 47. Most of my cookbooks are for international cuisines, though I do have The Joy of Cooking. 48. I’m over a foot shorter than my husband. 49. I let the animals get up on the furniture. 50. I wish I had more friends, but I’m not very good at starting or maintaining friendships. 51. I like the paint chip cards you can get in home improvement stores. 52. I once reupholstered an easy chair. It was not as hard as I expected, but it did take some specialized tools. 53. I like dark chocolate. Back when Hershey’s Special Dark was the only type you could get, I’d fight with my Dad to get the few Special Dark in the bag of Halloween miniatures. 54. Halloween is my favorite holiday. 55. I love The Nightmare Before Christmas. 56. I like malted milk balls and chocolate covered cherries. 57. I rarely drink coffee at work, because it’s a pain to make. 58. I have lots of tea at work, and I always look for tins to keep the different types in. My biggest tea tin is in the shape of a pink elephant. 59. I have toys on my desk. Most of them are Pabo figures of pirates, but I have the Fightin’ Eleanor of Aquitaine, D’Artagnan, and the Ice Witch from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (courtesy of McDonalds). 60. Also thanks to McDonalds I have the doll version of Capt. Jack Sparrow. 61. My favorite movie maker who no one else has heard of is Peter Greenaway (Prospero’s Books, Drowning by Numbers, Pillow Book, The Cook, The Thief…) 62. My favorite color is red. 63. I like to work with polymer clay, particularly the Premo brand. Mostly I cover small boxes and make jewelry. 64. I have a dozen matchboxes waiting to be covered. The best type of box is the type of tin that mints come in. I can’t get enough of those. 65. My holiday tree has many more skeletons on it than the average tree. Also more mermaids, and many, many more sheep. 66. One of my guilty pleasures is cherry Jell-O with canned peaches in it. 67. I like reading about archeology. 68. I read comic books, primarily those in the “Vertigo” line from DC. 69. I’m female, straight, and monogamous. 70. I like to make small block prints. This is usually called “eraser carving” though I don’t always use erasers as the printing black. 71. I’ve been inside the oldest roofed structure in the world (Newgrange, in Ireland). 72. I like spicy food, particularly hot peppers. 73. I keep a bottle of Tabasco sauce at my desk. 74. I like sushi, and always order eel, herring, and salmon roe. 75. I like pickled herring on crackers, too. Sometimes I get the type in sour cream. 76. I like creamed chipped beef on toast. Someone has to… 77. I like caviar, and get the cheap grocery store variety as a treat. Goes great on scrambled eggs. 78. I haven’t been able to eat scallops since an unfortunate incident of food poisoning decades ago. Which is a shame, because I like shellfish in general. 79. I’ve eaten (musk) rat. It was terrible. 80. When I make mac and cheese I like to put tuna fish and pickled hot peppers in it, then add a little A-1 Sauce at the table. 81. My religious path is eclectic neo-pagan, with a leaning towards vodou. 82. My magical practice is hoodoo. It’s practical, flexible in material requirements, and very adaptable. 83. I like to live near running water. The houses I grew up in, and our retirement house, all have streams on or near the property. My current house is on a creek that was forced underground in the 1930s – and yes, with enough rain it comes back up, right at a join in our foundation. 84. When I dream, I’m usually a black dog. My mother also experiences dreams this way. 85. I like mix tapes. I like to pick a theme, usually a book or movies, and pick out music that matches it. I also like to make collages for the covers. The one bad thing about switching to mp3s is that there is no point in making a collage for a playlist. 86. I like paper, all types of paper. I use it to cover boxes and to make small books. 87. I collect kid’s picture books with pretty illustrations. I keep some for myself, and give the others to my nieces. I buy most of them used. 88. I have no bump of direction. 89. I don’t like to shop at a malls if I can help it. I feel overwhelmed by the quantity of stuff in one place, and pretty soon start to feel guilty about being an over-privileged American. 90. Despite anything appearing above, I am not a goth. 91. I’m still on dial-up. 92. I don’t watch TV. I used to, but about 15 years ago we moved into an apartment so small there was no room for a TV, so we got out of the habit. When we got a house we were too cheap to buy a TV set, then when we were given a set we didn’t want to pay for cable, so we just never got back into it. We really don’t have time, anyway. 93. I like wool socks. In cold weather I like to wear them to bed. 94. In hot weather I sleep in the nude, and usually without a top sheet. 95. I don’t have enough closet space, so I use the trunk of my car as auxiliary storage space. 96. My big extravagance in the last year was buying an 8-foot table to do crafts on. 97. I get pedicures more often than manicures. 98. One of my favorite artists is Joseph Cornell. 99. I like musicals, and just saw “Into the Woods” for the first time. 100. I am tattooed on my right upper arm and my back. I have tattoos of a mermaid, Thoth, a labyrinth, the Lady of the Beasts, Scythian horseheads, and a great blue heron. Eventually I plan to have a half-sleeve on my right arm, and possibly one on my left also. I don’t intend to get any tatts in places that aren’t coverable until after I retire.
  3. monsteralice

    Just packed

    Just packed the first box for my Switch Witch. Teehee! And this was the small box...
  4. monsteralice

    March LEs

    I'm safe from the LEs this month. I nearly succumbed to the Fire Pig, and I did get a Crow Moon tee, but tees don't count, nor do "nearly." However, there are some new Bewitching Brews I want to sample eventually: Bien Loin D’ici, (can I call you Area) 51, and Brown Jenkins. I'm planning to buy Pulcinella and Teresina this month, probably along with Silk Road. I'm starting to feel a little guilty about getting 5s when I still have a bunch of imps to try, though; I probably won't buy another big batch of imps off eBay. Once I've finished with this heap, I'll let someone else indulge. In 5s I have a CTIII, Parlement of Foules, Darkling Thrush, Dr. John Seward, and Ginnivre. Tomorrow I'll try to post a list of the "keepers" I've got. Just in case my Switch Witch can see any pattern among them...
  5. monsteralice

    Mwah-ha-ha

    Finished the multiple pieces of the first little gift last night, with the result that the scissors now desperately need degunking. Tonight will be episode 3 of "Mr. Scissors, meet Mr. Nail Polish Remover." Had to pick up a package at the PO today. It was DH's birthday present, arriving with a little time to spare. For a minute I was hoping it was something I ordered for my SwitchWitchee, but then I lifted it... uh, no, not at that poundage. Now I have to get it into the house, wrapped, and hidden, so DH doesn't guess what it is just from the size and shape.
  6. monsteralice

    Plots and Plans

    I'm having a lot of fun making A Little Something for my Switch Witchee. It involves scissors as the secondary tool -- I'm just saying, hint, hint. My plan is to send 3 boxes, but whether that actually happens or not may be affected by the Mercury retrograde we're in right now.... I remembered to add another thing that I like -- origami. I've never mastered the crane, but I do a mean butterfly.
  7. monsteralice

    Switch Witch Spring 2007

    Got my assignment, squeeee! We don't have much in common, so I'm jumping on the stuff that matches my experience. I figure since I know I can get close with that, I'll start there before trying riskier things. I wish she had included her size, but given everything else about her, I'm going to guess she's a Small.
  8. monsteralice

    Two, Five & Seven

    Wet: Fruity, edible rose Dry: All rose, no discernible grass Finish: Rose Duration/throw: Not as rowdy as some of the other rose-dominant scents (Whip, I'm looking at you) but nice enough. It did a little wafting early on, but was down to the wrist by the 5 hour point. I liked 2,5,and 7, but not enough to put it in the keeper pile. I've discovered I like my rose to be blended with something else, so 2,5,and 7 can't really compete with the likes of Venice or Parlement of Foules.
  9. monsteralice

    Bess

    Wet: Intriguing - makes me think of a cordial or a stillroom. Dry: Honey-like. The rose, which normally pops out on me, was quite well-behaved. Finish: Herbs and honey Duration/throw: Bess fades back to the wrist fairly fast, but once at that intensity it stays for hours. It was still good until about the 9 hour point. This one's a keeper.
  10. monsteralice

    Pain

    Wet: Sneezeworthy, very medicinal. Dry: Still medicinal, but not as strong. More a doctor's office than an Urgent Care Center. Duration: Pretty faint at 2.5 hours. I can't decide if I'll keep the imp or not. It disappeared just as I started to really like it. ADDED Dec. 5: When first applied I get a minty fresh scent. Since the blend isn't listed as containing mint, it must just be my nose playing tricks. When dry the lavender takes over, then shortly fades away, leaving an earthy green scent. Doesn't last very long, maybe 3 hours on me. Not for me, so into the enabling box it goes. Fact of the day: Did you know that pennyroyal is an abortifacient? Might mean that this is one for the pregnant to stay away from, but that is probably overcautious.
  11. monsteralice

    Osun

    When Osun walks down the path dipping honey out of her honey pot and licking it off her fingers, all the little animals go, "Ahhhh," and swoon as she passes by. That's this scent. Wet: Honey and something reminiscent of Coca-Cola. Dry: A heavy honey humid day scent. Duration: Still noticeable at the wrist after 10 hours. This one's a keeper!
  12. monsteralice

    Silk Road

    Wet: Cardamon tea in a carpet shop. Dry: Warm, rounded, and spicy. Duration/throw: Good throw for the first few hours, them makes a gradual retreat. Silk Road is a great "exotic" scent; one drop and you feel well-traveled even if you don't have a passport. This is definitely a keeper, and probably a bottle purchase.
  13. monsteralice

    The Jersey Devil

    Wet: A slightly bitter leafy scent like a slight breeze. Hard to pick out the cedar as anything but a woody undertone. Something sweet and a little musky. Dry: The sweetness resolves as berry. Most of the bitter greenery disappears. Finish: Musky Duration/throw: No throw. Down to the wrist by the 3 hour point. The Jersey Devil is pleasant enough, but not one I think I'll be reaching for frequently (my new standard!) so it goes into the swap box. Someone more outdoorsy may find this one to be their dream scent.
  14. monsteralice

    Scarecrow

    Wet: Pleasant, definitely an outdoorsy scent. Dry: Sweet, grassy, and a little dusty. Finish: No change. Duration: Retreats to the wrist fairly quickly, but hangs on for a few hours.
  15. monsteralice

    The Pool of Tears

    Wet: Light and flowery, with a hint of lime. Dry: Sharp and flowery. Finish: Mixed flowers. Duration: Lasts about 8 hours, never blatant. Would be a good scent to give to someone not yet sure about wearing perfumes - not that we're enablers or anything...
  16. monsteralice

    Ouija

    Wet: Lilac with a woody scent backing it up. Dry: Rose comes up to blend with the lilac. The wood is still there. I don't know what osmanthus smells like, so I'm guessing it's that "other scent" that is driving me crazy trying to isolate it. Finish: A little dusty - dried roses and lilac crumbled into a hot bath in a claw-footed tub. Duration/throw: Had good throw for the first few hours - still getting occasional wafts around three and a half hours from application. Steadily diminished until it was completely gone at the nine hour point. Nice. It made me want to put on a high-necked dress and high buttoned shoes. Edited to fix spelling.
  17. monsteralice

    The Mock Turtle's Lessons

    Wet: Interesting. The notes come up individually; also this is the first "aquatic" where I really see why they are called that. Apple, mint, and lime are the loudest scents when wet. Dry: It evolves into a nice floral. It's pretty enough, but not really unusual. Duration/throw: Stayed close to the wrist the whole time. Lasted about 6 hours.
  18. monsteralice

    Laudanum

    Wet: Smells like the Indian grocery where I bought spices - that's not a bad thing, BTW. Alas, a tall office building has replaced "Indian Spices & Appliances"... Dry: Spicy! Duration/throw: Not much wafting, but it lasts well - still strong at 10 hours. It's a keeper!
  19. monsteralice

    Arachne

    Wet: Wood and herbs to start, a little bitter. Dry: Flowers come out and it starts to throw. Finish: All flowers. Duration: Goes faint fairly quickly, not much throw after the first half hour. Not bad, but not outstanding. Into the swap pile for someone more appreciative to enjoy.
  20. monsteralice

    Verdandi

    Wet: Apple and smoke. Dry: The apple fades quickly, leaving an almost medicinal incense smell. Finish: Eventually the amber overpowers the herbs. Amber is nice. I like amber. Duration: Almost gone at 6 hours.
  21. monsteralice

    Mag Mell

    The Plane of Joy, eternal reward for a lifetime of valor and glory. A place of eternal youth and beauty, strength and honor, music and revelry. The warmth of amber, the puissance of white ginger and the clarity of verbena, with fresh green grass, lush sage and cleansing droplets of summer rain. Wet: Eating lemon-ginger cookies in a hayfield. Dry: Loses the lemon, gets sweeter. Finish: Amber with a touch of ginger. Duration: Not much left after 6 hours. I threw this one into my swap pile. Not that I didn't like it, I did; but it just didn't have the oomph of the ones that I've loooooooooved. Still, I reserve the right to give it another try once I've worked through more of BPAL's offerings.
  22. monsteralice

    The Hesperides

    Wet: Whoa, apples! Then something a little nutty. Dry: Musk and something sweet and grain-like. Reminds me of molasses and oats. Duration: Still wafting at 8 hours. A keeper.
  23. monsteralice

    Aeval

    Wet: Nice, not perfumey, not too sweet. Dry: Smoky without smoke - the sage is discernable as a sensation more than a separate note. Duration: Still wafting at 5 hours, still strong at 9 hours. This one's a keeper!
  24. monsteralice

    Black Dahlia

    Wet: Mixed floral with a smoky edge. Dry: Has a nice throw. Rose and jasmine are prominent and the smoke is gone. Duration: Had a good throw for 2 hours, was still good on the wrist for at least 12 hours (then I went to bed).
  25. monsteralice

    Tzadikim Nistarim

    Wet: Interesting and not like any other BPAL I've tried (though that's not many, so YMMV). Galangal, familiar as Little John to Chew and as an ingredient in Tom Kha Gai, is the most prominent, along with something that must be the olive, though it doesn't smell like olive oil, it's sharper than that. Dry: An occult shop, the type with lots of dark wood and little drawers, where you have to ask for everything. Finish: The inside of a wooden box that once held incense. Duration: It was down to the wrist by about four hours, so would need reapplying. This one is a keeper.
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