lizardqueen

This is sophisticated and soft on me. In the first hour after application, I get a good dose of coconut, but on me it's not the fake suntan oil coconut, it's just a nice, smooth coconut. The vetiver lurks in the background, and riding on top of that is a mix of the rest of the fruits and florals, which to my nose came out as a sort of lovely light wine scent. After about an hour, I was still getting whiffs of the above from where I applied the scent on my neck, but on my wrists it's just about gone. However, if I put my nose close to my wrists I get a nice, soft vanilla peach scent. Makes me want to experiment with place of application, with slathering, with trying it in a scent locket. Overall verdict: definitely a keeper!

2009 edition Yum! My first impression of this was incensey pomegranate. It warms up some as it dries, adding a hint of spice, and sniffing closely I think maybe I get a hint of pine needles, too? Mostly, though, there's just the pomegranate. No ice note or anything--which is good, 'cause ice/snow notes often go kinda funky on me. I can understand the shower gel comparisons--the pomegranate scent here is not so different in character from, say, Bath & Body Works' Midnight Pomegranate scent--but this is so much richer than any mass-marketed product I've tried. Seriously considering buying a full bottle (which, given my current finances, is saying something... ).

Oh wow. On me, this does what it says on the tin, pretty much: smells like pfefferneuse! I get the standard baking spices, plus some pepper and a bit of anise, with the powdered sugar coating. It's definitely in the same family as the GC Shub -- they're both spicy and reminiscent of baked goods but with a sort of dryness to them, which is to say, not too sweet. This has some pretty good strength and throw, for me. In fact, once it's fully dry on my skin it's right on the edge of being overwhelming. Still, there's something to be said for a little going a long way, no? (I'm fascinated to see the wide variety of impressions thus far in this thread!)

Ohh... and I had such high hopes for the Countess, too! I put this on, and it's immediately a big fat no. I wrinkled my nose and told my partner it smells like feet. That's not quite it, though. It just smells... wrong. I feel fairly certain it's the chocolate plum musk. Once it dries down more fully I get more of what I'd been hoping for: a touch of amaretto, a bit of red musk, some candied fruit. (ETA: sniffing it on my arm again, I'd almost swear there's a bit of leather in there...) It's still not the pure unadulterated joy I'd been hoping for, though. (Maybe I had my hopes up a bit too high? ) Ah well. You win some, you lose some, right?

******9/8***** What was your favouritest job ever, and why? Teaching (college-level). I get really excited about interacting with students when they're tuned in and engaged, and I love being there for the click moment when suddenly the get it -- and more often than not, I learn from my students, too. Which three albums would you take to your apocalypse bolt hole and how would you power the generator? Answered in thread. What GC scent have you been putting off getting since it'll "always be there"? Answered in thread. Are you interested in things like home remedies for ailments, cleaning solutions, etc.? Definitely! Especially if you've got anything for mosquito bites... (Yesterday afternoon/evening was so lovely that I thought I'd spend some time in the back yard reading and watching the doggies cavort. I lit up the anti-mosquito tiki torches... but that didn't keep them from munching on my feet. Present count: 11 bites on my right foot, 10 bites on my left. Mosquitos lurve me, and I react pretty strongly to the bites. Grumph.) ******9/7***** Any cooks? Could you use anything cooking related? Aprons? Cookbooks? Measuring Cups? Recipes? Herb/Spice containers? Fancy Spices? Dish Towels? Cocktail napkins? Amazing Beaded Pot Holders? (like from our very own Pottersville! ) Something else? Answered in thread, I think. Are you an avid reader? What's your favorite book/series Definitely an avid reader, but I can never really pick a favorite book or even series. Love Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series, love J.D. Robb's In Death series, am getting into and really enjoying Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series, and I mentioned my favorite authors in my questionnaire, I believe... What's your favorite candy to stock up on at Halloween? I love the wide variety you can get of sample size candies this time of year, actually. What are your phobias? Bugs, especially moths and spiders. It's not exactly a phobia, as I'm happy to let them do their thing outside, I just want them to keep a good distance away from me. Inside, of course, all bets are off. What is your favourite flower (or plant)? Love roses, especially on the bush, love carnations, love snap dragons, love lilies, love aloe plants, love sunflowers... Duct tape purses and wallets and things are pretty darned cool. Who else thinks so? Definitely cool! But not something I'm particularly interested in for myself. An anonymous benefactor gives you $500 (or an equivalent amount of money in your currency of choice) with the following stipulations. You must spend all of it within a week: any money left unspent must be returned. You must spend at least half of the money on yourself. You may not use it to pay off debts or bills of any kind. What do you do with the money? Let's see: iPod classic, a nice dinner at the local French restaurant for me and my Boy (we've always wanted to go there, but it's a little more expensive than we can swing), and clothes and BPAL with whatever's left. Easy-peasy. Who likes coloring books? Totally! (I think I expanded on this thought in thread.) Do you have a Good Reads profile? If so, make with the link! If you don't have one, go make one! Answered in thread.

Slowly, slowly, slowly, said the sloth... ******9/6***** You're in the kitchen at the end of a pay period and groceries are pretty scarce. Do you take the five ingredients you find first and make something fabulous, or do you order take out? Completely depends on how recently I've been to the grocery store versus how much money is left in the bank account. Odds are good I'd order take out. If you could decorate/redecorate any 1 room in your home, what would it be and how would you decorate it? It would definitely be the front room; basically I just need a lot more bookshelves to finally unpack the last few boxes of books and get the other stragglers up off the floor. Plus I'd like a tie-dye or somesuch tapestry to cover the faux-wood paneling beside and behind the TV, and maybe some other funky touches. Any rabid sports fans out there? What teams do you root for? Not particularly rabid, but I naturally root for my Boston University Terriers (NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Champs 2009!!) and the Red Sox, and then I sort of root for the Kansas City teams because I know their winning will make my Boy happy, and the San Diego teams because I know their winning will make my dad happy. What's your favorite animal? (You can have more than one.) Wolves, coyotes, dogs, cats, mountain lions... Do you believe in magic (or magick, if you prefer)? What does it mean to you? "And where does magic come from? I think magic's in the learning..." --Dar Williams, "The Christians and the Pagans" Yes, I believe in magic, but articulating what it means to me would take more time and I suspect more space than I really have at the moment. " If you found the puzzle box from Hellraiser, what would you do with it? ( and would you be able to resist playing with it? ) My fear is that I wouldn't recognize what it was at first and would play with it. ******9/5***** Do you like pinup art/images? Yup! What are your plans for Halloween? Have you made any yet? Do you have any traditions? I think our plan is to have a party and, of course, hand out candy. Said party will also, to the best of my knowledge, be a I-am-no-longer-a-homeowner-in-New-Mexico party. Long story, but part of it's around here on the forums... Who are your BPAL forum buddies? You know, people I could conspire with to Witch you! Cuervosueno is a IRL friend, and she's the one who got me into this in the first place! Any other steampunk fans/lovers? The more I learn about it, the more I like it, I think. Some of the more straight-up steampunk, e.g. the Clocket, is not entirely up my alley, but some of the more subtle stuff often seems like it would suit me nicely. Describe your ideal picnic lunch. Where would you go? Who (if anyone, and yes there can be multiple people) would accompany you? What sort of food would you take? And, of course, if a picnic lunch sounds like a horrible idea, feel free to say so! Durr... this one's hard! It would probably involve a pretty hike to get to the spot, and the standard picnic fare is always fine in my book. The who is tough, because if I had all my loved-and-missed ones with me, it would probably not actually be that much fun, because it would be too much of a crowd!

******9/4***** Any Gamers here? What kind? Board games? RPG? Miniature? MMORPG? Love board games, currently playing a variant of the Werewolf RPG, don't do miniatures or MMORPGs. Is anyone playing this round of SW into ABJ? (asian ball jointed dolls) Nope. What is your favorite Halloween icon? I guess jack-o-lanterns are my favorite, specifically the real ones, with real candles inside! Imagine that you're given a shoebox-sized time capsule, and you are asked to put any number of items in the box that symbolize who you are. The items can be may be anything you can imagine, and money is no object, but they must fit within the box. Which items do you choose? My iPod nano filled with carefully selected tunes, a couple of cat toys, a couple of dog bones, and a picture of my Tiwa (I love all my furkids equally and all that... but really my Tiwa-girl is my baby, my heart-dog), a pen or two, a guitar pick, maybe some tuba and flute sheet music?, and a well-worn paperback book. Oh, and clearly some BPAL! Probably a bottle of Bilquis, methinks... Are you involved in any long-term, ambitious project? something like decorating your house or saving for a trip to the other end of the world, for example. Not as such. Favorite kind or take out kinda burger? Whats your burger preference? Veggie,meat or ???? There's a take-out place near where my mom, stepdad, and grandfather live in Alabama, I think it's called JR's, that makes a mean cheeseburger. Love getting grilled cheeses from In 'N' Out on the west coast and Five Guys on the east. It's hard to go wrong with a nice marinated slab of portabello (the longer I look at that word the more misspelled it looks, and tinkering with it is not helping) mushroom. Whats your favorite childhood toy? I always loved stuffed animals, especially my Liz Bear, who I've had since I was an infant (so you can probably imagine how her name came about), and with whom I still sleep sometimes. She's looking terribly ragged these days, but she's as real as they come at this point. If you have a pet, what kind of gifts would be good for them? Nothing too easily destroyed, for the dogs; standard cat toys are fine for the kitties. I prefer treats that are a little more on the natural end (I recently ended up with some Snausages-in-"blankets" from a coworker... and they're kind of gross. Like, clearly evaluating dog treats based on my own tastes doesn't really work, but still... ew...), but I'm not going to complain about stuff given to my babies as a gift! Do you Tweet? What is your Twitter name? On occasion; lizardqueen137. Are you on Ravelry? What is your Ravelry name? Yes, though I rarely update; lizardqueen. ******9/3***** What are everyone's favorite Halloween-y/Autumn-y/spooky movies? Are there any you don't own but would like to? I love me a good spooky movie. Recent favorites include The Wicker Man (the original... and a big part of that is that I identify with the islanders, which gives it sort of a different twist) and From Hell, and then Clue (which is, of course, not particularly spooky, but it kind of has the spooky atmosphere, and murder!) is a perennial favorite. Off the top of my head I can't think of any I really need to own and don't. Are roasted pumpkin seeds and home made chex mix the best fall snack foods, or what? Love roasted pumpkin seeds, like store-bought chex mix and can't remember if/when I've last had home-made chex mix (if at all), but if it could be made without the pretzels (which are my least favorite part of the store-bought variety), then that would kick ass! Whats your favorite pie, my dear SW's? I actually think I make a damn good apple pie, if I do say so myself, but I think my favorite might just be Key Lime. What kinda socks ar you wearing tonight? Currently barefoot! Do you like socks? Blankets? Wrist warmers? Arm warmers? Headband? Shawl? Or what kind of knitted thing would you love the most? I like all of these things, and if my witch would like to knit any of them for me, I would be pleased as punch! How do you feel about ghost stories? Do you like to tell the old tales around a campfire? Read true accounts on the web way past your bedtime? Do you like to pick up a good anthology of Poe stories on a blustery day? Or is all that too scary for you? Love ghost stories! Who here is LOVING Warehouse 13? I have heard good things about it, but have not yet seen it myself. Nother question! Coffee or Tea? Yes please! Interested in locally produced products? Food, skincare or both?Olive oil? Lavender oils or soaps? Yes please! Does anyone in here wear a lot of dangly earrings or collect pendants of all kinds?? How about hair clips or pony tail band things? I do not wear a lot of dangly earrings. I do appear to be amassing a (as yet quite small) pendant collection. My hair is fussy (fine and slippery and lots of it), so mostly gifting me with hair things is an exercise in futility (oh how do I wish I could use hair sticks!), but something kind of like this might come in handy... What is your favourite historical period? Hmm, I don't know. Early 20th century (including the 20s)? The Renaissance? The 1960s? Probably one of those... What other hot beverages everyone likes for fall? Hot apple cider! I even think the from-a-packet stuff is yummy, though of course *real* cider is preferable. Did you order anything from the most recent update? I ordered some decants. I didn't get a decant of Falling Leaf Moon, nor do I think I got one of Lamb's Wool, and I fear I may have goofed there. I'm really looking forward to trying my decants... especially because I can't fully remember what I *did* order! Vampires or Werewolves? Or some other monster? Werewolves, though vampires are often pretty awesome, too. What sort of odd or regional foods do you crave? ...real, fresh tortillas. Store-bought just aren't the same. (Of course, I could always just learn to make them myself...)

This smells like a real lily! I wouldn’t be able to distinguish between the scent of a tiger lily and the scent of any other kind of lily, of course, but in the vial and on my skin, again, it smells like a real flower, which I love. I get some spice and a bit of warmth in the vial that fades quite a bit once the oil hits my skin and starts to dry. I received this as a frimp from the lab, and I’m glad to have it, and I’m also glad I don’t love it enough to want to buy a bottle of it, given its impending discontinuation. Indeed, as dry-down continues... uh-oh. It's getting more and more powdery and soapy. I think I might be in Wwindy's camp here: institutional soap-ville, here I come. Thoroughly disappointing, that. I feel like there are lily scents that work for me (most notably Bilquis), so I wonder if it's just specific lilies I can wear, or if I can only wear lily when it's combined with other things, or...? At any rate, sure enough, here I am in institutional soap-ville, and this frimp is heading to swap-town. Ah well...

***7/1*** Non-melting candies....what are your favorites? Is there a name for those strawberry hard candies with the gel-ish centers that come in wrappers that look like strawberries? I like those. And Runts. And Gobstoppers... you know, hard candies in general are pretty nummy. Compared to other people in the SW thread, though, I fear my tastes run to the relatively mundane... What are you happiest about (besides SW)? What makes you feel good this summer? Any summer? Sunshine. Popsicles. Watching the dogs run around outside. I love going swimming, though the opportunities to do so don't present themselves too often here in land-locked land. Summery clothes and summery drinks. Backyard cookouts. Peaches. Do you like coffee and/or wine? I do! What are your thought on World Market? It's pretty awesome. If you are a dog lover, or gigantic dog nerd like I am, would you like any breed-related items from this site? If so, which breed(s)? Answered in-thread. A witch wants to cheer you up. What are we cheering you up from? In other words, what are the most pressing problems you're facing right now? Persistent money woes, mostly in the form of debt. My [biological] family. [My family that consists of my Boy and my aminals and my beloved friends is much less stressful!] Jerks (from swaplifters -- even though I wasn't personally affected -- to the friend of my Boy's family who I've never met but is currently throwing Bible verses at me via Facebook ). Not knowing what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. Being too hard on myself. Who out there is equally challenged and would appreciate icons/banners as witchy gifts? That'd be neat! Lip balm? I have a lot, but wouldn't turn away more. What's that one thing you keep meaning to get but keep forgetting or passing over? Um... er... hmm... ... ...I have little doubt that there's gotta be something, but I haven't the foggiest at the moment. ***7/2*** What styles of jewelry do you like? Bold and funky? Delicate and dainty? Short necklaces, long ones, chokers? Bracelets or anklets? I like funky, I like bold, and I also like simple. I'm not sure "delicate and dainty" are descriptors of things I'd seek out (they certainly don't describe me! , but if the piece(s) suit me, so much the better. Short and long necklaces are both great; chokers I'm a bit more finicky/hesitant about because I can sometimes be fretful about things close around my neck. Bracelets and anklets are both great, especially during the summertime when one can show off such things. Does my witchee like hats, a floppy summer sun hat or something more stylish? Would you like a hand knit cap or hat? I'm randomly thinking a cloche-type hat might look good on me. My head is kinda pointy, but also kinda small. In general I think I look cute in hats, but sometimes "cute" is a little too close to "aww, lookit the little girl with her daddy's hard hat on!" for my tastes. I don't wanna be cute, I wanna be a badass, goddammit! What kind of shopper are you? Do you make a budget? Planner, or compulsive? Do you like to buy what's new, special offers, only the usual? I'm relatively easily overstimmed, so I try either to have a list or to be sure of what I'm there for. In those cases, bam I'm in, bam I've got my stuff, bam I'm out. Otherwise I tend to wander around, pondering whether I should buy this, or that, or anything at all... can I justify spending the money?... wow, that's shiny... OMG is that Richard Marx on the radio? Yak... Often I'll just pet the yarn/books/CDs and then leave without buying anything. Mostly I don't like shopping. Bah.

***6/28*** Which flavors are you interested to try from the Chocolate Research Facility? Pistachio and pecan from the nut series; Cinnamon, French Vanilla, or Sichuan Pepper from the Exotic Series; Lemon Peel from the fruit series; any from the alcohol series; and any from the tea series. Do you wear makeup or nail polish? Need brushes, containers, storage, mani/pedi supplies? What colors and brands do you like? Yes, I wear make-up (on occasion) and nail polish (more frequently, especially on my toes). I seem to have misplaced my toe separators and my make-up pencil sharpener, so those are the two things I need most at present. I like nail polish that's relatively low in chemicals (e.g. the claw polish from BPTP, of which I only have one bottle: Mme Moriarty), and like a pretty wide variety of colors. For face make-up... eh, besides lip stuff and eyeliner/mascara, I so rarely wear anything that I really don't have much of an idea of what I need/want. Generally speaking, though, the more natural, the better. Do you like shiney hanging porch decorations like windchimes or those things that spin and swirl in the wind? Oooh yes! Hair adornments? Eh... my hair is finicky. It's really fine, and most clips and sticks and things don't stay in well. Which is a shame, because I like hair sticks on other people. But for witching purposes, I should probably say no thanks. Is there any infomercial product you're dying to try even though you know it probably sucks? That Slap-Chop thing, or whatever it's called, promoted by the douchey Sham-Wow dude (seeing him in commercials makes me miss Billy Mays all the more...), seems pretty handy. What are your favorite websites (besides this one, and the online shops you listed in your questionnaire)? The Hunger Site and its affiliates. Knitty. Facebook. Free Rice. Go Fug Yourself. I Can Has Cheezburger and its affiliates. We have so many talented witches and they really need to promote themselves more so, if you made something by hand for a previous witchee or have an etsy store or some other outlet for hand made goods, will you post it here with pictures or links? Or, if you want to brag on a previous witch's talent, this is the place for that as well. I... um... huh? I bragged on my previous witch's talent in the winter I Got It thread. If you could make your perfect scent (or at least most desired at the moment!) what would be in it? Okay, so, recently I've tried the Magical Omaha exclusive Villainess smooch Black Out, and it leaves the perfect amount of patchouli scent lingering on my skin. So I'd combine that patchouli with... I dunno. Vanilla? And frankincense and myrrh? And cloves? And then maybe a splash of Amaretto or Frangelico, and/or cherry? Something like that. Mostly I like leaving the scent concocting to Beth, 'cause I feel like even 2.5 years into this obsession I'm still learning how various scents fit together. So I have a question for the witchees, and hopefully mine will answer as well...In trying to decide what to fix for dinner, I thought that I've received some great recipes from friends (particularly the culinary mastermind that is scotchgrrl). I also have a few great recipes of my own. So would anyone like to receive some original, or very much loved recipes from his/her witch? That'd be neat! List things you DO NOT need any more of: Cat and dog hair! I'm pretty well stocked as far as lip balm goes, but honestly, I would never actually turn down more. Ummm... same goes for incense; I don't NEED more, but certainly wouldn't turn it down (especially of the variety people have spoken about in various SW threads: Fred Soli, I think is the brand? Aha, no, I googled it; it's Fred Soll). There you are, then. ***6/29*** Do you like coconut? Yup! Puddin' posts ebay sales of older stuff every now and then - what of the current lot are you dying for? Any time All Souls 2006 goes up I'm tempted to buy it so I can have a back-up bottle (though I still have a good half a bottle, and that's after decanting out for my first witchee). Beyond that, I like looking, but I don't think there's been anything yet that has yelled my name (at least not something I could afford!). Do you tweet? I have a Twitter account that is currently not particularly active, though now that I have a text-friendly phone I'm considering getting back to it. I believe my username is lizardqueen137. What kind of mythology are you interested in? Name it, and chances are good I'm interested in it. Even made-up mythology (e.g. Lovecraftian lore) interests me. African, Egyptian, Greek, Norse, Celtic, Haitian, Aztec, Native American, Hawaiian, Japanese... ***6/30*** Have you any desire to read Hannibal? ...is it any good? I read Red Dragon once upon a time (I was like, 13, probably too young for such things, but that's kind of the story of my life right there), and liked it, I think... If your witch goes to Convergence (or is bestest friends with someone, same thing), is there anything you'd love to have? Dude, I'd be happy with a postcard. But of course if the special scent (scents?) seems right up my alley... Are you freaking out over any of the discontinued scents, dear fellow Witches? Nope! (Phew!) For those candy loving witchees. Are there any 3 that you love and would like more of? Caramels, salt water taffy, and Kinder chocolate. And, are there any 3 that u just cannot stand and would not like any of? I do not dig raisins. That's all I can think of at the moment. Do you have an electric stove, and would you like a bowl and tarts to use the residual heat (and for extra safety)? Yup, I have an electric stove, and that sounds like a neat idea! What is your favorite classic fairy tale or children's story? Hmm, do I have a favorite? Oh! I like The Six Swans. Juliet Marillier wrote a version as the first book in a trilogy called Daughter of the Forest that I just loved. What of the summer update (Egyptian, Lawn Ornaments, etc.) appeals most to you? Nothing really jumped out at me, to be honest. With all this talk of chocolate, do you prefer milk or dark? I like both! What's that one thing you keep meaning to get but keep forgetting or passing over? ...I forget.

***6/27*** Is there something that would offend you if you received it in your mail/gift/email)? (as in profanity, a bad words in an email/card/music ... or a card or something with a scantily dressed man/woman pictured on it, crude/immature humor tshirts, etc ...) I doubt the sorts of things that would offend me would be something that anyone here would really be inclined to send me: racism, sexism, ablism, classism, homophobia, hateful stuff, etc. etc. Profanity, nudity, crudity, and immaturity don't bother me in the slightest! (Okay, immaturity can sometimes bother me when I'm dealing with a person and they're refusing to act like a grown-up in a situation where it's necessary, but that's neither here nor there, really.) What do you like to snack on? Air-popped popcorn has been a recent favorite. Add some butter and some garlic salt, and we're good to go. I often like salty and crunchy things, probably my favorites being bagel chips and pita chips. Have recently rediscovered my love for rice krispy treats -- not the store-bought ones, which taste like they have extra stuff in them (read: preservatives), but just the straight-up rice krispies + butter + marshmallows ones. Edamame is awesome. Fruits and veggies, of course, especially berries and radishes. Cheese. Probably other stuff I'm forgetting, as always. In short, I enjoy snacking; I just try to keep it relatively healthy and/or limit the quantity. (Note that I said "try"... heh...) What is the color scheme you use most when you decorate? What is this "decorate" of which you speak? *sigh* In my mind's eye and in the few things I've decorated with, I gravitate toward earth tones, with accents of bold colors/jewel tones. If you have music or DVD's on your wishlist, do you mind getting a burned copy? How about if it is original packaging but previously used? Or do you only want it new? Burned and/or used are completely awesome by me! Who is your favorite artist? What are some of your favorite pieces of their work? Off the top of my head: Been loving Mucha lately. Don't know that I have a favorite. Also like Picasso (always gotta give props to Guernica), Dalí (really like his sculptures, in particular, at least the ones I saw in Paris four years ago), O'Keeffe, Kahlo. I like the Impressionists, as well as Modern and Conceptual art. You know, basically, as long as it's not Thomas Kincade, I'm pretty happy. Are you a candles person, incense person, or just a BPTP spritzer for room scents? Yes. I use all three, though at the moment I think I could use candles the most. On the other hand, though, I'm always game to try new incense scents... What is your favorite latin or faux latiny phrase? Illegitimi non carborundum. I'm pretty sure it's bastardized (ha!) Latin, but... well, I guess that falls into the category of "faux Latiny," then, doesn't it?

***6/25*** Are you interested in Tarot or Tarot art? Totally! Still hankering for the World Spirit Tarot, in particular... I would like to check out some of Mary K. Greer's writing on the subject, too. What would you think of soap samples/shampoo bar samples? (I believe the latter can be used as soap if you are not shampoo bar inclined). Or other sample sized bath/beauty products, for that matter? I like sample-size things! What about burnables as in candles, tarts and/or incense? I also like these things! Who knits? Do you also spin and dye? What supplies, that you wouldn't buy for yourself, would you just love to have for that activity? I knit! I'm not sure what in particular I might love that I wouldn't buy for myself, though. Pretty stitch markers, maybe? Do you like coffee? Whole bean or ground? Bold/Medium/Mild roast? I do like coffee, but I'm often too lazy to make it for myself. I'm thinking, however, that I may just have to break down and buy myself a coffee maker with a timer on it, so I can wake up to coffee. Either whole bean or ground is good, and probably medium roast would be my preference. So you have enough socks and wraps... (shush, VCW!) Are there any other knitted goods you might like? Lap blanket? Fingerless gloves? Arm warmers? Little knitted animals? Silk scarf? Head band? Wrist cuff? Dish clothes? Normally I knit for other people, rather than for myself, so anything someone felt like knitting for me would be super neat! ***6/26*** How are you doing for BPAL storage? Need any boxes? Imp storage would be welcome! Is there any place you've visited where you feel like you left your heart there? Hmm. San Francisco would be the obvious answer, but it's been 15 years since I was there. Bet I'd still love it, though. Paris, definitely. Laguna Beach, maybe, just a little? What one item would you just love to have that is made by a Switch Witch? Handmade stuff is love -- I don't know if I could pick just one thing! Is your abode a palace covered in fur, a disaster area ,or a neat freaks delight? It is both a palace covered in fur AND a disaster area! Now that my class is over I'm hoping to improve on that a little bit, however. Are there any phobias you have that you absolutely, positively, do NOT want anything from your witch referencing? I think clowns are creepy. Also, moths. Are you a good witch or a bad witch? Wouldn't YOU like to know? What kind of a car do you drive and would you want something you could use in your car? Rear view mirror charms, steering wheel covers (a new thinkg for the knitters ), car blessing medicine bags No car of my own, though I share my partner's Scion XA when the need arises. Don't think it needs anything, per se, but I wouldn't turn any such gifts away! Do you want to know when you have something coming in the mail, or would you rather it be a complete surprise? Perfectly content either way, though I'm going to be out of town some this month (7/17 to 7/20 and 7/25 to 8/1) so it would be nice to know if I need to give the housesitter a heads-up. What is your mailbox situation? Standard house mailbox; larger parcels get left on the front porch, under an overhang, so they won't get rained on or anything, but could potentially get hot if the timing is off (the Boy is usually home when the mail carrier comes, but not always).

***6/22*** Based on Prior Carnivale act prototypes...which one are you truly excited about? Hmm. Don't know that I'm "truly excited" about any of them, but certainly curious; I always love seeing what Beth comes up with! And the art looks awesome, as usual. Would it bother you if you are not the first person to receive the same gift? Imagine a Witch who always sends her favourite book, for example. Not at all -- I think that's neat. Pets: What do you have, and do they need/want anything? Two dogs and two cats. They don't NEED anything, of course. The kitties like catnip and little toys, and natural treats are always welcome for either canines or felines. Does anyone play video games? What platform(s)? Are there any new or vintage games you would like? I think I'm okay on this front for now. Twilight fans, would you be interested in any products from this Etsy seller? If so, add the items you like to your Etsy favorites and make sure your wishlist is posted somewhere for your witch. N/A. (In other words, not a Twilight fan. Not that I'm necessarily knocking it, given that I haven't read the books or seen the movie, but it just doesn't seem like my thing.) Are you in need of decanting supplies, wand caps, or other scent-related paraphernalia? Mostly no, but I think I might like to try a roller-bottle, if you have one handy. Nothing you need to make a special trip for or anything. ***6/23*** Anyone reading an amazing book right now? Sadly, no. Maybe soon? What socially respsonsible site would you recommend to ALL Witches? This seems like a good question to answer in-thread... if I had an answer. It's a great question though, and I will have to go check out what other people said! What is your favorite anime, or if you don't like that what is your favorite animated series? My favorite animes remain Ranma 1/2 and Escaflowne. Of course, I haven't actually watched them in ages (I've got them on disc, but it's a format I can only watch on my computer, and I just haven't had the inclination. My lap gets hot.). But, there you are. Do you like villians that are funny because they are meant to be, or are you like me and love the villian that just can't seem to get his evil schemes to work? I appreciate a good (or, you know, bad) villain, period. Heath Ledger's Joker, Wile E. Coyote, it's all good. Tea. How do you feel about it? I like it! If I'm able to be choosy, though, I would prefer sample-sizes, since my winter witch left me pretty well stocked, for the most part. Would my future witchee like to receive steampunk style jewelry? I... um... it depends? It's one of those things that I wouldn't necessarily seek out on my own, but I'd bet that if someone picked something out with me in mind, I'd like it. Does that make sense? Does your feline like catnip? Salt soap bars (soap made with a large quantity of salt, like salt-scrub-in-a-bar)? I definitely love the idea. I bought one of Magic Hands Workshop's Margarita bars that I haven't used yet but am looking forward to, and I would be pleased as punch to have more to try! How would you feel about homemade jelly/jam from home-grown berries? *DROOL.* Yes plz? Homemade dill pickles? Made from cukes, beans, snap peas, baby zucchini? OM NOM NOM! I like pickled things. Well, pickled veggie-type things, anyway. (Pickled pigs feet and pickled eggs and such kinda scare me.) ***6/24*** Are you obsessed with honey? If so, is there a particular kind you like best? Spun honey, flavored honeys, certain types of honey....etc. Obsessed, no. But I do enjoy honey. I haven't really branched out much from plain ol' clover honey, but I would be thoroughly tickled to be enabled! What are your favorite materials? Or material things? Some people like jewelry, some like woods, some plants... Err... huh. This is a neat question, but I don't really know how to answer it. I'm a fairly tactile person, so I like a pretty wide variety of materials/textures. As far as plants go, I would like to have another aloe plant someday, but before that point I should probably get back into the habit of caring for the plants (er... probably plant, singular, from the looks of it) I have, starting with figuring out what those damn white spots are... Is there anything you've been wanting to learn that your witch might be able to help you with? Hmm... another good question that I'm not sure how to answer. Guitar-playing tips are welcome, for sure. How to cook Indian food, maybe? Posters, yes or no? Hey, if you find one that you think is up my alley, then why not? What are your favorite animals? Or, what animals resonate strongly with you? Cats of all sizes, especially mountain lions of late. Coyotes and wolves. Crows and ravens. Horses, especially wild horses and big draft horses. Are there any historical figures you are particularly interested in - say, that you'd enjoy reading about, or movies, etc.? Stealing Cuervo's suggestion of Toussaint L'ouverture. Sojourner Truth. Gertrude Stein. Frida Kahlo. Probably others. What, if anything, are you earwormed with right now? Nothing right this second, thank goodness! What scent are you wearing right now, if any? Nothing at the moment. My most recent scent was 13 (Feb 09).

***6/19*** For non-US witches: is there anything from the US you'd love that you can't get where you live now? N/A: US witchee. How many potential witchees have an iPod, or download MP3s? I have an iPod nano that’s nearly three years old, but still ticking (knock on wood)! Plus ridiculous amounts of music in iTunes. So, in short, yes to both. ***6/20-21*** Are there any single notes (likely non bpal) that anyone is dying to have/try? I’d be interested in sniffies of pretty much any single note, for purposes of educating my nose. For wearable purposes, I think I’d like incensy stuff (I adore the new Strawberry Moon, but I think I might like it even better with a hint of incense added), clove, and maybe carnation? net flick or the likes gift subscriptions? A month of Netflicks vs a DVD? I’ve already got Netflix, but I’m always game for suggestions of things I really must add to the queue, anything from episodes of MST3K I haven’t yet seen to documentaries I really need to check out. Adorable Japanese characters? Huh? I’ll have to go back and see what the context of this question was… on a shirt? Maybe. In doll form? Doubtful. My fiance sent me an early dvd rip of Coraline that he was given (pretty sure it's not been released yet, but I sometimes have a hard time keeping up) and I was wondering if anyone would like a copy of it? Hrm. I have some anxieties about the potential copyright violation aspect of this, but the fact of the matter is that I would still probably buy the DVD for the special features and pass the rip along to a friend who’s strapped for cash, so, in short, hey, sure, why not? Do you collect dolls or miniatures? What kind? Do you like to get new clothes or items for them? I’ve enjoyed looking at other peoples’ pictures of their dolls, but no, not a doll person myself. If you were to make a seasonal mix CD for this summer, what would you name it? It would depend on the songs; usually I pull a title from one of the lyrics, something that seems apropos. For example, for the mix I made the summer I moved from Connecticut to New Mexico for grad school, I used “Something Exciting About Leaving Everything Behind” from Butterfly Boucher’s “Another White Dash.” Would you like any recycle/upcycle supplies for your crafting? Sure! Is there a program you might have missed or show you love which is gone from the airwaves which might be found (or burned) for you by a Witch? The first season of Twin Peaks, which I only have on video; MST3K episodes (should my witch be curious, I’ll see if I can’t work up a list of the ones I’ve seen); Sheep in the Big City (which I wouldn’t have remembered had another SW not mentioned it in the thread, but that’s where I got two of my LJ icons from!)… Do you play any online games, like World of Warcraft? If so, what server do you play on, what's your character's name, etc.? Nope. Would anyone like bath bombs or bath melts scented with one of their favorite BPAL scents? I do these for myself sometimes and find them to be quite enjoyable. That would be awesome! Do be warned, however, that it is summer in Kansas, and while nothing should be sitting on my porch for too too long, things melt quickly out there. Would you like homemade cinnamon buns or sticky buns? Would I like them? For sure. Should you send them to me? Debatable, both because of the aforementioned heat, and then there’s the weight issue, which I won’t go into because I end up annoying even myself with it, but suffice it to say that if you feel inclined to bake for me I would love you for it, but if you could perhaps limit the quantity, I would appreciate that. Is there anyone here that likes Hello Kitty or any other Sanrio Characters? I like Tuxedo Sam (penguin!), though I don’t know if he’s around anymore, as well as Badtz Maru (grumpy penguin!) and her sister Hana Maru (sweet seal!). Any non NZ or Aus witchee that I get gets Tim Tams, OK? OK, then! But, um, again with the limiting quantity… thx…

***6/17*** What kinds of crafts does everyone either enjoy making or enjoy getting? Do you have a certain type of handmade item that you love to collect? Socks, boxes, jewelry, dolls etc? I’m a knitter, and have made soy candles in the past and would like to do so again. I have never received a pair of hand-knit socks and I think I would love them. I have a great box for my BPAL bottles but would love one for my imps, and/or my jewelry. Love handmade jewelry! Dolls, on the other hand, are not my thing. Clearly, vegans are not into soaps with honey or milk, etc. But, if you're NOT a vegan how would you feel about soaps made with emu oil? Squicked out/concerned about animal cruelty, or willing to try them? I really appreciate the effort to use all of an animal, rather than just the meat or just the skin or what have you. I confess that I think I might be a bit squicked out by the soap-with-emu-oil at first, but I would nevertheless be game to try it. ***6/18*** Are there any of the BPTP bath oils you adore (particularly ones that you cannot get anymore). What about the room sprays? I’ve got L’Estate and The Winter Maiden, and while I adore them both, I’ve managed to make them stretch pretty far, so I don’t think I need more at present. I would, however, love to try Holiday Stress Relief, L’Autunno, any of the Warrior Queens, and Luxuria. I’m okay on room sprays at the moment. How would you feel about an ultra-girlie shawl or wrap in summer-weight (lace)? Lurve! Especially in jewel tones, and/or in a variegated/hand-painted yarn ala Koigu (not saying I demand Koigu, of course; I just like some of the funky color combinations they come up with). What would you think of hand-dyed items? Also lurve! The low-water immersion dying looks really pretty, and honestly, I think traditional tie-dying is pretty neat, too. I have this purple and teal tie-dye t-shirt that I love, and we took the kitties to the vet yesterday for a check-up and the Professor ripped a hole in it, right at the right breast. It’s not like I used it for more than wearing around the house or to the gym, but it’s still a bummer. So, I hear you don't like lacy wraps! How do you feel about hand-knit socks? Further lurve!

I was intrigued to see the variety of reactions to this scent present in this thread, because for me, Blood Rose very much does what it says on the tin -- dragon's blood, wine, roses. When it's wet I get the cherry cough syrup note that I tend to get from dragon's blood scents in the wet stage, but after that? Dragon's blood, wine, roses. Once drydown is complete the dragon's blood is mostly just there to make the wine particularly fruity, so if you're a dragon's blood fanatic, this is probably not for you. If you like roses and fruity wine with a hint of dragon's blood, though, definitely check this one out. As for myself, it's not exactly me, but it's pretty, so I'm going to keep my imp around.

Aack! So far behind! Also, my dear witch, you should know that I was just given an electric tart-warmer. Woot! So, if you were so inclined, you could send me melty stuff. I don't need any, as I was sent a bunch of tarts as well; I'm just sayin'. Just time for a bit of a quickie, I'm afraid... 12/13 What is one REALLY expensive, completely outrageous thing you would LOVE to get but totally don't expect to ever get from anyone? Big-ticket items: a Toyota Prius or magical hybrid Subaru Forester; the house downtown that I fell in love with before the plan to buy a house fell through, magically air-lifted to a neighborhood where I wouldn’t worry about having people come over. (It’s not the sort of thing I normally worry about too much, but that’s unfortunately a genuinely violent part of town.) Medium-ticket items: a new iPod (the classic); BPTP stuff (the Batwoman ID case, a locket (either CD or the phoenix); new shoes (like these or these)... I think that’s about it... Do you like coffee mugs? Travel or stay at home? How big? Do you like ones from Starbucks? I do like coffee mugs; I would prefer travel mugs; normal size; Starbucks often has cute ones, and I would not be opposed to them. If you drink coffee, do you like whole bean coffee or prefer ground? What grind? What roast (mild, medium, bold, extra bold)? Do you like flavored coffee? I do drink coffee, but I would prefer not to receive any unless it’s in little sample packages, because I don’t go through it very quickly. I have a grinder; medium-ish roast; flavored is great! Do you like tea? What kinds of tea (green, red, white, black, decaf, herbal infusions)? Feel free to get specific on brands and tea types. Loose or bagged? Do you need any kind of tea accessories? Pots/cozys/presses/strainers? Love tea; all of the varieties listed above are great. I don’t know if I have a strainer anymore, so I’d either need bagged tea or the appropriate accessories. What is your favorite hot chocolate or drinking chocolate? Do you need Vegan or no? Don’t have a favorite and am happy to be surprised/enabled on that point. Don’t need vegan. Do you need any decanting supplies? Pipettes? Vials? How about any wand caps? Roller bottles? Some spray bottles (for oils mixed with alcohol?) I think I’m okay on decanting supplies at the moment, but I might like to try out a roller bottle...

12/10 Question for the Class: Favorite Musical? As usual, how am I supposed to pick just one? RENT is an old favorite, but I think I've kind of outgrown it somewhat. Love Bernstein, though I haven't watched West Side Story in ages because it makes me cry (of course). Into the Woods is definitely up there. Fiddler on the Roof is pretty great. I love Jesus Christ Superstar in spite of myself, and Phantom is another old favorite (and probably the most recent Lloyd Weber musical I have any familiarity with). Ditto for Les Misérables. Ooh, that could be my favorite, except that I'm so not interested in the love triangle at this stage in my life. And so on, and so forth. How do you like your chocolate? White, milk, bittersweet, as dark as possible? Plain, with flavoring, with chunks of stuff in? Fairly traditional, or weird and experimental? When I was in Paris a few years ago I came across some 98% (I think) dark chocolate. A fine idea, but in practice, I found it inedible. I think 70% dark is my limit. White is good, milk is good, flavored is good, chunky can be good depending on the chunks, I'm okay with experimental but I really don't think I want meat products in my chocolate. Favorite animals? Least favorite? Favorites: dogs, coyotes, wolves; cats of all sizes (I've been feeling drawn to mountain lions lately, which strikes me as a bit random at present, but 'sokay); horses (especially draft horses); bears (favorites = polar bears); crows and ravens; ducks; llamas. Don't know that I have a least favorite, unless we're including insects, in which case -- MOTHS. How do you feel about Heifer International? Or do you have other favorite charities not mentioned in your application? HI is way cool!! I'm not sure what I mentioned in my application, if anything, but good charities/orgs to give donations to for me (in addition to the above) are Amnesty International, CARE, Lambda Legal, Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and Defenders of Wildlife. So for all witches of the shimmying types- would you like tassel belts/jingle belts/ ect and if so, how big are your hips? Oh, I'm not currently of the shimmying type, but I have vague thoughts of giving bellydancing a try at some point. So, my hips are 44-45 inches if you're so inclined. 12/11 What's your favorite texture? Kitten/puppy fur. But I like a wide variety of textures: plush and soft, smooth and silky, bumpy and interesting... What's one luxury item you want to pamper yourself with but haven't yet? A professional massage done with one of the BPTP massage oils, maybe? A scent locket? An Alaskan cruise? A Hawaiian holiday? Alpaca yarn? I really don't know. Do you prefer arm warmers to the wrist, to the base of the fingers, or half fingered? Any or all of the above would be lovely! Any favorite cartoon characters? Disney, Sanrio, etc? Mmm, not off the top of my head, really... Have you (or maybe the younguns in your family) been exposed to the Webkinz craze? Nope. Who's your favorite playwright? Oh, probably Shakespeare, honestly. I love others, namely Beckett, Williams, and Miller, but Shakespeare's body of work is so vast and the subject matter so diverse that I think there's something there for just about everyone. Anyone into physical activities? For instance- I'm training to become a Combat Archer in the SCA, and something I would use would be an Archers glove...is there anything you do as a sport/hobby in which you might need equipment? I do yoga, but I don't think there's anything I need for that. I wouldn't mind upbeat music for the gym, though. Are there any witchy type supplies you're in need of, or would like to try etc.? Herbs, smudge sticks, resins, tarot/oracle cards, incense burners, pretty tools, stuff like that? I don't know of anything, but if you see something that yells my name at you, then clearly you ought to go with that. Still craving the World Spirit Tarot deck. On nut intolerance - does it include things like almond/coconut oil bases and essential oils in perfume oils, skincare products, scented candles and the like? No nut intolerances here! If you are a fan, who were your favorite Buffy and Angel characters? I'm only halfway through season five, but at present I particularly love Willow, Tara, Spike, and Dru (she's so delightfully mad!). And it's hard not to love Buffy herself, overall. Do you like Shakespeare? Which plays? Yup. Gotta love Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, and The Tempest, of course. King Lear. Richard III. Much Ado About Nothing. 12/12 I wanted to ask a question: are there any rare (or even uber-rare) scents that you'd really like to try? Listed under Long-Gone LEs on my wishlist. Does your forum name have a special significance? Refer to something or someone you admire? Reflect your interests? Come on, spill! It comes from the Simpsons episode "Selma's Choice," in which Lisa, high on the "water" from one of the rides at Duff Gardens, proclaims "I am the Lizard Queen!" (As seen in my avatar image.) I haven't the foggiest idea why I started applying it to myself (except for the fact that my name is Liz), but I did, close to three years ago now.

12/6 I love Christmas music even though I'm pagany -- how about you? I do like Christmas/holiday music, but I'm fairly particular about it. I love the old (Renaissance/Medieval-ish) carols, e.g. Good King Wenceslas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and more obscure stuff. Loreena McKennit and Anonymous 4 and chamber groups are right up my alley. I like the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. I like quirky stuff (Oi to the World) and good strong rock (Bruce Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town). Of course, what am I usually exposed to? What do I have to listen to while at work? Pop garbage! Last Christmas and All I Want for Christmas Is You and entirely-too-earnest versions of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and so on. (I was going to link to the radio station my coworker listens to but it froze up Firefox for me so nevermind!) Anyone else have a sudden and unexpected favorite BPAL lately? Inez! I think I'm going to have to buy a bottle. Or add it to my wishlist, I guess... which I really need to update, come to think of it... It's cold outside - what are your favorite drinks to keep yourself warm and cozy? Would my potential Witchee be up for some music stuff they'd never heard before if they couldn't understand the words? Absolutely! 12/8 Who are your forum friends, person or people your witch can contact for ideas? cuervosueno is a dear friend IRL. angelfish323 and strangemodegirl are new(-ish) friends online. Past witches melusine and meshuganah. What cartoons did you grow up watching? Any animated shows you still watch? Hmm... the first cartoon I can remember watching was He-Man. And after that, well, I've always been a TV addict, so I watched pretty much everything from the Smurfs and the Snorks to Scooby Doo to whatever was on Nickelodeon when I was a kid. These days I still enjoy the Simpsons (even though it's really not good anymore), Futurama, and Adult Swim (favorite being Robot Chicken), as well as some animes (Ranma 1/2 and Escaflowne are past favorites). Oh, and Animaniacs! Do you like honey? Will you like to try creamy honey with black sesame or with cinnamon powder? Yes, I like honey, and I would happily try either or both of those varieties! What is the biggest problem or sad thing in your life? Of course, I mean the saddest or worst thing you can confess here. Oh, I'd rather not. You can poke around here for some of it, or try my LJ. What fashion item or style do you like, but never wear? Shoes! I love cute mary jane heels, especially, but I just can't talk myself into buying them. Do you like to cook? if so, what? Would you like things like spices, cookbooks, recipes, tips? I don't cook as often as I ought to, but all of these sound good! I'm especially looking for quick/easy and relatively healthy meals for after work right now. Do any of you like puzzle books? Sure -- and I've been feeling especially crossword-y lately... 12/9 What are 3 places that you'd like to visit, or re-visit? Oh lawsy, I have to narrow it down to three?? France (I've been to Paris and loved it; would like to go back there as well as see the rest of the country), Australia, and Tibet (if I could somehow visit there but somehow make sure my tourist dollars were staying with the locals). Literary erotica. Who doesn't love it? Um, unless we're talking the so-bad-it's-wonderful, not-to-mention-funny type that ends up winning purple prose awards, I don't know that it would really be my thing. Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL wishlist during the round? If I don't get the Yulies or Anniversaries I'm lusting after before they go down, I'm buying them myself (unless instructed otherwise! ). Similarly, if we receive word that the Carnaval is leaving town before the round ends, then I'm snatching up my snake and Grindhouse ladies. Do you read graphic novels/comics? Which ones? Sandman is my absolute favorite. I read Promethea and liked it. I read the first trade of Powers and liked it as well. I've read some Sin City; I don't think I'm really Frank Miller's ideal reader, if you will. I'm curious about Fables. Would love to read Black Orchid. Need to read Watchmen, as well as V for Vendetta (though we have a copy of the latter already). Which witches would want Bpal boxes? Or imp cases? Meshuganah made me a kick-ass bottle box, but I would love an imp case! Something big-ish for home or small for travel would be faboo! How about a short - or longer - piece of fanfic? Maybe if it's silly and funny, but probably not. What is the weirdest and/or most practical thing you are not buying for yourself right now? The thing that you probably should be buying, but have been putting off in lieu of something else? Socks. It's partly because I know a lot of them would turn up if I folded the big piles of clean clothes on top of the washer and dryer, and then washed the piles of clothes on my bedroom floor, but it's also because I just rarely think to buy them for myself. Would you like handmade piece of calligraphy as a gift? That'd be neat! What jewelry are you wearing now? What jewelry do you wear everyday-or do you change jewelry all the time? Not wearing any jewelry at the moment 'cause I'm still in my jammies. But I generally wear three or four particular silver rings, silver hoop earrings plus two silver studs in the two extra holes in my left ear, and (sometimes) one of my various necklaces. Often I'll just wear the rings to work, though, since I'm too brain dead in the morning to do more (sometimes I even forget to put on BPAL -- the horror!!). Boxes, baskets, etc.? Sure! Chia Pet, do you need one? Awesome and kitchy but oh god please no. Houseplants and/or things to put them in: thoughts? I want an aloe plant, ideally one that was a baby of the aloe plant of someone I know. An African violet for my violet pot (though I don't think a violet would be very easy to ship). Otherwise, I'm not so good with plants, so probably not. Do you like baskets, jars and other interesting containers? Filled or Empty? Yes, and filled would be ideal but empty would still be okay.

12/2 What witch would like a cloak? Oooh, that'd be NEAT. 12/3 Would you like to receive ATCs (artist trading cards) or would you prefer something more usable, like bookmarks or something? Oooh, that'd be NEAT. More seriously, I would be happy either way. I never use proper bookmarks, so that might be handy, but I rather like the idea of ATCs, too. 12/4 It seems like there are quite a few knitting witches, so I assume they are on the Ravelry forum as well. If so, what are your names on there so I can stalk you? I'm LizardQueen over there as well. Speaking of which, how many Browncoat witches do we have?? And if you are, would you be interested in getting a Kaylee parasol? If not, would you be interested in getting a paper parasol hand painted with your favorite colors? Ooh yes, all of the above! Is there any time during the holidays (or the rest of the round) when you'll be away from home for a significant period and it'd be best not to send anything by mail? I'll likely be out of town from 12/28 through 1/2, so that wouldn't be an ideal time to send me stuff, but we will have the Boy's sister housesitting, so at least things won't be left freezing on the porch if it comes to that. To make up for the fact that I probably won't be able to send my witchee homebaked goodies, will Tim Tams in any number of varieties be an acceptable replacement? This probably makes me a crazy person, but Tim Tams sound a little bit like overkill to me, but I'll generally try anything once. Hand beaded jewellery, yay or nay? Oh, yay! Which witches would like hair accessories: clips, scrunchies, hairsticks, headscarves, etc? Answered in thread On a similar note, who likes yarn? What kinds/colors/weights/fibers? Handspun? Glitter? Funky art yarn made from shredded jeans, fake flowers, lace, sequins, and the tattered souls of your enemies? Other craft supplies you desperately want more of and can't live without? I like yarn! Love love love Manos del Uruguay (just as an example -- hand-spun and hand-painted is love), but am happy to play with a wide variety of types and textures. If my witch wanted to send me stuff for making more soy candles, that'd be nifty, too. Anyone else a total nerd like me and would like DnD/Roleplay stuff (Dice, minis, books, corny tees, etc.)? Yeah, I'm a total nerd like that, but I don't really have any needs in that department at present. How do people feel about unusual ornaments? As in, for holidays other than Christmas? That'd be fun. Question: who would like a pair of handknit socks? Size? Color preference? Cabled, ribbed (for your pleasure), stranded colorwork, etc.? My feets are US 6.5 Women's (37 Euro) and they would LOOOOOVE to be enveloped in handknit socks of any variety! How does everyone feel about steampunk? Definitely a neat aesthetic, though I'm not entirely certain it's me. Let's say the jury's still out on that point. Since we're talking about warm winter wearables, who likes hats? Mittens? Arm warmers? Yes, yes, yes! If your witch were to send you cookies, what kind of cookies would you like? Om nom nom! Snickerdoodles are perhaps my current favorite, but as a general rule as long as you stay away from raisins (and even probably dried cranberries, though I like those a little better), I'll be happy! Who likes tshirts? What about homemade tshirts? Like with transfers I made myself.... That'd be fanTAStic! 12/5 What kind of candy/sweet treat would you like to receive? I like a pretty wide variety, from chocolate to sour to gummy... Would you personally rather get handmade jewelry or the beads to make something yourself? As neat as I find beads, I wouldn't at all know what to do with them, so definitely the handmade jewelry!

I sniffed this in the vial, and thought, oh, wow, pumpkin! And then once it was on my skin I sniffed it and thought, oh, wow, cherry! It was kind of uncanny. Once dry: oh, this is lovely. The notes all blend and swirl together, with the only one I can pull out on its own being the smoky vanilla. It's rich, and maybe even a little bit campfire-like. I think maybe the pumpkin is trying ever so slyly to push things into the play doh range, but it's not working. Once this has been on a while, I think I'm getting mostly cherry tobacco. Good stuff, overall.

Copal, precious woods, South American spices, agave nectar, cigar tobacco, and roses. In the vial and on me, wet, I get an earthy (and I mean that sort of literally) floral scent. On me, once it's dried, it's pretty much all floral. It's a mixed bag: I can pick out the rose, but there's more in there (and now I've reread the description, and rose is the only floral in there, so I'm pretty confused). It's a fairly green scent -- and on me it's gone pretty soapy. If I put my nose real close to my skin and concentrate, I think I get a woodsy quality, but that's pretty much it. I really, really hate to say this, but this is putting me in mind of Crabtree & Evelyn shops. I had really high hopes for this one; I expected it to be resiny and spicy and agave-y, but I'm not getting any of that. I'll probably try it again in a few weeks or so, see if maybe aging will make it richer and take away the soapy quality. Though, of course, there's always the possibility that it's just my chemistry. Note from a couple of hours later: aha, after a while it mellows, and what I think is the copal comes out to play more. I like it much better this way, but I'm not sure I can wait through the hour-plus of Crabtree & Evelyn to get to this point. So, crossing my fingers for the wonders of aging... (ETA scent description)

2008 version: From this I get primarily brown sugar, with a whiff of the candied fruits. I think I saw someone refer to the scent as being reminiscent of Yankee Candle, and I have to agree. I get a little bit of a burnt sugar scent once the oil has dried completely on my skin, but it's still very sweet overall, and there doesn't seem to be much throw. I really wanted to love this scent, but I just kinda like it, enough to keep my decant (...probably), but not nearly enough to buy a bottle. Indeed, I find this to be a bit of a BPAL Rorschach test: I smell this and think, needs more spice (others smell it and say, aack, too sweet! Others smell it and say, oooh, perfect!). So, even though I don't love it, smelling it has been instructive! Off to try to find something spicy amongst my other Halloweenie decants...

Wet, this reminds me a LOT of Diwali (maybe it's the sandalwood?). As it dries, the florals come out more... and more... and then a little bit more. Rose is up front, with the other flowers behind it, and at the base is the beeswax and sandalwood. I don't get any of the tobacco until it's completely dry, and even then it's still pretty light. I'm not getting the frankincense at all. As time goes on, the rose gets even stronger. It's an interesting scent, but a little too floral/rosey for my tastes.

***9/16*** Your thoughts on the update? I think I answered this in the SW thread, but if not, feel free to poke me, weenie witch! How do you decide what to put in which package for your Witchee or how many packages to send? Impulse? Instinct? My gut? It all tends to come together relatively organically for me – it depends on what my witch is interested in/looking for, the season and any holidays that fall within the round, etc. If you were my witchee, would you be terribly offended if I sent you a box containing project "experiments" or random miscellaneous pretty bits of brainstorming that I thought you might like/wear? I wouldn’t be offended at all! That sounds fun. ***9/14-9/16*** Do you often drink take away coffee in paper mugs? Not often, but every now and then. What would a perfume based on you smell like? Based on me in the literal sense? Sun-warmed cotton, gentle skin musk, creamy coffee, smeared ink, and a whiff of tar (from my T-Gel shampoo). Based on my personality? A sweet base with notes of spice and strength that might strike some sniffers as unexpected or unusual: bourbon vanilla, clove, frankincense, myrrh, lily of the valley, cactus blossom, a pinch of sugar, a dash of cumin, and a whiff of smoke. Who here likes Wizard of Oz things? I have an appreciation for the movie, but I wouldn’t really say I like Wizard of Oz things. ***9/13*** Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? Have you tried out (and if not, would you be interested in doing so) its weird little brother, RiffTrax? I LOVE MST3K. RiffTrax looks like it could be entertaining, but part of what I love about MST3K is the classic B movies they often use, whereas RiffTrax uses mostly recent movies – movies I’ve seen, even – and while many of those movies are no doubt ripe for mockery, it seems like it just wouldn’t be the same. ***9/12*** What will you like from Singapore? Candies? Food? Asian crafts/toys? I don’t feel like I know enough about Singapore to have any idea of how to answer this question, but if you think I’ll like it, I’m game! What is everyone's "luck" item? I don’t have one. Do you like art deco/nouveau - style prints? Yup! Between the two, I prefer art nouveau. What is one thing that, if you received it in the middle of all the hubbub, would make you smile and take your mind off of all you have to do for a bit? Anything! The package my lovely witch already sent me worked quite nicely in that respect. How do you feel about Hello Kitty? I prefer her Sanrio brethren, specifically Tuxedo Sam (does he even exist anymore?) and Badtz Maru (and even more so Batdz Maru’s sibling (?) Hana Maru – the seal).