As Andrews stated, the perfumer's most important organ is not the nose, but the brain, within which he or she must strive to construct an intricate "memory palace" of odours. It is also vital to move away from the notion of 'good' and 'bad' smells and learn to appreciate each ingredient for its own unique effects and characteristics.

- Basenotes, Exploring the Science of Scent at the Royal Institution

It's been far too long since I posted a Nose Words edition; things have been busy on the retail front over here since Urban Craft Uprising. I've got A LOT brewing - besides Fall releases - and a lot to get online, but I thought I would leave you with this tidbit in the meantime.

Today I'm working on clearing some of the clutter on the website and getting more orders out the door. I had a fabulous Seattle day yesterday with Karen Ziemkowski, one of my favorite perfume geeks and photographers, and I can't wait to see her photos from Pike Place Market! It's really too bad that we're so far apart from each other, because we had a lot of fun going through perfume samples and being general fragrance nerds together (though really, distance has never kept us apart!).

{ Photo by pixe77 }

In case you were wondering about why I'm closing the shop for the month of June, it is because we are going to Russia on our honeymoon! I am terribly excited; I studied there the summer of my Senior year in college - St. Petersburg, specifically - and have a fairly open love for all things Romanov (see Anastasia if you want a public example).

We got our visas approved today and have booked a cute little apartment just off of Vostannya Ploshad right near the City Center, and will be there for ten days!! We will be gone from June 3rd - June 18th, and I plan to use the last week of June to catch-up and start prepping the shop for our Urban Craft Uprising debut in July.

I truly appreciate all your well wishes and patience with our current turnaround times! We are so busy - mostly thanks to you! - and your kindness really keeps me going!

If you are at all concerned about a current outstanding order, would like to reserve an order for July, or just want to say hello - please don't hesitate to leave a comment or drop me a line. I cannot promise to answer mail while we're away, but I do promise to bring back loads of photos and inspiration.

And by the way, if you're in the Seattle area this weekend, it's beautiful outside. You'll have the perfect weekend to go see lots of fabulous crafters at the Etsy Rain spring show! I plan to show up early for one of those awesome goodie bags! Heck yes!

Seattle isn't exactly known for its street food. At least, not in the way that Portland has embraced its food vending carts that are seriously everywhere downtown and usually delicious, where you can get everything from vegan Thai to greasy Mexican. But I had the fortune of experiencing two Seattle street food institutions this weekend: Taco Truk (though I'm still not sure if it was THE Taco Truk from Eastlake/Stranger fame) and Tandoozy, a tandoori street food vendor at Seattle's Fremont Sunday Fair.

"We wanted to do one thing and do it really well," said Craig, the maker of Tandoozy's outside grills and fine, fine chicken tikka, after explaining that they founded Tandoozy as an experiment and upon request from a friend.

Continue reading Tandoozy is for lovers: Seattle's new favorite street food.

Our good friend Sweet Petula is having a studio sale this Saturday and graciously invited us along for custom perfumes! Stop in for great deals on soap, glass candles, jewelry, bath salts, fizzies, and fragrances! This is perfect for a little last-minute Valentine's day shopping, so come on in and get your love on! (Or something like that.)

We will have our full custom perfumery set up, along with our Madeline cupcake fizzies (as seen on today's edition of Poppytalk Handmade) and our latest limited edition fragrance, Amelia (plus all of our usual ladies in waiting). Yes, portions from Saturday's sale of Amelia 1/2 ounce bottles will still go to Haiti.

Hope to see you there, lovelies! Stay tuned tomorrow for an interview from Jeanee Duval (seriously, for real this time) and our weekly blogged edition.

Stop in from 11-5 pm at 208 S. Jackson St. in Seattle, WA.

{image from Beverly Hsu: Helvetica cookie cutters}

During the week, I tend to abuse my Google Reader Shared Items because I can't seem to keep track of a Tumblr, I don't like to stumble upon things, I've abandoned Delicious, and my Facebook doesn't cross-post to my twitter account for personal preferences. So consider this a broadcast of what I've been reading, summarizing, and linking to all week. PROTIP: Add my shared items to your Reader to follow along if you don't follow me on Twitter.

• Divine Twine: I can admit when I have a problem. I'm obsessed with twine. {via Just Something I Made}
• Valentine's Day Goodie Bags: Gorgeously designed to print yourself. I remember seeing these last year, and they're still great. {at Twig and Thistle}
• Message in a Cookie Cutter: On the subject of cookie cutters with something to say, which seems to be the overall theme this week, these are lovely. {via Creature Comforts}
• Jamie and Adam's wedding is my favorite "real wedding" to date. {via 100 Layer Cake}
• Sense of Popos: A map of San Francisco's secret spaces. {via Strangemaps one of my weekly faves}
• Speaking of J.D. Salinger...: On the death of J.D. Salinger, The Stranger kindly reminds us of King Dork, a novel by the lead singer of The Mr. T Experience, one of my all-time favorite bands. {via Line Out}
• Hendrix's statue may be moved: If Hendrix leaves the Hill, so do I. Off to Georgetown. {via Seattle Sketcher}

Last but not least, check out my interview on THE WASH, where crafty chicks come clean. I'll be posting an interview from Jeanee, creator of our cute Valentine's day cupcake fizzzies, later today!

If you've been wondering where I've been, it's because we've been busy busy busy getting ready for our holiday shows and trying to fill the recent demand from early bird holiday gift shoppers.

We've been inundated with custom work and private label requests lately and I'm doing my best to keep the retail side turnaround time under two weeks, but it's a very structured process that doesn't leave much room for error as it is (and don't you know I'd love for every perfume that goes out the door to sit on my shelf for three weeks for me to monitor). I'm doing certainly better at multitasking this holiday season than last year this time, so I'm thankful for that, but I'd rather our turnaround be two weeks than me turning around haphazardly slapped together perfumes (and I'm sure you would too).

In the meantime, mark you calendars because we've got THREE big events coming up:

• Nov. 21 & 22 - Etsy Rain, 11am - 5pm
  The Intiman Theatre - 201 Mercer Street - Seattle, WA


• Nov. 27 & 28 - Indie Banditas, 10am - 5pm
  Woodward Middle School - Bainbridge Island, WA


• Nov. 29 - I <3 Indie Holidays, 11am - 6pm
  Lake Street Grill - Kirkland, WA

We've got a coupon going in the mail for $3.00 off any full size custom perfume at any event listed above, so if you're in WA/OR watch for that postcard and keep it safe! If you think you'll attend but haven't bought from us before, feel free to e-mail us to be put on the mailing list.

Also, our D.I.Y. kits will be featured in Bust Magazine for the Dec/Jan issue, and we've been working on gearing up for that press launch. We've got about 20 kit boxes ready to go to good homes, though a few are definitely already spoken for, and are working on more every day. Bust hits the stands 11/24, so be sure to pick one up! A major thank you goes to Jenn of Indie Fixx for posting my perfumery tutorial; it's generated a LOT of buzz and I really appreciate it!!

That's about it. More coming soon as events draw closer, but since I finally had a free moment in time I thought I ought to take advantage of it. Our Yule perfumes will be launching sometime soon, so I'll be back for that. Stay tuned!

I know. I am a horrible blogger, but we've been SO busy lately. Between retail picking up for holiday orders, lots of wholesale requests, trying to finish our apartment move, and, oh, visiting my family in the mountains, there just isn't much time in the day for online endeavors beyond Twitter at the moment.

But our first of FOUR SHOWS this month is tomorrow: from 2-8 PM at Sweet Petula (208 S. Jackson, our Show & Smell home base), you'll find me with TWO perfume organs ready for your custom perfume creations. I'll have a lot of ingredients with me - and a lot of strange stuff, too - everything from apple to yuzu, and kumquat to seashore. To boot, tomorrow is Pioneer Square Art Walk, so get out and support some fantastic local artists.

Custom perfume sessions this time are appointment only; but if you show up & someone is already sniffing, just stick around! There are a few slots still open and surely we can squeeze in a few walk-ins. If you want to call today, please call Cory Smith at 206.246.3488 to reserve your time.

I'll post the rest of our show schedule soon, and some of you will get postcards in the mail. I had meant to send them before today, but again, I blame the busy!

Hope to see you tomorrow! Lots more fun stuff coming up this November, so stay tuned.

It's been awhile since I posted (and I was doing so good, too), but I've been tremendously busy lately with all the goings-on. This weekend, which is particularly exciting, is our first Show & Smell of the Fall season! Please stop by Sweet Petula's in Pioneer Square this Friday & Saturday for a too sweet handmade trunk show featuring yours truly along with other local crafters Sweet Petula, My Little Sunshine, Haute Goat, and Gabriel's Aunt.

I won't be there in person on Friday because I am finishing up my current design contract this week (by the by, need a designer?), but on Saturday I will have one of my traveling organs with me to make custom perfumes on the spot (as well as custom DIY Kits). Both days, you'll be able to find a wide selection of our scents in both 1/4 oz and 1/3 oz sizes as well as our muchly-touted and instantly-popular Do It Yourself Perfumery Kits.

As if you needed one more reason to go, the first 20 visitors will get fantabulous goodie bags with free samples and products from each designer.

You can get more deets on our Facebook event or check out this lovely write-up in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine's style blog.

By the way, if you want to show more of your crafty pride this weekend, Handmade Nation is making its Seattle premiere at NW Film Forum Saturday and Sunday. A slew of us Etsy Rain-ers will be there, and it'll be the perfect way to round out your weekend of handmade goodness.

It was a really tough decision, but I've decided that I won't be vending at Urban Craft Uprising this summer. I apologize profusely for anyone who was looking forward to getting their sniff on, but I just don't have the stock (let alone the energy for a two-day crafting extravaganza) right now. Everything has been spoken for by outstanding featured seller spotlight orders, and every time I think I finally have enough stock of something, I run out. Good golly. I never expected this, at all.

That being said, I'm still hard at work cranking out packages and I have really appreciated everyone's patience. All of my customers and supporters have been fantastic and I cannot thank you enough. It is just me around here, but I did also have a little bit of help from my boyfriend, at least, helping me to tag and label and drag stuff to the post office, and keep me sane when things got a bit rough the last couple of weeks. So, we're getting there. I think I am down to the last 50 packages with only 25 orders remaining to produce. PHEW.

I have a couple of other things on my plate, too, which is kind of making for some interesting exercises in time management. I am hard at work on a DIY tutorial for Indie Fixx, one of my all time favorite blogs. Additionally, I have a few graphic projects, including a logo for an old bandmate of mine who is now the Director of Comedy at Breakthru Radio (how rad of a title is that?). And lastly, I'm attempting to streamline my processes further so that when massive rushes like this arise in the future (one can only hope?) I am much better prepared.

To that end, there will be some changes around here when we reopen in September (I am taking the ENTIRE MONTH OF AUGUST off of retail - yay!). I won't be removing any fragrances, but some will be sold in limited supply only. We'll have a few new formats, and I'd like to start doing more one-off, limited edition runs, and focus more on custom and DIY perfumery and events.

I'll have more details as I know them, of course, but that's the weather as it is now. Speaking of the weather, it is STIFLING in Seattle and the heat is making it difficult to melt wax properly. I'm hiding out in corporate America as long as I can afford to today.

So, I realize I owe a few blog posts, but I have to get this out of the way or I may not have time to. I've been EXTREMELY busy with work, trying to get orders from the featured seller spot out the door (sorry, I'm still in June but have also started trucking on July), and now, prepping for next weekend!

Come by Urban Craft Uprising Aug 1st-2nd (holy cow, is August really next weekend??) at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall next weekend for "100+ of the BEST DIY vendors". Admission is free, and we'll be in fantastic company with the likes of Matthew Porter and Sublime Stitching. There will even be crafty demos and yummy food!

As for us, stop by booth #33 for to be the first to get your hands on our two new top secret products, find most of our available perfumes in a variety of formats, and we'll have our entire custom perfume setup for you to play with.

Despite how hectic the next week will likely be, I am actually looking forward to this show a lot. :D See you there!

(Note: After this, we'll be taking a real vacation for awhile. The end of August is always hectic and quite frankly, I'm not sure we'll be releasing four new perfumes until the holidays this time around. But I will keep you posted, of course!)

It's almost that time! Lori (yes...that Lori) and I have been gearing up for our tent at the Punk Rock Flea Market #6 which happens to be next Saturday, June 6, at the Belltown Underground. Please stop by and see us!

I'll admit, I'm lazy about blogging these days. I've been busy & by the time I get around to posting an entry, I'm kind of "meh" about the subject & move on to something else to do that all over again. But I can't not blog about my weekend spent with my dad and step-mom, so here we go. Let's see if we can do this justice. :)

My dad and step-mom flew in from Texas last week and we had a really fantastic time. OK, that's it. Done with post...

Just kidding! The first thing we did was head over to the Coastal Kitchen on Capitol Hill, whose proprietor also happens to own one of our other favorite eats, the Hi-Life (in Ballard). The food was fantastic, and we had fun catching up. I had the rockfish, and we had a trio of desserts that included the absolute best key lime pie I have ever had. They were pretty tired from the trip (it's so grueling to fly from Lubbock to Seattle these days that it's easier to drive to Albuquerque and fly from there). And thus began our insane weekend of Seattle eats.

Continue reading Blackbird Pie.

This is a really quick update as I'm soon off for day 2 with the out-of-towners (read: family), but I saw that Rare Device got our perfumes online fast! If you're in the San Francisco area, be sure to stop by to sniff in person. You can buy a few perfumes online, and we're sending them more of the 10ml solid perfumes as well.

We'll be adding them to the stockists page this weekend once the insanity (with the visitors) calms down. Up next on our stockists addition is a shop in Yuma, AZ called Floribelle and then we're (possibly) done expanding for a bit, though there are still some outstanding requests for samples that I need to get to. The rest of this weekend, though, is dedicated to the slew of custom perfumes we sold this week. Yowza.

In completely unrelated news, I had a fabulous day yesterday and took a ton of pictures, so expect some more blog posts, too. We're going on a cherry blossom scavenger today and I plan to take some perfumes along to get some springtime shots! We ate and ate and ate and ate yesterday (a meatball sub at Salumi and then crepes at 611), so I'm seriously done eating until oysters tonight, and ready to start my summertime walking routine.

Good grief, was it ever a glorious weekend, and I'm a little sad to see it go (even if this coming weekend poses some very promising fun as well). Let's see if I can briefly recap, as it warrants one.

Besides the weather being phenomenally 70 degrees and sunny (which never happens in April), we had a few adventures. Friday night we ventured to Greenlake to eat at Beth's, our favorite punk rock diner. (If you watch Man V. Food, you might have seen him attempt the 12-egg omelette there.) I had a breakfast burger and we split at $6 shake, which I have to say, was well worth the $6. I did feel a little guilty though, after all the chocolate I'd had that day (leftover birthday cake at work, what?). After we meandered in Scarecrow and ended up bringing home Rocky Horror Picture Show (which, to my horror, I had never seen all the way through) and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (to keep with the theme), which was absolutely amazing.

Saturday I spent a good chunk of the afternoon at Sweet Petula's putting new labels on the stock she had and picking up some overstock. As always, it was fun to chat with Cory & we had a good time gossiping and talking shop and catching up.
 
But Sunday was the big day. We had our ritual late morning latte at Kaladi (our favorite coffee shop around the corner from my apartment), and sat outside basking in the beautiful morning tinkering with our game boys before walking down to the convention center. We met up with some good friends we don't see often enough, who are also some of our usual PAX compadres. I had a lot of fun walking around the Comic Con, meeting artists, looking at really pretty work, and trying not to buy everything in sight. I have to say that while I love PAX for what it is, I think the Comic Con is way more my style -- I loved flipping through all the comix (independently published comics) and I got to meet Matt Kint from Super Spy  who signed my book for me, the guys at Two Percent Solution, one of whom is Rouge's husband, and last but not least, Phil Foglio from Girl Genius/MTG art fame. We stopped by the Topatoco booth and I grabbed a Dinosaur Comics shirt and some Cat & Girl buttons, as well. And lastly, I nabbed me a Pink Godzilla plushie from a local gaming store of the same name that had just the best marketing idea ever. Too freaking cute.

After we made it home, I finished up a wholesale order that will be on its way to Rare Device in San Francisco. Once Rena's received everything, I'll add their information to the stock page.

This week, I've got some reviews as well as an interview from the lovely Loreto, so definitely stay tuned!
 

So you know that you live in a modern age (and have fully accepted this fact) when you not only check your bank statement online, but then do a Google Maps search and look at the street view to make sure you recognize a strange business name on your statement.

I had, by the way. I didn't know that the vegan bakery by the market was actually owned by Cinnamon Works, but that's what appears on my card at least. Those cookies -- vegan and wonderfully huge cookies -- were well worth the momentary freak out of the unrecognizable card charge.

We spent this past weekend like we do most weekends, actually. We like being toursits in our own city. Since both of us are technically outsiders, we haven't gotten tired of it yet I guess. And me, being a flatlander, never tires of the waterfront. While ordinarily we walk down to Pike Place Market because it's really just about 15 blocks from my house, we'd already been down to Packaging Specialties in Georgetown earlier that day and rather than going home and then parking the car and then walking, it just made more sense to drive and park at the Market. It's not uncommon, though anyway. So, to give you a visual, Seattle weekends usually look something like this:

Though swap that piroshki, this time, for a chocolate chip cookie the size of my face, and you have this past Sunday. Oh, and throw this guy in there (because he'd be mad if I went without him):

Also, if you're looking for a great vegan bakery that also serves really good lattes, you're in luck because this one actually does both really well. I had a really great white chocolate mocha along with my cookie, and they serve Caffe Vitta espresso so you know you're getting the good stuff as it is. Though I still swear that bakery has a different name.

Other than the vegan treats, we stopped in the headshop so I could restock (I needed everything from ambergris to violet this time, it was sheer insanity), and grabbed some veggies for dinner (which ended up being a tasty roast pork & asparagus dish). We're just completely spoiled in this city.