Independent Beauty

hiatus.

2009-11-30T14:08:00.001-08:00

this blog is currently on hiatus. happy holidays :)

Bonny Scotland

2009-10-13T03:11:00.000-07:00

a view across Loch Ness

My birthday was a great success, and I took a much deserved vacation all the way up to the Highlands. There are so many talented soap makers in Scotland, I just knew I would be inspired by all the sights and smells. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a bit of heather and just breathe deep! The weather also behaved, making the whole experience one that I can't wait to repeat sometime soon. I can't recommend Tulloch Castle enough, we had such a fabulous time and the staff were incredibly accommodating.

Upon arriving in London my thoughts went immediately back to work, because there is no rest for the wicked. We'll be launching samples shortly, the prototypes of which will be making it into the hands of several great bloggers and journalists. At the same time I'm working on strengthening what I feel are a few weak points in our core catalogue and preparing some formulas that I think will liven things up a bit. Plus with Christmas just around the corner, there will be plenty of limited editions to choose from at the several holiday events that I've committed to. I'm feeling very traditional this year, so be prepared for some comforting seasonal favourites! I can never predict what people will embrace, last year our winner was the incredibly soft and ethereal Solstice blend, but this year I believe the tour de force will be a soap. I fully intend to create a creamy, decadent egg nog soap that *should* be out of this world.

Stay tuned.

We're alive!

2009-10-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

I have been here and I have been working (hard)...so hard that it's been hard to keep up with the blog. Every time I think that things will calm down a bit, they liven back up again. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Jack will make it back onto the website shortly, including a soap, scrub, whipped creme AND perfume this year! I'm hoping that the pumpkiny madness we saw last year will happen this time round. It's my birthday on Sunday so I will be spending all of next week on holiday, including a very special trip to a castle in the Highlands of Scotland. I'm really hoping to get some inspiration from Scotland that may work their way into a fragrance or two.
In other news we are already hard at work on this years' Christmas collection, which will include some very merry fragrances indeed.

More to report I'm sure in the coming weeks.

Grand [re]Opening

2009-09-02T10:17:00.001-07:00

After several weeks of putting the website on the back burner, things are finally moving full steam ahead with the new and improved moxiebeauty.com
Some things have been simplified, and other things expanded. I am happy to reveal that Moxie now carries full size alcohol based perfume sprays, just like you would find in a high end shop. As a matter of fact, we've also done away with as much plastic packaging as possible both in our fragrance range plus bath and body items. I had become deeply dissatisfied with the amount of plastic waste our company was generating, and really feel that this is the way forward for us. I'm working hard to implement a 'use and return' recycle plan in the future, so that when you are finished with your favourite product it will be easy to return your clean bottle or jar for a refill. While we can't reuse everything, I do hope a fair bit will be recycled. However health and safety concerns come first, so we're examinating several options to make this happen.
During this hiatus, we have taken part in several live events, and also reached out to new outlets for our products. I have been hard at work on new fragrances, and streamlining the bespoke perfume process. Bespoke perfumes are now broken into two categories so that customers can choose how involved in the process they would like to be. This is a great way for beginners to dip a toe into the custom perfumed waters without having to break the bank. And lastly, samples will be on the website very soon! I know I promised them way back in June but the workload was simply too much since the summer has been so busy.
Now that autumn is on the horizon we're finally coming out the other side, and beautiful things are ahead both for you and for us. Keep your eyes peeled for a grand reveal coming soon.

What a busy, busy bee.

2009-08-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

It's been nonstop hectic here in Kent, but for all the right reasons, I promise. For all of you reading from Greater London, there's a few dates you should mark on your calendars if you'd like to come out and support us!

* August 22nd, Bust Magazine Summer Craftacular
We were really hoping that the success of the Christmas affair would woo Bust mag back to London, and so it did. Here is the list of amazing vendors showing at the event, including some big names like Tatty Devine and friends such as Peppermint Twist. Doors open at noon and we'll be partying till 8pm at York Hall in Bethnal Green.

*August 29th, Craft Guerrilla
Since I was unable to make the last installment, I fully plan to rock the socks off of everyone in August with all of our new offerings, and am working my fingers to the bone to get everything sorted by the end of the month. Craft Guerrilla is my favourite thing to participate in, I highly recommend it to any crafter who is looking for a friendly fair, well advertised event with none of the nonsense. 34 Orford Road, Walthamstow Village

*September 26th, Retail Meet & Greet
The lovely and talented Penny Fielding has picked up some exclusive items for her shop, Beautiful Interiors, and has graciously put the wheels in motion for 'an evening with Moxie' type event. Since all of her patrons are so lovely, and Deb of Murano is such a fantastic mixologist, I will take any reason at all to hang round the shop garden under the fig tree, sipping a cocktail. It's just a bonus that you'll be able to come out and sniff some of our fabulous new perfumes. Beautiful Interiors, Walthamstow Village

And we certainly have plenty of new things to sniff, spritz and dab coming to the all new catalogue. It's going to be a beautiful end to a really great summer.

The triumphant return

2009-07-25T07:47:00.001-07:00

Quite possibly the best salad ever.

So I spent most of this week in a very bad mood, because here in Kent about 100,000 of us unexpectedly lost power for three days. It happened in the early afternoon on Monday, and while at first it was a bit of an adventure, by the evening of the second day I had had enough. My boyfriend didn't have as many lost groceries as say, many of the nearby families who probably had it worse than us but it was still hard to deal with and not exactly what you're expecting to happen while you're enjoying your vacation. Apparently the situation was caused by vandals who were trying to steal free electricity, so to you I say, thanks a whole lot for that. No, really.

While I work on a couple of new crafter spotlights, I thought that I would share a recipe that I've been getting a lot of use out of. Please disregard the photo above, as I ran out of spinach and substituted summer leafy lettuce and watercress. I also added a bit of tomato and half of a red onion, which just goes to show how adaptable this recipe is. Enjoy!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

8 slices of bacon

1 bag of pecans (100g ish)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 punnet of strawberries

500 g spinach

1 orange

parmesan (or cheese of your choice)

1/2 c olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

Begin by frying or grilling your bacon until crisp, drain and cool. While the bacon is cooking, melt your butter, brown sugar and just a drizzle, maybe a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Stir for a few minutes, then add your pecans to the mixture to candy them. When the pecans are coated, transfer them to greaseproof paper and allow to cool. While waiting for these ingredients to cool down, wash your fruit and veg. Slice your strawberries into quarters, and supreme your orange so that your slices are clean. Toss together your cooled bacon, pecans, spinach, strawberries, orange, and cheese. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle over your salad portions. Yum!

I think I can, I think I can

2009-07-15T11:40:00.001-07:00

Grilled Salmon? Yes please.

My house has been a tornado of soap making, perfume brewing, bottling and packaging. Since Moxie is still officially closed, I won't ruin any of the surprises I have in store but they are big. And smell beautiful. This weekend I will be vending again in Walthamstow so will probably have some new Crafter Spotlights, but in the meantime I thought I would share one of my favourite recipes. Salmon is such a great vitamin rich food, it's meaty and succulent plus you can do so much with it. I always keep it stocked in the freezer. This is a quick meal to make, because you can easily dress the salad while the salmon is on the go.

Salmon & Watercress with Minted Honey Dijon Sauce

4 Tbsp dijon

2 Tbsp grain mustard

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp prepared horseradish

2 Tbsp mint

salt & pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

watercress

1 small red onion

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

Brush salmon with oil and place in pan, skin side down. Keep an eye on it and remember to flip while making your salad! Whisk dijon, mustard, honey & horseradish together and allow to rest. Chop your red onion very finely, chop the watercress and combine. Add mint, olive oil, and vinegar to your dijon sauce mixture, whisk to blend ingredients then pour 3/4 of the mixture over your watercress salad. Put a portion on the plate, and when your salmon is cooked to taste place the filet across the top. Drizzle one tablespoon of your dijon sauce across the top and voila! Dinner is served.

Greek Pasta Salad

2009-07-11T07:01:00.000-07:00

Greek Pasta Salad

I've never attempted this before, but I thought I would post a favourite summer dish of mine. Sometimes I make a variation of this with couscous, but today I felt like a bit of pasta. I will try to post more recipes, but I have to apologise if ingredients aren't exact...I strongly believe you should cook to your own taste, and feel free to modify and tell me your results!

Pasta Salad

1 yellow pepper, roasted, de skinned and diced
1 red onion, diced
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1 small bag of pine nuts
100g black olives, roughly chopped
1 package of feta cheese, crumbled
250 g shrimp, cooked and chopped
cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
oregano
salt & pepper
1 package pasta of your choice (i am using bow tie today, sometimes i use rotini spirals.)

Dijon Vinaigrette

60 ml rice wine vinegar
30 ml Dijon mustard
minced garlic
salt & pepper
80 ml olive oil (you can use more or less according to taste. i use less for caloric reasons!)

First, make your vinaigrette by whisking together the first ingredients and then adding the oil. I use a shaker, then I pop it in the fridge while my pasta cooks. In the meantime, I prep and chop all of my vegetables. After the pasta is finished I drain and rinse until cool. Once chilled, I combine the pasta with the veggies and feta, then drizzle with vinaigrette and toss. This is a great healthy dish, and also a crowd pleaser!

Not enough hours in the day.

2009-07-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

"My Sweet Rose"

It's been a very busy week here as we prepare for the sale of the NW flat, for supplies orders to arrive (will I ever have enough essential oil? no.) and also preparing inventory for three craft events. I'm fairly close to finalising the new soap packaging for Moxie, and am considering different ways to integrate those decisions across the line for continuity. I'm glad that so many organisers have invited us to be a part of their markets, and I'm hoping that after this very busy summer that I'll have the chance to research a few events that we can commit to on a more regular basis.

At the moment though, I'm just waiting to catch a break! My boyfriend has promised a trip to an art exhibition which I'm very excited about, featuring the work of J.W. Waterhouse. I have long admired these works of art and am incredibly excited to have the chance to see so many from private and public collections on display together. I expect that after the experience I will be incredibly inspired to create something new. I will also be doing a bit of travelling, which is always an inspiration to new and exciting fragrances.

I don't want to leave this without sharing a few links for you fellow crafters. If you haven't already, do join the UK Crafts Forum. The members are friendly and helpful, plus there is a comprehensive list of craft markets taking place around the UK. I also found a well done blog that also features UK based designers called Handmade Designers. The owner is a very sweet woman named Yvonne, a fellow soaper and crafty artisan. Her picks are so beautiful, and the blog is well put together. UK DIY Craft is also a good read, and contains information from several crafters around the country about projects and happenings.

Super soaper

2009-07-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

swirled Moxie soap

Lately I've had soap on the brain. Making it, scenting it, moulding it, swirling it...making the very best bar that I possibly can. While I'm happy with what we have on the website, several months ago I decided it was time to push the envelope a little bit, and get out of the box that I seemed to have created around myself. I came up with something that in my head I was already calling 'Moxie Couture'. Fashion as fragrance. Soap as art.

It is my more daring fragrances that capture the attention of the public, and I wondered why I wasn't also being a little bit more daring with my soaps. Concentrating so heavily on the benefits of the oils seemed to take away from what soaping should really be about; fun. I wanted to go back to creating something just for fun. So I started scribbling in my formula binder, and thinking of what direction to go in. Now some of those seedling ideas have finally come to fruition. In fact, in just a few short weeks I'll be rebooting the Moxie catalogue, and integrating those new fragrances into the permanent collection. Some will be new versions of old favourites, and others will be completely fresh ideas. Still others may take a little getting used to, but will become favourites later down the line. This is a time of revelation and moving forward for our brand, it's extremely exciting.

15% off summer sale!

2009-07-01T01:50:00.000-07:00

The sale is on! 15% off everything until Monday. Our vacation gift to you...pass it on!

Click for details!

A wonderful weekend

2009-06-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Teddy Tinley in his brand new accessory from EdwynUK

This weekend Moxie participated in Craft Guerrilla, an incredibly fun annual summer craft extravaganza. Held at Beautiful Interiors in Walthamstow Village, Craft Guerrilla has fast become my favourite market to exhibit in, and I count many of the makers there as friends. We started with a bit of trepidation because the weather forecast was a bit iffy, but the skiesstayed clear until the bitter end, and we had a great turnout that included veterans and some new faces. It was our first time bringing Teddy along for the ride, and he enjoyed both working on his tan and all of the attention that was lavished on him, but I especially love the gift we received from EdwynUK. Edwyn has LOADS of pet friendly products including pillows, keychains and bags, all with hand stitching. Teddy's chic neckerchief slips easily around his collar and hangs in such a way that it doesn't bother him at all. In fact, he's been rocking it ever since and his ego has noticeably inflated. It's not easy being the best dressed dog on the block.

Also showing were Bo's Bangles and Peppermint Twist. Bo has a jewellery following that includes several celebrities, a testament to how beautiful her wire and beadwork is. All of her pieces were extremely trendy, and customers flocked to the stall all day long. We were lucky enough to be next to Peppermint Twist so I got the chance to check out all of her cute little clutches and coin purses. The photo above is definitely my favourite, but the thumbnail just doesn't do it justice. The colours really pop and the attention to detail and workmanship shines through as soon as you handle the bag. I fell in love with the fabric, and if I didn't have an innate ability to lose strapless handbags I probably would have bought it myself.
There were several other stallholders that I don't have time to mention, but I think I'm able to speak for everyone when I say we had just the best time. I certainly can't wait to do it all again on July 18th. See you then!

The weight of the world.

2009-06-25T01:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a trying week as I watch my partner deal with death that has struck close to home. He has been lucky to have never lost anyone dear to him, but watching a close friend lose his young wife unexpectedly has affected him quite a bit. Especially as there are two small children involved, which makes the situation all the more tragic.
All of our thoughts are with the family at this time. And more, less sombre blog posts to come.

Eco Friendly Fashion

2009-06-18T13:00:00.001-07:00

Juzi beads

I am forever looking for ways to recycle. Dutifully separating rubbish, collecting plastic and aluminum cans, and reusing glass containers, I still never feel like I'm doing enough. Plastic water bottles and discarded magazines litter my flat, piled into little mountains. Imagine my surprise to find someone who is turning some of that trash into beautiful jewellery! Juzi Online works with a collective of women in Kenya who create beads from discarded magazines. Pages from these magazines are cut into long strips of varying lengths and shapes which are then wrapped by hand around a thin stick, which are then expertly varnished and crafted into jewellery. The result is a one of a kind piece of eco-friendly art.
I had the pleasure of speaking directly with Nancy Randall, the director of Juzi. You only have to look at her website to sense how passionate she is about the people in Kenya, and about this innovative craft. Even the word Juzi, which means 'the day before yesterday', stems from the Swahili language. Digging a little deeper into Juzi Online, you can find testimonials from the actual people who create these quirky little beads. Most of them would be surviving on very little per month if it had not been for the success of Juzi in the UK, and in fact plans are in the works to seek Fair Trade accreditation for the community in the next year. The supply of discarded magazines in the UK and beyond is limitless, and it's so nice to know that instead of ending up in a landfill somewhere, the material is being put to good use. But why would you want to wear jewellery made of paper? The truth is, changes are afoot in the industry. More and more people are interested not just in the end product, but in the production process. Bit by bit, we are shopping smarter, and greener. I took my new Flava beads out for a spin over the weekend and you wouldn't believe the positive response I received.
I was drawn to the Flava beads because they are multicoloured and extremely versatile. The beads are 160cm long, allowing you to create your own style from day to day. You can wear them in elongated loops about the neck bohemian style, or wrapped several times for something a bit more bold. I also think that Flava look incredibly good when worn as an eye catching belt, as they hang gracefully from the hip. Being paper, the beads are seriously lightweight. The wrapping is done so well that I had everyone completely fooled; not a one person guessed what they were made of but everyone wanted to take a closer look when I revealed the truth. At such a good price (just £22 for my XL Flava) it's not really an accessory that you can turn down. And why would you? There's no reason you can't do your bit for the environment and look amazing at the same time.
You can find the entire range of jewellery, including Flava, Ozoroa and Molle by visiting juzionline.com

Snail Mail

2009-06-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

I am one of those people who collects paper. Journals that are only gently used, stationary and pretty envelopes, handmade cards, I love it all. I'm not really the sort of person that sends cards on special occasions. I prefer to send them when the mood takes me rather than wait for a specific time of year. Since I have no real papercrafting skills of my own, it's always fun to peruse other people's work. I always find something new to fall in love with! Since I got my dog, I notice that my boyfriend and I have become a lot more popular just by association. When we go anywhere, Teddy is invited. When I speak to anyone, they ask after Teddy. We even get requests for photos of (you guessed it) the dog. The Fox Terrier card from Forever Foxed would be a great 'just because' card for any of these people. and I guarantee you even though my dog bears hardly a passing resemblance to the tapestry front panel, he would be the first thing on everybody's mind. FF has a great selection of pet friendly cards on their website, including a charity collection.

Hidden Eloise has a thriving Etsy shop with whimsical designs in a pretty watercolour style that I just love. I adore the pretty little hand drawn characters and the scenes they find themselves in. I think the little girl with the grizzly bear is probably my favourite, but how beautiful is this girl with the ship in her hair? All of the illustrations are done in such a way that you might think they were vintage. That makes them even more appealing for a girl like me.

Over the past couple of years, I have really fallen in love with the many interpretations you can find on the internet of Japanese kawaii art. Deb, the organiser for Craft Guerrilla, makes stunning little kawaii critters that I just want to squeeze and take home with me. Over at Asking For Trouble you can find all manner of cute Japanese creatures which are hand drawn by the artist, Marceline Smith. In addition to papercrafts, Marceline is a web designer and photographer. She also co-edits Super Cute Kawaii, which is chock full of so much cute I can't even begin to explain it. You'll just have to visit and see for yourself :)

Me, I'm off to check out the Pac Man shoes.

Wide Open Spaces

2009-06-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

My job is done when you can't stop doing this!

Today I've been working on our new solid perfumes. It's been an involved process as I wanted to keep things vegan, but as usual I come up against several constraints when trying to shop locally for craft supplies. I try to source as much as I can as close to home as possible, but it's a challenge to be sure.

At the end of the month we'll debut the prototypes at Beautiful Interiors, and set up a few 'an evening with Moxie' demonstrational DIY nights both at Penny Fielding's lovely shop and as part of the roving Craft Guerrilla craft nights. I'm really glad that solid perfumes were suggested to me (thanks Mel!) as a good way to introduce people to perfumery. I'm quite excited to be able not only to do quick, easy to grasp demos but also to provide something for each and every person to take away with them and enjoy at a fairly low price. While perfume oils are still quite a niche product and in some cases too overwhelming for those not familiar with the medium, solid perfumes offer a more subtle, personal aura of scent that I think is more preferable to the uninitiated.

In other news the new soaps and relaunched perfumes will be complete quite soon, with a total rollout probably occurring towards summer's end. Stay tuned.

Gift ideas

2009-06-06T14:58:00.001-07:00

Shinies!

Today is my sister in law's birthday, and one of the good things about living overseas is that my gifts never actually have to be on time. My SIL is a bit hard to shop for, and I feel terrible being the person who usually cops out with a gift set or something at Christmas. She prefers to wear gold, which is not usually to my taste, and also pearls, which are definitely not to my taste. Another hindrance is that her ears are not pierced. From experience, I tell you that finding pretty gold earrings with clip backings is a bit challenging. I've been browsing Folksy for inspirational gift ideas.

Sites like Folksy, DaWanda, and Etsy are wonderful, but I think a major problem, especially with jewellery, comes from a lot of people in a relatively small bubble designing for the same trend. I'm a simple girl at heart, and while I know resin cast, plastic, and laser cut jewellery is all the rage at the moment I'm not very interested. I like jewellery that you can wear again and again for years to come, and cute as the stuff may be, I doubt that when I'm forty I'll want to be wearing jewellery in the shape of sweets. Plus, my sister in law is nearly fifty, so I've chosen things I think she may like :)

The idea of a lariat is really appealing; you can change the length at will and the whole look can alternate between sophisticated or whimsical depending on the outfit you're tying together. I've chosen a brass version from The Lazy Giraffe, priced at only £21. The teardrop shape of the locket ends really makes this piece stand out for me.

Though a lot of people may not go in for such things, much like the effects of aroma on body and wellbeing, I am also a firm believer in the properties of gemstones. Chalcedony is an excellent centering stone that promotes inner peace and banishes fears. The lovely aqua chalcedony set necklace from Fleurie Jewellery with gold filled chain is simple but beautiful for a very reasonable £40. I could even see myself in this, because I'm madly in love with pale blues! And lastly, pearls. Ellie B has a lovely seed pearl number priced at only £10, with delicate twisted bars of gold plate. The length looks perfect for such a feminine piece, and it looks like a great buy for beauty on a budget.

Not sure yet what I'll be purchasing, but it's nice to know I'm spoiled for choice!

Giveaway!

2009-06-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

An online acquaintance that I have known for some time is finally a bonafide published author. I've had the opportunity to watch her journey via LiveJournal, and it's been extremely interesting to watch the process. That said, I'm sure her book will be amazing and even if you don't win this particular giveaway, you should be sure to purchase her (affordable!) book via Amazon.

For the chance to win your copy of her book, Give Up The Ghost, plus some other interesting reads and goodies, visit Megan Crewe's journal
and leave your name and/or email address. For extra entries, add a link and allow someone else the chance to enter!

Best of luck to Megan, and to all participants :)

Warmth

2009-06-01T16:15:00.001-07:00

Warmth by Volk

The past week or so, I've been thinking a lot about warmth. The weather has taken such a U-turn, summer is well and truly upon us. I know I shouldn't complain because it's not nearly as hot as my native Texas, but I've been in England long enough now that I'm used to more mild weather. And anyway, I do prefer the cold.

I like to change my perfume according to the season. When it gets this hot, the fragrances that I usually reach for seem far too heavy and cloying, like wearing a sweater to the beach. My fingers usually land on something cool, like a fruity-floral or even an aquatic blend. Lately I've been wearing Bikini, a relatively new addition to the Moxie catalogue. Bikini is light and sweet, with rose otto, lily of the valley, honeysuckle and kiwi. I wasn't always this way, though. I have had love affairs with several perfumes over the years including Prada, Happy, Obsession, and Marc Jacobs. I think the first ever perfume ever purchased for me as a child was Exclamation! Let's all collectively shudder over that one.

Anyway, I'm always interested to know what other people are wearing. Perfumes trend just like anything else...from one decade to the next we may be wearing oriental, floral, or more unisex blends. At the moment I think we're in the age of the gourmand. Celebrity perfumes dominate the market, filled with edible notes that appeal to tweens and young adults. But you can never guess what will appeal from season to season. This past weekend Moxie vended at a beautiful craft market, tucked away in trendy little Walthamstow Village. We have a lot of people that come to us for 'sweety' type scents, in fact a favourite is Dolly Mixture and the now discontinued but legendary Miss Fortune. The new summer line is a collection of fruit blends, and though they were appreciated I was really surprised to find that it was the warmer, headier scents that got the most love. In fact, I completely sold out of several. It just goes to show you can never second guess the public.

I've been working on new interpretations of my old formulas, and I have to admit that I'm almost happy we've had to change gears and make changes in anticpation of the IFRA amendments. I'm taking the opportunity to make things better, getting rid of weak products and creating a more rounded collection. I haven't decided whether I will take the website offline for a couple of weeks, it may come to that as current stocks are quite low and I won't replenish until everything is complete behind the scenes. I also have wholesale obligations to contend with and new ones at the end of the summer. We're all working feverishly, but I'm excited. And optimistic.

Craft Guerrilla

2009-05-28T02:36:00.000-07:00

Honey Child, Moxie Beauty Organic Collection

London is known for craft markets. Portobello, Brick Lane, Spitalfields, Camden...all these names resonate and both natives and tourists alike flock to stalls. Since I've been showing with Moxie though, it's been the smaller, more intimate markets that I enjoy the most. At the moment we're prepping for Craft Guerrilla, a yearly summer event that we were lucky enough to get involved with. Initially I only dipped my toe in for two markets, but this year we're doing all four. CG has remained my favourite show by far, not for any monetary reason but because the organisers go so far to book amazing artisans and to make everything so enjoyable for us. The venue, Beautiful Interiors, is an award winning shop in the middle of Walthamstow Village and is owned by the sweetest woman on the planet, Penny Fielding. We have cocktails, music and snacks and the time just seems to fly by. I always feel like Craft Guerrilla is my chance to catch up with old friends, it doesn't feel like work at all. That's not to say that I'm not exhausted by the time I get home!

Once CG is over, my attentions will be completely on gutting our current catalogue, and tweaking everything that survives to be compliant for new assessments and insurance. I'm being quite ruthless, and plan on slashing products probably by at least half. There are some formulas that are okay as is, and others that I feel don't have the following needed to continue making on a regular basis. I know that it will upset a lot of people, but I also have plans to discontinue our burlesque perfume line for the immediate future. I can't say that it will never return, but I'm not interested in becoming a one trick pony. The limited run fragrances that I have planned will be just as unique and interesting, and I'm positive that the fans of that collection can appreciate new and exciting things. I am much more interested in creating a solid core catalogue that is brilliant than a vast catalogue that is mediocre.

Cooking mama

2009-05-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

Amazing cakes by Cupcake Corner

I like to think that I'm a whiz in the kitchen, but nobody is infallible. I hold my hands up and admit that earlier today I completely butchered what should have been an amazing low calorie banana nut loaf. What came out of the oven looked the part, smelled the part, and tasted the part. However the texture was all sorts of wrong. Back to the drawing board with that one.
Desserts have been on my mind lately, probably because at the moment I'm on a bit of a diet. I'm having fun trying low fat and low calorie type foods. But like anyone I slip up from time to time. Like when I found out that the Tesco quite a ways from my house has Krispy Kreme donuts, which I've craved pretty much from the moment I came to England and realised they were thin on the ground in this country. Also, I've been thinking a bit about cupcakes. But not the strange little dry 'fairy cakes' that seem to be popular in England. I'm thinking of real, American style cupcakes, little decadent pieces of heaven. There are a few places around that claim to sell 'American style' this or that, but I'm always skeptical. But after a little digging, I managed to find several people who share my sweet tooth passion. And I was very happy to land at Cupcake Corner.
A fellow Blogspot blogger, Natalie at CC not only bakes up a storm, but she is kind enough to share her recipes. She also posts photos of her work, warts and all. You can see from her photographs that she doesn't skimp on the ingredients, and she's not averse to a little bit of experimentation. I can appreciate that! The most amazing bit though, if her MySpace is to be believed, Natalie is only 17 years old. Rock on, chick.

And now to decide which recipe I'll try first :)

Rossy de Palma

2009-05-22T13:08:00.001-07:00

Rossy de Palma 50ml, 69 Euros

I have come to understand that when blending perfume, it's important to take risks. A seemingly tiny modification can completely change the face of a blend, and sometimes in the back of your mind, you doubt yourself. Surely putting these things together will smell terrible! But if you have that extra modicum of courage, you take the plunge. Looking over the portfolio at Etat Libre d'Orange, I felt that these were perfumers with that courage. In fact, I was incredibly intrigued by the listings of notes and original accords. I was also drawn in by the 'manifesto': imagination over tried and true concepts. Expression over marketing.

Ha.

Admittedly, Rossy de Palma was last on my list of intriguing scents. There are far, far more interesting compositions in the catalogue, but the French press agent was a bit hard to deal with and practically shoved Rossy down my throat, because as a 'guest star' it's supposed to be a special snowflake. I assure you that unless you are a veteran, hardnosed rose lover, it is not. But you could probably guess that from the literature; it's a run o' the mill formula. Bulgarian rose with ginger, cardamom, jasmine, benzoin, patchouli, incense and, interestingly enough, cocoa. I'm going to be quite blunt here and inform you that the combination of top notes are so astringent, my first reaction was that it smelled like vomit as it hit my skin. The blend is practically shrieking with bergamot, ginger and rose. Luckily it's not quite so offensive as it mellows, but the more rich, resinous base notes never really make up for the shrill beginning. In fact, the sourness is tenacious indeed. I can't completely blame the perfume. Once you think you smell vomit, there's not really a whole lot of forgiveness left, is there?

I wouldn't let this one letdown turn me off entirely from the brand, because as I say there are some incredibly interesting fragrances in the line. However I'll quite happily never go near this particular one again.

Deconstructed

2009-05-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

Saffron flowers

Lately, I'm a very busy bee. Besides working towards the sale of our second house, I have my day job and Moxie to juggle. While I do have some help, I've been taking a hard look at Moxie, and deciding what areas I can trim back to create less work for myself. At the moment I feel like the catalogue is too vast, and can do with being a bit more streamlined. I know that several people are also panicking about the new IFRA amendment, but the new restrictions affect me to a very small degree. Still, I'm happy to take the opportunity to make tweaks and create a stronger, more solid base collection. Fingers crossed. It's going to be a very, very long summer.

People are very surprised when they find that I'm not entirely tied to my own output when it comes to my daily beauty routines. Trying new things and forming an opinion is my job, so at any time you can find new and exciting products and scents in my bathroom. In storage there are boxes and boxes of products that I never got around to, but may yet someday! This week I decided to try a soap from Saffron Barr, located in Cambridgeshire. I was very taken with a black, spicy soap and also received a free half bar of Ginger & Lemon. Admittedly I'm less familiar with melt & pour soap but both smelled wonderful. I was able to build up a frothy lather, and after I stepped out of the shower, my entire bathroom was filled with a fresh aura of scent. I know a lot of people turn their noses up at melt and pour soaps, but the fact is they are incredibly moisturising, and as I suffer from dry skin I'm not averse to popping a glycerine bar in the shower now and again. It's not just small businesses who use melt and pour either; Pacifica in North America is quite mainstream and they make a wonderful glycerine bar.

Later as I was enjoying my current book (Once by James Herbert, if you're interested), my boyfriend came downstairs after his shower and I realised that he smelled absolutely amazing. With a sheepish grin he told me he'd used the spicy soap that I'd so kindly left on the side. I could hardly be angry with him. There's something inherently sexy about a man that smells good, so...well let's just say I've got Saffron Barr to thank for that too.

You can find Saffron Barr via their website or on Folksy. They have both cold process and glycerine soaps in a wide variety of fragrances, for you or your significant other ;)

Atomic dog

2009-05-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Needle felted dogs from Kay's K9s

My dog, Teddy, has a birthday coming up and he will be two years old. He's an incredibly spoiled Irish Jack Russell terrier (sometimes called a Black & Tan because of their colouring) and my partner and I are already wondering what gifts to get him. Did I mention he was spoiled?

I'm always on the lookout for a Teddy-proof chew toy. While heavy duty toys like Kongs are okay, my dog prefers something he can actually get his little teeth into and shake around a bit. However, it's only a matter of moments before he's ripped open the seams and tearing at the stuffing inside. I purchased a Kong Wubba for him some months ago, and it was an astonishing three days before he had chewed completely through the canvas, pulled the kong-esque toy out, and sat happily chomping on both. All that is currently left of said Wubba are the four 'tentacle' bits. These tattered remains are Teddy's favourite playtime item. Any dog owners out there, I'll happily take suggestions for other soft toys.

While on my doggie present hunt, I came across Kay's K9s and was literally blown away by the cuteness on offer. I can't mend a tear or darn a sock, so I'm always in awe of fabric crafting. Kay seems able to spin dogs out of yarn like a pet Rumpelstiltskin. The accuracy and attention to detail is, in a word, astounding. Intrigued, I browsed her blog a little bit where you can find side by side photographs of current projects. Hats off to you, Kay, you have truly mastered your craft. And if you love your pooch like I love mine, maybe you'll want to turn him into a little handmade piece of art.

Bags of character

2009-05-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

'Stroll' mini-pouch by Michy Moo; 'Chocolate Accordion' by SiamSquare; 'Amy Butler design' by Girl of the Sixties

I've been doing a bit more tinkering in the lab, returning to Atlantis for another go, and perfecting my Susinum blend. It was good to take some time away and regroup, getting a more solid idea about what I'd like my end result to be. As an offshoot to my Egyptian collection I've started tentative work on a second set. Or they may become integrated somehow, I'm not entirely sure. At the moment they are Tut and Cleopatra, but that may change. My ideas do tend to evolve as my thinking processes find some new focus :)

Speaking of perfume, at the moment I'm waiting on samples from Etat Libre d'Orange. They have an incredibly thought provoking collection of scents from an interesting point of view. This fits right in with the publications I write for, so I'm already planning two separate articles on the brand. I did raise an eyebrow a couple of times when perusing the website descriptions, but I'm intrigued to know whether the end product can back up the claims.

In other non-perfume news, I've been looking for a handmade handbag. It seems to me that everyone is printing a design on a cotton tote these days, and I'm really not a fan of those personally. But I absolutely love handbags and I think it's about time I added a hand stitched one to my collection. As of yet I haven't hit on one that I'm absolutely in love with, but I did find some incredibly cute coin purses and I thought I would share them. All of these talented designers have loads more available at their respective stores, that is if you can beat me to the 'buy now' button!

Common scents

2009-05-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

Is this burning an eternal flaaaaame

I'm taking a bit of a time out this week as over the next few days I'll be extremely busy. So instead of prattling on about my own craft, I'll continue praising someone else :)

I LOVE candles. Love, love, love. Pretty much anyone who knows me understands that I'm on a constant lookout for the perfect pillar. Unfortunately I can't burn candles anywhere near my fragrance organ (for obvious reasons) but in my downstairs lounge, fragrance is fair game. I prefer soy candles as they burn so cleanly. So I went to have a poke around.

Cosy Candles has an extensive collection of candles and wax tarts, all made from 100% soy wax. Prices are very affordable; I scored six votive candles for £6 and since the company is right over in Essex shipping was cheap. I really, really like that I was able to choose six different fragrances. As a new customer, I'm happy to familiarise myself with a new catalogue so that I can make more informed choices when I choose to shop again. My choices were: crème brûlée, pomegranate, cinnamon & sandalwood, pink sugar, spiced plums, and the great pumpkin.

Right after opening the box, I knew I was going to be really pleased with this order. The candles are shrink wrapped, but the scent came wafting out. I let my boyfriend choose what we'd burn first, and while both of us ooohed and aaahed over pomegranate (it smells DELICIOUS.) he settled on spiced plums. It's no secret I'm a plum addict, so that was fine by me. The votive was lit at around 11am this morning and well...it's still burning now at 5pm. The fragrance is sweet without being overpowering, and it is easily detected all about my lounge and into the kitchen. I am extremely pleased, as this knocks the socks off the Yankee Candles I bought several weeks ago.

Which just reinforces my belief that sometimes, the little guy does it that much better. I'm happy to stay off the beaten path :)

I am part of the solution.

2009-05-09T06:29:00.000-07:00

Pink Pasties by Voodooville

I really feel that Britain is lagging behind in the DIY stakes. I also feel that I may be crucified for that sweeping generalisation, but no matter, it stays. There are a lot of other talented crafters out there, but I don't really feel like we have the same resources at our disposal. There are also very few craft outlets. Markets are fine, craft fairs, great, and cheers to the very good (and very few active) craft forums out there for like minded individuals. The bottom line is, Etsy, while wonderful, isn't really wired for the international crowd. And Folksy, while a quaint idea in theory...well it's no Etsy. Other places come to mind, DaWanda, ArtFire...they are all a little below my radar at the moment. Maybe I'll do a bit more homework.

Anyway, it's my job to find out about things, and so I'll be doing a bit of that here. I already know there is a big boom in the handmade industry in America, so I'll be concentrating my efforts elsewhere. Somebody has to, after all. Britain may be on a slow boil at the moment, but I have no doubt that (as in most things) we are right on the heels of America. Our time will come.

I'll start things off with Voodooville, because she brings together two of my favourite things; burlesque and art. The painting above, Pink Pasties, is the work of Jayne Tunnicliffe. If you head over to her website, you can see her many, many other watercolours. For the most part they are vintage icons, but there is loads more to see and she's obviously a very talented lady! I was just saying to my partner yesterday (while watching our evening favourite, the antiques roadshow. shut up.) how much i have always wished i could watercolour. If i could, I hope that I could achieve something like Pink Pasties or Vegas Twirlies, another work in the burlesque set that looks so fun and carefree I had to laugh at how perfectly the moment was captured. She also seems to do quite good vintagesque tattoo flash art.

To see more or purchase (very affordably priced!) prints, visit voodooville.co.uk or catch her exhibition of burlesque themed artwork at Broadstone Mill's Art Gallery, Broadstone Road, Reddish, Stockport, from 15th May

Flights of fantasy

2009-05-08T13:01:00.001-07:00

Michael Whelan The Summer Queen

There are pieces of art that I want to capture in a bottle. Works that are important to me, or have made an impression on me in one way or another. Artists that make me incredibly happy, or even incredibly sad. There are paintings that I forget now and again, and sometimes they turn up like old friends. Sometimes I have an urge to fill every bit of wall space with art. I hate plain walls.

I've been working on a collection for some months now and it takes me different places. It's been a struggle, because I have to transport myself and consider what it is I want to achieve. A lot of the time, I feel like I'm not creating perfume at all, but a time, or a place. Something else, something new. I want to pluck the strings of smell leading directly to the brain and memory. I see myself doing this with Egypt. Not so easy, since anyone who knew those old recipes is long dead. All I have are my interpretations. Today I was back in Atlantis, which has been exceptionally challenging and eluding me. Just when I think I may have what I want, after some time the mix is not what I'm after. So I start again, trying to achieve the smell of the sea. Does anyone want to smell like that? A salty tang of water and air? I'm not entirely sure but I don't think I mind one bit.

One step at a time, I'm capturing my own art.

Houses of the holy

2009-05-07T03:11:00.000-07:00

Lefebvre: Mary Magdalene In The Cave

I'm quite excited to begin working with spikenard. Known to this day as a 'holy oil', spikenard has several Biblical associations. The story goes that a woman uses spikenard to anoint the head of Jesus. Also, Mary Magdalene famously anoints His feet, washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair. Judas Iscariot protests at this as spikenard is such an expensive ingredient. He asks why not sell it instead, and give the money to the poor? Of course he said this because he kept the purse of the disciples, and was a thief. Spikenard was also found in the unguents left in Tutankhamun's tomb, blended with frankincense and other fragrant oils.

Spikenard is quite strong, so it's not surprising that the scent has lingered literally for thousands of years! The smell is earthy and green with what almost smells like menthol or eucalyptus; it strongly put me in mind of medicinal ointments and things of that nature. On the drydown the oil is less stringent, and I can see how when blended with other oils, this may become something quite unique.

Perfume.

2009-05-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

temple of hatshepsut entrance

These days, it's rare that I wear anything complex. I find my personal scent choices tend to mimic what I'm working on at the time (a few months ago I was seriously tropical in preparation for our Island scents) and at the moment I'm completely focused on Egypt. When I first started, I spent about a week wearing several frankincense oils, and also myrrh (especially opoponax). I sniff the kyphi I have maturing quite often, appreciating how complex it truly is. Soon my susinum will be complete. I don't think I'm going to cease my travels in Egypt, though.

The more you research perfume in Egypt, the more you have to consider how eventually the Greeks and Romans put their own stamp on things. And so on, and so forth, right on through Elizabeth I and beyond. Every culture has their own indigenous plants and flowers. Every country trades for more exotic ingredients. I'll be quite happy traipsing through India, Arabia, France, and England over the next several months I think.

Today I'm wearing ambrette seed single note. Even diluted it's a smooth, sexy musk that sticks close to the skin yet remains primally evocative. Unless you were quite close, you wouldn't be aware that I was wearing anything at all. I know a lot of perfumers use synthetics now, but there is always something to be said for the real thing.