Perfume Projects

Thank you for visiting me today!

"The Perfume Collector" was one of the books I could not put down. Set in London in the 1950's, it tells the story of Grace Monroe who receives a mysterious letter saying she was bestowed a generous inheritance from Eva D' Orsay, a woman she has never met. Grace flies to Paris to find clues about Eva and if they are at all related. Her answers come from an abandoned perfume shop. Three specific perfumes, La Premiere, Aureole Noire, and Choses Perdus, reveal Eva's story. 

The book's author, Kathleen Tessaro, vividly takes the reader on a journey to a bygone era. Her flawed heroines are very relatable, I was cheering for them to succeed. She also describes "scents" in a manner I've not read before:

"Perfume should tell a story -- the story of who you are, who you might be, perhaps even of who you fear becoming...all of these things are possible. It's a very intimate element of a woman, just like her signature or the sound of her voice."

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"You can't go to school to learn the art of the perfumer. You have to possess a natural, God-given talent and then the secrets of the profession must be passed on by the master."

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"The effect was beyond what he could have imagined. His perfume highlighted her youthful freshness and yet blended naturally with her rich, musky undertones. It 'finished' her, gave her a polished elegance, joining the fractured sides of her together."

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"You see, nothing is more immediate, more complete than the sense of smell. In an instant, it has the power to transport you. Your olfactory sense connects not to the memory itself, but to the emotion you felt when that memory was made. To recreate a scent memory is one of the most challenging, eloquent pursuits possible. It's poetry, in its most immediate form."

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"Once upon a time, I was a perfumer. Now I'm reduced to a custodian, a collector of the past. I can't write or paint or compose...my language is scent -- the vocabulary of feeling and memory." 

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"Because this is the root of all perfume creation. To change to way we smell. It could be argued that all perfume is born out of shame; a self-consciousness of our natural odor. We want to hide it."

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"Fragrance is an aspiration. A goal. Not just a tool of seduction but of power and status. Do you realize how much the ancients used to pay for frankincense and myrrh? Whole empires were built on the trade of these commodities. You see, even then, when life was short and cruel, people wanted to smell differently. To be transported."

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"This is floral, earthy, and there's the clean overlay of aldehydic waxiness and soft flowers. And then, underneath, a whiff of more feral, impolite essences. Under the clean, innocent exterior there's a carnal presence. It's not without ulterior motive. This is the scent of intoxication and desire. The perfume of seduction."

After reading this book, I was inspired to mix some scents. 

This is a perfume kit that my mom-in-law's sister sent me.  She is a very thoughtful lady, sending me books and clothes that she thinks I'll like. It was soooo kind of her to find this at a church sale. She knows all too well that this is my jam. 

Inside is a book detailing the history of perfume and possible ways to mix scents. 

The kits also came with these little fragrances.  It was fun to play around with different concoctions -- a drop of the floral, two drops of the woody, a drop of the musk; or a drop of the white flowers, a drop of the floral, a drop of the fruits, and a drop of the rose accord. 

I used strips of paper, the kind that you would find when trying perfume at the beauty counter.  When I was pleased with a combination, here's what I did:

I repeated the scent combination and added them to the pendants I made last week. 

The pendant is handmade from salt dough and can absorb the fragrance oils. It's attached to beads strung on stretchy cord.

Essentially, it's a scented bracelet. You can wear perfume that's not directly applied to your skin...TADA!

The scent on the pendant lasts for several weeks and I can add new scents when the original has dissipated.

Aromatherapy oil can also be used on the pendant. So if you want to feel calm (ex. chamomile) or invigorated (ex. peppermint) you're just a whiff away...TADA!

Day 100

Hello everyone! I have an extra blog post this week because it's Day 100 of #100DayProject...TADA!

"The 100 Day Project " is an on-line art project: choose a project, do it for 100 days, and show off your progress on Instagram. 

Given our current situation, I chose the theme, "100 Days of Silver Linings". I needed a distractraction from uncertainty, something to allow me a bit of productivity, and hallmarks of hope amidst the heartache.  

I trimmed watercolor paper into 3-inch by 3-inch squares until I had 100 blank canvases. The front is for the artwork.

And the back is where I write down the story behind each sketch.

It's important to document them so that I won't ever forget. 

I used my favorite tools that I've owned for many years.

I hunted for stories of hope and kindness everywhere -- on social media and in the news (no matter how bad the headlines were, the broadcast always ended with a positive story). 

Here are the random acts of kindness from all over the world: people wanting to reach out to their neighbor whether they knew them or not.

Expressions of gratitude to the brave first responders, health care heroes and essential workers. 

Words of strength.

How do you celebrate big events and milestones while social distancing? We found creative ways!

Solidarity in light shows, multi-city flybys, a Space X launch, Fourth of July fireworks, and on-line entertainment.  

In June, the pandemic and peaceful protests crossed paths.

Thankfully, there have been small changes brought about by these protests like a greater awareness of the prejudices black lives go through on a daily basis. Reforms to some police departments have also been implemented. And the creative community has been supportive of black-owned businesses and are rallying in amplifying black voices. It's a long way to go but it's a start.

 

These are several ways we are trying to navigate what we've never experienced before. 

There were days when it was difficult to sketch because all the good news was overshadowed by the bad. But there were times I would make 3 sketches a day because the stories I came across were very uplifting.

And now that I've completed my 100 Day Project, I won't stop there. I'll keep searching for these stories.

We're still fighting the virus but we're all in this together.

Let's each do our part.

Let's be extra kind.

And let's remain hopeful that things will get better very soon.

Salt Dough Pendants

I am so glad you were able to stop by today!

The genesis of this craft came when I found these tools in my baking bin:

They are miniature cookie cutters and embossing sheets.  

They are traditionally used for making cookies or fondant shapes for cakes. 

I wanted to make something more long lasting so I thought about salt dough. I've worked with salt dough in the past to make this, this, and this.

Salt dough is an easy recipe: In a bowl, add 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1/2 cup salt, and 1/2 cup water. If you like, add a light tint using 4 drops of food color. Mix them together until it forms a dough. If it's too sticky, mix in more flour, a teaspoon at a time.

When not in use, it's best to store the salt dough in an airtight container to keep it from drying out.

Put the dough on a board and flatten it with a rolling pin, about 1/4 inch thick.

This is an optional step. I'm doing it because I have these embossing sheets. I placed the sheet on the dough (embossed side facing the dough) and used a rolling pin to add some even pressure. 

The dough now has an imprint...TADA!

Make a few butterflies and dragonflies using the cookie cutters.

Using an off-set spatula, transfer these to a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Poke a prominent hole on top using a toothpick. Make sure the hole goes all the way through so it doesn't close while baking.  

Bake these for two hours in a oven set at 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Here's what the butterfly looks like after it's been baked and cooled (I'm not sure where the little dots came from).

Add a jump ring through the hole and attach it to a bracelet (this one is made of stretchy cord and assorted beads).

Here's what the dragonfly looks like after it's been baked.

Doesn't it bring more life to this bracelet? 

I also made a flower using a cookie cutter.

Here's the flower after some time in the oven.  

I added it to a bracelet made of semi-precious stones.

We can also make some beads out of salt dough scraps. Just roll them into marbles.

Poke a hole through using the end of a paintbrush or skewer.

Bake this in the oven for 2 hours (oven set at 200 degrees Fahrenheit).

After baking, they look like these.

I used one bead as an accent to this pink bracelet...TADA!

I hope this project has gotten you excited to work with salt dough!