Middle Earth

Our journey to Middle Earth began early Friday morning by heading East across the US to Miami where we transferred to another plane heading South. We arrived to Quito in the evening, where the aromas were very similar to those of my homeland Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The host and guide of this magical mystery tour is, Eduardo Villacis, who was awaiting our arrival at the airport with his wife Maria. Eduardo invited Greg, referred on this blog as Maestro Gregorio, to give a week-long workshop at the University of San Francisco in Quito. The week-long workshop is Greg’s premiere of his class titled Artist as Brand.

Artist as Brand is a concept Greg has been developing for years facilitated by his own transformation as an artist and yearly visits to the Comic Convention (Comic Con) in San Diego, California. The workshop begins Monday evening with Greg showcasing his evolution as a creative spirit. The journey begins as an eldest brother of a family of six, much like the Brady Bunch, to where he has arrived now as an award winning illustrator and film production artist.

Quito, the capital city of Ecuador straddles the equator, placing it right at the middle of this planet earth we inhabit. The day and evening is equal in length and the weather remains constant year round. A small country, rich in history, along the Pacific coast which shares a border with Colombia and Peru. Although the primary residents are the exquisite faced Incas and indigenous tribes, a variety of people from all parts of the world now make this rich, fertile land their home.

The light of the Sun gently stirred me awake this morning as I arose to a glorious view of the verdant green, tropical mountains. I gasped at the site, for when we arrived at the hotel from the airport it was dark out and I had no idea of the spectacular scene that patiently awaited my gaze.

The central square of Quito is at 9,350 feet above sea level. The city is located at zero latitude. The word Ecuador translates to equator in Spanish. The name for the city comes from the pre-Columbian tribe, Quitu.

Our first day was spent organizing ourselves in the morning with a splendid tour of downtown in the afternoon with our extra ordinary guide, Eduardo. I must say that experiencing a country with someone like our host, who is very well educated in the history of Ecuador, is quite a treat.

Here are a few visuals of the afternoon excursion with some commentary.

In downtown Quito there is a church at just about every corner, each with beautiful architecture and masterful hand worked wood doors and statues in the interior.

This photo is a shot of the exterior of The Church of the Society of Jesus, aka The Company referring to the Jesuits. There were so many splendid aspects of this church both on exterior facade and within the interior. Upon first seeing the baroque church I immediately thought of Antoni Gaudi structures in Barcelona. I was particularly taken by how the use of the shell and leaf images adorning the Saint. The interior features glorious golf leaf covered engraved motifs, finely painted portraits of and intricate Moorish designs. This church is really glorious. it's breath taking to think of all the beauty that artists have created over time because of the Catholic church. The energetic blueprint of all the craftsman that imbued this church with their creative spirit is apparent to the naked eye as well as those who can "feel" energy.

Eduardo explained how there was a Guild for each of the hand crafts and each one is looked over by a specific saint. According to Catholic.org, Nicholas of Myra is the Patron Saint of Perfume. Since botanical perfume is tied into sustainability than Francis of Assisi, as the Patron Saint of ecology and merchants, is probably a better fit.

Eduardo and his wife Maria both worked on the restoration of a historic Hospital in the city center that is connected to a church via an arch. The hospital has been renovated into a Museum. We had the pleasure of a very in depth tour of the ancient structure.

The Hospital was constructed in Mediterranean style with two interior courtyards.

The first featured a fountain.

The second courtyard featured a a variety of plants.

Hospital tower view from one of the Courtyards.

As we exited the Museum to get some tea, we were greeted by another
glorious display of Quito’s sheltering sky above some of the colonial architecture.

More pictures and adventures are in store.
In the meantime, we are preparing our presentation
for Monday evenings opening of the workshop.

Images: The opening image was found via Google images thanks to Eve. The image of the Church of San Francisco was taken by Eve and all the other photos were taken by me.

Peace Perfume: Part One

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Steve Robertson the Founder of Project-Peace on Earth, along with Director Marc Scarpa are in Israel, and Palestine working out the logistics of the September 19th concert in Manger Square, Bethlehem. Robertson and Scarpa are meeting a host of dignitaries and officials who are helping shape this historic, globally telecast musical event.

Greg and I first met Steve Robertson and his beautiful wife Teresita back in 2005 at a "Heart Virtue Focus Group" with Greg Mooers. It was at this profound workshop that we learned of the vision Steve had in his heart about creating a concert focused on Peace. This initial vision has now expanded into a Six Hour Globally Telecast Musical Prayer for Peace with the intention to create these event yearly.

When Greg and I heard Steve proclaim his mission back in 2005 we knew we wanted to help out with our talent as artists. Greg began by brain storming with Steve and his other advisory board members on how to promote the event. It was at a fundraiser on Valentines Day last year, with the Tibetan artist Romio Shrestra, that Greg and I saw and felt exactly how we could get involved to facilitate Steves heart felt mission.


Greg began his process by meeting with Romio to create an image that fuses the consciousness of East and West. Within a month, in the middle of March, the Project-Peace on Earth signature image was debuted.


A small version of the "Peace Has Begun" print has been making the rounds with Steve and Marc. It's exciting to watch this image become an iconic emissary for peace. The Mayor of Bethlehem. Dr. Victor Batarseh holds one up in his office with Robertson, Scarpa, and Jihan Anastas Director of the Bethlehem Peace Center. Other pic's show the art with Dr. Abu Dayyeh, Minister of Tourism Palestine, and in Manger Square.


A limited edition of only twenty five, 32"x48" giclee prints of this collaborative artwork created by Greg with Tibetan master Romio Shrestha are being sold to benefit the production of this concert. This is truly an opportunity to invest in a moment of peace history, for the children of the middle east, for the world.

In the meantime I have been diligently working on the Perfume for Project-Peace on Earth which will debut on July 18th at a very special event. The intention is that the perfume with carry the an emissary for peace as Greg's image has become. More to be revealed in the Peace Perfume: Part Two journal post.

Aromatherapy Clay Winner!

The winner for the MamaK's Aromatherapy Clay Giveaway has been chosen. I devised a new format for choosing a winner. I went through and tallied up each entry, some folks had many due to their tweets, follows and friending. I went into the closet where we keep all our games and choose two complete decks of cards. Then I assigned one card to each entry, shuffled the decks several times and had Maestro Gregorio choose one with his eyes closed.

The winner is.....the Nine of Clubs from the Red deck. Will the Nine of Clubs please step forward! Oh, that's right, I need to reveal who the Nine of Clubs is don't I? The winner is Shandra, congratulations! Everyone else wins as well because Kari is graciously offering to give each of the other commentators a 10% discount for their very own aromatherapy clay at her Etsy. The password for the discount is PERFUME, so head on over and get your very own Aromatherapy clay. Claim the discount by entering the keyword PERFUME into the message section during your checkout through Etsy. Once your order has been put through, Kari will refund you 10% through Paypal. If you have any question, send her a convo on Etsy.

If you missed this giveaway but are curious about it, follow this link to find it. Next month we will feature another magnificent Artist from the realm of Etsy. Stay tuned!

In the meantime I have blog posts to prepare, perfumes to make and package, packing for our trip to Ecuador early Friday morning and all those other things we do like sleep, eat, drink and do yoga.

the SUN

Today we honor Fathers and Summer Solstice. Rather auspiciously one of the symbolic aspects of the Sun is the Male, the father. Where as the Moon is associated with the Feminine, the mother.

Known as Midsummer and Lilith, Summer Solstice marks the official first day of summer, an extended day of light for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. Where as in the Southern hemisphere, like in Argentina where my father is, they will be celebrating the Winter Solstice, albeit in a different manner than how we celebrate it in the North. If you are in the South and celebrate Solstice, please share with us how you celebrate, we'd love to hear!


The Sun, the largest star in our solar system, has been personified in many myths including Helios by the Greeks and Sol by the Romans. Since all is revealed in the light on the Sun, we find Truth as one of the iconic aspects associated with this ball of fire traveling through our heavens. According to Biblical stories the Sun was manifested on the fourth day of creation. I guess God was working in the dark on the previous days. The Sun also plays a role in Dogon, Hebrew, Japanese, several Native American and South and Central American creation myths.

In Germanic traditions the Sun is the embodiment of the feminine where the moon is masculine. This is a great illustration of how the people of the earth will create their own mythologies to suit their needs.

Some of the symbols that have been utilized in creating mythologies associated with the Sun are include the fact that it is a huge orange ball in the heavens that provide us with light and warmth, resulting in the growing of our food. The rising in the East and the setting in the West is another key aspect that is focused upon, like the god Helios and his firey chariot pulled by four horses.

What symbolic aspects do you associate with the Sun and the Solstice? In botanical perfume, as mentioned in previous journal entries, Sunflower oil as a base for an "solar" infusion of "solar" plant material. Solar plant material includes:

• Amber
• Benzoin
• Broom
• Calendula
• Everlasting
• Frankincense
• Labdanum
• Saffron
• Rose
  
• Spices (relaxing)
• Citrus
  

The ancients derived these associations by observing several factors: the color and shape of a plant, how it makes you feel, plants that show signs of being affected by the sun (Sunflowers), plants associated the circulatory system and where the plant grows. Today being SUNday makes it an even more potent day for honoring the sun and beginning or creating a vital aromatic Solstice elixir.

More posts at this journal which focus on Summer Solstice are these:

A Summer Solstice Perfume
Summer Solstice

Art Heart image ©Greg Spalenka, www.spalenka.com. The second image is a detail from the Art heart. The third image has been created by me, Roxana, utilizing layers of imagery in photoshop. See the photos of how Greg created this image here.

Scent of the Day: Cimbalom

The weather has shifted dramatically here in the City of Angels. For the last two weeks we had a rather intense period of June gloom. Normally June gloom here in Southern California means morning fog which burns off to a beautiful day by noon. This new alternate universe June gloom featured cold and clouds 24/7. I was wearing a sweater most of the day and even leg warmers and fingerless gloves in the morning.

Then yesterday, swoosh, we are back from the alternate universe but now with hot weather. Woolies get put away and out come the dresses and tank tops. What I find most interesting is that my olfactory sense has shifted dramatically with the climate. Chaparral Solid seems to be my number one fav fragrance to wear when the weather is cold and gloomy. However, when the heat arrives I am attracted to earthy florals, specifically Cimbalom. Yesterday I slathered myself in Cimbalom and found myself in such a glorious reverly of indolic, floral bliss.


Thus, the fragrance for the day is Cimbalom, in her all lusty Jasmine glory. Interesting to note that the Jasmine sambac plants in my garden are all about to burst open. Cheers to Jasmine and the upcoming Summer Solstice this Sunday! Have you made a Summer Solstice fragrance for yourself?

Here are a few comments about Cimbalom for you:

"Roxana, your "Birthday Balm" is exquisite. When I closed my eyes I was transported to a blossom and incense scented harem. I felt as though I had entered a hidden world of women-- where sensuous secrets are revealed. It is delicate, potent, sexy-- irresistible."
~ D. Alexander

"Hypnotically addicting...can NOT get enough. Wish I could bathe, drink and surround myself w these scents 24/7. More than just winners ; a way of life for those who appreciate themselves."
~ E. Warshavsky

Angel illustration titled "Ignite Thy Passion" ©Greg Spalenka www.spalenka.com

Artist Feature and Giveaway: MamaK's

Here we find ourselves, once again, at the Etsy Artist once a month feature. On this seventeenth day of June I bring you an individual I discovered rather auspiciously. One day on the front page of Etsy I saw an image of some brightly colored balls, I clicked on them because I thought the image might work nicely in a treasury. To my delight, I discovered that those colorful round objects were gluten free aromatherapy clay balls!! The creatrix of these enchanting and soothing clay balls is Kari Erickson of Seattle, Washington.

Rather auspiciously my aromatherapy teacher and very dear friend Jade Shutes lived and taught aromatherapy in Seattle. Jade currently lives in back east in North Carolina with her sweet little son Soren and partner Matt.

The three of us, Greg, Eve and myself had the pleasure of experiencing all of Kari's scent charming aromatherapy balls. We each seem to have our own favorite. Eve, my teen age daughter, adores the bright magenta colored ball scented with geranium essential oil. As she plays with it she remarked, "Nice texture, almost like its not there. It's as if your playing with air. The ball feels so nice in your hands, it's the perfect size and makes my hands smell great. I'd like to be able to take the geranium scented one to school and whip it out during stressful classes."

Greg, who we refer to as the critic, was very impressed though and through. He loves the presentation, the materials and the graphics. His favorite ball is the Cardamom with Lemongrass and Lavender coming in second and third. As he played he remarked, "I like the consistency, it's very soothing to squeeze it in between my fingers."

As I type this post I have just been kneading the Bergamot scented ball while drinking my Earl Grey tea. Wafts of bergamot float up from my typing fingers, how grand. These balls work on so many exquisite levels, I am so enchanted! First off they are vegan, made by hand and support a mother with two young children. Next, they are made with pure, essential oils so while you experience the tactile aspect of the ball and the joy of play the power of aromatherapy comes in as well. Once you are done the packaging suggests washing your hands, however if you are off to the office I suggest allowing the aromatherapeutic aspects of the essential oils to continue their work.

We noticed that some of the balls are more fragrant than others. Although the Bergamot seemed light upon whiffing from the container, once I began handling it the aroma was much more prominent.

These are probably the best kept secret on Etsy, I highly recommend getting at least one of these and experiencing them for yourself. I can see therapists utilizing these with their patients as way of unwinding and getting individuals to get out of their heads. perfect for taking along car or airplane trips. This Christmas they will make fantastic gifts for all ages, stock up now!

See Kari's shop on Etsy here: http://www.MamaKs.etsy.com

Now...time for the interview, let's get to know Kari shall we...

1.) What is the one thing you find most inspiring to feed your creative spirit?

Everything in my life is in a huge state of flux at the moment. I'm in the midst of what I'd call 'intensive mothering'. Both of my kids are under 4 so things that I may have done just a few short years ago (singing from a rooftop at 4 am, bottle of wine in hand, for example) are out of the question. So now I play a little music when I can, play with my little growing ladies, get my hands dirty in the garden, and cook a lot. I think that growing our own food is hugely inspiring. Eating something fresh from the garden almost always makes me feel alive. And cooking
and being in the kitchen have always brought me a sense of peace, a release from frustration, and a creative boost as well. And there's nothing like eating your creation when you're through! If only we could do that with other things we make.

2.) What is your favorite scent from the natural world?

It's funny you ask that again, because I was reading one the giveaway with Xenotees on April 15th and her answer was the smell of tomato plants. I have to say that I agree with her wholeheartedly. My husband built me a greenhouse for Mother's day this year (romantic, no?) and it is full to the gills with tomato plants. There is something so intoxicating about walking in there. Magical. I have also just discovered Moroccan Chamomile. Oh wow. Of the clays that I make it is the most soothing to me. I keep one in my bag and get it out in the car or at random moments and just breathe it in. It's amazing how well it works.

3.) If you were Queen of a village what would you wish for your kingdom?

Since I AM the queen of a village, albeit a village of four, plus the occasional straggler, that should be an easy one! but alas, it's not.... I suppose I would like a village of easygoing, smart creative spicy people that still had the ability to work hard! So, a well fed, well rested, smart, zesty, fulfilled village. We'll get there some day, I hope.

4.) How did you find yourself creating clay aromatherapy balls?

The evolution started really with the growth of my 1st daughter, Olimpia. As I said before I like to be in the kitchen, so it's natural that our activities are sometimes centered around it. I started by just making the plain ol' play dough recipes you can find on the internet and in activity books. Of course as time went by I started refining the recipe and just for fun started adding essential oils. We would experiment with what felt the best and smelled the best. Olimpia (she's 3 1/2 now) is a great tester. I started giving it to friends and some of it ended up in the hands of a therapist here in Seattle. She suggested that it would be better for her clients were it gluten-free. So I went back to the drawing board and came up with a recipe that is totally my own invention. And then, I must confess, the real push came when I read a horoscope by Rob Brezny that said that if I wanted to end up like Darwin and not like Alfred Russell Wallace that I had better hurry up. And 'Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay' was born.

5) As a work at home mom what tips can you give other work at home moms?

I've got a lot of learning to do as far as that's concerned. One thing I'm trying to be conscientious about is not dividing my time and attention in a scattered way. I'm generally a fluid person, so it can be hard for me to set boundaries and stick with them. Work time is work time, play time is for play. Also it can be hard to feel like you're ever going to get anything done. But there's a lesson in Aesop's Fables that has been with me my whole life and that I think everyone should always remember: slow and steady wins the race.

Thank you so much Kari for sharing a bit of yourself with all of us!
I feel so blessed and grateful to have met you.

The Giveaway!
For the giveaway today Kari has generously selected her Aromatic Play Clay Tube of Five. This set of clay includes one a 4 ounce tub of each of the following: lavender/soothe, sweet orange/uplift, bergamot/ ease the anxious, lemongrass/inspire, geranium/balance and chamomile/relaxation. This is very generous of her, the containers are much larger than they appear in the photo above.

Here's how to enter:
Begin by leaving a comment on this post mentioning your favorite item from Kari's etsy shop. She would also appreciate any suggestions you have for her regarding her current products or suggestions for new items. You may only enter once and you must include your first name -and- etsy username or email address with each entry or it will not be included.

For additional entries, you can do the following and post in the comments to let me know:
(2 extra) Twitter this Giveaway and supply your twitter name
(3 extra) Follow my blog (if you already follow, just let me know)
(3 extra) Become a fan of Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay on Facebook, (if you already are a fan of Mama K's on Facebook, just let me know)
If you do any of these you must let me know for your additional entries to be included. You got the "let me know part" right?

More fine print, learned along the way
1. If we cannot contact you we will give your prize away to someone else.
2. The featured seller will do their very best to mail the winners package in a timely manner, please contact them directly if you have any questions.
3. Each entry is printed and cut out, I then place the entries into a hat, basket or bowl and have someone handy pick a name from all the entries. We now choose a runner up.
4. If you have won the Artist Feature and Giveaway in the past you may enter again.

The giveaway ends Sunday, June 21st (The Summer Solstice) at 1opm PST with the winner announced on Monday, June 22nd. Please get the word out, these are really fabulous and the whole world kneads them.

Good Luck!

Soul Food

"Food nourishes the Body,
but Flowers nourish the Soul."
~ Ancient Proverb

In the botanical perfumers palette the most expensive and valuable essences are those that come from the heavenly domain of the flowers. Floral notes give body and heart to a perfume. The essences most often used to add a sensuous bouquet include:

Rose
Jasmine
Orange blossom
Ylang Ylang
Lotus
Tuberose
Frangipani
Champa
Mimosa

Besides the glorious fragrance these precious essences possess many also contain aromatherapeutic attributes. This is a unique feature to that of a pure, botanical perfume.

"The rose distils a healing balm
The beating pulse of pain to calm."
~ Thomas Moore

Rose, from the Rosaceae family, is a small deciduous shrub with Persian origins. In aromatherapy we use this essence for skin care, for challenges of the respiratory system, as a tonic to the uterus as well as a variety of nervous and stress related conditions. Sappho, the ancient Greek poet referred to Roses as the queen of flowers for their grace on earth.

For more on Roses here at this journal, including recipes and formulas follow this link: The Name of the Rose.



Thus, our scent for this day shall be floral...Lyra, Aurora, Vespertina or Rosa? How about Rosa since we have touched on a few of the healing attributes of the Rose.

"What is understood by essence,

in the pure sense as used by the mediaeval alchemists, for example,
is the actual energy, the 'soul' of the plant."
~ Marguerite Maury

Image above titled "Blessings" ©Greg Spalenka, original painting available as limited edition Giclee prints and greeting cards. Contact Greg at www.Spalenka.com for details. Blessings was created as an illustration for "Project Open Hand" in San Francisco.