Friday, May 31, 2013

Contest for Content - Figure 1: Noir


It's Friday, my favorite day of the week, auspiciously ruled by Venus the Goddess of love and I have had a bright idea. I'm in the final stretch of the Figure 1: Noir LookBook and could use a few extra quotes, impressions and/or reviews. Thus, I've decided to have a Contest for Content.

Here's how this will work, you may enter by contributing a quote or review of Figure 1: Noir. The quote or review must be posted here as a comment or link, on my facebook fan page or send me an e-mail to roxana at illuminatedperfume.com. If I use your comment or review in the LookBook I'll send you a small spray bottle with the Eau de Parfum of Figure 1: Noir. Everyone who gets their comment into the LookBook will then be submitted into a draw for a larger bottle of the EdP.



If you have already written feedback, a review or sent me an e-mail with your impressions, feel free to use that as your entry. Just do me a favor and send it to me or post it. No need to feel intimidated if you aren't a writer, I am open to all suggestions, including what type of imagery and content to feature in the Figure 1: Noir LookBook, etc.

Contest for Content starts now and ends in twenty four hours, Saturday 1:00 am PST, so go!

As an added perk I am adding another way to enter: Create a Figure 1: Noir Pinterest Board. You can use the images here at this journal, my etsy shop and anything else you feel represents the feel of the fragrance. One board will be selected as the winner. For this portion of the contest you have until next Friday at midnight PST.

Thanks for helping out, have fun. Can't wait to read your comments and see your Pin boards!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Rhythmos


Now that the two consecutive shows, which involved travel, are over I can begin to get back to a steady rhythm. Although Eve returns on Saturday night which will most definitely add an element of chaos.

I've been shooting all the bee tins and catching up on making more of the perfumes that are out, such as GreenWitch solid, the new edition of Vespertina solid and Chaparral liquid. I have lots of new items in the works, one that have been sleeping since last year that I plan to debut on the Summer Solstice if everything aligns as I am intending.

Lots and lots of smelly treats are in the process, its just a matter of all the parts coming together to make the perfect whole that is needed for debut.


The perfume lockets with the resin coated images are back, I only received a few of each, thus if you have been craving one please do not hesitate. Also, if you have suggestions for other illuminations you would like to see on these beautiful new lockets I'd love to hear your thought.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Movie Monday: Star Trek


Spring has sprung with a plethora of films, including many within the sci-fi fantasy genre. Topping my personal must see in the theater list is Star Trek, which I had the pleasure of experiencing on Sunday evening. I'm not a Trekky, although I did watch the series with my brother as a child. I am a huge fan of J.J. Abrams and consider him a modern day bard, giving us some of the most compelling stories in our time.

Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, intended that the show to be called Wagon Train to the Stars. His intention was to express his more a progressive political agenda with a strong emphasis on morality in the characters.


Paramount decided to hire writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman with J.J. Abrams as producer for the latest reincarnation of Star Trek. An excellent choice by Paramount, proving that occasionally movie studios can indeed make good choices, although it seems to be rare in this world remakes rather than boldly go where no man has gone before.


Star Trek Into Darkness is spectacular on all fronts, the story, visuals and acting all get an A+. It's a thrill ride from start to finish, leaving the viewer completely satiated in film splendor. If you are from Los Angeles you'll get an extra treat when you get to see our very own Getty Center featured as the Earth-stationed Starfleet headquarters.


I was surprised not to see our friend Stephan Martiniere on the pre-viz team since the city vistas look just like his art.

Enjoy, as you can tell I did and will probably do so again very soon.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Show Time!


It feels like its been one show after another lately. First the SF Artisan Salon in March, followed by the one in Seattle in April and now Spectrum Art Live then finishing up with Fragments on the Summer Solstice in LA. Whew!

At the SF Salon I introduced the first of the series of "Figures" which are part of the Cabinet of Curiosities series, Figure 1: Noir being the most odd of all of them. The plan is to have at least one, possibly three more introduced on the Summer Solstice, June 22nd.

In he meantime I continue to promote Figure 1:Noir and experience the wonders of skin chemistry and how this little oddity will dance different jigs on the outer covering of human vertebrates.

This weekend Greg and I will have a booth at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live, a three-day celebration of the art and artists that bring to life the fantastic worlds of our favorite science fiction, fantasy, and horror books, movies, and comics. Last year this event was great fun and usually extremely interesting to witness the favorite fumes of art fans, over perfumista tribes.

If you are coming to the show make sure to stop by our booth in the Grand Ballroom of Bartle Hall. Greg will have a large canvas print of Figure 1: Noir on display along with a brand new image featuring the luminous Jessica Lough as a Siren.

In the meantime I will get the post about the Seattle show together and upload soon. Greetings from the heartland of America to each of you.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Pure Fume Locket Heaven



The new perfume lockets are here, these feature a well for a solid perfume tin combined with a resin coated luminescent image. There are currently three face designs: a purple and green honey bee and the new Figure 1: Noir image. I've just listed all the models in the jewelry section of the E-shop.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Figure 1: Noir REVIEWS


This is the landing page for all Figure 1: Noir reviews.

Perfume Posse #2

The Non-Blonde

Beauty Huile

Examiner

Perfume Shrine

Perfume Posse

CaFleureBon

Té de Violeta




Figure 1: Noir illumination by Greg Spalenka.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

May Day!


Happy May Day! The Gaelic May Day festival known as Beltane (Beltaine) in the western world is here once more. The big seasonal wheel in the sky is at one of the eight spooks of the, the halfway point between the Spring Equinox and the upcoming Summer Solstice on June 21st.

As many of you know I have a special kinship with this ancient Celtic holy day. Today Greg and I will trim one of our oaks in the front slope to create a new pathway to the our blooming native garden. These leaves will be infused and tinctured as an addition to the Q (Quercus) natural perfume.
Each leaf will be meticulously cleaned, dried, mindfully cut with an intention to spread awareness of our california oaks and then placed into organic alcohol based and organic jojoba oil.



In the past I suggested Q for May Day, however, since this festival is about the abundance of nature and Spring flowers it feels like they all work to a greater or lesser degree. Even the new Figure 1: Noir with its deep, earthy, vital soil characteristics.

There are many plants associated with Beltane, including what is termed May Bushes, here's a few bits from Wikipedia.

Flowers and May Bushes

Yellow flowers such as primrose, rowan, hawthorn, gorse, hazel and marsh marigold were set at doorways and windows in 19th century Ireland, Scotland and Mann. Sometimes loose flowers were strewn at the doors and windows and sometimes they would be made into bouquets, garlands or crosses and fastened to them. They would also be fastened to cows and equipment for milking and butter making. It is likely that such flowers were used because they evoked fire.[2] Similar May Day customs are found across Europe.

The May Bush was popular in parts of Ireland until the late 19th century.[3] This was small tree, typically a thorn tree, that would be decorated with bright flowers, ribbons, painted shells, and so forth. There were household May Bushes (which would be set outside each house) and communal May Bushes (which would be set in a public spot or paraded around the neighbourhood). In Dublin and Belfast, May Bushes were brought into town from the countryside and decorated by the whole neighbourhood.[3] Each neighbourhood vied for the most handsome tree and, sometimes, residents of one would try to steal the May Bush of another. This led to the May Bush being outlawed in Victorian times.[3] In some places, it was customary to dance around the May Bush, and at the end of the festivities it was burnt in the bonfire.[15] Thorn trees were seen as special trees and were associated with the sí or fairies. The custom of decorating a May Bush or May Tree was found in many parts of Europe. Frazer believes that such customs are a relic of tree worship and writes: "The intention of these customs is to bring home to the village, and to each house, the blessings which the tree-spirit has in its power to bestow".[16] Sharon MacLeod writes that May Bushes were set outside farmhouses "to encourage and protect the abundance of milk during the summer".[17] Emyr Estyn Evans suggests that the May Bush custom may have come to Ireland from England, because it seemed to be found in areas with strong English influence and because the Irish saw it as unlucky to damage certain thorn trees.[18] However, "lucky" and "unlucky" trees varied by region,[17] and it has been suggested that Beltane was the only time when cutting thorn trees was allowed.[19] The practice of bedecking a May Bush with flowers, ribbons, garlands and coloured shells is found among the Gaelic diaspora, most notably in Newfoundland, and in some Easter traditions on the East Coast of the United States.[11]

May your day be bright and filled with the abundance of Spring Season where ever your dwell!

More May Day related posts at this journal can be found here.

Images: Divinus and the Q illumination by Greg Spalenka

[2] Hutton, Ronald. The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. Oxford University Press, 1996. pp.218-225
[3]Monaghan, Patricia. The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Infobase Publishing, 2004. pp.40-43[11] Danaher, Kevin (1972) The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs Dublin, Mercier. ISBN 1-85635-093-2 pp. 86–127[15] Frazer, James George (1922). The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion. Chapter 62: The Fire-Festivals of Europe.[16] Frazer, James George (1922). The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion. Chapter 10: Relics of Tree Worship in Modern Europe.[17] MacLeod, Sharon Paice. Celtic Myth and Religion. McFarland, 2011. pp.165-166[18] Evans, Emyr Estyn. Irish Folk Ways. Routledge, 1957. pp.272-274
[19]  Watts, D C. Dictionary of Plant Lore. Academic Press, 2007. p.246