Get Out the VOTE Badge

I've got my thinking cap on 24/7 coming up with new ways to get the vote out about being a nominee in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. Besides the daily images I've been doing, like the one below, today I created a badge button that can be added to a blog to help get the word out. Come on fellow nectar seekers, help get the word about illuminating the world with the power of nature!

Here is the badge below, it should link to: http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/82933

Medallions in Gold, Silver and Bronze

The mysterious judges of the 2nd annual Artisan Fragrance Salon in San Francisco have bestowed awards in ten categories. At this event my work was acknowledged in eight of those categories.

I received two Gold medals: Top Artisan Perfumer and Best Ingredient Combinations, two Silver medals: Most Unique and Best Packaging and four Bronze: Best Aroma, Best in Salon, Top All Around Product Line and Most Seductive Scent. Most interesting to me of these is the overlap with the LA event with Best Ingredient Combinations, Best Aroma, Best in Salon, Top all around perfumer and Most Seductive Scent.

As mentioned with the LA Artisan Fragrance Salon, the "award" thing makes me a little uncomfortable whether I win or not. Like the Aborigines, it seems better to acknowledge individual talents or an individual who may have excelled from one year to the next rather than a comparative / competitive scenario, especially with something as personal as fragrance.

The best part about these awards is sharing them with YOU, my devoted and loyal fans!

At this Salon helping me was Jerusa, a friend and psychiatric doctor. I absolutely loved having her at the booth due to her extremely loving and supportive energy. It also helps that she is a huge fan of my fragrances. During the show I kept encouraging her to venture out, but she chose to stay. At dinner I asked why she didn't leave the booth more, she said "Your lovely words and insights are inspiring, the booth was like a magnetic for me, the stories...your perfumes are fragrances of healing love and empowerment." Depending on the attendee at the booth Jerusa would share her own story or listen to the persons smell observations. In most cases she would tell them how each time she wears Chaparral she gets stopped and asked about her fragrance. It was like having my very own tribe right there with me during the show. Once again many thanks to each of you. xo

If you'd like to read more about the SF Salon, attendee Lanier Smith wrote up a fun piece his blog Scents Memory, there's a photo of me speaking with fellow Argentine and perfumista Viginia Blanco. The aromatics on the scent strip she is inhaling is Cepes (mushroom) absolute.

Silver and Bronze Medals

In general I am not one who gives much credence to awards. For example most of the artists and films that win Academy Awards or Emmys each year aren't the ones I would vote for. This is also true for the perfume awards known as the FiFi's.

On the phone the other day Laurie Stern congratulated me on winning a bunch of medals at the LA Artisan Fragrance Salon and told me to share the news. Thus, I had Greg make them look like real medals and posted them here on the side bar of the journal. I received three silver medals: Best Ingredient Combinations, Best Aroma and Best in Salon, I also received two Bronze medals: Top all around perfumer and Most Seductive Scent.

I am super grateful for the accolades from the mysterious judges, especially if it helps get the word out about the value of authentic natural and artisanal perfumery. Did you know the word artisanal is derived from artisan meaning "to instruct in the arts."

What I am most grateful for, every single day, is each of YOU and the beautiful notes you send me about the fragrances I create. Thank you so much for supporting my work and those inspired messages!