Refresh

Part of the inherent impetus of the new season is the urge to purge on multiple levels, most often referred to as Spring cleaning. For me, the purification impulse has been directed at my website and the studio. To the website I changed the opening slide show and added some more content and photos to the "Who is Roxana" link from the About page.

In the meantime, I submitted my site to Peek for an evaluation. I was aware that whoever I received to critique the site might not be my niche market, but, I figured I had nothing to lose. Here is the link to the review if you would like to check it out. I feel pretty lucky with the person who took the time to look at my site, she clearly had no troubles moving through the links and the information.

Thus, I must be on the right track. If you feel the website could use something added to it please send me a note, I really appreciate all the feedback from the best fans and customers in the whole world. One of the things I've been considering doing is adding a new slide show every month or season, what do you think?

Pin It to Win It Contest, Round Two!

Now that the new website is finally in ship shape I'd like to invite you to another the Pin it to Win it contest.

To participate:

1. Create a board on Pinterest that either evokes the essence of Roxana Illuminated Perfume OR for one of the fragrances in the line.

Feel free to use any imagery from the new site, this journal, Greg's site, etc. If you need inspiration take a look at the Figure 1: Noir pin boards from the last contest. Pin boards with imagery from the new site will get extra points, because after all this is about promoting the website.

2. Submit your beautiful creation, or creations, via e-mail (roxana at illuminatedperfume.com) with a link to your board by December 15th 12pm PST.

The person who creates the most beautiful board will win their choice of a solid perfume round tin or one of the Eau de Parfum bottles with 6 grams of fragrance.

Let the pinning begin!

Renovating

I have been working, working, working on the new website day and night and feel it is finally fairly ready for some input before the official launch. Thus, if you feel inspired to give me some feedback please head on over here.

Although Paypal is a slimy, corrupt corporation that I detest, I have put it as an option for purchases since so many are devoted to it. There is still product to add, listings to tweak and pages missing. I'm also looking at a few apps to improve a few things, but, in the meantime the site is fairly meaty and there's plenty to critique.

Like my fragrances, the site has been "handmade" by me using a standard Shopify template with a little help from Luke over at Tweaky when things got too over my head. I look forward to making it a grand experience for each of you although what I'd really like to get back to is illuminating your lives with beautiful, botanical scents.

Movement

I've been creating a new shop that will take credit cards without the need to sign into a member site, this shop will eventually connect to the website and blog. Although this task has been on the to do list since last Autumn, the recent Paypal incident lit a fire to get it down NOW!

The new shop will be an alternative to the Etsy shop and will not accept Paypal. If you are a devotee of Paypal and refuse to use all other currencies than e-mail or snail mail me a list of the products that you desire along with the mailing addy. I will then send you a Paypal invoice.

In the future I amy add Paypal to the new shop, due to their current policies and lack of merchant support its not going to happen now.

As soon as the new shop is somewhat presentable I will post the link here, send out a newsletter, etc. If there is anything special you would like to see in a shop please e-mail those suggestions my way roxana <at> illuminatedperfume.com.

The Matrix

I'm taking an online website class and in the midst of learning a whole new language and skill set. To say I am completely overwhelmed is an understatement. However, after years of frustration with website designers and coders it feels really liberating to know that I will have the option of doing things myself if I want. I am being empowered with important new tools that are crucial for the uber-niche indie artist.

In January 2010 I listened to a talk in the Etsy Labs completely unconscious of the long tail of inspiration that was about to enter my mind. The talk in Brooklyn was by author and visionary Douglas Rushkoff. You can read about it by following this link.

Since then I've had the pleasure of meeting this most magnetic and charismatic fellow For me, he steps into the realm of super hero status here on planet earth. At a panel presentation in the big Ballroom of the SDCC (San Diego Comic Con) authors Deepak Chopra and Grant Morrison shared their definitions of certain words and ideas on the changing world. They explained the similarities between superheroes like Superman and Batman and spiritual masters. Deepak and Grant reminded us that the powerful archetype of the super hero is within each of us. Douglas is one of those unique individuals that has harnessed his super hero power and like a laser beam is part of the dynamic shift in mass consciousness.

In a recent lecture Douglas presented in Berlin he gave a most fascinating talk based on his new book Program or Be Programmed. The talk was titled Toward a Peer to Peer Economy. I suggest creating the time and space to watch the entire presentation, as your mind will most likely be expanded with new concepts and awareness.

Watch live streaming video from etsy at livestream.com

One of the many igniting concepts shared is the importance of learning computer code. As a devotee of nature, mother of a Waldorf student and one who is challenged with the assimilation and digestion of new computer programs and skills, I was weary. However, instead of following the fear I have chosen to step into empowering my super hero this new matrix. After all I would much prefer to be a programmer than one who is being programmed.

Circular

Feels great to be back. Website, blog and twitter account are all healed. Lots of great lessons learned and relationships formed. So, the attacker, and we all have a pretty good idea who SHE is, didn't gain anything...in fact she probably lost out. Especially in the karmic department. When I began my path in the Natural Perfume world I was pretty naive and trusting of people. Rather quickly the veils were lifted and I realized "this isn't Kansas anymore" and natural perfumers sure act differently from my fellow professional artist buddies. A fact that is reaffirmed every year at Comic Con in San Diego. Despite the animosity within this wacky field I choose to stay and focus on my contribution to this aromatic art.

The image that graces this blog post is of the Ouroboros, an ancient symbol of a serpent consuming its tail. Circular in form, like alchemical processes, the snake kills and gives birth in the ongoing cycle. In the book Alchemy & Mysticism Libavius states that: "The Ouroboros is the symbol of the second fixing after putrefaction."1 Okay good, glad the putrefaction phase is complete!

When turbulence like the last few days appears, afterward I like to take a look and assess what lessons have been learned, so here is a list:

• Stay calm and centered in the eye of a storm. It does no good to get all twisted up, unless you can channel that energy into something else. Just a few hours after the incident I got some REALLY GOOD news, so I was able to focus on that. By shifting the energy of what was transpiring on the outside I was able to shift the energy within myself.
• Web hackers are really hard to pinpoint and track down. Even if you have an IP number, IP stands for Internet Protocol, a super clever hacker won't leave any traces by rerouting their IP number. Most likely the gal that attacked me, and several other perfumers, hired a web hacker in another country.
• Make sure you have a hosting provider that is willing to work with you with safety measures to protect your site. If you have a blog, create log in security features. My hosting provider sucked big time, they are completely useless and thus I've moved to a new one that will take responsibility if I am attacked.
  
• Back up your site and blog often so that if it does go down it can be put up again fairly easily and quickly.
• Change your passwords often and make sure they are STRONG.
• Install an SSL certificate to all essential sections of your website.
• If you have a shopping cart feature follow the security measures.
• If your website and blog are attacked and you have a twitter account, remove the links from your profile ASAP until the sites have been restored.
• Having an alternate website where customers can shop, like Etsy, is a Godsend. They might be able to cripple your website for a small amount of time, but I doubt they'd be bale to take down a megalith like Etsy.
  

Do you have more hints and suggestions? We'd all love to hear them.

Other good news, while I was creating a treasury on Etsy the path of creative ideas opened and I was taken down the river of inspiration. Can't wait to share with you all.

1 Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob, page 302