welcome respite

You likely won’t hear too much from me over the next 3 weeks. I’m leaving for Amsterdam next Monday and until then, I’ll be preparing for my presentation and reading up on how to survive a 22-hour flight. I’ve only presented at one conference before this, a discourse conference in Auckland last year, which had quite a relaxed atmosphere. I’ve heard that the standards for this one are higher, but despite this, I’m still waiting on them to release some kind of programme so I know when and which day I’m presenting and how much time we’re allocated for our talk. I’ve put off a surprisingly vast amount of decisions, and only a couple of days ago did The Cat ask me to double-check whether or not I need an adapter plug when I’ve been telling him for a few weeks, “I’m sure I don’t”. Well, it turns out I do!

One of my friends who is spending the rest of the year in a country town three hours drive from Sydney teaching at a local high school has been maintaining a superb vlog. I’m considering doing a vlog myself just for the purposes of my trip to Amsterdam. Some of you might know that I heard some recent bad news that my trip, despite being for a conference, was unexpectedly going to leave me out of pocket about a thousand dollars. It’s actually turning out to be a blessing in disguise because it’s motivated me to be more adventurous, exploring other options like taking a train to my hotel for 4€ instead of a taxi for 40€. I even managed to book my hotel room online for cheaper than what the special university partnership discount offered. More money for souvenirs!

Aside from working on my presentation, my mind and paws have been well-occupied with completing a formidable order two friends of mine made for 200 bottles of both perfume and massage oils for their wedding favours. The 20kg box of bottles arrived at my doorstep on Monday morning and I’m pleased to say that as of Saturday, all 400 bottles have been blended, poured, capped and boxed away, leaving only the last step of printing labels to do. Fortunately, the groom and bride were very happy with the first label design I drafted up so there is little editing I have to do.

midnight outside the opium den

Despite the last few hectic days, I managed to work on a pet project that I had dreamed about making for some time. It’s a more intimate gathering of my friends and patrons of Faunfare, who meet to share reviews, pictures and discussions of my perfumes. There’s even a place there for me to consult with friends on blending custom signature scents. You can find it at The Faun’s Wardrobe.

After an impromptu brunch, The Cat and I met up with some other friends of us, including one very cool engaged couple. I met them the previous weekend for a wild night out on the town and offered to make them custom perfumes for their wedding day. The groom challenged me with an incredible brief to create for him a dark and sinister scent, overflowing with pure sexuality and served with a side of absinthe. The bride told me of her fondness for spicy, androgynous fragrances. I was so inspired that I stayed up until 3am that night after returning home and blended a few variations in bed, while The Cat snored beside me.

They tried them for the first time on Saturday and they really seemed to love it! They had a few requests for alterations, which I couldn’t rush home to incorporate fast enough, and I really think I have something pretty fantastic brewing here…

• 'Jack the Ripper'; a Victorian gentleman with a calm and composed façade, faintly scented with powdered violet and jasmine, barely restraining an alter ego of pure, concentrated sexuality frothing with vice and debauchery. All drowned down with a tall crystal glass, swirling with iced absinthe. Notes of sandalwood, frankincense, violet, jasmine, smouldering ambrette seed, cinnamon, wormwood and aniseed.
• 'Gaslight'; a still night at the end of a cobblestone alley. The faint scent of a woman’s perfume, sparkling wine and ill judgement still clings to the air, beckoning Jack towards his next prey. Notes of sandalwood, frankincense, violet, jasmine, cinnamon and bergamot.

It made me realise something. I might love blending perfumes, but I live for creating custom blends. It’s infinitely more difficult, but when you get it right, it’s like all the stars align and for a fleeting moment, you understand the meaning of life.

My friends loved my blends so much that they are commissioning me to make their wedding favours based on the scents. They are generously offering their 200 guests a sample bottle of massage oil and a smaller bottle of aromatherapy oil/bath oil/reed diffusers (yet to be decided) each.

The highlight of my weekend was to no doubt, see my friend who had hitched a ride back to Sydney from Parkes, where she has been teaching at a local high school for the last month. She’s been encouraging me to follow in her footsteps and give video-blogging a try, and I think as long as my laptop can handle it, I will begin making a video or two a month alongside my writing!