Creating a new scent
I am currently formulating a new scent based on violet leaf essential oil. This has proved quite a challenge for me. I love the scent of violets; the flower and the leaves, and I wanted to capture something of the violet's complex green, earthy and sweet nature.
Starting with a resin base, to anchor the florals, I chose to include helichrysum (immortelle) in the base, as I am mildly obsessed with this scent at the moment. Of course, I added violet leaf and a touch of rose. I wanted to ground the sweetness of the violet with a smokiness, reminiscent of the autumn air early in the morning, so I added a touch of cade. The blend is heady, but I think it may prove to be successful once it has matured for a couple of weeks. I'll see...
Hurrah for Hoarding!
This may come as a shock to you, but the internet hasn't always been around. I know, imagine! Magazines used to be my number one path to inspiration, though they often fell short of my expectation, or alternatively, exceeded my ability to be 'cool'. I kept most of my magazines, not being one to throw away ANYTHING, so I am pleased to be able to present a few images of the covers of an early 1980s magazine called Stiletto. It was large format, had coloured covers but newsprint within, and it covered off on a wide variety of fashion, music and popular culture, with an inevitable focus on the Melbourne and Sydney scenes.
I remember reading through them (and this was one of the magazines I thought I couldn't quite live up to) and marveling at these strange types who dressed however they wanted and lived their entire lives in glittering nightclubs and bars. I'm sure the reality was quite different, but they had an impact on me nonetheless.
Now I look at these magazines with nostalgia, but also, I can look at the covers afresh and note how imaginative they are. I love the collage, the photocopied graininess, the hand-coloured detailing, strident patterns and limited colour palette. There's no shoulder-padded corporate power-walking here, just good fresh design working within the restraints of budget and technology.
Leaving all that aside, I MUST do a spread on the fashions within - everyone needs to know how to wear a sack well!
Autumn, Aspire and Annuals
I know it is stating the obvious, but autumn is here. It seems to be a bit early, the leaves are well under way to their new colours, there are dahlias out, it smells smokey at night, it's cooler and now, daylight savings is over. As much as I really don't like (I'm being mild here) the very hot weather, it is sad to see the summer go. Sad in a melancholy way.
But I love the small rituals of a change of season. The decision to pack away the linen and pastel coloured argyle socks, switching from rose scented tea to chai, dusting off the Balmoral boots, raking leaves, ordering violets and looking through bulb catalogues, moving from citrus and herbal scents to woods and resins. They are small and personal things - I'm certainly not a 'no white shoes after labor day' type of person - but each one is a rediscovery of things forgotten (if only for 6 months), and an anticipation of cool days ahead, rugged up and cosy.
Here's a flower. A dahlia from our garden, no less, and I see we aren't the only ones keen to have a piece of this:
I was very proud during the week to have picked up a copy of Aspire Magazine, a free publication circulated at various venues around Adelaide, because I am in it! Well, it wasn't about me in my gracious living room (a la "Hello" magazine), but there was a small article about Shanghai Lil & The Scarlet Fez soaps! I was very happy about it and I'm chuffed to be in this new, very smart, magazine. Here's the article, but I recommend reading the whole magazine, of course!
And finally, I am at the Wattle Street market in Fullarton on 12 April 2014, and Pop up at Prospect (Prospect Road) on 26 April 2014. Come by and say hello and smell the soaps, bath salts, room sprays and perfumes I have on offer!
Capri, by Crown Lynn
We recently acquired a set of Crown Lynn crockery in the Capri range. Made in New Zealand, Crown Lynn was the largest manufacturer of pottery in the Southern Hemisphere up to the late 1970s, and the "Colourglaze" range was one of the most popular styles. The "Colourglaze" range was also sold under the names "Capri", "South Pacific" and "Caribbean Ware".
The range of colours is inspiring, with names like Pumpkin, Jade, Tropic, Duck Egg, Oyster, Clover, Ant Green, Coral, Cocoa, Citrus, Honey and Mushroom. Apparently, there are many other colours too, so my inner collector (not so inner, really) is all fired up! Here are some snaps:
A new perfume coming to Shanghai Lil & The Scarlet Fez
A sneak preview! A crisp floral with citrus highlights.
Junk shop find
(Extracts from 'Perfumes', a catalogue published by the Societe
Chimique des Usines du Rhone, probably in the early 1920s. From my
private collection.)
I love reading the 'Perfumes' catalogue. It contains a descriptive
list of a wide range of synthetic perfumes, their benefits over natural
essential oils (usually cost and potency), a few recipes for perfumes
and a series of photographs of the factories that produced the
chemicals. It's full of possibilities!
I've been thinking for some time about making my own perfumes. I am
ambivalent about synthetic perfumes like the ones listed in the
catalogue. On the one hand, I would prefer to avoid the use of
synthetic chemicals as I generally prefer keeping things as natural as
possible. I certainly stick to natural ingredients in the soaps I make.
But I'm also aware of the advantages of using alternatives to natural
products, particularly where there might be a dwindling or limited
supply (like rosewood essential oil).
I've tried researching various essential oils to check whether the
production of the oils are in any way detrimental to either the
environment or the people who live near the resource. The more
expensive oils seem to be obtained from specifically grown crops.
Otherwise, it might be wise if I'm concerned about a particular oil to
at least try to source an organic version, or one that is locally
produced.
In any event, I still find the catalogue inspiring; it's like looking
in a well illustrated cook book that makes you rush out and buy far too
many vegetables. And here's something else I find inspiring - a Holga pic of begonias in glorious late summer colours:
As a second thought, below is an extract from 'Perfume' of a perfume recipe for 'Bouquet of Moss Rose':
Firstly, you need to make 'rose spirit' as follows;
"Grain spirit of 94% strength without odour or flavour is reduced
to 70% strength by adding Rose water, and then dissolving Rhodinol in
this alcohol in the following proportions:
Rhodinol I 20gr
Alcohol 70% 1 litre."
This is the 'rose spirit'. So, the recipe is:
"Rose Spirit.....................660cc
Extract of Orange flowers....240cc
Tincture of Ambergris........30cc
Tincture of Musk..............25cc
Tincture of Vanilla.............45cc
These ingredients are mixed, shaken and left for 15 days in a well
closed bottle at a temperature of 25 degrees to 30 degrees C; it is
then allowed to cool, filtered and put into bottles for sale."
I am pleased to say that Shanghai Lil and The Scarlet Fez perfumes will be all-natural and vegan!
Upcoming Event
I am happy to report that Shanghai Lil and The Scarlet Fez will be at the next That Dapper Market on Saturday, 29th March 2014. Here is the flyer for the event:
We had such a good time last time and met a lot of lovely people and got to help them make a selection from the 19 different varieties of soap we had for sale there!
This time around, there won't be so many varieties, but there will still be plenty to choose from. I think I will group them into "floral", "aromatic" and "gourmet" to make things easier for people.
Also, I hope to have bath salts and room sprays there too. And...fingers crossed...new perfumes!
So, there will plenty to see, smell and buy! Here is a shot of the stall from last year (this year, it will be bigger!):
I am lining up some other market gigs too, so I will keep you informed both here and on facebook.
