Red Cattleyea by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2010

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Post by Poodle

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When I was first married my in-laws told me I’d have a hard time cooking for my husband because he was so picky. I knew this but since I had persuaded him to try different foods while we were dating I knew I’d come up with a plan so I could cook what I wanted and not have him go hungry. I figured out that it was almost like cooking for a child (no offense, my love, if you’re reading this).

If he knew a dish had certain ingredients he wouldn’t try it. He was convinced he didn’t like certain things, even things I knew he’d eaten in the past and loved. The catch was that those times he hadn’t seen what was going into the pot. He came home and it was already prepared and waiting for him. I stopped telling him the ingredients or I told him what was in a dish after it was in his stomach. It worked, and cooking is much easier.

How does this relate to perfume? There are times when I think too much information is a bad thing. Sometimes I think knowing the notes before smelling can alter one’s opinion of it. If something smelled awful on me before or has a lot of notes I dislike I shouldn’t waste my time with it…or so I thought.

Red Cattleyea by Olympic Orchids 2010

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Citrus, peach, apricot, melon, hyacinth, gardenia, violets, lilac, musk, woods, vanilla

I asked for the Olympic Orchids Just Orchids sampler set for Christmas. I didn’t see many reviews and I didn’t really study the note lists prior to trying the perfumes.

When I tried Red Cattleyea it was juicy and tropical and a great counterpoint to the chill in the air at the time. Since it is named after a flower I was expecting it to be a floral, but there was more, something sweet yet wonderful…then it hit me. Fruit! Yes, the dreaded fruity floral. This was nothing like the mainstream fruity scents, this was a fruity floral with personality. My first impression was favorable so I just kept enjoying my perfume, sniffing happily at my wrist now and then.

Photo Stolen MorgueFile

When I looked at the notes I was horrified. This has multiple notes that usually turn ugly on me. Citrus, peach, and melon can make me run from the fragrance counter. Had I read the notes first I may have never sprayed but Ellen Covey worked some magic here.

Red Cattleyea opens sweet and fruity, more candied citrus than kitchen cleaner. Then there’s peach, on my skin peach usually smells like, well, let’s just say it’s not how I want to smell. But not this time. The peach is blended with apricot and it’s more jammy and sun warmed than fresh. Alongside this is a bouquet of gardenia and lilac. Hints of wood and vanilla keep peeking through and there’s an undercurrent of spice to my nose. As the fruit subsides the gardenia becomes fleshy and rich before fading. I don’t find the musk very strong, rather it holds everything together and gives the perfume warmth as well. On my extreme scent eating skin I could smell it easily for hours and ended up with the most wonderfully warm vanilla base.

Photo Stolen Flickr Brett Spangler

This isn’t a light skin scent, it’s got some kick to it, I’d say that if applied with a light touch it would be office friendly. I’ve worn Red Cattleyea to work and gotten compliments. If you work with fragrance-phobes, perhaps it might be a little too bold.

Further reading: The Alembicated Genie and Hortus Conclusus
Olympic Orchids has $40/30ml EdP, isn’t that the best deal EVER?
Olympic Orchids $15/5ml Parfum

So Red Cattleyea’s fruity and sweet and peachy. On paper I shouldn’t like it yet I absolutely love wearing Red Cattleyea and there aren’t many fruity florals I can say that about.
Have you tried it?

Poodle. x

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Blackbird by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2013

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Post by Azar

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“BLACKBIRD” AT BLACKBIRD

Hello Perfume Junkies and Indie Lovers,

Today I have news about a wonderful new fragrance debut here in the Pacific Northwest.  On Saturday, July 13th, at the Blackbird Apothecary (in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle) Ellen Covey celebrated the third anniversary of Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes and introduced her latest fragrance “Blackbird”.

Outside of the Blackbird Apothecary the Ballard Seafood Fest was in full swing.  Inside, happy perfumistas enjoyed a cool and fragrant haven.  Ellen’s line of fragrances were tastefully displayed along the walls.  Blooming orchids decorated the tables set with cheeses, wines and champagne.

As soon as I walked through the doors I headed straight for the new “Blackbird” fragrance.  Ellen sprayed the perfume glass and I generously doused my upper arm with the cabernet colored 25% concentrated elixir.

Photo Stolen MorgueFile

The following notes are listed on Olympic Orchids website,
Himalayan blackberry fruit, dry grass and leaves, elemi, cedar wood and resin, amber, fir balsam absolute, musk.

The first notes on my skin were a combination of very ripe blackberries and sweet, dry grass.  Ellen used real Himalayan blackberries to create “Blackbird”.  These same Himalayan blackberries (Rubus armeniacus) are everywhere in the PNW and, despite their delicious fruit, are considered noxious weeds, perhaps because they have overtaken the even tastier native Pacific blackberries (Rubus ursinus). The blackberry and grass top notes combined with amber to create an almost gourmand and seasonal scent of place, summertime in Seattle.

Photo Stolen MorgueFile

The blackberry, grass and a little amber stayed relatively close to my skin and were later joined by a refreshing combination of cedar and balsam fir.  “Blackbird” worked for me like a breeze through an orchard or vineyard.  The sillage, as I mentioned before, was quite intimate.  Regarding longevity:  I was enjoying “Blackbird” well into the evening.

Congratulations to Ellen Covey on her third anniversary and on this beautiful addition to her line. Olympic Orchids’ new “Blackbird” is at once dry and sweet, sensual and refreshing, an incense-jam of a fragrance, gorgeous, relaxing and intimate.

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

“Blackbird” is available for purchase on the Olympic Orchids website. A 30ml Parfum will only cost you $68. That is an amazing price.

Here are a couple of questions.  Do you have a favorite Olympic Orchids scent? And/or were you in Ballard for the Blackbird event?

Azar

Cafe V by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2013

Wooo Hooo Fellow Fumies,

Don’t forget to enter our Anya’s Garden Giveaway <<<<<JUMP

Two lovely, new and unusual fragrances arrived and have been sitting  on my desk waiting for me to do their review since before I went to LA. Finally I have picked up the box and am getting some skin time with one of my favourite niche brands, Olympic Orchids. There’s a special 3rd BIRTHDAY Discount Code at the bottom of the page, a discount on Olympic Orchids already extremely reasonable prices. YAY!! Today you get to meet…..

CAFÉ V by Olympic Orchids 2013

Photo Stolen GreatCafes

From Ellen Covey at Olympic Orchids: Café V is … inspired by one of Seattle’s many cozy neighborhood cafes….. It’s not quite gourmand, and not quite a fragrance of place, but something in between with notes of espresso-roast coffee, dark cacao, vanilla, cream, spicy chai bursting with cardamom, leather, and well-worn wood, and just a little skank from all of the rain-drenched actors who have over the years congregated in this little café in Seattle’s Capitol Hill.

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Top: Cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg
Heart: Spices, dark roast coffee, cacao, cream, sarsaparilla, leather, Madagascar vanilla tincture
Base: Myrrh, cedar, vanilla, dark woods, musk

I love the strong opening like coffee beans being ground with spices and then as the coffee is made the smooth rich black liquid streaming into espresso cups, adding a spoon of demera sugar and cream. This is not just about coffee though, this story and fragrance really is about a cafe. The leather banquets and beeswaxed old, unmatching wood tables, some newspapers, magazines and books on a shelf mouldering and gathering in all the great smells of humanity, then breathing out their vanilla scented decay. There are old forgotten and fresh wet umbrellas by the door, bread and cakes on the bench under glass domes. There is a porch where five tables are set for smokers and you can smell their delicious smoke inside in gusts, or is it the remains of the open fireplace, it could be smoke from the kitchen? All around the drama of life plays out daily, celebrations, disasters, first dates, divorce proceedings, babies in prams, authors, neatly put together ladies in cashmere and camel coats, journalists, the council workers, businesswomen, teenagers, actors and harassed 40 somethings taking a well earned break. The smell of new and old handbags, leather jackets hung behind chairs, shoes, feet and fragrance. Ellen has hit the nail on the head with her CAFE V, it’s exactly what I hoped it would be but even better.

The dry down on my ski is charred wood, amber, sweat and leather. Totally sexy and very old school.  Sexy enough to wake the sleeping in our house certainly, he he he.

Photo Stolen McGill

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon

Available from http://orchidscents.com

Bottles/Retail price:
5 ml parfum spray ($15.00)
15 ml parfum in screw-top bottle ($25.00)
30 ml EdP spray ($40.00)

OLYMPIC ORCHIDS 3rd BIRTHDAY!!

Photo Stolen weddingnot

THIRD ANNIVERSARY IN JULY!
It’s hard to believe that our third anniversary is coming up this year! Everything still seems so new and such a work in progress that I don’t feel like any time has passed since I first set up my website. On the other hand, we now have a regular line of about 20 fragrances as well as quite a few special editions, and wonderful customers all over the world. We’ve won awards, and received loads of recognition. I would like to send out a huge thank you to everyone who has sampled and purchased Olympic Orchids perfumes over the past three years, and to those who have reviewed and written about them in so many different venues. I appreciate it all!

THIRD ANNIVERSARY DISCOUNT CODES
To celebrate our success over the past three years, I’ll be offering a 10% discount on any order of $10 or more placed between July 1 and July 7, 2013. Enter the code THREE at checkout to receive your discount.

DISCOUNT EXTENDED TO JULY 15 2013

Ellen

There you have it, Cafe V, and it is a doozy. I will be talking about the other new release very soon.
See you tomorrow,

Portia xx

Portia’s Affordable Christmas Giving Fragrance List

Hey All,

Today on the PerfumePosse I look at a bunch of Fragrant Gift Certificates. Excellent Christmas option.

We are all going a little Christmas Cuckoo here at APJ. I thought I would swing in with some lovely and affordable fragrant gifts. Many of us have had to tighten our belts over the last 12 months and it’s getting harder to find something that gives the feeling of luxury in these straightened circumstances, so here are a few of my favourite cheapies that may help you to fill stockings for less.

Photo stolen Bath&Unwind

Korres: Japanese Rose: I use the shower gel and body butter to layer under rose scents like Rosa Sur Reuse by SOIVOHLE and Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun. They came together as a pack 2 Christmas ago and I have constantly kept a stock ever since, now onto my 4th set I think. You can still get the set from Bath & Unwind for around $30

One Seed natural perfume sample set: This is a great way to get to know one of Australia’s budding niche perfume houses. You will receive 8 x 1ml samples and including International Postage for only $30 at the One seed ETSY Store

Photo Stolen Kiehl’s

Kiehl’s Original Musk: I have the fragrance and body lotion and often use the body lotion to plump up the funk on modern formulations of old favourite fragrances like Rochas Femme, YSL Rive Gauche and CHANEL No 5. Currently 200ml body lotion is around $35 online at Kiehl’s

Photo Stolen LUSH

LUSH You’ve Been Mangoed Bath Melt: This comes in a 30gram tablet that I cut into 4 and use separately so each one lasts for four baths. Here in Australia they retail for only $8.50 which works out to $2.12 per bath. BARGAIN. And it’s a great base for some delicious mango dripping fragrances like NVC Bombay Bling or Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil. Available from LUSHCosmetics

Photo Stolen BookDepository

Coming To My Senses by Alyssa Harad: Whether you are buying for a perfumista or not this is a great tale that keeps you turning pages and wishing for a sequel at the end. The story of a woman’s fragrant searching for where she belongs. BookDepository has the hardback for around $20 delivered worldwide!!

Smell Bent, Sunset People Sample Pack: If you’ve spent any time at all on AustralianPerfumeJunkies then you’ll know what fans we are of the Smell Bent ranges by that uber hottie Brent Leonesio. Sunset People Sample Pack features 5 x 4ml EdT Travel Sprays of their latest juices for only $28 with such excellent names as Disco Nap and Walk of Shame! Wonderful stocking filler from SmellBent.

Photo stolen carapharmacy

Halle by Halle Berry: I use the body lotion and the fragrance. This is a fabulously wearable woody floral fragrance which has a slightly bitter chocolate feeling about it while still being sweetly amber. The body lotion adds depth and hours of extra wear life.  At CheapSmells you can get the 50ml EdP and 200ml Lotion separately but they add up to under $30.

Photo Stolen BookDepository

Jean-Claude Ellena, The Diary Of A Nose: I found this an interesting look at a year in the life of a perfumer. Not trying to be a sensational story but a look at how much travel, meetings and associated stuff come with being a perfume creator. At times during it I felt that it must be very frustrating sometimes when you want to create but the world impinges. He also gives some fascinating self observances and all done in great good humour. I already liked him before I read this but felt like I knew something of him after. BookDepository has the hardback for around $22 delivered worldwide.

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids Deluxe Sample Set: 16 x 2ml samples of the Olympic Orchids range for only $40 including International Shipping! This is the ultimate affordable gift for any aspiring perfumista or already deep in the wormhole devotee. Go have a look at Olympic Orchids Samples

Worth, Je Riviens body lotion: I know, I know! The fragrance has been cheapened and thinned beyond a whisper of its former self. The lotion is still lovely though and at around $7 for 200ml you can’t go wrong for keeping those wintery ambers in place all day long like L’Artisan’s L’Eau d’Ambre and Ambre Narguile by Hermes. I buy it from CheapSmells

Gift Certificates: Many of my favourite online stores do Gift Certificates too. Part of the joy of my fragrance addiction is the seeking and finding what I want for myself so here are a few links to sites that offer them, from as little as $1. Jin often gets me a $50 Posh Peasant Voucher that gets mailed to me and I love them. That can be as many as 20 samples and postage, depending. See what I mean, cool and classy gift for a perfumista to receive.

PoshPeasant from $25
ThePerfumedCourt from $10
SurrenderToChance from $1 – $100
MyPerfumeSamples from $15
AftelierPerfumes from $20
FragranceNet from $20
FragranceX from $5 – $500

I hope this has helped you all shop smarter.
With huge wafts of fragrant love,
Portia xx

Sheila Eggenberger Interview

Hello fellow Perfume Junkies,

Many of you will be familiar with Sheila Eggenberger of TheAlembicatedGenie and her as yet unpublished novel Quantum Demonology that has become a seriously cult-style hit in the fragrance community. Some of you will be going, “Um, What?” and it is to you that I offer this rare insight into a blogger, author and general all round great girl of the scentbloggosphere. Sheila has been a mate and champion in the short time that APJ has been running and I am proud to count her among my yet to be met net friends. Her never say die attitude is a beacon we should all learn to follow.

Photo Stolen fanpop

In conjunction with this interview if you drop in at PerfumePosse today I have reviewed the Olympic Orchids Devilscent Project fragrances Lil#1 & Dev #2 so down the bottom there is a jump you can easily hit to trot across and read there too.

Sheila Eggenberger

Give us a brief history, who was young you, important you defining moments or early fragrant memories that may have herded you towards the ever moving now?

I grew up with a perfume-mad mother, so perfume was everywhere as I grew up, and living in South Florida – a very fragrant spot! – helped, too. Defining perfumista moment: (It ruined me for life!) A coming-of-age trip to Paris for a 14th birthday, when Maman took me to the Guerlain flagship store and told me to buy what I loved. I bought Jicky, since she didn’t wear it and I loved it. Today, I can’t believe I would choose something so …audacious! The next day, I bought (the original) Miss Dior. I was a great-smelling teenager.

What spurred you onto creating the Alembicated Genie?

It was my book, Quantum Demonology, believe it or not. By the time I neared the ending, I had had it with testosterone bombs and rock’n’roll. I wanted an outlet for my girlie sensibilities, so I created Scent Less Sensibilities which became The Alembicated Genie. I never in my wildest dreams expected to become a perfume writer. But life has been exciting ever since!

Do you have a favourite independent perfumer?

Too many to count! Andy Tauer, Vero Kern. Mandy Aftel, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, Neil Morris, Ellen Covey, Kedra Hart, Maria McElroy of aroma M and Alexis Karl, Amanda Feeley – and a new discovery who has blown my mind – Juan M. Perez of Exotic Island Perfumes. A definite one to watch – and sniff!

What do you see as the most important trend in perfume currently?

Perfume as an art form in its own right. The trend towards indie perfumers pushing the boundaries of defining perfumes is redefining the industry as well as our own perceptions of it. That more and more people are turning to the artistry and dedication of indie perfumers. And I think it’s interesting that more and more, different art forms are coalescing into projects – books and movies to go with perfumes, for instance. And a far sadder trend – world-renowned brands killing the very heritage that made them what they are.

Do you have a signature scent?  If so, what is it and how did you find it? If not, why do you think that is?

In terms of perfume, I’m an utterly faithless slut. I’m fully capable of being virtuous to my favorite brands, but the idea of picking just one perfume gives me hives – and a massive case of indecision. I have complete perfume AHDH. Where would I start, when perfume to me is a case of “Who do I want to be today – tonight – this instant?” But the closest would be Chanel no. 19 eau de parfum, which I’ve worn for over 30 years with no end in sight. It was perfect for a punk and for the Goth that punk became. It’s perfect for this walking midlife crisis and writer wanna-be, even today.

Tell us about Quantum Demonology?

It began with a discography and a discussion in a Copenhagen record store. When I came across a certain inspiring image, it evolved into a short story I wrote one night out of boredom as a joke and posted on my soapbox blog. I never thought I would be asked to continue it, but I was. So I did. Nine months to the day (!), I had a finished first-draft novel. An ode to …music, madness, passion, redemption and perdition, among other things.

How did that translate into the Devilscent Project

I blame Andy Tauer. And Ellen Covey. Perfume was always woven into the storyline. Frankincense and labdanum – two of my favorite notes – are mentioned many times, as are several other perfumes. When I reviewed Andy Tauer’s Incense Extreme as a “Would this be the Devil’s Scent?”, Ellen commented that I nearly dared her to make …the Devil’s Scent and that was how it started. Since then, it’s grown to ten bloggers, eight US indie perfumers, and no less than 19 incarnations of mind-blowing, category-defying perfume, including an incense and a deviously delicious massage bar. 

If there’s anyone reading from the world of Literature Publishing, where can they taste your Quantum Demonology?

They can find some explanations as well as samples of the prologue and the first three chapters in draft form at the Quantum Demonology blog: http://quantumdemonology.wordpress.com, many more inspirations on both the book and the Devilscent Project at the Quantum Demonology fan page on Facebook: http://facebook.com/quantumdemon, and follow the Devilscent Project on Twitter through the hashtag #devilscent.

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids Devilscent Project fragrances are running a terrific sample program 5 x 3ml Devilscents for $30 delivered to the world.
Read Sheila Eggenberger at TheAlembicatedGenie
Go check PerfumePosse for my reviews of the Olympic Orchid Devilscent Project, go on!

I hope you enjoyed our Sheila Eggenberger interview and also hope to see you tomorrow but till then, love, love, love, from us at APJ.
Portia xx

Just Generally

Hi All,

Today I am going to quickly run down my weekends fragrance wear. It’s been pretty hectic around here, loads of work, home shenanigans, friend drama, shopping, living, loving and finally TSO Jin and I have booked a holiday. We will be jetting off to far flung destinations in January. Leaving our glorious summer for your Northern winter. I am so excited, 2010 was my last holiday and I’ve not yet traveled with Jin so that is always a relationship settler or a disaster zone. Can’t WAIT!!!

We spend 3 weeks in Europe so I hope to see all my Euro blogging buddies and then a week in rural, seaside Korea to meet Jin’s parents. OMG! That should be interesting. Oh well. Secure in the knowledge that I’m the most frightening thing in the universe I think I’ll cope, but will he? Will they? HE HE Poor feckers won’t know what hit them,

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Guerlain- Aqua Allegoria- Lys Soleia- I wear this newby to my collection and feel like an Empress. It is gorgeous on me, to me and I am gagging for the bee bottle. Flowers, sunshine, fruit (and to me salt & coconut though they’re not listed) Full review coming.

Olympic Orchids- Golden Cattleya- A guaranteed compliment grabber, unusual, sensuous, a little bit dirty but all lovely night blooming orchid. So good it feels a little bit evil. At 30ml EdP $40 you can’t go wrong!! Sample program excellent.

SIOVOHLE- Wild Ginger Chai- I thought I’d packed Leather Krem but it was Wild Ginger Chai and I had 3 random, unsolicited compliments. one person coming in close and saying, “Wow! You smell so amazing!” and then doing that disgusting hum/moan/purr thing we all do when fragrance transports us. It was spooky but great. At 15ml EdT $30 a very affordable frag and they have a super sample program.

Un named sample- Clayton at WhatMenShouldSmellLike gave me this to try and I think it’s a lavender masculine but it is tenacious and strident and dries down like a year later and generally reminds me of a Tabac type offering. I enjoyed it immensely.

Photo Stolen Parfum d’Empire

Parfum d’Empire- Ambre Russe- What a powerhouse of fabulous this is. Smoky, Russian teas, floral, pipe tobacco, booze, incense, burning, magical and musky firebrand of a fragrance. Why don’t I wear this every day? Ah May ZIng! These guys also have an extraordinary sample program and 100ml is only 90 Euro.

SurrenderToChance 40% off SALE!!! is currently happening too. I have gone with $100 to spend and scored myself some incredible bargains. Yes, I write for Perfume Posse but I get no kickbacks for doing so. I just LOVE THEIR SHIT!!! For $100 I can get 30ml of 10 or 15 fragrances. Such a great way to get to know a bunch of different fumes.
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Photo of Korean Temple Stolen elwood5566

Photo Korean Bridge Stolen 123rf

Thanks for dropping by, please go check out the links and have a little look. Below I have dropped in my new favourite song and video; Battle Scars by Guy Sebastian feat. Lupe Fiasco
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In life I want you to want the best for yourself and go out and get it.
It is waiting for you. Believe it.
Love always,
Portia xx

Wild Ginger Chai by SOIVOHLE Winner Announced

Hey All,

I have a full day of Liz Zorn and SOIVOHLE coming up soon but I received an order from them and can’t stop spraying myself with Wild Ginger Chai, then I come to review it and its been finished. No mention on the website, and I only bought 11ml thinking I would be sensible for a change.

STOP PRESS, false alarm!!! No not gone but that part of the site is currently down. Liz just return emailed about my query and said it will be back up July 24, with the release of some new stuff. Yippeee! If you want to be kept in the SOIVOHLE loop here is a JUMP to their Facebook Page. Which will also give you links to their blog updates.

I love the queer start, like it’s going to be a hot stinking mess. As it opens on my skin the ginger and vanilla seem to grind against each other for the first 5 or so minutes like rubbing corduroy the wrong way, not a bad feeling, just unexpected. When the honey floats through the shape of this masterpiece begins show itself. Really masterpiece you ask? I have had this on me at some point during the last 4 days, 2 of those days I wore nothing else. OMG!! So I don’t get a tea like the Bvlgari’s, but there is a jasmine/orange blossom like lactonic note here and the spicy milk accord does nod vigorously towards the smell of chai being cooked out of the milk in India, which is a totally different smell to ours, there is also still a quiet kick of ginger right through but like a gingerbread man, slightly doughy. Wild Ginger Chai continues to grow and change, but not distinctly, as it fades away to a soft and wearable sweetish vanilla This all takes around 4-5 hours till I completely lose the ability to smell it. Cor! It is soooo good. Excuse me while I respritz.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica said,
Wild Ginger Chai by Soivohle is an Aromatic Spicy fragrance for women and men…launched in 2012….and features vanilla, tea, honey and spices.

MAKING TRUE CHAI
Indians bring the water to the boil in a saucepan on the stove, throw in their tea leaves, sugar/honey and special tea spice mix (called Chai Masala) to taste, every home is different. As the water changes colour they add milk, I prefer quite a bit, then let the mix almost boil again and it’s ready. Strain into cups and serve with warm biscuits, yummy. Surprisingly, Indians drink this in all seasons, even the hottest part of summer.

THURSDAY GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Our giveaway was open to blog followers only this week, we are now well over the 100 followers mark so I decided to add an extra little prize for our 100th follower, COOL huh? Thank you to all our contestants, so glad you all jumped on board for this one.

You were all put on a paper, folded, put on a plate and picked by Jin (repeating; this was not a game of chance, you had to be a blog follower and tell us your fave post this week). Here’s what was on offer for the major prize

5ml decant spray Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf
3ml decant spray Beloved by Amouage
2ml manufacturers sample Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens
1ml sample vial Fleur de Glace by Olympic Orchids
1ml manufacturers sample Outspoken by Fergie for Avon
P&H anywhere in the world

All measurements are approximate

For our 100th follower we have 2 things I love and 2 that were meh! I hope you like them all.

2ml decant spray Gujarat by Olympic Orchids
2ml decant spray Commes Des Garcons EdP
1ml manufacturers sample Honey Blossom by The Beehive
1ml manufacturers sample In Bloom by Reese Witherspoon for AVON
P&H anywhere in the world

All measurements are approximate

Photo Stolen propercourse

THURSDAY GIVEAWAY- Laniersmith

100th FOLLOWER- anutu13

You have till Wednesday July 18 9pm Australian EST to get in touch with your addresses so I can send these off. PM me on Twitter @OzPerfumeJunkie or Facebook Portia Turbo-Gear If you don’t I’ll give your prize to someone else.

Photo Stolen bitrebels

Thank all for coming around, I have a special thank you video. It’s just a bunch of Brazilian male models saying Hola. Do please enjoy,
Much love and highest hopes for your health, wealth and happiness,
Portia xx

THURSDAY GIVEAWAY

Hi gang,

We’ve had a couple of weeks off the Thursday Giveaway because I was over it. Now it’s back. This giveaway is open to anyone who follows the AustralianPerfumeJunkies blog.

What do you have to do to win? Easy! Just tell us which of the posts this week was your favourite. We’ll go through and randomly pick one. This is not a game of chance, you must answer the question to fulfill the criteria, but it’s not a writing contest either. Got it?

You have till around 10pm Saturday July 14 Australian EST. Should we not hear from the winner in a week we will give the prize to someone else. Fair enough? You bet!

Here’s what’s on offer:

5ml decant spray Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf
3ml decant spray Beloved by Amouage
2ml manufacturers sample Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens
1ml sample vial Fleur de Glace by Olympic Orchids
1ml manufacturers sample Outspoken by Fergie for Avon
P&H anywhere in the world

All measurements are approximate because they’ve been used as review samples

I love to do giveaways. It’s the only way I have of saying Thank You physically. We are so glad that you come back so often and read our mad passion for fragrance. When you like, follow or comment we do little air pumps and there are high 5s all round. Every time we reach a goal it is BIG news here.

Our next goal is to have 100 people following the blog. We aren’t far off but would love your help. How can you help? Well, you can follow us yourself, tell your friends about us and ask them to follow if they’re interested, facebook, tweet or retweet our updates and posts. That would be AWESOME!

Much love and wishing you only the good stuff you wish yourselves,
Portia XOX

PS Pictures Stolen lavanyasrecipes and kbaird

Thursday Giveaway Competition, Gucci by Gucci Videos

Well Well Smellophiles,

It has been a great week here in Sydney, Australia. Today is TSO Jin’s birthday and he has wanted DIOR Homme for a while. I was lucky enough to find a 50ml pre-reformulation bottle with the silver tube in the middle and only bounced the $50 Birthday/Xmas spend limit by a teensy bit, oh well he’s so worth it. Of course being a sparky it was crack of dawn make a wish and blow out candle, prezzie, vitamin tablet with Up&Go, here’s your lunch (today he got a Birthday special cold corned beef, cheese and pickle sandwich, choc chip muffin, passionfruit fizzy can and a Twix) and he was gone.

Being Thursday we have our

THURSDAY GIVEAWAY COMPETITION

Photo Stolen immercedemo

I thought because we’ve done such a big Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes week that we could do 2 special giveaways. All you need to do to win is to tell me what the code word you need to put in the coupon box at checkout on Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes for the $5 discount in the comments below. You’ll find the code word here on AustralianPerfumeJunkies in Monday and Tuesday‘s posts (a hint, the days in colour are jumps, hit them and you’ll be transported). It’s drawn on Saturday night around 9pm Australian EST. Jump to it! Here’s what you could win:

1ml Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes manufacturers samples of Carolina & Olympic Rainforest or A Midsummer Days Dream & Arizona.
2ml manufacturers sample of Fugue or Barocco by new fragrance house Esther produced by the crew at Fragonnard
Plus P&H anywhere in the world

Photo Stolen GUCCI

Next up I’ve given you an ad and a short film about Gucci by Gucci. The ad has the incredible Deborah Harry from Blondie singing one of her all time great classics, Heart of Glass. I was lucky enough to meet her in London, she had come to the opening night of DillyBoy in a club under Picadilly Circus, I was asked to produce the shows and there were a crew of us entertaining. The venue was full to overflowing and Ms Harry came out back to see us and after the shows she stayed around and partied with us till we fled to our next engagement. Christmas 2010 she was in Sydney and came down to the Opera House to watch the show that I was compering and performing in “DRAG!” and though she pretended to remember me and the night in Piccadilly Circus I know she was just being nice. It has however been one of the few mega stars that I have admired since childhood that when I’ve met them I have been pleasantly surprised at their friendliness and candor. She is the bomb and had I known she sang the ad I would have bought Gucci by Gucci sooner. I just gave the Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme to a mate for his birthday on the back of this loveliness. Enjoy.
Portia xx

Gucci by Gucci (Deborah Harry- Heart of Glass)

Gucci by Gucci maybe filmschool?

Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes Reviews

Hi Ho Gang,

Yesterday we did an interview with one of niche perfumeries legends, Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes.

Ellen Covey and the Sydney Opera House

If you JUMP BACK you’ll be able to read it. I thought it important to now review some of their work. I have an admission to make; HUGE FAN. You will probably get a totally biased love fest because I’ve picked fragrances I like but I will also give you fair and true reviews. OK? Good.

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

BAY RUM 2012: This is a BIG fragrance. Enormous. If I put Bay Rum on in a large dose my partner can track my scent anywhere in the house or garden. Worn in more than one spritz doses it is a sillage monster, definitely not for work, dinner or enclosed spaces. If I spray and walk through the mist naked, enough gets on me to perfume me without skunking people at a 50 meter radius. For big events like performing or parties then this is a goodie, unmissable and unmistakable you will leave a coruscating vapour trail behind you like a sirens song. Ellen “took the classic formula of Jamaican bay essential oil, added a boozy rum accord that I developed, spiced it up with laurel, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and allspice berry, added some orange blossom and citrus notes, and then boosted it all to maximum volume with a woody base that includes javanol and balsams.” according to her website.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

FLEURS DE GLACE 2011: What a cool, soft, demure opening this lovely fragrance has but soon there is a warmth that thaws it out. Oh OK, so I just read the notes on Fleurs de Glace and it is Olympic Orchids only mainly synthetic scent designed as a reminiscence of flower like ice formations that appeared one day with featured notes of galbanum, black pepper, cyclamen, ozonic accord, transparent vanilla, and white musk; according to Fragrantica. When you are given the story then this perfume really makes sense and comes alive, the cool opening of the ice flowers, warming with a sense of wonder, then a comfortable, almost foodie smell of baking running underneath what I presume to be the cyclamen which has a waxy, insistent, bright floral counterpoint. This is a beautiful choice for slightly cool weather.

Photo Stolen sjb4photos

KINGSTON FERRY 2010: To my nose this is a delicious and murky green opening, hay, woods and earth and almost a guano smell of seafront birdlife. An intoxicating, resinous, salty and aqueous (in the sea water sense) fragrance that gives you a real sense of waterview life. On a boat rather than the dock, where it’s cooler with the wind blowing all the bad smells of port life away, leaving fresh water, seaweed, wood and tar, salty water drenched rope; it’s all here. Later you can smell the captain too, big, burly man of captain in his cable knit jumper and windbreaker jacket and he is wearing the remnants of a manly barbershop cologne embedded in the clothes he’s worn for years. What a lovely journey, you need to try this so you can make your own story from it.

HOW TO FIND THESE GEMS?

This jump will take you to Olympic Orchid Artisan Perfumes fragrance page. You have 19 fragrances to choose from. There is an exciting new samples choice; 5 x 3ml spray sample set of three different fragrance groups and at $20 with free continental US shipping or only $5 for international. SO DAMN CHEAP!!! I have ordered the Perfumers Spray Sample Set just now. He he.

As a special deal, Ellen Covey has offered $5 off all international orders for postage and handling or $5 off product in the continental USA!! Please enter the word PERFUMEJUNKIE into the coupon code box at checkout. The offer will last through Monday, June 25. AWESOME!!

These are only 3 of the amazing range available at Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes. Go forth a try some, the sample set is a great way to try them.

Much love from Sydney, Australia,

Portia xx