Loathe to simply close the shop, I first gave it a facelift to better suit my new direction of tapping into the sensibilities of the mass market. Alas, Etsy buyers feel safe with creations that conform to mass market trends, so that is where I shall take my shop going forward. I made up some earrings that I hope will appeal to more buyers. I've also included my artisanal fragrances, which leads me to another story.....
When it comes to perfume, I've always had trouble getting past the initial "assault" of commercial fragrances. Too often it takes an hour or more to soften and dry down to "Act III" featuring the basenotes -- the subtle, earthy foundation that interacts with one's body chemistry. Last year I began mixing my own fragrances and used my favorite commercial perfumes as reference points. In some cases, after much reading, sleuthing and testing, I've managed to capture many of my favorites in most ways except for that horrid "assault" scene in the opening act. By infusing my blends into a pure & natural carrier like jojoba oil, I've eliminated that nasty blast of alcohol. I've also not used commercial fixatives, opting instead for lovely, subtle oakmoss to fix my notes.
