Just a Music Day

Opportunity For Bloggers

Diamond Candles and A Family Full of Opinions are teaming up to give 100 bloggers the opportunity to review a candle from Diamond Candles. What is so special about these candles? Each candle has a ring inside of it valued between $10 and $5,000. I have not tried these candles yet so I can't speak as to their quality or the customer service. I am hoping to be one of the lucky bloggers chosen to give a review though. I mean come on a candle and jewelry in one, what girl wouldn't love that? 

Anyway if you are a blogger and want to enter for a chance to review one of these candles go over to A Family Full Of Opinions by clicking here for more details!

*This post is a required part of entering for a chance to review for Diamond Candles. I am not being compensated in any way for this post.*

Peace, Love and Cupcakes!

Oh My Geekness

I just so happen to have swatches and details for the Geek Chic Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. These are gorgeous collections at great prices. If you don't have Geek Chic on your shopping list already I think you may after seeing these pics.

 If you buy the whole set that is only about $2.80 per color!!!

 I LOVE this collection. Not only will you have 4 stunning shades but you will also be helping 2 people have their dream wedding.

This is a must have for lip lovers. 

It is described as a warm coral peach with golden shimmer.

Now for the sale details:

Sale starts Midnight 11/25 and runs thru Midnight on 11/28 (Fri-Mon)

30% off everything except samples (and yes it's a 30% off the SALE price for collections)

Free Shipping on orders over $50.00

Door Buster: Orders over $50.00 will receive a full size discontinued ltd. ed. or Prototype product WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.

 

You can find Geek Chic by clicking here. 

Happy shopping!!!

Peace, Love and Cupcakes

Shop Handmade

This is the list I have gotten together so far. As I get other shops details I will update. I am also going to add a few shops who may or may not be having sales. My reason you ask? Because I love them and the products are amazing!!!

Evil Shades Now through 11/23 HURRY!!!

25% off all orders thru Wed. (11/23/11) use Code - PinkFriday
http://evilshades.com/

Darling Clandestine Now through 11/23 HURRY!!!!
Use code CYBERWEEK for 30% off
http://www.darlingclandestine.etsy.com/

Persephone Minerals 11/24-11/28
Coupon Code- BFMADNESS for 30% off
Orders of $30 will receive a full size Mystical Highlight or Stardust Shimmer powder of *your choice*Orders $30-50 will receive 2 full size Mystical Highlight or Stardust Shimmer powders of *your choice*
Orders $50 & up will receive 3 Full size Mystical Highlight or Stardust shimmer powders of *your choice* AND a 25% code for next time as well! 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PersephoneMinerals

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/PersephoneMinerals

My Pretty Zombie 11/25-11/28
25% off
New set "The Blue Period"
http://mrsevils.etsy.com

Geek Chic Cosmetics (11/25-11/28)
No coupon needed
Two new collections, plus a lippie
30% off, plus free fullsize prototype/discontinued fullsize on orders over 50 bucks
http://www.geekchiccosmetics.com

Detrivore Cosmetics Code: Black Friday
50% off all orders over $20.
Only good November 24-26
http://www.detrivorecosmetics.net

Morgana Cryptoria
http://www.morganacryptoria.com
Sale runs late night Nov 24 - Cyber Monday (exact start time to be announced early next week)
Sale is on in-stock items while stock lasts. Discounts are automatic.
50% off lip balms in regular tubes
$2 lip balms in slimline tubes
Quantity discounts on cream lipsticks ranging from $4-$6 off!
Gel Lipsticks $5 (including new & soon to be released shades)
50% off New LE Glosses (large tube)
Various other specials. :)

Linnaeus Cosmetics (11/25-11/28)
http://linnaeuscosmetics.com
All eye shadows will be $4  (as opposed to the usual $6)
Discounted sample packs will also be available
Customers will also receive a little something for the re-opening come early next year ;)

Pollen Cosmetics
Cyber Monday 11/28
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pollencosmetics
20% off with coupon code "CyberMonday"
Winter & Holiday Collections Released!


Cult Nails
http://www.cultnails.com/
November 25 - November 28 2011

- ALL Polish Colors $7.75 each
- Nail Treatments $6.00 each ($12 for the pair)
- Glass Nail Files $10.00 each
- ALL Available Collections $31.00
 WE'RE ALSO DOING SOME GIFTING OF OUR OWN!!!
-Each US domestic order placed during the sale will come with a Quick Response Code in the package!  Simply scan the QR Code with a QR Reader on your smart phone for your chance to WIN!  (Contest open to US residents only, so sorry my international Culties.)
 1 COMPLETE SET of EVERY COLOR WE STOCK!!!
- OR -
1 GIFT SET OF OUR GET IT ON / WICKED FAST COMBO, a POLISH, and a FILE!
- OR -
1 CLAIRVOYANT NECKLACE (by Ginger Kitty Designs), a CULT NAILS T-SHIRT and 1 UNICORN PUKE!!!!

Darling Girl Cosmetics
http://darlinggirlcosmetics.ecrater.com/
Black Friday Sale: 20% off everything in the shop! Starts Thursday November, 24th at 6:00pm and ends Friday November 25th at 10:00pm CST While the boys are watching football you can shop til you drop. :P As usual refunds will be done via paypal within 24 hours of your order.

For every 5 orders placed during the sale there will be a raffle ticket included in the envelope with your free samples. If you get one, that is $5 in free Darling Girl swag. All you have to do to redeem is leave the raffle number in notes at check out and I will refund your $5 within 24 hours.

Black Rose Minerals
http://www.blackroseminerals.com
1. You can use coupon code BF2011 for 40% off full size jars only with a purchase of $20 or more. Excludes collections and Your choice, individual jar only. This is only on Black Friday, November 25th, 2011.
2. You can use coupon code BF201130 for 30% off your entire purchase of $20 or more. This will start on the 25th and end on the 28th at midnight PST.
 3. You can use coupon code blackfriday for 15% off your entire purchase, with the regular site minimum of $6. Starts the 25th and ends on the 28th at midnight PST.

Lost in Makeupland
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LostinMakeupland
Already active and ending on December 1st, get a 20% off everything (except 10 sample packs which won't be available through the sale) using the code EARLYXMAS.
Black Friday Sale: In addition to the 20% off, you'll get a special gift with purchase depending on your order's total, starts on Friday 25th and ends on Sunday 27th:
1. A 5 sample pack from the upcoming Rock My Look v2.0 collection in orders over $10 (shipping not included).
2. A full size eyeshadow jar from the upcoming Rock My Look v2.0 collection in orders over $20 (shipping not included).
3. A full size eyeshadow jar and a 5 sample pack from the upcoming Rock My Look v2.0 collection in orders over $30 (shipping not included).
4. A full size eyeshadow jar and a 5 sample pack from the upcoming Rock My Look v2.0 collection AND a surprise gift in orders over $50 (shipping not included).

The Morbid The Merrier added to the list 11/22
And so the 3 day sale begins.
Starting today, buy any 2 full size perfumes, get one free.
Buy any 3 solids, get one free.
http://www.themorbidthemerrier.com/

Tick Tock Cosmetics
http://ticktockcosmetics.blogspot.com/2011/11/black-fridaycyber-monday-supersale.html

http://www.ticktockcosmetics.com/

One Hand Washes The Other 

BLACK FRIDAY APPROACHETH!

I haven't worked out all the details just yet, but here's a taste of what's going to be on offer for the Black Friday weekend...40% off remaining Halloween stuffs, 25% off the rest of the store, AND- "Choose your own scent" products will be available on Cyber Monday (and only Cyber Monday). There will be various "doorbusters" added, and I am also planning a "Post-BF" sale in case your wallets are stretched too thin during the Black Friday week ;) 

http://ohwto.com/

Facebomb Cosmetics
Details soon to be released on their Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/FacebombCosmetics




Moi Minerals Cosmetics
30% OFF Eye Shadow singles / Blush /Foundation /Veil..... 20% OFF all Lip Gloss / Balms / Lip Sticks..... PLUS many additional goodies that are pretty darn awesome ;)
http://www.moicosmetics.com/

Brazen Cosmetics
Keep an eye on their Facebook page for special shopping treats
https://www.facebook.com/BrazenCosmetics
 
Simply Sweet Skin
Check out their Facebook page for details
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simply-Sweet-Skin/159015254151794

 Scaredy Cat Cosmetics 
Sale starting first thing Friday all the way through Cyber Monday. Full sized sifters will be marked down to $3 each. Trial Vials will be 30% off. Plus, for Friday only: for every $10 you spend you'll get five Trial Vials for free.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ScaredyCatCosmetics

HiFi Cosmetics
40% off all orders on Black Friday
http://hificosmetics.artfire.com/

Whimsy Beading
1. 30% coupon discount all Friday,11-25-11, using coupon code BLACK30
2. If your post-discount total is over $75, your shipping will be refunded by Paypal, so you'll get free shipping!
3. If you purchase a gift certificate at full price, for use on or after 12-26-11, you will receive a gift certificate with a bonus amount. 
$25 gift certificate will get you $35 in shop credit, 40% more.
$50 gift certificate will get you $75 in shop credit, 50% more.
http://www.whimsybeading.etsy.com/
Honorable Mentions-
Missy's Tempting Tarts
Wax Tarts starting as low as 10 cents each and $2 shipping all the time!
http://www.missystemptingtarts.com/

Haus of Gloi
Some of the best Bath & Body products
http://host.pappapak12.com/~hausofgl/

Silk Naturals
Cosmetics, skin care, bath and body
http://host.silknaturals.com/creb/index.php

Frosting Bath & Body
Cosmetics and Bath&Body products 
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are going to be full of fun giveaways and free gifts so make sure you check our page often! We picked up an amazing O.P.I polish today, creating a brand new color inspired by it. We will be giving both away soon! ♥
Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/FrostingBB?sk=wall
Etsy shop- http://www.etsy.com/shop/FrostingBathandBody?ref=pr_shop


Toad Flax Farm
Handmade fabric and felted wool crafts, accessories, and clothing. Specializing in recycled, upcycled, and repurposed materials.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/toadflaxfarm#

Darling Clandestine-Part 2

Darling Clandestine is a cute Etsy shop where you can find some great perfumes. I was led to this shop a few months back by being bound and gagged, ok not really. I did hear of Darling Clandestine in a group on Facebook, I of course was not forced into looking. Anyone who even knows me a little knows that if it smells I am all about it. Let me just tell you that I am so glad I did look and then buy. Hands down Evonne the owner is at the top of my list of favorite scentresses (yeah that is totally a word!) I have always received the best customer service, packages arrived beyond fast, all have been packaged nicely in a bubble mailer and I have never had any products damaged in transit. On of my orders there was a missing product, but I messaged Evonne and had a response right away with a sincere apology. In 3 days  had a package with the missing item and a few samples as an extended apology. In my book the mistake was more than made up for. 

Evonne was so kind to take time out to answer some questions for me and I would like to share those with you.

1. How long have you been creating scents?

For a little over a year now, and I’m really, really happy with all the love and support I’ve had.

2. What made you want to get into this line of work?

Highly-sensitive noses run in my family, and I’ve always been fascinated with perfumes and perfuming. I remember a National Geographic article back in the ‘80s (in fact, my dad just reminded me of that article last week) that detailed the history of creating perfumes back to ancient times, and it was printed with “scratch and sniff” pages, and I thought that was just the awesomest thing ever. Since I discovered Etsy and began fanatically buying handmade, I realized that perfuming was something I could absolutely do myself.And I was delighted when I realized that my brother Aaron was excited about me taking up perfuming—more on that in a bit.Also, I want folks to know how much encouragement I’ve had from fellow artists—more on that in a bit as well.

3. How did you come up with your company name and theme?

The name of course is a play on “My Darling Clementine,” with a Goth twist. I think that’s a pretty good approximation of my shop’s theme—sort of a Victorian mélange of dark and classic, with the occasional Old West-y fist fight thrown in. ;) Both Leif and I have always been fans of organic style, and by “organic” I don’t mean overpriced tomatoes at the local Whole Foods. I mean a style that jives with natural lines and colors; dark woods, rich tapestries, stone and ivy, that sort of thing. Many people look at that sort of style and think “old,” but I think it’s the most universal and timeless style there is. If you lost a piece of Gothic architecture in the woods, the woods would grow around it and it’d become something even more beautiful. But if you dropped, say, the Bolingbrook IKEA into the woods . . . well, that’d just look kind of crappy. I like to stick with the former, and I wanted to playfully illustrate that the styles I dig are sort of a mishmash of classic styles, so the tagline “Handcrafted deco-toriansteamveau. Esque.” was born.

4. Where do you find inspiration for the scents you create?

Amazing people I’ve known. Amazing places I’ve been. Little microcosms of memories and stories, moments that keep creeping back to me. Scent is by far the most nostalgic of the senses, and I try to capture that nostalgia in concentrated form. People who try my perfumes most often tell me that they remind them of a place or a time, and that makes me very happy.

Each of my perfumes has its own representative “story,” which I get a huge kick out of writing. I want my customers to feel more connected with the “experience” of the fragrance, and understand why they’re so much more than just scented oil mixes.

I have about 15 different scents now, give or take, and a few more in the works. I’ve tried to create something for everybody, and I’ve assembled quite the diverse little sideshow troupe. ;) Above all, I want my scents to be “different”—beautiful and strange, like the people and memories most dear to me.

5. What is your favorite scent you carry?

Augh, don’t make me choose! I have a particular tenderness for Inked and Falchion, because they’re so incredibly complicated and weird and sexy and moody, like old flames you can’t get over. I also am very fond of Step Right Up, and I’d say it’s probably my best all around, because it’s universally appealing but also truly its own experience. And I give a shout-out to Tapadero wherever possible, because it’s a really great fragrance—clean and cuddly—but somehow tends to not get as much face time as the others. It remains one of my favorites.

It’s funny; some of my best scents are ones I don’t really wear regularly, and others of my scents are not really “me” at all (Pyrotechnik is a good example), but I’ve created them for a diverse audience and I enjoy smelling them just for appreciation’s sake.

6. What are your 3 most popular scents?

I’d say Serpentina, Circassian, and—a newbie but already very popular—Cloudswing. Interestingly, they’re all pretty feminine. But Falchion is probably my fourth, and it’s definitely on the more traditionally “masculine” side.

7. Do you take custom orders?

For perfumes, generally, no.Not to be all haughty about it, but I think it takes some of the magic out of my creations, the idea of just being an order taker—“Can you mix x, y, and z in a bottle and send it to me?” doesn’t sit well. I spend weeks working on my perfumes, in my kitchen, adding drops of this and that, sniffing, testing, pacing, thinking, adding more of this or that, trying to create an experience from scratch. I know that there are plenty of sellers out there who are happy to mix a few different notes for their customers who have a specific idea about what they want or who like the fun of choosing their own concoctions, and I’m totally cool with that. But I’m here to create original fragrances, and part of what makes mine original is the fact that they’re so incredibly complex. Nothing is more heartbreaking than, say, vending at an event, and having someone come up to my table, see the collection of perfumes that I made lovingly with my own hands and are truly like nothing they’ve ever encountered before, and ask me, “You got any patchouli?”

There was one exception, though, and I made it for Caitlin at Shiro Cosmetics. She’s a really cool gal, and a top-notch artisan herself, and she appreciates what it takes to create awesome stuff from scratch, and when she made the request she made it clear that she appreciatedthe complexity of the process. She wanted something citrusy and passionfruity, bright and happy but not overbearingly sweet or candy-like. I sent her samples during the process, and she gave her input, and we played very well together. I probably would never have created something like that on my own, and I was really happy that she nudged me into doing it. So I asked her if I could share the final product with the rest of my customers, and she very kindly agreed. I called it Tilt-a-Whirl. Incidentally, I’m running low on Tilt-a-Whirl; I really need to make more! In my spare time, perhaps. ;)

8. Do you have anyone who helps with creating scents?

It’s just crazy old me in my crazy old laboratory! But the concept of Step Right Up was a cooperative effort with my brother, Aaron. When he heard that I’d started creating perfumes, he started brainstorming with a bunch of elements that he’d been wanting to put together; apparently he’d done a bit of research on the subject! Turns out he and I were thinking of approximately the same nostalgic scent, an intangible, oceanic scent, and we had this really enthusiastic conversation about it, and I went back and played with it and Step Right Up emerged. I still consider it one of DC’s very best scents, though I’m a little jealous that it smells even better on Aaron than it does on me.

And though I do all the actual scent brewing myself, everyone should know that I take pride in making my packaging just as pretty as the products. My lovely full-sized bottle labels are designed by my handsome, large-brained husband, Leif. He’s also responsible for about half the “story” photos I use to illustrate the fragrances in the listings and on the solids and Bitsy vials. Several of the other “story” photos are taken by photographer friends—they’re credited in the listings; be sure to check out their work! The product photography I do myself, and I have all sorts of fun doing it. My apartment is pretty “Victorian,” and it’s chock full of cool props that help make those shots look warm and lovely. I want the whole shop experience to be beautiful, down to the handwritten tags on my samples.

9. You also carry some jewelry items, will you be expanding that part of your shop?

My shop actually began as a jewelry shop! :) I didn’t start doing perfumes until about a year later. It used to be all jewelry, all the time, until I got a bit burned out on jewelry making because I couldn’t say no to custom requests.

See, when I started creating jewelry, it was fun. I’d happily sit on the couch in the evenings after work with a pair of pliers while Leif killed things in Demon’s Souls, and I’d often turn out four or five pairs of earrings a night just for the sheer joy of making them. And they were all really unique pieces. But as word got around, I had more and more requests for custom orders, including from friends of the family who sincerely wanted to “help me out” by giving me business (and to whom I would in turn give huge discounts on my already very low prices, so I’d often end up just breaking even anyway, and being exhausted to boot).

Once people started asking me to duplicate designs I’d already done, again and again, it kind of killed the creativity. I felt like I was just mass-producing the pieces, and it was no longer fun. After last year’s holiday rush, I decided to take a break, and I learned to occasionally say no. ;) Now, I create jewelry only when it comes naturally, and though that means fewer pieces, I’m much happier for it, and I think the pieces are more special, too.

One of the nice things about the perfumes is that they’re just as enjoyable to create, but a batch can produce multiple bottles and tins, whereas when you sell a piece of jewelry, it’s gone, and you have to start over from scratch.

So, in fact, I’m not a perfumer who has started making jewelry; I’m a burned-out jewelry maker who lately has found perfuming much more rewarding and much less stressful. So as far as “expanding” the jewelry line goes, the answer is “I’ve already made craploads of jewelry, and I’ll make more when I darn well feel like it.” :P

Photo courtesy of Darling Clandestine

10. How long have you been making jewelry?

It’s been about two years. Here’s the thing. I come from a family teeming with master artisans. My grandfather, my father, my brother Aaron, my Aunt Pili, my Uncle Javi, my cousin Javi, and many more. They work with everything from paint to sculpture to fine jewelry to antique firearms. Many of them do it for a living. They are all absolutely fantastic at it.

When I began creating jewelry, I honestly did it just to see if I could. I thought wire wrapping was a really cool style, and I got a bunch of wire and some pliers and just set to work. I never used any tutorials or anything; it came incredibly naturally to me. I could just look at a piece and tell how it was made, and I started cranking out original designs like crazy. My dad said to me, “See, it had to come out somewhere.”

11. Since I have not been able to purchase any of your jewelry can you tell me a little about the materials you use and your inspiration behind your pieces?

Sure! I love working with wire—it’s lightweight, it’s versatile, and it’s inexpensive, which means I can create pieces that are affordable for everyone. My jewelry is formed completely by hand—not just strung or glued together (in fact, I never use glue of any kind). Some craft jewelers make very pretty things by buying pre-made settings and gluing cabochons or other items onto them, but I like to start from scratch, with a spool of wire. I make my own headpins, too—it just feels more “handmade” when I make the components myself instead of buying them. I do, however, buy my earwires from suppliers on Etsy, for safety’s sake.

Natural curves and lines are my inspiration—many of my jewelry pieces look vaguely like sea creatures or insects. You could call them “steampunk,” though I know a lot of folks tend to think of steampunk jewelry as jewelry with a bunch of watch gears glued onto it. I do occasionally use watch gears as part of my designs, but only if they’d logically be a working element in a “real” piece—i.e., the “fins” on my seahorse earrings (“steamhorses”) were watch gears (see the attached photo) because it seemed logical that a mechanical seahorse could propel itself by spinning a wheel like a millstone, or something. :P

12. I know you just recently added the solid scents to the shop, will we be seeing any new scents or products?

Definitely new scents! Keep watch this season for Maudlin & Bedlam, Vardøgr, Mad as Birds, and Limerence. I will also be releasing a 2011 edition of Big Top Train for the holidays—same story, completely different scent that pulls from different elements of the story. And hardcore fans will be happy to know that I have re-released Ballyhoo, which was originally created as a limited-edition fragrance. And I’m offering a sweet discount for anyone who purchased Ballyhoo in the past.(Also, psst! Go see my lockets, everybody!)

As for other kinds of products, I don’t have any specific plans yet to create bath scrubs or lotions or lip balms or that sort of thing, but I’ve been thinking about it. When I release a new product, it’s not just formulating the product itself that I have to consider; it’s also the packaging, labeling, etc., and that requires an investment, because, again, I want everything to be consistently beautiful. :) So it happens slowly. But I’ve definitely been thinking about it.

Since I’ve got very dense, curly hair, I’ve always been a fan of hair creams and pomades, and usually buy products made for African hair. So I’ve been toying with the idea of making hair products for Circassian beauties. :) I’ll let you know how that pans out.

13. Is there anything I have not asked that you want readers to know about you?

Thanks for asking! I want them to know how much awesome support I’ve gotten from my fellow perfumers and other crafters. When Lysa at The Morbid the Merrier bought from my shop—and subsequently sent some of my perfumes as gifts to Grey at the Gothique blog—I was absolutely thrilled and delighted, because it showed me that we’re not a bunch of competitors or copycats; we’re a community of artists, and though we share some common themes, we each have something truly original to offer. Many of us have huge collections of each other’s perfumes and products mingled with our own.Lysa in particular is an absolute class act, and I think her creations are absolutely dynamite. They can’t be topped, and they definitely can’t be duplicated.

My shop has gotten lots of exposure because of super-cool fellow artists, like Becca at One Hand Washes the Other, and I’ve become fast friends with lovely talented folks like Joanna at ProductBody and my branding hero Madame Scodioli, and was very happy to be “in” on the action when Andrew of Cirmes Tonsorial Parlour made his fragrance debut. I confess that I have probably spent the majority of my shop earnings on fellow artists’ creations, which made for a pretty spectacular handmade Christmas last year. :) And it’s not just perfumes and cosmetics; it’s printmakers and painters and ceramics artists and jewelers and knitters and crocheters and woodworkers and bakers and beekeepers and . . . ack, just too many to even name. I highly, highly recommend going with handmade whenever possible, for all sorts of products—it’s surprisingly affordable (often less expensive than commercial, even), and the variety is often staggering.

Oh! And I have a day job. I’d of course love to do this full time, but my day job has pretty awesome health insurance. Maybe someday when I’ve paid off my student loans (though I’m pretty sure I’ll be dead before that happens).

One last question...will you be having any upcoming sales, maybe for Black Friday/Cyber Monday that we can look forward to? Or I can just keep that to myself LOL

I always have a few sales up my sleeve. :) The best place to find them is at Facebook.com/DarlingClandestine. Though I must warn you that my company’s huge annual meeting is the week after Thanksgiving, so the best time to shop for the holidays with me is the following week. My turnaround time is two days, so your packages will arrive with plenty of breathing room.

THANK YOU so very much for this—I am absolutely honored to be interviewed!

Evonne would also like to be quoted as saying this "These questions are absolutely awesome, and that you are absolutely awesome, because you are?" To this I say thank you for being so incredibly sweet and thank you for answering all the questions from your heart, the love of your art and of life shows in each answer.

Now to my thoughts on the scents I have so far. I think I should say from the beginning that perfumes react differently on each person, that is part of the beauty of them. Darling Clandestines scents are so complex and deep, but they are not fussy scents. Each one has a story to be told, with most of them they took me back to a memory, let me try to explain in my descriptions.

Cloudswing-This scent is bright, earthy and fresh. It takes me back to rolling down the grassy hill in our back yard as a kid. 

Step Right Up-This scent is woody, spicy, and fresh all at the same time. It reminds me of hugging my Uncle Wayne, very comforting. One of my favorites.

Dulcinea-This scent is sweet but not overly sweet, tangy, with a touch of leather. When I smell this I immediately think of walking through a flea market as a kid eating a cherry snow cone while the parents were talking and browsing tables of things. This is probably my favorite scent

Tilt A Whirl-Oh this one is a scent for grown folks. It is citrus, spice, it is naughty but nice. This scent makes me feel like a sexy vixen but it could definitely be a unisex scent. 

Fire Eater-This is very bright and fresh but has a spice to it. If I shut my eyes and smell it, it is my dad working on cars coming in and cleaning up for dinner, but it is not overly manly. It could definitely be a unisex scent.

Inked-I smell leather, an oceany with a bit of well hello there you hunk (LOL) I wear this scent often and it smells quite nice so I would say a woman could wear it too.

Curiosities Ball-It is very leaves falling, peppery, sort of warm and cozy. Not a bold scent at all but one that people sniff the air as you walk by them. This makes me think of my Aunt and Uncles farm, running and playing in the fall air.

Serpentina-Oh now this one makes me feel like a lady. It has fresh, it is tea with a snap of opium. I really like this one, it is really nice.

Carny Wedding-This one is yummy. It smells like mildly sweet buttery gooey goodness mixed with woody notes. This takes me back to woodshop right after lunch where I would sneak buttery apricot danishes in and eat them because I spent lunch hour out back smoking . 

Circassian-This starts off like a warm chocolate and turns floraly, I find it to be a soothing scent. Call me crazy but this makes me think of my Grandma Nona who passed away when I was just a baby. I don't remember her at all, but this is what in my mind would be a scent she would wear. From stories I have heard she was kind, loving, very family oriented and so much fun to be around.

Monstre Delicat-This is a fresh and clean with a mysterious twist to it. Imagine doing laundry hanging it out to dry and a storm rolls up, that is exactly what this scent makes me think of. Definitely a scent for both men and women.

Pyrotechnik-This is another favorite of mine. It is melony, with a spicy sandalwood rounding it out. This is sitting on a picnic blanket on a summer day with the man you love, soft winds blowing while eating cantaloupe.

I've only tried the perfume oils so far, I wore Step Right Up yesterday. I put it on around 9am and when I snuggled up with the kids to watch The Wizard of Oz last night about 9pm I could faintly smell it still. I'm looking forward to trying the solid perfumes, I like to carry scents with me in my purse and I think they would work great for that. I wont carry oils in my purse, I'm always afraid they will leak and make me have a pouty lip.

Pricing:

Set of 3 samples-$3.50

Sample vials. Such cute presentation! The names are on the tickets.

Bitsy Vials $4-$6

Bitsy vials are on the left and right sides.

1/2oz solid perfume tins-$9

Photo courtesy of Darling Clandestine.

1/2oz vials-$11-$12

If your interest is peaked even a little order a few samples, with prices like that you can't go wrong really.

You can find the Darling Clandestine Facebook page here. This is where you can find sales codes, quick little contests, and sweet giveaways. 

You can find the shop by clicking here. I am not responsible for any addictions that may happen due to clicking that link! LOL

You can find my previous post on Darling Clandestine here. The sale on that post is no longer available, but keep your eye on the Facebook page sales happen often.

If you have ordered from Darling Clandestine I would love to hear what you think and what your favorite scents are.

Peace, Love and Cupcakes

*All products were purchased by myself except for Cloudswing which I won in a contest on the Darling Clandestine fan page, and the 3 samples sent with my missing item. All opinions are my own and I am not being paid or bribed into saying anything. This is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth as far as I am aware. 

 

Friday Findings

Friday Findings: Nail Blog Giveaways

In looking through some nail blogs I have found several giveaways and wanted to share them with my polish loving readers. Please take a look through other posts on these blogs, there are some great ideas and tips!

http://limitedaddictionnails.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-first-giveaway-d.html

http://livelylacquer.blogspot.com/2011/10/holiday-glitter-way-open-until-111111.html 

http://www.thetracefacephiles.com/2011/10/trace-face-philes-1900-follower.html

http://www.thetracefacephiles.com/2011/10/trace-face-philes-2000-followers.html

http://www.thetracefacephiles.com/2011/10/trace-face-philes-2100-follower.html

http://www.lacqueredlover.com/2011/11/lacquered-lover-unicorn-puke-giveaway.html

If I find more I will add to this list so keep your eyes open for them.

Peace, Love and Cupcakes

A Year Without Andrew

It has been a year ago on October 28th that Andrew Compton went missing. His whereabouts still are unknown, what happened to him has been made painfully clear. I have written about Andrew before and you can read that post by clicking here.You can also read more from others by clicking here and here. I want to warn you that some of the information is very graphic, so please use discretion.

Some may ask why I am making a post about this again, let me answer that for you. I am posting about Andrew again because he has not been found, he has not been brought home to be laid to rest. His family are still looking for him, they are still looking for answers. In getting to know about who he was as a person, learning what an incredible person he was, he became more than just Andrew's Story to me. Call me corny but Andrew and his family have a place in my heart, and I can't just not do anything. 

I had a post ready to publish on Saturday and somehow lost it along with another I had been working on. Mind you I have probably 8 other drafts saved that I have been working on and for some reason I only lost 2, Andrews post and one I was working on at the moment. I being me tried to make sense of it, why Andrew's post? Why not one that has sat there for weeks? I still don't know why and probably never will, I am just gonna go with there was something I needed to express that I hadn't before.

Andrew went missing on October 28,2010 from his dorm in Kentucky. There has been a man (I use that term loosely) arrested for murdering Andrew. He confessed to some gruesome details, in my opinion the worst being how he disposed of Andrew's body. I hate using the word dispose, it sounds so unemotional, uncaring for me to use. I break down into tears and my heart hurts any time I think that is exactly how he was treated. His body was concealed in a cardboard box and put into a dumpster. Andrew was literally treated like an old broken toy, a piece of trash that meant nothing to anyone, which couldn't be further from the truth. Andrew was adored by so many people, he had overcome so many obstacles to get where he was. He touched so many lives in his short lifetime, and even after is still touching hearts, mine included.

I hurt for his parents who must have a huge aching hole in their hearts. Can you imagine having a child ripped away from you like that, and knowing they are out there somewhere but not knowing where they are? I hurt for his family, friends, classmates. I am angry! I am angry that a person could be so cold and disturbed to do something so evil to another human. I'm angry that Andrew will never have the chance to live his dreams. I'm angry that the Kentucky police department seem to have given up on bringing Andrew home. I am angry that his murderer is being "protected", by not allowing his own words to his mother and Andrews parents to be used in the case. I am angry that Andrew's case is being used as an election gimmick. I just want to scream "Andrew is not trash, he is not a pawn in a political chess game, he is not just a story or a case number! Andrew is a beautiful soul, he is a person, he is still loved, he is still thought about, he is still alive in peoples hearts. Andrew deserves to be laid to rest in a proper place! Andrews loved ones deserve to have a sense of closure!"

I want to do so much, I want to physically be looking for Andrew, I want to be able to hug his parents, I want to see him brought home. I know with me being in Missouri that just isn't possible, so what can I do? What can you do? 

*Sign the petition to get the search for Andrew resumed by clicking here. The more people sign it the more they will see Andrew hasn't been forgotten.

*Join the facebook page to show support by clicking here.

*Follow Andrew's Angels on Twitter by clicking here.

*You can make a small donation to help cover the costs that Andrew's family will incur with upcoming court dates that they will have to travel to a different state for by clicking here. 

*Keep Andrew's face, name and story out there. All you have to do is share this blog post or my previous post on any social media site. 

Peace, Love, and Cupcakes

Where Is My Package?

With less than 2 months until Christmas I thought it would be a great time to touch on a few things when it comes to online shopping. As customers there are a things we can do and should do to help avoid shopping/shipping frustrations. 

When shopping online, especially with handmade/indie shops, shop early. I can not stress that enough. Shoppers need to keep in mind that this is the busiest time of the year for sellers, which also makes it the busiest time of year for the postal service. We all know how slow and unreliable the postal service can be during non busy times, so I think it is safe to say that it wont get any better with the holidays either. Plus add on the fact that they hire seasonal help that are not trained properly...enough said.

You need to look at a shops stated turn around times (TAT). A TAT is not how long it will take for you to have the products in your hands, it is an approximate time frame in how long it will take for your order to be out the door. Most shops I have seen have their TAT in business days, not just days. 

Some companies will also give you a holiday TAT and schedule which is awesome.

A seller has 30 days from the time you order to ship your package according to the FTC Mail and Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. If you find a shop that does not state their TAT, I would message them BEFORE ordering from them. This could prevent many headaches and disappointments.

There are times that we as customers need to contact a seller about our order or a product. While most sellers are happy to answer our questions, we as good customers should do our best to find the answers we are wanting before contacting the seller. Read the shop policies to find out about returns, refunds and their TAT along with possibly shipping information. Some sites have a specific area to find shipping costs and their shipping days. Read product listing to find the details like ingredients, size, materials used, and scent/flavor options. If you can't find the answers you need, then sending an email would be the next step. This leads me to my next point...

Emailing a seller and waiting for a response from them, be patient. I know it can be a hard thing to do at times, especially when looking for answers. I think it would be fair to give a seller at least 3 days to respond to a message. If after that time you have not heard back from them a quick polite reminder message would be fine. Sending numerous messages really isn't going to help a situation or get your order to you any faster. It is only taking time away from the seller that they could be using to fill orders and get them shipped. Sometimes sellers will post on their fan page about issues if there are emails from several customers. It is always a good idea to check their page to see if this applies to your circumstance. It is not that the seller is ignoring you, they are actually trying to save time by answering several people at once.
While I am on the subject of sellers and time I want to add something to this that we sometimes forget. Sellers are people, living breathing humans, they are not machines that crank out products 24/7. Many sellers are wives, mothers, students and they have families and lives outside of their company. We don't work our jobs 24 hours a day so I don't think it is fair for us to think they should. They deserve some down time, time to enjoy life and be a person outside of their job.

What are some other things we can do to make online holiday shopping less stressful for us and sellers?

• If you need a package for a specific event, email the seller and ask if it is possible for it to happen. Sometimes sellers will offer faster shipping methods for a little more money to cover the shipping price.

• If your order is for a high amount I encourage you to find out if the seller offers insurance. Most of the time you will have to pay a little extra to cover the cost of insurance.

• Don't panic if your tracking number doesn't update. I have on good authority (a family member is a postal worker) that despite the fact tracking numbers should be updated that isn't always the case, especially during the holiday season. 

• Keep in mind that once your package is in the hands of the post office the seller has no control over how long it takes to get to you. I think it is fair to give about 2 weeks before you contact the seller if your package hasn't arrived.

For international customers (including Canada) the shipping time will be different.

•  After talking to some international friends, I suggest waiting between 15 and 20 business days before contacting a seller about a package that hasn't arrived. This is due to it taking so long to even get to your country and then go through customs.

• You should make yourself aware of the customs laws for your country. For example the value of packages can and will cause customs to hold your packages and charge you an additional tax on them.

  I will leave you with this...

The season of giving is upon us. The greatest gift you can give someone is kindness. Kindness can be given in so many ways and costs absolutely nothing, but could have the value of gold to someone. Just with your actions, a smile, a kind word you can make a huge difference in someones heart.

Peace, Love and Cupcakes.

Darling Clandestine Part 1

So I have been working on a review for Darling Clandestine, a wonderful shop on Etsy.

I had everything all typed out and just had to add pictures, somehow in doing this I lost the ENTIRE post along with another post I had saved in my drafts. 

Insert pouting and curse words here. I am not a happy Cupcake right now.

A friend sent me this pic not sure where it originated, but oh so cute.

Anyhow I am going to give you a part one for Darling Clandestine because I heard through the grapevine there is an amazing sale over there today only. So look for a more thorough review/interview very soon.

I first heard of Darling Clandestine a few months back, of course I checked out their shop which you can find here. First thing I noticed was the cute branding, names of the scents and pricing. Branding reminds me of a vintagey (look I made a new word) carnival. The names also fit that type of theme, and the prices are super reasonable. Prices range from $3.50 for 3 samples to $12 for a 1/2oz bottle. They also carry sizes in between and also solid perfumes. With me doing a part 2 I am not going to go into huge details about scents in this post. I will tell you they are lovely, complex but not fussy complex scents. I think there is something for everyone. 

Here is my stash thus far.

If you visit the fan page you can find sales and discounts offered. Trust me they are offered often. The deal today is full-sized bottles and solids, buy one, get one free. TODAY ONLY. Type "Everybody scream!" in your message to seller, plus your choice of free perfume. 

What are you waiting for GO GO GO!

Peace, Love and Cupcakes

I Pinky Swear

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know I have been posting a lot about pink and breast cancer. I am so excited and honored to be a part of Team Pink Eye and their fight against breast cancer. I will share my nail look created for breast cancer awareness after a few facts. Oh and an awesome giveaway sponsored by Silk Naturals.

Statistics about breast cancer taken from the American Cancer Society.

• About 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
• About 57,650 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
• About 39,520 women will die from breast cancer
• At this time there are more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the US.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death by cancer only exceeded by lung cancer
• About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men in 2011.
• Breast cancer is about 100 times less common among men than among women.
• About 450 men will die from breast cancer in 2011.

 What can we do to help lower those numbers? Self exams, this is something everyone should be doing monthly. It is something you can do in the privacy of your own home. If you should find anything while doing your exams that doesn't feel normal CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR. You can click here to see instructions on how to do a self breast exam.

I had to use my sister Lisa's nails for this look because somehow I managed to break every single nail over the last 2 weeks. She was very excited to be a part of this, what girl wouldn't want their nails all pretty? Anyway here is a simple look I came up with using a gorgeous baby pink from the China Glaze breast cancer collection called Go Go Pink as a base. I then used tiny pink rhinestones I got at WalMart for $1 out of the scrapbooking section, for the dots I used a bright pink from Julep called Cameron.

Yes those are her real nails!

Now for the super exciting part the giveaway...

Silk Naturals has graciously donated a $25 gift certificate to their shop which you can find here. Silk Naturals also has a great selection of products that part of the proceeds from sales also go towards TPE's goal, so be sure to check those out too. All you have to do is go here to the Susan G Komen page for Team Pink Eye and donate at least $5, come back here and comment saying you donated, your email address, and the name you used to donate with. It is that easy to help us save a life. 

Oh but wait, there is more, with donating that gives you entries into every giveaway Team Pink Eye has this week. Let me tell you there are some awesome companies who are sponsoring the other giveaways. Now I am not going to ruin the fun and tell you the other bloggers who have giveaways, you will have to visit the Team Pink Eye blog here to find them and enjoy the other looks this weeks fabulous bloggers created.

OK let me break it down for you (really for me) again.

• Go here and donate at least $5(less than a Extra Value Meal at McDonalds)
• Come back here and comment that you donated with the name you donated with and your email address so if you are a winner you can be contacted.
• Then go here to the Team Pink Eye blog for the full list of participating bloggers and look for the other giveaways. Of course enter those too if you choose to!!!
• The giveaways end on Sunday at 10pm CST and winners will be emailed by Frances or Rebecca (Our fearless TPE leaders)
• Donations of any amount can be made for the rest of the month of October.

This giveaway is being sponsored by Silk Naturals and Team Pink Eye not by Susan G Komen. 

Also please share the link to Team Pink Eye with your family, friends, makeup groups, mommy groups, anywhere you feel it may help us reach our $1000 goal. We are half way there thanks to the generous donations already received.

Peace, Love and Cupcakes

Charm Factory Giveaway Winner

WINNER!

WINNER!

WINNER!

 Here is a picture of the bracelet you have won from Charm Factory.

I want to thank everyone who entered and also Charm Factory for being so generous.

Don't forget to check them out and maybe pick up a few gifts for someone special in your life.

Here are the names of those who entered. I have assigned a number to each person in the order of their entry. I will be using random.org to pick the winner. Good luck everyone!!!

I entered number 1-13 into random.org 

Here is our winner...

Congrats Makeup Zombie!!! 

I will be contacting you shortly to get your info to pass on to Charm Factory so they can get your bracelet out to you.

*This giveaway was sponsored by Charm Factory*

Peace, Love and Cupcakes