I can’t wait for you to see the gorgeous design Courtney came up with for your “scentsual” article in #04. Squeeee!

Hope you’re healin’ up quick n’ painless.

Love from the south pole…

M

“Vladmasters are handmade View-Master™ reels designed, photographed, and hand-assembled by Vladimir. They make use of toys, neglected household objects, and odd ephemera to tell 28-picture tales of train chases, missing steam shovels, disastrous dinner parties, and overly adventurous cockroaches.”

Well, I hope the cockroaches leave themselves out of it. And I am not suggesting your dinner parties are *at all* disastrous, but the reel might need some drama in it… ;D

About scents, I am damn territorial about mine, I’ll admit that upfront. I never wore actual perfume sprays before I found it, just differing varieties of sandalwood and sometimes amber or cedarwood mixed in. The different aromas of “sandalwood” are quite varying, but I finally got some right from Mysore where it’s made.

Now this scent I wear is my hallmark, and a friend bought some recently and I was upset, but what could I say? I followed Emily Post and my British upbringing and held my tongue. And then someone hugged the girl and exclaimed, “Wow, you smell just like Nef!” She never wore it again and I have yet to smell it on her.

The first time I went to India I requested to be taken to a perfumer by my driver. All the ladies smelled so wonderful and I wanted to bring something like that back to London with me. My driver took me to this awesome Arabian perfumer who ordered tea the instant I arrived and had his shopboys serve it to me and my entourage (this is back when servants like that were still a novelty to me). He insisted that in addition to the delightfully-scented oils I was purchasing after he flicked one crisp perfume-laden white hanky under my nose after another, that I smell a scent of his own creation, called “Sexy”. It was definitely one of the most horrific perfumes I have ever subjected my nose to, but he seemed so damn proud of it that I bought some. I still have it somewhere long after the others have been used up, or given as gifts to my ladies!

I wish I could wear Five O Clock Au Gingembre but it goes all mens-cologneish on me and I can’t deal with it. I’ve had better luck with Fille En Aiguilles (pine and laurel-excellent winter scent).

also..LOVED Fantastic Mr Fox. It made me happy for the rest of the day after seeing it.

WHELKY:
Ooh, yes please! I would really love that – I’ve always wanted to see it. Oh, and that letter! I would so love to see the rest. Thank you for sharing the link, and for reminding me – I’m going to go dab some cepes + tuberose on right this minute!

ROSE:
Oh wow, I forgot all about Madini oils…
Agarwood, Santal Blanc, Autumn, and Oeillet
are all now on my dream-wishlist!

MLLE. GHOUL:
Tee hee. Oh my stars, Imperial Oppoponax sounds incredible. I must try it!
I love Rosaleen Norton too! In fact, I was introduced to the existence of both Vali and Rosaleen by my friend Paul Rucker, an incredible painter, years ago in New Orleans. He even lent me his very rare and beautiful book of Vali’s artwork for a spell… I am forever grateful to him for sharing them with me.

MISHA:
Oh my silver stars, I can’t believe you met Vali! I am enveloped in green flames, you lucky, lucky girl! Thank you for the link Mishababy, I am trying to buy the book but having trouble… Maybe I can find another link to it – hopefully it’s not sold out!

also, about foxes – have you read mary webb’s gone to earth? hazel + foxy. one of vali’s favorites and the powell & pressburger film of it is very sweet as well.