!A Natural Perfumers Journal White Witch®

Irish History Destroyed by Rome

2010-03-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

I want to share with you on this Ireland's national Holiday. I feel sickened that being brought up in Ireland I was never told the truth. I always felt that there was something not right about the religious doctrine I was taught in school. That's one of the reasons I never let a Catholic priest lay hands on any of my children. Now I know on how many levels what I was taught in school was wrong. For example we were never taught about the Brehons. We were told that the Irish were pagan savages before St Patrick brought Catholicism to this land. How saddened I was to find out the truth. Brehon Law

Here is an article written about the true patron of Ireland.

"Twenty Irish histories agree that Jeremiah the prophet in about 585 B.C., came to Ireland. He brought important items from Jerusalem. One item was the Ark of the Covenant. He was the Patriarch Saint of Ireland. The title evolved to Saint Patriarch. The Roman Catholics sainted a Christian missionary named Patrick, who died in the county of Down, on March 17, 465 A.D. This slick trick, was recorded by history as fact. This Patrick was not the traditional patron of Ireland.
"The fact is, Rome began early to covet Ireland. Once they got possession, it was necessary for them to destroy the influence of Jeremiah . This they did, in part, by substituting the name of St. Patrick in the place of the prophet's; and more, they then set to work to destroy even the old and famous capital city of Tara . In 565 (A.D.) St. Ruadham, along with a posse of bishops and chiefs of the South of Ireland, cursed the city, so that neither King nor Queen might ever rule or reign therein again. They forced the government, monarchy, and people to abandon the place. From thence Tara was deserted..." (The Ten Lost Tribes, Rev. Joseph Wild, D.D., 1883, London: Robert Banks, Printer, Racquet Court, Fleet Street, E.C.)
It is clear how Irish legend has been perverted and twisted to "suppress the truth in unrighteousness". After Tara, the influence of the Roman Catholic church is pervasive in destroying the traditions of the Tuath de Danan, with false stories -- lies. What has filtered down through history are mere shadows of the truth. Hidden are the records of the Hebrews who transplanted their royal lineage and priesthood from Palestine to Ireland, for safety. Jeremiah and Barech are lost to us. Their deeds are to be re-discovered in our generation." Read more

Do you want to learn how to make natural perfumes?

2010-03-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That's depends a good deal on where you want to get to."...
(Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, 1865)

The Natural Perfume Academy presents a year-long excursion into the magical world of the creation of Natural Botanical Perfumes, with tutor/instructor, Justine Crane.

Your tuition cost provides you with year-long instruction in Natural Botanical Perfumery, with tutor/instructor and student mentor support ~

A 55+ essence evaluation kit~
Comprehensive study guide/work book with additional evaluation work sheets, and trial work sheets ~
A formulation kit of 20 primary perfume essences (to complete course assignments)~
An online academy with 24-hour access~

Natural Perfume Academy Admissions Committee reviews all submitted applications. Information supplied is treated with utmost confidentially.

A refundable application fee of €30 Euro ($40 USD) is required to begin the application process (the application fee will be included with the entire course cost if your application is accepted).

Course cost: €680 Euro ($950 USD). A non-refundable deposit of €160 Euro ($225 USD) is required after your application is accepted, and the remainder due April 20th, 2010. Course begins May 24th, 2010.

Space is limited to 20 students

Course Description ~

Antiquarian Perfumery/Natural Botanical Perfumery is year long online course, and no prerequisites are required except a passion and desire to learn Natural Botanical Perfumery from the ground up. This course is recommended for those who desire to begin a career in NBP, or those who wish to broaden their educational horizons.

Includes information and instruction in:

A Brief History of Perfume, Spirit & Filth
Popular Historic Perfumery Ingredients
Evolution of Perfume Culture
Safety
Endangered Species Used in Perfumery
Storage & Shelf-Life of Raw Materials
Chemical Constituents of Essential Oils
Glossary of Terminology
Perfumers Studio ~ Beginning Perfumers Tools
The Perfumers Palette
Notes, Accords & Chords
Evaluating Raw Materials
Supplemental Scent Vocabulary
Continued Olfactory Training (tests)
Advanced Perfumers Tools & Techniques
Tinctures, Evulsions, Dilutions, Scales,
Labware
Oil-Based & Solid Perfume Making Techniques
Soap, Balms, Butters, Massage & Bath
Oils
Creating Perfume
Vertical/Horizontal Trial Studies
Intuitive Perfumery Formulation
Base Compound Formulation
Building a Floral Base, Amber Base,
Chypre Base, etc.
Creating Perfume on Paper
Advanced Composition Techniques
Trials
Sacrificial Perfume Materials
EdT’s, EdC’s, EdF’s, Aftershaves
“Fining” or Clarifying Finished Compositions
Coffee Filters vs. Laboratory/Winemaking Filters
Finishing the Composition
Creating Custom Perfumes
Following a Brief
Other Methods of Composition
Suggested Raw Materials

With full Sources, Bibliography, Website Links, Recommended Reading Lists, Sourcing Raw Materials & Suppliers Links, Worldwide Suppliers, Online Educational Sites, Groups, Research & References, Biopiracy Links, Brick & Mortar Shops, Quizzes and Answer Keys, Essence Evaluation Worksheets, Perfume Trial Worksheets, Assignments, Tutor/Instructor Support, Mentor Support and more.

Working with something summery

2010-02-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

In coconut oil the sort that doesn't smell of anything and that is light.
Atlas cedar over black pepper and blue lavender concrete give soft warm breezy top notes.
Orange blossom alongside boronia is a summery and floaty floral.
Hay, vetivert and orris gives a really comforting yet lively finish

It needs time, but it has real promise. I am amazed at how wonderful this is. Even for an oil it is summery and light.
I will do a modification tomorrow and report back. I am thinking of reducing the base notes even though they are in a very low concentration already.
I will up the blue lavender and reduce the cedar leaving the black pepper at the concentration it is, maybe.
I will increase the orange blossom and decrease the boronia.

Then it will be wow I am sure.

White Witch Natural Organic Beauty Products solves a quandary

2009-11-08T09:09:00.000-08:00

Environmentally conscious men and women are finding themselves in a bit of a quandary. Everyday there are more and more companies jumping on the "natural" and "organic" bandwagon, giving consumers and alternative to artificial & chemically laden products and increasing choices. I suppose it is a step in the right direction but is it really?
My quandary is this: What's the point in buying natural, organic products that are packaged in plastic? We care for our skin and our bodies both inside and out and we care for the planet. We want to make a difference. Somehow we feel comforted by the little recycling symbol on the bottom of out shower gel bottle or water bottle. But do we really know the facts?
What really happens to all those empty plastic bottles? Well, the sad fact is that most of the plastic that is recycled is actually from the factory floor. It is not consumer waste at all, and at that it can only be recycled once, into fence posts, garden furniture or synthetic fleece.

Seriously do you know how much of it is recycled?

Only 5% of consumer plastic waste is recycled.
80% of consumer plastic waste goes into the landfill!
7% of plastic waste that we throw away gets incinerated!

Now I suppose this is depressing news but it's true and we might as well face the facts.
Another part of my dilemma is the leeching of the polymers into the so called natural products. Polymers need either heat or fat to move them from the plastic into the product. Plastic polymers cause all sorts of upsets in the body. They are related to breast and prostrate and ovarian cancer, diabetes and a host of hormonal related illnesses.
Is there an alternative? Well of course there is but it may not be altogether convenient. You can make your own products at home using natural ingredients. Now you can also buy products that are not packaged in plastic.
Visit White Witch Ireland for an alternative - and for products that work - tried and tested!

From Ireland with Love

2009-08-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things just happen...

My Father-in-law came to stay with us. It was a special time, especially so because he came all the way from Kelowna in Canada. I have never met my husbands Aunt's but they always make beautiful gestures that connect our families even though we are on opposite sides of the world. I wanted to show them how much these gestures mean to me. I was thinking that I would make some solid perfume to send back with Sean's Dad. Then I remembered I was waiting for an order of beeswax and was totally out. I recalled an ungent sent to me by Nathaniel Musselman. It had a solid base of whipped coco butter (I think it was coco butter, perhaps it was mango butter but anyhow...) his one had a delectable lemony scent. I found a basic recipe online for something similar and then I made a perfume for it. Being in a hurry, my FIL was already packing his suitcase when I started, I wanted to hit on a winner first time. I knew I had to keep things simple or it could all go horribly wrong. I chose the jasmine concretes I have, jasmine sambac and jasmine grandiflorum. The sambac has a spring-like narcissi note and the grandiflorum is creamy and multi-layered and like a perfume by itself. The base needed something that would make enough of a statement on it's own but that would be liked by all. I steered away from patchouli even though it is such a great base note for it's longevity, and the jasmines begged a base at least as potent as themselves. In the end I used a coco base. I was going to try a lighter and maybe even citrus addition for the head but I decided against it, loving the light floral notes that were already filling the studio.
I put it together and the results were immediately good. I wasn't even worried how it would turn out over time, because I knew it could only get better. Everyone loves it, no, everyone adores it. My son wears it, my daughter is addicted to it. Even my fussy friend thinks it is smashing. I wish there was such a thing as smelly-net because I would love to let you smell it. In fact if you want to email me at ruth@whitewitch.ie I will send you a sample of "From Ireland with Love".

Using plant essences for health and beauty | Greenme: Sustainable Living Blog

2009-07-09T11:51:00.001-07:00

Using plant essences for health and beauty | Greenme: Sustainable Living Blog

I just started writing for GreenMe sustainable living website.
Have a look at this for my first blog.
Please leave a short comment on GreenMe to show your support : )

Thank you!

Mixing business with pleasure...whoever said that was a bad idea-think again!

2009-06-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

I am running the final tests on a new product line, 100% Natural Scented Bath Crystals.

There are three different perfumes;

Rain Forest, with notes of Honey Myrtle, Sweet Marjoram and Antique Patchouli.
Garden of Eden with notes of Neroli, White Lavender and Atlas Cedarwood.
Temple of Luxor with notes of Coriander, Ginger, Rose and Vanilla.

These are all about the experience of bathing in perfume. It is recommended that the mood is set in the bathroom before hand with candles and music. The bath temperature is important too. Have it just right before you add the Crystals. That way none of the precious perfume is wasted before you are ready to step in.

I want to tell you of my experience with the first in the line:

Rain Forest

I didn't have the luxury of having the music or the lighting but the perfume alone was enough to take me to another world. The honey myrtle top note had the effect of being uplifting and clearing at the same time. I could feel my lungs opening up and my head clearing as though I was breathing in the purest fresh air. The marjoram was deep green and alive and sits on top of the antique patchouli in the same way as the ferns sit on the damp forest floor. The antique patchouli is the best money can buy and it is mellow beyond belief. It was bathing in the perfume of pure life and when I closed my eyes I imagined I could hear the birds and the creatures of the rain forest chirping and chattering. The experience was purely magical.
Rain Forest is a pure celebration of life and being.

So who was it again who said that business and pleasure don't mix well? Because they were wrong. That bath was probably the most pleasurable business I have ever done.

One Lovely Blog Award!

2009-06-08T05:12:00.000-07:00

I received a delightful email the other day informing me that I was awarded a One Lovely Blog Award-- by Sheryl Karas who is a spiritual counselor, healer, organic flower essence aromatherapy perfume designer and artist.

Thank you!, Sheryl and, in keeping with the tradition of the One Lovely Blog Award I'm posting the Rules of Blog Award Acceptance:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

So...White Witch Natural Perfumers Journal proudly passes the 'One Lovely Blog Award' on to (I've chosen almost all my favorite perfume blogs).

Sorcery of Scent

Little Flowers

Roxana Illuminated Perfume

GreenMe

Liz Zorn Perfumes

Smelly Blog

Oh True Apothecary

The Aromaconnection Blog

Tea Sympathy and Perfume

Inner Ki Journal

Memory and Desire

Scentzilla

Bois de Jasmine

Now Smell This

Perfume Shrine

Tauer Perfumes

Congratulations to all the 'One Lovely Blog' Award Winners!

Thank you for sharing your words and your art!

If you have a moment, take some time and get to know a few of the Award Winners by clicking on the links and visiting their Blogs & Shops!

Amber and Boronia

2009-05-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Just right for summer.
I know I know a floral amber...how safe.

I started off with the base and used a blend I have used before but I left out the benzoin as I think it holds down the scent a lot and with an oil based perfume that can't be afforded.
I sound like I really know what I am taking about don't I!
Well whatever...
For the base, I used Labdanum, beeswax absolute, vanilla absolute and ambrette seed Co2. I love the result. It is well balanced and perfect for the floral notes I am planning to use in the heart of the perfume. I did use dilutions and I may have to go back and redo it as I don't know what the longevity of the perfume will be like at this point. Without the benzoin to hold it down it might not last though the labdanum is a very good quality absolute and even when it was diluted down to 20% it was still very thick.

The formula I used for the base notes are thus:

Labdanum absolute 20% dilution 10 drops
Beeswax absolute 20% dilution 3 drops
Vanilla absolute 20% dilution 10drops
Ambrette seed Co2 10% dilution 6 drops

As I say I may have to redo the base.

The heart was the part I was really looking forward to. I had a feeling about rose and boronia and wanted to try them together. The bornia is fresh and floral and wickedly summerish and the rose is warm and soft and sweet. My main challenge was keeping them separate and not having them make a buble gum sort of a thing.

I started with the rose, rose de mai, I added and tested and then added a little more to the base. I wanted to smell the rose over the base notes. Once I had accomplished this I added the boronia. Again I wanted to smell the boronia over the rose and I added a little and then I added some more until I could just smell the brightness of the boronia over the softness of the rose.
I added a tiny amount of jasmine grandiflorum to add another floral layer that had a note in common with both the rose and the boronia.

Rose de mai 10% dilution 20drops
Boronia 20% dilution 10 drops
Jasmine grandiflorum 10 dilution 2 drops

I always seem to get stumped at the top notes. It's as if the only thing I can see to use are citrus oils and there is something about the sharpness of citrus that just doesn't say perfume to me.

I used a blend of corriander, bergamot, rosewood with a tichy bit of violet leaf.

When blending with oil it is not possible to get that lift that happens when alcohol based perfume is applied to the skin or a scent strip. So there needs to be a higher concentration of top notes. I had corriander diluted to 5% and so I added what was equivelant to a half a drop and then I upped it to a full drop. The corriander would hopefully show off the rose in the heart of the perfume.
Then I added bergamot and used a 50% dilution. I added 10 drops in the end after testing and testing. However when applied to my skin the blend had that citrus sharpness that I hate. I added then two drops of violet leaf absolute which was diluted to 10% and that tool away from the sharpness and added an unusual twist that need some sort of modification.
I decided that cardamom would really make the boronia shine and I added 1 drop of full strength cardamom absolute. It really helped to calm the citrus and calm the violet leaf. Then I added one drop of full strength rosewood oil and this seemed to round it all off and there was no more rough edges.
The blend will need some reworking. I would guess that the base will need to be stronger and I know that will change everything. The top notes will definitely need some modifications as well. But I am very happy. What I like the most is that I can pick out the boronia after about 5 minutes and it shines very clearly apart from the rose. It gives the impression of a garden in which boronia flourishes against a backdrop of roses.
I thoughroughly enjoyed the experience and I also enjoyed the way my confidence in blending has increased. I liked knowing what to add to take away the edges and what to add to compliment and add sparkle.

Woman talking to her higher self

2009-05-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

my heart feels like it's breaking...
and I didn't even know that a single heart could break so many times.

my heart must be have been splintered into thousands and thousands
of tiny pieces by now.
I would not be able to think of how many times my heart was broken.

and when I was a child I thought it could only happen once.
and by a person called your "true love"...
how wrong was I?
because my heart was never broken by
my true love.

it was broken by love.
why?
because love hurts.
why ?
because it needs to hurt.
why?
so that we can feel the balance of love.
why?
so that we can know the yin and the yang of love.
why?
because otherwise we would not know love.

But my heart hurts so bad.
what if this time it doesn't stick back together
and I always feel this pain?
No! that won't happen.
why not?
because your heart is one...one heart.

so there is no need to be afraid to love?
that's right.

A stress free existance and a perfume blending evening

2009-02-22T03:13:00.000-08:00

It's been ages, I know, and I apologize to readers for my absence. I have been following up on my goals for 2009. Main goal... to make it the best year yet. To achieve this as you can imagine is no easy task in today's world! I have been reading and looking after my family and the rest can just go and take a hike because I ain't buying into anything that raises my stress-o-meter out of the zero zone!
When I was reading I found out some very interesting stuff about females.
Women need a hormone called oxytocin to feel good and to lower our stress levels. The more we have the better we feel. We also need something called serotonin to effectively cope with normal day to day living in a nice happy mood. Women use up serotonin twice as fast as men and men store 50% of their serotonin for emergencies. Men are also able make new serotonin twice as fast as women.
For me the key to a stress free existence is to make more oxytocin and find ways to make my body create serotonin more efficiently. If we take plenty of easy to digest proteins, lots of foods containing vitamin B and our omega 3's we should be able to produce lots serotonin.
As for producing oxytocin there are many ways for a woman to do this. Apparently just writing in my blog is one way for me to produce that wonderful hormone. Women make oxytocin when we feel loved, hugged, cared for and when we do girly stuff with friends. Without this hormone women feel stressed, afraid, angry and negative.
I have a list of over a hundred different things I can do to raise my oxytocin levels. Once my levels are up I can cope with anything.
One of the things I am going to do is organise a perfume blending evening here at my studio. It will be invite only. Just the thought of it is making me feel good. I am inviting 8 friends and we will sit around a big table in my studio. I have pipettes and lots of bottles of diluted essences as well as lots of little bottles and scent testing strips.
We will all smell and talk and compare our reactions to all the different essences. Then we will start to blend one or two of the essences together and talk some more. There will be refreshments and lots of laughing and feeling great. I have lots of samples of other natural perfumers work for everyone to sample and we can all share and compare.

Simple Beauty Secret

2009-01-14T05:57:00.000-08:00

Have you heard that white and green tea is very good for your skin? The extract is found in many beauty creams and treatments on the market today. But let's face it, putting food on the table and a roof over our heads is hard enough these days. Expensive beauty treatments are a thing of the past for many of us. I want to share a little secret with you. Next time you are having a cup of your favorite white or green tea, wait until you get to the end, the last few drops, and dip your ring finger (it has the gentlest touch) into the cup. Dab the liquid gently over your forehead and then dip again and do the same to the area around your eyes and mouth. This makes a real difference to your skin and doesn't cost a single cent. You can purchase a high quality green tea from any good supermarket. White tea is harder to come by but it is higher in antioxidants. By the way antioxidants act like lemon juice on cut apples, they slow, prevent or even reverse aging and decomposition.
White Witch have a high quality White Tea available at the moment, for a limited time it is half price too so that's even better. Click here to see the White tea leaves.

Beauty Foods

2009-01-04T16:47:00.000-08:00

We can smather ourselves in all sorts of creams and lotions. We can botox our creases 'till the cows come home, we can lift and slice parts of our bodies but there is nothing that brings out true beauty better than a healthy diet, clean air and excerise. So what sort of foods do we need to stay healthy and beautiful? What can we eat that will make our eyes sparkle, our hair shine and our skin glow?

These are beauty foods that I am going to make sure I eat a few from every group every day.

Group 1

Fish liver oils, especially cod and shark.
Cantaloupe melon
pumpkin seeds
sweet potato
carrots
mango
spinach
turnip greens
apricots
kale
parsley

Group 2

collard greens
papaya juice
barley
oats
alfalfa
wheat germ
wholegrains
peas
asparagus
red clover (herbal tea)
brown bread

Group 3

salad greens
nuts
sesame seeds
molasses
bran
lentils
oats
spirulina
seaweeds
yogurt

Group 4

green leafy vegetables
almonds
avocados
fenugreek
rosehips
nettles
fish
brown rice
bananas
licorice

Group 5

sunflower seeds
chickpeas
peanuts
cabbage
broccoli
oranges
limes
lemons
kiwis
grapefruits

Group 6

black currants
strawberries
guava
papaya
mangoes
pineaple
green peppers
bean sprouts
apple cider vinegar

Group 7

dandelion greens
cayenne pepper
butter
vegetable oils
cauliflower
spinach
peppermint
oatstraw
bancha tea

Group 8

corn
burdock
horsetail
evening primrose oil
sage
milk thistle
brazil nuts
cashews
garlic
kelp
coconut

Group 9

mushrooms
black cohosh
hawthorn berries
peanut butter
onions
brussels sprouts
grapes
raisins
apricots
dandelion root

Group 10

carob
chocolate no sugar
chickweed
skullcap
beets
hops
raspberry leaf
flaxseed oil
borage oil
black currant seed

If I do this I will be supplying my body with all it's nutritional requirements.
We needs fats, protein, vitamins and minerals to stay healthy and beautiful.

Eating all these foods will provide me with a plentiful supply of: Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Niacinamide (Niacin), PABA, Inositol, Choline, Biotin, Folic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zin, Selenium, Sulphur, Iron, Copper, Manganese, and EFA's

I need to get off my arse and get some daily excerise, the type that brings me out in the fresh air and get's me moving. At 7.5 stone weight I am far from being over weight so the issue is more health and fitness for me. I am back at Yoga classes again too, well I will be next week

These are not my New Years Resolutions. Really when I look at the list I can trutfully say that I eat a lot of stuff from those lists already. I have been meaning to list all the beauty foods and now I have done so I thought that readers might be interested.

Have I missed anything? Do you know of any superfoods that I need for my list? If so please tell.

Just the 'N' was missing...

2009-01-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

My husband surprised me two days ago when he came home with a bottle of Perfume. Not for me but for himself.
A bottle of 'Solo Loewe'. My husband's name is Sean Loewen and he simply couldn't resist a perfume that seemed to be named after him. It was only missing one letter.
I smelled it, tentatively at first, I'll admit. I mean since I got into naturals some synthetic perfumes are intolerable to my nose. Well like I say, I was surprised, pleasantly surprised in fact, because I really loved it.
It was fruity and clean at first. Surprisingly, I found it friendly and innocent. I was charmed when it warmed to a soft comforting spice. Very good! This is a perfume a man could wear anywhere - anytime. Would it make a statement? Not unless you worked it. : )
For me the 'n' is missing in more ways than one. That 'n' stands for natural...what a pity it's not! Although I think that this once I can enjoy it the way it is, just because my husband is wearing it ; ) ...and it's good.
I checked out the notes on that fantastic website: Basenotes. Did you know they BN has a fragrance directory and you can search for any fragrance. Most of the time it will show you an image of the bottle and the notes aswell. There are also, more often than not, honest to goodness reviews of the perfume. If they don't like it, it gets the thumbs down, I could go on...anyway go check it out.

To get back to my topic of Solo Loewe, the notes listed on BN directory are Lavender, Thyme, Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Pink Pepper .

The best and the worst of 2008

2008-12-31T06:13:00.000-08:00

My best moments of 2008

I discovered content management systems.
I launched Nature's Nexus Website.
White Witch launched a brand new website.
We successfully distilled 10mls of pure hydro-distilled tuberose absolute and it was proclaimed by an experienced nose to be of very high quality.
Nature's Nexus Academy of Perfuming Arts was launched.
I took up Yoga.
An amazing mother/daughter moment that is too personal to share but that I have to list was by far the best thing that happened to me in 2008 and is something that I would class as a miracle.
I decided that 2009 would be my best year yet.

Worst moments of 2008

I stopped going to yoga.

Vote for My Blogs

2008-12-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

Please click on the link above and vote for my blogs. I have three blogs so look out for them: An Irish Perfumers Journal, A Scented Soap Opera and All Natural Perfumery. Just click on the highest star to give me the highest vote. Thank You! Oh and will you please pass the link on to your friends so that they can vote too. : )

I almost missed the mention in the Irish Times

2008-12-14T14:53:00.001-08:00

Hey I almost missed this. I heard that White Witch was mentioned in the lifestyle section of The Irish Times on the 9th of December. If anybody has a copy of that edition and wouldn't mind sending it to me, or scanning it and emailing it to me please let me know. Here it is on line, but I think they had some images in the print edition. Here is what they said. "A small Galway-based firm called White Witch makes great natural, ethical and very affordable beauty products and perfumes with great biodegradable packaging. The range includes a facial steam sachet with rose petals for €2.20 and the magical Bridget's Balm for use on everything from nappy rash to joint inflammation, which costs €6. (www.whitewitch.ie)."

Irish Oak for Perfumers Cases

2008-12-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

To the Celts the oak is one of the three magical woods, along with apple and yew. In fact the word Druid comes from the Irish word for oak: Dair. Dair is the seventh letter of the Ogham tree alphabet. The oak symbolizes strength and power. I chose this very special wood for the cases for the kits for NN Academy of Perfuming Arts. The oak in the cases is from Lisnavagh House in Co Carlow. The oak died of natural causes before being felled. Each perfumers case will have a number that can be entered into a website and the owner of the case will be able to read the story of the tree their case was made from.
I visited Lisnavagh house myself and chose the timber. It was amazing to see the timber in it's rough state. I chose a beautiful timber with natural silver rays.
Lisnavagh House is a a Gothic Revival mansion owned by William & Emily McClintock Bunbury. The timber mills is in the old stables on the grounds of the estate.

Here is a model of the case. The finished case will be slightly different. The cases will have three shelves and will be portable, with space for scent strips and bottles of medium like alcohol or oil. There will be a leather carry handle and the front panel will slide off completely to allow easy access to the essences. The case is designed to hold at least 21 small bottles. It is ideal for working outdoors or for taking to clients homes when designing custom blends.
The lid of the cases will have the NNAPA crest done by hand in pyrography. Only cases sold to students will have the NNAPA crest. Other designs are available on request.

The kits will have a very special price tag just for NNAPA students, including 21 undiluted essences, the kit in total including this amazing case will cost students only €200.00. I will be offering the case for sale to non-students at a special price of €150.00. I will be posting a photo of the finished kit really soon.
We are still taking names for the prospective students list. Email me at ruth@naturesnexus.org to add your name to the list. You will be kept up to date of all future classes.

When there is perfume even in poetry

2008-11-29T05:28:00.000-08:00

Dylan Thomas - In The Beginning

In the beginning was the three-pointed star,
One smile of light across the empty face,
One bough of bone across the rooting air,
The substance forked that marrowed the first sun,
And, burning ciphers on the round of space,
Heaven and hell mixed as they spun.

In the beginning was the pale signature,
Three-syllabled and starry as the smile,
And after came the imprints on the water,
Stamp of the minted face upon the moon;
The blood that touched the crosstree and the grail
Touched the first cloud and left a sign.

In the beginning was the mounting fire
That set alight the weathers from a spark,
A three-eyed, red-eyed spark, blunt as a flower,
Life rose and spouted from the rolling seas,
Burst in the roots, pumped from the earth and rock
The secret oils that drive the grass.

In the beginning was the word, the word
That from the solid bases of the light
Abstracted all the letters of the void;
And from the cloudy bases of the breath
The word flowed up, translating to the heart
First characters of birth and death.

In the beginning was the secret brain.
The brain was celled and soldered in the thought
Before the pitch was forking to a sun;
Before the veins were shaking in their sieve,
Blood shot and scattered to the winds of light
The ribbed original of love.

Something my husband wrote...

2008-11-22T13:56:00.000-08:00

Distilation Procedure

The Novice Alchemist's Table-Top Distillation Guide

By Sean Loewen

Article 1: An Introduction.

This is the first in a series of articles describing the process of distillation for the hobbyist or aspiring desktop distiller.

Distillation can be fun and rewarding but one must keep in mind that it can be dangerous and possibly illegal in your area. Take the necessary safety precautions such as fire-proofing (a stable setup and a well-ventilated area) and fire-fighting equipment (baking soda works well), expect the unexpected, and check with local law enforcement about the legalities where you are. Also life insurance is a good idea. I am not encouraging anyone to do anything dangerous or illegal, rather I want to highlight these areas so that that no one causes injury or insult to themselves or others. BEWARE! Alcohol is extremely flammable and can be explosive as a vapour. I cannot caution anyone enough about this. You could blow yourself up, in which case you won't be able to post on this forum. So be careful.

OK with that aside, this article is just an introduction really. I'm going to explain what distillation is, outline what the other articles are going to cover, and then I'm going to give you a sneak peak on the next step. Confused? Me too. It's probably the alcohol vapors.

What is distillation? You obviously already have some idea of what it means. Perhaps you even know how it works and what happens on both sides of the equation. Well for everyone else's sake I'm going to give a brief description, because I think this is what makes an introduction, isn't it?

Distillation is the process of using the varying boiling points of two or more liquids to seperate your mixture (such as wine) into the different liquid compounds (e.g. alcohol and rancid grape juice) that it is made from, in as pure a form as possible. (Although why anyone would want pure rancid grape juice is beyond me.)

Sounds simple, right? OK, maybe not to everyone. But basically you're heating a mixture or solution to a temperature high enough that one part of your mixture (in our case, alcohol) evaporates quickly and leaves the boiling container, passes up a column and through some cooling tubes to recondense into another container, while the water and other things drip back down into the boiling container, thereby seperating the alcohol from everything else.

I hope you are all with me so far. If so, read on. If not, reread the above and if you have any questions please post them, I will answer. There are no stupid questions, only stupid TV License Inspectors. (Yes, in Ireland you have to have a license to own a TV. No, I'm not joking.)
Read more

Opened up Nexus The Forum

2008-11-16T15:56:00.000-08:00

You know something, I realised a while back that 'Nexus Forum is a brilliant resource, so... I have opened it up to the public - for viewing only. It's all here now, all the posts, discussions, topics, questions and fun. Read away as a guest. Then when you want to, you can register and join in.

Stuff about Perfumery, lots of great discussions and information shared. There are loads of different topics like Natural Beauty, Green Living, Food and more.

Enjoy...the New...The OPEN NN Forum.

Scarlet Pimpernel

2008-11-02T15:03:00.001-08:00

Scarlet Pimpernel

Vermilion petals
five
bright stars
beneath my feet.
My mother told me
her name
and I loved her.
RR

Lavender Sachets

2008-10-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Hi there...it's been while. Things at the natural perfume academy are really heating up ready for the 25th.

relax..breath...lavender

It's good stuff.

I was wondering though, if any of you have ever made lavender sachets? well it's really quite easy.

All you need is a lot of lavender buds
Make sure they are freshly dried, nice and blue and French
ooh la la

Some orris root powder
just a small bit-it makes the lavender give up it's smell...more slowly
it's a fixative

oh and you will need some small pretty bags.
The cloth the bags are made out of needs to be able to breath
to let the lavender smell out

And they need to have a tie string or ribbon to keep them closed.

I like muslin
the unbleached kind
go for natural cotton thread keep it all biodegradable. Forget organza..

For just a few Euro you will be able to make some really nice sachets for placing all around your home. You can hang them in wardrobes, place them in drawers, in shoes, in the dryer, hang them in the car...put them in with your bed linen.

Lavender sachets have a more practical function too of keeping moths away from your clothes.
It is also known as a powerful relaxant and the aroma of lavender cleans the air.

Visit White Witch Shop for everything you need. Or Call me, Ruth on 091 660303 or 0879789621 if there is something special you need but can't get.

New Raw Botanicals

2008-10-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some new raw botanical materials that will be added to White Witch shop over the next few days:
Supplies of some of these ingredients is limited so please keep a careful watch.

Honeybush from South Africa
Sweet honey like smell, also use as a tea, for food use as well as tincturing

Guarana seeds from Brazil
Chew a couple of seeds to get energy

Meadowsweet Flowers From Romania
Very sweetly scented, only the flowers.

Sweet Melliot from Hungary
Smells warm and soft and honey like-wonderful

Avens Root from Slovenia
Smells rootsy and clove like

Acacia Flowers,whole, from Bulgaria
Smell potent, delicious, fruity and peach like

Catuaba Bark from Brazil
Excellent as a tonic

Cedarwood from Germany
Very warm and strong smelling chips

Musk Seeds from India
Wonderfully strong smelling seeds

Propolis from Ireland
Very potent and resinous

Zedoary Root from India
smells amazingly like patchouli - very rare root

Angelica Root from Poland
Smells sweet and candy like with a green spicy note

Sweet Woodruff from Bulgaria
Mild hay like smell

Hay Flowers from Germany
Smells like new mown hay

Pink Rose Buds Organic Damask from France
These are for sale right now!
Strongly scented, unsurpassed in quality, a limited supply.

Talk to me of peaches...

2008-10-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

The peach, Prunus persica is a summer fruit that originated in China. It is typically soft, sweet and juicy when ripe. The skin is a deep yellow with pink and dark red accents. It has a soft 'fuzzy' or velvety texture. The flesh can be white or deep yellow in colour. There is a stone in the center of the peach that is hard and rough. Inside the stone there is a soft nut that looks like an almond.

If someone who had never eaten a ripe peach asked me to describe what it is like to eat one this is what I would say: It is only worth your while eating a fully ripe peach. You find out if it is ripe by holding it in your hand. It should be at room temperature or even slightly warm. Press gently at the top of the peach near the stalk. If it is ripe it should yield to the touch, like butter out of the fridge. Hold it up to your nose and smell. A ripe peach smells delicate, floral and sweet, with an edge of woody green. It is easy to bite into a ripe peach. In fact if the peach is properly ripe you will be able to crush a piece of it between the roof of your mouth and your tongue. As you bite deeply into the flesh of the peach, you will feel the velvety skin breaking easily and sweet juice will run down the sides of your chin. An explosion of sweetness with a curious tang will seduce your taste buds and you will almost inevitably close your eyes. Ideally you should eat a peach on a warm summers day. It is a wholly sensual experience.