March 2012 New Moon - Lunar Amulet Perfume
I am sooo late on posting this! Even though I was early sending out the lunar amulet refills this month. Ok, I have to admit something- for the first time, I did not complete my own lunar ritual. I was supposed to have something very important finished before this new moon on the 22nd, and it simply did not manifest. I have been horribly thrown off-kilter by this, and can only hope that I get back on track with that moon!


So, I hope the amulet wearers are having a better time manifesting your intentions despite my bad example this month.

The perfume for this cycle is a blend with a distinct evolution. It begins with a lovely verveine that my friend Bettina brought back for me from France. I wanted to create a dramatic arc from the fresh verveine, highlighted with grapefruit and lavender, to the heart of spicy kaffir lime. Then after an hour, a new layer of precious woods, balsams, and musky undertones emerge. I explored the depths of botanical musk design this month, and am starting to develop a deeper appreciation for a deeply animalic and sensuous natural musk accord. This one begins sweet and feminine, then escalates to an energy that is quite masculine, then back to the drydown notes of a lioness!
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Perfume Maps!
Perfume Maps!
I am an organizational NERD. I hope these maps make my perfume line easier to navigate. I know how hard it can be to find what scent you are looking for, so these are the best way I could think of to point you in the right direction!(click on these for a larger image)






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Happy Mardi Gras
Happy Mardi Gras
Last year I celebrated Mardi Gras in Kansas City - we have a bit of a renegade parade here, as you see Sandi and I in below:



This year I went with Kevin down to New Orleans (the week earlier) ~ here are two photo series from our trip.

This first set explores the texture, urban artifacts, and the extremely mixed architecture of New Orleans.



In this set, a summary of our experience during the pre-Mardi Gras week in 2012. More than any other US City, there is a unique culture here and a celebratory sense of pride that is very in-your-face. The art here is so gaudy! The people so extroverted! and the food so fattening! There was so much beauty in the city itself, and music filled everything except the swamp lands. Everywhere we went, the soul of this complexly-cultured city was alive despite the damage of Katrina.



photos Copyright 2012
Kevin McKinney & Jill McKeever
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February 2012 New Moon - Lunar Amulet Perfume
February 2012 New Moon - Lunar Amulet Perfume

To celebrate the first complete moon cycle in my new place with my new roomie (see last post), this is a scent inspired by Leonor's bright personality, dark expression, and the super strong coffee that she brews in the morning! This lady is a live-wire hailing from Ecuador, so it had to be energetic and exotic. The scent is full of bold tuberose and jasmine, grounded with earthy yerba mate, oakmoss, and coffee bean. Bergamot and pink pepper lift the top of this expressive composition. I hope all of my lunar amulet wearers love it!

photo by Leonor Jurado Laspina
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New Kitty, New Roommate, New Place, New Year
New Kitty, New Roommate, New Place, New Year
Onyx Sparrow~ my new kitty love. And some pillows I made with tie-dyed crushed velvet! I have decided to move out of Kevin's apartment so he gets to keep this lovely sofa I found on craigslist. The kitty will surely come with me when I visit (Kevin's is only a block away from my new place).


I am so excited to be settled in and living with my new roomie, Leonor Jurado Laspina. She is an amazing artist and I hope we are able to collaborate this year on some spooky photo sessions. Here is some of her previous work. She prints these on paper that she makes from fibrous plants that she gathers, and I am enchanted by her experimentation with alternative photo processes. (check out her website for more)


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Jan 2012 New Moon - Lunar Amulet Perfume
Jan 2012 New Moon - Lunar Amulet Perfume

The way I work with perfume is different than I work with other mediums. I imagine the scent I want to create first, and then I make it happen. A lot of the time I am inspired by the complex bouquet of a place or object in my memory, and often I become excited by hearing friends and customers tell me the scent they have always wanted to capture. This is why I do custom perfumes- some people just have a need to express themselves through a scent that they have in their own imagination.

This lunar cycle, I wanted to capture a familiar and comforting scent. After all the strange and exotic essences I have explored, I realized I have not given enough attention to an amazing natural scent, due to its mainstream use: vanilla. It's just not strange. But I have come to appreciate the possibilities that surround it.

This perfume has sweet vanilla bourbon delicately enhanced by amber and resins. Touches of various woods and ambrette seed finish this subtle, understated, and sheer fragrance that truly melds with the skin. I have been in a quiet mood lately, and this perfume is the perfect expression of how I hope to stay in a low-key, reflective state during this lunar cycle. I hope the amulet wearers enjoy- and look forward to a much louder one in rebellion for the next cycle :)
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Project Rip-Off: How Laura Kathleen became a jewelry designer
Project Rip-Off: How Laura Kathleen became a jewelry designer

The fashion world is full of knock offs, but my mind was blown this week when Laura Kathleen Planck (a recent Project Runway contestant) launched her new line and career as a jewelry designer.

Laura Kathleen (from St. Louis, MO) contacted Katie and Garnet of Scarlett Garnet, a St.Louis/Kansas City-based jewelry design duo, at the beginning of last year's Project Runway season. She approached Katie, offering to use Scarlett Garnet jewelry throughout the taping of the season, with the idea that her celebrity status would gain exposure for their designs while she was able to accessorize her models for the show. A perfect cross-promotion!
(Left: Project Runway's Laura Kathleen and Jewelry Artist Katie Miller wearing Scarlett Garnet jewelry)

Then Laura Kathleen asked Scarlett Garnet to collaborate on her final project for the Project Runway Mercedes-Benz week fashion show. The idea was to produce a garment collection made with assembled brass pieces. SG has a local network of vendors that they have worked with to refine the processes for cutting and finishing metals for their designs, and have been growing their small business steadily with dreams of it becoming their full-time career. After years of tedious development in their construction process, they were excited for this opportunity to help LK, a fellow local artist, turn her idea into a reality for the show.


SG introduced LK to the vendors that they worked with to engineer the process for the jewelry pieces. They set her up with all the tools and resources she would need to assemble them. They facilitated the production of the materials from start to finish.

Finally, Katie and Garnet created the new designs to use for both LK's "love armor metal fabric" for her runway finale, as well as for their own upcoming line; an interchangeable "glam" series of jewelry.

The "love armor" garments were a hit and LK won an award for her runway show.








Meanwhile, Scarlett Garnet launched their line of 'parallelogram glam' jewelry on their website while taking it on the road to boutiques, craft fairs, and trade shows.



(Right: Laura Kathleen wearing one of the pieces from the Scarlett Garnet collection above)

This week, Laura Kathleen has announced the launch of her own jewelry line, made from the same brass "dress" pieces SG produced for her runway show. She plans to continue her jewelry design career by using her new knowledge of SG's vendors, production processes, and construction methods. She has offered nothing in return to SG except an explanation that her lawyer has advised her to no longer talk to them about it. Although you may have seen this part coming, Garnet and Katie did not.

Here is a clip from "Great Day St.Louis" that features LK's new and oh-so-original jewelry line...


...Before overstepping these boundaries of trust and ethics, I would have thought LK to be a talented and creative fashion designer. Now I have my doubts, as this move discredits her as a designer altogether.

But Laura Kathleen did not do anything wrong - at least, not legally. There was no written agreement that stated she would compensate Scarlett Garnet for their labor, design, or consulting. There was no written agreement stating that the brass pieces, the jewelry designs, or even the manufacturing information was property of Scarlett Garnet. There was no non-compete agreement signed when SG taught LK everything about their production methods for jewelry. As her Twitter profile states, "I might look like a Barbie, but I bite."

So artists, designers, craftresses - please protect your work. Even if you do not have a lawyer, take the time to think through every possible scenario before you begin a working relationship with anyone. Always get signed agreements in writing, and NEVER divulge information about vendors or processes that you would not like someone to take for themselves. If you want your unique work to remain original, treat your business as a business and not like a casual friendship.... Because some friends are opportunistic backstabbers!

The good news is, I do know that Scarlett Garnet's business will not suffer from this situation.
Last summer I had a customer from Etsy who decided to create their own shop that closely copied my packaging design, products, photos, and branding. After I finally got over the initial shock and months of feeling sick to my stomach, I took all the legal steps necessary to get her to discontinue her business. Although it was an extremely painful situation, it also pushed me make my branding, packaging, photos, and ideas stand out even more. It gave me the drive to bury all potential impostors with my ability to put together new work that makes my old work (and their new work) look boring!

There are people out there who do not seem to have access to the creative energy that some of us are naturally tapped into. Recognize your endless inner source of inspiration as your true asset, not the design you made six months ago. Although in these extreme cases it is important to protect your work legally, make sure that most of your energy is directed toward making your own work more visible, more recognized, and more amazing.

Here is an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the collaboration throughout the Project Runway season:
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/fashion-and-sty...87-5414-b9e5-25c47f7c8813.html
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Labels: copyright, intellectual property, jewelry design, laura kathleen, laura kathleen designs, planck, project runway
Kitty Cat Field Trip ~ Cedar Cove
Kitty Cat Field Trip ~ Cedar Cove
Did you know it is legal to have exotic animals as pets in Missouri? Isn't that insane?
We went to Cedar Cove a few weeks ago, where a variety of large cats reside- most are surrendered "pets" of individuals that were so brilliant to finally realize that they are unable to take care of their cat. I was a little worried on the way there but as we arrived (at feeding time) I approved. Yes, these cats are in cages but they do get to take turns running around on 11 acres of land. And they are fed animals that have been brought in from car accidents and sport hunters. I wish everyone in Kansas City knew about this, since there are a lot of deer accidents on roads here. It makes me feel so happy that they are able to be used for the good of these shipwrecked cats (who did seem very content). I know this photo is morbid but it made me happy to see this lion carry around and fondle the deer head, as if he believed it to be lucky, or a favorite toy.




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The Old World lives within.
The Old World lives within.
My college years were awesome- it was like the Renaissance Festival without the festival. Somehow I became friends with a strange group of locals instead of other students. Although I had little interest in the "old world" before knowing them, I will always be influenced by each of their unique views of the world and their refusal to accept anything else. Chain maille, sword fighting, gypsy music, and renegade mischief.

Every day was a new adventure with Rob, who lives in an alternate reality, and although it is exhausting that he refuses to cooperate with the rest of society, I have always been a fan of his extreme outcast nature and the art that comes from it. These photos were from the day he convinced Mike to "fell a hickory tree" with him, bring it back to my townhouse, and then he taught a group of "stout lads" to carve primitive weaponry, including bows and arrows, from the wood. Here you can see the lads cutting the tree into staves and me being so ever useful by holding the tree while they were getting ready.




Rob lives out in the Ozarks, but calls me from time to time and sends gifts in the mail. These consist of natural relics that he has collected- bits of leather, steel, etc. and a letter scribbled on brown crumpled paper. Last year he had a portable forge that he built, so I asked if he could make me a cute herb chopper. He sent me this and I love it! Made from a lawn mower blade...


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DIY Spice Jar Labels - A free download to transform your kitchen
DIY Spice Jar Labels - A free download to transform your kitchen
I designed this antique-style set of herb and spice labels a couple years ago to use on vintage spice jars or new recycled glass bottles. They include the botanical (latin) name and common name of each plant. These are lovely decor to enhance your kitchen during cooking or witchcraft or making medicine, although I find these all to be one in the same :)
Free to download and print for personal use. Do not print, alter, or redistribute in any other way.








Here are also an herbal medicine series of labels. enjoy
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Oushak
Oushak
If you follow me on Pinterest, you might have noticed I am obsessed with Oushak rugs. This Turkish region created these hand knotted designs with wool colored with natural dyes. I love Jayson's collection, especially this one~

It is killing me that I can't justify spending this much money on a rug. But sometimes it is fine to appreciate something without owning it. Okay... Most of the time.
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Never tricks, Always treats ~ I Freaking Love October!
Never tricks, Always treats ~ I Freaking Love October!
To celebrate my favorite month of the year, all orders over $50 from my shop will receive a free mini bag of my Witch Mix. It is a potpourri I hand-blended with spices, barks, and foliage, and then mixed in a warming blend of essential oils and plant extracts, including cedar, allspice, nutmeg, clove, spruce, oakmoss, amber, and anything else that struck me a few days ago when I was suddenly possessed to make this.

To use, simmer a few cups of water on the stove and pour in the witch mix to release this 100% natural home fragrance. You can simmer for up to a few hours but remember to check to make sure there is enough water remaining.




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Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
This movie came out when I was five years old and I'm pretty sure I have seen it a hundred times since then. When I was younger I really identified with Lydia Deetz (and looked a lot like her too) but now I am starting to realize how much I am like Delia too (only not so high strung)

This is me when I was 16:


I realize now that in college my sculptures were reminiscent of Delia's sculptures. I definitely didn't do it on purpose, I guess the childhood influence just kind of rubbed off on me. I remember bringing my artwork to my parents house at the end of the year and they said, "well I guess we could put them in the attic". I was SO offended.

My sculptures:





Delia's Sculptures:



And now I am at that age where I feel the need to express myself through home decor, because somehow putting my creative energy into my work isn't enough; I want to be completely surrounded and immersed in my strangeness. Delia has a very eloquent way of saying this so I will let her do the talking-





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If I were stranded on an island...
If I were stranded on an island...
For the last 10 years or so I have been exploring herbal medicine. I have just had bad luck with conventional doctors, prescription meds, and over the counter fixes for common ailments. And I happen to love science experiments and textbook reading material.

It feels really good to know there are natural and inexpensive (free, even) ways to balance my body and take care of my health- many of which were practiced by previous cultures, centuries before the current overdependence on chemicals, philosophical flaws and over-expense within the industry of training doctors, dis-ease of the population, dis-connect with our own bodies, and dis-proportion between our payment and our treatment due to disconnect in the payment system.

Now that I'm off the soapbox, here are top three things that I keep in supply at all times. These more than anything else have kept me out of CVS for years!


1- Oregano: this is a very powerful antibiotic, and if I am in the beginning stages of an infection, I eat a piece of toast covered with honey, with at least a tablespoon of dried oregano on top, followed with drinking 3 glasses of water. It is gentle enough not to have the side effects of prescription antibiotics, but I usually take probiotics afterwards anyway. (disclaimer: you are at your own risk if you choose to follow my method instead of a doctor's)

2- Rosehips: I drink rosehip tea at the first sign of a cold/flu. Infuse a teaspoon of rosehips in a cup of hot water, that's it. Rosehips have a ton of vitamin C and I think it absorbs better than a vitamin would, since it is plant-based and there are other vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants in the rosehips that help absorption and complement the immune system boost without stressing out the body.

3- Grapeseed Oil: This is a beautiful, wonderful oil. It is even healthier than olive oil, and can be used in any and every kind of cooking, including high heat. Besides consuming a lot, I use it as a lotion and face moisturizer. Every commercial product (or even homemade) I have ever tried as a moisturizer have all made my face break out. I have the most sensitive skin ever, and I was so happy to find out that grapeseed oil truly does not clog pores, and it adds moisture to the skin, and it does not stay "oily" once it is absorbed by the skin. For about 50 cents/ounce, this can surely replace all of the expensive face/eye creams, lotions, and even eye makeup remover in your bathroom cabinet. But save some for the kitchen.
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Fashion
Fashion
A few weeks ago a group of us crafty vixens in Kansas City got together for fashion purposes. Liz Connor makes these romsies (romper/onesies) out of recycled clothing. (also on Etsy) The tops and bottoms are sewn together. I would never dream of wearing these funky, bold, quirky pieces on my own but they are actually really nice to wear and Liz has an awesome style. It was a fun photo shoot, the best part for me being when the pizza delivery guy showed up and there were 5 girls just hanging out in romsies ;) Photos by Jennifer Wetzel



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the craftress
I am an electronic artist, analogue craftress, musician, and artisan perfumer. This blog is a kind of journal of my creative journey. I hope to inspire while cataloging my projects.
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March 2012 New Moon - Lunar Amulet Perfume
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