A New Year

Another year has passed, and not without leaving its scars.

For the new year I resolve to give more. To teach more, write more, smile more, listen more and love more.

I resolve to blend, experiment and distill; to hear when my heart speaks and ignore oppressive web noise. I also resolve to experience more natural botanical perfumes from the myriad natural botanical perfumers who've come out recently. And some that have been around a while.


The Year Past~

My favorite blogs of this past year include Absolute Trygve, Kitchen Sink Collective, and Tauer Perfumes. Least favorite -- well, it doesn't matter.

Favorite challenge from this past year has to be the eau de cologne formulating round. Quite the educational experience.

Favorite synth perfume for the year was Tea for Two from L'Artisan.

Favorite natural botanical perfume was Cocoa Basil, a solid from Littleflowers.

Favorite vintage perfume was Bal a Versailles, circa 1962.

Favorite gift of the year was a boxed tea cup set.

Favorite buy of the year was a half dozen gorgeous Djinn appropriate Brosse bottles, closely followed by a couple of bottles of vintage resins.

Favorite event was the perfume class I taught at Intermountain Nursery.

Favorite trip was to LA where I met Andy Tauer and Roxana Villa of Roxana Illuminated Perfume, and sitting at the end of the Santa Monica pier watching the sun go down over the ocean, with thoughts and ideas and hopefulness zinging around in my head.

Favorite personal growth experience was the accomplishment of the NNAPA online course, and all those crazy little evaluation kits.

Favorite people of the year are those of you who read this blog with open hearts and open eyes.