Guild perfumer Janet from Ferncliffe Perfumes has recently opened her shop of Art Deco-inspired natural perfumes. Her collection explores the passions and aesthetic experiences of that bygone era.

STARDUST - Soft, fresh and romantic. A floral reverie of Moroccan roses, lavender absolute and Rose de Mai is at the heart of this natural perfume. Sweet citrusy top notes of pink grapefruit, lemon and fresh high elevation lavender illuminate the composition before resting on a bed of woody sandalwood, warm vanilla and powdery orris root.

BABE - Confident and irresistible. A core of sandalwood, vetiver and orris root, surrounded by atmospheric florals and citruses, aroused by a hint of black pepper and juniper berry.

CHARLESTON - A lively, rich floral with a heart of narcotic tuberose, sweet jasmine and sensual ylang ylang. From the first burst of bitter red orange and bergamot, the fragrance unfolds on your skin with lush glamour and femininity.

MISBEHAVIN’ - Warm, exotic and spicy. Ylang ylang and clove bud blend into an intense, sensual experience. At the floral heart of this intriguing natural perfume is ylang ylang, neroli and Moroccan rose draped in warm vanilla, bergamot and spicy clove bud.

ALWAYS - A passionate yet elegant blend of florals, herbs, citruses and woods. At the heart of this charismatic floral blend is sensual jasmine, neroli and herbaceous fresh basil surrounded by citruses and woods with a hint of spice.

To read about the inspiration behind each of these natural perfumes, visit Ferncliffe Perfumes.

Oh how I love honeysuckle..the tender white and yellow flowers. The fragrance of honeysuckle is unmistakable. There is no other smell quite like it…it is difficult to capture.

This is a honeysuckle bush in my backyard. Here is a bottle of organic grape alcohol that I put the small honeysuckle blossoms in to create a tincture. Now all I need is patience! Does anyone have any extra patience they can spare?

IPG member Irina from Phoenix Botanicals shares a lovely series of how-to articles on this week’s How Tuesday at the Etsy blog. I’m in love with all of the how-to’s Irina has shared and can’t wait to see what’s growing wild out there on the sidewalk in my own neighborhood.

{ Photo courtesy the Etsy blog }

Lyn Ayer is a Perfumer and Instructor living in Canada (who holds a PhD in Energy Healing! That should go well with perfume!) Several times a year she holds what she likes to call ‘Challenges’ and accepts up to ten entries. The perfume should be created for the challenge. At this point there are 4 spots left in the Summer Soliflore which opened up July 1st and ends Aug 31st.

There are definitely hoops to jump through, and one will wonder “why!?” but Lyn is subtly letting us feel and know what a serious perfumer needs to consider! I found this very helpful.

There are two parts to look at when submitting. Part One refers to the following categories: following instructions, five sentences about the perfume creation, five sentences about the perfume itself, photo attached to registration, proper data tag. These are judged as the entries come in.

Part Two is all about the qualities of the perfume: Balance, character, diffusion, structure, and tenacity. These are judged at the two month mark when the challenge closes. I test on a scent strip and on my own skin. All of these categories is scored from 1-10 with 10 being outstanding.

The Challenges are created & joined into in the spirit of fun.  But Lyn gives it serious consideration at her end of things. She keeps it small, holding space for ten participants so that she has time to do them justice when the time comes to evaluate. The ‘winner’ receives a gift, a ‘seal’ and a ‘certificate’ that they can be proud of. There is an opportunity to exchange information and samples with each other and build community. If this sounds good to you, join in.

IPG is seeking an “in-house” graphic designer to work on a per contract basis to help our members with various design needs, including, but not limited to, branding, packaging, Etsy development, blog development, etc. You may occasionally be asked to consult on new projects or revamps of existing brands.

As a designer, you should have 3-5 references of professional works, and be able to point us toward your online portfolio, Deviant Art, or Etsy shop. Experience designing luxury fashion or high-end beauty a plus. Passion for perfume and fragrance a bonus. Knowledge of green practices in packaging is preferred as many of our members strive to be eco-friendly.

Please note that all gigs will be remitted on a per-contract basis depending on the needs of our members and negotiated between the member and the designer (not the guild and the designer). You will be listed in our benefits package as preferred design vendor. All work will be completed remotely as members of IPG are scattered across the globe.

If interested or if you have any questions, please e-mail links and hourly rates to indieperfumersguild @ gmail dot com.

It never quite feels like summer in Seattle until after the 4th of July – we finally have some sunshine, weather in the 70’s, and of course – outdoor grilling doesn’t hurt the mood. So what scent do you wear to your BFF’s garden party? How bout a new fragrance by some of IPG’s members.

From Arabesque Aromas comes Orlando, a sexy, romantic, natural perfume oil.

Kirsten says, “Inspired by my favorite novel, “Orlando” by Virginia Woolf, this perfume oil contains warm, sensuous strains of Lapsang souchong tea, tree resins and roots, and a hint of Jasmine flowers with tea leaves at the base of the perfume bottle.” Grab it here.

At A Wing and a Prayer, two new summer perfumes have been released – Gemini and Tea Rose.

About Gemini: “GEMINI Perfume is a light citrus fragrance perfect for the summer and has been Jane’s signature perfume, which she is now willing to share with you! The blending of light essential oils of pink and white grapefruit, with yuzu, bergamont, cypress leaf, fir silver and lime, makes GEMINI Perfume not your ordinary citrus scent. In the true spirit of GEMINI the fragrance mixes with your own body chemistry and will take on a different scent on each person. Wonderfully fresh and light, GEMINI is a long lasting natural perfume.”

About Tea Rose: “TEA ROSE Perfume is not the ordinary rose fragrance, but a warm light floral, perfect for those sultry summer nights. TEA ROSE is a blend of different Rose essential oils mixed with Amber as the base note, add a little Boronia and Fragipani as the middle and top notes and TEA ROSE becomes a very sensual scent. Don’t let the name fool you, TEA ROSE is not grandma’s rose perfume!”

At Sweet Anthem (my shop), there are three new fragrances for summer.

About Alice: A rabbit hole musk. Wafts from the Caterpillar’s hookah, white florals, and sheer amber with real Mysore sandalwood.

About Red Queen: An utterly drunken rose – swimming in bourbon and honeyed ale, black cardamom and white pepper sprinkled on top, all on a base of leather and musk.

About Norah: For the Irish heart that is truly broken. A positively aching blend of oakmoss, patchouli, and peru balsam with orange peel and tea blossoms woven throughout. Dry spices of rosewood and white ginger uplift an otherwise mournful tune.

{ Photo copyright: Arabesque Aromas }

If you have a new fragrance or product in your shop, please e-mail your press release to Meredith, or leave it in the comments section on this post.

Catch a lovely mini-interview with Guild Perfumer Darlene from The Alchemist’s Heart, over on the White Flower Farmhouse blog. Darlene is a natural perfumer with an adorable little shop on Etsy, and I’m currently working my way through her samples as I type, and I hope to have more personal insight on this lovely perfumer soon. Don’t you just adore her quaint packaging?

{ Photo courtesy The Alchemists’s Heart }