About a Bun

a long breather just around the corner

2010-10-29T14:57:00.000+11:00

That period of relaxation is just around the corner for me as I prepare to leave on holidays for China tomorrow morning. I'm still writing this from my lunch break in between a full day of teaching today, but when I go back home and kick my shoes off, it will be the last time for this year! I'm sad to have neglected both my blog here and on Faunfare but when I return from China and have little else to focus on except some leisurely thesis-writing, I'm planning on throwing myself head first into my business.

There is a lot of inspiration around me at the moment. Several of my friends are crossing major life milestones, like marriage, buying their first home, and starting their own businesses. Some tease me that I'm going through a quarter-life crisis, but I've started feeling like I'm ready to take my perfumery beyond just a hobby. I feel like I have been selling my creations on Etsy for a while now and the curiosity and novelty factor is starting to wear off. I don't know if I will ever find the kind of success that would allow me to run a perfumery full-time (and right now I love my day job too much to want to) but I'm not happy until I know I'm investing all of myself in whatever I have set my mind on.

Have a wonderful two weeks while I'm gone! I'll touch base when I get back :).

just need a breather

2010-10-13T09:30:00.000+11:00

Since my last blog post here, I feel like I haven't had even a few hours to sit still and breathe. I'm sadly in the same frantic and worn-out state of mind that I was in when I decided to start this blog, and I feel like I need its healing properties more than ever now. However, the next 2 days here might prove to be a nice respite. I just completed a long and tedious load of marking yesterday so just for now until Friday when I teach a full day of class and pick up another load of assignments to mark, I can focus on the meditative bliss of my writing.

My mind is in a million pieces right now, especially about my perfume business. I feel as though I have so many good friends for whom I usually rely on, but they seem out of my reach as I have just spent the last few months gone to ground with a gruelling work schedule. My perfume sales in July were phenomenal and I have it to thank for new friends and a wardrobe full of new oils to play with, but August through September, I saw a whole lot of tumbleweeds. When I'm desperate for answers, I begin to wonder if maybe I have incurred the wrath of the Gods by arrogantly naming my perfumes after their namesake? I have a much too vivid imagination for my own good sometimes, but please comment below if you know of a reliable cattle ranch where I may obtain a handsome bovine to sacrifice to the Gods and regain their favour.

a full plate with a side of stress

2010-09-13T09:08:00.001+10:00

Leaving aside all the things I love about the job, what I dislike the most about it is how unbalanced the workload is. I only work over the 13 weeks of semester twice a year, and although the one month-ish break in winter is a nice time frame to recharge the batteries, I get almost four months to grow idle and apathetic over the summer before the university year begins again. There is nothing in moderation. I’m either twiddling my thumbs and flirting with notions of writing a novel or redecorating my house or I’m either working around the clock with seemingly endless hours of making lesson plans, marking, classes, answering students emails, trying to manage emotional students who are irate about their marks or the course, and the list goes on. I find I have to learn to compartmentalise my life and adjust to the fact that I might have to abandon my personal life for a few months or be deprived of intellectual challenges in the others.

This semester in particular has been draining. I have two friends getting married in 3 weeks (both on the same weekend), and this is when the bachelor/bachelorette parties have been abound. I had a particularly fun night out a couple of weekends ago, but I’m honestly heartbreakingly, soul-crushingly disappointed that I have to miss out on another next fortnight due to work. I’m particularly close to this couple and they have been such great friends to The Cat and I. They’re very cool so they’re not splitting up into ‘all-boys’ and ‘all-girls’ groups, but rather, they’re having a joint weekend away in the Hunter Valley. Knowing that I would have so many events on this half of the year, back in May, I signed on to tutor 7 hours a week and assist three weekends of an intensive course so that I would give me plenty of moolah to spend on gifts and festivities. It just feels especially painful that the reason why I’m able to afford such festivities this year means I can’t go.
The Cat however, offered a few “awws” but signed on to spend 3 days in the Hunter Valley anyway. I didn’t realise it was having an effect on me until a few weeks later and it dawned on me that I was working so hard to pay for both of us, but if I have to stay in Sydney, then not only does my feline other half get to party hard, but I also have to make my own way to and from work, cook, and clean up after The Cat Who Stayed, Salmon. Needless to say, The Cat didn’t know what hit him.

And isn’t it funny that when you’re stressed, the smallest things can become life or death? Perhaps things you never would have even given a second thought to before, become laden with ulterior motives and meanings. Small ignorant or insensitive remarks sound like racism, condescension, manipulation, inauthenticity, or one-upmanship. I’ve gotten annoyed at things that I just know I’ll laugh at in a few weeks time. Several times a day, when I’m buckling under the weight, I want to throw my hands up and say, “I’ve had enough!” but you push on and it gets a little bit better.

I have avoided my blog for a while because I would have rather written this in a couple of week’s time where I am laughing about it and can frame this more like, “Oh I was so stressed before, but now everything’s peachy!” but I think every now and then, it’s not so bad to reveal a little humanity and just be honest that things really suck right now.

at last, my website has come along

2010-09-01T22:38:00.000+10:00

The last few months of humming, hawing and mindlessly tedious coding is over!

Here is the official website and store front for Faunfare, including (in my humble opinion) a delectable design, a funky shopping cart system, and a new blog in which I will be posting more about the business side of my creative life (probably). If the thought of me talking about perfumes doesn't totally turn you off, it would mean the world to me if you take a couple of minutes of your time and help me set a good precedence by saying hi at my first blog post there, and letting me know what sorts of things you would like to read there.

I have been reading some gorgeous perfume blogs lately (Providence Perfumes, Perfume by Nature, Smelly Blog, Perfume Posse, Oh, True Apothecary!) and personally, I love how each and every one of those blogs are open, candid and authentic. But before I run off and begin breaking down my pricing or confessing how I cringe every time I hear the words "artisan perfumer", can you please let this ultimately insecure, fragile little soul know whether or not topics like that will more likely turn you off?

I have found online perfume stores before that had me pulling out my credit card until I find their blog and after drowning in their miserable diatribes about how they just can't catch a break, I'm more in the mood for a glass of whiskey and break up songs pumped at full volume from my iPod, than perfume shopping. Where to draw the line between personal and professional?

organising the perfume studio

2010-08-23T21:04:00.004+10:00

Last weekend, I finally called an end to the nightmarish excuse I had for a perfumery workspace and took the time to properly set up my studio. I used to keep my essential oils in a dark box in my wardrobe which was taken out whenever I wanted to blend. However, my collection has grown significantly and the burgeoning box soon made it impractical to pack, unpack and transport around the house every time inspiration struck. Since I began reformulating my new line of perfumes, I have been finding myself among my bottles and essences almost every hour I was not at the computer maintaining some semblance of a day job. Unfortunately, my collection gradually spread over the last few weeks and parasitically took over my dining table.

This is the dreadfully messy condition under which I have been working for the last few weeks:

It's like the aftermath of an explosion of perfumery, with bottles, pipettes, and blotter strips everywhere. One of the most confusing things was that I had trial blends placed among completed and rejected blends. I always had to remain cognisant of which were which, until I had about 20 bottles divided over 6 fragrances and it started getting out of hand.

I spent Saturday afternoon organising my collection and assembling the new area that would become my atelier. I chose to use my parlour, which has a nice armoire on which I could assemble my perfume organ--my entire collection of essences--all within easy reach, and moved an underused hall table beside it for my blending and notetaking.

Here is my organ with all my individually diluted and decanted collection of essences:

And this is the corner of my blending desk showing trial blends and some mini blotter strips for testing them:

I have made quite a lot of headway since my last blog update. Thank you to everyone who has helped me clear out my remaining collection of my previous line of perfumes. I can hardly believe it but there are now only a small handful of bottles left on the shelf and only two items left in my Etsy store. It is such a thrilling and encouraging feeling to see the slate being wiped clean, ready to begin a new and exciting chapter in my perfumery.

Since completing my first two blends, I have further brewed a sweet woodsy floral based around the incredibly alluring night-flowering jasmine, but composed it with an unexpected smoky top of juniper berry and black pepper and a deeply luxurious base of sandalwood and myrrh. I chose this interpretation so that I may offer something distinctive from a conventional, 'clinically chic' jasmine perfume you might find at a department store.

I'm also presently finalising two blends, a sweet woody perfume that is a rather masculine incarnation of roses and incense, and a fresh citrus fragrance built around a tart and complicated neroli. These two will be reformulations of my existing scents, Golden Lyre and Huntress, and will provide two lovely scents for the warmer months.

I have also been working on an official website for Faunfare, and it's almost complete. Just a few more tweaks and a couple of pages of content and it will become a convenient location for shopping and perfumery-specific news. I appreciate that not everyone who reads About A Bun is interested in my perfumery, so I will be maintaining a more professional blog there with information about blends I'm working on, while keeping this medium for more heart-to-hearts.

update on my respite

2010-08-10T19:45:00.010+10:00

The last two weeks away from Etsy has been godsend. Although my work and social lives have become very demanding, with Semester 2 starting with a vengeance and a friend returning to Sydney for two weeks after teaching in Japan for a year, I have immersed myself in my perfumery and have already composed two blends of which I’m far more contented than anything I have made prior. They are complex fragrances made with the most luxurious and high-quality essences I could find.

The first is composed of refreshing and uplifting citrus top notes that meld into a deep and luscious bouquet of florals that lie on an earthy green bed of moss and fern. It's vivacious, exuberant, and singular. The second is a narcotic blend of mandarin and spices on a smoky and sultry amber base, redolent of incense and silk. It's sensual, intoxicating, and intense. I have already tested them on two volunteers who rated them very positively.

I hope to make one more blend before I showcase the debut trio. Does anyone have any suggestions on what that third could smell like? I’m tossing up between a light woodsy floral of immortelle and neroli (similar to Nyctanthous), a deep floral of vanilla and rose (similar to Chypre), and a dry, woody, masculine scent akin to White Poplar.

I’d also like to mention that I will be discontinuing all my existing perfumes. These are what remains in stock:

CHYPRE (sold out)
An impassioned brew of hungry vanilla, mysterious oakmoss, and lusty rose damask. Tenderly romantic and mercilessly erotic. The ultimate aphrodisiac no faun could live without. Notes of ylang ylang, vanilla, oakmoss, and rose damask.

~~GASLIGHT~~ ~~(sold out)~~
A still night at the end of a cobblestone alley. The faint scent of a woman’s perfume, sparkling wine and ill judgement still clings to the air, beckoning Jack towards his next prey. Notes of sandalwood, frankincense, cinnamon, violet, jasmine, bergamot, and bergamot.

GOLDEN LYRE (sold out)
A melodious, Apollonian blend of the sweetest fruits that dances on the skin. Energising mandarin is filled with joie de vivre. It gracefully fades into a more floral scent after a couple hours of wear. Notes of cedarwood, rosewood, clove, petitgrain, mandarin and bergamot.

HOOF & HORN (1 bottle left)
Inspired by the carousing faun herself who is fire and laughter to the bone, this is a rich and creamy blend of luscious blood oranges served with lashings of vanilla. Sweet, warm and utterly delectable. Notes of vanilla, blood orange, and pink grapefruit.

~~HUNTRESS~~ ~~(sold out)~~
A strong-willed scent that is both self-possessed and wild-at-heart. Bergamot sharpens the senses for your stalk through the groves at dusk. The citrusy fragrances meld tenderly with heart notes of feminine rosewood. Notes of bergamot, sweet orange, tangerine, rosewood, and patchouli.

~~JACK THE RIPPER~~ ~~(sold out)~~
A Victorian gentleman with a calm and composed façade, faintly scented with powdered violet and jasmine, barely restraining an alter ego of pure, concentrated sexuality frothing with vice and debauchery. Drowned down with a tall crystal glass, swirling with iced absinthe. Notes of sandalwood, frankincense, amber, cinnamon, violet, jasmine, and aniseed star.

MANDRAGORA (2 bottles left)
Bitingly venomous amber smoulders in this cruel blend of poisonous root and bittersweet sin. Notes of amber (from a plant-based accord), patchouli, root, bark and soil.

MIDSUMMER (1 bottle left)
Ripe, juicy lemons sweetened with a hint of lime on a bed of dark oakmoss. Notes of lemon, lime, wisteria, and oakmoss.

MIDWINTER (7 bottles left)
A chilly winter surrounded by the woody scent of white pine while a ghostly whisper of dried wisteria blossoms is carried on the cold winds. Notes of cypress, pine, wisteria, rosewood, and violet.

~~NAIAD~~ ~~(sold out)~~
Smoky white sage and lavender drowned in a clear, running stream. Herbal heart notes are gentle and elusive on first touch, like reeds on the riverbanks, but plunges you into its shadowy depths of violet and ylang ylang. Notes of sage, lavender, ylang ylang, rosewood and violet.

NYCTANTHOUS (sold out)
Delicate jasmine blossoms haunt this melancholy scent. When the sweet buds wither, grounding violet leaf leaves you to drift into a reverie on soft, shady grass. For those who flower at night. Notes of violet leaf, grass, violet, jasmine, and dew.

~~SATYRION~~ ~~(sold out)~~
Named after an infamous Greek aphrodisiac, this concoction is inspired by the untamed satyr who is beast and music down to the soul. Dark and warm like sugared figs washed down with a chalice full of mulled wine. Notes of cedarwood, clove, figs, mandarin, and oakmoss.

~~WHITE POPLAR~~ ~~(sold out)~~
An homage to the Greek God of the Dead. Rich, earthy and spicy, with a hint of bitterness. The scent begins fresh and grassy, but like a descent into the Underworld, transforms into a cold, dark and earthy scent after a couple of hours of wear. Notes of cedarwood, cypress, peppermint, and petitgrain.

first visit to a craft market

2010-08-02T21:20:00.000+10:00

As many of you already know, my last trip to the Eveleigh Farmers' Market got me thinking about applying as a vendor for their monthly crafts one. This Sunday, I visited their August Artisans' Art and Craft Market to scope out the vibe.

The Cat and I arrived at Carriageworks bright and early (perhaps a little too early). We arrived at 10:15am and most of them were still setting up. By the time we left at about 11-11:30am, it started picking up a bit more. We were immediately struck by the wonderful range of handmade goods, everything including jewellery, upcycled notebooks, felted scarves, artworks, and ceramics. There were no import goods or second hand in the mix, which I hear is what a lot of 'handmade' markets are doing nowadays when application numbers are low. It was particularly promising for me to see that fragrance-wise, the closest was one stall that sold reed diffusers and candles.

Despite how new the Eveleigh Market is, the standard was very professional. I visited every stall and almost all of them were well-established and had their own websites and many even a physical store or studio. The prices were definitely higher than what you would find on Etsy, but knowing how much time goes into everything, I wouldn't say anything was exorbitant. Most vendors who had $75+ necklaces or something would always be sure to also carry $10 rings or $15 earrings for impulse purchases.

In terms of selling there in the future, I had a really enlightening talk with one of the organisers on our way out. He was quite frank and said that with what I make, I'm in with a good chance because they're really interested in variety. He confirmed that jewellery is one of their most saturated categories and the applications he went through for them were two huge folders full and they had the longest waiting list.

However, measuring myself up against the other vendors there, I think I wouldn't feel comfortable applying until I was closer to their level of professionalism. I have made two more supplies order over the weekend and today, getting much more proactive about my perfumery study and research than I have ever attempted before. I'm thrilled to say I have quite a few exciting projects in store and I can't wait to share them with you all in due course.

where to for faunfare from here

2010-07-28T11:39:00.000+10:00

Something quite fantastic and unexpected has happened with Faunfare in the last month; I broke even. I made back in sales everything I have spent on bottles, business cards, envelopes and postage, and essences since my very first supplies order, including those most precious that have not even made their way into my blends yet. I don’t know how it happened, but I’m immensely grateful to the amazing customers who believed in me, my perfumes, and my vision, and satiated their curiosities with a try. The feedback that I have received has also been phenomenal and more complimentary and generous than I believe I deserve.

As thankful as I am for my journey so far, I think it’s necessary for me to take a small break from selling and spend some time alone with my oils, reminding myself why I got into perfumery in the first place. To inspire myself, I ordered a copy of Mandy Aftel’s Essence & Alchemy before I left for Amsterdam, and have been devouring it since I got back. Her book is a poetic concoction of psychology, literature, and history, which weaves a tale about how natural perfumery has evolved through the ages, suitable for both aspiring perfumers and perfume-lovers. Trish of Scent Hive also had the good fortune of meeting and interviewing Mandy Aftel at her studio and presented a brilliant blog post about her experience.

Frankly, I find it mind-blowing to think what I could aspire to with my perfumery. There is still so much more I have to learn about the world of essences and I’ve never been hungrier for the knowledge.

Two nights ago, I received an email from a well-meaning browser who nevertheless startled me with her logic. She said she doesn’t like the use of cheap, synthetic fragrance oils in perfumes and wondered if I use any of it in my blends, “because the prices are so low?” Although the word “natural” features in my shop title and product descriptions, including further details of why I choose essential oils instead of synthetic ones, I can really relate to this woman’s query because a quick search of “natural perfume” on Etsy yielded for me pages and pages of products that were neither natural… nor perfumes at many times. I found numerous stores that described their perfumes as “natural” or “botanical”, but their ingredients clearly indicated the sole use of fragrance oils. I wonder if it’s that they’ve simply picked up the trend on Etsy of calling them “natural perfume oils” without realising what it means? Indeed, I have found a lot of new people who love the fact I use natural ingredients, but if I ask, they often can’t really tell me why they think natural oils are better. I have met very, very few people who can tell the difference. More personally, her point about my low prices inferring low quality hit the nail on the head of something else you know has been on my mind—pricing.

I posted a couple of weeks ago about my philosophy on pricing and how I passionately believe in selling my perfumes at below retail price. A wonderful myth that circulates Etsy is of a seller who makes high-end designer underpants. She made modest sales until one day she decided to counterintuitively increase her prices, fitting them better into the more affluent target market whose tastes and needs she caters to and her panties flew off the shelves. I wish this was indeed the case for everyone but I soberly reminded myself that perhaps for the vast majority of us mere mortal sellers, people might just simply not want our stuff and increasing the prices will only make them not want them more. This woman’s question however, brought this panty myth back into focus and made me wonder if there were more people who were turned off my store because my prices spoke louder than my words. I just wish there was a way for me to balance my love for purveying affordable perfumes without doing my work a disservice.

This finally brings me to the title of my blog entry. Where to from here?

I’m going to a take a short sabbatical, perhaps a month or two, to read and study more about perfumery theory and technique. From my own pocket, I will fund an augmented collection of rare and precious essential oils and gradually move away from some of the more affordable oils in my initial orders. I want to reconceptualise my entire brand and line, further developing my perfumes inspired by the Ancient Greek pantheon, which has been far better received than I could dream. I want to improve each and every one of my scents, replacing the lower grade oils (e.g. vanilla infusions, ylang ylang first) with the highest ones (e.g. Madagascan vanilla absolute, ylang ylang complete), and create new products such as perfume solids in lockets and pillboxes. I also want to indulge other passions of mine, writing and photography, and produce some essays and articles about why I choose to make natural perfumes instead of full or semi-synthetic blends, and spend weeks photographing my products to get them just the way I want them.

However, I know that if I progress down this path, my perfumes will no longer be viable to be sold at $6-7 a bottle. I’d imagine my ingredients alone will exceed this price, even in 5ml bottles. As such, I’m not sure there will be a place for me on Etsy, and I may have to consider other avenues, if selling is a priority. I have lots to think about in the next few months!

amsterdam summary

2010-07-26T17:37:00.000+10:00

I returned back to Sydney after my conference trip to Amsterdam last Monday evening, however, I’m still attempting to adjust to a normal sleeping pattern as I’ve been unhealthily swinging from sleeping 14 hours one night and then 3 the next.

I presented my paper last Thursday morning to some very complimentary feedback and excellent advice. I didn’t really enjoy the conference as much as a similar one I attended in Auckland last year, and I was quite disappointed as I had consciously intended from the outset to diligently attend every session, get out of my shell and meet and greet as many people as I could, and contribute with questions and feedback for presenters whenever I was able. Although I did fulfil my promise to attend every session, some of the presenters may as well have been speaking in Latin because they were so far beyond my areas of knowledge and interest. The mood of the conference was also soured from the first morning’s plenary speaker, who was attacked by a snarky, passive aggressive academic whom I can only assume felt it was appropriate to talk to others so disrespectfully due to his own prestige. His behaviour throughout the times I had the misfortune of seeing him treat fellow academics with less experience than himself not something I would wish to emulate.

Despite my incompatibility with the conference itself, I managed to meet some really exceptional people while there. A couple of my colleagues were either from or had worked in Amsterdam and knew the city well, so we were very spoilt when they offered to show us around some of the sights, including the central city as well as the infamous Red Light District.

I have to admit my time in Amsterdam was little short of magical. The picturesque scenery around my hotel, the NH Musica, was breathtaking. My week was of ducks bathing in the canals and looking for food among the lily pads, waking up to the sound of birds singing outside my window, and the glorious golden sunsets at 10:30pm. The funding debacle at my university, which threatened to leave this business trip $1000 out of pocket for me did turn into a blessing in disguise. I was much more adventurous, and thus found it far more exciting to take a train from Schiphol airport for €2.50 rather than hail a taxi for €40. Some of colleagues who were lecturers at the university and thus eligible for staff funding for their entire trips plus expenses even went so far as to take a taxi into the conference venue every morning (a point laughed at heartily by the locals) rather than take a fraction of the time and cost to catch a tram.

I will gladly eat Dutch food for the rest of my life. At first, I was perplexed by the jugs of milk provided with every meal and the ‘salads’ which looked to me more like giant plates of dip, but everything I tried was delicious. Fresh multigrain rolls filled with soft cheese and raw mince meat was unexpected but fantastic, herring, and homemade chips (fries) topped with mayonnaise. I’m salivating just thinking about it again!
On Friday evening when the conference came to an end, I met up with two friends who took a train in from Germany. We were able to try some restaurants of our own choosing as well as visited The Rembrandt House, the artist’s actual place of residence, which has been restored and converted into a museum.

As I mentioned in my last post, I have recorded some short videologs during my journey. I was quite good about updating it on my first couple of days, but interest died out when I found myself out and about for the entire day (and night) once I met up with my friends, and the only time I had to myself was devoted to sleep. The few files that I recorded have only just recently been transferred from my iPhone to my computer, and I’m in the process of learning how to convert and edit them before they will be uploaded.

boring trip details to amsterdam

2010-07-13T07:00:00.000+10:00

I began this journey log as I chillaxed in my seat listening to Katie Noonan & the Captains from the entertainment system. It's unfathomable to me that there's only an hour and a half to landing, this has been by far the most comfortable flight I have ever been on. I passed the time by watching the great choices of videos, including at last being able to see Tim Burton's Alice.
I was a little more apprehensive about the next 14hr leg of the journey to Amsterdam. Armed with some good advice, I found a spa where I was able to pay a small fee to use the shower. For 10 Singaporean dollars, you're provided access to a private bathroom with one of those rain shower heads and a small lounge area with hairdryers and snacks. It was the best way to spend two hours in transit at midnight.
When I got on the plane to Amsterdam, I discovered to my immense joy the plane was only about a third full. I had the entire row beside the window to myself and quickly learnt from my neighbors that the best way to enjoy it was to put the armrests up and lie down across the whole row like a bed! I even built myself a fairly cosy nest from the two extra blankets and pillows I had.
I felt so spoiled when I woke up at 2am (it was 10am Aussie time so that can't be helped) and bundled myself up in all the blankets while nostalgically watching Blue's Clues and Hey Arnold! on my entertainment system.
It was really coincidental but I bumped into a colleague who is sharing my flights to and from Singapore for a conference in Vienna on at the same time and when I sadly had to say goodbye to her and got on the plane to Amsterdam, another colleague who is attending the same conference as I waved me down as she caught me strolling through the aisle!
I'm going to pick up a sim card with Internet access when I touch down in about an hour and I'll be uploading this entry. As promised, I have been collecting small video clips when I could to try editing and publishing when I get back to Sydney but I didn't get too many opportunities to talk because I was often pressed for time or surrounded by tired people I didn't want to disturb. I promise to be more adventurous in Amsterdam!

humble oils for frugal fauns

2010-07-10T17:35:00.000+10:00

Thanks so much to everyone who has contributed to my two last blog entries on the highs and lows of selling online! I had imagined that I would take my week off the Internet to reflect on the issues of pricing before I came back and began writing up my thoughts, but after reading your fascinating points of view, I could not help but start writing now.

Last night, while surfing the web, I found a scintillating discussion on putting a price on handmade. Megan Auman makes very unique laser-cut cozy/cuffs, coffee cup cosies and wrist cuffs in one, and after being promoted on Etsy’s Facebook page, it sparked a controversial debate where buyers cried at the outrage of her seemingly exorbitant prices, even daring to accuse her of making a greedy amount of profit. In another of Megan’s blog posts about this issue, she describes Etsy as a “pro-am community”, which was the first time I heard that phrase. It refers to amateur professionalism, meaning people pursuing amateur activities to professional standards. Megan mentions that for many sellers on Etsy, myself included, our stores are just extensions of our hobbies and therefore we have neither need nor motivation to price our products high enough to factor in true production costs and a living wage. This hurts the sellers on Etsy who run their stores full-time and are attempting to make a living from their craft because comparable products are being priced lower than they could manage without forgoing food or shelter.

It exacerbates the problem when a culture of underpricing conditions buyers that Etsy is a place for bargains, to perhaps find some crafter with low self-esteem willing to unload some handmade soaps or earrings on to you for the same price you would find in a Coles or Target, while receiving one-on-one service.

Her article also prompted me to take a good hard look at my own pricing practices and attitude. As of the time of writing, my perfumes are being sold at $6 for a 5ml bottle. While I understand that that is considered quite low, if not the lowest price you can find for all natural essential oils in a jojoba base, it is nevertheless not the lowest for perfumes overall. The other day while randomly browsing, I found one of the sellers on Etsy making Twilight-themed perfumes (yes, they really exist) and running a sale on solids for $1. I will tell you now that I’d have a difficult time finding the metal tins that they come in for less than $1.

Although I’m sure some people would consider my prices to be quite reasonable, I confess that I’m completely conscious that it’s not. The $6 I charge for my perfumes do not account for my labour, because for the time being, I consider running Faunfare a labour of love. Unfortunately, I’m one of the sellers Megan reveals as inadvertently devaluing handmade for everyone else. I’m a hobbyist through and through and my singular goal on Etsy is to meet like-minded souls for whom I can eventually supply perfumes for free. I aspire to be the forest’s herbalist who concocts away in her deep, dark glade while friendly villagers travels beyond the thicket to seek vials of esoteric elixirs in exchange for pumpkin pies or a couple of chooks. I think if I can make back my material costs, that’s just a bonus. To compare, I don’t get paid to read or go to the cinema, but they’re also things I love to do in my spare time. If I could at least get some free books or free tickets every now and then, then what more could I ask for? I don’t consider that if I posted up a review of a film I saw on my blog that a professional film critic might lose their job because here I am doing what they do for free.

I’ve had both well-meaning friends tell me that I’m giving away my perfumes and well-meaning friends tell me that I ought to literally give away my perfumes. I know some people think I’m crazy and may even be turned off by my low prices, suspecting that there may be something wrong with them, and those who see making a purchase from my store as a splurge.

I also absolutely adore my day job. I love to write and through a lot of luck and divine intervention, I have found myself on the path to becoming a researcher, which lets me teach subjects about which I’m passionate while getting travel opportunities to meet others who share those passions. I have to sell about 20 bottles of my perfumes to make what I make in an hour and thus I have no drive to turn my perfumery into a viable business.

I never set out to undercut any sellers. In fact, some of you might remember that when I first launched my store, I priced my perfumes at $12 for the 5ml bottle, which covers my materials and time and after weeks of research, was where I found the average price, minus a dollar or two. Want to take a stab at how many I sold? If you guessed zilch, you would be absolutely correct. So in the lead up to the Solstice last month, I placed all my perfumes on sale and they flew off the shelves. I’ve also been very fortunate that my buyers are the best in the world and either returned soon after their first orders or heartily spread the word. However, I can see the culture of cheap at work here on Etsy, but if my alternative is to price my perfumes higher and not sell anything, that defeats the purpose of listing on Etsy in the first place.

I don’t hate bargain hunters, in fact, I’d probably define myself as one. I would definitely do my utmost to spread the word of handmade, supporting independent sellers who use locally sourced materials and take care to be ethical in their business decisions, but I don’t see my role as enlightening the ignorant masses (and this is coming from an academic). Sadly, I think what our creations are worth are not always accepted in every market and I think it’s unrealistic to assume the solution is to implore all sellers on Etsy to raise their prices so ours won’t seem so high by comparison. If Etsy is becoming a bargain hunting zone, then we ought to find another market (I hear craft fairs and handmade markets are better catered towards people who appreciate quality over saving a few bucks) or use Etsy as a springboard into our own brands, and we can eventually run a store on our own domains.

Full-time Etsy sellers also have one of the most priceless advantages—time. I madly bottle perfumes on evenings and the weekends and can only find time to ship twice a week, and even then it’s a stretch, especially last week when I hurt my knee and could only ship on one day when I had the car. Full-time Etsy sellers should never see me as a threat because I will never find the time to conceive brilliant, inventive, cutting-edge ideas, reshoot stunning photographs every fortnight, or constantly be expanding my line.

Perhaps it’s not a question of whether or not hobbyists are undermining handmade artisans running their own businesses but there may be enough space in the market for both parties. A few weeks ago, a buyer added me to her favourites and when I perused her profile, I was surprised to find a lengthy and articulate essay on how Etsy has really saved her life on many occasions because when she lost her job during the GFC, she appreciated finding passionate crafters offering affordable goods on Etsy. Those are the people I want to create for. If you are well-educated on the cost of mass-consumerism and have the luxury to spend money on high-quality handmade goods, you may very well overlook people like me and choose to spend more to support full-time Etsians instead whose stores are well-stocked and constantly growing. However, if you’re a faun who needs to save her gold for figs and mulled wine, then come by my neck of the woods and find some earnestly blended oils and a friendly ear. Just remember to bring a chicken or a pie.

suppliers on etsy

2010-07-09T22:46:00.000+10:00

I know I don't normally run topical posts on my blog, but as I was writing my last entry on the unexpected joys I have found through my experience selling online, the issue of pricing and all its sticky web of frustrations kept rearing its ugly head in my thoughts. I think it warrants a separate post to discussing it sometime down the line when I've had some more time and distance from my experiences to reflect, but in the meantime, I'm really interested in hearing any thoughts you may have on supplies being sold on Etsy.

I was searching brass lockets recently and stumbled across some very reasonably priced suppliers. However, after hours of admiring their beautiful charms and findings, more and more of the jewellery featured on Etsy's front pages looked familiar. For instance, I saw some adorable unicorn charms for about $0.40 each and then an hour later, I went back to the Etsy homepage to find the exact unicorn charm on a plain brass necklace (not embellished, antiqued or altered in any way) on the front page selling for around $27. I can't help but wonder if there's some kind of flaw to the plan if more and more of Etsy are opening up to suppliers, which may over time, undermine the crafters that the website was designed for. Is Etsy at fault for opening itself up to becoming just another Ebay if supplies sales outweigh the handmade sales and that even the cream of the handmade crop can be purchased more affordable by simply searching "unicorn charm" and "chain" under the supplies category? What moral responsibilities do sellers have in not overpricing their goods, even if the market is willing to pay higher prices?

unexpected joys, a reflection on selling online

2010-07-09T22:23:00.003+10:00

I was flipping through my ideas notebook today and found an old page on which I first started brainstorming the ideas that would later manifest into Faunfare. I’ve kept my store on Etsy for about two months now and I felt it was high time I spent a few moments reflecting on what has transpired so far, both on stage and behind the scenes. Those of you who have known me some time know that I had a brief run with a jewellery store around this time on Etsy last year, but it drained me physically, psychologically, and emotionally to maintain it. I admire those who run successful jewellery businesses and seem to retain as much passion in making hundreds of pieces as they would in making a single piece for a beloved friend, but I wasn’t able to find that for myself. I very quickly became discouraged.

Before I started Faunfare, I composed a list of philosophies I vowed to keep in mind so to avoid falling into the trap of jadedness. These comprised of:

“Creating for a sacred purpose”; not seeing my actions as solely functional towards a business goal, but also a spiritual one. I flirted with the idea at this point of privately dedicating Faunfare to Dionysus, the Greek God of Wine, and celebrating each sale with a small drink. However, I’m glad I never committed to this because I’m a cheap drunk and I would have likely felt very ill. Nevertheless, I found it quite fantastic when on Midsummer I received three sales of three items consecutively. Maybe not divine intervention but still pretty fun.
“Friendships come first, sales come last”; this one saved my sanity on many occasions when I caught myself lamenting over my lack of sales. I reminded myself to see Etsy as a paid social networking service for meeting kindred spirits. In the short time I have run Faunfare, I have traded with five amazing people, almost all of whom I keep in touch with on a weekly or even daily basis. I have collaborated with an old friend, and as such, rekindled correspondence that was suspended when I took a break from Etsy. One of my lovely buyers inspired Midsummer, while a couple more offered motivation and support to list Jack the Ripper and Gaslight, two highly experimental scents that for a while was only available to purchase under the table.
“Share knowledge liberally and generously”; I have met both crafters who were very vague about how they create their wares and evasive about answering questions and those who were more than happy to lay their cards on the table, even sharing tutorials and links to suppliers on their personal blogs. I respect that while the nature of some things, such as jewellery, can be quite easily replicated if others had access to the same charms and findings, and not every artist should be expected to reveal how they created their works, I have to confess I find those who are open and honest with their knowledge freaking sexy. And I always aspire to be sexy.

Many events have also given me cause to do merry jigs around the burrow. Most recently, I was contacted by a friendly buyer who ordered 27 mini vials of my blend, Golden Lyre, which was inspired by Apollo, as she is about to direct Alcestis, in which our melodious deity features. You can find her production blog here. She’s preparing to gift members of her cast and crew with a mini vial each to thank them for their participation. Sometimes, you’re pottering around your apothecary while you read myths and ruminate and read more myths before concocting eccentric, conceptual, symbolic blends that you fear maybe no one else will appreciate, you are proven so wrong in the best way by a band of frolicsome fauns. Moments like this just make my heart leap.

welcome respite

2010-07-05T16:57:00.000+10:00

You likely won’t hear too much from me over the next 3 weeks. I’m leaving for Amsterdam next Monday and until then, I’ll be preparing for my presentation and reading up on how to survive a 22-hour flight. I’ve only presented at one conference before this, a discourse conference in Auckland last year, which had quite a relaxed atmosphere. I’ve heard that the standards for this one are higher, but despite this, I’m still waiting on them to release some kind of programme so I know when and which day I’m presenting and how much time we’re allocated for our talk. I’ve put off a surprisingly vast amount of decisions, and only a couple of days ago did The Cat ask me to double-check whether or not I need an adapter plug when I’ve been telling him for a few weeks, “I’m sure I don’t”. Well, it turns out I do!

One of my friends who is spending the rest of the year in a country town three hours drive from Sydney teaching at a local high school has been maintaining a superb vlog. I’m considering doing a vlog myself just for the purposes of my trip to Amsterdam. Some of you might know that I heard some recent bad news that my trip, despite being for a conference, was unexpectedly going to leave me out of pocket about a thousand dollars. It’s actually turning out to be a blessing in disguise because it’s motivated me to be more adventurous, exploring other options like taking a train to my hotel for 4€ instead of a taxi for 40€. I even managed to book my hotel room online for cheaper than what the special university partnership discount offered. More money for souvenirs!

Aside from working on my presentation, my mind and paws have been well-occupied with completing a formidable order two friends of mine made for 200 bottles of both perfume and massage oils for their wedding favours. The 20kg box of bottles arrived at my doorstep on Monday morning and I’m pleased to say that as of Saturday, all 400 bottles have been blended, poured, capped and boxed away, leaving only the last step of printing labels to do. Fortunately, the groom and bride were very happy with the first label design I drafted up so there is little editing I have to do.

monday moments

2010-06-28T10:48:00.000+10:00

My first macerated oil made from green tea.

This week, I'm grateful for...

My latest order of essential oils, which has allowed me to experience the divine olfactory heaven of ambrette seed, myrrh, balsam of tolu, tuberose, neroli, fir needle, nutmeg, and coriander.
Receiving complimentary tickets to see Sex & the City 2, which was great fun and hilarious.
Late nights spent watching the first season of The Tudors.
An upcoming week of sun and kind relief from a gloomy month of cold and damp.
This undying creative energy.

markets

2010-06-22T19:09:00.000+10:00

I’m quite disappointed today as I had cleared my schedule with the intention to work productively on my conference presentation and spend the evening at an old friend’s to celebrate Winter Solstice with a dinner party, but I spent it instead nursing a killer migraine. I hoped it would go away but ended up admitting defeat at around 3, when I took some painkillers, and crawled back in bed. Days like this you’re even more grateful for the cats in your life who take care of you. Salmon is taking a bath on my lap now and keeping my legs warm in the process, while The Cat is on his way home from work and will make me potato bake with some organic russet potatoes we bought from the market last weekend.

I mentioned the farmers’ market in my Monday Moments post briefly, but I think it deserves a little more attention. On Saturday, I went to the Eveleigh Markets here in Sydney with The Cat and a friend who was a little more of a pro than we were to the art of market shopping. Turns out his experience and guidance were more valuable than we could imagine as we found market shopping harder than it looks! First of all, I found it incredibly confronting that the people who harvest and create the products are right there, watching your every reaction as you sample their food. I found myself nodding fervently and making “mmm” sounds when I wasn’t even particularly finding the thing I was tasting delicious, which meant that when they announced the price, I felt cornered into either coming up with a thinly veiled excuse of how I didn’t want it to go bad in my bag and will come back around to pick it up on my way out or the more likely scenario, buying something. One thing I found myself doing a lot to counteract feeling pressured into buying something I didn’t need or want was the browse-from-afar tactic. More than once, I caught myself straining my neck on my tippy-toes, trying to read the distant signs and make out the wares before I approached and got myself caught in a sticky web of white lies.

You’ll also remember my recent post about how I’m a hopeless anti-spender who suffers from chronic buyers’ remorse, well, I’m trying to remedy that but I still need to take baby steps. The Cat and I were walking past one stall when one of the owners called us over to try. They make pastes and sauces and offered us some to taste. They were cooking some rendang at the time, a Malaysian dish that The Cat actually knows how to make and has successfully pulled off a few times already. It was yummy but I didn’t think it was as good as what The Cat makes, and even though The Cat is adverse to pre-mixed ingredients from a jar, he’s even more of a pushover than I am and I believe (even though he denies it) that he bought a jar because the stall owners were friendly and not because he actually intends to use it.

I think about it from the stall owners’ perspectives and can see how if I had a stall selling perfumes and offered free samples and testing, I would have absolutely no problems with people trying all of my perfumes yet not purchase anything. If they didn’t like any of my scents or thought my prices were too high, big whoop. I would still rather them try and decide they didn’t want to buy any, than admire my perfumes from afar but remained too shy to come up and speak to me. I’m definitely going to need to learn to build a thicker skin about these things if I want to go back!

While I was there, I noticed some posters advertising an arts and craft market they run on the first Sunday of every month. I asked around, did some research, and read up on craft shows on the Etsy website. The general consensus seems to be that the Eveleigh Markets are still quite new and not as busy as some of the more establishes ones, but the crowd is really good and well-targeted to those who appreciate handmade. I’m pretty keen to try running a market stall, simply out of curiosity for the experience rather than any motivation to make sales. The biggest hurdle it appears is in the need to apply for public and product liability insurance, and although I have done a bit of research and it seem to be a small amount (a hundred or so a year), that’s a fortune for someone who may very well only be doing one market.

I’m going to do a lot more research and report back when I’m ready to take the leap!

monday moments

2010-06-21T22:12:00.000+10:00

Mr Leafhead Rootpants, my mandrake felted toy. This little guy will not be going in my store, no, he's too special. He'll be sent off to protect a bottle of my Mandragora perfume when I send one to Andrea.

The Cat is currently working on a new, temporary shift with a Sunday to Thursday work week, so last Friday marked the start of our weekend, which threw me off of my routine and I forgot all about my weekly blog post. It’s a few days late but “Monday Moments” sounds pretty swish with its alliteration anyway, so here it is.

This week, I'm grateful for...

Visiting my first farmers’ market with The Cat and our friend and bringing home the sweetest organic pumpkin I have ever tasted for our ravioli.
Feeling challenged and excited by the prospect of having my own market stall some day in the near future.
Completing exam marking, which will contribute a tidy sum to my bank account for extra spending in Amsterdam.
The Winter Solstice.

swaps and trades

2010-06-17T20:41:00.000+10:00

This week, an interview with me has been published on the Folk Reveries Etsy team blog. One of the questions asked was what my favourite thing about selling on Etsy is and I passionately proclaimed my love for trades. When I first opened a jewellery store on Etsy last year, the idea of trading seemed very foreign to me. Admittedly, I was selling quite well and I was reluctant to give away something, especially when it was one-of-a-kind and I was confident that it could be sold. Although I didn’t intend to do any trading, there were two people whose offers I could not resist—Andrea, and Kari of Clementiny Clothing. Months after closing down my store, the drawing I traded with Andrea continues to be displayed proudly on my bookshelf and the custom dress Kar made for me, with fabric I picked out myself, remains one of my favourite pieces to wear. My surprisingly touching experiences have proven that there are numerous sources of wealth and that of friendship is far more valuable to me than monetary profit. I also found myself with some leftover stock that cluttered my workspace for weeks and every time I looked at them, I was overwhelmed with the regret that I didn’t just give them away. (By the way, I did find the opportunity to give them all away to a wonderful bookbinder!)

I was thrilled to receive three parcels in the mail this week from trades with new friends. The first to arrive was a charming fluffy sage headband from Tianna of Tetrik. Tianna contacted me a few weeks ago as we’re both members of Indie Free Spirits. At 20, the elegance of her accessories and jewellery pieces and her masterful use of colour is still years beyond the work I’ve seen of people twice her age. I was immediately captivated when I saw her headband; the soft, cool greens emanate calm and serenity. Despite being such a talented designer, she is so down-to-earth and I feel really humbled she agreed to trade with me.

Even though Tianna packed the headband securely in a padded envelope, I was horrified when the vintage glass beads scattered out of the parcel as well. Unfortunately, the smaller beads on the focal component had come undone on the journey but they were otherwise intact. With a brass headpin and my pliers, I managed to get them back on and the lovely headband was salvaged!

After my bleak day yesterday, coming home to find Di’s letter in my mailbox was a burst of sunshine so bright it was almost tangible. She found me through Folk Reveries and wrote me the nicest email. As a half-rabbit and half-unicorn, she totally gets me and we hit it off straight away. She made for me a trio of whimsical feather creations, including a pair of earrings, a headband, and a necklace. Each has a distinct and unique style that I can see myself rocking for different occasions--the earrings would be so cool for a party or concert, the black feather necklace that looks like it just floats on the collarbone would look breathtaking with a black dress at a formal event, and the exquisite headband, well, I would wear that just about anywhere. The Cat said it looked totally flapper, which made me smile. You can find her creations at Dear Oh Deer.

One day, I hope to own one of her paintings. There is just something so enigmatic about Untitled Moon I.

In the letter that accompanied her package, she brought up the question of why these connections don’t happen more often and I wonder the same thing.

must be bunny bashing day

2010-06-16T21:55:00.000+10:00

I know I rarely post about bad things that happen to me here in this blog. Despite the logic that a little venting can be cathartic and therapeutic, I find committing it to writing and publishing the petty details of everything I perceive to be unfair in my life never made me feel any better about the situation, while also making me feel like a bit of a wanker for going on about it in the first place. However, I do admire people who are honest about not only their achievements, strengths, and joys, but also have the courage and honesty to share the vulnerable moments where they have been made aware of their weaknesses and limitations. Today was one of those days that I was made aware of my weaknesses and suffered for them.

About four weeks before I’m due to leave for Amsterdam, I discovered the bad news that my university did not have the funding this semester to cover all the expenses for my conference and will leave me $1000 out of pocket. Due to a misunderstanding of how to ‘best’ fill out my application form, I’ve been granted $200 less than everyone else. A colleague advised me to speak to the person in charge and all the way into campus, I prepared a gentle and diplomatic way to implore her help. That all went out the window from the moment I walked in through the door and she began with, “What do you want?”

I’ve worked in customer service for a bank and understand what it’s like when problem customers come in demanding things out of your control. I went in predisposed to empathising with her, after all, she just had to deliver the news to 100 people that they would be getting $1000 less than they anticipated, some of whom had already come back from conferences thinking they would be completely reimbursed, but I left feeling like a punching bag for all her frustrations. Sometimes, I wonder if it is that I try to be nice and apologetic about taking up their time that people think they can get away with lashing out at me. My colleagues and I at the bank used to really resent the fact that when nice customers are given bad news, they thank you for your time and leave, but arrogant ones who throw tantrums end up getting what they want.

I was really upset after the encounter, mostly at myself for getting so wounded by the notion of monetary loss. You know how the stereotype of females is that we love to shop and can’t stop spending money? I kind of wish I had a mild case of that, because I seem to be utterly incapable of spending money or when I do, I suffer from chronic buyer’s regret. I have a few friends like me, usually those who grew up frugally, and no matter how hard they work, how much they accomplish, and how much they earn, they still live on private label instant noodles. I definitely don’t think a life of superficial materialism and needless wastage is anything to aspire to, but unless I change my mentality, I will always be impoverished, in mind if not in wallet.

There’s a phrase in Mandarin called “潇洒” (pronounced “shao sar”), which literally translates to dashing and refined, but in particular, capture the sense of someone whose manner is elegantly unrestrained. I think my friend Fiona captures this term. She is far from anyone you would deem wasteful or ostentatious, I wouldn’t even think of her as a big-spender. But when it is appropriate, she is not afraid to enjoy life in style (as the rest of us cheap bastards sigh in relief as she picks up the cheque). When her and I used to share supply orders together from the US when we made jewellery as a hobby, she would always order the most beautiful, breathtaking crystal drops and metals and share them with me, while I was always too big of a coward to splurge on the high quality materials and end up with a pathetic collection of sad, irregular beads.

So I’m having an “I’m a loser” day, which to tell you the truth, I’m personally preferring to the “I’m a genius” month I’ve been having until now. I was fortunate that a colleague had scheduled a coffee date at the last minute so I didn’t have to go home and spending the afternoon alone. She treated me to Nutella crepes and choc-mint frappes, which has to be the best comfort food I could have asked for, and encouraged me to share my gripes about paying for my own business trips.

I’m going to call it a night early today, have a hot shower and curl up in bed with this hilarious chapter-by-chapter Twilight review my friend Rajita recommended.

announcing nocturne flora

2010-06-13T12:29:00.003+10:00

Exactly one year ago, I was a jaded jewellery maker selling mediocre, cliché jewellery on Etsy. I decided that before I went mad, I needed something more authentic to fuel the creative flames, so I took a leap of faith and ordered a set of essential oils to try in July. The result was an opening line of four scents, including ‘White Poplar’, ‘Golden Lyre’, and ‘Huntress’, each inspired by Greek mythology, as well as a fourth called ‘Silent Woods’. My first sale of a pack of all four samples went to a woman in La Mirada, California. I was really nervous when I mailed them out to her, but the kind words she wrote back—“your fragrances are ethereal and they are just what I am looking for in a world that is too fast and too commercial”—gave me warmth, encouragement, and a sense of fulfilment I had so missed from running a jewellery store I didn’t love. Little did I know that even a year later, Andrea and I would remain dear friends.

A few weeks ago, we began a creative endeavour together as a partnership between my store and her upcoming emporium of hand-blended teas and dolls, The Kindly Owl. We have long shared a fascination with the deadly mandrake root and a series of novel-length emails later, we decided we would honour the beautifully misunderstood plant, and all its hauntingly beautiful friends, in a line of collaborative works called Nocturne Flora.

An established artist, Andrea has already drawn and sold numerous mandrake artworks and printed postcards. She has also created the prototypes to an amazing mandrake doll, ingeniously stuffed with a blend sleeping herbs. I contributed to the line, ‘Mandragora’, a bitingly venomous blend of patchouli, amber (from a plant-based accord), and petitgrain that is as smoky and intoxicating as its namesake. I’m also currently refining the fourth variant of a blend based on hemlock, the poison that purportedly killed Socrates.

Today, we reach the first milestone of our creative collaboration as we list our first items from Nocturne Flora to our stores.

I’m so grateful to Andrea for her continual warmth and encouragement, and my support network here in Sydney, including The Cat, my friends and my blog readers, for your patience and unconditional support in answering my tedious questions about whether 2ml or 3ml bottles of perfumes better strikes a chord in your soul. Crafting for love can sometimes take the backseat when you turn your hobbies into a business. Adamant of not turning into a jaded perfumer, I have focussed my energies with Faunfare on connecting with kindred spirits through trades and collaborations far more than I ever spend on listing products, promotion, and generating sales. And I have never felt happier with my work.

Andrea's art can be found at Little Big Head as well as her Etsy store. She also blogs at Cider & Faun.

friday moments

2010-06-11T23:18:00.000+10:00

A bottle of a yet-to-be-released scent blended especially for my Down Under Street Team (DUST) swap partner, Narelle, of Ruby Victoria.

This week, I'm grateful for...

A good tête-a-tête with my dad.
Whittaker’s Fresh Toasted Coconut Block and hot tea to stave off the bone-chilling cold.
Hilarious hours spent watching The Big Bang Theory with The Cat.
A powerful creative momentum which has driven me to produce two more perfume blends in the last week.

getting out of the funk

2010-06-07T10:53:00.000+10:00

Today is the first day of Student Vacation, where students at my university have a week off between the last week of semester and the first week of exam to stress, binge eat/drink, and cram 13 weeks of knowledge in one night. For me, this will be a serendipitous week between my last day of tutoring, exam marking, and writing my conference paper, where I find myself with no pressing demands from work and am free to spend crafting to my heart’s content.

I was feeling a tiny bit despondent last week, irrationally frustrated with myself that I have not managed to recreate the explosive success I had with my jewellery store on Etsy last year. I think it’s a bit of a cliché—to do something that surpasses all your expectations but then its success dwarfs everything else you attempt after. I’m just trying to not let the funk cause Faunfare to implode. When I wondered aloud the other evening, “Why do I bother have an Etsy store anyway? Why not just make perfumes for my friends?”, it was up to The Cat to remind me that I have met and made friends with a small handful of people I met through Faunfare already, who took the time to write and tell me how much they appreciate what I do. That notion cheered me right up! I sent off two amazing trades last week for some very cool feather jewellery and accessories and am putting the finishing touches on a felted forest playscene for an incredible woman who is making me a sweater in return.

Nevertheless, I would still like to challenge and drive myself further out of this funk and see whether or not I can turn it around, but I can’t do this without your help. It would mean a lot to me if you could provide me with some of your personal insights into what you are looking for in a perfume store and what makes you swoon, delight and covet! :) Please feel free to take a stab at these questions even if you have never purchased perfume oils from me, or ever, in the past.

Product range: Which do you find more appealing? A limited perfume line with 6-10 scents, but which all appear to be really refined, or a vast collection of scents that could have you trying samples for the next year?
Descriptions: Succinct descriptions of what the perfume smells like with attention on its concept and the emotions evoked (e.g. “Bitingly venomous ambrette seed smoulders in this cruel blend of poisonous root and bittersweet sin”) or extensive profiles of the oils used and their history and/or therapeutic qualities (e.g. “Petitgrain: This fresh and woody oil comes from the green twigs of the bitter orange tree. It is uplifting and reduces fatigue and stress. Ambrette seed: etc.”)?
Photographs: Do you mind perfume stores that take photographs of unlabelled bottles and use those images for all their perfumes, or do you appreciate it significantly more when they take individualised photographs of each of their scents?
Materials and price: My current perfumes cost $12 USD for a 5ml bottle, using all natural essential oils with a carrier base of golden jojoba, vitamin e, and glycerine. Variations on the carrier oil, and thus the final cost include, a) fractionated coconut oil—$10, b) grapeseed—$9, and c) rice bran oil—$8. Jojoba is extremely nourishing for the skin and has the longest shelf life, but there is little discernible difference between the oils.
Essential oils: Do you prefer perfumes made exclusively with essential oils, or a blend of high quality (synthetic) fragrance oils that will ultimately allow for a wider range of exotic notes that cannot/should not be found naturally (e.g. apples, amber, musk) and create a longer-lasting perfume?
Packaging: Do you like beautifully wrapped and packaged perfume bottles with ribbons, charms, rose petals lining the box, tags and/or gift cards, knowing that it will be absorbed into the price, or would you rather know you are paying for little else aside from the perfume oil?

friday moments

2010-06-04T23:01:00.000+10:00

This week, I'm grateful for...

Two years married to my Cat.
The end of Semester 1 2010!
Dinner with my colleagues of delicious dim sims on my lecturer.
Stupendously encouraging feedback from my supervisors on my paper for Amsterdam.
An unexpected but highly welcome travelling companion for Amsterdam… Fiona!
The beautiful rain (when I was fortunate enough to be enjoying it from the cosy indoors and not wading through knee-deep ravines).
Three amazing trades, ready to be created, packed and shipped this weekend.
Fun custom perfume blending sessions.

midnight outside the opium den

2010-05-30T23:34:00.000+10:00

Despite the last few hectic days, I managed to work on a pet project that I had dreamed about making for some time. It’s a more intimate gathering of my friends and patrons of Faunfare, who meet to share reviews, pictures and discussions of my perfumes. There’s even a place there for me to consult with friends on blending custom signature scents. You can find it at The Faun’s Wardrobe.

After an impromptu brunch, The Cat and I met up with some other friends of us, including one very cool engaged couple. I met them the previous weekend for a wild night out on the town and offered to make them custom perfumes for their wedding day. The groom challenged me with an incredible brief to create for him a dark and sinister scent, overflowing with pure sexuality and served with a side of absinthe. The bride told me of her fondness for spicy, androgynous fragrances. I was so inspired that I stayed up until 3am that night after returning home and blended a few variations in bed, while The Cat snored beside me.

They tried them for the first time on Saturday and they really seemed to love it! They had a few requests for alterations, which I couldn’t rush home to incorporate fast enough, and I really think I have something pretty fantastic brewing here…

'Jack the Ripper'; a Victorian gentleman with a calm and composed façade, faintly scented with powdered violet and jasmine, barely restraining an alter ego of pure, concentrated sexuality frothing with vice and debauchery. All drowned down with a tall crystal glass, swirling with iced absinthe. Notes of sandalwood, frankincense, violet, jasmine, smouldering ambrette seed, cinnamon, wormwood and aniseed.
'Gaslight'; a still night at the end of a cobblestone alley. The faint scent of a woman’s perfume, sparkling wine and ill judgement still clings to the air, beckoning Jack towards his next prey. Notes of sandalwood, frankincense, violet, jasmine, cinnamon and bergamot.

It made me realise something. I might love blending perfumes, but I live for creating custom blends. It’s infinitely more difficult, but when you get it right, it’s like all the stars align and for a fleeting moment, you understand the meaning of life.

My friends loved my blends so much that they are commissioning me to make their wedding favours based on the scents. They are generously offering their 200 guests a sample bottle of massage oil and a smaller bottle of aromatherapy oil/bath oil/reed diffusers (yet to be decided) each.

The highlight of my weekend was to no doubt, see my friend who had hitched a ride back to Sydney from Parkes, where she has been teaching at a local high school for the last month. She’s been encouraging me to follow in her footsteps and give video-blogging a try, and I think as long as my laptop can handle it, I will begin making a video or two a month alongside my writing!

an eventful semester

2010-05-30T23:12:00.000+10:00

I’m disappointed I placed up two Friday Moments in a row last week as I had hoped to find time to blog on some interesting developments in between. I was looking forward to a relaxing week of light editing and perfume blending until a colleague of mine called me on Wednesday morning and appealed to me to take on some last minute extra marking.

We’re tutoring together in a large, 2nd-year course with around 500 students, 19 classes, with 3 other tutors. We’re the only two with previous tutoring experience and despite most of the other tutors being really hardworking and dedicated, there’s been one that’s caused my colleague and the lecturer a lot of grief. He’s travelled here on a working holiday and despite being quite eager to land himself lots of jobs, he’s been extremely unreliable. Apparently, he frequently skips meetings at the last minute, after they have already been rescheduled just for him, and in the previous week, failed to turn up to his first class and asked my colleague to take it for him on 5 minutes notice, forcing her to miss her own Law classes. We were supposed to have finished marking these essays by this Thursday, but when my colleague called him on Wednesday just to touch base, he confessed that he barely made a dent in his 75 essays and didn’t intend to finish.
When my colleague looked through the few that he had marked, she couldn’t bear the thought of giving them back to the students because the comments would be sloppy and vague, like, “Good you talked about that, but could have done more.” He awarded one student a whopping 90/100 (a mark usually reserved for the very, very talented and diligent) and his feedback was that it was simply “the best essay” he has read “on this topic so far”. When my colleague read the student’s essay, she couldn’t even justify awarding her a mark higher than a 74.

I’m so saddened by stories of incompetent tutors like this. A university plays such a crucial role in education, yet its recruitment system allows almost anyone willing and available, to earn $80/hour with full autonomy and zero supervision. Despite this, I have so many friends who would love to be a university tutor, but talk themselves out of applying simply because they don't believe their pass degrees are good enough.