Far East branch only

If you haven’t gone for a brazilian before (gasp!), or if you’re already a huge fan of Pink Parlour, hike up your skirts tomorrow, as Pink Parlour celebrates it’s 4th Anniversary this coming Saturday (21 November 2009). Be prepared to purrrrrr like a kitten cause Pink Parlour promises fantastic waxing treats of only $8! $8 ladies!!! Sex up that kitty in you! Guys you’re welcome too (underarms & leg waxing)!

Am gonna grab the Caron Tea Tree Soothing Lotion + Bump Eraser Triple Action Lotion for only $78 (UP$106)! I’ll see you there!

Spent the day not doing some house projects I’d hoped to get around to – seemed like a good day to kick back and just chill a bit….So I spent the time I’d planned on doing some Fall Clearing Out working up this hat.  It’s a variation on the L.A.M.B inspired hat on Ravelry.  (Modeled by my ever fabulous yet very serious youngest.)

I decided to use Caron Eco Soft just ’cause. Figured it was worth a whirl, and would turn out with a nice texture/feel. It did, but based on the exact pattern it’s a bit small for me – which is a shame, as it’s kinda fun.

I was thinking of gifting it, but it’s a bit funky for most of the potential recipients I can think of. I may give it to Eldest Son’s girlfriend – she *does* have a birthday coming up and she’s a petite little thing. I’ve no doubt it’d fit her well. My only thought is whether she’d like it….Hmm.

LOL – on the other hand, Youngest just reminded me that *his* birthday is in a few days as well, and he’s pretty fond of the hat as well.  He has just enough panache to pull it off, too – da boy knows how to wear clothes.  Certainly doesn’t get that from me. o.O

Two more pics are below – sorry that last one is blurry – as you might be able to tell, I took these in a hurry.

Looks like I’d better get on the ball if I’m going to get this post in today, for NaBloPoMo. o.0 Whew. I wanted inspiration to write more, but ZOMG, ya know?

I’ve been crocheting like mad – working on different projects, trying to improve my technique and also really enjoying learning to *make* things!  I’ve got some mistakes and tribulations to share, as well as some really basic FOs, but not today, methinks – thought I’d stick to showing you a couple of hats.

Firstly, I should mention I mostly taught myself to crochet with the Klutz Learn to Crochet kit book.   I love that book – it’s the one I kept referring to when I was trying to sort out the basic stitches – lots of good pics and good descriptions. *However* I never really groked the front loop, back loop, both loops thing and I pretty much taught myself using just the front loop.  I’m sure you can imagine what my (newbie) projects all look like.  o.0

When I got Crochet the Complete Guide the first thing I started working on was the Basic Single Crochet Hat pattern.  However, I knew I wasn’t going to have enough yarn (part of a skein of Caron’s Simply Soft Eco in Ocean), so I didn’t make the hat anywhere near as long as it should have been.  Also, since all my stitches went into the front loop, the texture came up very differently than Ms. Davis intended.  Still, my Eldest seemed pleased enough:

A couple more silly pics of said hat and boy:

Hopefully I didn’t crop these too small for you to  see the ribbed effect my stitches gave the hat. Ah well, I learned something, and it’s warm, and he seems happy enough with it, so it’s all good, yes?

Anyhoo, I was reading The Complete Guide when I came across a note about how, unless specified, the hook always goes through both loops.  Whoo-boy.  After an educational spin around YouTube (Lots of good crochet how-to videos there!) I took a couple of minutes to oh, roll my eyes and sigh dramatically, but then I took to working on new projects that involved really basic stitches.  One of them was a rework on this same pattern using Peaches & Creme Shaded Denim worsted weight. (have a big cone of it I got for $3 bucks @ Wally-World).  Things went swimmingly for a while:

About 5 steps after this, however, I crocheted half a row just in the front stitch.  It looked *really* wonky, so I frogged it back to the mistake and promptly lost track of my increases.  I have *no* idea how I should have recovered from this – it was really hard work counting all those stitches and looking for increases.  If anyone has advice on this I’m all ears!

I eventually decided to salvage what I had done, quit making increases, and just finished the hat off for Youngest Son.  It’s not perfect, but I think it turned out well enough, and YS is pleased:

See you tomorrow!

Back when I first began attempting patterns I was looking for some wrist warmers (one of my favorite accessories). I cam across a cute pair on a website called Creative Yarn called Crochet Openwork Handwarmers.

Now much as I loved the pattern I had to put my own spin on it. Mine are a little long and don’t have the thumb hole, because my thumb fits comfortably through the spaces.

Here are some pics of the first one finished.

I had to go into town, so while I was there I hit up Tuesday Morning and Wally-World looking for budget-friendly yarn.  I’m still a newbie, so I wasn’t looking for anything fine, just workable and practical yarn for a beginner.

Tuesday Morning was mostly a bust, ‘though there were two small packets of  Bernat Organic Cotton.   I didn’t think it was a good enough deal at the time (three balls for $4.99) so I didn’t get it.  In retrospect, looking at the Herrschner’s Yarn Sale, I guess it was a decent deal.  Ah well.  The Lion Brand Homespun *definitely* wasn’t at a good enough price.  Actually, I wasn’t hugely impressed by the whole store – the prices weren’t what I’d call…a bargain.

I  dropped by Wal-Mart’s craft section while I was out – I got 2 skeins of Caron’s Simply Soft Eco in White and one in Natural, as well as two Red-Heart Super-Savers, one in Dark Sage, and one in Claret – all for a dollar a piece.  The latter two I view as practice yarn more than anything else – a bit scratchy, but good for practice scarves, hats, etc.  The Caron yarn I love – I had already bought a skein of Ocean on sale ($2) for my middle son – he wanted a “lovey” blanket to cuddle under, which I did make – I didn’t think to photograph it, though – guess I should.  Their Simply Soft Eco line is really soft, though a bit friable – hard to keep from separating strands, sometimes.  The fun thing is – it’s partially made of recycled plastic bottles.

Today’s yarn is miles (probably literally….) of random second-hand acrylics.  Since everyone knows I knit so much, I get handed yarn often.  Isn’t that great?!

Green acrylic my grandma gave me

White acrylic my grandma gave me

Yellow acrylic my grandma gave me

Purple acrylic my grandma gave me

Cream acrylic my grandma gave me

Brown acrylic my grandma gave me

Blue Caron Simply Soft Kasey gave me

Fun variegated Red Heart Hannah gave me

Well, that’s enough for the time being.  More random skeins tomorrow!

I knitted two sweaters on the way to Vermont and back. On the white one (of course) I spilled a couple of drops of tea. When we got home, I decided to pretreat the sweater before putting it in the wash. The yarn was “Canon Simply Soft Eco”, a synthetic blend. Knowing that I could not use any product with bleach in it, I use Oxyclean. In a very few minutes the sweater had turned bright yellow in the spots where I had sprayed the Oxyclean. I have not been able to wash the stains out. Needless to say I am rather upset that the sweater was ruined! It represented only about $10 in yarn but at least 15 hours of knitting. I checked the label of both the Oxyclean and the yarn. There is no warning about the application of the spot treater on acrylic/polyester blends, in fact one of the recommended uses is for upholstery: just the general warning to test on an inconspicious spot. The yarn had no warning about spot removers, not even bleach. Needless to say it will be the last sweater I will make out of that yarn, especially for kids.

Hello and welcome back.

Things have been picking up at Caron Electric as you can see I have not had much time to update our blog. I have exciting news I would like to share with my consumers and readers. Everyone has gone through some hardships with the economy taking a turn for the worse. Of course we had to make some tough decisions to assure Caron Electric would be around for years to come. Because of those decisions we have been able to slowly reposition ourselves for future expansion. That time has come and we recently added another electrician to our work force. Our newest electrician Brian is fully licensed and has many years of experience working in both the residential and commercial electrical field. So while other companies are still trying to get a handle on their future Caron Electric’s is burning brighter then ever.

Another even more exciting change here at Caron Electric for our customers is the reduction of our pricing by 10%. As the competition is greater than ever we knew the best way to stay competitive would be an overhaul of our pricing. I am happy to announce we are in our final stage of preparation to bring our new pricing manual to the field.

This upcoming Fall Season will have many opportunities to use our services and save money, take advantage today! If you have not already signed up for our email promotions and discount program take a moment out to email me at service@caronelectric.com

I started this project a couple weeks ago and have been working on it on and off. It is my second attempt at the Mermaid Moebius Cowl pattern I purchased from Life, Love & Yarn. This time I used Caron’s Simply Soft in Autumn Red for the base section, the edging is being done in Caron Simply Shadow Autumn. Can’t imagine why I’m calling this project Autumn Cowl can you. ; )

Any ways here are some pictures of the project in process. First there are pictures of the yarn skiens, then the base in process, then it all ready for edging, followed by a few pictures of the cowl with the edging in process, finished with a few close ups of the edge.

Mike died overnight at the Market Street Mission.

To be more precise,

they stuck a shiv somewhere into the seven true ribs,

costae verae,

probably between rib 3 and 4.

Quietly his warm red blood

spilled across the cold floor –

through the thin mattress

which he had returned to each night

for the last week.

A gray wool blanket matted frozen to his chest

when Sam tried to awake him that morning.

No one looked too hard for a murderer –

70 men had come and gone that evening and morning

and each was capable of this act when the spirits moved them.

The police were casual for the same reason.

Perfunctory.

70 suspects and 70 witnesses each with the same address:

This place – the Market Street Mission – yet no place.

None of them were in,         

literally and figuratively.

Even the innocent ones weren’t so innocent.

Few would be able to identify their first-name-only fellow travelers

despite the fact they shared the same haunts, day and night,

never really seeing each other.

As the medical examiner’s team lifted Mike onto the gurney

and loaded him into the black bag

something dropped from his clinched fist

which the officers should have discovered – if they cared to look.

Last night, as with every evening,

Mike slept clutching his Marworth medallion

just as he clutched his crucifix each evening as a young boy.

“Lord, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change –

The courage to change the things I can-

And the wisdom to know the difference.”, read the inscription. 

You see, no one freely chooses death when life and hope are an option.

Mike was a 5 timer –

Carrier, Alina Lodge, Caron and Marworth twice. –

The last time he got kicked out for wrapping himself in bandages

as would a sophomore in a college joke.

An airline pilot, he found the thread

that would weave his death in the Air Force in Afghanistan,

where, while burning off a field of mature Poppies

the aroma triggered a hidden gene he could not control –

later fed by the morphine administered to get him past the shrapnel.

Tonight his mother would cry again – but not over today’s death.

No one knew Mike’s last name

and with his last known address only: “Market Street Mission”,

they could not call her.

She had cried over his death a thousand times already,

the living passing away that took him.

She cried until the tears ran dry – and then she cried again.

A month later the Sergeant would find the fingerprint card

tossed aside in a stack of papers.

When submitted, it marked a hit

in the Department of Defense data base.

Someone notified his mother and dispatched a proper escort

with his Purple Heart,

which he had neglected to pick up, or tell anyone about.

The examiner’s attendant placed the Medallion back in his hand

and folded the fingers tightly.

With a little luck the coin would be overlooked and

he would be buried with it in the potter’s field.

When they exhumed the body at his mother’s request

her purple heart would shatter yet again

when the undertaker handed her

the medallion of hope Mike carried,

on the evening when all hope was finally snuffed out.

At 1 pm that afternoon Mr. KT awoke in the park 4 blocks away.

He casually ignored the blood on his hands.

He had seen it before, probably from scrounging around the

dumpster in back of a restaurant.

He stumbled to the water fountain, took a drink and began to scrub -

blood off his hands

and from his Marworth Medallion

which he had slept holding last night.

You see, no one freely chooses murder when life and hope

are an option.

When finished, he wondered what was for dinner that evening

at the Market Street Mission.

 Ray Brown

I have officially decided that the most fulfilling fragrance experiences come from visiting boutiques that focus on one perfume line. This became quite clear to me when I visited the Strange Invisible Perfumes boutique in Los Angeles earlier this summer, and was validated again when I spent time in both the Caron and Frederic Malle boutiques in New York City last week. Frederic Malle does not technically have a boutique in NYC, but the corner his perfume line occupies within Barney’s might as well be one, with its glass partitions, comfy couch and small but ample scent bar.

Let’s begin with Caron, as that was my first stop on what was a very hot and muggy day in the city. Luckily, Diane of whom I had heard so much about, was at the boutique and offered me a seat upon which to gaze at the regal crystal urns before me. I think she could sense my initial bewilderment at the 12 vessels and multitude of bottles, so she just began to spray and hand me test strips. Diane eased me into the Caron experience with her patience, wit, and knowledge of the line. But what I found most impressive, was her integrity regarding the perfumes, which most likely comes from working so intimately with a line that she truly respects.

Alpona and En Avion were the fragrances that above all, held my attention and imagination. (Amazing that the dark woodsy fragrances would appeal to me on such an oppressively humid day). And although Alpona opens with citrus; lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot, the topnotes belie its darker base of myrrh, patchouli and oakmoss. This juxtaposition was intriguing and ultimately the drydown made me crave autumnal colors and crisp air; but definitely not walking out into the sweltering urban heat! According to Diane, Alpona is no longer being created, so what she has left in her urn is all that is available.

En Avion was more floral than Alpona, and quite spicy on my skin. The top and heart are filled with rose, neroli, spicy orange, jasmine, lilac and carnation. The base is rounded out deeply with opoponax, amber, musk and wood. Diane was very sweet to give me a sample of En Avion, as it was clear I needed to spend more time with this spicy, woodsy, floral fragrance as the day outside was not lending itself to fully experiencing it at its best. Of the two, Alpona resonates more with me. Its shadowy tones make me want to move into hibernation and dream about mossy forests inhabited by the mythical creatures I tell my sons about at bedtime. Diane might get a call from me any day now, asking her to open up the tap on that urn and send me a decant of Alpona posthaste.

The above photo is one of the Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle boutiques in Paris, not Barney’s, but it gives you an idea of the aesthetic when you sit down to smell the divine fragrances Monsieur Malle has presented. I had yet another wonderful sales associate, Nathan, guide me through my first Malle experience which was surprisingly relaxing, low pressure and honestly…fun. I highly recommend you visit Barney’s on a day when Nathan is manning the Malle boutique, his customer service is excellent.

Frederic Malle, grandson to the founder of Dior perfumes, created Editions de Parfums to give the world’s best perfumers the opportunity to create fragrances without artistic limitations. The result has been some of the most compelling and frequently talked about fragrances in the beauty industry. One of which I saw mentioned in print at least three times in the week before I arrived in New York was Dominique Ropion’s Carnal Flower. Yes, Carnal Flower, that decadent blossom we know as tuberose. It can make you swoon, or suffocate. Intoxicate or nauseate, and I do believe Carnal Flower has the power to do either as well.

Some have called this “Fracas Lite”, and there’s no denying Carnal Flower owes much to its predecessor. But it’s not really “lite” as in “less filling.” We’ve got coconut and orange blossom, eucalyptus and melon to satisfy some new territory, but the narcotic tuberose is ever-present to satiate our lusty tropical desires. In fact, I was hoping for more green dewiness from the perfume, and ended up gravitating towards the lush and luxurious body cream which possesses more of tuberose’s freshness rather than its almost-over-the-top bombshell quality. I was this close to getting a jar on the spot, but realized that Barney’s infamous bag event is coming up in September (starts the 24th but you can call in your order on the 23rd) so I figured I’d wait and score the big GWP at that time. You can be sure I got Nathan’s number! 212-833-2652

Come back in a couple days for our regularly scheduled natural perfume and beauty product programming and see the organic side of NYC!

posted by ~Trish

Caron photos by Trish. Frederic Malle Boutique photo at Frederic Malle website

I’m so bored. It’s not that I don’t have a billion things I could be or should be doing. I just don’t want to. The mugginess outside has been forcing me indoors with the AC. I think I have summertime cabin fever. Pogo, knitting, Wii, Sims 3 and cleaning can only keep me entertained for so long.

Even Selune is trying to escape…

Natural Ripples Baby Afghan

I have at least made use of my unemployment time to get some gift knitting done. I’m making excellent progress on a baby blanket for my friend’s next addition due in April. I’m starting before we know what she’s having, so I kept it neutral. Actually, I like the color combo so much that I would use it to do a whole baby room if I had a kid.

The stitch pattern was from The Knitter’s Bible and is very easy to memorize.  The white rows are always three repeats of the stitch pattern, but the natural rows are arranged in a pattern of three and five stitch pattern repeats. I drew it out on paper… I just hope it looks as good in reality. With only part of the pattern done, it currently looks a bit lopsided.

I am using Caron’s Simply Soft Eco. It’s actually made in part with recycled plastic bottles. Acrylic is not my favorite choice of material, but I needed to make it easy to care for. At least this stuff is soft and doesn’t have the usual scratchy and plastic feeling of normal acrylic.

Grab you iced mochas and gather ’round for a roundup.

A few things have really caught my crafty eye this week and it’s time to share them…here goes.

Craft Corps stencil kits are available in wonderful color combos on ILovetoCreate.com and Amazon.com. There are so many options with this easy to use stencil kit from Vickie Howell that you’re going to need more than one. Stop by CraftCorps.com and sign up for the newsletter to learn about some wonderful crafters and their inspiring stories.

Etsy finds this week – Trumpet please.

Melissabeads Colorful and fun.

CatherinetteRings You have to see to believe. Excellent.

Rabbit Hollow Prims Mighty fine primitive dolls and more.

Caron Free Pattern Section There’s even a section for larger sizes and I’m currently obsessed with the crochet Mesh Scarf, Black Magic Shoulder Shrug, and the knitted Steppin’ OutPoncho.

Obesessions can be good when they lead to crafting, beauty, sharing and jumping up and down with glee when a project comes together!

Jump up – Jump down – turn it all around and have a crafty day.

Marg (Whew! Dizzy from that turn around part)

During a recent Red and White scrimmage, Colton Teubert, a Boston Bruins prospect pick body checked L.A.

Kings Jordan Caron and sent him flying into “Lala Land”. Some people may consider this a dirty hit but Teubert essentially executed a clean open ice check. Caron suffered a broken clavicle and is now unable to play for the next 6-8 weeks.

Source:
http://www.totalprosports.com/blog/index.php/2009/08/colten-teubert-hits-jordan-caron-at-wjc-video/

I wanted to take a moment out to let my readers get to know Caron Electric a bit more. If you have not done so already I ask you visit our website for a complete overview:  http://caronelectric.com/index.html 

Caron Electric is a residential and commercial electrical contractor working in Massachusetts. Our staff of experts are available 24/7 by phone or email. The owner Mr. Caron holds his Masters License and all technicians working in the field have a minimum of their Journeyman License. We carry full insurance for any and all work performed. The warranty is the best in the industry with a 3 year labor and a lifetime on parts installed.

Caron Electric provides free written estimates before any work is performed. On the initial visit our electrician will get an exact cost to you with the option of starting the work the very same day. The fleet of vehicles are service ready with 1000’s of parts at our fingertips, we don’t have to leave for supplies saving you $$. Caron works on by flat rate pricing meaning you never have to watch the clock – you will have an upfront cost that does not change once the work is started. This provides savings over your standard hourly rate company.

Caron Electric is a member of many trade organizations including but not limited to the Better Business Buereau, National Fire Protection Agency, and Angie’s list. Your in good hands.

A little bit about me (Max):

I work as the Service and Dispatch Manager and have been doing so since 2002. My duties include: customer scheduling, project timeline monitering, admistrative permitting, inspector corrospondence, stock/material procurement, and complaint resolution. I also help with the IT, Web marketing, and Brand recognition for the company. I take great pride in the wonderful relationships we have built and the incredible workmanship my techs do out in field. Previous to this employement I held similar positions in other electrical contractors stretching from Maine to Virginia.

This blog is just one of the many sites that Caron Electric is involved with. We provide exclusive specials and discounts for all our social network friends and fans. I hope to see you add us. Here is a list of some other places you can link up directly with Caron Electric.

#1.800.440.9940  or service@caronelectric.com

…if you ever need it…..I know almost all the people in this clip…this is real…this is who they are…

Watch this

Have you always wanted a Central Air conditioning system in your home or business but thought it impossible and cost prohibitive; well it is time to take a look at a Ductless Split air conditioning system. With the advancement in technology and product enhancement the ductless split air conditioning from Fujitsu/Halcyon is a perfect fit for many installations. At a fraction of the cost of a standard central air you will get all the benefits of having a central controlled cooling system. Select systems also have a heat option for supplemental heating. Halcyon products have been designed to provide zoned comfort for residential and commercial applications. Engineered to install quickly and easily without ductwork, Halcyon systems provide cooling and heating solutions where others cannot. 

A few key advantages of a Ductless Split system over a central air system or window air conditioner unit are…

1)      Quite Operation – since the system is comprised of an indoor and outdoor unit the louder components like motors and compressors can be installed outside

2)      Easy installation – the unit is feed by a copper tube running through a small 3” to 4” inch opening in the wall or ceiling to connect the indoor and outdoor units

3)      Energy Efficient – Since there are no ducts involved Halcyon systems lose less then 5% cooling vs. up to 40% on traditional forced-air systems. Higher efficiency including Energy Star Qualified units means you save money on your utility bill.

4)      Individual zoning – Cool or heat only the areas you want, or your entire home or business with multiple zone units.

5)      Environmentally Friendly – Halcyon systems use R410A refrigerant which is designed to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer.

6)      Safe and secure – Window air conditioners leave the home venerable for intruders to enter. Halcyon units are mounted high on the wall, away from the window, not compromising your security. Leaving you with a functional window and pleasant view.

     If the above advantages are not enough how about the varying equipment models and ease of installation that makes these systems a must have. Halcyon systems eliminate the need for any evaporator unit or costly and bulky ductwork installations. The thin copper tubing feeds the refrigerant directly into the discreet wall mounted units inside. Piping can often be done by routing through walls and joists to be aesthetically pleasing. The indoor units quietly distribute cooling/heating to the interior space.  With the ease of mixing and matching capacities and configurations the Halcyon units are great for even the most difficult areas to heat or cool. With the option to provide up to four separate zones with a timer and optional wired remote you are always in control of the varying comfort needs in different spaces of your home or business.

     All of these things result in a highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost effective way of bringing cooling and heating to your location. Now with even more cost savings available to you; Special incentives currently being offered are as follows…

Fujitsu Summer Relief Rebate – Up to $300 on select systems

Federal Tax Credit – 30% up to $1500 for the installation of select systems in tax years 2009/2010

     Caron Electric provides all this information as a source of knowledge to help consumers make the right decision. We provide onsite consultations and free written estimates to anyone within our coverage area. As a Fujitsu certified installer you can rest assured you will be getting the job done right.

You can reach us anytime at #800.400.9940 or by email service@caronelectric.com 

Make sure to browse our website for all the other services we provide:  http://caronelectric.com/index.html

Well, about the beginning of July I figured it would be tight, but plenty of time. Oxymoron, I know. My sister-in-law’s birthday, Aug. 17 or so I thought. My sister has a thing for horses and when I say “a thing” I mean more love and devotion than the pope has for God. So I am giving her a 24″ by 36″ horse latch hook rug.

The kit is called Galloping Horse by Caron. Well, I got it last night and did the prep work. I really started working on it today. I did some last night but epic failed so I had to redo it this morning. That; however, is a whole other post for another day. It takes me about a half hour (give or take) to complete 1 row. I did 6 rows today which is pretty good considering I woke up at 11am and only had 3 hours or so available to work on it.

Here’s the kick in the pants. You ready for it? My sister’s birthday is Aug. 7 NOT Aug 17! I have to allow for shipping time too. Hopefully I can finish it.  Suffice to say I am nervous.

The House of Caron Goose Down Powder Puffs

Caron La Poudre Fine Mineral Body Powder

The Famous Crystal Perfume Dispensers of Caron

Candy Colored Caron Perfume Bottles

160 - The House of Molinard's Newest Creation

The Molinard Home in France

Molinard Vintage Perfume Collection

Courvoisier - Legendary Cognac to Legendary Fragrance

Michel Roudnitska Introduces Ellie Nuit

From the House of Jivago - This sweet scent is selling out in Israel

Juliette Has A Gun - 'nough said

Theosiris from Creations Guy Bouchara

Pure Perfume Oils from Egypt

Sahlini Parfums - Bollywood Inspired

On my ever present quest for all things Luscious last week I ventured into the concrete jungles of New York City. Armed with my trusty camera and a killer pair of stilletto heels my expedition led me to the Perfume Expo America where the largest gathering of the perfume and cosmetics industry meet once a year. There they parade the finer things in life -  those that come bottled anyway – to merchants, journalist, and perfume fanatics alike for four days.

It was a scented safari. Pure perfume oil from Egypt wrapped in papyrus. Pink disco balls of Ibiza. Sahlini with their Bollywood potions of La Femme and Femininde. The ” Irresistible Arrogance ” that only a true Imperial company like Courvoisier can bring… anywhere. The loveliness and finesse of the Molinard family  – a cornerstone in the perfume industry – as they unveil their newest creation 160, celebrating and commemorating 160 years in the business of parfum. The perfume, crystal, puffs, and powders of Caron and so, so much more.

I will be posting some perfume reviews of all the wonderful fragrances that the very generous people of perfume have shared with me. And in the spirit of sharing I am hosting a give-away, two actually. I want to share luscious experience with you. So I am making up two sample packets and if you would like to be entered into the random drawing ,please, let me know in your comments and I will let you know who the winners are on this coming Sunday. The winners can send me their address and I will ship it out to you. This is the first give-away that iLusciousLife has done but, I hope it will be the first of many.

Remember if you would like to enter into the drawing for the mixed perfume sample packets,please, list your name in the comments. Their will be two winners!

Good Luck! 

So I am really showing the little men in my life some love right now.   I finished my new nephew’s blanket a few days ago.  He isn’t due til the end of July, so technically I will be giving the blanket to my SIL.  I used a basic granny square pattern and changed the colors every once in a while.  I wanted to use Red Heart Soft Yarn, since I already had a ball of it in Avocado.  Since it was a pretty unique color I had, I wanted the other colors to be unique, too, so I got teal and grape.  I think of it as a modern baby blanket, since it isn’t made with lighter colors, like baby blue and mint green.  I had a hard time taking a good pic, since the yarn tends to shine when I use the flash on the camera.  I hope the pics are decent.

This is the yarn I had left over from the three original balls.  I am going to use them in a fair isle hat I plan to make for myself.  I am not going to make it until I finish my garter yoke cardigan.  I want to use the leftover yarn from that project as a base color for the fair isle hat. 

My mom gave me two balls of Scarlet Red Caron Natura Yarn, and I had no idea what to do with it.  It is a little bright for a scarf and hat set, atleast for my skin tone.  I imagine that it will make my skin look orange. 

So I decided to crochet a toy for Peanut, a big red ball.  He loved it, expecially since he didn’t see me make it.  My husband has requested that I make a bunch of these balls in different colors.  He has also asked that I make a soccer ball.  I have a lot of black and white yarn, but I don’t think I have a lot of patience to make the kind of soccer ball he wants. 

I have also started making some cable socks from my Sarah Dallas Knitting book, but I have not taken any pics of them yet.  Today is laundry day, so I probably won’t be able to work on them today.  I might get some pictures up by the end of the week.

Mock Draft {not real}
1. NYI, John Tavares
2. TB, Victor Hedman
3. Col, Matt Duchene
4. Atl, Evander Kane
5. LA, Jared Cowan
6. Phx, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson
7. Tor, Brayden Schenn
8. Dal, Oliver Ekkman-Larsson
9. Ott, Ryan Ellis
10. Edm, Jordan Schroeder
11. Nas, Zach Kassian
12. Min, Nazem Kadri
13. Buf, Scott Glennie
14. Flo, John Moore
15. Ana, David Rundblad
16. Clb, Carter Ashton
17. St. L, Kyle Palmieri
18. Mon, Louis LeBlanc
19. NYR, Olivier Roy
20. Cal, Jacob Josefson
21. Phi, Peter Holland
22. Van, Dmitry Kulikov
23. NJ, Stefan Elliott
24. Was, Simon Despres
25. Bos, Landon Ferraro
26. NYI, Dylan Olsen
27. Car, Jeremy Morin
28. Chi, Philippe Paradis
29. Pit, Jordan Caron
30. Det, Ryan Button

So, the Canucks have many options to choose from with their 22nd pick. Among them are defenseman Dylan Olsen, Dmitry Kulikov, Simon Despres, Ryan Button, Charles-Olivier Roussel, Calvin De Haan, Stefan Elliott, Mathew Clark, and Nick Leddy. So you see that it would be hard to go into the draft with one player you want to pick. Rule out goalies, as Luongo has Cory Schneider if things get rough with goaltending. Plus he has backup Jason LaBarbera, though he will be a free-agent in July. The truth is, D is the only position the Canucks may lack in years to come. Mattias Ohlund may retire or leave, Shane O’Brien could be gone, and the players the Canucks are waiting for to be ready for the NHL (Cody Hodgson, Patrick White, Michael Grabner) are all forwards. Some picks could be tempting though, as speedster Landon Ferraro and Nazem Kadri could still be out there by the Canucks first rd. pick. But out of all the players, I think the Canucks should aim for picking Dylan Olsen, Dmitry Kulikov, or Stefan Elliott.

A revista “Vogue Hommes International” dedica uma reportagem ao que chama de “monumentos históricos” da perfumaria masculina e lista seus cinco maiores clássicos.
O rol começa pelo best-seller, o cítrico e canforado “Eau Sauvage” (1966), de Christian Dior, com mais de 80 milhões de frascos vendidos em 40 anos. “Como uma camisa branca bem passada, esse perfume fica ainda melhor quando é usado ‘por engano’ por jovens com uma camiseta velha”, diz a revista.
A “Vogue” considera “Kouros” (1981), de Yves Saint Laurent, o perfume mais viril e sexual, praticamente um “viagra olfativo”. Muitos consideram enjoativa a sua mistura de cravo, musgo de carvalho e incenso. “Habit Rouge” (1965), de Guerlain, é o mais aristocrático e também o mais feminino e adocicado, com notas de baunilha e couro por baixo do cítrico (bergamota e limão).
O único perfume não-francês da lista é o novaiorquino “Grey Flannel” (1975), de Geoffrey Beene, um dos primeiros perfumes masculinos francamente florais (violeta). Fragrância para homens de aparência frágil e um tanto naïve, ainda mais se esconderem “um lobo sob pele de cordeiro”, diz a reportagem.
Finalmente, a lista inclui “Pour un Homme” (1934), de Caron. Misto de lavanda, limão e baunilha, este é o “Chanel No. 5″ dos perfumes masculinos e o mais antigo ainda em produção.

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Esses acima são apontados pela “Vogue” como os perfumes mais clássicos. Os cinco favoritos da revista são “Dior Hommes”, “Amber Prada”, “Fummerie Turque” de Serge Lutens, “Grey Flannel (também na lista dos clássicos) e, em primeiro lugar, “qualquer uma” das mais de 20 fragrâncias da Comme des Garçons.