Holidaze

By this time next week we should be ready for the holidays. I will be going downtown to Scentual Artistry later today, hanging artwork, and stocking our shelves with bath an body products. Bath Salts, Body Wash, Lotions.  As well as gift boxes and misc. bath accessories. I will also be adding back to the Soivohle website our 5pc. Little Black Box. A sampler that contains hand wrapped (in our signature red Mango leaf paper) screw top vials containing 1.2ml of perfume. We will be offering several pre-selected boxes, as well as a choose your own from a drop down menu. This is a wonderful gift mini for a scent lover.
I also received an email from Lucy at Indie Perfumes. She has included us in her holiday gift guide. Thank You Lucy!
I will be placing on our soivohle website an entry form for our Meerschaum  giveaway on the 26th at our Open House. Would love to have everyone there, but if you can't attend I will be happy to place your entry in the bowl for the draw. If it were not for all the leaves on the ground I would not believe it was November. Our weather has been very mild, and I am hoping that this carries through for our holiday schedule. If you missed the posting you can get the info on our Scentual Artistry page at soivohle.com.

Soivohle Update and Friday Art Walk

I do believe I will make my Nov. 1st launch for the new Soivohle offerings. We sent out a ton of packets this week as well as the giveaway packets to those who provided a mailing address. Thanks everyone who participated.
We have an open house this Friday at Scentual Artistry, but it will not be the launch party for the new Soivohle. That will take place on November 26th. We will be sending out an invitation, and a press release.
This Fridays opening will be all about Halloween, at least that is the vibe from the PAC emails and newsletter. So rather than try and compete with Fright Night, we will have a regular opening, maybe a bit of punch and cookies. Depends on how crazy things are earlier in the day.

On another note, my shop computer is acting a bit schizophrenic. The screen goes black and there is a white vertical line running through the screen. I gather from my search on the subject that this is a glitch with the first wave of Intel mac's. So I am going to upgrade to the latest mac book pro and do away with the desktop model. At least I will be able to work in bed. Like I really need to do that, but I will have the option rather than borrowing MR. Z's notebook with the tiny screen. Hopefully it will not take long to transfer all of my files and be back up and running. .......always something.......

Soivohle Monday

I have been up for awhile, getting all of my orders printed out and now getting ready to fill them. Call me strange, but I love Mondays. The first day of the week all fresh and new. A clean slate, and opportunity to do wonderful things.
I will be adding the shopping cart code for the Accords page later today, and by the end of the week should have everything ready to upload. I will also to be lining the new Absolute boxes with satin, and am waiting for my special order to arrive. Should be here today or tomorrow.
We will also have several new gift options and the Coffret will be available in two pre-selected sets, including the make your own option that is available now. We will be adding a smaller Coffret that holds 16 mini screw top vials, also pre-selected sets, including one of accords. It is my way of adding a little make your own perfume kit, without all the fuss and bother. They will be color coded top, heart, anchor and single notes. With the twenty accords that I will be adding to the website, a 16 pc. mini set, will be perfect for blending impromptu scents. All no brainers as well, since the initial blending has already been done.
On a different note I would like to ask you all to send us some healing energy today. My nephew passed away in his sleep Friday night and my sister-in-law is quite shaken.
We never know when it will be our turn, so living our best life is so vital. Being true to ourselves and being kind and loving to others. Peace ZZ

Connecting The Dots

Just a quick post. I am in house cleaning mode today. Not my element, but it must be done. Wanted to thank everyone who came downtown last night for the Art Walk. It was a bit slow overall, but I am thinking quality over quantity. Met some awesome folks, had some great conversation, made a few sales.
Seems the new construction on the Casino will be cutting into our parking, as well as the valet service. Hopefully not taking away our lot. But I am hopeful that things will fall into place.
I really enjoy my time in the city, and wish I could be there more often. Hopefully after the changes with Soivohle go into effect, I will be able to get a better grasp on my time.
There is nothing like the experience of connecting with people face to face.
I have always been baffled by the stark difference in sales from online to boutique. People buy completely different things. Ginger Mead, a spicy somewhat gourmand Moderne Collection scent never sold online, yet is one of the best sellers in the shop. Same is true for Lavender Water and a few others. I will likely never figure it out.
I will have a sneak peek of the new Demi-Absolute bottle soon, as I have been bottling and boxing. I decided not to reorder the square crimp (32ml) and go instead with a 35ml screw on sprayer. We will have that as our main size and the chunky-mini bottle that we use for the parfums, as a travel spray, so folks can refill the mini from the larger bottle.
I am also going to change our set up downtown. The way it is now I have my testers in trays. Separated by Collection. I recently made flat table cards for the Acousticjus parfums, and will be doing the same for each of the Soivohle scents. Each card will have the notes and fragrance family listed, and the bottle will sit on the card. It is also a cleaner look, and should cut down on the overwhelming looks people have when approaching a tray of bottles. Live and learn. Always room for improvement, as I myself am a never ending work in progress. Off to clean another floor and dust more shelves.

The Future of Soivohle

I guess it is inevitable that at some point evaluation is needed. Perhaps a  set of new eyes looking at things. I recently called upon a few folks who I have a lot of respect for, in their opinions as well as business savvy. I was feeling out of sorts about Soivohle, and felt it was moving too far off target. My initial zest had turned to ugh, and I was not happy with our direction. I knew that I had some things in the works. The new packaging (if it ever gets here) and a decision to trim down the offerings in our online shop. I had done this before. Trimmed back, but this time I knew it needed to be with greater precision, and in an effort to get back to my crystal ideal, I needed to focus less on perfume-ism and more on art. After all art is what I do. I was a painter full time for thirty years, as well as a graphic/composition artist. Creating scented things was always an extension of that. Always in the background, and always something I intended to do more of when I got the time. Now that things are switched around and scent art is my main focus, I feel that it is only fair that I give it the same respect and attention I put into any other art project. So change is gonna come. While I was seeking all this sage advise on the business end, I also contacted a few of my best customers and people who know our line well. People who have been there from the beginning. Most were very gracious to help me, and for this I am most thankful. The overwhelming consensus rests in the area of parfums. It made sense, because the parfums have always been my most personal projects. Even when it was about a tie (sales wise) between the parfums and sprays. There was always a consistency there.
Recent projects like Meerschaum and NightJar were very revelatory. They brought it all home. The personal nature of these scents made it worth something to me. More than filling a gap in our scent wardrobe. More than profitability.
As much as I want to make things people will like. My gut will not let me toss all of my emotions and personal feelings into something, just to make a buck. I know it's the American way and that the fragrance industry works on that model. People unfortunately, and in larger numbers, are used to that model and see scent as nothing more than a consumer good. The only thing they invest is the few dollars they pay the cashier. So how does someone like me fit in. The truth is, I don't. More than one person expressed that to me during our conversations. Advising me to go back to my original plan and stick to it. The plan that used phrases like, "Art in a bottle" Liquid Art" Scentual Artistry" ....
Even more than not fitting the model, I don't want to fit the model. And I guess that is what has me smashing at the side of the box I have painted myself into. It's funny how that thing (box) creeps up and slams down on a person. Some folks live in a box their entire life and never know it. But there is a sure fire test for finding out. Try to flex your wings, do you have enough room to maneuver. Can you fly unhindered.
I am spending the next few days reorganizing my work space, and making my final decisions on what will stay and what will go. This time there will not be a special order for discontinued things. There will only be the things that are truly loved. If anyone reading has a special Soivohle scent they would like to see in the line up, please leave a comment about why you would like to see it stick around. I am most interested in feedback on scents in the Natural and Moderne Collections LZ

Soivohle (LZP) Accords

Remember those accords. Well, finally.........
I have been diluting and bottling them this week. So far I have around eighteen finished. Enough I think to go ahead and make them available on the website. These if you remember way back when, are custom accords that I have created. They are not finished perfumes, so a bit of creative layering will bring them full bloom. For example there is one called Creamy White Flowers. Alone it is nice, but can be enhanced by a layering of Vanilla Musk or an Oriental Amber. If you like it green, I have an accord called Leaf & Stem, which is green city. A green top paired with a heavy base works well too. With accords and bases there is usually a cross over from top to middle notes, middle to bottom etc. It isn't necessary with accords to always think you need a top, middle and bottom to have a finished perfume. These are designed to eliminate the guess work. I will also be adding to this a few single notes. Notes that can add a unique element. My intention when all is said and done, is to have a complete palette, that will allow folks (with minimal effort) to experiment and create their own custom scent.

Some of the accords are all natural blends of essence oils and others are a mix of natural and synthetic materials. I also have a few blends that contain tinctures. All of the accords are diluted to different percentages, so that when layered they will combine properly to create a finished perfume.  I am working on the web page for the accords this week and hope to have it up and running by the weekend. They will be available in a 10ml frosted spray bottle as seen here. Due to the wide array of materials used and taking into consideration the natural accords, pricing will vary. Today I am wearing a layering of the Oriental Amber with the Oakmoss accord. This oakmoss accord has real green oakmoss in it, but in dilution. I am not allergic to oakmoss in the least so could probably take a bath in it. There is also a mossy accord that does not have real oakmoss. Lots of choices. Including a Jasmine Accord with real Jasmine, a Natural Rose Accord, Bloody Red Rose Accord. Oud Blend, a very odd  poopy (animal) musk accord with a note of caramel.  I am happy to finally be treading back around to this section on my wheel, and can't wait to get this ball rolling. Have a good One!.....

Soivohle, Week In Review

It's raining, and my plan to have my tea by the pool this morning was a bust. My favorite thing about summer is my morning meditation and being able to sit by the pool while engaged in the so called process of enlightenment, getting in touch with the now, etc. etc. etc...
This past week was a busy one as we are getting ready to launch three new scents in our Studio Collection. I had expected to have our new snap closure boxes this week, but received an email Friday telling me that they had not come in yet, so it's up in the air.  We receive so many compliments on those snap boxes that I went ahead and ordered them in two new sizes, and will continue to use them for the Natural Collection, as well as the new Vignettes (oil parfums) coming out later this year. I thought long and hard about the bottles for the oil parfums and instead of sourcing something new, decided to go with the tapered HeinzGlas bottle that we use for our Natural Parfums. It is such a striking bottle, and the perfect size for an parfum. I plan to use this bottle for all parfums in the future.
Scentual Artistry - Wow what can I say, our new studio/boutique in the city is just lovely, and the first two scent installations were very well received. I have been invited to create a scent installation for an arts event next summer, and am very excited to be putting this new art form on the map. I have thought about applying for a grant, which would give us national exposure for scent art if we could get the funding and take it on the road. I have a couple of friends who are Arts Administrators, and can help with the grant process, which is a bear. Filling out tax forms is child's play in comparison. Otherwise we are doing well in all areas and have several new customers. The teaching question still comes up a lot, and as I have said in the past I am not a teacher, at least not in any organized way. I see people all the time and am always sharing information about perfumery. I have thought about creating a series of perfume making kits with instruction, but have not found the time to devote to it. I do however have several of my accords ready to launch as a series, and will be adding these soon.

Soivohle in the news: The launch of our Lilacs & Heliotrope and Lilacs & Roses was a huge success. There have been two reviews of the L&H, one by Abigail of I Smell Therefore I Am and One by Patty at Perfume Posse. If there are any more I am not aware of them. I love big beautiful floral notes and find that Lilacs are perfect for peddling my tendencies to excess. At the same time I have been secretly (no secret anymore) working on a Lilac version of the Violets & Rainwater formula. A lot depends on the hyacinth note that I am adding to the mix, but all looks promising and smells divine.
New online retailer: For those who like one stop shopping, many of our Soivohle perfumes are now available at Rei Rien They also have a sample program and ship internationally. Speaking of samples, we are going to revert back to the small tube vials for most of our samples (online) and reserve the use of the screw top minis for the small Coffret that holds 16 of the tiny bottles. We will also be adding a 5ml pocket spray to the Studio Collection, and offering a slight price break on all of the 5ml sprays. With the purchase of a new 5ml bottle at a savings over the one we were using we can pass on this savings to our customers. Look to see this price change in the near future.
That's about it for now, everyone have a safe and fulfilling weekend. ZZ