My mom was always an au-naturelle kinda gal who loved real flowers but not perfume. So she never wore scent, but preferred floral prints instead, and would always pick beautiful flowers to cheer me up and weave a beautiful crown of spring flowers for my birthday. She even put edible blossoms in my salad (nasturtium and wild garlic flowers), and would cut the radishes into flower-shapes to encourage me to eat them. 

Although she never worn perfume - she always loved aniseed tea and caraway-studded breads. So it comes as no surprise that to this day, I associate her with anise and and the enigmatic notes of violets and iris, which I find as soft and mysterious as herself and the midnight-blue crushed velvet she liked to wear. Kinda like what I imagined l'Heure Bleue when I read about it and before I smelled it.

It was only years later that she told me that indeed violets, anise, chocolate and vanilla were her favourite smells (before she lost her sense of smell almost permanently due to chronic colds...). And she also loved the lilacs she picked for me in her first visit to Vancouver (which sadly ends tomorrow...) Years ago, I created Indigo perfume in her honour, and I've put anise, caraway, boronia, violet, carnation, orange blossom, frankincense and amber in it... Now I'm thinking that although I was probably on the right track - I should make her another perfume, and hopefully she could smell it occasionally - with cacao and vanilla absolutes, violets and anise.  

What perfume did your mom wear as you were growing up? Or what scents do you associate her with?

Leave a comment and enter a draw for a mini of Viola, my violet soliflore, a decant of Patricia Nicolai's Sacrebleu and a few other goodies... And - a quick reminder, that today is the last day of my Mother's Day free shipping online event.

Mother's Day came early to me this year, with my mom visiting Vancouver for the first time! Her favourite perfumes are violets, anise, chocolate, vanilla so I always associate her with Viola and Indigo. To celebrate the amazing women who gave us life, we'd like to offer free shipping through Mother's Day (May 12th, 2013)*.
We have wonderfully fragrant, handmade creations in store that would make your mom feel special and appreciated! Here are just a few suggestions... If you would like help to select a perfume for you mom, fill in our Fragrance Questionnaire, or give us a call (778.863.0806 8am-4pm PST) for a free personal consultation!

Treazon Tuberose at its best: singular. Uncompromising.	Hanami Sakura (Japanese cherry blossoms) and abstract urban backdrop. Poetic. Refined.
Bento Box Coffret Treat mom to a trio of our refined Japanese collection of our top selling Bon Zai, Megumi, Hanami or Kinmokusei.	Hanami Sachets Hand-stitched with love from vintage Japanese kimonos. Will add a signature scent to mom's elegant linen or lingerie.
Film Noir Soap Bar New from our soap atelier - it's like bathing with a chocolate bar! Oh, and patchouli too...	White Potion Body Oil Luxurious, nourishing body oil with the fine essences of tuberose, coconut and santal.
Amethyst Mexican Poison Ring Adjustable size. Filled upon order with Viola or Ayalitta solid perfume. Bonus: amethyst has healing properties!	Purse Parfum Perfume on the go for the busy mom! Most of our perfume come in this convenient roll-on, including our Liquid Poetry Collection.

Happy Mother's Day!

Ayala

* Free shipping does not include xpresspost/expedited/courier services. If you require insurance and/or tracking number for your order, please contact us for quote based on your particular order size and destination :-)
AyalaMoriel.com
My SmellyBlog: SmellyBlog.com
Tel.: (778) 863-0806
Address: 1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295,Vancouver, BC, V6E 4J9
Hours: Mon-Thu 8:00am-3:00pm; Fri: 8am-12pm; Closed Saturdays; Sundays & evenings by appointment only

When my mom was a little girl she picked narcissi on the railroad tracks with my grandpa.
Now she is a grandma but she still picks them for me!
Tonight I'm wearing a narcissus perfume I'm working on. With jonquil and narcissus absolutes. They bear little resemblence to the fresh flowers, but are equally breathtaking!

The perfume is very much based on the unique character of the narcissus absolute - densely floral, a tad spicy, honeyed, rich, luxurious, reminiscent of hay, maybe even a hint of roasted coffee.

The fresh flowers strongly remind me of winter in Israel: the flowers emerge out of nowhere, often amongst the commonest thorny bushes, and never cease to amaze me what life can bring out of the hard, rocky soil. The flowers are shaped like a saucer and a golden tea cup in the centre. Their perfume is vibrant, fresh, honeyed, backed with a gentle and rather warm crushed-leaf greenness. Their scent is that of wild flowers and freedom: redolent of Mediterranean showers, jumping in the puddles, and discovering sunshine again after a day of rain.
True piece of nature's art and alchemy.