My first recollection of perfume was at my grandmother's house in a small town near the south side of Chicago. I loved to lock my self in her bathroom and admire the vast array of perfumes displayed on a beautiful round mirrored tray with gold filigree. I would carefully pick up each bottle, smelling the gorgeous aroma of each perfume, never daring to actually put it on. But I could not resist the dusting powder. Carefully listing the glass lid, I'd take out the soft, delicate powder puff and traced the perfume powder across my little arm. I felt so feminine and so elegant

When I wasn't sneaking into my grandmother's perfumes, I was running up and down the alleys behind her house cutting lilacs from the copious lilac bushes growing through the neighbor's chain link fences. The opulent beauty of those tiny blossoms astounded me. I saved some flowers to place in tiny vases.

But I wanted mostly to wear the lilac. I crushed them into a perfume portion and insisted everyone wear it. I beamed with pure joy when my grandma said it was her favourite of all perfumes.

As I entered adulthood, I found that the perfumes of the 1980s was incredibly confusing and frustrating to me. I'd always loved sent so much, but there was such a disconnect between the aromatic treasure I recalled from my childhood on my grandmother's mirrored tray and the commercial fragrances being sold in stores.

In 1996 I started making malting soaps, I was beyond thrilled when i found another apothecary shop that offered perfumes classes in the back of their stor. Finally I was able to touch the materials and experiment on my own! I started buying my own essences to take home. Before I knew it. I had created a small perfume organ, as my knowledge and craft grew. I made perfumes for loved one, always trying to match their personality of my scents with their intended recipient.

In 2001 I moved to California with my husband and children. Enable to find a place to study perfumes, I took a course in Aromatherapy and recieved a certificate with honours. Though I love the application of Aromatherapy and deeply appreciate the therapeutic value of these amazing oils, I missed the concretes, absolutes and sticky resins that are used in perfumery. I missed blending for the pure heart, beauty and luxury of scent. The defining moment of my journey was around 2005 when I bought the book ESSENCE and ALCHEMY by MANDY AFTEL I somehow ended up in her Berkeley studio after a few years later and have since returned many times. Even though the busy years spent raising four amazing kids perfuming and Mandy's guidance has remained an absolute constant in my life. As my children grow older, I am able to spend more time on my life long passion and bring my long time vision of Jade daisy into reality.