my workbench with bush views
Well, I've finally escaped suburbia and moved up to the North Coast of New South Wales where am currently living out in the bush with a friend...It's such a relief to be back in the bush where I used to live 20 years ago...It's part of my plan to grow the perfumery to a proper professional public place, where people can come in and sample perfumes, sit down and have relaxed custom design consultations and maybe even hold classes! So many of you have asked to come and visit and see the perfumery in person over the years, and while it was always lovely sharing my workplace and home with visitors, I have long dreamt of having a large workshop where I can really play, with space for everything, so that you don't have to pack the tools of one project away just to attend to packaging the orders for the week....It's beautiful and relaxing here, and I have my workshop set up where I can sit and see out over the valley, soft breezes wafting through the window and light filtering through the trees to play on my collections of perfume bases and bottled goodies...But it's small. Oh, the idea of finally having enough space! And Shelves, whole walls full of shelves! And 3 large workbenches, and a small shop out the front with my perfumes displayed on some of the beautiful cast iron displays I've used at shows over the years...Fresh flowers, and beautiful large mason jars full of herbs and resins...
my new granite dropper holders
Basically being able to have all of my wonderful fascinating weird and fragrant collection out where I can look at them and share them with my customers!And I'll be able to do short runs of interesting stuff too!Perfumes that are too complex and special to mass produce, things like solid potpourri perfume for putting in small lockets, maybe soaps and candles too!I've got my eye on a perfect little place in Byron Bay, and put an application in for it today!It's a small workshop space in the arts and crafts part of the industrial estate, where I'd be surrounded by other small artisan businesses, and it comes with some business assistance and advice available from the council too, which is what I could certainly do with too!. The premises themselves are light and airy, with high ceilings, a sky light and even a mezanine where I can sit with clients on comfy chairs and talk about what they really want from their perfumes...and share a cup of coffee in between smelling bouts!I'm so excited I'm terrified they may turn down my application, it's just too too perfect! I ran into an old friend who is making films nowadays, and we've already chatted about her and her partner making a small youtube video...or even a series of them to go with and advertise the new shop...me chatting about perfumery and showing how the scents are made...sounds like awesome fun and great advertising too....The Dream is slowly coming together......I'll keep you posted as it grows!
