CRUSADE No. 9 ~ What's that Smell?

Want to remember exactly how your feeling right now?  Wish you could bottle inspiration or that certain something you feel when your are in the midst of making cool stuff?  That enthusiasm you have for something you are working on - is it ever hard to get back in that zone?  It's proven that scent is the most powerful of the senses to recall memory - more than visuals, and more than music.  You probably already know this but why not use that knowledge to your advantage?  Why not use scent to assist you in your creativity?  Pick a new scent and make pathways to the memories you are making.

I've been doing this for a few years....when I start on a new project I pick a new scent - like a candle, or some incense, or perfume.  I make sure that scent is around when I am filled with that enthusiasm and drive for what I'm working on.  Let's say I'm using a scented candle - at the end of my studio time I'll pour that wax into my journal.  The next time I am able to get back to the project I can take one whiff of the wax and I'm transported back to that zone.  It's a great tool.  Bottling inspiration -  this is a little trick that comes pretty close. 

So the challenge for this Crusade is for you to start a scent bank for this summer.  Use your new scent in the studio and document it in your journal.  In a few months time, and even years from now, I'll bet you will remember how you felt during June 2007.  Make a blog entry about your scent for the summer and link here with a comment. 

The example on the side shows the back cover of a journal where I've poured out some scented wax (Glade: Tangerine Ginger) and covered it with plastic screen so it wouldn't chip off.  Sometimes I'll chip some wax into a mesh bag and hang it from the spiral.  For incense I tie a few sticks to the edge of a page.  For perfume I'll spray some on tissue and tuck it into a glassine envelope on a page.  Always document the date with the scent.

A favorite scent (Fireside candle) given from a friend became the memory maker for the end of 2006.  Reminds me of several pieces of art created last year.  I'm not sure I'll be able to get more of these candles so I'm glad to have it documented in my journal.  Snifffffff.

   

How cool is this scent?  Ralph Lauren ROCKS.  A birthday gift, my summer scent 2007.  I hadn't seen this fragrance yet so it was a delightful surprise that my husband picked out the perfect label, and it smells good too!  You gotta see the the site, HERE.

Let's hear about AND see your scent selection for this summer.  Make a journal page and blog entry about bridging memory with scent while you make art.  Comment here with a link to your site. 

CRUSADE No. 9 ~ What's that Smell?  DUE JULY 1.

The links below have been moved here from the sidebar.  Some links may no longer be active.

CRUSADE No. 9

• Amanda Edwards
• Becky New
• Belinda Schneider
• Carlene Federer
• Francesca Burras
• Juliet Wilson
• Karla Nathan
• Karyn Gartel
• Kim Tedrow
• Laurie Michaels
• Mia Howard
• Natalie Briney
• Nicole Zander
• Nicole Zander again
• Penny Stuart
• Sigrid Hollender
• Steff
• Sue Pieper
• Tera
• Xanthe

Comments

[Nicole]

Here is my summer scent. ;)

http://sshaythiel.blogspot.com/2007/06/new-crusade.html

Hugs
Nicole

[Belinda]

i can see why you received this! haven't seen or heard about it. that's a rocking cool commercial site :) hope it's as flowery as it looks like

[Sigrid]

Michelle, this is right up my alley. Writer Robert Musil once said you could recognize a city by its pace, just like you could a human. I think this is right, but just as right is that some places / things / people have that special smell, and that smells are very intense memory markers. So here's a piece I did in a one-to-one swap about smells, also as a tribute to the 2 years I lived in the USA.
http://sixfrites.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/smells-of-the-usa/
Love your crusades!

[Sigrid]

Michelle, this is right up my alley. Writer Robert Musil once said you could recognize a city by its pace, just like you could a human. I think this is right, but just as right is that some places / things / people have that special smell, and that smells are very intense memory markers. So here's a piece I did in a one-to-one swap about smells, also as a tribute to the 2 years I lived in the USA.
http://sixfrites.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/smells-of-the-usa/
Love your crusades!

[Tricia]

What a wonderful idea pouring wax from a scented candle into your journal... I'll certainly be trying it...

best wishes

Tricia

[Tera]

Baby baby baby!!! I did mine and thank you for the thought to be able to remember these baby days will be great! http://justtera.blogspot.com/

[Corrine Davis]

Great idea. I've added a crusade#8 cheap trick to my blog, But I'm already thinking about how to bottle scent.

[Laura]

Crusade 8, better late than never, ya? I'm REALLY trying to stick to this particular cheap trick.

http://lauraleemyers.blogspot.com/2007/06/omg-i-finished-something.html

[Xanthe]

I have to join this Crusade! Wow! fun idea! What a challenge!
Well I better get to work. I'll let you know what I come up with.

[Fran]

Great crusade, really made me think about using scent as a prompt for art. This is my first time playing so I'm pretty excited!
http://francesca-burras.blogspot.com/2007/06/crusade-no9-whats-that-smell.html#links

[Becky New]

My June scent comes right from my back yard and into my art room! I am still learning how to use Photoshop CS2, so that was my *challenge* part. Please have a look at my challenge results on my blog. :) (I'm loving the idea of the scented wax in the art journal.... hmmmm ... how to capture the devine aroma?)

[Gypsy Purple-Chamara]

What a stunning idea!!!!!

[karla nathan]

I have always used scented oils I mix up to drop into the drawers of antique furniture that I paint. I am now using the scents on the packaging when I send a purchased piece of my work out to clients.
Not exactly as part of the art itself, but an enhancement of it for the purchaser.

[Natalie Briney]

Hi Michelle

Thanks for the challenge Michelle. It's funny how we do use smells in our creating process and just kind of take it for granted that we do.

Here's my link.

http://nats-ramblings.blogspot.com/2007/06/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-9-whats-that.html

Thanks again :-)

[Crafty Green Poet]

Here's my scented 'journal page' - http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com/2007/06/scented-art.html.

[steff]

http://mommycraft.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/crusade-9-whats-that-smell/

Can you smell it?

[Deborah]

OK...how hard am I laughing!!!! Since spring sprung in Santa Fe I've had the sinus infection from Hell! I can't smell...or taste which has been great for the waistline (lost 10 lbs so far)! But I'm all over this one as I love to include smell in my "stuff".

[Nicole]

Another journalpage with my fave scent from me. This is sooo fun ;-)

http://sshaythiel.blogspot.com/2007/06/playing-around.html

Hugs
Nicole

[Belinda]

and here's my smelly post
http://belindaschneider.wordpress.com/2007/06/17/gpp-whats-that-smell/

[Belinda]

no scented post this time, my ylang-ylang is still strong! but have another cheap and a lazy trick!! :)
http://belindaschneider.wordpress.com/2007/06/17/beauty/

[Karyn Gartel (The ALtered Diva)]

Hi MIchelle!
Well....my scent is self explanitory (and highly addicting for some people) and you can read about it here: http://altereddiva.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the challenge...I hope to do more of these in the future now that I have discovered your blog!
Karyn Gartel
http://www.altered-diva.com

[Amanda]

I am so excited to have found your site and gladly accepted the scent challenge! I think my tea bag idea was quite original! See http://soianreal.blogspot.com/

[Amanda]

oops, that URL would be

http://soiamreal.blogspot.com/

ok, that smells better!

[Laurie Michaels]

I wrote about this recently myself, so will include it here. Doesn't involve art per se. My problem is that I am now allergic to most commercial scents...I have to work a little harder to trigger the scent memories because things must be naturally scented. I miss things like perfume and scented candles. Also, without the solvent that usually keeps scents volatile, it's harder to keep them...

http://www.xanga.com/LoupGarou/588233823/the-power-of-scent.html

[Penny Stuart]

Hey Michelle,
Here is my layout for "What's that Smell"! Loved working with the Duct Tape, loved the "smell" of the Duct Tape, loved the colors available, love that I have most of them (except PINK, yet)! I am just having a blast working with these wonderful themes you come up with! Can't wait for the next one!

http://pennyrabbitart.typepad.com/penny_rabbit_art/

[Kim Tedrow]

Here's mine - Lavender and Rosemary - thanks for the idea!

http://kimtedrow.blogspot.com

[johanna]

http://johanna-mixedmediafun.blogspot.com/2007/06/big-pile-of-goodies-from-michelle.html
got my big pile of goodies from michelle today for winning the crusade no.8... in case you wanna see:)) it´s thrilling!!! and it definitely made my day!

[Xanthe]

Here is my summer scent. The smell of my son's fiberglass cast!
http://oddstuffbyxanthe.blogspot.com/2007/06/my-first-art-journal-attempt.html

[Sue]

OK, here's what I came up with. There were so many different ways to go with this one, that I could go on & on about it-and just might yet:) Great idea-thanks!
http://artfuladventures.typepad.com/artful_adventures/2007/06/whats-that-smel.html

[carlene]

mmm, smells yummy! here's my take on the fun challenge!
http://www.carlenefederer.blogspot.com/

[Mia Howard]

Here is my Juicy summer scent...

http://miahoward.blogspot.com/2007/07/crusade-no-9-whats-that-smell.html

[andrewsaw]

hi! [url=http://google.com/]http://google.com[/url] number one !!!
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