The 4 boxes of samples are on their way to FrouFrou, Twolf, PerfumedLady and emflores26!
We can abandon the sign-up thread and post here now.
I would like to once again thank the Museum Shop at the Yale Center for British Art for their very generous donation of Penhaligon's samples -- we have 113 samples of 16 different fragrances to share around, sniff, think about and discuss.
(Contact information for the Museum Shop is in post #3. They are happy to ship.)
I tucked into each box a chart of the fragrance notes for Penhaligon's fragrances, as well as a checklist of the contents of that box, so everyone knows what should be in the box when it arrives and what to put back into the box before sending it on. With 28-29 samples in each box, it would be easy to miss a few! (Of course, as duplicate samples get used up, there is no need to send along empties.) I also included my email address in case you need to contact me while Basenotes is down.
If you have not yet done so, please PM your address to the person above you on your list.
Lists of the 4 groups, the order of shipping and the contents of each box are in post 2.
A few words on the packaging:
I thought boxes would be more protective than bubble mailers, but tried to keep the weight under 13 oz. so that they could travel First Class. It was very close, within a couple of tenths of an ounce. (I had hoped to include the Penhaligon's paper test strips I was given, but they pushed the weight over 13 oz.) The cost for mailing each box First Class with delivery confirmation was $4.06; not too bad.
Each of the 15 different fragrances has been placed in a separate zipper-type bag, to avoid cross contamination and to provide a slight cushion of air. I hope this was adequate packaging-- the bags fit snugly in the 6 x 6 x 6 boxes, and the samples are protected by their folded cards. If in spite of this, the samples are much worse for wear when they reach the first recipients, it may be necessary to pack differently (squeeze air out of zipper bags and add bubble wrap/ packing peanuts) for the next mailing -- but that would push the boxes into the costlier Parcel Post weight range.
Finally, a quick review of the rules for this swap:
• Each member may test all the samples in their box. Please be considerate as to how much you use, so that all 6 group members will have juice to test! It isn't fun to receive an empty sample vial.
• Keep the samples for no longer than 20 days and then pass it to the next member.
• Please post when you receive and when you mail your package so we can keep track of them.
• Opinions on the fragrances are welcome but not required.
Most of all-- enjoy!
-- so either watch your time and get done fast, or else park in the lot behind the museum and pay the price-- or, go on Sundays when the parking lot is free.
Thanks a ton to 30 Roses for putting this all together. And thanks to PerfumedLady for corresponding with me throughout the process (both her sampling and my own); I appreciate your encouragement.
