Deep Midnight Perfumes

Deep Midnight Perfumes

Monday, October 15, 2012

Agent of Chaos: An interview with Samantha Merriweather

I had the lovely opportunity to interview Samantha Merriweather, owner of the fabulous etsy shop, Agent of Chaos.  In her shop you will be able to find adventuring gear, "aetheric" devices, and cosplay weaponry and accessories to please Steampunk, Neo-Victorian, Teslapunk and other cosplay enthusiasts. All of her imaginative equipment is one of a kind and never duplicated and custom orders are welcome!

How long have you been making your steampunk and teslapunk creations?

"About three years. It's amazing how much I've grown in that time. I keep photos of all my gear, and it's a little shocking to see how far I've come since I started."



What or who inspires your creations?

"What I find or have on hand. Nifty little bits of clockwork, or a cool gun base, or a really great color of paint. Usually, my inspiration comes from one element, that then gets broken out into a full piece.
Too, though, I am inspired by costume ideas or characters. I started out as a game writer, so when I come up with some neat identity I'd want to play, I think about what I'd need to make that identity a reality. (This is how all my Professor Pandemonium stuff happened.)"




When you sit down to create a piece, what first comes to mind?

“How long am I going to have to hold this till the glue dries? Me and glue are mortal enemies. Realistically, though, it's probably “can I do this to my satisfaction?” I always have a vision, the key is getting the gear to match the vision. Because of the nature of the way I work, I have trouble dismantling things (as in, they won't come apart), which means I have to finish a project once I start it, even if I'm not happy with the direction it's taking. I try not to start until I feel like the idea is fully in my head, or at least I have all the materials I'm going to use."



What are your favorite components/materials to work with?

"Oddly, I strongly dislike working with gears. It's too easy to cheat with gears, just to glue some on and call it done. I've worked with camera pieces before, which was cool. The weirder it is, the more I'm going to like it. I made up a pair of binoculars recently. That was fun! Oh, and lenses. I love playing with lenses."



What hobbies do you enjoy?

"I'm a table top roleplayer and LARPer. Big surprise, right? I run and write games for the most part, and am fascinated with putting together complex worlds for my players. I'm also a young adult author, and just finished my first novel, which is going off to potential publishers by the end of the year."



What other items might you like to create given the opportunity?

"I want to get into welding, and do more non-glue, non-plastic pieces. I like working in plastic because of the ease and the price, but I'd like to put together some higher-end things. I'd also like to work with jeweler's loupes and glass lenses. I'd like to make some telescopes or binoculars (NO goggles, please!)  I have this antique fishing reel I've held on to for about five years, that I really want to turn into something, but I have no idea what. (always accepting suggestions.)"



What music do you create by?

"Classic rock/folk. (I know, I know.) I'm a CCR/John Denver/Jim Croce girl. Mostly I watch movies while I work, though, because I sometimes have the attention span of a gnat, so it keeps me focused. I tend to play the same movie over and over till I get so sick of it I can't watch it again. Right now, it's The Hunger Games."


Describe the most interesting piece you have worked on and what it meant to you.

"The very first piece I made is still my favorite. It was a arm-mounted computing machine, built on a leather gauntlet, out of aged wood that opened into a full-keyboard, with a little screen and everything. Looking at it now, the quality isn't amazing, but the idea was pretty unique when I made it. It was the first device I finished, and the first one I gave to someone else. As it turns out, the person I made it for ended up not needing it for the costume, but it was a pretty awesome device."



Where can we find your gear for the daring adventurer?

"My shop is known as Agent of Chaos, found here"-- www.etsy.com/shop/agentofchaos

"I'm also available on Facebook, here"-- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Merriweather-Technology-for-the-Discerning-Adventurer/107677629256695

"And if you're interested in checking out what I'm working on gaming-wise, check out this journal for Clockwork Confidence: the Diamond Job"-- www.clockwork-con.livejournal.com

Please visit her links when you have a chance! Thank you for the interview, Samantha!  Have a great week everyone!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

A Happy and Haunted Halloween!

Fall is my favorite time of year and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  I love creating perfumes that evoke the feeling of fall: crisp leaves, pumpkins, Halloween candy, moonlit nights, cozy wood fires and more.

There are only twenty more days until Halloween and if you have not seen some of my Fall and Halloween perfumes in my shop, I will post a few here for you to enjoy.

 
"Brimstone and Treacle" is new this year!  Roasted Pralines smothered over dark Rosewood and swirled with Cauldron Smoke for a delicious, dark gothic, gourmand treat.
 
Also debuting this fall is "Darkness Falls": Agarwood, Dark Incense, Sweet Amber, and Romany Tea, all combine to create a warm and sensual unisex scent sure to please your favorite vampire.
 
 
And lastly there is the rich, gourmand, fall scent of "Haunted Hayride".
Roasted Marshmallows, Pumpkins, Halloween Candy, Soft Hay, and Frankincense will take you on a magical ride for the senses.
 
 
Also many thanks to all the Facebook fans who particpated in the recent October trivia contest on Facebook (celebrating over 2,000 fans) and congratulations to Andria Scott the winner of a custom perfume, created by yours truly, a set of three full bottles of my perfume, and a gift pack of treats from other etsy artists, including jewelry items, lip gloss, and paper arts, total prize package of $150.00!  I hope to have a contest on the blog in the near future.
 
For those fans who missed participating in my big contest. You can still have a chance at scoring some of my perfumes at the giveaways on these two fantastic blogs!
 
 
LAUGHING VIXEN LOUNGE is having her annual "Attack of the 31 Nights of Halloween Giveaway".  Over $270.00 of lovely items and treats from 12 different shops will be given away! Check for daily featured sellers and Halloween movie fun!

FAERIE MOON CREATIONS is having a month of fun fall giveaways as well!  My perfumes will be an upcoming feature. Please check out her blog for Halloween and Fall fun.

Click the blog names to go to the links!

My next post will feature my interview with the fun and fantastic etsy seller of Teslapunk and Steampunk accessories, Agent of Chaos!

Best wishes, everyone! xoxo Cat ;)