Orphans Bright Star

First, a plea for some help that a friend sent to me. Nadvirna Baby Orphanage is in Ivano-Frankivska, Ukraine, and is home to approximately 80 children from infants to age 4. Or it was home to those 80 children. The orphanage was completely destroyed by weeks and weeks of torrential rainfall and flooding. The children are now being cared for in the homes of the orphanage workers. Most of those workers live in one-room apartments and don’t have the necessities to take care of children like cribs, baby seats, toys or even enough food.

An Orphans Bright Star have set up an emergency fundraiser specifically for the babies of Nadvirna. You can go to this site and find the address to mail cheks or a form for Paypal donations. All donations are 100% tax deductible as An Orphans Bright Star is a 501(c)(3) corporation. I know Kelly will be around today, so if anyone has questions about this, you can just post them in comments for her to answer.

Now, moving from the serious to the very frivolous. Surgery went fine. I was going to post pictures, but my eyes were pretty swollen today, and with the stiches in there and one eye developing some black under it… I was thinking… nah. I think Tuesday will be soon enough to see what it looks like. I know it’s going to look great in a week or two, but you have to sort through a lot of swelling, redness and stitches to figure that out at this point. Lots of other people haven’t had as much swelling as I have, so I’m thinking I’ve been derelect in icing like I should have last night. I’m just not good at laying down and closing my eyes unless I’m ready to go to sleep, so icing my eyes for 15 minutes, then not for 15 minutes is a lot harder task than you would think!

Now, the lipo on the neck…. wow!!! Even with swelling, I now have a chin profile to die for. It is just gorgeous, goes straight back and down, very much more swan-like with no wattle rolling around. It’s pretty amazing to me to see the difference even just one day post-op. Even if I’m not blown away with any big difference in the eyes, it was completely worth it for the neck. This is the neck I used to have until my 20s, and I can’t believe it’s come back to me, yes!!!

So that’s the update, I hope to actually have some new perfume to review soon. I’ve got a much sought after, almost impossible to find thing that people have been asking me about forever that should show up this week. All I’ve heard in reference to it before is something like “Beautiful Skank Monster.” Yeah, that should keep your interest for a while. You can post your guesses on what it is in comments. If someone guesses right, I’ll send you a sample.

  • sylvia says:

    well, its easy when you google the notes. the party in manhattan. i never even heard of this before! looks nice though. im obviously too late (so sad) but im sure ill live. glad the surgery went well!

  • violetnoir says:

    Beautiful Skank Monster?? Honey, I have no idea what that may be. Why would I want to be skanky anyway? 😉

    Glad everything went went well, but you know I think you were already the finest woman in town!

    Thank you for the information on the babies. They are so precious.

    Hugs!

  • Judith says:

    Hmmmm. . .can I join the party, too? (The Party Fragrance/The Party in Manhattan)> :d

  • Patty says:

    It does have some lovely music. But you should guess,and then you win the sample if you’re right! And since you and Melissa probably found it about the same time, if you both have it, you both will win!

  • Francesca says:

    OK, I *think* I found it with a little judicious cheating, >:) but mum’s the word. Does it have a gorgeous website?

    • Melissa says:

      I have it too! Yes, the website it beautiful. Musical as well!

    • Melissa says:

      I have it too! Yes, the website it beautiful. Musical as well! Francesca, you should post your guess first. I’ll go second!

    • Francesca says:

      Yeah, OK The Party in New York. Being a born and bred NYC girl, I love the name, and as I said, the website is gorgeous! Plus I need to venture into skank!

  • Billy D says:

    Prada’s Cuir Ambre?? Or one of those Prada exclusives? I know Liberty in London carries it…

  • Kathryn says:

    I am so glad that your surgery went well. It is quite inspiring that you had the courage to take that leap. And that you have the energy to think beyond that and direct us to the Ukrainian orphan rescue site is really amazing, and nice.

    As a relative newcomer to perfume obsession, the concept of “beautiful skank” is still pretty challenging to me, but fun to think about. It can’t be Tom Ford’s Purple Patchouli or CB I Hate Perfume’s Musk because they can be found. Could you have come across something from the Thierry Mugler coffret for the movie Perfume? Maybe Noblesse or Orgie? If it is his scent Human Existence, from what I’ve read, that’s something my nose is nowhere sophisticated enough to want to smell, and I can’t remember anyone calling it beautiful.

    • Patty says:

      Not sure how courageous I was. I’m still grateful they gave me that great little relaxing cocktail before surgery or I might have bolted. 🙂

      Human Existence is definitely a monster, but beautiful isn’t a word that crops up when I remember how it smells. 🙂

  • Erin T says:

    Was thinking La Mome or one of those Balmains, but Carol has to be right – the new Lutens exclusive. Lucky girl!

  • Nava says:

    Glad everything went well for you Patty. 🙂

    No idea what your “beautiful skank monster” might be, but I’ll guess the new Serge Exclusive?? Waiting with bated breath…

  • perfumequeen says:

    I would have guessed Elle Elle too… though on me it is just divine beauty, no skank. I get that alot though, must be my skin chem.

    I can’t wait to see your pictures, I just know you’ll be bee yoou ti ful!

    • Patty says:

      Nope!

      Well, you may still have a few weeks before the final’ish results are in, but I’ll let you guys follow my healing once I don’t make the mailman cry anymore. 🙂

  • Judith says:

    Hmmm. . .Is it new? If not, I would guess la Voilette de Madame ((but I own this).

    Congratulations on the surgery! Can’t wait to see!! You are going to look spectacular!

  • jawhara says:

    Definitely knwo that I’ve read that notion of “beautiful skank monster” somewhere… of course can’t remember.
    must be something with civet, castoreum, musk, which of course brings to mind MKK, or Messe de Minuit, or even Joy, but those are all easy to get. So something vintage… vintage Dioressence?

    • Patty says:

      Here’s the notes: bergamot, mandarin, clary sage, bourbon carnation, carrot,jasmine, may rose, ylang-ylang, iris, vetiver, patchouli, oak moss, and gray amber. I think there’s some musk rolling around in there too.

  • mimmimmim says:

    Congrats on the surgical success!

    Beautiful skank monster? Dunno what it might be, but I’m looking forward to it – I like ’em mucky.

    • Patty says:

      Thank you!! I’m jacked that at least one part of it already is an improvement, even while swelling continues to subside!

  • Melissa says:

    How gratifying to see such immediate results! Congrats! As for the skank monster? Not a clue! Although when I think of skank monster, I certainly think of La Nuit, but Anthony got there first.

    Speaking of which, if noone gets it by mid-day, maybe you could leave a clue? Kinda like a perfume scavenger hunt. Start with the year it was created or one of the notes that characterizes its divine dirtiness.

  • Francesca says:

    Glad you’re doing well and I cannot wait to see “after” pix.

    Agree with Louise and Carol on the arnica or comfrey applied topically. They’re both great. Oh, and ice. Did we say ice? 😉

    And I have no guesses on the beautiful skank monster, but I’m curious to find out what it is.

  • Carol Sasich says:

    My guess would be El Attarine by monsieur lutens…

    you are very brave , comfrey root is the best for healing damaged tissues. Here’s to no more wattle !?!

    • Patty says:

      Nope! All my begging and pleading have not led to one drop of that before its time, waaaahhh!!! 🙂

      I’ve got some arnica and bromelain coming to help with the swelling and bruising. I should have gotten them before, but I usually don’t swell and bruise that badly, though I don’t think I’ve ever done anything to my face before that led to brusing and swelling. 🙂

  • Louise says:

    Terrific that you’re healing well-kinda enables the rest of us to do some tweaking :d/ I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures-I’ve seen “progression” shots on MUA, but what fun to see them on a sweetly familiar face. Ah, and a re-found body part-very nice!

    Did the docs recommend Arnica gel/cream for bruising?-did wonders for me after a minor procedure.

    No smart guesses here on the Beautiful Skank Monster, though I am sure I want to know her :p

    • Patty says:

      Tweaking is fun, as long as you know when to stop. 😉 I’m hoping the bruising goes down enough in the next coupld of days so I won’t scare y’all by posting a picture. I did get some of that MUFE makeup that March recommended,and that reallly is the stuff. It pretty amazingly was covering up the bruising, without looking like it was covering me up.

      Hope this perfume is as good as all reports have it, because if it is that skanky and gorgeous, we’ll all need to save our pennies.

  • Anne says:

    So glad you are healing. Do what the Docs say! Ice, Ice !!

    Lucien Lelong Elle Elle? Been on my list of “too expensive for now but will get my hands on it someday” for a long time. :)>-

  • Lee says:

    Sweetness – glad you’re up and at em post-operatively. Like you, I’d have serious trouble with that icing routine. Relaxing – what the heck is that? As for the perfume – is that the one coming from you-know-where?

  • Anthony says:

    i am so happy to hear about your neck lipo… My sister, cousin, and mom have done it and it’s just amazing what that procedure does for people. yay! Is the beautiful skank monster La Nuit by Paco Rabanne?

    • Patty says:

      I am just shocked at the difference, even this early on. Now, my eyes…. I look like i just went ten rounds with Ali still. 🙂 But my neck looks fabulous!!!

      Nope, this isn’t a vintage perfume at all, it’s relatively current, but not brand new

  • tmp00 says:

    beautiful skank monster? uhhh, me? 8-|:d

    • Patty says:

      Well, of course it’s you, beautiful! 🙂

      This one is actually a perfume, one nobody hears much about, except the couple of people i know who have smelled it and bug me constantly about finding it.