BPAL meet and sniff?

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

IT just occured to me that i will be bringing my BPAl collection to Arisia, and that this may be a good time to get together with other fans....

so, any ideas how to manage a get together where we can swap scents and sniff, and generally act like fan geeks without bothering anyone else too much?  And is anyone else on line interested in this?

yes, only just now did this occur to me...... i am a merchant, i have no brain cells left , they are all packed in the van, sorry....
however i can be a central contact point for arrainging this, as i merchant on merchants row and can easily be found.

Comments

[saraphina-marie.livejournal.com]

Last year there was talk of a meet-n-sniff, but it never materialized.

Pick a time and place and let's see how many people are interested.
I have a substantial collection of imps and I am available prettymuch all day Saturday.

[ayalanya.livejournal.com]

Huh! I might be mixing years up, but I thought there had been one last year.

The last one had some unfortunate results, so it might be worth talking to any fellow organizers about determining and enforcing rules. Apparently some of the people there thought it was a grab pile (at least this is my understanding - it may have actually been something else entirely), which meant that the imps of some people were taken without consent.

[m0usegrrl.livejournal.com]

That was indeed last year...

[saraphina-marie.livejournal.com]

Maybe I did go to one at Arisia last year...I know one con I went to there was an issue of imps growing legs and running off.
Maybe I am thinking of Chattacon that folks tried to organize and it never actually happened.

But yes, rules! Rules are important!

[dda.livejournal.com]

Trust me, there was a BPAL meet-n-sniff last year; I ought to know, I scheduled it. :-) But I'm not doing Events this year so I cannot help at all with one this year; my understanding is that space is all (over)booked at this point.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

We're not going to do it again as an official function. There were too many complaints about the lingering smells from the BPAL gathering.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

ok, first thing to do. make up a rules list!

1. this is a meet and sniff, not a free hand out. You may be able to convince someone to part with some of their stash, you may not. Letting you sniff is not an indication they want to sell or swap.

2. appreciate the fact that you can find out if you like things, sniff before you order, and etc. Its a privilege, don't be rude.

3. swaps are at the agreement of both parties, no one HAS to swap, and no one has to swap for anything they dont want.

4. same for sales: the seller may set their own price, IF they want to sell. Meanwhile the Lab has 24 hour on web ordering so you don't have to accept their sale price if you don't want to.

5. toothpicks and other things are available for testing scents, use ONE toothpick for ONE scent, and do not re dip.. so you don't get your skin chemistry in their bottle...

6. Never, ever, apply, spray, or otherwise contact someone with a scented product without asking. People can be allergic to almost anything, and some folks get migraines from any strong scent.

7. Make sure your fingertips are free of scents, food, or oils before going off and shopping or touching things.

8. Write it down. I know it seems silly, but i bet after the convention is over you wont remember what you tried and what it smelled like on you.

[ayalanya.livejournal.com]

Cool! I'm probably not the person to talk to about rules, but that looks pretty solid. Thank you. :)

Don't know if I'll make it, but you'll definitely see me around - I'm moving to florida immediately following the con (and I mean immediately - my sweetie is coming up to kidnap me and we'll be leaving on monday morning), and while I hope to keep coming to Arisia, it's not guaranteed. So I'll be stopping in at least once to drool over your amber and replenish some supplies. Ooh! Hey! I've finally gotten around to making stuff with the jet cabochons I bought from you - one is still loose, but one is the centerpiece for this (http://pics.livejournal.com/ayalanya/pic/0006ek75/g9) hairpiece. Just so's you know, the amber and jet is getting good use. :)

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

cool! please do come by and wave at me...
i have garnets this year.......

[ayalanya.livejournal.com]

Ooh, garnets. Any sizable garnet cabs?

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

no, sorry. the big cabs in garnet scked...

[ayalanya.livejournal.com]

Ah well. I'll still be coming in to drool over things, oh yes.

[dda.livejournal.com]

6. Never, ever, apply, spray, or otherwise contact someone with a scented product without asking. People can be allergic to almost anything, and some folks get migraines from any strong scent.

We went to great lengths last year to isolate and minimize any scents from getting out into the main con area; the folks putting it on brought air cleaners and the windows would open in that room as a last resort.

I strongly urge you to keep the scents in mind as even passers-by on Dealer's Row might well react poorly.

Depending on what I do next year, feel free to contact me about setting this up a bit earlier. :-)

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

oh no, it isnt in my merchants room. it will be kindly hosted by Octoberland in her (not on merchants row) private room.

i am the contact point because i am easy to find.

and heck yes.. i would love to have your help setting this up earlier.

i am thinking of bringing a air filter (hepa) thingy if i can scrounge one cheap.

[totient]

Do you need me to swap that room into a space that people can get to? There are a few rooms at the end of the hall on 3 that aren't Dealers Row.

Mail to innkeeper@arisia.org if so.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

since other fan BPALers will be saturday only. i think we pretty much need to make it saturday!

if all else fails, check in at my merchant room for current "who what where"

if we HAVE to i can have it in my room, but as the hotel rooms are small and air circulation can be an issue, i would rather have it elsewhere...

[saraphina-marie.livejournal.com]

For reference, which room is yours?
And remind me what you sell. I know I remember you form last year...I sat and chatted in your room for a while, but I am totally drawing a blank on what it is you were selling!

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

i uh.. dont have the number off hand.. but dealers row. umm. somewhere.
but i am Fabric Dragon, my mundane last name is Houseknecht and every year i make a "chart" near the elevators as a sneaky trick so people can find me

i sell beads, yarn, and . well. random stuff.

and that is my old photo, it helps folks id me, but i cut my hair for charity so it isnt as long as usual.....

aha! my cell phone, in case you cant find me 267 255 2771

[saraphina-marie.livejournal.com]

I am sure I can find you.
Did you have all the different yarns?
Or was I chatting with you about the awesome Chinese take-out place nearby while looking at the profusion of random shinies you had and wishing I still did Faire regularly enough to warrant buying some?

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

yup, all different yarns.
i will be getting a new shipment of sock yarns in just in time for the con also...

[kimeepower.livejournal.com]

Will you have crochet hooks, beading wire & beading needles?

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

crochet hooks, yes
beading wire, maybe
beading needles, probably.

what kind of wire do you need? what kind of needles do you like

[kimeepower.livejournal.com]

I work with seed beads size 10/11. So whatever size needle that is. I was using a friends tools but she moved away. For crochet hook, specifically looking for G (I think) :)

[octoberland.livejournal.com]

I would be interested. I have several imps I'd like to find new homes for as they don't quite work for me.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

looks like saturday sometime, so far.
and i talked nancy (the button lady) into making a few BPAl buttons so we can find each other...
when you get there check in at my room on dealers row and i will hopefully have a schedule.

i think we all have imps we want to swap....

[octoberland.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool, Saturday works for me too. I have a room with two double beds (not a dealers room) so also in worst case scenario I wouldn't mind hosting. If you like you can message me offline for my cell #.

Thanks for this great idea!

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

oh that would be GREAT! since i am a merchant i really have to worry that someone might be allergic or etc if i had all the scents in my room (plus i sell yarn, which will absorb scents)

if you can "host" the meet and sniff, i can do most of the contact point, make rules signs, etc.....
my email is kirsten at fabricdragon dot com
cell is 267 255 2771 (its on my webpage so its not like the spam bots cant find it. they all do)

[octoberland.livejournal.com]

I can host no problem. I'll shoot you an e-mail with my cell number as I obviously don't know my room number yet.

[totient]

Mail to innkeeper@arisia.org and we can tell you your room number or possibly even move the room if it's not in a good place. Double/Doubles on low floors are hard but we'll do our best if we can do it today or tomorrow. Doing it at-con is much harder.

[octoberland.livejournal.com]

Just sent an e-mail there.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

you will get an email from me saying to do that. sorry! didnt read tis until after i emailed you. was out of contact all day.

[cheshyre]

Is this going to be officially scheduled (like it was last year) or in a private room?

I seem to recall ppl with allergies having problems with that room a few hours after the BPAL meetup, so want to make sure the place has time to air out before further program items.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

so far it looks like Saturday sometime in a private hotel room.
(Namely Octoberland's)

the "check in point" is my merchant room... fabric dragon on dealers row. the meet and sniff will not be held there due to conflicts of smelly stuff/customers, but i will be posting when and where notices there.

[tisiphone.livejournal.com]

Sounds like fun, but be careful about where it is; ISTR last year there was a conflict between smelly people and allergy people :)

[dda.livejournal.com]

I and those who put on the meet-n-sniff did our best to isolate the scents; I don't recall any mention of problems with the room last year. But yes, it is hard to contain the people afterwards; they react so poorly to quarantine! ;-)

[tisiphone.livejournal.com]

Tcha, what's wrong with a sterilization shower before venturing back out into the world? :)

(It was chewed over a fair amount at the gripe session, and I think I also heard some rumblings in the hallways.)

[donnad.livejournal.com]

I had to leave the con early last year because of the fragrances in the hotel. I'm not sure if it was the overly perfumed people or the air fresheners the hotel uses. But after two days of borderline migraine I had enough and left at noon on Sunday. I normally would have stayed to help with teardown. After two hours at home the headache went away.

I don't know what I will do this year if the same thing happens, unlike last year I live more than 10 minutes away now.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

we are holding the meet and sniff in a private room for just the migraine and allergy related issues. (Thank you Octoberland )

(and that is also why it cant be in MY room. i have merchandise and customers who have allergies. the *check in and info point* is in my room, not the meet and sniff.)

btw.. i have migraines. i dont know if my treatment would help you, but for ME i found massive doses of B vitamins got rid of most of my migraines, worked better than my official meds.

[donnad.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I doubt more B-vitamins would help, I already take massive doses daily for other issues. Usually my migraines are food triggered and last only 6 to 8 hours. And I rarely get them because I know what foods to avoid. But at the hotel last year I was in agony the entire time I was there. The same thing happened at Philcon this past year, I have to expect the hotels are using some sort of fragranced air freshener that is causing me grief.

[donnad.livejournal.com]

I have a friend (who is also a merchant on dealer's row) who is even more sensitive than I am to fragrances,

Hopefully that private room will be nowhere near mine. :) (I expect my room will be near staff den, in the staff block)

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

oh, forgot to mention....
i reacted to the air fresheners. i had to BEG the cleaning lady to keep her cart away from the room, and not spray near me.
so did several other merchants.

plus their lights were iffy in several rooms

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

You can ask at check-in for the hotel to not clean your room while you're at the hotel, and just change the towels.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

Well for an ideal meet and sniff you arrive without scents on....(the better to sniff new ones)
and you try on dots on your arm, let it dry, sniff... wash them off, try on a new one, let them dry... wash them off. so its helpful for us to be in a private room with a sink/shower if needed.

but i recall some posts about stinky people that were definitely not "perfume".

also, the hotel "room freshener" was making me sick. i had to beg the cleaning ladies to keep it away form me.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

well, welcome to ours! Octoberland volunteered to host it in her room.

we dont have her room number yet, so my merchant space will be the "news and info point". but it will be saturday.. sometime.

oh, i had Nancy (the button lady) make a few BPAl buttons..