BY SUSAN ILKA TUTTLE
(A.K.A. WHISPER IN THE WOOD)
The faerie queen’s origins can be traced to tales that run through Irish and British folklore. This bedazzling creature rules over the fae entities that reside in the woodland realm, among delicate, fragrant blooms in gardens and meadows, and in countless other resplendent places of natural beauty. Those intrigued and enchanted by these otherworldly beings—and especially those who are also lovers of art, literature, and classical music—will recognize Shakespeare’s Titania from A Midsummer Night’s Dream as an embodiment of the archetype of the faerie queen. Titania inspired future incarnations of the queen of the fae, most notably Edmund Spenser’s 1590 epic poem The Faerie Queene, which presents her as Gloriana, a descendant of Titania. Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott” (1842) drew inspiration in part from Spenser’s poem, which in turn inspired John William Waterhouse’s exquisite painting The Lady of Shalott (1888). The faerie queen is brought to life in the form of mellifluous music by Baroque composer Henry Purcell in his opera The Fairy Queen (1692), an adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The queen of the fae has made further appearances in visual art throughout the ages, notably in Henry Fuseli’s Prince Arthur and the Fairy Queen (c. 1877) and the neoclassical work Midsummer Eve by Edward Robert Hughes (1908).
Titania and all her manifestations are intimately linked to the natural world. She affects the weather and has sway over the seasons, which reflect her every emotion and move. Titania’s energy is independent, strong-willed, determined, free-spirited, sassy, feminist, and feisty. While she is a gracious and compassionate being, Titania can be wild, impatient, and surprisingly fierce due to her fae nature. As the most powerful spirit of the faerie realm, she is arguably a beguiling sorceress—a force to be reckoned with in the world of magic.
The art of perfumery is a passion of mine and a medium through which I like to capture, honor, and celebrate facets of life, experience, love, art, nature, and spirit. One such perfume oil I have created especially for Enchanted Living readers is called Titania: a hand-crafted fragrance that embodies the allure of the faerie queen and the mystical, captivating, and magical world of the fae. The initial impression imparted by the perfume’s top note swirls with fruity blackberry while the heart of the blend swells with a fresh and woodsy balsam fir, reminiscent of the deep forest where the fae reside. These facets of the fragrance dance with base notes of earthy cedarwood, musky and honey-like amber, and sweet, warm vanilla. These deeper, rich scents will be fully enjoyed during the dry-down period of the scent, when the heart and lighter top notes will have softened and then vanished.
Not only will the accord of these delicious aromas blended together transport you to the land of the fae; the oils used will impart their inherent magical properties to the wearer of the scent …
• Cedarwood: healing, abundance, wisdom, cleansing negative energies • Amber: a balm for the nerves and the spirit; a magnet for good luck; for harmonizing, soothing fears, and converting negative energy to positive
• Vanilla: inner peace and calm, love, happiness, luck
• Balsam Fir: provides strength, cleanses negativity, and fosters a powerful connection to the natural world
• Blackberry: healing, money, protection, and it makes a wonderful offering for the fae
This perfume oil blend consists of high-quality, therapeutic-grade essential oils, blackberry fragrance oil made for crafting perfumes, and two carrier oils—fractionated coconut oil and jojoba oil (actually a wax ester), both of which absorb quickly into the skin, leaving it velvety soft and without a greasy film. I recommend making 10 millimeters of the perfume oil, which can be easily and conveniently crafted in a glass roller bottle. For everyday safe use, combine 10 to 12 drops of essential oil with your carrier oils in the vessel. You might wish to use a more decadent type of bottle to hold your creation. I enjoy placing my hand-crafted scents in vintage French perfume bottles.
I invite you to create an entire sensual experience for yourself when crafting this perfume oil. Enjoy the ritual of making the fragrance slowly and with intention, and in doing so you will infuse your own spirit into the potion, making it that much more vibrationally potent and special. If concocting it indoors, set up a sacred space for yourself. Light candles, read a passage from The Faerie Queene, and play Purcell’s opera The Fairy Queen softly in the background. Or gather your supplies and wander into the forest, garden, or nearby park. Find a private spot where you can create your perfume blend among the sounds, scents, and sensations of the natural world. Invite the fae spirits to join you in your ritual, connecting and merging with the magical energies all around you, of which you are a part. These woodland sprites may even decide to infuse some of their magic into the perfume. Be sure to leave an offering for them to show your appreciation and thanks—perhaps anoint a crystal with your fae-inspired perfume to give them as a gift. Nature spirits especially love blackberry (contained in this fragrance), which has traditionally been given to them as an offering.
INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES:
10-millimeter glass roller bottle
Perfume pipettes and a mini funnel for filling perfume bottles
Essential oils of cedarwood, amber, vanilla, and balsam fir
Blackberry fragrance oil
Fractionated coconut oil and/or jojoba oil
HOW TO MAKE:
I recommend working on a surface that you can easily wipe clean, as working with these oils can be a bit messy. I simply cover a piece of cardboard with tin foil, which can be wiped clean and used multiple times. Some 10-millimeter bottles come with the roller ball in place. If so, you will need to remove it first. Place your funnel in the bottle and add a small amount of carrier oil (either fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, or a blend of the two).
Add drops of essential oil and fragrance oil in the following amounts:
Cedarwood: 1
Amber: 1
Vanilla: 1
Balsam Fir: 5
Blackberry fragrance oil: 3
Add more carrier oil, filling your bottle to the top.
Press the roller ball in place. Cap it. Shake to blend. As you apply this alluring perfume oil to your sacred vessel on pulse points, allow it to remind you of the beauty and magic that resides within you and in the natural world of which you are a part.
Safety Note: It is important to consult with a qualified health care practitioner before using essential oils, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, have any medical conditions, or are taking any medications (prescription or over-the-counter), or if you have food or plant allergies.
Susan Ilka Tuttle is an herbalist, green witch, artist, psychic medium and spirit messenger, and writer living in the woods of Maine. She is the author of the book Green Witch Magick: Essential Plants and Crafty Spellwork for a Witch’s Cupboard, which will be released in September 2021 and is available for preorder through Amazon, IndieBound, and Barnes & Noble. Visit her shop at inthewoodbotanicals.com, learn more about her spirit mediumship offerings at susantuttlespiritmessenger.com, and follow her on Instagram @whisper_in_the_wood.
