Rose Photo by Tama Blough
Many fragrance lovers have known Tama Blough years before she was Managing Editor for ÇaFleureBon. She is an avid perfume collector, a quilt maker, and a visual artist who posted under the avatar Matadecoco. In addition to perfume blogging, Tama has been instrumental as a leader in The West Coast perfume community, hosting San Francisco Sniff Tours and supporting West Coast Artisans. It is because of Tama, many West Coast Perfumers had first exposure to a wider audience.
My first encounter with Tama was in 2010, when she was a reader of ÇaFleureBon. Her intelligent comments, light hearted manner and interesting insights into the world of niche fragrance so moved me, that I reached out and asked her to be a Contributor. From her first article The Orris Chronicles in 2011 to one of her her last reviews as Managing Editor (October 1, 2014) on Fiore di Bellagio by Shelley Waddington, Tama has been integral to ÇaFleureBon’s success. When her health started declining over the past year, she always put on her game face. Until she couldn’t any longer; she needed her strength for herself rather than for others. Tama was recently diagnosed with bile duct cancer. It is incurable and if you are one of the many who know her and love her, this news has been a devastating blow. We are numb. There is a fund set up by Nina Zotolow and other personal friends, that has raised nearly $10,000 (as I am writing this), so that Tama’s quality of life for the time she has with us is the very best it can be and that she can stay in her home as long as possible.
Buster, Tama’s much loved cat
We applaud Nina for her tireless work organizing a GiveForward campaign and many of us have reached into our pockets to contribute. As Tama’s friend and as her Editor, I wanted to do something personal, from my heart, that would also touch our readers, Tama’s friends and family in a visceral way; one that would engage their fifth sense. Fragrance has the power to evoke a loved one no matter how far away, and to bring them to us with just a drop on our wrist.
Tama Blough Managing Editor of CaFleureBon
On November 3, 2014, when Tama told me of her cancer, I reached out to Tanja Bochnig of April Aromatics so that we could collaborate on a fragrance that we knew Tama would love, but whose primary purpose would be to raise money for Tama’s health care expenses. Roses are one of Tama’s favorite flowers, and she would post many photos of beautiful roses on her Facebook wall, so of course it would be a rose perfume, a little fruity , a little dirty and because Tanja is the perfumer it would be all natural and of the highest quality. I named it San Francisco Rose. I knew that Tanja, with her background as a healer and her aura of spirituality would be best suited for an olfactive homage to our friend, our colleague, the writer you love, the woman who has given so much to so many.
April Aromatics San Francisco Rose All profits will go directly to Tama Blough
Only 200 bottles of San Francisco Rose have been made. Tanja Bochnig has worked nonstop to compose a beautiful perfume in a thoughtful and timely manner. She is donating all profits from every bottle sold (Tanja is just covering her cost of materials) to Tama and the link to purchase is here. I cannot thank Tanja enough for her time and selflessness.
Natural Perfumer Tanja Bochnig, Art and Olfaction Award Winner 2014 for Calling all Angels with roses
San Francisco Rose Notes: Ingredients: Rose Otto Turkey, Rose absolue Bulgaria, Orris Root, Pink Pomelo, Tonka Bean, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Precious Woods accord, touch of Patchouli and others. Infused with Herkimer Diamond and Rose Quarz which have healing properties.
Price: $138,00 (111,00 Euros), without tax if ordered from the US, so for US customers the total will be around: $113.00 plus shipping $7.00
I want to share an email I received from Long Time Friend and Contributor Mary Beth Devine: “Perfume folks are a little different. We’re not like football friends who gather on weekends and whoop and holler. We’re not exactly like the artsy hoi polloi who gather around an objet and speak in awed and hushed whispers while sipping mediocre Chardonnay. I’m not saying we haven’t done both, but we do tend to be an opinionated bunch and we have the advantage of being able to pass around our beloved objets to sniff and share. Some of us ‘know’ each other from Facebook; some of us go back to the good old, bad old days of Makeup Alley and Perfume of Life. But we’ve come to know the editors and contributors of this blog through their postings. We’ve come to know them through the various perfume groups on social media. But, as is usual with social media, it’s a public face. No matter the circumstances, it’s still a case of what to say….what to do…. And this time it’s CaFleureBon’s own dear Tama. I could say the usual “But when she posted the other week, she seemed just fine!” I could get on my carry-it-with-me-anywhere and everywhere-soapbox and rant. I could shake my fist at whatever gods there are and rant some more, but it would all be fore naught. I know that. It’s hope, prayer, and lit candle time for Tama who has become part of our extended smell-so-good family“.
The Direct Link to purchase San Francisco Rose is http://aprilaromatics.com/store/index.php/san-fran-rose-30ml.html
–Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief and Tanja Bochnig, Perfumer for April Aromatics and Friend
Special Thanks to Tanja’s partner Wolf for his most gracious assistance.