How do you put the smell of a leather factory in jar? That was one of the thoughts that ran through my head as I listened to the list of smells required from the “Whiffs and Pongs” workshop. I had been asked to create ten smells that would hopefully remind the workshop participants of bygone Bermondsey.

Some of the smells were easy to create, like Sarsons Vinegar and Perfume. Some smells I thought would  be easy ended up being more complicated when I realised that everything should look the same so as not to give the game away too early. Our senses work so well together that sometimes we imagine how something smells just by looking at it. I settled on making everything look like a boring brown liquid. Bring on the food colouring and the sieve. Turning freshly cooked sausages into brown liquid takes a bit of determination, and the little chunky bits in Branston’s Pickle are surprisingly hard to squash. My favorite smell looked like congealed axel grease but smelled like Hartleys Strawberry Jam!

So, in the end, whats the secret to putting a leather factory in a jar?…. Max’s Munchies doggy treats!

To see pictures of the workshop please follow this link https://www.londonbubble.org.uk/page/gallery/