Winter Berry Candle

So since I don't have a real Christmas tree, I was quite sure that my next candle would be some kind of pine scent as there is nothing more Christmasy to me than the smell of a tree. Little did I know that when I walked into Williams Sonoma one day that would change. One of my favorite candles is their spiced chestnut, but I think this one may have taken the number one spot. The winter berry candle is one of their newest scents, but it is fresh, light, fruity and clean. Their candles are made with essential oils so the scents are much more natural and the candles melt like butter. The winter berry is a combination of pomegranate, cassis and and orange. In case you were wondering, cassis is a syrup liqueur made with black currants. Not only does the candle smell delicious, but the bright red glass it comes in looks beautiful when the candle is burning. This is a great hostess gift (or gift to yourself) for the holiday season. Be sure to pick up one before they are gone.

Illume Holiday Candle

There are some things that only seem appropriate for the holidays and mulled wine is one of those things. Unfortunately, I found myself needing to go to Central Market to pick up some cheese as they have the best selection. Don't get me wrong going to Central Market isn't terrible, it's that I usually get into too much trouble and that's what makes it terrible (a good terrible). Since I was in there, I decided to make the best of it and take some time to browse. I happened to come across some really fabulous holiday scented candles from Illume. This is a soy candle that burns really cleanly and smells amazing. It is a combination of cinnamon, orange and clove. It is one of those candles that smells even stronger once you blow it out, but isn't as strong when it's burning. It comes in a wonderful red and white tin. Whether you are looking for a candle for yourself or a filler in a gift, this is a great little add in for $7.99. They also have a wonderful smelling pine that I might pick up because it can't be the holidays without the scent of pine. Be sure to take a moment to smell the candles the next time you are in Central Market.

DIY: Glitter Candles

Candles are a great way to dress up your home decor whether or not you actually burn them. For me, nothing says the holidays like some sparkle and shine and so glitter candles are perfect. These are a great gift that are simple to make and are easy to personalize. You can be as creative or fancy as you want with these. You can use them in your table centerpiece or as a favor for your guests. No matter what you do with them, I promise they will make your holidays a little more festive and bright.

Supplies:

Modge Podge
Sponge brush
Candles, any size, shape or color
Glitter*
Paper plate

I used a small white candle about 4 inches high and a red candle about 10 inches tall.

*I used green extra fine glitter and then regular silver glitter. You can use any size glitter that you want.

Modge Podge dries pretty quickly so you will want to do this in smaller sections. I decided to start with the white candle and green glitter. I wanted a simple glitter band at the bottom, so in small sections I Modge Podged the bottom and sprinkled glitter over each section. I did this all the way around the bottom.

I wanted to do a striped candle, but realized that I needed painter's tape which I unfortunately didn't have. However, I was lucky because this red candle came with a label wrapped around the middle, so I decided to do two silver stripes at the top and bottom and use the label as my painter's tape. I put these two candles with a wine bottle holding some festive and fun holiday floral sprays. If you are willing to get a little bit dirty with the glitter, then these will definitely be for you!

Eggnog Lattes Fill the Air

The magic of candles is their ability to wrap a room up with a tempting aroma. No matter what scent you choose, walking into a room with a candle burning is like walking into a big hug. I have already gone through my fall candles, I headed to Target to find a replacement. I should have known that there wouldn't be any fall scents left, so it was time for me to embrace the Christmas scents (which I have absolutely no problem with). I wanted something a little on the sweet side, thought nothing that was sickeningly sweet. I was caught between sparkling cranberry and eggnog latte. I ended up with eggnog latter because it was a beautiful cream color and I had just had a red fall candle. I am so glad I did because it fills the room with this carmelly coffee like aroma. It's like I am drinking an eggnog latte from Starbucks without actually drinking it. These candles are relatively inexpensive, but are fairly clean burning. They would be a perfect last minute addition to a hostess present or gift basket.

Bubbly Champagne

A name can say it all whether it is for a food, nail polish, or a candle. For me, the perfect name for a nail polish makes me fall in love with the color even more, but that's not what today's post is about. This is about a candle that is perfect for celebrating the arrival of 2013...bubbly champagne. Not only is it a fun name, it also smells beyond delicious and like the real thing! It is light, fresh, and airy, but fills the room with pleasant aroma. (Plus the cream candle in a clear glass jar with gold "bubbles" on it is fun to watch burn) I hope that this scent is available year round because it just has this freshness to it that puts extra pep in your step.

Holiday Heaven

There is just something about a candle that makes an ordinary moment become extraordinary. I don't know if it is just taking a moment to stop and appreciate the scent or if it's the flickering glow of the flame, but either way it's pure magic for me. There are no words to describe my excitement when the holidays roll around and out comes the spiced chestnut candle from Williams Sonoma. Before you even open the box, you can smell the wonderfulness through the box. It comes in this beautiful frosted cocoa colored holder and the candle is a beautiful cream color. The scent of this candle is a tiny bit woodsy and spicy, but light. The best part is that even when you blow out the candle the scent lingers. It doesn't smell super manly and is actually a nice break from the usual super sweet scents. I know that Williams Sonoma does kitchen things right, but they sure know how to do holiday candles as well! If you haven't had the chance to experience this candle, you need to pick one up immediately. They don't last long and you will never want to blow this candle out.

Spiced Cake

I don't know who invented scented candles, but I owe them a big thank you! For some reason, they can immediately erase all the bad things and put me in a better mood without me even realizing it. There is nothing like having a super stressful day and then lighting a candle, where the scent fills the room and suddenly everything is much better. Let me say that the spiced cake candle from Pier 1 is beyond amazing! Its scent fills the entire room and lingers long after you blow it out. It wraps you in the aromas of fall and it has made me fall in love. It's spicy and sweet all at the same time...like a glazed spice cake was just pulled out of the oven. It isn't too sweet smelling and has a wonderful color. This is a perfect candle for fall. Thank you Pier 1 for this magical candle.