Melting Basket 78: Thanksgiving and Fall Fun Series

Tarts from the last basket I enjoyed and would buy again include: CFTKR Woodland Foliage and Blood Orange Patchouli, Dessa's Cranberry Spice, LSC Patchouli Honey, TBG Faded Opulence and Widow's Walk.

Here are the scents I have curated for my Thanksgiving week festivities:

CFTKR- Pumpkin Wreath

CFTKR- Butternut Pumpkin

CFTKR- Frost on the Pumpkin

CFTKR- Spiced Cranberries

Satin Suzie- Pumpkin Pie

Satin Suzie- Nutmeg & Ginger

Sugar & Spice- Pumpkins in the Fire/Cinnamon Sticks

The Bathing Garden- Victorian Midway

Country Lane Keepsakes- Picking Pumpkins

If there are any scents from this new basket you would like me to review, please let me know which ones below. 

Today is a dual Melting Basket and Fall Fun Series post. You now know what I will be melting, now let me show you one of our traditions...

November 1st harkens the come back of our annual Thankful Tree. Each of us gets a unique color/pattern leaf and we all write one thing we are thankful for each day leading up to Thanksgiving and tape it onto the tree.

I love seeing what the girls and Adam write every year. Some things stay the same and others a new. Savanna used to write various types of dinosaurs. Pets and friends and family always appear. Toilets and doors are new this year. It is wonderful to be grateful every day of the year but to focus on it in this way is enjoyable for us too. 

I am thankful for the friends I have made and people I have met through this blog and Instagram and Facebook. You guys bring a smile to my face often. 

What are you thankful for right now? I hope this week is a beautiful one for you. Do you have your Thanksgiving wax or candles picked out yet? What aroma will be gracing your home? Any Thanksgiving traditions?

Melting Basket 77

Wax tarts from the last basket I would and probably will buy again include: FuturePrimitive Pumpkin Eater, Glitterati Pink Marshmallow Fireside, Beezy Amish Quilt, CFTKR Fall Wreath and Sticky Cinnamon Buns, LSC Cabin Fever, S&S Celtic Marshmallow Fireside, Universal Voodoo Wayward Gravy, TBG Pumpkin Spice. 

Whew. That was a heavy hitting basket of great ones.

This week I will be melting a motley assortment:

CFTKR- Woodland Foliage

CFTKR- Blood Orange Patchouli

Dessa's- Cedar Wood

Dessa's- Spiced Orange Pomander

Dessa's- Cranberry Spice

Lasting Scent Candles- Exotic Myst

Lasting Scent Candles- Patchouli Honey

Universal Voodoo- Beaten Path

The Bathing Garden- Widow's Walk

The Bathing Garden- Faded Opulence

Sniff My Tarts- Serendipity Marshmallow Smoothie/VBN/Spearmint

Sugar & Spice- Country Christmas/Cinnamon Sticks/Gingerbread Apple Cake

Vintage Chic Scents- White Zombie (mac apple birthday cake whipped cream) <3 gift

Vintage Chic Scents- Milk Glass (wild berry cake batter sugar milk) <3 gift

Vintage Chic Scents- Jackie O (marshmallow birthday cake vanilla bean noel) <3 gift

Pour Girl's- Pinkmary Mint <3 gift and my very first Pour Girl's

If you would like any of these scents reviewed in depth, please let me know which ones in the comments section. 

Guys. Only one week of school left before Thanksgiving Break. 

We picked up our turkey and a few supplies. I am still not 100% sure what I will be cooking but I am looking forward to it. There is a mild bit of family drama that keeps niggling the back of my mind over a miscommunication back in September that just won't heal. I have offered my apologies but they are being ignored. 

My husband keeps telling me to not let it bother me but it does. I hate the feeling of not being forgiven. Of rifts not being repaired. But if I have learned anything through marriage class, it is that you cannot change anyone but yourself. So I just need to let it go. If they wish to be in the same room with me once again, I guess it will happen. I just need to learn to be ok with it if it doesn't. 

So I resort back to counting my blessings and trying not to dwell on the negatives. Speaking of counting blessings... the next melting basket, the Thanksgiving one, will feature our family's Thankful Tree. 

In the meantime I will be petting and squeezing on this furry friend. And engaging in some retail therapy. I may have placed my most epic Candles From The Keeping Room order to date. And I ordered a little from Rosegirls and my first Candy Panda scrub. I hope your week is beautiful my dears. 

Melting Basket 76

Halloween wax tarts from the previous basket I would repurchase: CFTKR Full Moon if it wasn't discontinued (tears), Sweet Fixations Haunted House, House of Usher Sanderson Sisters, LSC Spooky Brew, Screaming (or Spooky) Apparitions, Crimson Moon, Cobweb Cookies. I am a little sad I only have about 3 Halloween tarts left to carry over for next year. They are the few LSC tarts I bought in the last order. But maybe getting to buy all new ones will be nice. 

CFTRK- Sticky Cinnamon Buns (in the cutest shapes ever)

CFTKR- Fall Wreath

CFTKR- Caramel Spice

FuturePrimitive- Pumpkin Eater (mmmmmmm did you see that vendor?????)

Glitterati- Pink Sugar Marshmallow Fireside

Beezy- Amish Quilt

Lasting Scent Candles- Cabin Fever

Lasting Scent Candles- Mallow Munch

Sugar & Spice- Marshmallow Fireside/Celtic Moonspice blend

Universal Voodoo- Wayward Gravy <3 gift

Universal Voodoo- Horizontal Haze

Big Whiff- Twilight Woods

The Bathing Garden- Pumpkin Spice

If you would like me to review any of these scents in depth, I would be happy to just for you! Leave a comment below letting me know which one beckons to be discussed. And hey. I will talk more about one of the above vendors in a soon-to-be Fall Fun Series post. So keep those peepers peeled. 

I am in full thrall of Thanksgiving and Christmas right now. I want it to be a happy and enjoyable time but I think I have been sabotaging my body too much to really be able to enjoy it. My sugar consumption is abominable. And I think it is making me irritable, forgetful and headache ridden. My goal for the next few weeks is to reign that in a bit so I can feel good and enjoy my favorite time of year. Plus who wants diabetes to be their 36th birthday present? 

We do have the Thankful tree up, though I was a few days late. Some Halloween doodads were scored at Target for 70% off and are now awaiting departure to the attic. Christmas shopping (and carol listening- don't judge) has commenced. Thanksgiving menu planning slides into priority number one right now. Well, after my health.

Adam and I are looking forward to seeing the new Fantastical Beasts movie soon. Date night! 

Savanna attended her second Pokemon tournament and scored her first win.

Scarlette overflows with joy from her school research projects and friendships at the moment. They have these cafes where the kids display their work and all walk around leaving comments on a sheet of paper next to the students' work. She enjoys reading what her friends write.

How is your November unfolding? Do you have a sweet tooth you battle? Any fun plans brewing?

Melting Basket 74

Since it has been ages since I have done a melting basket post I am just going to hop right into it. I doubt anyone remembers what was in the last basket anyway... I know I don't and I am way too lazy right now to search back.

Lasting Scent Candles- Toasted Embers

Lasting Scent Candles- Fall Fest

Lasting Scent Candles- Picklefritz

Dessa- Pumpkin Wreath Woods

Dessa- October

Dessa- Autumn Wreath Harvest

Dessa- Autumn Breeze

The Bathing Garden- Tombstone Dust

The Bathing Garden- Victorian Midway

The Bathing Garden- Pumpkin Masquerade

Butterfly Lane- Mountain Cider/Country Splendor

Beezy- Pumpkin Caramel Swirl

Sweet Fixations- Pumpkin Pie Spice

CFTKR- Caramel's Perfect Autumn

Sugar & Spice- Frosted Pumpkin Cupcake/Coconut Cream Pie/Gingerbread Pumpkin

I will highlight some favorites during the Fall Fun Series, but feel free to request any reviews of specific scents in the comments. 

"Each second we live in a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never was before and never will be again. And what do we teach our children in school? We teach them that two and two makes four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In the millions of years that have passed there has never been another child like you."- Pablo Casals

That quote was part of my Montessori assistant teacher training. In the traditional classroom, there is often not the time to squeeze in these types of affirmations. Between thrusting math and reading into a child's face and hand cramping amounts of paperwork and trying to keep up with whatever new mandate flits in and out of the classroom, most teachers do not have time to foster meaningfulness into individual children. At least I didn't when I taught at a Title 1 middle school for five years. But now, I feel continually blessed to be a part of the Montessori movement, that my kids get filled with the importance of work, the fire to learn and lessons on grace and courtesy. That the whole child is attended to, not just the product of testing.

On top of that blessing, our Montessori school is a public charter school, and not a private school. If you have a local Montessori school, check it out. There are other educational philosophies out there too. I am not saying that the Montessori philosophy is for every child, or that public education never works. I just know that even with two education degrees, I had never even heard of Montessori, and what I had heard had been incorrect preconceived notions, so I wanted to spread the word in my own little part of the world. 

After all, our children are precious. And they should know their worth.

Fall Fun Series: Leaves

Ahhhh leaves! This Florida gal day dreams of driving north about 9 hours to soak in the fall foliage hues of umber, ochre and scarlet. As a sub-tropical climate, central Florida really does not have a whole lot of color changing species, a few here and there of course, but not enough to turn a head. 

So my fall foliage mainly consists of dripping moss, evergreen boughs and palmetto fronds. The thunderstorms of hurricane season bring in cold fronts and the subtle nuances of a Florida fall are beginning to be felt.  And yes, I feel it in my bones too. 

"A Vagabond Song"

- by Bliss Carman

There is something in the autumn that

is native to my blood-

Touch of manner, hint of mood;

And my heart is like a rhyme,

With the yellow and the purple and

the crimson keeping time.

The scarlet of the maples can shake me

like a cry

of bugles going by.

And my lonely spirit thrills

To see the frosty asters like a smoke

upon the hills.

There is something in October sets the 

gypsy blood astir;

We must rise and follow her,

When from every hill of flame

She calls and calls each vagabond by

name.

I did scout out this leaf last year in North Carolina. One day I will make it for fall in the Smoky or Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Of course you probably remember that I have burnt my Bath & Body Works Leaves candle. It was the regular edition from this year and I have been enjoying it very much. 

I also melted my Sugar & Spice Leaves and Cinnamon Sticks tarts and very much loved them. The addition of extra cinnamon was just what I wanted. It threw strong in my bedroom, kitchen and living room. 

How are the leaves in your part of the world? Do you enjoy any leafy type scents?

Sugar & Spice Wax: Tiny Fall Custom Order

Sugar & Spice has been on "to order from" list for ages. I did a small order last year with my sister and we split the four cup packs. It was a lot of fun and a great way to make it more affordable. This time I went out solo and did a few custom blends in the 3 cup packs. She sells the 3 cup packs for $5.55 each and you can blend to your heart's desire. 

Country Christmas/Cinnamon Sticks/Gingerbread Apple Cake- Of course cinnamon features pretty strongly in this one but the gingerbread apple cake and Country Christmas build a layer of cozy, almost hearth-like, homeyness. This will be perfect for those cold snaps in December. 

Leaves and Cinnamon Sticks- Sugar & Spice has a killer Leaves dupe. It is golden and full of juicy apples and soft spice, add in that extra cinnamon and it explodes. A festive autumnal combination. 

Pumpkin in the Fire and Cinnamon Sticks- Can you tell I like cinnamon? Stoked I ended up liking Shanna's Cinnamon Sticks oil (especially since I blended it with so many things)! Another scent that I adore from her is her Pumpkins in the Fire blend. I first experienced it years ago and it always makes me happy. Sweet sugary pumpkins and marshmallow fireside collide. Perfection. Add in a little spice and everything turns out nice. I swear I almost pick up a wee ghosty touch of caramel apple too.

Frosted Pumpkin Cupcake/Coconut Cream Pie/Gingerbread Pumpkin- A creamy vanilla coconut pie layered with pumpkin and on a vanilla wafer crust. This bad boy makes me googly eyed. Very minimal spice.

Marshmallow Fireside and Celtic Moonspice- Another scent Shanna does wonderfully is Marshmallow Fireside. Celtic Moonspice is a goddess in her own right and she elevates this already incredible scent into nirvana for my nose. Not a fiery spice, but sweet and mellow. Like cinnamon vanilla, but now a marshmallow rolled in cinnamon sugar and vanilla then toasted. Does it get any better than this? 

Loving my short and sweet Sugar & Spice order. I missed the sale since I had already placed this one, but did anyone catch it? What did you blend? What are your favorites from Sugar & Spice? Fast turn around time, nice scent list, custom blending options... a great vendor. 

Melting Basket 47

The last basket had a ton of repurchases! I must have made a doozy! Tarts I would absolutely buy again include: RG Pink Spearmint, CFTKR Baked Apple, Cedar Sage & Blackberry, and Ultimate Serendipity, TDC Vintage Vanilla a beautiful musky vanilla that throws insanely and lasts all day long, LCP Cinnamon Broom, The Candle Lab Mahogany/Dad's Den/Coconut and Pine Needles/Cinnamon/Vanilla Bean I am hoping to bring you all more about The Candle Lab soon. 

Bodygoodies- Cavendish

The Bathing Garden- Hoarfrost Tonic

Rosegirls- Garden of Eden scoopable

Rosegirls- Cedar and Saffron scoopable

Rosegirls- Lavender Mallow Smoothie

Rosegirls- O Captain! My Captain! I cannot believe I am actually melting this... hoard mode forever.

Sugar & Spice- Marshmallow Fireside Marshmallow Noel

Lasting Scent Candles- Smoking Mirrors

Streetman- Fig Berry Vanilla Bean

Warm Ups- Mahogany

CFTKR- Blackberry & Bay (Jo Malone Type)

Rustik Country Krafts- Nag Champa

Rustik Country Krafts- Patchouli

A hippy, earthy, smokey, and herbal basket. This category of tarts was starting to pile up in my wax drawer (I store my wax like Jacqui- by scent genres). So I decided what better time to melt some earthy than fall? If there are any you would like reviewed in depth please comment and it would make me happy to do so!

I started lamenting that fact that I really did not have much to explore around my home nature-wise... then I remembered... duh. You have woods in your backyard. Is it like if you see something long enough you forget it is there? Or maybe I just never really thought there could be beauty in a tiny and somewhat urban stretch of trees. 

I was wrong. Thankfully.

So I gained dozens of mosquito bites, a few scratches, and several burrs but I also drank in nature. I tried to ignore the random trash and thorns, but isn't that what we do in life? Choose to ignore the ugly and negative sometimes and focus on the beauty and positive. I need to, at least a little. Or getting through a day is sometimes difficult. 

This weekend brings my in-laws up for a visit, maybe some fall pumpkin something or other baking, and hopefully some reading. My book pile has grown lately. How is your week going? Looking forward to anything? 

Melting Basket 44: Here Comes Fall!

Wax tarts I would buy again from the last basket include: Streetman Cotton Candied Spruce Berries, CFTKR Ultimate Serendipity, Tropical Cookie, UTC American Cream/Pink?Mallow Bean loaf.

Rosegirls- Spice Cake

Sniff My Tarts- Honeyed Gingerbread/Icecream Scoop Bread <3 gift

CFTKR- Baked Apple

CFTKR- Rustic Lodge

CFTKR- Cider Barrel <3 gift

SuperTarts- Pink Peppermint Cookies

Streetman- Country Nights <3 gift

Lasting Scent Candles- Snicklefritz

Lasting Scent Candles- Sugar Sparkle

Lasting Scent Candles- Coconut Cream Pie

Sugar & Spice- Grandma's Kitchen <3 gift

Sugar & Spice- Macintosh Apple Leaves <3 gift

Beezy- Apple Clove Butter

Lake Providence Lodge- Apple Cinnamon <3 gift

Dessa's Homespun Scents- Harvest Festival <3 gift

Can you smell the fall?! I am so excited to be able to bust these autumnal goodies out! If there are any you are interested in getting reviewed in depth, please holler!

Even though I am ready for all things fall and apples and pumpkins... let me be real. It is still very much summer here in central Florida. Late summer flowers keep blooming, the copious rain storms have the Bahia grass growing knee high, and temps in the high 90's.

Heck. Even the emerald iridescent June bugs don't realize it is August. Beardie is eating well though. He loves fresh June bugs. Too bad he doesn't eat snakes...

Lasting Scent Candles posted recently about a fall opening. That got me excited for Black Pumpkin, Autumn Dreamin' and Lemon Ginger Snaps. The fall decorations are coming out of the attic this weekend. When you are setting up your autumn decorations?

Melting Basket 36: It's Purple!

Wax tarts I would repurchase from the last basket include: Scentsy French Lavender and Sugar, TDC Patchouli Passion, Rosegirls Motion in the Ocean, Alamo Vintage, HHS Elsa's Ice Castle, and finally, Rustik Country Krafts Nag Champa. 

CFTKR- Violets & Birch
CFTKR- Festive Berry
CFTKR- Blue Raspberry Cotton Candy
CFTKR- Blissful Blackberry Type
CFTKR- Country Gift Shop <3 gift
FussAss- Nighty Night
FussAss- Hippie Chick
Rosegirls- Peppermint Coconut Mallow the last of my pie, how I will miss this guy
Rosegirls- Twilight Woods
Rosegirls- Date Night
Rosegirls- Pink & Blue Swizzle Sticks <3 gift
Front Porch- Vanilla & Black Burrant <3 gift
Sugar & Spice- Blackberry Coconut Mallow Fluff
Glitterati- Purple Rain an amazing fruity scent, highly recommended
Streetman- Wassamotta U <3 gift
Make Scents- Bedtime Bath <3 gift
Rainbow Melts- Zucchini Jam <3 gift
Beezy- French Lavender & Honey <3 gift
Super Tarts- New York <3 gift
SMT- Blueberry Grunt Cake <3 gift
SMT- Cotton Candy/Sweet Lavender Mallow/Blueberry <3 gift
VCS- Carousel <3 gift
VCS- Violette <3 gift on cold, this tart is filling my violet obsession that has developed as of late
VCS- Eleven Fairy Gifts<3 gift
VCS- Life is a Cabaret <3 gift

If you would like to see a more in-depth review of any of these scents, please comment below.

My Pop-Pop turned 70 on the 15th, the family wanted to surprise him on Sunday by all meeting at his church then eating lunch on the grounds. Welcome Baptist Church has not seen my face in its pews for about 15 years. I have not held a Hymnal in my hands in a long time. How can something feel so familiar yet strange all at once? So old fashioned and yet vital? It will be a sad day indeed when all these books of music are obsolete. 

That particular familial area of Florida where Welcome Baptist Church stands houses my maternal side of our lineage. I took Savanna to see where her great grandmother, Danna (my Mema), her great-great grandmother, Gladys (my Granny), and her great-great-great grandmother, Laura (Grandma Keene, who I had the pleasure of knowing, passed when I was 7 years old) all lie in the family plot. I explained how she is the 6th generation of first born daughters from all these women who had come before her.

It was a celebratory and grounding Sunday. And the moments that spontaneously happened, I imagine, will live on in Savanna's memory as being significant. What was your most recent moving experience? Dream? Thought? Memory?

Melting Basket 35

Wax I enjoyed and would certainly buy again from last basket include: S&S Pink/Lavender Mint/Peppermint and Pink/Pomegranate/Watermelon, VCS Cheryl's Stormy Weather, Beezy Pink Peppermint, FP Vanilla Noel, BHG Sugared Lavender Twist, CFTKR Serendipity Noel and Jill's Strawberry Cream Jelly Roll. 

ScentSationals- Beachwood

Tiffany- Serendipity w/ Pink Marshmallow OP

Scentsy- French Lavender

Scentsy- Sugar

Beezy- Lavender Sugar Cookie

Beezy- Amber Romance

Ten Digit Creations- Patchouli Passion

Sugar & Spice- Down in the Islands

FussAss McGee- Patchouli Blend

FussAss McGee- Karma

Rosegirls- Motion in the Ocean

Rosegirls- Earth Angel (see Deb, I can spell it right... once in a Harvest Moon). 

Super Tarts- Strawberry Cotton Candy Frosting <3 gift

Alamo Candelaria- Vintage (Tea & Lemon- London Calling) <3 gift

Alamo Candelaria- Faeries de la Foret <3 gift

HHS- Toasted Vanilla Bean Noel

HHS- Elsa's Ice Castle <3 gift

Flaming Star Scents- Orange Berrydipity <3 gift

Rustik Country Krafts- Nag Champa <3 gift

CFTKR- Almost Paradise

CFTKR- Bunny Treats <3 gift

CFTKR- Sweet Vanilla Zucchini <3 gift

Fatty basket 'o smells on deck. If there are any you want to hear more about please comment below and I will be happy to review them just for you!

So the family and I went to West Palm Beach for the weekend recently. We stayed at Eau Palm Resort gratis due to Adam's ability to play golf and win raffle prizes. The place was stunning, great service, and prices reflected this. And by the end of the trip it ended up costing me more than I had thought in the form of my camera....

I had a ginormous lizard that liked to sunbathe with me.

The Atlantic was lovely, if rough and tar filled. After walking in the water a bit, Adam and I discovered huge globs of oil/tar on our feet that was quite difficult to remove. Very disheartening. I cannot imagine what it is doing to the ecosystem and wildlife. I was also taken surprise by an errant wave that claimed my most favored lens. Disheartening as well. In fact, the squirrel photo below was my last photo taken with my zoom lens that was my birthday/Mother's Day/Christmas all rolled into one about 5 years ago. The Camera Shop man says it is not salvageable. I am now on the look out for a new lens. As a result, my photos are suffering. My stock lens just does not offer the crisp (I LOVED the Vibration Reduction feature), the zoom, or the bokeh that I adore. Please bear with me and my lower quality images as I adjust and scout for a new/used lens. 

How was your weekend? Have anything exciting coming up soon?

Warmed Wax: Sugar & Spice and VSC

Sugar & Spice Pink/Lavender Mint/Peppermint- Strong throw, smelling of BBW Lavender Vanilla with a powerful minty charge that let me in a state of relaxing bliss all evening. Repurchase for sure. Four-pack. All mine. 

Sugar & Spice Blonde Moment/Peach Margarita- A nice medium-strong throw, but not for me. I am not digging my blend here. The Blonde Moment and Peach Margarita are having fisticuffs instead of making romance. Too sour/sweet/strange.

Sugar & Spice Pomegranate/Pink/Watermelon- Strong throw in the bedroom and sweet candy coated dreams! A fruity Pink Sugar laden melody that I would repurchase. 

Vintage Chic Scents Cheryl's Stormy Weather- Fresh, white musk, storm clouds, and clean homes. This scent was strong and filled my home with a beautifully blended fresh and clean scent. No laundry, no nose poking florals, just a well done perfumed aroma. Repurchase. Yes I would.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend. Any plans? We are laying low. I think. I need to quilt. Read. Clean. 

Melting Basket 34

Wax I would buy again from the previous basket include: CFTKR Cedar Sage & Blackberry (it was beautiful with an almost sangria feel to it after a while), Sugared Strawberry Spruce, Primitive Wishes, Chocolate Orchid, and Celtic Moonspice (sister picked a ton of favs), TDC Vintage Vanilla, VDC Blanche and Baby Jane, Streetman Cotton Candied Spruce Berries.

Sugar & Spice- Pink Lavender Mint Peppermint

Sugar & Spice- Blonde Moment Peach Margarita

Sugar & Spice- Pomegranate Pink Watermelon

Vintage Chic Scents- Cheryl's Stormy Weather

Beezy- Pink Peppermint

Lasting Scent Candles- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Front Porch- Vanilla Noel

Better Homes & Gardens- Sugared Lavender Twist

Alamo Candelaria- Mama Cita

FussAss McGee- Rose Sandalwood

Rosegirls- Cherry Berry Punch Lemonade

Glitterati- Island Peach/Sangria White Peach

Glitterati- Cotton Candy

Glitterati- Raspberry Sangria

Haley's Heavenly Scents- Pink Coconut Noel

Haley's Heavenly Scents- Pink Fruit Loops

CFTKR- Serendipity Noel

CFTKR- Amazingly Grace

CFTKR- Spicy Kitchen

CFTKR- Mr. Bear in the Blackberry Patch

CFTKR- Raspberry Rainbow <3 gift

CFTKR- Jill's Strawberry Cream Jelly Roll <3 gift

If you would like an in-depth review of any of these, please comment and I will be happy to oblige.

A while back Bath & Body Works had a $3 handsoap sale so I sprung for a few that stood out to my nose. 

White Lily & Lime has a tart cleanness that smells wonderful on freshly washed hands. For some reason I do not enjoy my hands smelling like bakery or candy. I need fresh and clean or pretty at the very least. This fulfills all three.

Rio Samba Sunset boasts notes of white amber, orange flower and musk. I must say this has to be the most unique handsoap scent from BBW that I have encountered. For me this falls squarely in the pretty category. It reminds me faintly of Amber Romance from VS but with more citrus and brightness. 

Hawaiian Pink Hibiscus mixes plumeria and guavas in a sweet tropical twist. Just plain pretty. 

Have you found any Bath & Body Works scents recently that surprised you? I think maybe they are stepping up the fragrance game. What are you washing your hands with?

Sugar & Spice Gourmet Soy Candles: Custom Order

If you crave instant gratification and desire to tinker with custom blending (combining a few scents to create a fragrance new and unique), Sugar & Spice can fill that need. They are also a great wax company to do split orders with since they sell their custom blended scent shots in packs of 3 ($5.25) or 4 ($7.00). My sister Darby and I did just that. She blended 3 scents and I blended three scents, we pick the 4 cup option and split them down the middle so we each got two shots of all the scents. We ordered Sunday night and they arrived Friday, 5 days later. Amazing TAT!

Blonde Moment/Peach Margarita- The ultimate frozen concoction to grace a beach blanket. Dripping sweet peaches, tart limes and fizzy sweet effervescence. A summer treat for sure.

Blackberry Coconut/Blackberry Marshmallow Fluff/Blackberry- Blackberry pie filling layered on top of a creamy foundation of vanilla pudding folded into Cool Whip. Delicious.

Apple Butter Caramel/Celtic Moonspice- Caramel drenched apple dumpling sprinkled with cinnamon. Gooey, sticky and indulgent.

Marshmallow Fireside/Marshmallow Noel- The puff of unmistakable sweet air from opening that ubiquitous bag of Jet Puffed, sitting by the fire pit, long sticks in hand. 

Rosemary Mint Aveda/Peppermint- The Disney cruise line tiled spa/sauna room. Nasal dilating, pore cleansing, eye fluttering coolness.

Pink/Lavender Mint/Peppermint- Sweet infant skin, soft and graced with powdery lavender oil. A baby so fresh and newly arrived a minty-ness hangs about her in a halo.

Free Samples!

Shanna does something fun that not many vendors do- Mystery tarts!

Mystery tart 1- fruity bakery all the way. With four layers of scent, that is about all I can nail down.

Mystery tart 2- This reminds me of all my crazy coconut/Waikiki blending I did with Sugar & Spice last year. 

Mystery tart 3- Another tropical delight. More sunscreen than fruity.

Boo Berry- Blueberry laced cereal.

Down in the Islands- I very much like this one! My favorite of the free samples and the only one I kept for myself. Carmen Miranda's fruit heavy headpiece tango dancing its way into my warmer.

I am excitedly plotting another Sugar & Spice split order for next month. Pink Rainbow Bridge and Pumpkins in the Fire Marshmallow Fireside are calling to me! Have you tried Sugar & Spice? How do you feel about making your own custom blends?