Candles And More

Living in a cul-de-sac certainly has its benefits. Foremost among them is the sense of camaraderie that has grown between our family and the neighbors over the years. In the summer we hold a collective garage sale, and most of the proceeds are put toward neighborhood improvement projects such as flower beds. That feeling of communal spirit continues throughout the year, and it’s especially noticeable at Christmas time.

My wife always puts a few Christmas tealight candles in the windows of our home, but the main project requires dozens of helping hands. Along with the residents of the other nearby cul-de-sacs, we begin saving paper bags several months in advance. A week before Christmas, we begin lining the curbs with luminarias – placing a lit candle in each bag and lending the neighborhood an otherworldly ambiance.

Double or triple layered candles are a good way to get two to three layers of your favorite scents in one candle.  The scent of your favorites layer by layer, that way, you won’t get tired of the same old scent all the time.

Its nice because you can also have them layered not only in the scents you want, but also the color.  Triple layered candles can even be made in votive sizes, although votive candles are not made to stand alone.  They should be placed in a close fitting jar, if not already poured in a glass container.

The same is true for triple layered candles in smaller pillar sizes, they will melt down in a pool, which is dangerous, not to mention messy.  If not already poured in a glass container, you should place them in a snug fitting holder.  When candles are in containers, they are less likely to come in contact with a breeze.  Candles should always be kept away from windows and doors where there is a breeze.  You want your double or triple layered candle to burn evenly so that you can enjoy all of your scents, so you should also keep your wick trimmed to 1/4″ at all times along with keeping away from breezes and never blowing your candles out.  Instead, you should snuff your candles out.  Candle snuffers can be purchased anywhere they sell candles and will save you money in the long run!

Growing up, my grandmother’s house was always the default venue for family gatherings. She had the right temperament to put up with crabby relations, and she has always been a great cook to boot. Some of my fondest memories are still inextricably linked to that modest home. I remember rushing to finish Thanksgiving dinner just in time to watch the Detroit Lions playing football on TV.

These days, grandma is no longer expected to play hostess over the holidays. My parents, siblings and cousins all do our best to pay her back for the great times we had as children. For my part, I buy her a few new jar candles for her birthday each year. The candles have taken up a prominent place on the coffee table, and, when the tops are removed, their scents are simply divine.

Warm your home with fragrance, sounds silly doesn’t it.  Well it is not as silly as it sounds.  You can actually make your home feel warm and cozy, especially this time year.

There are so many scents out there that will give your home that warm cozy feeling.  Just light your candle and let the scent fill the room.  You know your windows can still be open for a while this year and that crisp scent that comes in is so refreshing.  I wish I could have that feeling all year long.

Now that we are going into the colder seasons, the dampness, the chill that goes to the bone, it is nice to come home to that cozy feeling and cuddle up with a warm blankie and have the scent of cookies, vanilla, pumpkin, or hazelnut scent.

I don’t know about you and maybe I’m weird, but I feel funny burning citrus or flowery scents in the fall and winter.  Now maybe spring, but not in the cold season.  Doesn’t it seem like the bakery scents, spice scents, or nut scents should be burned?  Well any way, jar candles, votives, or tartburners, any way you like them.  Happy burning in any scent!

Everyone wants long burning and clean burning candles.  The way to get both of those is to be sure to not let the wax pool after burning for a while.  Did you know that you should trim your wick?  Also you should never blow a candle out.  First of all it is very dangerous because it could splash, it really needs to be snuffed out with a snuffer.   Snuffers don’t cost very much and will save your candle.

It is not always the wax that is the problem, for instance, if you don’t keep your wick trimmed, the flame burns higher and will cause soot.  Also, it will cause the wax to build up on the walls of the candle, ie, burning in the center and not evenly.  It seems kind of silly to have instructions to a candle, but it is the truth.  Just like anything else, you have to use them properly!

If you do these things, your scented candle will last a lot longer and not cause these problems.  I know personally, once I find a scented candle I like, I want to get the most of it.  So follow these instructions along with taking care not to place them where they will get a breeze and you should get a longer life from your candle.

Green products seem to be all the rage these days as our populace becomes increasingly educated about environmental issues. Eco-friendly items have worked their way from a small niche market into the mainstream, and many people are beginning to take notice. Most products that are derived from mineral oil and other fossil-fuel byproducts are being replaced at a rapid rate by environmentally friendly alternatives.

Soy candles are no exception. Whereas traditional candles are constructed from paraffin wax, a soy candle is made from partially hydrogenated soybean oil – a renewable substance that can be created easily in the United States. Americans already consume plenty of soybeans, so it’s especially useful that their byproducts can be used to derive tasteful candles for the home.

snowman electric tartburner

Have you noticed the Christmas decor in stores already, time is a flyin.  I could not believe the decorations in some stores within the past month.  I think Christmas comes sooner every year.  At least, the stores want it to.  I guess with the economy, it’s best to get a jump on things.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, but let us get the pools down first.  I have already purchased some gifts for my kids because with four children, to pay for everything, you gotta start early.  I still have a santa tartburner from last year that I have not put away yet.  I guess I might as well not now.  Tartburners, especially electric are always useful to keep a wonderful scent going in your home.

I use tartburners year round, if I don’t have any others, the christmas tartburner will work fine because it is electric, I’ll just keep it tucked in a corner out of site while still using it and noone will be the wiser.  I use electric tart burners because you don’t have to worry about replacing the tealight so often and the scent keeps going.

You can even switch scents after your tart has faded by just putting another tart in the burner.  After a while though, you will want to dump the wax, it will get full.  Not a big deal, to do.  The tartburner itself is heated by a light bulb, so there is no replacing the tealights and you can keep the scent going day and night.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like fall.  Every magazine I receive is loaded with fall colors and everyone is getting in the mood to decorate in fall colors.  I love the colors of fall, but I also know that what comes next is the dreaded white stuff.  Ok , one step at a time, the glass is half full right..

This is the time of year that we all start thinking of pumpkin pie, the scent that makes you very hungry.  I can bake but I also know that I can have the scented jar candle to burn that is fall colored and scented like pumpkin pie.  The bright colors like the apple colored red, oranges, yellows, and even the darker chocolate colored brown.

It is really a beautiful site, the decorations along with the trees and leaves.  I do enjoy the sites and love to have the change in color.  It means a different scenery in my home also.  The options are limitless!  My children love to decorate the house,  and the leaves that change color usually make it into my house.  Ever try pressing the different leaves between 2 pieces of wax paper when you were in school.  I do remember doing that and it does make a pretty decoration, you can preserve their precious find without the mess when they dry out.

Christmas is associated with a variety of symbols: Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, freshly baked gingerbread cookies, candy canes, stockings and more. Some of those come with distinctive scents that make it “smell like Christmas” every year – the pine scent of the tree, the warm gingerbread smell and the peppermint of the candy canes, to name a few. These scents are beloved and treasured, since they mark the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year. Why not make your home that special all year round with those delicious, comforting aromas?

Christmas candles evoke those traditional scents and make the home feel even more festive at Christmastime. They can fill your home with the delightful smells of apple cider, cinnamon sticks, hollyberry, hot chocolate, jack frost, vanilla bean and more – whatever your idea of Christmas is. They also make wonderful Christmas gifts! Your whole family will always associate Christmas with a warm home, incredible Christmas scents, and lots of love

I can not believe that Christmas is less than five months away!  I think it is coming faster every year, or maybe it’s my age.  I remember the smell of pine and cookies at christmas while growing up.  My mother bought pine scented candles to freshen the house and give it more of a christmasy smell.  I dont remember having as many scents in candles as there is now.  Wow, now you can have just about any scent that you can think of.

What about for gifts?  I guess it is time to start shopping huh.  Candles make a very nice gift, especially for women.  I love candles, especially the ones in the cute little jars.  The smell of cinnamon, especially cinnamon roll, or any baked good makes a house smell wonderful.

What about the lights at christmas?  I use candlelight more at christmas than any other time of the year, and its even better when they smell good.  You can’t really enjoy the christmas lights with a lamp on, and I dont like to be totally in the dark, so I light candles. 

You can conserve energy and get that nice warm feeling all at once, why , who wouldn’t want candles at christmas!