Candles You Must Have

First, let me just tell each and every one of you how much I appreciate comments, emails, and your following along with the blog and my instagram. As you can imagine (and appreciate if you have a blog of your own) it takes a lot of time to find and curate stories for the blog, so I really am so grateful when you all chime in on what you think! Thanks for taking the time to do that.

Next, I've been asked by Sarah in Ohio if I could link up my favorite candles again. So, first - that.

I have a few candles that I have been purchasing for years, and will probably always buy. They're scents that I have found to be a perfect extension of my space. They are welcoming and fragrant, but not at all overwhelming. They provide a scent that doesn't present as thought it's trying to mask something else, instead just the notion that here lives someone who cares about appealing to all of the senses.

Capri Blue - Volcano

This is a glorious smelling 1-wick candle. It burns very clean, and evenly, and smells as good while burning as it does when you open the lid on the jar. If you've ever been into an Anthropologie store, you've likely smelled "Volcano", as it is their unofficial store candle. It's sweet smelling, like citrus, but is married to a whole variety somewhat herbaceous scents. It's like if you happened upon a collection of the most ripe and fragrant citrus fruits on a bed of jungle flowers. Try it out, and see what you think! I think you're gonna love it! 

For those of you who have an aversion to candles, they also have a reed diffuser, which I find to be just as aromatic. 

This one is really lovely, particularly for gift giving. I find that nearly every time I have this burning when people are over, everyone asks what smells so heavenly. The Trapp collection of candles are as fragrant as they are good looking. The Orange Vanilla is my favorite, and the favorite of my friends, too. If you've ever smelled anything that said "orange blossom" this is just like that, but probably better. Simple, sweet, the perfect spring scent. 

They also have a diffuser kit! And if you're not quite ready to commit to a $28 candle, or if you're simply looking for a gift for a friend, why not try their votive? Two 4oz votives for $11! 

This is going to sound a little weird, BUT, I think - if you blended orange vanilla from Trapp Candles and the sweet and herbaceous jungle citrus of the Capri Blue Volcano you would end up with this: 

The Circle E Collection of Candles are poured in Texas by hand. Having grown up there, I can say that nearly every house I had ever been in had one of these burning. It's by far their highest selling fragrance, and for good reason. It's intoxicating. This one is perfect for year round burning, but I cycle Bird of Paradise with Orange Vanilla and Volcano all year long so I don't get bored with one or begin to favor one over the other.

Lastly, I got an email lead (HUGE HUGE HUGE - Thank you Monica) on a bunch of houses Michael S. Smith has designed for a multi-billionaire client in California, and the day and a half of research I've done so far I can tell it's gonna be good! So look for that soon!