A Big FAT February with Candles By Victoria!

I'm thinking, at the rate I am going, you will all...well, my few faithful followers...will see me on an episode of Hoarders: Buried Alive. Honestly, I probably wouldn't mind being buried in wonderfully scented wax, as long as it's wax from Candles By Victoria. What can I say, I am a girl with standards.

Of all my senses, my nose and my sense of smell takes me back in time. I can remember products my parents used to bath me, the smell of my Grand Pop's pipe tobacco, the smell of my Nana's basement. Smells=Comfort. Smells also remind me of danger. The smell of smoke, and fire remind me of a scary occurrence in my parent's house when I was 6. Our dryer caused a fire in our basement and I remember Mom waking my brother and I to get out of our home. Thankfully, my Dad managed the fire and little was damaged. Point is, smells can take us back in time and most often can be soothing or comforting. This may sound strange, but my nose chooses many of the products I have used and still is my king of senses. Already loving candles, when I found YouTube videos of people praising a candle company, I simply HAD to jump on board and try these colorful jars of wax.

So here we are, February, and my wax collection is HUGE. So far this month, I have place 4 or 5 orders. I am unsure of how many candles I actually do own, but I can say that I have tried well over 100 scents from Candles By Victoria. Victoria has over 700. I have a very long way to go. Anyway, I want to just do a quick...who am I kidding, this written review may take awhile. I wanted to involve my hubby in this review, so after I give you my opinion, I will give Doug's. It should be interesting to see what The Scent Nazi has to say huh? So, get comfy, put your fuzzy socks on, turn off the TV and prepare yourself for a good read. I will even let you make yourself a cup of tea to join you on this visual smell-a-thon.........

Go. Make tea.......

Great, you're back! Let's do this!

Scent Shots:

Mint Tea~ (haven't melted) Very minty. Definitely smell tea, but the mint is way over powering. Peppermint...not crazy about it, and don't find it comforting, but will melt to try. Doug says "EWW...no."

Tropical Cooler~ (melted) LOVE this! Fruity, coconut-y, smells familiar to a icy drink I had on our honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. Also smells like tanning lotion. Doug says "Nope"

Juniper Breeze (Free Shot)~ No. Do not like. At all. Doug says "Tolerable". Of course he likes it.

White Ginger~ (haven't melted) Too floral for me. I wanted to like this, really, I did, but it's like Headache City.

Vanilla Sandalwood~ (melted) Really comforting. I was scared that the sandalwood would be strong, and it is, but the vanilla smooths it nicely. Reminds me of incense I burned when I was going through my very own hippy phase. I normally like anything vanilla, but this is so soothing. I used this when I had company over and everyone loved it. Doug says "Eh...ok".

Sea Moss~ (haven't melted) MEN'S DEODORANT. Since I got it a couple of weeks ago, I was trying to figure out what it reminded me of. Couldn't get it. It's powdery, dry smelling, fresh, but not in a nice way. Then it hit me. It's the "Will mask sweat well" kind of smell. Don't like it. Doug says "I dig this one. Nice".

Genevieve's Tea Ring~ (melted) I really like this, but...there's a cherry note that my nose does not like. Maybe that's the cherry almond note some have some have mentioned about. Other that that cherry thing, I likey. Doug says "Gross".

Sun & Sand~ (haven't melted) This is AWESOME and reminds me of the Y***** scent of the same name, but better! Smells of salt, sand, hot, breezy and beachy. This will sooo get me in the mood for vacation! Doug says "Too strong, and perfumey".

Tropical Kisses~ (haven't melted) Similar to Tropical Cooler, but heavier on the coconut. There's something else...almost milky...my nose smells a slight chocolate. Weird, but so is my snout. Doug says "Didn't we smell this already?"

Catchin' Fireflies~ (haven't melted) Green. Smells like a meadow...not that I really know what a meadow smells like. Not many meadows around Philly, but it's green and smells like a field. It's not heavily floral, but just enough for my nose. Doug says "Ew, nope"

Bergamot & Mint~ (melted) Very relaxing, and minty. Eskimo Kisses is much better, but this will work similar to that. I may pair this with some VBN. Doug says "Minty ones smell the same...so do the beachy ones"

(At this point, Doug was getting light headed, but said he can go on)

Apple N Oaks~ (haven't melted) Smells like wood, with a slight apple note. Why do Victoria's apple scents and my nose not get along. This was also headache inducing just on cold sniff. Doug says "Smells good. Tolerable"

Edward Cullen~ (melted) Can't say I love it. Way too perfumey and flowery. Doug says "Nope".

Twilight~ (melted) FUNNY...I didn't like Edward, wasn't over the top about Bella, but Twilight...LOVE! That Bella grape note is still there, but whatever Edward is doing to her (which he could do to me any time he wants!) is GOOD! Doug says "I could take Edward. But ick".

 Bite Me~ (haven't melted) Hawaiian Punch. Straight up! Could drink this, but it's that cherry thing again. Don't want my house smelling like it. Not a fan. Doug says "Bleh".

Party In My Cabana~ (melted) Musky, but tropical. This smells manly to me. Like a manly cologne. Doug says "Smells like the other ones. Nope"

Love Shack~ (haven't melted) Girly, fun, sweet. Looking forward to melting this! Doug says "Too sweet. Next"

Jacob Black~ (haven't melted) NOPE. Too earthy and manly...not my kind of man. Doug didn't smell it after my reaction, but laughed so hard, he felt he had to try it. He said "Eh, not bad as the face you made"

Eucalyptus~ (haven't melted) Swap pile...too earthy and sad. I thought I would really like this, but it smells nothing like the decorative branches mom used to have in her house. Doug says "UGHHH"

Lemon Vanilla~ (melted) Really like this! I have Vanilla Pound cake and I do like it, but the lemon is way strong. This is a mellow lemon that I can melt when cleaning. NICE! Doug says "Can't do lemon"

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...

Kimono Silk~ (Melted) OK, I am LOVING this, and not just because I named it. This is sooo good! It's citrus, flowery, and there's a lemonade, strawberry note. I really love this and it's coming in a crystal cupcake candle. Yep, I got one!!! Downer alert-Doug doesn't like it :(

Wait, wait, wait! We're not done yet! How about some candle porn?!?!

In one of my Feb. orders, I got my very first Love, Victoria candles!!! It's scented in Peace and the glitter is Halo Aquamarine. Peace is a wonderfully comforting scent that I will burn/melt all year round. This is currently in my bedroom masking the smell of smoke, and bar gunk. Doug doesn't mind it but can't stand it too long. I love it and look how pretty it is!?

I also got two large glitter tureens. The one below is scented in Creamy Monkey Nuts. It's another scent name I came up with for Chrissy J. It's a combo of Banana Coconut Cream Pie and Caramelized Pralines. Now, my mind is not always in the gutter...I promise. It's the first name that came to mind. The glitter is Aqua and Orange. See the specks of orange? Gorgeous!

The other tureen is Rice Crispy Treats, and I have reviewed it before. It's yummy, powdery, just like the cereal. The glitter is Jeweled Black. Not quite as bright as I had pictured, but lovely just the same.

I also got a 9oz. candle in Peanut Butter &Strawberry Jam. This is, by far, my favorite strawberry to date. The PB isn't strong at all, which I love, and the strawberry is so mellow and sweet. I got two 16oz. candles in Vanilla Maple Pecan and a CAS in Gallery Ice Cream. The Create a Scent is a combo of Strawberry Shortcake and Vanilla Maple Pecan. The Gallery is a shopping mall here in Philly, and there in the mall is an ice cream shop that, upon entering, all you smell is waffle cone. When I was little, whenever we went to the Gallery, Mom and Dad would take my brother and I to the ice cream shop only if we were behaved while shopping. Of course, good or bad, we got ice cream, and I always got strawberry shortcake ice cream in a waffle cone. SOOO GOOD! This candle smells a lot like it. It makes me hungry! Someone on message board posted Vanilla Maple Pecan to smell like waffle cone...DEAD ON! Sooo yummy!

Well, looky here, you have survived! I hope your time was well spent reading this and I hope you can use this to help add or remove scents from your wish list. Doug will be in scent recovery for awhile until the next batch comes in. Until next time, HAPPY SNIFFING!

A Very Happy "Happy New Year" With Candles By Victoria

This picture of candles is just one part of a trio of Candlesbyvictoria.com orders I placed with a lovely 15% off promotion especially for the New Year! Oh, and that smiley little blond is Miss Amelia, my daughter and my very own partner in crime!

I have been ordering from Victoria and her posse now for about three months. Needless to say, I have more candles now, than I have ever owned! These candles, and this company, are different than any other candle company out there. I have been to candle shops where they sell candles that are sold who knows how long after they were poured. They were great, until I found Candles by Victoria. These candles are poured to order and are crazy fresh! Is it weird that you can smell the freshness? They need to be "cured" which in candle language means that they need to settle. The fragrant oil needs to blend with the wax. Now, I'm not going to get all "Mr. Wizard" with you. Point blank, these candles are 100% legit.

Of all the candles I have tried, I'm favoring the Bakery scents. Cinnabon, Cinnamon Dounuts, Lemon Pound Cake, and Sugared Corn Pudding are just a taste of what I have accumulated. Hungry yet? Who needs to eat the sweets when your house can smell just like them?! I will tell ya, it's curved my appetite! These three orders have let me explore into other scent genres. Names like Lavender Basil, Afternoon Breeze and Day by Day have me whisped into spring meadows with cool breezes in January in Philadelphia. So, that's just a gist. Want my honest thoughts on each? Ok, here goes.

The new size I have tried this time around is Victoria's 8oz. jelly jars.

Lavender Basil is a beautiful purple candle that is floral, but not too heavy. Very kitchen-y. After about a week at hom, it's still mostly smelling of the lavender, but its a beautifully relaxing fragrance.

Afternoon Breeze has a slightly salty, beachy aroma. Its nice, but I have smelled scents similar. I still love it and will hold on to this for Spring.

Lemon Pound Cake is a favorite by fans, but to me it has a Lemon Pledge smell to it. I'm hoping it'll get a little more cake-y with more cure time.

Dulce De Leche is DELICIOUS! Smells of sweet caramel and milk. It also has hints of cinnamon, but a light, creamy spice. YUM!

Fudge Brownie is very true to it's name. Many have stated that it smells of unbaked brownie batter. true dat!

Jelly Donut is a wee bit different than most strawberry scents I have tried thus far. This is a nice fresh strawberry with that fried bakery note. It's awesome!

Apple Pie Ala Mode is just that, but in a jar. Its got the spice from the cinnamon apples, but it also has a creamy vanilla. Oh my, I WANT PIE!

Sweet Snow has a sweet story. When my kids and I were smelling and laughing, my son smelled this and said, "Woah! That's gummy!" I asked what he mean and he said it smelled like the gum his friend gave him last summer and it found it's way to my living room carpet. He said "It's like that gum that got me grounded!" I like this one, but its better in a jar and NOT in my rug!

Vanilla Cedar is AWESOME! If you can't tell, I like vanilla and this is a scent I was reluctant about. I first though, "Vanilla and wood.", but not that I got it in my hands, it's probably one of the greatest vanillas I've had. It has a nice manly woodyness to it that cuts the sweet vanilla.

Day Dreams reminds me of clean laundry. A perfect detergent if you ask me. Me likey!

Baby's Breath smells like a mellow version of Day Dreams...no lie!

Eucalyptus Spearmint is a very refreshing, "gummy" scent (see above). Smells dead on Double Mint Gum. I hope the eucalyptus comes out more when burned.

Bath Time With Pooh is a dupe of one of my favorite soaps. It's slightly more powdery than the original, but just as beautiful. It's sweet, but not bakery sweet. This is gonna be considered a bath fragrance for me

Sexy in Stilettos is stright up gorgeous! The name is gorgeous, the red color is gorgeous and the smell...you guessed it, GORGEOUS! Very girly, but grown up girly. Sweet with a little devilish wink. Think, Catholic school girl.

Now, my absolute favorite of the 8oz. *drum roll*

Brown Sugar Shortbread is so close to my favorite Granny's Pie Crust, but with a sweet twist. It's maple-y and warm and just so comfortable...I can't say enough!

Well, HELLO Tureens!

These jars are freakin' amazingly cute! I bet their throw will be just as amazing. The red one is Chocolate Strawberry. Right now, I only get the strawberry. It's a favorite, so I'm sure the chocolate will come through after some cute time. The orange one is Cajun Cornbread. This is sooo yummy I could spoon it! Peachy, salty and delicious. Now, I bet you're wondering what that fat green baby is there in the middle. That is my glittery 22oz. tureen in Halo Lime Green glitter. It's beautiful...and I'm not even into glitter! It's a touch girly, but very practical. Definitely good to use all year round. The scent inside is Pam's The Bubbles Make Me Loopy. Its a Create a Scent combo of Fizzy Pop and Fruit Loops. Right now, its like carbonated lemon soda. Yes, you can even smell the fizzy bubbles. Strange.

SURPRISE! I took the leap and got myself a one of a kind Surprise Candle! You may not be able to see, but there is 6 or 7 layers of color in this bad boy! The idea behind the Surprise Candle is that it's made with the shop's left over wax. That top yellow layer smells sweet and vanilla like. I may be tortured trying to figure out what scents they are. You will help me right??? This is going to be sooo fun to get through!

WOW, this was a long post! I still have more to review, but my sausage fingers are tired. Thank you Victoria, Candleman, Chelsea and everyone else that helps produce this magic made of wax! Happy Sniffing!

My Most Recent Love!

I'm a huge fan of lots of things and recently I've been watching YouTube videos of other fans and I've been joining message boards for some favorite retail companies. One of those companies is dishing out one of my favorite things, CANDLES!

Candles by Victoria is a small, family-made company out of Van, Texas with a HUGE following! I stumbled upon Victoria and her candles after watching hauls and reviews of other small companies. One night, I went to the website and was simply awe struck. The amount of fragrances was endless (actually, it's over 700 scents long!). I literally spent a few hours over two days just reading scent descriptions and wondering just how many candles did I really need. I have purchased candles from many main stream retailers in the past, but none of those companies had a list this large. Anyway, as I was reading, I was tasting the descriptions! Lovely names such as Cinnabon, Cinnamon Apple Berry, Caramlized Pralines and Kettle Corn were just begging me to purchase them! I tend to love bakery scents, so these were the most mouth watering and dreamy. After a few weeks of plotting and wishing, I broke down and placed my very first order. I will never forget that first box! The smell...OMG, Heaven must smell like that box. For real.

My order was shipped in a little over a week and was perfect when it arrived. Every candle was wrapped tightly in tape and bubble wrap. After fighting and ripping the wrapping off, I braced myself and sniffed my very first candle. It was a 16oz. royal blue candle I had created myself. OH YEAH, in the wonderful world of CBV, you can create a scent! You just combine two of her scents, pick a color, give it a name and it's all your's! My scent is called Cubmaster's Delight and it's divine! It's a mixture of Chocolate Chip Cookies and Marshmallow Campfire. So yummy! I went through all of my treasures and found myself opening jars on and off hours later just to sniff and smile. I did let my candles cure, or settle, for a few days before lighting them. Victoria encourages curing so you can get the most from your scents. These scents are so authentic and if the description say there's something there, it is there. I promise! She has fun candles too! Candles mixed to make realistic looking deserts. I want to post pics, but my laptop is in shop and I can't upload pics from my iPad. I have made about six orders in total and two of my favorite candles are called S'mores Galore and Chocolate Fudge, Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Surprise...these are just lovely works of art that I will post pics of ASAP. The detail Victoria and her family puts into each candle shows how much they love and care for their customers!

Aside from candles, Victoria offers Scent Shots, which are small tubs of hardened wax that can be melted on a tart warmer. She also offers warmers on her site. If the scent if in a candle, it's in a scent shot. These come in handy in places where lighting a candle may be difficult, or if you want a powerful punch from a scent. I have purchased A LOT of these, along with two warmers. She also sells her authentic scents in oils and reed diffusers.

Overall, Candles by Victoria is a fantastic company that will forever have my home scent/gift giving business! I will post often about them and I will try and get pictures up often, so fasten you smelly seat belts!

The Very First BLOG!

Well hello there, and welcome to my very first blog post! I used to do this blogging thing a long time ago. I kept a blog for almost two years then stopped writing. It's a long story that I may one day tell you all, but for right now, I'm feeling that familiar writing itch and I'm ready to open the windows into my thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes. First let me introduce myself. My name is Christina, or Chrissy to anyone who has known me since I was born. I'm 32 and living in Philly, PA with my hubby, Doug, and my two children, Calvin (10) and Amelia (3).

When you read this title you may be thinking that this will be a blog about things that I love. Well, you're absolutely correct! I have a very long list of those! First and foremost, there's the family. I live each day for them...don't we all? I have the most awesome kids who make me laugh each day. My hubs is my best friend and I'm so glad we found each other. I have two very cooky parents. Seriously, they're cooky. Dad was in the Vietnam war, Mom was a hippy protesting against it. I'm the oldest of their two children. In February 2010, my brother Chris took his own life. He was 15 months younger than me, and was my very first best friend. We were always mistaken for twins and we also acted like it. Chris was a Philadelphia Police Officer of almost six years, and I was so very proud of him! After dealing with years of depression and anxiety, his road, and our lives came to a crashing hault. My life is forever changed and I miss Chris terrible each and every day. My family and I have our tough days, but we have each other and we know that as long as we have each other, we'll be OK. I have the bestest friends a girl could ever ask for! They are my extended family and count on them as much as the family I was born into.

I do TONS of volunteer work! Everthing from church, to cub scouts, to helping with suicide awareness and prevention, to work in the AIDS/HIV community...I'm working for free more than I am home most weeks. I love every bit of it, and I do it to show my children that there is more to life than just "us". Our purpose is to serve others as the Lord wills us to.

I. Am. A. Product. JUNKIE, and believe it or not, I hate shopping. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Um, you like products, but you hate to shop?". Yep...that's me! I'm selective about where I shop, and when I find something good, I want to share it with the world. Now I can do that! I want to use this blog to review things I'm using, and tell you what I like, and what I can live without. As for now, I'm writing to myself, but I hope I can expand my audience and help others. I will try and post often and keep things current.

So, thank you for taking this journey with me and stay tuned!