Fall Fun Series | Craving Cranberry

Fall Fun Series | Craving Cranberry

I tend to correlate every month of Autumn with a specific seasonal fruit; in November I just happen to be craving cranberry! Over the years I’ve been searching for a go-to cranberry fragrance and have yet to discover a favorite.  They usually end up being a bit too tart for my nose and I definitely need something to sweeten it up. The best I’ve found so far are two wax melts from Wal-Mart.

Cranberry Cookie Crumble from Better Homes and Gardens was released during the 2016 holiday season and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie is still on-shelves as it was released in the latest fall collection. The two definitely have have the same base with the slightest differences upon examination. The oatmeal version has a much sweeter cranberry note while the crumble has a tarter cranberry and prominent sugar cookie note.

Fall Fun Series | Craving Cranberry

Aside from cranberry scents, I always look forward to eating cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving and could always go for a glass of cranberry juice. I usually mix in a magnesium supplement to my cranberry drinks to sweeten it up a bit. Otherwise, I’m still looking for those cranberry items that’ll make it into my holy grail items for years to come!

What are your favorite cranberry fragrances and recipes? Share in the comments!

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers participating in the Fall Fun Series too!

Fall Fun Series | A Magical Time of Year

Fall Fun Series | A Magical Time of Year - Our Honeymoon at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Three short days ago I got back from my honeymoon in Florida where we spent the majority of our time outdoors. It’s not exactly autumnal weather down south, but it certainly still felt just as magical as  our fall’s usually do. This is because we went to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios for our newlywed getaway!

I’ve always correlated Harry Potter with this time of year, so it was absolutely incredible to walk around Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. We were fortunate enough to spend 3 days in the parks and it only got better as the time went on.

Fall Fun Series | A Magical Time of Year - Our Honeymoon at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Our first day was filled with overwhelming excitement. Witnessing Diagon Alley for the first time, just as Harry did, brought tears to my eyes. Everywhere you looked there was something to discover and we couldn’t take enough pictures. Actually, that’s pretty much all we did that day, aside from drinking butterbeer of course.

The second day, we were just as excited, but more so to be back in a place that felt like home. Rather than everything being new to us, we were able to appreciate the finely crafted details and really enjoy the ambiance. You truly feel like you’re in another world inside the park; I can never give enough praise to those who designed that space. By the end of the day, we had completed all of our spells and just relaxed by the The Hopping Pot as if we were another pair of wizards on the street.

Fall Fun Series | A Magical Time of Year - Our Honeymoon at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Finally, our third and last day within the park was a bittersweet one. Knowing this would be the last time we’d be here for years, we again just found a place to sit with our drinks for the majority of the day to soak it all in. We adored watching people practice their spells and witness others see Hogwarts for the very first time. We even saw a marriage ceremony in front of the castle! But our favorite place in the busy village of Hogsmeade was the sitting area behind The Hogs Head. It didn’t seem like many people noticed the area and you get a gorgeous view of the castle; it was perfection.

Fall Fun Series | A Magical Time of Year - Our Honeymoon at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

While this isn’t your typical fall outdoor adventure, it was an incredible one that I’ll never forget. This season is so much more special to me now and we are so happy to have chosen Harry Potter’s world as our honeymoon destination. While most people relax in a tropical setting, we relaxed in one of the most magical settings there is, surrounded by happiness and excitement. The rest of our stay at Portofino Bay was also beautiful, but I’ll save that for another day.

Have you had any great outdoor adventures yet this fall? If so, share in the comments!

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers participating in the Fall Fun Series too!

Burn List – November 2017

November 2017 Burn List

November is already upon is which means we are on the last leg of Autumn. I usually use this month as a transition into Winter and focus on scents that are reminiscent of cooler days spent outdoors. I begin moving away from pumpkin spice and dive more into the holiday spices. Without further ado, here are all of the different wax fragrance I plan on featuring in my home this month.

CANDLES

• Sweater Weather – “Fresh Sage, Juniper Berry, Aromatic Eucalyptus, Fresh Woods”
• Pumpkin Pecan Waffles – “Maple Syrup, Golden Waffles, Pumpkin Spice, Brown Sugar”
• Chestnut & Clove – “Warm Roasted Chestnuts, Fresh Ground Clove, Forest Pine Needles, Cedarwood”
• Rustic Harvest – “Creamy toffee, maple and raisins with subtle hints of rum”
• Creamy Nutmeg – “Grated Nutmeg, Cinnamon Stick, Sugared Almonds, Creamy Vanilla”

WAX MELTS

• Autumn Leaves – “A vibrant medley of birch and maple leaves with pomegranate, juniper berry and orange blossom.”
• Hedwig – “Chai Tea, Creamy Cheesecake, and Clove”
• Praline Spice – “Cinnamon Bark & Vanilla Cream”
• Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie – “Sweet cranberry, cinnamon sugar, caramel swirl and buttered pecan into the heart of a sugar cookie.”
• Cranberry Cookie Crumble – “Ceamy oatmeal, fresh juicy red currant berries, butterscotch, farm-fresh milk notes, nutty almond and rich vanilla.”

Aside from the prominent juniper and cloves scents this month, I always associate cranberry with November because of Thanksgiving. I can’t believe the holidays are almost here – the wedding craziness certainly made this year fly by. I’m excited to get started though and am lighting Sweater Weather up right now!

What are you planning on burning this month? Share in the comments!

October 2017 Candle Empties

October 2017 Candle Empties

October was certainly another busy yet magical month! I unfortunately didn’t get to appreciate all of the pumpkin-loving fall activities that I usually do, but for a good reason. I finally got married mid-October and spent that last week and a half of the month in Florida on my honeymoon! Between all of the craziness, I was only able to burn 3 candles and focused more on melting 7 wax melts.

October 2017 Candle Empties

Pumpkin Cupcake (1-wick, x2) – A delectable fall “favorite” that we all know smells like a spiced vanilla cupcake. These have been the strongest tester candles I’ve had so far throwing around a 5 and burning very evenly!
Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake (3-wick) – This 2016 version of PSC was on the lighter side and had major burn issues. The candle corrected itself but performed much better on the melter.

October 2017 Wax Empties

Spiced Cupcakes – A dupe for BBW’s Pumpkin Cupcake but much heavier on the spice note. It was nice to melt alongside the candles, but nothing I’d purchase again.
Pumpkin Butter Cookies – On cold this pretty much smelled like a spiced cookie with hints of ginger. However, when melting a strong bakery cinnamon note was prominent that I didn’t really care for.
Spiced Pumpkin Swirl – There was very little sweetness to this scent essentially making it a straight up pumpkin bread fragrance, and I adored it. When melting, a salty note seemed to come out and it was really enjoyable. The only problem with AmbiEscents is that the wax doesn’t last very long on the melter.
Moonlit Magic Pumpkin (x2) – At first sniff, you may think this is just another cologne scent. However, when melting, a gorgeous & true pumpkin bread note comes out. It is absolutely incredible and this is coming from someone who doesn’t enjoy cologne fragrances. I highly recommend picking this up and myself have already stocked up!
Perfect Pumpkin Ale – I did not enjoy this as much as I did back in 2016. It definitely smells straight up like a pumpkin beer, but the ale note is much more prominent. Beer drinkers would probably love this but I am no longer a fan.
Pumpkin Patch Maze – This is such an authentic pumpkin fragrance with a hint of earthiness yet still some creaminess. I found that melting it by itself was a bit overwhelming, but mixed with Vanilla Cookie Crunch it was divine. I have already stocked up for next year!

October 2017 Fragrance Empties

Boardwalk Vanilla Cone (hand sanitizer) – This smells identical to the hand soap; delicious, buttery, and sweet! It really is the perfect scent to use all year round. I really hope BBW brings this back next Summer so I can stock up on more!
Pumpkin Cupcake (wallflower) – I was able to get whiffs of this during the first couple weeks, but it really wasn’t that strong. I probably won’t be picking anything else in the fragrance up again going forward unless it’s on a crazy good deal.
Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake (wallflower) – There is a reason I got a ton of these wallflowers for 75% off during a past SAS – it’s very odd when plugged in. It’s not a bad fragrance, I just don’t expect to get a white chocolate note from it. This faded out over the first couple of weeks too.
Pumpkin Pie (wallflower) – This was a wonderful pumpkin background fragrance that I got whiffs of all month. I wish it was a bit stronger but would hands down repurchase if BBW brought it back again.
Golden Autumn Day (hand soap) – A fragrance that’s very reminiscent of crisp fall air; there is definitely more of a citrus note in this but overall pleasant.
Pumpkin Apple Cider (body lotion) – An incredible apple fragrance that smells like an authentic cider when applied and a pie when dried. It lingers and is worth the eBay purchase as it’s a retired scent.
Salted Caramel Pumpkin (body lotion) – Before applying, this is identical to the beloved Summer Marshmallow from 2016. Yet, when applying there is a spice note that becomes more prominent as it dries.

While it wasn’t the best burning month, it was definitely a great October otherwise. I may not have gotten through my entire burn list but I still enjoyed a plethora of pumpkin fragrances. I’m looking forward to relaxing a bit more as it gets cooler in November and digging in to some of my transitional scents soon!

What did you burn in October? Share in the comments!

Fall Fun Series | Halloween Vibes

Fall Fun Series | Halloween Vibes

It’s beginning to look a lot like, Halloween!

My husband and I are currently enjoying the last couple days of our honeymoon and we should be getting home just in time to celebrate Halloween. To get in the spirit, I figured I’d share some of my decorations (that I’m currently missing here in Florida) and our traditions that we’ll hopefully be able to still enjoy in the midst of our crazy schedules!

Fall Fun Series | Halloween Vibes

Being the first year in our new home, we haven’t fully furnished the space and just decorated where we could. Using little knick-knacks and pumpkins that I’ve collected over the years, I tend to put together little vignettes as feature pieces. I’m also a huge fan of decorating with candles (obviously) and am obsessed with the dreadful drips from Yankee Candle; such a creepy addition to your decor! Finally, I enjoy sprinkling little statement pieces around the house like the towels seen above.

Fall Fun Series | Halloween Vibes

We’ve unfortunately never lived in a community that has any trick-or-treaters, so we’ve had to make some of our own traditions. Usually the weekend leading up to the holiday, we put on our favorite Halloween movies, have a marathon, and carve pumpkins in front of the TV. It’s so simple yet we look forward to it during the entire month of October.

I’m excited to expand our Halloween traditions in years to come so we have something in place to share with our future kids when the time arrives. I know when I was a child, I always looked forward to my mom getting out her decorations and feeling the spooky vibes in the weeks leading up to the big day!

What are some of your Halloween traditions? Share in the comments!

 

Fall Fun Series | Plethora of Pumpkin

Fall Fun Series | Plethora of Pumpkin

Once upon a time, I was a pumpkin spice addict. I bought every single pumpkin candle on the market and tried every new pumpkin flavored food item. After a few years of this madness, it finally dawned on me that the things I was smelling and tasting weren’t actually pumpkin; it was just the spices used in pumpkin pie. Since then I’ve become very critical of the “pumpkin” items I purchase and only have TWO realistic products to share with you today.

Fall Fun Series | Plethora of Pumpkin | Pumpkin Pie Candle

I’ve gone through many phases of pumpkin candles; my original favorite was Pumpkin Cupcake which is just a vanilla scent with a hint of spice. As I’ve refined my palette and discovered what true pumpkin smells like, the only fragrance that I can appreciate now is Pumpkin Pie from Bath & Body Works. You get a realistic pumpkin note, mellow spices, and a pie crust. It’s divine and BBW is crazy for not brining it back this year!

Fall Fun Series | Plethora of Pumpkin | Maine Root Pumpkin Pie Soda

While most people love the PSL, my pumpkin drink of choice is Maine Root’s delicious Pumpkin Pie Soda. You may think this is strange, but let me assure you, if you enjoy pumpkin pie you will love this. Upon first sip you get an authentic pumpkin flavor and then after a moment you get the pie spices; it’s delicious. I discovered this soda six years ago and now fall officially begins for me once it’s back in stock at Whole Foods.

If you asked me five years ago what my favorite pumpkin items were, I would have given you a list longer than my wedding vows. I still enjoy pumpkin things, but only when they’re done right. I predict in the next several years, pumpkin spice everything will begin going out of style – Bath & Body works is proving that this by not even doing a pumpkin collection for the first time in over six years!

What are your favorite pumpkin items? Share in the comments!

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers participating in the Fall Fun Series too!

Fall Fun Series | I’m Getting Married!

Fall Fun Series | I'm Getting Married! | Fall Wedding Centerpiece DIY

The time has finally arrived, I am getting married today!

In 7 hours exactly I will be walking down the aisle and marrying my best friend. To be honest, it feels absolutely surreal. We’ve been planning this wedding for almost 2 years and it just never felt like this day would actually come. As we organized our event we quickly realized that to stay within budget we’d have to DIY almost all of our decor. So, for today’s Fall Fun post, I figured I’d give you a little sneak peek of our centerpieces!

Fall Fun Series | I'm Getting Married! | Fall Wedding Centerpiece DIY

Anyone that has ever planned a wedding or another event knows how expensive flowers can be. To get around that cost, I decided to use an artificial Autumnal candle wreath from Hobby Lobby that would sit at the base of a vase. I ended up thrifting the vases for 25 cents each! Being a candle enthusiast, I knew I had to put an LED pillar inside but wasn’t sure how to elevate it. I wanted the overall look to be natural and did a lot of trial and error with a variety of fillers. The end result was actually using a bag of dry beans that matched the leaves perfectly.

Fall Fun Series | I'm Getting Married! | Fall Wedding Centerpiece DIY

To give the centerpiece a little more texture, I tied a bit of twine around the top of the vase which helped make it feel slightly more rustic too. Overall, these DIY centerpieces only cost $8 each to make! Personally, I think a simple fall DIY like this would look beautiful in anybody’s home and I can’t wait to use them in my dining room after today!

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers participating in the Fall Fun Series too!

Fall Fun Series | Let’s Get Spooky

Fall Fun Series | Let's Get Spooky | Halloween Favorites

Every year, as soon as October hits I am in full-on Halloween mode. If I’m being totally honest, I decorate for Halloween at the same time I decorate for fall. No shame! Even though I’ve been surrounded by ghosts and jack-o-lanterns for the past month, I still try to hold off on my favorite spooky entertainment until October if I can. To get you all into the Halloween spirit, I figured I’d share some of my favorite creepy movies, TV shows, and books!

I am not one for seriously frightening movies. Come to think of it, my favorite Halloween films are all made for kids. I really enjoy the spooky vibes of The Little Vampire and the magical feel of the first 3 Harry Potter movies. However, Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus are my absolute favorite holiday movies. Like most people, I could watch Hocus Pocus all month long without getting sick of it. Have you heard Freeform is going to have it playing ALL DAY on October 31st?!

Fall Fun Series | Let's Get Spooky | Favorite Halloween Movies

When it comes to TV shows, I tend to really enjoy the specially made Halloween specials of all my favorites. Grey’s Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars are just a couple that had really well done episodes. Otherwise, the only spooky series I watch is Ghost Adventures because I find it absolutely fascinating, even if I have to watch it in the daytime.

In terms of books, my mind immediately goes to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone & Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I first read both of these books in late September/early October, so I’ll always correlate them to this time of year. Two other extremely atmospheric books that I highly recommend are The Raven Boys and The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding.

Fall Fun Series | Let's Get Spooky | Halloween TBR

Just like I am a seasonal burner, I am also a seasonal reader. Considering I am getting married and going on my honeymoon in the next few weeks, I have a pretty decent sized TBR for the month. Spooky books that I’m hoping to read before Halloween are The Merciless, Our Dark Duet, Through the Woods, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and The Wood.

No matter what form of entertainment I am enjoying during the Halloween season, I always like to have some sort of pumpkin candle burning. Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake especially makes me nostalgic for the Harry Potter series in both it’s forms. I’m definitely excited to check off some of these spooky books from my TBR and re-watch my favorite movies this month as I finish getting everything ready for my wedding!

What are your favorite Halloween movies & books? Share in the comments!

Burn List – October 2017

Burn List - October 2017 | Pumpkin Everything

With October upon us it also means it’s time to fully embrace pumpkin everything! I tend to have themes each month so I don’t get sick of certain fragrances too quickly. I wouldn’t want to be over the pumpkin scents before it was even Halloween! I’m keeping the burn list small again this month because I’ll finally be getting married and going on my honeymoon in the next couple of weeks!

CANDLES

• Pumpkin Cupcake – “Whipped Buttercream, Madagascar Vanilla, Pumpkin Spice, Freshly Baked Cupcake”
• Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake – “Spiced Pumpkin, Graham Cracker Crust, Whipped Cream Cheese”
• Pumpkin Pie – “Creamy Pumpkin, Vanilla Creme, Fresh Ground Nutmeg, Graham Cracker Crust”

WAX MELTS

• Pumpkin Butter Cookies – “A delectable harvest pumpkin medley interwoven with spicy nutmeg, powdered cinnamon and pure vanilla cream cookie dough sweetened with a sprinkle of rich brown sugar”
• Spiced Cupcakes – “Fresh from-the-oven cake spiced with sugared cinnamon, crushed clove, and bright ginger topped with cream cheese frosting and candied orange zest”
• Spiced Pumpkin Swirl – “Bring the comforting aroma of autumn spices to your home”
• Perfect Pumpkin Ale – A blend of fresh pumpkin and effervescent ale with a hint of fall spices
• Pumpkin Patch Maze – “Fresh harvest pumpkin gently lifted by the woody aroma of turning leaves and woodland bark infused with the earthy evergreen scent of pinecones”
• Moonlit Magic Pumpkin –  “Brilliant bergamot spun with moonlit woods and luminous greens float above clove spiced pumpkin fruit, floriental pumpkin flower, hints of incense and rich wood smoked embers”

Even though I’ll only be around two weeks out of the entire month, I think this is still a reasonable burn list. I’m seriously thinking of bringing wax on our honeymoon just in case the hotel room smells weird. Does anyone else do this? Hopefully I’m not the only wax crazed person out there!

What are you planning on burning this month? Share in the comments!

Fall Fun Series | Autumn Aromas

Fall Fun Series | Autumn Aromas

There is nothing better than the atmosphere in Autumn, except maybe bringing it indoors. Of course you can decorate your home with the golden colors and harvested fruit, but to really round out the experience you need to add the aromas too. While it’s extremely difficult to narrow down my absolute favorite fall fragrance, I think I’ve determined my go-to scent for the season to share with you.

My most-loved Autumn candles are primarily apple and pumpkin scents which is no surprise. If I’m really trying to narrow it down though, I’d have to admit I prefer the apple fragrances over pumpkin because they can be so much more versatile based on what notes they’re mixed with. Out of all the apple wax in my collection, the best has to be Cider Lane from Bath & Body Works.

Fall Fun Series | Autumn Aromas - Cider Lane

With notes of caramel, granny smith apple, and brown sugar it is such a comforting fragrance that can be enjoyed from September through November.

Other noteworthy fragrances that just about made the cut are Leaves from Bath & Body Works and Harvest Moon from Scentsationals. Really though, any candles or wax that appeared in my fall collection were runners up!

Fall Fun Series | Autumn Aromas - Autumn

One fall fragrance I’ve never been able to fully appreciate though is Autumn from Bath & Body Works. It smells of fresh apples and pine trees; in theory this should smell like a crisp day. However, it airs too much on the side of a cologne scent and reminds me too much of Christmas. It’s definitely one of my least favorite candles that returns every year and the only reason I have one is for the beautiful packaging.

One of the main reasons I love candles so much is because of the memories they invoke. Whenever I burn Cider Lane, I am brought back to the first months of dating my fiancé. It is a happy place that reminds me of simpler times and really helps me to relax. I hope you all are able to bring this sort of Autumn aroma into your home this season too!

What is your favorite Autumn candle? Share in the comments!

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers participating in the Fall Fun Series too!