Happy Halloween with Yankee Candle

I absolutely love Halloween and only wish we celebrated it with as much excitement and vigour as they do in America.  Celebrations aside, we do at least have some reasons to cheer here in the UK with some brands giving us any excuse needed to vamp up our homes, Yankee Candle being one of them.

I love a good Yankee Candle and this Halloween there is a choice of two creepy and kooky looking choices:

Witches Brew which is described as having the spicy sweet aroma of exotic patchouli to cast you under a captivating spell! I love the design of this jar, the black ombre design giving it that overall spooky design.  This candle is also available as a wax melt and a voitive.

Candy Corn in all its bright orange glory is described as being the familiar, sweet scent of candy corn is a fond reminder of Halloween fun and treats.  You can also find this candle as a wax melt and a voitive candle.

Alongside the candles, there are some really fabulous accessories which you could also use to give your home that Halloween feel and these are some of my favourites:

The Black Cat Wax Melt warmer I did once own but lost it in a move. I used to use this all year round rather than just for Halloween as I am a huge cat lady and I just loved the design.

The Spider Web Jar Candle Holder is perfect for Halloween and this design is definitely spooky. What I love is that it adds a different dimension to your jar candle and is definitely eye-catching.

Then there is a choice of three Voitive Holders which again are brilliant for Halloween.  There is the White Skull, Green Monster and Orange Pumpkin shaped holders, all of which you can find here and together they look absolutely brilliant.

Do you decorate your house for Halloween? Do you have anything from the Yankee Candle Halloween range? 

Yankee Candle Halloween Wishlist

Today I am guestposting over on the lovely Georgina's blog Make-up Pixi3 who is in hopsital having her first baby. So I thought I would bring a Halloween theme to my blog with my Yankee Candle wishlist. 

I absolutely love Halloween, I just we celebrated the event as well as some of my American friends who decorate their houses and have amazing parties. As a child I used to love Trick or Treating, the joy of getting buckets full of sweets was amazing, it is a wonder how I still have a mouth full of my own teeth with no fillings whatsoever.

With Halloween comes a lot of limited edition products from some of my favourite brands and one of those is Yankee Candle who have some of the most amazingly decorated jars I have ever seen and with a wishlist as long as my arm, these are just a few of my favourites:

1 Halloween Cat Candle Shade - I absolutely love this and it has been on my eBay wishlist for a long time, though sadly it never seems to be available here in the UK. I love cats, have three of them myself and this candle shade is simply amazing.

2 - Ghostly Treats has the scent of gooey marshmellows, imagine them after roasting on an open fire - that scent!

3 - Happy Halloween Candle which uses a potion of black liquorice spiced with anise and cloves

4 - Candy Corn - The familiar, sweet scent is a fond reminder of Halloween fun and treats.

5 - Witches Brew which is said to be a spicy sweet aroma of exotic patchouli

6 - All Hallows Eve has a mixture of Midnight Jasmine and Evening Air

I love how each one of these jars has its own little theme and how decorative they are, each one of them is designed specifically with Halloween in mind, right down to the actual scent. Even after using them all up, they would look great as storage jars!

Those are just some of the candles I am wanting to get my hands on.  Do you have a favourite Halloween decoration?

The best Beauty Advent Calendars 2014 + A giveaway

I don't know about you but my inbox is fairly quiet on the whole 'Christmas' thing right now, there was a flurry of activity around the beginning of the month and now, well not so much.

One thing I am seeing more and more of however is the launching of Beauty a advent Calendars, remember last there when there was a stampede into Benefit for their calendar, only for them to run out and be found on eBay for almost quadruple the price? Well this year it seems there has been an explosion in Beauty Advent Calendars and having spent a few days reading about them through various means, I thought I would share them with you - one thing to note... Why is there nothing for the men folk?  

Tesco - Costing just £50 instead of the actual retail value of a whopping £125, Tesco have announced they are to launch an advent calendar this year. Contents include Nip + Fab, Korres, Tanya Burr, and Dr Lewinn's plus many more.

The Benefit advent calendar is back and it is packed with mini products from the brand's bestsellers as well as some beauty accessories which look too cute. Priced at £60, it becomes available at benefitcosmetics.co.uk and debenhams.com from 16th October

For £85 you might want to look at the Selfridges Enchanted Spells advent calendar which has a selection of fragrances, makeup and skincare from some amazing beauty brands such as Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl's and Victor & Rolf to name but a few. To get your hands on it, go to the Selfridges website and sign up for notifications of its release.

The advent calendar that I am excited comes from the Liberty. Designed to look just like the actual London department store, inside each of the drawers you will find the most amazing luxury beauty treats such as NARS, Diptyque, Dermalogica, Kiehls, Eve Lom and Laura Mercier to name just a few! This calendar is Available in store and at liberty.co.uk from November and costs £125

No.7 comes next and again, I am liking the look of this purse friendly advent calendar. The items inside are said to be worth a massive £130, this calendar is packed with skincare and makeup must-haves which is said to include the iconic No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Day Cream. Available at Boots stores and online from 29th October and is priced at £35

Elemis is next. I am a huge Elemis fan and this calendar Priced at £59.50 and is Available now from timetospa.co.uk.  It differs slightly to the other calendars in that it is. 12 days of Christmas calendar which means, you only get 12 doors to open.  That said inside you will find products such as 

• Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm 20g
• Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 15ml
• Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream 15ml
• Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm 7ml
• Papaya Enzyme Peel 15ml
• Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules 14 caps
• Revitalising Babassu Facial Wipes 4 sachets
• Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream 50ml
• Frangipani Monoi Body Oil 35ml
• Skin Nourishing Shower Cream 50ml
• Pro-Radiance Hand & Nail Cream 20ml
• Treat Your Feet Foot Cream 20ml

L'Occtaine is next and again there are not 25 or 24 doors to open but instead there are 13. Why? The holiday tradition in Provence is to have 13 deserts on the festival table, so with that in mind, this calendar has 13 treats waiting for you. From fragrance, body and skincare surprise are behind each door. Available at loccitane.co.uk from 3rd November this calendar is priced at £45

W7 advent Calendar - I have featured this already, but have to include because it is such good value for money costing just £19.99. Behind each of the doors you will find a sample sized treat from the W7 range such as nail polishes, mascara, lipstick and one or two other surprises. Date for release TBC.

At just £49 Ciaté's Mini Mani Manor is exceptionally cute. Behind each door you are likely to find this seasons must haves, some best-selling shades, texture polishes and even festive transfers. Nailed it. Available now at Selfridges, John Lewis, ASOS and www.ciate.co.uk and if you go to your local TK Maxx you can find them for just £19.99!

The latest release to reach my inbox, is the Jo Malone Calendar, just look at how pretty it all is/ Costing an eye-watering £250, it is sure to sell out quickly, so keep your eyes peeled if you want it! This calendar is filled with 24 fragrances and mini body lotions.  

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a candle or five would it? Well this years Yankee Candle advent Calendar is one on my short list of calendars I'd like, I mean how cute. Priced at around £23 (prices differ on a few sites) and available now, this 3D shaped calendar is packed full of Yankee a Candles, some of those scents include Candy Cane Lane, Christmas Memories, Christmas Garland, Spiced Orange and Snowflake Cookie to name just a few and....there is an added surprise behind one of the doors, but you will find no spoiler here telling you what it is!

The Body Shop which will retail for £55, with total contents are valued at £80

I am sure over the next free weeks other beauty calendars will be announced... Over the last few years there has been Liz Earle, Boots and even Lancôme and L'Oreal which I've managed to find mentioned online.

With all of that in mind and in celebration of the fact Beautyqueenuk has just hit 500,000 page views, yes that is Half a Million... Woah! I thought it would be a good idea to create my own Beauty Advent Calendar for someone to open...it will be filled with things that I love and use. All you need to do is complete the Rafflecopter form below to take part - Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So which a Advent Calendar are you hoping to get your hands on this year if any?

Yankee Candle Sweet Pea Reed Diffusers

Anyone who is a regular reader of my blog (for which I am very thankful) will know that I have an obsession with candles and I have on more than one occasion written posts about my love for them and the relaxing atmosphere they create for me personally.

Candles aside, I also have an obsession for Reed a Diffusers and there is always one in every room we have.  I usually purchas my diffuses from places like Primark, Wilkinsons and even Camden Market because you can get some unbelievable bargains and the ones from Primark for example are not only brilliant value for money but they have lasted much longer than some of the bigger brands I have tried.

Yankee candles are amongst my favourite candles and I have two scents which I would happily purchase again and again - Clean Cotton and Sweet Pea.  When in my local Asda I saw that they now sold Yankee Candle Reed Diffusers I decided to purchase two to see what they would be like having not yet tried them and at the time they were on offer but usually retail for £12 each.

I opted for two Sweet Pea reed diffusers which are really beautifully packaged and look something like this:

The one thing which stood out to me is the fact the actual glass bottle is round in shape instead of being square and that is really what caught my eye when I was stocking up on wax tarts.  The way in which the bottle is designed means that I can use it for other things once it is empty, unless of course I can find the oil separately to top these ones up.

As with all products of this type, you simply remove all the packaging, remove the lid and place the reeds into the fragrance oil and they say you need to allow up to 24 hours for the scent to become noticeable.  This particular option comes with the following description:

"Like spring in a cottage garden, the air is filled with heavenly floral nectars"

If like me you are a fan of the candle version, Sweet Pea smells exactly the same, the only difference being is that these reed diffusers can be left unattended and the scent is free to linger all day long throughout your home.  I have both of mine in two separate rooms, one is in the hallway and one in the bedroom.  As soon as I step into the hallway I can immediately smell the sweet pea fragrance and the same for going into the bedroom, if the door is shut the scent is also much stronger.

I am a big fan of these reed diffusers and really love this scent that they produce, so much so that I would happily purchase more from the range.  

Do you use Reed Diffusers?  

Do you have a favourite scent and favourite brand?

Fruity Melon Yankee Candles!

I love the fact my local Asda now sells Yankee Candles, though it can sometimes be too difficult to walk past the aisle within which they reside and not pick up a few everytime I am in there.

The latest additions to my collection is this set - Fruity Melon.  Priced at £13 for the Large jar which has a burn time of 60-95 hours and the samplers which have a burn time of around 15 hours are £1 each they are total bargains.

I always smell the candles before I buy them because if I don't like the scent on first sniff, then I know I won't like it once it is lit.  One thing I am always looking for is a hint of vanilla because it is one of those scents which can give me a headache, so I stay well clear.  This candle though was an instant hit as soon as I sniffed it.

So what does it smell like?  A fresh melon, a watermelon to be exact.  The first time you cut into a watermelon and you pick up that fruity scent, that is what you get with this candle, but obviously no seeds and no mess.  Once it is alight, the same scent permeates the room within which the candle resides and slowly works it way around the house.  The reason I have come to like it so much is because it is such a fresh scent and one that is definitely designed to burn on a chilly spring morning to just add a hint of scent.

I am a big fan of this candle, everything from the bright green colour to the fruity scent, it isn't too heavy and it smells wonderful from the moment it begins to burn to a good few hours after you have blown it out.

Have you bought any new Yankee Candles lately?

Candles Candles Candles

I burn candles nearly every day and there is nothing I love more than coming home from work as the evening draws in, closing the curtains and lightening a few candles to create that much wanted relaxing atmosphere. I don't just have candles in the lounge, I also have a few in the bedroom and whenever I have a nice long relaxing bath, there are a few placed around the bath to again create that atmosphere.

A few weeks ago, I was kindly sent these wonderful products from the Scented Candle Shop* and in my box which you can see below is:

• Yankee Candle Housewarmer Jar - White Christmas
• Yankee Candle Votive Candles - Welcome Christmas x 2
• Wax Lyrical Porcelain Frangipane Roomscenter Holder x 2
• Yankee Candle Jar Shade - Small (Snow Covered Mosaic)
• Yankee Candle Tray - Small (Snow Covered Mosaic)
• Prices Candle Lighter

I have always wanted a plate and shade for one of my candles and it has been one of those items that I have never got around to getting, so I was so chuffed to see something so beautiful inside my box. As soon as I attached it to my lit candle, it really came to life as you can see in the photos below:

The Scented Candle Shop stocks well over 2,500 different types of candles and scented products which include scented and unscented candles, wax tarts, tea lights, votives, pillar candles, candle holders and a vast array of candle accessories. Alongside Yankee Candles you will find brands such as WoodWick, Colony Candles, Bolsius and others aside.

If you are looking for some new candles, any of these would be perfect. The Scented Candle Shop recently started a youtube channel and here is one of the videos below.

Do you love candles as much as I do? Do you have a favourite brand?

GUEST POST - Home Deco - Wishlist For A Mini Office

Today we have the lovely Hannah guest posting on my blog.  Hannah is the wonderful lady who is responsible for my blog header!... Over to you Hannah!

Hey Everyone,

When Rachel asked me to guest post on her blog I of course jumped at the chance. Recently I've been thinking a lot about turning an empty corner of my bedroom into a mini office. I'm currently blogging from my sofa or bed (not exactly the most creative or best places to blog). I don't have room anywhere else, and I thought turning that corner of the room into my blogging center would be a great idea. So here's my Office Wishlist:

1. Desk:

This Ikea desk is perfect for the small space I have for my mini office. I choose to keep it white as my room is white, and I'm really liking Home Decor that's white with a pop of colour added through accessories at the moment. You can find this desk HERE! 

2. Cushion:

I chose this cushion to put onto the white desk chair I chose. It adds a more comfy feel to the clinical white, and I chose this one because it reminds me of home and makes me happy. This cushion is from Debenhams and you can find it HERE!  

3. Oh My Deer Print:

I thought a print would brighten up the space and add in more colour. I was looking for an inspirational print but when I saw this I thought it was too cute not to add to this wishlist! You can find it HERE! 

4. Candle:

I think a candle is always something lovely to have in an office to give off a scent and also look pretty. I'm very picky about scents I'm not really fan of most scents either flowery, spicey, or pretty much the majority of scents on the market. I prefer fresh scents like beach walk from Yankee Candle which you can find HERE! 

5. Desk Lamp:

Everyone needs some sort of lighting in their office. I chose this lamp as it is a easy to use adjustable lamp, so great for a desk. It is from Ikea so also really affordable which always helps, you can find it HERE! 

6. Cardboard Letters:

I really want some Letters to use as book ends for all my blogging inspirational books. I would love to get A and Z for the alphabet. I would either paint or get some cool wrapping paper to cover them in! You can find them HERE! 

7. White Swivel Chair:

I think a swivel chair is a necessity for a desk, for all those moments when your bored and spinning around on a chair can give a bit of inspiration. I like this one because it fits in with the desk, it's from Ikea and you can find it HERE! 

8. Magazine Storage Basket:

I find magazines great for keeping up with trends and really inspiring for blog posts, so I like to keep a few of my old favorites and current ones for when I'm feeling stuck in a rut! I think this storage basket is great for keeping them tidy but in keeping with the decor! 

HERE! 

What would you include in your Office? 

Thanks so much to Rachel for having me as a Guest on her lovely blog!