As the name of my blog indicates, I spend a lot of time thinking about home. Of course, my Heavenly Home is the one that is eternal, so that’s where I need to lay up my treasures, and that’s the one I’m striving for. But in the meantime, I have been given this tiny piece of the here-and-now—this home on the edge of town, this family, this neighborhood—in which to serve Him. And, though this is in the earthly realm, I want the things that happen here to be investments in the Heavenly realm.




Friday, January 18, 2013

Candle Talk





I have a little homemaking habit that adds some cozy cheer to the winter months.  While I am soaking up autumn and celebrating Christmas, I squirrel away a few candles to brighten my home after the holidays are over.  

When the day is gray and cold, I light a candle...or two or three.  Truth be told, I often light a candle even when it is bright and sunny, but there is something very comforting about candlelight on a dreary day.  And a sweet or spicy aroma adds to the cheer.   

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My dear blog friend Deanna gave me this charming candle when we visited her family last October. Ooooo...it smelled so good through the cellophane wrapper, but I brought it home and tucked it into my candle/linen cabinet (much to Bekah's dismay) to save for January. I am glad that I did, because we have enjoyed its true hot chocolate-y aroma on these winter mornings.  In fact, we were inspired to create our own hot chocolate bar on the kitchen counter and placed this candle on the tray with all the fixings.  Mmmm...

(Deanna's friend Becky makes these lovely soy-based candles and sells them through her Etsy shop, Good Neighbors Candle Co.  Good stuff!)


I picked up this Better Homes and Gardens jar candle at Walmart last fall...for $5.00!  In the midst of the pumpkin and cranberry candles, I spotted this Gingerbread Spice scent that I thought would serve well for the winter months.  It does.  I placed it in a metal pan, surrounded it with some pine cones I pulled out of some old potpourri, and put it on the little table by the back door.  


Ahhhh..."Winter Spice" by Bath and Body Works is a gift from my parents.  B&BW candles are the bomb!  Sooo fragrant...burn so nicely...they even fragrance a room when they're not lit.  I put this one on one of my Friendly Village plates and set in on the kitchen counter.  


Another Bath and Body Works candle, this one is "Toffee" and is one of the ones I squirreled away for myself when I was Christmas shopping.  I could eat it.  I have this one in my living room, encircled by a winter berry candle ring, and sitting on a quilted table square made by my good (and talented) friend Jodi.


In the dining room is a candle that I did not have tucked away waiting for winter.  In fact, it came home with me yesterday.     

This is one of those "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" types of scenarios...but here goes.

I needed something on my dining room table, because I had put my pewter tureen (which has been sitting on the dining room table for years) on a shelf of the corner cupboard, because I got some new (bargain...yay!) pewter pieces, because Ron and I went antiquing on New Year's Eve, because we had some Christmas gift money.  (Follow that?)  So I "shopped the house," but didn't come up with anything that suited me for that spot.  After a week or so of pondering, I decided that some kind of candle with a glass hurricane would do the trick.

My criteria were rather narrow as I sought what I wanted.  In keeping with my colonial farmhouse look, the glass must not look "new." And the whole deal must not cost an arm and a leg.  Imagine my surprise when I found just what I was looking for in Target!  Now Target is one of my favorite stores, but I really did not expect to find an "old" looking hurricane there.  And on sale.   But there it was, with its wavy glass and old-fashioned good looks, and I was sold.  And the candle was half-price. It was meant to be.  ~grin~

This morning, I tweaked.  I got out a pewter tray and set the candle/hurricane on it.  I pulled this very inexpensive (Target Dollar Spot...love it!) berry wreath from my bedroom.  And there we have it...my new centerpiece.


What about you?  Do you tuck away any goodies for the winter months?

16 comments:

  1. I love candles too!

    We use them all the time. I like to refresh the house after Christmas and rearrange decor.

    Looking forward to seeing it all soon!

    Deanna

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  2. I'm a bit obsessed with candles this time of year myself. My favorite winter scents are cinnamon and pine. In fact I get obsessed with different types of lighting during these long winter days. I have small lamps and nightlights on in dark corners all over the house, though the lamps don't smell as nice as the candles. :)

    The centerpiece looks wonderful, of course!

    Blessings, Debbie

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  3. Cheryl,
    Thanks for including my humble hot chocolate candle in with the "big guys". Funny thing...I was not a candle person until I began making them with my neighbor in 2005. Now I burn them all the time, not because I have to test them, I genuinely love the atmosphere and scents of the candles.
    This is a great post!
    Thanks again.
    Becky

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  4. Cheryl, your home always has such a wonderful fragrance. I often think of you when I see candles. All of your candles and their settings are beautiful. But the most beautiful candle of all is "you", as you light the world of those around you with the gentle and loving Light of Jesus. The most wondrous Fragrance of all. Shine on, my bright and shining friend.

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  5. I love candles and light them all year (I love to keep my electric bill as low as I can!). Your candles sound lovely, and I can almost smell their beautiful scents from here. Now I want to go to Target and Bath & Body Works! xo

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  6. I LOVE Becky's candles. They got me through 2 weeks of darkness after the hurricane and the added bonus is that they smell delicious.

    ♥♥♥
    Sue

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  7. We're a candle home, too. All year round. My husband loves to come home to a candle burning. You pictures sure gave me some ideas of how to use them. I was happy to pick up some of Bath and Body Works candles for $5.00 for my daughter (and at that price I "needed" a couple!) Winter is one of my favorite scents.

    Such a fun post.

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  8. I love all of your candles! I have to admit that with four little one running around and very little space I have gotten away from candles. I do however have my Scentsy going almost daily, although our home is so small that I have to turn it off after a couple of hours or the scent would push us right out of the house :)

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  9. Your home seems like a cozy little nest. How fortunate are those who get to nestle there.

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  10. You sure do have a gift for decorating! THose candles look amazing with all their props.

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  11. I love these candlescapes. (is that a word- I don't think so but it fits) I love candles too- I've never gotten any from Bath & Body Works- Will have to check them out. I need to clear out some of my almost used up candles and get some fresh ones.

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  13. I enjoyed your candle tour. I also like candles on dark days or in the winter, or in summer at night on the porch. Actually any time with dinner a candle is nice. I have a friend with a single candle in a hurricane such as you bought and they have burned that in the center of their table for every evening meal they have had in their house.

    Have a good week! And your centerpiece looks lovely.

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  14. We have gotten in the habit of making tea in a clear glass pot which sits above a candle to keep warm. The candle is magnified and reflected by the pot so the whole pot glows and flickers. The tea adds fragrance and all in all it is a delight on many levels.

    Your new centerpiece is delightful!

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  15. I do indeed tuck candles away, as a matter of fact just recently found some I had forgotten, what a treat that was. All of your candles I like, especially the hot chocolate it looks like a cup ready to devour.~smile~ enjoyed this post.
    Blessings,
    Sue

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  16. Cheryl, I'm catching up on your posts and enjoying them all. You really have a way of creating a wonderful home atmosphere. It makes me feel happy and peaceful just looking at your photos:)

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