August 2013 CBV Order

I wasn't going to place a CBV order in August, but since Victoria had a 21% off sale, and I had a decent amount of money saved up in my paypal account (from various coupon apps such as Ibotta & SavingsStar), I decided why not stock up on some of my favorites because once the school year starts (in two days), I won't have any time to order, and I'll need my favorites to melt to destress!

Here's what I got... again, a small order of mostly my FAVORITE scents to last me until my next order (probably December or January).

Wax Gelato in Graceland Memories- This is a CAS I came up with, and probably the best one yet. It's a mixture of Elvis and Lavender & Basil. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but I swear it's GOOD. Elvis is a mixture of Peanut Butter & Banana and Lavender & Basil is just a nice, clean soapy scent. Mixed together creates this wonderful, homey, clean scent. And, this baby is filled to the brim! I've tried Victoria's Scoop Some Scent (in fact, I have about 6 of them still). And, I definitely like this container better. But, it all depends on what you like... the SSS is a glass container (that you can get the cute little polka dots on, and this is a plastic container.

 

Cube Melts in Granny's Pie Crust & Caramelized Pralines- I'm not going to review these scents because I have 10,000 times before. Two of my absolute favorite CBV scents, and I'm so excited to try these cube melts. There are a TON in this container!

Scent Shot in Vanilla Cake Pops- So, if you know me, you know I hardly let anything cure before melting/burning unless it ABSOLUTELY needs it. And, unfortunately, this one does. As I'm smelling it, I get a vanilla scent with a hint of minty-ness (like muscle relaxer cream) to it. And, there is NO mint in this scent. It's supposed to be just a straight yummy vanilla cake scent. So, I'm going to let this one sit for a while, and I'll update on the boards once I melt it.

Scent Shot in Watermelon Lemon Lime Cranberry Fizz- On cold throw this reminds me SOOOOO much of Champagne Pomegranate, but with Watermelon and a slight Cranberry notes to it. Which would make sense. I can't wait to melt this, I have a feeling it will be a favorite of my hubby. Anything fruity and fizzy is great in his book!

Scent Shot Sidecar Annie (free)- I've been wanting to try this one since it came out, and it's nice. It's definitely complex and hard to describe, but you get the sweet tobacco leaf (don't worry, I HATE the smell of cigarette/chewing tobacco!!!!), ceder wood (like an old, antique dresser smell), and vanilla. I can't wait to see what this is like melting.

Sugar Scrub in Love Shack- Before Melissa came out with sugar scrub, I had never really used any. Now I can't live without it. I use it EVERY single day in the shower on my entire body (sometimes even my face!). This stuff is great. Not only does it exfoliate (and is great before shaving), it smells sooo good, and I can smell it on me hours after showering! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this product, and I will never be without it!

Cocoa Butter Melt- This product sounded so interesting, I had to get it. I don't know what I was thinking when I ordered it and the name says COCOA, because when I smelled it, I was blown away by the chocolate scent, lol. It smells delicious and just by rubbing my fingers over this, I can tell it's going to be moisturizing. Melissa says this little bugger has soooo many uses. I think I'm going to use it as a lotion bar/body conditioner in this shower. But, she says it can even be used as a bath melt (no bath tub here *tear*), hot oil massage, etc. I have a feeling this might be something I can't be without either.

Looking For A Way To Earn A Reliable Income From Home?

Look no further - part-time or full-time!

www.BuildDreams-AchieveGoals.com

Feel free to message me with any questions. Have a great day! :)

May 2013 CBV Review

Well, I just finished my second year of teaching and realized that I haven't posted ANYTHING since August 2012... I guess that tells you how crazy (but good) this year of teaching was. But, now it's summer, and I just placed my first in a good while CBV order for my birthday.

I wasn't going to place an order, but the day of my birthday (May 25) I checked my e-mail and saw that I received a $108 CBV gift card from my husband, and I could order ANY scents I wanted and part of the gift he was not allowed to complain about a scent. But, he lucked out because I ordered mostly summer/fruity scents that he ended up enjoying.

So, onto the review. :)

I only got two candles in this order (both in one of my all-time favorite scents, Granny's Pie Crust). I'm not going to spend a lot of time reviewing this scent because I have before, but if you know of someone who is NOT a bakery lover (maybe cinnamon/caramel really bothers them... i.e. my husband). GPC is just a lovely, non-offensive, great smelling bakery scent! If you're not into bakery, try it! If you're a bakery lover, try it!

The two candles I have pictured here is Victoria's 16oz Cylinder Candle (two wicks) and 23oz Coffee Cup Candle (three wicks in Dark Blue - sorry, the lighting made it look black)

Tart Pops-

Caramelized Pralines- One of my favorites, for sure, especially as a tart! Caramel-y, nutty goodness!

Elvis- Another favorite! A great mixture of banana and peanut butter to create this beautiful bakery scent that is so homey to me!

Scent Shots (some are re-orders, most aren't)-

Pink Bubblegum Crush (reorder)- swedish fish candy says it all!

Fizzy Pop (reorder)- Ginger ale!

Granny's Pie Crust (reorder)- I always have a GPC candle on hand, I cannot get enough of it. But, I got this scent shot specifically to mix with Zucchini Bread to try Granny's Apron. I really don't like Zucchini Bread, and I'm hoping this mixture will make me like it more!

Ringmaster (reorder; free scent shot)- If you like sweet, fruity scents, this one's for you. A great mix of Cotton Candy and Strawberry.

Pink Sands (reorder)- This is a nice blend of light floral, fruity, and sweetness. I think no matter what category of scents is your favorite, you will enjoy this one!

Baby's Whisper- This is a great clean, yet earthy fragrance.

Forget Me Not- Smells exactly like the flower! Very strong green floral!

Tokyo Spring- What a great, beautiful clean/earthy scent. It's sweet, fruity, yet clean. It kind of reminds me of Sweet Angel Dust.

Passion Fruit- Juicy, fruity scent that smells good enough to drink. If you like scents like Victoria's Hawaiian Splash, you will love this!

Go-Go Juice- a CAS (I don't remember who... I'M SORRY!!) of Mango Sorbett & Strawberry Margarita. It's a perfect, equal blend of both scents! So good!

Watermelon and Lime- Yum-o. I tried Victoria's Watermelon scent when I first started shopping with her about 2 years ago, and it wasn't my favorite. But, this is good! If you like fruity scents and you like lime scent (kind of reminds me of Fizzy Pop), you will like this!

Nutella- All I can smell is very, very similar notes to Peanut Butter Cookies. I'm hoping when I melt it, more of the hazelnut will come out.

Sugared Shortbread- What a great bakery. I get a lot of vanilla, cream, and lots and lots of sugar. Smelling a little deeper, I also get a lemon-y scent to it. I don't know why, but I do.

Pink Sugar and Coconut- On cold throw, the perfumey coconut scent is way overpowering the pink sugar. I'm hoping once I melt this, I'll smell more of the pink sugar.

Strawberry Lemonade- The name says it all. This one is so good cold and melting!

Berry Me Alive- On cold throw, right now all I'm getting is black cherry. It's reminding me of sweet, sugary twizzlers. I'm hoping some of the other fruity notes will come out when it's melting.

Bikini Bottoms- Great summer, tropical scent! This scent reminds me of sitting pool side (coconut) with a fruity drink in hand. I really, really love this!

Strawberry Margarita- This is Strawberry Margarita. I swear I even smell salt and tequila!!

Pizelle- I will be reordering this one again and again. It reminds me a lot of GPC. A sweet, bakery that I think EVERYONE will love, regardless if you like bakery scents or not.

Sun and Sand- Very perfumey, floral scent. Identical to the YC version, but better!

Melon Ball- If you like fruity scents, try it! Lots of melon scents and creaminess mixed together makes this scent so yummy! Canteloupe is one of the most predominent scents. It reminds me a lot of Fruit Salad.

Soft Blanket- On cold throw, I get a lot of amber and vanilla. This one is a great, clean, fresh scent!

Springdipity- This one is so nice - berries and various fruits, mixed with florals. If you're afraid of florals, TRY THIS! It will knock your socks off and may bring you to loving light florals.

How I incorporate CBV into my home decor

I've seen so many blog posts/videos/etc on how people "store" their CBV stash. I have my stash in an amoir in our spare bedroom, but I wanted to take the time to show how I incorporate some of my CBV into my home decor (and it sort of gives a glimpse into our new house that we recently bought - thanks to the encouragement of you all in April when we decided to start looking!). I have various CBV things throughout the house, but I focused on the living room and dining room. So, here it goes. :)

Dining Room -

Inside the green vase, which I got for a Christmas gift probably four or five years ago, is a CBV Vanilla Maple Pecan (yum!) pillar candle.

Living Room -

All of my scent shots are stored in a large brown basket (that sits on top of a radiator cover next to our front door).

This book shelf is full of movies and our wedding photo albums. But on top is some of the most important things in the living room, including my tart warmer.

It took me a while to decide what to fill the empty space to the right of the pictures with. For a while I had my Singapore Sling Black Label candle there, but it was too small. So, I dove in and bought a decorative cube candle in one of my absolute favorite CBV scents Nutty Candied Apple. I think it fits on top of the mantle perfectly. :)

Candles By Victoria - August Scent Shot Review

Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee (free scent shot) - This is a very creamy, rich hazelnut scent with a hint of vanilla, and a slight note of coffee. This would be a good one if you're hesitant on getting a coffee scent.

Baby Powder - This is a re-order for me. Smells exactly like the name suggests, dead on!

Lavender Apple - I was hoping this one would be more like Lavender & Basil, where the lavender is extremely toned down by the Basil. This is a very, very strong lavender with a light note of apple.

Spearmint - Another re-order. Smells like spearmint gum.

Apple Vanilla - This is a very nice apple scent. It's the perfect blend of green apple with a light vanilla touch to it.

Clean Cotton - Clean, fresh, cotton/laundry-y type scent.

Hell on Heels - I really like this one. It's a very sweet fruity/floral scent. The blend of nectar, apple, and blood orange, along with the floral note really makes this one nice.

Caramel Latte - Perfect blend of caramel and sweet latte scent.

Clothesline Fresh - Very clean, fresh, laundry-type scent. Just like the name suggests, like clean laundry drying outside.

Frangipani - The clean notes in this mixed with the baby powder, make it smell very clean and perfumey. I haven't heard a lot about this scent, so if you're looking for a clean scent, I would definitely recommend it.

Cookies N Cream - Right now I get that sweet cookie/almond scent that is predominent in a lot of Victoria's cookie scents. I'm hoping once this cures a little and I warm it, the chocolatey note will come out too.

Honey Vanilla Love Dust - Definitely get the honey note, along with chocolate. I've heard a lot of people say they needed to wait for this one to cure and warm it before the wonderfulness of it comes out.

Cantaloupe - Re-order. This one is absolutely F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! Smells like a sweet, fresh, cantaloupe.

Mermaid Kiss - A very clean, fresh scent. This one reminds me exactly of BBW Deep Aqua and/or Aqua Blossom (new name).

Pumpkin Frappuccino - This is a great pumpkin scent, with a hint of coffee. If you like pumpkin scents, I would highly suggest this one!

Under The Big Top - Perfect mix of strawberry, cotton candy, and caramelized pralines. I love this one, and will be ordering it in a candle, for sure. If you like Sugar Kisses, you will definitely like this one.

Vanilla Velvet - This one needs to cure. It's a little off right now, and sort of has a soury note to it that reminds me of Cream Cheese Frosting (that I wasn't fond of). I'm hoping once it sits a little while and I melt it, I will like it more.

Chantilly Lace - This is a very sweet, perfumey floral. Reminds me of some kind of perfume or lotion or something, but I have no clue how to even describe any of the notes in it. But, it's nice!

Vanilla Bean - Straight vanilla scent.

Sugared Corn Pudding - Reorder, and I love this one! Sweet, sugar bakery scent, with a small, teeny hint of "corn". It's soooo good!

Banana Fritters (CAS by Tina) - Mix of Elvis and Cinnamon Donuts. Very great blend of Peanut Butter, Banana, and sweet sugary, cinnamon donuts. Yum!!

Barefoot In Blue Jeans (CAS by Deb) - Mix of Sexy in Stilettos and Blue Sugar Cotton Candy. This one is great!! If you like scents such as Pink Sugar, Love Shack, etc, you will LOVE this one!!

Sticky Toffeecorn (CAS by Jandre) - Mix of Kettle Corn and Caramelized Pralines. Sooooo good and yummy!! I get a little more Kettle Corn, but the Caramelized Pralines is hidden in there and I'm sure it'll come out once warm.

These are gifts for my MIL -

Cucumber Lime Twist (free scent shot) - What a great blend of lime with a hint of cucumber and a touch of fizz.

Orange Sandalwood - Just like the name suggests, it's a great mix of orange and sandalwood. If you like sandalwood, I would give this one a try!

Lavender & Basil - One of my favorites, I had to get for her. The mix of lavender and basil creates this wonderful clean scent!

Mediterranean Fig - Can't really explain this one, but it's a great fig, clean scent. And super strong!!

Gain Island Fresh - Smells like Gain laundry detergent. Sooo nice and clean!

Frankincense & Myrrh - This reminds me a very clean, powdery scent. I like it a lot more than I expected.

Jamaican Ginger & Grapefruit - A sweet grapefruit scent, with a hint of ginger. It's a very nice, sweet, clean scent.

Rosemary - Smells like rosemary herb. Super strong!!!

French Quarter - Very nice sweet, powdery floral. I didn't think I was going to like this at all, but I might need to cut off a piece to keep for myself!

CBV July 2012 Review, of course!

Well, I couldn't resist placing another order. I literally just got it about an hour ago - first CBV order at the new house, woo hoo. At our old place the UPS guy usually didn't come until around 3, the UPS guy at the new house came at 10:30! :)

Onto the review -

Scoop Some Scent - Lavender & Basil - I've had this scent before in a scent shot and had to get it in SSS for my low wattage plug-in warmers for my bathrooms. I'm not usually a lavender fan, but the basil really tones it down and makes it a nice, fresh, clean, soapy-type scent. If you like clean scents and haven't tried this one yet, you have to!

Bundt Cake Melts - Nutty Candied Apple - If you know me you know I can't live without my Nutty Candied Apple. I figured I'd get some NCA in these tarts to warm in the summer months while my AC and fans are blasting.

Cookie Melts - Vanilla Maple Pecan - I tried Vanilla Maple Pecan in scent shot form when Jandre stated it smelled like waffle cones, and I agree. I love Granny's Pie Crust, and this scent is very similar to GPC with a kick. It's sweet, creamy, a teeny hint of spicey yummy goodness.

Scent Shots (top to bottom; left to right) :) -

Spellbound - Again, had to stock up to hold me over for the summer. Sweet, apple, candy deliciousness!

Cottage Garden - On cold throw it's a very strong floral (which is fine because CBV got me into liking florals). Strong on the jasmine and rose scent. The scent description says it has fruit such as pineapple, peach, and melon. It'll be interesting to see if the fruit notes come out when it's melted.

St. Lucia - Have had before and really like. Very, very sweet melon scent.

A Hunk, A Hunk Of Burning Nuts (CAS by Aerika) - All I get when I smell this is Elvis (may not help that Elvis is currently burning on my stove top a few feet away from me). I cannot wait to melt this and the Caramelized Pralines to come out. Two of my favorite scents mixed together can't be wrong. Yum!!

Fresh Picked Strawberry - On cold throw it smells like a candied strawberry. I can't wait to let this one cure a little and melt it, I know it'll be true to the name.

Cantaloupe - YUMMY!! If you like fruity scents, you must must must try cantaloupe. It smells like a super sweet fresh juicy cantaloupe. This might be the first one I melt for when my husband comes home and sees I got more CBV. When I melt things he likes he is more understanding, and I know he'll love this one. I don't know how anyone couldn't!

Champagne Pomegranate (free scent shot) - I have never tried Champagne Poemgranate, and I don't know why. I love Fizzy Pop. This is a great blend of Fizzy Pop and Pomegranate.

Sugar Kisses (CAS by Keyonna) - I love this one too. Alone, I did not like Victoria's Cotton Candy and wasn't a super big fan of Raspberry Guava, but mixed together it makes a perfect yummy sweet concoction! If you like scents like Pink Sugar, Tiffany-D, etc, you will really like this one!

Candles By Victoria - May 2012 Haul/Review

I wasn't going to place a CBV order in May, but I started running low on some of my favorites. I also just recently got 2 wall plug in warmers (similar to scentsy warmers, but I got them A LOT cheaper on ebay) and wanted to get some Scoop Some Scent for them for the new house in the main bathroom and the laundry room/other bathroom. Finally, Victoria used to sell Kettle candles on her site in various different colors/designs. They were recently taken off of the site, and I was devestated. I really wanted a green kettle candle in Caramelized Pralines for my new kitchen. After asking on the message board, Victoria so GRACIOUSLY had Candleman search in their warehouse to see if they had any extra kettle candles lying around. Lo and behold, they did! So, of course, I had to order one. :)

This is mostly going to be a haul/review of pictures as opposed to review of scents since I've reviewed most of these scents a million times before since they're a lot of my favorites.

Scent Shots

From left to right:

• Vanilla Maple Pecan - Jandre stated this one smells like waffle cones, and I agree. It's strong on the maple and pecan, which mixed together creates this yummy sweet, yet a little spicy bakery goodness.
• Bamboo & White Grapefruit - This one's STRONG! It was my free scent shot, and not something I would typically go for, but it's nice. It's very strong on the grapefruit and I get some orange, too. The citrus fruits mixed with the bamboo tone them down a little, but add a bit of an earthy type note.
• Blueberry Monkey Bread - Cinnamon, raisin, blueberry, bready goodness. It reminds me a lot of bear claws + blueberry. Yum!
• Fizzy Pop - Ginger Ale/Sprite, nothing more to say. One of my husband's favorites!
• Lavendar & Basil - Wow is this one nice! I did not like Victoria's straight lavender scent, but something about mixing this with the basil makes it sooooo good. It smells like a sweet, clean, crisp lavendar beautiful soap. I will definitely be getting this in a candle for my bathroom.

8 oz Candles

• Peanut Butter Cookies - Name says it all!
• Spellbound -  Such a beautiful sweet, yummy scent! Caramel apple, cotton candy, very sweet yumminess!

Votive Candles (set of three)

• Citronella - Got these to put in my outdoor votive holders to keep away the bugs. I still have some of an 8oz Citronella candle from last summer, and they really do work!

Scoop Some Scent

From left to right, top row to bottom row

• Shamrock Kiss - Smells like the old school herbal essences shampoo

• Love Shack - Love Spell and Pink Sugar. This one is my go to bedroom scent - it's such a sweet, fruity, slightly musky, sensual scent. I got it for my beautiful purple tart warmer in the bedroom.
• White Nectarine & Pink Coral - Smells like the orange bottle of herbal essences shampoo (no more frizz kind). Delicious!!
• Nutty Candied Apple - My number one favorite CBV scent! It's such a fresh, crisp apple with that yummy nutty note to it. I LOVE THIS SCENT MORE THAN WORDS CAN DESCRIBE!!

Kettle Candle (green)

Caramelized Pralines - The camera flash made this look like a lighter green than it really is. But it's beautiful and I cannot wait to put this is my new kitchen. As far as Caramelized Pralines goes, it's sooo good! Sweet, caramel goodness with the nutty note of pralines.

Here's a picture comparing the opening of a 22oz tureen and this kettle candle.