CasaSugar

Nice and New: Groovy Gypsum Candle Holder

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0700

Mother Nature can be oh so generous with her gifts, but it takes a creative mind to put a new spin on some of her already gorgeous creations. Crystal rocks, for example, make divine bookends but add a wire, bulb, and lampshade to them and they sparkle in more ways than one. Same goes for this Gypsum Candle Holder ($160). The likeness to candy makes it crave worthy, but I'm drooling over the chic style it brings to the table. Fire up the tea lights and dim the overheads for a swanky fireside chat.

Casa Beta: Lumnique Vanilla Candle

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0800

Lumnique, a new company that specializes in personalized candles, recently sent over a vanilla candle for me to review. Unfortunately, I can't stand the scent of vanilla, so CelebStyle offered to review it for me! Lumnique allows shoppers to choose the color, fragrance, and "customized intention" of their candles when ordering online, with 14 different color choices and a variety of fragrances - in fruity, floral, or foodie categories - to choose from. Of course, since Lumnique mailed me the candle, we missed out on the whole personalization part of the package, so she'll just review the candle we received, vanilla:

Scent: "In my experience, candles don't usually live up to their scent being burned but this Vanilla Lumnique candle went above and beyond my expectations. The vanilla notes were strong enough to give off a lasting, comforting scent without being overpowering, too obvious, or too feminine."

To hear her thoughts on the packaging and burning, read more.

Packaging: "The candle came in a black cardboard box, slightly smaller than a shoe box. The Lumnique logo was printed in white across the top flap and inside was an insert holding the glass candle in place alongside an expensive-looking book of matches. While the packaging was fancy and substantial, I found it to be a waste of resources and space. It wasn't very eco-friendly, in terms of both the packaging and the shipping."

Burning: "This double wick candle is the candle that keeps on giving! It burns evenly and slowly, and is as fragrant as the first burn weeks later. It burns clean (no black smoke) and doesn't take long for the wicks to stop burning after blowing them out."

Thanks, CelebStyle!

Want to read more candle reviews? Check out these posts on C.Z. Guest, West Third, Linnea's Lights, Chesapeake Bay, and Diptyque candles.

Casa Beta: C.Z. Guest Candles

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 -0800

Here's a post from OnSugar blog Maison Classique:

First off, if you are unfamiliar with the iconic late C.Z. Guest, do a quick Google search or brush up on the cliffs-notes here. I purchased this candle at Annie's last summer in Vail, CO. Annie's is one of my favorite shops in the village, and regrettably, they do not have a website. If you are ever there for holiday, or just driving through, stop at Annie's! They have a selection of china, dishes, candles, bath and body products, and all sorts of wonderful things. I pop in every Summer and I am never disappointed. Imagine my delight when I saw the C.Z. Guest candles . . . on sale! You better bet I snatched one up! Truth be told, I would have purchased it had it not been on sale, but I guess it was my lucky day.

The genius thing about this candle is that it literally lives on. The jar is actually a handmade flower pot, and the candle box is packaged with a seed packet. Once the candle is spent, you plant the flowers and grow them in a delightful little pot! Perfect for a guest bath or the kitchen window ledge.

Continue reading the rest of this review.

Casa Beta: West Third Candles

CasaSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:00:11 -0800

Here is a post from OnSugar blog Maison Classique:

I bring to you a candle company I am excited to spread the word about: West Third. I purchased this one at The Malibu Colony Company in December 2009. The candle names (all Los Angeles locations, the one pictured here is "Laurel Canyon") and peacock feather graphic drew me in. To my surprise, the scents were unique and desirable (often times you get one or the other . . . desirable yet common or unique and decidedly unpleasant). It was hard to choose which one I would purchase, test, then blog about - all the scents in this line were great!

Laurel Canyon by West Third is woodsy, but not too woodsy (the blend is sandalwood and vanilla . . . a combo that can easily become too strong from the sandalwood or too sweet from the vanilla). This candle burns well, smells great, and looks pretty when lit. Once the candle is spent, the glass jar will look pretty with a single tea light, illuminating the peacock feather graphic. It's a keeper even after the original poured candle is gone.

Want to read more? Start following Maison Classique or start your own OnSugar blog!

Cool Idea: Ice Lanterns

CasaSugar — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:00:18 -0800

Design*Sponge guest blogger Sweet Paul recently wrote a post about outdoor lighting in the Winter, with dreamy, snowy images of lanterns in the night. I nearly packed up my bags and hopped a plane to Vermont when I saw them - I miss snow! He offered a tutorial for creating these beautiful ice lanterns with frozen olive branches and other greenery that I absolutely love. They're so ethereal looking. His idea is to freeze them out in the snow, drop a votive in them, and then leave them there. But I think they'd also be beautiful as a centerpiece sitting on a shallow bowl or platter, perhaps wrapped with a cranberry candle wrap to complete the look. Perfect for a Winter dinner party!

Casa Beta: Linnea's Lights Fir Candle

CasaSugar — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:00:46 -0800

You may remember that I am very picky about my candles - and willing to spend big bucks on one that I love. Beyond that, I am skeptical of "seasonal" scents, because I often find them gimmicky or simply rushed to the market. So even when Linnea's Lights' new limited edition Fir candle ($28) arrived at my desk in its elegant box, I wasn't yet sold.

Scent:

Pulling the candle out of its box, I noticed the very light scent of a fir tree scent. But would it fill the room and waft well? I lit the candle in my living room and went about my puttering. Within 10 minutes, I thought, "It smells like Christmas!" completely forgetting that I'd lit the candle. The scent was warm and fuzzy and full of memories, and completely natural, just like a freshly cut Fraiser fir. The aroma is simple and elegant, and will fool your guests into thinking you've got a big, sparkling Christmas tree in the house - even if you live in a closet.

Hear more of my thoughts on the candle.

The Ninth DIY of Christmas: Teacup Candles

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:30:16 -0800

Welcome to the ninth project in my 12 DIYs of Christmas series! When I spotted these beautiful gold-trimmed antique tea cups at a flea market, I knew that I had to take them home. But how to use them? Instead of using them for a tea party, I decided to transform them into eco-friendly soy wax candles. These teacup candles make inexpensive, pretty holiday gifts. You can give someone a set of three, or divvy them up between a number of friends or family members.

Making the candles was super easy, and the most time-consuming part of the entire process was waiting for the layers of soy wax to dry. You can find all of the candle-making supplies at a craft store or candle/soapmaking supply store (such as Juniper Tree Supplies).

What You'll Need

antique, pretty teacups, with or without saucers
enough soy wax to more than fill each cup
essential oil for scent (I used Lily of the Valley)
wicks that equal your number of cups
double boiler
Pyrex cup or funnel
chopsticks or wooden skewers
stirring tool, such as a rubber scraper

To find out how to make it, read more.

Pour the soy wax into the double boiler. Let it simmer until the wax is clear liquid.
Center the wick in the bottom of each teacup. Put one chopstick or wooden skewer on either side of the wick, balanced on the rim of the teacup, to keep the wick centered.
Add a small amount of your scented oil to the melted soy wax. Mix with your rubber scraper, and then pour into your Pyrex measuring cup.
Pour the wax into the bottom of each teacup. If the wick gets a little off-center, you can reposition it before the wax sets. Let wax harden. Repeat this process until the cup is half full. Repeat a third and fourth time until the cup is full. You'll want to continue adding small amounts of the scented oil to make sure that the candle is scented throughout.
Wipe off any spills with a warm, wet rag.
Clip the top of the wick so it's about half an inch taller than the rim of the cup.
Light, and enjoy.

I've found that the simplest way to clean wax out of my double boiler and other utensils is by heating them, and then wiping them down with a paper towel. This makes the clean-up really quick and easy!

View 7 Photos ›

The Eighth DIY of Christmas: Cranberry Candle Wraps

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:15:58 -0800

Welcome to the eighth project in my 12 DIYs of Christmas series! My cranberry candle wraps are kind of a no-brainer. But they're also a great way to add a little Christmas color to your décor without going over the top or spending too much money. This project uses fresh cranberries, which may go bad in a week or two, so this weekend is a great time to make them.

Supplies:

Pillar candles
Candlesticks (for pillar candles)
1 bag of cranberries
Craft wire (about .003 mm gauge)
Wire cutters or scissors

To learn the steps, read more.

The steps:

Cut about two feet of craft wire.
Begin threading cranberries onto the wire through the middle of the berry. Continue until you're left with about three inches on either end.
Repeat as necessary for as many candles as you have.
Shape the cranberry wraps into a loose circle with two layers wrapping around your pillars, or more if your candles are tall.
The wire will tend to uncoil, so fold the ends of the wire onto the cranberry wraps, in between two cranberries to keep it in place.
Fini! Now light and enjoy! Keep an eye on your cranberries every few days and either replace them with fresh cranberries or take them down if they start to go bad.

How-To: Create Festive Fall Votives

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:30:22 -0800

Want to add some pretty autumnal style to your Fall Thanksgiving table? Then try this great, simple trick from Better Homes and Gardens for transforming a holiday Autumn table. For a beautiful twist on boring old votives, collect colorful leaves from your backyard or nearby park. Then, tie the leaves to the votive with ribbon, twine, or yarn. Voila! You have a no-cost centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. Just be careful not to get any of the leaves close to the flame. While I do love the fiery reds of Autumn leaves, I don't actually think that I want them on fire.

For another votive idea, read more.

If you have some extra time, you can also decoupage leaves onto the votive's exterior. This will give the votive a frosted effect, and will illuminate the leaves.

Source

Do You Float Candles in Your Bathtub?

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:00:46 -0700

I think that floating candles in a bathtub is absolutely romantic, but when it comes down to it, who has the time? I can imagine doing so on a romantic vacation, but it's not my style for a weekly bath at home.

Source: Flickr User Monsieur Gordon