My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Slight Delay

I've decided to delay blogging about my reasons #1 and #2 until I return from the CBV Meet-Up this weekend. I had originally thought that I would complete this series before I went - but considering what my top two reasons are, it makes more sense to me now that I wait to finish when I arrive back home.

Thanks very much for reading, and I'll see you back here for the top two reasons on my list, plus a review of my latest order from Victoria, next week! In the meantime, please check out Victoria's youtube channel for (what I'm sure will be) some fun videos of the meet-up! Now, I need to get packing! :)

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #3

Tally ho, onto the top 3! :)

(3) Without a doubt, Victoria's candles have the best scent throw of any candles available. I've already described how wonderfully accurate CBV scents are, but (as we've all learned the hard way) it doesn't matter how good a candle smells when you purchase it, if the candle's scent does not carry or linger in your home when you burn it. In fact, the frustration of finding a candle that I liked in a store - that had virtually no scent once I lit it in my home, was pretty significant before I found CBV. It was like being on a treasure hunt, where there seemed to be no treasure that could be found. Like going on countless dates and knowing that you'd never meet your right match eventually. Like spreading the peanut butter on one slice of bread, only to find out that they had suddenly stopped making all types of jelly... Well, you get the point - I was peeved! I don't want to think about how much money I spent on the elusive candle that would smell good both at the store and in my home.

In fact, I thought there was something wrong with my nose at one point. Surely all of these candles couldn't be "scent duds" - it had to be me and my faulty sense of smell. And then, videos on youtube started appearing that gave me hope. There were other people out there who couldn't smell their candles either! I remember an absolutely charming lady, who was refreshingly frank in her review of a well-known candle company's latest products for the holidays. She said that she felt that their candles would be nice to keep in case you had a power outage - because they had such a low scent throw that their almost non-existent fragrances would hardly mingle with one another at all.

And then, youtube didn't just convince me that I wasn't suffering from a sub par sniffer - it also introduced me to Candles By Victoria: A candle company who's candles actually scented your home with long-lasting and far-reaching fragrances. (This is super weird, because we have just been discussing how all of us on the CBV message board came to know about Victoria). The point is, I was lucky enough to find a solution to one of my frustrations about being a homemaker, and I'll always feel grateful for finding CBV to help solve the mystery of the non-smelling candles! :)

I can't write a post about Candles By Victoria's wonderful scent throw without posting a picture of one of my best scent throwing candles from Victoria...my lovely "Home Sweet Home" Country Kettle candle in burgundy marble. This wonderful three-wick candle pours the warm cinnamon doughy fragrance into my house like nobody's business.



I feel like a proud mama with her brag book, hehe...



Thanks for reading about my Reason #3, and I'll be back to write about my Reason #2 tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm going to go and make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. For some reason, I have a real craving for one...

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #4

We're getting closer to number one! :)

(4) If, indeed, variety is the spice of life, then Victoria has the biggest spice cabinet of them all! I've already mentioned that Victoria offers more than 730 scents. Not enough variety? Okie Dokie. Let's break down the absolutely, magnificent, and truly awe-inspiring catalogue of goodness that Victoria offers:

Scent Options: 743

Glitter Options: 57

Fragrant Options (candles, oils, or scent shots, made of your fragrance choice): 25

Specialty Candle Options: 48

Designer Bowl Design Options: 7

Country Kettle Design Options: 5

Candles Offering Glitter Combinations: 2

So, if I wanted to order my favorite fragrance (choosing 1 of 743 choices), in a candle that offered glitter (1 of 2 choices), and choosing my glitter combination (1 of 57 choices), that would equal a whopping 84, 702 possibilities. I'll give you a moment to absorb that ginormous number...

Or, more simply, if I wanted to order my favorite fragrance (1 of 743 possible), considering all of the types of products that Victoria offers in which you could choose your scent (candles, scoop some scent, crumb melts, diffusers, refresher oils, scent shots, and super tarts - 1 of 25 choices) that would afford me 18,575 possibilities. Yep. That's a whole 'lotta options.

I could give more examples, but I really don't like math that much, and my brain is beginning to swim in numbers...

The point is, if you weren't impressed by the sheer number of scents that Victoria offers (seriously, why wouldn't you be?), then to factor all the other choices that make your order with CBV uniquely your own is just...well, mind-boggling!

Choices...who can have too many of them? :)

Thanks for reading up on my #4 Reason - and I hope that you'll join me again tomorrow to see the first of my top 3 reasons for shopping with CBV! In the meantime, I seriously hope that my brain recovers from "number overload" and I can actually count from 3 backwards to 1...

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #5

Okay, here is where it gets a little tricky...like I said, I never knew how intertwined my reasons were until doing this list!

(5) I really, really miss my son being in elementary school. Not because I want him to remain small forever (I really am loving every age, and yes, I know sounds super cliche!). But, as crazy as it may sound, I miss walking into a place where you never have to guess what time of the year it is. No matter what the season, the walls were always adorned with hearts, Easter eggs, pumpkins, or Christmas trees to set a festive mood. You could say the same about stores, for a little while, but they are always jumping the gun to the next season, aren't they? It's always bizarre to see the Halloween masks next to the Christmas angels - but it's the nature of the business. That's why I so love that so many things that Victoria does is so festive and fun-loving - bringing that celebratory feeling back to my seasons. Boy, is my blog appropriately named, or what? :D I'll explain a little more...

The easiest example that I can give you is tuning into Victoria's youtube channel. I love seeing the CBV gang as they enjoy summer vacations, hand out candy to hundreds of trick-or-treaters at Halloween, and the Candleman putting up his annual Christmas decorations. They are just a fun-loving group - and if you tune in to their videos, you'll adore them. If you haven't already, here is the link to their channel - it will put a smile on your face:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CBVictoria

The next bit of festivity that I enjoy is on Victoria's message board, the Pouring Pot. Even though I do enjoy that Victoria currently has it decorated with adorable snowmen for the winter season, I'm going to tell you about the fun-filled games that are almost always there to give you a fun little boost to your day.

Whether you elect to play the countdown game, candle bingo, chain reaction, or the movie game, it's always a fun time when you log on to the Pouring Pot. Not to mention being able to nominate a fellow board member for Member the of the Month, share photos of your furbabies, try a new recipe from another member, or share with everyone what scent you are burning on that day. It simply brightens my day to visit Victoria's website, and these wonderful people (but, that is a reason for another day! See what I mean about it being tricky?). What I'm trying to focus on today is Victoria's foresight to not only create a message board that could've been solely focused on her products - but to create a place for people to mingle, to get to know her and her family, and other members. Basically Victoria created a little party place on the web. I'm so happy to have found this little slice of heaven. You should check it out as well, you'll be so happy that you joined in on the fun!:

http://cbvictoria.proboards.com/index.cgi

And, finally, the last festive thing that I'd like to mention is the monthly newsletter and new scents that Victoria announces every month. It's not unusual for the scents to be connected to the season (I loved last October's "Monster Mash", "Bite Me", and "Witches Brew" scents!), and everyone waits with baited breath to hear what Victoria has come up with that month. I know that you may say that every candle company tends to do that, so why does this distinguish CBV from all of the rest? Well, it's the manner in which Victoria makes it into a mini-celebration, first with the announcement of the scents in her newsletter, then with choosing customers to review the new scents via youtube - so that everyone's anticipatory delight is at it's best! It's just so fun knowing that there is something new and exciting to look forward to with each month, and that CBV customers get to play a role in the excitement! :)

There will be other reasons that I think of, I'm sure, as to why Victoria's festive efforts brighten my day, but I'm sure that you get the idea by now. I love that she shares this element of fun with all of her customers, and I'll bet that you will too. :)

Thanks for reading up on #5, and I'll hopefully see you back for #4 tomorrow. In the meantime, I'd like to give a shout-out to my buddy Burke, who is the one and only person that I know that says his favorite holiday is April Fool's Day. But, if you knew Burke, it wouldn't surprise you... :)

Boy, I guess I'm no better than Wal-Mart with an April Fool's Day blog photo even before Valentine's Day...

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #6

Are we there yet? :) No? Okay, onto #6 then!

(6) The other day, a topic came up on Victoria's Pouring Pot message board that really got me thinking about doing this Top Ten Countdown. The question was asked if Victoria's bakery scents were good, because the member that was asking said that she had tried other company's and didn't care for them. Of course, I, along with a lot of other Pouring Pot members, assured her that Victoria's bakery scents were to die for - and that she should try them straight away. (I have to take a minute to shudder at the thought of never having discovered Berry Blackberry Cobbler...).

After I gave my response, which I'll get to in a minute, I thought, "but really, that's only one of the many reasons why I choose to buy from Victoria instead of other companies," hence writing these blog entries. But, to get back to Reason #6, I'll echo that same sentiment here: It's the difference between purchasing a candle where people will say, "That's a nice scent that smells like brownies," versus having a CBV candle burning, and people will say, "When will the brownies be done baking?". Victoria's candles are just the most realistic scents that you can purchase in wax form.

Going back to the Pouring Pot - members write about this phenomenon all the time. A member will be burning a CBV candle, and a family member will be put out because they thought that she was truly baking something. And, from my own experience, it really is common for my son to come home from school and ask, "Are those cookies I smell, or a candle?" And, in my many years of burning candles before I found Victoria, that simply never happened.

There used to be a candle commercial that came on around Christmas time, where the hostess was having guests over, so she took a store-bought apple pie out of the box and placed it on a platter, put an apron on, and lit an apple pie candle that made all of her guests say, "You must have spent all day baking!". Bless their marketing team's hearts, it was a cute commercial - but you have to have the product to back up the claims. Victoria does. 'Nuff said. :)

So, when you purchase Victoria's "Fizzy Pop" scent, you can look forward to actually smelling the carbonation. Her "Chai Tea" scent is so smooth, you really expect the candle to swish around like you're holding a hot mug of the liquid in your hands. The CBV "Salty Sea Air" scent actually has the salt smell that you would detect while splashing in the surf. And, Vic's "Strawberry Danish" scent also has a slightly salty hint to it, but it is what you would find if you rolled out the dough to make the pastry yourself. It was a good idea for a commercial, wasn't it? ;)

And these are just a few of the scents that I've been able to try so far (but, that's another reason for another day...).

So, if you like realistic smelling candles, then Candles By Victoria is definitely where I'd recommend that you shop. But, if you like those candles that give off a little whiff of some manufactured scent every once and awhile - what a crushing bore this blog post must have been for you to read, lol!

Thanks so much if you did choose to read this. :) You guessed it, onto the top 5 Reasons tomorrow with #5. In the meantime, you can amuse yourself by thinking of wacky things that might be made into candle scents - Victoria does have a suggestion thread on her message board! I would just never let my teenage son know about that - I shudder to think of the combinations that he would come up with! "Stale Pizza That My Mom Didn't Find Until the Next Day", "I Don't Think My Sneakers Smell That Bad", and "No, My Bedroom Doesn't Smell Like a Locker Room" come to mind...blech...

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #7

Geez, I'm not even halfway to #1 yet! :)

(7) Yes, yes...clean burning fuels can be a great thing for the ozone layer - but it's more important to me to have clean burning wax in my house! Yes, my friends - you know what I'm talking about! Victoria's candles simply burn clean.

I have to admit, I'm a little OCD when it comes to my candles. I love, love to take good care of them - so that they not only smell good when I have guests over, but they look good as well. And no, I'm not talking about the cutie patootie candles that I consider to be Victoria's works of art - they need no help in looking adorable. I'm talking about jar candles that don't have to be babied to look good. No more foil tents, no more jar toppers...Victoria's beauties take care of the work on their own.

Let me share a little comparison with you all. I must warn you though, this first photo is not for the faint of heart. Sadly, it's when I gave up trying so hard to make this other brand name candle look good. Have you shielded the eyes of any small children in the room? Okay, here goes...



Ack! Yep, I'll bet that you do hear the slashing sound effect from the movie Psycho when you look at this photo - I know that I do...

Now, going from the ridiculous to the sublime, my lovely 8 ounce Berry Blackberry Cobbler Jelly Jar Candle, representing Team Victoria.



Ah, much better, isn't it? And I didn't have to use any foil! Or those silly jar topper thinga-majigs. I mean, seriously, it was a great idea to entice people to spend more money, but what a pain in the tush to have to buy those just so your candle will burn the way it was supposed to in the first place!

And one of the fun side benefits from clean burning candles? Not only do they look great, but they continue to work great even after the candle is gone. Check out this nifty little desk topper (which still has a hint of Amish Quilt, even after it was washed out - much to my delight!).



Could I make a nifty little desk topper out of the candle jar in my first photo? I'd given up on keeping it nice looking while it still had wax in it, let alone try to salvage it for another use after! Nah, I'm a CBV gal through and through now...and my desktop is going to be full of these nifty little jars organizing all the little necessities that I normally try to find while rummaging through my desk drawers.

Thanks for reading about my #7 Reason for being a CBV customer today. I hope to see you tomorrow for #6! In the meantime, I hope you can erase my ugly candle photo from your mind...

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #8

Yep, I'm back in the saddle again today... Westward ho to #8!

(8) Victoria's candles are just a better value than other candles. And yes, I do feel like I just paraphrased one of the oldest commercial lines there is! But, I've done the math, and weighed what I got for my money, and there really isn't any comparison. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Okay, for my purposes here, I'm only going to take into consideration other candle companies that get some youtube mentions -- not the discount store variety. I don't want to offend anyone, but the discount store candles just can't be considered real candles. I've tried enough of them to know in the past - despite all attempts (even with lovely Paula Deen's face on the labels - and I simply adore me some Paula Deen!) those candles might as well be unscented blocks of wax for the amount of scent they have in them (but that's a reason for another day...hint, hint!). So, they won't be included in the value discussion. You might only pay $5.00 for one of those...erm...beauties...but you won't even get $5.00 worth of candle in return. And that's not taking into consideration the amount of gas that it takes to get to the overcrowded parking lot, and the annoyingly long check-out lines... Okay, enough about that! Back to the discussion at hand!

If you just look at pricing, CBV blows the competition away. Let's say I wanted to purchase a large candle of my favorite fragrance. Comparing the companies, here's what I find:

CBV-24 ounce Mustard Jar-$18.50
B&BW-14.5 ounce 3-Wick Candle-$19.50
YC-22 ounce Large Jar Candle-$25.99

So, I could purchase 9.5 ounces less wax for $1.00 more from "Company B&BW", or 2 ounces less wax for $7.49 more from "Company YC". Yeah, I don't think so. Even with the shipping that Victoria has to charge to send your order to you, the difference in the amount of product for the money more than makes up for the shipping cost. And, I'm totally biting my tongue to not go into how much better quality Victoria's candles are (save it for another day, Beth!)... I just never realized how connected my reasons for shopping with Victoria are until now!

I could go into a price comparison with each candle size, but you get my point by now I'm sure. I'm no different than anyone else with my purchases, I want the most "bang for my buck", and that's definitely what I get from CBV!



Thanks for reading about Reason #8, and I hope that you pop back in tomorrow for lucky Reason #7! In the meantime, you can think of some things that you can do with all of the money that your saving by purchasing your candles from CBV... Looking outside my window today, I think I'll pay one of the neighborhood kids to shovel my driveway instead of doing it myself! :)

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #9

Continuing on from yesterday...

(9) Victoria's candles aren't just pretty faces... I've already mentioned the huge amount of scents to choose from at CBV (and yes, that was getting ahead of myself), but I'd like to talk about Victoria's works of art today. While jar candles make up the majority of my, and I'd venture to say most candle enthusiasts' collections, these "works of art" candles (as I like to call them) are something that we all aspire to purchase. Up until now, I've always wondered what would possess grown men to stand around a garage of a friend to look at some auto parts that he's purchased for - let's say - rebuilding a hot-rod. Now, I get it - because I have no doubt that if we could, CBV fans would immediately transport themselves to a home that just received one of these candle beauties, crack open a few beers (or glasses of wine...) and stand around and stare at these bad mamma jammas.

Which candles am I referring to? Well, the all-star line-up of regularly offered candles such as Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Slice Dream (which looks like the best ice cream sundae a person could dip their spoon into) and S'More Galore (which looks better than anything that you could put together beside a campfire as a jar of delectable ooey gooey goodness).

Oooh, and then there's the Sweet Treats Line featuring Hawaiian Colada (a blue tropical drink, complete with pineapple chunks and a frothy top layer which you would undoubtedly find yourself drinking on the beach) to Pink Cupcake (which seriously just needs a candle on top of the funfetti-like frosting for it to be an instant birthday cake in a jar).

And, last but not least, the Comfort Line of candles which include creations such as Sinful Strawberry Shortcake (complete with realistic wax strawberries and a beautiful red heart sticking out of the most decadent looking cream topping) and Chocolate Peanut Butter Mudslide (Creamy Peanut Butter top layer? It's got it. Adorable looking chocolate kisses and bar chunks? Yep, they are in there too). And, (drum roll please) this is where I get to stick my chest out and brag a little...


Yep, I got this little bad boy for Christmas this past year. I won't be burning him any time soon though - he's just too darn cute. But, here's the best part - this candle smells so good that you can just sit it out, and enjoy the fragrance without having to burn it.

Yes, you read correctly! These candles truly smell as good as they look. And, it's not really that common to find beautifully created candles that smell good at the same time. On the rare occasions that I've found super cute and realistic candle creations in the past - I found that they unfortunately had no more fragrance than a birthday candle when lit. I had come to the conclusion that, you could choose to purchase a candle for looks, but not to expect anything more. Victoria's candles changed that for me. Whether you choose to burn her works of art or not, you'll have a room that is fragrant with it's scent. That's pretty darned impressive if you ask me.

Thanks for reading up on my #9 Reason for my CBV Addiction. I'll be here again tomorrow with #8, and I hope you visit my blog again. In the meantime, amuse yourself by thinking about what other well-known works of art would smell like. I'm thinking the Mona Lisa would definitely smell like bubble gum...

My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #10

The countdown has begun!

Today begins the ten day countdown to the Van, Texas (a.k.a. Candles By Victoria Headquarters) Meet-Up (according to my travel plans), so I thought it would be fun to list the Top Ten Reasons for my quick dissension into CBV obsession-land (yep, ala David Letterman - although, mine will be completely in earnest rather in jest - okay, maybe I have to throw in a little jest, just for fun). After all, it isn't every company, or product, that inspires the type of devotion that makes one want to travel thousands of miles to meet the company's owner - or catch a glimpse into the place where all the magic happens. Yes, friends and family are wondering about me. How could this extent of product loyalty happen so quickly? I thought it would be fun to ask myself what made me such a fan of CBV - in such a short time (I made my first purchase just four months ago), and put it in writing.

So, without further delay, here is the first of my Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria, starting with number ten, and working down to number one. I'll post each number day by day, so that this doesn't become the world's longest blog post - and also as a way to count the days down until my flight leaves for Van. I'll be curious to see if any of my reasons match your reasons for shopping with Victoria. I have a feeling that we're all on common ground with a lot of these!

(10) Call me crazy, but purchasing a candle by means of placing it in my cart at a discount store - next to my much needed batteries and toilet paper - doesn't thrill me at all. Why would I shop for candles that way, when it can truly be an experience? Ordering from Victoria involves good old fashioned anticipation. Anticipation is really an overlooked pleasure these days - perhaps due to technology (and said discount stores), we have answers and shopping needs taken care of in short order. Most of the time, I have to admit, it's a pretty sweet thing - I mean, nobody would want to wait for toilet paper ;). But with hand-crafted things, the old saying, "worth the wait" really does apply. That's where Candles By Victoria comes in. Your experience begins with your decision of what scents you would like to order from over 730 possibilities. Over 730 possibilities. Take that, Baskin Robbins. Once your order has been placed, your candles are hand-poured especially for you. Especially for you. Seriously, when is the last time that you ordered anything (besides a sandwich) that was made to your specifications? I can think of very few instances for me. Once the wonderful CBV team pours your candles, you get a lovely shipping notice via email. The candles that you ordered - that were made specifically for you, are on their way to you - and you now know what day they will be arriving. On your package arrival day, you try very hard not to sit and wait for this guy with your nose pressed against your window.

Mmm hmm.

Once that brown truck stops in front of your house, you can't help but meet the guy in the brown shorts at the door, and wrench the box (I mean, kindly remove your package from your UPS man's hands...) so that you may run back into your home - jumping over any furnishings in your path - to open your CBV present (I mean, order)!

So, I ask you, how many products do you purchase that have this type of effect on you? For me, not that many at all. I've likened the feeling to being an anxious child on Christmas morning, hardly being able to wait for the time I could tear into my presents. So, basically, Victoria provides me with that childlike feeling every time I place an order now that I'm an adult - when I don't get to feel like a child hardly at all anymore.

So, anticipation... Yep, it's definitely a good thing. :)

Thanks for reading, and check in tomorrow for my #9 Reason for shopping with Candles By Victoria. In the meantime, you can be thinking about your own reasons - I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Yes, Virginia, I did place a Candles by Victoria Sale Order...

Happy 2012 to everyone!!
So, what's the best way to celebrate pretty much anything that happens in life? Why, ordering more wax, of course! I mean, seriously, with Victoria's Wicky Wicky Wax Sale offer of 15% off of all orders placed between 8:00 a.m. January 1st to 8:00 a.m. January 3rd - who could resist? (Well, my husband would have no problem resisting, but I won't dwell on that!) Not this girl, though! :) At 3:00 a.m. on January 3rd, I was gripped with the need to order more scent shots. I'm down to about 60 -- a frighteningly low amount, I know. ;) So, without further ado, here's my whopping list of scent shots from my sale order:

"Apple Cobbler"

"Apple Raspberry Crumble"

"Bath Time With Pooh"

"Best Friends"

"Black Raspberry Vanilla"

"Blackberry Walnut"

"Blackbird Pie"

"Blueberry Cobbler"

"Cappuccino Hazelnut"

"Cinnaberry"

"Country Berry Hotcakes"

"Cranberry Relish"

"Fair Day"

"Fruit Loops"

"Hazelnut Spice"

"Kettle Corn"

"Leaves Type"

"Lemon Blackberry Pie"

"Mango Macadamia Nut"

"Raspberry Peach Cobbler"

"Spiced Apple Pecan"

"Strawberries & Champagne"

"Sugared Corn Pudding"

"Tomahawk Memories"

And, the one lone candle in my order:

"Strawberry Danish" in the Red Polka Dot Designer Bowl

Mmmm, Strawberry Danish...

Who knew that candle collecting would be so problematic to losing weight?!? :) As soon as I warmed my scent shot of "Strawberry Danish", I knew that it would be a candle order in my next purchase. Rich strawberries (much like a sweet strawberry jam) mixed with a buttery, and slightly salty, pastry dough smell. This scent is such a wonderful blend of all the notes - it's just delicious!

I'm excited to continue to try all of Victoria's cobbler scents (yumm-o!), as well as try some of the board members' favorite scents. And, this is the first time that I've tried a Polka Dot Designer Bowl, so I'm anxious to see that as well! They look super adorable.

It's so funny that the stickers that the CBV gang affix to your package says "Relax With Wax," when that is the opposite feeling that I have both when I place my order, and when it arrives on my front porch. I behave more like a hyperactive cheerleader who's had about ten cups of coffee! :D

I'm curious to find out if you ordered during Victoria's Wicky Wicky Wax sale, so please feel free to vote in the poll to let me know. Also, feel free to leave a message telling me what you ordered, and/or what you are most excited about getting in your sale order package. In the meantime, please join me in trying to relax while waiting for that wax (it's a lot easier than it seems, isn't it?) :)