tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21969870921364292842024-02-20T00:03:10.554-08:00The Seasonal BurnerBoldly discovering my favorite Candles by Victoria fragrances, one scent shot at a time...Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-57006948021690437432012-02-05T18:46:00.000-08:002012-02-06T04:48:58.328-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #1Okay, this is it! You have to start drumming your fingers on the tabletop before you read this post, hehe!<br /><br /><strong>(1) C'mon, is it really a question? We all know her and love her...you guessed it...Miss Victoria herself!! </strong>(And the crowd goes wild! Waaaaah!!) I mean, there simply wouldn't be a Candles By Victoria without Victoria! No great candles, no fun videos to watch, no wonderful Pouring Pot community... Okay, I'm making myself too sad, so I have to stop this now...<br /><br />In the same vein, I'll ask the question - would there have been a Walt Disney World without Walt Disney? Yes, I am a huge Disney maniac, but stay with me on this one. :) Were there amusement parks before Walt? Yep. Did he take the idea and, with his exceptional talent and creativity, make an even better amusement park than the ones in existence at the time? Absolutely! Now, I know that candles aren't as big as an amusement park (or a animated dynasty, for that matter), but then again, I don't visit an amusement park every day like I burn scents in my home. The concept is still there. Victoria is an innovator, and she is constantly creating new ways to offer items that have, indeed, existed before - but on a higher level of quality, to which she has elevated them. Walt was always known to remind people that all that the Walt Disney Company had accomplished could be traced back to a mouse. It's hard to imagine, but a single idea can make a big difference.<br /><br />Here are just a few ideas that Victoria has about how to run her business, that I think make a big difference to me, as a CBV customer:<br /><br />Is it good enough that Victoria would stop at offering 100 scents? 200? How about 747 scents and still counting? Without a doubt, we can continue to look forward to her exciting us with new scents with every passing month.<br /><br />Is it good enough that Victoria would offer just the scents that she has created for purchase? Same jar sizes, just different photos on the front of the jars? (Boy, that sounds boring, doesn't it?). Nope, she allows her customers to create their own combinations, name them, and choose the glitter color that they want them to be. An exciting way to purchase candles, to be sure.<br /><br />Is it good enough that Victoria would sit back and not interact with her customers? Nope. Check out her youtube channel and watch the cutest snippets into her family's wonderful work ethic and love of life, one another, and her customers. This video is one of my personal favorites:<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/mFiv59Sh2_8">http://youtu.be/mFiv59Sh2_8</a><br /><br />And, like I mentioned in yesterday's blog entry , Victoria has created an outstanding online community - and the last time that I checked, this lovely lady had contributed over 10,000 comments to discussions since the inception of the Pouring Pot. Pretty amazing, isn't she? Heck, I was able to attend the wonderful CBV meet-up, hosted in the Elliott's home, after being a customer of hers for just a few months! (And, we all agree that were treated like queens!) How's that for a great company owner? :D<br /><br />I could go on and on, but I believe that you get the idea by now. Victoria, I love you, I love your entire funny and committed family, and I love all that you've brought into my life! Thanks so much for all that you do!<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=victoria-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/victoria-1.jpg" /></a><br />~Hugs to you sweet lady! You mean so much to so many!~<br /><br />Well, that finally wraps up my top ten list for being a loyal CBV customer! I have so many orders and reviews to write about that I fear my hands will never recover! I hope to see you back here to read about the avalanche of scents that I have accumuluated! In the meantime, I'm going to go watch another one of my favorite CBV videos. The Candleman just cracks me up! :)<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/PTGYQbNY8Ek">http://youtu.be/PTGYQbNY8Ek</a><br /><br />That's all for now, folks! Enjoy! :)Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-62493148493761018402012-02-04T19:08:00.000-08:002012-02-04T20:27:13.756-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #2My goodness, a <em>slight delay</em>? Bwhahahaha! Let's get on with the show, shall we (finally)??!<br /><br />(2) <strong>Victoria's "candle family" is the most wonderful group of people you'll ever have the privilege of meeting and spending time with. </strong>And, by "candle family", I mean her actual relatives, employees, as well as her online community. Okay, I know, you're probably thinking that I have named something that "technically" doesn't have anything to do with Victoria's <em>products themselves</em> as my runner up to my top reason for buying from CBV<em>.</em> How can this be? Well, because these people have come to mean a lot to me, and keep me coming back to Victoria's exceptional products. The Pouring Pot community knows a lot about Victoria's scents, but they also know how to be a fantastic support system for one another - and that is a priceless commodity to me.<br /><br />When I made my first order with CBV, I didn't know much about Victoria's scents - so I chose scents that just "sounded good" to me. Granted, that is when Victoria was only offering around 700 scents rather than 747, so why I didn't have more clarity as to what to purchase is a mystery... :) Anyway, the majority of the scents that I bought didn't agree with my nose. I'm always careful to say that the scent <em>didn't agree with my nose, </em>because Victoria's candles are always wonderful quality - but not all scents are for everyone. So, after I purchased that first order, and found out that the scents weren't good choices for me, I may have thought that CBV wasn't for me. But, (and I'm so glad that I did this) I joined the Pouring Pot message board shortly after my first order arrived, and received suggestions and descriptions of scents that ended up being favorites of mine.<br /><br />More than likely, you'll meet people that have similar "noses" to your own, and that will give you a number of scents to try that may not have been on your radar. You can see what people are burning every day, and what they think about the scents, and you can also look at many written reviews in a special thread. Round Robins are organized so that if you do order scents that don't agree with your nose, you can swap them with other scents that people found didn't agree with their noses. The message board just provides endless support and fun for your wax addiction - and it keeps me coming back. Before this, if I accidentally bumped into someone while shopping in a candle shop, I considered that the extent of my socializing with regards to candles!<br /><br />I know that we've all heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child", and I think that this same thought applies to being a CBV customer. "It takes a village to take on Victoria's ginormous scent selection"! My list of scents that I want to try, not to mention the Create A Scent suggestions that have been listed on the message board, keeps growing and growing. If you think about it, it's the same situation as when you go shopping with friends, versus shopping by yourself. Most of the time, when I'm with friends, it's more enjoyable. We divide up in a particular shop, and more than likely, we find things in different areas of the store that we may not have found ourselves. More pairs of eyes the better, right? In the case of CBV, the more noses the better - and it's like shopping with a large group of the warmest friends you can have.<br /><br />Beyond being one of the nicest groups of enablers on the web, the Pouring Pot is a network of people who care about one another. You can go to the message boards to receive support if you are going through a rough time, or receive congratulations if you have something to celebrate - and so much more. I've simply never developed such a bond with an online group like this before, nor do I believe I can find another group to compare to them - and luckily I don't need to!<br /><br />I have to share a photo of my first CBV love before I wrap this post up - Amish Quilt - which was in that first order that I mentioned. Isn't it cute? :) A lovely mix of spicy notes that just makes the home smell so cozy in my opinion.<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=006-3-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/006-3-1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Thanks for reading my long overdue Reason #2 for Choosing Candles By Victoria, and I hope that you will check back for my #1 Reason. In the meantime, if you haven't checked out the Pouring Pot message board ~ what are you waiting for? You'll be so happy that you joined the fun!<br /><br /><a href="http://cbvictoria.proboards.com/index.cgi">http://cbvictoria.proboards.com/index.cgi</a>?Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-49301937899422931662012-01-19T21:53:00.000-08:002012-01-19T22:13:44.915-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Slight Delay<div align="center">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. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">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! :)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=airplane.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/airplane.jpg" /></a></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-81540784870829755432012-01-18T20:32:00.000-08:002012-01-18T21:42:28.473-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #3Tally ho, onto the top 3! :)<br /><br /><strong>(3)</strong> <strong>Without a doubt, Victoria's candles have the best scent throw of any candles available. </strong>I've already described how wonderfully accurate <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span>. 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.<br /><br />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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">youtube</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">outage</span> - because they had such a low scent throw that their almost non-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">existent</span> fragrances would hardly mingle with one another at all.<br /><br />And then, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">youtube</span> didn't just convince me that I wasn't suffering from a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">sub par</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> to help solve the mystery of the non-smelling candles! :)<br /><br />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 <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">nobody's</span> business.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=003-3-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/003-3-1.jpg" /></a></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I feel like a proud mama with her brag book, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">hehe</span>...</span><br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=004-3-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/004-3-1.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">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... </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-43933421288062409902012-01-17T17:47:00.000-08:002012-01-17T19:05:45.923-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #4<div>We're getting closer to number one! :) </div><div> </div><div><strong>(4) If, indeed, variety is the spice of life, then Victoria has the biggest spice cabinet of them all! </strong>I've already mentioned that Victoria offers more than 730 scents. Not enough variety? <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Okie</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dokie</span>. Let's break down the absolutely, magnificent, and truly awe-inspiring <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">catalogue</span> of goodness that Victoria offers:</div><div> </div><div>Scent Options: 743</div><div>Glitter Options: 57</div><div>Fragrant Options (candles, oils, or scent shots, made of your fragrance choice): 25</div><div>Specialty Candle Options: 48</div><div>Designer Bowl Design Options: 7</div><div>Country Kettle Design Options: 5</div><div>Candles Offering Glitter Combinations: 2</div><div> </div><div>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...</div><div> </div><div>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. </div><div> </div><div>I could give more examples, but I really don't like math that much, and my brain is beginning to swim in numbers...</div><div> </div><div>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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> uniquely your own is just...well, mind-boggling!</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=019-1-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/019-1-2.jpg" /></a></div><div>Choices...who can have too many of them? :)</div><div> </div><div>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...</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-15316739056645936992012-01-16T20:12:00.000-08:002012-01-16T21:53:47.766-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #5<div align="center">Okay, here is where it gets a little tricky...like I said, I never knew how intertwined my reasons were until doing this list!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><strong>(5) </strong>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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Halloween</span> masks next to the Christmas angels - but it's the nature of the business. <strong>That's why I so love that so many things that Victoria does is so festive and fun-loving - bringing that</strong> <strong>celebratory feeling back to my seasons</strong>. Boy, is my blog appropriately named, or what? :D I'll explain a little more...</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">The easiest example that I can give you is tuning into Victoria's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">youtube</span> channel. I love seeing the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> gang as they enjoy summer vacations, hand out candy to hundreds of trick-or-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">treaters</span> at Halloween, and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Candleman</span> 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:</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/CBVictoria">http://www.youtube.com/user/CBVictoria</a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">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.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">furbabies</span>, 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">could've</span> 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!:</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://cbvictoria.proboards.com/index.cgi">http://cbvictoria.proboards.com/index.cgi</a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">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 <span style="color:#006600;">"Monster Mash"</span>, <span style="color:#ff0000;">"Bite Me"</span>, and <span style="color:#009900;">"Witches Brew"</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">youtube</span> - so that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">everyone's</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> customers get to play a role in the excitement! :)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">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. :)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">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... :)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> <a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=aprilfoolsday.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/aprilfoolsday.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"> Boy, I guess I'm no better than Wal-Mart with an April Fool's Day blog photo even before Valentine's Day...</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-79189737217690856772012-01-15T12:20:00.000-08:002012-01-15T13:30:35.189-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #6Are we there yet? :) No? Okay, onto #6 then!<br /><br /><strong>(6) </strong>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...).<br /><br />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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> candle burning, and people will say, "When will the brownies be done baking?". <strong>Victoria's candles are just the most realistic scents that you can purchase in wax form.</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Going back to the Pouring Pot - members write about this <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">phenomenon</span> all the time. A member will be burning a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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, <em>that simply never happened.</em><br /><em></em><br />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. '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nuff</span> said. :)<br /><br />So, when you purchase Victoria's "Fizzy Pop" scent, you can look forward to actually smelling the carbonation. Her "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chai</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> "Salty Sea Air" scent actually has the salt smell that you would <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">detect</span> 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? ;)<br /><br />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...).<br /><br />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, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">lol</span>!<br /><br />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...<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">blech</span>...<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=grosssneaker.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/grosssneaker.jpg" /></a>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-17944553379042249922012-01-14T20:35:00.000-08:002012-01-14T21:26:09.718-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #7<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Geez</span>, I'm not even halfway to #1 yet! :)<br /><br /><strong>(7) </strong>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! <strong>Victoria's candles simply burn clean. </strong><br /><br />I have to admit, I'm a little <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">OCD</span> when it comes to my candles. I love,<em> love</em> to take good care of them - so that they not only smell good when I have guests over, but they <em>look good</em> as well. And no, I'm not talking about the cutie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">patootie</span> 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.<br /><br />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...<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=004-2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/004-2-1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ack</span>! 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...<br /><br />Now, going from the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ridiculous</span> to the sublime, my lovely 8 ounce Berry Blackberry Cobbler Jelly Jar Candle, representing Team Victoria.<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=001-1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/001-1-1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Ah, much better, isn't it? And I didn't have to use any foil! Or those silly jar topper <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">thinga</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">majigs</span>. 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!<br /><br />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!).<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=007-3-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/007-3-1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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.<br /><br />Thanks for reading about my #7 Reason for being a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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...Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-65765538264632505112012-01-13T05:44:00.000-08:002012-01-13T07:42:32.584-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #8Yep, I'm back in the saddle again today... Westward ho to #8!<br /><br /><strong>(8) Victoria's candles are just a better value than other candles.</strong> 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?<br /><br />Okay, for my purposes here, I'm only going to take into consideration other candle companies that get some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">youtube</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Deen's</span> face on the labels - and I simply adore me some Paula <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Deen</span>!) 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!<br /><br />If you just look at pricing, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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:<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span>-24 ounce Mustard Jar-$18.50<br />B&<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">BW-</span>14.5 ounce 3-Wick Candle-$19.50<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">YC-</span>22 ounce Large Jar Candle-$25.99<br /><br />So, I could purchase 9.5 ounces less wax for $1.00 more from "Company B&<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">BW</span>", or 2 ounces less wax for $7.49 more from "Company <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">YC</span>". 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!<br /><br />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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span>!<br /><br /> <a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=happyshopper.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/happyshopper.jpg" /></a><br /><br />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! :)Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-46981438541660475962012-01-12T02:48:00.000-08:002012-01-12T04:09:01.433-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #9Continuing on from yesterday...<br /><br /><strong>(9) Victoria's candles aren't just pretty faces... </strong>I've already mentioned the huge amount of scents to choose from at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> (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, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">mamma</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">jammas</span>.<br /><br />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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">S'More</span> Galore (which looks better than anything that you could put together beside a campfire as a jar of delectable <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">ooey</span> gooey goodness).<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Oooh</span>, and then there's the Sweet Treats Line featuring Hawaiian <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Colada</span> (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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">funfetti</span>-like frosting for it to be an instant birthday cake in a jar).<br /><br />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, (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">drum roll</span> please) this is where I get to stick my chest out and brag a little...<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=007-2-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/007-2-2.jpg" /></a><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Thanks for reading up on my #9 Reason for my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> 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...Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-15798504394883397162012-01-11T10:22:00.000-08:002012-01-11T20:41:30.813-08:00My Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Candles By Victoria - Reason #10<div><div><div><div>The countdown has begun!</div><div> </div><div>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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> obsession-land (yep, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">ala</span> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> - in such a short time (I made my first purchase just four months ago), and put it in writing. </div><div> </div><div>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!</div><div> </div><div><strong>(10)</strong> 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 <em>an experience? </em> Ordering from Victoria involves good old fashioned <strong><em>anticipation. </em></strong> 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. <em> Over 730 possibilities.</em> Take that, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Baskin</span> Robbins. Once your order has been placed, your candles are hand-poured especially for you. <em> Especially for you. </em> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> team pours your candles, you get a lovely shipping notice via email. <em> 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.</em> On your package arrival day, you try very hard not to sit and wait for this guy with your nose pressed against your window.</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=340x_million-mile-UPS-truck.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/340x_million-mile-UPS-truck.jpg" /></a></div><div><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mmm</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">hmm</span>.</div><div> </div><div>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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> present (I mean, order)!</div><div> </div><div>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. </div><div> </div><div>So, anticipation... Yep, it's definitely a good thing. :) </div><div> </div><div>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!</div><div> </div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-62928565781602778982012-01-06T14:52:00.000-08:002012-01-06T17:02:53.592-08:00Yes, Virginia, I did place a Candles by Victoria Sale Order...<div align="left"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Happy 2012 to everyone!!</span></em><br />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:<br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">"Apple Cobbler"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">"Apple Raspberry Crumble"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">"Bath Time With Pooh"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">"Best Friends"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">"Black Raspberry Vanilla"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">"Blackberry Walnut"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">"Blackbird Pie"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">"Blueberry Cobbler"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">"Cappuccino Hazelnut"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cinnaberry</span></span>"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"Country Berry Hotcakes"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">"Cranberry Relish"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">"Fair Day"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"Fruit Loops"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">"Hazelnut Spice"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">"Kettle Corn"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">"Leaves Type"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">"Lemon Blackberry Pie"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">"Mango Macadamia Nut"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">"Raspberry Peach Cobbler"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Spiced Apple Pecan"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">"Strawberries & Champagne"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">"Sugared Corn Pudding"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">"Tomahawk Memories"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And, the one lone candle in my order:</span></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"Strawberry Danish" </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">in the Red Polka Dot Designer Bowl</span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=strawberrydanish-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/strawberrydanish-1.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mmmm</span>, Strawberry Danish... </div><div align="center">Who knew that candle collecting would be so problematic to losing weight?!? :) As soon as I warmed my scent shot of <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"Strawberry Danish"</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, 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!</span></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">I'm excited to continue to try all of Victoria's cobbler scents (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">yumm</span></span>-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.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">It's so funny that the stickers that the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span></span> 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</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">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?) :)</div><div align="center"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"></span> </div><div align="center"> </div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-85444134796137575342011-12-30T09:09:00.000-08:002011-12-30T22:13:51.038-08:00Walking in a CBV Wonderland...As we're all preparing for New Year's Eve, I thought that I would write a first impression review of my CBV Christmas gifts, ordered by my wonderful son. Considering he's 14, I was thankfully given instructions to provide him with a detailed list to choose from - to lessen the chance that I'd receive a giant cube candle of "Bacon" or something equally amusing! ;) So, without further delay, here's what was in my CBV package:<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=004-1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/004-1-1.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">"Berry Blackberry Cobbler"</span> in a Halo Bright Pink 'n Grape Glitter 22 ounce tureen candle.<br /><br />Okay, so I didn't give them much of a choice with this one - it was number one on my list, and I provided step-by-step instructions on how to order this baby, lol! The scent has become an all-time favorite of mine - rich blackberries mixed with a buttery crust scent that only Victoria could do. And, this glitter combination is so pretty - I believe Miss Kayla, from the message board, ordered it right before Victoria made the decision to offer ready made glitter combinations, and the CBV gang thought it was so pretty they decided to add it to the list. So, thanks very much Kayla - it truly is a keeper! :)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=007-2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/007-2-1.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">"Pumpkin Gingerbread Splash"</span> Comfort Candle<br /><br />I gave a choice of either this, or the "Momma's Peach Cobbler" Comfort Candle on my list - and I'm really happy to have received this little guy (it looks like someone gave him a "cinnamon sandwich" before he came to me, as he has cinnamon all over his face!). So far, I smell cinnamon - but not overbearing at all, along with smooth and rich pumpkin. They blend really well together on this one. Of course, he's so cute I don't know when I'll be able to burn it - but when I do, I'll give a "warmed" review as well.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=006-1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/006-1-1.jpg" /></a><br />"Godfather" Top Shelf Black Label Candle<br /><br />I've been dying to try one of Victoria's Black Label Candles, so I suggested either "Godfather" or "Salty Dog" on my list. I remember Brooke (from her "sayanythingBr00ke" youtube channel's review of the Top Shelf line) saying, "If you get any of these candles, get Godfather!", so I must say I'm happy to have received it. Brooke was right, this one is a spicy delight. I mainly smell the slight combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove - and the vanilla which does soften the mix very nicely. I have a feeling that, when warmed, this one will produce a lovely bouquet of all the notes. But, more on that later. :)<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=008-2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/008-2-1.jpg" /></a><br />Seriously, can anyone have too many <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">S</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">c</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);">e</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">n</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">t </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">S</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">h</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">o</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">t</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">s</span>? :)<br /><br />After looking over my list of 30 possible choices (yep, 30!) these are the ones that my son chose:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"Divine </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Paradise" </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- On cold throw, this one smells like a delicious and tropical fruit punch to me - more fruity than bakery. I've read that the cake note comes out more when warmed, so I'll follow up.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">"Holiday Wassail" </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- The main fragrance that I can detect on cold throw is a spicy apple cider, with maybe a hint of citrus to differentiate this scent from just straight up apple cider. Warmed though, I'll bet more notes come out.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">"Log Cabin" </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- This one is very close to the description on cold throw, to my nose. It smells like a warm stack of pancakes with butter and maple syrup. I can't wait to melt this one, because if it's this accurate when cold - I can only imagine what it will be like when warmed.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Million Dollar Baby" </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- I mainly get a strong pineapple and vanilla smell on cold throw with this one. I'll be curious to see what other notes come out when it's warmed.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">"Patch Work Quilt" </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- I really like this one, which makes it the first bright yellow scent that I've tried that I really liked! On cold throw, this one smells very similar to "Amish Quilt" which I adore, but with more of a nice yeasty bread note. Both the "Quilt" scents are spicy with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, but with hints of other spices to make them just different enough from other spicy combinations. I just love them.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">"Snickerdoodle" </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- Love this one. Cinnamon and yeasty bread smell - and a hint of what I would compare to a golden brown edge of a cookie smell. Very, very realistic in my opinion. Can't wait to melt this one</span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">"Simply Delicious" </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- This one has improved with curing, even in the short time that I've had it since Christmas. I can detect most of the notes listed in the description - slightly tart pear and a warm combination of butter, cream, and brown sugar. When melted, I'll bet it's even better.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">"Sweet Comfort" </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- This one I will have to reserve judgement on. On cold throw, I get a very slight perfume smell (kind of like what an older woman would wear) - and on the bottom, I get a strong, cough-syrup like cherry smell. Truly bizarre, as neither are listed in the scent description, I know. I'm guessing that this might be one of those scents that smells totally different when it's warmed. I'll write about that later.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">Free Scent Shot, "Blue Raspberries" </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- The blue color of this one is just striking, and the smell is nice - although I don't see it being a favorite of mine. To me, this is the fragrance of any blue raspberry candy that I've smelled - tart and sugary. There is a slight green smell to me, hinting of a real berry smell - but the candy smell takes care of it in short order.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So, that's my CBV Christmas! I appreciated being able to try so many scents, and really liked most of them a lot. I'm wondering what CBV everyone else got, so please feel free to vote in the new poll, or make a comment! I'll start warming, and provide more feedback soon - and I'd love to hear yours!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve celebration with all those you hold dear to your heart! </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2196987092136429284.post-69637770170982651252011-12-22T15:04:00.000-08:002011-12-22T16:22:42.840-08:00I'll admit it, I'm a Candles By Victoria Seasonal Burner...From the very start of my interest in Candles By Victoria, I joined the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">CBV</span> message board entitled "The Pouring Pot". Little did I know how much I would come to love the members there, or how much more enjoyable sniffing my way through over 700 scents would become when that endeavor is shared among friends. One of the wonderful members there recently commented that she didn't feel that she was a "seasonal burner" ~ or, in other words, she didn't base her choice of fragrances upon the season. That's when it hit me - I'm a seasonal burner through and through. It's this kind of realization that makes me love the message board - you find out these things about yourself while enjoying some chit-chat and laughter. So, I now know why I felt almost obsessed with finding the right yuletide scents to burn throughout this holiday season. I ordered almost every Christmas scent shot that Victoria offered, and sniffed through those little hunks of wax like crazy. Here are some of my early choices:<br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=013-2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/013-2-1.jpg" /></a><br />"Christmas Kitchen" in the Lime Green & Red Glitter 22 ounce Tureen Candle<br /><br />"Christmas Kitchen" is described as the combination of Cinnamon, Orange, and Pumpkin notes ~ and I believe the noticeable Orange scent is what attracted me to this fragrance. It has a slightly spicy element to it, which is another reason that I'm a fan. The Cinnamon and Pumpkin are blended very well, so those notes don't seem as distinguishable to my nose - but that blend really works nicely with this scent.<br /><br /><a href="http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/?action=view&current=010-1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/bhauersperger/010-1-1.jpg" /></a><br />"Christmas Memories" in three 8 ounce Jelly Jar Candles<br /><br />I loved displaying Candles By Victoria candles on my mantle this year. The scent "Christmas Memories" was another early favorite of mine. Considering it's description as a Candles By Victoria house blend of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sugared</span> Spruce, Cranberry and Spiced Oranges, I immediately thought that the Orange scent was the common ingredient that seemed to attract my nose. I find that this scent is a "light thrower", so to have three 8 ounce Jelly Jar Candles of it in my family room fills it with just the right amount of scent. Much like "Christmas Kitchen", this fragrance is well-blended, and slightly spicy, making it another great choice for this time of year.<br /><br />Those were my initial candle purchases from the sea of scent shots that I quickly plowed through, so I'm not sure if they will continue to be favorites in years to come, or if I may revisit some that deserve more attention. Keeping in mind though - knowing Victoria, we won't be at a loss for new scents to try for the holiday season of 2012!<br /><br />So, what about you? Are you a seasonal burner, or are you burning "Mango Tango" as we speak? What would you consider to be your favorite holiday scents? Please feel free to leave a comment for me, vote in the poll, or both!<br /><br />Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you back for the next post. In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday season!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552484437690265499noreply@blogger.com4