Monday, April 30, 2012

Day 121 - Tangled


Currently Burning: Mulberry Cider



This movie is the story of Rapunzel. It's one of the newer Disney movies. I don't actually own the DVD, but I've watched it on Netflix 100 times lol. I really love this one. The music in it is wonderful :) 

Now onto the daily review!



Mulberry Cider (2): I'm going to start off by saying that I am not the biggest fan of mulberry scents. I do really like Victoria's cider scent though. There are other cider scents that I like better than this because the mulberry is really killing it for me. Probably won't order it again. The throw is medium. 

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Day 120 - Hot Mess Catering


Currently Burning: Balinese Breeze



I've had 2 really bad experiences with caterers recently. The first happened 2 weeks ago. The restaurant wrote down the wrong time to begin with (30 minutes later than I wanted them to arrive) so we ended up having to wait for the food to get there. On top of that, the guy someone cut his hand on something and got blood on the outside of one of the packages. I was livid.

Today I had another hot mess happen with a different caterer!!! This guy had my phone number written down wrong so he was late too. Once he got there, he came in a door with some stairs leading down. Rather than going around or waiting for us to get the service elevator going he decided to just carry everything down the stairs. He tripped and spilled food everywhere. Thank god for saran wrap!!! I've just been having bad luck with catering lately...wonder if a planet is screwing me up...I need to check my chart ;)

Now onto the daily review!



Balinese Breeze (4): This reminds me of an ocean scent. It's very clean. It's also slightly fruity - I get both the pomegranate and guava. I actually like this one the most of the ones that remind me of rain or the ocean. The throw on it isn't super strong. I'm on the fence about whether or not I want a candle in this. 

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Day 119 - CBV Bath and Body April Haul


Currently Burning: Bonsai



Back for another CBV Bath and Body haul!! These are seriously the best soaps out there (IMO). The smell is great, lather is awesome, and the scent really lingers long after your shower!! This is my 3rd purchase from Melissa and I think this may be my best order yet! I'm also loving the new packaging that Melissa has!


First I got some backups in scents that I love. I raved about Kiwi Kicker in my last haul so I had to grab a back up of it.


I also picked up another of Bath Time with Pooh


The first new scent I got was Eternity for Men. I've never tried the candle before, but it smells dead on for the Calvin Klein cologne. The soap is shaped very similar to Rock That Vanilla with green switched out for white. This is an awesome scent for guys. To me, it's a younger man's cologne. Perfect for the shower!


The next one I got is White Nectarine & Pink Coral. I have a candle in this and I love this scent! It's a peachy/nectarine scent with some clean notes in the background. It translates really well to soap!


I also picked up a Banana Kiwi soap. This one comes with a loofah stuck in the middle of the soap (makes a great handle!) The green part is kiwi and the yellow is banana. The kiwi smells the same as the kiwi in Kiwi Kicker, but the banana doesn't smell like Victoria's regular banana scent. It smells more like an actual banana rather than candy banana! I love the way the two scents mix.


Next is Bottom's Up. The yellow piece at the top is pineapple, the white shavings are coconut, and the bottom is Pina Colada. I'm loving this one. It's a really great tropical scent and I need to try Pina Colada in candle form soon!!!


I was so excited to pick up a Cantaloupe soap because I've heard raves about it! It smells exactly like fresh cut cantaloupe. I don't really like the taste of cantaloupe but this smells SO good!!! This is vying for the top spot of this order!


Finally I picked up Shamrock Kiss. I've been dying for this one to come out!!! It's the reason that I placed this order! It's a very good clean scent. It has some green notes, but mostly just smells sweet & clean to me. You need to pick this one up if you haven't already because it's awesome as a bathroom candle scent and awesome in soap form. It's also very non-obtrusive to others so it makes a good one to use for guests :)


Melissa was also so sweet and threw in 2 free soaps! These are the molds that she uses for her Love Shack soap so they're HUGE for being samples too!! Thank you so much again Melissa you rock - this is why I'll never buy from anyone else for my Bath and Body needs :)

The one on the right is Bottom's Up, which is awesome. The one on the left is a mixture of 2 different ones. We were joking on the CBV Addicts Unite page awhile back about having a CBV Surprise Soap to go along with the CBV surprise candle. Well, she sent me one!!! LOL. The white part is Love Shack and the green part is Kiwi Kicker. It's a really interesting mixture so I can't wait to try it out!

Here's my video to accompany this review:


Now onto the daily review!



Bonsai (4): This one is really good warmed up! It smells like a very doughy pudding. Kind of like Bread pudding without the spices or a rice pudding. It's extremely sweet and I was surprised at how strong it threw!! The vanilla blossoms don't make it smell like a straight up rice pudding, but a sweetened up version.

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Friday, April 27, 2012

Day 118 - Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4


Currently Burning: Mango Sorbett



This is a super easy game and really fun if you're into Harry Potter at all. I like a lot of the Lego games but this one is definitely my favorite. I have the sequel to this game that I'm playing now and it's really good too. It's sort of a puzzle game where you have to use the different abilities of character to collect everything. Check it out if you love Harry Potter!

Now onto the daily review!



Mango Sorbett (5): This is easily one of my Top 10! So good. Sweet juicy mango. It smells a lot like a mango lip gloss. The throw is medium/strong. I have an 8oz candle and I will definitely order it again!

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Day 117 - Will & Grace


Currently Burning: Moonlight Path



Decided to do a throw back today. I love this show so much. I have the entire series on DVD. It's so freaking funny! It was also pretty groundbreaking for its time featuring gay characters in leading roles on a major network television channel (NBC). I need to watch some more of this show because I can laugh for days :) One of my favorite shows of all time for sure!

Now onto the daily review!



Moonlight Path (3): This is a dupe for the Bath & Body Works scent. The scent is ok for me. I'm not super crazy about it, but it's not bad. It's a powdery floral perfume type scent, but the throw is light/medium! I probably won't be ordering this one in a candle. 

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Day 116 - April 18-24 Weekly Scent Recap #6


Currently Burning: White Ginger



Now onto the daily review!




White Ginger (4): This is a Hawaiian floral fragrance. It smells a lot like the Calgon body spray in Hawaiian Ginger. It's a really pretty, sweet floral. I'm on the fence about whether or not to get it in a candle. The throw is pretty decent on it though.

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Day 115 - Pizza


Currently Burning: Enchanted Apple



Ha! Bet you thought I would actually cook it lol. Nope it's another one of those days. I'm having trouble with these Tuesdays...I think it's just the day that it's on. Oh well. This little box from Pizza Hut is a good deal though! Bread sticks, pizza, and cinnamon sticks all for $10! Not bad :)

Now onto the daily review!



Enchanted Apple (5): This is a dupe for Bath and Body Works Country Apple. It is a dead-on dupe (from what I remember). I love this one. It's like a fresh, clean apple scent. I wouldn't necessarily say it smells like a real apple, but if I had to pick one I would say Macintosh apple. The throw is pretty strong. I need to get a candle in this one!

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Monday, April 23, 2012

Day 114 - Mary Poppins


Currently Burning: Pink Sugar



While this post is not about the move, the stage musical is based on the movie! I saw Mary Poppins on stage this past Thursday. The production quality and set design was really amazing. If this is coming to a city near you, you NEED to go see it! 

Some of the songs are from the movie, but there are several new ones as well. In addition, some of the scenes take place in a different venue than the movie (like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious). I also wish there were some scenes that were in the movie, but didn't make it to the stage (like I Love to Laugh). Overall it was one of the best shows I've seen!

Now onto the daily review!



Pink Sugar (4): I love this one a lot more than I thought I would originally. This is a dupe for the Aquolina Pink Sugar perfume. It smells a lot like straight up simple syrup. It's very sweet and I think would be a great mixer to sweeten other scents up! I'm not sure if I would get a candle in this one, but I can see getting some heart tarts to use for cocktailing. The throw is medium/strong on this one!

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Day 113 - Grad School


Currently Burning: Emperor's Love

Ugh I just hate grad school! It's not that it's particularly difficult, I'm just so over doing schoolwork! This May, I'll be just barely over halfway done. I should graduate in December, but I am struggling to keep my willpower up! I know that I should just push through and finish, but it's just hard for me to do that! 

Once I get started on an assignment it isn't too bad, but it's just getting started! I wish I had some Activator LOL (for those of you that are confused...StrengthsQuest).

Now onto the daily review!



Emperor's Love (3): This is a Candleman's Closet scent that I actually don't mind. It isn't my favorite scent, but it's really not bad at all. I can smell the strawberry (which is similar to the strawberry in Finger Lickin Good), but there's also some floral notes (rose & lavender). The throw on it is pretty good. I don't think I'll be getting a candle in this one, but for being in the Candleman's Closet it's good!

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Day 112 - CBV April Orders


Currently Burning: Harvey Wallbanger



I placed 2 orders in the month of April. One was delivered on Monday, and the other came on Friday. 


Scent Shots (all free):


Kiwi Kicker - Reviewed before, it's really good. Smells exactly like kiwi.
Blueberry Monkey Bread - smells very similar to blueberry cobbler.  Only difference to me is blueberry monkey bread also has some cinnamon.
English Ivy - this one has green notes and is slightly clean. I also get the smell of artificial leather from it (kind of like things that are scented to be like leather rather than actual leather)




Sweet Treat
Hawaiian Colada - This is my first Sweet Treat candle. These are SO big! It's 14 oz of wax and the glass is hefty. The top layer of this one is Pina Colada and the bottom layer is Tropical Blast. It's a really good summer scent!




Black Labels
Mojito - This one smells like citrus hard candy. It's very sweet. I would say it's predominantly lime. 
Singapore Sling - This one is SO good!!! It smells like a lemon poppy seed muffin and cake batter. I can't wait to burn this one!
Brandy Alexander - This is one of the cologne type scents. I would say it's an older gentleman's cologne (maybe not grandfather). It does have a hint of leafy tobacco, not smoky at all though. 
Moulin Rouge - this has so many notes in it. It's bakery, citrus, spicy, and earthy. I would say it's predominantly bakery, but it does have all those undertones in it. It smells kind of like cinnamon bread with some other things in it.




CBV Surprise Candle - I've been wanting to try one of these for the longest time, but was always scared to in case I found a scent I loved. Victoria takes left over wax from making candles and puts it in an 8 oz jar. She doesn't know what the fragrances are, and some of them may be CAS combos. Mine has 6 layers. The top, pink layer is definitely White Nectarine & Pink Coral. I'll keep you all updated as I burn this one!!!


Video review to accompany this:




Now onto the daily review!



Harvey Wallbanger (4): This would be rated as a 5 if it had a stronger throw. It's really good though. I get some maple and sweetness out of it. I wouldn't necessarily say maple syrup, but maybe like maple frosting. It's really good and I can't see anyone not liking it. 

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Friday, April 20, 2012

Day 111 - Oblivion


Currently Burning: Reese's Peanut Butter


This is the Elder Scrolls IV. I've already posted about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, so I figured I should post about this one. Oblivion was the first in this series I played. I really love these games. They're ridiculously long and they have awesome replay value! Bethesda is one of the best video game companies out there. They make very involved and massive RPGs. 

The Oblivion story essentially centers around the death of the emperor and the opening of Oblivion gates (portals to hellish realms). The main character has to close the Oblivion gates and find the person that has the emperor's blood line (since he died without an heir). It takes place in Cyrodiil which is in the center of the continental map (south of Skyrim). While I like the gameplay of Skyrim better, I really like the location of Cyrodiil better. There's a greater variety in the types of terrain in Cyrodiil, since most of Skyrim is snow and mountains.

Overall a really awesome game and definitely worth checking out if you haven't already!

Now onto the daily review!



Reese's Peanut Butter (4): This is a really good scent true to its name. I get both the chocolate and the peanut butter. I was so happy to see this one in the Round Robin because I've raved about the Reese's Peanut Butter Delight candle! It doesn't smell exactly like that one, it's definitely heavier on the peanut butter. The throw is medium. I probably won't be getting this one in a candle because I love the RPBD candle more :)

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Day 110 - Real Housewives of Atlanta


Currently Burning: Fresh Linens



Oh. My. God. This show. I can't even. It's the biggest hot mess on television LMAO. The reunion show from the 4th Season is playing now and it's just TMTH. I think this one is my favorite. Beverly Hills and New York are close behind though. I can't stand Orange County - it's awful. 

Now onto the daily review!



Fresh Linens (3): I really didn't think I would like this warm. Boy was I wrong! It's actually really nice warmed up! The Rain scent that I don't really care for is tempered by the Gardenia. The throw is light/medium on this one. I don't think I'll be getting this one in a candle though. It's nice, but not one of my favorites. 

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Day 109 - April 11 - 17 Weekly Scent Recap #5

Currently Burning: Wood Nymph


Here's the video recapping the scents for the week!



Now onto the daily review!


Wood Nymph (5): This one is really good! It's very different from any other scent that I've smelled from Victoria. It's citrus mixed with woody notes. It's really refreshing! I've been hesitant to get this one because I was afraid it would be really earthy but it is so not. I'm loving the majority of the house blends so give Wood Nymph a try! The throw is strong! I'll definitely be getting a candle in this one!

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Day 108 - Oatmeal & Bacon


Currently Burning: Fudge Brownie



So I'm really frickin' lazy today lol. This is totally a cop out, but I just got hungry ;)


I like to bake my bacon (375 for about 10 or so minutes) and put brown sugar on the top to make a nice glaze!


Oatmeal is Maple & Brown Sugar straight out of the box. Pop it in the microwave for a couple minutes and it's good to go!

Now onto the daily review!



Fudge Brownie (4): This is a really good chocolate scent. I love it in Reese's Peanut Butter Delight and by itself it's good too. The throw isn't really that strong for me. I don't think I'll be getting a candle in this one just because I love that other candle so much more!

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Monday, April 16, 2012

Day 107 - The Sword in the Stone


Currently Burning: Gone Grape



The Sword in the Stone is interesting because it doesn't really have a villain until later in the movie. The story is about coming of age and discovering one's true self. Merlin transforms Arthur into different animals to treat him lessons about how size doesn't matter. The part with the squirrels is hilarious lol!

Now onto the daily review!



Gone Grape (2): This smells like Dimetapp on cold throw. It's a very medicinal grape. It smells better on warm throw and smells more like grape candy. It's still not a favorite so I won't be repurchasing. The throw is light. 

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Day 106 - Another Stormy Sunday


Currently Burning: Finger Lickin' Good



This morning has been very stormy! I'm hoping that it clears up by this afternoon because we're having a staff development activity (thankfully inside).


We were under a tornado warning for a hot minute, but I think the majority of the storm moved to the North of me.


I did see a little bit of rotation but overall the storm had largely broken apart by the time it got to me.

Now onto the daily review!



Finger Lickin' Good (1): Another in Candleman's Closet that I really do not like. This smells like a nutty honey with an undertone of strawberry and a little bit of orange. I'm not sure what it is that I really don't like about this one, but it is not for me. Throw is medium. I will not be repurchasing. 

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Day 105 - Round Robin #8 Review


Currently Burning: Kimono Silk


I was so excited to be able to participate in Round Robin #8. For those of you that don't know, a Round Robin is essentially a tart swap on the Pouring Pot (CBV Message Board). Someone decides to start a Round Robin and posts asking if anyone is interested. They typically run with about 15 people (so they aren't going for months and months). The only thing it requires is one person to organize it (collect addresses, determine the order, and notify people of the address of the next person in line) and another person to start it. Round Robin #8 was organized and started by the same person (Allison) so that's possible too. You need about 30 or so scent shots to start the box. 

The box is a medium, flat-rate box (USPS) to keep the cost of shipping down. The rules are that the amount of wax you take out, you have to put back in. For example, if you take out two 1/2 scent shots, then you can add back 1 whole scent shot to make up for it. It's really cool because you get to try a bunch of new scents and only have to pay the cost of shipping.

There were 36 different scents when I got the box. Of those, I had probably only tried about 1/3. I was able to pull 15 new ones that I was wanting to try. When I sent the box back out it had 42 unique scents. Here's my list of scents I pulled along with the cold reaction:

Bouquet (House Blends) - Mixture of Sweet Pea and Magnolia. On cold I mostly get the magnolia, but it's definitely toned down by the sweet pea.


Three Wise Men (Christmas) - Frankincense, myrrh, patchouli, and sandalwood. Very earthy but still reminds me of the holidays.


Kim's Country Cornbread (Bakery)- Smells similar to Fresh Baked Bread, but I can tell it's definitely a sweet corn bread. Buttery and is 1/2 of Cajun Cornbread (which is the top layer of Momma's Peach Cobbler).


Reese's Peanut Butter (Bakery) - the best peanut butter scent that I've smelled from Victoria with just a hint of chocolate.


Sweet Talk (Perfume) - Victoria's Secret dupe. Smells mostly like a tart raspberry with a few other fruits.


Why I Autumn (House Blends) - this smells strongly of anise (licorice) to me. There's also some woody notes in the background but I don't really get apple or lemon.


Carrot Cake Orange Delight (Bakery) - Much sweeter version of Carrot Cake. Whereas carrot cake is very spicy, this is sweetened up by the orange and cinnamon strudel.


Papaya Waterlily (Fruity) - Similar to Cantaloupe Lily. Description lists coconut, peach, pineapple, apple, orange, and banana. Not sure if the description is mixed up because it definitely smells like papaya and waterlily. Very sweet fruity/floral.


Fresh Linens (House Blends) - Eucalyptus, Gardenia, and Rain. I mostly get the Rain scent with a hint of Eucalyptus. Doesn't really smell like laundry.


Moonlight Path (Perfume) - Bath and Body Works dupe. Mixture of sunflower and musk. I get mostly musk with a hint of floral.


Summer Nites (Earthy) - smells slightly powdery with a hint of fruit (banana maybe). Reminds me of the Circus Peanuts candy!


Nut House aka Pistachio Pudding Cake (House Blends) - Nice and smooth custard. I'm not a huge fan of pistachio, but this is really good on cold throw!


Pumpkin Frappuccino (Bakery) - smells like Starbucks in the Fall. The pumpkin and coffee are blended beautifully!


Cranberry Relish (Bakery) - Smells kind of like generic hard candy. I definitely get some berry, but I'm not really getting any apple.


Breakfast in Vermont (Bakery) - this one also has the fresh baked bread note hiding in the background, but I also get caramel, white chocolate, and maple. Yummy!

Overall a pretty good haul! My video review of these is posted below.



Now onto the daily review!


Kimono Silk (3): This was a new scent back in February. I like this a LOT better when it's burning than on cold throw. However, it's still not one of my favorites. It's a fruity/floral with some musk in the background. It smells a lot like rose to me with a hint of some citrus and peach. The throw is medium on this one. I probably won't be reordering this candle, but it is nice.

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Friday, April 13, 2012

Day 104 - Eternal Sonata


Currently Burning: Vanilla After Dark



I could have sworn I already wrote a blog post about this one, but I guess not. This is a really cool game. It's an RPG and it takes place within the mind of Frederick Chopin. Everything is music themed from the characters names (Allegretto, Beat, Polka, Salsa, March, Falsetto, etc) to the towns and locations (Fort Fermata, Castle Forte, Ritardando, etc). The score is really nice because it features much of Chopin's music. I really love this one!

Now onto the daily review!



Vanilla After Dark (4): This is a really dark, sexy vanilla scent. It's like the grown up version of a vanilla. I really like this one and can definitely see getting a candle in it. I think this one would also make a really good mixer. It almost smells like it has a coffee note in it to me, but it's definitely vanilla. The throw is medium on this one.

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Day 103 - Life After People


Currently Burning: Exotic



Even though this show isn't on the air anymore, I love watching the old episodes on Netflix! As the intro says: "What would happen if every human on Earth disappeared. This isn't the story of how we might vanish...it's the story of what will happen to the world we leave behind." The episodes are divided into different aspects of human civilization. There's one about water, pets, artwork, etc. It originally aired on the History channel. Love it!

Now onto the daily review!



Exotic (5): This is peach, strawberry, melon, cassis, and apple. I really like this one a lot! I get mostly strawberry with just a hint of the peach and melon. I really like this one and can see myself getting a full-size candle. The throw is also really strong!

Remember to keep those wicks trimmed!

Jason