The Good Life

Rosewood & Patchouli Soy Candle

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I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I LOVE a good candle. Truth be told, I’ve not always been that way. When I was a child, my mother accidentally left lit candles overnight in our guest bathroom and shut the door when cleaning up the house before bed. We woke up to a smoke filled bathroom and quite the story for the fire fighters! It took years for me to feel comfortable actually lighting my candles, rather than using them as decor. As I’m sure you can imagine, candles are far more enjoyable when you can actually burn them. This PaddyWax candle is no different!

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My eye was drawn to this candle in particular because of it’s pink and gold design – it’s a perfect match for my Kate Spade desk accessories! Packaging has always been important to me, especially when it comes to candles. I’ve noticed that candles light up the room very differently depending on their structure, and I love the subtle glow this candle provides. I’ve had several candles in clear glass containers before, and switched to opaque packaging only after I realized that glass containers tend to leave the burn marks visible!

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Another thing I love about this candle is its three wick design. Triple the wicks means triple the glow! Additionally, having multiples wicks that are spread out helps the candle to burn more evenly, rather than leaving you with a big melted dip in the middle of your candle.

It might seem funny to have such a strong reaction to something as simple as a candle, but all in all I can say this candle got top marks! Do you have a favorite candle you’d recommend? Let me know in the comments below so I can add it to my growing collection!

At Home Silver Cleaning

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I have always loved the look of silver but the thought of having to scrub it using really harsh chemicals was a big deterrent. However, when I came across this amazing silver tray at an estate sale, I was determined to find some less caustic alternatives!

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As you can see, this tray was pretty tarnished. I decided to try cleaning the tray with toothpaste, window cleaner and hair conditioner in three sections where the tarnish was the heaviest. Here’s my take on each:

Conditioner: While it did make the tarnish less black, it did make the tray look more dull. Since you probably want your silver to shine, I would recommend skipping this one.

Window Cleaner: This one was just okay. It worked, but not without a lot of scrubbing. If you’re polishing a small piece of silver, this method might be okay, but it felt like a lot of effort would be needed for the entire tray.

Toothpaste: The winner! To be perfectly honest, I was a little skeptical at first, but the toothpaste managed to make the tray look brand new and so shiny!

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I’m so happy that I found an easy way to shine my silver and restore the lustre of this beautiful tray!

A Toast to the Host

Sometimes finding the perfect hostess gift can be a daunting challenge. I like finding unique gifts that strike a balance between being unexpected, yet appreciated. Wine is nice but it doesn’t really stand out. Chocolates and other edibles can be tricky if you’re not totally certain of your host’s taste or dietary restrictions.

After kicking it around for a while, I stumbled upon a gift that was exactly what I was looking for: unique, elegant and something any host is bound to love. These gorgeous Lafco Pastille Boxed Guest Soaps! Not only is the packaging beautiful, but the soaps smell amazing! Each box comes with 15 soaps and five different scents that are sure to appeal to anyone. And the colors are beautiful too! You can’t go wrong with either the blue or the red pastel tones, but bonus points if you choose a color that compliments the host’s decor!

These make a great hostess gift because guests soaps are exactly the kind of thing that someone would appreciate, but might not think to buy themselves.

What’s your go-to hostess gift? Have you ever brought a gift that was a huge hit?

Girls Night In

Life can get pretty crazy sometimes, don’t you agree? Have you ever gone through a spell in your life when it feels like you’re bouncing from one thing to the next and none of it is fun or relaxing? I definitely do and my girlfriends agreed.

Something absolutely needed to be done, so we instituted a monthly wine night! We all take turns hosting the little get-together in our homes and adding our own personal flare to make each event a bit different from the last. I can’t even tell you how amazing it has been to look at my calendar and know a wine night with my girls is coming up!

It’s also been super fun to plan! I’m hosting the next one and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been scrolling through Pinterest since May looking for cute ideas. From planning a menu with scrumptious little bites to choosing a variety of wines, it’s been the best distraction from being a real grownup who has to go to work and pay bills. I’ve had so much fun crafting this perfect party atmosphere, and can’t wait for everyone to come over and unwind with a little wine.

There was one discovery I made that I HAD to share with my readers – this too-cute-for-words Jewel Box Napkin Set from Kim Seybert. Take a moment to appreciate them, then take another moment. Are these not the most perfect napkins to go along with an evening with your best girls and a couple of bottles of wine? They’re definitely not your typical, stuffy embroidered napkin. The prints are SO fun and definitely capture the spirit of our parties.