Summer at the Lakehouse: Introducing Bath & Body Works' Lakeside Summer Candle Collection {Giveaway}

When you think of summer, what usually comes to mind?
For me, it's beautiful memories at the Lakehouse... the scent of evening bonfires and smores, the sounds of the birds, nature and rippling water, paddle-boating in complete serenity, fishing by the deck, the feeling of warm sand on my bare toes with a cold glass of freshly made lemonade in my hand.
There's nothing quite like summer days spent by the lake with loved ones.

Bath & Body Works' introduces their latest Lakeside Summer Candle Collection featuring scents that will have you living and breathing summer all year long, wherever you may be.
Transporting you back to those memorable summer moments with six new distinctive fragrances:

NEW LAKESIDE: An invigorating blend of fresh water, drift wood and lemon zest, this fragrance is refreshing like the water after a cannon ball.

NEW WATERMELON LEMONADE: Enjoy the coolest sip of summer with this mixture of sparkling watermelon, candied lemons, and sugared musk.

NEW BOATHOUSE ROW: Deep, blue water, green sage, and cedar wood, this fragrance is the essence a cool retreat in the shade.

NEW STRAWBERRY PICNIC: A slice of summer time sweetness, this fragrance is a blend of red, ripe strawberries, wild raspberries and sweet buttercream frosting.

NEW SUMMERTIME S’MORES: This blend of roasted marshmallow, crackling campfire and rich, creamy vanilla is a gooey & guilt free treat.

MAHOGANY TEAKWOOD: Like the warmth of a boat’s deck in the sun, bask in the luxurious scents of fine woods like mahogany, cedarwood and oak.

The Retail Value for each candle is: 14.5oz, $22.50; 4oz, $12.50: 1.3 oz. $4.50 (in select fragrances)
What I love about Bath & Body Works is that they are always having seriously awesome deals like 50% off or buy one, get one free, etc. at their retail locations.

This coming Monday is Canada Day which means a much-deserved long weekend ready to fill with new summer memories!

Courtesy of my friends at Bath & Body Works Canada, one of my readers gets a chance to win this very patriotic and sweet-smelling Canada Day Prize Pack.

To Enter:
1) Leave a comment telling me which Bath & Body Works' Lakeside Summer Candle you love most (This is mandatory)
2) Additional entries via rafflecopter

Open to Canadian Residents only.
Contest ends July 5th, 2013.

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Springtime Farmers Market with Bath & Body Works Fresh-Picked Collection

Living so close to beautiful farmlands, what I always look forward to once Spring rears its lovely head are the Farmers Markets.
They hold them every Saturday and Sunday morning along the main street of the city where all the farmers gather with their goods and of course daily at their own farms.

The smell is what always gets me good. Fresh blooming Spring flowers and delicious berries of all kinds... what a tantalizing delight to my senses!

This month, Bath & Body Works is springing into action and offering that medley of goodness in their new Fresh Picked collection, which includes their scented candles and their hand and body care products.

I have a slight fetish for scented candles.
When I received a few of the new Fresh-Picked Scented Candles from Bath & Body Works, I was over-the-moon! I lit up the Lemon Mint Leaf and used it for my main bath and the scent literally felt like a drink of fresh lemonade with a hint of mint.

The strawberry was delectable but I have to say the Pineapple-Mango was my absolute favourite. AMAZING!
They burn for a while and the smell really fills your space unlike some candles where the scent would only gather closeby and then quickly die out after a while. The oils from the candle really hug your home and lingers without an overpowering nauseating smell.
That is so important to me having little ones in the home; I don't want to have a smell that will irritate them and these didn't at all.

Currently they have a fabulous special for their 3-wick candles for 2 for $22. That is a steal!
Each large candle is already $22.50. 
Go stock up on them. Definite must-haves in your home.

The collection includes:

• Garden Bouquet
• Pear
• Strawberry
• Market Peach
• Lemon Mint Leaf
• First Bloom
• Pineapple Mango
• Lilac Blossom

Their Anti-bacterial hand soaps was another favourite, specifically the Wildberries scent.
Unlike other anti-bac products, they leave a please and yummy scent on your hands. No hint of alcohol!
Each hand sanitizer retails for $5.50 each.

The collection includes:

• Fresh Picked Apple Blossoms
• Fresh Picked Apples
• Fresh Picked First Bloom
• Fresh Picked Garden Herbs
• Fresh Picked Garden Mint
• Fresh Picked Pears
• Fresh Picked Strawberries
• Fresh Picked Tangerines
• Fresh Picked Wildberries

To learn more about their Spring Products, check out their Spring Guide here.
And for more updates, visit them online on Facebook.

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12 Days of Holiday Giveaways: Day 11 with Voluspa

My name is Carol and I have an addiction to Scented Candles.

They add an element of romantic ambiance and warmth to any room, not to mention the beautiful essence that fills the air.

I have learned though that with candles, you definitely get what you pay for.

A friend of mine from California sent me this delicious set of Voluspa Candles and that is when my impassioned love affair with Voluspa began.

These yummy scents evoke a luxurious, soft whiff, one that is more like a luxurious perfume.  The great thing is that unlike other strong scented candles, they aren't overpowering to the point where you feel nauseous after sniffing for too long.
They also come in the prettiest packaging and keepsake containers.

Voluspa is a SoCal based company that makes the most decadent candles and fragrances for the home.  The best part about Volupsa, is that their packaging and design is just as luxurious as their products.  Everything about this brand screams luxurious and charming. 
Each of their collections has a slightly different look and feel, while keeping the brand as a whole cohesive and elegant.
My favourite collection would definitely have to be their Maison Blanc Collection with a family of dainty, delicate and delightful aromas.

2 Wick 11 oz Metallo Candle - Saijo Persimmon {ARV $16} 

One of my favourite's is the Saijo Persimmon scent.
Japanese saijo persimmon is considered to be the finest gourmet variety, layered with juicy peach and red currant in a coconut blend.

11 oz Laguna (Maison Blanc) 2 wick  Metallo candle

Another definite must-have from the Maison Blanc Collection is Laguna.

Laguna makes me feel like I'm relaxing on the velvet sand next to dazzling azure seas. 

With a fresh blend of California verbena and white freesia, this scent will be sure to induce light and breezy feelings. 

All 11oz candles have a burning time of approximately 50 hours.

Classic 12 oz Maison Candle - Macaron {ARV $27}

One of their newest scents takes me back to my home away from home, land of romance, art and the best desserts... Paris, of course!
One of my favored sweet and crunchy delicacies from Paris, Macarons, comes to life in the Voluspa Macaron candle.
Delicious and colorful, the fame macarons de Paris are beloved for their color as they are for their gourmet flavors.

All  hand poured luxury Voluspa candle are made with Natural Apricot & Coconut wax.

The Classic Jar Candle is housed in an elegant white glass container that will blend with most decors and can be recycled as a vase or pencil cup after the candle is finished burning. However, you'll have to wait approximately 100 hours as it has quite the extended burn time.

I cannot express enough how much I love these candles, especially the new Macaron candle! Perfect with a good read, a glass of wine and some macarons of course!

Notable Voluspa retailers include Fred Segal, Bloomingdales, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Stanley Korshak, Saks Fifth Avenue, Selfridges (London), Harvey Nichols (Dubai), Lane Crawford (Hong Kong), and NK (Stockholm).

On Day 11 of Carol Au Courant's 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways, I'm bringing one of my readers the gift of Scent with a set of Voluspa Candles including: One 2 Wick 11 oz Metallo Candle - Saijo Persimmon, one 2 Wick 11 oz Metallo Candle - Laguna and one Classic 12 oz Maison Candle - Macaron {Total ARV $59}.

Enter via Rafflecopter below to win!
*Open to US & Canada.
Ends 12/12.

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Indulge Your Senses with Scentsy {Giveaway}

It's bewildering how much scent can take you places.

Places of familiarity, places of hope, places of dreams, places of comfort.

If you were to walk into my home, I can guarantee you will take a nice big inhale and ask me: "What's that marvelous smell?" 

Everyone does!

Aside from my delectable baked goods that are usually warming in the oven, or the intoxicating scent of vomit from a three year old with a tummy bug infused with hardwood floor wax, I usually like to stir and wake the senses with my bounteous amount of scented candles I collect often.

If there's one thing that I'm acutely obsessed with, it's scented candles. 

I've purchased and owned many different brands of scented candles in my lifetime and constantly looking for ones that would leave a scent lingering in my home. Especially after having a child, having fragrances that are phthalate-free was crucial.

Glad I stumbled upon Scentsy!

Met a wonderful Canadian Scentsy Consultant, Melissa, who graciously sent me some Scentsy products to try out for myself before I commit to purchasing. You can visit Melissa's website here.

I've always heard of them and it peaked my interest knowing that their fragrances are phthalate-free and they are wickless candles that do not burn.  Another bonus in terms of safety having children in the house.

Basically you just purchase from their selection of beautiful warmers, choose from over 80 Scentsy Bars, add a 20 watt bulb into the warmer, plug it in and let the bar/s melt.

With over 80 Fragrances to choose from, your sure to find a scent you will love! 

These Bars come in a premolded container holding six squares. They are approximately 2.4 oz. of high quality wax. Place all or as little as you would like into your warmer and indulge your senses! 

They are $6.00 each bar. But keep in mind they last a while! Still less than those scented candles you purchase elsewhere, right?

I received Welcome Home, Yuzu Dragon and Luna Scentsy Bars to sample and they all smell wonderful!

I especially love Luna!  Such a calming and lovely scent: White florals -- jasmine, sweet pea and freesia --juicy berries, and sandalwood shimmer like moonlight.

And it's not just warmers and candles they carry!

They also have adorable plush Scentsy Buddy animals, solid perfume, anti-bacterial fragrance foam , plug-in warmers, room sprays and of course their vast & beautiful collection of warmers to choose from.

I am a new fan of Scentsy!

And the great thing is that they are always coming up with new products and scents, you are able to host your own Scentsy Party for your family & friends (+ earn freebies & discounts doing it!) AND you can even become your own independent Scentsy Consultant! 

More great news?

One of my lucky readers will WIN a full-size warmer and 2 Scentsy Bar Scents {ARV $48.00 CDN} courtesy of Scentsy & sponsored by Melissa Eggett, Independent Scentsy Consultant. 

Just enter via rafflecopter below correctly following instructions to be eligible + additional entries.

Ends 6/29. Open to Canadian Residents only.

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**Disclaimer: I received Scentsy products to conduct this review; however the opinions expressed are my very own.

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