September: Lately I've been loving

 So many September loves:

Going for lunch again to The White Horse Oyster & Seafood Bar I just adore their Scotch Bonnet Smoked Salmon. I've enjoyed every small plate I've eaten here - there's also a decent wine list and the cocktails are fab.

My truly amazing subscription box from The Ghost Family Haunts - it really makes my heart sing - the attention to detail is incredible - amazing wax melts plus gorgeous art-work in the form of badges and prints. This is the wax sub to get!

I'm such a fan of Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I'd accumulated voucher codes and beauty circle ££ and so the Sunshine Sol Kit jumped into my bag at Feel Unique. See my review HERE.

My Autumn20 bottle of perfume from Ffern which truly is incredible. I'm really enjoying this one. Expect a review on the blog early in October. It's love!

What have you been loving in September?

Wax Melt Subscriptions: The Ghost Family Haunts, Balneaves & Little Bo's Melts

As you'll know I've gone crazily daft with wax melts lately! I've been trying lots and lots of different vendors - some I go back to again and again (it's nice dipping in and trying new ones too). As you'll know I recently started my love affair with The Ghost Family Haunts. See my initial musings HERE. Feast your eyes on my first Subscription Box... amazing isn't it. Sign up HERE (£18.60 per month). 

As well as wax melts you get lots of other treats including prints, stickers and badges.  It really is the box with the wow factor. So much care and attention to detail it really makes my heart sing! 

A Balneaves Monthly Subscription Box (is excellent value at £14 inc p&p). See my review of their JUNE box HERE. I signed back up again for August after taking a break for my holidays in July! I'm slowly working my way through them and so far I'd buy Coco & Sandalwood, Sandy Shores, Mango & Starfruit and Sapphire Watermint again. 

My final sub box is by Little Bo's Melts (Instagram). This is my second order from Becca. Her melts are lovely and strong and the range is fab. I picked her smaller sub box which costs a fiver plus p&p. August's theme is Oh I do like to be beside the sea side and inside are seaside inspired scents which all smell gorgeous (I love the cute little package of melts I received and the care and attention to detail in the presentation). In no particular order inside the package is mini snap bars of: rock salt & driftwood, marine, beach walk, sea marine, catch a wave and sun & sand. It's the perfect small monthly treat (or it'd make a great gift). Looking forward to seeing what next month brings! (contact Becca via her Facebook group or on Instagram).

Do you have any wax melt subscriptions?

Latest Buys: Noble Isle, Poapoa, The Ghost Family Flame, Feel Unique, Mrs Mac, Smells Good Scents

Here are my latest buys:

On return from my mini staycation I treated myself to Noble Isle's luxury hard soap bars in Orchard & Hedgerows (£16) which had been on the groaning wishlist. Inside the box is 3 x 50g Perry Pear soaps and 2 x 30g Summer Rising soaps. The set is exquisitely wrapped and comes with a gift bag. With every order you choose 30ml mini free plus for an extra fiver you can choose a 75ml product. Tea Rose won the day for me! Review of the soap set to follow but I can tell you it's lush!

I picked up this super cute coconut shell soap dish from Love Lula from brand Poapoa, who up-cycle the coconuts after using what's inside for their products! It's really lovely and very eco friendly.

Having signed up to the Ghost Family Flame Subscription Box earlier in July I decided to pick up a selection of collection boxes (a couple of which are below) as subscribers get 30% off other buys (the site is down until 7th August but I definitely recommend a look when they're back with new goodies and scents). You can see my earlier post about my purchases HERE. I've lots of lovely new-to-me wax melts to try!

 Growing Halloween Box

I picked up a Feel Unique pick 'n' mix sample box which costs £3.95 (redeemable) which contains some treats I'm looking forward to testing out.

I also picked up some wax melts which come with a little wooden stirrer from Mrs Mac. The melts are high strength, have cute little thistles in the design and are brightly coloured. I chose Spiced Pumpkin, White Sage & Sea Salt, Blackberry & Bay and Rhubarb & White Lilac.

My final recent buy is from a totally new to me wax vendor - Smells Good Scents. I picked their sample box which contains the whole of their current range. They're highly scented on cold sniff so I'm looking forward to trying them.

What have you been buying lately?

July: Lately I've Been Loving

In July we had the pleasure of fitting in a mini break - four nights on the Isle of Wight (had been on my bucket list) and I got to meet Pascale, at Blue Labelle which was amazing! We also had two nights at The Pig at Brockenhurst (our second visit). The sun mainly shone, weren't we lucky! Here's my July loves:

I got my hair done! Yah! Huge thanks to Lexi at Bruce Masefield Hair - I feel "normal" again!

Discovering The Ghost Family Haunts on Instagram, under the #SmallBusinessSunday hashtag and buying some of their The Ghost Family Flame soy wax melts. I've since placed another order (patiently awaiting) and joined their Subscription Box! See my initial musing HERE.

Revisiting (first tried Bramley Products when we had our first visit to The Pig, Brockenhurst) so it was lovely to revisit the range.

Meeting Pascale at her Blue Labelle Boutique in Ventnor was a real treat (even masked up haha). Currently you can't browse the shop but it was nice to see it and meet the maker! Of course, I had to have a teeny buy..

We stayed four nights at The Little Gloster, a restaurant with rooms. It's closing at the end of the season so was only catering to the guests in their three rooms. It was lacking in the buzzy atmosphere we were expecting when we booked but we still had an enjoyable time, and those sunsets! 

These are my two top dishes from my stay - IOW Tomato Gazpacho and a white & dark choc entremet dessert - amazing!

Of course I love these beauties..

I bought a lovely bag from Joli in Cowes which is made of old sail cloth (it was a shop I'd found during internet searches before our trip). I'm very pleased with it!

On a wet and windy day (the only bad day of our hols) we stopped by Pure Wight Soy Candles (I'd bought from them online before). It was great to meet the maker and see the shop. I picked up some soy wax melts in Seaside and award winning Lavender & Lemon.

We had two lovely (and very sunny) days at The Pig at Brockenhurst, where we've stayed once before (our room was The Hen House which was gorgeous - the bathroom was upstairs!). We enjoyed lazing about, nice meals and drinks & cocktails and I loved exploring the veggie garden again and that chocolate mousse with raspberries and garden flowers was divine! 

I took part in the Blog Tour for the fantastic The Secret of Creek Cottage by Tina M Edwards and was kindly sent a signed copy (I do love a signed book!). See my review HERE.

The little promo card found it's way onto my kitchen pin-board!

What have you been loving in July?

The Ghost Family Haunts: The Ghost Family Flame Wax Melts

I randomly came across The Ghost Family Flame on Instagram under the #SmallBusinessSunday hashtag and oh how glad I am! Emma (vegan soy wax melt creator) joined forces with Joseph to create a very special place on the internet - The Ghost Family Haunts where you can discover Clothing & Accessories, Prints, Crypt decor, Room Sprays, Essential Oil blends, Soy Wax Melts, Incense and the Subscription Box (which I've just signed up to!)

I couldn't resist an 8 melt pick 'n' mix box (£10) look how beautiful it is! Emma hand blends her waxy creations before individually wrapping them up in layers of wax safe paper with the illustrations designed by Joseph. 

They honestly are too gorgeous to open! Inside each you'll find a highly scented soy wax scented melt with an 8 hr burn time. I selected the scents which "spoke" to me (Fragrance Library). 

I selected:

Liquid Death: "Sweet like sugared twisted liquorice knots in candy striped paper bags", Cloud Girl: "blends freshly unfurled garden mint, speckled with dops of morning dew. In comes rolling, silvery storms and the gentle whisper of Cloud Girls soft, black dress. Notes of garden mint, lavender and vanilla", Shut-In: "blends pine cladding, attic dust, fire embers and oak smoke together using notes of patchouli, ho wood and frankincense with a heartstring of fresh pine tips", Lyndhurst: "there it is, just climb on up! Reach a little further and you'll be able to pick yourself the most perfect, ruby jewelled apple", Grave Visitations: "anointed with an eye opening blend of crushed holy basil, shining with the ever ringing glow of resinous eucalyptus and the cool air of apparitions. Notes of holy basil, eucalyptus, spearmint and patchouli", Cauldron Seasoning: "A witch that knows what they are doing will never forget to season their cauldron before summoning only the best conjuration. For the perfect charm, all you need is a black, shiny cauldron and the blended scent of smoke, fire and herbs", His Boots are Rising: blends threads of red vapour, bourbon & boot polish; hot embers and damp earth. This scent will always be on your mind. Notes of earth, fresh roots, tobacco and bourbon", Frogs & Toads: "cool evening air after a sweet Summer's day can always be celebrated with floral tones of night blooms. Hear the crickets sing and hear the calls of frogs and toads. Notes of verdant landscapes, cool air, light florals and violets".

I also picked three individual large clamshells which are currently out of stock - these come in at £6 each with free p&p (like the pick 'n' mix boxes).

My selection (this was my 1st order):

The Dark Gourd: All Hail The Dark Gourd: "between the embers of trees, in the deepest, darkest our of Halloween night; that's where we meet and summon The Dark Gourd from beneath the ground. The orange glow of pumpkin flesh, divine treats and rich, deep resins pierce the air as we are released from our earthly bones and float away into the moonlit sky. Notes of spice, heavy resins and sweet creams". My thoughts: this has a gentle sweet pumpkin aroma laced with spice and sweetness which is almost good enough to eat! I've been burning this one in my kitchen and it makes me want something sweet to eat!

Sabbat: "May this scent cackle through your home. Undress under the light of the moon with the scent of the forest. Ancestors meet in this sacred space with notes of incense, parchment and libations". My thoughts: it has a peppery and incensey aroma which is growing on me!

Blue Lupin Moon: "Full moon is the perfect time to capture the scent of a werewolf. Lightly trodden violets, lay under trees of birch and oak". My thoughts: I love this woody and earthy scent which has a whisper of violet.

I'll let you know my thoughts from the pick 'n' mix selection in my beauty empties post (new feature) but so far I'm impressed with this quirky and unique small brand. Follow them on Instagram HERE and HERE.