Diamond Candles: A Review & GIVEAWAY!

A little while ago, I was contacted by a company called Diamond Candles, and obviously I was intruiged -- OBVIOUSLY... Diamonds and candles are like two of my favorite things. So I checked out their website and got the scoop. The whole idea is that each candle has a ring buried in the wax, and as you burn the candle, you'll find a ring wrapped in gold foil. The ring could be worth anywhere from $10 to $5,000 (whaaaat!). 

Rings are actually my favorite jewelry item, and really the only jewelry item I change up pretty regularly. So I was stoked. But then there's the candle itself, right? The candle itself is a 100% soy eco-friendly and all natural candle. I don't know if you've ever compared soy candles to regular ol' candles, but soy candles are far superior in my humble opinion. They burn beautifully and are cleaner than paraffin candles. I talk a little more about soy candles over on my DIY soy candles post, if you were curious. 

I picked my scent -- Peach Paradise -- and waited impatiently for my candle to arrive. I was actually interested in a few other scents, but they were sold out. Kind of a bummer, but also kind of speaks to a company's popularity, am I right? They also have some really cute "gift" candles for new babies, birthdays, anniversaries, and what not.

So my candle arrived, and I kid you not, this candle was HUGE. You can tell on their website that these aren't tiny little candles (and at $25 a piece, they had better not be), but this thing was literally as tall as my head. And I don't have a small head, friends. Skeptical? Check my Instagram photo. ;)

You can see that little circle of gold foil on the side of the candle in the first photo, and I thought that THAT was the ring, but it wasn't. Teaserrrr foilll... BUT, my ring was right around that level, and even a little higher in the candle than that circle. So I really didn't have to wait too long to dig out my little treasure. 

AS SOON as I saw that little peak of crumpled gold foil, I dashed for boyfriend's tweezers (like I was gonna shove my nice ones in there when I had another option...) and pulled that baby right on outta there. (Blow out the wick before you do that though for like, safety reasons.) Then you unwrap the gold foil and your ring is in a little baggie. This is a messy process. But the wax washed right off, and maybe partly because it's so natural and high quality, it really wasn't so bad. 

Then voila! Wash your hands, scrape the dried wax off your (or your boyfriend's) tweezers, and enjoy your new ring! I'm sure this little beaut' is one of the $10 rings, but I like it lots just the same. I like simpler jewelry, and the shiny silver band and big ol' lime green gem make me real happy. PLUS I still have this giant freaking candle that smells amazing left to burn! 

Overall, I was very happy with my Diamond Candle experience, and I would definitely recommend their product, especially for gifts actually. I rarely buy myself things like (nice) candles, but I love them just the same and adore receiving them as presents. Of course, I adore presents in general too. ;) 

And now for the goods! One of YOUUU can win your very own Diamond Candle (in the scent of your choosing) by entering with the widget below! If you can't wait, they're having a sale this weekend, buy 2 get one free! Head to their website and check it out. For more photos of found rings, check their Facebook page! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

let's connect ---> facebook // instagram // twitter // pinterest // bloglovin // rss

Snapshots // 8-23-13

I cannot believe it's the end of August. The END of AUGUST. Where has 2013 gone? It's going to be 2014 before I know it, and then all of a sudden I'll have kids or something and even more responsibilities. The time... It does a-fly. 

Lately I've been practicing my cross stitchin' skills and I am loving it. Cross stitch is really the first real "skilled" craft I remember learning as a kid. It's also the first craft that grew stale. But right now, when life is hectic and I am itching for as much down time as I can gather, stitching is surprisingly relaxing and I can't get enough. It's also been a nice switch from crochet, especially since I'm not big on yarn in the summer time. 

Speaking of summer, I am soaking up as much of that as I can right now. I swear it's going to be Halloween tomorrow and I'll be singing Christmas carols, bundled up in scarves, puffy coats, and layers by the weekend.. So for now, it's sandals, yogas, and dresses -- all day, erry'day. Expect that I have literally 54 mosquito bites on my legs right now from a bonfire where I turned down bug spray. Lesson learned, friends. 

What crafts help you relax? 

How are you spending the remaining summer days?

let's connect ---> facebook // instagram // twitter // pinterest // bloglovin // rss

Fitz Family Reunion

Every summer, my mother's extended family throws a big picnic and golf outing to reconnect and remember that we're family. My mom and a few of her cousins were in charge of planning the whole shebang this year, and I threw in my services here and there to help pull everything together. I honestly only talk to maybe half of the attendees at these reunions, because let's be honest, I don't know my mom's cousin's kids like, at all. Let alone her cousins. I always have a good time, because who doesn't like chowing down on picnic food, watching kiddos whack at a piñata, and participating in a water balloon toss that (almost always) degrades into a water balloon bombing? ;)

I took this as an opportunity to flex my photographer muscles and snap lots of pictures. Of course I forgot about my camera until the picnic was half-over, but I was still able to capture some sweet memories. I got a number of posed photos (the large family photo above is a tradition) and a bunch of candid shots. I still feel weird creepily snapping photos of unknowing people with my telephoto lens, but truthfully, those moments make the most genuine and charming photographs. I love the photo above of my great aunt and great uncles trying to figure out that camera... 

My mom caught that goofy shot of me clownin' with boyfriend and my favorite uncle, all of us lookin' like rockstars of course. ;) Then we have a fellow photog at the party... A fun party activity that I'll share more details on soon... And a precious moment of genuine laughter captured during a posed shoot. I love that. I love the slightly varying expressions on each person's face, revealing their subtle differences in personality. Plus this weird foggy effect happened in my camera, which I totally dig. Makes it seem sort of dreamy.. 

On a related note, I just received my pre-ordered copy of A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book! I have only had a chance to flip through the first couple chapters so far, but I am super smitten, as you can imagine. I am not sure why am I so surprised by how beautiful the whole thing is, but I was. Silly me. I hope I can develop bossy photography skills like those lovely ladies someday. Someday! 

Don't you just love beautiful photos? :)

let's connect ---> facebook // instagram // twitter // pinterest // bloglovin // rss

New Spaces

Hi friends :) So I've been in my new apartment for about three weeks now, and it is starting to really feel like home. It's cozy and spacious all at once, and I am constantly excited about how cute the whole place is. The layout and overall feel is just eons ahead of my old place. Look at that window near my desk! And that's one of the smallest windows with the least pretty view! 

I have realized, however, that I have a bit of decorator's anxiety! Actually, I think it's just another manifestation of my deep-rooted commitment issues. Boyfriend is like, "I'm gonna hang this mirror here, is that cool?" And I'm like, "What?! I dunno! What's the rush?! How do I know if I'll like it there?!" Silly mini-panic attacks about mirror placement. I tell ya. Am I alone in this? 

I love so many design-y places. I swoon over a well-accessorized space. And yet... I can rarely bring myself to purchase a vase that makes me smile or put screws into the wall to hang a shelf. Obviously, your girl needs to grow some cojones and put her hammer to use. ;) 

All the projects I've got in the works are pretty big-scale, and therefore time consuming. Fingers crossed that amid work work work, finishing my online class, and a dear friend visiting, I will be sharing soon! 

I recently made a profile on Kollabora. Have you been on this site yet? I love it. It's a community of makers where you can upload your completed and WIP projects, favorite others' postings, read blog posts, learn new skills, shop their store, and connect with other users. Check it out & look me up! 

What's new in your necks-a-the-woods?

let's connect ---> facebook // instagram // twitter // pinterest // bloglovin // rss