What is it about candles?

They add warmth and coziness to any room. And when they have a favored with scent, they can take you to different sense memories or helped create new ones. One of my favorite things after a bad day, is to light candles in the bathroom while the tub fills with warm water as it makes lovely bubbles. I turn off the overhead light, put a glass of wine by the tub and get in...if I need more, I will add soft music as I slide into the tub. There I stay until the water gets all cold and scummy, the wine is gone, and I feel gentle of spirit and ready to sleep.

A while back, I met a lovely lady who makes candles,

oaps and sometimes, creams and lotionsl. The Etsy shop is GREAT LAKES SOYBEAN CANDLES SOY CANDLES and she has been so nice and patient with me and my many curious questions. I thought you might enjoy some of our FaceBook Q&A, If you are, read on, and if you are not, carry on. Sandy hi...please tell me what a kosher candle is? a friend and i are still trying to figure it out. Greatlakessoybean Candles KOSHER MEANS THAT THE PRODUCTS (WAX) IS PURE SOY NO BLENDS OR ADDITIVES Sandy does that mean no fragrance? what is the difference between these and your other candles? Greatlakessoybean Candles No they have scent. Some people use paraffin in their soy candles or palm wax.You can do this and still call it a soy candle if it is 55% soy. Soy is the hardest wax to work with and the paraffin makes it easier. Therefore, the wax that I use is pure kosher soy wax no blends. Does that help you? Sandy cool! will you now talk to me about wicks...why some wicks smoke more than others don't.

Greatlakessoybean Candles

If the proper wick is not used is one reason a candle smokes. another is the scent...the color...any air movement...not trimming the wick...these are just some of the many many variables... 2 main things are the wrong wick for the container ,scent, color or not trimming it. Have a great night♥

The conversation came from FaceBook. The following scents, came from her Etsy site:

SCENTS--------------- COLORS
AMARETTO------------- PINK
AMBER MUSK----------- LITE AMBER
AMISH KITCHEN-------- TAN
ANGEL WINGS---------- WHITE
ANISE--------------- RED
APPLE BLOSSOM-------- PINK
BABY POWDER---------- PINK OR BLUE
BANANA--------------- YELLOW
BANANA NUT----------- BREAD GOLDEN BROWN
BAYBERY-------------- GREEN
BIRTHDAY CAKE-------- WHITE
BLACKBERRY SAGE------ LIGHT PURPLE
BLACK CHERRY----------NEW COLOR BURGANDY
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS---- BLUE
BREAD A BAKING------- LITE GOLDEN BROWN
BUBBLEGUM-------------PINK
BUTTER CREAM--------- WHITE
BUTTERSCOTCH--------- GOLD YELLOW
CANTALOPE------------ ORANGE
CAPPUCCINO BRULEE---- BROWN
CARAMEL APPLE-------- GOLDEN BROWN
CARAMEL CORN--------- GOLDEN BROWN
CARNATION------------ PINK
CARROT CAKE---------- BROWN ORANGE
CHAMPAGNE------------ PINK
CHERRY--------------- RED
CHOCOLATECHIPCOOKIES- GOLDEN BROWN
CINNAMON BUNS-------- TAN
CINNAMON STICK------- REDISH BROWN
CLEAN COTTON--------- WHITE
CLOVE REDDISH-------- BROWN
COCONUT-------------- WHITE
COCONUT CREAM-------- PIE LT YELLOW
COFFEE--------------- DK BROWN
CONCORD GRAPE-------- DK. PURPLE
COOL WATERS---------- BLUE
COTTON BLOSSOM------- WHITE
COTTON CANDY--------- LT PINK
COUNTRY CLOTHESLINE-- WHITE
CRANBERRY------------ DK RED
CREAMSICLE----------- ORANGE
CREME BRULEE--------- LT BROWN
CUCUMBER MELON------- LT GREEN
DA YOOPER CHRISTMAS-- DK GREEN
DAFFODIL--------------YELLOW
EGG NOG-------------- WHITE
ENGLISH IVY---------- DK GREEN
EUCALYPTUS----------- DK GREEN
FREESIA-------------- LT BLUE
FRESH CUT GRASS------ DK GREEN
FRESH SNOW----------- WHITE
FROSTBITE------------ WHITE
FIREPLACE------------ DK GREEN
FUZZY NAVAL---------- ORANGE
GARDENIA LT---------- GREEN
GINGERBREAD---------- BROWNRED
GRANDMA'S KITCHEN---- LT BROWN
GREEN APPLE---------- GREEN
GREEN TEA------------ GREEN
HAPPY HOLIDAYS------- DK RED
HARVEST MOON--------- ORANGE BROWN
HAZELNUT------------- TAN
HAZELNUT COFFEE------ DK BROWN
HOLLYBERRY----------- DK RED
HONEY---------------- GOLD BROWN
HONEYDEW------------- LT GREEN
HONEYSUCKLE---------- YELLOW
HONEY COCO MANGO----- ORANGE
HOT APPLE PIE-------- LT BROWN
HOT BUTTERED RUM----- GOLD YELLOW
HUCKLEBERRY---------- DK BLUE
HYACINTH------------- LT PURPLE
HYDRANGEA------------ MAUVE
JACLYNS BLUEBERRY PANCAKES TAN W'BERRIES
JASMINE-------------- WHITE
JELLY BEANS--------- DK PINK
JUST LIKE HOME------ PINK
LAKE MICHIGAN------- MIST LT BLUE
LAVENDER------------ LAVENDER
LEMON CHIFFON------- YELLOW
LEMON GRASS----------YELLOW
LEMON PUCKER-------- YELLOW
LILAC--------------- PURPLE
LILY OF THE VALLEY-- WHITE
LIME---------------- LIME
LOVE SPELL TYPE----- LT PURPLE
MACINTOSH APPLE----- DK RED
MAGNOLIA------------ WHITE
MANGO PAPAYA-------- ORANGE
MAPLE SYRUP--------- BROWN
MOONLIGHT PATH TYPE- LT PURPLE
MONKEY FARTS------- YELLOW
MULBERRY------------ DK PURPLE
MULLED CIDER-------- RED BROWN
OAK MOSS-------------GREEN
ODOR ELIMINATOR----- PINK
ORANGE BLOSSOM------ WHITE
PATCHOULI----------- DK GREEN
PEACH--------------- PEACH
PEACH N CREAM------- LT ORANGE
PEPPERMINT---------- WHITE
PEONY--------------- PINK
PINA COLODA--------- WHITE
PINE--------------- DK GREEN
PINEAPPLE---------- YELLOW
PINK GRAPEFRUIT---- PINK
PINK LEMONADE------ PINK
PINK SUGAR TYPE---- PINK
PLUMERIA----------- PINK
POPCORN LT--------- YELLOW
POMEGRANATE-------- RED BROWN
PUMPKIN PIE-------- PUMPKIN
RAIN--------------- BLUE
RASPBERRY---------- DK RED
RED HOT CINNAMON--- DK RED
ROSE GARDEN-------- LT PINK
SAGE LT------------ GREEN
SANDALWOOD--------- LT GREEN
SEABREEZE---------- AQUA
SAGE & CITRUS------ ORANGE
SLEIGHBELLS-------- WHITE
SMOKE & ODOR ELIMINATOR WHITE
SNICKERDOODLE------ LT TAN
SPEARMINT---------- LT GREEN
SPICE CAKE--------- ORANGE BROWN
SPICED PEAR-------- LT GREEN
SPRING RAIN-------- LT BLUE
STRAWBERRIES & CREAM--- DK PINK
STRAWBERRY CHAMPAGNE--- LT PINK
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE--- WHITE & RED
STRAWBERRY DAIQUIIRI--- LT RED
STRAWBERRY JAM----- DK RED
STRAWBERRY KIWI--- DK RED
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE--- LT BROWN & RED
SUGAR COOKIES------ LT TAN
SWEET PEA---------- LT PINK
TOMMY TYPE--------- LT BLUE
TULIP-------------- DK RED
VANILLA------------ WHITE
VANILLA LAVENDER--- WHITE
VANILLA SUGAR------ LT TAN
VICTORIAN ROSE----- MAUVE
WATERMELON--------- WATERMELON
YULETIDE------------ DK RED

THE FOLLOWING I DON'T PUT ON LIST WITH YOUNG CHILDREN
SEX ON THE BEACH-------ORANGE
BUTT NAKED-------------LT ORANGE

All the candles featured are from her shop. When I need candles, this is the site to visit.

Review of The Bourne Deception CD

Discription by Hachette:

After Bourne is ambushed and nearly killed while in Indonesia, he fakes his death to take on a new identity and mission- to find out who is trying to assassinate him. In the process, Bourne begins to question who he really is and what he would become if he no longer carried the Bourne identity. Across the globe, an American passenger airliner is shot down over Egypt-apparently by an Iranian missile-leaving the world wondering if it was an accident or an act of aggression. A massive global team lead by Soraya Moore is assembled to investigate the attack before the situation escalates.

When Bourne's search for his would-be assassin intersects with Soraya's search for the group behind the airplane bombing, Bourne is thrust into a race to prevent a new world war. But it may already be too late.

There is plenty of action and romance. (I like that stuff.) But I kept getting lost as the writers kept cutting from place to place, story line to story line and back again. And the ending didn't...it just made me look at my husband and go "What the??"

The reader is good except when he has 2 Russians in conversation. It is sometimes hard to differentiate between them but the accents are good. I have a problem with the lady art dealer's voice and accent which DH does not.

Daddy would have liked it. And that is the joy of books, whether in copy or voice, there is something for everyone!

Review of Love You To Death

LOVE YOU TO DEATH

by

Shannon K. Butcher

It's been days since reporter Elise McBride has heard from her sister, Ashley. She's convinced Ashley has met with some kind of foul play, especially when she learns that bodies of other missing women have surfaced in and around Chicago--all victims of a brutal serial killer. Convinced her sister is still alive, Elise vows to risk everything to save her...

The last thing ex-cop Trent Brady needs is more blood on his hands. Yet when he catches Elise breaking into her sister's house, full of reckless determination and fear, he knows she needs his help. But just as desire ignites between them, a twisted madman sets his sights on Elise. Hell-bent on possessing her for himself, this psychopath won't rest until he has his perfect woman.

The words above are theirs. Now for mine. First I need to thank Hachette Book Group for letting me read and review this book.

I started reading yesterday afternoon and finished it this morning. Oh yes I did! I stayed up all night reading it. What does that tell you? That is is a good book? Yes. The characters are interesting? Yes. Well developed? Yes. There are good romantic scenes? Yes, definitely! It is a good mystery? Yes. The story pulls you along? Yes. OK. We get it; it's a good book.

But....

But, what?

Do not start reading this when you get home for work. Wait until Saturday morning. Why? Because if you are where I was at bed time, you will want to get to the happy ending for fear that if you don't, you will have nightmares. The bad guy is like Dr. Frankenstein trying to recreate his love.

This is definitely a romantic thriller; not I would call a "cozy mystery".

You are forewarned!

let's go to dubai!

ok, i have to take you to dubai via a lovely blog, SandierPastures desert living, Dubai style. so now you want to know why. because this is a wonderful as a travel log, a teaching aid, great photography, and she does giveaways. the posting i am sending you to right now is about ramadan. it is a good thing to understand the customs of others.

and this is an older posting complete with pictures of dubai...which i found out has the highest pyramid in the world...and it is modern.

i loved the trip she took me on to japan! wonderful pictures and teaching of some of their customs.

give her a visit! you will be so glad you did.

awards

i am overwhelmed!! 3 awards

in less than a week!

i feel so very special!

you guys have made my birth month

so special!

now i have to figure out what i am to do

with these and redistribute them.

thank you, julie j, of

my little corner of the world,

for this award.

i have to comment on you posting.

the postings are so good.

Super Comments Award

The Electric Element

J Kaye

Bridget 2430

J Kaye gave me this one she is so supportive of others!

This award is designed with one purpose in mind.

Pass this on to other bloggers

who have awarded you in the past.

The Electric Element

Live Love Laugh with Leslie

5 things i love, then forward to 10 more of my favorite blogs.

thank you THE ELECTRIC ELEMENT

5 things that i love:

1. my wee scottie who looks like santa (with a scottish accent)
2. critters, especially mine
3. books
4. clouds
5. pictures (painted or photography)
6. 
   

the theme: 10 artists in the blogger community:

1. Knit Frog Knit
2. Joanna Kapica
3. Karen Clothier
4. Birdy Evans
5. Robin Maria Pedrero
6. I Would Rather Be Knitting
7. Felicia On NS
8. Drop One
9. Krafty Max
10. Shepherd Susie

Swimsuit CD Review

by

James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

This sounded so good! A beautiful sexy swimsuit model who disappears only to turn up brutally murdered. An ex-cop, turned mystery writer. Ah, the villain...a charismatic, psychopathic, Lon Chaney like, sociopathic killer. How could this be anything other than a 5 star story?

Listen we did. It was an OK story to me (like a 3 out of 5). But maybe I was missing something. I asked the house fan (hubby). He rated it the same way I did. My dad, who loved mysteries, would have read it and found it an enjoyable read.

Thursday Thunks

i am a bit slow this week.

Welcome to the August 20th version of Thursday Thunks!
(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)
Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!
This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Berleen, the number ziltch and the color of spider webs.

1. Your thoughts on hunting? it would depend upon if i am the hunter or the huntee and what's being hunted and the time of day.

2. Swine Flu vaccine... will you get it? yeppi do...is dh..noppi dope

3. What is one job/profession that you think there are just too many of? lobbyists

4. I want to go on a diet, what advice will you offer me? not a word of advice but lots of comments as i notice positive changes

5. You are going out on a date with someone for the very first time. When you get into their car, you see a box of condoms on the floor. What do you do? ask him why he is so optimistic...with an arch eyebrow.

6. Name something in your bathroom that shouldn't be there. all that crap dh leaves in the sink

7. What was your Kindergarten teacher like? i am 64 yo, you don't really expect me to remember that far back, do you?

8. What kind of oil do you use when you cook? depends on what's cooking

9. If someone takes an unflattering picture of you and posts it online, do you beg them to take it down or do you laugh at yourself with everyone else? i plan not to look at it! if others want to ruin their eyesight, that's there beeswax.

10. What brand of dishwashing soap do you use? whatever was on sale at the store the last time.

Winner, Winner!

that's what she said...she is igirl of iphone app of the day by a girl. what? what? oh, you want to know what i won. i won a $25 iTunes gift card. i don't have an iphone but i do have a mac and i do have itunes on it so i think i will be just fine and dandy. but listen, my friends who i am so envious of with you iphones, you really out to give this site a few visits and see what you can add to your phone! she's a nice lady. i kid you not!

this looks like a really fun book

and here is what i lifted from the blog, literary escapism. just click the the blog name or the last sentence, and you are there!

Thank you Leanna for visiting Literary Escapism.

Contest Time! We’re giving away a copy of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker to a lucky commentator and it’s very easy to enter. All you have to do is: Tell us your favorite ghost story. Whether it’s one you heard as a child or a great piece of fiction. Remember, you do have to answer the question in order for your entry to count. The contest is open to everyone, so everyone overseas can join in the fun as well.

THANK YOU LESLIE MALONE!

i just got to note from leslie malone of live love laugh with leslie to tell me i won...this:

i am so excited to try this product after reading so much about it!

my friend, ms leslie has not one but 2 blogs. this one is that is all about things she reviews and gives away to other and another, laugh with leslie, where she shares all the other giveaways she has found that you might be interested in. now i ask you, is this a nice lady or what?! give both her sites a visit, you'll be glad you did!

A Lucky Child A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy

Where can I purchase this bookDownload Cover ImageRead an Excerpt

I must first thank Anna Balasi of Hachette Book Group for allowing me the privilege of reading the remarkable story of Thomas Buergenthal. The following is how Hachette described the book:

Thomas Buergenthal, now a Judge in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, tells his astonishing experiences as a young boy in his memoir A LUCKY CHILD. He arrived at Auschwitz at age 10 after surviving two ghettos and a labor camp. Separated first from his mother and then his father, Buergenthal managed by his wits and some remarkable strokes of luck to survive on his own. Almost two years after his liberation, Buergenthal was miraculously reunited with his mother and in 1951 arrived in the U.S. to start a new life.

A lot of people might skip a forward or preface of a book because they want to get right "into the story". Don't you do it! The forward is written by writer, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel. His words have weight. As are those in Thomas' preface to the story of Tommy, the child. A child who one day will turn responsibility for his survival back to his mother as he returns to being a child. Not a vengeful child, but a thoughtful one.

"...I began to think it was important that individuals like Nansen and the rest of us who had been subjected to terrible suffering at the hands of the Germans treat them with humanity...simply because our experience should have taught us to empathize with human beings in need, regardless of who they were. ..."

Part of me was afraid to read this book. Afraid to see what horrors he had been subjected to. Mr. Buergenthal wrote his story in such a way that my fears proved groundless as he did not dramatize them. It was like he was telling me the story as he would his children. A story that needs telling, needs remembering, but does not need to give us nightmares.

A Lucky Child is a good book about a bad time but Thomas will hold your hand as he tells you of Tommy's life during those times.

I won a Michael Buble' cd/dvd!

michael buble'. miss knotty introduced him to me and it was love at first listen! then i saw him on craig furgerson and found out he has a really good sense of humor! now, now i have his cd/dvd. how cool is this??

who do i have to thank for this? louise bishop of mom start. go visit her soon and see what you find that you might like to have. i have been following her for ever so long. i always like to see what she has going on. you will too!

Spirit of the Snake by Mark Engerbretson

This is what author Mark Engerbretson has to say about his book:

Spirit of the Snake is the story of Buck Landers, a Civil War veteran who leaves Tennessee for Texas after four long years of death, having seen and done too much.

He has become cold, hard and calloused, the lines of age crossing his young face. In Texas, he meets a young lady, one who offers the promise of a future. But she loses her life to men of no morals, no conscience and Landers is left to die.

He recovers and pursues the men to exact his revenge and become known as a gunfighter. The memory of his loss haunts him, but an encounter with thieves, a snake bite and the curative powers of an Indian medicine man change his life forever, allowing him to break from the past.

The history of North Central Texas is one of great danger and great opportunity – Landers sees much of it.

It is available through Amazon.com, Target.com or unlimitedpublishing.com

This is the second book to be published ... the first was The Golden Amulet, a western with a little different twist. Published by Unlimited Publishing, it is available on Amazon and unlimitedpublishing.com.

For either autographed book, e-mail markeng@nsb-pklake.com.

I have one problem with this book. It needs a map at the front of the book. Why? Because I kept having to pull up maps on my computer and some folk might not have one close by. You see, this book is based on reality of locations. (I went to school in Denton and almost froze to death at Possum Kingdom when a blue northern blew through.)

Other than that, I loved this book. I think it would appeal to any body who loves westerns or is interested in what it was like in Texas after the civil war. Our hero meets friendly Indians, Texas Police (the Texas Rangers had not reformed yet), simple people trying to survive, "polecats and skunks", historical ranchers who had to deal with cattle rustlers as well as waring Indians, and the terrain with its weather. Or those who just want to read a good cowboy yarn, go pick up this book. You'll like the different characters as well the different situations they find themselves in. (If you are as curious as I, you'll want to have a map handy and check out the Indians and some of the folks he references.)

I want now to read his first book and hope he comes out with the next one soon. It's fun to read a Texas tail by a Texan!

this is exciting!

bindu grandhi, the flexible cook, is the wife of dr. grandhi of circle of souls, has her own book out! i want to win it after checking out her site and looking at a recipe for carrot phirni. if she can get me to eat more veggies, she will get points! what was fun was, after reading the recipe, at the bottom the the page, was a video where she demonstrated how to make the dish!

ok, i bet you now want to enter too, right? ok. i'll share. head over to the wishing penny. follow all her instructions and it could be your's, well, if i get the other copy. (while you are there, check out what else she has going on. she usually has lots of good things going on!)

whatever you do, don't miss the visit mrs. grandhi's site. check out some recipes and look for the videos.