Prompt Me

I thought this would be interesting and also help to keep my brain working. I was looking through my Kindle bookshelf and saw this book that I had apparently downloaded a long time ago. 101 Funny Writing Prompts by Paulina Combow. You can check out her blog at Paulina Combow's Blog and on Insta @paulinacombow

How Do You Feel About Scented Candles?

Favorite scents? Are there ones that make you want to hurl? What goes through your mind walking through the Yankee Candle store (or Bath and Body in the White Barn Candle section)? Do you have candles for burning and some for just looks? What's the most you'd pay for a candle? What are your favorite brands?  The italics are my additions and not from the book.

I will start by saying that I LOVE things that smell good. Before I purchase a product, I have to smell it. No matter what it is, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, body sprays, perfume, dish liquid, laundry detergent, or cleaning products. An old friend once said that a trip to Walmart with me was like a field trip because I was going to smell EVERYTHING, and I would, I did. I have a keen sense of smell so the last thing I wanted is for my hair, my clothes, my floors or my armpits to smell bad. 

My favorite scents are those that are woodsy, spicy, fresh or clean. I like bergamot, sandalwood, amber, musk, oud, eucalyptus, patchouli, cinnamon, lemon, lime, apple, blood orange, linen, palo santo, sweet sage.....I could probably go on but I think you get the idea. I am not fond of florals. I am not opposed to something having lavender or jasmine included just as long as it's not a top note. 

A very long time ago, when the Glade plug ins came out, I used them everywhere. I cannot recall the "BIG" fragrance that was so popular, but it was a floral and the packaging was dark and primarily burgundy. When I moved into my first rental home, the first thing I did was put those plug ins in every. single. room. If it was a large room, it got two! One day when someone came over to see my new place before I had moved in completely, they walked in and said something like it smelling like a funeral home in there. That's all it took for me to let those plug ins stay long enough that they were used, dried up and I never used anything floral again! Who wants their house smelling like a funeral home????!!!! Not me, not mine, nuh uh. So to address the question of scents that make me want to hurl.....yep, you guessed it, strong florals. 

By loving nicely fragrant things, you would expect that I would be in my element at a candle store or in a candle section. Nope, I get overwhelmed.  The smells begin to run together. It's less problematic when the stores have small containers of coffee beans sitting around for you to reset your smeller. How that works is beyond me. How do you not keep smelling coffee? I haven't particularly thought about it until now.  I don't mind the smell of coffee. If you KNOW me, then you should know I love coffee. Anyhoo, if I can reset my smeller, I can keep on smelling and not find it so overwhelming. (Did I just rhyme? Hey! A squirrel! Sorry.)

I used to have candles just for looks, mostly pillars for decoration. If the jar is pretty, I might still primarily use it for decor but for the most part, I burn my candles.

I am frugal. It started when I moved out on my own and I had to be careful with my money. Many times, while living in that first rental home that I mentioned moving into earlier, I pretty much had a college dormitory grocery shopping list. Quick, cheap, easy, cheap, and cheap. My (unavoidable) decor style was postmodern garage sale. The only thing that was new was my couch and coffee table that I had financed at Royal Furniture. I saved up and later bought an entertainment center at Walmart that I proudly assembled myself that survived several moves over the years to follow. 💪💪 If I remember correctly, when I was finished with it, I passed it on to someone else to use. All of that babble (Squirrell!) to say that I get candles on sale. If it is a scent that I really like, I have been known to pay upwards of $20 for a candle but it's rare. 

My favorite brands are Yankee, Circle E, White Barn, and Goose Creek

Favorites from each:

Yankee - Mid Summer's Night and Home Sweet Home

Circle E - Orange Patchouli and Earl Gray Tea

White Barn - Stress Relief and Laundry Day

Goose Creek - Let's Stay Home and Mohagany Driftwood