Tag: autumn

Posted in Home, Life, Reviews

My Halloween Candle Collection

Posted on by WattTheBlog

You’ve seen my Autumn candle collection, but now it’s time to get spooky…

Happy Halloween! My current obsession is all things candles and wax melts, so what better way to celebrate the best day of the year that with a round up of my Halloween collection? Some are really old but I do also have some new items in the collection – if they’re still available to buy then I will include a link. None of this is an AD of affiliated in any way.

Witches Brew by Yankee Candle

These are a good few years old now but they’re great to keep bringing out! I have it in a jar and also a votive, which is in the silver holder that is pictured below. The spider web jar holder is also an old purchase from Yankee. Unfortunately I’ve found that in the UK, the Halloween collections from Yankee in recent years have been pretty lacking!

The scent is very much patchouli centred, which I LOVE. I honestly can’t get enough of patchouli which you might know from my autumn collection, as well as my Lush haul!

Skeleton Candelabra-style tea light holder

I got this a few years ago on a trip to San Francisco, funnily enough in a Christmas shop… but they had a HUGE Halloween section as well, so I was in my element. I very carefully bought this back with me, along with some candlesticks that bled red wax – hence all the red wax drips. I hadn’t actually realised at the time that this was meant to hold tea lights! So once I was home, I precariously melted some tea lights and then balanced the candlesticks in them, it worked a charm, and now this just comes out as a decoration.

I’d like to get some more drippy candlesticks for it in future, but I can’t for the life of me find any… they’re all non-drip these days?!

Pumpkin Jar Candles from Sainsbury’s

At least I think these were from Sainsbury’s, it could have actually been ASDA… I actually have four of these bad boys, cause let’s be honest – you can never have too many pumpkins at Halloween!

Skull pillar candle from ASDA

This is such a cool candle, considering it came from ASDA. The wax in the middle is red, although unfortunately it’s a non-drip… like I said, I can never find a drippy candle these days. I did try to pour some of the wax down the side once, for effect ya know, but it didn’t really work as you can see by the pink blob on the right hand side below.

Forbidden Apple by Yankee Candle

Another golden oldie from Yankee! This one smells like… you guessed it, apples! It’s super fresh but somehow still spooky?

Poison Apple tea light holder from Shop Disney

This is a recent purchase but alas, I can’t find it on the website now so I guess it’s no longer available. I saw this on an Instagram ad and absolutely had to have it… it’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be but a very cool addition to my Halloween collection!

Check out the back too…

Haunted House tea light holder from Sainsbury’s

Another Sainsbury’s find – their Halloween stuff is actually always pretty decent, especially in the bigger stores. Unfortunately this year I didn’t go and have a look for anything but maybe next year Halloween can get back on track!

This was surprisingly hard to get a good photo of, but you get the idea!

Cauldron Wax Burner from Cauldron Candles

This is available on other sites I know, but cauldron candles was the first place I saw it advertised on Instagram and it’s where I eventually nabbed one from – they were out of stock everywhere, for ages!

I also nabbed a few of their handmade wax melts, which I HIGHLY recommend!

First up, Spellbound, which has a fragrance of hyacinth, violet and sweet pea, mixed with rose and musk.

I also got a couple of skulls, which come in various scents.

Dark Heart, which comes in black and smells of smoky tobacco and dusty oak, with leather and spice.

As well as Evenstar, which is purple with a glowing amber blend and notes of spice and dark balsamic fruits.

I also nabbed Pumpkin King, which I just couldn’t leave behind! Just as you might expect, he smells of pumpkin as well as a hint of sweet caramel & vanilla – and he’s cute as a button to top it off!

Lastly, I also treated myself this year to the… Autumn Collection box by CushtyCo

The box itself is no longer available, however you can still shop their Halloween and autumn scents.

I want to write a full review of the box so for now I’ll just give you a sneak peek of the Halloween inspired melts…

Witching Hour is a dark purple melt, with a strong scent of amber, patchouli and incense, plus a hint of jasmine and violet.

Pumpkin Poison Pie which smells exactly like a pumpkin pie, funnily enough… right down to the buttery base. Just don’t be tempted to take a bite!

Restricted Section definitely smells like a bath bomb that I’ve had before, although I can’t think which. CushtyCo says “Take a walk into something from a story book, musky, woody tones of antique wooden furniture, crisp sheets of paper from rare leather bound books, with a slight undertone of sweetness.”

Dead Man’s Chest smells so good that I very may well have to become a pirate after all… “Top notes of Bergamot, orange, raspberry and Mahogany. Subtle middle notes of Orchid, lilies, clove and amber with bottom notes of Vanilla cream, patchouli and sandalwood.”

Jack’s Haunted House is next and another absolutely amazing scent. If this is what ghosts and spirits smell like, then I don’t mind! You can almost taste the pumpkin and allspice.

Monster Breath is not as gross as you might think, it turns out! I’ll be honest, this scent does make me think of soap but that’s not exactly a bad thing. The melt is a gorgeous green colour, with tones of sandalwood, cedarwood, green leaf and amber. You can also detect the spices, particularly pepper in my opinion.

Last but by no means least in this brief little summary of CushtyCo’s melts… Coffee With A Vampire. All I’m going to say is… After Eights. It’s fricken heaven in a wax pot.

Stay tuned for a full review of all of these amazing wax melts in a couple of weeks time! I’ll be honest, I don’t actually want to break them all but they’re calling out to be melted so I suppose I’m going to have to.

Which was your favourite in this collection? Do you have many Halloween candles yourself? Let me know in the comments!

Posted in Fashion, Life

10 Perfect Nail Colours for Autumn

Posted on by WattTheBlog

Welcome back to my blog and here we are for another autumn themed post, this time… nail colours! Coincidentally, these are all Essie shades. I’m in no way shape or form sponsored by them, I just generally seem to always gravitate towards their polishes! These are all older colours as I’m yet to get my hands on the 2020 Fall collection, although don’t they all look stunning?!

In the mean time though, these are some other shades that I personally think are perfect for autumn:

1. Yes I Canyon

Typically, the first polish I’ve picked out from my personal collection isn’t widely available anymore BUT the colour is too perfect for me not to include it. Yes I Canyon is from the 2019 Rocky Rose collection and although it’s not technically available anymore, you can still find it on the likes of Amazon. It’s a lovely burnt orange colour which just autumn in a bottle really.

2. Exposed

This one is from the Wild Nudes collection, although don’t be fooled, as I would say it’s more of a green rather than nude. You can still get hold of it from some sites too, like this one.

Shades of green are nice transitional colour for autumn I find, a bit like when all the leaves start to turn.

3. Chinchilly

If you’d prefer something more neutral, then grey is usually a safe bet. I’m actually wearing this colour right now and find it to be a lovely universal polish that will compliment any outfit, what’s more, it’s still widely available!

4. Smokin’ Hot

Here we have another shade of grey but this time with a hint of smooth dark purple, for when you want something a little different but still not too colourful.

If you’re in the UK like me then you can get this one on the likes of Amazon.

5. Licorice

Seeing as we’re in the run up to Halloween now, any nail polish collection wouldn’t be complete without a jet black shade!

This staple colour is very much still available from places like Boots etc.

6. On Mute

For something not quite black, but still dark as a spooky soul… this dark slate grey shade is perfect!

7. Say It Ain’t Soho

Back to the warmer colours now… this is such an awesome colour for autumn. Pumpkin orange tones, check… shimmery, check! This was from the Fall 2018 collection so not widely available anymore however it does look quite similar on nails to the new Don’t Be Spotted, if a little deeper in colour.

8. Penny Talk

Another metallic colour but something a little more neutral than Say It Ain’t Soho… this is such a pretty colour for autumn!

9. Clothing Optional

Maybe don’t take the name of this one literally, especially with how the weather can be in the UK at this time of year!

This colour is a classic nude, with a lovely warm tone which to me definitely makes it just right for autumn.

10. Style Cartel

Finishing this list with something slightly different! I wasn’t going to include this one as I’m not sure how I feel about royal blue in autumn… however it’s very similar to the new Shade called Waterfall in Love, so here we are!

I still have a bottle so I’ll get it used up before purchasing the new blue as I don’t like to have too many similar ones!

Which out of these is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

Posted in Life

5 Tips For The Ultimate Cosy Night In

Posted on by WattTheBlog

I know it’s nice to go out in the evenings, especially in the summer when it’s still warm as the sun goes down… but that doesn’t mean there’s not something to be said for a super cosy night in, as the weather gets colder and the nights get darker.

That being said, it looks like we’re all going to have a lot more nights at home for the foreseeable anyway, so here are some of my suggestions for the ultimate cosy night in!

1. Have a nice hot bath

Let’s start the evening with something super relaxing: a hot bubble bathTreat yourself to a bath bomb to make it nice and special. Stay tuned for my Lush Halloween haul, the best time of year for bath bombs in my opinion.

Photo by Burst on Pexels.com

2. Get comfy

Cosy and comfy just go hand in hand really, don’t they?! My go to comfy clothes are really old and tatty pyjamas, but I’m very tempted to treat myself to some cute new loungewear for the upcoming colder months! I’m slightly obsessed with this set from Nasty Gal, which might not exactly be family friendly but that’s ok with me!

Sorry mum…

Depending on how cold it is, you might also want some cosy slippers or fluffy socks – I personally love a pair of Primark fluffy socks in the winter!

Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Why not throw some cosy blankets in there too for good measure!

3. Snacks and hot drinks

Now, if you’re a bit of a food lover like me then the perfect snacks for the occasion are of utmost importance! Depending on the sort of night in you’re having, you might just go for something like popcorn and sweets… which is great, but if you’re going for the full works then you may as well get a takeaway in! Personally, I’d go for a Chinese or a pizza… if you’re not as lazy as me then maybe you’ll make some food yourself of course, but I for one, am no good at cooking!

Photo by Sarah Dietz on Pexels.com

4. Mood lighting

Light your room of choice up however you prefer… I’m a bit weird and like to have lots of light but for the sake of the ultimate cosy night, I’m going to assume that you’re more inclined to prefer a darker room like most people I talk to! Whichever way you prefer, I also recommend lighting some candles to get those extra cosy vibes too! Check out my recent post on my current autumn candle collection for some suggestions.

5. Have a selection of films or a series to binge

Let’s set the scene now… you’ve got your comfiest ever clothes on, wrapped up like a little burrito in blankets, the Dominos has just arrived… and now you can settle in to watch your favourite series on Netflix (or whatever streaming service you prefer, or your favourite film – am I the only one who has DVDs these days?!)

My current favourite for a cosy night in is Once Upon A Time on Netflix. Either that or whatever new crime documentary is about. If I’m up for a film then I have quite a varying taste, but next on my re-watch list is Rocketman! I could write a whole other post about how much I love that film but maybe I’ll save that for another day… Harry Potter is also of course ALWAYS an autumn classic!

Photo by Taryn Elliott on Pexels.com

I hope you’re feeling extra cosy now! Let me know in the comments what else you like to do for a nice, cosy night in ❤

Posted in Home, Life

My Autumn Candle Collection

Posted on by WattTheBlog

Don’t get me wrong, I love candles all year round… but there’s something even better about them in autumn and winter. The extra cosy vibes perhaps, or maybe I just prefer the heavier autumnal scents. Either way, I thought I’d share with you the candles I currently have at home and will be burning throughout autumn!

None of the links shared throughout this post are affiliate, I’m just sharing so that you can find any of these products if you so wish! This isn’t a paid for post or sponsored in anyway, this is just my own collection!

Autumn Glow by Yankee Candle

If you had to sum up the smell of Autumn, but without pumpkins… then this scent would be it. The fragrance notes are: sparkling citrus, autumn blossom, fresh cut herbs, patchouli, tonka bean and golden amber. I LOVE the smell of patchouli and you definitely get hit with that first.

I purchased it recently and already have far too many candles than I care to admit, so I went for a smaller jar for now. I can tell you though that I will certainly be repurchasing in future and probably in a bigger jar to last longer!

Warm Tobacco Pipe by DW Home

Another patchouli based fragrance, but with a twist! When I saw this one in TK Maxx (I didn’t realise DW was an American company until searching for the link!) I thought it will surely smell vile… but oh no! It’s absolutely delightful. My boyfriend even likes this one and that’s saying something.

The fragrance notes are: tobacco, brushed suede, aromatic greens, soft weathered woods, patchouli and smoky leather. Honestly, it’s amazing. It smells like… a cosy pub when you come in from the fresh autumn air! Heaven…

Pumpkin Apple Parfait by Yankee Candle

I actually got this one in a sample sale, just before the UK went in to lockdown back in March… so I didn’t buy it in autumn BUT it has pumpkin in the name, so I’m going with it.

I can’t actually find this on the UK site so perhaps the collection didn’t last, however it is still on the US site if you wanted to find it.

It’s a fruity candle so perhaps not what you might first go for in autumn, but it’s definitely worth it and I personally think it can be all year scent! The fragrance notes are: pumpkin puree, whipped cream, apple glaze, allspice, ginger, white chocolate, vanilla bean, cinnamon.

Heirloom Punpkin from TK MAXX

I’ve simply put TK Maxx as this seems to be unbranded. I mainly really liked the jar if I’m honest and the smell certainly isn’t as amazing as some of the others in this collection. I’m yet to burn it properly so I’m not sure how the scent will carry but it does smell very much like your typical pumpkin and patchouli scented, Halloween candle. I’m here for it though!

Vanilla Latte by DW Candle

I won’t lie, I saw this online and didn’t read it properly… I thought it was pumpkin spiced latte! However, when it arrived, I was not disappointed. The description online states: creamy, rich espresso combined with vanilla essence, and topped with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. That is exactly what it smells like!

I’d been looking for a coffee candle for so long and so to end up with this is a very happy accident indeed. Perhaps coffee isn’t a very standard Halloween scent, but there are leaves on the lid so that’s good enough for me!

Yankee Candle Campfire Nights Collection

I mentioned in my autumn wish list post, that I was keen to get my hands on all of these scents and so when I saw that all the votives were in stock, I treated myself! I only wanted the votives so that I could smell them all first, without forking out for the jars… and then potentially not like them! However, they did not disappoint in the slightest. My only problem that I did have, is I ordered a lovely autumn mosaic votive holder to go with them… and it was missing from the package. Easily sorted but still, it meant I couldn’t include it in these photos!

First up is A Night Under The Stars. The fragrance notes for this one are: leather, spice, driftwood, clove, saffron, rose, frankincense, patchouli, cedarwood and you can certainly smell them all. It’s lovely, not too dissimilar to Autumn Glow actually.

Next we have Crisp Campfire Apples, which does smell exactly as the name would suggest. If you needed a helpful hint, the fragrance notes are: apple, clove, mandarin leaf, cinnamon stick, oak leaves, tonka, blonde woods. YUM!

Next is Warm and Cosy, which are the best feelings of Autumn are they not?! The name doesn’t give much away as to how this will smell, but I’ll tell you… it’s lovely and you just know there’s patchouli in there. Are you sensing a pattern yet? The fragrance notes are: balsam, peppermint, eucalyptus, cashmere, cedarwood, golden amber, patchouli, lit firewood, musk. Definite cosy vibes.

Last but no means least, and the one I wanted to try out most, is Pecan Pie Bites. This one smells amazing! I thought that at least one from this collection would be a dud, but they’re all divine. Imagine walking in to a bakery on a blustery autumn day and that’s this candle. The fragrance notes are: cinnamon leaf, burnt sugar, raw honey, white hazelnut, pecan, dark chocolate
clove, oak wood, smoked cedar.

So there you have it! I have a lot of candles to burn through this season but seeing as they all smell so incredible, I don’t think it’ll be a hard task! Stay tuned for more autumnal content and if you liked this round up of my autumn candles, then you’ll be in for a treat when we get closer to Halloween as I have a whole other collection just for spooky season!

Posted in Fashion, Life, Shopping

My Autumn Wishlist

Posted on by WattTheBlog

I don’t know what it is about the autumn and spooky season, but I always want to buy anything remotely related, no matter what it is… mugs, clothing, nail varnishes, candles, literally any kind of Halloween decoration… if there’s a pumpkin on it, I need it!

I thought for this post I’d share some of the things on my wish list for this year, because why not really?! (none of these links are affiliate and I’m simply sharing things that I have happened to found recently)

Cosy Leaf Jumper (Kiel James Patrick)

@hellomissjordan shared this on her princess picks this week and OMG I need it! It’s the perfect colour, it’s cosy AND it has autumn leaves on it… sold! (well, maybe not literally as it’s a bit on the pricey side for me right now!)

Chances I’ll buy it: slim, unless it’s in a 50% off sale…

Pumpkin Candle Holder (Little Lies)

I mean, just look how cute it is!

Chances I’ll buy it: possible… I’m obsessed with near enough everything on the Little Lies website and have been holding out to treat myself to a few bits on there…

Bargain All Saints Jumper (TK Maxx)

When something from All Saints is reduced by 75%… it’s a no brainer right?!

Chances I’ll buy it: I’ve probably already bought it!

H&M Collared Jumper

I literally need this. That collar is just divine…

Chances I’ll buy it: definitely, as soon as it’s actually in stock

The Whole Yankee Candle Campfire Nights Collection

I am imagining these smell amazing… especially the pecan pie bites one!

Chances I’ll buy it: very likely, I’m waiting for all the votives to be in stock and to find a holder I like (something autumnal of course!)

This Punny jumper (Not On The Hight Street)

It’s pink, it’s cosy looking, it has a pun on it… need I say more?

Chances I’ll buy it: I personally think it’ll be rude not to!

The perfect subtle Halloween-esque umbrella (New Look)

I have a bit of a weird thing against umbrellas but I’m slightly obsessed by this, and have a spooky photo idea in my head to make use of it!

Chances I’ll buy it: at £7.99… definitely!

Basically everything new from Monki

Monki has loads of cute leggings, tees and bodysuits, with cute little Halloween designs and basically I need them all!

Chances I’ll buy it: HIGH

Doc Martens (ASOS)

I’ve wanted a new pair of DMs for a while and particularly have my eye on “slip on” pair, for something easy but comfy to wear in autumn and winter.

Chances I’ll buy it: likely, just praying for them to go on sale on ASOS

The whole vanilla pumpkin Body Shop range

You can’t go wrong with The Body Shop really, can you?!

Chances I’ll buy it: pretty high!

This entire wax melt collection complete with cauldron burner (Cushty Co)

I have literally been checking Instagram daily for the restock date as I absolutely do need every single one of these!

Chances I’ll buy it: if I can get in there quick enough then definitely!

An autumn garland (Amazon)

Last but no means least, how can I not have one of these?!

Chances I’ll buy it: pretty high, if I can decide what I’ll actually do with it!

So, there you have it, a little sneak peak in to the items I’m currently pining after! I could have gone on for much longer, as there’s a ridiculous amount of items on my wish lists, especially ASOS…. I never actually realised how materialistic I was!

What’s on your Wishlist for autumn? Which of these items do you think I should definitely purchase, or which do you think I should steer clear of?

Posted in Life

6 Things To Love About Autumn

Posted on by WattTheBlog

For me personally, I couldn’t love Autumn anymore than I do already… but I know the chillier days aren’t for everyone so to help get everyone else in to the spirit of things, I’m sharing a list of just 6 reasons to love this season!

Firstly, all things cosy! How can you not love getting all cosy in a jumper, with blankets and a hot chocolate, maybe in front of a fire if you’re super lucky… it’s just the best.

Photo by Taryn Elliott on Pexels.com

Next up, all of the Autumn LUSH goodies! I don’t know about you, I love a Lush bathbomb on any day of the year, but there’s something extra special about the Autumn and Halloween ones.

Monster Ball from 2016

After shopping at your local Lush, you might want to grab some lunch and a classic Pumpkin Spiced Latte. Yep, I’m that kinda gal. I know it’s become a bit of a love/hate thing in recent years, but I’m here to tell you that I for one… am ALL about pumpkin spiced EVERYTHING.

Pumpkin picking in my favourite Autumnal jacket

Then after the pumpkin spice leaves the cafes and shops… it’s replaced with all things Christmas, and if Autumn doesn’t get you excited… surely the run up to Christmas does?! I’m one of these weird folks that finds the run up to things almost more exciting than the actual event and now is the time that most wonderful time of year starts to creep up on us.

Next on my list, the colours… don’t you just love it when the leaves all start to turn? I can’t think of anything better than a walk in the crisp, fresh air, crunching on all the red and brown leaves as they start to fall from the trees.

Last but not least, and possibly the best thing of all… HALLOWEEN! Of course, with Autumn comes Halloween and honestly? It’s my favourite day of the year, I just love all things spooky.

Photo by Jillian Morkan on Pexels.com

So… grab yourself a pumpkin spiced beverage, run yourself a Lush infused bath, get cosy and pop on a spooky movie… it’s time for Autumn!

Do you love this season too? What are your favourite things about Autumn? Let me know in the comments!

Posted in Life

August Round-Up & Blogging Goals for Autumn

Posted on by WattTheBlog

Just like that, it’s goodbye Summer.

Who can believe we’re about to enter September? It doesn’t seem right to me at all… March feels just like yesterday! This year hasn’t exactly been the best for anyone I think, so I suppose it’s not necessarily a bad thing that it’s flown by.

That being said, August seems to have been a busy month and so I thought now was a good time for some reflection before we enter my favourite season… Autumn.

What did I achieve in August?

Firstly, non-blogging related – Bought a new car – If you follow me on Instagram, then you may have seen my recent reel showing of the car that Dale and I have bought. We went for a Mini Countryman Sport and I love it! There are a lot of luxuries that I never knew I needed, like heated seats and Apple car play… but not only that, it’s a really sturdy car and I actually feel really safe and secure whilst driving. Writing this makes me feel like I should have written a full review!

Planned content for the rest of the year – turns out that coming in to Autumn inspires me and then I was already on a roll so carried on for Blogmas and up to the end of this year!

Managed to publish posts consistently all month – I have struggled with consistency from day one so any time I can keep up with posting regularly is an achievement to me. In August I have shared more of my first Trek America trip, a photo journal, a review of StitchFix and also 8 things to know before you get a puppy.

Reached over 100 followers on my blog and 2,600 on Instagram!

In fact, it’s a been one whole year of Watt The Blog!

When you break it down in to small acheivements like that, the year doesn’t seem so bad after all.

Moving forward in to the glorius Autumn, here are my blogging goals for the season:

Continue to post consistently and more often – I’m going to aim for twice a week in the run up to December, then ATTEMPT a daily Blogmas up to Christmas eve… wish me luck!

Stick to my content plan – it’s all very well making a plan for the rest of the year, but I need to actually stick to it…

Reach 200 followers on my blog – that one might be a bit of a stretch, but I can try!

If I’m gaining followers on my blog, might at well reach 2,700 on Instagram and 900 on Twitter… again… I can try!

Create a blogging Facebook page – I keep meaning to do this, but haven’t quite got that far yet.

I’m sending out optimism and good vibes in to the universe right now and looking forward to reflecting back on these goals later on in to Winter!

What are you goals for the coming months and what are you proud to have acheived in August? Let me know in the comments!