Oil Burners & Candle Gift Ideas

As a twenty something with a penchant for living life to the extreme, I thought it was about time that I took on the mystical beheamouth that is...the oil burner. 

Turns out, they're actually really simple contraptions. All you have to do is pop your unscented tealight in the bottom of the burner, sit your scented wax tart neatly on the top, light your little tealight and you're good to go! Who knew, eh?! Apparently, these babies have a burning time of around 8 hours and once you're done with a burn, you just leave the SCOLDING HOT wax to cool down as it'll regain its shape and you can use it again! However, my TOP TIP is to do the following: chop the tarts in half so you get a second helping! Full of ideas, me. Don't worry if you're a bit of a wax tart newbie though, because the people that sent me this fragrant stash, Scentedcandleshop, also have a Youtube channel full of videos to help you out, from tutorials on how to maintain your candles to ideas on how to make the most of them. 

CINNAMON TEALIGHTS* | YANKEE WAX TARTS* | OIL BURNER*

- SCENTEDCANDLESHOP | UNscented tealights, local £1 shop | YANKEE VOTIVE, GIFT | dwight original, being little

I think oil burners make the best gifts because not only are they relatively inexpensive, as well as being rather pretty, you are then able to give the recipients seasonal wax tarts as future gifts. It's a foolproof way to never be stuck for presents, or stocking fillers, again! I have the following wax tarts: Honey Blossom, Fireside Treats, Black Coconut, Soft Blanket, Christmas Eve and Loves Me, Loves Me Not. The latter is my favourite because it smells like daisies and fresh summer days. What more could you want? I definitely need to get the tumbler / jar of this scent. I've now got a long list of scents that I want to try next, and I can't wait for Yankee's coconut range next year. I was also kindly sent some cinnamon tealights, which don't offer a long burn but they do make the room smell delicious, and some Christmas candles which are great because it's one of our little traditions at home to burn them throughout the festive period. I also picked up a few other treats but they're secret for now. 



Scentedcandleshop always have deals on, and they've currently got 25% off on selected Yankee candles, so pop over if you're after some candles! They stock a wide range of brands, and types of candle, as well as stocking a load of pretty accessories so you can pretty get half of your gift list covered in one order, which is pretty snazzy. What do you think? Are candles your sort of thing? Leave me your favourite wax tart scents in the comments below so I know which ones to pick up next! I'm off to wrap Mamabear's presents, do some top secret project stuff and hang out with Little Cub ♥

Bookish Etsy Gift Guide

As you all know, I'm a raving party animal. However, when I'm not getting up to highjinks, I like to sit indoors and compile Etsy wishlists. I am wild. Oh, yes! I frequently spend my afternoons trawling through people's 'Friday Favourites' posts in the vain hope that I'll unearth some more Etsy gems. With this in mind, I thought I'd make a compilation every once in a while of the awesome things that I come across on my travels. I know, I'm too kind. To begin this series, I've decided to pick some book-related things because they take up a massive part of my Etsy wishlist and I rather like them. I PROMISE I WILL COOL IT WITH THE BOOK CONTENT SOON! If you've come across any pretty cool literary related things on Etsy, feel free to leave them in the comments below so everyone can find them! 

❥  jane eyre" oil fragrance by ravensctapothecary

I'm quite passionate about Victorian literature, and I also happen to love botanical perfumery, so it was no surprise that this ended up on my wishlist a little while back. I think these bottles are beautiful, and they would make great quirky little gifts for bookworms who have a 'to be read' list longer than their arm, and therefore don't need any more books.  These handmade fragrances are also vegan and cruelty free, and free from any nasties so that's a bonus! RavensCourtApothecary Co.  actually do lots of literary scents, including 'Alice', 'Mr Rochester', 'Elizabeth Bennett', 'Mr Darcy', 'The Secret Garden', 'Dorian Gray' and 'Heathcliff'. The perfect gift for lovers of classic literature, I'm sure you'll agree! 

❥  VIRGINIA WOOLF POSTER PRINT By standard designs

These would make the perfect gift for a bookworm who still has the shelf / wall space left for a bit of artwork! Some of these pieces from this shop are really quite witty, so they're good for bibliophiles that have a good sense of humour. Not a Woolf fan? (Who is?!...heh) Not to worry as Standard Designs also stock: Samuel Beckett, Ted Hughes, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain and many others. There's something for everyone, I'm sure.  

❥  roald dahl quote art print by oldenglishco

This print features a pretty magical design and a Roald Dahl quote to boot. You can actually customise this print by picking different colour ways, and by choosing the colour layout, which I think is pretty cool! I think this would be an ideal gift for children and adults alike. OldEnglishCo also stock some other awesome prints, like this Italian Kitchen print, Ice Cream print, I Love You Deerly print and I Want To Bear Hug You print. 

❥ oscar wilde (author series) by ryan sheffield

I think these are really awesome!! I definitely want to pick up a few of these for my wall...which doesn't really have any more room to house artwork but room shroom. I also really like the following prints: William Faulkner, Hermann Hesse, Toni Morrison, Walt Whitman, James Joyce and C. S. Lewis.

❥ where the wild things are globe by wendygold / imaginenations

If someone could buy me all the globes, and all the maps, I would be pretty content. Whilst these are expensive, they would make pretty good gifts for loved ones embarking on a new journey, the nomad in your life or newlywed couples (as there is a custom wedding globe option!). Whilst they aren't literary related, I also particularly like the Adventure Awaits globe, Bon Voyage globe and the Bloom globe. 

❥ bookstore scented soy tart 3oz pack by frostbeard  

They're currently on vacation, and are going to be back in 2014 with new stock, but prior to their holiday this little shop stocked Butterbeer, Dumbledore's Office and Winterfell scented tarts! The perfect gift for homey little nerdfighters like myself! Keep them bookmarked ready for the new year. 

❥ ernest hemingway poster print by standard designs 

This beauty comes from the same shop as the Virginia Woolf print but I couldn't help but share another! They have such a wide range of prints, and I'm definitely going to be treating myself to one soon. You can also get: George Orwell, Robert Louis Stevenson, Herman Melville and Alfred Hitchcock (for film buffs!). 

Has anything caught your beady little eye? Do you have any favourite Etsy shops? Feel free to leave them in the comments so everyone can check them out. Meanwhile, I'm off to do a spot of wrapping! ♥ 

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Book Haul feat. Charles Dickens

books*, the book people

duvet set*, JOULES

For someone who has been on a book ban for the past few weeks, I seem to have collected a rather sizeable selection of books lately. Thankfully, the ones I'm about to show you came from the lovely people at NetVoucherCodes, a collective who took pity on my bank balance, and actively encouraged me to ignore my groaning shelves and attempt to fit some more books into my bookcase. Thanks guys! I thought I'd give you a run down of the books that I picked up from The Book People's website, and also give you some more book related Christmas gift ideas that are cheap but also very cheerful. As ever, leave all your bookish thoughts in the comments below!

DICKENS AT CHRISTMAS BY CHARLES DICKENS 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and admit to the fact that I have never actually read A Christmas Carol...

Phew, now that's out in the open! I thought it was about time that I rectify this by opting for this festive Dickens tome to sit down and enjoy by the portable heater fire this Christmas. This volume includes many of Dickens' festive tales, including special editions of his periodicals, in a rather beautiful and extremely gift-worthy hardback edition. I'm rather looking forward to reading some of these on Christmas Eve, right after I've read Twas The Night Before Christmas aloud for the family, obvs! This also adds to my diddy Dickens collection, which is now three books strong! 

WILD ABANDON BY JOE DUNTHORNE

Submarine is one of my favourite books, and I never mention the word 'favourite' when it comes to books, so I have very high hopes for this particular offering from Dunthorne. The premise sounds particularly interesting: Wild Abandon follows Kate and Albert, a brother and sister, who have grown up on a secluded communal farm, that has slowly begun to disintegrate, along with their parents' marriage. Disillusioned by their lives, they both try to escape, with Albert focusing all of his energy into preparing for the end of the world that he swears is nigh. Their father, and group leader, is convinced he can save everything by bringing his clan into the modern age through various means, including a rave with a 10k soundsystem. 

I've actually started reading this novel and whilst it hasn't tested my pelvic floor just yet, I'm still optimistic. I actually have the other edition on my Christmas list so I could end up with a bit of a double whammy but when both covers are pretty cool, I couldn't care less! This would make a great gift for all those who enjoyed Submarine, and for those who like their books to be funny. 

A MONSTER CALLS BY PATRICK NESS 

I had my eye on this book for a long time and I have no idea why it took me so long to pick it up. The blurb says the following: 'The monster showed up after midnight. As they do. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth...'

I actually read this last week and all I can say is: WOW! This book is absolutely beautiful. It's a complete tearjerker, so much so that I had to stop reading because I couldn't actually see anymore. However, in its fragility, and despite its delicate subject matter, it gave me hope and made me feel a little less anxious about the things that I've been through this year. The illustrations are also absolutely beautiful, and the illustrator has actually just been commissioned to re-design the Harry Potter novels. Oo-err! I've given it 5 stars and I'll be posting a review soon-ish. This book would make a perfect Christmas present for those who love illustrated tomes, for those who appreciate happy but sad tales and for those who need someone or something to let them know that they're not alone. It would also make a nice present to yourself...TW though because this book deals with cancer, grief and loss. This book is now a firm favourite of mine, and not just because I got a tweet off the author!

books vs. cigarettes by george orwell
Somehow I managed to get through 21 years of life without reading Orwell. I'm not entirely sure how that happened. However, I'm now slowly rectifying that fact by not only purchasing a pretty lovely second hand copy of 1984 the other day, but also with this little number from the Penguin Great Ideas collection. I love me a musing, and this definitely fits the bill. Books vs. Cigarettes is a collection of Orwell's essays, exploring everything from the cost of literature versus other recreational activities, to the freedom of the press, from the trouble with being a critic, to patriotism. I've read a few of the essays so far and they were interesting reads. Admittedly, I have found one or two of them to be a little too heavy for a quick read but I'll definitely be revisiting those when I have the energy! This would make a perfect gift for those weird and wonderful people who enjoy essays.  Yes, they do exist!

▴

If you'd like to scroll through all of my book blog posts then you can. Or, alternatively, you could just flick through my book hauls instead.

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My Favourite Booktube Channels

Hello, I'm Bee and I spend half my life watching videos about books on the internet. The other half, you say? This video of a raccoon eating grapes, duh! There's nothing I like more than sitting down of an afternoon with a drink and some form of snack before watching bookshelf tour upon bookshelf tour, and I'm perfectly okay with that! I subscribe to quite a lot of booktubers so I thought I'd share a selection with you today because they're all very worthy of a billion more subscribers each. Feel free to share your own favourite channels, or favourite videos, in the comments below for others to see! 

#
1BOOK1REVIEW

a
abitoftashi
adamandkarate
adultishbooks
amandacenter
ARIEL BISSETT
Ataraxic reads

b

bazpierce 
BOOKISHTHOUGHTS
BOOKSANDBISCUITS 
BOOKSANDQUILLS

c
candysomething
CHBOSKYY
Christoria2027
CLIMBTHESTACKS

D
DENISEDCOOPER
Dingbatdollface

e
emilyjean

F
FOOLISHOATS
frenchiedee

h
HELLOHEMLOCK

j
jen campbell
JUSTKISSMYFROG

k
khiacomments

l
LITTLEGHOSTCREATIONS
listobsessedreader

LIBRARIANFANmail
libraryattheedgeoftheworld

m
MERCYSBOOKISHMUSINGS
MICKEY'SBOOKTUBEEXPERIMENT

o
OLDHOTRADIO
ONESMALLPAW

p
PAGESTOWRITE

R
READINGBUKOWSKI
READINGREFUGEES
READSANDDAYDREAMS
READSUSIEREAD
RETIREDBOOKNERD
ronlit

s
SABLECAUGHT
Scsreads
SHERIDAKUFFOUR
STEPHANIESPINESANDTIM 
stevereadsbooks
SUNNYSWEETPEA

t
THECOLLECTEDWORKS
thegrangerarticles
THEHEAVYBLANKS
THEREADABLES

w
weliveforbooks
WELLDONEBOOKS
WHATKELLYREADS
wordsofareader


Have I left any of  your favourites out? Let me know in the comments because I'm always on the search for new ones to subscribe to! ♥

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What To Pack For A Weekend Away

(photo credit)

I have attempted to compile a checklist of what to pack for a weekend away. I have tried to cover most grounds but, of course, if you're going on a super specific trip then you may need to compile a little separate list of the more specialist things that you require. You'll need to adapt the clothing category to your own tastes and requirements, too. Otherwise, bon voyage!

If you've arrived here from a Google search the night before your trip then hello! I'm Bee and I'm a creative lifestyle and book blogger. If you like what you see around these parts do stick around. Links and relevant information are at the end of this post. 

essentials
[  ] wallet including cash, card and ID
[  ] important documents (e.g check in information, flights, itinerary, addresses, travel insurance, etc)

[  ] phone and its charger 

optional 

[  ] passport
[  ] glasses or contacts and contact fluid 
[  ] medication including extras
[  ] disability aids (e.g sticks, alarms, etc)

[  ] map, satnav, phrase book or guide book
[  ] baby bag: clothes, accessories, feeding stuff etc
[  ] VISA details

[  ] camping equipment 
[  ] external phone battery pack

[  ] travelling aids: earplugs, sweets, bottled water, sick bag, tissues, travel pillows etc

[  ] minimal first aid kit
[  ] watch 
[  ] luggage locks
[  ] bug sprays or nets
[  ] activity stuff (e.g ski stuff for a ski holiday, wet suit for surfing, etc)

[  ] sunscreen and aftersun

[  ] travel plugs and adaptators
[  ] bag for dirty laundry
[  ] beach towel

clothing

[  ] 2 tops or a shirt and a jumper (base this on the weather)
[  ] 2 bottoms (again, weather and event appropriate)
[  ] 1 piece of knitwear or cosier item for layering (if needed)
[  ] 1 or 2 bits of eveningwear
[  ] backpack / day bag 
[  ] night bag

optional 

[  ] pair of sunglasses

[  ] hat, gloves, scarf 
[  ] beach bag
[  ] sun hat

[  ] coat with a hood or jacket or waterproof

[  ] swimsuit / trunks and a cover up

[  ] belt 

[  ] hair accessories
[  ] misc accessories (e.g jewellery)

UNDIES

[  ] pair of undies per day  

[  ] pair of socks per day

optional 
[  ] extra undies (recommended!)
[  ] extra socks 
[  ] tights or cosy socks  

[  ] bra 

SHOES

[  ] pair of flats or trainers (comfy!)

optional 

[  ] dressier shoe
[  ] walking boots 
[  ] wellies
[  ] flip flops
[  ] coral shoes 
[  ] sandals
[  ] flippers...you get the idea!

PJ'S AND COSYWEAR

[  ] 1 pj top

[  ] pair of pj bottoms

optional  

[  ] dressing gown or onesie 

[  ] slippers

toiletries

[  ] toothbrush and toothpaste 

[  ] hairbrush or comb 

[  ] shampoo and conditioner or dry shampoo

[  ] shower gel 

[  ] skincare 
[  ] deodorant and perfume / aftershave

optional 

[  ] face cloth and towel (if you're going somewhere that doesn't provide them)
[  ] razor and shaving foam

[  ] face mask and pampering items (for chilled getaways)

[  ] make-up
[  ] make-up remover
[  ] contraception  
[  ] travel sized mirror
[  ] tampons / pads
[  ] nail clippers or file 
[  ] tweezers

entertainmeNT 
[  ] gadgets (e.g music, tablet, external harddrive, laptops, cameras, kindles, etc)
[  ] chargers, batteries and memory cards for said gadgets

[  ] disposable camera 
[  ] snorkels / underwater gear
[  ] equipment for hobbies (e.g fishing rods, etc)
[  ] headphones
[  ] binoculars
[  ] journal or a notepad and pen
[  ] books or magazines
[  ] snacks for journey or stay
[  ] kids entertainment (e.g toys, colouring books, games, etc)
[  ] board games, etc

i hope this checklist has helped you with what to pack for a weekend away. CHECK OUT MY OTHER POSTS WHILST YOU'RE HERE! 

I SHARE ADVENTURES AND ADVICE, READ A LOT OF BOOKS, TALK CREATIVE BITS, SHARE LISTS AND TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY. if you like what you see, you can find me in the following places...

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