A Review Of The Best Kept Secrets Freshly Baked Shortbread Candle Tin*

One of the best things about attending local blogger events is having the opportunity to support local businesses, be it through venues, event sponsors or hosts. Way back in May I attended the fabulous Bloggers Teaspoon Event. You can read more about the event here but in the very generous goodie bag I was very excited to find a candle.

I'm a bit of a candle obsessive if I'm honest. I find them incredibly calming to look at, and the scented ones make such a difference, not only are they a bit of an essential in a cat filled home, but I think that they really make a house into a home.

The candle in my goodie bag came from a local brand Best Kept Secrets. Based in Northumberland they produce a wide range of handmade scented candles, rattan diffusers, and natural handmade, bath and body products.  The candles are clearly the stars of their range though and they offer several different types. In my goodie bag I was lucky enough to receive one of their Long Burning Scented Candle Tins in Freshly Baked Shortbread.

Made of a combination of vegetable and mineral oils to produce a special container blend, these candles come in a retro style can, that measure 3 inches in height, and 3 inches across. Appearance wise they aren't the biggest candles I've ever seen but they burn for around 50 hours.

Freshly Baked Shortbread is a made of a yellow coloured wax, with a sprinkling of glitter on the top, with a fork prong design like you would expect on real shortbread.

So what about the scent? Well as always I was cynical, some scented candles just don't cut the mustard, but this one was different. The minute I took the lid of the warm vanilla, biscuit, cake smell hit me and despite my cynicism the candles smells exactly the same when it's burning.  It's not an overpowering smell by any means but it easily fills our large, open plan lounge with the smell of delicious baking cookies, making the house feel really cozy and homely.
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If Freshly Baked Shortbread isn't to your taste, Best Kept Secrets have more than 50 other scents to choose from including Parma Violet, Chocolate Cloud, Wild Rose and Gingerbread Cookie.

Having been disappointed with scented candles in the past I'm the first to admit that I tend to stick  to some of the bigger brands that I know I can trust.but this experience has really made me think again.and in the future I definitely think take another look at some of the smaller candle manufacturers out there.

The Best Kept Secrets Long Burning Candle Tin in Freshly Baked Shortbread retails at £8.99 and is available from the Best Kept Secrets website and from various other stockists. Are you a scented candle fan? Leave me your musings below xx

(*Goodie Bag Contents)

Bloggers Teaspoon - Tea, Cakes, And Laughs All In Aid Of Lupus UK

I seem to be blogging quite sporadically at the moment but it's for a good reason, for the first time in a while I'm actually having a social life :) Chronic illness makes life hard on so many levels but one of the biggest ones for me is how much it's affected my social life and relationship with others, so when I've got the chance I'm embracing these opportunities with open arms and resting up whenever and where ever I can.

Sometimes a bit of pain and exhaustion is worth it though, and despite feeling horrid on Sunday, I can honestly say I had one of the best Saturday afternoons that I've had for a long time.

On Saturday afternoon  I attended Bloggers Teaspoon, a social event and tea party arranged and hosted by two lovely North East based bloggers Rachel and Becca, in aid of Lupus UK.

Lupus is an auto immune disease with many varied and debilitating symptoms, including muscle pain, weakness and fatigue, and internal and circulatory problems. At present there is no cure, but like a lot of invisible illnesses the symptoms can be controlled to some degree with varying medications ranging from steroids to immunosuppressants.

Rachel has the disease herself, and it's something that is close to my own heart too, as it's one of the potential auto immune diseases that I could potentially have, so when I heard that these lovely ladies were hosting a tea party on World Lupus Day, I knew that come hell or high water I needed to be there!

The event was held at Salsa Cafe And Tapas Bar, slap bang in the middle of Newcastle City Centre - maybe not the first place you'd think of when it comes to afternoon tea, but the upstairs rooms had been converted into a vintage tea shop, with mismatched vintage china, bunting, balloons, cupcakes courtesy of Alice, sandwiches, sausage rolls, cakes, sweeties and tea courtesy of Tea Pigs.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous because I hadn't been to an event for a while, but there was really no need for the butterflies, everyone was so friendly, and I met lots of new bloggers and caught up with some that I'd met before -  In fact I would probably go so far as to say that I haven't laughed so much in ages! -  bit of an in joke but sausages, NARS, 69's and mince were my highlights!

I wasn't having the best of spoonie days so I didn't circulate as much as I would have liked but it was so nice to meet so many new bloggers, in such a relaxed, friendly and fun atmosphere.

I know it isn't all about the goodie bags, but thanks in part to Hays Travel and Intu Metro Centre these were good ones! I mean look at the bag! that is just so me!

They contained all sorts of beauty samples, lifestyle things, sweets, a holiday voucher! and Vitamin Water (not in the pic I'm afraid I drank it!). I also managed to pick up a few extra Tea Pigs varieties to try - I loved the chai one I had on the day but I can't wait to try the creme caramel and chocolate flake bags! There were also a couple of things in the goodie bag that I'm going to review separately including the most gorgeous candle and a really pretty indie brand nail polish!

Obviously there was a serious side to the event though, and by means of collection tins, the ticket price and the raffle, the event raised nearly £200 for Lupus UK, which was an amazing result. Please, please, please have a look at their website to find out more about the illness and the work that they do. Also If anyone wishes to donate to Lupus UK you can text LUUK16 and the amount you wish to donate to 70070 i.e. LUUK16 £10 to 70070

I'd like to say a huge, huge thank you to Rachel and Becca, their sponsors and their army of little helpers for hosting a fab event for a great cause, you deserve a huge pat on the back xx Definitely a job well done and I hope it won't be the last Teaspoon event x