Everyone loves candles. I have them in every room of my home, and just love the aroma. They can change the atmosphere of any environment.
For my birthday, my husband gave me two wish candles. They burn for thirty-five to forty hours. My favorite says love on the outside. I work from home, so this bright red candle is perfect next to my desk, as it smells like spring time in the forest. My man knows how much I love the smell of citrus and fresh flowers, so he gave me the “wish”, wish candle. Like Love, the word Wish is hand jeweled on the outside of the holder.
One of the best things about Wish candles is that they have two wicks. I think this creates a wonderful glow, and great ambience. I was thrilled when I saw all of the different ones available. All of them have different messages that are hand jeweled. I chose Best Friends for my BFF. She loves the pale pink color, and the citrus and floral bouquet. My cousin has been going through some health issues, so the Faith and Get Well wish candles were perfect for her. The Faith candle is purple, and smells like a sugar-coated lemon. The Get Well candle smells like lavender. I plan on giving all of my friends and family wishes, as they are made from a unique vegetable blend. As well as the ones I have mentioned above, you can choose from Angel, Dream, Happy Birthday, Hope, I Heart You, Peace, Thank You, and XOXO. Santa Baby, Ho Ho Ho, Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas are perfect gifts for the holiday season.
If you have ever lit soy candles, you will know how clean they burn. They put off very little black smoke, and are much safer to use. I found a great selection of monogrammed candles that are very decorative. Each is emblazoned with a jeweled initial. These make great gifts for the bride and groom. They all have the same scent, which is blackberry amber, so you can burn as many as you like at the same time. I have fallen in love with soy candles.
When I first heard the word aromatherapy, I would think of essential oils, and plant extracts. I really had no idea that candles can have healing benefits as well. It is all about the scent. I found some great products that are made with natural ingredients, and I discovered that they made me feel better. There is a great double wick heart candle that smells like cherries and vanilla. Every time I light it, it reminds me of my childhood, and really lifts my spirit. I bought Mistletoe, and it was perfect for the holidays. It smells like holiday greens, and is made with something called Paragel. This is a mixture of high quality wax, and translucent gel. The color bowls create an illuminated stained glass effect when lit. They are simply stunning. One of my favorites is the Tranquility color bowl. It has two wicks, and is perfect for aromatherapy. It smells like cucumber, and summer melons.
I travel a lot, and like to take candles with me, but they can be a pain to pack. When I discovered Z, I was thrilled. They are so easy to take with you, and fit in your purse or carry on. Each one has fifteen hours of burn time, and comes in a variety of scents. The Cosmopolitan is a nice combination of sweet and tart, and the cupcake smells like a yellow butter cake, with fresh cream icing.
During the second season of the hit TV show Glee, the cast saw the addition of some great new characters. Of those characters, perhaps the most notable for singing ability is Blaine, played by Darren Criss. I was overjoyed when I discovered that the seventh Glee soundtrack album was going to feature this great new talent. Glee, The Music Presents The Warblers is a great album dedicated to the vocal stylings of the Dalton Academy Warblers.
Before getting into the album proper, some background information is in order. Blaine and the Dalton Academy Warblers first came into the Glee picture during the episode “Never Been Kissed”, in which Kurt discovers that some schools feature a zero tolerance policy when it comes to homophobia. Blaine explains to Kurt that the Warblers, Dalton Academy’s Glee Club, are like “Rock Stars” at the school, prompting Kurt to eventually transfer over.
In my opinion, adding these talented new vocalists to the Glee cast was a great move on the part of the producers. All of the Glee songs featuring the Warblers are a capella, though with such interesting and complex harmonies, it often sounds as though there are instruments backing them up. Although Glee, The Music Presents The Warblers does not heavily feature the core Glee cast (a fact that more than a few fans are sure to note), it does feature undeniably awesome arrangements of some of today’s and yesterday’s hottest songs.
Some details: Glee, The Music Presents the Warblers was released on April 19 of this year. It features thirteen cover songs, eleven of which are from season two, and two of which are unique to the album itself. The principle vocalists on the album are Darren Criss, who plays the role of Blaine, and Chris Coffer, who is the one and only Kurt Hummel. Additional vocals on the album are provided by The Beezlebubs, an all-male a capella vocal ensemble from Tufts University.
We all know the voice of Chris Coffer: It is sweet, high, strong when he wants it to be, and extremely sensitive at all times. Darren Criss’ powerful baritone is fantastic on its own, and provides a great contrast to the feminine-sounding Coffer. The two of them make magic in their duets; a chemistry that is reflected in the season two storyline, which eventually sees them begin to date one another.
Glee, The Music Presents the Warblers is not your standard Glee soundtrack album, but it is still an impressive compilation of songs and talent, and worth having in your collection. Whether you prefer the high-energy rendition of Pink’s “Raise Your Glass”, the breathtaking duet “Candles”, or the poignancy of the Beatles’ “Blackbird”, there is sure to be something on this album that will transport you into the wonderful world of Glee.
With the invention of radio, country music made its way into the hearts of music lovers in the 1920s. One can certainly relate the lyrics and soul of the songs to the stories and folklore of native South Americans. Country music has not just been in the hearts of American music lovers but also in the hearts of people all over the world. I personally cannot stop myself from going over to the country music corner of the music store. Often you can catch me there looking for the latest country music CD. Though I cannot speak for everyone who loves country music, for me something pulls me to its melody and essence.
My latest CD crush is the Need You Now album by Lady Antebellum. Why? There is not just one reason. The album, featuring Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley, is the first debut album to top the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart. Every track seems to touch my heart with its excellent mixture of vocal harmonies. Country music has been an interesting collision between traditional and modern lifestyle. Lady Antebellum have not spared any formulas in their tracks and videos. You will find ancient soul-rendering music, the latest trendy dresses and a wild combination of rock riffs all lending a hand to the success of the album.
Romancing a beauty on a lonely night with emotional words sung from the depth of the heart, this is what the track makes us feel, wherein Scott is neither too emotional nor Kelly too old- fashioned. Despite the fact that the album was released two years ago, it is still leading the chart of the topmost country albums. You can even note it as the third song to reach the hit list following “I’m Already There” by Lonestar and “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascall Flatts.
A couple of days before winning their first Grammy award, I read a number of music blogs that highlighted speculations about “Need You Now”. For sure, even the band members were not that confident about their achievement. It seems they had put in extreme extra efforts to make this album a blockbuster.
The album has hit the top 5 in the list of 100 hottest singles chart and has been certified platinum, which is an honor in itself. Kelly is very positive about the constant success they have been experiencing in the form of awards, praises and hit lists. Music lovers have been supporting them with their accolades and responses. In return, the band wants to give them more hits. Presently with “American Honey” making its way into the top 20 country list, questions are being raised about the presence of Lady Antebellum being on the top for longer.
With such single hits, country music lovers are expecting more music cd albums, which will remain in their hearts forever. Even I expect a couple more hits from the band so that I can expand my music library with their acclaimed hits.
Think about how you felt the last time you received a beautifully arranged gift basket? It was likely a surprise that you were not expecting and you may not have known who sent it. They are as close as it gets to the perfect generic or “not so” generic gift.
The origins of the gift basket may be sketchy, but what is certain is their appropriateness for practically every occasion. Gift baskets are a wonderful venue for expressing personal feelings on all levels. From thank you gifts, office parties, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, mother’s day, father’s day, Christmas, and business marketing, the list goes on and on. Baskets can be custom tailored for practically any occasion and are suitable to anyone’s individual tastes regardless of age or sex. For example, gourmet gift baskets might contain wine and cheese or bath soaps and oils. Another reason gift baskets are so popular is the fact that they are really many gifts in one and let’s not forget the surprise factor which is a gift in and of itself.
They are a superb way to express appreciation or celebration such as a house-warming or closing gift. In many cases they can be an excellent business marketing tool. One dentist was known for sending baskets with a bouquet of cookies shaped like smiles, teeth and tooth brushes to other professionals in the field as a means of branding, recognition, and drumming up referrals. Men love gift baskets too. A local fly fishing shop hit the bull’s eye by featuring a fish creel gift basket that contained a variety of fly fishing paraphernalia. The possibilities are endless.
Gift baskets come in many different shapes, sizes, themes and in a variety of different containers which can often be used or put on display. Some of the more popular baskets today contain gourmet food, fruit, wine, coffee selections, and cooking herbs and seasonings. One thing everyone has in common is the necessities of culinary delights and beverages. When offered in a basket the appreciation for them is multiplied. Just imagine your new neighbors’ reaction who has just spent two days moving into their new home and has everything still in boxes when they wake up in the morning exhausted and find a beautifully arranged gift basket with fresh squeezed orange juice, fruit, bagels, and a variety of jellies and jams on their door step. Believe me; it will have a lasting impression! That is another reason that it is a gift that will last forever.
Next time you find yourself struggling with wanting to present someone with a gift but are drawing a blank, consider giving a gourmet gift basket. It is certain to convey an appropriate message to friends, relatives’, or business associates that will leave them with a lasting impression.
I had no idea that Steve Martin could sing, so I was pleasantly surprised when I heard his latest music cd. Rare Bird Alert is the actor’s latest collection of Bluegrass songs. He is backed by the Steep Canyon Rangers, and even treats us to songs by special guests, the Dixie Chicks, who sing on the track You, and Paul McCartney, who shows off his talents in Best Love.
One of my favorite songs is Jubliation Day. It is about breaking up, and will really make you smile, especially if you have just broken it off with the one you love. The harmonies on More Bad Weather are superb, even though there is only one lyric line. One of the funniest songs on the CD, yes it is obvious that Mr. Martin is still a comedian, has to be Atheists Don’t Have No Songs. Go Away, Stop, Turn Around, Come Back, has some serious banjo playing, and is hilarious. I saw him perform King Tut live in Reno, back in the late 70’s, so I was really glad that he included the live version on the CD. It brings back great memories.
Steve Martin is one of the best banjo players that I have ever heard, and it is obvious that he knows what he is doing. He won a Grammy in 2001 for Foggy Mountain Breakdown. He collaborated with Earl Scruggs, and brought the house down.
If you bought the MP3, you need to go and get the deluxe CD package. This is where can truly see Steve Martin the comedian. The booklet is so funny. He talks about why he wrote a particular song, and what it meant to write it. There are also some collectible cards that will really make you chuckle. You seriously need to go and buy the complete deluxe CD package. His record company is also putting out a special vinyl edition.
I think that Rare Bird Alert is just as good as The Crow: New Songs For The Five String Banjo, and I am sure that there will be plenty of Grammy nominations at next years awards.
Usually stars who sing will disappoint, but not this time. I am really looking forward to seeing Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers live. I know they will put on a fantastic show. Maybe the Dixie Chicks and Paul McCartney will show up. Now that would be icing on the cake.
