Vic's Valentines Picks

Valentines Day is looming, and although the Mr and I don't spend a lot of money on February 14th, I always make him acknowledge it, and it never hurts to have a wish list! I usually try and find a cool (opposite of corny) card, and when I saw these ones by Emily McDowell I laughed out loud. Unfortunately for me, and anyone outside of the US, Emily has been inundated with orders, and if you ordered today it's unlikely to get here in time. But keep her cards in mind for the future.

Of course some of my favourite cards are sold right here in the Cush & Nooks shop. These two below would be awesome V Day cards.

These swans, also from Cush & Nooks, are so beautiful. You can buy them separately, but they look so good together - don't you love how their graceful necks create a love heart?! (I have just sold the last prints but will get more in stock, so send me an email if you're interested).

For me Valentines Day is all about the little things - a flower from the garden, a cup of tea in bed. Kikki K have a gorgeous range called the Neon Hearts Collection. I'd be very happy if my cup of tea was brought to me in their Big Heart Mug.

Speaking of little things, here are a couple of small tokens of love that would most definitely be well received (by moi!). Shaun and Angela of Seventy Six Design are truly gifted. The rose gold and white gold frangipani inspired ring on the left, set with diamonds has my name all over it.

Just in case that doesn't happen, I've always loved this Wildfox Sparkle Heart Sweatshirt.

I hope this time next week you'll all been showered with affection by your loved one. And if you're single, listen to Emily - it's so much better than dating some idiot! ;)

Laura Thomas Linens

This time of year is especially busy. Getting all of our work completed before the holidays, as well as Christmas preparations, and the many pre-Chrissie social engagements and festivities... it can be exhausting! So to keep your sanity and make sure you have enough energy to get through the day, I recommend a really good night's sleep.

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A comfy bed with delicious fresh sheets is one of life's simple pleasures. I recently got some beautiful organic sheets from Laura Thomas Linens, and getting into bed at night after a long day is just pure bliss! Made from 100% organic percale cotton, they're so crisp and scrumptious, the only draw back is it's twice as hard to get out of bed in the morning now.

Laura Thomas, an expat Scot living in New Zealand, created her company back in 2012 after discovering a distinct lack of choice when it came to mid-priced, good quality bedding in NZ. She shares my love of crisp white bed linen and prides herself in fair trade, with no mass produced products in her range. She sources everything from Vietnam, India and Egypt.

As well as organic sheets, there is also a beautiful range of Stockholm Stitch organic duvet covers and pillowcases. The smart pin stitched detailing along the edges adds a delightful, subtle texture. And the Classic Hand Embroidered bed linen is pure luxury.

New to the Laura Thomas collection are these divine 100% soy wax candles. They're scented with essential oil of lavender grown in the alpine mountains of the Nelson Lakes, and all made in New Zealand. Slow burning, with over 15 hours burn time, these would make a perfect gift for someone special in your life. Choose between the Lavender and the Christmas candle, with it's Christmas spice and a hint of sweet navel orange.

Beautiful bed linen and gorgeous scented candles... you deserve a bit of luxury in your life. Go on and check out the full range at Laura Thomas Linens, including bedding for the littlies. And follow Laura on Facebook to keep up to date with all the news.

Rose in Thorns

I have always loved candles, what girl doesn't?! For me, they're reminiscent of romantic dinners for two, alfresco dining with friends, relaxing in a candlelit bath with a glass of wine - sigh! Candles always create a beautiful atmosphere, and let's not forget that candlelight is super flattering!

If you love candles as much as I do, you'll want to be introduced to Rose in Thorns, an online boutique specialising in gorgeous scented soy candles and recycled wax candles.

The range of soy glass votive candles come in a range of divine scents and colours. Each candle is hand poured and made with premium quality, 100% vegetable soy wax. All natural and chemical free, once finished you can return the empty glass to Rose in Thorns for recycling. Return four candles and receive one free.

The creamy texture of soy wax is now also available as a floating candle. Float them in a dish or teacup, or even en masse in an outdoor pool for an amazing effect.

The perfect gift, I love these teacup candles. A selection of teacups with various scented candles, when finished you can either use the teacup, have it re-filled, or pop in a floating candle or tealight candle.

Fill your home with a delicious scent by melting these soy melts in an oil burner. Unlike using oils, you don't need to worry about the water running dry. Once the scent has all evaporated, return the wax to Rose in Thorns for recycling and receive a 10% discount on your next purchase.

Another brilliant recycled product, these candles are created when old candle stubs are melted down, purified, and transformed into gorgeous new candles.

A range of glass candles including citronella candles will be essential for your summer entertaining.

And talking about summer, with the wedding and holiday season nearly upon us here in the Southern hemisphere, you're going to want plenty of candles on hand. What better place to look for inspiration than the ultimate wedding blog, Style Me Pretty. Here are just a few examples from their website of how to use candles at your next special occasion.