Five smells for the love of Fall, that are not Pumpkin
When styling a scene for your home, especially a seasonal one, don’t overlook scent. Scent can be powerful and evocative, transporting us to specific memories or traditions. If you don’t happen to have ingredients or oils on hand to whip up your favorite Fall scents, our friend and guest voice Marie is here to help with recommendations.
Deep inside my tattooed, red lipstick and all black wearing soul, is the most basic of stereotypes: “Girl who loves Fall.” She indulges in more than a few pumpkin spice lattes, takes photos standing atop a carefully selected pile of orange, red and brown foliage, and sips Apple Jacks (recipe below) in front of her chiminea. It is, even more than Christmas, my favorite time of year.
Beyond the traditional Midwest family outings of various produce patches and picking activities, working on your knife skills with gourds, is one underrated tradition that I love— selecting a fall fragrance for my home. And while I love the smell of pumpkin spice in the morning, I prefer that smell in my coffee. So put the Glade pumpkin spice candle down and feast your nose on five smells for your home that will make your guests stop and ask, where you got that candle.
No. 5: Midnight Forest - For the ladies who like to cuddle up to a good smelling man, this candle is for you. Do you ever walk by a man who gets you to double take just because he smells good? This is that in a candle. This is a great candle for a bathroom.
No. 4: Blue Mint - If there is one candle that takes me from fall right into winter, it’s this candle. Not as icy and the name suggests, I love this candle in my bedroom because it makes me want to cozy up with my weighted blanket and read until Spring.
No. 3: Smoked Wood & Amber - Don’t let the name fool you. This doesn’t smell like burnt wood, but the best damn fireplace of all time. The amber is the sweetness that counters the smoke, which is just a hint. It’s warm and inviting and was gifted to me by a very fancy woman who was the premier buyer for the home department at a high-end department store. So if you’ve ever wondered what fancy women’s homes smell like, this is your Huckleberry.
No. 2: Rose + Cedar - This candle smells like a fancy cabin. And the wood wick gives it that cozy fireplace vibe. If this candle came as a gift, it would have hot cocoa and a red and black checkered blanket in a wire basket with it. This is my second favorite fall candle and one that is burning on my mantel as I write this.
Told ya.
No. 1: Cedar + Magnolia - Truthfully, I have all the size variations on this candle. It is my Sunday morning cleaning candle and my Friday night cozy up on the couch and watch movies candle. A sweet floral with a just enough cedar to get you in the mood for scarves and sweaters. This is my go-to for fall parties, hostess gifts, and a signature smell in my home.
Displaying your fall candles at home:
Have more than a few fall scents you like? Of course you do. Take a vintage tray, charger, because let’s be honest, if you have chargers, you probably don’t use them enough, and display all your fall candles together on a mantel, coffee table, or your dining room table. Even a small wooden cutting board would work. Note: If you decide to use pillars, make sure they are sitting on something to catch wax, the last thing you want is a perfectly usable cutting board regulated to decor only because candle wax dripped on your cutting board.
Apple Jacks Recipe:
Your Favorite Whiskey, like this one or this one
Ice
In a tall glass, add ice and 2oz of whiskey.
Top with apple cider.
Make it Instagrammable: Add a slice of apple and a cinnamon stick for garnish.
Warm version:
Heat cider in a small saucepan on medium low until just steaming, about 7 or so minutes.
In a mug, pour ½ oz of whiskey and top with warmed cider.
