Out of the Box Sampler

I love handmade items and I also love samplers. There are many sampling boxes out there, and I have tried many of them, though I have to say the Out Of The Box sampler is my absolute favorite. A lot of samplers that I have purchased have super high shipping on top of the already high price for a box of samples. Then you get the box and half of the stuff is great, things I would use, but the other half is all crap. And by crap, I mean total and useless crap. Sometimes I feel that people put in their worst items or destash items that don't even represent their shop but they put it in to get 'exposure.' Sorry, but if you submit some crap to a sampler, I not only will not visit your shop, but I really avoid that shop at all costs. If this is the way you promote, why should I even want to visit your shop, as I assume your customer service is just as crappy!

Anyway, back to the OOTB Sampler... I've been getting this box every month since maybe October or November and every month I am super happy with everything inside. There are always soaps, candles, tarts, paper goods, food (yum!) and other surprises that change monthly. Honestly, we all use soap, we all eat and most of us burn candles/tarts so really, how disappointed can you be when these things are ALWAYS in the box?! Some people who put things into the box also supply full size products which is always an awesome thing to get. In every box there is also a letter with all the shops that participated and discounts for certain shops. Not only are you able to try products, but you can get a discount when you go to purchase the full size product!

I love this sampler so much that I signed up for a subscription that was offered for 4 months this year. I'm super excited about it and just received the first box of the year! I had so many soaps, candles, tarts, foods and other goodies I was thrilled. I even took a picture of some of the stuff that was inside (sorry, not all of it was there as I got a little hungry lol). Not only does the sampler make a great gift itself, the items inside are also great for small gifts or 'stocking stuffers!' If this sounds like something you'd like to try, go check it out and get a box for your self!

Soy + Soy Wax Melts

I love when my room smells good and especially love burning candles. I was looking on etsy to get something to make my room smelling good when I came across home fragrance oils. I bought them and they are great, but it was a hassle buying those tea lights and constantly having to add water to the oil. So I kept looking for a better alternative. Then I came across soy wax melts.

That got me thinking, what's the difference between regular wax melts and soy wax melts. I looked up information about soy and it's used as food, made into tofu, soy milk, wax and oil. It has many uses and is very healthy and better for the enviornment than it's 'other' counter parts. When I started to read about soy wax vs. regular (bees & parafin) wax there was a huge difference. Soy wax burns clean where regular candle wax can leave soot on your walls! It has a very low melting point so you can use it in low-watt wax burners and it burns more evenly than regular wax. It's also bio degradable since it's made from a plant. I was hooked when I read all of this.

So I made a purchase from Sparkle Puss for some soy wax melts. They smell divine and I had them in a tart warmer in my room. You could even smell it coming up the stairs in my house and my mom even made a comment about how nice my room smells! If you love burning candles or wax melts, consider soy as a more environmentally friendly option.