Hello

Hello everyone,

I have decided to start my own blog about my love for and obsession with Yankee Candles.  This love goes back many years.  Too many to count, but I would say that it goes back at least ten or twelve years if not more.  Recently my love has hit obsessive levels and not only have I added to my hoard of large jars, votives and tarts but I have found great joy in writing a diary in my computer that is now more than 30 pages long.  Each time I write, I always think to myself that I should just start a blog.  That would create a fun and cute little online world for this obsession of mine and hopefully I will find some friends and other Yankee addicts along the way. So here we are making a blog for the first time ever.  This is mostly for my own benefit because I really want a pictorial reference for the things that I write about and the candles that I experience, not just a word related one.

Here are a few quick facts about my obsession;

• I have more than 200 jars- mostly large jars as I feel they are more economical, but I do have a few medium and small jars
• About 20 of those jars are Black Bands which show you how long I've been collecting.  I have been trying to burn through some of them but I do have a few beloveds that I won't burn until they bring the scent back as a Treasure.  My favorites is Hearts and Flowers and I have two jars of it both of which I have only burned a couple of times.  The last time I burned one was last Christmas when I heard a rumor that they were bringing Hearts and Flowers back in the spring which sadly didn't happen, much to my disappointment. My other beloved is a large jar of unburned Violet and Birch.  I think this one is extremely rare and if I sold it on Ebay I might make a few pennies. I've never seen this scent listed on Ebay before.
• My Yankee obsession is noticeable all over my house; in addition to all my candles, I have a drawer full of tarts, a box of half used tarts, several tart melters and my  new pride and joy - the Scenterpiece.  All of these things I will discuss at one point or another. If I could, I would wear a pair of Yankee Candle earrings!
• I have a diary that I write in frequently in my computer. This blog is taking that diary to a whole new level. 
• I have a notebook that I use to keep track of the tarts I melt so I can remember what my impressions were as I was melting them.  No sense buying a full jar of a scent that I hated when I melted the tart!
• I don't have very accessories.  I would rather spend my dough on candles.  See?  I'm a purist. I won't have elaborate pretty displays of accessories to show you.  I hardly every buy that stuff.  I don't have anywhere to keep it anyway.
• My obsession reaches into the online world too.  I have several Youtubers that I stalk on a regular basis (I love watching them talk about their YC hauls and reviews) and I'm an active member of a great group on Facebook.  Those people truly understand me. 
• Last year we moved into a new house.  In my master closet I had a double shelf custom made so that I would have more space for my candles.  Recently I took all of my fall and Christmas scents upstairs to store in the shelf above the dry bar and I got in trouble when my husband realized I was expanding. Insert embarrassed emoticon here. 
• My husband is a saint. He mostly understands my obsession.  Puts up with it anyway.  But he gripes when I spend too much money.  I think I do a pretty good job not getting too out of control.  Sometimes he buys me a candle or two for a gift or a special occasion so he gets bonus points.
• My 16 year old daughter just thinks I'm nuts and most of the time she just thinks I'm ridiculous and rolls her eyes.
• My 20 year old son doesn't really care. 

Okay, so that's me in a nutshell.  I also have a house full of animals (3 small dogs and two cats and a third cat that comes to visit when my son comes home from college) and I'm a preschool teacher which is my other obsession. Most of the time life is pretty good and I'm very blessed.  Even though some people make fun of me because of my obsession.  I just ignore them and love them anyway.