Sunday 10 March 2013

Rachel Vosper - Part 2

Hello all, I am having a few technical issues while on holiday.

Will try to do a travel post but the internet and my equipment is not making it easy...
So here's one I made earlier!

I tried Rachel Vosper for the first time around Christmas time.

Shop exterior on Kinnerton Street,
one of the loveliest hidden streets in Belgravia.

I wrote about it in this post.
Shop interior,  I love her use of cornicing as shelves on the left.

I love and need candles around the house and was so excited to find someone to fill all the empty used candle jars with some new scents.
She is still one of the only chandlers I can find that can refill pretty much what you bring in for her to turn into a candle.


For a candle of premium quality, in my experience, on the same level as Cire Trudon and Diptyque, she charges a third and just less than half for the same amount of candle.  
Plus you get to choose your vessel.

My first Rachel Vosper "experiment".
A whisky goblet rarely used that I made into a candle.

At first, I was just excited about the recyclable and eco-friendly aspect of it but now after having tried her candles, I love the candles for its own sake.

They burn cleanly and evenly and the scents are well balanced.

Also, I don't smoke but my partner does and we have friends who do so I need a candle that will eliminate the smoke smell and I find that the scent Choisya with its notes of Mexican orange blossom, citrus, and flowers is excellent at neutralising cigarette/cigar smoke.

After realising that I was convinced by her candles, I decided to bring a few more items for her to turn into candles.

This is the haul I brought back home.

A used empty Cire Trudon glass recycled.  
Those are the hardest to get rid of as they are hand blown Venetian glass and there are only so many make up brush holders and mini vases one needs around the house.

Rachel is so gracious that she doesn't even mind if you bring in jars from other brand candles.

Another empty Cire Trudon candle getting a second life.

I had some cheap Zara Moroccan tea glasses loitering about so...
Made it into a candle but she did say as it is a basic quality of glass that she would only use one wick instead of her standard two.

Glass is one of my favourite materials. 


My amethyst colored crystal tumbler.  
I love drinking out of it but tend to "save" it and I love that 
I have it out on display now.


Another glass I rarely use and now am making 
some proper use out of.


Now here is my favourite piece that Rachel did.  
I have to give her credit for this.
I thought she might think I was a bit mad but she has had all sorts of commissions so this was straightforward for her.

I had a soup tureen that I bought because I love the pattern on the porcelain.

Hermes Eau Nil pattern
I like soup but I will admit that I have never used it and it is one of those things of which I have the best intentions.

And Voila - she made it something for me to use on a nightly basis!




And here is the action shot...

I absolutely love lighting this - it is a bit of a ritual now.

Those of you in London have to go and visit her shop. There is a cute pub next door and is opposite the best Pakistani restaurant in London, Salloos. 

So I hope you go through your cupboards and try and reuse those pieces that you have and love but don't use often enough.  
Then get them to your local chandler and 
see if you can turn it into a candle. 

19 comments:

  1. I do agree that candles create a beautiful ambiance, but since moving out of my parent's house and living on my own, I don't trust myself with candles. I have one on the dining room table, nothing special and one in the bathroom, but they have never been lit!

    If you use candles, I like the idea of finding things in your cupboard to remodel, I will pass that tip on to my friend x

    http://forcailini.blogspot.com

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    1. Colleen, what am I going to do with you? You need to take a bubble bath surrounded by candles!! Lol. Yes your friend will love it as I am sure there are so many people with empty candle jars... x

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  2. beautiful candles
    http://www.melolimparfaite.com

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    1. Merci Melo! Next time I can fill a biafine tube and turn it into a candle ;)!

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  4. I love the soup tureen candle! Idea, next time fill a vintage tin. Hope you are having fun!!

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    1. That would be a great idea but now I gotta get a vintage tin first!! It is fun but rather busy for some reason...x

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  5. I love the idea of having candles in favourite pieces of glassware. You must be a regular customer - and I don't blame you. The tureen especially is a brilliant way to show off a lovely piece.

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    1. Actually I have just been twice - first was more of a trial but after that I was convinced so now I am looking for weird things to turn into a candle!

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  6. What a fabulous shop. I always feel a bit sad throwing out the nice candle containers... but you end up with a collection of empty jars, as you said. Love all the glasses you've used, and the soup tureen is such a wonderful idea. I've always loved that Hermes pattern..... lucky you for having some of it (is there a dinner service to go with it? I hope so!) xx

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    1. It is lovely but I am sure you could find a chandler in Adelaide and you could do some experimenting? I have such a mismatched collection - it would be nice to have a uniform collection as yours but for now it will have to do as I am running out of space to store it all! xx

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  7. Soup tourrine is genius. ive been wanting something like that to tame cooking odors. Lid keeps dust out, looks fitting on kitchen counter and large enough to work.

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    1. The soup dish works better than I anticipated - you could get a nice sage and mint one for the kitchen... and the lid seems to preserve the scent.

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  8. Wow! That turned out soo pretty! I love candles:)!

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  9. Wow thanks for posting this, I must go and check her out :)

    Rachel @ AMomentInTime.
    xo

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  10. This is another one of the perks of living in a cool city like London. I don't think there's a shop like this anywhere near where I live. No, strike that, I KNOW there isn't.
    P.S.: That soup tureen candelabrum is insane! A truly great idea, I must admit.

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  11. i am a SUCKER for a good candle!

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  12. I love this post ....as I am a great candle lover...i have one burning as I write! Although I am out of reach of London... what a great concept, even as a DIYer! Thank you for sharing! i found your blog through your comment on Slim Paley's!

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Thank you for dropping by!