What better time of year for candles than fall? It is my favorite time for candles-especially scented ones. They bring to mind warm cozy moments on the couch with my children and a hot cup of something yummy! The only problem I have ever had with candles is the mess they sometimes make on the glass jars or the table, the sooty residue and the smoke that comes from the long black wick. Many also do not burn cleanly. All of Homestead Originals' candles are handcrafted with all natural soy wax and they use only all-cotton wicks. The scents are simply pure fragrance oils and essential oils. You will find no toxins, no lead, and no carcinogens. These are 100% pure and natural.

I was tickled to discover reasonably priced soy candles because in the store they are outrageously expensive. Not so from Homestead Originals because she does not believe in overcharging her customers. She passes on her savings to you. I just now checked the pricing on the website to make sure my information was current and a half-pint jar candle it is only $4.00! The half-pint will burn cleanly for up to 40 hours too! Gingerbread, Cinnamon Spice, and Christmas Tree will be some of the offerings for the fall months. We enjoyed the Cucumber Melon for spring and the Sweet Lemongrass was so refreshing in the summer months; even with the heat of the day the scent was still enjoyable. There are many more scents (and even unscented) to choose from and many sizes too from tapers to tins to lovely glass containers as well as sampler tea lights. Sometimes scents can be overwhelming and these are not that way. They are subtle, but quite adequate for warming the room with your chosen fragrance.

She also sells kits that your homeschool will enjoy a great deal. My nine and eleven year-olds made our Cucumber Melon from scratch with the easy-to-follow directions. What a great gift idea! Can you tell I like these candles? The only reason not to buy them would be if you are just not a candle-lover. That is not the case here and we heartily recommend them!

-Product Review by Kate Kessler, Product Reviews Manager, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August, 2006