One thing I can never get enough of in my home is candlelight and that special, soft ambiance it lends to a room.  In fact, there are candles of all shapes and sizes just about everywhere in my house and garden, even the loo, to the point that I seldom expect to be surprised by chandeliers, lanterns or votives in shops anymore as I pretty-much have ’em all.

However, stopping off at one of my favourite Aladin’s caves today (otherwise known as Griggs & Macay in Caversham), I came across these stunning paper-covered candle votives and – as I was celebrating being a year older, in fact we were on our way to what turned out to be a memorable lunch at The Leatherne Bottle in Goring and so I had that especially decadent, devil-may-care feeling come over me that only ever happens on birthdays  – I ended up buying a whole stash of them!

So, as I sit here this evening, polishing off the last of the wine after a lovely day all-round, I’m basking in the amber glow of candlelight made all the more magical by geometrics and blossom, birds and bees and feeling very contented. Putting candlelight together with printed paper, always a passion of mine, is a marriage made in heaven – and it seems that it is possible for candlelight to be made all the more magical –  by a touch of embellishment!

In fact I love these votives so much, I can’t resist sharing a few more shots (yes, this really how I have spent my evening). Apparently they are selling like hot-cakes so if you live anywhere near Caversham, I would snap them up while you can!