It’s usually about this time of year when I start to feel like I should be looking after myself a bit more.
With the descent into Christmas, second lockdowns happening all around the world and what feels like a million thoughts and plans to keep in our minds, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
On these days when I need an extra bit of nourishment and care, I crave this evening ritual using pieces from my new glassware collection.
It’s very simple, reassuring and guaranteed to make me feel better.
If it works for me, I’m sure it will work for you too.
Above left: I love lighting my Australian beeswax candle in the new bubble hurricane vase and candle set / Above right: Love it how the last light of the day catches the glassware when it’s outdoors, especially the new bulbous bubble carafe set.
Just before the sun sets I like to light a few small pillar candles in the living room and on the deck of my house, this helps set the ambient mood for the next couple of hours.
I place a candle on the outside deck, one on the mantle in the living room and one on the coffee table in eye catching spots.
Above left: Setting the mood by lighting candles in the living room before having an outdoor shower / Above right: I always have a playlist playing in the background for atmosphere.
While I’m lighting the candles I turn one of my favourite playlists on, to also set the mood and help me start to unwind.
If you don’t have a gentle ‘slow sounds’ playlist you can use mine.
Above left: Setting the mood by lighting candles around the house before having an outdoor shower.
My new bubble hurricane vase and candle set is a piece I designed especially for this evening ritual. It’s a thick glass vase which sits a small pillar candle at the base.
Once the Australian beeswax candle is lit the faint scent of honey travels in the air, while the thick glass diffuses the warm golden light so beautifully around the room.
Above left: Taking my bubble hurricane vase and candle set to the outdoor shower / Above right: The beautiful thick mouth blown glass of the vase diffuses the golden light of the beeswax pillar candle so elegantly.
I light my outdoor shower candle, which is always the candle I look forward to lighting the most, and walk outside with it. I love how you can hold the hurricane vase with the candle lit and walk from room to room without the glass getting too hot on your hands or the candle going out.
I know not everyone has an outdoor shower, though this ritual can work just as well by turning off the lights in your bathroom and having a shower by candle light.
The darkness and the warmth of the water instantly dissolves any stress which may be preoccupying your thoughts.
Above left: Walking the hurricane vase and candle set to the outdoor shower / Above right: The hurricane vase diffusing beautiful golden light and my natural sea sponge sitting near by.
As the golden candle flickers and dances through the glass vase I reach for my natural sea sponge and wet it with the warm water of the shower and lather it up with olive oil soap. The olive oil soap slab I use is actually made by artisans in Palestine, who have been using the same method to make soap for centuries.
The natural sea sponge gently exfoliates the skin and apparently improves circulation as it glides, while the olive oil soap moisturises the body. I love these so much that they are now available in my shop as a set.
Above left: The outdoor shower shelf, with the hurricane vase and candle set illuminating the soft form of the natural sea sponge which comes with a slab of olive oil soap.
I crave using objects as close to the natural world as possible, especially when it comes to my skin.
I love to just stand under the water of the shower and admire the forms of these pieces on the shelf; the air bubbles in the vase, the gorgeous warmth of the golden light of the beeswax candle and the natural textures of the sea sponge, all illuminated by the candle.
Above left: As soon as I hop out of the shower I reach for my pure rose oil / Above right: I always make sure to have water on my bedside and my new carafe and tumbler are perfect for this.
Once I feel relaxed I hop out of the shower and head to the bedroom to roll my favourite rose oil fragrance onto the pulse points of my skin.
I found this pure rose oil while travelling through Morocco’s high Atlas Mountains on a buying trip. Roses are harvested at dawn when the oil is most abundant, and steam distilled to create a truly unique pure rose oil.
It truly is the most ‘rose like’ fragrance I have experienced.
I also make sure to have water on my bedside for when it’s time to sleep. I fill my carafe and tumbler with water for my bedside, which it is absolutely perfect for.
So now you are all clean, exfoliated and smell good, so just go and relax on the sofa and listen to some slow sounds and slow those thoughts down.
Here’s my slow down playlist again.
You can shop my new glasswares pieces here.
Kara x
