Currently scenting my latest rented holiday “barn” (aka “four tiny rooms-with-annoying-feature-beams”): Mrs Todd’s Figs in the Forest candle. It’s absolutely beautiful; green and fresh but with a lovely warmth from the cedar, amber and musk that have been blended into the fragrance. Think Diptyque’s Philosykos but a kind of “fireside” edition.

Mrs Todd’s candles hold a special little place in my heart because they are handmade by my friend Kim, who was spurred into producing them when she was forced to curb her own – totally out of control –  luxury candle habit. She first attended a course on candle-making and then spent the next six months doing intensive research and experimentation, looking at different waxes and wicks and working with a Master Perfumer to perfect her scents.

Kim hand-blends every single candle herself to make sure that the scent lasts right down to the very last bit of wax – the Rose and Wild Mint is extra special: she pours it in layers (rose followed by mint followed by rose, etc) so that the fragrance wafts out in stages. Gorgeous.

I love it when someone follows up on a passion and turns it into a business idea; it’s so easy to just talk yourself out of bothering with a venture, adopting a kind of “why would I succeed at it?” attitude. Kim had a ridiculous candle habit that she couldn’t sustain; now she can have as many candles as she wants and she’s got a business off the ground. I’m hoping that she might branch out into luxury body oils with the same gorgeous scents – I reckon my body oil habit is far worse than my candle one!

If you’d like to take a look at Mrs Todd’s Candles then you can find Kim on Instagram and let her know you’d like to order – she sends out scent sticks free of charge, if you want to have a smell before you buy. You can also get in touch with her via email – candles are £25 each and come boxed and be-ribboned. There are two scents at the moment, Figs in the Forest and Rose and Wild Mint, but Kim tells me that two new versions will be launching this July – Walled Garden, which has the fragrance of fresh cut grass layered with lavender, thyme, lemon mint and then back to a grass layer, and also Tuberose and Citrus, blended with the scent of lemon and orange rinds along with the heady, powerful floral. I have a feeling that one may turn out to be my favourite…