Visual Catnip: Pie Soaps

I'm always amazed to see soap makers take their creativity to new heights. These beautiful, and realistic-looking, dessert soaps are 100% guilt-free.  Indulgence without the calories, now that's what I'm talking about!
Below are Apple and Banana Creme pie:

All images from soapcafe.com

Crystals, Gems and Stones (Oh my!)

And yes, they are soaps!

I've actually tried figuring out this process with a large hunk of melt n' pour soap and failed miserably.  While I don't have pictures of my wanna-be, ruin soap gem (It looked like a wadded up of coal with iridescent mica), I do have some lovely exhibitions of what true soap gems should look like!

Images from amethystsoap's Etsy Store

The question that comes to my mind is "how is it done"?  The amethyst facets and the polished turquoise stones look amazingly realistic.  Though the technique may  forever remain a secret, you can purchase your own amethyst or turquoise soap here.

Kitty Cat Ring Holder

So excited! I just snagged this adorable silver cat ring holder from chickything's etsy store.  I love this store! Their theme is very Marie Antionette.  They also have some amazing-looking, and no doubt amazing-smelling, vintage-themed finds!

Check out their cake perfume that smells like butter cream and their"Let Them Eat Cake" room spray.  C'est delicieux et tres chic!

All images from chickything's etsy store

Couture Soaps

I love, love, LOVE Gianna Rose Atelier for their amazing soaps!  I think they are truly inspirational.  Fashioned in cute and sophisticated packaging, these french-milled, vegetable-based soaps are visually stunning and make beautiful gifts! 

Below are some of my favorites:

Le Chat Sophistique (The Sophisticated Cat) soap is gently scented with tulip and hyacinth fragrance-- makes the purrfect gift for the ailurophile in your life.

If you are not a cat-lover, they also feature dog-shaped soaps in several different breeds.  My favorite is the Maltese (if you can't tell by now, I'm total sucker for anything pink).

And finally, Robin's Egg Soap (my second favorite color).  These little guest soaps are perfect for the bathroom or in the kitchen!

All images are from giannarose.com

Simple Food (and other) Delights!

Just wanted to unveil my newest blog that reflects my other passion, FOOD!

Simple Food (and other) Delights is a blog about simple culinary pleasures for the gourmand on the go!
Check it out here:  www.simplefooddelights.blogspot.com.

Bomb Alarm Clock?

Image from thinkgeek.com

Imagine waking up to a ticking time bomb? Well, that's exactly what this "Danger Bomb Alarm Clock" does.  As if mornings weren't hard enough, this alarm clock starts its count down, a minute from the assigned wake-up time (yippie).  To diffuse it, you have to (groggily) unplug the right color wire that's indicated by the flashing LED light.  Talk about a nice dose of stress right before you start your day!

While this is seems like a great novelty gift, I could never use it.  Somehow I could see myself hurling this against the wall, but for those who have trouble waking up, or are craving some good ole MacGyver adventure, it's perfect way to start the day.  Makes a great "evil" gift! Get it at www.thinkgeek.com.

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A Cat Mouse?

Image from GeekStuff4U.com

What a cute little invention! This Neko (Japanese word for cat) Mouse is simply adorable. It's laser mouse is shaped like a furry cat paw complete with left and right click buttons. While I'm not sure if I can fully get accustomed to a furry mouse, I think it's a great novelty gift for the cat-fancier in your life!
It retails at $2,500.00 yen which is about $25.00 USD. Check it out here at GeekStuff4U.

I Heart Green Tea!

Green tea is truly a wonderful substance. As a tea, it's antioxidant properties that help ward off cancer and inflammation. Topically, it's been documented that it can rejuvinate skin cells, increase elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Lately, I've just been crazy about green tea (must be my Japanese kick)! Check out these wonderful artisan soaps made with REAL green tea:

Image from SimpleTraditions Etsy Site

This handmade soap from SimpleTraditions looks wonderfully scrubby. It's a jasmine green tea soap with actual green tea leaves added for extra exfoliation! Talk about heavenly! The bars retail at $5.00 and can be found here.

Image from Dugshop's Etsy Store

I can't get over how neat this soap design is! Made from (yup you guessed it) Green Tea. This lovely castile soap contains other skin-nourishing elements like colloidal oatmeal and white kaolin clay. An exclusive mold, created by the soap company, Dugshop, guarantees that you won't find anything else on the market like it. They also create custom-scented soaps! Check them out here on Etsy.

All Things Japanese...

I'm actually quite fascinated with the Japanese culture from their cuisine right down to their beauty habits. Did you know that a high-touted Japanese beauty treatment involves massaging your face with a product made from nightingale droppings? Yup, yup... take a look here.

If you are interested to learn more about Japanese beauty trends, Marie Claire has a fascinating article on what it takes to look the part.

Gekkeikan Black and Gold Sake

I haven't seen it fully used in the soaping industry yet, but there are a few who have ventured into using sake, a Japanese wine made from fermented rice, into creating their soaps. Cherry Blossom Soap makes this wonderful rosemary/sake soap by cooking the rosemary leaves in sake first. Quite a refreshing concept. Check it out here.

Picture from Cherry Blossom Soap

Spring for Spring!

Easter is such a colorful holiday! I'm not religious, but I really do enjoy seeing our visual palette change from the drab darks of Winter to the pastel and vibrant colors of Spring. This time of the year makes me feel absolutely whimsical and giddy. It's like a trip back to childhood!

To celebrate the season, here's a bit of visual catnip:

Bunny Corn Cupcake Soap from Serah's

I've always been an admirer of Serah's soaps. Made from Shea Butter and glycerin, these well-crafted soaps are just absolutely adorable (and delicious)! They come in all sorts of thoughtful themes and make perfect basket or goodie bag stuffers. My favorites are the "It's a Boy/ It's a Girl" soaps, which would make a sweet gift for expecting parents! Check out this and all of here other soaps here.

All pictures are from serahsonline.com

Redesign!

The Soapkitten blog is currently under re-construction. New posts to come shortly!

In the meantime, please tell me what you think!

Happy soaping!

Life Goes On

My second apology to my readers, I've been MIA for quite sometime (again), but with good reason. I had to put to sleep wonderful companion of 13 years. As most of you know, he was sick for a little while, but it came to the point where the vet uttered the words "terminal" and a few months later, my little guy got so bad, he stopped doing the things that life's all about (eating, pooping, grooming etc).
Anyway--that's what has been going on. I'm at a crossroads now where I'm not sure if I should continue the blog or not.

Let me know your thoughts!

Bathe with Your Favorite Holiday Beverage?

We've all encounter sweet, smelling soaps that smell exactly like our favorite foods. Very rarely do we come across something that smells like a beverage (except for Brambleberry's Champagne fragrance oil. Talk about sniffing something that ACTUALLY smells fizzy).

In celebration of this holiday season (for me it starts on December 1st), I went on the hunt for holiday-esque soaps. Upon my search, I came across two soaps that fit the bill, Eggnog and Absinthe. While Absinthe isn't exactly a traditional holiday drink, I couldn't resists the whimsical green coloring (and who says you CAN'T drink it at Christmas time?) These soaps come in delightful little tins that you can use long after your soap has gone down the drain. Pictures were taken from Perpetualkid.com.

Christmas is near!

The first sign of cold, I mean really cold, weather seems to alert my senses that Christmas is near. On an impulse, and despite my better judgment, I purchased a Gingerbread latté. Although it wasn't nearly as good as Pumpkin Spice, I still drank it, indulging in the spicy liquid grittiness that reminds me of Christmas in the city.
After a long hiatus, I feel energized and ready to roll.

Here is some soap porn for your viewing pleasure.

Images from soapylove.com

I'm am just in soapy-awe on how perfect these soap pops are. They are the very epitome of winter and makes the perfect stocking-stuffer. Debbie, from soapylove, also has some other really unique looking pops that are executed beautifully and flawlessly. My favorite? Clearly Lovely, which has a yummy, not overly sweet, raspberry scent. Check them out here.

image from SoStinkingSweet's etsy store

A beautiful blend of peppermint, strawberries with a hint of vanilla, this beautiful candy block produces fluffy fragrant bubbles, making this soap a real treat (without the calories of course)! Check it out here.

image from ElegantRoseBoutique's etsy store

These bath bombs clearly remind me of the first snow in December, when it was still soft enough to make into fluffy snow balls. A relaxing combination of lavender, orange and a hint of patchouli, these bombs are the relaxation you need after a wintery snow fight. Check them out here.

M.I.A.

I have to start off by apologizing to all of my readers for my long absence. It has been a very busy two months and I'm not sure where to really start off.

Firstly, my cat and companion of 14 years, Gato, got really sick. After a long surgery, they removed a cyst the size of a baseball from his belly.


After the whole cat fiasco, I finally got to go on my long-awaited trip to Puerto Rico. Which was warm, relaxing and lovely.



THEN, as soon as we come back, my live-in boyfriend gets laid off! So, like most people now-a--days we are struggling with the finances. If things couldn't get worse, my cat became sick again. After another vet visit (grand total to date on cat: $3,200.00), the vet's exact words were "I don't want to use the word terminal, but..." Yup, I was a weepy mess. My heart and my piggy bank were broken.

And lastly, last week (Oct 29th) was my birthday and people are still taking me out for birthday dinners!!

So, after all of this, I am back and ready to roll.

An Early Celebration!

Fall is my absolute FAVORITE time of the year. I love how the fresh cool breeze greets me as I walk out of the house, or how the air is faintly scented with the smell of spices and freshly sharpened No. 2 penvils. I love how I get to cuddle myself in cozy sweaters and then of course there is my birthday (Oct 29th), followed by my favorite holiday, Halloween!!!
There is so much to look forward to, I'm especially excited about going apple picking this year. I just love walking in between the groves, chatting with friends and eating apples right off the tree. Ah, bliss! There is something just comforting and wonderfully rejuvenating about this time of the year.
Technically it's not Fall till the end of the month, but this lovely weather has inspired me to greet it a little early. Here's some eye candy to get you in the mood as well!

Photograph from Anniepoo's etsy store

I ordered these soaps from Anniepoo's shop while I was doing my research. They are truly adorable and I can totally see them in a little basket in my bathroom. These soaps come in a set of three, are 3.5 ounces each and are scented with Pumpkin Spice (yippie!). I'm so excited, can't hardly wait to get them. You can purchase your own set here at Anniepoo's esty store. They maybe sold out right now (I snagged the last one), but etsy owners tend to restock their shops rather quickly-- so keep an eye out for it!

Picture from Smileyme520's Etsy Store

Fall is the perfect time for Chai tea. I tend to make my own using a blend of fresh ginger, cardamom pods, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves and black tea. It's the perfect way to kick start the season and keeps you feeling really warm and snuggly (or is that just me?). This soap pictured here resembles a wonderfully frothy cup of warm chai tea. Check out their etsy store here.

Picture from Misspottery's Etsy' Store

And finally a little something different. I saw this soap dish and I just thought "Wow, the very essence of Fall". This hand made and hand-stamped treasure is beautifully rustic and the perfect accompanyment for Fall soaps. Check it out here.

Hot Stuff

Picture from Spicy As Hell etsy store

Okay, this is a little bit of a change of pace, but I am a foodie at heart and so I have to let the world know about this INCREDIBLE hot sauce I found on etsy called Spicy As Hell.
It's definitely hot and not for the novice. Made with habanero peppers and a bunch of other goodies, this sauce has a kick that builds with each bite. It's also tasty and savory, which leaves you craving for some more. I'm not exactly a hot sauce fanatic, but I do like a kick to my foods and this sauce definitely has me addicted (just the other day I added some to my mashed potatoes).
Check out this sauce here or go to www.spicyashell.etsy.com

Soap Cakes

Picture from Gioia's Soap Blog

Making soap in big batches is truly economical and a wonderful idea. My good soaping friend, Georgette, made these wonderful, custom-made soap cakes for a client of hers (see above). I think they are absolutely beautiful and totally shabby-chic. You can sell them by the loaf... errr cake or slice them up and sell them individually like Platypus Dreams (see below):

Pictures from Platypus Dreams blog

Both companies are truly unique in their soap making styles, and are great for some well-needed inspiration. Visit Georgette's blog here and also be sure to check out her cute little dog, Gioia. Visit Platypus Dreams' blog here.

Lotion Candle/ Ren Faire

Ren Faire Food Area

This weekend was the first time I ever went to the Renaissance Faire and I have to say I had a BLAST. So much, that it's Wednesday and I'm still talking about it. Moodlet +7days (for you Sim 3 players out there).
While I was there, I took wonderful snapshots of people's shops. There were swords, paintings, clothes (THE CLOTHES, totally dressing up next year as a bar wench!) and soaps. I wasn't too interested in the soaps (a little plain looking), but a charming little girl lead me away from the Armory Shoppe into a nearby little pastel green-colored house. There she dipped her hands into one of the lit candle display and started massaging my hands while fabulously describing the product to me. Before I knew what was going on, I realize this cute little munchkin was really pitching her product to me. I believe the ending went something like this "and because I am a kid, you are going to buy the bigger candle". Too cute. Very charming and I wish I had her sales expertise.


The candle/lotion is Ah-mazing! It's made with soy wax, shea butter, jojoba, aloe, coconut, avocado, olive, palm and essential oils. The scent I bought is called Angel Wings and it just smells devine, sweet vanilla-ey and something else I can't quite put my finger on. When it burns, it burns at a tempurature slightly higher than your body tempurates and it feels close to body butter. They also have a variety of scents like Sweet Pea, Coconut Lime and even Dragon's Blood.

They seem to have a little site, but it looks like it's down. You can purchase directly by contacting amandaglowacki@gmail.com or you can place an order by calling 678-416-8904.