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.

Stella Marie Soaps - Crimson and Clover

I had the opportunity to buy this soap from Stella Marie Soap Company a while back, but didn't get the chance to use it since my soap dish was mighty full. This soap, like many others has been sitting in front of my work computer, where I have been sniffing it incessantly. A true homage to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, this soap is a sweet, clove scent. The design and concept is just plain wonderful, right down to the crimson color and the cute black heart. Crimson, clove, blackheart- It couldn't have been done better.
The soap is a no-frills bar made with Olive oil & coconut oil. It's creamy bubbles left my skin soft and silky.
*UPDATE*
I went to check out the site again, and I see the design has changed somewhat... boo :(. But Kim's new design is just as rock n' roll as the first one and still has the original essence as the first one *yay*. Check it out here.

Now every time I shower, I can't help humming "Da, da, da,da, da... Crimson and Clover... over and over... "

:)

Pastry Soaps

Berry Swirl Cupcake Soap from MachineGunlullaby's etsy store

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a weakness for sweets (Yes, even the colorful cupcake above looks enticing)! Pastries, cookies, cakes are like my kryptonite, especially when coupled with a good cup of coffee. This post was mainly inspired by my anticipatory visit to Tim Horton's. I haven't been there yet, counting down T-1 hour and 15 mins, but I've heard nothing but good reviews on their coffee and pastries. One of my co-workers refers to it as "coffee crack". Hmmm... sounds enticing.
Here are some savory soaps for your visual palette.

Key Lime Pie Soap, picture from MollycoddleSoap's etsy store.

I just love me some key lime pie! This soap looks absolutely refreshing. Mouth is puckering over imaginary limes! :)

Picture from BunnyBubbles etsy store

Don't these look good enough to eat? Very realistic muffin soaps by BunnyBubbles.
And to top it all off, a nice cup of coffee...

Picture from Soapretty's etsy store

I'll keep everyone posted on my Tim Horton's experience... ta tah!

Carrot Tea Tree from Amber's Ambry

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this soap! While my soap dish was full, I had this sitting right on my desk and kept on picking it up frequently to sniff it. I kept hoping that it was as good as it smelled and it WAS. This soap was a total luxury made from carrot puree and tea tree oil, calendula-infused rice bran oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil and other luxurious goodies. The lather was light but very creamy and rinsed off clean. It was a real treat and left my skin clean and smooth. I tend to run late for work when I use this soap as sometimes it takes me a little long to get out of the shower.

Like a true addict.. can't...stop...sniffing.

Check out Amber's other wares here

Waiting for Summer to Arrive!

Soap Picture from BurntMill Etsy Shop

We've been having some unusual weather here in NYC. For the last three months, it's been constant rain (think more like Seattle type weather), followed by cool, crisp weather. Normally at this time of the year NY is BLAZING and uncomfortable. The subways are muggy and you just cannot wait to get on that train, to be greeted by that cool, crisp air-conditioning. I swear, I sigh in relief and thank my lucky stars when I reach a subway car that has sub-zero temperatures. I happen to be a fan of cool, spring-like weather, but a small part of me wishes for some truly warm, beach weather. It just doesn't seem like summer without it.

Found some soaps that, to me, epitomizes the warm weather that I have been craving.

TheDirtyHousewife does it right, with their Wild Cherry Shea Butter Soap.

SunBasilGarden's Watermelon Rind looks Delish!

SeaSpriteSoaps looking sunny and sweet!

Soap for Gamers

The console that started it all for me

Most of you don't know this, but I am a gamer. I wouldn't say as hard-core as some, but I do enjoy the occasional weekend doing nothing but playing video games. My favorites games are role-playing games like Zelda and Final Fantasy -- I've also been known to play the old Super Mario games on my Wii.

My love for soap and video games lead me to stumble upon this AWESOME Etsy store appropriately named Digitalsoaps. Here, they realistically recreate the game controllers for gaming systems. Gives a whole new meaning to sweaty palms-- hmm...soapy palms?

All pictures are from DigitalSoaps.

The Wii's got me hooked on Animal Crossing and Tomb Raider

Yeah, old-school, Baby! Note the mushroom on the side-- Sooo Mario.

This system rocks. My favorite game to date: Resident Evil 5

I see this and all I can think of is: Legend of Zelda: A link to the past

Exploding Frog Soap

Pictures from HowardsHome etsy store

Browsing through etsy, this soap totally captured my attention. HowardsHome features a green frog made from glycerin soap. As the frog melts, the water makes its way to the center and BOOM, exploding cherry-scented guts! Well, no not boom, more like ooze. But still a fun effect. Genious!

Savon de Marseille Part Deux

Image from marthastewart.com

You can guess by now that I am a FAN of Savon de Marseille. It's rich, beautiful, natural and just plain wonderful. Also, the original one is green, which is one of my favorite colors.
A few months ago, while watching TV, I saw that Martha Stewart did a craft tutorial on how to recreate this soap.
She uses melt and pour for this method, which is not the traditional Savon de Marseille, cold-process method, but she still creates a very good, luxurious bar of soap. Another plus is that there is no cure time using this method. If you missed my previous post on Savon de Marseille click here.

Check out her wonderful tutorial here on her website.

...

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Pear Srubbies

Made these yesterday using a variation of the recipe posted on www.soap-queen.com.
These single use blocks are made mostly from sugar and moisturizing oils, to leave you clean, buffed and moisturized without leaving an oil slick in your tub. Really convenient and truly practical.
This is my own personal pear-scented stash. Be on the lookout for it in my etsy shop in the future.

Knitters Hand Balm from Amber's Ambry

Amber's Ambry Knitting Balm from her Etsy store

I was really excited to receive my purchase from Amber's Ambry and teared open the box as soon as I came in contact with it. I live five flights up and by the 3rd flight, and I was already opening up her Knitter's Hand Balm and applying it to my hands.
Firstly, I LOVE the scent. "Baking Day" is wonderfully comforting and smells similar to a sweet cake batter, mixed with cocoa butter. It's sweet, but not sickenly sweet like commercial bath and body products tend to be. As a pastry-addict, I found this scent to be close to the real thing. The balm slides smoothly on your your hands and don't leave them oily or tacky. It comes in a little cute tin, which is great for storing small precious objects. The product travels well as it fits in my small handbag. Even in the summer heat, the product manages to keep it's initial balm-ey consistency.

Not a fan of cake products? No problem, Amber's Ambry has a variety of scents including Blueberry, Orange Ginger Mint, and even Unscented! She makes soap too. I had the opportunity to purchase some as well...my soap shelf is FILLED with soaps to be reviewed. Be sure to keep an eye out for a review at a later date.

You can grab your own little tin and other wares at her etsy store:
www.ambersambry.etsy.com

Dirt, Dirt, Dirt

Well, after holding off for a couple months, I decided to finally make my Dirt Soap. Inspired by a friend, who loves Demeter's Dirt Cologne, I decided "Hey why not. There seems to be a market for it anyway". I was a little dubious about purchasing the fragrance oil (for soaping), but the scent absolutely wowed me. It's dirt, alright, but a green, "just rained" smell. Clean, fresh, wonderfully earthy and appealing.

You can check it out here in my etsy shop.

Etsy Front Page!

Wooo hooo... my Purely Peppermint soap is showcased on Etsy's front page today.

Click on the link here


If you check this email at a later date, you can always check out the screen shot (attached).

To celebrate this wonderful event, I am having a sale for today only -- 10% off when you enter code WOOHOO on the etsy page. If you want more than one bar, just convo me the order.


Hope everyone is well.


Best,

Janice

www.bayridgesoaps.etsy.com
www.soapkitten.blogspot.com

Creamy Coconut

New Soap on Etsy!


Creamy coconut is the newest addition to my summer line of soaps. It's creamy bubbles are scented with a light, summery coconut scent. A perfect soap to kick-start the summer (and beach season).

Check out my summery creation here.

Purely Peppermint

New Summer Soaps at my Etsy Store.



Purely Peppermint is made with real Peppermint Essential oil and is great for a refreshing boost in the morning, or a great cool-down soap for a hot summer evening.
Peppermint Oil is known for it's energizing and refreshing properties. It is also used in homeopathic medicine to treat a variety of ailments such as migraines, nausea, indigestion. Additionally, peppermint oil can be used in helping clear up acne (anti-viral and antiseptic properties), dermatitis and muscle pain (Rosemary works well for muscle pain as well). It's a known anti-inflammatory, astringent and antiseptic. I also loving using the oil in the shower when I have a stuffy nose. A few drops in the shower and the hot vapor diffuses the oil into the air, clearing up nasal passages (FYI Eucalyptus and/or Rosemary oil works well too).

Check out my soap here.