AJSweetSoap - Guiltless Indulgence

GBK Productions Gift Lounge at the Emmy Awards!

2011-09-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

Well, after months of planning and hours and hours of endless preparation, the 63rd Annual Emmy Awards are now history....What an amazing experience filled with anxiety, nervousness and overall giddy excitement being part of the GBK Productions gift lounge. An experience like no other!

I have never been a big Facebook lover, yet I was glued to it for Emmy's weekend...Who's coming and going - who checked out my soap - who tried to eat it - it was just so much fun!

So many great celebrities walked past our display and from the pictures it appears they were all very impressed with the talents of The Artisan Group! Who wouldn't be? The Artisan Group has everything covered, from handmade journals and jewelry, to handcrafted bags and body scrubs. Take a look a few shots that I'm particular proud of...

CS Lee from Dexter!

Fred Willard!

Nia Peeples!

Rico Rodriguez!

I was so happy with these pictures (who can't smile when they see Modern Family's Rico with that sundae? He's just adorable!) but one of the best things is Nia's picture - she's not only posing with my sundae soap, but also the stylish handbag from Tina Dean Designs (believe it or not, that bag is made from recycled plastic bags!) Let's not forget the gorgeous tutu from Atutudes in the background, along with all the beautiful bling from our artisans. She's truly decked out in style!

Rico's comment, "What's this? It looks delicious. Can I eat it? It's SOAP? No WAY!" says it all, and made the whole experience something special!

Check out The Artisan Group to share in other spectacular photos, and visit some of the shops mentioned - you'll be so impressed, and happy that you did!

AJSweetSoap featured at the 63rd Annual Emmy Awards!

2011-09-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

We are so proud to be a member of The Artisan Group. What a phenomenal bunch of creative minds! Our group was present at the 63rd Annual Emmy Awards celebrity gift lounge, and our handmade items were gifted to celebrities such as Cloris Leachman, Jeff Probst, Catherine O'hara - the list goes on and on! It was such an exciting day keeping up with the hundreds of updates being sent to us all. I've never used Facebook as much as I did these past 2 days!

We included our spectacular 2,000 Calorie Banana Split Sundae soap, which was on display for 2 days for the celebrities to salivate over!

We then included our exclusive Gelato soaps (in Cake Batter Ice Cream, Orange Creamsicle, Key Lime and Lemon) in each and every celebrity gift bag.

Our celebrity lounge was hosted by GBK Productions, and it couldn't have been a more rewarding experience for all of us. It was such an honor to be included!

Also included were our Gummy Bear Waffle Bowl Sundaes for members of the press. Hopefully no one decided to take a bite! I can't imagine getting good reviews for how the soap tasted!

Congratulations to all my fellow Artisans who furnished their products for the event - it was such an honor to be included with you all! And for those of you who cheered us on and will participate in other events - you'll have a blast!

Congrats also to all of you who had celebrities asking for your products - how cool is that!?!

We've got an official website!

2011-05-18T12:31:00.001-07:00

It's Officially Here!

AJSWEETSOAP

For the longest time, I've been wanting to start my own website but I really had no idea where to start (and definitely didn't have the patience!) As things got busier on Etsy I decided it was time to branch out with this "simple" project. Take a look and let me know what you think!!!!

NEW ADDICTION - eBooks!

2011-03-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a writer. I loved writing poems and short stories in my younger days (God, I sound so old!) and reading was always a passion. Over time, I traded in hefty, hardbound books for a daily newspaper as reading during my hour commute became the only time I really had to read and who wanted to lug a huge book around through the streets of New York (I did, of course make the exception for the Twilight Series which I read over the course of 2 weeks - it was SO much better than the movies!)

After my latest software on my blackberry, I found the Kindle App, and I am absolutely hooked! I've been downloading like crazy and find myself reading some cool books that I ordinarily never would have found....Of course, I've also learned that it's important to learn the PRICE of these books, since some of them are more costly as an eBook than they are in print (which makes NO sense whatsoever!) I find myself reading all over the place - while standing in line at the store, on the train platform and at work on my PC (thanks for the Kindle for PC App). Cool stuff! I've been averaging a book every 3-4 days and it's been great catching up on something that's not about Charlie Sheen!

My newest addiction is Amanda Hocking - her Tryll Trilogy series really made for great reading (although I would love the opportunity to re-write her ending!) and left me disappointed when it was over (no chance of a 4th book since it won't technically be a trilogy anymore!) I'm working on Hollowland now about Vampires that terrorize the world (ok, sounds silly, but it's actually quite an enjoyable read).

As I've been going through these books so quickly, I know this one will be nearing the end. Anyone with recommendations for which series to read next, please let me know!!!!!!

:)

Celebrate Mardi Gras!

2011-02-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

Now that Valentine's Day is almost here (and it's so hard to believe these holidays seem to speed by as we get older!) it's time to look forward to a different kind of celebration - Mardi Gras!

Our newest items, our vegan King Cake and our Mardi Gras Cupcake Soap Set are just two ways to celebrate without having to bare your soul (amongst other things) for some cheap beads!

Check out our take on the King Cake - a Lemon Poundcake scented bundt, complete with a plastic baby inside (the traditional good luck charm!) I am so excited about these - I even found some great handmade Mardi Gras gift tags to go with them (handmade mini cards and tags is my other obsession!)

Our Mardi Gras Cupcake Soaps are another fun way to celebrate! A festive set of two beautifully decorated with purple, green and gold. You will definitely want to take a bite! I'm really excited for the packaging of this one as well - you'll find plastic beads and coins to complete the look. So much fun!

Inspiration or Imitation?

2011-02-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

There is a lot to be said for inspiration. First comes an idea - it can come to you at any time, anywhere. I often find myself whipping out my blackberry to enter in some ideas that popped into my head before I lose them. This hits on the train in the morning, while I'm at work, cooking dinner - even while bringing the kids to school. My kids will often inspire me - their favorite foods and treats often make the list of new soaps to create. Inspiration can hit at anytime and it's important to be ready for it. One needs to visualize how a design should look from start to finish. From there, there's the implementation of these ideas. There's a great deal of time, patience, and persistence involved with each creation that's been inspired. There's trial and error, and not every piece works the first time around. There's so much involved and it becomes a personal triumph when it's been completed.

My soaps have often been described as "works of art" and "amazingly realistic". I take such pride in that, and the very fact of being original, creative and without sounding conceited - extraordinary. I don't want my soaps to be considered "the norm". I thrive to be different and have my products stand out from the crowd. There's a great level of pride when my products are recognized just by the detail that they contain, and I'm addicted to following the wonderful feedback my customers leave. My soaping has truly become my addiction!

With this said, I must say that there has been a great deal of frustration lately. With all the work involved in being original and coming up with creative ideas, there is a level of frustration and disappointment when an idea ends up rearing its head in another shop. My particular items are not necessarily made just from molds which can be easily duplicated - there's a lot of creativity put into each piece. I take pride in adding the slightest details to make it unique. I use custom molds wherever possible to remain different. To see these items appear as someone else's work is upsetting. I've been told to accept this as flattery, but on the contrary - to be blunt, I feel ripped off.

I know I'm not the only one to feel this way. There are other artisans who feel there work is being imitated, and I sympathize. Imitators are often sellers who are doing quite well for themselves and have lots of sales. I'm not saying they don't have their own creativity and artistic abilities. What I do say is don't copy the work of others and list it as your own. I have a great deal of respect for Etsy sellers in general, but I do wish there was more emphasis on "Inspiration" rather than "Imitation"

Valentine's Day Sweets and Treats

2011-02-04T07:15:00.000-08:00

Time is moving along so quickly! Before we know it, Valentine's Day will be here!

We've had a lot of fun putting together some great Valentine soap treats - one of our favorite items was a joint project with Leslie, the artisan behind Satinandbirch. Leslie's soaps are amazing - true works of art! Be sure to check out her shop and admire her craft - she's truly outrageous and her artistic ability and originality simply cannot be imitated!

Leslie and I put together the Valentine Candy and Flowers Soap set - it consists of two of Leslie's beautifully crafted roses and a 5 piece heart gift box of "chocolate" (vegan soap, of course!) It's a beautifully packaged set that will impress your sweetie!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66441924/candy-and-flowers-soap-set

Be sure to check out our other Valentine items:
http://www.ajsweetsoap.etsy.com

And be sure to check out Leslie's amazing work at her Etsy shop:
http://www.satinandbirch.etsy.com

Welcome Back Contest

2011-02-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I think the best way to get this blog off the ground is to offer a contest....Nothing tricky - just browse through my Etsy shop and come back here to comment on your favorite item. You could choose any of our Valentine's Items, our everyday fun food line, or just pick the very first item you see (I know, some people cheat!) A lot has changed over the past year and my line has grown extensively.

Each comment will receive a number, and the number I select randomly will receive YOUR CHOICE of our newest soaps!

Winner can choose from either our Croissant with Butter soap, potato chips and Dip Food Soap, or our set of Buttercream Roses! The choice is yours!

Winner will be selected on February 28....Good luck!

While I Was Away....

2011-02-04T06:59:00.000-08:00

I am the first to admit I've been busy - super busy in fact....That still doesn't excuse that my blog has been neglected for almost A YEAR! Wow - where did that time go???

So much is happening with AJSweetSoap. What started out as a little hobby has grown and keeps me very, very busy! I am so proud of how we've developed and I love my customers and friends who've supported me with sales, words of encouragement and praise, and super feedback. Thank you all!

I have big plans for my blog - I know I've said that before, but this time I promise to make it a priority! I'll be keeping you posted on new items, contests, and of course stories that will give you some insight as to how I develop my fun soaps...

Thanks for sticking with me! Now let's get moving!

We're a Featured Artist!

2010-02-08T05:32:00.000-08:00

It's always flattering to find yourself and your hard work featured on someone's blog or facebook page - there's such satisfaction in knowing others appreciate what you do.

Today I'm so proud to find I'm a featured seller in Handmade Cafe! Check us out and feel free to leave comments!

http://cafehandmade.com/index.php/2010/02/featured-artist-denise-mancuso-ajsweetsoap/

Our Very First Fragrance Sampler

2010-02-07T18:20:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm finally getting into the whole Facebook thing (it's about time, I know!) I've scheduled our very first fragrance sampling for my facebook fans. Now's the time to sign up and join in the fun!

I will be adding a bunch of new fragrances to our line, and I'll be sending out a bunch of samples to those interested, just to get some feedback. I love to hear your opinions!

Also, along with the sampling, I'm including one of two samples that need a name. Quite honestly, the descriptions sound great, but the names that the manufacturer came up with just aren't appealing to me. I'm sure my fans will come up with something much more creative!

Now's the time to sign up on my fan page and visit our events forum - make sure you're part of the fun!

Check out Welcome to day 1 of But I had a coupon's Valentine's day gift guide!

2010-02-01T06:15:00.001-08:00

Title: Welcome to day 1 of But I had a coupon's Valentine's day gift guide!
Link: http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=395194107976680825721

It's finally happened!

2010-01-31T18:39:00.001-08:00

Yes, it's finally happened - I finally broke down and created a fan page on Facebook! I know, I really should have had one for months already, and I did attempt it a few times, but after getting frustrated with it when it didn't go as smoothly as the instructions insisted it would, I'd toss it to the side again. Well, I finally did it, and I'm really glad I did. I'm excited about it, and I'm planning a lot of fun things with it!

Be sure to stop by and check it out - I'd love to have you along!

Whipped Cream is Just Yummy..even when it's soap

2009-12-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

Whipped cream is everyone's favorite - and so it was inevitable that eventually I would be messing around with it for my soap desserts...

So many desserts are delicious as is, but whipped cream makes them all even more decadent...When we first started experimenting with the whipped soap, I didn't hold out much hope for it to work. After all, my items are shipped out all over the world - there's no way a soft, whipped soap would retain it's shape and maintain the integrity of the dessert it's supposed to imitate.

When making these whipped soaps, it takes time and patience - neither of which I have alot of. But, I must say, the result is so worth it! My pumpkin pie and chocolate cream pie slices are just amazing with these whips - and over time, and when made properly, the whip takes on a more solid texture. Not soft, and yet not rock hard either. It's such a great quality soap, that will leave you feeling pampered - I use it all the time for myself!

There are so many projects that I'm thinking of with this yummy cream....Stay tuned!

Whipped Cream is Just Yummy..even when it's soap1

2009-12-13T13:42:00.000-08:00

Jacob

2009-12-13T13:35:00.001-08:00

When I realized I never posted my Jacob soap in the blog, that's when I knew I had neglected it too much!

I was so excited to come up with this one - I am a diehard Twilight fan (and now, New Moon fan!) and I was eagerly anticipating the New Moon movie. My Jacob soap has a chocolate brown wolf on a background beautifully crafted to resemble the night sky. The background is made in a wide variety of colors, such as yellow, orange, green and my fave - midnight blue. I like to use a more subtle, spa-like fragrance for these, so I will often use Oatmeal, Milk and Honey or Coconut Lime Verbena.

The soap is beautiful, but when matching with the original packaging - tagged with a custom made tag with the quote "I will always be your friend, no matter what you love" Even the most loyal Team Edward member will find themselves leaning toward the wolves!

Here's our link to Jacob - hope you find him as irresistable as I do!

Southern Soapcakes

2009-12-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

I cannot take credit at all for this idea! Our good friend Leah (from ShopLeah on etsy) had asked for our Strawberry Soapcakes, but then we started to tweak them just a bit. There's a delicious southern dessert (we just couldn't recall the name, but pictures of them looked incredible!) that has a shortbread topping and cake and whipped cream...So, I decided to experiment a bit and came up with these - I love them!

Our Shortcakes are topped with strawberry slices, and whipped cream soap...Then of course, topped with a shortcake topping. Delicious! Thanks, Leah!

Ice Cream, Anyone?

2009-12-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

This has been a creation that took some time to develop. I knew what I wanted to do, but was determined to add realistic looking "toppings" to my sundaes. I don't think my topping line will ever be complete - I keep thinking of new things to add!

My sundae begins with a waffle bowl - such great detail on this one! Then, a yummy looking scoop of ice cream ( any "flavor" of course!) is added, and voila, we're ready for the fun part!

Adding mini marshmallows, gummi bears, chocolate chips, fruit slices, and of course, sprinkles makes this so much fun! I've had people try to eat the toppings, swearing there was no way they could be soap....I definitely don't recommend trying to eat them, or else you'll be burpin' bubbles all day!

Here's our listing on etsy - you'll find the pics for the toppings here...And yes, all the toppings are available individually!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36007975

Wow, where did the time go?

2009-12-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the holidays are almost here and gone already! Seemed like Halloween went by in a flash (and yes, images of Dirt Scented fingers are still haunting me!) and now I'm surrounded by Reindeer Poop and Coal!

I feel so guilty for not even posting some of my new creations here - I've been neglecting by blog too much, so I'm going to start posting so new creations, ideas and custom orders that have been coming my way.

Some of my most creative ideas come from my great customers, who know exactly what they want. I envy that, because I am so bad at making a decision! I love when someone tells me exactly what they're looking for...

I am all pysched for Valentine's Day, so expect to see some great new ideas. I couldn't help but already post my Love Cookies on etsy, even though they were intended for v-day. They're so cute that they would be great all year round, though they're posted!

Thanks for bearing with the boring blog - I hope to be able to perk it up a bit over the next few months - and I'm planning to be even more creative!

Halloween Giveaway 10/15: AJ Sweet Soap – Freaky Fingers Soap!

2009-10-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

Halloween Giveaway 10/15: AJ Sweet Soap – Freaky Fingers Soap!

Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween Contest

2009-10-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

We are so proud to have been included in the Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween Contest! Some lucky winner will receive a free set of our Freaky Finger Dirt Scented soaps! Can't wait!

Check out Mrs. B - Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom is a way-cool blog! If you're not already following, definitely do so!

Halloween - Trick Or Treat?

2009-10-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

It has been such a long time since I posted anything here, and since the kids fell asleep early (any time before 11 PM is early!) and my soaping is done for the night, I'm taking advantage of playing some catch up.

So what's new?

So much has been keeping me busy - it seems like our Freaky Finger soaps have been around forever now (they've been in the Etsy Halloween Gift Guide since August 1) and I can't believe Halloween is right around the corner! These fingers have gotten a HUGE amount of publicity - from being on the Etsy front page, Etsy Finds, the Halloween Gift Guide, and the numerous blogs they've been featured in...we're up to almost 8,000 hits - and we're only now getting into the true Halloween season!

Now that I've done all this prep work to get ready to accommodate all my Finger soap requests, things have finally quieted down. Is this good? I get a break and can come home from work at 7 PM and not go berserk making dirt scented soaps. Is this bad? Does this mean the hype is over, and people are tired of seeing these creepy cool fingers? Guess time will tell.

I've added a bunch of new items to our inventory - including holiday items (I can't believe I was getting involved with Christmas soaps in September!). I'm hoping our "He Knows When You've Been Naughty" Coal Soaps will be the "Freaky Fingers" of the holiday season! Haven't seen them yet? They're SO cool - they look so much like a chunk of coal - unfortunately, you all know that my picture taking abilities don't measure up to my soap making, so the details doesn't even shine through. Check them out!

Fingers, Fingers everywhere....

2009-08-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

I have become a full-blown Etsy addict....Even while at work, I'm constantly logged in to Etsy (which is located directly across the street from us! - we look out our window and right into theirs!) and I love to check the stats and views of my items. I was really happy to see one day last week an order for 5 sets of my Freaky Finger soaps - I had posted them a few days earlier, and there was interest, but nothing out of the ordinary from my other listings. No sooner did I get that first order, but another came through...and another....and another....then I had 5 convos regarding those same fingers! I had no clue as to what was going on - I looked at the views for it and it skyrocketed from somewhere near 75 all the way to 500 in a matter of minutes! Wow! What the heck was going on?

One look at the Etsy Treasure Hunt (www.craftopolis.com) showed our soaps made the Etsy Halloween Gift Guide! Wow, talk about being elated! How could it get any better than this?

By the next day, I was posted on the Etsy front page, and if I thought the attention they got in the Gift Guide was amazing, I was bound to be shocked when I realized how much publicity you get when you're on the front page!

As I look tonight (I look at the front page and the gift guide every day to make sure I'm still there!) I notice that I'm still in the Gift Guide, back on the Front Page, and the VERY FIRST ITEM ON THE PAGE! The number of views to these fingers has been growing by the hundreds as we speak....I'm blown away!

www.etsy.com

Gaining Customers - Gaining Friends

2009-07-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of my soapmaking business is developing relationships with my customers. After a few emails back and forth, we start to learn more about who they are apart from their love of our soap. We discuss children, husbands, bad days at work....we really get to know each other. I would love to meet each and every one of my friend-customers, but I am proud to say they're all over the world...

This past Wednesday, I was lucky enough to me two customers of mine who were in town on vacation. Shirl and Al are from ASliceOfSoap, and own 2 stores in Sydney, Australia. Shirl approached me a few months ago to ask if I would consider selling my soap wholesale. I thought about it, and my first reaction was to say no - I love having my small, intimate customer-seller relationship. But, the idea of my soap selling outside of America just really appealed to me. I had already sold soap to customers in Israel and Spain, so it was a nice idea to add Australia to my list!

I snuck out of work for a long lunch on Wednesday (it ended up being almost a 3 hour lunch - don't tell my boss!) and met Shirl and Al in New York City, and brought along just enough soap that they could manage taking home on the plane (to save the astronomical shipping charges was worth lugging 2 boxes!) What a pleasure to meet such interesting people, and to learn about how people think in Australia as opposted to people here. I was fascinated by which items are considered "best sellers" here, yet in Australia they don't sell - not because they aren't good, but because it's an unknown there. For instance, I sent Shirl 2 Angelfood cake soaps with one of her orders - those are SO big here. They've made it into Etsy Treasuries and blogs all over - people adore this soap! Unfortunately, angelfood cake is not popular worldwide, so Australians do not know what it is when they see it!

Al also told me how they had a little competition going....They also buy their products to resell from a local soapmaker - she also makes bakery and treat-styled soaps. They wanted to see who's products would sell out faster - mine, or the other company. Hands down, they said my items sold quickest - that was huge for me!

By the time I write this, Al and Shirl are hopefully enjoying a safe flight home. I wish I was able to spend more time with them while they were here but I'm sure our paths will cross again

A Halloween Peek

2009-07-25T18:43:00.001-07:00

Yes, I swear they're soap! And they will be eeriely fun!

Halloween's Coming!!!!!

2009-07-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

OK, so I know we're in the middle of the Summer, but before you know it, Halloween will be right around the corner (I've already gotten an order for Halloween birthday party favors, so I know people are already thinking about all things spooky!)

Even though the bulk of our product line is treats and desserts, I always like to add some different things - things that you won't find anywhere else. No offense to any other soapmaker, but I really enjoy making a product that has people say "wow, that looks so real!" - and I hear that all the time.

Kids of all ages are going to love our Halloween line - the holiday basics will be coming to AJSweetSoap....The spiders, webs, and ghosts...but you know there has to be some treats too....BUT I'M NOT TELLING YET :)

I will give you a peek at one of my items. This was chosen because when I first caught a glimpse of the mold for these, I thought Wow, now that's Halloween!....Then I asked my 10 year old son to take a look and tell me what he thought of them....His response? "Ewwwwww those are cool!" So, they are now part of our line! I'm thinking of making them in "Dirt" fragrance and polishing the nails with Black soap....

Our Newest Addition - The Best Part of the Mall

2009-07-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

Cinna-Buns!

Well, these are our mini soap versions, but when cinnamon, sugar and vanilla get mixed together, they smell just as tempting in soap as they do in reality! Our mini cinnamon buns are really cute, too....

When I first made these, they were part of our "bakery box" soap collection - but they are too cute to be left out of our product line. Check them out on Etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28347018

And the winner is......

2009-07-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

CASSIE BROWN

Cassie Brown, from Lexington, Il is the first winner of our monthly contest! Congratulations, Cassie!

Thanks to all those who entered - there were a lot of little crumpled papers in the frog bowl, and your support was appreciated!

Don't forget - same rules apply for next month...Every purchase earns you 3 entries - just requesting an entry earns you 1.

Cassie, your goodie box filled with soap treats (featuring our Mocha Java fragrance) will be headed to you shortly!

Good luck next month!

Gettin' Ready to Pick Our First Winner! Woo Hoo!

2009-07-21T06:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, a month went by so quickly! No wonder I'm feeling so old these days....

I'm so excited to be preparing for our first monthly contest winner - Im sitting here at work ripping small pieces of paper and writing the names of people entered into the contest (not that there isn't anything else I could be doing at work, but my soap takes a priority and is much more fun....lol....The rules were if you made a purchase over the past month you're given 3 entries; if you didn't purchase anything but still wanted to be a part of the fun, you were given 1 free entry. I'm really impressed at the amount of entries that I have - thanks to all who participated!!!

I tore up my little pieces of paper and have them crumpled into my little frog bowl (I wish I had my camera to show how this looks! My frog bowl is a plastic bowl with a mirrored bottom - there's a small plastic frog that sits at the bottom of the concave bowl and when it's covered, it makes the frog appear 3D - so weird I had to have it!). Anyway, all my entries are crumpled up in the bowl, and I'll draw from it before noon today. I keep adding to the goodies that I'm sending the winner (I don't like to ever send only one thing!) so this will be a surprise for all of us!

Unfortunately, soapmaking doesn't pay my bills (yet) so I do need to do some work. I will be getting ready for the big announcement :)

We're Makin' Fun with BabyMakin'Machine!

2009-07-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

Since we've been with etsy, I've been approached by several (much more than several) people looking for donations for their personal blog contests and giveaways. When it comes to charities and good causes, such as supplying the military with much-needed quality soaps and balms, and donating to our favorite animal charities, I always do what I can. I have, however, had to cut back on the personal requests. It's unfortunate, but there's no way I could keep up with it all and still survive on Etsy.

Having said that (doesn't that sound like something Paula Abdul says week after week on American Idol? I swear, if you look back at reruns she says it at least twice every episode, but I digress) I received a request from Jenn, aka Future Mama of BabyMakin'Machine....I checked out her blog and was really impressed with her and how 'put together' her entire blog is. Being a mom myself there was a lot in her Blog that I could relate to. I was more than happy to volunteer my Fortune Cookie soaps to her giveaway, and once I am given the name of her winner, I will be happy to send not only the fortune cookies, but a few extras as well.

Here's the blurb for AJSweetSoap as it appears in http://babymakinmachine.com/

Choose your fortune with AJ Sweet Soap! I know these look good enough to eat, and I'm sure they also smell that way too! But it's actually one of the most creative bath accessories I've seen! Denise's fortune cookie soaps are adorable - and you will love that you can customize these any way you choose! Not only choose the fragrance for the cookies (Almond Biscotti is delicious with these!) but choose the colors as well!You'll receive 12 "cookie" soaps in a decorative takeout container. Great gift idea for yourself or someone special. These also make wonderful party favors - there's so much you can do with these to add that special touch to your occasion! Check out her shop and let me know which fragrances and colors you like! There's sooo many to choose from! And it doesn't just stop there... Her shop has SOOO much yummy bath stuff you've just gotta check out! She's also @ajsweetsoap on twitter and her blog is here.The lucky Winner is Commenter #333 -Read the rules at the bottom to learn how to play!

How cool is that!

Check out Jenn's Blog at http://babymakinmachine.com/ and don't forget to check out those American Idol reruns!

There's Always Room For Dessert.....

2009-07-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

Check out our newest addition to the AJSweetSoap line - our gelatin fruit mold was inspired because I wanted to add something new, but something a little more different than my usual treats. What better way than with these!

The "gelatin" is our clear glycerin soap, and contains slices of "fruit" soap - pineapple, banana and cherries...strawberries would be awesome too (and anyone who has ordered any of my strawberry soaps can attest that they look and smell awesomely real)....

These smell so good, and the house smells heavenly! Maraschino Cherry and Lime Margarita! YUM!

Sometimes the hardest part about posting my soaps is taking the pictures. Photography isn't my thing at all, and I never get the lighting right. It always upsets me, because there is so much detail that I'm not able to capture! This time, I really wanted to get the "gelatin" look to come out so I took these babies outside to the edge of the pond and used natural light. I think it came out pretty good for a horrible photographer!

Look Where We're Showing Up!

2009-07-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

Since our move to Etsy (www.ajsweetsoap.com), and now with our "Tweets" we've been getting more recognition than I would have imagined! I've been averaging 6-8 followers on Twitter per day and even though I haven't been fully promoting Facebook, I'm getting followers there, too. This is so much fun!

I received an Etsy Convo from Rayne, who asked if she could spotlight one of my items on her site. I looked over her site (which I always do before anyone's allowed to publish anything of mine!) and I was so impressed with it! So if you check out www.urbanpastel.com, you'll see our Chocolate Buttercream Soap featured in their Etsy section. Woo hoo! Spend some time looking around her site - there's a lot of great stuff there, including the work of other talented Etsians!

Later, I received an Etsy convo from Traci, who asked if I would allow her to add my shop to her Top 100 "Fun and Funky Etsy Shop" list. How flattering! So, if you go to http://tracis.gotop100.com/in.php?ref=101 you will find AJSweetSoap located at number 18!

Not bad for a day's work :)

A Taste of What's Coming...

2009-07-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to say thank you to all my newest followers - I always expected to start up a blog and be the only one to read it! Since I was an avid reader and always wanted to be a writer for as long as I could remember (I swear I should have been the author of the Twilight Saga!) I convinced myself that if no one ever read anything I had written it would be ok with me. Now that I know people are actually WANTING to read what I have to say is the coolest thing! I hope that I can make this blog fun and interesting for everyone.

I just finished packing up a shipment to Australia for one of my newest International clients. She's making tons of suggestions for me to try that seem to be big in her part of the world - not sure if they'll be big sellers here, but it will be sure fun to at least try them out!

First, we're going to be trying a luscious strawberry cream bar - similar to the lemon bars that I made a few weeks ago. A graham cracker crumb base, topped with "strawberry filling" and topped with actual whipped soap. Of course, there will be sliced strawberries there too! Fragranced with our strawberries and cream scent, how can this go wrong?

I'm going to try my hand at making "whipped" toppings - How cool will that be!!!!!

The Return to Weight Watchers has me craving dessert.......

2009-06-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

.....So expect to see new soapy desserts! If I can't eat 'em, I may as well shower with them!

I have such an urge for a lemon bar - I haven't had one in years but since returning to Weight Watchers a few weeks ago, I am craving all things sweet. I whipped up a lemon bar soap last night and the first one needed some work - the lemon fragrance was a little too realistic...Very lemony - not too sweet. Perfect for 'regular' soap but not for what I'm craving! So, I gathered what seems like thousands of fragrances and made a deliciously sweet lemon fragrance to go with these bars. Combined with the "graham cracker" crust it is delicious!!!!!!! And, I won't be afraid to get on the scale on Monday (well, at least not because of lemon bars!!!)

I Need a Shot!

2009-06-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days at work when everything that could go wrong did....I lost 40 bucks (don't ask me how - I went to the ATM, withdrew the money and never saw it again - ruined my whole day!) Everything seemed to just push me over the edge - I got off the train tonight and thought to myself that I really needed a drink (I'm an avid White Zinfandel drinker, but I recently tried a Mint Mojito and I became addicted!) As I walked the few blocks from the train to my house the idea hit me - SOAPYSHOTS! This is what I came up with....

I'm thinking that a little Frangelico or chocolate liquor fragrance would be awesome in these as well - just think of the different fragrances and color combinations - these will be fun!

As a side note, yes it is sad that no matter what I'm looking at, thinking of, talking about - in my mind I'm picturing how to make it into soap!

Bathroom Bakery Bonanza!

2009-06-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

How awesome is this???? Cassie's cupcake and ice cream bathroom is adorable - who wouldn't want to spend more time in the restroom!!! As for the ice cream cones - those are scented with Marichino cherry fragrance - they were so delicious to make, and smell!

It's such a nice change to be able to walk into a bathroom and have it smell yummy :)

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love!

2009-06-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

I had to post and share this!

One of my awesome customers (and new friend) Cassie has an obsession with Elvis (and it's safe to say at this point, our soaps too!) Our strawberry tarts, sandwich cookies, strawberries and cherries all look absolutely awesome in Cassie's kitchen - but no tribute to the King would be complete without a Peanut Butter and Banana sandwich!!!!! Yes, I am proud to say that is our soap - handcrafted especially for Cassie's collection - definitely one of my most creative pieces I've ever worked on. So much fun! Cassie has a fun, creative streak in her - just wait to see what else we have up our sleeves!

AJSweetSoap's Monthly Contest!

2009-06-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Just one more way to add some fun!

Each month, we are going to have a contest with prizes ranging from gift baskets, new items, and collections of all kinds of delectible goodies! There's no purchase necessary, either...If you'd like to be entered into our contest, just send me an email at ajsweetsoap@gmail.com, or if you're an Etsy Addict, visit my etsy shop at www.ajsweetsoap.etsy.com and convo me to let me know you want in! You'll receive an entry in that month's contest.

If you make a purchase, I will give you 3 entries! On the 20th of each month, I will randomly choose a winner from all the entries, and announce the winner! It's that simple! Each month, we'll have a new contest and new winner, so join the fun!

Robin's Eggs

2009-06-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

These eggs were inspired by a lovely woman I met through eBay - Beverly is so creative, and wanted some Spring soaps to sell in her store in North Carolina. Amongst other things, we decided to go with speckled Robin's Egg soaps - and they came out awesome! The color was perfect, and the "speckling" was done by adding ground oatmeal flakes! Of course, when I was inspired to try using the oatmeal, there was none in the house and I needed to go to a local specialty store down the block - I won't even tell you how much I was suckered into paying for this organic oatmeal, but I did feel good when they came out so great!

Twilight Soaps

2009-06-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

"Oh Edward!"

2009-06-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

I have lots of new projects that are in the works, and one that I'm just practicing with right now is one using transfer decals. There is just so much that can be done with this method, and I can't wait to perfect this process and be able to show everyone the endless possibilities!!!!

Of course, as a test, I used some of the family's favorite themes - Cinderella (for my 3 year old) and Twilight (for me :) ) I kept the soap a neutral, creamy color and since these are going to be my personal samples (after all, how many women can say they are showering with Edward Cullen :) I chose to try one of my newest fragrances - Candy Corn. YUM!

Not bad for a first try, but they would have been better if my daughter didn't want to keep helping (which is why most of my soaping occurs after bedtime hours!) Any pictures, logos or wording can be put onto soap following this method - I can see these becoming very popular for party favors. This will be fun!

Happy Birthday!

2009-06-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

Our Birthday Cupcakes - ideal for a first birthday party! Wonderful color combinations, and the house smelled delicious for days with the scents of Lemon Poundcake, Vanilla Buttercream and Cupcake! YUM!

Forgotten Friends Animal Rescue Basket Contribution

2009-06-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

What can I say - I am an avid animal lover. There's nothing I wouldn't do to help save an animal, and I'm proud to say that all the animals I've had over the years have all been rescues (and yes, I'm one of those people who consider their pets to be part of the family!)

I was priveleged to meet up with a wonderful local group called "Forgotten Friends" who spend endless hours rescuing and nurturing abused and abandoned animals. So many within this group work tirelessly to do everything possible to give dogs and cats the quality of life they deserve. AJSweetSoap is proud to be a sponsor of the group, and in order to help them celebrate their first anniversary, I was proud to put together a delicious Soap Treat Basket for their auction at the fundraising dinner. Lots of goodies for a great cause!

For more information about this wonderful cause, visit http://www.forgottenfriendsoflongisland.org/

Some Sweet Ideas!

2009-06-20T18:19:00.001-07:00

Since I'm getting back into my blogging, I thought it would be fun to show some of my latest projects that I've worked on over the past weeks.....

It's Been Awhile - But I'm Back!

2009-06-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since my last post here, and it isn't for lack of wanting to post - I hate to admit this (especially being in the computer-related field) but I was unable to get back into the blogging site. I tried so hard to log in, reset my password - all the things you would think about that would prevent me from gaining access. Nothing worked for the longest time, and I sat helplessly by seeing my blog in blog-neverneverland.

Finally, we have a rainy day here in NY and I sat down at the computer and decided to try again - I really want to develop a blog that people want to read - and follow. I can't even tell you what made me attempt logging in with a different account, but I did - AND IT WORKED! So, now I'm back and will post to this blog much more regularly - and hopefully remember which account I'm using!

Since we now know that blogging isn't exactly my thing, I will need some practice making this what I want it to be - a fun and interesting place for me and my loyal soap friends to hang out and have a great time.....If there's something you'd like to see, or have a great idea of what we need, feel free to reach out and let me know! I have lots of stuff to catch up on now that I can log back in :) I'll be adding pictures, comments, and of course, some of my newest project ideas that are in the works and will soon be added to our product line.

Please, have patience as we grow this site together, and know that I truly appreciate all my new AJSweetSoap followers and friends. You're the best!

Taylor's Birthday Tea Party Favors

2009-02-15T20:59:00.001-08:00

It's been awhile since my last blog post, but I was finishing up the preparation for one of my latest party orders - I had been approached several weeks ago by Kim, a new-found friend in North Carolina who was preparing a birthday party for her daughter, Taylor. It was to be an American Doll party, and she had wanted soap favors make to resemble various cookies and treats that could be placed on the dolls' plates. As soon as I had heard this idea, I was eager to get started since it sounded like such a fun idea! Not only was it fun, but after receiving the compliments and the pictures of the party afterward, I realized how proud I was of this collection...This will always be one of my favorite collections that I've done, and I will proudly recall this as "Taylor's Birthday Tea Party"!

I was so happy and privileged to have been part of Taylor's big day!

How I Was Saved By a Bar of Soap!

2009-02-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, its true - I was saved by my own soap!

Today had to be one of the longest, most drawn out days at work. It was the kind of day that all I wanted to do was get home and relax. I couldn't even wait for the kids to go to bed (sounds cruel doesn't it), but all I wanted to do was get home and enjoy calm, peace and quiet!

Getting to the train station, I knew right away something wasn't right. There was a huge mob lined up where the train should be; unfortunately there was no train...Oh great, now there are delays, and I'll start getting the "where are you" phonecalls from my husband soon.

The train finally shows up an eternity later (ok, it was more like 10 minutes) and everyone stampedes to get closest to the door. Finally everyone pushes in, and I grab a seat next to the wall. Usually when I get these seats, I quietly pray to myself that no one will sit next to me. This is a two-seater, and if someone sits down, they will push me into the wall of the train (there aren't even any windows near this seat).

Everyone piled into the train, and I watched the last person walk right past me - whew! I had the entire seat to myself. I put my purse on the seat next to me and started to read my NY Post (not a high quality paper, but its the tabloid of the news world - great mindless reading after a long hard day). Suddenly, I see a shadow, and look up to find this guy wanting to sit next to me. Damn, that was so close. I move my stuff over and let him sit. As soon as he sits, I knew I was doomed!

Here's a little background.....While I was pregnant with my son, I developed such sensitivities to certain odors. One of the worst offenders that would make me stick my head out of the skylight? Garlic! Just the smell of garlic would make my stomach churn. Sliced garlic for cooking was bad - but smelling it coming out of someone's pores after eating a few slices of garlic bread, or on their breath after eating at the local Italian restaurant is enough to make me want to gag on them. It has to be one of the worst smells in the world (not THE worst - that's the smell of crab legs cooking! but I digress)

Well, the guy who sat next to me REEKED of garlic. It oozed through his pores like you wouldn't believe. There was no way I could sit on this train next to him for an hour with him smelling like this. He must have rubbed cloves under his arms for deodorant. Suddenly I remembered packing one of my newest soaps that I was planning to show one of the women at work. It was one of my pieces that I had just painted and wanted to bring in to show off. It's a beautiful abstract bar that is painted with metallic colors, and is in one of my favorite scents - Rice Flower and Shea. Then the lightbulb went off.

I took the bar out of its shrinkwrap, and rolled it around in my hands (the scents are very noticeable no matter if the soap is wet or dry - its awesome!) I know I must have looked rediculous as I kept covering my nose with the soap in my hands, but I didn't care. It was really helping me calm down and get that garlic smell out of my nose - it reminded me of how you're given coffee beans to sniff while trying different perfume varieties. It cleanses the nasal passage. Well, to me, the soap did the same thing.

I was very happy when this stinky guy finally reached his stop. And, I wrapped up my soap for another day - knowing that, unfortunately, I will someday need it again. I will now always carry a bar of soap in my bag - because after all, that's exactly what saved me......

Not So Super-Bowl

2009-02-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

OK, so this is going to be a little off topic, but I am venting.....I have never, ever been a football fan...that is, until this season. My husband is a die-hard Jets fan, and this year they actually showed the slightest bit of competence - there was really a glimmer of hope for all fans that this was going to be their year (they had Brett Baby as their QB - how could they miss?) Well, we all know how that turned out. In the meantime, I ended up becoming addicted to watching football on Sundays. Never thought I'd say that in a gazillion years but I really got into the excitement of it all. I was slightly panicked when the Jets were looking really good, though, because I have a long standing bet with my husband that if the Jets ever made it to the Superbowl, he's not only getting tickets, but the best accommodations available. Who would doubt that was a safe bet all these years?

I remember the years I didn't like football. I would watch the Superbowl only for the commercials. I would watch the ads, then go back into the kitchen or do laundry when football came back on. Companies spent millions for their 90 seconds in the spotlight. They didn't care if their audience was drunk in someone's living room, drinking Buds and downing Hot Wings. Those were some very creative and fun commercials, and more often than not, those were the things being talked about the next day when people got together at work - not the game itself.

What happened to those commercials? Is the economy that bad that all they can show are car commercials? All car makes and models had their own commercial; and most times they were not funny. What's so funny about a car commercial reminding the working public that the economy is so messed up they may be out of a job any day now. If that happens though, never fear - you can give up your high end lease with no negative credit impact. Don't even worry about not putting food on the table or keeping a roof over your head - you can turn in your car that you probably couldn't afford even if you did keep your job. Now isn't that a relief!

The only commercial that had some potential? The Cash4Gold commercial Ed McMahon and MC Hammer. The two of them, with all their public problems with cash, we quite amusing showing how they needed to sell all their valuable gold items for cash. I was amused until they showed Ed McMahon rubbing the side of his golden toilet. Now there was an image that I didn't want to have - Ed McMahon sitting on the bowl saying "and heeeeeeeere's Johnny!"

"Crazy Good"

2009-01-30T17:15:00.001-08:00

I'm so thankful it's Friday! Work has been so stressful, and today the Mayor gave a speech announcing cutbacks and layoffs for city workers. City Government is always a touchy situation, and it's becoming increasingly more difficult to understand the way things work. The environment has been so gloomy. I'm finding more and more that I look forward to coming home, spending time with the kids, and then spending a few hours of "me" time soaping in the evening. I love coming up with new ideas, and I'm finding that my mind is wandering at work lately, constantly thinking of new, creative things to make. I spend my hour nightly commute planning out what I'm going to try once I get the kids to bed. My soaping has become very therapeutic and a true stress reliever. I can already see how blogging can be so too. Tonight I'll be "painting" some castles and dragons for one of my party orders, and I'm really looking forward to concentrating solely on making them perfect.

One of the brighter spots of the day came today when I glanced at my eBay Feedback from one of my customers. I thought I loved the "awesome" comments - I actually found one better now....My Chocolate Cherry Cordials were called "crazy good!" by my customers' daughter who had received them as a gift (thanks, Debra!) How "awesome" is that???

Now to get the kids to bed so I can be creative! :)

A New Marketing Strategy - Having an Item Banned From eBay!

2009-01-29T17:20:00.000-08:00

Today had to be the most horrendous day at work; if anything could go wrong, it did. Meeting after rediculous meeting - server crashes - loss of internet (of course that's the worst of all), dealing with users who really would prefer using a pencil and notebook (and yes, most of our users still use a physical log book!) . All seemed to settle down and then it happened: I get the email that I never planned for: A message from eBay that one of my soap items was removed due to - get this! Trademark Infringement! Me? The person who overthinks it all? Who worries about every little detail? Really? YEP - really!

Well, for anyone who remembers seeing and ordering my "O" cookies, you'll remember they looked IDENTICAL to the cookies that everyone loves splitting in half and dunking into a glass of milk (wait, wasn't that a commercial? Can I be sued for that too?) My "O" cookies ticked some legal people off some dairy council and my item had to be removed before I would be sued! I read through the rules of eBay, and I gather that I can post them again using a wacky description so that no one could accuse me of stealing anything from the cookie people, but, I figured why take a chance so soon into my journey. So, since I'm still rather new to this all, I figured removing them from eBay would be the best way to go for now. But one day when I come up with a real catchy, non-lawsuit name for them, THEY'LL BE BACK!

And, now that they're contraband, I may make a fortune off all the "underground" orders for those "cookies" that I'm not allowed to mention :)

First Things First - A Not-So-Brief Introduction

2009-01-28T05:27:00.000-08:00

Before we get into the whole "Guiltless Indulgence" thing, I wanted to introduce myself. Here's a brief introduction as to who I am and how I shocked myself and became totally addicted to creative soaping...

My name is Denise and I'm 40 years old (my birthday was just recently so this is the first time I get to see it in writing - yikes!). I'm a full time working, married mom of two young children (with the husband, that makes three). I decided one day to develop a hobby for the very little spare time that I actually had - I needed some "me" time - desperately! I paid a visit to the local crafts store and decided I would experiment with a soap making kit and a candle making kit. I was so excited to make the beautiful, perfect candles and soaps that were shown on the boxes. This should be so easy - it says so right on the box!

Well, the candles were not the beautiful, artistic candles I expected to be able to make after shelling out a fortune for this stupid kit. I think what was supposed to be a butterfly looked like a butterfly that was squashed by a truck. It was the ugliest mound of wax I had ever seen. After a long cleanup, and cussing under my breath that I would never do this again, I decided that crafting wasn't for me. I didn't have the patience, the creativity, and the love of cleaning up to do it. I took the soap kit and buried it in the linen closet - expecting to never see it again...

Months later, while looking for my daughter's Disney Princess towel (that she remembered she had last seen 6 months ago, but she can't remember when it's time to go pee), I was hit in the foot by something that felt like a hammer. My first thought was that I was going to kill my husband for leaving the toolbox unlocked..Then I looked down and saw that dreaded soap making kit! I forgot all about that stupid thing!

I don't know what came over me, but I decided to give it a try. The box contained a few plastic molds, and these strange, ugly looking slabs of soap. I read the directions twice just to make sure I didn't have a replay of the candle disaster. I followed the directions to a tee - I made sure everything was measured and poured at the right temperature....I added my coloring and my fragrance....Too flowery for my taste, but it was all I had and I needed to start somewhere, right? Well, a few hours later, I popped out of the square mold (a very, VERY plain mold) a solid, very ugly bar of soap. But, even though it was the color of pea soup, it was mine! I was so proud. I ran to show my husband, who tried so hard to not laugh..."What is that thing?" He asked.....When I told him it was soap, he said "really? You're kidding, right?"....So much for enthusiastic support!

Needless to say, I was still proud of my little ugly soap. I actually did something creative! I carefully place the soap in "my" bathroom (our second, smaller bathroom is where I run every day to hop on the scale to pray that it moves in the right direction (sometimes more than once a day - that's yet another addiction that you'll learn about with me). I figured I could look at my little soap everyday and learn to appreciate it's hidden beauty, and maybe learn to like the smell of a flowers from a funeral home flower piece....

One morning, while going on my morning scale run, I noticed an obvious difference in the room. The smell of flowers was no longer lingering, choking me as I walked in. I looked over at my little soap and I was stunned - IT WAS GONE! Before I could even accuse my 7 year old son of taking it to play with his Lego's, the phone rang. It was my husband calling from work. I really couldn't tell you what we discussed because my mind was still on the missing soap (I have my priorities). Before we hung up though, he said "Oh, and by the way, your soap was terrible - and I smell like my grandmother". AH HA! He took the soap! I told him to expect my wrath when he got home, and went to the bathroom to look for any remainder of my little creation. As I walked in, I knew that familiar, overpowering scent. I found, next to the tub, a small piece left, looking pitiful in a puddle of water. How could he say it was terrible? I made it myself! - Oh, he's a man, what does he know about soap? I ran the soap under warm water in the bathroom sink and rolled it around in my hands, expecting this to be the ultimate luxury...What's the perfect word that came to mind - TERRIBLE!

My little homely bar was not only ugly; it was a slimy, latherless waxy mess. I hated it! I was so disappointed - all my effort and this is what I got? I followed the directions to the letter. Well, this bothered me for the longest time - I had seen so many pretty examples of handmade soap, and I knew this just couldn't be what everyone was raving about. I decided to investigate....

I spent some time searching the net for soap making sites and found so many creative and talented people out there. Their soaps were beautiful, and everyone raved about them. There were no "terrible" descriptions for any of them. I then realized it wasn't my fault - the quality of the soap I had used was terrible - I needed the "real" soap, the kind that lathered when you used it, and held its color and fragrance perfectly. I realized before I could judge soap making, I needed quality products to try, so I bought some top quality soap bases, fragrances, and colors to test. Voila! What a difference! As soon as I got my first compliment (my husband saying "wow, that is cool! Can I use it tonight?") I was hooked!

So now that I gave you that whole long, drawn out story of how I became addicted to soaping, I'm hoping I grabbed your interest just a little, so you'll be willing to follow me along this journey. I have so much fun with this, and I love branching out and trying new, creative ideas. I want to represent products that are unique, and that make people say "wow, I've never seen that before!" I want you to be able to choose unique party favors that will have your guests saying "Oh wow, these are so cool! Where on earth did you get these?" No more giving party favors that get thrown in the back of the drawer to be forgotten - these will stand out from any others and have people remember your special occasion.

My "Guiltless Indulgence" soap line represents all the good stuff in the world that I love; and that keeps me jumping on the scale several times a day. But, at least with my products, there's no need to fear the scale! (and no, they aren't sugar free candies either as they've been mistaken for in the past!)

I have some products up for sale on eBay, and have found that there's nothing more rewarding than Positive Feedback from my customers with the words, "absolutely incredible". It's so fulfilling.

This blog is just in the beginning stage; what I foresee is really getting to know my customers, and potential friends. I want to post ideas for you to see and get your honest feedback. Sometimes I will ask for volunteers to try my new products BEFORE they go on sale. I will post stories that make you laugh, and hopefully have you wanting to read more and really get to know me. I am open to any suggestions that you can think of to make this a fun place for us all.

And, not that I'm looking to sell here, but I will give links to my items listed in my eBay store. I want honest feedback, and welcome any suggestions and input you give. Want to try something you see and aren't sure about? Let me know and I'll happily send you a sample. Again, it's all about hearing the "it's awesome" comment! And if it isn't awesome, tell me and we will make it so.

And don't worry so much about the soap number counts in my items - I tend to forget how to count and add more to your order ;)

Thanks for joining me - hope to see you soon!
Have a Guiltlessly Indulgent day!
Denise