Lucy Kat is Going Non-Toxic!

Did you know that Europe bans 1,371 toxic chemicals from their personal care products and that the U.S. only bans 11?

About two years ago, I became interested in making things from scratch. I started with food and gradually I began to make my own cleaners using natural ingredients. My newly potty-trained daughter had developed a rash on the back of her legs and buttocks, and I suspected that the commercial cleaner that I was using to clean the toilet seat was the culprit. My suspicions were confirmed right away when my cleaning solution of water, borax, washing soda and essential oils (adapted from Wellness Mama’s recipe) put a stop to her red and painful rash! This victory and my growing interest in using ingredients from nature to create things that I use every day quickly moved me to make my own bath and body products. I began making my own bar soap, bath bombs and bath melts and now sell them through my own business, Lucy Kat Soaps. 

Fast forward two years...

I have been up and down on the “natural” train. Like a growing number of people, I am becoming increasingly wary of the myriad synthetic ingredients found in our food, skin care, and household products. But it's kind of a pain in the butt! (Am I right??) Credible and unbiased information is hard to come by, and deciphering those ridiculously long ingredient lists on the back of shampoo bottles – especially when you have two whiny toddlers in the shopping cart – is nothing short of excruciating.

Enter Ava Anderson Non-Toxic. 

I am grateful for this company for so many reasons, but the primary reason is their passion for presenting credible health information about some of the worst offenders in our products in a clear way. It is a company with a clear mission and a leadership determined to increase awareness about the poisons going into our everyday products, and create healthy, toxin-free alternatives that nourish your body.

“We do not share this message about toxic chemicals to sell products, we created the products to share this message.” Ava Anderson

My friend invited me to an Ava Anderson party that she was hosting because she knew that I shared her interest in safe ingredients. I accepted, thinking I might purchase a couple of items and pick up a few natural tips and ideas for some of my Lucy Kat products. Instead, I was so inspired by the mission of Ava Anderson Non-Toxic that I decided to sell the products alongside Lucy Kat! 

Knowledge = Power! 

If you are interested in learning more about Ava’s mission or products, please email me. We are always looking for health-minded individuals who are passionate about spreading this important message!

Handcrafted & Hand-Milled - A Lovely Combination

I am very proud to share my latest creations! 

Handmilled Vanilla & Honey Soap

Made using my signature recipe of skin-loving oils and butters, this lightly-scented soap is given an extra boost of love with a generous amount of cocoa butter and local honey. A gentle line of mica takes this soap from luxurious to almost needlessly fancy. Almost.

Essentially Yours - Hand-Milled with Love

This beautiful soap is completely natural from start to finish. Made using my signature recipe, I infused my olive oil with alkanet root to give it its gorgeous violet color. I wanted to create a floral fragrance using essential oils, so I added a combination of lavender, geranium, and orange. The result is floral and heady - a perfect welcome to the gorgeous colors and fragrances that fill our senses this time of year. 

What is hand-milled soap? 

Hand-milled soap is soap that has been made once, shredded down and gently heated, enhanced with additional skin-loving oils and butters, and allowed to cure. The result is a soap that is every bit as luxurious as my signature soap - often moreso! 

(Because of the additional time and ingredients used to craft the soap, hand-milled soap is typically a little more expensive.)

Psst! This is what you should get your Valentine...

I have a confession to make. Although I love my husband more than my luggage, I hate buying for him. For such a laid-back guy, he can be really particular when it comes to the things I get for him. So for this reason, I usually take advantage of the long-standing (albeit old-fashioned) tradition of not buying him a gift on Valentine's Day. 'Tis better to receive than to give. That's been my motto.

This year, I am partnering with local macaron aficionado Corrie Ruppel of Something Yummy to create a couple of great gift options to satisfy all the senses - even the persnickety ones. It takes a skilled baker to master the art of "macaronage" (this is a real thing, I promise). If I had to decide what my last meal would consist of, it would probably be a glass of wine and a sleeve Corrie's macarons.

To order: Follow the link for the item you want that is listed in the description below, or click here to go to Lucy Kat's online store. If you are having trouble finding the right item, make sure to click the link for "View All Items", then select "Gift Box Sets."  Be sure to look at the other items for sale as well - you can order many of the items a la carte, including the Signature Macarons by Something Yummy.

Large Valentine's Day Basket - $55
(Order by February 1 and receive a free gift from Lucy Kat!)

When you purchase our large basket, you will receive 8 Signature Macarons by Something Yummy, 4 luxury Bath Melts plus one extra-large Bath Bomb by yours truly. On top of all that, you will also get a bottle of something special (wink). You will let us know upon ordering if you prefer a bottle of red or bubbly. (If you are not at least 21, please choose our Non-Alcoholic Bubbly or No Beverage option at check-out.)

Large Valentine's Day gift basket comes with a bottle of wine or sparkling beverage, 4 luxury Bath Melts (two Natural Lavender and two Salted Caramel), 1 extra large bath bomb scented with sensual Sandalwood, and 8 Signature Macarons (flavors are: Strawberry/Champagne, Earl Grey & Lavender filled with a local honey buttercream, Lemon, and Chocolate Caramel & Sea Salt).  Packaging may vary.

Valentine's Day Gift Box - $25
(Order yours by February 1 and receive a free gift from Lucy Kat!)

Indulge someone special with our Valentine's Day Gift Box! Each box comes with four Signature Macarons and two Bath Melt Bon Bons (each Bon Bon is the equivalent of two bath melts - yes please!!). These boxes are also great options for your mom, favorite teacher, co-worker or best friend.

Our Valentine's Day Gift Box comes with four Signature Macarons (flavors: Strawberries & Champagne, Chocolate Caramel & Sea Salt, Lemon, and Earl Grey/Lavender with local honey buttercream) by Something Yummy and two large Bath Melt Bon Bons (Natural Lavender and Strawberries & Champagne) by Lucy Kat Soaps. Packaging may vary.

Pick up will be on Friday February 13 from 5:00-7:00pm and Saturday February 14 from 10:00am-1:00pm in Round Rock. 

Don't forget to order by February 1 for your free gift from Lucy Kat!  Go forth and spread the love!

Why Soap? Because sleep.

People have asked me why/how I started making soap and other bath & body products. This is a totally legitimate question because 1) soap making isn't mainstream, although it is gaining in popularity, and 2) my background is in social work and public policy; not soap, not business.

The truth is complicated, so I often say that I got the idea from watching the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black. (The main character, Piper, has a soap making business with her bestie but has to put it on hold to serve time in prison for crimes committed in her youth.)

Soap making was not a predictable path for grown-up Kelly. In hindsight, I should have started making my own bath and body products as a teenager. I would use all the different bath products available to me, even if I didn't know what they were for; oils, bubble bath, splashes, salts, fizzies, loofas, pumice stones, back scrubbers - all in one bath. I cared not for protests of "excess" or "you'll scrub yourself raw" or "you stink - go wash all that stuff off."

It didn't occur to me to create my own products - my brain didn't work that way. I was a consumer and not very creative, at least not as defined by my ability to draw anything beyond stick figures. Also, take a look at the ingredient lists on bath bars and other products that you buy from large retailers...

I'm not picking on Dove - this was our preferred bar before I started making soap for my family. But that is an intimidating list of ingredients for someone who is not a chemist and is considering developing a craft, and I hadn't yet been enlightened about the difference between real soap versus "bath bars" or "beauty bars," which I now know are actually detergents, NOT soap. (Haughty sniff).

But I digress.

Flash forward 20 years and I have two diplomas of higher education and two beautiful and demanding children, ages five and two. I had always looked forward to devoting myself entirely to my family: breastfeeding, meal plans, daily walks, scheduled and supervised screen time, weekly mommy & me yoga classes, strictly-adhered to schedules for housekeeping (change sheets on Monday, clean bathrooms on Tuesday and so on). I had no idea how I would be affected by total and uncompromising submersion into domestic life, sleep deprivation, post postpartum hormones, and frankly no experience with meal planning and home economics. I am no stranger to depression, but the stakes seemed higher somehow knowing that I had two little mini-me's to look after and inspire.

But I was inspiring nobody, least of all myself. I played with hospital volunteerism, considered returning to work part time, thought about going into business with a friend. Nothing stuck.

And then I received the best gift I could have ever hoped for. My husband actually took me off the clock at night so I could finally sleep. At this point, my daughter was three and my son was eight months. Blessedly, the baby's nighttime needs were very little at this time; but my daughter still woke up multiple times at night.

Side note about sleep deprivation in new parents: It is debilitating and it can seem to last an eternity when you have not yet made it through to the other side at least once with a previous child. That is to say, had my daughter become a solid sleeper before my son was born, I may have had a different perspective on sleep by this time. One more along the lines with, "Treasure these nighttime cuddles...before you know it, she won't need you anymore." Also:

“Understanding that one can end a [sleep] study, and being certain of the temporal parameters of potential sleep deprivation, imbues the experience of sleep loss with a level of controllability that new parents seldom have. That is, (most) new parents realize they cannot opt out of the sleep disruption experience, and they have no certainty about when they may have an opportunity for sufficient sleep. The stress  literature has suggested that such uncontrollability could amplify the mood and physiological consequences of sleep deprivation.” (The Science of Parenting blog. http://scienceofmom.com/2013/05/14/sleep-deprivation-the-dark-side-of-parenting/)

The transformation was almost immediate and it.was.powerful.  I became more organized, more productive, more cheerful. I also became inspired.

And that's how it started.

1. First, I started sleeping. 
2. Second, I began searching for inspiration - something I could do for myself . 
3. Third, I had my "Aha!" moment while watching guilty-pleasure Netflix drama. 
4. Fourth, I got in touch with Lisa Chouinard of Feto Soap through an online ad for soap making classes and ended up as an apprentice. She taught me the basics about the art, science, and business of bath and body production. (Lisa is a wonderful teacher, eager to share her wealth of knowledge, passionate about her craft and forever thinking of ways to take her business to the next level. She is always looking for eager, hard-working apprentices to help her with holiday rush time.)

 Somewhere during this time period, (let's call it Operation Let Kelly Sleep, or "LKS", which also happens to be the acronym for Lucy Kat Soaps. Coincidence? I think not!), my husband and I were out on the back porch after the kids had gone to sleep and discussing life, plans for the future, etc. I don't really remember all the details of this talk, but I do remember telling him that I finally understood the expression "I am rediscovering myself", and that feeling of change and elevation continues to motivate me today.

I'm curious - what was your "Aha!" moment? Please share!

Website a work in progress. In the meantime, here is where you can go to order from Lucy Kat...

I admit it. When it comes to web developing, I am slightly challenged. However, I know how annoying it must be to not be able to order something right away. (What? You don't want to have to spend half your day PMing me on Facebook and waiting for me to see your message and reply back so that you can get your bath melts? I'm SHOCKED.)

If you are one who likes to have that extra personal touch, PLEASE don't stop messaging me! I am more than happy to help you create your order via private message, e-mail, text or phone. However, if you know what you want and need to move on with your day, please visit my online store here. This will be especially useful for orders that need to be shipped.

Have a wonderful day, friends!

PS Check out my fun Dinosaur Soap while you are there! :)

Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up and simmer down with my Lavender Bath Melts (BOGO 1/2 Off)

Even in Texas, January can be pretty cold. Sometimes the only way I can beat the cold is taking a long, hot bath. But I don't even want to consider taking a bath anymore without one of my super luxurious and moisturizing bath melts. 

This week because it's cold and because I want to clear out some space for my new products, I am offering a clearance sale on all things lavender! If you haven't yet tried my bath melts, now is the time. 

Email me at LucyKatSoaps@gmail.com or message me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lucykatsoaps) to order!

Stay warm!!

New Year, New Goals for 2015

Happy New Year!! I had a fabulous time celebrating the holidays this year. The kiddos are at such a fabulous age - everything is magic and sparkles and joy. Please tell me this part lasts forever!

2014 was an amazing year for Lucy Kat Soaps, and I have you to thank for that! Of course, I would still find joy in making soap without customers, but the best part is knowing that other people are enjoying my creations!

Early in 2014, there emerged a real excitement among fellow bath junkies for my bath melts. These little drops of heaven are made with white kaolin clay and skin-loving butters that continue loving on your skin well after the bath is over; customers began requesting varying quantities and fragrances. I currently make Lavender and Salted Caramel-scented melts, but I could be persuaded to play with some new blends soon...

In addition to the Melt-a-Palooza, I had an amazing year of growth, learning, and creative discovery making handcrafted soap. I began the year having only a few batches of soap under my belt. By the end of the year, my "soapertoire" looked something like this:

I had so much fun planning and making these soaps. I experimented with different additives like oatmeal, ground coffee beans, spearmint tea, various types of clay, and honey. I also had fun with colors, especially natural colorants like the alkanet root infusion that I used to color my lavender soaps and a kelp infusion that lent a very light and almost translucent hue to my Woodland Spice soap. 

And my favorite part - the smells! I had so much fun experimenting with essential oils and various fragrance oils. I am very interested in essential oils and briefly considered using them exclusively in my products until I remembered that they haven't yet figured out how to distill the cocoa bean in any meaningful way, so until then I choose to keep my options open. I will continue to expand my knowledge of these ancient aromatics, and essential oils will remain a key ingredient in several of my products moving forward.

So what is in store for Lucy Kat Soaps in 2015? First of all, I will continue with the bath melts and am adding a shower-friendly version of the bath melt - if you aren't excited about that  yet, you will be! I am also narrowing down my bar soap inventory to a few select fragrances that people were extra-excited about this year - be watching for a separate post for the big reveal! I will also be developing a line of fun novelty soaps as well as some fun soapy gifts for the kiddos - more on this later!!

There will be some small pricing changes, effective January 1. The price for a four-pack of bath melts will now be $8 (down from $10), and my handmade soap will be $6/bar (up from $5). Sales tax will apply to all purchases. 

Finally, my website: I hope that it will be ready to launch by the end of January. Once my website is up and running, ordering from Lucy Kat will become much easier! 

Again, thank you SO much for following me and supporting my soaping endeavors. It goes without saying that I couldn't do this without you, but I just have to say it anyway because I APPRECIATE YOU!! Cheers to feeling good and smelling even better in 2015!

Pumpkin Tortilla Soup

This is a wonderful recipe for pumpkin lovers everywhere, and perfect for the stirring up those fall, warm fuzzies. Make it as spicy or mild as you want (I like it on the spicier side). Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Tortilla Soup
Serves 6

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more sprigs for garnish
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Chile pequins, other dried hot peppers, or cayenne pepper to taste*
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
5 cups unsalted vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
1-2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and cubed

Cut 6 of the tortillas into 1/2-inch squares.

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, cilantro, and chopped tortillasand cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft.

Add cumin and crushed peppers or cayenne and sauté for another minute.

Add pumpkin, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour.

While the soup is simmering, cut the remaining 6 tortillas in half and then into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Fry tortilla strips in two batches until crisp and light golden (about a minute). Using a slotted spoon, transfer tortilla strips to towels to drain.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with tortilla strips, avocado, and cilantro.

*You can tailor the type and amount of hot pepper to your own tastes. We usually make this with a couple of crushed chile pequins but have also used cayenne pepper, which is more readily available. If you're not sure how much to use, start with 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, taste the soup after it has simmered for awhile, and then add more if desired.

Drunken Herbed Chicken

This was one of the first dishes that I learned how to make after getting married and it was an instant success. I found it on the Whole Foods website. Back then, I was using basic, store-bought chicken stock and the dish was really fantastic. Recently, I started making my own chicken stock and it took meals to a whole new level. I'm sure the increased fat content in homemade stock has a lot to do with it. :) Everything in moderation, no?

**This dish is gluten-free, but if you are using store-bought chicken broth you will want to double check to make sure the brand you are purchasing was prepared without gluten.

Ingredients:
8 skinless chicken thighs (approx. 4.5 pounds)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion
8 garlic cloves
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch diagonal
1 cup Chardonnay or dry white wine
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups cooked brown rice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in heavy 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in hot Dutch oven and sear each side until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Add the onion to the Dutch oven and saute until soft and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and carrots and saute 2 minutes more. Add the wine, chicken stock, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Stir to blend. Add the thighs and their juices back to the Dutch oven. Spoon carrot mixture on top. Cover and place the pot in the preheated oven and bake until the chicken is tender, about 1 hour.

Serve with brown rice and sprinkle with parsley.

A little soap to get the season started

So the kiddos have been in pre-school for two weeks now, which means that those lovely germs we come to know and love this time of year have all but set up camp in our house. Unfortunately, our immune systems are still hanging out at the beach. It hit me this weekend, but today was the worst (naturally, since it's Monday and my husband had to return to work). Lucky for me, my mom was happy to take my two-year-old for the day so my daughter and I could make butternut squash and apple soup while vegging out on popcorn, tea, Cinderella, and soupy goodness.

Sicky germs aside, I was anxious to make soap this weekend, if only because I was trying a new technique and a new additive (pumpkin!). I love the cold process method of soap making because it produces a harder and longer-lasting bar of soap than other methods. The downside to that is the curing time that is required - at least 4-6 weeks - means that the pressure is now on to make those fall and winter seasonal blends that I have been so excited about making, especially if I want to give myself time to make mistakes.

Fortunately, the soap that I made this weekend appears to be in good shape with only a few - let's call them artistic - irregularities.

This is my Pumpkin Spice soap, and as you can see, I am having some difficulty cutting a straight bar of soap.

And I still haven't mastered the art of the mica swirl. I envisioned something like this...

Credit: The Distracted Housewife

...but ended up with this.

No biggie. I cleaned up the sides and edges and I am very happy with the outcome. I made it with olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil and castor oil. Plus, pureed pumpkin. In the soap. Hello.

For my next batch, I used my favorite recipe with mango butter and white kaolin clay. There is something very special about this soap. I don't know if it is the soothing clay, the creaminess of the coconut and castor oils, or the cooling of the peppermint essential oil, but it epitomizes the benefits of handmade soap to me and will be awesome for dry winter skin.

Peppermint > Lavender

Admittedly, there is a rather large disconnect of the senses with this soap. I used olive oil infused with alkanet root to color the soap and topped it off with lavender buds.  My intention was for the scent to be a true blend of lavender and mint; this soap looks like lavender and smells like peppermint. I am still learning about the behavior of essential oils, and this weekend's lesson was that peppermint trumps lavender. 

Having said that, I have high hopes for this soap. AND I cut straighter bars this time. Hooray for improvement!

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Today, I had a cold and really wanted something to help me feel better, but nobody was around to make it for me. This soup has LOADS of fresh ingredients and layered flavors, but it didn't really require much "thinking" time. Prep time was medium - it takes a minute to peel and scrape out the core of the butternut squash.

I took inspiration from two recipes: Ina Garten (a.k.a. The Barefoot Contessa) and Martha Stewart both had recipes that incorporated the flavors that I was looking for - earthy, sweet, savory and spicy. I added a few of my own touches. The cayenne pepper added a lot of heat, so I added more cream and the cinnamon to tame it. My kids still found it too spicy (more for me!), but it was just what I was craving to soothe my sore throat and congested sinuses.

I like to make soup in large batches to save and freeze. Cut this recipe in half if this is too much for you.

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash (mine was about 4 lbs, peeled, pitted and chopped)

2 sweet apples (I used Braeburn, but really just stay away from tart apples)

2 large onions, coarsely chopped

3 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped

3 large carrots, coarsely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

2 TBSP olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more to taste)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

5 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock

Approximately 4 additional cups of water

Approximately 1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large soup pot, heat the oil and saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add the butternut squash and apples and allow to saute with the other vegetables for a few more minutes. Add seasoning and stir. Pour in the stock and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. If you have a stick blender, buzz the soup until smooth. If you don't have one, use a blender - you will need to do this in batches. Once soup is smooth, add cream and stir to mix (do not bring soup to boil after cream is added).

Turkish Mocha Soap (Warning: Do Not Eat)

On Thursday, I made a new batch of soap using my favorite recipe. It has olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, castor oil and mango butter and kaolin clay. I used goat milk instead of water. I have always loved goat milk soap and I was interested in using it in this recipe for the rich color it would add to the soap. When I combined sodium hydroxide (lye) and goat milk, the mixture turned a bright, golden hue. This color will carry over during the process of saponification (the chemical process wherein the oils and the lye react together to make soap) and curing.

I scented the soap with Turkish Mocha fragrance oil from Brambleberry and added about a teaspoon of finely ground coffee beans for exfoliation. So far, I am loving the smells that are coming from my curing shelves. I'm getting vanilla, chocolate, and caramel - yes please!

In addition to receiving color from the goat milk, vanilla from the fragrance oil is adding a richness that I am really loving!

Happy birthday to my little man!

This post comes more than a month after our little guy turned 2. Whatever. This kid brings so much joy and laughter to our lives that I would happily celebrate his 2nd birthday once a month for the next year, and then his 3rd every month after.

We marked the day with a party at Nini's house. My mom, who doesn't give herself enough nearly enough credit, is one of the most hospitable people I know. She worked for weeks trying to get her house and yard "in shape" for the party. (I put quotes around that because I have never seen her house not in tip-top shape. We are all our own worst critics, are we not?) 

Corrie Ruppel, owner of Something Yummy in Round Rock makes all my kids' birthday cakes. Because my little monkey loves bananas, Corrie made a chocolate cake with banana buttercream filling. Danny and all his fellow monkeys, both grown and miniature, went bananas! (Sorry).

Stay tuned for a separate post all about Something Yummy. (Teaser: She doesn't just do cakes...close your eyes and say "macaron.")

Two-tiered chocolate cake with banana buttercream filling, vanilla buttercream icing, and fondant accents by Something Yummy.

I also made little soapy favors for the kids who attended the party - yellow and blue glycerin soaps with little monkey and banana erasers embedded in them. 

I found the monkey and banana erasers at Terra Toys in Austin.

I found the toy erasers at my favorite toy store, Terra Toys. This is one of those privately-owned, independent retailers that make Austin such a cool place to live. They have everything that you won't find on any generic toy aisle at (enter name of box store here). This awesome store was started by a couple of artists who set out to make their own wooden toys and sell them to retailers. Pretty soon, they decided to open up their own store. Now Terra Toys carries a million different types and brands of toys, but they also have a workshop in the back where they make their own as well. Check them out around Christmas time for a line of toys made on site by a pirate hat-wearing Terra Toy employee named Dave and one of the owners.

And he's off!

Hula hoops! Humiliation to me, but I know a few kids who can dominate this.

Magic crystals!

Mommy's best friend - a bubble blowing bear situated at the check-out counter so that I can take care of my business without losing my child.

Reflections of a Summer Gone By (Too Quickly)

It has been a slow summer for Lucy Kat and a very busy summer for Kelly. We started off the summer attending a fabulously hipster wedding in our very favorite city (shout out to Brooklyn, USA!). Mike and I lived in Brooklyn for a couple of years and got engaged in Prospect Park. We love NYC and hope to go back often now that the kids are getting a little older. Though being at the wedding was wonderful for so many reasons - first and foremost, the bride and groom are a really snazzy couple who loves life almost as much as they love each other - it was really cool for us to be back on our old stomping ground.

Pre-wedding selfie! Ready to celebrate with Mr. and Mrs. Slaton!

The original gang together again. (And look at my handsome hubby in the middle!)

Next up was Columbus, Ohio where my hubs spent a primitive week camping with some friends while I got to hang back with the kids and visit with the Ohio family. 

Unfortunately, half of the campers got sick while camping and my husband came back looking like death warmed over. Fortunately, cell phone coverage in the mountains was non-existent so I didn't know (and therefore didn't worry) about the guys all being sick in the middle of nowhere, so we all had a pretty good time. (Could have used a little heads up about the phenomenon wherein girl cousins long dramatically for each other from afar but end up screaming and clawing at each others' throats for nearly the entire week - more wine, please!)

The world needs more of this little darling.

Brave rock climbers at Center of Science and Industry (COSI)

The next generation...

Cousins and friends through laughter and tears (OH. MY. GOD. The tears!)

We wrapped up our summer travels with a week long trip to South Padre Island...

Too cool for school...

Beach love

...followed by a trip to Massachusetts for another wedding. We were fortunate enough to be with this amazing couple when they got engaged AND tied the knot! We love you, Justin and Chelsie!

Also? LOVE New England in the summer. I'm from Texas, y'all. August is supposed to be miserable. But off the coast of Boston, it was downright pleasant, even a little chilly at times. Being one that hates extremes, this was a truly wonderful place for me to be. I will have a summer home here someday. I will have a summer home here someday. I will I will I will...

There really isn't anything sweeter than this. Oh, Mike is hiding a beer behind his back. Don't tell him I told you so.

Oh, wait. This is the sweetest thing ever.

Shoot! Okay, this moment may rival the other two for sweetness.

Swagger, y'all. 

Ni-night, glow stick princess. 

Thanks for the memories, Summer 2014. 

Happy 4th Birthday Ayden!!

Whew!  It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but I made it through to the other side and I still have a smile on my face (and a few pictures to share)!

First, have I mentioned yet how incredibly blessed I am to have such a supportive family?  Because I am...I really am.  I'm a stay-at-home-mom who recently decided to learn how to make soap, and with no questions asked, both of my children's grandmothers agreed to help with the kids while I was off learning this new craft.  Then my neck went out and the grandmothers/heroines stepped up their game BIG TIME, taking shifts and coordinating schedules so that I wouldn't re-injure myself caring for and picking up the littles.

I tried to take it easy...I really did.  But it's taking so long for my neck to heal and I was anxious to do something productive and I just so happened to have a bunch of soap-making ingredients nearby and a lovely husband who was willing to do the heavy lifting for me.  (That bordered on a run-on sentence but you get a picture of the frantic voices in my head).  Anyway I had a great excuse...one of my best friend's son was turning 4 (adorable Ayden) and I was doing the party favors!  Take a moment to soak in the adorableness that is this little boy...

I know...those eyes, that smile.  He's too cute for words!  The kids had so much fun at the party.  There was a petting zoo...

...and a bouncy house...

...and did I mention that Ayden's 10-year-old cousin made his birthday cake??  

Now the party favors...each child received a bag with one bar of soap with little farm animals embedded inside, and three miniature bath bombs with water-soluble images melted on the front wrapped up in a pretty little package.

Ninety miniature bath bombs with water-soluble images melted on.  And I really did have fun doing it!  

 Here's a close up of the soap...the kids love them!!

Happy birthday, Ayden!!

My Inspiration for Lucy Kat Soaps

I will be 34 soon - still young, but older than I have ever been before.  (It's all relative, right?)  I have been inspired by many different types of people in those years; most of them (not all) were women.  They inspired and continue to inspire in many ways.  They inspire me to care for the sick; to feed the birds and have a garden; to travel and see the world; to believe in my ability to create; to use my troubles as stepping stones to higher ground; to always try to be kind; to not be always trying to be kind at the expense of my self-respect.

I just had a long conversation with one such woman.  She is strong and fierce and wonderful.  She knows who she is and she tells you and then she doesn't apologize for it, and it inspired me to tell you who I am and why I am starting Lucy Kat Soaps.

Kicking and screaming...Auntie Heather doesn't mess around

I am a wife, daughter, sister, niece, proud auntie, friend and stay-at-home-mom to two of the most awe-inspiring creatures to ever walk my way.  I am also a University of Texas alumna (Hook 'em Horns!).  I have a Master of Social Work and before becoming a mom, I worked on public policy at various levels of government in New York City and Austin.  

I love many things.  I really love my family and my friends.  I love to travel and cook and watch really suspenseful and traumatizing crime dramas. I like to read and write.  I love New York City and I love to practice yoga in a heated room on a cold day with the window open.  I really love going to the theater (Broadway plays and musicals).  I love to eat really delicious food and talk about how good it was for a week after, and I love red wine.  

I also really love spa smells and fancy baths.  As a child, I was known for my love of all things Lucille Ball.  I loved Lucy for a long time in the same way that you loved Michael Jackson or The Cure or, em, Wilson Phillips.  (What?  Who said that?).  

I may have even dressed up as Lucy for Halloween one year.  

I was a fan of the belted tunic with leggings underneath.  (I still kind of love that look).

Yes, my loyalty to Lucy went with me to junior high and high school...

.

My "I Love Lucy" t-shirts did amazing things for my social status

...and even made its way into my college dorm.

You have to look past the adorable flying nun to see that Lucy still had a prominent place in my life.

So what inspired me to create Lucy Kat Soaps?  I honestly think it is the perfect conglomeration of who I am, who I used to be and who I hope to be.   It combines my love for fun and fancy bath and body products; my growing interest in making more of my family's consumables from scratch; and my desire to stay home with my kids, have an outlet from that, and if I'm lucky maybe even pay for a ballet class or a soccer lesson.

So now that I've shared, it's your turn. What are your favorite bath and body products?  I really want to know!