Monday, October 30, 2017

Holiday Bath Fizzy Cupcakes and Soaps

Good morning!

Hello my darlings!  How are you are all doing?  Hopefully sensational!  As always I have been super duper busy. 

My daughter Celine is fund raising to go on a once in a lifetime trip to Boston MA.  Together we have been baking, crocheting/knitting scarves and whipping up NEW Bath Products.

Let me show you a few of the new goodies that we have been working on.

I have been obsessed with Gingerbread!  This lovely spicy fragrance reminds me of fall. winter and family.  It has notes of nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon, perfection!

We made Gingerbread Bath Fizzy Cupcakes


Gingerbread Men/Women Glycerin Soaps

We found that once we started working with the Gingerbread Fragrance we couldn't stop!  Celine designed this loaf, she really planned out the colors and the overall look of the soap.  I think she nailed it!





Shall we move on to these yummy Hot Cocoa Bath Fizzy Cupcakes.  These cupcakes are like no other, they are created with real Cocoa Butter and are topped with my Toasted Marshmallow Bubble Bar Frosting.  The mini Chocolate Glycerin Bars just add the icing on the cake, don't you think? 


No holiday is complete without Candy Canes!  These aromatic Peppermint Stick Bath Fizzy Cupcakes are scrumptious!


And of course, Christmas Tree Bath Fizzies had to be made. These Peppermint Mint fizzies are superb!  Another personal favorite of mine.


We got a little carried away with the cupcake fizzy making.  We also whipped up these delightful Maple Pecan Bath Fizzy Cupcakes. 


We mustn't forget our Pumpkin Must Have's.  Pumpkin Dunkin' Bath Fizzy Cupcakes were made with extra care.  



Last but not least, Celine whipped up one of my most popular soaps.  Frosted Cranberry Glycerin Soap Bars have arrived!  


100% of every sale will go to Celine's Fund Raising Campaign.  If you would like to purchase any of these lovely products, please visit our Etsy shop here

Stay tuned, we have more to share!

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Listing and organizing

Good morning my friends!

How have you all been?  Super busy getting ready for kiddos to head back to school?  College? Seems like this time of year is just hectic.

Here in the studio I have been taking photo's and listing..  LOTS of listing, on Etsy that is.  I have decided bundle a few items together for you my wondeful customers and friends.

I have a NEW Tab in my Etsy shop called "Buy More Save More" What exactly does that mean?  It means that I have bundled a few like items together and have discounted them, figured out exact shipping and listed them for your buying pleasure.  With the holidays quickly approaching, now is the time to stock up on your favorites.  :-)

We will no longer carry the smaller lotions individually, here is a lovely set of four lotions, ALL for the price of three!  What a great deal!



When I closed the store front, I had a few miscellaneou Oatmeal Luffa Soaps left, why not scoop these up?  Waremelon, Pinapple Punch and London for Men are the fragrances, something for everyone!


I also decided to offer a variety pack of soap bars, Ginger Orange Glycerin, Brambleberry Black Tea Goats Milk, Beautiful Buttermilk and Berried Treasure Glycerin Soap make up this wonderful combo. 



 Sugar scrubs are another popular product of mine!  I thought why not?  I bundled these in sets of 5 and have put together a  combination of fruit, calming and most popular scents.

 Last but not least, I had a few lotion bars that needed a home.  Have you ever tried a Lotion Bar?  I can assure you, once you try one, you will soon become addicted. Say goodbye to dry cracked heels and elbows!


I still have more products and yarn to list...stay tuned! 

 p.s.  We are also gearing up for the FALL Product line!  I have new product ideas on the horizon.  

To purchase any of these lovely bundles click here


Friday, August 4, 2017

Dishing...Soap & Yarn

Good morning my Friends & Family!
Bet you were wondering where I ran off to?  I have been keeping fairly busy with soap orders and listings and of course life and family.

We shall first talk about soaping...these cute mini Elephant Soaps to date have been my best Sellers.  I have whipped up more than 900 Mini Soaps!  NINE HUNDRED!  That is just online, can you all believe that?

They really are so cute and adorable!

 I offer the opportunity for folks to choose their favorite pastel color.
Grey, White and Pink seem to be the most popular


However a mix of pastels are fun too!


They really are super cute for baby showers, wedding favors, parties and make unique gifts.  And you get to choose your favorite fragrance too!  What's not to love? 


Besides Soaping, my family has been helping me list ALL of the yarn that was in my store front.  This has not been an easy task..I have over 300 skeins of yarn for sale!

I love that I have personally used all of the yarn that I am selling and can attest to the quality and ease of use.

Let's talk about Caron Simply Soft shall we?  I really think I should work for Spinrite the Company that makes this yarn.  Personally I started crocheting with this yarn 16 years ago, since then I have fallen deeper in like with this soft cuddly yarn.  It holds up well to washings and really wears well.  They offer such a huge variety of bright colors, Fuschia, Neon Pinks, Deep Purple, as well as softer shades-Autumn Maize, Off White, Bone and Pastels. 

I Custom Crochet this Mandala Vest for one of my wonderful customers.  It was so fun picking out the yarn, configuring the color sequence and whipping it up.  I must say it did look fabulous on her!



 A few years ago I started knitting dishcloths, they were an easy way for me to learn how to knit and didn't take as long as a scarf.  This awesome blend of cotton and polyester  yarn is a dream to work with, the stitches just glide off the knitting needles.

I have a growing collection of knit dischloths and have gifted quite a few of them too!  

The Scrub It Yarn is another one of my personal favorites

 The yarn is made out of 100% cotton-this makes the dishcloths wonderful to not only wash dishes but clean counter tops, microwaves and appliances.  I usually knit 2 dischloths per skein of yarn..win win!


 All of these wonderful goodies can be found online:

LeeAnn's Heaven Scents

Yarn Goodies

Crochet/Knit Wearables

Until next time, what fun products do you enjoy using?




Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Life changing events

Hello All!

It's ME!  Boy oh boy has A LOT changed since my last post.  Not to fret, I am STILL making product and doing what I love but I have switched things up a bit.

First things first, I was able to welcome my newest baby nephew into the world in May.  SQUUUEEEE!!!!!  What a life changing moment!  The moment my eyes feasted on baby, my whole world changed.  My heart has fallen in love.  He is such a sweet babes, beautiful too!  I love being an Auntie and adore all of my nieces and nephews.  What a blessing to be "Auntie Lee".  They all hopefully know that I think each and every one of them is WONDERFUL and fantastic.  I tend to spoil them all and think of them constantly.

With the new arrival, I started thinking more of family and life.  I knew that I didn't have a balance, a Work/Life/Balance.  I tend to Work Work Work.  Having my own business means that everything is up to me.  If something doesn't get done, it can be disasterous.  I am the only one responsible.  While most days I love it, some times it can be stressful too.

As soon as babes was born, I knew that I wanted to spend more time with him.  However between being a wife and mom myself my extra time felt so restriced.  So what did I do?  I went on vacation!  Now doesn't that sound drastic?  My sister and I had been planning our getaway for over a month. Imagine working for 4 years without a true vacation?   Usually when I would take a few days off, I would still be working/planning either in my mind or in real life.  This was the first time that I had taken time as a business owner to just be "Me".

I had the time of my life!  We flew to Hawaii and were lucky to be able to stay on the main island for 10 days..TEN whole days!  Days filled with snorkeling, cruises, beach time, pool time, adventure and lots of yummy food but most importantly time spent with my sister and brother in-law.  Precious time that I hadn't allowed myself to take.





While I was away, I came to the conclusion that while my business was doing well online, having a store front was just not working out.  I have my own studio attached to my home complete with office.  It suddenly became clear that I could still sell online and in person without having the responsibility or financial burden of operating a store front.  I could also find a part time/full time job and still be able to contribute to my family AND spend more time with my loved ones.

WIN WIN in my book!  This wasn't an easy decision to make but for some reason, once I decided to "close up the store front" everything fell into place.

The tears fell as I somehow felt like I was failing.  Perhaps I could have tried a litle harder?  Perhaps I could have done this or that...but in the end I knew that I had given it all I had but it was just time to move on.

So what did I do next? I made an iternary and got to work!  Planning things out helps keep me focused while providing me with an end goal.  My last day as a store front owner was June 23.  With the help of my wonderful family, we were able to pack up what was left of the store product and supplies in a matter of days.  My family really came to the rescue and packed up most of the shop products.   They somehow knew that my heart couldn't take it.  I will be forever grateful to them for all of their support.

So what does that all mean for my wonderful customers?  I am still available, you can still custom order your favorite products, either online or in person.  Instead of local folks coming into the shop to purchase their items I will deliver them to you.  How neat is that?  Here in the Alamosa area, I can pop on over or meet you somewhere that is convenient for you.

I have also opened up a 3rd Etsy shop.  Off The Hook by LeeAnn-here you will find an assortment of hand knit/crochet scarves, wraps, baby afghans and more.



To purchase any of these products, hop on over here

For your convenience here are the links to see what goodies I have whipped up.

For all of your Bath & Beauty Needs:
LeeAnn's Heaven Scents

For all of your Crafty Supplies/packaging bottles/tins:
Crafting With LeeAnn

Until next time, may your days be filled with sunshine !





Friday, April 28, 2017

Basket Making

Good afternoon Folks!

How ya all doing?  Has Spring Sprung in your neck of the woods?  The days are getting longer and warmer but I wouldn't say that we are in full Spring Mode.  I am not sure that we really have a Spring  here in Colorful Colorado.

Before I get started I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you that voted for my little shop.  I had participated in an Etsy competition, sadly I did not win but I feel as if I am a champion anyway.  Without all of my wonderful customers, family and friends I would be lost.  You all encourage me in so many ways, THANK YOU!

With Mother's Day and Gradation right around the corner, I thought now is the perfect time to whip up Gift Baskets.  They are so much fun to put together.  I have noticed that while some folks like a combination of products with several fragrances, folks usually prefer a Gift Set with one favorite fragrance.

With that thought in  mind, I went to work...taking notes, planning, mixing, making, labeling and lastly packaging.

Here are a few of the newest Gift Sets.

Top Left Hand Gift Basket-Abalone & Sea-A fresh ocean scent with notes of daylily, sea spray, watery florals and musk.  This is by far one of my personal favorite ocean fragrances, it has a freshness about it that is super neat.

The Top Right Hand Gift Set is fragranced with my Beautiful-Feminine nuances of orchid, jasmine, pink rose and musk.  Extremely flroal, if you love the smell of fresh flowers this is the way to go!

Bottom Left Hand Gift Set-Can Can-imagine hintsof Apple Peel, Jasmine, Violet and Lily balanced out with woodland fern and hints of berry. This is a complicated fragrance to describe I would say it smells a bit fruity and powedery at the same time.  

Bottom Right Hand Gift Set-Black Brambleberry Tea-Fragrance blackberries and autumn fruits blend perfecty with southern sweet tea and a touch of cinnamon brown sugar.  Oh my!  Another one of my personal fav's.  I get hooked on certain scents, they just make me happy.  Ever have that happen?

I have Custom Graduation Soapies that are sitting in the molds as we speak, can't wait to share them all with you.  Until then, may you have a Spring in Your Step.  


Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Etsy Happenings...

Tip top of the morning to you!

How are you all doing?  I hope fantastic! I have been up since the wee hours of the morning, working on custom orders, making lists and planning.

So much is happening in my little world that I feel like I am on a Merry Go Round, exhilirating and exciting.

Where oh where to start?  Last year I partnered with my local Small Business Development Center to coach/teach an Etsy Entrepreneurship Program.  I had a wonderful time sharing my knowledge.  I have been asked to teach another session...sqqqueeee! How exciting is that?  I love love love Etsy, selling on Etsy has allowed me to reach folks across the USA and into other countries.  Every order gives me a jolt of energy.  I am humbled and grateful to all of my customers both online and in my store front.  Without all of you, none of this would be possible. THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!

Here is a bit of info, if you would like to sign up here is the direct link:  https://clients.coloradosbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=1370005


On to my next bit of news.  Etsy is hosting a Small Business Contest.  The shop with the most votes wins a $10,000 prize to help scale their business.  I would be honored and so appreciative if you would click on the link and vote.  Oh my, winning would be like the cherry on top of the cake!  The supplies that I could buy, the promoting that I could do...the possibilities are endless.  If you woudn't mind sharing on your Social Media platforms, I would be so gateful.  

https://etsy.wishpond.com/small-business-contest/entries/150484080


Stay tuned for NEW Spring Soaps..they are setting up as we speak.  Until next time, have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Friday, March 10, 2017

Fizzle Fizzle Pop!

Greetings!  How are you all doing?  Here in my neck of the woods, Windy March comes to mind.  While it has been super duper windy outdoors I have been staying nice and toasty in my Craft Studio whipping up lots and I mean LOTS of New Bath Fizzies!

Awhile back I purchased a Bath Fizzy Press.  Aside from my upright kitchen aide mixers and my melting pots, I usually do everything else by hand.  However this new machine compresses the bath fizzies with 100 pounds of force!  What exactly does that mean?  It means that I can make the most dense, most awesome bath fizzies.

Bath fizzies for me have always been somewhat of a challenge.  I knew that I had a few requirements of a bath fizz.

# 1.  The Fizzies need to fizzle but not so fast that the process isn't enjoyable.  That is one of the best parts of using a fizzy, watching it fizz and pop.

# 2.  Fragrance/Essential oils need to be released without clumping or being too dry.

#3.  As you soak, your skin should feel hydrated, soft and silky.

#4.  Color needs to come into play as I know most of my customers LOVE color, however the colorants need to be non-bleeding and non staining.

#5.  Rose petals and other dried flowers could be embedded as well with ease.

With all of those requirements in mind, I started experimenting.  I tried different oils such as Sweet Almond Oil, Grape Seed Oil and  Apricot Oil.  While I found all of these oils to be fabulous, the 2 oils that stood out the most were the Sweet Almond Oil and the Apricot Kernel Oil.  They provided just enough moisture, combining those oils with Shea Butter ensures that the bath fizzy would be super hydrating without feeling too oily.

I shall stop myself from going on and on, and show you the NEW and WONDERFUL bath fizzes!

I have two sets of blue fizzies in stock, Blueberry and Calming Water.  My family picked their favorite fragrances and I went to work.


Ohh the Blueberry...it is so yummy and just sweet enough without being overwhelming.  


Purple purple purple..and Bramble Berry Tea...a new favorite fragrance of mine.


And of course PINK..Pink Musk to be exact..I just can NOT not make something without pink.  :-)  


These little lovelies have Rose Petals and are fragranced with my Lovely also known as Love Spell..so pretty and they feel so decadent.



I ordered different molds with the press...shall we have a looksie

Cupcakes!  I can now make two different sized cupcakes,...wooooaaaaaa?  Say WHAT?  I know, right?  Isn't that just awesomeness?  These large cupcakes are Pina Colada, sweet coconut, juicy pineapple and a hit of lime..did someone say 5 o'clock?  

I was jumping at the chance to use all of the mods, the next ones are TABS..smaller fizzies with all of the same components but with a different look.  Perfec to use with the foot soak tubs, or even at the spa.  


 My husband came up with the idea of Sweetie Tart Bath Fizzies..I ran with it!  Well as fast as my little legs could take me.  *grin*  This fabulous set has 4 different fragrances:  Cherry, Banana, Watermelon and Grape Soda..yummy!

What are you working on?  As always if you would like to purchase any of the bath fizzies, you can shop on line here or pop in and buy them in person.  Until next time, hang on tight...Spring is on it's way!


Friday, February 17, 2017

hmmmmm...New Adventures Await

Hello hello!
How's it going?  Keeping busy?  In my little world I have been busy creating, the "Yyyyuuuzzzz" aka "Usual" Lots and I mean LOTS of soaps have been floating out of the studio.  I would think that after so many  years of soap making that I would grow tired of it, but I think the more that I create the more that I LOVE it!  It seems like my little soap knowledge just keeps growing as does my list of soaps that I want to make.

I had a request for Tie Dyed Soaps..now who am I to say no?  I was so excited to give it a whirl as I had tried one other time..unsucessful I might add.  After much research and the perfect mold..6 trial flowers later I finally DID it!

These sweet Flower Power Soaps are just soo RAD!  What I like about them most is that once you pour in the soap, you have no idea how the colors will mix and melt into each other.  As the soaps set, the colors will continue blending.  Isn't that awesome?  It was a bit of a gamble, as I like knowing the results.  I am slowly learning to let go and just see what happens.

Since I felt like the flowers were so successful, I had remembered that I had the most darling VW Bug molds just waiting patiently to be used.  I re-did the tye-dying procedure and added a touch of my Breeze Fragrace Oil..isn't that fitting?  They look like they are floating in the breeze..cuteness overload I tell ya!




 Back to loafing...Oh my gosh! I am having so much fun creating new loaves of soap.  Every day I think of a new fragrance/essential oil that I want to use and then I start thinking of the deisgn.

Purple is one of my favorite colors, it inspired the Newest Blackberry Bramble Tea Goats Milk Soap.  I packed this loaf with as many goodies as I possibly could!  I used dried "Bath Tea" for some of the layers, and then topped it all off with mini blackberries, oh my gosh!  I love love love the fragrance!  DId I tell you that I love purple?  Remind me to share my "Purple Sweater Story"


This darling loaf batch was another fun concept.  The fragrance is called "A Mother's Love" doesn't this just remind you of your mom?  Delicate, flowery with a hint of pink and a burst of gold.  


I have 2 new loaves that are ready to photograph, and NEW Bath Fizzies..Yes folks!  My Bath Bomb Press has arrived, whipped up SEVEN yes seven new batches of never before seen/smelled fizzies.  Stay tuned for more photo's and update.  

Have a Fantastic Friday!  

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Think PINK!

Good MORNING!  How's it going?  Here in my neck of the woods, I have been creating all things PINK!  Pink is such a lovely color, not all folks like it, but I personally LOVE it!  

Keeping the Day of Love aka Valentine's Day in mind I have started early this year.  Whipping up new products that is.  *grin*  My newest Lovely Pink Glycerin Heart Soaps are sweet!  I think they would be great for any tme of year.  



I had an idea to make a loaf of Valentine Fun Soap.  You may be asking yourself what is a loaf?  What is the difference between a loaf and my regular bars of soap?  The loaves contain 44 ounces of soap.  Loaf making is usually the way to go when making large batches.

Let me tell ya, it was a bit of a process.  However I am happy to say that the end results made it all so worthwhile.  I started by creating columns of hearts.   I have had the kniffty columns for over a year.  I poured each heart into the column molds then let them set, then it was time to layer and insert the columns.  It is always a bit of a rush as you never know if the columns will move during the setting up process.  I was so relieved to see that the hearts stayed put..whew!  Did I tell you that these heart soaps smell divine?  The fragrance oil that I used is called Berried Treasure, thought it was fitting for these soapies.  


Butterflies oh butterfly!  These little darlings are fragranced with my Cotton Candy, I also added a touch of iridescent glitter.  Who doesn't love sparkle?  In my humble opinion, GLITTER makes everything better!

Oh my gosh!  These Bath Fizzy Cupcakes were so much fun to make and bit of a nail biting experience.  I had been researching and planning to make these for about 3  months.  The bottom part of the cupcakes are fragranced with my Strawberry Shortcake.  These were made over a week span.  The cake had to set up before the frosting could be piped on.  The frosting was a bit tricky as I wasn't expecting it to set up so quickly.  I was squeezing the frosting out of the piping bag just as fast as I could, I was racing to get all of the cupcakes frosted.  B-)

The frosting is fragranced with one of  my personal favorites-Strawberry not jut a regular Strawberry but a Knock Your Socks of Berry!  Reminds me of Strawberry Shortcake, the cartoon.  I have a fascination with her, she's pink and smells good. and jsut so cute!  My daughter still has my Strawberry Shortcake curtains that I had as a child.  

They just look so happy and ready to eat...errr...I mean toss in your bathtub.  *grin*


The Sugar Scrub Hearts are also NEW!  I tell ya, I have been on a roll!  The adorable hearts are decadent and so easy to use. Just grab a heart, wet it a bit smoosh it in your hands, wash your body.  Is smoosh a word?  Not sure but I'm going with it.  The Shea Butter and the Glycerin soap combined with the sugar blend perfectly to create a luxurious spa soap. Before I forget, these are fragranced with my Pink Berry Mimosa...oh so sweet, yet sophisticated!


All of these lovely items can be found here or in my store front.  Back to work I go, have a Terrific Tuesday!








Sunday, January 22, 2017

Craft Studio Make-Over

Good afternoon my friends!

January can be such a long month.  For me, it is filled with "To Do" lists that are aimed at keeping me on track for the entire year. 

Last weekend it snowed off and on, since I was home I thought I might as well make the most of my time away from the shop and give my Studio a good cleaning.  You would think that I love cleaning huh?  Actually it doesn't really bother me, I do feel so much better when things are in their rightful spot.  My little heart really does crave organization.  In owning my own business where things often change from day to day, organizing keeps me grounded.  

  Some folks can work in a state of chaos, while I have been know to do that, truthfully it does stress me out a bit. It leaves me feeling frazzled when I can not find what I am looking for.   My studio is one of my favorite places to be, I am grateful for the breathtaking scenery.  I like to sip my coffee while gazing out.  

This sweet little corner holds all of my curling ribbon, recipe binders, cardstock and some of my molds and containers.  I also store my extra knitting needles here.  Do you see the little plastic sword on top of the sewing table?  Don't tell anyone but sometimes I swish it in the air and pretend that I am in a sword fight..*grin*

 When my husband built my Craft Studio, I bet he had no idea what he was getting into!  A couple of years ago, I had him install the double sinks and counter top.  I must say..this makes my life so much easier!  All of my molds are organized by holiday and have a label on the front of each box.  With over 100 molds to choose from, I can get a bit distracted when trying to decide on what to make.

I bet you are asking yourself,  "why does she use postal boxes?"  A few years ago I placed an order online for Medium Flat Rate Boxes, little did I know that I had ordered 25 cases of boxes! I had thought I was ordering 25 boxes...can you imagine how surprised I was so see the boxes and boxes of boxes?  Can you say that three times fast?  hehe
I have been using them for years to ship out packages and have given as many as I could away.  However they are the perfect fit for my molds.  At one time I had covered some with contact paper, I would like to cover the rest but for now I am happy to just have the molds contained.  


I am fairly certain that the molds have taken over!  This area is right next to my desk.  All of the paperwork stuffed into my wall caddy has been filed.  That was another HUGE task!  I am the household accountant, with it comes lots and lots of paperwork.  Secretly I do enjoy being the Accounting Lady of the Cisneros Clan.  


At the end of the day, I am so very happy to have my little spot in the world.  My Studio is much more than a room, it is a place where I can dream, create and just be myself.  I hope that each and everyone of you reading this has a special place to just "be."