CARLYLE - Rhose Balbada-Lisitza owns and operates KC & D Soap Shop.
It is a small home-based family business that was founded in Carlyle. The name of her business came from the initials of her two daughters, Kagomae Chloe and Drazmine. She and her husband Ashton also have a three-year-old son.
“A few years ago, I started this hobby using only goat milk cold processed soap,” said Rhose Balbada-Lisitza. “I made handmade soap in a small batch and gave away samples to my family, co-workers and friends. After getting positive feedback, I started to participate in small craft shows.
“In the summer of 2018, upon the urging of my daughters, I started making bath bombs. In the fall of that year, I had a booth at Carlyle Homespun and then I started attending other shows in the area.”
In 2019, Balbada-Lisitza took a break from her business as they welcomed their son Finn. When the pandemic began in 2020, she started to collaborate with other small handmade merchants in the province. Over time, the business has expanded and even today her family helps her with the packaging, labelling and deliveries.
“Aside from giving my family the benefits of using handmade bath products, the trade shows gave me the opportunity to meet different people in different places. I love to meet and chat with the customers and vendors where it is much easier in person to describe and tell the benefits of your own handmade products with people you meet,” she said.
KC & D Soap Shop has several vendors selling its products, including The Flower Shoppe in Carlyle, Silver Lotus Boutique in Redvers, Shear Edge Hair Studio in Wawota, Urban Market in Moosomin and The General Store in Estevan.
Other merchants include Starlight Handmade Market and With These Hands of Moose Jaw, EKK Décor Rentals in Yorkton, Collaborative Studios in Weyburn, X-cessories By Kerry in Preeceville, Countertop Art and The Hobnobber in Saskatoon, and Brick & Mortar, With These Hands and Handmade Saskatchewan stores in Regina.
The website is KCDSoapShop.com and orders can be placed online with product delivered right to your door. Wholesaler vendors are also welcome and information for becoming a merchant can be found on the Kcdsoapshop.faire.com website.
Handcrafted bath products include cold process goat milk soaps, homemade bath bombs, menthol shower steamers and foaming sugar scrubs.
“My kids have given me great ideas over the years and help me with the craft shows that we attend,” said Balbada-Lisitza. “All our products are handmade in small batches and all the bath arts are hand-painted by me. We use all finest sustainable ingredients that come from Canadian suppliers.”
“My family and I wish to thank all of my customers for supporting both our own small family business and other local and small businesses in southeast Saskatchewan,” she concluded.
