There are so many charities and causes that are worth our attention and donations. And, they all become more visible at this time of year. Or, are we simply paying more attention?
The Share Your Soles Foundation is one that I learned about as I literally ran into Mona Purdy, its founder and Executive Director. I was leaving a meeting in downtown Chicago when I saw her and an assistant roll out huge bins from their trucks. The brightly labeled barrels were being delivered to collect new or gently used shoes at this particular drop site.
I’m new to Chicago, so had [...]

I just bought the cutest paper placements by Cake Vintage over the weekend.  I got them as a hostess gift, but I really want to keep them for myself. The placemats come in a large pad of 50 pages (just like the construction paper pads) featuring the hand-drawn illustration of a classic (vintage!) place setting. I love their fun tongue-in-cheek elegance: feel like you totally belong to the born-with-a-silver- spoon-in-your-mouth set while serving mac ‘n cheese. I’m told that kids love drawing on these too, so this is actually a great gift idea for the whole family. The pad of [...]

With cyberbullying and sexting now a growing problem is schools (and tragically, a confirmed second sexting related suicide), LG Electronics has just launched a public service announcement campaign called “Give it a Ponder”.
“The webisodes feature a beardless James Lipton (Inside the Actors Studio) who encourages teens to Give It A Ponder while caught up in the excitement of certain situations such as sexting, or texting a hurtful rumor… At the heart of the campaign is the iconic symbol of the Ponder Beard…”

Excellent, because most kids are not aware of the consequences of spreading harmful rumors and/or of sending sexually explicit [...]

Are you like this too? Holiday windows are always a surefire way to get me in the holiday spirit. Sometimes, I still see these displays as I did when I was a child, eyes as wide as saucers, mesmerized by the astonishing visual buffet.
I’m in awe of the amazing talent of the creative directors that build these dreamy, fantastical montages and of their elves that execute their vision  for every passerby’s delight…
So, I was researching this season’s holiday windows from the NYC chi-chi retailers (because they have the biggest budgets and because they need to outdo themselves every year, you [...]

I hold a special place for Lady Guru. Hers was one of the first brands that I featured when I had the gift shop. Now, Karen, aka Lady Guru has introduced an Affirmation Card Deck, which features 49 cards, 7 cards for each corresponding chakra. The cards reflect Karen’s mission to “inspire people to find compassion, acceptance and peace within themselves and others”.
Each affirmation card features a yoga pose and an inspiring quote such as:
“Blossom… and suddenly you are expanding your own potential. Bloom into the flower you already are!”
“Forgive… and suddenly you have set yourself free. Release the prisoner [...]

Cooking, cleaning, mediating, arbitraging, counseling, hiding… You need comic relief. Remember my shero, Sarah Haskins?

Just so you know, my husband did more than just carve the turkey. No lumbering man-piece here.

WE HAVE A WINNER! CONGRATULATIONS RICH!
You have won the personalized children’s book gracieuseté of www.CustomMadeforKids.com
The winner was selected at random using the Random Integer Generator. This giveaway CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED but do subscribe via RSS or email to get updates on new giveaways as they get posted. Thank you all for playing!
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You might remember this article on the Custom Made for Kids books by Audrey. Her daughter LOVES this book. Today, Custom Made for Kids is sponsoring this giveaway for one personalized book ($32.95). Just in time for the holidays and soooooooo perfect for gift giving. Got a [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Contributing Editor
We haven’t even roasted the Thanksgiving turkey and we are already getting into full Christmas mode.  The lights might already be hung.  A Christmas tree might already be decorated.  Oh dear.  Shopping is being done over the internet and orders are being delivered.   So, while you are on your computer you have to check out these sites that will add to the magic of Christmas for your kids.
 
Santa in Your House:

In the eyes of a little kid, can there be anything better than a cameo appearance by Santa in your house?   With Icaughtsanta.com, for [...]

So, it’s only when my husband told me, TWO days in a row (and that would include a no-wash-day2 hair day), that my hair was looking great, that I knew I was onto something. Well, actually, that my hair stylist (the fabulous Amy of the eponymous Amy G. Salon)  was onto something.
She had applied Moroccanoil on my hair in previous visits and had extolled its merits, but it was really upon reading the write-ups in a couple magazines that I decided to splurge for a bottle of the stuff. Glad I did, because now I know that the [...]

This great ad spot by Method: “You deserve to know what chemicals are in your cleaners. Support the Household Product Labeling Acts”.  No kidding. Dirty and perverted cleaning residue.