By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
My daughter’s 7th birthday was last Monday and we, of course, made cupcakes for the special occasion. My daughter wanted the Funfetti cake mix by Pillsbury (what not homemade?!) with store bought icing (it was her request). So, this was going to be a piece of cake (pun intended)! And to top them all off were beautiful Only Sweet Papers Butterflies by Rogue Confections.
Only Sweet Papers are edible parchments that allow you to decorate your own cakes or cupcakes with beautiful images. You can even personalize the parchments by uploading your own photo, artwork, or [...]

This time of year is all about midterms and final exams. I share some useful study tips and tools for managing test taking anxiety to help get you through the semester successfully. I also introduce you to the power of hypnosis for more effective study skills and test taking anxiety management.

Allow us to introduce you to our brand new organization, The Gift Giving Advisory Board. We have a very serious mission. That is, to educate citizens of all gender, size, age, wallet size and rank to become better gift givers; to ban the practice of re-gifting as all gifts hereupon received will be appreciated and cherished; to make the Bad Gift Emporium devoid of all relevance and usefulness. Yes!

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
You all know that we, at The Succulent Wife, love to entertain and we also love to entertain the easy way.  I was looking for fun and easy hors d’oeuvres for the upcoming cooking club that my husband and I are hosting (see our story about our Cooking Club). It was lucky for me that I was sent a copy of the Tastefully Small Savory Bites Cookbook by Kim Hendrickson. It is full of both hot and cold, innovative and, did I already say, easy, tapas recipes. Perfect for our evening of appetizers and martinis.
We [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
Since writing this series on our foolproof  and oh-so easy Thanksgiving Dinner Menu (see our recipes for the appetizer, soup, salad, turkey and stuffing), I have been reliving this amazing meal – I can almost smell the savory aroma – and now, I can hardly wait for Thanksgiving. I no longer sweat it when having friends and family over because this whole meal is so easy to prepare. And, in fact, my family likes this grand fare so much we repeat it all over again at Christmas.
A big plate of mashed potatoes and gravy makes [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
It is Veteran’s Day (Remembrance Day in Canada) today and I think about my nephew fighting in Afghanistan for the British Army (Canadians can do that) and pray for his safe return. I also think about what we all are fighting for. And I’m thinking about the significance of the Nobel Peace Prize. Liu Xiaobo won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for his “long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights in China”. By being a human rights activist Liu Xiaobo called for democratic reforms and the end of one-party rule in China. He is [...]

By Maria Boustead, Guest Contributor
Cycle chic gifts  for the casual cyclist in all of us
Looking sharp while bicycling around town is certainly not a new idea but it has definitely gone more mainstream in 2010. Chances are that you are looking for a present for someone who likes to bike and chances are you’re having a hard time finding something unique and gift worthy. Yes? If so, read on…

When was the last time you hosted a film festival? Huh? Or were even invited to one? Or, even saw an independent film? Yeah, same here.
Thanks to Scilla Andreen, CEO and Co-Founder of IndieFlix, the common folk like us now get a chance to host our own indie flick film fest (say that 5 times fast…). The Film Festival in a Box ($14.99) can actually be played as an interactive game, where you and friends (include cocktails and munchies for more engaged viewers..) gather round to watch 4 short films and then access the online community to vote for [...]

The Brelli is the world’s first 100% green AND 100% biodegradable umbrella. It is made using renewable bamboo, organic cotton, and a patented, biodegradable biofilm.
This unique and stylish umbrella is the brainchild of Pamela Zonsius. She was inspired by the styling of the beautiful Asian parasol to develop the Brelli. It’s the answer to the ubiquitous and style-less black nylon umbrella that typically brakes upon its first exposure to mild wind, and ends up littering city streets and adding to landfills.
Pamela worked with leading researchers, scientists and developers to create the patented eco-plastic biofilm that covers the umbrella’s bamboo frame. [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
It is November already and this weekend, daylight savings ends (boohoo). The Halloween decorations are down (I hope) and the fall foliage has come indoors as we decorate our fire place mantels and dining room tables. We are heading to the homestretch to Thanksgiving and we have shared our easy and succulent recipes (appetizer, soup, salad, turkey). We are determined to prove that preparing a delicious Thanksgiving feast is manageable. And fun. I hope you have had a chance to try out some of the recipes, for we would love to hear from you. This [...]