By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

Have you noticed recently that there seems to be a lot of men sporting new mustaches? There is a reason for this. By now, we are well aware that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month (we wrote about it last month). This month is Movember (mo is slang for mustache) where globally, men are growing mustaches to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues such as prostate cancer.

My brother-in-law Brian had prostate cancer and supports the cause of early detection through PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) screening (he is always asking my husband, Scott, what his PSA is). Although the PSA screening is controversial because sometimes prostate cancer can be very slow to grow to cause any sort of life threatening problems and that sometimes unnecessary surgery is performed that can cause incontinence and sexual dysfunction. The bottom line is, like with breast cancer, that early detection is critical for increasing the survival rate of prostate cancer.

Like over a million other men (and women) world wide, Brian is helping raise awareness during Movember.

Started in Australia by a group of men in 1999, Movember now has an international website where Mo Bros (men growing mustaches) and Mo Sistas (Women who support the men in their lives who are growing mustaches) seek out sponsors for their Mo-growing efforts.

Just as women sported pink hair during Breast Cancer Awareness month, men wear their efforts on their faces. At the end of the month these men either throw their own party or attend one of the infamous Gala Parties Partés  held around the world. Last year over $80 million were raised globally. Will you be a part of the Mo-vement this year?

Go to Movember to see how you can get involved.

We’ve loved UncommonGoods for a long time. Probably as long as they’ve been established (in 1999). UncommonGoods.com is a unique online store that offers truly unique gift ideas that range from beautiful to fun, quirky and light-hearted. Never a boring gift idea in their catalog pages… We also love that UncommonGoods is an independent business that supports independent artists and creators. Plus, many of their gift items are made from recycled or up-cycled materials.

Need a great gift idea for your wife, your mother, sister, best friend? Here are some original ideas for the women in your life…

TO PUT UNDER THE TREE

	For the proud mom: Nest Egg Necklace - A sterling silver dome nests precious contents, Peruvian opal pendants, representing beloved offsprings. Choose from 1 to 4 opal eggs. $68 – $74
	For the techie woman: Moshi Moshi Curve Wireless handset and dock – A stylish Bluetooth 2.1 handset modeled after a classic telephone. Keep your device charged even as you place and take calls. Sleek and practical. $150
	For the sentimental woman: Read the full story »

By Anne-Marie Kovacs, Chief Wife

Evenings are getting longer. And c-c-c-cooler. And though we have a fireplace in our house, we are notoriously lazy about lighting it up. We love the coziness effect, the warm ambiance a beautiful fire creates, but between you and me, it’s sooooo much work. And I’m just thinking about the getting the firewood in the house part…

So, I’m thinking of going instant. As in Instant Fireplace.

No, I’m not talking fireplace DVD here (cute, but where’s the heat?)

No, no, no. I’m talking a fireplace with real flames and capacity to heat up the place a little. And ideally, it’s portable too.

I’ve seen these in fancy hotel lobbies and restaurants and found an affordable source for the instant fireplace for the home from Brasa. These freestanding fireplaces are fueled by renewable biofuel that burns clean. They don’t need special ventilation, nor gas connection, nor flue, nor chimney, nor special installation. You can put them anywhere – and, if small enough, move them where you want them – and they will work both indoor and outdoor.

The model pictured above is called the Camden and retails for $585 (that’s a song compared to other “designer” versions in the market). With a unit this size, it’s not just pretty… There is actually a heating effect- depending on the size of the room and other factors – where a vent-less fireplace will raise the ambient temperature by a few noticeable degrees. To “perfectly nice and cozy” if you ask me.

Brasa also makes pillar and tabletop versions they call Fire Lamps, which would be a great for an outdoor evening summer party or make for an interesting centerpiece at any time of year. Forget those candles. Now we can all look beautiful, not by candlelight, but by biofuel flame!

Find them on the Brasa site or look for dealers here.

By Anne-Marie Kovacs, Chief Wife

Remember the days when you would have to beg someone to recycle your diagnosed-as-obsolete cell phones, computers and other electronics? Drive miles and miles to visit that charitable organization that would – if the volunteers felt like it – take in your old desktop and television? Pray that there be a recycling box at Best Buy where you could drop the last generation cell phone?…

Well, it appears that there may be a better way to do these things now: NextWorth.com‘s tagline says it all “Recycle your old electronics for cash“.

Our portfolio of product exchanges provides a simple and immediate solution for consumers who desire to re-capture a large portion of the hidden value trapped within their high-demand products, but don’t need the hassle of selling it themselves.

I like that, the “hidden-value”. Because I always suspected that these electronics were still worth something. But who was going to tell me that? Indeed, by using NextWorth’s Instant Quote box, I just found out that my iPhone 3 (I’m still holding out for the iPhone 5, if the battery can make it…) would be worth $145 today at Nextworth’s prices. That’s about 3 to 4 times the value I would have guessed.

NextWorth takes in iPhones, and iAnythings, other cell phone brands, laptops, cameras, games and

Read the full story »

We have mentioned E.L.F. (Eyes, Lips, Face) makeup before in both our Drugstore Essentials article and last year’s Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide. I have personally been a huge fan of E.L.F. makeup for years. The reasons are 1) you can’t beat the price and 2) for the price, you can have both quality and quantity. Indeed, E.L.F. offers premium quality cosmetics and, at these prices, you can afford to have fun and grab the latest colors in eyeshadows and lipsticks, experiment with new colors and shimmers and bronzers…without a trace of guilt.

If you are not familiar with E.L.F. makeup, you should know that they have an extensive line of cosmetics and makeup essentials that are incredibly INexpensive but that do NOT compromise on quality (just read their reviews and you will see what I mean).

E.L.F. now has a complete line of Mineral Makeup. Their mineral eyeshadows  are 100% mineral based with no parabens, preservatives or chemical dyes. They are rich with vitamins A, B, C and E that help hydrate the eyelids and minimize the appearance of fine lines.

And, you must be starting to get invitations to all those holiday parties? Want to make a dramatic appearance? Each mineral eyeshadow color is just $3.00 each, that’s… oh… about $10 less than what other well known brands charge for the same thing.

Also, to help get that dramatic look, E.L.F. has a complete line of ergonomically designed makeup brushes. Their brushes are professionally tested so that you can apply your makeup precisely and more evenly for a flawless finish every time. The brush sets range from $5.00 – $30.00. Not sure what brush is right for you? Their Brush Guide can help you choose the right ones for your needs.

Head to E.L.F. and check out their current offer (there is always a good promotion going on). And remember, Christmas is only 54 days away (oy!) so you may as well stock up on stocking stuffers while you are there.

By Anne-Marie Kovacs, Chief Wife

These days, we know how special it is to receive a real note card in the mail. Like with a stamp on it. Handwritten and all… It’s even more special if it’s also addressed by hand… And how about if it was personalized with a photo stamp to identify to sender? Even more charming.

PJ Greetings has a very unique offering: custom pre-inked stamps that can transform your favorite photo into a stamp.

As you already guessed (because our readers are all very clever that way), a photo stamp can be used for all sorts of purposes, such as for customizing note cards, gift cards, invitations, thank you’s, envelopes and the like… You can create a photo stamp from a photo of your kids or your home, or your pet… But we are thinking that we want to send out our holiday cards with a photo stamp that includes a seasonal greeting cheer too.

Of course, PJ Greetings also offers the more traditional – and still as adorable – custom stamps such as bridal stamps, address stamps, teacher’s stamps and classic monogram stamps.

Each stamp lasts for 30,000 impressions. These also make a great gift for new couples, proud new home owners or for teachers. Love.

Visit PJGreetings.com to order your custom stamps (and cute personalized stationery too!)

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

We have all heard about UNICEF, an acronym for the United Nations Children’s Fund (the I for International and the E for Emergency were dropped in 1953).UNICEF has been around since the 1940′s and was initially created to provide for children in countries that had been devastated by WWII. Today, UNICEF operates in more than 150 countries and provide humanitarian relief to focus on saving children’s lives with services such as maternal and child health, food security and nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention, water and sanitation, education and child protection. UNICEF is funded by both, government and public donations. It is an organization that humbly helps those in need without making a lot of noise about it. The organization relies heavily on contributions from corporations, schools, young people and the general public.

It is simple to help and every penny makes a difference. Here are a few of their programs:

	Trick-or-Treat UNICEF Boxes – With Halloween just around the corner, this is a great way to get children to start thinking about helping others. This initiative was started in the 1950′s by a group of students from Philidelphia, PA to help the victims of WWII: the students colored boxes and went door to door and asked for money instead of candy. Since then, UNICEF has carried on the tradition by supplying little orange boxes to children at schools and other organizations (check your local Hallmark Store). When the children come to your door this Halloween, have your change purse handy to fill those UNICEF boxes.
	Shop Good Shirts – UNICEF teamed up with designers to create a line of t-shirts to raise funds for specific charities. Each t-shirt has a different graphic that represents the campaign for which the money is going towards. 100% of the purchase price goes to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. This is also a great Christmas gift idea that shows how it gives back. Visit Threadless for the entire line.
	School in a Box – This School in a Box package contains the basic school supplies for one teacher and 40 students. For $236.23 a temporary school can be set up in times of emergency, providing the chance for children to continue their education during the crisis. Think about the latest earthquakes and the devastation they have caused. UNICEF Inspired Gifts can make an immediate difference to those in need. Check out UNICEF Inspired Gifts for real items that can be bought and given exactly where and when they are most needed. A sum as low as $18.00 can bring positive change to a child’s life.