Many of us women miss the days when our men used to don suit & tie on a regular basis. There is something quite irresistible and sexy about the confidence they exude when they are wearing a tie. Which is why we’ll be sneaking one or two in their Christmas stockings. Our choice? Jack Franklin ties.

The Jack Franklin tie company was born out of the frustrating fact that well-made neckties are extremely overpriced. By selling exclusively online, Jack Franklin is able to bypass the middleman and offer high quality, beautifully made, hand-sewn ties at a reasonable price. They use the finest fabrics and sell brand name quality minus brand name price. All ties are made with wool interlining, which gives them an added layer of thickness, allowing a longer life and better knots.

We love the classic silk fabric patterns that are updated with contemporary colors palettes, factors which elevate these ties above all the trends and fads and will allow them to endure with timeless style.

Shop all the Jack Franklin tie colors and patterns and know that the company offers a satisfaction guarantee on all of their ties because they want their customers to be happy with their purchase.

First time customers, please enter code: TSW2093 for a 30% discount valid on your first purchase. And for even greater value – AND a great gift idea that will provide delight all year round – take a look Jack Franklin Tie-of-the-Month Club which provides even more “tie value”.

BTW, you might find this useful… Here’s a handy guide to help your man to manage the various ways to tie a tie knot.

To keep in touch with Jack Franklin and what the company is up to, follow them on Facebook or view the latest news on Jack’s Blog.

Every day, our kids are bombarded with commercials for toys they must have! Most of these toys will probably hold their attention for about five minutes and end up at the back of their closet. I try to never fall prey to these crazes (well, I did with the zu zu pets but only because I thought it would be a substitute for the real thing which the girls desperately wanted) and always try to come up with gift ideas that are far more 1. meaningful 2. high quality with lasting play power and 3. interesting which will guarantee lots of hours of engagement.

	The Elf on a Shelf Book Set – Sure to become a classic Christmas tale for the whole family.  This hard covered book come with its own Elf and kept in a keepsake box. Buy from Picket Fence. $29.95
	Eco Art Kits - Set their creative juices flowing with these eco-friendly art kits. Each come with everything you need to make keepsake works of art. Buy directly from Artterro. $19.95
	Calacastle – Read the full story »

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

Is someone on your gift list a serious dog lover?  If so, you will love, love, love the work of artist Amelia Santiago. Amelia has successfully combined her love for animals and being an accomplished artist into a career that she is very passionate about. She creates exact replicas of the family pet into fine art needle felted animals.

All sculptures are made with 100% wool. Amelia examines as many photos as she can to “get to know” each pet. She studies them closely to really capture their personalities when creating their needle-felted likeness. On average, each sculpture takes about 20 hours to complete, which does not include the time to study the photos.

Although Amelia is already booked for this Christmas (that happened in August), she does offer gift certificates, that come in a beautiful card with images of her sculptures on the front, perfect to place under the tree.

To order simply go to Dog Art Portraits.  This is a great gift for someone who needs to remember their beloved four-legged companion.

Teens and tweens, are some of the hardest people to buy for. That is, unless you buy them the latest and greatest tech gadget… But wait! There are other gift ideas that do not start with the letter ‘i’.

We have put together this great list of gift ideas that will suit teens from the college student, the high school student and the even the tweens, who flipflop between Spongebob Squarepants and Selena Gomaz and Justin Beiber…

	Boombox Pillow – What better way to update the look of their room than with accessories. This line of pillows gives the room a clear statement that this is an area for teens/tweens only. Buy from Meninos. $24.95
	Hiplock – For the student who rides to school this great accessory keeps their bike safe. When riding, the lock can be worn as a belt for easy “storage”. Perfect for the young, hip urbanite. Buy directly at Hiplock. $90.00
	Beatrice Holiday – Read the full story »

Sure, tradition is nice. But to us, tradition is kept interesting when amplified by new ideas and a fresh (and always respectful) twist on old rituals. See some of the ideas we found here:

	Snowfall Lights – I remember being mesmerized by these lights when I saw them on the streets of downtown L.A. a couple years ago. Now theses lights are available to the public for home use. The set features 6 inch light tubes that give the effect of falling snow. Gorgeous. Here’s a video that demonstrates the live effect of the snowfall lights. Available on Amazon.
	Inflatable Wreath – I got this for my son’s dorm room door. The spirit of the traditional Christmas wreath is printed photo-realistically on this inflatable, deflatable and reusable blow-up wreath. A tongue-in-cheek and very practical version of the real thing. Available on Amazon for about $22.
	Glowing Menorah – Read the full story »

As a petite woman, Pam Starobin knew what it is like to sit at a table with your chin barely over the the edge or at the movies when, inevitably, someone would sit directly in front of her blocking her view. She understood how kids felt and wanted to make a booster seat that made them feel all grown up. She came up with a lightweight booster seat that carries like a backpack.

SittingTallerKids partnered with Nomi Network, an organization that promotes enterprise and education to end human trafficking, to help in making the backpacks. Nomi Network trains women in Cambodia, who have been sold and sexual abused, how to sew bags. With SittingTallerKids design, the women made beautiful and vibrant bags made from recycled rice bags. Once back in the United States, SittingTallerKids fills the bags with four inch furniture grade foam pads covered with Dacron and cotton fabric.

Each backpack is lightweight and easily washable. Plus it is also made with a deep front pocket for all those important items kids need when they go out. Now no need to use communal booster seats. And parents, you no longer have to carry all their stuff! Buy directly from SittingTallerKids for $49.99.

Follow SittingTallerKids on Facebook to hear of latest company news.

By Margaret Plouff – Contributor, Natural Wellness

Recently, new research has revealed the importance of the “Sunshine Supplement.” According to the Vitamin D Council,
“Vitamin D deficiency is a world-wide epidemic, with recent estimates indicating greater than 50% of the global population is at risk.”

Vitamin D is necessary for:

• Retaining bone density
• Maintaining body’s immunity against heart disease, cancer
• Preventing muscle wasting and osteoporosis
• Aiding the body’s absorption of calcium
• Relieving depression

An ideal way to get vitamin D is having twenty minutes of sun exposure on your face, chest, back and arms. Sounds nice this time of year in the northern hemisphere!! You can get your week of sunshine on winter break, but what do we do the rest of winter?

Start by seeing where your vitamin D levels are today. Ask your doctor for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25 (OH) D test or simply “the vitamin D test.” This will show where your vitamin D levels are at. Many of us are in the range of 20-30 which is too low. Ultimately we need to be in a range of 50-80 ng/mL. Children are also showing vitamin D deficiencies in their blood test, and need supplementation as well.

Your doctor can recommend what dosage is correct for you. In general, women are taking 1ooo to 2000 IU per day for maintenance. If you are deficient, the doctor may recommend taking 5-10,000 IU per day. It’s imperative to take D3, not D2. Supplementing with D3, (cholecalciferol) from sheep lanolin or cod liver oil is the best. D2 is synthetic, and as with any synthetic or isolated supplement, the body does not absorb it properly. D3 comes in a serum or tablet.

Have your D levels tested again in 6-8 weeks to provide your D level, and you can change your dose as necessary to be in healthy range (50-80 ng/mL).

When your Vitamin D levels are in an adequate range, (50-80 ng/mL) your body can reap these benefits. Who knew that vitamin D is the queen of vitamins and provided us with so many wonderful benefits?!

Check out the Vitamin D Council’s website for more details about vitamin D.

Questions? Email me at Margaret [at] FocusedWisdom.com for more health inspiration and ideas!