By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

I must admit that I got a little distracted while visiting Bliss Connection’s online romance store to write this article.  I can’t say that I am all too familiar most of these the products but, that does not mean that I don’t see their value… Indeed, dear friends of ours have recently gone through the harrowing experience of prostate cancer. Although he now seems to be cancer free, the experience most definitely affected his ability to perform. Friends of theirs bought them a gift certificate to purchase, shall we say, enhancement products to help. And help it did! It brought me to a whole new level of understanding the value of ‘props’.

Sex is healthy for us women and our partners. It relieves stress, strengthens our immune system and our heart, helps us sleep better and burns calories! We are not talking about a marathon sexual encounter. Studies show that we can have great sex in seven minutes! However, as we age, the ability to ‘get the job done’ takes a bit more time and energy, so why not bring a bit of help into the bedroom.

Using Naughty Dice for foreplay can have you laughing and brings a playful intimacy to the bed. At our, ahem, age, a little lubricant goes a long way! Pjur Original Bodyglide Personal Lubricant, the crème de la crème lubricant from Germany is made with a premium silicone formula that lasts as long as you do. And just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Enchanted Evening Kit brings all the paraphernalia needed for a passionate evening. Just add the bubbly!

To view Bliss Connection’s wide range of products just click on this link and use coupon discount code VAL2012 to receive 15% off plus free shipping with purchases over $45. Should you need helpful information in this specific area, Bliss Connection has an iTunes podcast channel that answers questions that we may not really want to ask. Plus you can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

.

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

As I am celebrating my 50th birthday this year, I am looking at Valentine’s Day a little differently. This year it is all about me and self-love. Being my own soul mate. I am really looking at myself for who I am and I am embracing both my strengths and weaknesses, with all my imperfections in all their glory. So, here are a few things that I just LOVE and that make ME happy (and perhaps you too?):

	Heart Pendant Necklace – Nothing says love more than a heart symbol, but this necklace states it in a big way. Talk about putting your heart out there! Available in either recycled aluminum or recycled copper from AriaHandmade. $45.00
	Valentine Hankies – When I think of hankies I think of the pile of vintage hankies my mother lovingly kept from her parents and grandparents. There is something quite nostalgic and romantic about handkerchiefs and it appears they are making a comeback. They are better for our environment but also, they are quite beautiful and add a touch of personal style. LuRay Hankies design a lovely bouquet of vintage inspired handkerchiefs. Great to wrap a gift in for a lovely touch. See all her designs at LuRayHankies. $6.50
	A Ring of Roses Buttercream – Nothing says self-love than a luxurious bath. Ahhhh. And why not buy roses for yourself – Rose soap that is! The soap pairs rosewater and cocoa butter to help soften and pamper your skin while you bathe. Now that is what I am talking about! Buy directly from LUSH. $9.95
	Spun Silk Sheets - There is nothing more luxurious than sleeping in soft-like-butter sheets. These silk sheets are not so silky that you’ll slip off, but rather more cotton-like in their feel. However, because they are silk, they are extremely breathable (hot flash friendly) and are anti-bacterial. And they may even help with my insomnia. Oh, and I am sure my husband will love them also! Buy from VivaTerra. $175.00
	His and Her L.O.V.E. T-Shirts – And not to leave my husband out, because I truly would not be who I am without him, here is a pair of adorably romantic T-shirts. Beautifully stated because my love would not be complete without him. Buy from this Etsy Artist here. $34.95

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

You know when you come across something that gives you such a sweet feeling? Well, Hook-Links did this to me. It brought me back to when I was younger (much younger), when my best friend Keri and I were inseparable. We lived within a short walking distance from each other and when we were not together, we were on the phone talking for hours! (I wish I could go back in time and listen to those phone calls.) We slept and ate at each others homes, we did sports together and even joined each others family vacations. What I remember the most fondly about our time together is that we laughed – a lot!

Today, I see young girls, like Keri and I used to do, hold hands while walking as they laugh, talk and use the entire width of the sidewalk as they move back and forth pressing into each other. Ahhh…Memories…. Keri and I would have worn Hook-Links magnetic friendship bracelets if they had been around when we were younger. These silicon magnetic bracelets come in five different colors and stick together when holding each others hand.  As you know, opposites attract and this goes for magnets also. Each bracelet has an engraved and embossed logo on each side that contains opposite magnetic charges, so you can always connect together.

The bracelets are the very symbol of friendship and togetherness. Which make them perfect, of course, for young loves also and a great gift idea for Valentine’s Day.

Hook-Links bracelets can be purchased in small, medium and large size, on the Hook-Links website or on Amazon for $14.99. A great gift for kids, tweens, teens and adults alike to join in on a community that sticks together and a perfect symbol for Valentine’s Day.

Keri and I are still best of friends. We no longer live down the street from each other but, when we do see each other, we still laugh and hold hands as we sway back and forth taking up the entire sidewalk.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Though all of us are curious about our roots and sometimes even fascinated by our family history, genealogy used to be perceived as a dry artform practiced by the retired folks, i.e. the ones who really had the time to delve into the research and the connections and the research again.

Well, here’s a company that is making genealogy look fresh and sexy! Just like the people on the family tree branches were at one time – or the tree wouldn’t exist. the company is called My Tree & Me and it designs and modernizes genealogy charts.

It’s easy to order: Choose a design (keep in mind that various designs accommodate various branches of the tree and different levels of generation), fill out the genealogy form, approve the proof and you’ll receive the beautiful genealogy chart within 3 to 4 weeks.

What a great gift idea for a wedding, a baby gift or a milestone birthday. It’s a truly one-of-kind graphic interpretation of someone’s history, a personal piece of art that, as My Tree & Me states,  “inspires curiosity, reminiscing, and storytelling”.

Prices range from $55 to $120. The choice includes photo trees and a DIY version too. Shop at MyTreeandMe.com.

Love it.

By Margaret Plouff – Contributor, Natural Wellness

The beginning of a new year, ahhh, a time for fresh starts and new fresh energy. Time to move forward with grace and improved health, strength and vitality. The holidays were a time to indulge, and did we enjoy that! Now we have a choice to implement new healthy habits. It’s time to take exquisite care of ourselves, really show lots more self love.

It’s a time for reflection as winter draws us into this special time of year. The days are shorter, the weather gets colder. Your body really needs some nourishment right now. So, what can you do?

I believe in adding in new practices and then the old habits and patterns melt away. January and February’s snowy (or rainy!) days and nights beckon for hot baths, a cup a tea, a little nap. Our bodies need nourishing especially in winter. Warm soups, stews, a little 10 minute break here and there…..these all so simply nourishing to your body, mind and spirit. Notice how you really feel after taking care of You!

Upon rising, try enjoying a large glass of filtered water with a squeeze of lemon or lime, some grated ginger, and add a dash of cayenne pepper: fire water! You re-hydrate after sleep, refresh and warm yourself with ginger for circulation and its anti- inflammatory qualities, and the cayenne wakes up your digestion! This practice is very energizing, try it for a week and notice how you feel.

I received a beautiful new year’s card with some inspiration I’d like to share with you:

Thoughts for a Happy and Successful 2012

Plant a tree for your birthday
Don’t postpone joy
Demand excellence and be willing to pay for it
Don’t take your good health for granted
Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures
Be kinder than necessary
Take time to look at the stars
Swing for the fence
Live life as an exclamation, not an explanation
Reread a favorite book
Do things in the order of their importance
Leave everything a little better than you found it

Have a joyful, energized and healthy 2012!

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

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and you are either looking forward to it or feeling that the whole “getting in the mood and feeling amorous” is just another thing to add to your to-do list.

You may be familiar with the Eden Fantasys adult shop – or maybe not. If you are, you are probably familiar with their titillating props. What you may not know is their large selection of romantic products for couples. Products like massage kits such as the Knead Me Massage Set or the Don’t Stop Massage Candle. Both create a romantic ambiance and warm massage oil for a memorable evening and an unbelievable back rub (speaking from personal experience, ahem!).

If you are planning a getaway and want to make it more sensual, you may want to look at the classic Karma Sutra Getaway Kit or the let’s-get-it-on Leau A Deux Kit. Both are beautifully packaged with all the right paraphernalia to make your weekend escape more amorous, intimate and relaxing.

And of course, if you want to look the part and play the part there are also some sexy choices of Lingerie.

Check out Eden Fantasys and receive 20% off your entire order when using coupon code TSW20. Also you can follow them to get news of new playful product on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Ahhhh. Oftentimes it’s the simple things in life that make us happiest. Even in the kitchen. A little dose of happy just came in with this Snapi single handed server that I just discovered. What an adorable and practical little invention. One of those things where you wonder why it didn’t exist before…

The Snapi is a clamshell-like spring-loaded claw that makes picking up, well, practically anything easy, with a single hand, a whole serving with just one scoop.

I first tried it on all the items below (and then some) and am now using it as my favorite server. Sure, it’s not very chic (though it’s quite cute), but my beautifully designed salad servers just can’t pick up the salad and all its chopped lil’ bits like the Snappi can. It is great to pick the still hot French fries, to maneuver the rotini pasta into the plate… If you have younger children, they will love to use it to pile veggies on their plate (now getting to eat them is another matter…). It would also be great to use on picnics, tailgates and buffets.

The Snapi is made in the U.S.A. from food-safe polymers with a grippy rubber surface; it’s dishwasher safe and shuts close for drawer storage.

Buy directly from the company, KitchenHappy.com or from Amazon for about $6.95.