About 3 years ago I picked up my first copy of Dream Big by Lisa Hammond on a lark. I was skimming the New Arrivals section at my library and the bright cover and bold title leaped out at me. It wasn’t a topic I had been consciously thinking about, but I was willing to give it a look. The ambitious tag line sounded great too - “Finding the courage to follow your dreams and laugh at your nightmares” - but I wondered how the author was going to cram such life-changing info into the relatively small book. The introduction gives a great insight when Lisa mentioned that she did not start with a business plan, despite everyone insisting that she do so. Following a lengthy “winning formula” can be so helpful at times, but your creativity and integrity will rapidly change your entire life. What made this book so endearing and inspirational to me was that simplicity. She encourages women to start with what counts: finding your passion. Everything else will flow easier once you start from a place of personal honesty. We’ve all heard the old saying that when you find work you love, it never feels like work. This is exactly why Lisa’s book is called Dream Big! She helps break down some of the internal barriers that prevent us from pursuing our DREAM calling. Not a “job” or even a “career”, but a “calling”. What a huge difference this will make in finding fulfilling activities to pursue.

The author is well qualified to write this book, as she is the owner of the mail order company Femail Creations (”Gifts to Celebrate and Inspire Women“). It was started by Lisa when she stopped working at her husband’s construction company. Like many of us, she was “going crazy” working at a job that she had little interest in! Lisa needed new work that was meaningful to her, and would allow her to stay home with their daughter. She was able to do both when she realized her dream of starting a mail order company. What made that meaningful and fulfilling for her was that she offers products that also support other women. Femail Creations sells many handmade, limited run, artisan products created by women, some of which are also SAHMs. Not only does Ms. Hammond now have a calling that she loves, but she is able to help other women realize their dreams by giving them a place to sell their creations. That’s the kind of win-win business planning that I love to hear about!

Femail Creations doesn’t really do sales, but they just let us know about a FREE shipping sale for orders $75+. No coupon code required, just click the link and it will automatically be entered into your cart.

Other places to buy the book online: Half.com (my fave), Amazon, and eBay

Posted by Lauren in Sale, Just For You
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I’ve had some exciting experiences this past year, but they weren’t the awesome fun kind you can get from Signature Days or Great American Days. Most people, including myself, would like to try new things, visit new places, and learn new skills, which is exactly why these make perfect additions to our New Year’s Resolutions list.

The beauty of an experience gift is that they are planned experiences and activities that can make positive changes in people’s lives. There are so many to choose from that there really is something for everyone.
Some of the more popular experiences are:
NASCAR, Dinner Cruises, Fighter Pilot, Cooking Classes, and Helicopter Tours.
Some of the more unique and unusual are:
Personal Jazz Performance, Rock ‘n Roll fantasy camp, be an Interior Designer, learn to DJ, Kids artistic discovery, and more.

Obviously these can make great gifts for birthdays, holidays, or just for the fun of it. These are all location based as some cities can offer certain experiences others can’t. This allows for either a truly memorable trip away from home, a fun surprise for a visiting family member, or, for those who live in big cities, just an easy way to get someone out of their house.

Some of my personal favorites are:
Private Raw Food Course, Vegetarian Cooking Class, Kids Drawing Class, Kids Surf Party, Stunt School, Skydiving, and Hot Air Balloon Rides. I’d look forward to any one of these experiences for myself if you are interested in buying me a gift certificate.

Where can I get these exciting experiences?
Great American Days and/or Signature Days. Both provide experiences as low as $50 with some experiences up into the $1000’s and both seem to have many options for many popular cities.

COUPON: Save 10% OFF at Signature Days, when you use coupon code SIGJASOND at checkout.

Posted by Sean in Just For You
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For the last 5 years or so, I’ve been promising myself that I would learn a new language. I debated between Japanese and Spanish for a number of reasons and even toyed with attempting to learn them simultaneously (ha ha). Since I live in southern California though, it’s just more practical to learn Spanish, and it’s easier to become immersed if I choose. But what’s slowed me down for 5 years, keeping me from becoming fluent in a second language? Mostly finding a language learning program that I thought I would be successful at. I’ve tried Pimsleur audio CDs and have some Berlitz phrase books, and while both were helpful in different regards, neither are the right product for me.

The system that kept coming up in my research was Rosetta Stone. I had heard about it so many times over the years, but had never been serious enough to buy one of their software packages. I wanted to be sure of my commitment before I spent $110+ for online-only instruction or $209 for the Level 1 software. After reading through tons of great reviews- Reviewica, HomeSchoolReviews, Language Book World- and downloading the free trial, I’m sold. As the Macworld review said, “if you’re willing to really dig in and spend time learning a foreign language, Rosetta Stone can provide a strong foundation”. If learning a new language is on your New Years Resolutions list, then Rosetta Stone is probably perfect for you, too.

Need some reasons to inspire you? There are lots of them, ranging from practical to fun.
Why learn a new language?

1. Friends & Family: communicate with your multi-lingual loved ones
2. Travel: do more than just “get by” when visiting a new country
3. Secret Communication: choose an uncommon language and forget about eavesdropping
4. Work: understand your business associates without an interpreter
5. Culture: better understand foreign film, music, and TV without subtitles
6. Emigration: moving to a different country or region

Lots more reasons for learning a new language are posted at Omniglot.

COUPON: Save 10% off Rosetta Stone, a free headset, and free shipping, when you use coupon code CJ127 at checkout.

¡buena suerte con sus estudios, cada una!

Posted by Lauren in Just For You
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Continuing our series of New Year’s Resolutions from yesterday’s Get In Shape article, Take More Pictures is next. Most people enjoy looking at past photos through Picasa (or their preferred photo viewing/editing/sharing software) and reliving some great memories. As much as I enjoy doing this, I often wish I’d taken more pictures on a certain trip I took or event I attended, but mostly just more everyday pics. Here are some reasons I didn’t take more pictures throughout the year and the possible solutions.


Possible problem: Wrong camera
If you find yourself bummed about how your camera is too slow, too bulky, poor-quality pics, not enough features, low battery life, etc., you’d probably find that an easy to use camera makes life simpler. How do you know which camera is for you? Evaluate what your needs are and choose the best camera for you. Read the specifications and other people’s reviews and pay attention to their details (ie. did it capture good in low light? quick to boot up? easy to navigate menu? good documentation?, etc.) Also feel free to start asking your friends about what they do and don’t like about their digital camera, this is very useful info. The Amazon widget to the right can help you find a great camera.

Possible problem: Don’t get to enjoy digital photos
Not everyone is computer savvy and can manipulate digital photos into works of art, or simply print one out to frame. You can buy your own printer and photo paper and try it on your computer, or you can visit a web site, upload some pictures and have them delivered to you in many different forms. Some of my favorite ways to enjoy my digital photos are to have them printed out in different formats and displayed around the house to become a part of my everyday life.
- Wallhogs: They print onto canvas, poster, or removable vinyl wall stickers up to 7 feet. Think life size cutout!
- SmugMug (Easy, ad free, many options.), Snapfish (first 50 prints FREE!), and KodakGallery (save 30% on print enlargements.), are just a few of the many places that help your organize, share, and print photos to paper, bags, mousepads, mugs, and more. For free software (Picasa, and more) to help organize, share, and enjoy your photos check out the Google Pack.

Possible problem: Forgot the camera
Start setting a better habit of bringing your camera with you everytime. Try leaving the camera by the door, always carrying it in your travel bag, leave it in the car, ask a friend to bring theirs, or tie a string around a finger. Whatever it takes for you to remember, do it.

Possible problem: I’m not a good photographer
Yes you are! You just don’t know it yet. I promise, the more you take pictures and flip through them with your favorite software the more you’ll become aware of what looks good and what doesn’t. Besides the point of the photo is to capture a moment in time, not to see who can take the best picture. Trust me, getting a funkily cropped/slightly blurry photo, is still better than getting no photo. Maybe you can even try taking a photography class at your local college.

For more choices and unbeatable deals be sure to check out eBay once you’ve found the camera model you desire.

What about you? What stops you from taking more pictures while you are out and about?

Posted by Sean in Just For You
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With 2008 just days away, many people are pondering New Year’s resolutions. There’s definitely something about a fresh calendar year that jump starts our desire to make positive changes. Being surrounded by friends, family, and co-workers who are also brainstorming ways to improve makes this an especially ideal time for such endeavors. Bonus!

Over the next week we will be exploring some of the most popular New Years resolutions in a new series of blog posts. Please be sure to come back again and let us know which of the featured resolutions that you will be committing to, or to suggest tips for sticking to new resolutions.

The most popular New Years resolution is always Get In Shape. There are countless ways to do this, and here are a few of my favorite tips and products.

For the Yoga Newbie: The Yoga for Beginner’s Kit from renowned yoga expect Rodney Yee contains everything you’ll need to get started with yoga. My favorite part is the marked yoga mat that shows you just where to place your feet and hands. And, if you do it regularly, “this 20-minute complete practice yields more benefits than a 90 minute yoga class once a week.” Yoga For Inflexible People is another good introductory DVD that is a user favorite. $30 & $10.99

When Space is Limited: You’ll be hard pressed to find a piece of exercise equipment that is smaller than the Mini Stepper with Resistance Cords. Taking up less than 2 square feet, it provides a no-impact, high-intensity, full body, strength and cardio workout. The built-in computer tracks time and steps, and since it’s so portable you can bring it to work and exercise while sitting at your desk. $69

Sexy Fit: Varying your routine is key in sticking to your exercise plan. If things get boring, try a DVD or class that will spice things up. I didn’t think I would enjoy the Aerobic Striptease DVD series, but I was pleasantly surprised when it actually turned out to be fun. The first 2 DVDs (”Aerobic Striptease” and “Fit To Strip”) make excellent additions to your overall workout plan, or would make great beginning points for those who are just beginning to exercise. Either way, you’re likely help you to feel more confident “in your skin”. For more sexy exercise options, check out the wildly popular Pole Dancing Kit! $34.99 & $99

I can’t say enough good things about instructional fitness videos: they are way more appealing to me than the gym. Plus, this winter weather doesn’t exactly compel most people to go outside. My fellow indoor fitness lovers will appreciate this final collection of exercise DVDs.

World Dance Inspired: This is a category near to my heart. There are movement styles from other countries that are so beautiful, exotic, unique, and sometimes quite sexy. Even better: If you feel you “can’t dance”, you may feel differently after trying one of these new styles. These titles are customer favorites, best sellers on Amazon, and are all on my To Buy/Rent DVD list.
L to R: Dance the Chakras, Bellydance Basics and Beyond, Bollyrobics Dance Workout, African Healing Dance and Hoopnotic Hoopdance Level 1 (PS- I’ve recently fallen in love with hula hooping for fun and fitness. Highly recommended.)

Photo by Cheryl Empey

Posted by Lauren in Just For You
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Oh, have I got a couple awesome coupons for you today. I’ve been close to running out of my daily skincare products, so when I woke up to these sweet deals in my inbox I promptly ordered my usual stash. Without LUSH and Skinvac, I don’t even want to remember what my skin was like. They’re the only brands that I use, and my skin has improved by leaps and bounds since I started using them. If you haven’t tried the amazing products from either of these companies, now you can do so on the cheap.

At LUSH, receive a FREE facial cleanser with the purchase of any item of equal or greater value. Choose Angels on Bare Skin, Aqua Marina, Herbaslism, Coal Face (my favorite) or Fresh Farmacy (also amazing).

COUPON: Use code SpringFreshSkin during checkout to select your free cleanser.

At Skinvac, receive 15% off when you purchase a 3 cloth complete set. You’ll get the Deep Daily Cleansing cloth, Microdermabrasion cloth, and Pore Gripper cloth. All 3 are part of my skincare arsenal and absolutely rule.

COUPON: Use code setdiscount to get 15% off. Enter the code on the main page of the site. You might miss it, so here’s an image that shows where to enter the code.

RELATED: LUSH Fresh Face contest, and natural acne treatment

Posted by Lauren in Just For You, Green Living
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All right fellow LUSHies, here’s the contest for you. Even if you’re not a devoted user of LUSH handmade skincare and cosmetics, this will be fun. Following the arrival of their fabulous new Fresh Face Starter Kits, LUSH is looking for a “Fresh Face” to be featured in their 2008 catalog. But wait, it’s not a beauty contest! LUSH is looking for:

• Fresh faces of all shapes, sizes and colors!
• Fresh faces of all types: youthful, mature, male, female!
• Fresh faces of all places: city, country, suburbs!
• Sophisticated faces, regular faces, fancy faces, natural faces!

Woo hoo, a contest for everyone! And if you’re near one of their retail stores (they have locations in many states, provinces, and countries), you can also enter in person on June 2nd. At the event there will be free skin care consultations and demos, and you can enter into a drawing to win a gift. Their new Bath Bomb, Sugar Rush will also be available for FREE with a minimum purchase. Oh, and you can check out the Fresh Face Starter Kits in person, which are just $19.95 and would make a great organic gift.

RELATED: More LUSH posts!

Posted by Lauren in Contest, Just For You
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Scents surround you wherever you are. Some can be terrible, and bring back unpleasant memories, yet others are delicious, comforting or serene. What every scent has in common with one another is association. Every smell makes you think, feel, or remember something (whether you are fully conscious of it or not). For me, smelling cotton candy always makes me think of my sister, and her love/obsession with it. I remember us eating pink cotton candy together at Disneyland, and it always puts a smile on my face. Sweets are a pretty much universally delicious scent. After all, can you think of anyone who doesn’t like one type of sweet? Perpetual Kid offers a collection of fragrances from Demeter, my personal favorite perfume company. All the favorites like birthday cake, bubblegum, pina colada, vanilla cake batter, and marshmallow are available. They even carry some of the more “original” scents, such as sawdust, Play-Doh, and cannabis. My personal favorite is Waffle Cone, which I usually wear daily. After all, It’s always nice to hear “Mmm, you smell like cookies!” when you walk in a room.

$18.99

Looking for other places to buy?
COUPON: Get 10% off your purchase at Perfume Country. Their regular price for all Demeter 4oz. sprays is is $24.99 (retail is $39.50), and they carry tons of scents. (Coupon expires 3/30/07)
Unbeatable Sale also offers 4oz. Demeter at a great price ($31.36) and they have a lot of scent options, too.

Posted by Alison in Just For You, Clothing and Accessories
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Every week when I visit my chiropractor, my first stop is the coffee table in the waiting room. There is a Buddha Board perched among the magazines and little books that always draws me in. You “paint” on the easel with plain old water and a calligraphy-like brush, and when the water evaporates moments later, you have a clean slate with which to begin again. I find it a refreshing, relaxing activity. The concept is beautiful and simple: just start painting, and forget about the stress of “what if I mess up?”. Only 2% of American adults actively pursue an art, meaning 98% have lost touch with their artistic roots. A lot of people feel they “can’t make art”, and are put off by even trying. The truth of the matter though, is that “art” (in whatever form that may take for you) can be very therapeutic, and is totally subjective. Feel like you’re all thumbs? So what! As long as you are trying, making any kind of art, you’re doing it “right”. The Buddha Board takes the stress out of creation, allowing you to make and remake without thinking of erasing, painting over, or even getting a clean sheet of paper. I actually like to paint left handed (I’m a righty) while using it, since it allows me to complete 2 tasks that I previously thought I “couldn’t” do. It’s a good feeling

$30

Also available from Baron Bob.

Posted by Lauren in Just For You, Fun
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Welcome to the most comfortable sitting experience you’ll probably ever feel. This portable gel seat from Hammacher & Schlemmer is designed with maximum comfort in mind. You’d be surprised how many times a day you might be able to use this: waiting at the bus stop, sitting on a park bench, behind your desk, in the bleachers during a sporting event, or anywhere that has less than comfortable seating options. The pliable gel interior disperses weight evenly across the cushion, relieving painful pressure when sitting. The center groove even gently slopes for tailbone comfort- which helps to eliminate back pain- and the entire design is just slightly sloped to encourage correct posture. Good things do come in small packages; at a wee 2.5 pounds, the gel seat is compact (folds right in half) and portable (comes with a handle).

$59.95

Posted by Alison in Just For You, Outdoors
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It’s been about 5 months since Sean blogged about the Daily Affirmation Bowls, but I still think about them on dreary mornings when I’m getting out my regular bowl. I wonder if I’d notice a positive change in my day if my morning bowl of orange wedges were encircled with uplifting messages. Hey, sometimes all it takes is a quick compliment to totally turn your day around, so it’s possible that an Ego Boost Mug could improve your attitude and your day. Boldly declare your greatness with a smirk and a really cool, slightly oversized mug. Choose from Super Human, Smarty Pants and Mr. Wonderful (I’m sure Ms. Wonderful is just sold out). Ceramic is dishwasher and microwave safe.

$11.95

Posted by Lauren in Just For You, Household
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In gift giving many people say “it’s the thought that counts”. Do you suppose that sentiment extends into thinking of others, too? I’d like to think so, and based on the Fair Trade offerings at Global Exchange, I’m not the only one. There is a variety of decadent, organic chocolates available on their site, all of which are produced and sold under Fair Trade practices. Your Valentine’s gift will be that much sweeter when it enables small cocoa farmers to earn a living wage and supports organic agriculture.

Whether your sweetheart is a true chocolate connoisseur or just one if its many fans, he or she will adore the rich selection at Global Exchange. There are lots of velvety dark chocolates with high cocoa content (my fave), as well as the standard milk chocolates and assorted caramels, bonbons, and other confections. One of their best sellers, the Valentine’s Day Action Kit, includes enough individually wrapped chocolates, retro styled Valentine cards and other goodies to satiate an entire classroom or office. There are also gift baskets and other sweet non-candy gifts available in their Valentine’s Day gift guide.

$3.99+

Posted by Lauren in Just For You, Green Living
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When a fantastic night on the town draws to a close, sleep is often the only thing on my mind when I get home. I don’t want to write a “do not disturb” note for my bedroom door, I just want to get into bed and catch up on as much undisturbed beauty rest as possible. But sometimes it doesn’t work out like that. As most of you can probably atest to, partners and roommates can have horrible timing, and have been known to wake their slumbering loved ones for something as trivial as a phonecall. Never again! Hambone and Jennicakes solve the problem of interrupted sleep with cheeky handmade sleep masks that do the talking for you. The younger crowd might like the simple “Dream” and “do not disturb” embroidered messages, but I’m a fan of the more direct “hung over”, “sod off”, and “f*** off”. Hey, they will end all “should I or shouldn’t I wake her?” debate and let you get on with your sleep. Handmade with 100% Cotton fabric and fill, and hand-embroidered.

$24

Via [Indie Fixx]

Posted by Lauren in Just For You
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With summer days fast becoming just a memory, I long for ways to keep a bit of the season with me year-round. Just about all of my favorite hallmarks of summer aren’t really as enjoyable when the weather turns: popsicles, bikinis, flip-flops… they’re just not the same without the hot summer sun working its magic. But LUSH has heard my plea and created a new product that is scented like coconut suntan lotion! It won’t get a chance to prove the full extent of its powers during fall, but their Coconut Deodorant Powder will still keep me dry and smelling like a day at the beach even in sweater weather. LUSH has been selling their line of deodorant bars for some time, but this is their first line of deodorant powders. Also available are Mr. T, Powder Puff, and Powdry (all vegan-friendly).

For those of you still using antiperspirant, let’s summarize why LUSH makes alternatives, and why so many people are making the switch. Aluminum (the key ingredient in all antiperspirants) is believed to cause cancer and Alzheimer’s, and it is the ingredient that prohibits your body from sweating. It clogs your pores and causes the skin to become dry since the glands can’t sweat. While this does reduce sweating, it also makes your underarm skin dry and aggravated. Aluminum is also notorious for yellowing clothing. Deodorants (opposed to antiperspirants), like LUSH’s powders, use yummy scented essential oils to fight odor-causing bacteria, microfine powders to absorb wetness and odors, and plant-based oils to moisturize your delicate underarm skin. When I learned these facts several years ago I ditched antiperspirants for good and am very pleased with deodorants from natural brands like LUSH. I’ve discussed this topic a lot online and the consensus (which I agree with) is that deodorants work and smell great, but if you tend to sweat heavily then you may not be pleased with the results. (During California heat waves I sometimes miss my old antiperspirant!) Deodorants do take some getting used to, but after a brief transition period you will see and feel your underarms becoming softer and less irritated and many people even say they seem to sweat less. Not a bad deal, especially when you get to smell like coconut suntan lotion in the process.

2008 Update: I finally tried the Coconut scented deodorant powder! It smells like an absolute dream: just like tropical suntan lotion out of the container, and then like toasted coconut when it comes in contact with skin. The delicious scent is the best part though, as the sweat-absorbing leaves a bit to be desired. Great for cooler months, but definitely won’t cut it in the summer.

Posted by Lauren in Just For You, Green Living
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As anyone who has tried their products knows, LUSH Cosmetics is a brand that borders on being magical. Their firm commitment to “making effective products out of fresh organic fruit and vegetables” has established them as a worldwide leader for natural bath products, and they have countless devotees as a result. As I’ve written on Mable’s before, I’m a total LUSH lover. It’s essential to me that I understand every ingredient that I put on (and in) my body, and LUSH makes that a snap. Their ingredients are mostly organic, and they never use animal testing, and the absolute best part is that they work! It’s also pretty cool that everything is handcrafted, so if you’re hankering for amazing handmade natural soap you don’t have to make it yourself.

As a smaller, adventurous company, LUSH is always adding new products to their catalog and tweaking them with the input of their customers. I’d like to make it a regular feature to spotlight their newest and yummiest looking items, so here’s the first installment. First up is a bubble bar slice (aka: solid bubble bath) called Pop in the Bath, which users have described as “Floral, yes. But not overly. Definitely sweet but earthy enough to not be cloying. A real charmer.” It comes in 4 different colors (randomly selected for you) with a sweet little flower on top.

The Green Day bubble bar slice is for those of us who enjoy more earthy scents, and this one has been described as “grassy yet exotic” and “fresh and clean” smelling. It comes in an electric green shade (made from natural ingredients, NO dyes) that colors your bath water a soothing shade of lighter green.

If you’re part of the sweet tooth crew (I’m the founding member so I’ll vouch for this one), The Comforter is the bubble bar for you. It’s “incredibly sweet… very strawberry scented” and is a beautiful swirl of pink and white. It’s so named because it’s supposed to “wrap you up in a cozy pink blanket of bubbles”, and like all LUSH bubble bars, the bubbles do go a loooong way. Like Pop in the Bath and Green Day, The Comforter is made without unnecessary animal ingredients and is vegan-friendly.

There are also some other new (non bubble bar) items available, including the 100% organic and natural Happy Talk lip balm and Hard Shampoo Bar for places with hard water. LUSH, you creative bunch!

Posted by Lauren in Just For You, Green Living
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