Archive for the 'Shopping and Product Reviews' Category



The Inspired Heart - A Book Review

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:23 pm

Spiritual food for the soul: Allow Jerry to take you on his magical and enlightening soul pilgrimage. As he invites you to accompany him along his life adventures, he introduces you to selfless acts of deep, human spirit and his fascinating relationships. Often, by chance encounters, Jerry immerses the reader into impromptu stories of surrealistic wonder and actual life experiences.

From his friendship with two, elderly sages; or E.T., the street kid - Jerry’s autobiography inspires the uninspired, captivates the soul and brings a vital spark to everyday monotony. Jerry illustrates and exhibits the simplest of miracles - through soul journey.

His words, “…In the shadow lands of life’s most terrifying experiences, something inherently noble in the human heart unexpectedly enters in and renders the voices of good and evil mute…” Poetically expressed, Jerry’s wisdomful words echo transcendental advice into the inner-knowing and evolutionary, inner-peace process.

Broken down into humankind’s most simple form, Jerry withdraws from `normal’ human existence to fully embrace life’s spiritual side. (His eventful life, in my own opinion, somewhat parallels the life of the so-called Jerry in the film, Down and Out in Beverly Hills.) Noncomedically however, he lived purely off chance and engaged in most uninspiring conditions; and made do with what life had to offer - never complaining…only transforming.

A human, but humbling experience, Jerry relays how his internal transformation came full circle. A book that promotes personal growth and comprehension of the mortal experience, The Inspired Heart is awe-inspiring, and an exceptional read.

To learn more about Artist/Author Jerry Wennstrom, feel free to visit his website at JerryWennstrom.com; or if you would like more information about how to get your own copy of his book, visit The Inspired Heart today.

The Inspired Heart - A Book Review

© 2005 - All Rights Reserved

By C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Staff Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners; Massage Schools, Naturopathic Schools, Chiropractic and Reflexology Schools; Alternative Healthcare; Insightful Literature and so much more!




2005 Fashion Runway Hits are Fabulous

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:22 pm

I was flipping through this months Elle. There’s some terrific style information in it! Looks like we’ve made it full circle to the 1970s. For some of us we’ll get to relive some of our favourite fashions but there may be some ‘yuck’ in the group too.

Flirty cuts in pretty colors with ruffles and frills are in. Remember the vibrant balloon tops - they are back. As are the wool wrap tops and wool jackets. Super high heels have also made their way back into the picture. Your jewelry selections are wide open for mixing and matching. Big and bold will certainly fit the current trends.

Elle says that these items are runway hits: croppped sweaters in acrylic, cotton, or wool. Satin wrap tops ranging from long sleeves to no sleeves, and asymmetrical skirts.

The skirts are definately fun and sexy - black is the hotest color, sequens are very popular, and beaded silk is definately in. Add some sexy earrings or a sparkly necklace and your ready for a night on the town.

Straight leg wool pants are also in, as well as wool jackets with faux fur collars. Chiffon and satin are big and sleeveless cotton knit turtlenecks are ever so in style.

Accessories are bright and bold - hot pink clutches, chintz hand bags, satin and metalic pumps, ballerina flats. Your jewelry can be a mix of bright and bold, and more muted tones. With this years fashions almost anything goes.

Check out the Spring 2005 Elle Runway

Some of Ralph Loren’s Spring Fashions are just terrific and they are fitting for almost everyone. Watch the Ralph Loren Show

Alberta Ferretti has some outlandish and fun pieces this season Alberta Ferretti Show

Alice Roe has some very sexy looks Alice Roe Show
And check out Balenciaga formal or evening fashions - they are to die for! Balenciaga Show

Its a great year to set your own limits and make your own fashion style.

There is certainly something for everyone! You may also want to check out some of the other designers such as Blugirl, Calvin Klein, and Prada.

Always remember to complete your look with your jewelry!

Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry, and wedding help. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/




The Mindful Shopper - Learning From Your Trendy Mistakes

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:21 pm

Are you a fashion trend-watcher?

Do you spend a lot of time flipping through magazines and analyzing the wardrobe choices of others? Do you buy trendy items only to despise themand yourselflater?

Trend-watchingand, more precisely, observing our trend-watchinggives us tremendous opportunities to create awareness of the traits we hope we have but are not sure we do. In fact, being frustrated, embarrassed, or depressed that we have succumbed to a trend is a perfect chance to discover what we value most.

It usually comes down to these: creativity and confidence. If we find ourselves buying that trendy little bag or those must-have shoes, that little voice inside us shouts “Sell-out!” and we start to feel that perhaps we’re not all we’d hoped to be. After all, a truly creative person would buyor even makesomething unique, and a confident person wouldn’t hesitate to go against the current trend and head in a completely different direction.

And thus begins a soak in the self-loathing tub, followed inevitably by an abandoned item at the bottom of the closet.

To avoid this, you must pay attention to it.

What trendy items are buried in your closet at this moment? Why did you buy them? Who were you with when you made the purchase? How were you feeling about the world in general and yourself in particular?

A little mindful shopping will go far to alleviate the Trendoid syndrome. And while you’re at it, check in with yourself on that monologue going through your head when you see others sporting the latest fashion fetish. You’ll learn a whole lot about YOURSELF if you listen carefully andthis is the hard partnon-judgmentally.

If you do melt at that crucial cash register moment, don’t berate yourself. Simply take note of the way you feel now, and pay attention to how you feel later. Can you see that downward slide? Ah. That’s better. Things are getting clearer now.

Buying into a trend helps us feel connected when what we really long for is a sense of confidence. Take a look at how you can create greater confidence WITHOUT buying that blouse-of-the-moment, and find ways to tweak the latest trend in a way that makes you feel more creative.

Fashion can be fun and absolutely harmless, and you can use your mindful mall meanders to tap into your own sense of who you areand what you REALLY need.

Now, that’s what I call a perfect shopping day.

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she offers fun and creative eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com.




Hobo Purses - Fashion is Now Comfortable!

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:14 pm

Isn’t it great, when what is currently in fashion is also comfortable and practical? Totes and hobo purses are this year’s favorites. Find out how to select the best one for you.

A tote is an open-top bag that has straps or handles; you can wear it over your shoulder or carry in your hand. A hobo bag is a crescent-shaped bag that hangs from your shoulder. Both are large, so you can fit a lot of stuff in them.

You can get totes and hobo bags in just about any color. Bright-colored handbags are hot this year, but bear in mind that, if you have a large, brightly colored bag, it will attract attention. What I mean is that you don’t want your bag to overpower your outfit or face. However, if you wear a plain outfit in a classic color, like black, grey or white, you can brighten it up with a green or orange purse.

The most popular materials are luxurious leather, leatherette, canvas, linen, tapestry and straw. Combinations of leather and fabric also look very stylish, but are more affordable than leather.

Hobo bags and totes also come with beautiful prints on them; totes that feature celebrities are particularly popular, just now. Animal lovers can get totes that have adorable pictures of pups or kittens on them. You can even order a custom made tote with a photo of your own pet - all you need is to provide a photo of reasonable quality.

Most of us think of a tote as a casual bag for shopping, but you can also get elegant, stylish varieties. If it is leather, suede, or a leather-fabric combination, a tote can be a good companion for a work outfit.

Most hobo bags are not expensive. If you do a little bit of comparison shopping online, you will find fabric and leather-like bags for under 50 dollars, and quality leather for under a hundred. That is, of course, for non-designer bags - but they are of good quality, all the same. If you are after Gucci, Fendi or Prada totes and hobo purses, though, expect to pay a few hundred dollars.

Tanya Turner is a fashion expert and a founder of <http://www.allpurses.info/, where you can find fashion advice and tips about purses and handbags




Giving Feedback or Writing Reviews of Bad Stuff

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:14 pm

Some book reviewers say that when they don’t like a book, they simply don’t review it. I’d love to take the easy way out, but when I think about it from a reader’s perspective I want to know when a book sucks. I recently had to give low ratings to a book. I posted it on Amazon and no where else. More people find the book on Amazon than on my site or other places where I post reviews.

For one book, I contacted the author and explained why I couldn’t give it good reviews. I didn’t write about it since I believed my association with an organization would bias my review more than usual. The author understood my views and let me know he plans to modify future editions based on some of the things I mentioned, but not the key areas. So it’s unlikely I’ll review the second edition.

From the minute you decide to be a writer, you can count on negative feedback, or at least, areas needing improvement. A couple of people might tell you I take feedback personally, but that’s not the case. Some folks don’t know how to provide feedback and make it sound personal rather than an honest criticism for improving the content.

When I edit, I try to keep in mind what it’s like to be the author receiving the feedback and word it in a way that helps rather than hurt. Some people nitpick because they refuse to allow any content go through the process error-free. Nitpickers also do this because it affirms they know everything.

Working with someone for the first time makes the process harder. That person doesn’t know how well (or not) you take feedback. Some tiptoe around it, provide straightforward comments, or slam it.

Writing easily challenges a person’s confidence. One minute, articles get raves and the next, no one accepts it. My self-confidence has been all over the place, but I think we all go through it no matter our career of choice.

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.




Celebrity Fashions For The Average Woman

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:12 pm

It’s never ending Jessica Simpson totes a Vuitton bag, Courtney Cox is seen in Instyle wearing a beautiful Prada dress, Hilary Swank heads down the runway wearing Calvin Klein. If that’s not enough Paris Hilton arrives on the scene with Chanel sunglasses while Jennifer Lopez is seen with Fendi.

Whether it’s Versace, Chanel, Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Calvin Klein, Prada or Fendi, how the heck is the average woman going to be able to stay in style like the stars.

Let’s face it. Although we dream about owning that beautiful Vuitton handbag or that Prada dress. For most of us that’s about as far as it goes. Most of these items start in the mid hundreds of dollars and easily climb to a value of over $5000, for just one piece.

For the stars there is no worry about saving to buy those designer items. For them price is no object as they freely dole it out for what ever their heart desires.

But it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out most of us will never own these items. So what do we do? Well that’s easy.

You and I buy items that look a lot like the designer items. Many call these knock offs and that they are but please realize there are licensed copies and then there are copies that infringe on copyrights.

We do not condone any company that infringes on copyrights. We do however encourage you to shop for items that made similar to the items we see the stars wearing. It’s the only way we an look like a million bucks on our shoe string budgets.

As you flip through this months Vogue or Instyle you are going to see some wonderful fashions that you are just going to have to have for the fall. Don’t worry within the next few weeks similar styles will be arriving at a boutique or Walmart near year. You can look as good as the stars for a fraction of the cost.

After all are your friends of co-workers going to notice your purse isn’t quite the same shape or fabric. Are they going to notice that the dress has a slightly different cut neck or length. I think not. You’ll be close enough for most to think you’ve suddenly got designer taste.

So what are you waiting for? It’s going to be a hot fashion season and you are going to be a fashion goddess this season with some savvy shopping.

Sher from Estate Jewelry International have been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.




Lifting the Veil - Hidden Judaism Revealed by Steven Evans

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:06 pm

As a Christian, I have been interested in the study of Judaism because it sheds light on the origins of my religion. Judaism is a fascinating religion, finding its basis in the Hebrew Bible, and in particular in the Five Books of Moses (the Torah), and any study of it will enlighten the one who sets out to study it honestly. Gone are the days when it was thought Judaism was a religion of law whose adherents blindly sought legalistic ways to follow God. Here are the days when an honest appraisal of Judaism can perhaps open the pathway for one to encounter the living God.

An excellent guidebook for such an adventure is Lifting the Veil: Hidden Judaism Revealed by Steven Evans. Evans has made a point of studying Judaism, Kabbalah (a mystic branch of Judaism), Torah, and the Talmud, and presents many of his findings in this book. While Evans acknowledges that his research causes him to understand, especially, many Torah episodes “in a different light, with a non-traditional perspective” this reviewer found his insights to be fresh and non-threatening, either from a Jewish or Christian perspective.

His book is divided into three sections: Essays on Torah, Essays on Jewish Practices, and Essays on Jewish Thought. Because this reviewer is a Bible student and a Christian, I will limit my observations to the first section, because of both space and knowledge limitations.

“Essays on Torah” contains eleven chapters that cover the gamut of Torah interpretation. Topics covered include: the death of the Egyptian first-born, why Abraham was not tested by God when he took Isaac to sacrifice him, why the common understanding about leprosy and uncleanness in Leviticus is wrong, and why Balak is a hero.

One of my favorite essays is the very first one, “Death of the Egyptian First-Born.” In this essay, Evans describes the common understanding that the firstborn sons of the Egyptians were struck down. Then he describes his own position: It was not the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, for such an act would also include husbands, fathers, etc., in addition to children. Rather, it was a battle of God versus the false gods of Egypt. The death of the firstborn, being the last plague and the one that finally convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt, was the actual destruction of the false gods of Egypt and the recognition of the oneness of God.

Evans’ essays are well thought out and they are not presented as mere opinions: Evans appeals to the Torah many times to make his point. At times, I found myself objecting to certain points, only to be rebuffed by scripture(!) as Evans pulled out the appropriate text.

For an introduction to aspects of Judaism, and for a fresh approach to Torah, check out this book. You will find it fascinating and will have trouble putting it down.

Jeremy M. Hoover is a freelance writer who writes book reviews, proofreads, and writes articles that help you promote your website. Read more at his website, http://www.jhooverwebcopy.com. For help promoting your book, look at Jeremy’s book marketing service, http://www.jhooverwebcopy.com/bookmarketing.htm To request a review or Jeremy’s proofreading service, please email him at jeremyhoover AT gmail.com.




Buying Diamonds Without Being Ripped Off

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:05 pm

Buying diamond jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you’re considering a gift of diamond jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here’s some information to help you get the best quality diamond jewelry for your money, whether you’re shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.

Diamonds
A diamond’s value is based on four criteria: color, cut, clarity, and carat. The clarity and color of a diamond usually are graded. However, scales are not uniform: a clarity grade of “slightly included” may represent a different grade on one grading system versus another, depending on the terms used in the scale. Make sure you know how a particular scale and grade represent the color or clarity of the diamond you’re considering. A diamond can be described as “flawless” only if it has no visible surface or internal imperfections when viewed under 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader.

As with other gems, diamond weight usually is stated in carats. Diamond weight may be described in decimal or fractional parts of a carat. If the weight is given in decimal parts of a carat, the figure should be accurate to the last decimal place. For example, “.30 carat” could represent a diamond that weighs between .295 - .304 carat. Some retailers describe diamond weight in fractions and use the fraction to represent a range of weights. For example, a diamond described as 1/2 carat could weigh between .47 - .54 carat. If diamond weight is stated as fractional parts of a carat, the retailer should disclose two things: that the weight is not exact, and the reasonable range of weight for each fraction or the weight tolerance being used.

Some diamonds may be treated to improve their appearance in similar ways as other gemstones. Since these treatments improve the clarity of the diamond, some jewelers refer to them as clarity enhancement. One type of treatment - fracture filling - conceals cracks in diamonds by filling them with a foreign substance. This filling may not be permanent and jewelers should
tell you if the diamond you’re considering has been fracture-filled.

Another treatment - lasering - involves the use of a laser beam to improve the appearance of diamonds that have black inclusions or pots. A laser beam is aimed at the inclusion. Acid is then forced through a tiny tunnel made by the laser beam to remove the inclusion. Lasering is permanent and a laser-drilled stone does not require special care.

While a laser-drilled diamond may appear as beautiful as a comparable untreated stone, it may not be as valuable. That’s because an untreated stone of the same quality is rarer and therefore more valuable. Jewelers should tell you whether the diamond you’re considering has been laser-drilled.

Imitation diamonds, such as cubic zirconia, resemble diamonds in appearance but are much less costly. Certain laboratory created gemstones, such as lab-created moissanite, also resemble diamonds and may not be adequately detected by the instruments originally used to identify cubic zirconia. Ask your jeweler if he has the current testing equipment to distinguish between diamonds and other lab-created stones.

For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com




Roberto Cavalli - The Fashion King

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 4:04 pm

Roberto Cavalli was born on November 15th, 1940 in Italy. He came from a modest family with strong artistic talents and traditions. His grandfather had been an impressionist painter, his mother a tailor .

Cavalli began his career as a young student. Himself and his friend invented, experimented and designed. His first revolutionary creation was a process of printing on light-weight leather.

His print house was a cross between a craftsman’s workshop and an artist’s studio. He was able to accomplish this because of his detailed fabric research and his continuous experimenting with different technologies.

Eventually Cavalli patented the process of printing on leather. Over the next ten years he created what’s known as “patchwork” or “patch quilt” a result of sewing together odd pieces of leather together. During the 1970’s Roberto Cavalli gained international recognition, This was the true beginning of his career.

In 1972 Roberto Cavalli showed his first collection in the historic White Room of Palazzo Pitti in Florence which led to a real scandal. On the catwalk his models were wearing patchwork on denim. Denim was a fabric that was highly disregarded by the straight-laced.

A scorpio true to heart, Cavalli simply refused to bow to the dictatorship of the prevailing fashion. Rather he chose to run as an outsider defending his creativity all the way.

In the early 1990s Roberto Cavalli with the assistance of his wife Eva Duringer, relaunched his challenge to the fashion system. He took his catwalk extravaganza to MilanoCollezioni.

Over the years he has expanded and as well as his Womenswear collection, new lines have been launched: Menswear, Just Cavalli a line for youngsters, Underwear, Class which is a knitwear collection, Freedom his casual line, Eyewear, Timewear, Angels for children 4-14) and Homewear.

An inspiration to the international jet-set, Roberto Cavalli is eclectic, social and ironic by nature, as a designer he sets himself apart through his natural vivaciousness and extreme cordiality, as well as his proverbial hospitality.

He loves to surround himself with friends to celebrate not only his successes but even the smallest occasion: He is known for his brilliant career and as equally as well for his spectacular parties

Roberto Cavalli is a mainstay among the famous international designers. He continues to enjoy and have a blast each and every day. He stated recently “I’ve been running after success my whole life. It took me 35 years but I finally caught it and I’m happy now.”

In today’s world everyone knows his name! His fashions are known for their raucous elegance, ridiculous embellishment, and shameless sexiness. Cavalli feels that too many designers were designing into the mold of sellable.

Roberto Cavalli never fell into that trap, he consistently and continuously designed outside the box. Cavalli says “Every day I go to work to create what I think of as a form of art, but art that only comes to life when it is worn by a woman at her strongest moment, when she is feeling free, in love with her life and her self.”

We an expect to see Cavalli’s designs continue to hit the catwalk. Visit Robert Cavalli’s Official Fashion Site http://www.robertocavalli.it/
Moda Italia http://www.modaitalia.net/robertocavalli/indexen.shtml

Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry, and wedding help. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/




Baby Jewelry - Infant Fashion as Keepsake

Tuesday 12 February 2008 @ 3:31 pm

Matching jewelry for mommy and baby is always a cute touch, and it can be a keepsake for when the baby is all grown up. The sentimental value that comes with baby jewelry cannot be measured. Sometimes certain items of jewelry come with memories; like this bracelet one was bought right after little Sarah took her first steps, or this pendant was bought soon before Davey started to say his first words.

When we say “baby jewelry,” we usually mean bracelets: the safest item of adornment for infants. Many baby bracelets come with letter-blocks that spell out the baby’s name. These may well be a baby’s first opportunity to learn how to read! Some baby bracelets also double as toys, and some charms come with rattles and colorful beads that could easily endear them to the infant.

We may admit that baby jewelry is cute and fun to use, but some mothers are concerned: won’t jewelry be too dangerous to hold so close to the baby? Teething babies will tend to want to bite into their bracelets, or put them in their mouths — and won’t the baby swallow the charms, the item itself, or bits of it that may come off? Also, won’t silver, gold, and certain plastics be bad for the baby’s skin?

Baby jewelry is necessarily hypoallergenic, to keep from irritating a baby’s supremely delicate skin. The charms that come with baby jewelry are usually tightly woven in, so there is no danger of falling off or apart even if the baby is teething. Infant jewelry also has safe clasps. Pin latches or sharp clasps are definitely a no-no.

Toddlers, who are more capable of appreciating body accessories, may in fact enjoy sporting jewelry, especially ones they can play with and show off to other toddlers. Mom and Dad can have their toddler pick out his or her own bracelet. After all, babies and toddlers appreciate bright, sparkling and fun stuff that are visually stimulating and attractive. Baby jewelry is something they can enjoy, and it will be a reminder of that time that passes all too quickly.

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com.




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