REVIEW: Alex and Ani Jewelry

ONE OF MY HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS

Prepare to be mesmerized by the splendid jewelry at Alex and Ani. How would you like to give the gift of inspiration to someone you care about this Holiday Season? Present your loved ones with the chance to explore their desires, and express what they are most passionate about through the jewelry they wear. Desire is indeed what makes you feel alive, what turns you on and it varies for each one of us which is what makes us all unique from one another and allows us to be our own individual selves. At Alex and Ani Jewelry you can explore your spirituality and at the same time flaunt your style through the jewelry pieces you select or create for yourself. If you are a jewelry lover like me then you know there are many companies out there that offer beautiful jewelry. Rarely do I find a company that not only creates gorgeous jewelry, but the jewelry is eco friendly, made from recycled materials and allows me to embrace my inner desires and communicate them with a fashion statement through the jewelry I wear. This is what I have discovered happens when you wear pieces of jewelry from Alex and Ani. Let me introduce you to this remarkable company and how the jewelry at Alex and Ani will inspire you to unleash your spirituality:

{From the Alex and Ani Website}

MISSION STATEMENT

Alex and Ani's mission is to design products that adorn the body, enlighten the mind, and empower the spirit. Alex and Ani's collections reflect a design aesthetic that celebrates each wearer's unique essence. Owner and designer Carolyn Rafaelian believes it is her life's work to inspire her customers to relish what is unique and authentic about themselves. Alex and Ani's artistry lies in drawing out the beauty that resides within.

PHILOSOPHY

Alex and Ani is a company dedicated to creating products of unparalleled quality and beauty that promote consciousness and unity. Manufacturing in the United States and re-using and recycling materials is an integral part of Alex and Ani’s mission as a conscious and eco-friendly company. Alex and Ani’s collections are not only Eco-friendly, they are made up of powerful, meaningful, and spiritual pieces, which uplift and inspire all who wear them.

EXPANDABLE CONCEPT

The signature expandable concept is the cornerstone of Alex and Ani.

Utilizing an innovative patented and completely original technology this concept replaces traditional clasps with a sliding mechanism, making each piece adjustable. This signature expandable feature is available in expandable wire bracelets and rings, expandable chain necklaces and endless hoop earrings. This completely original design allows everyone to have a piece of jewelry customized for a perfect fit.

Available in precious metals or our signature Russian Gold and Russian Silver finishes and adorned with sacred symbols and stones, the expandable collection is timeless, classic, and collectible.

ECO FRIENDLY

The Alex and Ani aesthetic underscores the idea that what is pure and natural is most beautiful and creating jewelry from recycled materials enriches the beauty of each piece.

Founder and creative designer, Carolyn Rafaelian embraces a philosophy that is based upon using eco-friendly, recycled materials made entirely in the United States. Carolyn believes that by creating designs that support the environment and encourage social consciousness, consumers can use their purchases to make a difference in protecting our planet and our future.

Every design is created to reflect the inner beauty of all who wear an Alex and Ani piece.

DESIGNER: CAROLYN RAFAELIAN

Carolyn Rafaelian, Alex and Ani's creator and designer, hails from a family of jewelers where mastering their craft was not only an aspiration, but a family tradition. Residing in Rhode Island, the jewelry capitol of the world, Rafaelian knew she was destined to continue the family tradition and apprenticed herself to her father at a very young age.

Carolyn introduced Alex and Ani over ten years ago, naming the company after her first two daughters. Once she introduced her line of patented signature bangles, necklaces, and rings, almost overnight, everyone was taking notice. Celebrities, major fashion magazine editors, and the finest department stores and boutiques across the country adored the concept and design.

As Alex and Ani’s product grew, she kept a deep focus on spirituality believing one can infuse thought into material to recognize one’s power and unique essence in their everyday wear. Rafaelian creates with deep reverence for the power these symbols possess to expresses awareness, empowerment, and inner beauty. Take the inner journey, Rafaelian says. The rewards are great.

MY REVIEW OF THE ALEX AND ANI SINGLE CHARM BANGLE BRACELETS

Give the Gift of Peace, Love and Good Luck this Holiday Season

Whether you are seeking spiritual or personal enlightenment in the form of jewelry or just coveting gorgeous pieces of fashion forward jewelry, Alex and Ani designs are sure to catch your eye and leave you wanting to adorn them on yourself. There are several collections available in the Alex and Ani line of jewelry and they are about empowerment and the symbols and charms embellishing the pieces, whether spiritual, universal, religious charms, they tell a story about who you are and what you value. You can choose the pieces that best inspires you and your inner being. You can mix and match the different pieces available from the website or really have some fun and create your own custom look using the custom bangle bar which is also available on the Alex and Ani website.

I was sent the 3 Single Expandable Bracelets as shown below. I was given the choice of either getting them in the Russian Gold or Russian Silver Finish, and I chose the Russian Gold Finish. Receiving my package from Alex and Ani was such a special experience. You do indeed feel as though you are receiving a special gift in the mail, the bracelets were beautifully packaged in a sleek Black and Gold Alex and Ani Gift Box with thin red ribbon holding all 3 bracelets together. You know you are receiving a fine quality product just based on the initial out of the box impression you get when you open the package.

The Single Bangle Bracelets may be called Wire Bangles, but there is nothing "wire" like about them. They are sturdy, firm, solid, magnificently crafted bracelets that you know can tolerate wear and tear on your wrist. There is no need to feel worried that the "wire" will bend or break if you are active with them on your arm, they are meticulously made and will stand the test of time.

I have to say wearing all 3 bracelets stacked together was fun, I felt flirty, a little sassy, and it made me smile to be able to look down on them on my arm and think about the messages that they convey! The words Love, Peace and Good Luck are such positive words, and do inspire me to feel as though I can achieve whatever I want in life. Any thoughts of negativity or insecurity immediately leave me when I look down at the bracelets and think about what they represent. I can't think of a better gift to give someone you love this holiday season than the gift of the power of positive thinking all wrapped up in a beautiful box and ready to wear.

I have a tiny wrist, so wearing this bracelets is a no brainer. I barely had to move the expandable part of the bracelet in order to put them on. But, for the purpose of this review I did spend some time moving the expandable part of the bracelet back and forth and it was easy and effortless to move the bracelet to adjust it to any size wrist. The design is genius and looks ultra cool too!

Speaking of cool, these bracelets definitely have the "cool" factor about them. You know you look hip and ultra chic when you wear them on your wrist. They are also unique, not like anything you have seen before, so you will stand out from being ordinary and you will feel rather extraordinary as you listen to them gently make music on your wrist as they move along with you in your journey through life.

I have tried to capture the essence of how much I adore this line of jewelry and the lovely bracelets I received for this review. It is with much excitement and enthusiasm that I share my thoughts with you about them.

Crazy Love Expandable Wire Bangle Bracelet Russian Gold Finish (Single) $21.00

All you need is love. This single Russian gold or Russian silver patented expandable bangle is a sweetly fun gift for the one you love or yourself! Designed to wear alone or to layer for a customized look, Alex and Ani's patented Expandable Wire Bangle is the most innovative concept in jewelry, allowing the wearer, with the slide of a hand, to adjust the bangle for a perfect fit. Available in Russian Gold and Russian Silver.

Good Luck Expandable Wire Bangle Bracelet (Single) with Russian Gold Finish $21.00

We all could use a little luck now and again…this single patented expandable bangle with a round stamped charm featuring a small clover and the words "good luck" is the perfect addition to your set of bangles. Designed to wear alone or to layer for a customized look, Alex and Ani's patented Expandable Wire Bangle is the most innovative concept in jewelry, allowing the wearer, with the slide of a hand, to adjust the bangle for a perfect fit. Available in Russian Gold and Russian Silver.

Peace Expandable Wire Bangle Bracelet (Single) with Russian Gold Finish $21.00

Designed in 1958 by artist Gerald Holtom, the Peace sign became the emblem of a generation. Originally created as the symbol of a call for nuclear disarmament, the peace sign became synonymous with harmony, tranquility, and balance. Wearing this symbol spreads the message of peace. Designed to wear alone or to layer for a customized look, Alex and Ani's patented Expandable Wire Bangle is the most innovative concept in jewelry, allowing the wearer, with the slide of a hand, to adjust the bangle for a perfect fit. Available in Russian Gold and Russian Silver.

You can purchase the bracelets directly from the Alex and Ani Website. The Russian Gold and Russian Silver finishes make them affordable for you to design our own set of stackable bracelets. They are also available in Sterling Silver and 18 kt Vermeil as well. The possibilities of what you can create in terms of sets of bracelets is only as limited as your imagination allows you to be. So go have some fun on the Alex and Ani website, see what inspires you there and put together your own unique set of bracelets that expresses who you are and what is at the core of your essence!

A very special THANK YOU to Alex and Ani for providing me with the amazing bangle bracelets for this review.

Disclosure: I received the 3 Bangle Bracelets items Alex and Ani for the purposes of this Review. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ.

REVIEW: e.l.f. Eyes Lips Face Cosmetics

ONE OF MY HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS

I always look forward to all the Holiday parties, events and festivities that we always enjoy going to during the Holiday Season. It's so much fun to pamper myself a little, kick up my beauty routine a notch, taking a little extra time to give myself a more glamorous, glistening "look" and trying out new makeup to make myself feel special. It is fun to indulge in bringing the fantasies I have about how I want to dramatize my look and bring it to life by playing up my makeup more than I normally do for all the holiday events. If you want to update your makeup and add some really fine quality makeup products to your beauty aresenal that even the most budget conscious person can afford, then e.l.f. cosmetics is for you. Recently e.l.f. has been featured in Glamour and InStyle magazines, just to name a few, and is fast becoming a favorite of everyone's! And, you can find everything from head to toe to make yourself look your personal best, even bath and body products, how nice!

Wow, I was aware of e.l.f. Cosmetics before but I had no idea what a wide a selection of products they offered or how many color choices were available in them until I worked on this review. They are fabulous products and so reasonably priced you can afford to try out colors you may never have used before and unleash the inner makeup artist that exists within you. I am not aware of any other cosmetic line around that are as wonderful to use and as inexpensive as the products at e.l.f. and that is why they made it onto my Holiday Gift Guide list this year. I am so excited about how they worked for me, and how lovely they made me look, that I want to shout it out to everyone and spread the word. I highly recommend them for either giving as holiday gifts this year or using them as stocking stuffers. Or, how about treating yourself to a few new makeup items so you can have fun reinventing your "look" and redefining your makeup routine, I know that is exactly what I did, and boy did I have fun! You can really fill up your shopping cart online at e.l.f. or run to your local Target or Zellers and splurge on whatever e.l.f. products you want because they will not make a dent in your wallet if you do, that I promise! Let me fill you in on the amazing e.l.f. company:

{From the e.l.f. Cosmetics Website}

Our Philosophy

Beauty comes from feeling and being your best, an inner confidence that translates to the outer-world as attractiveness.

In today’s world, beauty and wellness go hand in hand – it’s a holistic approach that places good health and wellbeing at the center of what it means to be truly beautiful. Beauty comes from feeling and being your best, an inner confidence that translates to the outer-world as attractiveness.

e.l.f.’s philosophy is that beauty comes from within and it's our goal to enable every woman to look and feel her personal best through the perfect blend of both the inner and outer person. With that goal in mind, e.l.f. cosmetics was born – a line of simple, luxurious, problem-solution tools that allow you to showcase and believe in your unique, personal beauty. Our cosmetics are designed to improve and accentuate the individual, not hide her away.

We at e.l.f. believe that innovative technology, quality ingredients and superb delivery systems should not be limited to prestige retailers. Every woman should have the opportunity to participate in innovation, without sacrificing her budget. We hope you agree and invite you to experience e.l.f.’s revolutionary, value-priced cosmetics and the proven results they offer.



About Us

In today's world, beauty and wellness go hand in hand – it’s a holistic approach that places good health and well-being at the center of what it means to be truly beautiful. Beauty comes from feeling and being your best, an inner confidence that translates to the outer-world as attractiveness.

We at e.l.f. believe that innovative technology, quality ingredients and superb delivery systems should not be limited to prestige retailers. Every woman should have the opportunity to participate in innovation, without sacrificing her budget. Our cosmetics are designed to improve and accentuate the individual, not hide her away.

Launched in 2004 and guided by celebrity and beauty professional Scott-Vincent Borba, e.l.f. is a revolutionary new beauty company, able to provide a line of cosmetics that moisturize, hydrate, and enliven your complexion without taxing your budget.

We are often asked how we are able to provide our customers with such wonderful products, many for as little as $1. By developing quality cosmetics and the highest standard of service, but using the internet for branding rather than higher-priced advertising media; by sourcing the best ingredients at competitive prices; and by prioritizing our products, rather than their packaging, e.l.f. always provides you with quality and value.

e.l.f. has been a revolution in the beauty industry, turning heads away from more expensive brands with its unique approach. These values extend to recently launched new lines of bath products and fine mineral make-up.

Some can’t believe that we are able to operate and grow with such low prices, but keep an eye on our Buzz section to catch some of our editors’ endorsements from Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, CNN and many others.

Although based in New York, e.l.f. is an independent company with no retail affiliation, and has distribution facilities in several regional centers to allow for fast turnaround and guaranteed delivery. Our dedicated team of customer service specialists work from our office in New York City, and can’t wait to serve you. We are looking forward to hearing how much you LOVE our products!

e.l.f. Eyes Lips Face REVIEW

Oh my goodness did e.l.f. send me a package of fantastic products to review. With the items they sent me, the possibilities of different looks I can create for myself is only limited by my own imagination. It is with such enthusiasm and excitement that I share with you my experiences and feeling about these products:

27-Piece Mini Makeup Collection! Price $15.00

The convenient makeup collection for eyes, lips and face that allows you to be your own makeup artist whenever, wherever. A great value for any makeup lover!!
•An all-in-one compact including the must have makeup essentials, in mini, medium and large sizes!
•Create any look that reflects your personal style
•The small sleek design is great for on the go beauty touchups

My Review: I love that this easily fits onto my bathroom counter and takes up about as much room as a bar of soap. It is also the perfect size to use for when you travel, just think you can have 27 different colors and products with you when you are away from home in something small enough to fit in your purse, so convenient! It is filled with very generous size colors, they are not sample sizes. There is such a lovely variety of colors, that you can create an unlimited amount of different looks for yourself simply by blending different color combinations together. You can become your own makeup artist, and create everything from soft natural looks to dramatic smokey eyed looks. When I looked down at all the colors the wheels in my mind started turning faster and faster as I thought about all the different color combinations I could put together. I look forward to using this now everyday because I can't wait to see what new colors I can experiment with together to see how it can make me look different each day. I don't think I can ever get tired of seeing how I can evolve myself and I think the people around me everyday will continue to be surprised at how each day I look different and I can keep them guessing on what I will do with myself next! I like having that versatility with this amazing color collection.

The kit is designed so you can quickly access the products for your eyes, the eye shadows are located in the left portion of the box, your lips where all the lips colors are on the right side and your face colors are found in the center of the kit. There are shimmery colors and matte colors which gives you options for all kinds of special effects depending on what mood you feel like creating for yourself. I had so much fun playing around with all my choices! You can even line your eyes with the cute little eye liner pencil that is included or enhance your brows with the brown brow powder. You also receive the tools so you can apply all these products, how cool is that?!

I think this makes the perfect gift for your best friends, your sister, your mother, your co-workers, I can't think of a woman who wouldn't want to receive this. That's why it is one of my favorite Holiday Gift Giving Guide picks.

I was also really pleased with the quality of the products. The coverage is natural, the colors glide on easily and effortlessly. I did not encounter any issues with the colors clumping or creasing, they stayed on nicely all day long each time I used them.

This collection is jammed packed with gorgeous colors that are classic and perfect for everyday use, as well as nighttime more glamorous uses. There are no funky colors in here that you are going to be disappointed in, you will find ways to incorporate all the colors into your daily beauty routine. This collection packs a power punch for $15.00 and I can't wait to see what it will help me to look like tomorrow, each day a new surprise!

I used the following (below) 5 e.l.f. products to create an amazing soft, beautiful look for myself. I couldn't believe how collaboratively they created a very feminine, subtle shimmery look on me that I had never experienced seeing myself with before. These are colors that I normally would not have thought of choosing for myself, but now that I see how they look on me, I realize what I have been missing out on! I am so in love with how well the colors work for me, that I plan to wear them for Thanksgiving Day as well as several other holiday events I am going to over the next several weeks. I feel very confident with the way this ensemble of colors look on me, so much so that the first day I tried all the products together I couldn't wait to get in the car and go somewhere because I hadn't felt that "pretty" in a long time! You can create the this same look for yourself and they are so easy to apply:

Mineral Lipstick in the NEW Gorgeous Natural Nymph Color! Price $5.00

Now you can hydrate your lips and get a lasting soft color naturally! This nourishing blend of exotic oils, natural waxes, vitamins and plant extracts create the perfect moisturizing formula. The sleek lipstick has superior color payoff, glides easily onto lips, and is long wearing. Lips stay perfectly hydrated and soft throughout the day for no fuss, lip loving happiness. All our mineral makeup is 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.


Apply to lips and blend in color for lip hydration. Re-apply as often as desired.

Comments: This lipstick feels really nice on the lips, not sticky at all. Rich texture on my lips, moisturizing and a very subtle and pretty color. I love the way it works (looks) with the rest of the products below.

Mineral Foundation with an SPF 15 in the Perfect Light Shade Price $5.00

Our weightless mineral foundation will help get you on your way to healthier illuminating skin. All our powders blend naturally into the skin, and are so light that they work with your skin color to create a perfect color match. All of our foundations contain sun protection factor (spf) 15 and are 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.


Shake the Natural Mineral Foundation – SPF 15 back and forth to get excess powder loose into the tray. Gently glide over the powder with the Total Face Brush to grab the powder, bring your brush to the cap to work in the powder to the brush, then tap off any excess. Apply to areas of the face that need coverage by working into the skin in a circular motion.

Comments: I like the coverage that it gives me. It gives my skin a natural even look, hides my little imperfections and did not give my skin a dry look. I like the way it feels on my skin, it is lightweight yet gave me that flawless look that I always want to have. I also like the color, it was an almost perfect match to my skin tone. I cannot believe what a nice size jar you get for the price, awesome!

Mineral Eyeshadow Primer in the Color Sheer

Preps your eyelid for smoother, longer-lasting and crease-proof eyeshadow. The ultra sheer nude color works to increase eye color longevity. The lightweight liquid formula quickly absorbs into the skin for comfortable wear.


Apply a thin coat to the eyelid and blend in. allow formula to dry before applying eyeshadow.

Comments: I have never used an eyeshadow primer before. I wasn't aware of how much I needed it until I used this one! It did indeed keep my eyeshadow in place all day. My eyeshadow did not crease like it has before. This product is lightweight, is simple to apply and does what it is supposed to do. I will use it all the time now.


Mineral Eyeshadow in the Glamorous Trendy Color! Price $3.00

Bring a touch of natural beauty to your eyes with these soft, translucent shades that add subtle highlights for daytime or increased drama for night. With key vitamins A & B, these eyeshadows hydrate and minimize the appearance of fine lines. Available in an array of light-reflecting color options they can be worn wet or dry, together or alone, for countless shimmering styles and trends. The all natural consistency makes them incredibly easy to apply and blend for a flawless finish. All our mineral makeup is 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.


Shake the Natural Mineral Eyeshadow back and forth to get the excess powder loose into the tray. Gently glide the powder onto eyelids with finger or the Eyeshadow Brush.

Comments: Oh my goodness, I adore this color! I never would have thought to use this shade of color, but it is gorgeous! So soft and pretty, very shimmery but natural. I am so, so thrilled to have a favorite new shade that is so unique from colors that I usually wear. It makes me want to try more!


Shimmering Facial Whip in the Stunning Pink Lemonade Color!

Multipurpose, on-the-go whipped colorant is vitamin B, C and E packed to instantly brighten and sooth skin with no greasy after-feel.


Squeeze a pearl-sized amount onto finger and blend into cheeks, eyes, or lips.

Comments: Oh my, a little tiny dot of this goes a long way! It is a feminine, soft pink with a hint of shimmer that is so glamorous and gives your skin such a luminous look. I love all the different ways you can use this, on your cheeks, your lips, to highlight your face, just lovely!

As you can see, I am totally smitten with all the e.l.f. products. I tried to capture their essence because they are truly worth checking out. I am hooked and I think you will be to once you try them for the first time. I plan to continue to reinvent my look and evolve as a woman in the New Year and want to experiment with even more the extensive selection e.l.f. products.

A very special THANK YOU to e.l.f. Cosmetics for providing me with the fabulous products for this Review.

Disclosure: I received the 27-Piece Mini Makeup Kit and 5 additional e.l.f. products described above for the purposes of this Review. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ.

REVIEW: LEXLI Pure Aloe Skin Care

The Aloe plant has forever fascinated me. I can remember from the time I was a very, very young little girl my mother always had the exotic aloe plant around the house. There were always at least 2-3 of them and they never seemed to die, they just kept getting bigger, and wider until my mom would separate them and we would then have 4-6 plants! My mom was a firm believer that the aloe plant could heal anything, and when we would fall as kids and scrape our knees or arms, or when we would spend too much time in the sun and get sunburned, my mom was always quick to break a stem off from the aloe plant (I remember the "snap" sound the stem made as she it broke it in half) and she'd rub the fresh aloe gel onto our skin. To the best of my childhood recollection, it did take the pain away and made me feel better! So, when I learned about the Lexli Pure Aloe Skin Care line of products, I immediately knew these were products I would be enthusiastic and excited to try out. Before I share my experiences and results with this product line with you, let me introduce you to Lexli Skin Care:

{From the Lexli Skin Care Website}

ABOUT LEXLI:

Lexli International, Inc. skincare company provides pharmaceutical-grade, potent Aloe-based skincare products to international skincare professionals and consumers. We do not aspire to be the best skincare company in the world. Rather, we strive to be the best skincare company for the world. It is our core mission to bring you the pure healing power of premium quality Aloe Vera.

We fulfill this promise by dedicating ourselves to providing the leadership and support needed to help professional skincare clients and everyday consumers learn the truth about skincare and the truth about Lexli products, in the hope of providing one and all with healthy skin and radiant vitality.

While our products have been proven to provide restorative and therapeutic effects to the skin, our ongoing objective is to continue manufacturing quality products and ingredients that exceed industry standards for effectiveness and consumer expectations for results, and reaffirm our reputation as responsible corporate citizens.

THE FOUNDER:

Dr. Ahmed Abdullah, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Ahmed Abdullah, a board-certified plastic and cosmetic surgeon, is CEO and co-founder of Lexli International, Inc. A recognized expert on the restorative and medicinal effects of aloe vera, Dr. Abdullah is the formulator of the Lexli® line of aloe-based skincare, including the company’s flagship product, AloeGlyC Renewing Exfoliant®. He is a member of the International Aloe Science Council (IASC) based in Dallas, Texas, and has served on its board of directors.

In addition to his work with Lexli International, Dr. Abdullah is a clinical associate professor in plastic surgery at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine in Grand Forks, N.D. He owns and practices at Plastic Surgery Institute PC and the Lexli Skin Care Center, and is co-owner of PSI Ambulatory Surgery Center and Heartland Diagnostic Services, all of which are based in Fargo, N.D.

A Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Abdullah serves on the Ethics Committee of the North Dakota Medical Association. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago and completed his residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.

Dr. Abdullah is married to Dr. Kay Abdullah, a fellow board-certified plastic surgeon and co-founder of Lexli International, Inc. They have two sons – Alex and Ali – whose names were combined to form the Lexli brand name.

ABOUT ALOE:

At Lexli, we use pharmaceutical-grade Aloe Vera as the key ingredient in our line of skincare products. Aloe is one of the few natural substances that has been scientifically documented to work.

Used since ancient times, the restorative and medicinal capabilities of Aloe plants are readily known. It is gentle to the skin, aids in rejuvenation and is readily absorbed.

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Aloe Vera

• A Little History

• In ancient times, physicians and pharmacologists from Persia to Greece used Aloe Vera to treat a wide variety of ailments, including wounds, mild infections, sinus problems and sores.
• When the Spanish brought Aloe to the New World, it quickly gained widespread acceptance as a homeopathic and herbal cure-all.
• Beginning in the 1950s, Aloe Vera gel gained respect as a moisturizer and as a healing agent in cosmetics and over-the-counter drugs.

• Where Aloe is Found

• Aloe originated in Africa.
• Today there are more than 250 species of Aloe grown around the world, from Africa to the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, Florida, Southern California, Mexico, the Pacific Rim countries, India, South America, the Caribbean and Australia.

• The Characteristics of Aloe

• Aloe plants are commonly mistaken for cactus.
• Aloe’s thick, tapered, spiny leaves grow from a short stalk near ground level.
• Mature plants can grow as tall as 4 feet, although average plants are typically only 2-3 feet tall. Each plant usually has 12-16 leaves and can weigh up to 3 pounds.
• Aloe contains amino acids, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, proteins, polysaccharides and biological stimulators.

• The Science of Aloe Vera

• Various clinical studies have shown that Aloe has a role in the treatment of radiation dermatitis, superficial skin abrasions, corneal ulcerations, frostbite, burns and leg ulcers.
• Aloe extracted from the Aloe barbadensis Miller plant (the Aloe commonly used in cosmetics) is different from that extracted from the Aloe ferox Liliaceae plant.
• The terms “Aloe,” “Aloe Vera,” “Aloin” and “Aloe extract” refer to the end products of different methods of extracting juice from Aloe plants.
• The term “Aloe” refers to a concentrated distillate made from the juice of the plant’s leaves. “Aloe extract” is the powder form of Aloe.
  
  

• Why Aloe Works

• Aloe blocks histamine production and contains an agent that helps with inflammation.
• Aloin, which is made by filtering out certain resins from Aloe juices, contains a high concentration of anthroquinone, the agent that may be responsible for Aloe’s effectiveness in the treatment of certain skin afflictions, including inflammation and psoriasis.
• The great success of Aloe as a commodity for use in cosmetics is due to the proper stabilizing procedures that enable processors to store and ship Aloe gel without fear of spoilage.
• The Aloe industry has established high ethical standards for business as well as for their Aloe products. Through the International Aloe Science Council (IASC), the industry has solidified its dedication to providing the world with the highest quality Aloe. Lexli International is a member of the IASC and Dr. Abdullah served on the Board of Directors.

MY REVIEW OF THE LEXLI 30-DAY STARTER KIT

I was sent the 5-Piece Lexli 30-Day Starter Kit to review. It contains everything you need to begin building the foundation for healthy skin.

{From the Lexli Skin Care Website}

Lexli 30-Day Starter Kit
Lexli's 30-Day Starter Kit is an easy, inexpensive way to try our skincare line and make sure it's right for you. Each kit provides a month’s supply of products to familiarize you with our Simple 4-Step System. All of our products are Aloe Vera-based for the best skincare possible. And, because they’re travel size, you can have healthy radiant skin wherever you go. - Aloe-Based Cleansing Lotion (2 oz) - Aloe-Based AloeGlyC® Renewing Exfoliant (0.50 oz) - Aloe-Based Day Moisturizer with SPF 15 for Normal to Dry Skin (0.50 oz) - Aloe-Based Tone and Balance (2 oz) - Aloe-Based Night Moisturizer (0.5 oz) Special Holiday Offer - Free 30-Day Starter Kit with $150 purchase. Give the gift of healthier skin. Use coupon code: freekit

Aloe-Based Cleansing Lotion

Lexli's Aloe-Based Cleansing Lotion is designed to unclog pores and remove impurities. The special ingredients work to cleanse the skin and leave it feeling soft, silky and refreshed. A noticeable improvement in the suppleness of the skin will be achieved soon after the very first use.

Aloe-Based Tone and Balance

This gentle skin toner contains natural, moisturizing humectants that tone the skin and add moisture without causing surface dryness. Lexli's Aloe-Based Tone and Balance also restores the skin’s natural pH, removes any last traces of cleanser and debris, and is great as a light body moisturizer, working to hydrate, soothe and refresh.


Aloe-Based Day Moisturizer with SPF 15 for Normal to Dry Skin

Lexli's Aloe-Based Day Moisturizer with SPF 15 protects your skin from the environmental factors that cause premature aging. This light, nongreasy formula moisturizes and conditions to leave the skin extraordinarily soft and comfortable throughout the day. The added SPF 15 also helps shield the skin from harmful UVB and UVA rays.


Aloe-Based AloeGlyC® Renewing Exfoliant

The truth is, there is no gentle way of exfoliating the skin to reveal the healthy new cells underneath. AloeGlyC® does the hard work necessary to remove the top-layer dead skin cells and debris while simultaneously soothing and healing the skin.

It’s all due to an exceptional combination of pharmaceutical-grade Aloe, Glycolic Acid and L-absorbic Acid beads (Vitamin C) that both exfoliate and activate the production of collagen — the skin’s natural rejuvenation process.

The result is a marked reduction of fine lines and wrinkles along with improved texture and skin clarity. With consistent use, you will begin to see a remarkable difference in how your skin looks and feels within 3 weeks, with optimal results after 3 months.

Aloe-Based Night Moisturizer

Lexli’s Aloe-Based Night Moisturizer is a nourishing, humectant-enriched cream designed to replenish the loss of moisture within the skin’s tissues. The strong humectants and masking agents, such as collagen, work overnight to preserve and restore the skin’s natural moisture level and revive the skin’s tension and firmness.

MY EXPERIENCE AND RESULTS

I am so thrilled with these products and I will do my best to capture the very essence of them with you through my 3 weeks of experience of using them. I love the simplicity of this skin care system. There are just 4 simple steps to follow and you are on your way to transforming your skin into the healthy shape it is meant to be in. With my busy schedule the last thing I want to do is mess around with having to keep track of what I need to use and when in my skin care routine. I want pure simple products and a quick and easy schedule that I need to follow in order to maintain my skin and insure the best possible results. I found Lexli delivered on all those factors for me.

The Cleanser worked very nicely for me. I do wear makeup during the day so at night when I cleansed my skin I found that this cleanser adequately removed all my makeup. It felt gentle on my skin, I did not experience any dryness afterwards, as I have with other cleansers in the past, and also the scent was very pleasant. That is also an important factor to me. I don't like using cleansers that smell too sweet or strong, for some reason it makes me feel that there are fragrance ingredients in there that are going to irritate my skin, but this cleanser has a very light, barely discernible fresh scent to it.


Normally I can live without going through the process of applying Toner to my skin after I have washed my face. But since toner was included in the 5-Piece Kit I figured I should use it in order to achieve maximum results. It did not dry out my skin, nor did it seem to have any impact to the routine, I am sure behind the scenes (under my skin) it made a difference, but visually and to the touch it was just a process to go through. It is part of keeping the skin well hydrated and the mist felt great after cleansing.

I followed the instructions very carefully when it came to applying the topical Aloe-based AloeGlyC Renewing Exfoliant because I had been forewarned that is could cause some slight irritation, slight burning and dryness. So I took the suggestion in the instructions and diluted the exfoliant every other evening with the night moisturizer. I think this was a great way to get my skin used to the product, and adjust slowly to its benefits. I did after about 9-10 days begin to use it morning and evening on its own. My skin did seem a little dryer than usual, but I knew that meant it was working.

Once I was done exfoliating I used either the Day Moisturizer and Night Moisturizer and I love, love the consistency of both products! I found both to be extremely rich and hydrating, and felt really luxurious on my skin. I know my skin loved it as well because it seemed to drink it right up. I liked that you can even use it around your eyes. After about 10 days I began to notice that my skin looked particularly more "dewy" once I completed all 4 steps and I am hoping as time progresses and I use the products longer it will continue to get healthier and healthier and evolve even more in appearance.

Prior to using the Lexli products I was not aware that 100% Pure Pharmaceutical level Aloe could be so beneficial in a skin care line. But experiencing these products has me convinced that aloe can be a very effective anti-inflammatory agent and will gently cleanse and penetrate deep into the skin tissue to stimulate collagen and work to heal, rejuvenate and protect damaged skin. If you are looking for an innovative new skin care line to kick off the New Year, consider trying Lexli's 30-Day Starter Kit.

A very special THANK YOU to LEXLI for providing me with the Lexli 30-Day Starter Kit for this review.

Disclosure: I received the Lexli 30-Day Starter Kit for the purposes of this Review. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ.

Review: RAW Minerals Discovery Kit

There are so many different brands of mineral makeups out in the marketplace, and I have tried many of them. Some feel better on your skin than others, some provide you with more coverage than others, and I feel it is a matter of personal preference deciding which brands you like most. I know which mineral makeups I would use again, and the brands I would not choose to use again, and based on my recent experience using Raw Natural Beauty's RAW Minerals it is the best of the best when it comes to the mineral makeups I have used to date.

RAW Minerals is not only a beautiful way to give your skin a smooth, silky, flawless "look", but it is also "good" and healthy for your skin. If you want to treat yourself to some new makeup and really kick off your Holiday Season with gorgeous looking skin, then perhaps you want to consider trying RAW Minerals. Or how about starting the New Year off with a new beauty routine? At the end of my review look for the exclusive 50% off Code where you can purchase the RAW Minerals 7-Piece Discovery Kit for half price!! Let me introduce RAW Minerals to you!

{From the Raw Natural Beauty Website}

THE FOUNDER AND CREATOR OF RAW NATURAL BEAUTY


Christina Marcaccini is the Creator and Founder of Raw Natural Beauty. After working for more than 10 years as a product developer for several large cosmetic companies, she saw first-hand the widespread use of potentially harmful chemicals in beauty products. She grew frustrated by the industry's unwillingness to invest in safer, more natural ingredients and she grew painfully aware that most natural brands on the market did not perform well.

She knew there were millions of women, like herself, who wanted a better, smarter, choice for their skin and their health. That's when she decided to create RAW Natural Beauty to offer women a high-performance line of purely natural makeup and skincare.

She spent nearly three years searching the world for the most innovative natural ingredients that deliver superior performance. In addition to being free of parabens, harsh chemicals, and artificial colorants, all RAW Natural Beauty products are enriched with exclusive active botanicals that actively nourish, protect and defy the signs of aging.

BEAUTY THAT RESTORES

At the heart of all RAW Natural Beauty products are active botanicals, pure plant extracts that help to fight wrinkles, revitalize firmness, enhance natural radiance, and restore your skin's natural beauty from the outside in.

BEAUTY THAT IS NATURAL

No harsh chemicals, no synthetic dyes, nothing to irritate your skin or clog your pores. If an ingredient isn't good for your skin, we don't use it. This makes RAW Natural Beauty ideal even for women with acne, redness or sensitive skin.

BEAUTY THAT SUSTAINS

RAW Natural Beauty ingredients are grown using sound ecological practices. Their cultivation helps to support local farming communities as well as reforestation and educational programs.

PURE BEAUTY AWAKENED BY NATURE

You feel beautiful when you know you look your best. RAW Natural Beauty is designed to instantly perfect your complexion and leave your skin radiant and glowing, while helping to fight the signs of aging over time.

RAW Natural Beauty’s Approach to Global Awareness

Our products aren’t just good for the skin, they’re also good for the planet! RAW Natural Beauty’s ingredients are grown using sound ecological practices and their cultivation helps to support local farming communities as well as reforestation and educational programs.

As a natural brand, we believe our responsibility extends far beyond the ingredients we use.
We passionately support a holistic definition of beauty ... beauty in balance with the earth.

REVIEW: RAW Minerals Discovery Kit

I was sent the fabulous RAW Minerals 7-Piece Discovery Kit to review. I had heard a lot about RAW Minerals before, very positive buzz, but had never had a hands on chance to experiment with the products and use them on myself. (RAW Minerals has been featured in all the hottest magazines such as Allure, Lucky, Self, Women's Health, just to name a few) You bet I was in for a real royal treat!! When I was contacted about doing the review I was asked to provide them with the color kit I wanted to review. So based on the website and what shades I normally select for myself to wear, I asked for them to send me the "Medium" tone RAW Minerals Discovery Kit.

Although I normally consider my skin tone more "medium" in color, and I tried to follow the instructions on the RAW Minerals website to assist me in making sure I selected the correct shade, I did find when I received my RAW Minerals Discovery Kit that the Medium shades were a tad bit too dark for me. So, if ordering, please keep this in mind! I contacted the RAW Minerals Rep and she quickly sent me the "Light" foundation duo and those lighter shades worked out just perfectly for my skin tone.

Anyone can use the RAW Minerals 7-Piece Discovery Kit, no matter what your complexion or skin type is:

Whether you have Light, Medium, Tan or a Dark Complexion, there are shades that are going to work for you:

This explains the kit I received:

RAW Minerals 7-Piece Discovery Kit

Discover the secret to a flawless complexion. This skin-perfecting kit includes everything you'll need to perfectly cover skin imperfections and achieve a flawless, luminous and even complexion.

Why do you receive 2 foundation shades? Our Color Match Technology guarantees that all skin tones get a true color match. We do this by giving you 2 foundation shades - one light, one darker. These duos are easy to blend, making it easy for you to find your perfect match every time. So, even if your skin tone changes with the seasons, you can easily adjust your RAWMinerals to match.

Your Discovery Kit includes:

• 2 Mineral Foundations
• Mineral Glow
• Active Veil SPF 18
• Maximum Coverage Foundation Brush
• Concealer Brush
• Multi-Tasking Retractable Brush

I also received the RAW Minerals Discovery Kit Instructional DVD that helped to guide me through the process of each product and brushes I received. The website more than adequately teaches you, but the extra addition of the DVD really helped me to achieve the looks I wanted with these products with little effort, in 3 Quick and Easy Steps. Here they are:






Begin with cleansed, moisturized skin. Allow moisturizer to fully absorb before applying mineral foundation.
Pour a small amount of foundation from the jar into the lid.
Touch your Maximum Coverage Foundation brush to the minerals and swirl it around until the brush "takes up" the minerals.
Tap off excess.
Blend over your face by moving the brush in a circular motion around the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead and anywhere you desire flawless coverage.
If you prefer more coverage, continue to apply foundation as needed.





Pour a small amount of Mineral Glow from the jar into the lid. Remember, a little goes a long way!
Touch your Retractable brush to the powder and swirl it around until the brush “takes up” the minerals.
Tap off excess.
Lightly dust it all over your face or just sweep a bit over your nose, cheeks, chin and décolletage for a light, alluring glow.




Pour a small amount of Active Veil from the jar into the lid.
Touch your Foundation brush to the powder and swirl it around until the brush “takes up” the minerals.
Tap off excess.
Apply lightly to the entire face and neck to set foundation in place.

SHADES OF FOUNDATION - Ultra fine foundations of natural crushed minerals glide on with a weightless, silky feel and blend perfectly into skin. A single application seamlessly covers imperfections such as dark spots, redness and acne. Natural, extremely versatile colors make it easy to find your ideal shade.

MINERAL GLOW - These skin-enhancing minerals give skin an instant look of natural, sun-kissed radiance. The natural color compliments skin tone and provides a youthful glow that lasts all day.

ACTIVE VEIL - Sheer, translucent minerals set foundation and give skin a look of airbrushed perfection. Designed to work perfectly with RAW Mineral foundations, Active Veil provides an even, flawless finish that lasts all day.


MAXIMUM COVERAGE FOUNDATION BRUSH - The secret to flawless application, this professional-quality brush is specially designed with densely packed, silky bristles for quick, easy application.

CONCEALER BRUSH - The feather-soft bristles and tapered, oval tip are perfectly designed to exact control and complete coverage of blemishes, broken capillaries, scars, acne, age spots and freckles.


MULTI-TASKING RETRACTABLE BRUSH - All the benefits of a full-sized makeup brush and a shadow brush in a retractable design you can tuck away and take with you.

MY EXPERIENCE & THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS KIT

I am not gifted with perfect skin or anywhere near a flawless complexion. I developed a mild to moderate case of Rosacea a few years ago. Some days my skin is a little ruddy, and other days it is worse and I even have breakouts over the ruddiness so it is a condition I struggle with everyday. I am always striving to achieve healthy skin, that will one day make me smile when I look in the mirror. Until that day comes, I depend on good cosmetics to work their magic on covering up my imperfections naturally. By naturally I mean it in two ways, naturally in terms of ingredients in the products and naturally by which you can't tell I am wearing much makeup at all. I want to make sure the makeup I use on my face will not irritate my skin any more than it already is, and will perhaps even help to heal it. I also want a natural, silky look to my skin. RAW Minerals foundations did indeed help me to achieve all of this and more. It gave me back some of the confidence I had lost.

What I love most about this 7-piece kit is that it is very quick to apply, it took me less than 5 minutes to complete my makeup application and I love that it is easy, truly a no-brainer, to use. Although you are provided with a fantastic instructional DVD which I highly recommend you view at least once before you use the kit, you really don't need it if you study the instructions on the website prior to using it. You do not need to be good at applying makeup to achieve success with these products. But, you will end up with a lovely, professional looking makeup "look" that will make you feel so good about yourself and the way you look.

You can layer the foundation to achieve a thicker coverage by applying a few different applications to your skin. For those who may want to cover a scar or acne on their skin you can really cover literally anything, but I found just one layer of foundation was enough to cover my rosacea adequately which was to me a sign of an amazing product at work.

I love the Active Veil because it completed the flawless look for you. Once I was done applying it I took the retractable brush, swished it around in a little more of the active veil, and put the top on the brush and threw it in my purse. That way when I was away from the house and wanted to freshen up my skin, I had it ready to just sweep across my face for a quick touch up during the day. How handy I found that to be!

On those mornings where you feel you look a little peaked and pale, just a light sweep of the Mineral Glow on the apples of your cheeks will perk your skin right up and bring that ever so slight sun kissed glow to your skin. I can't wait to use this throughout the holidays to keep me looking fresh and alive!!

Overall, I am super impressed with the results I experienced using this entire kit and I know these are products I will want to continue to keep in my daily beauty arsenal. I am so excited to share my thoughts with you and hope if you decide to give this 7-Piece Kit a try you have a chance to feel the same way!

The generous folks at Raw Natural Beauty are so sure you are going to fall in love with the RAW Minerals 7-Piece Discovery Kit that they would like to offer you a special price on it. Use the promotional code DISCOVERY50 to receive 50% off the regular price plus free shipping. Now that's an amazing offer! Just type in DISCOVERY50 at checkout to receive your exclusive offer!

A very special THANK YOU to Raw Natural Beauty for providing me with the products for this review.

Disclosure: I received the RAW Minerals 7-Piece Discovery Kit for the purposes of this Review. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ.

Review: GYPSY SOULE

ONE OF MY HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS

I chose Gypsy Soule as one of my favorite Holiday Gift Giving Recommendations because they offer products that are so unique that you know if you purchase something from there it will be different from anything that the person you are shopping for has or owns. You can find everything from stunning clothes and embellished boots and sandals to gorgeous jewelry, hats and belts and each item will be sure to excite and please whoever has the pleasure of beholding them. The products are remarkable, each one extraordinary in its own unique way.

Ever wonder where some of your favorite celebrities find the ultra cool clothes you see them wearing? And even if you could find the clothes that are glamorous and worthy of a super star, do you think you could actually afford to buy them? Well, look no farther because I have the answer right here. The first time I came across the Gypsy Soule website and started browsing around at all their hip and totally glamorous bling embellished products I instantly knew I had found a company that designed clothes and accessories that were what I dreamed about wearing. Products that I envisioned in my mind I would love to wear, but didn't know they existed anywhere, until the day I saw them at Gypsy Soule! By simply wearing one of the spectacular Gypsy Soule teeshirts and accessorizing it with a piece of Gypsy Soule jewelry you can instantly transform your everyday look into an alluring celebrity worthy outfit that will make you feel confident and beautiful. Let me introduce you to the company and the two very talented girls behind it:

{From the Gypsy Soule Website}

"In 2003, Lorinda Graham-Van Newkirk brought the concept of jeweled, cowhide flip-flops to reality in the Western retail market. Seemingly overnight, the once unseen combination was on the shelves of retailers around every corner and Gypsy Soule® flip-flops became the catalyst for an industry trend.

Gypsy Soule originated from Lorinda's parent company, Van Glow, which she founded shortly before the flip-flop line made its debut. Gypsy Soule® products can now be found online and in stores across the country, with a line that includes footwear, jewelry and clothing.

Success didn't happen overnight, though. Lorinda's experience began years ago as a youth on her family's ranch in California. She founded her first company at age 21, although her entrepreneurial spirit began at an even earlier age. Her experience has run the gamut of the retail industry, from design work to the warehouse.

And now, Gypsy Soule® has welcomed long-time designer Amy Moorhouse to its team. Like Lorinda, Amy's passion for the western retail industry stems from real-life ranch experience. Amy comes from a Texas ranching family, and grew up on the legendary Pitchfork Ranch, where her father was the ranch manager for over 35 years.

Amy established her retail experience working for companies such as Smith Brothers, Cinch, Cruel Girl, Triple Creek, Vogt and the National Cowgirl Museum Hall of Fame, along with starting the original Gypsy Cowgirl® Brand. She has held positions as a brand manager, designer, market researcher and design consultant, among others.

Lorinda and Amy plan to build upon the core of Gypsy Soule — "products for women, designed by women." The collaboration began with friendship and a mutual work experience. Both bring various pieces of experience to the design table and plan to bring fresh, new items to the mainstream and western retail industry.

Much more than just a shoe or a piece of jewelry, Gypsy Soule® products express an emotion. To offer products that lead, rather than follow; define elements of personality; and make women feel good about themselves is the goal.

Come with us and unleash your SOULE."

MY REVIEW

The very generous gals over at Gypsy Soule provided me with 4 products to review. I am totally in love with each one for the extra special element that each one on its own adds to my outfits. It is no wonder such celebrities as Kris Jenner (the Kardashian mom), Miranda Lambert, Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Love Hewitt are proud owners of Gypsy Soule products and you can too! I have included sizing and pricing information on these ultra cool items and you will learn that you can look and dress like a star and it won't make a dent in your wallet!!

The first item I was sent to review is the alluring and very hip Turquoise Tank with Gypsy Soule shield, roses and sparrows. The Price: $88.00 and is Available in Small - XL

This fabulous tank top is so darn cute and displays such a pretty and very cool design that covers the whole front side. I love that in spite of its very feminine look it has a touch of subtle edginess to it, which makes me feel a sense of power and control, hmmm, that is a good thing for me, helps to build up my confidence! I can wear this alone with a pair of jeans or shorts in the warmer weather, or I can layer it up as seen in the picture to the left, with a cute boucle jacket or denim jacket, it is just a versatile tank that will work nicely with so many different bottoms and layer possibilities and it will always make you feel a sense of "rocker girl" when you sport it around town or wherever your journey's in life take you. I am so pleased with the artistic design on the tank and it is very fine in terms of construction. I received a size Medium, which fits me perfectly, but it does have a snug fit. So, if you want to order this and want a tighter fit, order true to size. If you prefer a loser fit, you may want to consider ordering up a size. I personally like a tighter fit so I was thrilled with the way it fit me.

I received the Gypsy Soule® ~ Unleash Your Soule!! Hoodie. The Price: $94.00 and is available in Sizes XS - 2XL. I really like the Eco-Grey color of the top and the big and bold message that the hoodie conveys. I know I need to remind myself all the time not to be afraid to step outside my comfort "box", to take chances in life when it comes to my goals and dreams, and not to be afraid to show others the real me, and "go for" all that I want in life! Wearing this hoodie will remind me to do just that, and I also want to spread the message to those around me that I love and care about. The top is very nicely made, the quality is fantastic and I washed it a couple of time already, and I can tell that it will stand the test of time and wear! This hoodie has a more relaxed fit. I was sent a size Medium. It is a little big on me, I could have probably used a size Small, so if you prefer a true to size fit you may want to consider ordering down a size, or if you like that more relaxed loser fit, I suggest ordering your normal size.

I received the Gypsy Soule Dog Tag on Ball Bead Necklace, Price $45.00

20" in Length with a Double Sided Dog Tag with Logo Cross on one side and Gypsy Soule on the reverse side. Rendered in Base Metal.

Billy Ray Cyrus had this to say about this piece: "Oh my girls would love this stuff" And, they did!

I have been wanting a dog tag style necklace for the longest time. I have seen them featured in all the most popular fashion magazines and seen them being adorned by so many people (yes and celebrities too) and believe me when I say that this one from Gypsy Soule is just dreamy. It embodies all the elements I could have wished for, it's eye catching and bold, it's light-weight so it doesn't feel too heavy on your neck, it's has that "cool factor" that I look for. It is versatile in what you can wear it with, you can use it to enhance your most casual outfits like jeans and a teeshirt or you can easily pair it up with your cute little black dress! This necklace is extremely well made, a very fine quality in my opinion. I think this urban chic style necklace will make a terrific holiday gift, you get that sassy, sexy look at a price that will not break your wallet. This is the piece that so many girls are coveting and you can get it right at Gypsy Soule. And check out the two pictures to the right and left, I mean how neat is the fact that it is reversible! It's like having 2 necklaces in one, love it!

I saved the best for last!! The last item I was sent to review are these absolutely magnificent and stunning Flip Flops!

B-CHANG CHANG
Price: $410.00
Black, Black Gator, All AB Stones, Square AB Tile

All Sparkle and Embellishments are done in the BIG State of Texas with the finest Italian leathers and hides!

To ensure the highest quality and happy customers our Sandals, Flip Flops and Boots are handmade and set with real Swarovski crystals. We use only the best bling for our customers! Our comfort level is HIGH, because we use the highest quality of EVA soles. Although our base is imported, everything else is handmade in Texas.

Heel Sizes and Attributes:

F: 1 inch strap and no heel
I: 1 inch strap with 1¾ inch wedge
W: 2 inch strap with a 1¾ inch wedge
H: 2 inch strap and 3 inch heel

**Please keep in mind, if you have a wider foot it is our recommendation that you go up a size in our embellished flip flops. The embellishments and hides cause the flip flops to be tighter across the straps. ***

I received the flat heel in Size 9 and they come in Sizes 6-11 in Flat or with wedge Heels.

I kid you not when I say that when I took these exquisite sandals out of the box my mouth literally drop to the floor! I love, love shimmer and glimmer and these aurora borealis jewels that are embellishing the flip flops are just like big headlights looking at you! Talk about the "wow" factors, um yes, these did achieve that with me! The iridescent colors in the genuine Swarovski Crystals is mesmerizing, simply beautiful and truly made me feel special, totally divine.

Equally as important as style and design is quality. I can assure you the quality is not sacrificed in the way with which these sandals are crafted. All the sparkles and embellishments are done in the Big State of Texas so they are America Made, yay! The finest Italian leathers, hides and Swavovski Crystals are used to create them. When you hold them in your hands and feast your eyes upon them, you can clearly see that they are solid and sturdy and in no way a pair of flimsy flip flops, no siree! You will come to adore these immediately upon opening the gorgeous Gypsy Soule Logo Box they are housed in.

A very special THANK YOU to Gypsy Soule for providing me with the products for this review.

Disclosure: I received the 4 items from Gypsy Soule for the purposes of this Review. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ.

SodaStream Home Soda Maker Review

ONE OF MY HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS

Congregating in the kitchen as a family creating savory meals is one of our favorite pastimes to do together. It is always a festive time and any innovative gadgets that can add an element of entertainment and fun, not to mention great taste and flavor is a welcome gadget and device in our home! And, enjoying those family meals with an accompanying flavored beverage is what completes our meals. Do the flavors Cranberry-Raspberry, Orange, Root Beer, Cola, Lemon-Lime getting you thirsty yet? Whether it is a hot sultry day or a cold blustery day everyone loves to sit back, relax for a moment and enjoy a nice, tasty, refreshing drink, right?! How would you love to be able to create your own fizzy, delicious soft drinks or flavored sparkling water fresh right in the comfort of your own kitchen? Well, now you can and why not be a trend setter in your family and in your circle of friends and have some fun with the quick and easy SodaStream line of at home soda makers.

Drinking soda in our home is an everyday occurrence. So when I learned about the innovative SodaStream at home soda makers, I knew they would be an instant hit in our house. The SodaStream at home soda makers are a fun and entertaining way to create fresh, delicious tasting drinks for your entire family AND also an eco-friendly way to be kinder to our environment by not using any plastic bottle or cans that could end up in landfills, now how wonderful is that?! This is why I choose the SodaStream Soda Makers as one of my top Holiday Gift Giving picks this season.

We began our "green journey" almost a year ago. We have made so many changes to the way we live our life and the products that we use, and our first step in "greening up our act" was to stop drinking bottled water. I am so excited to say that now we are no longer using soda bottles, thanks to the new SodaStream maker we have! No more lugging, storing or discarding bottles or cans of heavy soda!

What a great way to show that you care about the environment. With Sodastream there are no more empty bottles and cans to recycle or discard and none of the energy wasted by transporting billions of gallons of soda everyday. It does indeed make good sense to add one of these nifty devices to your home, better for you and better for the environment!

So, are you aware of all the very positive "buzz" about SodaStream at home soda makers? From Wall Street to your street, everyone’s talking about SodaStream soda makers. They have recently been featured in: Woman's Day Magazine, Time Magazine, Popular Science, Ebony Magazine, HGTV Kitchen Trends, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Globe, Baltimore Sun, Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times, Akron Beacon-Journal, Hampton Roads Daily Press, Home Appliance Magazine, beststuff.com, Visalia Times-Delta, And more! Let me introduce you to the company and how the soda makers work:

{From the SodaStream Website}

"Soda-Club is the world’s largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of Home Carbonation Systems. Our brands, Soda-Club and SodaStream, are sold in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Our long standing and deep heritage dates back to 1903, when we introduced innovative solutions to the beverage market. We continue to grow as market leaders in both technological advancements and the quality of our products.

The Soda-Club system enables consumers to carbonate water and to flavor carbonated beverages at home as an alternative to purchasing pre-packed bottles or cans. This has many important benefits to the consumer including cost savings and no hassle with bottles.

Every year Soda-Club provides over 600 million liters of carbonated beverage to more than 8 million households, making it one of the largest beverage companies in the world."

Environment

SodaStream and the Environment ... Drink to the Earth

Americans drink more than 55 billion liters of soda and seltzer each year. That's almost 200 liters - about 600 cans - for every adult and child in the United States. And, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, that adds 10 1/2 cubic feet of packaging per American — over 3 billion cubic feet - in our landfills and recycling facilities every year. With a SodaStream home soda maker, you'll enjoy freshly made, great tasting seltzer and soda in just seconds ... and you'll be helping our environment by drastically reducing waste from store-bought cans and bottles. And with no batteries or electricity, you can use your soda maker in your kitchen, outdoors on your patio or deck, or on your boat or RV.

Reusable Bottles Reduces Packaging:

• No bottles or cans to recycle or throw away
• Saves thousands of containers for a family of four in a year
• Carbonating bottles last for three years
• Highly concentrated soda mix minimizes packaging

A family of four could slash their home soft-drink-related packaging usage by over 90%, simply by using a SodaStream soda maker. That's a whole lot of cans and bottles that won't end up polluting our environment. SodaStream's plastic carbonating bottles are reusable for up to three years, and Penguin glass carbonating carafes will last even longer than that with proper care. A typical American will toss away over 1500 aluminum cans (and/or hundreds of plastic 2-liter bottles) over three years — while a SodaStream owner will use just one or two reusable carbonating bottles or carafes that come with the home soda maker.

SodaStream's highly concentrated Soda mix syrups also dramatically reduce waste. A single bottle of Soda mix will make 12 liters of soda, the equivalent of 34 cans or six 2-liter bottles. Choose from over 25 regular, diet and caffeine-free flavors including Cola, Root Beer, Lemon-Lime and fruit combos like Cranberry-Raspberry, Apple-Peach and Pink Grapefruit. Take a sip, enjoy ... and feel good that you're helping the environment.

Saves Energy: No Electricity, No Batteries, No Transport Miles

• No batteries or electricity
• Reduces energy used to manufacture bottles and cans
• Reduces gas and pollution from shipping packaged beverages
• Eliminates pollution from batteries
  

Operating without batteries or electricity, SodaStream home soda makers are highly energy-efficient small appliances. Appliances that work without electricity improve the environment by cutting down on the emissions generated by electrical plants, giving us cleaner air and ground water.

By operating completely on power supplied by the compressed air in the carbonator - an easily renewable fuel source - SodaStream does not contribute to environmental pollution made by batteries. Empty carbonators are returned to SodaStream to be cleaned, inspected and refilled with CO₂ drawn naturally from the air. Carbonators are reusable as long as they remain in good condition.

Store bought soda and sparking water travels hundreds of miles from the bottling plant to the store shelf, usually in trucks that get fewer than 10 miles to the gallon. Instead, SodaStream uses the water that's already in your home, saving literally tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.

Nutrition

Controlling Sugar, Carbs or Calories? Welcome to SodaStream

If you're looking for great tasting soda, but on a low sugar or no sugar diet plan, just cutting back on carbs or concerned about calories, SodaStream is for you. With a SodaStream home soda maker and over 25 delicious regular, diet and caffeine-free soda mix flavors to choose from, you'll enjoy freshly made, great tasting soda that fits your health and dietary needs.

Regular Soda mix flavors contain less sugar, calories, carbohydrates and sodium than national drink brands. Regular flavors are sweetened with a combination of sugar and Splenda^® brand sweetener. Diet soda mix flavors contain no sugar, no aspartame and are sweetened with Splenda^® brand sweetener.

SodaStream even has all-natural, unsweetened flavor essences for making refreshing, lightly flavored sparkling water.MyWater flavor essences are available in Orange and Lemon-Lime - just like squeezing a wedge of citrus into your seltzer.

So go ahead and close your eyes and take a sip. There's no mistaking the delicious taste of all your familiar favorites including Cola, Lemon-Lime, Root Beer and a whole variety of fruit flavors.

All SodaStream soda mix uses a mixture of Splenda^® and sugar, with the exception of diet flavors. Diet flavors are sugar-free. Most of our diet flavors are sweetened with Splenda^® brand sweetener. Comparison is based on 8 fl. oz. serving size (0.34 fl. oz. of SodaStream Soda mix per 8 fl. oz. of water).

There 4 different models of Soda Makers to choose from:

The Fountain Jet Soda Maker

The Fountain Jet Soda Maker can make up to 110 liters of carbonated water offering you great savings compared to pre-packed carbonated water and beverages.

Turn tap water into sparkling water in 30 seconds with the Fountain Jet Soda Maker. The Fountain Jet fits the extra large 110-liter carbonator and includes an easy to clean drip tray and customizable carbonation levels.

The Penguin Soda Maker

The Penguin is the first and only soda maker with a glass carafe. Its design is a certain eye catcher in any kitchen, dining room or bar. The stylish Penguin combines form and functionality to prepare and serve your sparkling beverages in elegant, dishwasher-safe glass carafes. Turn water into sparkling water in seconds.

The Genesis Soda Maker

The Genesis Soda Maker is based on a modern slim-line design and looks great in any kitchen and is offered in an attractive and unique color variety. Make your own carbonated drinks, just the way you like them with the Genesis Soda Maker.

The Pure Soda Maker

The Pure Soda Maker received an honorable mention at the Red Dot Design Award (2008). Its design compliments elegance and practicality and is offered in a unique color variety. Each Pure Soda Maker is made with attention to detail and utilizes high quality plastics finished with a brushed stainless steel exterior.


Flavors

Over 20 great-tasting regular, diet and caffeine-free flavors plus energy drink and MyWater all-natural flavor essences. Regular flavors have no high-fructose corn syrup. Diet flavors are sweetened with Splenda® brand sweetener and contain no aspartame. Each bottle of Sodamix makes 12 liters or about 33 cans.

DEMONSTRATION VIDEO

You can watch the video demonstrating how very easy these Soda Stream Makers are to use by CLICKING HERE

MY REVIEW

I was asked which of the 4 different Soda Makers I would like to review. It was a hard choice because all 4 models are just REMARKABLE and each one has their own unique appeal. So I read about each one and in the end I chose the Pure Soda Maker model to review. The Pure Soda Maker received an honorable mention at the Red Dot Design Award (2008). Its design compliments elegance and practicality and is offered in a unique color variety. Each Pure Soda Maker is made with attention to detail and utilizes high quality plastics finished with a brushed stainless steel exterior. I felt this model fit into our lifestyle the most and I was extremely impressed with the quality of it when I pulled it out of the box for the first time. It is very well made.

Okay, let me just say first right off the bat that using this soda maker is easy, easy easy!! I kid you not, I timed how long it took me to set up and make the first bottle of soda. From the time I opened the box to the time I completed the first bottle of soda only 14 minutes elapsed, seriously, isn't that fantastic!! What took me the longest was washing out the plastic soda bottle before filling it with cold water because I wanted to make sure I cleaned it out thoroughly before using it. Other than that it is so, so super simple to set up and get going.

Setting it up was a breeze, and when I say that I truly mean it. That why I think this is just such a perfect gift idea because literally even the most technically challenged person can do this! You just remove the valve seal and cap from the 60 Liter Carbonator vessel and screw the cylinder into the drinkmaker's head.

Then you place the drinkmaker's head into the drinkmaker base and rotate until you hear a click. That's it, you are now ready to make your first bottle of soda or sparkling water!

Step 1: Fill carbonating bottle with very cold water.

Step 2: Screw the bottle into the machine.

Step 3: Pull the carbonating lever in short pulls until you hear a LOUD BUZZ and 3 loud buzzes provides average carbonation. Repeat for extra fizz.

Step 4: ENJOY! Pull bottle toward you and unscrew from the machine. Tilt bottle and very slowly add sodamix flavor. Close tightly, shake gently and voila, your soda is ready! Enjoy you indeed will!

The first flavor we tried out with our Pure Home Soda Maker was the Diet Cranberry-Raspberry. When I ordered the soda maker I requested that we would prefer the Diet soda mixes flavors because it is lower in calories and carbs and we are very conscious of that in our home. It took only SECONDS to make our first bottle, yesiree, SECONDS to treat my family to a fresh fizzy glass of diet cranberry-raspberry soda. It is so delicious and you never would know it was a diet flavor. I love that it is made without high fructose corn syrup or aspartame. There was absolutely no sign of any unappealing after taste, pure refreshing bliss if you ask me or anyone else here.

Okay, so I was like a kid using this soda maker for the first time, I have to admit I had so much fun! I just had to share the excitement with the family so that first night I decided to make the Diet Orange Soda. It was equally delicious, we drank the entire bottle and are now on bottle number 2 of it!

The very generous folks at Sodastream sent us so many flavors to try. Included are: Diet Cola, Diet Pink Grapefruit, Orange-Mango, Energy, Root Beer, Ginger Ale, in addition to the Diet Orange and Diet Cranberry-Raspberry that we already made. How fun this will be to use over the holiday season sharing it with all our friends and family that come to visit. It will also make for a terrific conversation piece, don't you think?

If you are a big fan of flavored sparkling water like I am, you can also use your soda maker to create 3 different flavors of sparkling water. I received a 3-Pack of Sodastream Mywater Flavor Essences. Included in the 3-Pack are Berry, Orange and Lemon-Lime. They are all natural and unsweetened. It gives your sparkling water a hint of fruit flavor and all it takes is one small drop of the flavor into your sparkling water bottle to give your water that fresh natural fruit taste. I have tried all 3 flavors and I do love them all!

As you have guessed by now I am a huge advocate of the Sodastream makers for so many reasons. They are fresh and tasty, healthy for your family, and equally important, a chance for you and your household to contribute to helping to preserve our environment. The fact that there are over 20 incredible flavors to choose from and this device is so easy and quick to use is just the icing on the cake! The convenience of it needing no electricity or batteries makes it perfect for not only your home and kitchen, but how about for cabins and cottages, boats or camping where electicity is not a luxury that is available. You can still enjoy your own fresh soda and sparkling water. You can visit Sodastream HERE to find the model that best suits your lifestyle and needs!

A very special thank you to SodaStream for providing me with the products to use for this review.

Disclosure: I received from SodaStream The Pure Starter Kit and a variety of flavor mixes for the purposes of this Review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ.

Review: Zosephine Messenger Diaper Bags

ONE OF MY HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS

My favorite time of year is quickly approaching us, and Yes that is indeed the Christmas Season, Ho, Ho, Ho!! And, I am so totally smitten with my new diaper bag from Zosephine that I have to include it in my Holiday Season Gift Guide Recommendations. With the festive holiday season right around the corner, I am beginning to review products that I feel will make special and very unique holiday gifts. And oooh yes, the spectacular Messenger Style Diaper Bags from Zosephine are at the top of my Holiday Gift Guide List! The Zosephine Messenger Style Bags offer sleek, modern styling with artisan detailing and are roomy enough to hold everything that the Hip Mama needs for baby (and herself too)! What I love most about these unique Diaper Bags is they make you look and feel professional, pulled together and organized, and give your outfit that complete "polished" look. As busy mother's we may feel the chaos around us, and in our minds feel that sense of being overwhelmed by all that we have to do, but carrying this ultra sleek and chic Zosephine Bag will give others the illusion that we have it all together, and those of you who have been there know exactly what I mean! It reminds me of that old deodorant commercial that had the catch phrase "Never Let Them See you Sweat". Well, when you carry this extraordinary Diaper Bag it will communicate "Never Let Them See you Stressed"! It is no wonder that such celebrities like Oprah, Angelina Jolie and Courtney Cox covet this bag, along with many others!

Carrying this simple yet functionally chic diaper bag will erase any feelings that you look frumpy & dumpy, because these bags make you look classy and urban hip. No one will ever know what you house inside of it. While you will have it filled with diapers, baby powder, baby wipes and all your other little baby necessities, it will look as though you are sporting around your laptop and business files. Being a mommy is work, and it does require a lot of important gear and why not house all those imperative items in a bag that represents the mother who takes that role seriously! That's why these bags will make even the mother who thinks she has it all, an extra special and very unique Holiday gift this year. Let me share a little about Zosephine the company with you:

{From the Zosephine Website}

"Funky, but not granola. Modern, but not sterile. And definitely not cutsie-pink. Plenty of pockets, with room for the essentials. A fresh, new look for diaper bags, and a vehicle for change in the lives of victims of domestic violence.

The Zosephine Bag is handmade in North Carolina by Mom and Entrepreneur Maria Winslow.

All Year Long Zosephine donates 10% of sales to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. It is something we are so proud of and Together, we can make a difference!

You can visit the Zosephine Facebook Page HERE Zosephine offers Monthly Giveaway for their Fans, Plus you can get information on How to Fight Domestic Violence from being a part of their Facebook Community.

The Zosephine Bags come in four different styles named after some of the most intriguing cities in the world: Kyoto, Seattle, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Each bag is made from solid, durable fabric which is complimented with a stunning printed fabric that reflects the essence of the particular destination the bag was named after. Here are the 4 different bag choices:

Minneapolis Diaper Bag
With sleek, modern styling, Zosephine diaper bags hold everything a hip mama needs for baby. Our diaper bag is constructed with an easy-to-clean nylon lining, plenty of pockets, and a nylon changing pad. A cell phone pocket is hidden under the flap (above), and a pocket big enough for a small novel can be found on the back. Dimensions: 14"x12"x5"
price: $108.00


St. Paul Diaper Bag
With sleek, modern styling, Zosephine diaper bags hold everything a hip mama needs for baby. Our diaper bag is constructed with an easy-to-clean nylon lining, plenty of pockets, and a nylon changing pad. A cell phone pocket is hidden under the flap (above), and a pocket big enough for a small novel can be found on the back.

Dimensions: 14"x12"x5"
price: $108.00

Kyoto Diaper Bag
With sleek, modern styling, Zosephine diaper bags hold everything a hip mama needs for baby. Our diaper bag is constructed with an easy-to-clean nylon lining, plenty of pockets, and a nylon changing pad. A cell phone pocket is hidden under the flap (above), and a pocket big enough for a small novel can be found on the back.

Dimensions: 14"x12"x5"
price: $108.00

Seattle Diaper Bag
With sleek, modern styling, Zosephine diaper bags hold everything a hip mama needs for baby. Our diaper bag is constructed with an easy-to-clean nylon lining, plenty of pockets, and a nylon changing pad. A cell phone pocket is hidden under the flap (above), and a pocket big enough for a small novel can be found on the back.

Dimensions: 14"x12"x5"
price: $108.00

REVIEW

I was sent fabulous Seattle Messenger Diaper Bag to review. It couldn't have arrived at a better time as I really needed a more functional, spacious and stylish diaper bag to carry all of my daughter's gear in. I had seen pictures online of The Seattle Bag so I knew I was going to be pleased with it in terms of visual esthetics, but little did I know that to behold this bag in person is even more spectacular than just seeing images of it online. It is impeccably made, the way it is constructed is of the utmost quality, truly meticulously crafted and will no doubt stand the test of time and abuse.

The first thing that I noticed is the gorgeous color. I had envisioned it to be light blue based on the pictures I saw of it online, but the color is more of a blue-teal with a hint of chocolate brown in the woven fabric which I really love. The complimenting fabric that embellished the front flap of the bag as well as the wide bag strap is absolutely gorgeous! The colors are brown, green, that blue-teal and light blue, such a nature and sea feel to it, just like Seattle!! Also, the material is a nice thick linen-like fabric, much more texture to it than I thought, which also appealed to me right away, it just gives the design such a rich, elegant look and feel, classy! Next, a mother's dream in terms of storage!! There are pockets so fit everything I carry around with me so I can stay effectively organized and be able to find quickly and easily the items I need in a hurry when out and about. This diaper bag offers so much storage compared to any bags I have used before and will be such a life saver when I am trying to change my daughter in a dash on the go, love that it will make my life so much easier!

The bags are lined with a white nylon fabric that is a breeze to wipe up! No more messing around trying to keep my old cloth diaper bag clean, this one wipes up quick and easily and if something should leak inside of it, not to worry, because the lining will protect the outside material from getting soiled. I also love that the lighter color of the interior makes it easy to see what is inside your bag so you can access what you need without exerting much effort to see it, the light color makes everything inside stand out!

All the Zosephine Diaper Bags come equipped with their own white nylon changing pad, now how amazing is that?! It folds up perfectly to fit into the nice size inner square pocket. Oh, and did I mention that there are a total of 7 inner pockets?! How incredible is that, now you know what I mean about being able to stay organized! There are 3 smaller pockets on one side of the inner bag, 2 long and narrow pockets on each side of the end of the inner bags which are great for holding either your baby's bottles or lotions and talc that you may want to bring with you. Then there is a zippered compartment on the other side and a large deep pocket which can store any number of baby gear items you want to make sure to have on hand. Then the entire center of the bag is wide open to hold diapers, onsies, teeshirts, wipes and whatever doesn't fit into the pockets. This bag truly is my idea of a dream diaper bag!

I love the cool messenger style of this bag. There is an outside zippered compartment and the beautiful pattern fabric strap of the bag is adjustable so you can position it so that it fits on your shoulder exactly where you want it. I love that versatility since I very often find bags that don't always come down low enough for me to be able to reach for something I want comfortably. Having the ability to adjust the strap to where I can most easily reach inside it in a hurry is an important feature for me.

There are two magnetic snaps that work to close the front flap. There is the perfect size small cell-phone pocket prominently placed just under the opening flap which is wonderful! I like that where the pocket is positioned will protect your cell phone from falling out but makes it accessible for you to easily reach for it when you need it. Okay, just when you thought you had it all with this bag there is indeed more! There is a nice size steel key holder hook sewn right into the upper portion of the bag. No more worrying about losing your keys or not being able to find them in a New York minute.

Every single attention to detail was considered when this bag was designed resulting in the ultimate mommy diaper bag. From the moment I took the bag out of the box I knew it was extraordinary from any other diaper bag I have used before. I know that once my daughter no longer needs me to carry her diaper gear I will be able to use this bag for just me! It is so roomy and ergonomically styled for convenience for keeping me organized, that I will transform it into my own handbag once my diaper changing days are over with. Now that is a gift that will keep on giving!

A very special thank you to Zosephine for providing me with this product to review.

Disclosure: I received The Seattle Diaper Bag for the purposes of this Review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ.

Bajidoo Bangles REVIEW

I'd like to introduce you to the fascinating and intriguing world of Brenda from Bajidoo Bangles. If you are not aware of Bajidoo Bangles, then you are in for a very special treat!! Imagine being able to listen to a person describe a few words about what they are passionate about in life and then being able to create a beautiful work of art in the form of a "bangle bracelet" depicting visually your interpretation of what they said?! Or, being able to look at a few photographs of a person and based on what you see in those photographs create a work of art that captures the character of that person. Well, that is exactly the very unique and special talent and god given gift that Brenda has! Here is a little bit about Brenda:

{Taken from Brenda's Media Card}

Bajidoo, is Brenda and Independent Mixed Media Artist and Designer

"About 9000 Years in the past and steeped in tradition, the practice of henna tattooing began, a form of art and beauty unto itself. A little more than 45 years ago my artistic eye began to develop. After a vacation trip to the Middle East in 2000, the two events somehow collided to form my brand of whimsical art. For my whimsical mixed media I have incorporated the swirls, curves, circles & lines of Mehndi (henna) art into my images, then married, rather randomly to my expression of realism which I suppose is my view of real life & voila!

Here you have it, special brand of what I coined to be "Bajidoo Art". I work mainly in mixed media, most commonly watercolor, aquarelles, marker, pen & ink, and acrylics - but also work directly with henna paste, mixed especially for my purpose for creating art on wood and other surfaces."

MY REVIEW

I spoke with Brenda on the telephone for the longest time, she's so friendly and open about herself that she makes you feel as though you have known her forever. Listening to Brenda speak of her life, her artwork, her inspirations, her love of animals, her unique and special talents was compelling and so intriguing. I felt so privileged to have had the opportunity to experience such insight into her life so I could capture her essence in this review.

I asked how she began creating these gorgeous one of a kind Bangle Bracelets. Brenda attempted to explain to me about her unique talent of being able to pick up words that people use to describe someone or something and her ability to create pictures from them in the form of her art. She has empathy to make people feel better, it is from their pictures that she views, and as a result feelings are established in her head that allows her to create these her art. She get the ideas in her head, and then creates images on the bangles. She is able to create their character on the bangle, not just their physical being.

Brenda shared a story about a woman who had just recently lost her son in a tragic car accident. The woman asked Brenda if she could put an image of her son on a bangle so he (her son) could be close to her. She asked Brenda if she could capture his character, his being on the bracelet. The woman wanted to be able to see what is in her heart and in her mind on her wrist. Brenda said she would give it a try, she wasn't sure she could do it, but gave it a shot. Brenda wanted the woman to be 100% happy with it. Brenda wanted to make sure that it fit perfectly with the scenerio the woman had in her mind and heart. So the woman gave Brenda a "soul-less" passport picture of her son and a second picture of her son "happy" sitting in the sun near a lake wearing a baseball cap with a big smile on his face. Looking at the 2 pictures Brenda was able to come up with an idea of who he was, and was able to feel what a very attached close knit family he had come from and his tragic accident had occurred on his way to a family celebration. The last image Brenda was given of the young man was a picture of the accident scene. Brenda was able to see his trauma, shades of red, pinks, purples. The end result of the bangle that Brenda created for this woman was a huge success, the woman was ecstatic with the results and thus Brenda's first bracelet was born. Her ability to pick pictures up and create an image from them is not a uniform or religious thing, but can only be explained as a spiritual sense.

Seeing the name Bajidoo got me real curious, what does it mean, where did it come from so I asked Brenda how she came up with the very cool name "Bajidoo" for her Bangles, and what a heart-warming story this is! Brenda love, loves animals, an admitted animal (dog) freak she has been known to have 5-7 Shar Pei's (her favorite breed) at one time. There was Shar Pei's Holly and Chester who were married but Chester appeared to be very uninterested in his wife Holly and it was thought that they had never "made it". Sadly, Chester became very ill and at around the same time Chester became sick Brenda found out Holly was going to give birth to puppies. It was as if Chester knew he was ill and wanted to make sure Holly had babies before he passed on, and in 62 days 4 beautiful puppies were born to Holly and Chester. They are what Brenda called "miracle puppies" and she couldn't bear to give them away. 2 Months after becoming a father Chester did indeed pass away but not before leaving a legacy behind, one of which Brenda named "Baji". When Brenda received Baji's Registration back from the American Kennel Club they had "added" next to Baji's name the letters "doo" so Baji became Bajidoo the official name on his registration.

Sadly Bajidoo died suddenly 3 years later of Renal Failure but in his loving memory Brenda named her Bangles after him, the miracle puppy who had brought so much joy and love into her life. Art comes from within Brenda's heart. Baji represents that same space. Drawing and incorporating Henna into her Art give Brenda a chance to get her Dog Bajidoo back, just like people, like the Woman I shared the story about with you, was able to get a piece of her son back through her art.

Wow, right! I truly was captivated listening to Brenda talk and I tried to keep up with my note writing, wanting so much to make sure I captured the essence of everything she was telling me and speaking about. But, there is so much detail and dimension to her life's stories, and so many important elements, that I had to condense them here to fit it all in!

TAA DAA, MADE EXCLUSIVELY FOR ME

THE FEATURED BAJIDOO BANGLE

PEACOCK PRINCESS

Meeting Brenda from Bajidoo was fate at its finest. I went to log into my Facebook account one day and right there on my homepage on the right hand sidebar was a picture of a Bajidoo Bangle with a link saying I should become a fan of Bajidoo Bangles. No kidding, my eyes "popped" open wide, as it was 6:30 am, and I couldn't click on the link fast enough to check out this most alluring facebook page of bangles. I must have spent 1/2 hour just reading up and down Bajidoo's facebook wall of entries, pictures, comments from so, so many obvious fans and I was in total awe, amazement, joy, over all the absolutely gorgeous, beyond words bracelets I was seeing for the first time.

In my excitement, I posted a comment on Brenda's facebook wall saying something like, I love your artwork and designs and I'd love to feature them on my blog, and that is how our connection was formed. Now let me share with you how Peacock Princess was born!

After Brenda and I had shared a few back and forth facebook messages she asked me to share with her what I'd like to see on my bangle, my inspirations, the things that I love and she agreed to make me a custom bangle. I told Brenda I was intrigued by Peacocks and that I loved wearing accessories and clothes inspired with subtle peacock feather designs and jewel tone colors. I also shared with her that I live on Lake Ontario so I am inspired with the water and the beauty of the lake and sunrises and sunsets that we have here. I also told Brenda that my hobbies are photography, Yoga, Japanese Cooking and I was drawn to Asian inspired art. From my sharing with Brenda these few personal things about myself, the Peacock Princess was born!

In her own words, here are the Steps that Brenda took to create my masterpiece:

1) First the princess images was sketched out on a 9 x 12 artist pad in charcoal. Then when I am satisfied with the sketch details I scan the image into photoshop and apply the color

2) Print and proof the design once more. The image is adapted to a proper size and format for the bangle. At that point I print the image out in the proper size and transfer the base of the image using graphite paper to the bangle

3) Here I begin the artwork on the bangle using Sakuru Japanese Gelly Pens, Micro Sharpies, and India ink applied with a Striping Brush.

4) Next, I touched up the highlights and shadows with charcoal directly on the bangle and Aquarelles.

5) The sparkle comes from the Sakuru pens and a Translucent Micro Mini Glitter.

6) Finally, I embellished /accented with Viva Decor Precious Metals Paints...which incorporate real silver and real gold in the paint.

and Viola! about 5 hours later a magical bangles comes to life. {End of Brenda's Words}

Okay, what better way to share with you what I think about my breathtaking Bajidoo Bangle than to share you with you what my initial reaction was to Brenda. These were my first words: "Oh My Gosh!! This is absolutely spectacular, I am speechless, and that doesn't happen very often! This is gorgeous beyond words! You just created magic from me describing my passions, you are truly gifted!"

As Brenda continued to shared the images of my stunning Bangle here are more of my comments, that truly came from the heart: "This is equally as stunning as the flip side. The meticulous intricate work you were able to capture in the design and the colors are just leaving me awe stricken. It was like you were reading my mind when I told you what inspires me. This most definitely is a treasured work of art."

As Brenda kept posting more images of my bracelets, my excitement and joy just kept on escalating! Here was my next comment to Brenda: "Clap, Clap, Bravo! I am dancing with joy! This is a dream and I am going to wake up any minute, right! You are just amazing! Your talents far exceed any I have come across in a VERY LONG time! I cannot wait to write about you and your unique and truly beautiful work! One cannot help but fall in love with everything you create and this piece for me is simply the most exquisite treasure!"

Then, much to my surprise and astonishment Brenda created a custom made jewelry box to house my Princess Peacock in. She sent me a couple of pictures of the box that was designed to perfectly compliment my bracelet and store my treasure in. Here is my initial reaction to the exquisite jewelry box: "Simply Spectacular Brenda! The box is absolutely beeaauutifuuul! It is just as magical as the bangle! What a glamorous home for the bangle to live in, and live a long prosperous life :-) You certainly have wow'd me 10 times over in the last day! Dance, dance, I can't wait to talk with you on the phone!"

I then continued to comment with this: "This is the prettiest peacock I have seen! Captivating and alluring is how I find them to be and you have created their essence so wonderfully here!"

I wanted to share with you my initial comments about the bracelet because I felt that was the only way I could communicate how truly magnificent Brenda's work is and my honest feelings about the "Bajidoo Experience". The bracelet is like nothing I have ever seen before, meticulously crafted with the finest materials, and the attention to detail in every aspect and element of the design is totally mind blowing. There are literally no words to describe the level of heart, soul, talent, passion, compassion, empathy, that all played a part deep within Brenda to create this very fine masterpiece for me. It is EPIC, something so huge, you just have to accept that it is there, and embrace and behold it for what it is, art and beauty too big for words to describe!

What is wonderful about Brenda's creations is she basis her prices on the amount of time it takes her to create them. My bracelet would sell for $85.00 but if you see an item on her website that you love, and perhaps it is not in your price range of what you can afford, Brenda can adapt from that design and modify it to create for you the same piece, for a price that is more affordable to you. A Custom Made Bracelet costs no more than a finished piece of work. Price is based strictly on time and materials.

I also asked Brenda if I have to worry about banging my bracelet into something and risking the design being chipped or damaged. She told me there is a special water based leveling gloss coating on the design that will keep it protected and looking just as beautiful and the day I first was able to behold it in my hands. It is triple thick and waterproof, my bracelet will last me my lifetime and will serve as a family heirloom to hand down to my own daughter one day!

Here are some of my other personal favorites from Bajidoo's Website:

STEEL POPPIES ($65.00) - This Bangle has a high dome profile on the wrist, very rounded and raised up from the mid point. It is a Large Bangle and not for the faint of heart.

It will make a more than a subtle statement, it will certainly be noticed. The imagery includes a detailed depictions of a poppy blossom based on a traditional henna tattoo design for the poppy flower. This is a very feminine design with loads of sparkle, this design is further enhanced by the Swarovski Crystals that are present at the center of each flower. It is a real stunning piece,must see it in person to truly appreciate the design.

A Special Note from Brenda about this Piece: Metal Butterfly and Steel Poppies. I was given dozens of jars of a fabulous paint "Viva Decor's Precious Metal Colors" and "Glass Effects" While attending the CHA trade show here in Orlando. I was imagining a design that would really show case the beauty of these paints. Metal Butterfly and Steel Poppies are the result. These paints are unbelievable, fast drying - water based vibrant colored Metallic's.


MYSTIC ($190.00) - Mystic "Relief Carved Bangle" and therefore one of a kind. A Bangle of this size and stature will make a more than a subtle statement, it will be noticed. The imagery includes painted images of the "hand of Fatima" which is then flanked by carved scroll work, this design is eastern mystic inspired and is completely unique to the surface of this Bangle. Includes Natural semi-Precious Stones, 3.5 Carat Yellow Citrine, 2 Carat Black Spinel. The Bangle colors are Black & Multi. Bangle size Large 9 inches interior circumference (RE: High Dome) it is most common that you’ll wear 1size larger than the norm.

A Special Note from Brenda about this piece: Mystic is a Relief carving of scroll work and troughs that surround the Hand of Fatima positioned palm to palm and spreading outward. This bangle was inspired by a Professional Belly Dancer named Nika. Nika requested a design that included the Hand of Fatima. I fell in love with the image and had to use it in another Design. The Bangle was carved by hand using a Dremel Rotary carving tool. The art was rendered with Sakuru Gelly Pens from Japan and Aquarelles. It also includes copper coated micro-mini glass marbles, 1 natural semi-precious 3.5 Carat Yellow Citrine and Four natural semi-precious African Black Spinels at 1.5 Carats each. The carving alone was a full day of carving and sanding before the art could be applied. Mystic all totalled was a process that spanned several days and about 18 hours of actually hands on effort.


ENTER THE SPARROW ($45.50) - This Bangle has a high dome profile on the wrist, very rounded and raised up from the mid point. It is a Large Bangle and not for the faint of heart.

It will make a more than a subtle statement, it will be noticed. The imagery includes a sparrow which is considered to a bird of good omen by the sea fares of the world, this design is olde world inspired and is completely unique to the surface of this Bangle. The colors are light mulberry, pink, with accents of gold and light blue. It is a real stunning piece,must see it in person to truly appreciate the design. A one of a kind piece of Bangle Art, for the collector.

A Special Note from Brenda about this Piece: Enter the Sparrow was an experiment that incorporated Scrap Booking Rub-ons. I wanted to see if they could be used on the surface of a bangle by incorporating them into my paintings. I have since learned I can incorporate just about anything I can glue down! The Sparrow is a good fortune for sailors. It is believed to assure a safe trip back to harbor. Even though my image on this bangle is of a split tail swallow. The sentiment in my mind at the time was to carry the wearer safely home from her travels.

METALLIC BUTTERFLY ($42.50) - The unique Butterfly Bangle, is 1.5 inches wide. All designed in metallic tones of fall. This Bangle is covered with an original painting of the whispy scrolling details adjusted for the space available.

The hues of a late day sun accented by the butterfly ...gold & Black abstract dots wrap around the entire bangle in one continous play, the bange has been adorned inside and out. An amazing eye catcher, you'd be the only one on earth with this design, a Bajidoo Sigature piece. Makes a great gift for a true Bangle lover!

A Special Note from Brenda about this Piece: Metal Butterfly and Steel Poppies. I was given dozens of jars of a fabulous paint "Viva Decor's Precious Metal Colors" and "Glass Effects" While attending the CHA trade show here in Orlando. I was imagining a design that would really show case the beauty of these paints. Metal Butterfly and Steel Poppies are the result. These paints are unbelievable, fast drying - water based vibrant colored Metallic's.


WHISPERING WINGS ($135.00) - This Bangle has a high dome profile on the wrist, very rounded and raised up from the mid point. It is a Large Profile Bangle and will be noticed by everyone.

The imagery includes a Humming Bird, and Fluttering Butterfly and a Dragon Fly...this image is all about the delicately winged creatures of nature and is completely unique to the surface of this Bangle. It is a real stunning piece,must see it in person to truly appreciate the design. A one of a kind piece of Bangle Art, for the collector.

A Special Note from Brenda about this piece: My mom loved dragonflies and humming birds. She was an avid gardener. I made Whispering Wings for her. The first image was on a hand painted recipe box. Everyone went crazy over it until it was sold. I decided to move that image to the Bangle. The art is rendered mostly in Aqurelles, but there is some India ink and Sharpie. For the drawing the biggest challenge is working in minute detail in the "Double-Round canvas" made of up the inherent shape of the bangle itself, following by the fact that my largest surface is only 1 3/4 inches wide. It also includes 312 individually hand set Swarovski Crystals, 50 White Crystal and 106 Peridot Sawrovski Crystal on each rim (top and Bottom). The art for this bangle was accomplished in approximately 3 hours, the crystals took an additional 4 hours to apply.



RED BINDI TATTOO ($55.00) - The Red Bindi Tattoo, is an intricately tattooed Bangle which includes glistening gilded accent work. Based on Traditional Old world henna tattoo designs this painted in a lovely rich deep red moving toward burgundy, black and then gold. Completely created by hand with incredible detail work, then accented by designer bindis from India and sealed with a high gloss waterproof sealant

The bangle is an Large 2.75 inch High Profile Domed design, and standard circumference of 7.5 inches, measures from the inside opening of the Bangle.

A Special Note from Brenda about this Piece: Red Bindi Tattoo, incorporates water based gilded henna tattoo's from India, as well as Designer Indian Bindi's - the Jewel that is often worn to show status at the center of the forehead. Red is a color for auspicious occasions like marriages, birth of a child in the Hindi Culture. Working with water tattoo (or temporary Tattoos) can be quite tricky, the biggest challenge is the order of the applied paint, art and bindi's....only second to the difficulty of working in a "Double-Round" medium inherent to the bangle itself.

FINAL THOUGHTS AND WORDS

I tried to capture as much as I could about Brenda and her fascinating and unique talents, and her magical works of art. Brenda creates so much more than her amazing Bajidoo Bangles, she also designs Lampshades, Boxes, Clocks, fine art paintings, Logo Designs, teeshirts, letterheads for companies, business cards and her work can be found at shows and in boutiques across the country. You can visit her website and blog to learn more, and believe me you will want to!

I want to thank Brenda so very much for providing me with a custom made Bajidoo Bangle that I will wear and cherish for years to come! She was so very generous with her time not only in creating this piece for me, but also for giving me her individed attention during the phone interview. I appreciate it so much and enjoyed meeting her live, it was the highlight of my month!

Lastly, if you visit Brenda's website you can see in much more detail all her works of art and also enter her monthly contest. Details about it can be found here!

Visit Brenda's Bog HERE

Jolt Jeans Giveaway Winner!

The True Random Number Generator has selected #98 Kidazy as the winner of the Jolt Jeans! I have sent her an email and she has 48 hours to respond back to me.

I want to thank everyone who entered, I appreciate your support so much!

And, a very special THANK YOU to Jolt Jeans for sponsoring such a terrific giveaway!

Winner of Holly Yashi Jewelry Giveaway

The True Random Number Generator has selected number #10 and the winner of my Holly Yashi Jewelry Giveaway is js22 ! I have sent her an email and she has 48 hours to respond.

I want to thank everyone who entered the giveaway, I appreciate your support so much.

A very special THANK YOU to the folks at Holly Yashi Jewelry for sponsoring such a fantastic giveaway!

Joanna

Casio Exilim EX-S12 Digital Camera Review

NOTE: All the pictures in this Review were taken by me, Joanna Smith, and are protected by Copyright.

NOTE: None of my images have been altered, corrected, or manipulated in any way, they are right off the camera, except for being resized for the web.

The Holidays are such a festive time and families around the world are going to be celebrating the Holidays each in their own unique ways. Capturing your holiday memories is a tradition in many homes and you want to have a camera that is reliable, easy to use and takes great pictures, right? Whether you are in the market to replace your current camera, or maybe you want to give someone special in your life an ultra cool camera as a holiday gift, then the Casio Exilim EX-S12 is the perfect camera to consider getting. I was given the extreme privilege to review the Casio Exilim EX-S12 12.1 Mega Pixel digital camera and I am blown away by everything about it! It is a sleek, ultra slim digital camera that is so easy to use that you can literally begin capturing pictures almost immediately from when you open the box, all you have to do is charge the battery and you are on your way to taking some really amazing images!

It took about an hour or so to fully charge the camera battery, the instructions said 90 minutes to charge, but it fully charged in less time which was great. It comes with a rechargeable lithium ion battery and charger unit so you NEVER have to go out and purchase batteries, now how cool is that?! The Quick Start Guide that comes with the camera made it a "snap" for me to quickly and effortlessly insert the battery into the camera, turn it on, and begin the exciting task of capturing some pictures! It took me a second to go to the Set Up portion of the Menu on the camera and enter in the accurate date and time. Once I completed that, I immediately began taking some pictures around the house.

Once I felt comfortable using the zoom and wide angle options located at the top of the camera and captured some pictures with and without the flash, I experimented with scrolling up and down the camera menu to familiarize myself with all of this camera's numerous options. Now it was time to really get to know this dreamy camera. By the way, the first 4 pictures you are seeing in this review were taken without even opening the camera manual. YES, this camera is that easy peasy to use!! That is the JOY of this nifty camera, anyone can use it, you do not have to be a saavy technie gadget guru to capture professional quality images, you can amazingly achieve them with just turning the camera on, and clicking the shutter button! Here are a few more gorgeous pictures!

I used a standard memory card to store my pictures on. It's a 2 GB memory card and it will easy hold over 100 images from this camera. I captured these pictures using the largest file size option which is 12.1 mega pixels and these images can be printed up to poster size without losing image quality. The saved data file sizes varies and my files in their original format were between 2.0 - 3.5 MB which I then resized for the web down to about 92 KB.

Before I tell you more about my experiences with this magnificent camera, let me provide you with some specific information directly from the Casio website about this camera and give you a glimpse of how many different terrific features you can use on this camera:

{From the Casio Website} NOTE: Pictures & Graphic in this Section are from Casio Website

The CASIO EXILIM EX-S12

The Casio Exilim EX-S12 has a stylish body measuring just .6" thin (.5" at the thinnest part). It boasts an effective 12.1 megapixel resolution with up to 3X optical zoom and 4X Digital zoom and a super clear 2.7" LCD monitor.

The Casio Exilim lineup of Digital Cameras is an unparalleled fusion of technology and style. Groundbreaking features like High Speed Burst digital photos and High Definition (HD) Movies make it easy for you to capture the best memories.

HIGHLIGHTS & FEATURES

So Slim, So Beautiful

The EXILIM EX-S12 is the perfect combination of design and technology in an ultra-slim format. The camera, which is as slim as it is elegant, is equipped with amazing functions, such as the new EXILIM engine 4.0, 12.1 megapixels, an extremely bright and high-contrast 6.9-cm wide-screen TFT display (super clear LCD), HD video recording and 3x optical zoom — all this and still just 15 mm wide.

Ultra-slim design
This tiny gem is extremely slim — just 15 mm wide. And yet it conceals 3x optical zoom and a whole host of innovative functions in its elegant ultra-slim case.

EXILIM Engine 4.0 EXtreme Power
Backlight, portrait photos, night-time photos and poor lighting conditions - the new EXILIM Engine 4.0 image processor enables you to overcome all these challenges. The EXILIM Engine 4.0 processes complex images very quickly and ensures excellent image quality with moiré and noise suppression, making it a pleasure to take and view excellent photos.

3x Optical Zoom
Unbelievable


The EX-S12 is as slim as your little finger — yet it still features 3x optical zoom. With it you can home in on beautiful details and stay in the thick of the action.


12.1 megapixels
Impossible to ignore


The EX-S12 CCD chip offers an amazing 12.1 megapixels. The camera delivers crystal-clear and extremely detailed photos. Even magnifying details and photos to poster size is not a problem — outstanding quality and no loss of image detail.


Bright and high-contrast 6.7 cm (2.7 inch) TFT colour display (Super Clear LCD)
Total clarity


The EXILIM EX-S12 features a large, bright 6.9 cm (2.7 inch) TFT colour display (Super Clear LCD) that permits viewing from almost any angle. In addition to the large viewing angle and a high resolution of 230.160 pixels, the TFT colour display provides above-average contrast, thus assuring an especially clear and sharp image of your subject. The display offers above-average brightness to simplify viewing of your images even in sunlight. You can select from 5 presets to match the brightness to the ambient lighting conditions: 0/+1/+2/Auto1/Auto2


Memory card slot
However you want


The EX-S12 can save your photos and movies on SD/SDHC, MMC/MMCplus or Eye-Fi Wireless Zooms as desired. You can now decide which of these optional Zooms to use spontaneously and flexibly.


AV Socket
TV show instead of slide lecture


Invite your friends and relations to enjoy the best movies and photos in large-scale format. You simply connect your EXILIM Card EX-S12 to a TV using the AV output.


HD Video Recording
Ready for the movies!


You can now film your videos in high-definition quality*! Using the HD Movie Function in the EXILIM EX-S12, you can make colourful and high-detail videos with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels – simply press the movie button and recording begins. Moreover, the 16:09 wide-screen format gives your video clips an expressive, professionally filmed character.

*Max. recording duration of 10 minutes/video


Movie Button
Action!


With this practical button you are always ready to film the best scenes When the camera is switched on a touch of a button is enough – and filming begins immediately.



Pre-record Mode
Do you want to film the past?


Pre-record can do just that! If you do not press the shutter release on time in important moments, the past 5 seconds will already have been saved!
How does Pre-record work? In this mode, the camera is constantly making recordings - and when you press the shutter release, the last 5 seconds are added to your current recording.


Movie Editing Function
Your own cutting room


Cut your films whenever and wherever you like – without computer or complicated software. With the EXILIM EX-S12 you can edit your movies directly in the camera.



YouTube™ Capture Mode
Share your videos with your friends!


It has never been easier to upload your own videos to YouTube™: With the EX-S12, you can film* your most memorable moments directly in a video size and quality optimised for YouTube™! The exclusive software makes uploading** your videos to YouTube™ child's play.

*Max. recording duration of 10 minutes/video
** To upload your videos, you need an Internet connection. This may entail additional costs.


Make-up Mode
Feel like a model


The EXILIM Card EX-S12 also features a Make-up Mode Function for especially appealing portrait photographs. The outstanding image processing makes the skin on faces appear smoother and softens facial shadows caused by strong sunlight or illumination. You can select from twelve levels as desired – from minimum to maximum – and observe the effect on the TFT colour display while taking the photo. The EX-S12 has a separate "Make-up Mode Button" to activate or de-activate the function quickly.

Find out more about the Make-up Mode Function


Dynamic Photo Function
Discover the artist in you

With the Dynamic Photo Function, you can cut a motif out of a photo which has just been taken and use another photo as background. You can even cut out several photos from series shot and insert them to show a moving object on a still background. Create a unique image where only the motif moves – with no editing on the computer.


Multi-Motion Function
Always on the move


The BEST SHOT function Multi-Motion-Image enables you to capture a movement sequence in just one single photo. Take a photo of the moving motif in front of a still background. This motif is photographed in a series of images which are compiled to one single picture by the new EXILIM Engine 4.0. This enables you to capture movements such as a snowboarding jump from the launch to the landing on one single photo.


Lighting Function
Rich colours


The EX-S12 can recognize and correct difficult light situations: the light function optimizes the brightness of faces automatically even in scenes with backlight simply by pressing the release button. Even the sky or buildings in the background that are subject to overexposure are rendered in full colour.


Advanced Auto Tracking AF Function
Everything in view


Dogs running, kids jumping around, moving cars - there are countless examples of moving subjects, which can try the patience of even professional photographers. Thanks to the Auto Tracking AF function with motion analysis, you can relax and concentrate on the overall subject. Press the release button half way down, to fix the focus for saving – as soon as you see the picture you want, simply press release!


BEST SHOT motif programmes
You don't need to be an expert to create great photos


You don't need to be an expert to create great photos: To ensure that all your photos and movies are a success from the start, the EX-S12 comes with 41 flexible presettings for a wide range of situations. With BEST SHOT, you can also create and save your own settings, which can be selected at any time.

Almost all BEST SHOT programmes offered by the EX-S12 are designed for both photo and movie recording.

Overview of all BEST SHOT motif programmes

Face Detection Function
The simple touch


Whether you're on holiday, at a party or spending time with your family - people are particularly popular subjects for a photo. It's always a pity when faces turn out blurred on a picture. The Face Detection function now offers the perfect solution, recognizing the individual faces or even entire groups, and automatically applying the best possible setting.



Trimming
Custom-made


With trimming you can define sections of a photo while they are still in the camera and save them as separate shots. And so, for example, you can just cut a person's face and print it out as a photo - even without a computer.


Various Flash
The flash for every situation


You can adapt the flash of the EXILIM Card EX-S12 to different situations. The following presets are available for this:

• Red Eye-Reduction: reduces the "red eye effect"
• Rapid Flash: three photos with flash in 1 second
• Soft Flash: for ideal illumination of the immediate area
• Auto: flash is switched on automatically when required
• On: flash always switched on
• Off: flash always switched off

Auto Shutter Function
Enjoy the moment


Blurred images are usually the result of an unsteady camera action or subjects that move while the release button is being pressed. EXILIM offers a simple solution to the problem of blurred or shaky photos: The new Auto Shutter function can automatically determine the perfect moment to take a photo.

Working in conjunction with the Anti Blur Auto Shutter, Pan Auto Shutter, Smile Detection Auto Shutter and Self Portrait Auto Shutter functions, the new technology ensures rapid focus and takes the photo automatically when the image is steady, so the result is not impaired.

Anti Blur Auto Shutter
Hold it there!


The practical Anti Blur Auto Shutter function helps prevent shaking and blurring caused by movement; it does this by taking the photograph at the precise moment when your hand or the moving subject becomes still.

Pan Auto Shutter
Always on the move


Fast-moving subjects are hard to capture on camera. When you activate the Pan Auto Shutter function, the photo is automatically triggered as soon as the moving subject becomes still in the frame, e.g. when you follow it with the camera.

Smile Detection Auto Shutter
No smile, no photo!


Smile and the world smiles with you! The innovative Smile Detection Auto Shutter function ensures that you will never again miss that smile when taking photos. Press the release button as soon as you have the faces in the frame. The photo will then be taken, fully automatically, once the subjects are smiling.

Self Portrait Auto Shutter
Are we all in the photo?


Totally practical: the Self Portrait Auto Shutter function enables the camera to recognise faces. Once the release button is pressed, the camera prepares to take the photo and automatically does so once the faces of the subjects are located within the frame.

{End of Information from Casio Website}

NOTE: The Pictures in this Section were all taken by me, Joanna Smith and are protected by Copyright

NOTE: None of my images have been altered, corrected, or manipulated in any way, they are right off the camera, except for being resized for the web.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CASIO EXILIM EX-S12 CAMERA

I love the flexibility of being able to access the zoom and wide lens mode at the very top of the camera. In addition, there is a macro mode option you can set from the Menu on the camera if you want to get ultra close to something. I have not had a chance to play with that function yet, but I wanted to include that this special feature is available.

As you can see, this camera delivers a powerful punch with pictures that will make your eyes pop, but it is small in size which makes it so super convenient to just toss in your purse so you always have it handy for those one in a life time moments! Also, for traveling, how convenient it will be to be able to not have to carry around a heavy, bulky clumsy camera. You will love the weight and size of it no doubt!

When I was in college I was very passionate about Photography and took several Photography courses. I loved taking photos of the simple things that you see in your everyday life like the chair in your bedroom or the shelf in your dining room and try and create images that were artistic and shown in a unique perspective. Here are a couple pictures that the Casio Exilim EX-S12 was able to allow me to capture without any effort, just my "creative" eye.

As I was using the Casio Exilim EX-S12 Camera I was checking the LCD after each shot to see what I had captured. I found the size of the LCD was perfect for being able to easily view my shot and to decide whether or not I wanted to keep it. I can also use the Play button on the camera to scroll through the pictures I have taken and I can quickly and easily delete any that are mistakes or just didn't come out the way I wanted them to, and I love how simple this is to achieve on this camera.

Over the years I have every kind of camera you can think of. One time use film cameras, point and shoot film cameras, the APS film cameras, and high end profession films cameras. Then along came Digital Technology and I quickly and enthusiastically made the transition to digital. I have numerous low end digital cameras as well as two very high end Professional Digital cameras. I have to say this Casio Exilim EX-S12 has to be the most user friendly, ergonomically designed digital camera I have used to date. I do not endorse my highest recommendation easily, but when a camera offers me the chance to capture pictures like these without even having to use the manual, then it is a camera I highly recommend to anyone who is considering purchasing a new digital camera.

I wanted to make this review all about my first "out of the box" experience with the Casio Exilim EX-S12 camera. I felt I wanted to emphasize how anyone can create professional quality pictures even if they feel they are technologically challenged. This camera will please everyone from the beginner or novice person to the more advanced user or Prosumer. The bottom line is this camera captures spectacular images and even has the capability to create videos, and that is what makes this camera so appealing. Capture those candid moments of your loved ones, or bring this camera with you when you go on vacation because you will be able to document all the activities you do and all the places that you visit and experience. The fact that you will indeed end up with professional quality images when using this camera is what I wanted to communicate with you through this review.


I am planning to make enlargements of several of the pictures I took with this camera that you also see in this review. The original files are 12.1 mega pixels which means I can make these images up to poster size if I want without sacrificing on image quality. I don't think I will enlarge them quite that much, but I think an 8 x 10 is a nice size for framing a grouping of them and putting them up in our den. Imagine all the possibilities you could create with this camera. This camera retails for $249.00 which I think is a terrific price. A camera that offers the number of features that this one offers, and end up with the caliber of professional looking output that this camera delivers is incredible. This camera performs like no other camera I have used in this modest price range. It has been a pleasure using this camera and I can't wait to explore all of its features in the coming weeks!

A special THANK YOU to Casio for providing me with this camera to Review.

APriori Beauty Turn Back Time Capsule Winners!!

The True Random Generator has selected the 5 Winners from this giveaway. The lucky numbers are 9, 166, 87, 49 and 84.

I have emailed the winners and they now have 48 hours to respond back to me.

I want to thank everyone who entered, I appreciate your support so much!

And, a special thank you to Candy from Apriori Beauty for sponsoring such a wonderful giveaway.

Candy has an exclusive offer that she is going to extend to my readers. I will be posting about it in the next few weeks, so be on the lookout for it!

Jolt Style - Jolt Jeans REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

You are going to love everything that Jolt Style has put together for their Fall 2009 Clothing Line-Up! Clothes that will have you looking smashingly fabulous at prices that will not break your wallet I promise! The separates that Jolt offers are so urban chic, ultra hip and stylish you will be coveting for them more and more as you see how they can be mixed and matched together to create so many spectacular looks. Let me start by telling you a little but about the "Jolt Girl" and the Jolt Company:

{From the Jolt Fall 2009 Brand Book}

THE JOLT GIRL

The Jolt girl expresses herself through the clothes she wears. She is always looking for clothes that will keep her cute and comfortable no matter the occasion. She is fashionable and trend conscious and is the center of her social circle.

THE JOLT MISSION

The Jolt Mission has become a leading Juniors brand within the department store and upscale department store channels by offering a fresh, eclectic look that transcends all elements of the informal fashion needs of their customer. Jolt differentiates itself by delivering an ever-evolving range of products designed to appeal to their customer's unique sense of style. Jolt is committed to injecting fun and fashion into the Juniors casual lifestyle by using the latest trends and novelty fabrications without sacrificing quality and value.

THE JOLT ESSENCE

Jolt apparel appeals to Junior customers who seek a more feminine expression to their casual lifestyle. Jolt's attention to detail as reflected in its fabrics, novelty elements and specialty trims combine to create their own unique look. Encompassing an ever-evolving range of Juniors apparel inspired by today's latest trends, Jolt's great fit and incomparable value are an indispensable part of their casual wardrobe.

THE JOLT STYLE

At Joltstyle.com customers will find a great range of their favorite Jolt apparel for purchase. Joltstyle.com is more than just a fashion site, it features an interactive music player so viewers can tune in, plug in and turn up to hear what others are listening to. Joltstyle.com also offers fans the opportunity to directly link to the Jolt fangroup on Facebook.

JOLT RETAILERS

The Jolt brand is sold at Joltstyle.com as well as through Department Stores and National Chains. These include Macy's, Nordstrom and Dillard's.

Jolt Style Clothing has been featured in the hottest fashion magazines and Press such as People Style Watch, Seventeen, American Cheerleader, WWD, GL, J-14, Your Prom, just to name a few!

Now that you have a little background about what Jolt Style is all about let me move on to my review about their jeans!

MY REVIEW - JOLT TAB BACK FLARE JEANS

{From the Jolt Website}

With its cinched back buckle and novelty welt pockets, our 33" tab back flare jeans are designed to flatter any figure.

• 98% Cotton / 2% Spandex
• Imported
• Machine Wash Cold

I am a total jeans fanatic! I love, love to wear a pair of hot jeans, and the marketplace is saturated with them! So how do you weed through all that is out there to find the jeans that will fit you perfectly, not cost you an arm and a leg, will stand the test of time in both style and be able to endure being washed 100 plus times, and keep you looking hip and stylish? You can learn about Jolt Jeans right here and now by reading my review of them! You will not be disappointed in what I have to say.

Living in my jeans is when I feel most natural and comfortable. I live a casual lifestyle, so I want the clothes that I wear to reflect that laid back, relaxing lifestyle that I try to live. But that doesn't mean I don't want to look modern, cool, sexy and fashion forward, because I most certainly do. So I browse through fashion magazines, shop in the boutiques in our area and visit online websites looking for the cutest, coolest, most affordable jeans I can find to add to my wardrobe. I am one of those girls who can never have enough jeans, I live in them so for me to change into a few different pairs a day is a common practice for me. But I am very picky when I purchase a pair of jeans, they have to have that extra special charisma to them that stands out from what everyone else is wearing, they have to offer that special spark that will catch the eyes of those around me, and the jeans I was sent to review did indeed do just that!

Jolt Jeans offers Jeans in Junior Sizes 1 - 13 and when you visit their website you can browse through a wide variety of styles which I think are all just spectacular! We all have varying body types and different tastes in style, but at Jolt Style they offer Jeans to fit a multitude of tastes and preferences. I was so pleasantly surprised by just how many terrific styles I could select from.

I chose the Jolt Tab Back Flare Jeans because the style is totally different from anything I currently have in my jeans wardrobe and I thought the style is super cute! One thing I want to say, you don't have to be a teenager or a young "20 something" to fall in love with the jeans at Jolt, you just have to love to want to look your personal best, because that is exactly what these jeans will help you to achieve. I normally wear a Size 9 in Juniors so that is the size I ordered, and honestly, it is as if they are made for me, they fit me perfectly! I normally have trouble finding jeans that fit me like a glove, they are either too big in the waist (hip) and sag in the back and too tight in the butt, or vice versa. So, to be able to order the size I think is going to be right for me, without actually trying them on, and then receiving them and finding that they fit you to a tee, is just short of a miracle based on my past experiences. This is a sign that the jeans are made of the utmost quality.

Of course the first thing I do when I receive an item of clothing such as jeans is wash them. So off to the washer I went. I washed them twice and then let them dry without putting them in the dryer, I always do that with my jeans, not sure why, old habits die hard!! The jeans washed very well, the color didn't fade which was great because I love the dark, slightly worn indigo color that they are, and once dry the jeans were ready to wear.

These Jolt Tab Back Flare Jeans have become my new best friend, seriously!! I adore them. They fit me so well, that I feel confident and flirty when I wear them. I have an extra bounce in my step when I walk with them on. Jeans are always long on me, so I always wear a pair of shoes with them that have at least a 2 1/2 - 3 inch heel and that makes my legs look long and lean. I love flare style jeans because they are also flattering for your body. I have been wearing these jeans for days now and my favorite look for them is with a cool teeshirt and a cute short blazer over the tee. Wearing heels with them gives you a little bit of a dressier look without actually dressing up, a more polished complete look.

These jeans are moderately priced at $44.00!! Now how amazing is that!! To get a fine quality pair of jeans like these that are the latest and greatest in fashion trends is just fantastic! You can find them on the Jolt Style Website by clicking HERE

My Final Word on the Jolt Tab Back Flare Jeans

I can see why the Jolt Style Logo is a Heart with a Lightening Bolt running through it, "Struck by Style". Once you have put on a pair of Jolt Jeans you will feel like you were struck by lightening and were magically transformed into a new and better you that you will love even more than you thought you could! You will feel so good about yourself in the Jolt Jeans you wear!

Some other clothes from the Jolt Style Website that I think are really cool are:

Jolt Sailor Extend Tab Flare Pant
$40.00
Ahoy there sailor! Throw on a pair of our stylish pinstripe Extend Tab Sailor Front Flare Pants for a comfortable nautical look.



Jolt Motorcycle Jacket with Removeable Fur Collar
$58.00
It's a two in one! Use the detachable fur to change up the style you want. Our belted fur collar jacket with a zipper is practically and fashionable for the upcoming fall trends.



Jolt 5 Pocket Bootcut Vintage Boyfriend Jean
$44.00

"Hi, I'm Jen from Seventeen Magazine, and I'm so thrilled to share my favorite Jolt Style Pro Picks for Back-To-School. This Fall, I'm updating my wardrobe by adding key trendy pieces that keep my style current -- without sacrificing comfort or my budget. Here's one of my picks:

The most essential piece for any Back-To-School wardrobe is a pair of boot cut jeans that look great on every body type. These effortlessly "cool" jeans have a vintage treatment and a relaxed cut that give you the ultimate laid-back vibe. Pair them with a chunky heel, a boyfriend blazer, and a statement necklace to complete the look".


Jolt Flare Jean With Lattice Back Pockets
$44.00
Our 33" medium wash flare jean with lattice back pocket detail is the perfect casual vintage pant. Pair it with a floral top for a feminine look.

THE GIVEAWAY

The very generous folks at Jolt Style are offering my readers a chance to win a pair of Jolt's 7 oz. Lightweight 6 Pocket Rinse Skinny Jeans in your choice of Juniors Size 1 - 13, now how cool is that? They are pictured to the left and you can also click HERE to visit the website to take a look at them. They retail for $42.00 and they are such a great look for Fall!

TO ENTER:

Entering this giveaway is easy, all you have to do is visit the Jolt Style Website by clicking HERE, browse through their really cool selection of clothes, and come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite Jolt Style item. You also need to make sure to leave me your email address in the comment as well.

NOTE: This giveaway is open only to residents of the USA

You can do any or ALL of the following to receive an extra entry each (You can Tweet Everyday):

1. Become a Fan of Jolt Style on Facebook by clicking HERE

2. Follow my blog Publicly - Located on sidebar

3. Become an Email Subscriber - Link on sidebar

4. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this message by copying and pasting: (You can tweet once a day)

The Best of Everything for You ~ Enter to win a Pair of Ultra Cool Jolt Jeans http://bit.ly/3NXl5I

5. Favor me on Technorati - Button on sidebar

NOTE: Please, please leave me your email address so I may have a way to contact you should you be the winner.

The Giveaway will end on at Thursday, October 15th 11:59 pm. I will select the winner on Friday, October 16th and email them and I will also post the name of the winner here. I will select the winner using the True Random Number Generator and the winner will have 48 hours to respond back to me.

Blowfish Malibu REVIEW

I am a shoe junkie, I love constantly changing the styles of shoes and boots that I wear with my outfits to give my clothes a unique "look" each time I wear them. So, learning about a fabulous new shoe company is always an exciting and welcome experience. As part of my ongoing Fall Fashion & Beauty Blitz it is with great excitement that I introduce Blowfish Shoes to you! When I first stumbled upon this spectacular shoe company I was impressed by not only the very contemporary and innovative shoe designs, but how comfortable they appeared too! And, now that I have experienced actually wearing the Willis boots from Blowfish Shoes, I can honestly say they are indeed just as comfortable as they appear! Let me tell you a little bit about Blowfish Shoes.

{From the Blowfish Malibu Website}

About Blowfish

Blowfish is the new line of shoes from the designers of such famous brands as Rocket Dog, Esprit, Sam & Libby, Hippopotamus, Aerosoles, and David Aaron. All that tremendous industry experience gives Blowfish unmatched insight into today's hottest trends. They have already made a global mark in Europe and Australia, and women in the Americas are now catching on to the great look and feel of Blowfish.

For a spunky ballet flat, hip and casual boot, or leisurely athletic slip on, Blowfish is the place to look. You just can't go wrong with the combination of style and value that Blowfish offers. Try them out and you'll be hooked.

You can find Blowfish Shoes at many different retailers such as Macy's, Dillards, DSW, Famous Footwear, Piperlime, Talbots, Zappos.com, Amazon.com, just to name a few! They are available at all the most popular venues women love to shop at and with good reason, they are reasonably priced, they offer a large variety of really hip and cool styles, and they are so very comfortable to wear!

Blowfish Shoes has created not only fashion forward shoes and boots, but also some really unique and functional bags and totes. The designs of the bags and totes compliment the urban chic look of the shoes and boots magnificently and are the perfect accessories to transform your outfits into eye catching ensembles.

MY REVIEW: Willis Boots

I was sent the Willis Boots in the color Black to review. Here's what the Blowfish Malibu website has to say about them:

"We've taken our "Wildlife" a little lower with this cute bootie, round toe and very fashionable! Welcome to our world "Willis with a man made upper and western heel this boot is ready to wear!"

When I opened the alluring purple Blowfish Shoes box that the Willis Boots arrived in I was thrilled with the design and style of these boots. Personally, I love to wear shoes with heels, I think they make my legs look longer and slender, so the 3 inch heels on these adorable boots made me smile right away. Also, the majority of jeans and slacks that I wear most are long, so really I need to wear higher heels with them so I don't end up tripping on my own two feet!

The day the boots arrived it was a nice, cool, brisk day so I thought, what the heck, I am going to wear these hot boots and give them a test drive. I slipped them on, and they glide on effortlessly even though there is no zipper or opening to them. And, they fit my foot like a glove, perfectly hugging my feet with lots of support and strength. Visually, you can see the fine quality that they are rendered in, you can feel and see that they are going to be a pair of shoes that will endure the test of time.

The boots are lined with the signature purple Blowfish Shoes lining too which I thought was a pretty and special touch. Again, another element that is a sign of a quality product. Every attention to detail is put into the design of these boots. I think the layers of rouching to the top front of the boots gives them a fun and flirty flair, which described how you feel when you put them on! These boots embody a little bit of femininity, trendiness, edginess, class, urban chic all mixed in together to fit into anyone's lifestyle and sense of personal style.

Baggins Canvas Handbag looks perfect with the Willis Boots

I will be wearing these boots throughout the Fall and Winter season with so many different types of outfits, and I love that versatility to them! They will transcend my wardrobe with everything from wearing them with all my favorite jeans and casual slacks, to being able to pair them with a cute little pencil skirt and blazer or a pair of dressy black slacks. They really work well with all kinds of separates or your favorite little black dress, depending on the look you want to achieve for yourself.

There you have the essence of these Willis boots as I have experienced them. The price of the Willis Boots is just fantastic, at $49.oo you are buying a pair of quality boots, that you can wear through Fall and Winter and your feet will feet protected by the elements outside, and they are the latest in fashion trends in terms of style and design!!

Some of my other favorites from the Blowfish Shoes website:

Wildlife Dark Brown Leather Boots are just smashing! I think this style is to die for, really a classy, sexy style that will really put an extra kick in your step when you cruise around town with these hot numbers on your feet! Here's what the Blowfish website has to say about them:

"