Kudos for JC Penney

I am lovin' the new look for JC Penney's mailer catalogs. It is absolutely slick. The layouts are sharp. Merchandise is displayed in a style that reminds me of the seasonal mailers of those "high dollar" stores. I've been a JC Penney shopper for years, but never paid attention to the advertisements that showed up in my mailbox. I don't have a photo to do the new look justice, but I do have a photo that, hopefully, will give readers a taste of the new flavor.

The photo below is an example of the JC Penney bedding featured in a recent mini-catalog. Reminds me of Pottery Barn --another favorite of mine.

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/x2.aspx?DeptID=86036&CatID=86036&cm_mmc=Google-_-G_JCP_Official_Site-_-G_JCP_Exact_EC-_-month%20long%20values

Junk Gypsy Co. Blog

Junk Gypsy Co. Blog

Wow. Look for a couple of my favorite gals, "The Junk Gypsies" this spring on HGTV! My dream has come true! Sorry, you have to click on the link to see their bodacious photos. It is late and  forgot to ask for permision to post the pics. If you like vintage finds and a little of this and that, you will love The Junk Gypsy Co.

http://junkgypsyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/HGTVflyercolorEM2.jpg

Kelly Rae Roberts Collection by Demdaco

The first time I saw Kelly's name was on Facebook. I'm not sure how we became friends. I probably saw her post on another friend's page, loved her art, and asked her to be my friend. However it came to be, I've enjoyed the "fb" friendship for quite some time.

She has a wonderful talent in creating soulful works of art in mixed media. Although thought provoking, Kelly's art has a light touch and a bit of whimsy. I love the "spirit" her art conveys.

I was thrilled to discover her book: Taking Flight: Inspiration And Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings. Her book gives readers an opportunity to see how she develops her thoughts into works of art. She shares techniques and gives encouraging words to budding artists.

 Kelly's art is now licensed through Demdaco and can be purchased through Amazon.com and other stores. There are so many things... illustrated journal (Publisher: Brush Dance) , figures, wall art, and much more. I can hardly wait for my Kelly Rae Roberts print to arrive!

Paris Rags Romantic Clothing

 Paris Rags offers several retail lines of romantic inspired clothing. However, the crème de la crème is the “one of a kind” creations.  The original designs are hand sewn pieces made of vintage textiles and lace.

 Most pieces are hand dyed to create a vintage look. The colors are unique to Paris Rags. The original designs include: clothing, scarfs, hats, and belts.

  In case you’re wondering about sizes, the mission state of Paris Rags is, “Make every woman feel beautiful no matter what size!” 

Kimberly Ryan, founder.   http://www.parisrags.com/

Dancing Flame by Artist Jillian Crider







Dancing Flame by Jillian Crider



Jillian Crider's watercolor paintings are so detailed, it is difficult to imagine that most are only 2.5 x 3.5 inches --the size of a trading card. Having found her niche in Artist Trading Cards (ATC and ACEO), she sees the market  growing along with her passion for creating the highly collectible miniature works of art.

A self-taught artist, Jillian applied her talent in graphic design and other art related work before she "started painting seriously" in 1998. By 2000, she had opened her own gallery and studio. Her paintings are also for sale at shows throughout the United States and online.

In addition to being a freelance artist and writer, she also enjoys teaching others to paint. Jillian says that, she's a  "Jill of many trades," but it appears she is best known for house portraiture. After all, she's painted over 9,000.

Jillian Crider is from Australia. She currently lives in White City, Oregon, USA.

More of her work may be seen at:  http://jilliancrider.com/   and   http://www.artistjillian.com/



The Ultimate Vacation Destination

A "staycation" would include forty-eight out of the fifty United States. I would hardly call that a stay at home vacation. If I limit myself to the South Eastern portion of the United States, there would be more to do and see than I could possibly squeeze into a two week period.

The beach, any beach, sounds good, but I don't necessarily want to bake on the sand for ten days. A crystal blue pool would be nice. Relaxation is number one on the list of purposes. Visual arts is a tight number two. Delicious and healthy food is important and a zen-like quality in the atmosphere rounds out the list of must haves on my vacation.

This trip will be captured on film --a resource for future art work. It won't be a working vacation, but I will certainly be taking notes.

Art by Karena

. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fartbykarena.blogspot.com%2F&h=acddanRB20Wmo0HlEBLMDsACNww


Fifi Flowers
Karena is promoting art by Fifi Flowers. Although she paints a variety of subjects, Fifi is best known for her delightful Parisian vignettes. Her black line and watercolor paintings are bright and sassy. Very ooh la la!

Facebook (98) | Cynthia Pechenick's Photos - Evening bag needlepoint, that i designed and have almost finished!!

Cynthia Pechenick designed and is making this needlepoint evening bag.
It is looking divine!

Facebook (98) Cynthia Pechenick's Photos - Evening bag needlepoint, that i designed and have almost finished!!

GordonTaylorArt

Beautiful Photos! I have to say, his work Looks Divine!



GordonTaylorArt

Home Again

Christmas Holiday Time Reusable Wall Decoration Stickers - Ornate SnowflakesAfter a long quiet period, I'm back looking for the divine. On the lookout for beautiful places, faces, food, art, and all that Looks Divine! As soon as I introduce my new camera to my new computer, pictures will follow.

Looking for interesting items of decor for my new home. With the holidays just around the corner, I will be looking for gifts, decorations, and recipes. Oh what fun...

Good Reads and Kindle Wireless Reading

That's So Shabby

Jen Thompson doesn't just collect vintage chic decor, she builds it. Jen has a knack for seeing the gorgeous finished product in cast offs found in junks stores. She is very creative and not afraid of getting her hands dirty as she works her magic on wood, metal, and paint. Her finished products are beautiful and sometimes functional pieces of vintage chic decor. Yes, her work LOOKS DIVINE!

http://www.thatssoshabby.com/Link%20Exchange.htm

My Talented and Creative Friends

My friends are so talented and creative. Some of them design clothing, jewelry, and items of decor. Many of my friends are writers or actors. I feel so rich in friendships. When I read about Shannon decorating a cake, I get inspired to paint. Yes, I want to learn how to decorate cakes, but the beauty of her creations moves me to explore my talents. I love having the opportunity to share my friends' masterpieces with you.

The Shabby Paris Market: The Shabby Paris Market

The Shabby Paris Market: The Shabby Paris Market: "We will be opening soon. Please check The Shabby Paris Market soon for updates on when the booth will be open. We will be located at The Dep..."

The Best of Everything After 50

This book has a plethora of information for women who have become of age. Call me a late bloomer, but I came alive at fifty. We are not the same as our mothers at that age. Barbara Hannah Grufferman, like so many of us, had a lot of questions about what to expect and how to make the most of our lives at fifty and beyond. She consulted the experts for the answers.

Barbara has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America Health, was interviewed by Huffington Post, just to name a few.

You can check out her blog listed in the post below. This book definitely LOOKS DIVINE.

Blog | The Best of Everything After 50

Blog The Best of Everything After 50

Pretty Pop Culture for the Real Live Dolls

This is the slogan for clothing designer and creator, PriscillaDawn. Her work is eye candy...cute and sweet. The twenty-two year old from Chicago says she loves,"lace, big buttons, shoes, bows, candy, cupcakes, vintage patterns, and china dolls."  She has boutique items and also does custom designs.

PriscillaDawn

http://www.priscilladawn.com/

A Women's Need for Beauty

Have you ever gazed at a painting by Monet and felt as if you had been instantly transported to a lovely garden in Giverny, France? Have you ever walked into a flower shop and felt wonderfully overcome by the blended fragrances of sterling roses, stargazer lilies, and English lavender? Or have you perhaps recently redecorated your master bedroom in your favorite colors and have now created your perfect sanctuary?


As women, we tend to be the caretakers of everyone around us, leaving little, if any, time for ourselves. For that reason, it’s important that we circumvent the outer chaos of our hectic lives by surrounding ourselves with things that evoke calm and tranquility, if only for moments at a time. And those “things” can be as different and unique as each woman is different and unique. We’ve all heard the old saying “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” And so it is with this concept of surrounding ourselves with beauty. It’s whatever elicits and captures this visceral response for you. And if you’ve been tightening your purse strings of late, try any of these budget-friendly, simple, but effective, “beauty” tips:

1. Buy fresh flowers from your local Farmers Market, where they‘re generally less expensive than the flower shop or even the grocery store. Or if an entire bouquet is beyond your current budget, one single rose stem will do the trick. Place them on your nightstand so that these fragrant blooms are the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you see when you retire in the evening.

2. Instead of listening to the news, play a feel-good CD as you’re getting yourself ready in the morning. This may be your favorite music artist or perhaps a personal-growth audio. The key is that it moves you in some positive, uplifting way.

3. Commune with nature by taking a walk through a local park, or stop by one on your way home. Enjoy the simplicity of nature and all of her inherently calming ways. Let Mother Earth nurture you.

4. De-clutter and organize your office space or work area. You’ll discover this will do wonders for reducing stress levels (not to mention create a more efficient environment).

5. Take a luxurious candlelit bubble bath before bed. Be sure to play soothing music. Then close your eyes and picture your body soaking away all of the day’s anxiety and worries.

6. Reach out and offer to help someone in need. Run an errand for a neighbor who has been under the weather lately. Call a loved one who has been facing challenges and offer your support or simply a listening ear. Visit your local library and offer to be a volunteer reader.

7. Give yourself permission to indulge in a favorite treat on occasion, and do it without guilt. That tiramisu may be just what your soul has been craving.

So, whether your “beauty” is visual, auditory, sensory, or tactile, begin surrounding yourself daily with whatever that is for you. Be good to yourself. You’ll soon begin to see your days magically transform into more positive and enjoyable experiences. After all, that’s the “beauty” of it.

by Tina Clark

The Beauty Industry

Spa treatments, beauty treatments, massage, manicures, pedicures, make-up, and holistic treatments. Welcome to the fast growing and diverse world of the beauty industry!

The exciting world of the beauty industry has endless career opportunities and pathways. Where would you like to work one day? Health farms, where you work closely with dieticians and fitness instructors, or would you prefer the calm, ambient nature of the spa world where you combine holistic massage therapies, water therapies and products derived from the sea and other natural ingredients.

There are many types of spas: Destination Spas, Day Spas, Resort/Hotel Spas, Medi Spas, Cruise Ship Spas, Spa Towns and Mineral Spring Spas. Beauty treatments are also available on cruise liners, where you have the opportunity to work with other therapists from around the world and even travel whilst working. Some airlines even have the luxury of having a beauty salon on board.

Make-up is one fun and creative side of beauty therapy. As a make-up artist you can work in any salon performing make-up treatments and perform day and evening, bridal and photographic make-up applications.

If you are more interested in skin treatments, there are many skin clinics today offering specialized treatments. There are even cosmetic surgery clinics offering non-surgical treatments that a knowledgeable skin therapist is able to perform.

Beauty, journalism, teaching, franchising, mobile or home-based therapy. The list of possible careers goes on and on. If the above appeals to you, then beauty therapy is definitely the career for you!

by Andrew Johnstone

Boost Your Image - The 4 Easy Tips You Should Know

Body language can give us many clues about one's personality, relationships, level of confidence and personal qualities. It is a fundamental part of one's body image i.e. how you portray yourself to others. As an indication, 93% of our communication is non-verbal. Therefore the famous phrase "it's not what you say but how you say it", is true, especially when you are making your first impression. First impressions or lasting impressions can give one a boost during job interviews, networking opportunities and even when trying to find the right partner. Below are some important body language techniques that can boost your image:


1) POSTURE

Think about how it feels like when you meet someone for the first time. If they are standing or sitting up straight, it would seem that the individual is very confident, perhaps even arrogant in their personality. In contrast, a relaxed posture i.e. arms relaxed, uncrossed and hands visible, shows that the individual is open and shows no boundaries and encourages conversation. We naturally move closer to the individuals we prefer to make relationships with and move away from people we dislike. Therefore one must think very carefully on how they want to come across to other individuals.

2) HAND GESTURES

Boost your image with a strong, firm hand shake. This shows no fear and confidence in the individual, whereas sweaty "weak" hand shakes seem that the individual has a nervous disposition and finds it difficult to handle stress or difficult situations. Hand gestures made during conversation, portrays confidence in the ability to express one self, it shows ease with oneself and the ability to communicate well.

3) EYE CONTACT

Eyes are the mirrors of one's soul. They give away more than you think. Boost your image with maintained eye contact. This shows that the individual is trustworthy, sincere and caring and has nothing to hide. Whereas, shifty eyes, continuous blinking, indicates that this individual is capable of deception and lies. Would you employ this type of person? Or consider dating someone like this? Probably not, and therefore it's very important to look at the person you are interacting with and nod to acknowledge the information. Interestingly, dilated pupils in an individual can reveal attraction and appeal towards the other person.

4) SPEAK CLEARLY

Nobody likes listening to people who mumble or speak under their breaths. Are they speaking to you or muttering like mad men to themselves? What they are saying doesn't seem to be too important and can be irritating. Boost your image by speaking clearly, with a confident tone to make yourself heard and prove that you are not somebody who one can ignore or dismiss lightly. Sometimes deception can be seen through long pauses, lots of ''ums' and 'uh' during conversation because it may seem that the individual is creating time to make lies. So try not to do this.

To boost your image, one must gain conscious control of your body language. Are you crossing your arms and legs defensively or are you relaxed and open? Are you fiddling with objects and getting distracted or are you nodding and showing that you are listening intently. The best way to win someone over is to mirror his or her body language. Being aware of your body language and what it means, can help you gain control over your image and boost it in a positive way.

by Amanda Walker