Cook Now, Eat Later

Cook & Freeze by Dana Jacobi contains 150 delicious dishes to serve now and later. Jobobi shows how to to cook smarter, not more, with a savvy collection of recipes that allow home cooks to cook once, eat twice (or more), and always have dinner at hand.

Gossip Girl

Check out Amanda Setton from Gossip Girl wearing a Nashelle necklace!

Suggested Reading: Crush It!

If you've ever wondered whether or not your business needs a Twitter or Facebook account, you must read Crush It: Cash in on you Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk. Over the past 12 years, Vaynerchuk has transformed his family buiness from a 4 million dollars in annual sales to 16 million using the internet and social media networks that available to everyone absolutely free! Vaynerchuk's straight talking and no nonsense approach makes Crush It! an easy, entertaining and extremely informative read. Beyond essential advice on utilizing social media networks, Vaynerchuk also provides realistic advice on how getting your priorities in order both at home and in business.

Are you ready to start "crushing it?"

Sneak Peek: Cucina

Fruits & Passion is introducing a spicy new candied orange fragrance for the holidays to its Cucina Collection. Called Arancia Dolce (Sweet Orange), the new scent comes in Purifying Hand Wash, Regenerating Hand Cream and Reed Diffuser. Made with bio-degradable, plant-based ingredients; not tested on animals. Sweet!

Contact your Sales Associate or call 800.71.4321 for more information.

I Heart Etsy

Etsy, a household name among twenty-somethings, is quickly being embraced by baby boomers and retailers looking for unique handmade products. I love Etsy, an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade.

Etsy was born out of founder, Robert Kalin's, desire to create a connection between producer and consumer by offering viable alternatives to mass-produced objects commonly found in today's marketplace. Kalin felt the connection between producer and consumer has been lost. He created Etsy to help them reconnect and in his words, "swing the pendulum back to a time when we bought our bread from the baker, food from the grocer, and shoes from the cobbler."

I also think Etsy is where retailers can find great products for their stores. I'm not worried that if you buy things on Etsy, you won't buy from us. That doesn't matter. What matters is that we all do our part to support the efforts of emerging artists and reconnect with the makers of our products.

Click here to start shopping Etsy. To view a video on Etsy, click here.

Sneak Peek: Midori Fall 2010 Catalog

I love Midori's new catalog cover! It reminds me of whipped cream! Wait until you see Midori's new ribbons and paper!

Sneak Peek: West Third Fall 2010

West Third will be introducing several new collections this fall. Among my favorites, is the Bring it to Me series. These spellbinding novelty candles add support to daily affirmations in a carnival of amusing ways. There are four candles bring good fortune to you:

C'est Vie - A Fresh Start
Les Amoureux- Love
Abundance - Success
Bonne Chance - Good Luck
 
These 2" x 6" pillar candles have a burn time of 50 hours --- enough time to conjure-up a lot of good fortune.

Also new  is Société de Senteurs, decadently fragrant home and body sprays crafted with traditional perfumery methods. Available in 4 fragrances: Gardenia Di Vita, L’Orangerie, Voyage d’Tabac and  Vanille de Santos.

Contact your Sales Associate or call 800.71.4321 for more information.
 

Sneak Peek: Patience Brewster Jewelry

New from Patience Brewster for Fall is sterling silver jewelry in new and popular motifs. A great holiday gift and collectible.

Contact your Sales Associate or call 800.71.4321 for more information.
 

Sneak Peek: Tea Forte Fall & Holiday 2010

Tea Forte has expanded their product assortment to include delicious tea flavored cookies, healthy mints and chunky amber flavored sugar.

Contact your Sales Associate or call 800.71.4321 for more information.

Sneak Peek: Skeem Fall & Holiday 2010

The Fall and Holiday season brings a brand-new shape to the Skeem line; a 7.5 ounce votive-sized candle, aptly named "half-pint," available in eight of Skeem's best selling scents. In addition, Skeem is introducing six new pillars and new three scents. We are really excited about the freshness this brings the line!

Contact your Sales Associate or call 800.71.4321 for more information.

Retrofit Home: A Perfect Fit

Retrofit Home, hosted a Grand Re-Opening of their Seattle, Washington store on a Saturday, June 5th. A glorious day illuminated the freshly painted white walls creating a gallery feeling inside. But unlike a austere gallery, Retrofit Home is full of inviting gifts, accessories and furniture

When owners, Jon Milazzo and Lori Pomeranz, opened their first location five years ago, they envisioned a place where people could buy furniture and accessories that was not from a cookie cutter mold but unique and with an urban point of view. By all accounts they have succeeded. Retrofit Home is design-focused but will not break your piggy bank. Both Milazzo and Pomeranz believe that good design does not need to be expensive or stodgy. As they like to say, they "leave the attitude to others -- this is a neighborhood store." 

Shown top, left to right: Owners Jon Milazzo and Lori Pomeranz. Behind them are canvases of crows  they commissioned from local artists.

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Shown bottom: Retrofit Home's richly eclectic product mix.

Sneak Peek: Just 4 Kicks

New from just 4 kicks are haute rainboots inspired by the classic cowboy boot. Fashion foward designs include faux snake skin designs in popular colors, a paisley pattern and fleur de lys. With the kind of weather we've been experiencing in the Northwest, these stylish boots are good year 'round. Matching umbrellas are also available.

Contact your Sales Associate or call 800.71.4321 for details. 

Sneak Peek: Caldea's 2010 Limited Fall Edition

 

Caldrea's 2010 Limited Edition Fall Collection includes two sumptuous scents:  Peppermit Amaryllis, clean and bright with a floral twist and Balsam Figleaf, woodsy, pine with a little fruitiness.These fragrances will be available in the following products:

~ Dish soap  
~ Countertop Cleanser  
~ Hand Soap 11 oz  
~ Hand Lotion 11 oz  
~ Candle
~ Petite sink set (silver)
 

Contact your Sales Associate or call 800.71.4321 for details.

Zine Scene: Hug a Lug

Lug Life's Sunset orange Gondola Sunset is featured in May issue of Good Houskeeping.

Join the Tea Party

June is National Tea Month and June 10th is National Ice Tea Day but I think that every day should be Tea Forte day.

The potential benefits of adding tea to our diets is an easy and inexpensive way to maintain good health. Studies show that tea aids in the battle of the bulge and increases the body's immunity to colds and flu. Three cups of black tea per day produced 5 times the amount of germ-fighting cells. Tea contains antioxidants, substances that can reduce oxidant damage in the body, helping to maintain healthy cells and tissues. Research suggests that drinking black tea may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease too.  So drink tea everyone (preferably Tea Forte). It not only tastes good, it's good for you.