Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Pedicure by Mail!


I confess, I love to be pampered, and with my hectic schedule, there never seems to be enough time. The package I received from Sunflower Hill was the answer. As soon as I opened the box, not quite sure what was inside, my senses were awakened by the soft hint of peppermint. I was intrigued to find out more about the contents of this box.

Packaged to perfection was a four piece pedicure set from Sunflower Hill, http://www.sunflowerhillsoap.com , which is located in Hollis Center, Maine. The foot soak, soap, creme, and pedi-slippers were all encased in a clear vinyl bag topped with purple boa feathers.

I opened the bag and the scent of peppermint was now, undeniable. I filled my tub with just enough hot water to start my night of self pampering. The foot soak felt wonderful. Before the granules of softening dead sea salts melted, I ran my feet over them as part of my spa experience. Then I followed up with the foot care soap. I must say the only draw back to this product was that the packaging was so good! I had trouble getting the protective wrap off of the dual-sided soap. The pumice, which was encapsulated with some of the creamy soap, worked through to the surface as I rubbed it over my tired feet.

Now, I was ready for the foot creme. After rubbing on the whipped concoction of shea butter, grape seed oil, and peppermint oil, I was left with a unique cooling and tingling sensation. After completing the pedicure steps, I slipped on the enclosed pedi-slippers, grabbed my nail polish color of the week, and proceeded to complete my home pedicure. No, I won't forget where my local spa and pedicure chair is, but my boa topped bag will certainly get more visits!

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Create your own private resort


Bring the time-honored spa experience indoors. And add to the relaxing spa ritual the therapeutic benefits of hydro-massage and aromatherapy. Suddenly your home feels like your own private resort.
Designed to be the centerpiece of a health-and-wellness room, family room, solarium or bathing room, the Jason Home Spa http://www.jasoninternational.com/products/index.cfm?page=collection_homespa, is a fill-and-drain Air-Whirlpool bath with a capacity of up to three adult persons and convenient features such as tri-level seating, separate controls for dual therapy and dual heaters to maintain water temperature. An automatic aromatherapy dispenser and Sound Immersion System complete the experience.

No more agony of "DeFeet"


Dainty Footings’ new Step 'N Style Gift Set- is a women’s high heel designer shoe cushion set specifically designed just for sexy yet painful high heel shoes.
These are not your husband’s Dr. Scholl’s.

Ok Ladies,

I know I am not alone when it comes to the aching feet syndrome that occurs once we slip our feet into beautiful pair of high heeled shoes. Well, I just received this information about a product that was made just for us!

Dainty Footings’ new Step 'N Style Gift Set comes wrapped in a white silk bag with white ribbons (photo above left). Each set contains one pair each of Revive Insoles, Ball-of-Foot cushions, Heel cushions, and Heel liners – all in cream or black. The high-tech cushions fit in all size and shape high heels and shoes – providing maximum shock absorption reducing foot, leg, and back pain. The retail price is $27.95.


What makes Dainty Footings http://daintyfootings.com unique? They have passed USP Class VI toxicology testing, they’re ergonomically correct unlike gimmicky similar products, and are made with Poron - a substance derived from nanotechnology used in Europe for more than a decade that absorbs impact better than latex foam, rubber, gels and neoprene. It is also breathable, odorless, and hypo-allergenic - keeping feet cool, dry (whisks moisture away from skin on feet), stink-free, and blister-free. It would take six months to break down with repeated daily wear.

Monday, February 5, 2007

Once you've flown NetJets, nothing else even comes close.


A couple of years ago, I met a gentleman that owned his own jet, or should I say he was a fractional owner. I never heard of this concept of part ownership. What a great idea! When I came across this Web site, I thought some of you might be interested in this purchasing option.

The following information is from the NetJets Web site www.netjets.com .

In 1986, NetJets pioneered the concept of fractional jet ownership, giving individuals and businesses all the benefits of whole aircraft ownership and more at a fraction of the cost. Today, NetJets is the worldwide leader with the most Owners, the most experience, and the largest fleet.
Few investments have the power to transform your life in the way a NetJets share will.
As a NetJets Owner, you’ll gain the freedom and control to make the most of your time – and your life – whether you travel for business or leisure. You’ll have a jet ready to take you whenever and wherever you want to go with as little as four hours notice. You’ll have a company committed to making your ownership experience truly superior. And most important, you’ll have a company where safety is and always will be non-negotiable.

Using your five senses to decorate

How many of you have walked into a beautiful shop and said "I wish my home could be like this!" What was it about the shop that you like? Was it the furniture? The accessories? The way things were arranged? These are likely reasons, but what about the not so obvious. Lets' take a step through the door again, but this time lets' use our five senses.

You approach the store with its beautiful lettered windows and window boxes popping with the seasons most beautiful flowers and greenery. Your hand touches the cool brass handle of the entry door while reading the sign "Welcome Please Come In". As you push open the door the sound of the old fashioned country bell, that is attached to the top of the door, rings as if it is magically welcoming you to the shop. You are greeted with the most pleasing scent. A scent that brings you back in your memories or a scent so calming you wish you could stay forever as well as a greeting from the shop owner.

While wandering around the shop you finally realize the music in the background is very complementary to the shops interiors and products. You almost feel as if you are in another place or time, until that is, you look out the store front windows and you see the hustle and bustle of the real world that you just came from. You decide to stay a little longer and allow yourself to dream. While walking around the shop, you find a beautiful glass container filled with beautiful foil covered confections. You help yourself to a piece of the candy, unwrap the golden foil and place it on your tongue to savor the flavor. If you are like me, you savor it as long as possible since this might be the only lunch you get that day.

Now your wandering around the shop, picking up beautiful pillows, touching cashmere throws, feeling the cool silverware, and inhaling the the smell of each and every candle and bath product. Items are placed so that you are able to touch each product, your tempted to pick them up, which allow visions of how these wonderful items will look in your home. Even books welcome you to flip through their glossy pages. One of each book is available for viewing while the other companions are tied with french ribbons as if waiting to be purchased as that special gift.

You notice that the shop is neat and tidy, the counter top is cleared of clutter with a beautiful arrangement of flowers that look fresh picked from the shop owners gardens or fields. After placing your finds on the counter, your purchase is placed in several sheets of crisp tissue paper of periwinkle and sage, then it is gently placed in a paper gift bag clearly marked with the shops name. You even notice the shop owner places a newsletter, with a bag of tea attached to it, inside your bag to enjoy later at your leisure. What a wonderful experience. A few stolen moments in a shop can really help us through a hectic day.

Now I ask you.... How many of you use the five senses in your home or place of business? Even if you have a home office, do you have items in your room that can make you feel welcome? It does take a little effort and imagination to create these effects, but adding a bit of ambiance to your home the same way the businesses do will give you and your guests the same wonderful feeling as the shops do. Think of what your home is like when you enter. Where can you add accents and accessories? Do you want to burn scented candles, add potpourri or use the commercial plug in type fragrances in your home? How about the color of your walls... are they a welcoming or warm color? Does it represent your personality? You can even add a new area rug, a throw on the sofa, accent pillows. Have a collection of your favorite music ready to play or your favorite radio station set to go at a touch of a button. The possibilities are endless.

Make some notes the next time you visit your favorite shop to see (or should I say see... touch... smell... taste... and hear) what it is that makes you feel so welcome.


Saturday, February 3, 2007

I have been asked several times about the Google adsense ads on all of my sites and if they have been beneficial. Well, I decided to put the adsense ads on my site http://www.newenglandfineliving.comwhen I realized I just did not have the time anymore to go out and sell advertising space as well as write articles, research companies, write reviews, and run my full time interior design business. When I heard about Google adsense, I thought it might be a way of helping to pay for the monthly fees involved with running the web sites. So far, it has helped with those extra expenses and I highly recommend adding it to your site too, especially if you have high traffic visits.

Just like the AGLOCO, there is no fees to pay and it is free and easy to sign on. If at any time I decide I want to take the adsense links off my site, it can be done with a simple click.

Friday, February 2, 2007

Listening to Music While Cleaning your Home or Office

I don't know about you, but cleaning is not one of my fortes. Sure I enjoy a clean house, it seems to bring me more energy, and clear thinking, but with my busy schedule I am ashamed to say that it is not always first on the list. Today was the day that I actually scheduled a cleaning time, but first I created an atmosphere that helped me enjoy the task just a bit more.

Today the cloud cover is heavy since we are expecting snow and I did not want start a fire in the fireplace since I ould not be able to sit down in front of it to enjoy (yet), so I lit the
Votivo aromatic candles that I have scattered around my home. Then I put on some great music to help lift my spirits. George Winston's December, Piano Solos: 20th Anniversary Edition is one of my favorites. I remember when I was selling real estate in the 80's (oh... I feel so old when I say that) I used to play his CD's during the open houses to set the mood along with the old trick of baking cookies in the oven.

Today I found that the cleaning went a little smoother than usual, just because of my music and candles. Now I am going to get ready to make myself some lunch and possibly put some logs in the fireplace. Then reality will set in. I brought home 4 client projects to work on.

What do you like to do to help get you in the mood for cleaning to make it a little less of a chore and more like a treat?

Is Agloco the new Google?

I usually find out about potential life altering or investment information before it is to late, but I stumbled across a press release about Agloco that I found intriguing. Why? Because this company is offering a way for us to make money by doing what most of us already do, and this is search the web. It will be somewhat like owning a part of the company because we are helping them grow.

Can you imagine getting paid and not doing anything extra other than filling out a simple form then telling your friends about Agloco? I know I am going to give it a try and it would be great if we could start our own Agloco network! By just clicking on this link, you will be able to get a lot more information about this new company and if you decide, there is an easy to fill out form on that page.
http://www.agloco.com/r/BBBS6814 .

What is AGLOCO™ all about?

AGLOCO™ is the first Internet based economic network, which enables you as a Member to Get your share of the Internet. Advertiser's, search companies, online merchants and other businesses currently pay lots of companies to deliver people like you to them for attention and commerce. With AGLOCO™ they will be paying YOUR company. AGLOCO™ is also a global community of Internet users whose active Members can paid for all their online activity. By downloading our proprietary Viewbar™ technology, members benefit from engaging content tailored to their interests. AGLOCO™ also pays its members to refer their friends to the community (and for those friends to refer more friends through four levels of extended referrals.)

How do I earn cash and shares?

Sign up, use the web as usual and earn cash and shares - it really is that simple. Once you install the Viewbar™ software it automatically records the time you're actively online, and we pay you for it. But the first step is to sign up and become a member. It's fast and it's free. If you refer your friends and family we'll pay you even more cash and shares.

How do referrals work?

AGLOCO™ pays you an hourly rate when the friends and family who you recruit use the web while using the Viewbar™ (they're called "direct referrals"), and for people your referrals recruit ('extended referrals'). Extended referrals continue for four levels past your original referral, and there is no limit to the number of referrals you can accumulate. http://www.agloco.com/r/BBBS6814

Dengue Fever Can Ruin Your Luxury Vacation

Maybe I should call this post "Linda's Not Such Luxury Living", but with this little bit of information I just researched, I hope to save you from a luxury vacation gone bad. Many of us are currently planning a warm weather vacation now that the winter is upon us. I myself am planning a trip to the Caribbean, so this information came to me as a shock. A friend of mine recently returned from her island vacation with an extremely high fever, fatigue, the shakes, and spots on her body. After being taken to the hospital, she was diagnosed with Dungue fever which was caused by a mosquito bite. After a few days, her white blood cell count dropped so low she had to be hospitalized. I have never heard of this disease, since I lead a pretty sheltered life, so I pulled some information off the CDC web site to learn a little more about it. I am including the information below for you to read too. Seems kind of strange to be buying bug spray with DEET in the middle of winter, but I know I will be packing that before I leave along with all of the other stomach and headache items I have already packed.

Dengue Fever

Description

Dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are viral diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, usually Ae. aegypti. The four dengue viruses (DEN-1 through DEN-4) are immunologically related, but do not provide cross-protective immunity against each other.

Occurrence

Dengue, a rapidly expanding disease in most tropical and subtropical areas of the world, has become the most important arboviral disease of humans. More than 2.5 billion persons now live in areas at risk of infection, and attack rates for reported disease in epidemics are in the range of 1 per thousand to 1 per hundred of the population. Infection rates (that is, proportion of the population that is infected, including persons who do not get severe symptoms or are not reported) can be five- to ten-fold greater. The case-fatality ratio for DHF averages about 5% worldwide, but can be kept below 1% with proper clinical management. Epidemics caused by all four virus serotypes have become progressively more frequent and larger in the past 25 years. As of 2004, dengue fever is endemic in most tropical countries of the South Pacific, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, and Africa (see Maps 4-1 and 4-2). Additionally, most tropical urban centers in these regions have multiple dengue virus serotypes co-circulating (hyperendemicity), which increases dengue transmission and the risk of DHF. Future dengue incidence in specific locales cannot be predicted accurately, but a high level of dengue transmission is anticipated in all tropical areas of the world for the indefinite future. The incidence of the severe disease, DHF, has increased dramatically in Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, and the American tropics in the past 25 years, with major epidemics occurring in many countries every 3-5 years. The first major epidemic in the Americas occurred in Cuba in 1981, and a second major epidemic of DHF occurred in Venezuela in 1989-1990. Since then, outbreaks, sporadic cases, or both, of confirmed DHF have occurred in most tropical American countries. After an absence of 35 years, several autochthonous cases of dengue fever occurred in southern Texas in 1980, 1986, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 1999, associated with imported cases and epidemic dengue in adjacent states in Mexico. After an absence of 56 years, a limited outbreak of dengue fever occurred in Hawaii in 2001, associated with imported cases and epidemic dengue in the South Pacific.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Designing a room on the ocean

Today, I started working on a room that I am redecorating for a decorators showhouse, that will be open to the public this Spring. While I was there, I could not help but wonder what it would be like to wake up every morning in that home which sat right on the oceans edge. You could hear the sound of the ocean waves right out the window. I was lucky enough to win the bid on the ladies sitting room and I can't wait to see the finished product. We chose the color Cayman Island for the walls with dove white as the trim. The fabrics are all going to be in the family of soft beige with a touch of blue as accents. A writing desk will be set under the window so that visitors coming through the home, can imagine sitting and writing a hand written note to an old friend. A quote I will be adding to the room is "To much of a good thing can be wonderful" Mae West . Sure, I can imagine living there could be a pure luxury, but I also have to keep in mind the repairs and upkeep homeowners on the ocean have to contend with, especially with our Hurricanes and Nor'easters.

Do you have a home on the ocean? What are your thoughts or stories?