Archive for December, 2009
Dec 30, 2009
The Fashion World can be really twisted. Here is a run down of some the weirdest products that came out in 2009.
Quite strange was the release of bacon soap which was made by a company called eparty limited. This is a slab of white lardish looking soap that is streaked with pink like bacon. It also smells like bacon (and so will you after you use it.)
If you are into contemporary fashionable scents you are probably already aware of Demeter scents. These scents come in smells such as Gin and Tonic, Rubber Tire and other exotics. One of their limited edition scents released this year is Play Doh. Yes you can smell like the stuff you used to play with as a kid without it being too cloying over overpowering.
Another very strange fashion item is the umbrella that is lined with a sunny blue sky inside the fabric rim. From the top it looks like a normal grey umbrella but inside you have your own glorious day for about twenty bucks. Cheeriness doesn’t come cheap. This kind of umbrella that is printed on both sides usually costs about thirty bucks.
Another really weird fashion product from 2009 is FAKE fur coats for dogs. Don’t dogs already have fur. Still we saw dogs walking with owners wearing faux leopard and tiger vests, coats and furs. These types of dog fashions also do not come that cheap – sometimes costing hundreds of dollars.
Another strange fashion product introduced in 2009 is called La Decollette. This is a piece of fabric that stretches across the chest to prevent skin from aging. It keeps the skin completely flat while you sleep at night so no skin can have a chance to crinkle. This is not a cheap piece of female rigging. It costs about ninety dollars to buy.
you probably know that lip gloss comes in various shapes, shades and flavors but did you know that there’s a type of lip gloss that can actually help detect the presence of date rape drugs? Yes, it’s true! British cosmetic company, 2LoveMyLips recently invented a lip gloss with a drink spike testing kit. It’s being marketed as a ‘necessity for all modern women.’
Of course when it comes to weird products nothing beats the Snuggie. Yes that is the fleece blanket with sleeves that has sold absolutely millions online and on television. Who knew that so many so badly wanted to free up their arms while in a blanket.
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Dec 24, 2009
“Tis the season to wear mittens” and this years designers have really pulled out all the stops. This season’s latest trends include ruffles, studs, animal prints and wild colors. Polka dots, stripes and floral prints are also common, especially in wool blends. There is also a trend toward black and white patterns as well. However yarn is not the only thing that mittens are made of this year. You can get them in all kinds of materials and fabrics.
However one of the biggest and most elegant trends this year are the fingerless and thumbless glove and mitten options which can help you ward off frostbite. The newer styles feature a fingerless mitten with a “cap” of fabric over all the fingers. You simply flip it over so it dangles over the back of the hand. This keeps your hands freed up so you can use cell phones, iPods and other equipment –no matter how cold it is outside.
Another really elegant mitten and glove style looks like evening gloves. Some of these are smooth and tight fitting and others have gathering in a seam. Many of these styles are fingerless and go all the way up to the elbow.
You will see these long evening glove styles studded with buttons. The buttons can be plastic, pearls or brass. Little pom poms made of yarn also double as buttons on the mittens. You also see a lot of loop and button style fastenings in this year’s glove wear. Sometimes the loops will be quite long and lace around the buttons like ribbons. The effect of this is very attractive.
The fingerless mitten and glove styles also come in shiny vinyl’s and sensuous leathers. The effect is very sexy. You most certainly will be able to keep your arms warm. Many would look nice with an evening dress. In fact you could some of the glove styles out there on the market are actually quite kinky!
Mittens that look like animal paws or animal heads are also very popular. There are all kinds of mittens out there that look like animal puppets. Lions, monkeys, tigers, puppies, rabbits – you name it. You can get a funny pair of mittens that double as toys. Some of them, like the lion mittens, have yarn that look like animal hair. They also make these in adult sizes for those of us who are missing the Muppet Show.
The other good news is that mittens are cheap. You can get a pair that completely changes your looks within seconds.
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Dec 21, 2009
Pink diamonds say, “I love you and I am going to keep you.” They are also labeled as fancy diamonds. This is because the word fancy refers to any type of diamond stone that is tinged by color. Many hued diamonds have a blue or gray tint and the shading is very subtle. Pure pink diamonds really are a joy to behold. They make the perfect Christmas gift but they are also quite expensive.
Pink diamonds come in all kinds of different colors. The many hues of pink available are shrimp, shell, violet, fuchsia, strawberry, coral and bubblegum. Many of these diamonds also resemble rubies, which is not surprising as diamonds and rubies are actually from the same family of minerals with diamonds being slightly harder than a ruby. The raspberry pink diamond which is a true pink diamond almost looks exactly like ruby. The violet ones resemble iolite and amythests.
Most of us can’t afford a true pink diamond but a lab created one can be very beautiful. Most lab created diamonds are absolutely perfect and come in the same large variety of hues as the natural ones.. Unlike the lab created versions of these gemstones, natural pink diamonds are actually multi-tonal stones. They will flash all kinds of purples, blues and other hues along with the pink color. However if you really like the multi-tonal effect you can get lab created gems that have been dipped in a coating that can make the gem flash any color that you like.
The best pink diamonds are flawed! Yes it’s true. The more flaws the pink diamond has the deeper its color will likely be as it are the flaws that give the stone any kind of tint in the first place.
Although the purely pink lab created gem might be pretty you must be careful not to be charged for way more than it is worth. You also need to watch out for yellow or grey diamonds that have actually been dyed pink. Sometimes diamonds are also heated in order to give them a pink color. These are pretty stones but you should not pay sky high prices for them as you would a true diamond.
If the gem created lab is large you can expect to pay more. Sometimes when you are buying a pink diamonds you are really buying heat treated brown diamonds. Cheap grade brown diamonds can be treated so they turn pink. Just keep in mind that a perfect flawless pink gem practically does not exist in nature and you when you are shopping for pink diamonds you should not let it happen!
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Dec 18, 2009
It is incredible to fathom but almost 260 different types of new vodka were introduced into the United States in the last five years. None of these are cheap vodkas! The trend this Christmas will be towards serving the most incredibly snazzy and flavored vodkas to be had.
Among the more interesting vodkas that came into existence n the last year is the Hendrix Electric Vodka. This is named after Jimi Hendrix and yes the bottle glows in the dark and has a purple haze. Grey Goose makes this vodka along with a lot of other very odd ones including a caffeinated vodka called p.i.n.k. You can also get a huckleberry flavored vodka called 44 Degrees North from Grey Goose.
Grey Goose also makes Zodiac vodka. The company has made twelve different bottles embellished with every single sign of the Zodiac. Now that is combining vodka with fashion. It’s the same thing INSIDE every bottle. It’s the packaging that is eclectic
Big and small companies are taking note of this trend to flavored vodka Did you know for only $15000 there is a company called Modern Spirits of California who will guide to produce ten cases of your own super premium vodka.
Smirnoff has gotten right in the game with these vodkas producing exotic flavors like Blueberry, Cranberry, Green Apple, White Grape, Passion Fruit and Vanilla Vodka. Absolute Vodka is also right in the game making peach, black currant, pear, pepper and ruby red grapefruit flavors.
A very famous flavored vodka is Pinnacle. It is French, cherry flavored and cost about 150 dollars U.S. a bottle. Both Hampton’s and Van Gogh make a banana flavored vodka. One of the weirder flavors is made by Van Gogh – Acai and Blueberry.
If you like coffee flavors Seagram’s makes an expresso flavored vodka and so does Van Gogh and Three Olives. These companies also make a chocolate vodka.
As you can gather there is no end to the number of fashionable martinis you can make having this type of flavored vodka at your disposal.
Also quite good are some of the premade drinks like Smirnoff’s Pomegranate Martini, Vodka Mojito and Grand Cosmopolitan.
Almost every vodka company makes a citrus flavored vodka. You can make a great Citrus Cosmopolitan using 1.5 ounces of the vodka and a splash of cranberry juice and Triple Sec. You season it with a dash of lime juice and garnish with a lemon or lime wedge or both.
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Dec 15, 2009
The most meaningful of diamonds are the ones that are cut in elaborate or fancy shapes. The two most popular cuts of diamonds for this Christmas are the Marquise and the heart shape.
Marquise diamonds are glamorous elliptical shaped stones. They used to only identified with cocktail rings but nowadays marquise diamonds are the center stone of many fashion fierce engagement or wedding rings. A Marquise cut diamond just simply says I love you.
The marquise diamond is very shiny. The boat shape must be cut just right or the light will not flash off it properly. You can get bands of tiny marquises or rings as a center stone. Sometimes marquise gemstones are circled to make flower and leaf shapes.
Triangular shaped diamonds are very contemporary in style and perfect for a friendship or engagement present at Christmas. The three points symbolize the Holy Trinity. These three pointed stones are referred to as both trillium or brilliant cut rings. These stones have a very deep fire inside them that is difficult to ignore. One of the most famous trillion cut diamonds in the world is the Moussaieff Red diamond, which is one of the largest fancy diamonds in the world. It looks like a big pale ruby.
Design-wise these stones are often paired up with another one. This type of stone is very geometrical in appearance and other triangular stones that are similar in appearance often compliment it. This trillium looks great with very square or emerald type stones that play up its sense of geometry.
There is quite a trend still in 2009 for Trillium cut diamonds that are oversized and yellow or pink in color. These are usually lab created gems or nobody could afford to buy them.
Heart shaped diamonds or gemstones This is because the shape is so symbolic of love and also sensuality. Heart shaped stones have not been popular until lately. Modern technology has made them easier to cut and therefore it is easier to find heart diamonds in the stores.
Genuine heart diamonds tend to be quite tiny and expensive. These diamond can be pricey. One way to the heart shape is to buy a pave diamond ring, which means that the heart shape is done in gold and silver and then paved with tiny diamonds. Still when it comes to heart diamonds nothing beats a solitaire stone in a white or pink color and of some size. Either way it is a gift that will say a lot. It is the pure symbol of love.
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Dec 15, 2009
Feng Shui, the art of object arrangement has been hot for years now. Did you know you can make Christmas wreathes that can bring good energy to your place. Here are some ideas for some Feng Shui Friendly Christmas wreathes that can help boost good vibes during the season.
Place a wreathe around a candle placed in the center of your dining room table or on the table that is closest to the true center of your home. The center of the home means health and happiness. Buy some fake peaches, pears, cherries or apples and place them on a wreathe of juniper or pine that circles a candle. You can also buy gold or red versions of this fruit that are powdered with glitter to give the centerpiece wreath an extra festive look. According to Feng Shui lore this will bring you luck and health.
For the front door you want to choose a wreath that is in a fortuitous color which is red. If you can find an all red wreath in a Christmas store than you are well on your way. You can sometimes get wreathes made entirely of red feathers which would be very lucky in terms of feng shui. In fact you can make your own simple wreath out of red feathers by going to a millinery shop and buying a red boa (a long one made of feathers like the strippers use.) You can then wrap the boa around a circular armature to bring you good fortune. For additional blessing try decorating this type of wreathe with gold apples and golden bells. Every time you open the door the bells will ring and clear your home of any negative chi.
If you like you can make a very simple good luck wreath for your front door entirely out of bells. Gold and silver bells strung together or pinned on an armatures tied with a big red bow would be excellent Feng Shun.
If you are a performer or if you career depends on your reputation you can also make a wonderful Christmas wreath by wrapping red Christmas lights around a star shape and placing this glowing star on the Southern wall of your home. The star shape brings fame and recognition and this is doubled if you place that star on your South wall.
If you want to abide by the rules of Feng Shui then there are some wreathes that you should stay away from. An all white wreath would be said to attract bad luck in Feng Shui and by the same reasoning you should not spray your wreathes with fake snow. It is also a bad idea to make a homemade wreath that has any kind of needles or pins sticking out of it as that could also attract bad luck.
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Dec 12, 2009
Like all colored diamonds black and blue diamonds are very fashionable as gifts this season. Here are some things you need to know about these interesting gems before you buy.
Blue diamonds are inferior in quality to white ones. They are also not that rare so you should not pay a high price for them. They are blue because they are flawed. l. In fact most diamonds that you buy that are below a G grade most likely contain a bit of blue thanks to boron discoloring the stone.
True blue diamonds are cloudy looking. That is why they look so blue in the first place. These inferior stones must be heat treated or they will not have any sparkle. An unflawed stone is crystal pure white. The bluer stones might be backed with a bit of mirror so they reflect a more blue like tone.
Natural blue diamond’s do exit and come in shades of indigo, navy, blue-violet and cornflower blue. The Hope Diamond is a good example. You can only really find these in museum exhibitions. You can buy simulated blue diamonds that do the trick – just be careful not to pay too much for them.
Natural black diamonds are very rare. Only one in 100,000 diamonds have any black any of them. Black diamonds are considered to be “cursed.” They certainly make interesting conversation pieces. They look great as a string of marquise cuts in a band. One large stone can also be stunning looking if it has a special cut – like a heart shape.
You can expect to pay a lot of money for this type of stone especially if it has a bit of a red or chocolate colored hue to it. Natural black diamonds are very defective as any diamond that has a detectable hue to it has a lot of impurities or structural defects. It is highly unlikely that you will find a real natural black diamond sold online or any store. However sometimes they come up in estate auctions.
Most of the black diamond rings and so forth that are mass marketed are stones that have been dyed or heat-treated to disguise their flaws. In essence it is a way of marketing inferior grade diamonds as valuable gemstones. Still if you are looking forward to having a Goth wedding in the new year you might really like the look of a black stone in your wedding ring. Black diamonds also make incredible looking cocktail rings, especially in the Marquise cut.
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Dec 11, 2009
Champagne diamonds are the height of couture when it comes to trends in fashionable gems. They are also sometimes called brown or cognac diamonds.
Many brides now sport them on their ring fingers because they are so organic in nature. Another term that is used to describe champagne diamonds is “natural diamonds” which adds to their appeal as being eco-diamonds. They are also very earthy and sensual, yet look luxurious at the same time. Aside from making a great main stone in a wedding or engagement ring these beautiful diamonds make beautiful cocktail rings. Like most diamonds, the bigger this one is the more spectacular it is as well.
These champagne diamonds are quite beautiful. They really do have pale shades to them like what you would see bubbling inside a glass of champing. They vary in color from being a light champagne color down to a dark rich yellow. The different tones in color is due to trace chemicals were in the carbon of the diamond as it was being compressed. Diamonds like this are found in Kimberly veins in mountains. White diamonds are not tainted by any other elements. A diamond of color always has some kind of extra chemistry in it.
Currently this type of diamond is very chic and many couture ring designers are combining them with white diamonds to make unusual and attractive wedding and engagement ring designs.
Many brides and grooms are also opting to buy Champagne diamonds because unlike white diamonds these ones tend to be conflict free. They are more politically correct to buy because they come from a vein of rock in East Kimberly, Australia. Western Australia is in fact the largest supplier of these champagne diamonds and the largest miner of them down under is Argyle mines. Many eco-concious fashion designers are also opting to buy these diamonds for the same reason.
You would think that because of the color that these diamonds would be chap but a true natural diamond like a champagne diamond can be quite pricey. In fact, a truly chocolate colored diamond can cost a great deal of money.
The most sought after ones are a very pale true champagne color and are completely flawless. This is because only one in ten thousand diamonds mined can qualify to be a true champagne diamond. You should watch out that you are not sold a fake champagne domain in the form of a yellow topaz or a lab created version of this special stone.
If you want to give someone a very special Christmas gift consider getting a champagne diamond. The idea is as festive as it sounds!
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Dec 08, 2009
Christmas shopping is much less of a hassle if you know what you are doing. Making a list and checking it twice before you hit the mall can save you a lot of confusion at the last minute.
You can make a list by hand ion paper or simply write one up on your computer and then print it out. The important thing to remember is to take the list with you and try to stick to it if you can! Don’t be tempted to stray or you will waste precious minutes that turn into hours of wasted time. Furthermore not sticking to your list can mean that you will end up spending a hell of a lot more money than you need to.
You should also watch your timing when shopping for Christmas gifts. Obviously you have to buy gifts for people living further away a lot earlier so that they have time to travel through the mail. This means that you need to figure out a timeline for whom you have to shop for first.
You probably get off work earlier in the year and this means that you should shop for gifts earlier than you would for family members or friends. You don’t want your gift sitting on some office desk unopened throughout the holiday season. Coworkers need their gift long before the official date of Christmas Day.
Creating a budget and sticking to it is important especially if you are the kind of fashion fierce individual who is easily distracted by flashy things. If you leave everything until the last minute then you could end up paying way too much during The Christmas shopping process. It is crucial that you figure it for gas, parking and anything else you might do that day. Don’t leave everything to the last minute because that is when you might find yourself in a position where you start paying more than you planned for gifts that weren’t really on your list. The sad truth is that stores run out of the more fashionable and popular things on most people’s list and they run out of it all early.
One fantastic way to get all of your Christmas shopping done at once is to visit the Oxfam and World Vision sites and buy something for people who are less fortunate. This is especially great choice of gift for older people such as coworkers and relatives who already feel they have what they need in life, is to buy a goat, chicken, cow, school supplies or even a full well with water at a charity such as World Vision. Not only are these gifts affordable but they require little organization on your part and do a lot of good for the show!
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Dec 02, 2009
There are definitely some bizarre fashion items in the stores and online. Here is a rundown of some of the strangest fashion-oriented gifts you could give someone for Christmas this year.
All the rage are plates and bowls that are decorated with photos of food on them. These are commercial looking but also all the rage. The photos look like magazine shots of food and the dishware is usually hard plastic although you can get the occasional ceramic version of this type of thing.
Big plastic purses with photographs on them are also all the rage. You can get them with pictures of Marilyn Monroe and all kinds of celebrities on them as well.
Another bizarre fashion item is block contact lenses. You put these in and they change your eye color to one solid color like white, black or red. The effect is very eerie but you see it worn at nightclubs quite a bit.
You might remember button bracelets from the 1980s. They are once again all the rage. You can make these yourself by stringing a bunch of buttons on an elastic band.
Yellow rubber duckies have been in style for quite a while. They are a classic fashionable addition to any bathroom. Now you can get all kinds of different versions of rubber duckies for your bathtub including devil ducks, horror ducks, gothic ducks, duck decorated with guns and tiger striped ducks.
Yet another bizarre invention is the ironing board cover that has a print of an attractive muscle bound male or bikini clad fitness model on it. This allows you to run your steam iron over something sexy to create some heat.
You have probably heard of candy necklaces. Well one company known as A Sweetie Adventure is using the same type of candy and constructing panties, nipple tassles and hand cuffs out of them. They also make candy cod pieces, leg garters and whips.
Do you still think that smoking looks good? Do you want to look as glamorous as a forties movie star without the accompanying case of impending cancer? In that case you might want to try the electronic cigarette. The Electronic Alternative offers the pleasures of smoking without the harmful effects. It has a glowing tip and swirling smoke (only odorless water vapor) you could be quitting the dangerous habit within days. Each Nicotine filter is equivalent to a packet of twenty cigarettes. The unique atomizer converts the liquid nicotine into harmless water vapor when you in hale. It can be used indoors or outdoors, has an integrated rechargeable battery and is cleverly recharged in the packet itself.
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