News from BelleRinger PR

YES, YOU CAN LOOK PRETTY POST-SURGERY October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month ; a time for all of us to be aware of medical advances, the need for funding for more research, and steps we can take to lower our risks of becoming 'victims'. However, we don't often hear about products that help women post-surgery. Wear Ease, Inc. addresses the challenge of clothing that can be worn immediately after surgery, lumpectomies, radiation therapy and other treatments. The camisoles and bras are designed with imput from women who need easy-to-wear, comfortable camisoles and bras. The PJs in this picture have a built-in bra and pockets for breast form/s. Just what a girl needs to feel pretty in a difficult time. We all know how important self-exams are though I suspect many of us neglect to do them. For a refresher go to Health Day .

FASHION 911 The countdown has started; in exactly 18 days I'm leaving for my first trip to New York City. Needless to say, my wardrobe (which consists mainly of jeans, t-shirts and sweats) needs a major overhaul. Thank goodness for my fellow bloggers! First item on the list - the perfect bag. I found inspiration at The Bag Snob - thank you ladies! For the best help in shoe shopping go to Haute Momma Stuff . The ladies find hot styles in prices to fit every pocketbook. And a huge thanks to The Daily Obsession for endless advice and resources.

RE-PURPOSE IS THE WORD Recycle, reuse, reclaim - we know the words, use them daily. But do you 're-purpose' yet? That's exactly what the folks do over at The Green Glass Company . The artists take wine bottles reclaimed from wineries and give them a second life - in the same industry. The bottles are cut and redesigned to be used as goblets, tumblers, candleholders and more. The result - beautifully re-purposed stemware. Everything the company does is environmentally-friendly, from the sandblasting done for decorative design to the packaging material they use. The glasses are available in collections comprised of the same kinds of wine bottles. The goblet here is from the Topaz Collection and is made from a reclaimed California chardonnay bottle. It's available with the Equus pattern frosted on it (see the picture), or reverse - or with no pattern at all. There are 14 collections and oodles of other beautiful things.

TIME FOR A NEW LOOK ? I scooted over to Inmod minutes after reading this post on Daily Candy last Tuesday. I recently redecorated my bedroom but one look at the beautiful custom linens at Inmod and I'm ready to do it again. Like many design-your-own-purse companies, Inmod lets you select the fabric, color and pattern design of your duvet. Select a base fabric, choose from oodles of modern designs, decide upon colors for the embroidery and you're done. They have 'recommended configurations' (this picture is one of them) for the creatively-challenged . I already have two or three creations of my own . . .

READY TO BE A BITER? Before you answer this question take a look at Ideal Bite , a fun site loaded with tips about going 'green'. Changing habits and products isn't always easy; this site and blog offers tips and information about small things we can do to help preserve our planet. In addition to providing daily 'bites' of information the site has an archive of past tips. I found a gem while skimming through past posts. Saying 'no' to printed catalogs and printed 'junk mail' is easier said than done; once in the clutches of mailing lists it's hard to get out. Ideal Bite offered a list of services that will actually help you escape these tree killers. Go to this post for information about sites and services that will help you "just say no''.

GROWING LOVE Over the years we've seen a lot of beautiful greeting cards that include seed packets. Some of the newer designs let you toss some dirt right over the package, water it and let it grow. No unnecessary packaging. One of my favorite bloggers, Zem at ecofabulous , keeps me up-to-date with beautiful products and creative ways to live a 'greener' life. Her recent post about Plantable Papers is a great example. Their handmade paper is made of cotton and other recycled materials and is 'seeded' - embedded with wildflower seeds. I particularly love their wrapping paper - 'planting' it takes a step out of a labor-intensive recycling process. This is a wonderful example of a Cradle to Cradle product that makes living a greener lifestyle just a little bit easier.

LET'S CELEBRATE! This is a VIP (Very Important Post) - it's my 100th post! Congratulations to me! If I've learned anything while blogging I've learned to relax and have fun. Sure, everything I post is going out into cyberspace where zillions of people can pore over it for years. But who really cares? As long as I can post a pretty picture and spit out a few coherent sentences I'm happy. A pink cake like this would make me even happier. It's one of the creative yummies you can see at Coolest Birthday Cakes where you can find recipes and pans for cake designs ranging from Dora the Explorer to lambs and alligators to monster trucks. Like everything else on the Net - there's something for everybody.

PRETTIER AND PRETTIER Plus size clothing is becoming big business (terrible pun intended). Which is good! For too many years there were too few choices for ladies of a certain size who wanted to look stylish and sexy. One of the companies leading the market in providing quality apparel is Plus Size Plum . Deborah, owner of the business, is a champion for larger women who want to look chic. Her many years modeling and working in high-end retail give her a keen eye for quality fashion. Some of the items I noticed on her site, these chemises , look like they can easily do double-duty. Pair this one with a cardigan and you have a perfect outfit for an informal party. (Would you describe the gorgeous black gown pictured here as cool and classy or just plain hot?)

UNIQUE - AND ECO-FRIENDLY - GIFTS Ever wonder what happens to those discarded bottles you see on the side of the highway? If they're found by Nicole at Paloma Pottery they're destined to become art. By fusing recycled and crushed glass into pottery she creates jewelry (the pendant on the left is my favorite piece), candleholders, tiles - and much more. Nicole gives shoppers over 30 products to choose from - each available in a choice of eight colors. Two of her best-sellers - these ring holders make perfect birthday or shower gifts. And the price is very friendly - only $26.75 (it's also available in a smaller size for $23.00).

A TRUE SMART BARGAIN You never know what you'll find on Smart Bargains . I scan it periodically looking for great steals and deals. This particular find just begs to be shared! I'm not a fan of licensed products; being a walking ad has never been my thing. But this Hello Kitty sweater may change that. Soft heather gray. Lightweight cashmere. Vee neck. 62% off the original price - it's only $119.99. I know what the next charge on my AmEx may be.

ALREADY SHOPPING FOR FALL Fall and winter styles are already out. It's time to go shopping! Gray's one of the hot colors this season - it's a great addition and/or substitute for black. And it doesn't hurt to have neutral colors with all of the bright jewel tones. I've been loving Harveys Seatbelt Bags since I saw the first one. Here's one of their newest styles - notice the gray with black. The bag comes in a variety of contrasting colors and styles - here's a peek . I also like this bag from the Treecycle collection - the subtle shades of gray and light brown give it a sophisticated look. The Treecycle bags have hemp lining with eco-friendly ink.

CHANGE CAN BE GOOD Today I received an email from one of my favorite blogs, The Daily Obsession , that had a link to their new web site. Wow. It's as clean and sophisticated as the blog itself. What's with the pretty swimsuit picture you ask? Follow this link to see TDO's rave review - and you'll see what the new site looks like!

DESIGN*SPONGE LETTERPRESS GUIDE Today's post at design*sponge included a marvelous directory of letterpress studios. In addition to giving us the scoop on many creative designers, Grace provided the information so that it can be sorted in a variety of ways; custom work, pre-made, e-commerce enabled and many more. Anybody who isn't familiar with letterpress stationary should definitely take a look at these sites. I'm always amazed by the creativity of the designers. Whether you're looking for something with classic fonts in a basic format, fun and funky, ultra-hip or modern, there's a designer out there who's making it. The card pictured on this post is a Bird and Banner creation. Other fun stuff to look at - Zeichen Press cd sleeves , Birdwood Press scrolls , and Invited Ink's Backstage Pass collection.

MY FAVORITE HAND SANITIZER Hand sanitizers can sometimes be hard on dry skin; the chemicals contained in many of them is death to eczema-prone (ick) skin. Thank goodness for EO's organic skin and hair care products. I've been using their organic lavender hand sanitizer for the past month and absolutely love it. The aloe vera and safflower oil actually soothes and moistens hands, combating the organic alcohol that cleans them. I also love their hand soap ; a great plant-infused antiseptic that contains no alcohol. The company also makes hand and body lotions and oils, shower gels, and lip treatment. Available at Body of Grace (which offers a 15% discount on most EO products).

GOOD GREEN FUN What's a Stemcil you ask? The latest in fun for kids and adults alike! These pencils are made of recycled newspapers (vs. beautiful cedar trees) and have scented lead. Give your still life a strawberry scent or draw a picture of a bubblegum-scented dog! As someone who's trying to 'go green', I'm always on the lookout for fund and innovative ways to do so. Stemcils fundraising programs are great for enlightening kids while helping them raise money for their schools and groups. (Who wouldn't like to buy something other than a sugar-laden candy bar or more wrapping paper?) And there's even a Home Kit that allows you to scent your own Stemcil. A great rainy day or birthday party activity! Thanks to Great Green Goods for the find .

OH LA LA! Trust Laurie at Blooming Lily to find some fun and quirky jewelry. This is one of Oh! LaLa's current collections; the curvy crosses paired with rich colors have a European look. I can easily picture the gold-tone pieces with black; this collection must look fabulous with this summer's white tops and blouses. French owner/designer Karine Sultan and her team make each piece by hand using stones and epoxy to achieve the unique look. Alas, these jewels are only available to wholesalers. Send an e-mail to this address to find out where you can pick up a piece.

NOT YOUR DADDY'S ROLODEX I'm posting this picture of a yellow Rolodex to prove to a friend that yes, the tried-and-true office necessity does come in colors other than black. Mine is pink ! While looking for a picture on the company's official site I found their Virtual Workspace line . Wow. These are yummy goodies. I'm just imagining my increased productivity - not to mention creativity - with one of these office sets. My favorite is the Harmony collection . Now it's a matter of sorting out whether to make an office or clothing investment . . .

THE ULTIMATE GIFT BASKETS Don't you love feeling the excitement of someone who's preparing to launch an internet-based business? And being able to give them one little hint that is truly appreciated? I started my day chatting with a lady who's looking for just the right 'look and feel' for her web site. I immediately thought of La Vie en Rose . In addition to having a beautiful site that's easy to navigate, the company makes some of the most original - and spectacular - gift baskets out there. Imagine opening a box and finding an experience! A great book, tea to sip while reading it, background music, Karen Neuburger slipper socks; how good can it get? Here's an example of a basket called For Extraordinary Women , perfect for the special women in your life. Look at The Prima Ballerina for a truly feminine little girlfriend. My favorite? A Gift of Friendship .

MY NEW FAVORITE LIP BALM While shopping last week I paused at the Burt's Bees display - I always look at their new products. As soon as I saw their new lip balm I knew I had to have it. Lip Shimmers is the company's newest line of lip products. Unlike other lip balms (both Burt's and other companies') it's actually creamy. There's a great selection of colors (11!) that look like they'll work with every complexion. I love the Papaya. I can't think of enough good things to say about this product: it's 100% natural, comes in a nice little tube (no messy finger application), has just enough shimmer to look like lip gloss and is a budget-friendly $4 per tube.

ANOTHER NEW BAG. . . Just found another 'gotta-have-it' bag, this one from Envirosax. Believe it or not, this is a grocery bag! What a great replacement for those tedious plastic bags that so often end up tangled in trees or on the side of the highway. And there's also the virtuous feeling of becoming just a little bit 'greener'. Envirosax's bags are waterproof, lightweight and hold the equivalent of two regular plastic grocery bags (thanks to reinforced seams). They also come in an array of fashionable designs . I love the black and white collection. And there's even a little pouch you can use to keep them in your glove box between trips to the supermarket. Thanks to PoppyTalk for the scoop on Delight's special free shipping offer!