Supernatural Botanicals

The dreaded bridesmaid’s dress doesn’t have to be the dreaded bridesmaid dress anymore.  Brides are taking more chances now, doing what works for them and their likes, and moreover, their budgets.  If you are a good girlfriend to your friends, chances are, you have a closet full of disgarded southern belle dresses from their weddings.  But now that brides are adding their own unique twist, and realizing that no one likes the southern bell dress, and not even your BFF really wants to wear it. 

If you are getting married, you are strongly encouraged to (A) Be unique!  (B) Give your wedding your own personal flare of bling.  Let your freak flag fly, sister.  and (C)  Avoid the dreaded traditional bridesmaid dress at all cost. 

This is how a few beautiful brides injected a flare of their own personalities at their weddings. 

Nothing improves your mood quicker than great music.  Jeff Gold’s Escapes Music for Relaxation is tranquil and relaxing comfort music, ideal for creative inspiration, music therapy, healing, massage, yoga, or just winding down.   We listen to this CD in Supernatural Botanicals’ workshop, and find it to be great music to work to, relaxing the mind and allowing the creative inspiration to flow.  It’s fabulous!  Check out Jeff Gold’s website to listen and purchase to his fantastic music.

We learn so much from our friends.  You gain so much more…more of everything… insight, knowledge, humor, empathy, etc., by connecting to others.  Enter my friend, Jennifer, from across the pond.  Manchester, specifically.  Her story is amazing!  Jennifer has the kind of Eat- Pray-Love courage, the Under-The-Tuscan-Sun type of courage that inspires you and makes you connect to her instantly.  Jennifer writes a wildy successful blog about the trials and tribulations of a girl who loves her life.  So connect to Jennifer through her journey.  Start here.  Let’s meet Jennifer.  

Who she is:   My name is Jennifer Grace Cook and in August of 2010 I launched my personal blog, An American Girl’s Guide to a Noble Manchester. A Noble Manchester is located at www.anoblemanchester.com

Why she started the blog

I am a 44 year-old screenwriter from Los Angeles and after 20 years in the entertainment industry I woke up one morning to discover that not only was I beaten down by the business but that I was heading straight into early onset menopaul.  At this young age I was experiencing all the signs of menopause, the hot flashes, irregular menstrual cycle, heart palpitations, sleep disruption. While surprising to my OBGYN it’s not unheard of for women my age to experience it and my family history suggested a predisposition to early onset, but I was absolutely blindsided. I was just learning to love the idea of being fabulous and 40.

Now, for me it wasn’t just a matter of can I have a baby? It was can I be in a loving relationship? Can I love and be loved by the kind of man I would want to have a baby with?  What I realized was that I had spent my 20s and 30s creating a career and a lifestyle and I was learning how to be in healthy, loving and empowering relationships but I was having trouble navigating between career and personal life. What I understood was, in an effort to get the things I wanted in my career, I couldn’t be vulnerable anymore. I had trained that quality out of myself, I was a cold and inaccessible woman, and so my ambition was counter intuitive to a healthy personal life. I had to find a way to change, to allow myself to be vulnerable to allow myself to be available to love.

I was living a third of the life I was capable of living and I knew I had to change. So I decided to force myself into a vulnerable place. I decided to combine my personal life with my career and I took an enormous 6-month risk and moved from LA to Manchester, England where I am documenting, via blog, my search for noble love and nobility of character. My belief is when Irecognize it in others, kindness, generosity, integrity, inspiration and passion; all the things that make up a noble character, those qualities will also become apparent in me. I endeavor to a lead with an authenticity, a purity, a kind of humanity that will then make me attractive to the kind of man I want to be with, the kind of man I’d want to raise a child with.

The journey across the pond

Living in England feels like something of a miracle. Even though we have similar social structures and so much of American culture, our entertainment etc dominates over here I’m suddenly paying very close attention to the experiences and people I encounter. So the miracle is that I pay attention to everything. People, interactions, and I engage in a very open way, without any kind of preconceived notion. I’m relying solely upon my gut.

It’s forcing a new perspective. I do this thing where, while writing, when I feel stuck, when I know I’m not exploring the whole possibility, what I’ll do is literally get up and stand on the kitchen table, or the desk or wherever I am and just take a look around the room. I feel like you have to constantly invite yourself to look at things from another angle. And so when you ask what it’s like to cross the pond, it 

And being here, well I am different than I thought I would be. England is actually kind of what I thought it would be, not a lot of surprises. But I am different. I’m not as smooth as I thought I would be. I stumble a lot, I’m off balance – quite literally, the cobblestones are hard to walk on and also figuratively, which is exactly what I intended. And my life lessons are happening quickly. I feel like I’m learning at that increased rate that babies learn at.

Americans are a very powerful breed and America became America in just over 200 years. That is impressive, all that has been built; the cities, the culture. Americans are forthright and ambitious and dynamic and we make our presence known. We have no trouble selling ourselves or finding the initiative or gumption to seize the day. So as an American I have that in me, that indomitable vision.

Since I came on this journey I often hear, “You are so brave.” And I don’t feel brave at all. I just feel like it had to be done. I had to change and I wanted to do it in this kind of large way. But I think there is a delicacy that I lack, that Americans lack.  It’s a delicacy that I’ve learned is actually necessary. The truth is, what I see is that America is about ‘result’ and England (and Europe to a large degree) is about ‘process.’ And the process sometimes requires delicacy and finesse. Neither of which are my “go to attributes.” So my largest lessons have been how to communicate with people in an authentic and sensitive way. How to initiate and fortify genuine friendships without expectation. How to just give. How to make a relevant and valued contribution. And all of this can be a little clunky. But I’ve become patient with myself and I’m paying attention, so my growth is quite rapid and I feel like the work I’m doing is so very important.

My writing is growing as well, the blog and journey began as a search for a man and it has evolved into a holistic willingness to see nobility in others. The lessons I’m sharing I think are valuable. And I am lucky that I’ve been able to come and do this, that I have the support and ability to take this time to revolutionize myself in this rather comprehensive and significant way.

Men, Foreign and American Men and Friends

Initially when I launched the blog here in Manchester, which was in January; content from August through December told the story of who I was and how I came to the decision to come to Manchester, but when I launched in January I had some local and regional press so I got a number of e-mails from men who wanted to date me. And I knew that the man I was looking for, the man I would end up with wasn’t going to be one of the men who contacted me straight out of the gate. I knew that I had a kind of spiritual connection to him and I had a journey to go on so finding him would probably happen at the end of it or pretty close to the end because I wasn’t ready for him just yet. I knew he wasn’t going to be the first guy who sent me an e-mail on day one.

And I learned pretty quickly that those men who contacted me had their own set of motives. A couple of them were married, one was interested in the attention I was getting in the press, another was caught up in the novelty of it all. These were not the guys I wanted to be on this journey with. And within a few weeks I decided I wouldn’t meet men who contacted me via the blog. This process is

Now men are men. Which really means they are people first and foremost. They have the same emotional capacity and same emotional needs as women, they just communicate differently. And every man I’ve ever known is different in that way. Some are super mushy and highly articulate when it comes to expressing themselves and some just can’t be bothered or would rather drive a hot poker through their forehead than talk about how they feel. Men are men no matter where you are. There is absolutely an English reserve, but a lot more sex and nudity, by the way, female and male, on TV, which is still a little confusing despite he reserve. I’ve noticed the people in Manchester are far more open than those in London. And also despite the reserve, because I’m so forthcoming people tend to just roll with it. I’ll talk about anything, again learning about delicacy, but I think my openness creates space for others, men and women to maybe abandon that reserve a bit. There are social constructs that are a little different here. Most people only date one person at a time and people tend to get into relationships quickly here. Marriage is not the end game target that it is in America. Often couples have children together and never marry. That is pretty common here in the UK. And they don’t refer to each other as a “girlfriend” or “boyfriend,” it’s “my partner” which was kind of confusing for me at first because in America gay couples make reference to their “partner”. I thought at first everyone was gay. It’s been funny learning those little nuances.

I think men and women can be friends easier here. And when I watch couples, particularly couples in their 20s they seem to be at such ease with one another, it’s a certain kind of respect and maturity, which is hard to explain. Maybe it’s that there’s not so much a tug of war between them. Men are men in the relationship and women are the women in the relationship and there’s not any kind of confusion that I think American men and women have about roles. I’m hoping to take home a few pointers on this particular subject, because I think we, Americans, have some learning to do in this area.

Where do you see yourself in five years

Well, I will be at the tail end of my 40s in five years, which I suppose will be a significant moment I think and I see myself living in a big city. I am a city girl. I see myself in a committed loving relationship that I will feel such gratitude for because it’s taken me some time to get to the place where I really wanted that or could be good at it. I don’t anticipate or desire perfection, because that’s just no fun. I’m excited to learn what the challenges will be in that relationship. I see myself gracefully working through the challenges. I see family. And maybe children, maybe not but family definitely, and family meaning a collaborative, an effort between my husband/partner, my parents, my immediate family, my friends all pursuing and supported in a common goal of living a good life. An inspired life.

Goals/aspirations?

I want to write a book. And then I want to write another book and then I want to write a couple more books after that just for good measure. Just so I know that the first two books weren’t a fluke and a lucky follow up to the fluke. I want to create a home that’s a sanctuary for those people I love, a place filled with lots of laughter and generosity and compassion, and inspiration. I want to read all

What does happiness mean to you

Happiness to me is the freedom to keep growing. No matter the environment, with family, with friends, in business. And to explain this I will tell you, I’m obsessed tulips. I’m not sure why because I grew up in south Florida and tulips won’t grow there, too hot. But I have for as long as I can remember simply adored them. And I am constantly buying tulips for myself. All spring long, tulips, tulips, tulips. They have a certain grace. They are a highly responsive and sensitive flower. When you put them in water, a friend once told me to always put a penny in the water with them and the tulips would straighten right up. There’s some kind of chemical reaction to the copper in the water and they just respond to the stimuli. And tulips actually continue to grow. They get taller and longer after they’re cut. And you can trim their stems, cut them, and they will grow. They are challenged and they stretch, they thrive. The freedom to do that, being in the environment that will encourage that; that makes me happy, that makes me grateful.

If you are serious not only about working out, but about being stylish while doing so, look no furhter…Spirit for Living  has got you covered. 

My friends over at Spirit for Living  was generous enough to send me one of their gorgeous classic boat neck shirts.  Being a huge Green fan, I was ultra-impressed that the shirt was made of natural soy and cotton blend.  The shirt is super-soft.  I love the way that the shirt just barely slips off one shoulder once in a while…a little dose of sexy without trying too hard.   

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 It’s a perfect shirt for working out, as it’s comfortable and not confining whatsoever, but it’s also a great shirt to wear with jeans or even a skirt.  We all love multi-functional pieces in our closet and need more of them. 

One look at Spirit for Living’s website and you’ll want every single item they offer.  My next piece will be the slim fit skirt.  It’s so pretty and flattering to the body….and it’s going to look great with my boat neck shirt.  Kudos to Spirit for Living’s founder, Jennifer Smith, for being a female entrepreneur with a consciousness about being Green and ultra-stylish.  Love that! 

Join us today on Blog Talk Radio with Girlfriendology at 2:00 EST to listen in to our girlfriend chat.  Debba Haupert, founder of Girlfriendology.com, will be hosting.  You can call in and chat with us.  Follow the link below.  Talk to you soon!

Girlfriendology BlogTalkRadio show – http://blogtalkradio.com/girlfriendology

or call in (347) 426-3761.

Today’s blog post is courtesy of our friends across the pond in London at the Natural Curtain Company.  They, like us, believe in living a sustainable, Green lifestyle.  We love that we can connect globally, entire countries apart, yet for the same cause…treading lightly on the planet and treating the environment with loving care. 

Guest post contributed by natural product enthusiasts, the Natural Curtain Company.

Although cosmetic companies are very busy convincing you that their products are the key to maintaining healthy, bright skin, you might be surprised to learn that there are many simple natural remedies that you can use out of items in your kitchen or garden to maintain a glowing complexion.

1.  Tea Bags

(Credit: Adermark)

Black tea has diuretic tendencies, which means when drunk they tend to “squeeze-out” liquid from cell membranes so that can flush out toxins and eliminate them from the body when you urinate.  The same principle can be used to combat “bags under the eyes” by simply applying a damp tea bag on both the eyes while laying quietly with your eyes closed.  The tea bags will draw out the excess water build-up that causes the delicate issues around the eyes to appear swollen and dark.

2.  Oatmeal

(Credit: Wallis)

For beautifully refreshing and exfoliating facial cleanser, cook up a batch of a regular, unflavored oatmeal and allow it to cool.  While standing over the sink, use a handful of the oatmeal to scrub your face, particularly and the oily patches around your nose and forehead.  Be gentle when scrubbing the eyes, this delicate skin is easily damaged, but the rest of the face can benefit from a vigorous scrub.

3.  Witch Hazel

(Credit: Crossthwaite)

Although the actual name comes from the old English word “wice,” which means pliant or bendable, it became associated with witches is because the branches of this plant were often used for divining rods.  The bark and leaves from this plant make an excellent astringent that gently removes oil and helps to shrink and contract the blood vessels back to their normal size.  It is ideal for combating — and preventing — pimples and blackheads. Witch Hazel astringent is available for very low cost at most health food stores and pharmacies, and to boost its healing properties you can chill the Witch Hazel before applying.

4.  Aloe Vera

(Credit: Geist)

This succulent plant contains a thick, gooey substance inside its broad leaves that has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes.  In its natural form that promotes healing and has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which make it ideal for treating minor skin infections.  It is also excellent for sunburns because of its moisturizing tenancies.  Regular use of aloe vera keeps a skin supple and helps prevent the build-up of bacteria that can cause skin infections. 

5.  Baking Soda, Vinegar and Salt

(Credit: Mullen)

This powerful combination of simple ingredients can be made into a paste to scrub your face and remove impurities, exfoliate skin cells and remove oil.  Combine the three into a simple paste and use it as a daily scrub or you can use each one separately.  Baking soda alone makes a wonderful tooth-whitener, vinegar is an excellent a stringent — especially when you have been sweating profusely — and salt can be added to a basin full of water and splashed on the face to stimulate healthy circulation, but be sure to keep your eyes closed tight.

She makes healthy beauty products for a living, and for fun, she discusses “all things girly” on her blog. Read all about it and see how you can join in on the fun.

Two years ago, Robin Feltner launched both her blog and her all-natural bath and body company, Supernatural Botanicals. The blog was intended to be an extension of the business, but in many ways, her business is now an extension of the blog.

“I started the blog to keep women, primarily, informed and up to date on the latest trends and information in beauty [and] health,” Feltner says. “But soon thereafter, [it] took on a life of its own.”

Since its launch, the blog has opened doors to new customers, business opportunities and higher search engine rankings. More recently, it’s given Feltner the chance to meet several big stars like Diane Keaton, Valerie Bertinelli, Patricia Heaton, Ann Compton, Helen Hunt and Tony Bourdain.

The blog initially served as an open forum for people to share their insights on her products, ideas and the emerging eco-friendly industry. The blog helps Feltner gain candid insight from customers and readers that she didn’t have access to otherwise, she says. “Anonymous comments can be brutally harsh at times, but it’s exactly what I was looking for,” she says. “I wanted an open dialog where they could express and/or request anything they wanted.”

The blog’s tag-line is “Discussions on All Things Girly,” which offers Feltner — and her readers — a wondrously wide range of topics from which to choose. Typically, you’ll find blog posts with beauty, fitness and eco-living topics, but occasionally you’ll find something else that strikes Feltner’s fancy.

“I’m passionate about being ‘green,’ so that crosses over into my writing quite a bit,” she says. “Beauty and fitness is a given on a girly blog, but interior design and events in Cincinnati have certainly had their share of time in the spotlight on my blog as well.”

Some of her favorite blog posts include: 

• “Thoughts on Business Casual”
• “For the Love of Vintage”
• “Diane Keaton in Cincinnati”

These popular topics drew a crowd, and even attracted the attention of the Smart Talk series organizers. They contacted Feltner two seasons ago to represent Cincinnati as their ambassador for their Connected Conversations series. “It’s been amazing,” she says. “And I have met some of the most incredible people in the process” — Keaton, Bertinelli, Heaton, Compton and Hunt, just to name a few.

But the star power didn’t stop there. Another group found Feltner’s blog and asked her to represent Cincinnati bloggers at the recent Tony Bourdain speaking engagement.

But the big question: Has the blog beefed up her bottom line? The answer is yes, Feltner says. “The blog has helped me reach a greater customer base,” she says. “If you are doing a random search on eco bath and body in Cincinnati, you’ll most certainly find my blog amongst the top Google searches.” A successful, updated blog is a powerful PR tool and her blog is a big reason why Google goes ga-ga for her business, she says.

The blog also helps to add value to her current customers because it invites readers into her life. “I have found that readers enjoy the experience of stepping into my workshop or kitchen to see what I’m doing via pictures I post on my blog,” she says. “I find blogging a unique way to get personal with my customers and readers. It’s important for me to interact with the readers so I can be specific about giving them exactly what they want.”

She doesn’t just interact on her own blog, though. Feltner is a self-proclaimed advocate for reading others’ blogs, too. “Being ultra-connected to each other is an advantage that we’ve never had in the past, and is especially beneficial for business owners,” she says. “Although my personal interests span from green global issues to lipsticks, I do tend to visit particular blogs regularly.”

She says she adores SavortheSuccess.com, a Web site for women entrepreneurs that offers insight into what’s working (and not working) for other women in business. Another favorite of hers is Pink Magazine, which provides inspiration and tools for women in business. She also gives props to her friend Julia’s blog, Hooked On Houses, which covers her love of houses and interiors.

In addition, Feltner belongs to a local group called Cincinnati Women Bloggers. “We are a successful group of women bloggers in the Cincinnati area, and that Web site is an incredible resource to find blogs on all things local, as blog topics vary vastly,” she says.

Last but not least (at least we don’t think so), Feltner shows some chic love. “When I want to know what’s going on in the city, Cincy Chic is positively my first stop,” she says. “I have always found that if it’s worth being known, Cincy Chic knows about it and I’ve attended many local events after learning about them on Cincy Chic.”

Visit Cincy Chic for the article.

PHOTO CREDITS
Photographer: Neysa Ruhl
Model: Robin Feltner
Location: Lofts@4120

Teresa Giudice (Real Housewives of New Jersey) has just written an incredible book on the art of Italian cooking.  More than just a cookbook, this is more like a great book with recipes, because there’s lots of dialogue and pictures to go along with the amazing recipes.  I especially love the pictures she shares of her house and family (four darling little girls and her juicy husband, Joe.) 

I was so impressed with Teresa’s book.  I mean, who doesn’t want to have access to a girlfriend whose parents are straight from the old country and taught her everything they know about old-school Italian cooking?

I adore that she believes so strongly in her heritage.  I adore people of any culture that maintain their roots and are deeply proud of being Italian, Swedish, German, etc.  I love tradition.  It’s something I wish I had in my own family.  Truth be told, I really have no idea where I came from.  I’m blonde, blue eyed, and not exactly what you’d call dark complected.  I know that originally my family came from France.  Beyond that,  it’s a bit unclear.  I’ve always found it to be so interesting to listen to people who have deep heritage.  I need to visit Ancestry.com. 

Teresa shares recipes in her new book, Skinny Italian, that have gone back many generations.  She shares all of her bag of tricks…all the while doing it with her Jersey-Girl attitude and sass! 

I have literally not been able to put this book down for two weeks.  Teresa has even inspired me to try my hand at canning this summer (there’s a whole section on this in her book along with step by step instructions.) 

Admittedly, the Real Housewives franchises have tried to market almost every one of their ladies into a brand…(think Vicki Gunvalson with her new book or LuAnn the Countess with her singing.)  With all the personal branding  promotion, I admit I looked at Teresa’s book with a side-eye, ala Tardy For the Party. 

But Skinny Italian is the real deal.  Real authentic recipes taught by real authentic Italians.  Teresa, I love, love love your new book.  Super-impressive work, Jersey-Girl!

Supernatural Botanicals will be providing Swag Bag-spa products for this event.  The first 100 people will receive a swag bag.  It’s a must!  Don’t miss this. 

Friday Feature:  Hampton’s Style.  One word…Gorgeous.  Two words… Ridiculously Gorgeous!  Let’s discuss: Hampton’s style.  This beach house look is clean and minimalistic.  The use of black and creamy white are perfect in contrast.  Framed pictures (matching mats and black frames are key) add wonderful contrast to the painted bead board walls.  The black iron chandelier is so minimalistic, yet beautiful.  The best part about this design is that it’s so achievable.  Keep your focus with creamy white walls, matching frames in black of varying sizes, and a substantial, yet simple, chandelier to bring this look together.  If you stick with a theme, such as this Hampton’s style decor, it’s easy to design a room like a professional.