Supernatural Botanicals

Huge thank you to Evoice for featuring Supernatural Botanicals this month!

If there’s one thing Ivanka Trump knows, it’s business.  Ivanka’s book, The Trump Card, is far more than stories from a spoiled little rich girl.  Her parents have groomed her into the successful businesswoman she is today.

Surprisingly far more than a story of nepotism at its finest, Ivanka is a credentialed and intelligent woman following in her father, Donald Trump’s, footsteps.

Ivanka, a former runway model, also has an eye for stunning business attire as well.  She is a perfect balance of business meets femininity.  If you want to emulate a businesswoman with fabulous style…Ivanka’s your girl.

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.

Book Review:  Rinnavation, Getting Your Best Life Ever.

Author:  Lisa Rinna. 

Talk about a pleasant surprise….Lisa Rinna’s book has me surprised!  In Lisa’s new book, Rinnavation, she shares with us advice she’s learned over the years from celebrity stylists and celebrity hair and makeup artists.  She also shares secrets on diet, exercise, beauty, even sex! 

She shares a lot of her life with us in her book, to include her delicious husband, Harry Hamlin, and her two beautiful daughters.  And for the record, she shares lots, and I mean lots, of sexual tricks in the bedroom she and Harry have.   I love that spice about Lisa. 

Another discovery is that Lisa is deep…spiritually, emotionally, sexually, etc.  Beyond the blatant beauty she exudes (and such good hair), girlfriend is a self-help junkie and for that reason alone, one could love her!  When a person reveals their card-carrying membership of the “Self-Help-Club”, you feel they are part of a society that few understand. 

Self-help lovers are continually seeking excellence.  They continually seek making the world a better place to live in for themselves and others.  They continually strive to be more….to create more, to produce abundance.  And they practice being happy beings.  It’s an amazing secret-society, of sorts, that makes you feel more connected to one another.  It’s an unwritten understanding between people who “get” the self-help genre, and those who don’t.

Lisa delves into her personal life and her beauty and fitness routines.  She gives us the skinny on how she looks so darn good all the time.  She even explains the lips…silicone!  She explains the ambition….The Secret and the Power of Positive Thinking.   She explains the happiness….Great sex life with Harry.  She explains the body….fitness-fiend.  She explains the boobs…plastic surgery. 

In summary, Lisa tells you how to get your best life ever.  The basic premise of it is, and always has been, exercise, eating well, big thinking, loving your life, and continual learning.   

Five stars! 

Forbes list of Hollywood’s Top Earning Actresses: 

1: Angelina Jolie $27 million
2: Jennifer Aniston – $25 million
3: Meryl Streep – $24 million
4: Sarah Jessica Parker- $23 million
5: Cameron Diaz – $20 million
6: Sandra Bullock – $15 million
7: Reese Witherspoon – $15 million
8: Nicole Kidman – $12 million
8: Drew Barrymore – $12 million
10: Renee Zellweger – $10 million
11: Cate Blanchett – $8 million
12: Anne Hathaway – $7 million
12: Halle Berry – $7 million
14: Scarlett Johansson  - $5.5 million
15: Kate Winslet – $2 million

Color
Color sends a strong nonverbal message and is the first thing a person sees. Think about what you want to communicate and then choose colors that support that impression.

Navy: Honesty, integrity
Black: Sophistication, authority
White: Freshness, reliability
Tan: Elegance, approachability
Brown: Stability, security
Gray: Strength of character, refinement
Burgundy/Maroon: Classic, elegance
Plum: Regal, diplomatic
Teal: Inventive, soothing
Red: Passion, tenacity

Quote:  “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not putting yourself out there….you are not taking the sort of risks that are inherent in any degree of meaningful success.  Mistakes are tuition…..Sally Hogshead, advertising guru, on success.

I’m always excited to network with other women in business.  There’s so much to be learned from each and every one of them.  I recently interviewed my friend, Kristy Abner, owner of Kristy’s Kreations.  She makes gorgeous handmade jewelry that’s as pretty as Kristy is!  Read Kristy’s blog interview below, then visit her website, www.KristysKreations.com, to see her entire line of jewelry.

*What made you decide to start a jewelry business?
I noticed that I started getting compliments on my jewelry from strangers when I was out shopping or running errands so I thought, Hmm…why not try to sell it and see what happens?

*Why did you start making jewelry?
I bought a beautiful cross pendant with peridots and amethysts and I didn’t want to just put it on a silver chain, so I looked everywhere trying to find a beaded necklace to go with it and then after a long and exhaustive search I thought to myself, why not try to make what I want myself? I’m so glad I did.

* How did you learn to make jewelry?
I’m basically self taught. I took several beginners classes at Union Bead Boutique to get the basic ideas and concepts down. I also have a good friend, Lynn, who makes jewelry and we share our knowledge with each other.

* What are your favorite materials to work with?
Copper, Sterling Silver, Glass Beads (made by my husband) and beads in shades of blue and green.

* Where do you draw inspiration from?
Everything! Mainly bead magazines, but sometimes I just see a color combination that I love and I just go with it.

* What are your favorite pieces to make? (rings, necklaces, bracelets?)
I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite! I do enjoy making pieces using the lampwork (glass) beads that my husband makes. I love showing him what I’ve done with his beads.

* Do you and your husband share a workshop? No, he has his workshop out in our garage and I have a room in our house that holds most of my tools and supplies. I usually end up stringing beads while sitting on my bed, even though I have a room where I could do that! My husband is currently working on his own website but you can find his information on mine.

* What have been your biggest challenges in business? That would have to be promoting my business. I do the most business by word of mouth, although every once in awhile I get a customer who just happens upon my site.

* What are some of your favorite websites?
http://www.firemountaingems.com/
http://www.theearthbazaar.com/EarthBazaar/EarthBazaar.aspx
http://www.agrainofsand.com/

* Any advice for someone wanting to start their own business?
If you are going to sell something that is handmade, then start first with a site like artfire.com and etsy.com where you can test the waters by having a store that doesn’t cost much and sell a few things to see how it goes before jumping in with both feet.

*Any additional information you might want readers to know?
I am going to be published in a bead magazine called BeadTrends. I will be in their July issue and their September issue.
I’m on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/kristysjewelrydesigns

And on face book at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/pages/Kristys-Kreations-Jewelry/56891326209?sid=9205dd9f534a7c00f42f77dccff59dce&ref=search

My website is
http://www.kristyskreations.com/

   We simply can’t avoid it, most larger companies are exercising their right to slum it one day a week, also known as business casual day.  I never could understand it, really.  We can’t make the effort to look professional all five days a week?  I guess I’ve grown to loathe the term so much because I’ve seen business casual so sorely abused.  I’ve seen open-toed shoes in the office.  I’ve seen sandals in the office.  I’ve seen denim.  I’ve seen khakis on women that were so short and so tight, it was neither casual nor comfortable…and certainly not acceptable for public viewing.

Personally, I’ve never bought into the notion of business casual.  I love my power heels and skirts.  I love a smart, tailored suit.   I love beautiful, minimalistic jewelry to accessories with.  Being polished and pulled together is a mind set that separates you from the, well, not so pulled together.

   I once had a meeting that was business casual.  Honest to goodness, a lady walked in with a denim button up shirt that had Budweiser embroidered on it accompanied by leggings and sandals.   If you should dress for the kind of job you want, what kind of job do you think she wanted?

   Conversely, you need to know how to do business-dress properly as well.  I once knew a women who held an authoritative position who attempted to dress for success, however her wardrobe was so grossly dated and 80s, she may as well have just gone business casual.  She still wore suit jackets that had shoulder pads, for the love of Liz Claiborne!   Everything about her appearance screamed Golden Girls, right down to her gold rimmed totally 80s glasses to her bouffant hair style that looked to be a powdered wig.  Her look aged her 20 years.

This isn’t rocket science, girlfriend.   If you feel you absolutely need to go business casual, there is a right way to do it, and positively, there is a wrong way to do it.  Lets discuss:

*Nothing too tight, such as khakis that you can’t breathe in.  They make you look bigger than you are and show your panty lines…or even worse, cellulite.

*Nothing too short, such as skirts hitting you mid thigh or pants hitting you mid ankle.   Capri pants are not even an option…don’t go there.

*Absolutely no leggings, ever.  I’d like to tell you to never own a pair of leggings as they make your legs look like stuffed sausages and are horribly dated, but if you must, make sure it’s at home.  Never wear a pair of leggings to the office, no matter how much you think you’ve accessorized them.

*No open-toed shoes…not even your favorite pair of peep toe pumps.   I know, I know, I love an open toe pump as much as Christian Louboutin, but these must be reserved for after the office or the bedroom.  They just have no place in the office.  And be sure the dress shoes you wear are clean, free of scuff marks, and appropriate for business.  No one wants to see your toes or even your perfect pedicure in the office.

*Your hose or socks should either match your dress/pants, or your shoes.  You have two options here.  That’s why dressing for success shouldn’t be so daunting.  You have two choices here…either match your skirt or pants, or match your shoes.  Very neutral nude hose will also work with a skirt (not pants), but be sure to find a very nude color to match your skin.  That being said, never go to work with a bare leg even if you have a beautiful tan.   It’s simply unprofessional.

Below are some good examples of business casual.  You’ll notice, these pieces are mixed and matched to create several different outfits.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money on your wardrobe, you just have to make smart choices.  My personal outlook on it all is to stay classy, stay business-business every day.  But if you do go business casual, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself, if I was offered a huge promotion today, do I look the part?

     Barbara Turf is the first woman CEO of Crate and Barrel.  In an economic time when Linens n’ Things filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and other high end cookware retailers, like Williams-Sonoma, has revised its revenue guidance downward, Crate and Barrel seems to be forging straight ahead, largely due to Turf’s leadership.

Turf’s career has certainly been a Cinderella story, or sorts.  After all, she went from walking through Crate and Barrel’s doors in Chicago 40 years ago to interview for a part-time sales clerk position, and landed the job.   Today, she is their first women CEO.

Although women in business leadership were a rarity at that time, Turf displayed incredible courage when she found she was making less money than one of her colleagues.  She brought it to the owner’s attention, and got a raise on the spot.  (We hope to see less and less of this thanks to the Fair Pay Bill that President Obama just passed.)

Via Pink Magazine, Turf shares with us 5 Success Secrets:

1. Work a little harder, get a little tougher, and you’ll reap rewards. Women are such a powerful and important group of decision-makers and consumers, and it’s more important than ever that we make our voices heard as leaders.

2. Life/Work balance can be achieved, but you must have the desire and be very energetic, because you have to put a lot of effort into work and also have energy left over.

3. As leaders and business owners, it’s always a good time to look to the future. We at Crate and Barrel believe that the best ideas often come from the next generation.

4. Success isn’t about money or the power you have. It’s about staying true to who you are, to your gut, and being happy.

5. Do what you love and the successes you achieve will just be the icing on the cake.

Mondays are a perfect time to reconnect with your inner positive self, and to look at your goals.  Instead of typical Monday Mayhem, perhaps we should look Monday straight in the eye and feel confident because (A) we are learning to be fearless leaders and (B) creating a plan for your life and career makes the walk through the corporate lipstick jungle far less fearful.   Be inspired by women like Barbara Turf.  Learn from their trial and tribulations.  One of my favorite quotes, by another fearless woman leader is, “When you know better, you do better.”  Maya Angelou.