Bistre Maven

{Unique Beep: Glow Mama Pregnancy Drink}

Every so often in my mommy biz saga I not only meet some pretty fabulous people, but Ialso get the opportunity to try some wonderful products and help spread the good cheer, or in this case good 'glow' to all of you.  My latest go was with a wonderfully surprising nutritious drink called 'Glow Mama'.  I'm a bit picky when it comes to beverages and food, so I entered into my taste test with some skepticism, but all was put to rest after finishing my first bottle.  The Glow Mama taste is one that is uniquely sweet, yet lightly crisp that feathers your taste buds with cool hydrating flavor. I was so convinced of the wonderful flavor I enlisted my hubby to try some too.  And after I convinced him to give the bottle back to me, he too was sold.  

Glow Mama was created by Harvard grad and double Engineering degree mommy Lucy Leahy. This mommy has multi-tasking down, and has shared her love of kiwi and drinks with the rest of us...you can thank her here.

{Easy on the Ta-Ta Bounce}

And the 'Ladies Rejoiced'. Women who are blessed with endowment, can also thank their maker for the extra load that the Ladies put on them while trying to exercise, or jog or even doing some Billy Blanks. (Well actually me and Billy Blanks don't get along...but that's another topic) 

But none the less having larger than say a C or a D cup makes staying fit well, troublesome. The ta-ta's seem to take on a mind of their own and before you know it they're dancing around everywhere.  There have been times when I think to myself maybe if I could just wrap my arms around them and continue I could mangage much better. But how ridiculous would that look...let me tell you Pretty Ridiculous! So when I was browsing through the Mompreneurs Marketplace and came across the 'Janestrap' I heard the Hark Herald Angles sing...

Finally someone with larger breasts has found a way to help us all out that have this issue with this wonderful addition to your sports bra. It's easy to wear and no one will know you got one on. Brilliant!

{Give Your Heart Away}

So you're stuck with the job of secret santa again this year eh? Well have no fear my Maven's, this year we're going to be showering you with the best must-haves for all your secret santa shopping.  And don't forget to gift yourself...I mean c'mon you deserve it after all that hard web shopping you're gonna do right?  

But don't forget to share your shopping treasures with your gal pals...they're gonna wanna know where you get all your super fab shopping done at anyway. So you might as well share...~Enjoy. 

~Today we go to the wonderful Red Thread Confections - Handcrafted Artisan Gourmet Chocolates

*Why you should grab some? - Umm it's gourmet chocolate, need we say more.  Plus each piece is an exquisite work of art...you almost don't want to eat one, but rather savor the beauty of each piece. I said Almost :)

* These little heart of gems are perfectly blended with the sweetness of raspberries...ahhh

*$7.95-$31.00

{Green Owl Day}

Well not really but I just had to share this too cute find I came across on etsy.com today. 
How just amazing is this little purse. It's handcrafted in leather and it is a little green owl!  I love it, just love it.  And they don't stop there, they dogs, cats, pigs...don't take my word for it, head on over now and see for yourself! 

My Affair...with Specialty Papier*

I can't really describe what has happened to me, but my only guess is that because I am a pretty creative person I have to explore many different creative options often.  My new start-up only leaves me a bit of hands on creativity so to quench my thirst for creative Juju, I've taken to exploring working with paper. And now I know why so many people are addicted to scrapbooking, to card making and just anything paper.  Your options...limitless, only to your imagination.  So you may start to see more features about fabulously clever and creative boutiques out there doing just that....creating with paper. 

Here is my latest find.  Pink Paris Paperie, ooh where to start, well first my favorite stationery is the Merci Beaucoup Notecards, the lovely Damask background and the always gorgeous Tagettes lettering is just too divine. And there is no short of creativity and detail in the design. Created using a signature technique achieved with complex digital equipment and Spanish textured paper they achieve the ultimate in 'French feminity'.  Simple, but such a thoughtful sentiment. $22.99

 

{Pretty Syck...it's Chronic Maven}

Are you a Maven? One who is on top of her game, one is fierce in the face of adversity and challenge, one is creatively empowered to go beyond what the norm tells you?  Well we think we are too.  In addition to bloggin' here I also am taking up the challenge of blogging on my new spot called 'The Chronic Maven'. 

Here's a little background: After dealing gestational diabetes with my second son, I decided to start designing my very own collection of stylish, modern glucose meter bags called Stick Me Designs.  The journey with my company has been an eye-opener in so many ways. Not only have I connected with some of the best people on the net, but I'm learning so much about what it means to be chronically ill, or dealing with a disease everyday of your life. Even though I no longer have diabetes I stay connected to combat the onset of Type2, the most common form of diabetes today, which I'm at a 60% risk of acquiring later on in life. For so many women and men too, it is an on-going battle with some of lifes hardest challenges, and obstacles.  But there is a lighter side, a happy optimistic side that not too many people understand or get to see. And that is what the Chronic Maven is all about. 

It is about the beauty in finding new things that make being Chronic not so much. It is about those small companies out there making a difference in the lives of those who need beauty, and style to give them that little nudge of pick-me-up during a hard day, it is a celebration of what makes you keep pressing forward when all you want to do is cry and give-up. 

So my contribution is showcase all these things on the net that has beautiful purpose and fabulous function.  It's 'Chronic Chic', it's 'Chronic Fabulous'...it's 'The Chronic Maven'.  I'd like to invite any of my readers out there to wander on over, and see this beautifully driven take on the happy side of being Chronic. And if you have a Chronic Find let us know, we're itchin' to find the best of the net for TheChronic Maven!

{Stick Me Designs Is -->KILLER}

AND…this my friends is a good good thing! Our company Stick Me Designs is being featured on one of the fastest growing community driven websites around: Killer Startups.  We’ve been KILLED!

By being featured we have the opportunity to be seen by thousands of potential investors and customers every day, for the next 30 days. Why am I telling you this, because you can click on that little button over to your LEFT and give us your kill votes.  Being featured means that our start up has phenomenal potential, (we thought so too) but hearing about it through another start-up who just launched in Jan ‘07 and is already in the Alexa top 5,000 is REALLY speaking volumes.

Be a *sweetie* and vote for us and give us MORE KILLS PULEEZE!

{Celebrate Yourself | You're Beautiful}

We have to admit, in today's society it's tough to genuinely look in the mirror and truly believe that you're a beauty or that you're deserving of star treatment when everyone else in your world seems more important.  And do you believe that you could grace a glossy magazine cover or look sensational in lingerie??  Most of us don't, but after one look at Rachel Stephens-O'Riordan unbelievable custom portraiture service Sirens and I too am a believer...and truth be told I just delivered my second son 2 months ago!!   

Rachel is in the business of making real women feel phenomenal and giving them a work of art featuring themselves in a beautiful glamorous light.  In her own words Rachel states, "My goal is to create enough buzz around the US and abroad to travel the globe touching women's lives everywhere."  I spent just a few short minutes on the site (read 30 minutes) and was taken aback at the fabulous images of real women, with real bodies beaming with total confidence.  What a wonderful way to let someone in your life know they're special loved and wanted, or why not make yourself feel this way with a session with Rachel.

Rachels service is exclusively for the affluent woman who can catch up with Rachel while she is on tour with her glamorous service.  See some of her on her website and find tour dates and locations as well. 

{**Stick Me Designs...Arriving**}

Well sort of. I'm excited to be launching my newest start-up, Stick Me Designs. What is it? Well it is a collection of bags designed exclusively for stylish diabetics.  Yup these bags pull double duty, while they are cute and modern on the outside they're functional on the inside holding everything from glucose meters, to testing strips and lancets to candy and small wipes. 

After getting gestational diabetes with my second son Ace, I came face to face with the terribly ugly black nylon bag that comes with the meter they 'issue' you.  I mean I guess black goes with everything but it sure doesn't add any personality or style to your look.  And geez I had to have this thing with me everyday, all the time and I wanted it to liven up my wardrobe not blend in. 

So my creative heart went to work. First looking for cute designs - coming up with nothing - to sketching my own.  My vision is to change our styles every so often and retire collections to create a ever changing line to pick from.  And we've also got other style types in the works right now. 

Take a look at our launch collection here.  The bags are stain-resistent, modestly priced at $34.99, and have a wristlet handle to tote them with, (future styles will have this as a removable option), and they can be pre-ordered TODAY!

   

If you're diabetic or know a loved one that is share our collection* :)

~Hit with Gestational Diabetes...Turning Apples 2 Apple Pie :)~

After being diagnosed with GD during this second pregnancy I was also faced with carrying around a very boring, very black glucose meter bag.  Can we say fashion faux pas???  No way, not for me. I wanted to carry these new necessities in style and with flair. But after searching and searching one could not find a cute enough bag to suit my needs. Ahh in comes another creative idea.  Design your own*  My research still continues, but I'm in the process of having a professional sample created from my very rough, very crude prototype.  I'm very excited because the response to the proto has been positive.  Now if we can get my designs created and shown to some really hip and fashion forward diabetics, we could be on our way to outfitting this very special yet demanding group of people.  See my prototype here at http://stickmedesigns.com Please leave any feedback or opinions you may have here*:)