i am a diva

Waiting for Yvette

Our own Producer-Diva Mr. Steven, with his extremely-well-received short film, Waiting for Yvette. The fiercely competitive (over 700 entries were received,) selected this touchingly funny film to highlight and compete in the festival, which will be held

Film Description: Yvette is having second thoughts on the eve of an operation that will change her forever.  A heartfelt comedy about friendship, denial, and finding the deeper truth of ourselves beyond the one we tell, starring Emmy nominated actress Wendie Malick, Stephen Tobolowsky, Patrick Kerr and Philip Anthony-Rodriguez .

The highly lauded film has already won awards in festivals such as the Palm Springs Film Festival last year, and there is discussion about turning it into a feature! Snaps to Mr. Steven and everyone else involved in the project.

We are an official entry in the Cleveland film festival and Miami film festival, and the film will be aired starting in April on the LOGO NETWORK (part of MTV).

Suzi Finer
www.suzifiner.typepad.com

The Wedding Belle: Harmony Walton

Get this issue...and who do you think was the featured diva in the latest Riviera Interiors Magazine?

Hah! Harmony Walton in a full, two-page spread (with a spotlight on Cody!) The magazine touched on her family's history in the Rancho Santa Fe area, but the real spotlight focus is on the major accomplishments this talented lady has pulled together with class and style to create the country's premier Wedding Event Resource which treats all people like special celebrities, and all celebrities like special people. Mommy is so proud! And to have spread the cache of the Bridal Bar to the trendy yet classic La Jolla Bird Rock, well, lets just say that this little girl is the embodiment of aspiration fulfilled.

      

Suzi Finer
www.suzifiner.typepad.com

Saving the World… One Handbag at a Time

Celebrities Lead Eco-Fashion Trend with Rebagz™ Recycled Handbags
With concern for the environment reaching a fever pitch worldwide, celebrities who are at the forefront of the green living movement are moving beyond endorsing hybrid cars to embracing eco-fashion.  New York's recent Fashion Week featured "green" fabrics as well as vintage and recycled clothing, and it's no surprised that Hollywood celebrities are now toting environmentally friendly handbags.  Eva Longoria, Heidi Klum, America Ferrara, Kate Walsh and Serena Williams own Half the Sky Design's "Rebagz™"; stylish and vibrant bags in a variety of shapes and sizes made from recycled juice pouches and nylon rice bags.

Rebagz™ are bright, durable handbags that currently come in two different lines. The woven line is made from the recycled juice packs that are cut into strips and woven together to create vivid styles for almost any occasion. The nylon rice bag line includes the Messenger Bag, which can fit a laptop, has compartments for pens and pads and an outer zipper compartment for quick access. The Messenger Bag is popular among both men and women and bear the designs and parts of the words and logos from the rice bags, which are designed to capture attention in the competitive rice market in the Philippines.

The non-profit Sustainable Technology Education Project (STEP) defines eco-fashion as clothes "that take into account the environment, the health of consumers and the working conditions of people in the fashion industry."  Stevens-Heebner – who named her company Half the Sky Designs for the adage, "women hold up half the sky" – simply calls it "the next evolution in style."  She initially planned to make her designs out of fabric.  "I met an amazing group of women using juice packs to make this vivid weave," she says.  "That was the end of the fabric idea."  She found the recycled weave to be far more interesting visually, and felt the same way about the beautiful rice sacks she saw in the Philippines.  "They create a much more fashion-forward design," she adds, "as well as an eco-friendly one."

With a degree in ancient history from Cornell University, Stevens-Heebner views our current ecological state as a challenge we must meet.  "I've learned through my design work that we need to look at everything with fresh eyes and let it inspire us," she says. "That's what we do at Half the Sky Designs. We like to say that we're saving the world…one handbag at a time."

       

Marty Stevens-Heebner
www.halftheskydesigns.com 

Tinsel Trading Company

Tinsel Trading Company-- "awakening the imagination and offering inspiration" I want to share with you a creative wonderland and one of my most favorite destinations in NYC.  Tucked away in the Garment District on W 38th, between 5th & 6th, is a jewel of a shop, Tinsel Trading Company.  Part store, part museum, it is definitely one of the most unique and awe-inspiring shops you'll ever visit. Packed to the ceiling with vintage & new trims, embellishments, ribbons, passementerie, and boxes overflowing with flowers & velvet leaves, this shop baffles the mind.

Tassels, fringes, cords, fabrics, buttons and decorative items of all sorts can be found here, as well as vintage spools of real metallic threads over 70 years old, lovingly presented in their original wrapping with gold labels.  Begun in 1933 by Mr. B, as he was known, Tinsel Trading Company sold metal threads imported from France, known as "tinsel", which were used in military uniforms during WWII. He later expanded his collection to include metallic fabrics, trims, tassels, appliques and all wonders in between, eventually accruing any and everything thing he could find that was made before 1960. "If it remotely fit into his idea of a creative decorative item, he wanted it." says his granddaughter, the current owner, who has expanded upon his original concept to include contemporary goods in the same genre.

You will also find an ever-changing selection of unique handcrafted gifts and home decor with individual departments for tabletop, children, garden, stationery and books. Continuing the Tinsel tradition of "awakening the imagination and offering inspiration," an amazing collection of vintage & new ribbons, as well as art supplies, including Martha Stewart Crafts, can be found at The Store Across the Street, opened in 2004 - floor to ceiling heaven! Workshops with visiting artists are also held here, where you can create a charming felted tote bag with artist Charlotte Lyons, make a vintage inspired bracelet with Terri Ventura, a Victorian Cone with the brilliant Jennifer Paganelli of SisBoom, or glitter a trinket box with me, The Glitter Fairy!

Whether you are looking for a tiny vintage-style skeleton for Halloween, a glass glittered Eiffel Tower by artist Wendy Addison, or just the right vintage ribbons for your latest project, there's a good chance you'll find it at Tinsel Trading Company.  And when you do stop by, please tell them The Glitter Fairy sent you!
www.tinseltrading.com

Laurie Davis AKA The Glitter Fairy
www.glitterworksstudio.blogspot.com

Handcrafted Jewelry from Uganda

To me, two of the most important traits of a diva are the ability to always look your best, and the desire to help others.  To that end, what better way to accomplish both then to purchase something handcrafted by someone less fortunate than us.  Two of my favorites are the Ugandan bracelets sold through Invisible Children and the jewelry crafted by Ugandan women through Bead for Life.  All proceeds from the sale of the jewelry go directly back to Uganda and are used in the fight to eradicate poverty. 

Putting an end to poverty starts with empowerment and both of these organizations provide that link.  By empowering local crafters to create something of beauty, they are learning to provide for themselves and most importantly, to have a sense of self worth.  They are taking steps toward building a bright and independent future.  We can have a hand in helping someone build the life they deserve, what better diva trait can there be?

Resources:
Invisible Children: www.invisiblechildren.com/theMission/Bracelet_Campaign
Bead for Life: www.beadforlife.org/

Spirited Woman Low-Fat Cooking Night

Just wanted to fill you in! We had a total blast at our Spirited Woman Low-Fat Cooking Night with Chef Leslie at her fabulous cooking school. Fifteen fearless spirited women (including head diva Suzi Finer) showed up in the pouring rain to cook "healthy" together, mingle, and to find out some of Leslie's secrets. Leslie has cooked for Presidents and some of the top restaurants on the planet - from Valentino's to Campanile - and we were ready to learn from her and bond in the kitchen. Lots of laughs were had while we sliced, diced, and measured in groups of threes and fours to make Grilled Pear Salad with Goat Cheese, Fudgy Mocha-Toffee Brownies, Butternet Squash Spread with Pepitas, Sicilian Chicken with Orzo Pasta, and a Sherry Fig-Vinaigrette to die for. After we prepared the food, we toasted each other with a glass of wine, and ate our delicious creations Spirited Woman Style. It was really a fun night.

As Spirited Woman's fearless leader, I invite you to attend our upcoming Spirited Woman Events. Why don't you join us in February for our Sexy Tips for Valentine's Day at Godiva's After Dark Romance Boutique or in March for our Chinatown Extravaganza Adventure?  We're all about Creative Fun for Inspired Women. And that means you!

Come join us and bring your spirited women friends!

Nancy Mills
www.thespiritedwoman.com

Super Bowl "Playing Field" Centerpiecey

I just love this football-themed centerpiece idea from InStyle Parties- which by the way is probably my favorite book on entertaining ever. ;) The centerpiece is created from a flat of wheatgrass (available from florists for about $20) and miniature plastic football players and goal posts. So cute and not the least bit cheezy!

BTW - if you're in the San Diego area - HWTM will be on Streetside San Diego this Friday with some more fun - and contemporary - food & decorating ideas for Playoff and Super Bowl parties :)

Jenn Sabranti
www.hostessblog.com

Green World Ahead!

Here's what I like to see! A new business dedicated to the exciting new green-related strategies we can implement in our homes and offices. Green World Services personnel have many years of experience in home improvement and energy efficient products and services. Their goal is to educate their clients on the most successfully used energy efficient products, PG&E rebates, and government tax incentives that can be appled to our homes and businesses.

By doing so, they'll help you to minimize energy consumption, reduce your carbon footprint, while benefiting our environment and ... saving money! Talk about selling benefits! Aren't you convinced?

Wendy Brickman
www.brickmanblog.typepad.com

Introducing Print My Keepsakes

Over the last two years, digital scrapbooking has gained considerable steam in an industry which has long been favored for it's tactile delights.  With the advances in bigger, faster and more affordable technology, now it seems that every paper crafter with a few extra gigabytes on their hard-drive is now collecting gorgeous digital scrapbooking elements and using these beautiful virtual "papers" and "embellishments" not only on pure digital projects, but on hybrid projects as well.  The elements, often sold as "kits" or packs, are affordable, renewable (you can use them time and time again, unlike traditional scrapbooking products) and often customizable (you can change colors, sizes and element orientation to suit your needs). Not only that, they are a FUN way to quickly put treasured family memories into a beautiful keepsake format, without the mess usually required for creating scrapbooks! /p>

The unspoken downside of the digital scrapbooking trend, it seems, is that legions of techno-crafters are now creating beautiful digital layouts but then letting them gather virtual dust in the vast storage chambers of their hard drives.  Yes, many of us now have awesome, wide-format printers, but for some, the time and cost it takes to print the pages at home makes this last, critical part of the process an "I'll get to it later" chores. The sad thing is what fun are scrapbook pages unless they are printed and seen?!? This is where the idea for a new service called  Print My Keepsake was born. Offering consumers a simple and cost efficient way to quickly upload their digital scrapbook pages, then have them printed on gorgeous, long-term archival paper and returned to them,  Print My Keepsake makes it effortless to complete the last, and most important step in the scrapbooking process!

For more information, please visit and for a chance to win a certificate good to get six layouts printed for free  at Print My Keepsake, visit  Kim's blog!

Kimberly A. Kwan
Blog: kimberlykwan.typepad.com
Photography Business: bebebeauxdesigns.com

Meaningful Jewelry

Last year when I wanted to remind myself to be mindful, I ordered a custom sterling silver ring from Accessory a la Mode with my I AM prompt stamped right into it. I never forgot to live in the moment because I was reminded every time I looked down at my hand. Debbie creates each little work of art by hand and is happy to customize your piece for you. Her etsy shop also features many of her unique designs  including rings, bracelets, pendants and earrings. The beginning of a new year is a great time to turn your resolutions or intentions into beautiful works of wearable art! Jewelry with your loved one's favorite word, number, or letter makes a lovely and sentimental gift!

Linda Woods & Karen Dinino
www.visualchronicles.typepad.com