Fabulous Finds For Hip Moms!

Who doesn't love a great giveaway? How about an awesome sale? Informative articles? Daily product blog? No one! Let's be honest though, aren't there a million websites that offer those very things? A million and one, perhaps? Probably. So, with all of those websites out there, what makes one stand out of the others? It has got to be the person behind the curtain, right? The proverbial wizard in the land of Oz.

Meet Megan Thomas, founder, owner, and chief puppet master of Peekaboo Picks Magazine. I had the privilege of having my first experience with Megan shortly after I launched Spoiled Rotten Baby. After submitting one of our brand new gift sets to her incredibly professional and informative online magazine, I received one of the best written reviews I have had to date.(Check it out here) Megan has an unbelievable talent for writing. Honestly. Not only did she write a great review, but she promptly replied to all of my e-mails. (Gasp!) Anyone who has ever tried to submit information to a busy editor knows how difficult it can be to get any sort of a response at all.

After starting Plein de Vie, I knew that one of the first media sources I wanted to contact about the launch was Peekaboo Picks. After an e-mail or two, I learned that Megan had moved up here to the Seattle area, and a meeting at Starbucks (where else?) was in order. During our meeting, I discovered that Megan is not only a savvy writer and entrepreneur, but an incredible woman as well!

What started as a smaller online magazine mostly focusing on product reviews for kids and babies has turned in to a wealth of information coming from a wide variety of talented women. From a Southern California NICU nurse to a newspaper reporter in New York, Megan's staff bring a lot to the table. The giveaways on the site are always for very cool, sought-after finds. Megan seems to know everyone, yet never name drops. She is a stay-at-home mother of two, yet finds time to run Peekaboo. Fiercely independent, yet devoted to her cute (see above)husband. Incredibly busy, yet generous with her time, this girl has got it together!

In a sea of women struggling to do it all, it is nice to meet someone who does it with such grace.

Peekaboo Picks is truly a 'fabulous find for hip Moms' and Megan is a fabulous inspiration for anyone.

Who do you know that serves as an inspiration for others?



Shelly

p.s. That awesome magazine cover is courtesy of Peekaboo Picks and Erin Palos of Sweet Baby Photo.

The Power of Intention

Many of you have heard about 'The Secret' (thanks, Oprah!). Although 'The Secret' has been highly publicized over the last couple of years, the concept have been around forever. The basic concept says that whatever energy you put out in the world will be returned to you. If you are constantly feeling and even saying negative things (I am fat, I never win anything, I don't ever have enough money), the universe 'hears' that and guess what? Pretty soon you are a poor loser with a big butt! If you focus on positive ideas, and believe that what you desire will come to you, then those things will come. Granted, you need to work towards those things, and consistently concentrate your thoughts and efforts on them, but it really can work. It is all about energy.

Anyway, after reading a few great books, Real You Incorporated, The Success Principals, and Creative Visualization, I decided to create a 'vision board' - for me, a poster that has a ton of images of things that I work for and desire cut out of magazines. I have everything on there from a picture of the Eiffel Tower (trip to France, anyone?), a photo of a woman jogging (due to health issues from childhood, I have never been able to jog. Moving and being healthy is something I never took for granted), and the words HAPPY MARRIAGE (self-explanatory?).

After the launch of Plein de Vie in October, I decided that one of my goals for the company was to have our products featured in Seattle Magazine. Seattle Magazine is a well-known, top-notch magazine and only the best products/stories/people are included. I wrote myself an e-mail as though it had really come to me from an editor and taped it to my vision board and my fridge. I read that letter almost every day and imagined how I would feel if the letter were true. Here is what I wrote myself:


Hi Shelly,

I just wanted you to know that I loved your On-the-Go Remedy Stick you sent me! We are getting ready to put together a piece in our February issue on organic beauty and would like to feature Plein de Vie. Please send samples of any other products you would like us to review before our October 15th deadline.

Congratulations!


Best,

Andrea


Andrea Delimont
Lifestyle Editor
SEATTLE Magazine


I eventually did end up being featured in Seattle Magazine. (Actually we are in the magazine now). Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Only yesterday did I realize the parallel between the letter and the reality. Plein de Vie is in the (February) Best in Beauty issue under Homegrown Beauty. (You can see it here).

Can you believe that?? I immediately sat down and wrote a letter 'from' QVC. Would I have been in Seattle Magazine had I not put forth the effort to send in a sample to Ms. Delimont and follow-up a few times? Of course not. Do I believe that focusing my energy on success and using the power of intent helped me to get there? Darn right I do!

Have you experienced anything similar? What is on your vision board or what would you like on your vision board?

It's an incredible world . . .

See you on QVC,

Shelly

Calendula - "Cal-en-do-HUH?"

As promised, I am devoting a portion of the Beauty-Spirit-Passion Girl Blog to talking about the properties of natural ingredients, fun recipes to try, ingredients you should avoid, and just information in general.

Calendula ("Cal-en-do-luh") is a popular addition to many natural recipes due to it's soothing, healing properties. In addition to being a great healer, Calendula is considered to be very safe and gentle for even the most sensitive users.

The Calendula (also known as the Marigold flower)is an annual flower native to Mediterranean countries. Interestingly (well, at least to me!) the name 'Calendula' refers to the blooming schedule of the flower, which is once a month with the new moon. The name 'Marigold' refers to the Virgin Mary as Marigolds are used in Catholic events honoring her

Apparently,the Calendula was originally used as food rather than as an herb, but to be honest, I haven't tried it yet. Can't you picture it adding beautiful color to a salad though? Hmm . . . I see an experiment coming my way.

You will commonly see Calendula added to balms, salves, and oils made to heal cuts, scrapes, insect bites, and inflammation. You may also see it added to sensitive skin lotions and potions.

Next time you are in the beauty aisle of your favorite health store, look for products with Calendula (Calendula officinalis). You'll know now why it was added.

Off to make that salad . . .

Shelly

Oils, and Butters, and Herbs . . . Oh My!

Now that I have been knee deep in creating a variety of handmade skincare products for some time , I have gained a new understanding of the benefits and qualities associated with botanicals, butters, and essential oils. It has been an amazing journey into a subject I never knew about. The funny thing I have come to realize though, is that my mother, Carole (pictured with me above), talked about this very subject all of the time growing up. I can still hear her saying, “Shelly, maybe you should try taking (insert plant name here) capsules. I hear they work wonders for (insert ailment – real or imagined - here).”

Like any good pre-teen does, I rolled my eyes, completely ignored her and vowed to never be like her when I grew up. Well guess what? Here I am, thirty years old and catching myself giving similar advice to anyone who will listen whether they asked for it or not. Such is life, right?

So, in the spirit of sharing knowledge and honoring mothers everywhere, I am going to devote a portion of my blog to sharing what I have learned about butters, oils, herbs, and essential oils. I am also going to include information on ingredients to avoid, and pretty much anything else I decide relates to this subject. So, here’s to learning something new!

Shelly

Make a difference!

Against the advice from friends, financial planners, and random well-wishers, it was important for me to donate a portion of Plein de Vie sales to a charity from day one. Their point (an admittedly good one) was that brand new companies shouldn’t start giving away potential profits before they make them.

Part of the reason I began Plein de Vie was to have the opportunity to take whatever good fortune I was lucky enough to have and share it with others. This desire to help others is how our 3% charity fund came to be. Our charity fund guarantees that 3% of all online retail sales from the Plein de Vie website get donated to the non-profit organization, Equality Now.

With the support of such celebrities as Meryl Streep, Marisa Tomei, and Sarah Jones, Equality Now works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world by:

• Lobbying for a strong protocol on the rights of women in Africa
• Campaigning against sex tourism/trafficking
• Using International law and UN mechanisms to advance the elimination of violence against women
• Campaigning against FGM (female genital mutilation)
• Calling for the participation of women in the matters of peace and security in Afghanistan


Woman and girls around the world need your help.


Whether you purchase off the Plein de Vie website (www.pleindevie.com) to donate indirectly, go to the Equality Now website (www.equalitynow.org) to donate directly, or you take my example and figure out a way to do both, please . . .

SUPPORT EQUALITY NOW!


Together, we can make a difference!



Shelly

p.s. You can view the celebrity public service announcement HERE

The last few weeks have been so crazy, so stressful, and I have hardly had a minute to think! (Seriously). The last year, I have been working like a maniac on creating products for Plein de Vie. What I learned from all of that hard work, is that I am happiest and the least stressed when I am being creative. Whether it is designing a new gift set for Spoiled Rotten Baby or coming up with a new formula for a Plein de Vie product, it helps me be a better mom, partner, and person in general.

So, in the midst of current chaos, I decided it was time to do something I had never done before - make soap! Rick (my 'better' half)and I geared up in our old long sleeved tees, latex gloves, and oh-so-cute eye protection to make what we hoped would be some pretty decent soap.

We added ingredients like Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, and Babasu Oil. I tried to add some essential oil so it smelled pretty (didn't add enough though!) and a sprinkling of organic cocoa butter to make it at least look pretty.

When all was said and done, we ended up with a very neat looking block of soap, which then ended up becoming 4 smaller pieces of neat looking soap after I attacked it with my butcher knife. We still have a few weeks to wait until it's ready to use, so cross your fingers that it actually turned out ;-)

It can be hard to remember the things that bring us a little relief when life gets crazy. I hope that the next time life seems to spinning out of control, you take a deep breath and go to that stress-free place in your life. Even if it turns out to be making a block of soap that smells like nothing.

Shelly