BellaSugar

Oh Happy Day: Customize Your Own Bottle of Fragrance

BellaSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:00:50 PST

If you haven't yet heard the word, Clinique has a super-cute gimmick for the 2007 holiday season. Right now, you can customize a bottle of Happy eau de parfum ($52) with a picture of your choice.

Happy is an upbeat citrus and floral fragrance with notes of of grapefruit, boysenberry bush flower and Hawaiian wedding flower. I know a lot of women who love it (and quite a few guys who do, too). Plus, early-bird holiday shoppers will like this: door-to-door delivery only takes ten business days. I think this would be a sweet gift for someone you want to make very happy-and besides, you know it won't be returned!

In Her Shoes: April Beyer, Matchmaker and Relationship Coach

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:05:36 PST

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, April Beyer, expert relationship coach and matchmaker, gives SavvySugar an insider's look into her unique career. Helping men and women find lasting relationships for almost 14 years, she is the founder and president of Beyer & Company, a matchmaking and relationship consulting firm. She's frequently interviewed and has been seen on Dr. Phil, 20/20, and Good Morning America. Beyond her weekly clients, April writes on her blog, conducts seminars, and is working on a book to help women prepare for love and romance. April tells us what it's like to assist other people on their journey to finding love and happiness.

SavvySugar: Can you tell me about your career path and how your business has grown throughout the years?

April Beyer: I started out in the high-end matchmaking industry nearly 14 years ago. I had worked with a matchmaking company and was there for about six or seven years. I was responsible for many marriages there. In 2003, I decided to venture out on my own and start a relationship coaching and consulting business. Now, I still have my matchmaking company. I work with a handful of highly successful marriage-minded men. I am also a coach and a writer.

Now my passion is to help women better understand themselves first so then they can naturally attract the man of their dreams. I am a little bit more of a holistic dating and relationship coach, but I think of myself more as is a communication and authenticity coach. For me, it's not about teaching people dating skills, it is teaching them relationship skills.

Click here to read more about April.

Get the Conversation Started With Sugar Cookies

Lauren Hendrickson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:51:31 PST

Sweetheart candies are an essential on Valentine's Day, and recently Williams-Sonoma took the same idea to cookies with Message in a Cookie, a kit that comes with three different cookie-cutter shapes: a heart, a star, and a scalloped square. Each cookie cutter features slots for text, where you can use the accompanying letter stamps to make your own talking sugar cookies.
I whipped up a quick batch of Alton Brown's delicious sugar cookie dough and stamped sweet sayings into my heart-shaped cookies. I can't wait to use the scalloped square to create edible place settings at my next dinner party. Of course, you can achieve a similar idea by using a traditional cookie cutter and carefully etching out your text with a paring knife, but these handy cookie cutters just make it easier. Stop by your local Williams-Sonoma to pick up your own conversation cookie cutters, and keep reading for the sugar cookie recipe.

C'est L'Amour: French Eats For Feb. 14

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:02:34 PST

If a global menu feels too daunting for your Valentine's Day dinner, try channeling a bit of Parisian romance by focusing on French foods. You don't need a view of the Eiffel Tower to feel the love - you can set the mood right at your own dinner table by pairing classic French dishes with your favorite sips. Here are 10 tasty dish ideas to help you create a Valentine's Day meal of festive French cuisine. Bon appetit!

The Cutest Kids' Silhouettes For Your Home

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:35:50 PST

As at-home above a mantle as in the nursery, a custom silhouette is a special piece that becomes a memento as your little one grows up. While the traditional black-and-white look suits some just fine, we've found some incredibly talented designers who do things a bit differently. Plus, for the DIY mom (or dad), a step-by-step guide to creating your own memorable piece of art.

Handy Everyday Gmail Tips and Tricks

GeekSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:01:03 PST

If you've moved to Gmail recently (congratulations!), it's possible that you could get overwhelmed with all of the options, settings, and possibilities at your fingertips. We've got a ton of tips to share, but let's start with a few basic and handy tips that you could use every day. Check them out below!

Make voice calls - You can easily make voice calls in Gmail on the cheap. In the "Chat" section, just click the "Call Phone" button and enter the digits. You'll then be able to make free calls to landlines the US and Canada, and for super cheap you can call cell phones and landlines worldwide.
Search with options - If you haven't discovered the "Show Search Options" link to the right of the Gmail search bar, you're in for a treat. Clicking it reveals a host of helpful options, including the ability to search by sender, date, attachment, subject, and more. It's extremely helpful if you are less than diligent about labeling and filing emails in your inbox.
Use rich text signatures - Tired of those boring text-only signatures or canned responses coming from your Gmail account? Take note: Gmail supports rich text signatures! Add links, colors, images, or formatting to your Gmail account signature, or any other account you've set up to send from Gmail. It's super easy to set up - just head to your settings page, scroll down to the Signature section, and design away!
Use keyboard shortcuts - First, enable keyboard shortcuts in your Settings menu. Then, use these fast and easy keyboard shortcuts to navigate!

See the rest of the list after the break.

A Whole Lotta Lil in This Week's Links

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:26:33 PST

Need valentines for school? Don't miss these great finds - most of which can be printed right from your own computer!
Do you breastfeed in public? These celeb moms do!
Create a fun Valentine's Day hairstyle for your tot!
Building your maternity wardrobe? We'll show you where to splurge and where to save!
We spoke with the founder of NurturMe baby food about foods for kids.
Are you a French maman? A new parenting movement is causing quite a stir!
We created our own free, downloadable valentine for the lil boy in your life!
Celebrate your newly potty-trained lil one with a potty training party!
Got milk? We've found 9 surprising ways to increase your milk supply.
One dad shared his fun way of documenting his baby news with family and friends.

The Runway Look You'll Want to Wear Again and Again

Jaime Richards — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:10:00 PST

Sometimes it's the simply elegant styles that prove to be the most stunning. And at Tadashi Shoji, the entire beauty palette, from hair to nails to makeup, was the kind that you'll want to wear forever. Click through now to see how you can re-create this timeless style on your own.

Source: Getty

How To: Get Your iPad Ready For Resale

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:48:28 PST

If the rumors are true, the iPad 3 should be announced in March. If you're ready to upgrade from your first-gen iPad or iPad 2, now's the time to start thinking about selling. But before you post a listing on Craigslist or eBay, get all your ducks in a row first. Here's a few tips on how to prep your gadget for resale, and get top dollar for your efforts.

Back up your data and do a clean sweep - First thing's first - make sure you connect your iPad to iTunes and back up all of your data. You'll be able to sync it with your new iPad after you bring it home. And just like a computer, before you sell your old tablet, you'll want to wipe it clean of any sensitive information, apps, and contact lists. Erasing all of your content and settings (go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) is great, but go ahead and perform a full restore in iTunes as well.
Polish the exterior - Cleaning your old iPad is kind of like cleaning your LCD monitor - you don't want to use any harsh chemicals or, even more damaging, water. Using a tried-and-tested cleaner like iKlear ($30) will ensure you won't damage your iPad's sensitive bits. Use the included microfiber cloth (or one of your own) and shine that baby up.

To see the rest of my list, including tips on how to get your gadget sold quickly online, just keep reading.

3-Layer Nails Make For the Ultimate Polish Trifecta at Costello Tagliapietra

Jaime Richards — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:27:00 PST

What do you get when you sandwich a classic red polish in between a deep, rich brown and a heady black-brown? Why, the ultimate trifecta of cool nail polish palettes, of course. At Costello Tagliapietra's New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 show, models donned manicures featuring a clever "stacking" of three different richly hued shades: Essie's Carry On, followed by Bordeaux, and Little Brown Dress, respectively.

The result was "beautiful, elegant, and warm," according to Essie founder Essie Weingarten (for Beauty.com), who also recommends experimenting with mixing and matching the above colors to create your own unique formulation. The key, however, is to allow two minutes of drying time in between each layer. And while you wait? "Have a glass of bordeaux in between," she quips. See more of the rich red manicure up close now.