Leopard, Cheetah or Jaguar, Exotic Animal Print is Hot!

Even Before we saw Cher as Laverne, the leopard-clad lady of the launderette on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, the leopard-print has been hot and never really goes out of style.

Kate Spade's Puffer Leopard Evonne Tote is an example of a leopard-print bag you'd be happy to carry today.

You'll find the wild print readily on useful, cool, trendy and perhaps some unexpected items.

 

For the younger set, Paisley Hill had a Hand Painted Child's Tea Set. (above)

RockerByeBaby had a Punk Animal leopard print four piece crib baby bedding set. (right)

Please Note: Items may be sold, Shops may no longer be in business.

Leopard iPad Sleeve  
Browse Sleeve iPad Sleeves

A faux leopard and retro pink clutch purse by Coryrenee is just gorgeous.

Do you like animal prints?  Have a favorite to wear?

Cow Moo Can Toys Despicable Me, Growlers, Criers and Squeakers oh my!

I've been researching the old cow moo can toys. It's not easy. Everyone seems to have a different name for the toys. They've made a resurgence in popularity, including a fun iPhone app!, thanks to the film, Despicable Me. 

Do you remember these toys? When I was a kid they were metal cans with lithographed paper labels with the picture of an animal. You turn them over and they'd make a sound like that animal. A cow, cat, goat, chick, etc. 

Similar-looking devices were placed inside figural salt and pepper squeakers. The criers in dolls often looked like them. How about Steiff growlers in stuffed bears?

Metlox of California had a limited run of Poppytrail animal-themed cookie jars with sound devices in their lids. Still trying to get more information on those. 

Specialty unusual chopsticks, the hostess gifts, stocking stuffers, holiday Christmas gifts sure to please

Are you a lover of Sushi? Seems like whenever we go on a trip, which is less often these days, we try to find out where the good sushi restaurants are in the town where we're visiting.

Happily, we have friends and family members who love sushi and other Asian foods, too. We're looking for some fun, unusual and amazing gifts (not too expensive) to give as Secret Santa presents and stocking stuffers for the holiday.

Crystal chopstick rests, Godinger set of 6 crystal knife and chopstick rests They will have guests at your next party oooohing and aaaahing. Will you get a set of them, one in each color, for a friend as a gift? A bouquet of them with sparkling pink crystals for the next wedding taking place around Valentine's Day? How special is that?!

Chopsticks in the style of Star Wars light sabres are sure to be a big hit with science fiction fans. They come in different colors and are attributed to different characters in the films. I found them created by a couple of different companies, Star Wars Chop Sabers - Luke Skywalker Blue Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks are just right for Luke Skywalker.

The Star Wars: Yoda EP6 Lightsaber Chopsticks come in different colors and are fully licensed.

Yamazaki Stainless Steel My Chopsticks in Silver Case, Set of 4

There are chopsticks with Samurai sword handles for those of you who want to live dangerously. Chopsticks that light up. Some are in the shapes of bullet trains, The Hashi Tetsu Shinkansen Chopsticks Bullet train cutlery set.

Children's chopsticks and other training chopsticks are hinged or the hinges, Fred Chopstick Kids Chopsticks Holders, some in very cute shapes, are sold separately. Consider getting some to bring with you to restaurants with your own kids when they're just learning to use chopsticks.

Can you wear chopsticks in your hair?? Lucky you!

For your next dinner party, New Year's Eve gathering or event, holiday shopping, birthday giving or just to have at home for yourself, they're a wonderful idea. 

How's my hair?? OMC Hair World, Tabatha's Salon Takeover, Disney's Tangled

"Produced by Organisation Mondiale Coiffure (OMC), the world's largest beauty organization and the National Cosmetology Association (NCA), The Hairworld Championships of Beauty brings together over 1000 top competitors from 60 countries and 5 continents all competing for the coveted OMC World Cups of the technical and fashion Categories in Ladies' and Gent's events. At the Gala Awards Ceremony 4,000 beauty professionals, cheered for their countries and teams with anthems and flags."

Are you familiar with Hair World? I first learned of the competition thanks to a brilliant PBS documentary, The Pursuit of Excellence: Hair World. We have a web site with information about the annual event.

Hair and hair styling is an art form and a source of never-ending drama so it seems. We've been watching Tabatha's Salon Takeover on Bravo. Just love her.

She has a new book coming out and I can't wait to read it. It's Not Really About the Hair: The Honest Truth About Life, Love, and the Business of Beauty. What an interesting life she's had.

Vintage Rapunzel by YesterdayCafe
Make custom photo ornaments online

As anyone who's seen the new Disney film, Tangled or seen the Sheer Genius program knows, Hair is important. :)

Do you want to know a secret? Beatles Tribute Bands are delighting audiences all over the world!

Have you been to a concert by a Beatles Tribute Band? With the recent much anticipated iTunes release of the Beatles music, cover bands are expected to be hotter than ever.  The popular band, Rain is currently on tour in the US.

Impersonating the Beatles isn't anything new. There are Elvis impersonators, Rolling Stone sound-alike bands, too. Iconic bands never die and people want to relive their music live any way that they can.

At Halloween or for a fancy dress party, you can dress up like a Beatle, even choose the era and the exact band member you'd like to be. An Adult's Blue Sgt. Pepper Beatles Costume Jacket will get you in the spirit really fast. Wear it to the office Christmas party and see who gets asked to pose in the most photos this year!

Love is a 2006 theatrical production by Cirque du Soleil which combines the re-produced and re-imagined music of The Beatles with an interpretive, circus-based artistic and athletic stage performance. The show can be seen at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.



The Beatles Come to Town: The Fab Four themselves 1963

Don't let this current Beatles Revolution pass you by. Get on the bandwagon with a Beatles T-Shirt, a vintage design or any one of the new designer models.

BlackBird, Take These Broken Wings & Learn to Fly by Hannah23_11

See more Beatles T-Shirts

Tis the season of the Apple iPad, Is yours covered?

Are you giving an iPad as a gift this Christmas? Do you have a new one or know someone who's all excited about their iPad?! I hear that Oprah adores hers.

I know that when I got my iPhone I got a case for it the same day. I wanted to keep it as protected as possible.

Zebra iPad Folio Case

There are so many  cases available now for the iPad. You don't have to limit yourself to one. Is there a holiday case for this time of year? Each bridesmaid has a case at wedding-time? Wow!

Wrap one up as a Secret Santa gift. Hide a fancy, funny, funky new iPad case under someone's plate at Christmas dinner? Have you seen some of these things? :)

Cow Print iPad Sleeve

For animal lovers there's no end to the choice cases. Silly, sentimental, naughty or nice, designers are coming up with the most clever things.

Pandas are so cute and penguins cannot be beat. These are just a tiny sampling of the animals represented on cool designer iPad cases. I can't help but bring in one for the 2010 World Series Champs, the San Francisco Giants. Fear the Beard! They were also the 2012 World Series Champs in a Big Sweep!

SF Baseball iWin iPad Sleeve Black and Orange Giants

Head over to Zazzle where the iPad cases are more than abundant and you can find the Ghostly Crooked Gargoyle!  

1900s Craftsman House light fixture Computer Sleeve 
Create your own from scratch online at zazzle

1900s Craftsman House light fixtures Postage, Phone, Tablet Cases 

If lovely old Victorian/Craftsman Milk Glass pendant lights aren't your style, perhaps you're going through a rough patch. Or you'd check in to take a peek at The Back Side of Him (A detail of a statue). Special people require special individualized iPad cases.

Zazzle allows you to personalize your cases. Say what you want, identify yours if you're getting more than one for your group. The cases at Zazzle are both protective and chic. Make it loverly.

Finally don't forget as many of us are traveling to see relatives this time of year, between the stress of the flying & airports and the family drama, we're visiting because we need to stay in touch. (Sometimes it can be a little lonely without the nuts.) 

Many of these are available as iPhone covers. Your friends may see them and want one, too!

Recycling Joy at Christmastime, Re-Gifting Love for the Holidays

Let everyone know that you're going to be Re-Gifting Love this Season.

Will you Recycle Love? Recycle Joy? Try it. You might like it.

Recycling is important all year long. Regifting is a popular topic particularly at this time of year.

It may be a hot topic of whispered conversation after a wedding, graduation or birthday, too.

I looked at the theories of recycling and regifting a little differently. Why not regift the good emotions, the goodness that people show to us? You can wear a shirt that expresses your intention to Regift Love this Season.

Change the wording as you choose. Re-Gift Laughter, Hugs, Joy, Patience, Tolerance. Be calm. Let the other guy have that parking space.

Choose your spelling of the infamous term, Re-Gift or Regift? Zazzle lets you amend the text as you like.

If it's all too much and you want to start small, there are little I'll be Re-Gifting Love pin-back buttons that you'll also find at our Zazzle shop. Maybe we could start by regifting, recycling smiles? Good place to start any time of year.