True power

"Mastering others is strength,

mastering yourself is true power."

(Lao-Tzu)

Baby bobbles!

Some of you might remember a post (http://cestlaviebyelle.blogspot.com/2010/04/theres-new-bottle-in-town.html) I did back in April about the bobble, a water bottle with a filter in it.  Much to my pleasure, bobble has come out with a smaller version for kids!  They come with brightly colored filters and fun stickers so your kids can personalize their own bobble.  What I like most about this concept is that you will encourage your kids to drink water instead of juice and soft drinks when they can drink water out of a fun, reusable bottle! 

To go green and order the kid-friendly bobble (and one for you), go to www.waterbobble.com.  Trust me, this is a fabulous product.  I was at the beach this weekend and loved being able to filter the water in our rental house.  Bobble away!

Hopeful for fall

There's something about the change of seasons that leaves me feeling hopeful and inspired.  It has been a LONG summer (literally and figuratively), and I am beyond ready for fall.  I dream of colorful leaves, pumpkins, and spiced cider.  This year I hope that we all fall into something lovely.  Happy fall!

Who do you dress for?

I think that most women either dress for men or other women/themselves. I would like to think that I dress for the latter. Neither is right, I just think it's great when women (or anyone for that matter) wear what they want to wear versus always dressing to attract the opposite sex. I truly think that the right person for you will love the way you dress, so why dress to please others?

I am well aware that the majority of men don't care for hats, headpieces/headbands, and/or other "loud" accessories. Do I care? Absolutely not! Of course, I think there is a time and a place to dress more conservatively (work, church, etc), but I love it when I see a woman who clearly wears what she wants to wear.

For me, fashion is a form of self-expression, and I love to express myself in fun, sometimes crazy ways. Have fun with fashion, don't be scared to try something new, and always dress for yourself.

Used but not abused

Looking to purchase a new appliance, gadget, or other item?  Why not go green and consider buying something used?  My friends and I move all the time, and I know a lot of them sell their gently used items on Craigslist.  If people that I know and trust are selling their quality items online, I'm sure others are as well.

While still working 1/2 mile from my condo earlier this year, I wanted to buy a bike, so I could bike to work each day.  I had not owned a bike since I was about 12, so I decided that I wanted to buy a used bike.  I looked on Craigslist and was thrilled by how many great looking bikes were listed for very reasonable prices.  Unfortunately, the company downsized before I was able to ever bike to work, but the idea made me think. 

If you are trying out a new item (or one from the past that you might not love anymore), why buy something brand new?  You can probably find the same type of item used for a MUCH cheaper price.  Especially with the economy in its current state, many people are selling brand new or gently used items such as treadmills, bikes, and cameras because they don't use them and need the extra money.  Before you rush to the store to buy something like this new, do some research online to see what you can find.  Let me know what you find!

Pizza pizza

I think Julia Roberts said it best in Eat, Pray, Love when she stated: "I'm having a relationship with my pizza."  Good thing I don't have to go to Italy to continue my love affair with pizza.  I think I could eat pizza at every meal, every day, for the rest of my life.  I sure hope there is all-you-can-eat pizza in heaven.  Everyone that knows me knows that I LOVE pizza and always want to eat it.  The best thing about pizza is that even bad pizza is still good...that certainly cannot be said about most things in life ;)

That has a nice ring to it!

I've geared this post more towards the fellas, but this can apply to ladies as well since we often plant these sort of ideas in our guy's head. When it comes time to purchase an engagement ring, consider browsing estate sales and antique jewelry stores instead of buying a brand new ring.

Go green and check out this site of fabulous antique rings:

http://www.antiquejewelryforsale.com/

There are countless sites similar to this one, but this one looked really neat.

I love the idea of having a ring that is 80-100 years old. Now that is some history! I also love it when a guy uses a ring that is already in the family. You can have it re-set, add stones to it, or present it as is. I can't think of anything more special.

If you do decide to buy a new ring, please make sure that it is a conflict-free diamond. The concept of a "blood diamond" is unfortunately a very real thing, not some scheme Hollywood devised to sell movie tickets. Having traveled to Africa twice, I can assure you it is a reality for many people who are forced to work in this industry under horrific conditions.

For more information on conflict-free diamonds, go to www.groomgroove.com/our_pick/conflict_free_engagement_rings.php.