Decouparte

Nutcracker

 Hi Ladies......
I am adding some more images of the beautiful work by "Decouparte."

Hamsa

Etruscan man

Decouparte was born from a shared love of design and a passion for philanthropy.  Every piece is one of a kind, handcrafted in New Jersey.  Each piece is signed and dated.  A portion of the proceeds from each piece will help send a child with special needs to camp next summer. (www.ycs.org)

Since all work is done under the glass, you can use for food service or display.  Please hand wash only, do not soak or use in a microwave.

To order send e-mail to Faye at Fayeks21@aol.com
You can also visit  "Decouparte" on Facebook!

Lower Your Cholesterol With Great Tasting Snacks

Hi Ladies.......
Just a Healthy Eating Tip to help lower cholesterol.......
It is important to choose whole foods that are rich in fiber and plant based nutrients as well as complex carbohydrates.
The following snacks are loaded with nutrients and also keep hunger away.  They have zero cholesterol and fewer calories and fat!

• Sunflower Seeds 
• Nuts : Walnuts, almonds, peanuts,  etc.  Nuts are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals!
• Soy Nuts and edamame 
• Hummus and veggies:  Hummus is made of garbanzo beans which has been shown to lower both total cholesterol and LDL ("bad" cholesterol).  Hummus is so great with raw veggies such as carrots, broccoli, red, yellow, or green peppers and cauliflower.

             Top 12  Phyto Foods :  (Plant Based)

1. Soy                                        7. Melon
2. Tomatoes                              8.  Pink Grapefruit
3. Broccoli                                 9.  Blueberries
4. Garlic                                   10.  Sweet Potatoes
5. Flax Seeds                          11.  Chile Peppers
6. Citrus                                   12.  Legumes  (beans and lentils)

Want something sweet to eat?
Try freezing grapes!  (Rinse and place in freezer bag and freeze for an hour).
Personally, I love cold grapes from the frig!
                                          




some info taken from ecomii.com

Fall and Winter Boots

Percy Shearling Trim Leather Riding Boot
$198
Take Additional 40% Off
Ann Taylor Loft

Kadin Lace Up Suede Boot
$178
Take Additional 40% Off
Ann Taylor Loft

Mackenna
$129.00

Now $59.99

Easy Spirit

Ressie
$129.00

Now $89.99

Easy Spirit

Hi Ladies......

Myrella
Stretch Comfort
$149.00

Now $69.99

Easy Spirit

I have been searching the web for fall and winter  boots.  This is definitely the year of the boot!  There are so many great styles from combat boots to over the knee!  The only issue I had with searching the web was that so much of what showed up were very, very expensive designers....  Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Proenza Schouler to name a few.....  Needless to say that is not the kind of money that I would spend on boots.  But I do want to be in style.  That is important to me!   So I did some further surfing and found some styles that I love and at very affordable prices!  The styles are so great and so are the quality and fit.
I also went to an Easy Spirit Store and Ann Taylor Loft to see the boots first hand and they are really great quality!

Esmee
Stretch Comfort
$139.00

Now $49.99

Easy Spirit

Falco
$140.00
Easy Spirit

Decouparte

Hi Ladies..........

 Updating a previous post!

I was unable to previously post an image of this beautiful work.  Now I can and am happy to share it with you.  This is just one in a fabulous collection!  I will post more soon.  Each one is unique and special.  Perfect for the gift giving season!  The best part is that a portion of the proceeds will help send a child with special needs to camp next summer.  To order send an e-mail to Fayeks21@aol.com.

Water Lily Tray

Plus Size Fashion

Ladies.....
Being a plus size doesn't mean that you can't be stylish.  Gone are the days that a plus size woman has to wear baggy, boxy styles.   Today being a plus size means having fun with fashion!  There are beautiful styles, colors, and fabrics to choose from.  So many retailers have such beautiful fashions for the plus size market.  Remember, look in the mirror.  Does the style work for you?  Not every style looks good on every body.  Does the outfit make you feel good?  Don't wear oversized, baggy, long styles.  Ladies...embrace your curves!  Check out Lord & Taylor,  Bloomingdale's, Lane Bryant, and Old Navy to name a few.

Michael Michael Kors faux fur vest, $130; macys.com

Calvin Klein sequin shirt, $89;bloomingdales.com





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The plus-size mystery in women's fashion

Clothes are designed for the thin, but most U.S. women are not. What gives?

October 24, 2010|By Valli Herman | Special to the Los Angeles Times

By the numbers it just doesn't seem right. Nearly 65% of American women are overweight, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, and of those, more than 35% are obese. Yet most designer collections end at size 10. And on hundreds of high-fashion runways at internationalfashion weeks this month and last, ultra-slim models were wearing trendsetting designs that will never be manufactured in sizes to fit most American women.

It's Complicated

Ladies....I just finished watching this movie for the second time.  It is great!  There are some parts that deal with the heartache of divorce.  But I am going to put that part aside and say that this movie embraces us ladies over fifty!  Meryl Streep is so amazing.I laughed out loud so many times during the movie.  The scene that I as a woman over fifty felt such a connection to was when Meryl Streep's character was letting her robe drop in the hotel room.  And ladies even though Alec Baldwin's character was married to a younger woman, (nightmare, that she was!) he admired this older woman in front of him!  And then when Meryl Streep was in the car with Steve Martin...Her character, Jane, said to Steve Martin that she thought that she was too old for him.  He said that that was the thing that he liked best about her!  So........being over fifty isn't so bad.......in fact it can be wonderful, exhilarating, sexy and fun!   By the way:  "Do you by any chance spoke smot?"

Food For Thought

New England Clam Chowder

Feeling a little blue?
If you are feeling a little down believe it or not this bowl of New England Clam Chowder can help!  Several studies have found that seafood supplies the richest source of omega-3 fatty acids.  Fish is also rich in B vitamins which are mood boosters and will fight depression.  In turn fighting depression will fight fatigue. 
It is said that clam chowder is like liquid Prozac!  Just 3 ounces of cooked clams will take care of your Vitamin B12 needs for an entire week.  And then to top it off, milk, another ingredient in New England Clam Chowder,  also provides Vitamin B12.  Milk is a very good source of tryptophan, which is an amino acid that can also raise your spirits!
 Add a salad with veggies and walnuts.  Walnuts contain omega-3s just like fish.  The veggies contain folate, which is another B vitamin that will improve your mood......and don't forget the oyster crackers on the side......they also contain folate.  A great mood boosting meal!!!

 some info taken from Prevention magazine

A Funny FYI - Girls Night Out!

Hi Ladies.... I was just talking to my friend on the phone.  We were trying to make a plan to get together and go out one evening this week.....we are both single (divorced).  I said to my friend "Why don't we go to the hotel (a  place nearby where singles socialize) on Thursday night."  She said to me "Don't you know that Wednesday is the new Thursday?"  I said no.  And then she said "And also don't you know that Fuschia is the new Black?"  No again.....( I do not like Fuschia anyway!) 
 So I said "The only thing that I know is that fifty is the new forty!!!!"      (Isn't this color, Fuschia ,that I'm typing with?????)

Models over Fifty!!!!!

Carmen.......so beautiful at 79!

Carmen Dell'Orefice

 Ladies......These are OUR models!!!!!   Over Fifty!!!!  Like us!   Please listen below to what Valerie Ramsey has to say.  Really good, positive advice!!!
Really makes me want to be the best that I can be!




Cindy Joseph started modeling in 1999 at the age of 49!





Valerie Ramsey......started modeling in her 60's!

Cheryl Rae Tiegs (born September 25, 1947)

Christie Brinkley (born February 2, 1954)



Loving Fifty With Meredith Viera

Marlo Thomas

"That Girl".....is truly amazing.....Marlo Thomas carrying on her father's work at St. Jude.
Another awesome lady over fifty!

Some helpful tips for us ladies over fifty

Pull up the eyes with a scarf: If you're suffering from a little tummy-bulge, a scarf can be a great way to draw onlooker's eyes upwards. Just be sure that your scarf isn't hanging too low - the emphasis should be up at the neckline. 

(Please see my post on ten second crunch!) 

Camoflaging dark circles: When choosing an under-eye concealer, go one shade darker than your skin tone. You want the area to recede - not stand out, as that emphasizes baggy eyes.
(Don't go too dark.....we need some brightness!)

Halloween is over: Yes, we've seen the luscious plum lips on models this season, but it's not the best choice of colour for thinning lips. Choose softer colours for a fuller look.
( I love nude tones with neutral lip liner.)

Just a few tips from More magazine with some comments from me!

Chocolate!!!

Chocolate comes in many varieties.  The most common are dark chocolate, milk chocolate,  and white chocolate.  Good News!  Chocolate is good for you!  Dark chocolate that is!  Chocolate contains high levels of polyphenols called flavonoids.  Flavonoids,  which are antioxidants,  are also found in cranberries, apples, onions, spinach, asparagus, tea, and red wine.  Antioxidants fight free radicals.  Free radicals can cause disease.    

High amounts of flavonoids can lower the risk of heart disease.  Cholesterol levels can be slightly lowered by eating Dark chocolate.  Dark chocolate can also lower high blood pressure.  One study also suggests that Dark chocolate has a property similar to aspirin which helps prevent blood clots.  It is found that milk may interfere with the absorption of the antioxidants from the Dark chocolate.  So the Dark chocolate has to be eaten alone.  Not with milk.  Also, as we know, everything in moderation.  Chocolate is high in fat so eating large amounts of the Dark chocolate will negate the health benefits.  I believe the amount of Dark chocolate to eat daily is 100 grams.  So ladies.....a little red wine and a little dark chocolate.......sounds good! 
some info taken from WebMD and eHOW      

Jaclyn Smith

Jaclyn Smith, who is 63, fits right in with these 20 something models!  I know, she has had cosmetic procedures and that is definitely one reason that she looks so great but hey 63.....age knows no number anymore......Ladies let US do what we can do to make ourselves the best we can be!  I am not getting any plastic surgery any time soon.  But I can eat healthy,  I can work out!  A plastic surgeon once said to me "Take care of your body, we can fix anything on your face!"

What I Know For Sure

We need to do things that will make us feel better about ourselves.  This is so important for our emotional well-being.  And then when we feel better on the inside we look better on the outside.  Yes, getting a manicure and pedicure will make you feel better and look better, but I think we need to do more. 

Joan Collins

There is no such thing as looking old when you age!  I realize that Joan Collins is a celeb and has money to spruce herself up.  She does state that she has never had  plastic surgery, although there are numerous non-invasive procedures that you can do.  Regardless,  Joan Collins is 77 years young and so young at heart!  She is an inspiration!

HRT

Ladies.......there is much controversy over Hormone Replacement Therapy.  I'm not sure how I feel about it.  I know that some of us ladies over fifty have and have had very uncomfortable symptoms from menopause.  I know some women whose symptoms have been unbearable and had no choice but to go on HRT.  As you know I had Stage 0 Breast Cancer eleven years ago.  I took Tamoxifen for five years which put me into an early menopause.  For a few years I had HOT HOT FLASHES!  I was able to get by with a small hand held fan and ice packs.  I still have an occassional hot flash but the worst is over.  I'm glad about that because there was no way that my oncologist was going to prescribe HRT for me! 

Lately I am debating with myself whether or not to use a vaginal estrogen cream.  I am told that it is CPR for the vagina!  Two weeks on the cream and you are as good as new!  Sounded so great to me!  I called my oncologist (who I no longer see - after the five years of being on the Tamoxifen I no longer had to see him.)  I called him even though I don't see him anymore.  He said that it was not a good idea to use an estrogen cream.  I was not happy with that answer.  My gynecologist on the other hand said that I should definitely use the cream.  I did like his answer better but am still hesitating because it is estrogen and it will get absorbed into my bloodstream.  My gynecologist said that there is a lot to be said for quality of life and that it would be only a small amount that would be absorbed.  So the verdict is still out for me.  I'm not sure what to do but am leaning towards using the estrogen cream.  My mom was on HRT.  My mom  passed away from cancer.  I blame HRT for giving my mother cancer.  I could be totally wrong and I don't want to scare people that are using HRT.  I know women that are getting amazing relief from HRT. 

 Now that I think about it, when I was in my twenties I had a problem with my hormones and was prescribed estrogen and provera.  I took both for six months.  Using the estrogen fixed my hormonal imbalance.  It worked great but maybe this treatment caused my intraductal carcinoma.  Maybe it didn't.  I will never know. 

 It is a wonderful thing (I think) that a woman can receive a therapy that can alleviate such uncomfortable symptoms.  Like I said.....even though I had breast cancer I probably will use an estrogen cream one of these days.

What do you think about HRT?

Now this is more like it!

           

Everything Old is New Again

Ladies........
Check out this site for amazing Vintage Style Dresses.

Travel back in time in style!

Friends From The Past

I was on Facebook about five months ago.  I was looking around.  I decided to look up a friend that I haven't seen or spoken to in over 40 years.  I put in her name and a profile popped up and one look at the picture and I knew it was my friend Bib from the seventh grade!  I was afraid to contact her because I surely thought that she would not remember me.

Foods That Lessen Back Pain

The following foods reduce inflammation.  You have to continue to eat these foods to see a reduction in your back pain.  If you stay with it you will see a difference!

1. tart cherries
2. olive oil                                                   
3. green tea
4. salmon
5. sardines
6. walnuts

Vitamin D is also very important....It has been found that people with back pain are deficient in Vitamin D.   (Ask your doctor what amount of Vitamin D you should be taking)

Morning Back Stretch



Harmful Vitamins?

                           

Harmful Vitamins?

                                                                                 

 
Your daily multivitamin might actually cause health problems.

The risky pill women pop

About half of American women ages 40 and over take some kind of dietary supplement. But recent studies have questioned the effectiveness of one type of pill, the multivitamin, in heading off major problems like heart disease. Now there’s a suggestion that multis may actually cause harm: They’ve been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. In a 10-year Swedish study of 35,329 women ages 49 and up, participants who reported using multivitamins every day were 19 percent more likely to develop the disease, a finding that held up after researchers adjusted for various risk factors.

One theory is that a component of multivitamins—possibly folic acid, which another study recently linked to breast cancer in a small minority of women—might play a role, says author Susanna Larsson, PhD, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. To be clear: This observational study did not definitively establish that multivitamins contribute to the development of breast cancer. But the research does underscore the idea that it’s generally safer (and more effective) to “get as many nutrients as we can from food instead of pills,” says Andrea Giancoli, RD, MPH, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

This article is from "More" magazine.com

Workout at Work

Hi Ladies......some of us ladies  over fifty still work,  as I do.  If we can grab a few minutes during the day at our desk we can workout very effectively!  Exercise is cumulative.  It doesn't have to all be done at one time.  So if we can get in an abdominal exercise in the morning and work our legs or arms in the afternoon it can add up to a great workout!  Let's give it a try!