My Inspiration Lounge

Great presents under $50

2009-11-22T02:46:34Z

I am excited about the unique gift ideas below! They are inexpensive, meaningful and from small business owners with big hearts!

Thank you to the following sponsors: Green4Soul.com, EcoChicCool.com, Jennifer Kent Designs, Wine.com and The Passionate Olive.

Help them feel fabulous!

GREEN 4 YOUR SOUL: Give the gift of Green this holiday season with Green 4 Your Soul gifts and stocking stuffers! Check out our large selection of spa quality natural and organic bath, body, baby, pet and cosmetic products. Green 4 Your Soul product lines are Cruelty-Free, SLS Free, and Paraben free, and did we mention they’re fabulous too! Click here to shop! Use code INSPIRATION for 15% off all merchandise. Ends 1/1/2010.

Cozy is inspiring!Eco Chic Cool: Dressing for cold weather has never been so stylish! Just drape this luxurious poncho over your outfit and you are instantly transformed! Eco Chic Cool will become your favorite resource for eco chic designer selections! Click here to shop!

Fun unique buckles Jennifer Kent Designs is dedicated to creating beautiful handmade accessories for the women and girls of ages. Our bestseller, the "Wild Botanical Purple" Buckle is oval shaped and fashioned from cast pewter. It has an antique finish adorned with a raised rope border. The reverse side of the buckle features a beautiful scrolled design. The D-ring loop will attach to any of our belt straps or any 1½ Snap Belt. All buckles are handmade and finished with a high-gloss protective finish. Ships in a designer gift tin. Click here to shop! Use code for 20% off: MIL20 Ends 12/31/2009.

Gift set $40The Passionate Olive: Give a gift of an autographed copy of Carol Firenze's popular book The Passionate Olive – 101 Things to do with Olive Oil along with a bottle of The Passionate Olive extra virgin olive oil. This attractive cardboard pack with handle comes with a stainless steel spout. Click here to shop!

Melt a heart...

DigiPix.Us is the place for unique, stylish, fun, contemporary gifts. We make digital PopArt and Fine Art style custom portraits from our customers favorite photos that make great gifts for everyone on your Holiday gift list! For busy women it’s perfect because all ordering is done online at our website, anytime, anywhere. Click here to shop!

Eco Wine Trio: $29.99

Wine.com: The Eco Wine Trio, exclusively for Wine.com, includes three earth-friendly wines: a fruit-forward Merlot, a lush Rhône red and a bright fruity Pinot Noir are brought to you in a 100% recycled and recyclable gift box. These are the world's first offering of fine wines in PET* bottles, delivering all the quality of glass bottles with a 50% lower carbon footprint and the convenience of a lightweight, unbreakable bottle. 10% of the retail price goes to the EarthEra Renewable Energy Trust and EarthEra also carbon balances the shipment of this product from the winery to you. So sit back and enjoy your wine knowing you are helping the planet! Click here to shop!

Best travel sites on the web

2009-11-20T14:48:56Z

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”

~Robert Louis Stevenson

Booking your next adventure or getaway just got a whole lot easier! All the best travel sites on the web are now at your fingertips when you visit the See The World section at MyInspirationLounge.com. I have mined the web for secret escapes, adventures you never thought of, tips for traveling on a budget, the best hotels and must-know info before you head out.

I promise you will leave inspired! Click here to start your exploring: See The World at MyInspirationLounge.com.

For more about how I accidentally became a web gemologist, click here :)

PS. Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter - it's worth it.

More inspiration for you:

8 ways travel will inspire you: my guest post for HipCompass

What is your spa type?

Great social causes that will leave you inspired

Pamper yourself inexpensively, here's how

2009-11-19T15:43:56Z

When you think of getting a massage - it's usually an all or nothing kind of thing. If you don't have $80- $100 to indulge on one or have one-hour to spare, then you go without a massage for a long time. And you feel it. The knots and tension build. You get grumpy.

Leftover food from holiday dinners: here's how long you can keep it

2009-11-18T16:26:05Z

No need to worry about having leftovers with this apple pie! YUM!

We've all been there - staring at the leftover food pondering if it's still good to eat. Well, no more. In the November issue of Real Simple, I saw these very handy tips on how long you can keep leftovers. No more mystery - just the facts.

We can never be too old to make a wish

2009-11-17T21:59:09Z

Love this Make A Wish print for sale on Etsy

I saw this Make A Wish print and thought it was the sweetest thing ever. I know little kids like to have fun making wishes but so do big kids :)

Where Verity, the artist, gets her inspiration from...

The first widget ever to share inspiring thoughts from ordinary people

2009-11-16T18:03:16Z

I'm starting a movement. It's called "Ordinary People Inspire!" Why? Because YOU inspire me. Every single one of you. Even on your bad days! Since launching MyInspirationLounge.com and interviewing women for InspirationLounge.tv, I've seen how the chaos of life can zap us of our energy, mojo, confidence, and self-worth. So much, that we don't think we have one inspiring bone in our body! I have plenty of those days! I'm here to remind us that we all inspire in our own unique and beautiful ways! That you too have inspiration to share with the world!

Get inspired: what have you done today to make you feel proud

2009-11-16T15:41:02Z

If you're reading this on Facebook, click here to watch the music video, Proud!

If you need a little kick in the pants this week to get motivated (I know I do!), Heather Small's song "Proud" will get you moving. Heather's big question to all of us: What have you done today to make you feel proud?

If you have a few action items you would like to accomplish this week, this is a great time to jot them down! Then post your list in a visible but unusual place so the list really catches your eye this week! Maybe the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, office door...get creative!

Like Heather says, "You could be so many people, if you make that break for freedom....What have you done today to make you feel proud?"

What is Inspiration Monday? Inspiration Monday music videos are about kicking our week off right and taking Monday's back! We all need a sweet reminder about what's important in life like having fun, taking a moment for ourselves and the simple things in life.

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Best holiday deals you don't want to miss

2009-11-10T18:40:45Z

I think we can all agree that this is not the year to break the bank buying big gifts. Here's a few ways you can save money on the most famous shopping day of the year, Black Friday, and into the Christmas holidays!

Deals for holiday shopping you don't want to miss

RetailMeNot.com is always one of my top picks for saving easy money. They will be compiling the best Black Friday specials and promotions in one place. As I've mentioned before, RetailMeNot is definitely a must-stop before buying anything online! Who doesn't want to save 10% or get free shipping with a click of a button.

Amazon's Gold Box deals of the day. This is a great place to find the best deals and discover a few gift ideas.

Delight.com is a must-stop for fun, unique gift ideas that are truly affordable. Delight always features a fabulous daily deal so make sure to sign-up for their newsletter to not miss out.

About.com shares 10 tips for getting the best bargains on Black Friday

Overstock.com is offering $1 shipping on your entire order. Enough said!

Here's a couple of ideas for giving small gifts with a big heart:

Homemade sugar body scrub...delicious!

Stocking stuffers that will leave them inspired!

Great presents under $50

Happy shopping!

Don't forget to stop by the Get Money Savvy section for more power tips on how-to save money!

Looking for more tips and inspiration? Subscribe to my newsletter, InspireMail!

A happy song: feelin' groovy

2009-11-09T15:27:33Z

A happy song: feelin' groovy by Simon & Garfunkel for Inspiration Monday!

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.
Hello lamppost,
What cha knowing?
I've come to watch your flowers growing.
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in' doo-doo,
Feelin' groovy.

Got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you,
All is groovy.

Other fun music videos:

Instant girl power: Laverne & Shirley Opening Song

Smile, Smile, Smile with Audrey Hepburn

Move over ColdPlay...let's hear the kids singing I will rule the world

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A top womens resource for investing and personal finance tips: DailyWorth

2009-11-06T15:53:22Z

Subscribe to the free daily personal finance email for women!

DailyWorth is a free daily personal finance email for women. We deliver practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the pants.

Helping women take control of their finances and gain financial independence is one mission of mine. I know money is an area where women aren't used to taking charge and in most cases, rely on their partner or husband to manage it. I want to empower women with the best personal finance info on the web so this will change. Why?