Jewelery That Rocks

Electric Picks "Centerfold" Bracelet

At a recent event in New York City I was introduced to MJ Barton and was immediately enamored with her armful of amazing bracelets, which, as the designer behind the brand Electric Picks, were all of her own fabulous design.

MJ Barton

I chatted with MJ about her background and Electric Picks, her line of rock-and-roll-inspired jewelry. (Of course, I also had to invest in a couple of bracelets myself, too!)

"I've always made jewelry, ever since I was really young," MJ explained. Besides making jewelry, MJ also loved music, playing piano and guitar for years.

Prior to launching her line, MJ worked as a nonprofit events planner in Miami, but in April 2011, MJ says she had a dream about putting a guitar pick into a bracelet. "I couldn't go back to sleep," she says. "I knew I had to do this!"

When MJ moved to New York, she got to work and launched Electric Picks one year ago this month. Her company quickly took off and continues to grow at an amazing pace. 

Each bracelet is intricately crafted and one of a kind and the guitar picks are all either custom or vintage.  The bracelets have names which are in keeping with their rock-and-roll inspiration, such as this bracelet named for the Guns N' Roses song:

Electric Picks "Every Rose" Bracelet

I also was intrigued with all the spikes and studs that MJ is featuring in her jewelry, which have such a dangerous, edgy look yet are still fun and feminine.

Electric Picks "Tommy Guns"

Electric Picks "Idol"

Check out the entire line at ElectricPicks.com.

"Giving Back is the New Black"

Kate Owens (center) with members of the Kate's Kuts team and Paul DeJoria, CEO of Paul Mitchell (center left)

Kate Owens, stylist and proprietor at Kate's Kuts, her Paul Mitchell Focus salon in Bonita Beach, FL, is a woman with a mission: to help every woman, regardless of income or life adversities, feel beautiful.

Kate believes in the transformational power of beauty. She says, "I have seen women walk in my shop, shoulders slumped, head down.....but walk out anew! Full of life and confidence! It happens every day for women who can afford it, I wanted to make it happen for women who can't."

In order to make women's dreams come true, Kate began asking all her clients if they knew anyone in need and also contacted local organizations such as women's shelters in the area, Dress for Success, and a local mental health facility, The David Lawrence Center.  Kate got some great leads and soon was conducting her first free makeover on a young woman named Brandy who had just received a Habitat for Humanity house in the local area. With less then 24 hours to do the makeover, Kate and her team had Brandy ready for the house dedication, looking beautiful.

The next makeover was on Pat, a single mother of three, who, with no child support, struggles to get by and can't spend her money on hair care, so Kate's team took over. 

Says Kate, "The most emotional make over so far was Miss Jamie. Her transformation was something else, and so is her story. She was in an awful car accident that has left her with quite a large scar on the left side of her forehead and a portion of her brow missing. She was married to the love of her life for two months and he was killed accidentally at a gun range." 

Kate says Jamie looked "like a rock star" when the makeover was done, and "she was so grateful, appreciative, so happy." Kate even enlisted her good friend, Tara Gower of Inflicting Beauty Tattoo in Flagler Beach, Fl  to donate permanent makeup to correct Jamie's eyebrow so that she no longer has anything to hide.

Kate and her team have two more makeovers booked right now. One is for a women coming out of treatment and the other is for a women whose daughter is severely handicapped. Says Kate, "I am so looking forward to having these women inspire me with their journeys, their stories and their courage."

Kate draws inspiration from three sources: her own story, the stories of her staff, and the corporate culture at Paul Mitchell. 

Kate herself has overcome great adversity. "I can tell you right upfront that I am a survivor, a warrior, and a women that would not be where I am without God, my family, and my friends. I have overcome an abusive first marriage, raised a son as a single mom, had a battle with drugs and alcohol, and have made it to the other side, stronger with a renewed faith. I know if I can make it, anyone can," she says.

Among Kate's staff, two women are widowed, one lost her husband at 36 and another was two months pregnant when she lost the child's father in an freak accident. Another staff member was a mom at sixteen to a child with Down's Syndrome. Another employee is a military veteran who served in Afghanistan. 

Says Kate, "I have watched these women on a daily basis overcome these obstacles, show up to work wearing smiles and giving all they have to make our salon what it is every day."

Finally, Kate is inspired by the Paul Mitchell culture, as Kate's Kuts is a Paul Mitchell Focus salon.  John Paul Mitchell Systems is a 32-year-old hair-care products line, which, according to the LA Times, is sold in 87 countries and logs nearly $1 billion in annual sales. The company is led by CEO Paul DeJoria, who has an amazing personal rags-to-riches story and who has a 30 year history of giving through Chrysalis, a nonprofit organization that helps the homeless and low-income individuals get back on their feet and become self-sufficient. 

When Kate is giving back to others, she feels most rewarded. "How lucky am I?," she says.  "I get the chance to change a life everyday."

For more information about Kate's Kuts and her makeover program, or if you want a great haircut for yourself, or know someone in the SW Florida area in need, contact (239) 947-5283.

  

Dana's Inspiration: Renaissance Women

I am always inspired by the many women I know who are attempting to "have it all" ... My friends all inspire me in different ways but since this is a style blog, I wanted to highlight some women who are doing amazing things in the worlds of beauty and fashion!

Alyssa Weisler

Alyssa Weisler with her sons

Alyssa Weisler and I were roommates in NYC back when we were newly out of college and just beginning our careers.  Over the years, Alyssa held marketing and PR positions at such esteemed beauty companies as Avon, Lancôme and Chanel in New York City. 

Back then, as single girls in the city, it was easy to devote ourselves exclusively to our careers and to rising in the ranks of corporate America. As we got older and started families, things became more complicated. Today, Alyssa is a mother of two young sons who, like many women, found that as her family grew, her priorities began to change.   She recently told me about her new business endeavor, and I was inspired by her passion. 

Seeking to balance motherhood with work after moving out of NYC to the 'burbs, Alyssa sought other opportunities in her new geographic area, but she couldn’t find the right fit, until she was tipped off by an old high school friend to a company called Rodan + Fields.  

Rodan + Fields is a direct sales skin care company founded by the uber-successful dermatologists and founders of the mega-brand Proactiv, Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields. The company offers lots of innovative skin care solutions, such as a Anti-Age Lip Serum that was featured in Harper's Bazaar.  I remembered seeing Rodan + Fields products in department stores, and Alyssa explained to me that while the products formerly were sold at Nordstrom, three years ago the company was re-purposed as a direct-sales company in order to reach more people.

What Alyssa loves about Rodan + Fields is that she can "break free from corporate America and become an entrepreneur while partnering with two of the most respected names in skincare."  Now Alyssa is having a lot of success in her new business. Best of all, she is able to balance her passion for skin care and her desire to stay active in the business world along with her wish to be available for her two little boys, as she is working part-time and arranges her schedule completely around her kids. "It's like having the best of both worlds," she says.


Alyssa is excited to share not only the skincare results that one can achieve from the Rodan + Fields products but also the opportunity for women to have their own businesses on their on terms. She emphasizes that while she brings her beauty industry background to the business, such experience is not a prerequisite for success. "What I like is that this business attracts a very high- level, sophisticated group of people from all backgrounds - people that just get that this is a good business opportunity." Alyssa is excited to see what the future holds!


To learn more, visit https://alyssaweisler.myrandf.com/

"5th and Jane"

5th & Jane

You would have a tough time finding a more stylish a duo than the bloggers/best friends who go by the pseudonyms "5th and Jane." They take their names from the streets they live on in NYC, where they comb the sidewalks and the stores for style inspiration, and always find the latest, the greatest and the most fun fashions around. I have had the privilege of knowing both 5th and Jane for many years and I have always been inspired by not only their style but also by their enthusiasm, their energy and their zest for both achievement and enjoyment.

One visit to their fabulous blog and you'll know instantly that these are some seriously stylish ladies, but unless you read their "About Us" page, you might not realize that they are "both women who are trying to have it all." Both 5th and Jane are mothers, as well as successful professionals in their respective fields. 5th is in the business world and has a school-age son, while Jane is a doctor and mother to a young daughter.

What's so inspiring about 5th and Jane is that they have already accomplished so much- as mothers and as professional women, yet they had an unexpressed love for fashion, for which they sought an outlet. And thus, in between meetings and playdates, they are making their style blog happen and, despite the fact that they have only been blogging for only a few months, they have already had tremendous success. I love that they have found a way to incorporate a passion for fashion into their already jam-packed busy lives!


Check out their blog for some NYC style inspiration! 

Dana Talks: Superfoods, Skin Care and Green Lemonade

About six years ago, I had the pleasure of first meeting Miranda Hunt, a chef and holistic health counselor, and over the years I have enjoyed a countless number of her healthy, instructive and creative cooking classes.  Miranda has been a healthy-eating expert basically since birth- she was raised macrobiotic and was leading her own cooking lessons by age 23.

I was so excited when I recently caught up with Miranda and learned that she has taken her love of food to a whole new level- she is currently developing her own line of food-based skin care products!

Miranda explains that the idea was simply an extension of her love for food. She is a totally DIY-type cook who makes from scratch the kinds of foods that most people usually buy, such as ketchup and pickles, so she was used to experimenting and producing her own products in the kitchen.

Miranda is developing a facial cleanser, mask, a balm and a body scrub and plans to launch her products in May. As the basis for these products, she's using such ingredients as neutral oils like grape seed oil as well as fresh herbs and seaweed. Miranda subscribes to the philosophy that "simple is best," and that many people "put too many things on their skin," especially things that are over-drying, such as products that contain alcohol. And of course, Miranda says, "Skincare starts with the food you eat; you have to put good stuff inside" in order to look your best.

I can't wait to try Miranda's forthcoming skincare collection, but in the meanwhile, Miranda is sharing an amazing recipe for "green lemonade," which you can make in a regular blender and which will have you glowing. I have made this drink several times over the past few days and I have to say, I'm hooked! The flavor was surprising at first, but then delicious and oddly addicting and so invigorating that it could make me give up my morning coffee without a fight. And I think my skin just may be glowing...!

See below for the recipe, and for more information about Miranda's skin care products, or for skincare consultations, cooking lessons, nutrition counseling, a "kitchen makeover," menu planning or a "food store tour," contact Miranda at mirandanutrition@gmail.com or via Facebook.

Green Lemonade (Serves 2)

"A great start to your day!  This green juice nourishes your cells from the inside out, tastes great, and gives you a natural buzz unlike a morning java fix.  I love to drink this before my kundalini or bikram yoga practice.  This beverage will make you glow!" -Miranda Hunt

2 cups of filtered water
2 organic granny smith apples, cut into 6 pieces each
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
A thumb sized piece of ginger
1 tumeric rhizome (Found in Indian & Asian markets and some Whole Foods.  If not available, substitute 1 teaspoon ground tumeric.  Make sure it's fresh as ground spices quickly lose their vitality.)
2 cups of kale, packed
1 8" piece of burdock root, scrubbed (Burdock is a great blood purifier.) (Note: You can find burdock at Whole Foods or other health food stores; click here to read more about this wonder-food and see a photo of it so that you will be able to identify it at the grocery store.)

Place the above ingredients in a high speed blender and buzz until everything is homogeneous and smooth.  Pass juice through a strainer squeezing out as much liquid from the pulp as possible. Serve in glasses with ice if desired and a glass or metal straw to keep it natural. Enjoy!

Food, Fitness & Fashion

We are always looking for ways to eat well, improve our nutrition, build strength and bolster our immune systems through optimal diet. And all the better if eating well helps to improve our skin, hair, nails and overall appearance.

That's why we were so excited to be introduced to Jenia Yashaya. Jenia has a unique background which combines nutrition, fitness, and what else? Fashion!

An FIT grad who worked in high-end NYC retail stores for many years, Jenia also has her B.S. degree in Nutrition Therapy & Exercise Physiology. She is also an AFAA-certified Personal Trainer and Aerobic Instructor, and received her holistic nutrition training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she was trained in more than one hundred dietary theories.

Did we mention that Jenia (pictured above) is also the mother of two young children? Oh, and she also recently launched her own business, which is fabulously named: Holistic Body Couture: Naturally Tailored from the Inside Out.  Her mission? "To educate, inform, and change the way people think and live in more healthy, natural active way to suit their lifestyle."

How does Jenia have the energy to do all this? By eating right, of course! We love that as a fashionista, fitness trainer, and holistic nutritionist, Jenia understands all the elements that go into good health and looking your best.

So we asked Jenia, "What is the one single best thing a woman of any age can eat to improve her overall appearance and well being?"

Jenia's answer was simple: Swap caffeine for water and green juice. Jenia swears that if we skip our morning coffee and dust off our juicer instead, whipping up some green juice (Jenia loves kale), we'll see an improvement in our skin, hair, energy, clarity, and we may even lose weight.

Jenia also gave us a list of power foods to create super-smoothies. To begin, put almond milk, bananas, and frozen strawberries into a blender. This alone sounds yummy and healthful but Jenia recommends adding some of the following for a beauty-health-energy boost:

• Hemp powder for complete protein
• Maca powder for libido, energy, to help prevent PMS, to stave off anxiety and for reproductive health
• Cacao- the ingredient that chocolate is made from- for antioxidants, vitamins and fiber

To learn more about Jenia visit her website, holisticbodycouture.com (she has more great recipes on her site as well).

Jenia offers a free 45-minute consultation during which she will discuss your personal health history, diet, and nutrition goals and she is also currently offering a 10 percent discount on her nutrition consultation service. She has a six-month program during which she meets with her clients bi-weekly to provide ongoing personalized nutrition support and advice. She can meet in person, on the phone, or even via Skype, so while Jenia is NY-based, you can connect with her anywhere.

Email Jenia at Jenia@HolisticBodyCouture.com and let her know you saw her on Like Mother, Like Daughter.