Women With Know How December 2013

DECEMBER 2013

Executive Director Pearls For Creative Healing

SandraGuynesDO’S AND

DON’T’S FOR SURVIVING

THE HOLIDAYS AS SEPARATED

PARENTS

HOLIDAY BRUNCHWHAT A

SPREAD!

Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community2

DMimi Zelman

Publisher

Dear Readers, I can’t believe 2013 is now coming to an end!For me this year has just flown by! I’d like to take the time to thank all of my advertisers, without you, there would be no magazine, and our readers who have given me such wonderful encouragement to keep going forward! Without our readers there would be no magazine as well!

Readers please support the wonderful women ownedbusinesses that advertise in our magazine and tellthem you saw them in Women With Know How.

As 2014 comes to a start, remember to celebrate all the good things in your life, the people and places that have helped you along the way. Make decisions that you are comfortable with, let nobody put you down, and if you have a dream, don’t be afraid to act on it, it can come true!! Wishing you a very happy holiday season,

Mimi

www.womanwithknowhow.com DECEMBER 2013 3

Con

tent

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Publisher/President Mimi L. Zelman

[email protected]

Creative Director Juliana Lievano

www.JulianaCreativeDesigns.com

Contributing Writers Terri Bennett Elyshia Brook

For more advertising information call Mimi at 704-491-1207

or email her at: [email protected]

Copyright © 2013

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10 Crowd Funding Tips You Can Use To Raise Money For Your Book

12Do’s And Don’t’s For Surviving The Holidays As Separated Parents

38Best Ways to Reduce Your Exposureto BPA

On the coverSandra

Guynes

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How did you get started in this business?I moved from the Windy City to NC a few years ago, I did so to be closer to my son and his new family as he was active military and I could be away from the new grandson’s that became part of my life.

I was a tad bored and very active in fashion so I decided to start hunting for the most wonderful vintage cloth-ing and hats, etc…I had gathered so

much and a space became available and I had the great idea to open a boutique of upscale vintage cloth-ing in the sleepy town of Sanford….I loved the idea but it is rather unfor-tunate that the town was not ready to support new business and was not the most inviting for what I offered. So I moved to Charlotte to begin a new journey.

What is your background-what were you doing before this business?

ConnerBy Mimi Zelman

OWNER REACHING FOR THE STARS VINTAGE

Dawn


I have a background in the music industry, I always loved the style of the music icons that I have seen and met through time and developed avid interest in performing at one time recording original songs and going to SBSX in Austin to have them heard by the industry, well that did not work out so well so I brushed myself off and got into the wardrobe and produc-tion side of the industry. I worked for a local promoter for shows that required my talents when they blew into town; I have to say it was extremely reward-ing and exciting work that I will trea-sure always.

As time went on and Clear Channel began buying the local promoters out and taking music shows to a level of corporate thinking, I got out, this was not for me. I took another chapter and worked for a major mall developer who was not far from those living the rock star life, however the day to day 9 to 5 life was a real adjustment, and it lasted 10 years..

What is a good early story about your business?The thrill of seeking out clothing, learn-ing all I could as I went along, opening a store and the first sale, client services and knowing that I was doing what I was meant to be doing. It is a journey, as I closed the store for a different direction

and never looked back. It is important for me to always be willing to change course and grow and trust my gut.

What is unusual or unique about your business, in comparison to your competitors or similar businesses? That is in the eye of the beholder, there is so much talent and styling here and across the country and world, really do not know how to answer that as I have respect for all the talent.

I will say that I think one should have a big personality and passion for fashion and styling, that I think is the unique-ness to what I offer, I like a client who feels the same and enjoys the journey as they will be pampered and given first class and one on one attention.

Is there a customer experience you are most proud of? Yes, I think when I get the last minute call for clothing and a look and come through…it is when I do my best work, I love the challenge and it has been rarely that I have not made something happen for the last minute client in need.

Do you do any charity or non profit work? I really would like to get involved with styling and dressing women who have not had the advantages of making that a priority due to whatever the issues, every


woman deserves to feel good about who they are. That is on the map for 2014.

Who are some of your most notable clients? I like to keep that information private. I recently returned from Paris after styling a runway for a designer…What a thrill, I hope to return and work again with other designer’s as there is no place like Paris for Fashion Week, I hope to have many clients who are notable that is the plan.

What is an interesting story about a client interaction you had? I had a client who contacted me within a week of her son’s wedding, she was desperate and I might add rather firm on what she wanted to look like for the special day. I asked her why she waited until a week be-fore, she replied that she did not like anything she had seen. I was able to find within a week the perfect attire for the day, she tried it on the day before she left for the wedding and it fit like it had been made for her, she was so happy, I was so relieved as there was no second choice available..whew, that was magic!

What are some of your greatest challenges in your business?Being a young business is always a

challenge, being new to a city is an-other, I think for the short amount of time I have been in Charlotte has been as successful as I could have hoped for, I find that if they know I am here and what I can do that is the biggest to deal with. There is so much talent here in Charlotte I need to always do what I can to stand out with my service and offer the extras needed.

What would you most like the reader to know about your journey in business? No matter what, follow a dream, I am doing what I love and never want to give up, my heart is so filled with pas-sion, I never thought this new begin-ning would take the course it has, it is amazing and wonderful to look ahead and know that I am on course. So fulfilling, it is never too late to start, re-Invent and experience what is in your heart. ●

Dawn [email protected]\980-406-3803

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Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community10 Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community10

Have you heard about the book Emoji Dick? It’s the story of Moby Dick writ-ten in emoticons. There

are a lot of remarkable things about this book, like the fact it’s written in emoticons, had a team of writers/emoticon translators, and that it sells for $40 softcover and $200 hardcover. However, the most interesting part of this book for other writers is that this book was crowd funded.

Crowd funding is when lots of people give small amounts of money towards a large project. It’s been used to fund books, movies, magazines, inventions, art projects, and more. It can also be used to fund your book. Here is what you need to know about crowd funding.

Write A Great DescriptionHere’s where you can put your story abil-ity to great use. Many people make the mistake of asking for help on crowd fund-ing sites. No one wants to give ‘help’; they want to make dreams come true and ben-efit the world, not just one person.

To accomplish this, make your book the hero of your story. Don’t talk about you; instead, talk a little about the plot of the book, what makes this book so fantas-tic, how much happiness it will bring to people. If the site allows it, you might even want to make a video of you talk-ing about your book. Projects with videos are proven to get more funding than projects without videos.

Give Great GiftsGiving great gifts for each donor level is another way to secure funding. While some people don’t give gifts for the low-est donor levels, giving gifts for all levels will help you get more funding faster. Crowd funding sites allow you to limit the spots of each donor level. The main advantage of this is that you will know how many of each gift to have on hand. The gifts should relate to your project. Some common gifts include acknowl-edgments in print, autographed books, or even a special commeratative book. This can be hardcover, limited edition, full color, and more. For your largest donor (someone who gives thousands),

Crowd Funding Tips You Can Use To Raise Money For Your Book

tech

nolo

gy by Mercedes Tabano


Crowd Funding Tips You Can Use To Raise Money For Your Book

11

you could offer a service. For example, you could teach a class about some-thing relating to your book, or just a workshop on how to write. A graphic designer once did this very successfully by offering to teach an entire com-pany graphic design in exchange for a $10,000 level donation.

Choose The Right WebsiteKickstarter is the most famous site when it comes to crowd funding. However, is it really the best? For the many people who have found funding on kickstarter, they would say yes, but some others would say no. While it is the most fa-mous, Kickstarter also has some major drawbacks, the largest of which is its all or nothing policy.

On Kickstarter, they assume that if you can’t collect all the money you ask for, that the project can’t be done. There-fore, if you come up short, they return all the donated money. While this makes sense in some cases, in others it makes no sense at all. For example, if you ask for $1,000 and you make $999, then the campaign is still considered a failure and all the money is returned.

Another popular crowd funding site to consider is Indiegogo. Instead of all or nothing, it allows you a Flexible Fund-ing option. With flexible funding, you have a second chance to raise the miss-

ing money to reach your goal. If you get enough this time to make up the difference, then you get to keep all the money and send out the promised gifts as if the first campaign was a success.

Tell Your NetworkBuild it and they will come doesn’t work for websites or books, and it doesn’t work for crowd funding, either. In order to raise the money you need, sharing with your network is essential. Family, friends, even strangers who follow you on social media, can all contribute to your campaign. You never know who will donate and who they know that might donate. Again, the key is not to ask for help. Instead, you are giving them an opportunity to bring happiness to thousands of people.

Crowd funding is becoming more com-mon, yet relatively few authors are using it. This gives you a prime opportunity to stand out in a not overcrowded mar-ketplace. With the right campaign, gifts, description, and network, you can be well on your way to financing your pub-lishing empire. ●

Mercedes Tabanomercedestabanoii.com/www.facebook.com/DynamicDimensionsMar-keting” \t “_blank” https://www.facebook.com/DynamicDimensionsMarketingLinkedIn: Mercedes Tabano II


L eaves have fallen from the trees, the days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping, and emotions are

hotter. It must be December – Thanks-giving has passed and now December holidays and the end of the year are star-ing us in the face. With the stress of the holidays added to the everyday stresses of life, the time between Thanksgiving and the end of the year can be especial-ly difficult even for families that are not in the midst of domestic litigation. If you add the stress and emotion of some-thing like a custody dispute, the stage is set for your children to have a December to remember – but to remember for the wrong reasons.

Last winter, you and your spouse and your children were all living in one house, and together you decided which relative to visit when and what gifts to give the children. This winter you and your spouse are living in two separate homes and are trying to decide how to handle the holi-days. Here are some December do’s and don’ts to keep in mind if your goal is to help your children have a good holiday.

Do have a rational discussion about division of time. If you do not have a custody order in place, you will have to come to some agreement about where the children are when and, without fail, both spouses will want the children on the same days. You cannot both have, for example, Christmas morning, so one of you has to decide to allow the other par-ent to have that day.

Don’t make a decision to keep the chil-dren past an agreed upon exchange time after you have come to an agreement. Every year, I get calls from at least one cli-ent when the other spouse has decided two days before Christmas not to honor the time-sharing plan they had come up with. There is no way to resolve the issue in court, so the parent who changed the rules “wins” the schedule war that year, but it is a short-lived “victory” when the details come out at the next hearing and the judge decides that the “winning” par-ent no longer gets that particular holiday.

Do work together to plan gifts for the children. Divide the children’s wish lists so that you don’t both end up getting

Do’s And Don’t’s For Surviving The Holidays As Separated Parentsle

gal

By Rebecca K. Watts


the same gifts for the children. Yes, duplicate gifts can be exchanged, but keep in mind the reaction of the child who opens a duplicate gift when decid-ing whether it is important for you to get that one particular item when you know your spouse has already purchased it. Don’t try to “one up” the other parent by buying bigger and better gifts for the children – especially if the bigger and better gifts are outside the price-range and scope of gifts that you traditionally gave to the children before separation.

Do remember that from now on, the same two week time out of school has to stretch between two households and neither of you will see the children all of the time. If the back and forth is diffi-cult for you, think about how it is for the children. Don’t forget that the extended family of your spouse is as important to your children as is your extended fam-ily. Last year, you found a way to visit both sets of grandparents, so find a way this year – don’t decide that this year, all of a sudden, it’s more important for the children to see your family.

Finally, do remember that the children did not choose to spend the holidays divided between two homes. Don’t be so determined to “win” that the result is that the children lose out on good holi-day memories. ●

Rebecca K. WattsBoard Certified Specialist in Family LawKrusch and Sellers, P.A.5950 Fairview Road, Suite 808Charlotte, NC 28210Phone: 704-556-0707Fax: 704-553-7824www.kruschlaw.com

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AA holiday celebration at home should be as much fun for the hosts as for friends and family. With a little ad-vance planning, the goal of effortless entertaining is suddenly within reach.

First, make it brunch, typically lighter and simpler to prepare than dinner. Buffet style is another smart choice — just arrange the dishes on pretty

holiday linens and invite guests to serve themselves.

Half of the work is done when you go with full-flavored imported Italian cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and Montasio, and

air-cured hams like Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele. As PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) products, they belong to a special group of high-quality Euro-pean foods that can be made only in specific geographical regions.

Four dishes that add up to a no-stress brunch buffet:— A frittata with the deeply savory

flavors of Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It’s equally delicious warm or at room temperature, whichever is more convenient.

— Thumbprint biscuits featuring

What a Spread!Holiday Brunch


Eggs Baked in Prosciutto di San Daniele CupsYield: 12 portions12 slices Prosciutto di San Daniele12 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400°F.• Fold one slice of Prosciutto di San Daniele in half cross-wise to make a rectangle. Fit into a muffin cup.

• Crack egg into lined cup. Repeat with remaining ham and eggs.

• Bake 10 to 12 minutes to desired doneness.

Kale Salad with Grana Padano and Citrus DressingYield: 5 cups 1/2 pound kale1 large Anjou or Bartlett pear, sliced1/2 cup Grana Padano shards1/4 cup pine nuts or sliced almonds, toasted2 tablespoons orange juice2 tablespoons white wine or balsamic vinegar2 tablespoons olive oil1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Remove ribs from kale and cut into 1-inch ribbons; place in a large salad bowl. Add pear, cheese and nuts.

• Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss.

melted Montasio cheese in the in-dentations on top — a clever touch for biscuits made with ready-made dough.

— Another brilliant two-ingredient recipe consists of eggs baked in Pro-sciutto di San Daniele “cups.” They are crisp, creamy and irresistible.

— Festive garnishes for a salad of deep green kale leaves, tossed with orange vinaigrette, include Grana Padano shards, pears and pine nuts.

For more information on the PDO sys-tem and holiday recipes using these legendary cheeses and hams, visit www.legendsfromeurope.com.

Think About DrinksOne way to keep it simple is to settle on a house drink for your brunch buf-fet, such as a Poinsettia Cocktail made with one part cranberry juice and one part Grand Marnier to four parts pro-secco. For the nonalcoholic version, combine the juice with sparkling wa-ter or lemon-lime soda. ●


by Mimi Zelman

Executive Director Pearls For Creative Healing

Sandra Guynes

Pearls for Creative Healing was the vision of founder Sandra Guynes, RN, MSN. As a nurse educator, artist and survivor of domestic violence, Sandra created Pearls to help survivors use art to find their voice. Sandra is a photographer, painter and mixed media artist who found that creativity was her saving grace after her own experience with domestic violence.

Her experience as a nurse educator has trained her in program/curriculum de-velopment and holistic care. Pearls offers survivors a creative outlet for those who have been abused or victimized.

Tell us about you: I am the Founder and President of Pearls for Creative Healing; an organization ded-


icated to using art to help survivors of domestic violence. I facilitate Creativity and Healing Arts workshops for survi-vors of domestic abuse and those who have been affected as child observers. As an artist, nurse and advocate for domestic violence I’ve used my nursing career and Master of Science in Nursing Education to guide me in developing programs to help women heal through the arts.

How did you get started? It was an intuitive process to create art programs for healing. I’ve danced since I was in the womb and have always used arts to soothe my soul and express the very things I could not find the words to

say. When I left an abusive relationship in 2004 I realized that art was my only relief from the emotional pain that I felt follow-ing my abuse. It was in this time that I began to dance professionally and teach


dance. During my time teaching dance I found that so many women came to this particular art form seek-ing to build their self esteem and regain a feeling of lost beauty and self confidence. I knew then that my love for the arts was something I could use to bring women closer to their peace and allow them to find a place for self expression. Our programs at Pearls for Creative Healing focus on empowering women who have been silenced for so long and giving them a platform or a voice for their story.

How have your prior career ex-periences prepared you for your

journey in life?My career as a nurse has always been dedicated to helping women and chil-dren. In this delicate role I was witness to many women who were abused and had little or no resources for heal-ing. I was trained as domestic violence advocate and how to identify signs of abuse in the women I worked with. Caring for women and their children has been a great gift that has been entrusted to me and I know that using my passion for the arts and my training as a nurse is how I’ve come to arrive at this particular road in my life.

What would you most like our readers to know about your journey in business? In life?I didn’t know I was on a journey at first. I was living each moment and enjoy-ing the ride day to day. When you become an entrepreneur or a business entity you have to move from passion to purpose very quickly.

What I found as I was riding along was that I am not a master of everything. I am grateful for the wisdom to seek help, find experts who can guide me and those I can outsource work to when needed. Keeping true to what your skills are and what you LOVE to do is what will help to keep the fire burn-ing and push you along the journeyWho would you describe as your


mentor(s) and why? I truly have been blessed with so many wonderful men-tors that this question is hard to an-swer. My life has been full of wonderful women sharing their Pearls of Wisdom with me and helping to guide me on my journey.

What’s on your bucket list and why?On my bucket list is to learn how to play the guitar in my garage, visit the 7 Wonder’s of the World and be able to capture it all with my camera.

Any difficult times you’d care to share with our readers?? And if so what lesson have you learned?My journey is not unique. I have failed at many business ideas, felt discouraged along the way and found myself questioning what direction life can possibly want me to go in.

What I have learned is that nothing, no failure or fall, has ever been with-out a lesson and if I have learned one thing in life it is to take EVERYTHING I’ve been through and use it to propel myself forward in the journey. It is never a step back instead it’s a mo-ment to reflect, regroup and try again perhaps in a new or different way.

The second lesson I’ve learned is that we must be gentle with ourselves. If

we fail to love ourselves completely mind, body and soul we can never truly be successful. I have neglected myself in the past, worked more than I should have, missed the important moments and completely stopped paying attention to what “Sandra” loves and needs. Success that lasts can only come when we have inner peace, self love and self preservation.

If you could do one thing different-ly in your life, what would that be?Everything I’ve done has brought me to where I am today. I don’t want a do over but I’d love a do longer so that I can keep painting this beautiful life I’ve been blessed with.

What do you wish you knew 20 years ago?That all would be ok. I would marry the man of my dreams. That nothing is impossible.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?I once drove one of the vehicles in the presidential motorcade. I wish I could tell you more but “what hap-pens in the motorcade, stays in the motorcade.” Let’s just say it was one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking experiences of my life, driving at very high speeds with the most powerful man in the free world.


What inspires you?I am truly inspired by art and nature. There are days when even the clouds can just take my breath away.

What makes you laugh? My hus-band and my sister are tops on my list of laughs. They both get my jokes and we share the kind of humor that “you’d have to be there to understand.”

If you could stand up and defend anything, what would it be? I will forever defend women’s rights and help fight to end violence against women. There are so few options for women who are not in crisis or in the shelter setting, my hopes are that one day we can bridge the gap and help all women transition from hurt to healed.

About Pearls For Creative Healing:Pearls for Creative Healing is a nonprof-it organization focused on using art to help end domestic violence. Art work-shops help by empowering survivors and providing an outlet for telling their stories through expressive arts.Art creates a universal platform for survivors to tell their stories, share mes-sages of survival and create a platform from which to end domestic violence

What do the Pearls symbolize? The Pearls symbolize wisdom, beauty, femininity and strength. The strand

represents the link/network formed by the women of pearls.

Who Can Participate?Pearls is open to any woman who has been victimized, experienced a victim-ization of a friend or loved one or has a passion for domestic violence. Pearls is a place to connect, create, cleanse and be a champion for domestic violence.

Why Participate?A battering or abuse occurs every 6 seconds in the United States. As an ac-tive participant or donor you will help to bring awareness to domestic vio-lence in a unique and creative way…through use of the arts.“Art is a universal language by which we can create a voice, heal a heart and form a network of women survivors who can help empower other women who are victims of abuse or similar situations.”

Local Statistics: 2011 – Charlotte Meck-lenburg had 9004 filed domestic vio-lence reports. In 2010 – 2,843 restrain-ing orders cases were filed.

Resources:NEED HELP NOW: Call the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Take the Domestic Violence Quiz – Are you unsure if you are in a domestic


violence situation take this quiz for more information.

Children & Family Services Center – A single location in uptown Charlotte where nonprofit organizations offer comprehensive assistance to strengthen families.

Crisis Assistance Ministry – provides assistance and advocacy for people in fi-nancial crisis, helping them move toward self-sufficiency

National Domestic Violence Hotline – national hotline for victims of domestic violence

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline – support and information to understand and find resources for dating abuse.

Mecklenburg County Community Support Services Women’s Commission – employment services, training, domestic violence services, and advocacy.

Cabarrus Victim Assistance Network- Cabarrus County domestic violence shelter and services.

My Sister’s House -Iredell County do-mestic violence shelter and services.

Turning Point -Union County domestic violence shelter and services.

NC Council for Women – a women’s ad-vocacy agency within the North Carolina Department of Administration.

North Carolina Coalition against Do-mestic Violence – community of agen-cies and individuals who serve domestic violence survivors and their children.

Project Rainbow Net – domestic vio-lence resource for the gay, lesbian bisex-ual and transgender people.

eNOugh Violence - a movement to cre-ate a statewide domestic violence public awareness campaign in North Carolina.

National Network to End Domestic Violence – a social change organization dedicated to creating a social, political and economic environment in which violence against women no longer exists.

Women’s Law- state-by-state legal information and resources for domestic violence survivors.

Attorneys – attorneys.com is an online resource for finding an attorneyNational Coalition against Domestic.

Violence – coalition building at the local, state, regional and national levels.

26 Connect And Grow With Women In Our Community

Futures without Violence – works to end violence around the world through legislation and education.

V-Day- global movement to stop vio-lence against women and girls.

Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence – dedicated to reducing the costs and consequences of partner violence at work – and eliminating it altogether.

Legal Resource Center on Violence against Women – offers assistance to victims of domestic violence dealing with interstate custody issues

Domestic Abuse Intervention Program – works towards the elimina-tion of violence in the lives of women and their children.

US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women – provides federal leadership to reduce violence against women, and to administer justice for and strengthen services to all victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence – provides support to all orga-nizations and individuals working to end violence in the lives of victims and their children through technical assistance,

training and information on response to and prevention of domestic violence.

National Violence against Women Prevention Center- helps to prevent violence against women by advancing knowledge about prevention research and fostering collaboration among ad-vocates, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers.

VAWNET – online resource for advocates working to end domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violence in the lives of women and their children.

North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault – working to end sexual violence through education, advocacy and legislation.

RAINN – national information center and hotline for survivors of sexual violence and their supporters.

National Sexual Violence Resource Center – national information center for survivors of sexual violence. ●

Sandra Guynes, PresidentPearls for Creative Healing, Charlotte, NCYou can find out more about her community work and professional ventures at www.pearlscharlotte.org and www.hipchickphoto.com. 704-817-8793

If you or a loved one needs help or you want to help save lives, contact us today at 704.705.1850 or visit www.lls.org/nc

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Throw the Perfect Holiday Pairing PartyFFrom cookies and milk to the partridge

in a pear tree, the holidays are filled with classic pairings. This year, gather family and friends together and ring in the sea-son with a themed party that celebrates famous couplings.

A themed party always calls for a little extra creativity to wow guests and en-sure a great time is had by all. Since what you serve is always a key ingredient to a successful soiree, plan to have plenty of tasty appetizers and beverages available as soon as guests arrive. Try this recipe for Mini Steak Skewers with Smoked Paprika Aioli, a smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with Black Box Wine’s new Red Elegance. Juicy red fruit, ripe blueberry and the smoothness of sweet chocolate is a win-

ning combo with the savory steak that guests will surely adore.

Simple tips for your festive feteWhile planning your themed gathering, make sure to highlight pairs that evoke the holiday spirit. Try some of these host-ing tips to make your pairing party the event of the season:

Couples in costume: Encourage couples to dress similarly and in classic holiday fashion. For example, some may show up in matching holiday sweaters or as a famous couple from a holiday movie.

Cheese and wine: Nothing goes better together than cheese and wine. Make your spread complete with a variety of


fine cheeses and a flavor-ful wine, such as those from Black Box. One 3-liter box is the equivalent of four bottles. For more information, visit www.blackboxwines.com.

Dynamic duets: When planning your playlist, look for holiday standards that feature only duets or duos to highlight your special theme.

Must-have mistletoe: Add a kiss of romance and fun to your event with festive mistletoe. Every couple will look forward to seeing this gorgeous greenery perched across your doorway.

Don’t forget dessert: A holiday party would not be complete without the ultimate combination of holiday sweets: cookies and milk. Set them out just as you did in childhood days and watch as guests dig in to this perfect post-dinner treat.

Mini Steak Skewers with Smoked Paprika Aioli Pair with Black Box Red Elegance Makes 10-12 skewersYou’ll need 4-inch skewers to make this ap-petizer. If you can’t find them, long toothpicks will be fine, as will larger skewers cut to size.

Be sure to soak them for 15-20 minutes before cooking to avoid burning. Because this is holi-day time, it’s nice to use a higher quality meat like filet mignon, but you can use whatever steak you like.

Aioli:1/2 cup mayonnaise2 teaspoons lemon juice1 teaspoon smoked paprika1 garlic clove, minced2 tablespoons olive oilKosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Skewers:3/4 pound filet mignon, cut into 3/4-inch

squares (should get 30-36)1/2 small red pepper, cut into 3/4-inch

squares (should get 20-22)Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to tasteOlive oil, for greasing the pan or grill

• To make aioli, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, paprika, garlic and olive oil in small bowl until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.

• To make skewers, thread one piece of steak onto skewer, followed by a pepper, another piece of steak, one more pepper, and one more piece of steak. You should have three squares of beef and 2 pepper squares on each skewer. Repeat until all beef and pep-pers are used. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.

• Set grill pan over high heat, or preheat grill to medium-high. Rub oil onto surface of pan or grates. Place skewers on pan or grill. If using pan, cook for about 8 minutes for medium steak, turning during cooking so all sides have grill marks. If using grill, cook for 6-8 minutes for medium, keep-ing lid closed as much as possible, turning throughout, until cooked to your liking. Alternatively, you can broil skewers for 6-8 minutes, turning once halfway through.

• Serve with aioli on the side for dipping. ●

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TRThe advancements in technology have changed many things in our daily lives including how we celebrate the holidays. From making shopping easier to plan-ning holiday getaways, the endless capa-bilities of smartphone devices have made the holidays easier and better than ever before, allowing you to save time and money all with the touch of a button.

From travel to shopping, here are some of the ways to use technology to en-hance your yuletide celebrations and resolve some of the stress-inducing activities of the season.

Holly Jolly Entertaining With EaseTime spent with loved ones is what the holidays are all about. Here are some ways your smartphone can make these occasions even more joyous:

• Festive films and shows: Whether you want to entertain the kids while waiting to board the plane or just want to catch your favorite holiday movie from the convenience of your phone, you can do so with ease with the Netflix app. Included with your Netflix membership, this easy app lets you download and stream thousands

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How Technology Can Simplify Your Holiday Season


of your favorite television shows and movies to enjoy at any time you please.

• Merry-making invitations: Send out in-vitations to your ugly sweater party or caroling bash with unique, perfectly decorated invites with the Evite app. This helpful tool also allows you to manage guest lists and RSVP to other events in a snap.

• Good tidings and great tunes: The holidays would not be complete without the sounds and songs of the season filling the air. From kids’ school parties to a holiday feast with family and friends, you can create your own personal holiday playlists to fit every event and mood. This unlimited ac-cess to music at your fingertips is a gift in itself.

Holiday Shopping SimplifiedSo many gifts to purchase and so little time. Try these handy helpers to get all the gifts you need and still have time to stop and enjoy the eggnog:

• Guesswork-free gifts: Some apps, such as the Pickie’s Best Gift Giver tool, use the Facebook likes and preferences of your gift recipients to create a list of suitable items they would love. It also combines all of these recommended items in a convenient, click-through catalog to make purchasing gifts

easier. Make the shopping experience go even more smoothly by ensur-ing your phone has a strong, reliable signal. The zBoost SOHO cell phone signal booster kit increases signals up to 2500 square feet, making it perfect for your home or office. For more in-formation, visit www.zBoost.com.

• Lists you’ll love: When it comes to keeping track of presents, there’s no need for pen and paper. The Christ-mas Gift List app allows you to create a budget for each recipient and then track gifts as they are purchased.

• One cool countdown: Follow the @ChristmasCount on your Twitter app for jolly updates on your favorite holiday. Besides keeping you aware of how many days you have left to shop, it also includes trivia and giveaways to keep you in the spirit.

• See Santa save: Ever wondered if you could get a gift at a better price? The RedLaser app allows you to search for a specific product and find its price at all retailers within the area. It’s “In-store pickup” function allows you to pur-chase the gift directly from your phone for easy pickup and to ensure availabil-ity during those last-minute scrambles.

Taking The Stress Out Of TravelIf your holiday plans require traveling


with the family, the proper planning tools are essential. Try these holiday helpers that make traveling a breeze:

• Joyful journeys: Need a break from the family? Want to explore the best attractions in grandpa’s hometown? The Tripomatic app allows you to customize your own travel itinerary by entering the dates and location of your stay. Along with top attrac-tions for your vacation spot, the app also pulls up an easy download of city guides so you can find the best diner, historic monument or shop-ping venue in town.

• Travels by road: If your holiday travels require a car ride, give the RoadNinja app a try. Restaurants, gas stations and other points of interest are posted for each high-way exit on your route. Make sure you can access such helpful apps by ensuring you have the proper signal in your car. The zBoost zForce Cell Phone Signal Booster improves signal strength for voice and data to help you enjoy the journey.

• Plans and planes: Keep all of your travel plans in one spot with the TripIt itinerary app. By linking to your email account, it sorts and places confirmation emails and other travel documents into the app.

• A cheerful stay: Whether you didn’t plan far enough ahead, or your mother’s house is overflowing with relatives, a peaceful hotel room is at hand with the Hotel Tonight app. By specializing in last-minute deals pro-vided by area hotels, you end up with a luxurious room at a lower price.

Festive Holiday Apps For KidsLet the little ones in on all the mer-riment with these great apps de-signed just for them. Just download onto your device and let your child play away while embracing the holi-day spirit.

• Gingerbread Crazy Chef — Cookie Maker With ingredients for dough and plenty of fun ways to decorate, kids learn to make their own ginger-bread cookies with this creative app.

• Jolly Jingle This musical app teach-es the words to popular holiday songs, encouraging kids to join in on the fun by singing along.

• Toca Hair Salon — Christmas Gift Let the kids take Santa to the salon for a special haircut or dye job. Kids will have a blast giving Santa a makeover just in time for his big night. ●

Illustration by Tom McFarland

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by Terri Bennett

W hat are the chances you are buying and bringing BPA right into your own home? Prob-

ably pretty good and there is reason to be concerned. BPA is linked to every-thing from developmental problems to infertility. Do Your Part and reduce your exposure today.

BPA can be found in plastic food con-tainers. Any time you buy foods or liq-uids in plastic check the bottom. Avoid plastic marked number 7 because it usually contains BPA.

Another way BPA gets into your house is in canned goods. The chemical is used in the liner of the cans and can actually leach from the liner into the food itself. Seek out cans labeled “BPA-free” or choose food items pack-aged in safer materials.

Glass and ceramics are safer materi-als. Use them to heat up foods in the microwave to avoid any risk of BPA leaching into your foods.

Many baby bottles and pacifiers used to be made with BPA. Now, many man-ufacturers have changed this but it’s still important to look for baby prod-ucts labeled BPA-free.

And, be careful how you handle cer-tain store receipts. BPA shows up on receipts printed on thermal paper. If you can make an outline with your nail..it probably has BPA on it.

And don’t forget about those reusable water bottles. You want those to be BPA-Free too. bottom line? Reducing BPA exposure is an important way to create a healthier home for you and your family. Do Your Part to make sure it doesn’t contaminate your food, your body, or our planet. ●

Terri Bennett A veteran TV meteorologist, eco-expert and author of Do Your Part: A practical guide for everyday green living available at: DoYourPart.com. Send questions to [email protected]

Best Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to BPA

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Kitchen Must-HavesEEvery chef knows a properly outfitted kitchen is a must in order to create culinary masterpieces. This year, make sure the special food lover in your life has everything he or she needs to stir their passion for food and drink. Ex-pand their culinary library with a book that serves up helpful food tips and original recipes. Let them prepare their favorite recipes with a set of ergonom-ic and innovative knives. Perk up their mornings with a coffee maker that quickly brews a customized cup at the touch of a button. Or, help them serve up delightful dishes by keeping their pantry stocked with superior quality olive oil. This guide will help you find unique gifts for every kitchen connois-seur on your list.

A Better Brewwww.keurig.com$179.00Create the per-fect cup of coffee every time with the Keurig K-Cup Platinum Brewing System. This single cup brewer allows you to choose between five different cup sizes to brew your favorite coffee, tea, hot cocoa or specialty beverage with the simple touch of a button. With a sleek design and availability in three colors, your favorite foodie will love adding it to their kitchen or office.


A Great Find for Foodies www.snacksthe-book.com $19.99Should you take a bath with your

strawberries or blow dry your chicken? Clever culinary insights are offered in small bites in “Snacks: Adventures in Food, Aisle by Aisle,” a book by food adventurer Marcy Smothers. The per-fect gift for the foodies on your list, the book takes the reader on a grocery store journey, revealing Smothers’ knowledge, quirky fun facts, and great passion for exploring food. It’s packed with helpful tips, original recipes and tantalizing tidbits.

A Sharp Gift www.cutco.com$241.00Whether you’re a master cook or you aspire to be one, everyone needs a good set of high-quality kitchen knives. CUTCO Cutlery’s Kitchen Classics Set is the perfect

foundation to build on for any home cook. The Petite Chef Knife, Trimmer and 2 3/4-inch Paring Knife will have you chopping, slicing and dicing like your favorite food celebrity. American made and carrying a Forever Guarantee, they’ll quickly become kitchen favorites.

In the Kitchen, the Little Things Matter www.facebook.com/olivarioliveoil $6.00 to $12.00Great dishes start with the finest ingredients, such as the superior quality of Olivari ol-ive oil. The people at Olivari believe it’s the little things that help make great olive oil. From harvesting olives so they never touch the ground to staying eco-friendly by making sure nothing goes to waste. This holiday, give the thoughtful cook in your life a gift that embodies care, qual-ity and excellence. ●

Photo courtesy of Getty Images


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Sparkle for the Holiday Season

TThe holiday season is filled with a whirl-wind of parties and special events. Be prepared to head out the door and look your best all evening long with these beauty tips.

Add some sparkle. Bold accessories can transform your look entirely, allow-ing you to wear that little black dress to more than one party. For a timeless silhouette, pair a sleek strapless dress with oversized earrings that sparkle. A little black dress is the perfect look for a statement necklace. Just don’t pair large earrings with an oversized neck-lace. Pick one or the other and you’ll be ready to dazzle.

Add a little glamour. Planning to at-tend a special soiree? Up your beauty routine with a darker evening look. Pair a daring red lipstick with a thin stroke of dark eyeliner. Keep your eyelashes dark and the rest of your look minimal to draw all eyes in the room.

Whiten and brighten. Festive cof-fee drinks, red wine and fruity cocktails

make holiday events special but they can quickly stain teeth. Keep your smile ready for the annual family picture and party perfect using ARM & HAMMER™ Whitening Booster, which is clinically proven to whiten teeth in just one week. Simply apply over your tooth-paste and brush as normal. With 3X more whitening agent than a leading whitening strip, your smile will be ready for any occasion. Learn more at www.armandhammer.com.

Keep locks classic. This year’s block-buster movies caught the attention of celebrities and fashionistas with their glamorous hairstyles. Get the look, with-out appearing too retro, by using styl-ing gel to work short hair into sculpted finger waves. Those with longer hair should sweep it up into a loose knot and add a thin headband.

Give your nails some shine. Beauti-ful bracelets and rings will draw atten-tion to your hands. Keep them looking beautiful with a fresh manicure and the right shade of polish. A perfect mani-


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cure will also set off the one holiday acces-sory everyone must have – a cute clutch.

Bring beauty tools along. When you pack your clutch for a night of celebrat-ing, make sure to include the necessities. Stay shine-free and party picture ready with pressed powder. Also include a small toothbrush and a travel sized toothpaste, such as ARM & HAMMER™ Advance White with Stain Defense.

Baking soda gently removes plaque and surface stains with a deep cleaning ac-tion, while the Stain Defense™ technology helps prevent new stains from setting.

Slip in a concealer, color for your lips and a small comb for quick touch-ups and you’re ready to go out and celebrate the season.

Holiday photos and family gatherings may not always call for a glitzy look but you still need to look your best. Look great all season by taking care of yourself. Stay hydrated and use plenty of moisturizer to give your skin a healthy glow. Keep your hair looking its best by using a great conditioner weekly throughout the party season. Follow these tips and you will be ready for any event this holiday season. ●

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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Women With Know How December 2013