Novica is a unique organization that gives artisans from around the world a global marketplace, enabling them to sell their wares. From the Novica website:

“We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.

We want you to know about who you’re buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.

In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.”

My daughter, Becky, recently made a purchase of these beautiful amethyst earring studs:

She really had a hard time deciding on which earrings to get, because they have so many different and unique ones, from Amethyst Dangle Earrings, to Garnet Dangle Earrings,
Amber Earrings,  Silver Pendant Necklaces and Silver Cocktail Rings.

When Becky’s package from Novica arrived, it included a very nice card from the artist who created the earrings:

The earrings were packaged in a very nice gift box as well:

A photo go the artist was also included:

Becky is loving her amethyst earrings:

You can become involved in Novica through Novica Live! For an investment of only $199, you can become a Novica Live Consultant. You’ll be able to make a difference in the world AND enjoy a rewarding career? As a NOVICA Live Home Party Consultant, you can take control of your life and work on your own terms, while bringing fashionable fair trade, handcrafted treasures direct to customers through our unique home parties. You can see the contents of the start up kit here. It’s a $400 value and is a generous sample of products to get you started. If you’re looking for a very different kind of home party plan to work with, this is it.

 Novica is going to give one of my lucky readers a $50 gift code! You will be able to make a purchase of any item you want from their extensive online catalog up to $50. To enter, just use the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open world-wide, as Novica will ship anywhere. Giveaway ends on August 14, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. Winner will be notified and gift code sent via email, so be sure you use a correct email address to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a $50 gift code from Novica in order to write my review and host this giveaway.

I am going to be participating in an online Baby Shower Giveaway for the next several weeks to help out a fellow blogger. The prizes are fabulous, and even Grandma’s would be proud to win them for their grandchildren or grandchildren to be. I don’t have any on the way, but I do know a couple of people who are going to be grandma’s for the first time soon. In honor of new babies to be, and new grandma’s everywhere, please feel free to enter any of the giveaways I will be posting here!

This giveaway is for a beautiful Halo Crib Set. The winner can choose their preferred set whether for a girl or a boy, based on availability. (ARV $100) The set contains a coordinating HALO SleepSack wearable blanket, SleepSack Swaddle, two soft 100% cotton jersey fitted crib sheets and matching decorative skirt.

To see more of Halo’s products, click here.

The giveaway starts today and ends at midnight on August 24, 2012, and is open to residents of the United States and Canada. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below: (good luck!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Kidsumers for organizing this giveaway.

I found a picture of me taken on December 14, 2011, so I took another one today in the same shirt, just to show you how much weight I have lost since I got sick.

I know it is not the best way to lose almost 60 pounds, but lose it I did. According to my doctor, I still need to lose about 40 more pounds.

Are you trying to lose weight? How far are you from your goal?

I am going to be participating in an online Baby Shower Giveaway for the next several weeks to help out a fellow blogger. The prizes are fabulous, and even Grandma’s would be proud to win them for their grandchildren or grandchildren to be. I don’t have any on the way, but I do know a couple of people who are going to be grandma’s for the first time son. In honor of new babies to be, and new grandma’s everywhere, please feel free to enter any of the giveaways I will be posting here!

This giveaway is for $145 in Mobi products. The prize pack includes:

• 2 AnimaLamps: award-winning no-heat rechargeable, adjustable LED lights  [1 Bunny, 1 Giraffe – one is for the nursery (late night changing/feeding) and one is for Mom’s use anywhere else
• 1 WallMates: award-winning no heat color-changing plug-in night lights, safari characters. Auto on at dusk, auto off at dawn.
• 1 Pure Sounds Digital Audio Monitor
• DualScan Dual Ear or Forehead Thermometer

This giveaway is open to residents of Canada only, and starts today and ends on August 24, 2012. Entering is easy. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Kidsumers  for hosting this giveaway.

During my adult life, whenever I have thought about long term care  (LTC), it was always with my mother or my in-laws in mind.  I always thought that it would be them who would need an extended stay in a long term care facility, and that I was young and didn’t have to worry about things like that for myself. My recent stay of thirty four days in the hospital has changed my thinking about that.

Although I am only sixty years old, I have to face the fact that I (and my husband) am getting closer to that age group every day. I am also facing the facts that you don’t have to be a certain age to be a candidate for a nursing home. You never know what is going to happen to you tomorrow, that will change your life forever.A stroke could render you helpless, a fall could cause a broken hip, alzheimer’s can take a huge toll on you, and put a lot of stress on a spouse or adult children trying to work to make a living and provide care for someone they love.

I  tell myself that I have four children, and that they would be more than willing to take me in and take care of me if I were to be to the point where I can’t take care of myself. I could be right, but I could just as well be kidding myself. While my son and daughters may be willing, they may not be able to provide the care I would need on a long term basis. I know they love me, but they have families and jobs and lives of their own. An incapacitated parent can be a financial and emotional drain on anyone.

So, what are the options for someone if they need long term care? How do you decide if you need an assisted living facility or a nursing home? And how am I going to pay for it? According to the the Department of Health and Human Services, 40% of people who reach age 65 will need to have some form of long term care. Long Term Care Insurance is a way to help pay for the care you need if you have a chronic illness or disability and need help with the activities of daily life.

Assisted living is often viewed as the best of both worlds. Residents have as much independence as they want with the knowledge that personal care and support services are available if they need them. Assisted living communities are designed to provide residents with assistance with basic ADLs (activities of daily living) such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and more. Some states also allow assisted living to offer medication assistance and/or reminders. Assisted living communities differ from nursing homes in that they don’t offer complex medical services.

A nursing home, or convalescent home, provides residential care for people who require constant nursing care and have significant problems with activities related to daily living. Skilled nurses are available 24 hours a day. The residents of nursing homes typically are elderly and younger adults with physical or mental disabilities. The residents of this type of facility may receive physical, occupational or other therapies following an accident or illness.

Lots of people believe that Medicaid will pay for their long term care needs. But Medicaid programs are in trouble funding-wise in every state. In the future Medicaid may become even harder to qualify for. Medicare covers only about 50 percent of most beneficiaries’ health-care costs and doesn’t reimburse for long-term care. If you don’t plan for LTC, you may have limited or no choices to pay for care when your health changes. And you never know when that might be.

So, what can you do? A Long Term Care insurance policy will help provide the care you need, when you need it. To find out an approximate cost of a long term care policy, check out Genworth Financial’s LTC Insurance Calculator. I did, and found that for my age, I could be insured for long term care for as little as $1650 a year. Compared to the cost of long term care in a skilled nursing facility, that is a bargain. And, the younger you are, the less your policy is going to cost. You are never too young to prepare for your future!

This is a sponsored post for  Genworth Financial.  Opinions and the ideas expressed are my own.  For more information about long term care insurance and different types of  life insurance  visit the Genworth Financial website.

I am going to be participating in an online Baby Shower Giveaway for the next several weeks to help out a fellow blogger. The prizes are fabulous, and even Grandma’s would be proud to win them for their grandchildren or grandchildren to be. I don’t have any on the way, but I do know a couple of people who are going to be grandma’s for the first time soon. In honor of new babies to be, and new grandma’s everywhere, please feel free to enter any of the giveaways I will be posting here!

This first giveaway is for a $500 The Children’s Place gift card! How much fun could a grandma (or a new mom) have with that? I could buy stuff for three of my grandchildren with that, and get them soooo much stuff. They have expanded their line of infants wear, and have so many cute things to choose from:

Entering to win is easy! Just use the rafflecopter form below. Giveaway starts on July 24, and ends on August 24th. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada! Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to Kidsumers  for hosting this giveaway.