Image Pinned on Pinterest, orignally from Apartment Therapy

Pinterest is like the ultimate virtual Merz session you can experience. I used to think you had to be a scrapbooker, wedding planner or pastry chef to appreciate Pinterest, but last week, my curiosity got the best of me, and now I am hooked. It’s frickin cool. I am still a newbie, but I see so much potential for sparking ideas, connecting with people, and sharing what I like and make.

And NO ADS!!! After all of the clearly direct marketing happening everywhere else—especially Facebook, it’s really nice to not have to ignore certain areas of the page. The “gifts” page is the only area where there is more straight forward promotion happening. (I saw an $800 motor cycle helmet for sale.)

Two things that are rad, besides the obvious are: 1.) You can link an image to a video. You don’t just have to post to the saturated video page, you can use your own image (or get permission) and simply edit the link to direct it to a video.  2.) You can link an image back to your blog to invite dialogs with other Pinterest followers.

Here’s what could be better:

I think Pinterest should offer the option to make select boards private. One reason is there are things I want to gather that not every single follower would want to see (and I am also a little embarrassed of these pins), like the cute puppies, ducks and Hello Kitty paraphernalia that my daughter likes.

Another reason is there is so much potential for engaging large groups of people in creating boards, for example, an upcoming benefit party could allow contributors to post images related to the cause, or an engaged couple could invite friends to post on their wedding board, or a group of friends hosting a theme party could post costume ideas for their guests.

Adding the option for private boards wouldn’t compromise the overall mission of Pinterest which is to let “you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web.”

Also, I think there should be a way to message people if you want to follow up about an idea or connect outside of the public domain—comparable to Flickr and Facebook where you have your own inbox.

Pinterest is great and I get the integrity that the creators are trying to preserve. However, the mega open public-ness of it trumps the ability to actually connect with others in a meaningful / productive way.

What do you think? Do you use Pinterest? How? How would you improve it?

Now that I know my team isn’t in the Superbowl (sad face), I’ll be able to concentrate on many people’s favorite part of the Big Game: EATing.  And, of course, the Superbowl commercials.

A clip of Google's Chrome 2011 Superbowl Ad. (Image courtesy of the interwebs.)

One commercial from last year’s Big Game that managed to distract me during the breaks in the action was Google’s “Dear Sophie” ad.  It’s a heart-warming story about a dad documenting a whole bunch of memories of his daughter’s special moments growing up.  He uses, of course, Google’s Gmail in its “Chrome” internet browser.

The clean aesthetic of the simple font, the close-ups of the words being typed, the video clips of the little kid giggling… they all seem too personal to ignore.  How does an entity with more money than God connect with so many millions of us whose lips were quivering at the end of the ad when we saw the letters “L-o-v-e, D-a-d” typed real slow-like and nostalgia-y?  How does a giant corporation that possesses an already obscene amount of just about everyone’s personal information convince us that there should be no limit to the juicy little tidbits of our history we share with them?

With a great story, that’s how.

Did I fall for this ad?  Head over heels; absolutely.  I use Google Chrome, and I love it.  Partly because of the ad, and partly because all my techie-geek friends use Chrome.  The days of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer – and even Mozilla’s Firefox – are seemingly gone.  Loading pages on Chrome compared to either of these top 2 competitors is amazingly quicker.  When you search, it almost always knows exactly what you’re looking for before you type two words.  This is convenient.

It is also very scary.   When I think about all of the information Google must know about me, I shudder.  But then I just keep using its products because they’re just so, well, great.  And they wouldn’t be able to convince people with cute ads that their stuff is great if it actually isn’t.

So, I look forward to seeing more of the ads that will make me stop dead in my Superbowl snacking tracks and take notice.   Will any be worth our time and attention?  I guess we’ll have to tune in and find out.

This year, our family, like so many others, has faced the challenge of job loss. And to say the least, it has been tough. In January, my husband was laid-off from his job that had supported us for nearly seven years. Coming up on the one-year anniversary of the lay-off, I have begun to reflect upon all the changes we have experienced.

Our initial feelings were fear, anger, humiliation, hopelessness, and so on, and although things are largely still up in the air, here we are, nearly a whole year later, and at least we can celebrate the fact that we have weathered and survived a major storm.

Facing a challenge such as job loss—supposedly one of the most stressful life events ever (I can agree)—has afforded us a great gift—time–to reconsider, reevaluate, and review our life together. And as we navigate each new day without a regular schedule, we are presented with the opportunity to face our selves, our fears, our dreams and each other.  (And now also Christmas lists.)

I have learned one way to make merry of this mess is to grant our selves the permission to regularly connect to our hearts. Because amidst the ongoing freaking out about money, future, retirement, the kids’ education, stability, savings… (inhale), our “dreams” can get put in those belittling quotation marks.

If we can hang in there without freaking out, and keep focused on the little light in all the darkening—then we will realize that we are not the confusion, or “wrong” turns, or loss. We can trust that our dreams are real. Yes. Good things are happening. Right now. And they are also priceless and meaningful.

Super sites for gifts of inspiration: TED & Behance Network

Image credit: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/723309

The following is a guest post by Asgar Dungarawalla

Christmas dinner just wouldn’t be the same without a nice bottle of something delicious. Not only will a well-chosen bottle help to get you all into the Christmas spirit, but it can also really complement your meal and give your taste-buds a real treat. As we all know, though, picking the wrong wine for the food can really put a dampener on things. So for this year’s festive feast, make sure that you pick the perfect bottle for everyone to enjoy.

Forget the old adage of white wine for white meat and red wine for red – this idea went out with the ark. It really is more about balancing the flavours and avoiding a Christmas dinner-spoiling clash. Turkey itself will actually go very well with most wines – but what about the gravy, the starter and the other trimmings?

Let’s look at your starter first – ok it’s quite likely that it will be fish e.g. smoked salmon or prawns, which are traditionally served with lemon. No prizes for knowing that lemon is acidic, but it’s good to know that the rule of thumb is that acidic wine is good with acidic foods. What’s more is that acidic wine is awesome for balancing the flavours of very rich food, so if your main course is likely to have a rich gravy (and of course it is – this is your Christmas Dinner), then an acidic wine could again be a good choice. A third fantastic reason to choose an acidic wine is that the acidity will cut through salty foods perfectly, and our overindulgences on Christmas day are more than likely to include salty treats like a Christmas ham or smoked salmon.

By now, it’s probably pretty obvious that a really safe bet for your Christmas dinner is an acidic wine – so this means white, right? Wrong! There are a few low-tannin, acidic reds to choose from too. How about a nice, bright Beaujolais or a silky, fruity Pinot Noir? If you do prefer white, the wine world is your oyster. And speaking of oysters, these are the perfect accompaniment to those too. How about a crisp New Zealand Pinot Blanc or zingy German Reisling? What about those most celebratory of wines – the sparkling varieties? Well, pretty much every sparkling wine will be acidic, so you can pretty much take your pick. If you can’t afford a big Champagne, there are several excellent New World sparklers around now, along with some pretty impressive European bottles – you really don’t get much more refreshing than Prosecco.

Whichever bottle makes its way to your table this Christmas day, with a little bit of forethought, it will be sure to delight your guests – and make your food taste even better. Make sure you enjoy a glass or two while you’re slaving away in the kitchen – you deserve it. Happy Christmas!!

Asgar Dungarawalla is a wine connoisseur from the UK who does a nice line in champagne gifts. If you’re interested in a wine gift, too, for Christmas, he might be able to help.

Alright so it’s not Friday, it’s Saturday, but yesterday was for Veterans … so … we moved things around a bit! Once again it’s what can I buy on Fiverr.com for $5!

Today it’s taking some of those videos … maybe they were boring, maybe they lacked some life, or maybe you just wanted to spruce things up a notch and turn them into an action thriller movie trailer! It makes those videos seem so much more exciting! With that said, you can hire SandDuneBooks to create one for you! Enjoy mine:

If you’d like other creative items from this seller … head over to their site: SandDuneBooks.com

Cheers to Action Thrillers!

It’s easy to go about our lives and do our normal activities without realizing that there are those that sacrificed a lot so we could have our freedoms. Not just remembering the ones serving now, but those who have served in our past … My grandfather is one of those people. Here is a great video on Veterans day and a segway into a really great charity!

Homes For Our Troops is a great charity … while there are many ways to help including volunteering, just a $10 donation can help buy a box of nails. These veterans who have returned home severely disabled have the ability to return home to a home thanks to the people who have donated. Everything (including just a box of nails) is appreciated! Take a look at the site and read some of the stories of those in need. There are current projects and “Mission Completed” projects. Almost every state is represented.

Who in your state can you help?

Cheers to our Veterans!

Obviously, I love wine AND I have a great appreciation for art / artists as well. I love the creativity of it all. Many years ago I stumbled upon an artist that was creating these amazing wine pieces. Her name is Leanne Laine and since I’ve known her — her pieces and her art are becoming more and more popular. Also, it’s true, I sleep with Leanne’s art in my bedroom … love looking at a painting of wine before bed for sweet wine dreams! Follow Leanne on her sites AND enter for a chance to win one of her prints in the links below the interview!

So, with some help from a new writer here on Jennifer’s Review, we had the privledge of having the opportunity to interview Leanne Laine! Enjoy the interview by Alyson Kahn!

AK: What do you experience as the relationship between women and wine?

Wine is a fascinating subject matter and making wine is an art in itself. My exclusive Women in Wine series depicts the elegance, sophistication, sweetness, and vibrancy of the movement of wine that hypnotizes the palate. My Women in Wine series ™ began with Lady Merlot, and at the time I had no idea that it would become so popular with people. My series grew over time and my latest Women in Wine piece came out early in 2011, Sweet Embrace, which I painted specifically to raise money for the Red Cross and Save the Children when the earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan. My feelings about wine come alive from these Women, they show that wine is not only beautiful the way she swirls around the wine glass, but also that wine is a temptress. She glides smoothly from the bottle, graciously around the glass, knowing full well that she is the center of attention. The light dances off her body while her intoxicating aroma fills the air. She seduces the senses, and knows that one sip will make the palate fall in love with her again and again. These are the elements that can be found in all my works.

AK: What role does wine play in your art?

I love wine but I am not a connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination. I really find wine to be a fascinating subject matter and making wine is an art in itself. With my art, I indulge in giving colors and shape a stimulating appeal. I believe that art should have no boundaries or limitations. Imagination is such a powerful tool and I encourage it through my pieces. Wine itself carries these qualities which makes it such an interesting study. A simple wine glass needs to be painted to depict the gentle craftsmanship that goes into the making of a wine glass, so shapely, delicate and frail, yet has the strength to contain the tastes of well aged and fermented grapes. The sheer movement of wine in a glass can be as compelling as the taste of the wine itself, so I try to enable the viewer to observe the movement and excite the palate as if they were swirling the wine themselves.

AK: What is your “Vinogamy Series” about?

My exclusive Vinogamy series ™ was born with An Intimate Toast and The Taste of Devotion, two pieces that were donated to an event to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House of BC. This series has also grown over time. I wanted a collection of works that could stand alone from my Women in Wine series, this time showing not only that wine is beautiful and sexy, but also that wine is a timeless romance that never ends. So I wanted to have a series that focused on the love of wine, the love for wine and the romantic side of wine and have it be a symbol for the love and romance a couple has for one another in a monogamous relationship. Monogamy is beautiful, sexy and is a special bond between two people, and wine has those same attributes. That is what I wanted to achieve with my Vinogamy series.

AK: What is one of your favorite wines and why?

This is a great question because I love experimenting and trying new wines. In the past six months I have really been focusing my attention on British Columbia wines, mainly because it is where I live and there are so many great wines being offered here. I do love red wine, merlot especially, but I try everything which is why you can also browse through my art pieces and find so many different wines being named in my pieces. I will say that I am extremely thankful for social media and the connections I have made with those in the wine industry, whether it be wine producers, sommeliers, wine bloggers like Jennifer, and even those who simply just love to sip a glass of wine for no reason at all. Not only do I learn so much from these friends, but they inspire me, they open up their world to me so I can see a side of them, a side of wine, that they enjoy. By learning more, it helps me come up with new ideas, new inspiration for my works.

Want to win a free print from Leanne? Enter for your chance here: Visit for a chance to win a free limited edition giclee!

Discounts for readers: With Holiday shopping getting started Leanne offers free shipping within the USA and Canada. That alone can help stretch holiday spending dollars and I offer this all year round.

Follow Leanne on Facebook, Follow Leanne Art on Twitter and watch Leanne Laine speed paint on YouTube!

Some of you know that I love spreading good things I hear to everyone. I also think that bloggers have a great chance to always help spread good ideas. With this thought I came up with the “Donate Your 100th Post” idea for bloggers. I admit … I think I’m the only one doing this. It’s been a time issue to get the word out – but I’m not going to stop. Lead by example!

With this said, my 500th post is donated to theGIVEShirt.com which is founded by Thomas Budde right here in Milwaukee. I not only had the honor of meeting Thomas, but learning more about his charity … which is a very cool idea! I also had the opportunity to interview him!

Here is my interview:

JR: Thank you for doing this interview for my “Donate Your 100th Post” project! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
TB: I’m on a mission to continue discovering my life’s purpose, and fulfilling it, without limitations. I know that I’m here to help as many people as possible, as much as possible, in ways that no one else can, or is. I’ve always been happy, but I’m so much happier now devoting my life totally to others.

JR: How did you come up with The Give Shirt idea?
TB: I realized the true power of giving – how incredible it feels to give freely, and how much better life is when freely giving is a natural part of it – and wanted to share that insight with the world. One easy and yet powerful way to do that is by advertising the concept of giving on a shirt, which we wear all of the time anyway.

JR: You host a 24 hour run-a-thon … what is the 24 hour run-a-thon?
TB: All over the world from 4am Saturday 10/22 until 4 am Sunday 10/23 people are running, helping others pay more attention to their health and be more aware of giving, and raising money for various charities. I’m running the full 24 hours around Milwaukee, wi and collecting donations and pledges per mile for theGIVEshirt.com. more information is available on the facebook page: 24-Hour runathon to raise awareness and money for health and giving. (Saturday, October 22 at 4:00am – October 23 at 4:00am)

JR: What is your hope for this organization?:
TB: We are increasing the global consciousness of giving. As people give more, they feel so much better. People they give to also begin giving more, and likewise begin feeling better. Gradually the world is becoming a more giving, and thus better, healthier, happier place.

Want to know how you can catch the giving fever? “Like” The GIVE Shirt Facebook page, “Follow” them on The Give Shirt Twitter stream or subscribe to their YouTube channel (video below).

Here is Thomas explaining the runathon and theGIVEshirt movement!

Please get the GIVE shirt, for yourself and others. This movement needs you! If you have any questions, please email theGIVEshirt@gmail.com

Welcome to one of my sponsored posts. Yes, payment was received for this, but I was kindof hoping for a cruise on a Yacht for payment on this one, but it turns out that option wasn’t on the table. You know I would have had a REALLY good blog post about that don’t you? So instead — here is a guest blog post from the awesome people over at Vintage Cellars. I also added their video of one of their projects were they put a wine cellar in a yacht. This is the yacht that I felt I should have had cruise on .. but that’s fine. So … everything you wanted to know about custom wine cellars is below! Enjoy:

Just like any sort of investment, your wine collection needs protection! A wine cellar made of rickety racks and exposed to variable temperatures is a recipe for disaster. If a cellar is too moist, mold can form, which compromises the strength of your wine racks. (Who wants to come home to several thousand dollars worth of broken wine bottles?) Contrariwise, if your cellar air is too dry, corks will crack, and there go your prized wines!

The good news is that Vintage Cellars, a big name in wine cellar construction and wine preservation, specializes in custom wine cellar design. Even if your basement space looks less-than ideal, the masters at Vintage Cellars delight in making effective cellars in spaces of any shape and size. They’ve even built a custom wine cellar on a Yacht! (You could say they love a good challenge.) Over a planning period of about two months, the experts at Vintage Cellars work with you to design a wine cellar specially crafted for your space. And so you don’t have to worry about temperature and humidity control, they’ll even recommend appropriate temperature control devices and cooling units ideal for your cellar’s dimensions, such as Breezaire Split Systems, Wine Guardian Ducted Cooling Systems, etc. Once your cellar’s plans are finished, a professional contractor will install the racks, ensuring everything is ready to safely house your personal wine collection.

When Vintage Cellars transforms your basement into your dream wine cellar, you will have peace of mind knowing your precious vino will be stored properly. If you provide your luxury car, or other prized possessions, with best care possible, why not give your invaluable wine collection the proper security it deserves? Not only will your collection be kept safe, custom wine cellars by Vintage Cellars look fantastic! There are literally dozens of designs and styles of wine racks to choose from, too. No matter your visual preferences, Vintage Cellars works with you to create the wine cellar you’ve always dreamed of. If you’re intrigued and want to learn more about building a custom cellar, or if you’re simply curious about how to improve your current wine storage area, visit Vintage Cellars atwww.vintagecellars.com. You’re bound to learn something new, and possibly be inspired to create your own custom cellar!

Here’s the custom wine cellar in a yacht!

Cheers to wine cellars!

Today is a guest post from UPack.com — because they came to me and said … “Do you know how to move (and pack) your wine?” and basically I had to think about that because I’m not familiar with the concept of having extra wine in my house that would need to be packed for a move. However, I thought maybe some of my readers might. You guys are probably good that way … you save your wine. So here is an informational post on how to pack your wine for a move!

Packing Wine
There are countless weird and wonderful guides to be found all over the web with regards to packing wine for a move, making it a little tricky to know exactly which to trust with a valuable shipment. Needless to say, for those who value their wine, the idea of a move can be a daunting one indeed, therefore the following comprises something of a condensed guide to the simplest and most effective way of ensuring the most valuable and fragile of cargo arrives in one piece every time:

• Use Boxes With Internal Dividers
Something of a no-brainer perhaps but quite commonly overlooked, it really doesn’t take a genius to work out that glass against glass is a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, the need for good separation is something that has been largely acknowledged and it is now perfectly simple and affordable to pick up special wine moving boxes with custom separators which all but guarantee a smooth ride.

• Reinforce Box Bottoms
Again, a rather simple and straightforward process but one of paramount importance to address with due care. The trick here is to ensure that every eventuality is planned for, as although the base may seem stable and solid enough now, a slight drop or splash of water could compromise it significantly. Add plenty of extra tap and perhaps two or three additional layers or cardboard to act as a cushion/defense barrier.

• Check All Corks
Of course, at least in the vast majority of cases, it would be hoped that the corks would be suitably tight and sealed of their own accord, but there is certainly no harm in double checking. In the case of sparkling wines, the odd bump in the road can really wreak havoc on the contents, so perhaps consider a highly affordable and valuable investment in a set of cork cages for extra security.

• Wrap All Bottles
Even if using the very best boxes with fully measured and secure dividers, always wrap each and every bottle ideally in bubble wrap, or at least in paper. Needless to say, the more the better, as the bottles may be fully safe and secure when inside the box, but should the integrity of the box become compromised, the bottles may fall or roll out – so plan for the worst.

• Fill Gaps
Even the smallest gap can prove a fatal oversight when the vehicle carrying the bottles hits a bump in the road or a little turbulence, therefore fill each and every gap with paper or Styrofoam.

• Markings
Label all applicable boxes as extremely fragile on all sides to ensure there can be no mistakes as to their contents. Also mark out clearly which is to be the top and bottom of the boxes.

• Temperature
Finally, if at all possible, request a controlled temperature at around 55 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid damage as much as possible. This may of course not always be practical but is certainly hugely preferable.

Thank you Christine from Upack … Cheers to moving your wine successfully!