It's Hip to be Green! Check out Hipcycle.com...

(OCEAN, NJ) – From tequila bottle candles to chopstick baskets, Hipcycle.com is dedicated to selling innovative, stylish, and affordable upcycled products. Launched in October 2011, Hipcycle.com is dedicated to the growing upcycling trend in green design - taking something that would otherwise be thrown away and transforming it into something of greater use and value.

The Hipcycle team offers its top picks for unique gifts and finds for spring 2012: 

Welcome the birds back from migration with this whimsical birdhouse made from carefully woven reclaimed plastic wrappers. 

Whether you prefer Speedway Stout or Grey Goose,

choose from a wide selection of upcycled glassware made from beverage bottles that were far too beautiful to only drink

from once. 

Rescued intricate ceiling tins from historic homes create beautiful new objects like this upcycled picture frame.

  “Our goal is to bring the marketplace for upcycled products closer to the mainstream consumer,” said Andrew Sell, Founder and Chief Hipcycler. “Rather than only targeting people who are highly environmentally conscious, we want to reach the broader population. Hipcycle features a curated variety of products that are stylish and functional, and that also happen to be environmentally friendly.”
Many of the 500+ products featured on Hipcycle.com are made in the U.S. while others are purchased through a commitment to fair-trade practices. Products can be searched for by purpose (i.e., home, garden, office) or by original material (i.e., wood, fabric, glass). Hipcycle also prides itself on telling the story behind the product, from its creator to its provenance.

As it expands into new categories, Hipcycle welcomes contact from potential designers and vendors. Learn more at Hipcycle.com. 

ABOUT THE FOUNDER 
Prior to starting Hipcycle, Andrew Sell worked in operational, marketing, and sales roles in Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and mid-tier venture-backed firms.Having started his career working with the Job Corps, Andrew has always believed that social and economic goals can mutually coexist. The launch of Hipcycle allows him to operate a triple bottom line venture – focusing on people, planet, and profit.

 Andrew’s work for management-consulting firm IHS International took him to China, where he managed projects for clients in a wide range of industries, including hospitality, aviation, energy, agriculture, maritime, and the environment. He was part of the team that organized China’s first major environmental conference in 1996. As vice president of business development for healthcare company LogistiCare, Andrew formulated the strategic plans for all new organic growth and successfully navigated complex political environments that lead to new government sales.

With a growing family and a desire to return to the ideals of working to make the world a better place, Andrew created Hipcycle, which he aims to grow as the leading marketplace for beautiful, functional, and well-designed upcycled products.

We are happy to spread the word about Hipcycle.com!  Here is a Promotional Code to receive 15% off your order - HCB15 - this code expires 6/30/12.

10-month old Ava, waiting for multiple transplants, needs YOUR HELP!

"BLING FLING" FOR AVA!

**FEATURING** PREMIER DESIGNS JEWELRY

This is 10-month old Ava, diagnosed with MMIHS or Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome. MMIHS is a very rare, smooth muscle disorder.

Ava has had several surgeries and is currently on a transplant list for a Stomach, Small Intestine, Pancreas and Bowel. Ava cannot eat by mouth or give a bowel movement until she receives the transplant.

Ava has and will go through many procedures and testing. To help with expenses we are holding a Fundraiser for Ava and her family.

JOIN US FOR AN AFTERNOON FILLED WITH FUN, FASHION, JEWELRY AND PRIZES!

WHEN: SUNDAY- MARCH 25TH, 2PM
WHERE: NORTHWEST CHILDREN'S CENTRE, 6301 RT. 309 SUITE 200, NEW TRIPOLI
(CORNER OF RTS.309 & 100)



COME OUT, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AND GET SOME AWESOME ACCESSORIES FOR EASTER, MOTHERS’ DAY OR YOUR SUMMER WARDROBE!

The Pennsylvania Mentor Program..The True Super Heros of Today!

Did you ever wonder who the Super Heroes of today's world are?  Sure, we have Entertainers that occasionally do really cool things for charity.  Or the Politicians that want us to believe that they do really cool things for people in the community...BUT there are still many people out there in need of assistance.  

As a Mom, I often consider what more I could do to help people in the Lehigh Valley.  Sure, I could deliver meals for the Lehigh County's Meals on Wheels or volunteer my time in a soup kitchen...

However, more recently I was introduced to the Pennsylvania MENTOR Program.  Just the title piqued my curiosity so I wanted to learn more about them and what they had to offer the people of the Lehigh Valley.

The mission of Pennsylvania MENTOR and The MENTOR Network is to offer adults, children, young people and their families innovative, quality services and supports that lead to growth and independence, regardless of the physical, intellectual or behavioral challenges they face.   Wow, that is a mouthful...but what does that mean?  In simple terms it means to "make a difference in some one's life" by becoming their Mentor.

OK, but what is a Mentor?  A Mentor is someone who opens their heart and their life to a foster child or someone with developmental disabilities.  Whether it is a helping hand, a home, or a family, a Mentor helps people to live their life to the fullest.

So who can be a Mentor?  Just about anyone. You don’t need to be a superhero, just a regular person who’s ready to help give someone a better life by sharing yours. It doesn’t matter if you’re a retiree looking for a way to continue contributing to society, a stay-at-home mom looking to earn money, or a working family with children of your own.  

Pennsylvania MENTOR's philosophy emphasizes partnerships – with those we serve, their families, our employees, Mentors and the communities in which we work – in an effort to help people shape the direction of their own lives in community-based settings.

There are two programs available:  The Therapeutic Foster Care Program and The Host Home for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. 

The Therapeutic Foster Care Program calls their foster parents "Mentors" because they do so much more than provide a home to a child in need.  Mentors help children grow and learn, forever changing their lives, creating an opportunity to bond.

The Host Home for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities has some similarities to adult foster care because an adult comes to live with you in your home—and yet is different because the adults we support have the same freedom of choice that all adults enjoy.

The MENTOR Network  is called a “network” for a reason—it’s not just one person or group. It’s a national network of people, in areas like the Lehigh Valley, across the country, who are joined by the common belief that positive, nurturing relationships are the basis for growth and change. And that these relationships are best fostered through active participation in the daily activities of neighborhood and family life.

The word that comes to mind when I re-read what I have written is "OPPORTUNITY".  Think of the people you can help, who would really appreciate your help.  And consider the reward...the feeling you will get at the end of the day to know you made a real difference.  Yes, help is definitely needed at the local soup kitchen, but consider the importance of becoming a MENTOR  The opportunity that will last a lifetime.

Isn't that what it is all about?

**For more information, please visit their Website or call them directly
at 877-619-7711.

Is lead poisoning a thing of the past?

A friend of mine brought this to my attention and I thought it was important enough to share.

LEAD POISONING  For those who buy the myth that lead poisoning is a thing of the past, or only a low-income problem, it is eye opening to see that even in the White House, this remains a hazard, not just for pets, but especially children.

Columbia University researchers have found that an estimated 68% of children in the U.S. have chronic, low-level, invisible lead dust exposure, which the CDC has called “the #1 environmental risk to children in the U.S.”. Even higher numbers of children in poor and minority neighborhoods are impacted by ordinary household dust that contains lead paint particles too small to see.

Most parents are not aware that their children are in danger, or if they are aware, they don’t understand the simple prevention steps to protect their children’s healthy brain growth and development . But primary prevention is actually very straightforward, and educating parents is the most effective weapon in the fight to end this epidemic that robs our children of their full potential.  Hence the reason for this post. 

Parents can follow simple housecleaning steps, like regular window sill cleaning where invisible lead dust accumulates, and require basic “safe lead practices” that are often low-cost or “no cost” when doing repair or renovation in their pre-1978 home. In most cases, it is as simple as following the simple 3 C’s :  Control, Contain, and Clean the DUST!

In addition there is a new product on the market called LockUpLead.  This patented product, adapted from proven technology used in military applications, is a 100% nontoxic spray cleaner that actually detoxifies lead dust on contact. In addition to being a dust suppressant, it also reacts on a molecular level with poisonous lead dust to form lead compounds that are permanently detoxified.

Independent lab testing has shown that LockUpLead dramatically reduces the toxicity of lead dust.  For more information regarding LockUpLead, please visit their website. 

We have a coupon code to pass on...simply use LVFAMFUN at checkout and receive 15% off your order.  This offer expires 3/15/12.

Stuart Little comes to the Lehigh Valley!

All-Student Cast Makes Stuart Little Big Success

Pennsylvania Youth Theatre brings mouse’s story to Downtown Bethlehem

March 23 to April 1, 2012

Spring is just around the corner and Pennsylvania YouthTheatre is getting everyone out of hibernation with its whimsical Mainstage production of Stuart Little! And unlike our traditional Mainstage shows, our kids are 100 percent in the spotlight. 

Stuart Little is the endearing E.B. White classic, which chronicles the life of a mouse born into an everyday New York family. The charm, wisdom and joy of the original story are captured in this adaptation by Joseph Robinette, a nationally recognized author of children’s plays. Stuart’s many adventures are colorfully brought to life in this story-theatre presentation.  

The show’s company is comprised of 55 PYT students from all around the Lehigh Valley.

“The advantage of working with an all-student ensemble is that they have a great abundance of imagination - a willingness to be zany and have fun,” Stuart Little Director Susan Chase said.  “We will be using hilariously oversized props to emphasize Stuart’s size to the audience.”

The actors portray both human and animal roles in a series of delightful scenes that make-up the marvelous maneuverings of a mild-mannered mouse trying to survive in a “real people’s world.”

“Stuart’s struggle is a universal one,” Chase notes. “He is more human than mouse, but he is also different from everyone around him. He has to find ways to build bonds with those close to him while staying true to his individuality.” 

Chase is infusing the production with her own voice by highlighting the many theatrical references Stuart makes throughout the show.  For example, all you film noir fans, pay close attention to Stuart’s remarks and see how many 1940s movie references you can catch.

Don’t wait until tomorrow to get your tickets! Snag your seat for one of the show’s 10 public performances by calling 610-332-1414, emailing tickets@123pyt.org, or visiting www.123pyt.org. 

Public Performances:

March 23 at 7 p.m.
March 24 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
March 25 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
March 30 at 7 p.m.
March 31 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
April 1 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Where: The Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem

Cost: Premiere (assigned) seating $20; Reserved (unassigned/general admission) seating - $15; $12 for seniors and children 12 and under. Group rates available for parties of 10 or more. Call for details.