Gifts from the Heart

Valentine’s Day gift ideas typically bring to mind images of flowers, chocolate and candy hearts.  When you consider the shelf life of those items they probably don’t last much longer than the greeting card they accompany; a couple of days or possibly a week.

On December 25, 2009 proud parents Jada and David Dunn welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. 

Jen Minard and Danika Sanchez, two volunteers with a multi-year history with the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, have been named co-chairs for the 2010 SCV Relay, scheduled for May 22-23 at Central Park.  Monthly committee meetings and team captain meetings are underway to prepare for the event, which brings thousands of walkers raising funds to fight cancer in all of its forms.

A Profound Message: As a personal trainer and nutritionist I strive to treat my body like the temple that it is, yet I too struggle with my body image.  I occasionally battle the body image demon, but for the most part what I used to view as flaws are now symbols of life events that made me who I am today.  The stretch marks, which after 26 years are now mostly faded, are a reminder of my pregnancies and my two beautiful daughters. 

Meet Our Stevenson Ranch and Westridge Merchants of January 2010!

On November 16, 2009 proud parents Frances and Junior Mendibles along with big brothers James, age 6, and Jayden, age 4, welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. 

Are you thinking of redecorating or refurbishing rooms in your home?  Have you found treasures in your attic, basement or maybe at a flea market, that you would like to display but look too old or worn?  You can give your old frame designs new life to fit with your decor.  Matting and framing go hand-in-hand to create a fresh, new look. 

That time-honored cliché clearly applies to the members of Soroptimist International of Santa Clarita Valley as the club celebrates its 35th anniversary.  Chartered on December 3, 1974, the club has been an integral part of the growth of Santa Clarita Valley and its members have enthusiastically worked for 35 years to deliver on the club’s mission of helping to improve the lives of women and girls locally and around the world.
The club was presented with proclamations by Marsha McLean, Councilwoman for the City of Santa Clarita, and Ed Masterson on behalf of Cameron Smyth, for the 38th District of the California Assembly at its 35th Anniversary celebration on December 2, 2009 for 35 years of commitment and service to the citizens of Santa Clarita Valley.

When I was young, I used to view stores as “corporate entities” - cold, lifeless businesses with stuff inside to buy or to browse.  After opening Paper Mulberry in 1994, I now know that businesses - especially local independent businesses - are so much more.  They are very similar to humans—living, breathing beings with a heart, a soul, and a personality.
Just like giving birth, the owners of these beings imagine them into reality, plan for their arrival, and nurture them through infancy. 

Fair trade, an international movement designed to alleviate global poverty and promote sustainability, has been growing by leaps and bounds.  Fair trade helps communities directly by requiring fair labor conditions and safe environmental practices to support local economic development.  The movement has gained more attention as of late and has led to more conscious consumers.  Fair trade products are not to be confused with green products.  Green products aren’t just things made with organic cotton or recycled items, it also means the item was made in a responsible earth-sensitive way. 

Happy New Year!  Time for a fresh start, renewal, and harnessing that positive energy that gets us through good times and challenging time.  How do we begin the process in our home and office after the holiday season to invigorate our senses, and let everyone know that “change is in the air?”
Start the year with a fresh start fragrancing throughout your home and office space.  The wonderful harvest and holiday scented candles have been burned, providing warmth and comfort all fall.  Now it is time to move on to uplifting and fresh fragrances.

At 32 years old I was ready to accept my body for what it is.  Little did I know that my boudoir portrait experience was going to be one of celebration and self-realization.  Two major life events had just occurred: marriage and my first marathon.  It was the perfect time for boudoir photos— wedding gift to my husband and a reward for me.  It was a time to call a truce with myself, accept my body, and give myself a pat on the back for my marathon accomplishment.

Blue Topaz is a beautiful birthstone designated for the month of December.  Topaz is a fluorine aluminum silicate and comes in a rainbow of colors from blue, green, yellow, brown, pink, and sometimes colorless.  Yellow Topaz is the alternate birthstone for November.
Blue Topaz comes in three different shades.  London blue, which is a deeper turquoise blue, the Swiss blue, which is a rich light blue and the Sky blue that is a pale powder blue.

They ran everywhere; through the Valley and through the streets to a big finish at the Westfield Valencia Town Center.  The 2009 Santa Clarita Marathon, held on Sunday, November 8 was an official qualifying race for the Boston Marathon bringing residents and runners from all over came to participate in the successful event. 

Holidays are sad reminders of those we have lost.  Whether it’s your first, 10th or 50th year without your loved one, the empty chair at holiday dinners can cause enormous pain.
“As a society we are not trained or prepared to deal with life’s most predictable event and that is loss,” said grief counselor Jeff Zhorne, director of The Grief Program and a resident of Valencia.

Each year, we complete thousands of successful assignments - with clients from the gamut of industries.  This volume creates market knowledge that allows us to seize opportunities, speed the business process and create the most thorough, precisely accurate picture of global commercial real estate conditions and trends.

Have you ever wondered who is Mrs. Claus and how did she and Santa meet?  Or can Santa truly run the North Pole without her?  How did the first reindeer really learn to fly?  Chris Shoemaker, a Saugus resident, wrote a beautiful book about this exact topic, sure to be a family tradition.  Mrs. Claus is an integral part of the Christmas traditions and in this book we are able explore deeper into the story that started it all. 

Mr. E.W. Waldeck needed a wheelchair ramp and availed himself of the Handyworker Services Department at the SCV Senior Center to meet that need.  Department Supervisor Frank Pascoe, Handyworkers Bob Belendez, and Francis Williams, and Executive Director Brad Berens were the recipients of Wally’s thanks on October 30.