Browse

our directory of women-owned businesses

Author Archive

Hello, Summer!

Monday, June 21st, 2010

How many times a year do we utter the words, “If only there were more hours in the day…”? Well, on the summer solstice, you will get your wish since today, the sun shines longer than any other day of the year. Today of course also marks the official start of summer, and with it, we celebrate all the best things about this much-anticipated season! To welcome the return of flip-flops, barbecue’s, vacations and more, we’ve compiled a list of activities to do in order to take advantage of those extra minutes of sunlight. Grab your friends and family and head out – you won’t want to miss a second of your summer solstice celebration!

A picnic is a simple no-brainer for a summer occasion, but you might decide to get a little creative for the special occasion by coordinating a late-night sunset picnic in your city’s most scenic setting. Bring a playlist of songs with the word “sun” in them to set the right mood.

If you’re an avid outdoors-woman, you’ll want to really maximize your extra minutes of rays! Head out for an evening hike, run, or bike ride and extend it a little longer than usual. You’ll get an extra boost knowing that this is the only night you’ll be able to savor the sunlight during your routine workout.

Spending your solstice doing water activities is an excellent idea if you live near a body of water. Boating, surfing, kayaking, or even just lounging beachside will give you that summer glow you’ve been missing all winter. Plus, watching the sun lower over sparkling waves is a sight that can hardly be beat, and one you’ll want to store in your memory for the next winter.

Say Mother Nature decides to throw you a curveball and sends rain instead of shine, well don’t let that stop you from enjoying the spirit of the day. Curling up with a book and hot tea can be relaxing during a summer rainfall or storm especially if enjoyed from a patio or porch. If the day is more gray gloom than thrilling boom, head to your local arboretum or greenhouse to get your tropical nature fix.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Details | No Comments »

Baby, take a bow!

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010


The more we have gotten to meet our lovely CRAVE counterparts around town – and around the world – the more we find out that CRAVE women are all truly kids at heart. We think you’ll adore these terrific shops featuring play toys, itty bitty clothes, and things that make you “ooh” and “ahh” over these delightful shops for little ones .

Diss id
Kids’ imaginations are wonderful – but they also must be cultivated. The unique designs in Diss id’s retail products encourage a high level of play and creativity. The toys and furniture are also made with the safest and highest quality materials and are sold to schools, nurseries, physiotherapists and professional caregivers.
diss-id.nl/

Flo 4 Kidz
This kids’ shop carries adorable clothing and toys for the 21st Century urban child. The slighly industrial space is softened by the coziest looking onesies in kaleidoscopes of colors; and plush stuffed animals in every size and shape. It’s a true treasure trove that you’re little tyke will love.
flo4kidz.nl

MumsMarket
This shop has heart- not only is it sustainable but it is extremely charitable.  With 60% of proceeds going to charities that support child welfare, this is a great place to shop for the kids. With a wide selection of both clothes and toys for boys & girls, you can browse online then take advantage of free shipping!
mumsmarket.nl

LIV-INN
We CRAVE the patterned outfits from LIV-INN, the panda printed onesie is an adorable find for a little boy or girl. Need to shop for an older prince or princess? The fleece wraps are snuggly warm and your kid will love wearing them around as their very own cape!
liv-inn.nl

PUCK Unlimited
This is the perfect store for your adolescent daughter to keep her look hip and chic. We love the super comfy leggings paired with printed skirts. Cotton jumpsuits and short-sleeved dresses are great options for summer and come in several bright and sunny colors.
puckunlimited.nl

IETJE COMPANY
The custom printed t-shirts designed by IETJE are so much fun to look through it is hard to pick a favorite! These are a fun gift idea for your tot to keep them looking original, and you can choose from so many different pictures there is sure to be something to reflect every kids’ favorites. Don’t see anything catching your eye today? Find a new design daily!
ietjecompany.nl

ENGEL
ENGEL is all about celebrating the beauty and traditions of life.  They create cheerful flags, tablecloths, placemats, aprons and more to help you add color and creativity to your festivities. We love a reason to party, and so does ENGEL- they work by the slogan, “Life is a party but you have to hang the garlands”.
engelpunt.com

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Style | No Comments »

Tricks of the Trade

Monday, May 31st, 2010

When great minds come together, amazing things can happen. When great CRAVE minds come together, amazing things DO happen! Part of our mission – along with being the go-to source for all things fab in your city – is to connect women business-owners to the resources, information, and other like-minded women that will enable their success and growth as professionals. So to offer up some advice and inspiration to all of our hard-working entreprenesses, we’ve got a handful of intelligent lady-experts opening up their book of knowledge for us. Consider it the metaphorical – and less painful form of walking a mile in their fiercely fabulous high-heeled shoes. Read on for each experts’ single most important tip for fellow entreprenesses and their favorite part about working with women in business.

Dawn McCooey- McCooey Consulting Group Inc., Woman’s Enterprise Centre
Must-do: Understand the act and the art of juggling. If you know which balls are rubber and which are glass – you can handle anything.
Love-to-do: As a business advisor with Women’s Enterprise Centre, and as a consultant, I love the energy and the synergy of women business owners. I love how they are willing to collaborate and build community.

Carlie Smith- Portobello West
Must-do: Don’t write-off any idea until you’ve looked at it from various perspectives and always run the numbers.
Love-to-do: Female business owners are very supportive of one another and are great at working together to create amazing projects and businesses!

Pauline O’Malley- TheRevenueBuilder
Must-do: Without sales, you don’t have a business. As a woman, you have the natural abilities to persuade others to believe in you. Women are the best sales people in the world; they just don’t know it yet!

Heather White- 2020 Communications
Must-do: Take action!
Love-to-do: Sitting on the shoulders of my clients and watching them make their dreams come true. Female business owners have high energy and it’s a lot of fun to be around them.

Felicia Lee- Ghost CEO Advisor
Must-do: You are not an island – utilize mentors, resources and communities around you to help you build your business.
Love-to-do: Many women entrepreneurs are afraid of sales.  It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the transformation from fear to embracing to owning the sales process!

Katie Bennett- Double Black Diamond Coaching
Must-do: What separates my clients that get good results from my clients who get great results is commitment.  100% or 0%. There is no wiggle room on true commitment.
Love-to-do: The best part of my job is getting to help people achieve the lives and businesses they have always dreamed of.

Shauna Causey- Voluntweetup
Must-do: Test your limits on how generous you can be.
Love-to-do: The best part of my job is that I get to talk about dynamic ideas, inspiring people and worthwhile causes.

Maria Ross- Red Slice
Must-do: Make sure you know who your audience is! Get as close to defining your “ideal” customer vs. just your “average” customer.
Love-to-do: Seeing the light go off when they discover what their brand is really all about or who really is their ideal customer.

Andrea Baxter- Bratface Marketing
Must-do: There is nothing more beneficial to business women in a small city than to get out there, make yourself aware, and make a name for yourself.
Love-to-do: I would be lying if I didn’t say the freedom it allows me to have my own business.

Posted in Connect | No Comments »

Hot days, cool shades and more

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

The days are sweltering – and you’ll be looking hot while feeling cool in the latest accessories for sunny summertime. From sunglasses to dramatic straw hats to gorgeous swimwear, you’ll be feeling runway-ready on the beach and the streets. To celebrate the return of sunshine in our city, we’ve scoured the streets to find the best spots to find your made-for-summer accessories.

Marlies Dekkers

This Netherlands-based designer is best known for its high-end lingerie, but the design house also carries a line of swimwear that injects the same glamour and sexy style for pieces that are eye-catchingly stunning. Your summer holiday won’t be complete without a trend-setting piece from the “Sundressed” collection.

http://www.marliesdekkers.com/

Zenggi.com

We can’t get enough of the stuff on this site: paisley boho scarves in gorgeous corals and azurs, trendy-cool handbags, and vintage-infused sunglasses. We can already envision a bike ride through the city, a picnic packed in our tweed tote bag, 80′s round-rim sunglasses, and an art-deco inspired scarf flying behind us in the wind.

www.zenggi.com

Curva BodyFashion

Curva BodyFashion mixes a sexy blend of European fashion with South American flair for swimwear, footwear, and clothing that is perfect for hot summer days and warm summer nights. The shop carries collection from dozens of international designers and brands that you will want to sport all year-long! We especially love the gorgeous cover-up from South Sea Pink for the ultimate poolside style.

http://www.curvabodyfashion.com/

PetSalon

This online hat boutique is designer for the bold fashionistas of Amsterdam. We love the daring looks and dramatic colors of the hats which can be customized using four basic templates. For summertime, there is no better way to bring ‘chic’ to your wardrobe than with a cutting-edge style from this boutique.

http://www.petsalon.nl/index.html

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Style | No Comments »

Our CRAVE Beauty Secrets Revealed

Monday, May 10th, 2010

As fabulous as every CRAVE woman is, we all could benefit from a session of beauty secret-swapping. Long days and long nights hopping from place to amazing place can take its toll on even the most impeccably gorgeous glower. To gain insight on how the girl-about-town stays looking her best, we’ve asked our resident staff at CRAVE what types of tricks were up their sleeves. And unlike other kinds of secrets, we don’t feel guilty for sharing these at all!

Hair

  • Try fabric softener for a great leave-in conditioner. Dilute a 1/2 cup with 1 cup of water and for softer, fresher locks.
  • For between shampoos: degrease oily hair with witch hazel. Apply to your roots with a cotton ball.
  • When hair starts looking dull from too many products, use translucent face powder on the roots and brush through to give hair a subtle shine.

Skin

  • To lighten age spots and sun-damaged skin, mix the juice of 1 lemon, 1 lime, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 ounces of plain yogurt. Gently massage into each spot weekly for noticeable results.
  • For a great body exfoliant, scrub with dried coffee grounds. The caffeine in coffee also helps to stimulate the growth of new skin cells.
  • Keep cucumbers for your salads and use raw potato slices to remove dark under-eye circles.

Makeup

  • For lips that pop, dab a little bit of red or orange color in the center to make them appear fuller.
  • To give your lashes an extra lift, warm an eyelash curler with a blow dryer before using. Lashes will stay curled for longer and this trick doesn’t even require mascara!
  • When applying blush or bronzer, you should first know where to apply your glow. Bend over for 30 seconds, then slowly stand up. Where your cheeks are flushed is where you are meant to blush. Apply your blush there for a naturally rosy look.

* please take caution, CRAVE does not guarantee results

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Enhance | No Comments »