A simple question deserves a simple answer so here it is:

Order a Prosperity Cake from a line of cake products called Full Spirited Flavours, owned and operated by a trio of self described “high spirited ladies.”

Sisters Kathy, Carole and Sue

Sisters Sue Katein (whose recipes rock), Kathy Lanyon and Carole Algier,  (the sister that designed the trademark prosperity tree), admittedly, “reinvented ourselves after the economy slowed” but really wanting to do something together, combined their love for baking with their love for one another and introduced their line of  “Prosperity Cakes.”

So if you  answered yes to the  “good cake” question then Full Circle Flavors, LLC, at www.fullcircleflavors.com is the place where this group of sisters  have taken good to the next level with the creation of sensational tasting cakes.

I’ve tasted and I’m convinced.  These cakes are pure indulgence of the best kind!   I met the sisters at a recent Let’s Eat Media event in NYC.  They had come  from the Philadelphia area  where they live and run their business in Phoenixville to introduce Prosperity Cakes to the New York market.

These three sisters, all admittedly in their 50’s, rallied together to start the business they’ve always dreamed they would start because of their love of cooking.  “We always said someday, but its interesting how the economy takes you forced through the door.”

The Prosperity Cake line includes the popular signature Amaretto Cake which is a buttery yellow cake made with Amaretto and  yummy chocolate chunks, then topped off with an Amaretto glaze.  I give this one an A+.

But if you prefer lemon, then you’ll want to try the Prosperity Limoncello Cake made with Limoncello liqueur, white chocolate chunks and the Limoncello glaze. (I give this one an A+ too)

Limoncello Cake

Making you hungry yet?

If you’re a chocolate lover, the sisters have added the scrumptious Prosperity Chocolate Razz Cake, made with imported raspberry liqueur and topped with white chocolate raspberry genache. (sounds good, but I didn’t try this one.  It gets an A+ just based on the other two)

The labor intense cakes, that the ladies are quick to point out are not pound cakes, are made by a chosen and trusted International Pastry Chef.  ” If we were 35 we’d be making them, because we’re in our late 50’s, in order to make this become something where it can grow, we have to take everything  we’ve learned through our careers and be smart business ladies.”

You can’t go wrong with these cakes.  Their unrefrigerated shelf life is 4  months or they can be easily frozen for later.  Asked how the cakes can stay fresh for so long the sisters offered, “It’s the liqueur.  It’s a fabulous preservative.”

You MUST purchase one of these deliciously moist cakes, take my word for it.  This time KathyDowDiscovers has hit  the jackpot with www.fullcircleflavors.com.

Prosperity Cakes

“When you’re in your 50’s, you’re not afraid,” said Carole referring to the new leap of faith that launched their cake business in 2009 and has seen Prosperity Cakes featured as the Snack of the Day on The Rachel Ray Show and in the Sundance Film Festival gift lounge, as well as their local television.

These best friend sisters have the full support of their best friend husbands whom they have tagged as the “J Team” because their names all begin with a J.  The hubby’s stand behind them in this second life, full circle endeavor. “We’re very fortunate, they’re behind us 150%.”

“Cooking was something we all did as children, our entire lives centered around cooking and catering,” Sue said.  The sisters call themselves the “Matriarchs” of their family and have two other sisters, two brothers, 3 kids and one cat between them.

A great gift giving idea, the cakes are packaged in matching polka dot boxes and shipped fresh to your door.  Carole is the expert on the packaging.  “We branded ourselves by matching the box color to the cake flavor color” she explained.

Cakes are available in two sizes, a $30 large size which yields 10-12 slices, or you can treat  yourself with the  small $10 cake.  A lot of sales come from corporate accounts. “We got a call from  a customer who received a cake from his client.  He called and ordered 4 more after receiving the gift.   He said it was the only gift  that stood out.”

Currently selling in seven locations throughout Pennsylvania  and with high internet orders, the company bakes about 400 cakes per month and have a new Mango Coconut Rum Cake slated to come out this summer.

Between  the sisters, owners and creators of Full Circle Flavors, LLC, they have a world of business experience.  Although there’s been one snag with the name of the company, (which they found out was already trademarked), these sisters are on the road to success.

Calling themselves “pay it forward girls” the trio looks forward to providing jobs and initiating a campaign to donate to local food shelters.  “You give back what you get,” Sue said adding that they only hire local help in an effort to help their economy.

If you’ve got cake on your mind, this is the one to try.  It’s Full Circle Flavors, LLC with a product line called Full Spirited Flavors.  Just remember it’s the circle of sisterly love, producing the spirited flavors of delicious cakes!

You’ll be pleasantly surprised that these sisters, who have come full circle in life now doing what they love to do, are really good at it.

Mama Says

Which cook are you? A new cook, a tired cook, or a cook that just wants a new idea?  The Mama Says “No more Frozen Pizza” recipe collection has tasty alternatives to take out.

Created by two Atlanta moms, Lynn Epstein and Iris Feinberg, the collection of two dozen budget friendly and easy to make dishes came right out of their own kitchens.  “It’s personal recipes from two families,” Epstein said.

Creators of Mama Says

Featuring main course recipes along with sides and salads, the laminated recipe cards come cleverly disguised in what else?  A pizza box! The picture of a completed dish on one side and the detailed instructions on the other are surefire roadmaps to a successful meal.

Recipe card with picture

Lynn says her son was always calling home asking, “what to cook and how to cook it”.  “The traditional recipe books I sent him were to complicated,” she says.  “He wanted easy to follow directions and needed to see what the dish was supposed to look like too.”

The Mama Says recipe collection evolved.  “We saw a need for a new kind of cookbook for a whole generation of recent college grads or students,” Lynn said.

The recipes are designed to encourage healthy eating and cooking.  For the beginner cook, stocking up on basic staples will get them through a lot of the dishes as the same ingredients are intentionally used.

“Sure it’s easy to order a pizza”, Lynn says, “but what’s better than recipes, tried and true that  come right out of our own kitchens?”

This is one box that really delivers and it makes a perfect gift for the new cook.  Available online at www.MamaSays.com and at a handful of retail stores, the collection is less than $20.

That’s a small tab for a great dinner!  Next time you want to reach for the pizza box, reach for the one that has recipes and not calories!

KathyDowDiscovers has a free giveaway of the Mama Says recipes.  Subscribe to Kathy’s List for a chance to win.

I had a chance to meet artist, designer and manufacturer Scott Wilson at one of New York’s Media Events for New Products last year and was so touched by his genuineness and his line of inspirational shirts.

Scott Wilson

Although he has been in the clothing business for a long time, it was his empathy for a family friend who had lost a child that led him to create the clothing line that he says “inspires from the inside-out.”

After the death of his friend’s daughter, Scott designed a shirt that had a picture of the young lady on the inside above the heart.  This way he felt that his friend would have his daughter close especially when he wore the shirt.

What a lovely idea!

So many people suffer silently on the inside but try and appear strong on the outside.  I love the idea of having a lost loved one’s picture near your heart, yet no one knows but you.  It’s your own  personal tribute and can give you comfort and strength at the same time.

From this idea came the expansion of his line of fashions to include shirts with themes that encourage a positive attitude through Faith, Inspiration, Wisdom and Love.  Scott wants the wearers of his shirt to be reminded that,    ” Wherever we go, good things come from the heart”.

Love Theme Shirts

I particularly love the friendship shirt that says,  “We all need someone to believe in, trust and be there.  I will be that person.”  Can you imagine giving that shirt to someone special?  That person will feel your spirit whenever she wears the shirt.

Then there’s the  inspirational shirt that will help one realize their own potential and work towards goals and aspirations.  That shirt says, “Open my mind’s eye.  Visualize the thing you want.  I will see it, feel it, believe it.”

Message on side panel of gift box

The shirts, made in the USA,  come in women sizes either long sleeve or short sleeve fitted styles;  nine different colors and each shirt individually packaged in its own inspiring, coordinated box.  When you purchase a shirt from either the Love, Faith, Inspiration or Wisdom line, (each theme has several messages for you to choose from) the shirt is folded inside out with the message showing through the top of the box.

Shirt prices are approximately $30 for the short-sleeve or $36 for the long-sleeve and can be purchased in exclusive boutiques or online at www.heartthreadsclothing.com.

I can’t think of a better gift to give a special someone  than a daily reminder to keep hope alive; stay positive, foster love or be encouraged.

What’s next to your heart everyday?  Why not let it be a message of wisdom, inspiration, love or faith?

Shop HeartThreads and leave a message on someones heart or carry your own reminder close, where no one sees it but you.  After all, what you say from your heart is what’s important, isn’t it?

A Dallas, Texas entrepreneur has created a neat way to keep just the right amount of aspirin handy in case you need it.   It’s the Aspirinpod!

Aspirinpod

Patti Frenette, the inventor of Aspirinpod,  developed the product after her her mother passed away from a pre-existing medical condition and  her brother suffered a heart attack.  Believing that she could help people she set out on her mission to invent the Aspirinpod.

Patti Frenette and the Aspirinpod

The Aspirinpod is a small molded-plastic container  that holds one uncoated 325 mg aspirin or four uncoated 81 mg aspirin.  That’s the critical amount of pain reliever that has been shown to increase the survivial of a heart attack if taken immediately at the onset of symptoms.

This tiny pod holds a gift of love that you can give your family to help keep them prepared should heart attack symptoms develop.  It can be attached to  a key chain,  your purse, golfbag, or even kept in your desk drawer or glove compartment.

The gift that saves

With holiday gift giving upon us and the economy creating a more cautious shopping atmosphere here’s something unique, affordable and it shows just how much you care.

Ever hear “It’s the small things that matter?”   Then this miniature heart  is something you shouldn’t be caught without.  Aspirinpod!    Imagine the scenario:  someone suffers heart attack symptoms  and there’s an aspirinpod handy.  The likelihood of decreasing heart damage is at your fingertips.  Thanks Patti!  You’re a lifesaver.

The  heart shaped pod sells for $2.99 and can be purchased online at www.aspirinpod.com.  It’s the “must give” gift of the season.  Do your loved one a favor – gift them with an Aspirinpod.

Get it for the holidays!

Time for Janska brand clothing.  The Janska founders calls their clothes, “Clothing that Comforts.”  I  met Janska founder, Jan Erickson at the Nouveau Apparel Show and who told me her clothing line evolved from a dream.

Nouveau Apparel Show

Jan had a friend who suffered a series of strokes and was unable to dress herself and so the task fell to her caregivers.  Jan noticed how difficult it was for her friend to be dressed and from that concern came the dream in which she envisioned a line of clothing for the elderly, the handicapped or the impaired that would be warm and easy to wear.  Most garments are one size “fits most” and are loose fitting so it can easily slip over or around someone.

“Create something easy to get on, easy to get off.  Fabric that feels and looks great, those were the instructions of my dream”, said Jan, who has a background as a social worker.

Stylish and flattering  her clothes  are made from lightweight Polartec fleece material that is odor resistant and simple to care for.     Jackets such as the Uptown Jacket and capes have roomy dolman sleeves that help make dressing simple.  The pieces all feel light and don’t drag you down with heaviness of most winter coats.

Jan Models Swing Coat

Several pieces have double usage;  the pocket scarf  can also be a hand warmer, the LapWrap shawl keeps shoulders, arms and back warm or slip it across your lap as a blanket to keep your legs warm.

The LapWrap

The LapWrap

The clothes, made in the USA, first debuted in 2003 and now can be found in a number of catalogs that are geared towards fashion or wellness.  There are more than 20 pieces in her line and the MocSocks, moccasin style socks with non skid bottoms that give weightless warmth and the Pocket Cape are among customer favorites. Janska clothing can be purchased online at www.Janska.com and in stores across the United States.

Just envision making life a little easier for someone.  Any garment from her line will be a great gift for the person who needs a little extra help in dressing and staying warm and for all of us who appreciate the versatile styles that provide great snuggle comfort and warmth.

It’s holiday time.  Think Janska…The Clothing that Comforts.

Janska Clothing

There’s a new game in town that allows you to share your “kindness” and watch it multiply into the world  by using a 26 card deck of Boom Boom! cards.

Feeling generous, kind, or very humanitarian?  Perhaps that’s what the creators of Boom Boom! cards were thinking when they launched their universal “kit for a social revolution”  that enables card holders to do a good deed and pass on some good karma at the same time.

“We’re trying to incite a global revolution of kindness powered by Boom Boom! cards,” says Mary Beth Campbell, one of the Co- founders.

Mary Beth Campbell, Co-Founder Boom Boom!

The cards have individual acts of kindness written on them such as “Give five genuine compliments in one day”, or “If someone in line in front of you is short a few cents, reach in your pocket and help them out” and even a “Wildcard” where you can execute an act of kindness of your choice .

“Like a boomerang, we believe whatever thoughts, actions or words you put out into the world eventually finds their way back to you,” she said.

The cards  make a great gift  for yourself or someone you think really wants to see more good deeds and kindness in our every day lives.  Boom Boom! Cards are meant to generate social change  and transform the world one purposeful act of kindness at a time.

Here’s how you play Boom Boom!

Kit: Cards, card sack, pad, pencil

First,  register your deck of cards on the website at www.boomboomcards.com so that a card can be tracked as it moves from person to person or state to state.

Then choose a card and do the act as suggested (buy a stranger a cup of coffee for example); after that leave a Boom Boom! sticky note for the person you Boom Boom’d, either signing your name or leaving it anonymously;next,  log onto the website to share your adventure and finally pass the card on to someone else so that the act can be repeated.

By logging your experiences with the Boom Boom! cards online you are sharing with others your purposeful act of kindness.   The hope is to see your acts of kindness replicate themselves across the globe. This is a new take on “Reach out and touch!”

There are three editions  of cards; the Original Edition, Teen Edition and Sustainability Edition.  It’s a revolution!  Be a part of the Boom Boom! society.  Remember, you get back what you give!

A format for donating to charitable causes through the use of the cards is being planned,  Mary Beth told me when I met her at a media event and she along with co-founder, Helene Scott, were excited about the great feedback after the cards were featured in the Emmy Awards Gift Lounge.

Got kindness?  Get Boom Boom! Cards and share the innate altruism that lives in all of us.  www.boomboomrevolution.com

If there are any men reading,  stop right now because some things we women need to keep confidential and the wearing of products from Bring It Up are among them.

Bring It Up

Bring it Up!  What a great name.  A lot of women find themselves needing a little help at some point in life and if going under the knife is not an alternative then Bring It Up products might fit the bill.  Write this web address down in a safe place:  www.BringItUp.com. You’re more than likely going to find something that interests you.

Take for example the Bring It Up Instant breast lift product.    These are 100% safe and virtually undetectable transparent pieces of adhesive tape that you use to help give your breast a little upward boost.  The product is applied above the nipple, lifting from the top and repositioning the nipple. This gives you a “perkier” look!  Take a look at the demo video on their website at www.BringItUp.com.  Very interesting and convincing. Breast Lifts

Bring It Up

OK, let me admit it.  Dominique Simon, of Bring It Up, sent me a sample and I actually tried it.  While I wasn’t very confident that it would be “strong enough” it actually served its purpose of giving me a boost.  It really did.

This is a clever way to feel more secure when wearing an outfit that is backless or strapless (or even in your swimming suit that doesn’t have an under wire or a defined cup).  But what personally impresses me most is that the breast lifts can be used to help alleviate shoulder pressure when worn by “bustier” women in conjunction with their bra.

Imagine  having something that will  help eliminate those deep shoulder impressions caused by your bra straps.  I’d give these a thumbs up for that alone.  Maybe not something you want to wear everyday, but then again, why not if it works for you?

The company has covered its bases by inventing a Bring It Up Plus size that is designed for women who wear a size D cup or more as well as the regular lifts that fits women who wear  size A to D cup bras.  The  breast lifts are hypoallergenic, waterproof and reasonable in price. The regular lifts comes in packages of  eight for $24 or the Plus size package of three is only $14.

The company has added a nipple cover to its line that affords “maximum coverage, minimum lift.”  The nipple covers, priced at $24, come in a single package and are reusable up to 25 times.

I think they’ve got it just about covered with these products.

But wait, there’s still another product.  The New Breast Shapers are a reusable contour cup that has “Maximum Coverage, Maximum Lift” using the same “lift from the top technology” as the breast lifts.  These are meant to provide a smooth look under your clothes and are for a B cup or larger.

Asked if any “celebrities” were endorsing or using the products, a company representative chuckled and didn’t offer up any names saying it “probably wouldn’t be a good idea” but we can almost bet the secret is out in Hollywood.  The Bring It Up products can be found on the website and in salons, boutiques and department stores.

They don’t stop there, however.  Let me tell you about their “Original  Bring It Up Instant Face Lift”.  These are a little trickier to wear because they have to be concealed by your hair and you have to be pretty self confident to wear something taped on the sides of your face.  BUT, if you can manage that, these facial strips give you just the right amount of “up” needed to take the droop off your eyes or smooth out your face  with small amount of tightening.  Instant Face Lift

I’m all for doing what you need to do to feel better about yourself as you age, and these products lend a hand doing that.  The Instant Face Lift package contains brow lifts which help “open up the eyes”  and neck lifts which help tighten and tone the neckline.

What a great idea, something you can use that isn’t a medical procedure but will help you look better and feel better.  It’s also a good way to “see what it might look like” if you decided to go with a  surgical procedure.  Try these products; pull a little up here or there and instantly you’ve got a more youthful look.

Given all this  information, don’t forget to view the video clip at www.bringitup.com and see for yourself.

Sign up for Kathy’s List to be updated when new products are posted.

JTB Concept Box

Imagine a new baby, what a joy and a job!  The  joy  is in watching them take their first steps and discover new things every day while the job is keeping them safe, even from their own toys. 

Help doing just that has arrived in the form of Jade’s Toy Box.

Parents Angelique and Robby Ledoux got the scare of their lives when they discovered a couple of “manufacturer recalled” toys in their daughter Jade’s toybox.  A swift clean up, some research and a dedication to tackle the problem of toy safety for  all children became their focused mission.

Their solution? A new business, aptly named Jade’s Toybox, packaging safe, educational, eco-friendly books, games and toys.   All toys pass the safety test of the CPSCIA guidelines and provide parents with cool tools to teach. These toys take childs play back to old school days when imagination ruled over television.

Jade’s Toy Boxes come in three sizes:  the Baby box for newborns to 18 months; Toddler box for 18 months to three years and the Preschool box for munchkins three to six years old. The prepackaged goody boxes are perfect as gifts for new parents, teetering toddlers or preschoolers. 

There are cute themes for every box, like The Bambino Box for babies which includes a starter library and a bedtime buddy.  

The Toddler boxes feature themes such as The Daily Grind which helps children learn time management skills and includes an activity clock, calendar and visual schedule cards. This helps them  learn how to transition from one activity to another and who can’t use that when trying to move a toddler along durng the day?

For preschoolers themes include the Moodie Foodie, a box that encourages the finicky eater and Too Cool for Preschool which is packed with items to give a headstart on preschool learning.

For Jade’s Toy Box the Ledouxs research the safest and best quality products on the market, provide free resources, offer ideas and tips and keep parents informed and updated about toy ratings .

Get schooled with the Ledouxs about what’s good in your child’s toy box at www.jadestoybox.com.

More contact information on Kathy’s List.

Joshua Tree Products, so named because it was first founded in Joshua Tree, California,  has an organic healing salve for active rock climbers, cyclists, water skiers, carpenters or anyone else with dried, rough or calloused hands.  It’s being touted as “the best there is” by its loyal following.

If you’re like me  and have never been up the wall, then you probably didn’t know that scraping your hands against the rock day after day leaves rock climbers with chapped, sore and blistered hands. Makes sense though doesn’t it?  J-Tree products to the rescue!

I met the owner, David Lawrence, at the New York City Holiday Gift Guide Show where business owners were showing their products to the media in preparation for the 2009 holiday season.  He was passing out samples of the lip balms and some very hot  but delicious herbal tea.  David explained that the tea, which comes in four flavors, is a mash of herbs that are roasted for two weeks before extracting the healing oils to be blended into the tea.

David, himself an avid climber, bought the company in 2007 and relocated it to his Michigan barn where all the products are hand made.  He expanded the product line which now includes J-Tree lip balms and moisturizers, skin healing salves, an organic product for exposed faces and the teas.

David’s company targets anyone who plays hard and asks “What’s your Lifestyle?”  Based on what you do, you can pick your  J-Tree Salve for climbing, healing, water sports, musicians, sportsmans or cycling.   There’s even a Joshua Tree healing salve for Pets which won a 2008 Dog Health Product of the Year award.

Contact information for purchasing J-Tree Salve is on Kathy’s List.

Children's Art Project

This is a story that tugs at your heart and at the same time lifts your spirits and has you in awe of the miracle of our children. It’s giving back, reaching out and supporting all rolled into one.

The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, located at the University of Texas in Houston, sponsors the Children’s Art Project where all art designs are created by children suffering with a form of cancer.

The program takes a sketch from a child’s imagination, helps cement it into a visual and then into a finished product. That product becomes a marketable item that when sold brings money back to the center to be used to fund programs that enhance the lives of these same children. The products, which include greeting cards, ornaments, books, jewelry, t-shirts, stationary and more, bring the talents of the young patients to life.

Can you think of anything more rewarding and satisfying for these children than to create masterpieces that live forever in the face of their battle against cancer?

The proceeds are used to fund summer camps, college scholarships, in-hospital classrooms and other programs that offer the cancer patient a chance to be “a regular kid.” It’s a circle that keeps giving; from the child, to the consumer and back to the cancer center.

A magnificent thing about the Children’s Art Projects is that a majority of the staff are volunteers. That’s everyday people, taking time out to work on behalf of these children.

CAP estimates that over 475,989 work hours have been donated by volunteers which amounts to the equivalent of 229 fulltime employees. This means that people are volunteering their time to help a child with cancer enjoy life during an adverse period in their lives. Afterall, kids with cancer are still just kids wanting to enjoy life, laugh and take their minds off the disease. The project has contributed more than $24.5 million dollars to fund over 15 programs that benefit the cancer patients and their families.

The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center with more than 16,000 employees and 1,400 faculty members focuses only on cancer and its treatment in the form of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and other combinations of treatments. They have been ranked as the top hospital in the nation for cancer care. More than 79,000 persons with cancer were treated there in 2008.

But it’s the children behind this art project. The children who despite facing obstacles that we adults don’t want to imagine, forge ahead unleashing their creative talents and sharing their gifts with us.

The art classes, which aren’t considered to be art therapy, help the young artists find escape during the process of dreaming and creating designs, taking their minds off of themselves and onto the public who will benefit from their talents. The products are sold through catalogues and in more than 2,000 retail outlets where no profit is taken by the store owners.

If, out in your travels, you come across gifts, cards or other things made by the Children’s Art Project, make yourself feel good by buying something knowing your money will fund programs for cancer patients and at the same time you will be ensuring that a child somewhere will benefit from a day of feeling good about a trip, a camp or other experience that takes them out of the cancer ward and into real life.

For more information about M.D. Anderson’s Children’s Art Project, check Kathy’s List.