Thursday, September 24, 2009

Love Your Life Challenge

The Love Your Life Challenge was created after the discovery that 3/5 women admitted to being unhappy with their life and just feel like they are floating through it day by day, on auto pilot.

Women feel like its Ground Hound Day and I decided to change that by creating the challenge. I wanted to make it available to all women through out Australia who may or may not have the access or the funds to change their lives.

This is a proactive, innovative way for you to Live Your Life that is so easy. This is a non evasive Challenge that isn’t time consuming but will make a huge difference in your day to day life, and you can do it in the privacy of your own home.

So if you feel like you-
•Need a pick me up
•Feel like your just floating through life
•You want to start a fresh but don’t know where to start
•If you have depression or maybe you just feel depressed
•If you are a victim of Domestic Violence
•Maybe the internals are good but you need work on the exterior, OR
•If you would like to just feel better within yourself

This is going to be HUGE!

I have an amazing line up of Guest Post's that will share their expert advice on how to look and feel fantastic, like
* Imogen Lamport- This amazing lady is so knowledgeable in so many areas she will blow your mind.
Plus many more!

I have some incredible and inspirational women that are going to share their stories of Tragedy and Triumph that will motivate you and help you find yourself to let you know you're not alone and there IS way out, they will inspire you to LIVE YOUR LIFE!

To subscribe for the Challenge all you have to do is subscribe to Bra Queen and email braqueen@gmail.com where you live (some of the prizes are location specific, most are not!)
GIVEAWAYS WILL BE HANDED OUT EVERY WEEK TO THOSE WHO ARE SHARING THEIR STORIES AND PROGRESS BY COMMENTING IN THE COMMENTS SECTION ON EACH POST.
A MAJOR PRIZE WILL BE GIVEN OUT IN THE LAST WEEK.


It starts Monday 5th October and will run for 4 weeks with over $3500 in PRIZES to be WON!

Getting Exposed at Bra Queen!

Outlines of the editorial policy, how to send me new articles, and how to get your product reviewed at Bra Queen.

Editorial Policy
All lingerie I review goes through the exact same criteria check. I do not except payment for my reviews as it is important to me that I give my readers nothing short of my honest and professional opinion.

Advertising Policy
If you wish to advertise on Bra Queen then email me braqueen@gmail.com
PLEASE NOTE: I will only advertise products I love and recommend and that lies solely at my discretion.

Want Bra Queen to review your Product?
I am ALWAYS looking and wanting to find lingerie I LOVE. I love hearing from designers and retailers that want to tell me about their brand and would be delighted to get an e-mail from you. Feel free to send my details to your PR people and e-mail me when you’ve got exciting news.

If you have-
•A new designer or collection
•A fabulous event you’re holding
•A great bargain
•A discount you’d like to offer Bra Queen’s readers
My Review Policy

Bra Queen often reviews lingerie products for its readers. I rate products on a scale of 1 to 10 Costs, Quality, Material, Lift, Support, Shape and Appearance. All are key indicators to help women find lingerie they’ll love. If you are a designer or retailer who would like to have your product reviewed, please follow the guidelines below:

•Given the nature of lingerie, we’re not able to return any samples sent to me.
•I will review your product however please send me a brief about yourself and your product. Email me I will let you know where to send your product.
•Sending me a sample does not guarantee a positive review. My first and foremost responsibility is to my readers and I will always be honest with them.
•If you don’t sell the product yourself, please don’t send it to us for review just to get a link. Our readers are paramount, and we don’t want to annoy them with intermediary links when all they want is to find the product.

A BIG thank you for thinking of Bra Queen

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Bra Review on Freya

Freya are one of the leading lingerie companies that fall under the Eveden Group for Larger Cup Size Bras, they go up to J Cup.


Antoinette-Nude
Cost- $84.95
Lift- 7/10
Separation- 7/10
Quality- 8/10
Shape- 2/10
Material- 5/10
Appearance- 5/10

Over All- 3/10
Bra Queen's Comments- This bra is really uncomfortable and it makes your breasts look pointy. The shape is terrible and the material is quite odd it would see through your clothes.


Jolie
Cost- $89.95
Lift- 5/10
Separation- 7/10
Quality- 8/10
Shape- 2/10
Material- 8/10
Appearance- 8/10

Over All- 5/10
Bra Queen's Comments- I had high hopes for this bra! It is really pretty and it's great quality but the lift and shape are not good so therefore detracts from the prettiness this bra has on the hanger!


Pollyanna
Cost- $104.95
Lift- 8/10
Separation- 8/10
Quality- 8/10
Shape- 8/10
Material- 8/10
Appearance- 8/10

Over All- 8/10
Bra Queen's Comments-This bra does make your breasts a little pointy however it is a well structured bra. The pattern is not to my taste but it is nice and some people would like it.


Retro Basic
Cost- $84.95
Lift- 7/10
Separation- 7/10
Quality- 6/10
Shape- 6/10
Material- 7/10
Appearance- 7/10

Over All- 6/10

Bra Queen's Comments- I don't think they have the smooth or contoured cups right yet! The shape is wrong so therefore everything else goes out the window.


Jessica
Cost- $94.95
Lift- 8/10
Separation- 8/10
Quality- 8/10
Shape- 6/10
Material- 8/10
Appearance- 8/10

Over All- 6/10
Bra Queen's Comments- This bra looks great, it's pretty the material is good quality. But again the shape is wrong and if you lose me on the shape then you have lost me on the bra. It cuts across your cleavage too much.


Tasmin
Cost- $94.95
Lift- 8/10
Separation- 8/10
Quality- 8/10
Shape- 8/10
Material- 8/10
Appearance- 8/10

Over All- 8/10
Bra Queen's Comments- This is a really nice bra. A good fit, good quality and good shape personally the material is too busy for me however some people will like it.

You can also see more of my Freya Bra Reviews Here

Final Note- Stick to Freya's Soft Cups and their on going lines they are the ones that will work for you!


Disclaimer: The views, conclusions, findings and opinions of the author are those of the author and do not reflect the views of the product owners, producers and there affiliates.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

BRA REVIEW -Elle MacPherson A to D


Coranto
Cost- $59.95
Lift- 3/10
Separation- 7/10
Quality- 3/10
Shape- 3/10
Material- 3/10
Appearance-3/10

Over All- 2/10
Bra Queen's Comments-You can see nipple they are extremely small it looks like it was made for a 12 year old.





Razzles
Cost- $64.95
Lift- 7/10
Separation- 7/10
Quality- 4/10
Shape- 8/10
Material- 5/10
Appearance-6/10

Over All- 6/10
Bra Queen's Comments- This plunge bra gives a great round shape to your breast. I would only recommend it with a plunge top because the shape and support isn't great. It gaps in the top of the cup and the underwire doesn't sit flush against your chest.



Spree
Cost- $64.95
Lift- 5/10
Separation- 5/10
Quality- 3/10
Shape- 3/10
Material- 3/10
Appearance-3/10

Over All- 3/10
Bra Queen's Comments-This bra has nice straps however that is the only nice thing I have to say about it. Like 99% of Elle's bra's and every other lingerie company the cups are too close together this is why your bras are digging in. This bra also gives you back fat when you don't even have back fat, how does that work?

Cup Cake
Cost- $64.95
Lift- 5/10
Separation- 5/10
Quality- 4/10
Shape- 4/10
Material- 6/10
Appearance-7/10

Over All- 4/10
Bra Queen's Comments-Same old, same old the cups are too close together therefore I just can not recommend it. If the shape isn't right then it is incorrect fit.


Dress Making
Cost- $59.95
Lift- 3/10
Separation- 5/10
Quality- 3/10
Shape- 3/10
Material- 6/10
Appearance-7/10

Over All- 3/10
Bra Queen's Comments-This bra creates back fat and the underwires cut in, nasty! Pretty but it will hurt.


Dentelle
Cost- $59.95
Lift- 6/10
Separation- 7/10
Quality- 6/10
Shape- 5/10
Material- 6/10
Appearance-7/10

Over All- 5/10
Bra Queen's Comments-This bra had me so excited I thought FINALLY one at of her zillion that I have road tested one will work! So so close, but at the risk of being a cracked record THE CUPS ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER! 1/2 INCH thats it and it would have been great. But they digg in. Arhhh!

Do you know how frustrating this road test was? And I wasn't even the one trying them on! Imagine how my models felt, they left feeling like they had weird breasts. No you don't it is the shape of the. In total we reviewed 17 of her bras and NOT one I would really recommend. They do however have nice solid hook and eye's.
You can even see on the models that the bras are cutting in, if they models can't wear them well then who can?

Disclaimer: The views, conclusions, findings and opinions of the author are those of the author and do not reflect the views of the product owners, producers and there affiliates.

What is Your Passion, You Purpose?

What is YOUR passion, do you have one?

I have always been a very passionate person and always had a strong desire to succeed. I have had oodles of jobs in a vast array of areas. It has always been crucial for me that I love my job and as soon as I didn’t I would move on saying “Life is too short to not love your job”
However I know so many people that have never done a job they really loved or even liked and just look for jobs in their assigned areas in their careers, that just kind of happened. No real thought or desire went into the decision of their career path and they never seem to question it, this to totally alien to me.

Do you like your job; have you ever had a job you liked?

I have made many “in between” jobs whether it was because I was traveling, saving money, doing it just the experience or using it as a stepping stone I have always liked or loved it at that time. I have my days of course however they still served a purpose. Most times it had nothing to do with money it was always about what I felt I could contribute to the business and what experience would I learn from it.

NOW- From Writer/Author, Lingerie Expert, Business Consultant and Personal Consultant, I still as Bra Queen wear many hats and I love them all!
However now I am classified as an entrepreneur so this enables me to explore everything that I am passionate about which I LOVE!

Do you know where you want to go in life?

I recently stumbled across goals that I had written about 8 years ago. At the time I was trying to figure out what my perfect job would be. This is want I wrote
•Help People
•Motivate People
•Be creative
•Room for growth so I don’t get bored.

As I read this I thought ALL of my jobs have indirectly done the above without me even realizing it! Except the room for growth part ;-)

My whole career has been a stepping stone to lead me to where I am today, the Bra Queen.
My empire is based on what comes from my heart and soul, always knowing and having faith that I can help people I have something to offer so many people and the beauty of it is- It’s me! My empire is me, every word I say and every movement I make comes from heart honestly & passionately.

What attributes do you want to install in your children?

This is something I think about a lot! My girls are walking sponges and a lot of the time walking clones of myself!
I really want to teach my girls
•Be Honest- With yourself & with others
•Confidence- I think this is the most important attribute I person can have. I’m NOT talking about the up yourself, full of crap confidence. I’m talking about the “I am comfortable in my skin and in who I am as a person.”
•You can do ANYTHING! You are NOT too pretty, too smart, too dumb, too short, too tall. If you work hard and it comes from your heart then it will happen!
•Be happy and be healthy
•LIVE your life- Don’t hold back because “What will people think?” or you’re too scared (you do you BEST work when you are outside your comfort zone)
•Don’t fall into the trap of “I’ll be happy when…” because you are waiting on “stuff” and “stuff” doesn’t matter. If you are thinking like that then you are not living in the moment, Live for today!

Who do you admire, do you have a mentor?

I admire/love, actually I think we were married in a past life! Richard Branson not one thing about him just everything. How his mind works his drive and determination, his ethics, his love and passion for life. I would LOVE him to be my Mentor, Richard please? Pretty please?

If you need help don't forget my Love Your Life Challenge starts Oct 5th 2009.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Bra Queen Interviews Pep+Coddle


Bra Queen's Comments-I LOVE Skye's answer to Number 7, so well said. Let me tell you Skye's work IS really amazing, so clever, so creative and so different to anything you have seen. Literally so personalized that when she makes a baby card it has name, weight and DOB on the cover they are truly divine! Skye is going to personlise a writing set to one LUCKY WINNER in the Love Your Life Challenge, You'll love it.

1. Tell us about you & your business-

My passion is Oil Painting, but I also have a soft spot for Printmaking and Photography. I love analysing artworks and advertisements, and I pick them to pieces in my mind trying to figure out how it was made layer by layer. I am an Artist who teaches for a living, with a personal passion on the side. I have 2 beautiful children – Jamieson 3 years and Tyler 5 months.

PEP+CODDLE is inspired by the beauty of contrast, creating paper artworks as greeting cards. As I have always done with my own artworks, each piece is arranged with the elements and principles of design in mind. I try to keep everything aesthetically balanced and harmonious while pushing the boundaries by mixing it up a bit… such as spots and stripes or dark and light, hard and soft, bold and subtle etc. The name came about as I was trying to find a label that encompassed the different mini-personalities that we all have inside of us. Each of us is usually known by one or two ordinary, stereotypical personalities, but on occasion we feel like being the exact opposite to what is expected of us. One day we feel valiant and energetic (pep) and the very next day we could be calm and content (coddle) – more contrasts! I love them!


2. Why did you decide to start your business?

Having been teaching others in Visual Art, selfishly I needed my own “time- realistic” creative outlet. It’s not a financial thing, as making/selling artwork never is! I’ve stopped painting since having 2 small children, as it is not practical for me to get into the garage and make oil paintings. Almost out of nowhere, maybe instinctively, I found a love for making personalised cards just as much, and my friends and family loved receiving them. When I tried to find another company that might make personalised cards, all I found was a heap of Computer Generated Images where you type in some text and it was inserted into a generic template – the very opposite to personalised I thought! That’s where PEP+CODDLE comes in.

3. What are some of the exciting things that are happening in your business?
Currently, I am looking for a range of quality handmade papers that don’t look like all the other papers that you can find in any newsagent or office supplies store. This is proving to be a challenge, since many of the handmade papers just remind me of the paper that we all made in primary school using the recycled paper from the staffroom rubbish bin! I’m looking for a supplier with a modern take on an old-fashioned process.

4. What do you do to keep yourself motivated?

The smile on my children’s faces when I see them first thing in the morning is enough to get this not-a-morning-person out of bed! Otherwise, when I need motivation to get work done for PEP+CODDLE, I try to remember that warm fuzzy feeling I get when I receive mail (that’s not a bill) with a handwritten address, knowing that someone special has made an effort to find the right card, took the time to actually handwrite something and then to physically get themselves to a post office to buy a stamp and to post the envelope! I also try to remember that I am not the only person who still values the thoughtfulness of a handwritten letter or even an invitation as opposed to the easy option of email.

5. What do you think is the secret to happiness?
The secret is to be honest with ourselves. Honest in what we really think as individuals and not getting caught up in what society expects us to think. Honesty with ourselves about what it is that we really love, what’s important to us, even the things that we honestly do not like. Then we can be truly confident in the decisions and paths that we choose. Once we are honest with ourselves it’s easier to discover that one thing inside of us that we know we were put on this earth for - our “reason” – and soon everything seems clearer and just simple.

6. You know when life gets “challenging” what have you done in the past to pick yourself back up again?
Usually my life gets chaotic when I lose perspective, so I make an attempt to get it back by cleansing the system and getting back to basics… start with a blank canvas, so to speak (says the artist). Its easier for me to put things into perspective when there’s nothing around to cloud the mind. There’s usually loud sing-along music, a vacuuming dance, and a house decluttering involved in this process!


7. What do you think are the most important attributes a person should have?

Perspective and Passion. When we keep things in perspective, there is no need for assumptions, no offence taken or hard feelings, and the world might be a brighter place. Passionate people are attractive. To be passionate about at least one thing means that we all have the opportunity to really know ourselves and be happy with what we each have to offer. Passion can foster motivation and ingenuity, and eventually satisfaction.


8. What is your favourite quote?

I am a true believer of “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

But I also love the theory behind Mark Twain’s: “Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.”