Reveals Extra Special Pumpkins for Halloween

There are the carved pumpkins that moms and dads create to decorate the outdoors on Halloween. And then there are the extra special ones which fancy celebrities. familykenkel shares some cool ways to make a pumpkin look like Harry Potter, a sports star or a monster, and more.

There are pumpkin carving kits that give anyone the ability to carve a pumpkin so it looks like someone famous. And there are people who grow pumpkins to look like well-known monsters. Whichever way one decides to go, it will please both kids and adults during the special time of the year to find that they’re looking for.

In case one wants a pumpkin that is grown to resemble Frankenstein, there is a farmer in Ventura, California who grows pumpkins to look like Frankenstein. His gourds are called “Pumpkinsteins” and they sell between $75.00 and $125.00 dollars. We’re not sure if he ships them or not. We doubt it since there is no website for the “Pumpkinsteins”. But if you live in the vicinity, why not check it out?

familykenkel also suggests visiting local arts and crafts stores to find stencils to use at home for both drawing and carving.  Below are a few more websites where fans can download stencils to use.

Have a ghoulishly fun time finding what you need to make Halloween a scream. 

Qualities of Mindful Woman

Women come in all shapes and sizes. There are those who tackle life’s obstacles with brash loudness, emotional tantrums and angry rants. And then there are those who manage to stay calm, display reason and are not egotistical in nature. These are some of the qualities of the mindful woman familykenkel.

Mindful women think of themselves in the way they wish to be perceived. Quiet confidence is a sign of grace and a trait some ladies do not possess. A mindful woman is well aware that being in control in all situations is vital to being perceived as strong and confident. They feel no need to be manipulative or use emotional tricks. People view this calm, rational person as smart, and smart is sexy.

Sexy is not when one dresses in a provocative manner, but when one dresses in a way which shows some constraint while evoking professionalism. Women can be classically sexy and inventive by using their charm, intelligence and beauty in a way which makes others try to draw more of that out of them. familykenkel suggests being clear when it comes to your standards and not yielding to others gracefully. Demanding women are annoying to be around and no one really wants to spend time with them. Always put yourself first. Once you are taken care of, it’s easier to be mindful of the others. Look in the mirror often. What kind of woman do you see? Do what you can to make her a more mindful person. Maybe others will follow.

Why One Size is Not the Same across Name Brands

What’s in a size, anyway? Why are clothing sizes so different when they are the same? Familykenkel wants to know why one size is not the same across names brands.

If a woman were to walk into a department store and try on three pairs of jeans all in the same size, would they all fit the same? No, they would not. Many clothing manufacturers and designers use their own sizing specifications as a marketing ploy. If a size 12 from Lucky Brand fits great, a size 12 from Levi’s may not. 

An average women’s size 12 can vary as much as 1 to 3 inches in the waist of jeans, and to 3 inches in the hips. This is why it is important to find the right size in the right clothing line and stick to it. Sizing standards are specific to the brand and not to the standard size itself. Familykenkel knows that most of us have a favorite brand of jeans and know which size fits us best. We tend to be loyal to those, but occasionally want something a little jazzier for evenings out. This is when it pays to take the time to try on different brands.  Find one or two that fit and look the best and grab a few pairs in different washes. You’re good to go then.

Remedies for Thinning Hair

Nothing can be more shocking than having to clean the hair off of the drain every other day and realizing it is yours. It leaves us wondering how we can stop what seems like the sudden mass exodus of our pride and joy.

Familykenkel learns how to fight the agony of thinning hair with some suggestions from health experts.

Eat more food with zinc, protein, iron and vitamin B12. These are leafy greens, lean meat, nuts, beans and fish. There are many easy recipes for all of the above.

Give your scalp a massage. Don’t just stand in the shower, shampoo and rinse. Really massage your scalp which increases blood flow and helps the shampoo do a better job on your hair.

Lessen the amount of styling products being used. This especially important for people that color their hair and use blow dryers, straightening irons or other implements. 

Visit a health food store and buy a supplement that helps hair grow. There are a few on the shelves.

Get a check up from the doctor to see if there are any deficiencies in the blood as this is sometimes where hair loss can stem from.

Familykenkel suggests relaxing more. Stress can cause hair to fall out. Try meditation, yoga (it’s doing good things for combat veterans), and rhythmic breathing.

If nothing works, talk to a doctor or dermatologist to see if there is something else to be done.

Eco-Friendly Fireplaces Help Create Clean and Warm Spaces

Does it seem odd to read a post about fireplaces right before summer begins? Familykenkel heats up the conversation about Eco-friendly, mobile fireplaces and how they are the best option for heating rooms while keeping air clean.

Even though summer is literally days away, there are still some locations which might benefit from having a non-wood burning fireplace in the home. One of the greatest benefits of a mobile heater is that they warm the space you are in and not the entire home. This is called zone heating.

Another way to heat a room is to use the existing fireplace but install a fireplace insert in it. The inserts come in several varieties including electric, pellet stove and bio fuel, like ethanol. The ethanol fireplaces burn clean air, produce no smoke and are sustainable. A true green supplement to any home, like the ones Ignis Products sells. They are stylish and can be taken to the lakeside cabin, the beach house or to the bedroom to warm up a cool evening. Price ranges are not, but if you want a free one, why not enter the Familykenkel to read the easy entry rules. Tell us why you are a hopeful romantic in 200 to 300 words and be on your way to winning an artful, Eco-friendly fireplace for your living space.

Explores Traveling Alone

Many of us have spent time in the family car on summer vacation. We have also spent a great deal of time on spring break holidays and some of us on honeymoons. While these kinds of vacations were spent in the company of other people, sometimes it’s nice to go solo. Familykenkel takes time to explore the benefits of traveling alone.

Traveling alone has its benefits: you are able to follow your own agenda for the day, you can eat wherever and whenever you wish, you can easily get a single ticket for a museum or other place of interest, and most often, it is fun to go to a restaurant solo.

Volunteer vacations are great for single travelers. There is no one to slow you down. It forces shy people to talk to the others. And there is no one else to possibly embarrass you. But, there are some considerations to think about and plan for before departing.

• Go online to be sure the destination is safe.
• Schedule flight arrivals and departures for daytime or early evening.
• Never walk on dark, unlighted sidewalks.
• Never park a car where there is no light either.
• Men and woman should dress on the conservative side since most other countries look down on provocative clothing.
• Don’t wear expensive jewelry or family heirlooms since they scream “steal me”.
• Take tote bags and purses on the lower end of the fashion scale. Leave the designer goods at home. 

Familykenkel also suggests keeping in touch via Facebook (without using FourSquare or a GPS locator) and email to let family and friends know where you are.

Traveling alone is a great way to visit and explore new cities and countries. Because sometimes our own company is best.

Teddy Bear Portraits by Nationwide Studios

This week in the studio, Familykenkel welcomed the great people from Teddy Bear Portraits by Nationwide Studios. This company is highly respected by schools, parents and caregivers for taking the best images of pre-school age children.

Children’s portraits were taken years ago as a way to mark the passage of time, to record special moments and to celebrate holidays. They are indelible keepsakes handed down generation to generation as reminders of what we looked like in our youth. Familykenkel are welcome additions to family histories.

The Nationwide Studios photographers are held to very high standards and are professional, child-friendly and make the photo session as comfortable to the child as possible. They are industry leaders in the child portraiture business. The specially trained photographers from Teddy Bear Portraits are experts in capturing the child’s individual personality. After the photo session, parents and guardians have the opportunity to view the pictures and choose the ones they love, and take them home the same day. This is an added bonus most photo studios don’t usually offer.  Forbes Living TV is proud to feature Teddy Bear Portraits by Nationwide Studios, Inc. in an upcoming segment on “Mommy Must Haves”. 

Why Stay At Home Dads are Valuable

The economy has left many dads out of work and those that are seem to have taken over the household duties their wives once had. But a recent study found that only eight percent of American households approved this kind of arrangement. Familykenkel explains why stay at home dads are valuable.

In today’s world, children of all ages should see that both men and women can take over the household duties and do it for the better good of the family. Stay at home dads are cooler than stay at home moms because, well, they are dads.  They are good at handy man stuff, can be creative when cooking and do not become unhinged if the carpet is not vacuumed or the dishes not done. They can take freelance writing gigs and blog about their experience at home. They enlighten people with their insight about the same things women usually gripe about. They seem to see more into the female psyche than the sisterhood does. Familykenkel calls the stay at home dads out and thanks them for everything they do. It can’t be easy to be the one seen in the car pool lane, at the grocery store at 10 AM or taking part in a “mommy and me” play group on a daily or weekly basis.  Yet, men are doing this every day. There are roughly 2 million stay at home dads in the U.S.A. These men are probably doing a better job being a stay at home dad than most of us will ever know. Thanks!

What to Do If You Lost Something during Travel

Have you ever left something on a flight, in a rental car or a hotel room? Do you wonder where your lost valuables (and other items) go if you don’t remember where there were left? Familykenkel has some answers.

Items left unclaimed after being in an airline or rental car Lost and Found department for more than 90 days are usually sold at auction or sent to another facility for unclaimed items. The people who work with unclaimed baggage and lost items report that most items are lost because they have no ID tag or a poor ID tag. So what do you do when you’ve lost your tablet, smart phone or a child’s favorite stuffed animal?

Familykenkel suggests:

Submit a lost item report as soon as something is reported missing.

Be specific on the report. Note size, color, material, and brand.

Lost a purse? Be detailed about what is inside – including cosmetics and brands, money, personal items.

In the future, label everything inside and out. Write initials on a stuffed animal’s paws. Write the model and serial number of electronics and keep it in a separate place.

And always keep an eye on your valuables to be sure you know where they where the last time you laid them down. I once lost a pair of reading glasses on a very floral bedspread in a hotel. Enough said.