Blog Posts by The Succulent Wife

If you have been reading us for a while, it's pretty clear to you that we love products and businesses with a good story. This is one such GREAT story AND cause. It's about Arzu Studio Hope.

Arzu (which means hope in Dari, a variety of the Persian language spoken in Afghanistan) Afghani Children Arzuwas founded in 2004 by social entrepreneur Connie K. Duckworth. Connie left the world of finance to start this enterprise with the mission to promote women's rights and economic empowerment in Afghanistan. She knew nothing about that country or about international development and nothing about rugs but she knew that she wanted to help women in Afghanistan break out of centuries of cycle of poverty. By helping them, she knew she would create the ripple effect of helping their children and their communities.

There is very little choice of jobs in Afghanistan for a woman to work outside the house, especially in the rural areas where there is little economic opportunity. The rug industry is one of the few culturally acceptable options in which women can work and thus, this is where Connie decided to implement her program to help them. Arzu Studio Hope is a rug weaving cooperative which pays women the market rate for their weaving labor plus incentive bonuses. In exchange, families must agree to send all children under the age of 15 to school full-time and must allow women in the household to attend Arzu literacy classes and to allow Arzu to assist pregnant women and newborns in obtaining pre-and post-natal care.

Arzu Studio Hope Founder & Weaver

Buying an Arzu rug means that you are helping women in Afghanistan by giving them job opportunities,

As I age I notice that I do not exercise the way I used to. For one thing, I no longer care as much about the latest fitness trend. I still enjoy the social sports like golf and enjoy swimming, yoga and skiing when I can. The reality is that none of these are consistent. I have never been a runner and quite frankly it hurts my feet, knees and back. So, my regular exercise regimen simply

By Susan Keats, Contributor & Seize-the-Day Propagandist

It was a dark and stormy night.

No it wasn't. It was a fine night as far as the weather goes, but as we sat our two daughters down in the living room to tell them that I had breast cancer, the storm raging inside my brain was pretty harrowing. I attempted a brave face while my husband told the girls what was happening with me and I watched their faces fall and shock cloud their eyes. And then he said it….through the turbulent whirlwind of anxiety in my head, I heard my husband say it. "Girls, mom may be too sick to do the laundry or clean the house, so we will really need your help to pitch in. You will need to start doing your own laundry."

What? I might be too sick to clean and do laundry? Really? AWESOME!! YIPPEE!!!!! Yes, that is exactly where my mind went. You know, there's that part of your brain that we usually tell to hush up, or simmer down? Well, my little unedited thought bubble was doing a gleeful dance and telling it like it is. I didn't realize it at that moment, but in this particular ordeal, this was my first of many silver linings.

They are always there, those silver linings. You just have to be paying attention. So consider this your heads up. No matter what bad stuff happens in your life, there is always one to find. A friend of mine, who has also struggled with cancer, told me that the only good she could figure that came from her experience was that she now wants

By Amie Valpone, Culinary Marketing Consultant & CEO of the gluten-free blog, The Healthy Apple.

Ready for a sweet treat on 'Love Day' but not ready for the sugar overload and empty calories? Look no further than this healthy and fiber-rich chocolate bread that will wow your Valentine with one bite! Try this Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free recipe:

My Tree & Me logoThough all of us are curious about our roots and sometimes even fascinated by our family history, genealogy used to be perceived as a dry artform practiced by the retired folks, i.e. the ones who really had the time to delve into the research and the connections and the research again.

Well, here's a company that is making genealogy look fresh and sexy! Just like the people on the family tree branches were at one time - or the tree wouldn't exist. the company is called My Tree & Me and it designs and modernizes genealogy charts.

My Tree & Me Generation Trees

It's easy to order: Choose a design (keep in mind that various designs accommodate various branches of the tree and different levels of generation), fill out the Seal of approvalgenealogy form, approve the proof and you'll receive the beautiful genealogy chart within 3 to 4 weeks.

What a great gift idea for a wedding, a baby gift or a milestone birthday. It's a truly one-of-kind graphic interpretation of someone's history, a personal piece of art that, as

By Margaret Plouff - Contributor, Natural Wellness

The beginning of a new year, ahhh, a time for fresh starts and new fresh energy. Time to move forward with grace and improved health, strength and vitality. The holidays were a time to indulge, and did we enjoy that! Now we have a choice to implement new healthy habits. It's time to take exquisite care of ourselves, really show lots more self love.

It's a time for reflection as winter draws us into this special time of year. The days are shorter, the weather gets colder. Your body really needs some nourishment right now. So, what can you do?

I believe in adding in new practices and then the old habits and patterns melt away. January and February's snowy (or rainy!) days and nights beckon for hot baths, a cup a tea, a little nap. Our bodies need nourishing especially in winter. Warm soups, stews, a little 10 minute break here and there…..these all so simply nourishing to your body, mind and spirit. Notice how you really

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and you are either looking forward to it or feeling that the whole "getting in the mood and feeling amorous" is just another thing to add to your to-do list.

Eden Fantasys LogoYou may be familiar with the Eden Fantasys adult shop - or maybe not. If you are, you are probablyKnead Me Massage Kit familiar with their titillating props. What you may not know is their large selection of romantic products for couples. Products like massage kits such as the Knead Me Massage Set or the Don't Stop Massage Candle. Both create a romantic ambiance and warm massage oil for a memorable evening and an unbelievable back rub (speaking from personal experience, ahem!).

The Kama Sutra Getaway Sensual KitIf you are planning a getaway and want to make it more sensual, you may want to look at the classic Karma Sutra Getaway Kit or the let's-get-it-on Leau A Deux Kit. Both are beautifully packaged with all the right paraphernalia to make your weekend escape more amorous, intimate and relaxing.

And of course, if you want to

By Jennifer Urezzio, Contributor - Spiritual Affairs

It was the day after Christmas. I stopped in the grocery store to pick up some necessities and was confronted with the Season of Love.

Giant pink and red hearts filled the aisle. I was surrounded by heart candies and heart cards and everything one would need to create the Season of Love. And yet, what is truly needed to create love in your life doesn't come in a box, bag or card. It comes from within.

Most relationships fail because we are looking to that individual to complete us, to fill an empty hole that was created by some wound or painful experience. If you are interested in creating a new season of love, a relationship that is based on a solid foundation and in any relationship you are yourself, well here are my suggestions.

Take Time To Feel Complete and Whole

Young girl on a grassThe truth is that you are complete and whole. The truth is that you are perfect just the way you are and in knowing and feeling this you won't