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Warning. This article may seriously disturb you.

Pets are our companions, and no one believes that more than I do. I currently live with two cats, Mallory and George, and two Siberian huskies, Denali and Kenai. They are all precious. Over the years I have had many pets, and when any of them died, I was devastated. My wonderful cat, Norman, died in my arms. Our beloved husky Enoch passed away in his sleep at the ripe old age of 13. Believe me when I say that I understand the grief from the loss of a pet.

But never, ever, in my wildest dreams did I imagine that people would want to create JEWLERY from the ashes of their dead pet.

LifeGem is a company that manufactures diamonds from the ashes of your… loved one. Meaning any loved one. Shudder. The idea of wearing a diamond made out of my grandmother is just too freakin’ weird for me to deal with, so I am going to attempt to focus on just their services for grieving pet owners.

Here’s how it works. When your beloved pet passes away, and you have the poor thing cremated, you send LifeGem 8 oz. or so of the ashes and they make you a diamond. If you don’t plan to have your pet cremated, they can also use a sample of his hair.

Okay, you realize everywhere this says “pet� you can insert the word, “uncle,� right?

You can choose the karat size, color and cut of your LifeGem, and they can make as many diamonds as you need from the carbon in the ashes you send. Prices start at $3,299 (.20 - .29 Carat) and go up to $24,999 each. The company offers a pre-planning discount, and they partner with many mortuaries…I mean pet care providers…internationally.

LifeGem is proud of what they do, and there are many testimonials on the site from happy customers. These people feel that having a LifeGem has helped them deal with the death of their pet, and that the beauty of the diamond reminds them of the life they shared. So, if you think this will help you, by all means visit the website for more information.

As for me, I will keep on morning the loss of my pets the old fashioned way. With a good cry, a few drinks and a new kitten.

LifeGem, Diamonds from Ashes, Grief, Pets

It’s amazing. What goes around comes around in the fashion world, but nothing seems to come and go as much as legwear. Back in December, I wrote “The five things pantyhose are really good for”, which did not include wearing them. At that time, there were reports that hosiery sales had been steadily falling for over 10 years. Hanesbrands were reporting a 68% sales drop in the 6 years from ‘95 to ‘06. Which would make a company droop like a saggy pair of nylons.

But, things have apparently changed. Women’s Wear Daily reported yesterday that “The legwear industry has a heartbeat again.” [Topic: Seems a bit of a mixed metaphor. I would have said, "The legwear industry is alive and kicking." Discuss.]

The NPD Group reported that sales of tights shot up 26.9 percent, to $104.4 million, from January through November 2006, reversing a double-digit decline in 2005. Even sheer hosiery enjoyed an uptick of 5.2 percent, to $916.4 million.

How did this happen? First, the comeback of those footless legging thingys in full- or capri-lengths, and regular old opaque tights. Dresses were huge, which they say is a contributing factor as well. You can always tell when something is going to come back around – when you’ve gone seasons with the fashionistas shouting “bare legs!” suddenly a covered leg looks newer and more modern. For fall ‘07, designers are showing covered legs, and according to this report those include sweatery knits in everything from cotton to wool to cashmere. Lagerfeld for Chanel showed black tights under dresses as shown here.

I have a confession to make. I have never stopped wearing tights. Sheer hosiery have always been my enemy – heavier, opaque tights can stand some tugging and not shred. I love opaque tights. Being a Midwesterner, I love the way they keep my little legs warm in the winter with my cute skirts and heels or boots.

And this is just between us, I am probably going to have to try a pair of the footless tights. I keep absently fondling them when I’m shopping. I think I may be able to pull them off under a skirt with some ballet flats. Who knows. At the very least I can relive the ’80s and wear them with a huge oversized tunic and a big belt. Around the house, that is.

Tights. The new bare legs. Check it out.

Tights, Leggings, Hosiery, Women’s Wear Daily, Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel

If your sofa is getting a bit tattered (like mine) and your dining chairs have seen better days, now may be the time to start shopping for replacements. According to an article on Bloomberg.com, companies in the home furnishings market have been reducing prices or offering free shipping as a reaction to slow sales and reduced profit forecasts. Macy’s, Pottery Barn and Home Depot and Ethan Allen are a few stores that are mentioned in the article.

Because of the slump in the housing market, people have not been buying household items. Also, Americans are not taking cash equity out of their homes, which leaves them with little extra cash for furniture or other household goods.

A record 19 percent of consumers reported putting on hold purchases of $500 or more in December, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans by Charleston, South Carolina-based America’s Research Group.

But, now could be the best time to jump on these promotional deals. I went over to Pottery Barn’s site to check it out for myself, and there are several tempting offers, including a “buy more save more” special on shipping costs, as well as discounted delivery on certain furniture sets. Checking out their clearance room, I found this rattan chair marked down from $249 to $99.

If you can free up some cash, you might consider replacing your furniture now, while the deals are hot. With what you’ll save, you may be able to get more for the money.

Furniture, Housing Market, Bloomberg.com, Pottery Barn, Home Depot

It was number 5 on CNN Money’s list of top tech flops. That seems a tad harsh. This is more like “useless and bizarre.”

It’s a belt-buckle-slash-personal-media-player by egokast. Retailing for $289, it features a stainless steel case, 3 1/2″ LCD display, and a 2 gig memory card. Apparently you can load your own videos onto your… belt?… or choose to download “egovideos” from their site. Then you can, well, walk around proudly playing your belt for about four hours on a charge.

In case you were wondering, egokast is their word for personal media players “turned outward.” “It’s your ego,” says the manufacturer, “let it blaze.” I think it’s going to take navel gazing to a whole new level.

CNN Money, egokast, Video Belt Buckle, Personal Media Player

The cell phone. For most people it’s an absolute necessity. But it’s not just about function. It’s also a status symbol. Whose is smaller. Whose is newer. Whose phone isn’t just a phone. Whose is designed by a famous Italian.

Prada has teamed with LG Electronics to co-produce a cell phone intended to bring high tech and high fashion together. The news was released back in December, but just this week the details were announced. According to the Boston Globe, the Prada phone has a lot of the features of the iPhone, and some distinct differences. It is slightly smaller, but a little thicker, than the iPhone, and also has a touch-screen interface. The phone features a 2 megapixel camera as well as a video and music player. Instead of a hard drive, it is equipped with a slot for removable memory cards. It is Bluetooth enabled, but it doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity and it won’t play iTunes files. It’s set to retail for around $775 when it’s released to the US market later this year.

I guess what makes it so “Prada” is the word “Prada” printed in silver on black above the touchscreen. For some people, I suppose that’s enough. In the battle of the designer brand phones, the Prada phone wins in the sleek category.

Prada, LG Electronics, iPhone

Of course a romantic dinner is a Valentine’s day staple. When in doubt, you can always take him or her to a favorite restaurant for wine and great food. But what’s creative about that?

Why not a romantic dinner in. In fact, why not a romantic dinner once a month, not just on February 14th? To get the party started, go to Omaha Steaks.

They offer gift plans – monthly or quarterly shipments of their famous steaks – at a variety of price points. I would suggest their quarterly “Filet Fling.” With this plan you get 6, 6-oz. filets delivered four times a year. It’s $59.99 per shipment, which is about 15 bucks a month, which is a lot less than eating out at that fancy restaurant.

I think any guy would love to be on the quarterly steak program! A great steak dinner with all the fixins, a bottle of wine or his favorite beer, and you will win the “best Valentine’s gift giver” award hands down.

Omaha Steaks, Valentine’s Day, Valentine’s Dinner

I have been a Coach customer for a long, long time. I purchased my first bag with my own money in the mid-eighties, and felt like it was a rite of passage. I was finally beyond department store brands – I owned a Coach bag. Built to last forever. Leather that just looked expensive. And a style that was classic. I still have that bag, and I still carry it now and then. It’s so nostalgic. I’m sure I don’t own as many Coach products as some people, and more than others. I currently own five Coach handbags, one zip-top makeup bag, two wallets and a key fob. My latest handbag is shown here, a Christmas gift from The Bob.

My nose started turning up at Coach when they introduced their signature fabric some years back. I was aghast at the wild colors. How dare they change? British tan forever! When they added other accessories I became worried. What were they doing to “my Coach?”

It has taken me a while, but now I get it. They were about creating a successful brand, and a lifestyle, that was in step with what consumers really want now. Viva Coach! A Coach leather key fob shaped like a monkey? How fun! Bring it on!

But now, I am worried for a different reason. According to some analysts, Coach may have become “too popular.” According to this article in Business Week, Coach’s second quarter fiscal sales were phenomenal. Mind blowing. Off the chart. Record breaking. “Sales at stores open at least a year soared a whopping 25.7%, leading to a 31% increase in profit.”

How is that a bad thing? According to the report, most of the surge in sales was from discount factory stores. Not their primary retail outlets. People want Coach bags at a low price, and are willing to buy last year’s styles or even irregular items just to have the little dangly tag that says “Coach.”

Retail investors remember how Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger lost the shine on their images when they flooded the discount market. Image is clearly an issue among upscale brands. Tiffany’s (TIF), for instance, decided to increase the price on its hugely popular silver jewelry items, fearing that huge sales will tarnish its upscale image.

As scary as that sounds, there are analysts on the other side saying that Coach knows what they’re doing. Their growth is based on solid consumer research – giving consumers what they want now, and what they’ll want three months from now. Let’s hope. Because I’m lobbying hard for another Coach handbag from The Bob.

Coach, Coach Handbags, Coach Sales, Coach Stores

In this series I have been focusing on traditional Valentine’s gifts, but giving them a completely unique spin. Cologne has always been a good Valentine’s day gift choice for guys or gals. It’s just personal enough, and it’s romantic. So what would be unique about a gift of cologne?

In my search for something extraordinary, I ran across Escentric Molecules – two really different fragrances available from Lucky Scent. They are called Escentric 01 and Molecule 01, and both are created around a single scent molecule, called Iso E Super. Retail price is $135 for 3.5 oz., or $4 for a 1/32 oz. sample.

ozMoz, a site dedicated to trends and news in the fragrance industry, has an interesting story on this line of cologne. Iso E Super is used in many fragrances, in very small quantities. Molecule 01 is 100% Iso I Super. And Escentric 01 contains 65% of the molecule, in combination with pepper and Iris notes. They describe the top notes of Molecule 01 as lime and pink pepper, the middle note as Iris, and the base note as Iso E Super. But what the heck does Iso E Super smell like?

Aroma chemical; described by International Flavors & Fragrances as “Smooth, woody, amber note with a ‘velvet’ like sensation. Superb floralizer. Used to impart fullness and subtle strength to fragrances.”

Some writeups on these colognes call them an “effect” rather than a traditional fragrance. And many of the consumer reviews on Lucky Scent bear that out. In fact, some reviewers said they couldn’t smell the cologne on themselves, but the people around them perceived a distinct, pleasant smell. There were as many reviews from women as from men, so I think this could be good for either sex, particularly if the woman in your life likes woodsy, earthy or musky fragrances.

Of course one could opt for the usual cologne this Valentine’s day. But if your relationship is unique, shouldn’t the gift be just as unique? If you don’t have the bank to spring for the full bottle, pick up a couple of the samples as little extra gifts, maybe tie them onto another gift. Then, try them out on Valentine’s day and see what “effect” they have on you!

Valentines Day, Escentric Molecules, Iso E Super, Cologne, Lucky Scent, ozMoz

Gap Inc. announced yesterday that CEO Paul Pressler is “stepping down” from his position as well effective immediately. Here’s the Gap’s official release. Robert J. Fischer, the son of the Gap’s founder Don Fisher is taking over the position in an interum basis, while they search for a replacement.

Pressler has been criticized for his inability to turn the company’s sales around in his four years as it’s head. He was recruited from Disney, which you would think would be a good thing. After all, Disney is another big brand. But, some people believe this experience would not give him the merchandising perspective the Gap needed. According to this article in the San Francisco Chronicle, Pressler added needed infrastructure, but didn’t address other merchandising issues.

Pressler was also responsible for overseeing the remodeling of stores in Gap’s top retail markets as a way to draw customers back to the brand. In 2005, he introduced a new retail concept, Forth & Towne, geared at women 35 and up. In autumn, he unveiled Piperlime, an online shoe store. But these efforts have not lifted Gap out of its slump.

Everyone was very nicey-nice in the official news release, with Fisher praising Pressler’s dedication and leadership, stating that he had, “meaningfully improved its operations, strengthened its balance sheet, greatly enhanced its on-line presence across the brand portfolio and improved its standing as a global corporate citizen.”

Pressler had nicey-nice things to say about the Gap, too. “I have enjoyed the opportunity to lead this iconic company over the past four years. It has been a pleasure to work with the management team and such talented people throughout the organization.” And why not? According to the release, Pressler has a tidy severance coming to him. Over the next 2 years he will make up to $14 MILLION in salary, bonuses and stock options if he doesn’t accept other employment or compensation. And, he gets to keep his health insurance to boot. Huh. Take over leadership of the Gap. Fail to turn their slumping sales around. Get canned four years later and take $14 million. Not a bad gig, I’d say.

With everything going on in leadership at the Gap, I wonder if this is the beginning of the end. I hate to see it happen.

So, people, send your resumé and salary history to…

Gap, Pressler, Fisher, Gap President Leaving

I have to psych myself up for a trip to Wal-Mart. I try to plan trips when there are specific things I need, because usually it’s a very draining experience. The parking lot is perpetually packed and the crowd gets to me. It’s usually worth it when I go because of the savings, but it’s just not a relaxing experience.

Apparently, the company has had what they call “Neighborhood Markets” in certain areas of the country for about 10 years. Now they are redesigining these stores to reflect what they are learning from consumers about what they need and want.

With 112 stores already operating across the U.S., the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market is the company’s youngest store concept (introduced less than 10 years ago), providing consumers the Wal-Mart value in a smaller, convenient “neighborhood� store format. The concept brings grocery, pharmacy and health and beauty together in a convenient, customer-friendly experience.

The new design gives each department it’s own feel, sort of a “store within a store” with warm colors and softer lighting. These photos are from the opening of the new concept store in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 17th. They have expanded and redesigned the beauty department, for a completely new, more upscale look. The deli and bakery are also revamped to focus more on freshness.

It’s interesting. After years and years of big stores getting bigger, Wal-Mart is now finding out that consumers like me may sometimes prefer a smaller store. It’s less stressful, feels more convenient, and if it offers the same value as the big stores then I would definitely make more frequent trips. Pretty smart.

Wal-Mart, Neighborhood Market, New Retail Concepts

Candy is another traditional Valentine’s day gift, but why resort to the ho hum heart-shaped box of chocolates when you have so many other options?

This Tootsie Roll metal lunch box comes with two pounds of Tootsie Roll treats. The nostalgic lunch box is printed with the classic owl character. How adorable!

Profess your love with custom m&ms. Choose two colors and write your message, then choose your packaging. Place your order soon to receive them by the 14th.

I’m a sucker for the classics, so of course I love the Pez mug with a heart Pez dispenser. So cute. It’s a limited time offer, so jump on it now.

For something a little more offbeat, how about this ginger candy from Pearl River? All this exotic happiness for just $1.55.

This year go for something fun, different and oh-so endearing.

Valentines Day, Pez, M&Ms, Tootsie Roll, Retro Candy, Ginger Candy

Consumers want what they want, when and where they want it. We don’t want to be limited. We want to interact with the brands we love across multiple channels.

When Blockbuster introduced Total Access, they got it right. Total Access allows subscribers the flexibility of exchanging their movies in Blockbuster stores, not just online. Blockbuster is using their stores and their site to their advantage, which is something their main competitor, Netflix, can not do. Since the introduction of Total Access, Blockbuster increased their online members by 700,000 in just two months.

Blockbuster is banking on this program. InternetRetailer.com reports that the company plans to spend $35 million in the first quarter of 2007 to promote the new program. Check out Total Access for yourself on Blockbuster’s site. Keep your eye out for more multi-channel options for Blockbuster customers, both in-store and online.

Blockbuster, Movie Rental, Total Access

Flowers and jewelry are two of the most traditional gifts for Valentine’s Day. But why not flowers AND jewlery? Swarovski Crystal, manufacturer of lovely crystal objects for your home, including figurines and collectibles, also carries a line of jewelry, with styles to please most tastes.

Here are two necklaces that are beautiful but not break-the-bank expensive. The first is Sweet Blossom necklace. It retails for $75, and it’s adorable multi-colored flowers of beads and bezel-set crystals are suspended from a cable chain.

If the Blossoms necklace is a little to twee for your honey, try their Buds necklace. Pear shaped and chaton crystals become stylized “buds” on the gold-plated branches. Retail price is $95.

Matching earrings are also available.

Flowers and jewelry make a great Valentine’s gift – especially when they’re pretty little necklaces like these.

Jewelry, Valentine’s Day, Flowers, Swarovski

I ran across this article about another 80s trend that has reemerged, and I am clearly baffled. Clear handbags are back, and I’m not talking about cheesy beach totes, but cheesy high-dollar, designer name handbags.

Saks Fifth Avenue will soon start selling $895 clear bags from Chanel and a $1,695 satchel from Dolce & Gabbana made of transparent plastic and black leather. Neiman Marcus has stocked up on a slouchy $995 bag by Be & D that’s entirely transparent except for its leather handle. And Bergdorf Goodman has been displaying a $445 tote by Lambertson Truex made of clear PVC and trimmed with white leather.

I couldn’t believe it. So I went to Neiman Marcus online and sure enough, found a clear handbag at an unbelievable retail price of $645. It’s a Car Shoe clear acrylic bag with metallic leather trim.

The trend, so they say, is a reaction to airports banning certain items in carry-on bags, and passengers being required to put those items in clear plastic bags. Somehow designers like Chanel and Oscar de la Renta picked up on this and started showing clear handbags on the runway.

There is a discussion about the psychology of a clear handbag. The decision to display your personal effects to the world seems to be a sticky wicket. Sure, you will be able to find your lipstick because the bag is clear. Yep, it’s right there next to your tampon, see?

If I have $645 or more to drop on a designer handbag I’m clearly not going to go with clear.

Neiman Marcus, Clear Handbags, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Bergdorf Goodman, Dolce & Gabbana, Handbags

After Christmas, the next big gift-giving event to look forward to is Valentine’s day. And when I say “look forward to” I mean mostly “dread” for many guys. Starting with the ubiquitous Valentine’s Day card.

According to the National Retail Federation, 62% of consumers surveyed were buying at least one Valentine’s card.

Hallmark has identified some trends in cards for Valentine’s day in 2007. Among those are cards that actually play “CD quality” music or sound clips. They released 49 of these cards, some with movie soundbites, for Valentine’s Day. They say that “Ring of Fire” and “Wild Thingâ€? will be top sellers. If those aren’t your thing, Hallmark has over 2,000 cards to choose from. Most cards are purchased within the 6 days of February 14th. Almost 50% of Valentine’s cards are delivered in person.

Choosing a card can be tricky. Where you are in your relationship may dictate whether you go with something fun, clever, sentimental or outright romantic. But, if you are in a relationship at all, a card is non-negotiable.

And guys, when we say “don’t get me anything” we do not mean it. Trust me on this, and look here for gift ideas over the next couple of weeks.

Valentine’s Day, Hallmark Cards, Valentine’s Gift, Musical Cards