Thursday, July 14, 2011

Thursday, July 7, 2011

SHOULD you FAKE a SMILE???





Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! 
Rush! Rush! Rush! 
Go! Go! Go!


This is like a crazy cheer for our lives today.  Keep working!  Keep going!  Whatever you do, don't stop!


I've noticed the weary faces of many a "worker bee" in our beautiful state of Minnesota.  We have a strong work ethic here, it's true.  Sometimes I see a glimmer of hope and joy through the fatigue that marches across each of those faces.  Sometimes I don't.


Your face tells a story.  Caught unaware, it tells the true story of you!  How are you feeling? What is the status of your close relationships?  Are you happy?  Content?  Weary?


 I catch the eye of a familiar face in the crowds around town from time to time. When this has happens, there is an exchange.  The other person and I have to decide: should we wave and smile...or not?  Of course, waving and smiling is expected.  If we are close enough, there is the expectation of idle chit chat as well.  I'm sure mostly everyone welcomes this, right?  We love to be connected with one another at all times, right?  We love to share those waves and smiles to let everyone know that we are truly content and full of joy.  But is it true...or is it fake?


Should you fake a smile?  If your day or your attitude or your thoughts are less than welcoming, should you extend that big, fake grin?  We've all done it.  We've stretched that skin on our cheeks upward with extreme effort, pulled our lips back to reveal pearly whites, lifted our eyebrows ever so slightly as our eyes looked toward our target and then....ZING....smile time!!!  I wonder if it looks...scary!?!  


According to Whole Living Magazine, "A recent study at Michigan State University found that faking smiles throughout the day can lead to bad moods and withdrawal.  And the effect was more pronounced in women than in men.  If you don't feel like smiling, don't."


We can't all be happy all the time.  Maybe it's better to tell others that we're not happy at the moment.  Maybe it's better to receive support from a friend or even from a stranger, than to feel alone behind that fake smile.  Maybe that's where joy lies.  In truth.  


Smile!  Don't smile!  Just be true to yourself.  Who knows, you may end up smiling after all! :)

Click the link to find authentic bedding, crafted in the USA, using superior materials.  We aren't faking it.  You'll love our bedding...rest assured!

http://stores.ebay.com/thehotelpillowcompany

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Knock Knock! Who's There? Boo! Boo Who? Baby Boo, That's Who!!!



Babies are quite a miracle!  They make the world go 'round, in fact!  What would we do without them? Where would we be?  

Some say spring is the time for babies.  Just look around you.  Baby animals and birds of all sorts are entering the world as the sun shines brightly and as the flowers spring forth.  

Baby humans are especially endearing.  We admire the cute baby faces, smile at the cute baby smiles, smell the sweet baby hair.  It's a fleeting thing...being a baby...or having one to hold.  

We are excited to have our first baby item, the Baby Boo Comforter.  This comforter is made with hypoallergenic, double-twisted polyester...550 fill power... for a nice high loft within the baffle box construction.  The fabric ticking is 230 Thread Count, 100% Egyptian Cotton.  We believe in saving time so this cozy comforter is stain and moisture resistant and is machine washable! We include a free cover with purchase as well!  

This is the perfect gift to give to anyone celebrating the birth or adoption of a new baby or toddler! 
We all like to wrap up, feel cozy, nap, and dream.  What a perfect blanket to use! 

Click our link below to find this in our store!  
Nighty night!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Harvard Business Review: "Being More Productive": "We believe napping drives productivity." says Tony Schwartz



According to the May 2011 Harvard Business Review article entitled, "Being More Productive", there are a few simple things you can do to increase your productivity.  Surprisingly, the answer isn't always pushing harder and working longer!  

David Allen, author of best seller Getting Things Done, believes in the power of making lists.  "Your head is for having ideas, not holding them.  Dumping everything out into a list can have a significant effect." David Allen

David encourages us to break large tasks into smaller actions.  That way we aren't overwhelmed by the amount of work it will take to get the large job done.  We simply take it step by step, crossing those actions off the list as we go!  

Tony Schwartz, author of best seller Be Excellent at Anything, believes in setting up rituals for yourself so you can just follow the pattern of your day without relying on your emotions to decide what to work on.  He also sees us as rhythmic beings, not as computers, performing best when we spend energy and renew it.  We encourage people to work intensely for 90 minutes and then take a break.  We believe napping drives productivity." Tony Schwartz

Napping?  Yes, it's true.  Even David Allen has a glass office so people can see him lying on his floor taking a nap for 20 minutes!  Well, we believe in the power of a good nap!  Good sleep is essential for strong physical, mental, and emotional well-being.  Is your performance level weak?  This applies to those who work full-time jobs, of course.  It also applies to homemakers and moms.  Could you benefit from making lists of achievable actions, working for a time and then resting...on purpose...each day?  Try it!  Set up a general framework for your day and operate within it.  Try to avoid emotional decisions, "I don't feel like doing that right now", and instead just work, rest, work, rest.  You'll remove lots of mental stress, open up room in your brain to think and dream, and increase your self-esteem as your projects move along in the right direction!


Deb Long
CEO, The Hotel Pillow Company

You can find the whole article, Being More Productive in the May 2011 issue of Harvard Business Review.  Check it out!

As you know, a great nap starts with a great pillow!
  

Visit our eBay store http://stores.ebay.com
to find the highest quality pillows and comforters available! 

Friday, May 27, 2011

Pillow Talk: My FAVORITE Pillows...Hand Blown Down! 50/50 Striped Damask Hotel Pillow Company Signature Luxury Down...Want One?



Rustic Ridge® Signature 50/50 Pillow


This pillow is filled with our Hotel Pillow Company Signature Blend of premium Siberian down and feathers, hand blown into an inner liner and then covered with a 280
thread count down proof cover. The premium down gives this pillow a high loft and it will feel like you are sleeping on a cloud. This is the best down and feather pillow for support, giving you more support than our 100% down pillows. Price includes free pillow protector!



*This pillow is Made in the USA! :)


What is The Hotel Pillow Company Blended Down?
This is an exclusive blend of down.  We take European Goose and Duck Down and blend it with Grey Goose Down from the Pyrenees Mountain region in France.  This is a very fine down (lightweight) with superior lofting (fill) power.  We consider this blend of down one of the finest in the world!!!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Pillow Talk: Feathers vs. Down.....Do YOU know the difference???


What is the difference between feathers and down?

Feathers on geese or ducks is the covering of the skin that makes up the protection and decorative plumage.  It repels water and makes it possible for them to fly.

Down is under the feathers and looks like tiny cotton balls.  It has a round center called plumage, with thousands of tiny fibers radiating from its core.  These fibers link to other down plumules, trapping heat and air, which provides the insulation that keeps the ducks and geese warm.

Feathers keep them dry!  Down keeps them warm!



Tuesday, April 5, 2011

"Nighty Night...Sleep Tight...Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite!"



  "Nighty Night...
Sleep Tight...
Don't Let the 
Bed Bugs Bite!"

DUST MITES
Dust Mites are microscopic animals related to other mites, and ticks, in the class Arachnida, which also includes spiders, scorpions, harvestmen (daddy-longlegs), and similar eight-legged creatures. Classification of mites is always changing, but dust mites are currently placed in the order Astigmata, family Pyroglyphidae, and genusDermatophagoides (translates to “skin-eater”). The two most common species are:
  1. North American house dust mite, Dermatophagoides farinae
  2. European house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
They both occur where human beings live, and where the humidity is optimal for their life cycle.  Dust mites are known for causing allergies in millions of Americans.

Mite or Insect?

Mites in general can be distinguished from insects by a lack of wings and antennae, and by having eight legs (though larval mites may have only six legs).

Mite or Spider?

Mites can be separated from spiders by the fact that mites have only one recognizable body segment, as opposed to the two body regions spiders have.

Size and Numbers

One of the barriers to the identification of house dust mites is their literal invisibility. Even the adult mites cannot be detected with the naked eye. They measure a mere 1/100th of an inch, or:
  • 250-300 microns
  • one-fourth to one-third of a millimeter
The larvae and nymphs are even smaller. It takes a powerful microscope to see them, something the average person does not have ready access to.
What dust mites lack in size they make up for in sheer numbers. Densities of dust mites in the typical used mattress can range from 100,000 to ten million individual mites.

What Dust Mites Eat

House dust mites feed and grow almost exclusively on the dead, shed skin cells that we humans shed daily by the hundreds of thousands.

Where Dust Mites Are Found

While your bed is the chief place the majority of dust mites reside, the mites can also survive in pillows, overstuffed furniture, even rugs and carpeting. The place where your pet sleeps is also a hot spot since your pets shed skin cells (dander), too!
"ACHOO!" ALLERGIES DUE TO DUST MITES  

Someone who is allergic to dust is in fact allergic to one or more substances that occur in dust. The content of dust varies considerably depending on the situation in which it accumulates. Dust in grain storage facilities, factories, mines, bakeries, and construction sites can all present hazards to our respiratory systems, and occupational ailments due to dust are common. House dust can produce a variety of allergens, but dust mites, cockroaches, and cat dander far exceed all others in terms of severity and occurrence. Special dust mite proof covers bring relief to allergy sufferers.

Where Are They?

Dust mites are found globally, but are not at all abundant in drier climates and at higher elevations. Consequently, the regions where dust mite allergies are most common and severe are in humid areas such as the southeast United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and England. Other factors that impact dust mite allergies are the construction of homes, and how much time people spend inside them.

How Bad Is It?

Dust mite allergies far exceed other indoor allergies in severity for two reasons. 1. They exist independent of human lifestyle and socio-economic class. 2. The allergens produced by dust mites have been linked conclusively to the development of asthma and the aggravation of symptoms in people who already have asthma. Cockroach allergens exceed dust mite allergens in slums, ghettos, tenements, and other crowded, substandard housing conditions. Cat dander allergens are the most potent indoor allergens, yet cause relatively weak reactions, often limited to a stuffy nose, sneezing, and watery eyes.


Dust Mites Love New Construction!

Energy conservation strategies in the 1970s led to improvements in insulation, sealed windows, and other developments that reduced air circulation and ventilation in many cases. This allowed humidity to increase, if even ever so slightly, making the indoor environment more hospitable to dust mites. People have also been spending more and more time indoors, increasing their exposure to indoor allergens of all kinds.

Why Are We Allergic to Dust Mites?

Certain substances secreted in the body of dust mites act as allergens when they become airborne, stimulating a hypersensitive immune response in some people, but not everyone. So, allergies in general are due to our own personal immune system going into overdrive and becoming our own worst enemy.  The allergic response is a defensive reaction all out of proportion to the actual threat. Your body is going nuclear on what are basically harmless particles.

Dust Mite Droppings

Dust mite droppings called “fecal pellets” are the primary source of dust mite allergens.  When they become airborne they are easily inhaled, causing a person to sneeze, itch, or develop asthma.



TREATING YOUR HOME FOR DUST MITES  

The bulk of the average home’s dust mite population is in the bed, and persons allergic to dust mites and their allergens come in closest contact with the mites, for the longest period of time each day, while asleep. It seems logical then to make the mattress, box springs, and pillows a priority in the battle against dust mites.

Encasements for Mattresses, Box Springs and Pillows

Hypoallergenic dust mite covers for create impermeable barriers between sleeping allergy patients and dust mites and their allergens. They literally let you breathe easier. In fact, a Danish study revealed that simply encasing mattresses and pillows of child asthma patients substantially relieved their symptoms.  After one year the children were using half as much of their steroid inhalers and showing better peak-flow readings in exhalation tests.





               What is a Pillow Protector?

A pillow protector is a zippered closure cover that is placed over the pillow before the pillow is inserted into the pillow case.  Using a quality pillow protector will keep your pillow clean and fresh considerably longer, and will prevent dust mites from infesting your pillow. Dust mites are a leading producer of allergens in many homes. We recommend washing the pillow protectors on a regular basis.  When you remove the pillow protector, you also allow your pillow to "breathe" and re-loft.  

All of our pillow protectors are anti-allergy and dust-mite proof and are shipped FREE with every pillow purchase! 

                   ~>>> Click our store link below!!! 







Thursday, March 17, 2011

One of the Non-Profit Groups We Support! *Compassion International*


MAR162011

How Important Is a Father’s Role in a Child’s Life?









































fathers-and-child-development I stepped into my favorite coffee shop for my morning cup of java.
Behind me a man carried a toddler on his shoulders,
bundled to brave the chilly Colorado morning.
“There’s chocolate, powdered sugar, and even sprinkled  
 You can chose whichever you’d like, buddy.”
The father gave his young son a donut education as they waited in line.
He spoke to his son with such adoration!
With so many absent fathers in the world, it’s encouraging to see
dads invest in their children.
As I watched this dad and his son enjoying their morning outing,
I couldn’t help but say,
“You’ve got yourself a real cute son there!”
With a huge smile and welling pride, he responded,
“Thanks! He’s also my best friend.”
What a pleasure for the young boy! What love he will have!
Imagine the difference this dad will make, even going as far as to say
his little toddler was his best friend.
 This child will grow up cherished.
On the other side of the world, in many East African cultures,
men are responsible for providing for the family and women are
responsible for domestic work within the home and, in particular,
 looking after children.
But our staff knows the role of the father in a child’s life is indispensable.
As a result, Child Survival Program (CSP) fathers in Ethiopia are
 more involved in caregiving and emotional support. Fathers are
beginning to help wash their babies,
take them to activities at the church, and participate in program activities.
They contribute to their children’s well-being through their
own loving presence. They maintain a healthy relationship
 with the child, providing emotional
 and financial support.



Whether walking into a coffee shop or walking down a dirt road to a
child development center, fathers can use their powerful influence to change the life of a child.
These men and babies will change the face of their country.
I left the shop that morning with more than a great cup of coffee.
I left with a reminder to pray for fathers and their crucial role in the lives of their children.
The next time you grab a powdered-sugar donut, say a prayer for fathers and their continued
presence in our African CSP programs.