Have you forgotten someone's Christmas card and you just KNOW that there's no way it will get to them if you send it now? No good at the 'Lost in the post' excuse? Or would you just LOVE to send a card that actually means something this year?

Cancer Research UK comes to the rescue with a way that you can send special greetings and gifts that have the power to change lives.

They have a range of fantastic Christmas eCards which - let's face it - are the perfect way to spread festive cheer to anyone in the world. Send one today!

If you're stuck on a last minute pressie, too, you can choose from a great range of alternative gifts that will make someone's day and help beat cancer. Your gift could help to fund research into a specific cancer or provide essential equipment for scientists.

And what's more, the ice-skating penguin card is just SO cute that it would be worth sending anyway. But it's nice to get an e-card that's actually saying something useful, and to be able to donate to a good cause at the same time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Bring on the Coffee Police!

Don't panic if you get stopped by the police in Sacramento, US, over the Christmas period - you could be in for an Eggnog Latte rather than a speeding fine.

In a bizarre yet quite sweet recognition of good driving - police are stopping law-abiding motorists and rewarding their perfect driving skills with $5 Starbucks gift cards.

A traffic officer came up with the idea to "promote the holiday spirit and enhance goodwill between the traffic unit and the motoring public," police Sgt. Tim Curran said.

Local businesses donated money to buy the gift cards.

"They raised a substantial amount of money," Curran said. "They'll be pulling over a lot of people."

Remember Cute Knut?

Well, believe it or not, the adorable little bundle of fluff that we all fell in love with last year is one year old today.

He now weighs 17 stone, and probably wouldn't be so amenable to a cuddle, but the crowds still love him at Berlin Zoo.

One visitor said:

"I keep coming back to the zoo because of him. Even now he looks very cute."

Knut is a multitalented bear, who somehow manages to mastermind his very own blog and a TV show. He's also appeared on the cover of loads of newspapers and magazines.

To add to the cute factor, Berlin Zoo is hoping for some more some new polar bear cubs. Three of the zoo's females are thought to be pregnant and could give birth by the end of the year...

Win a £250 beauty spending spree!

...courtsey of Beautybible.com.

Beauty Expert, run by international beauty-hound Hilary Andrews (who is also head of http://www.mankindonline.co.uk/, the No. 1 men’s skincare site), is an approved on-line retailer for an enormous list of brands - from Aesop to Zeno (the amazing spot-zapping gizmo), Ole Henriksen to Urban Decay, Michael Kors fragrance to Living Nature, Elemis (and loads more boutique and premium brands.

The site gift wraps for you if you want - which is always handy at this time of year, and there's even a ‘My favourites’ list where you can add products you buy regularly (or would like someone to buy for you)

What do you have to do to stand a chance of winning this brilliant beauty splurge?

Simple: just fill in your details here:

http://www.beautybible.com/offer_sep07draw_Beauty_Expert.htm

...and keep you fingers crossed. And if you can’t wait? Just click here, and start adding to your goodie basket...

TOPSHOP has launched charity bottled water that costs more than some of its clothes!

The £10 bottles fund a scheme which funds freshwater wells in Africa.

The specially-designed bottles will be sold in nine of the biggest Topshop stores over the festive period.

A spokesman for the chain, which bizarrely enough provides free water in-store to thirsty customers (well, shopping does that to you I suppose) said the £10 bottles were intended as 'ethical Christmas gifts.'- the idea first came about in the US where each bottle sold for $20 - which would buy a three course meal (and the rest) in one of their famous all-you-can-eat diners!

Topshop will sell the water at its biggest stores including London, Manchester, and Birmingham, but if you don't live near a big store and still want to help, you can buy a bottle or donate online

charity : water helps by building freshwater wells that will provide impoverished communities in Africa with clean water and basic sanitation.

This Christmas 1.1 billion people won't have access to safe, clean drinking water. But by buying a bottle of charity : water you can help Topshop raise funds to build a well in Malawi, South East Africa. This well will help provide 250 people with 40 litres of fresh, clean water per person, every day. 100% of the profit from each bottle sold goes directly to building the well.

SIX MONTHS PR -FREE TO A GOOD CAUSE!

Do you know an organisation or charity that deserves to be BIG?

If so, Elevale want to know about them! Elevale is on the look out for a charity or organisation with that special something.

They know that many worthy charities and organisations struggle financially, which often means they don’t get the exposure they deserve, and know what a difference a little bit of help in the right places can make.

And as firm believers in giving good support for good causes, the company is offering six months completely free PR to one worthy organisation every year, no strings attached.

Nominations are now being taken for the 2008 entry. Send your proposals to Elevale, briefly outlining;

• the organisation/charity;


• what they do and
  
• why you think they should receive six months free PR.

The closing date for entries is 21December. Please email all responses to sarah@elevale.com

Perennial Pop Queen Madonna has decided to use her fashion connections for a good cause. Madonna is teaming up with Italian fashion house Gucci to host a fund raising evening on 6th February 2008.

The event will raise money for Malawi orphans with funds going to UNICEF and Raising Malawi, a charity that Madonna co-founded last year.

It won't be the first time we've seen a collaboration between the two. Gucci design a lot of Madonna's stage outfits, and he once told Larry King that one of the biggest perks is receiving free clothes!


The former Material Girl turned Earth Mother Yoga-loving peacenik said:


"I am grateful that Gucci is joining forces with me to bring attention to a country with millions of children in desperate need of our help."


"Raising Malawi has already done tremendous work in helping these children. But we have much more to do, and this event will surely bring us closer to our goal."

The musical icon will have other celebrity co-hosts to help in the fundraiser. The list includes several A-list actors and actresses such as Adrien Brody, Salma Hayek, Téa Leoni, Lucy Liu, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Gwyneth Paltrow.

I always like to bring you unusual and creative ideas, and here's just the thing if you want to find the ideal Christmas gift, something nobody else has!

Rachel Mackay and her mother Sharon are the brains (ad beauty) behind the glamorous and gorgeous Chantilly Lace boutique.

Chantilly Lace is a luxury boutique that specialises in classic quality products for women who appreciate the girly and the beautiful things in life. The women founded Chantilly together and have been working together ever since to make sure that they cater for different age groups, and because of that, the website is what you might call a veritale treasure trove of exclusive and vintage products...all with a modern twist.

Rachel spent a year travelling around Australia reently, and credits her experiences 'down under' for the decision to start the company.

"I loved the spirit that the Australians have and their ability to just relax and enjoy life. Australia inspired me to set up Chantilly Lace which is much more than just the gifts we offer but a way of thinking and living.

"We believe that every woman has the right to feel great about herself and treat herself once in a while. "

I couldn't agree more!

How's this for a proper, girly gift? (Hint: I want one, Santa!)

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Simply stunning, lavender filled Eye Mask. Perfect for totally blocking out the light and sweetening the air around you with a relaxing aroma.

An exquisite assorted selection of handcrafted 'real chocolates'

Thick rich body cream, with a little added sparkle, will nourish your skin and leave you with a subtle glow. The ultimate bathroom glamour!

A charming little book which offers a rare glimpse into the woman behind the mystique and is the definitive guide to living with glamour and grace.

Get glam on a budget

Good news for all glam girlies on a budget - you can all now pamper and preen in style at a fraction of the price with LynkU.com. Definitely one of my super-favourite websites for bargain spotting, it's just been revamped and is absolutely crammed with exclusive discounts and offers from celebrity hair stylists, great spas and health retailers - not to mention some cracking one-off promotions for beauty treatments.


You can buy must have beauty classics from Dior and Clarins for a mere 50% of the usual price, gorgeous fragrances at a discount, and even better, if you're feeling a tad stressed you can book yourself a relaxing therapy like acupuncture or a massage.

Trust me, ladies (and gents) www.lynku.com is definitely one to save in your favourites’ list.

There are fashion exclusives on the site too, amazing designer discounts in women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and accessories plus some must-have home interior bargains.

If you get yourself hooked up with the site, you'll a weekly email update with all the latest offers and discounts in it, so you get all the best deals sent straight to your inbox!

The site also sends you an email alert when your favourite salons and shops launch their sales....so what's not to like?

The search is on for Britain’s best household cleaner – so if a member of your family bears the brunt of the household chores, or you have a cleaner who goes the extra mile – we want to hear about what a great job they do!

Miele is looking for those individuals who ‘go the extra mile’ to keep Britain’s homes sparkling clean.

We want to hear about the challenges they face, the clever ideas they have and how they tackle them, and why they deserve to be recognised as one of the fearless band of Housework Heroes!

The competition closes on 10 November 2007.Winners will be announced by 24 November 2007. Enter here.

Steve Wright, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council said:

"The British Cleaning Council, the voice of the cleaning industry, believes that Miele’s Cleaner of Excellence Awards are an exciting opportunity for hard working domestic cleaners – the challenges that many overcome, the ideas they have and often their determination to go the extra mile. We hope the scheme will help raise the profile of the UK cleaning industry and provide a platform for cleaners to be rewarded for their effort and dedication. We wish everyone entering into this year’s competition the best of luck."

http://www.milesbetter.org/2007/10/30/stay-positive-about-cleaning/

Painting New York Pink

Lisa Clark is one of my favourite positive people. She loves New York, and she loves the Children's Society too.

She's a great lady and she's going to be raising money for The Children's Society, which supports England's most vulnerable children, by strapping on her comfiest trainers, gritting her teeth and walking the streets of her favourite city on November 9.

But Lisa needs your help - so please dig deep and sponsor her online, right here

Then keep track of the Pink Fundraising Parade at: http://lisaclark.blogspot.com/

http://www.relentlessly-positive.com/diets_make_you_fat1.html

In 1948, Dr Maurice Rapport of the Cleveland Clinic discovered an important neurotransmitter and named it serotonin. When we don't have enough, it makes us grumpy.

We've been searching for the Holy Grail of happiness therapy for years, from St Johns Wort to Neuro Linguistic Programming...now it looks like a simple on/off transmitter could zap us all happy!

Researchers at the same Cleveland Clinic noticed that neural activity in parts of the brain correlate with symptoms of sadness and depression. and created a Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) implant to jolt some sunshine into your life.

The implant consists of three components; the electrode placed in the brain, a generator implanted beneath the collarbone and a lead placed under the skin to connect them. Electric impulses are sent from the generator to the stimulator to interrupt neural activity at the target site. Because it is a permanent device, the DBS has been called the "brain pacemaker".

If you're thinking of getting one, like all things worth having, it ain't going to be easy. First, they bolt a titanium halo is bolted to your skull so that doctors can image your brain with minimal movement. Then they'll be drilling two coin-size holes into your skull, and inserting implants and wires through the holes. Mind you, there is good news - we don't have many pain receptors in the brain, so you'll only need a little local anaesthetic is needed and you can even stay awake while they make the holes in your head!

As the electric currents are activated, four out of six patients have report a feeling of a black cloud lifting, a desire to smile, faces become brighter and they become more alert and interested in their environment. I get the same when someone hands me a bar of Butterscoth Green and Black's but maybe that's a personal thing?

The changes are reversed when the current is switched off. After surgery, current levels can be controlled remotely by a doctor. So don't piss your doctor off or you could be ina really tricky situation! I can see it now, "Right, Mrs Smith. This is what you get for being rude to the receptionist..."

Apparently, electrical stimulation of the frontal cortex brings about a "striking and sustained remission" in people with clinical depression, whose symptoms had previously been resistant to medication, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy.

Throughout the past 10 years the implant has been used to combat traumatic brain injuries and a host of movement disorders such as Parkinson's. But now Food and Drug Administration tests in the United States are under way to approve its use with clinically depressed patients.

So - I wonder if they will be licenced for PMT?

Say thank you, now!

In the new postive thinking tome "Thank You Power," TV journalist Deborah Norville taps the emerging field of positive psychology to argue that everyday expressions of gratitude are one giant step down the road to happiness.

Like many proponents of the whole new age 'The Secret' style philosophy, Deborah noticed that when she focused on what was going well in her life -as opposed to fixating on problems - she was happier. No sh*t Sherlock...but she goes on to explain that her book differs from plain old positive thinking because of the power of the pen!

"You have to not only count your blessings but write them down."

Like all good self help manuals, Thank You Power has 'steps'. Deborah says that she jots down three or four things a day that she's grateful for in a little notebook. Mine would say Green & Blacks butterscotch chocolate, lie-ins, Ugly Betty and Facebook. Although focussing too much on Facebook just means I get less work done :-)

"Focusing on these moments puts you in "positive affect"-which is the scientific word for feeling good."

Is it? Well, OK, lets' work on the assumption that it is...

Deborah thinks that her wise words should be available for failing pop stars too. She says that if Britney Spears were to give her book a try, and had some 'thank you power' training, she might find her life a bit better to live...

Well, if you want to be enlightened:

http://www.dnorville.com/

Did you watch 'How Toxic Are you?' and scare yourself about the thousands of chemicals you might take in just because you want to look, feel and smell good?

Well I did, so when I heard about this initiative I was pleased.

Burt's Bees is a lovely beauty brand - free from:

• SLS
• Parabens
• Phthalates

Following research into natural products in the market, Burt’s Bees has uncovered mass consumer confusion into what is and isn’t ‘natural’.

In an attempt to clarify the truth behind ‘natural’ Burt's Bees is launching the 'Natural Standard' - a comprehensive, universally recognised and regulated set of guidelines for all natural personal care products.

Burt’s Bees already have the support of other natural beauty brands and the Natural Products Association.

“At Burt’s Bees, we believe that truly natural personal care products are the best choice to help consumers maximize their well-being because they work in harmony with the body. Our products rely on time-tested recipes made from the most efficacious natural ingredients. Some synthetic ingredients used in personal care have suspected human health risks, such as phthalates, that Burt’s Bees believes should not be used, especially because there are safe, natural alternatives available.” - John Replogle – CEO, Burt’s Bees

Burt's Bees products are available nationwide in the UK through selected stockists including John Lewis and HQhair.com

Burt’s Bees stockist inquiry number 08456 049049

web: http://www.burtsbees.com/

Also highlighted on the show were the scary chemical cocktails that go into the ingredients lists for the everyday cleaning products we liberally squirt around our houses...guilty as charged...

Leading the charge into eco-friendly – or “green”- household products, San Francisco brand Method consists of a wide range of eco cleaning products from all purpose cleaners to specialist bathroom range.

According to Method ‘dirt’ isn’t just the stuff that gets between the tiles on your floor. It means the toxic chemicals that make up many household products, polluting our land with non-recyclable materials, testing products on innocent animals …these things are dirty and Method are against dirty.

Method is now available in the UK nationwide in Tesco and Sainsbury stores

http://www.methodproducts.co.uk/

National Commute Smart Week runs from from Sunday October 28 to Saturday November 3 2007.

November 1 last year was the first Commute Smart Day - and it got a massive thumbs up from everyone involved, so they've extended the initiative to last a whole week this time!

Workers in the UK already have the longest average daily commute in Europe: some people add another working day each week in travel time. I know how that feels, I used to spend three hours a day travelling so that's another two days sitting on buses and trains a week. I hated it and boy am I glad not to be at the mercy of public transport every day now...

Add to this the misery of traffic congestion and overcrowded public transport, and now the prospect of travelling to and from work in the dark for many months, it is no surprise that many succumb to depression and despondency. Not to mention 'public transport cold' - yuk.

Commute Smart Week, which starts on the day the clocks go back, will give a tantalising glance into a working life beyond the daily misery-trek. Employers that embrace smarter working, flexible working times (including flexitime, condensed hours and nine day fortnights), staggered journeys and part home working, reduce the overall need for their staff to commute, with flexibility in the times when they have to commute allowing them to avoid peak times.

If more employers took the plunge and looked into adopting these smarter working practices it wouldn't just be great news for harassed staff members, but it could have significant impact on traffic congestion (rather than just charging people for daring to drive to work) and public transport overcrowding by extending the rush hour and reducing peak demand, making the daily commute more bearable for those workers that have no choice.

Smarter working could also be good news for hospitals and emergency services - there is usually a significant increase in deaths and injuries on roads in the UK during the winter months, many of which are schoolchildren. So all in all, it really does pay to look into ways of making working days that bit smarter for everyone.

Work Wise UK will be publishing a series of tips and guidance on working smarter,but for now you can find details about Work Wise UK can be found on the website.

Free Chocolate!!!

http://www.aerobubbles.co.uk/main.aspx?page=empty

Click on this link and it will take you through to the Nestle home page - where you can print off a voucher for some free Aero Bubbles. Don't say Relentlessly Positive never gives you anything...

Who's been eating my porridge?

Patients at a Romanian psychiatric hospital were terrified when three bears broke into the building in search of food.

A mother and two cubs smashed a window and pushed open a door to gain entry where they found some food in a metal canister, which they dragged outside. Hospital staff called hunters to the facility, which is in a forest near the mountain resort of Predeal, 75 miles north of Bucharest.

Hunter Aurel Iordache said: "We shot her with a tranquiliser." The mother bear was seen waddling away into the woods - still woozy from the tranquiliser - with the food canister stuck on her head.

I don't know how true this story is...but it was so cute that I had to share it...

Zillions of Advantage Points and a new online boutique!

Good news for beauty junkies, the Boots Beauty Boutique is now open. If you pay a vist to what's being billed as the UK's biggest online beauty emporium you can take advantage (if you'll excuse the awful pun) of an extra 1500 Boots Advantage Points too.

The offer lasts until 10 October. All you have to do is spend over £50 before 10th October on any of their fabulous new glammed up luxury stuff.

The first 50 glamour goddesses to make a purchase also receive a luxurious Beauty Boutique goodie bag. Yippeee! I'm off there now to hunt down some Caudalie or Bliss goodies. Or maybe some Trilogy Everything Balm...or maybe some Burts Bees....what's a girl to do?

If you quite like the idea of having your hair 'pooed by a top snipper - hairdresser and celebrity stylist Trevor Sorbie is supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care this October by taking on the role of a junior at his salon on Floral Street in Covent Garden, London, for one day on October 9.

The event is part of Marie Curie Cancer Care's Back to the Shop Floor initiative which is sponsored by Persimmon Homes and encourages staff across England to sponsor their boss to take on their roles and responsibilities for the day.

Trevor will shampoo clients, make drinks, sweep the floor, run errands and clean while dressed in the all black uniform that his team of 10 juniors wears; the money raised helps provide high quality nursing to terminally ill people.

Trevor also offers a service called My New Hair where he offers advice to women suffering from medical-related hair loss.

To sponsor Trevor visit www.justgiving.com/trevor_sorbie

Have you got teenage daughters? If you have - make them visit this page:

http://www.oprah.com/presents/2007/girl/girl_main.jhtml

Oprah - queen of schmaltzy feel-good type stuff, is encouraging girls to 'learn to love themselves' and stop beating themselves (and each other) up because they aren't what the media call perfect. What *is* perfect anyway?

The O Girl, O Beautiful campaign is asking girls to sign a 'contract' with themselves, agreeing that they are smart, unique and beautiful, and will promise to find something to appreciate about themselves every day.

http://www2.oprah.com/download/pdfs/girl/girl_contract.pdf

OK, it's reeeeeally cheesy and very American. But the sentiments are good. Download it, give it to your daughters, tell them they are gorgeous and give them a big hug.

If you've ever fancied a taste of the tropics without the carbon footprint the flight would cost (or even the credit card bill) you can close your eyes and pretend you're far away with the divine Pure Fiji range.

Pure Fiji was born when a Fijian mother and daughter duo decided to save some money by making their own soaps using all of the ingredients from their local Fijian shores. To this day all ingredients are grown in the wild and hand picked.


Pure Fiji has won fair trade awards and the company is responsible for helping to build schools, water tanks and local shops for the surrounding villages. The Pure Fiji products and Spa treatments are centered around ancient Fijian tradition and focus on total wellbeing and rejuvenation. Yummy exotic nut and floral extracts are blended with fresh coconut milk and virgin coconut oil to hydrate, condition and protect skin and hair, adding vitality and softness.

Even the celebs are getting in on the act with Denise Roberts, Rachel Hunter and Jessica Alba all fans of the range. Pamper yourself in an eco-friendly way, and smell damn gorgeous at the same time!

If you're fed up with the countless single-mum bashing stories in the press, and of hearing about how hard it is being a single parent - when in fact you wouldn't have it any other way right now - how does a social network for single parents sound?

There's every reason why single parents should enjoy life to the maximum, throw themselves into parenting, work and socialising with other single parents and love every minute. Stick two fingers up to the nay-sayers and log on to singleparentfun.com instead.


Launched in June 2007, singleparentfun.com is the ultimate networking community site for the 1.9 million single parents in this country. Founder and single dad Gary Spicer wanted to join single parent families together, to encourage friendships, share experiences and find out about the best attractions to go to.

The site already has more than 2,000 members from all walks of life and family situations, from working parents to full-time carers.

Wheelie-Chic!

Well, one of the distinct advantages of being my own boss now is the freedom to lounge around in my PJs watching Lorraine Kelly on GMTV. Usually it's just frothy stuff that dosn't tax my brain too much before I have to start working (and it beats waiting at the bus stop in the rain like I used to have to...)

This morning I was half watching while drinking my first coffee of the day when something caught my eye - it was Kerry McGregor (one of last year's X Factor finalists) helping to promote Wheelie-chix-chic - a new range of clothes designed for women in wheelchairs.

The idea was developed by Louisa Summerfield, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when she was just nine years old. The autumn/winter '07 and spring/Summer 08 collections have been designed by Swedish designer Amelia Ursache, a previous Elle Fashion Award winner.

Louisa says:

"We are a unique fashion concept designing clothes that are specifically tailored for wheelchair women. All our designs enhance and flatter a woman's body when sitting and yet at the same time are ultra fashionable, elegant and chic."

Brilliant idea!

Louisa applied to the British Fasion Council to be allowed to exhibit the collection as part of London Fashion Week, but they turned her down (and I thought they were supposed to be innovative and forward-thinking?) but undeterred, Louisa decided to go ahead with her own show.

"I took our designs to the British Fashion Council thinking they would jump at the chance for WheelieChix-Chic to exhibit on the catwalk at London Fashion Week, but when our application was unsuccessful I just knew the show still had to go on and so I set about organising our own fashion show.

I'm a wheelchair user myself and I'm sick and tired of making do with conventional high street fashion. I'm a big believer in that fashion should be for everyone and not just the standing up body beautiful".

Here's to that!

Well, it's not often that we have some good news about missing children...but little Alex Olver was found safe and well...and under his bed...following his a massive search for that involved a helicopter, sniffer dogs and dozens of neighbours.

The five year old crawled under his bed, fell asleep, and snoozed through the whole pandemonium as his frantic mother Claire panicked at the thought he'd wandered off on his own.

While worried neighbours, including the town mayor and the local football team rallied round and scoured the area around Alex's house in Saltash, Cornwall, he snatched forty winks...and was found by a sniffer dog.

Claire said, "We woke him up and he was very dazed and when we told him what had happened he said he wanted to see the police helicopter."

I bet he did. Oops .

Well, I have to own up to having been exceptionally lazy with this blog, but I have recently got back into the swing of things with the Queen Simply Be blog so I've decided that while I'm updating the site and giving is a brand spanking new make-over, it's about time I started posting.

I'm changing the angle of Relentlessly Positive - The Blog as well. I want to make it a bit more about life in general, and not about me. So I'm going to be scouring the web and the news for stories that are actually quite positive, and ignoring anything about the deluge of misery we seem to get swamped with on a daily basis. There's no escaping that!!!

Please take the time to visit the website, and if you've got any comments, give me a shout!