It should come as no surprise, then, that I’ve chosen to write about Ancient Assets, an online store that sells ancient coin jewelry. That I love jewelry is obvious- I sometimes feel like every other post on this site features jewelry. Naturally, jewelry that contains a bit of history in every piece is so me.

I love, too, that the Ancient Assets site features write-ups on the history of the coins, giving us a glimpse into the history of each. The Alexander the Great coin pictured here- which features not Alexander’s head but Hercules’- for example:

…”were minted during Alexander’s life, and continued to be minted in the twenty years following his death by Macedonian generals who divided his kingdom, and for another two centuries by independent cities as international coinage.”

Each piece of jewelry also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, signed by Ancient Assets’ “senior numismatist” (or coin scholar). Included in the certificate are details on the coin, its historical importance, and approximate date and location of origin… so yes, you really do feel like you’re buying a historic artifact and a beautifully made piece of jewelry.

At around a thousand dollars for each piece, all of this doesn’t exactly come cheap- but isn’t the chance to literally own a piece of history- as the site states, these coins may very well have “passed through the hands of Socrates, Caesar, or one of the first Christians thousands of years ago”- priceless?

… as you can see here: those are my lips on the left, Angelina’s on the right.

Which is why, when asked to feature Celebrity Sexy Lips, a new lip pumping product, I was interested. Very interested. Interested enough to create the “me and Angelina” comparison you see above, obviously.

Celebrity Sexy Lips promises to have you “pouting like a Celebrity”- and that’s in a good way. Unlike most lip plumpers on the market today, this doesn’t dry, chap or irritate your lips. That means no burning sensation, the bane of every woman who’s tried other products that promise bee-stung lips (“stung” is right!)

So how does Celebrity Sexy Lips work? Well, a little birdie told me that the product actually contains something called atelocollagen, which are dehydrated “micro spheres” that become re-hydrated upon applying to your lips- plumping them up in seconds. I’m not sure how true that is, but it sounds so much better than getting collagen lip injections. In fact, I’m of the belief that anything is better than those injections- and if it’s a contest between an injection and something that comes in a tube and doesn’t require needles… the latter will always win for me.

Celebrity Sexy Lips is on sale right now, and they offer a no-questions-asked guarantee on the product, you can send it back for a full refund. But perhaps best of all, they’ll throw in a tube of “Celebrity Sexy Teeth” teeth whitener for free… and that should make your entire mouth Celebrity-sexy!

My kitchen, a corner of which is pictured here, is warm and inviting and bold: its walls are painted cherry red, its cabinets are black, and its “island” is actually a repurposed pedestal table. It’s been this way since we moved in a little more than two years ago. I loved it then, and I still love it, but that doesn’t stop me from swooning over beautiful kitchens whenever I see them.

Which is why, when Green Tea Design asked me to review their kitchen cabinet collection, I accepted cheerfully. And excitedly!

The first thing that struck me about these kitchen cabinets is that they’re Asian-inspired designs. How can a kitchen be Asian-inspired, and yet be modern and functional and everything a kitchen in the year 2007 should be?

Apparently it can. The key word here is “flexible”, and because you can stack or separate the modular units, mix and match the various designs, or have single modules custom-made, these pieces are wonderfully flexible.

Take, for example, the Dana Cupboard I am coveting (pictured here hanging above the Mizuna kitchen counter): An adaptation of a classic tea chest design, the cupboard features both open shelves and closed doors, and is available in a variety of sizes and colors and woods.

And speaking of woods: all Green Tea’s furniture is constructed using salvaged hard woods such as Elm and Gingko. By salvaged they mean they use large beams reclaimed from older structures such as country homes, barns and warehouses. And you thought the “Green” in their name was just for looks.

Check out Green Tea Design’s kitchen cabinetry- but only if you’re ready to fall in love. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

My husband likes to joke that I can sleep anywhere- on planes, in cars, in particularly billowy armchairs. But while it’s true that I don’t have trouble falling asleep, my sleeping location of choice is and will always be our bedroom.

Our set-up is simple enough: a king-sized bed with a tall buffet table with drawers at its head that functions as a headboard and replaces the need for side-tables. At the foot, an oversized antique hope chest filled with extra pillows and blankets. Directly across the bed is the wooden “entertainment center” my husband had made to order, holding our tv and DVD player. Nothing really matches- yet it’s a set-up that’s worked for us quite well since we moved here two years ago.

But while I’m certainly not complaining, lately I’ve been seriously contemplating “upgrading” our bedroom. How wonderful it would be to come home to a picture-perfect sanctuary, to wake up in a beautiful bed and see my alarm clock sitting prettily on a brand new night table? To know that our bedroom, which no one but ourselves ever sees, is just as- if not more- beautiful than the other rooms in our home?

Which is why the order for a review on this site selling bedroom furniture came at such a fortuitous time.

I’m a web-research addict, and never make large purchases without spending an almost unhealthy amount of time on Google (and Froogle, of course). Still, I’ve found it difficult to find many places online featuring bedroom sets that are designed to my liking.

What I like about the furniture on this site is its obvious quality. Of course I can’t speak from first-hand experience, not having placed an order just yet, but looking at the pieces and their descriptions gives me the feeling that I won’t be finding any awkward beds that squeak and sad tables that teeter here- these are pieces crafted of hardwood, designed thoughtfully and made scrupulously.

And then, of course, there’s price. The bedroom set I’m particularly lusting after, pictured here, carries a retail price of $4,099.00. Not too surprising, given that it includes a canopy bed, six-drawer dresser, mirror and nightstand, all in a beautiful “warm cappuccino colored matte finish”. The price on the site, however, is $1,639.00- with a delivery charge of $150. A good deal? I think so.

Of course, I want to customize my order, and this site makes it easy as well. $65 to upgrade to a King-size (naturally!), $260 for an additional nightstand… I can even add a 5-drawer chest for $560. And if I decide I don’t really need the mirror, I can choose to remove it… bringing my total for all I want to a healthy price of $2,404.00.

No, this isn’t a perfect site. It could certainly do with a better design, and I’d be happier with a less hard-selling approach. But the amount of information available is great… and they accept PayPal.

See more bedroom furniture on their site.

It being 2007 now and all, I’m looking forward to updating my career wardrobe. Nothing fancy, mostly just to add to my existing pieces, but I definitely need a new bag- or maybe two?

It’s a good thing, you see, that I’d been asked to review the handbags section at Fashion Shop UK. I had never heard of their shop, nor of the brands they feature, before- but I was excited to see that among their collections are “professional” bags.

The bags are not cheap- the professional ones, particularly, are quite pricey. My personal favorite, for example, the Elixir Slim Attache by Moonsus, is priced at around $241.04.

Then again… look at it. It’s made of water resistant fabric, is lined in satin, has European leather trim and handles… and is available in four colors. This is a good bag, ladies and gentlemen.

The shop features designer, luxury and evening handbag collections as well, with a good variety in design. Of course, they all seem like “luxury” bags to me- and there are quite a few that should catch any stylish woman’s eye. There’s free shipping in the UK for “orders over 50” (I assume this is pounds, but I’m not quite sure), and a “7-day no quibble money back guarantee” on all purchases. Now that I like.

My watches, however, are… plentiful, to say the least. From vintage roman numerals to digital displays, rhinestone-encrusted numbers to Mickey Mouse hands, watches are most definitely jewelry- functional jewelry!

And therein lies my love of them. Not only are they beautiful or fun or kitschy, they actually tell me what time it is! Some throw the date in as well, or let me know what time it is in Paris, where some of my family live.

If you’re wondering where this Ode-to-a-Watch-esque post came from, I’ve been asked to do a review of Watchband.biz, a site offering- you guessed it- watchbands.

Not just any old watchbands, mind you. We’re talking artisanal watchbands, crafted by hand in Austria in a process that involves more than sixty separate stages. That’s right, sixty. This means that no two of their watchbands are alike- and, given the proper care, should last you a long, long time.

The site features many gorgeous, buttery-leather straps, but the ones that immediately caught my eye were the ones pictured here, the Prestige collection. The texture and colors of these straps look just about right for a variety of watch styles. At US$107.40 per band, what’s to stop me from “sharing” the band among several of my watches? All I need are some tools, maybe a couple of pins and screws (also available at the site) and I’m ready to go.

Of course, there are straps of every kind here- from mesh metal to waterproof rubber-but what struck me is that they all look exquisitely made. Definitely a store for true watch aficionados, and those like me- who just love a good watch. Visit Watchband.biz to see more.

ArchitecturalClassics.com is sponsoring this post, but I want to make clear right now that I’m being completely objective here. If I didn’t like their products, or their site, I’d call them on it. But the truth is, I do like their products, and probably would have featured them here even without the sponsorship.

They describe themselves as “one of Europe’s leading retailers of period, decorative and classical pieces”- so if you’re decorating in an ultra-modern or Asian-zen style, their offerings probably aren’t for you. I’m partial to European grandeur, ritzy hotels and antique designs that have stood the test of time- so there was lots that I found to love here.

The Lion’s Head Door Knocker shown here, for example, is a hand-finished reproduction of an original period piece, available in polished brass or (as shown in photo) patina. Perfect to adorn your front door, whether you live in a simple cottage (like me), a sprawling mansion, or a city apartment. It costs 100 euros- not cheap, but I prefer to think of it as a small investment in my front door. Heh.

Their site is easy on the eyes, with enough helpful information to simplify ordering, and a solid search engine that located the crystal doorknobs I was looking for… and they might just have what your house needs as well. See more at Architectural Classics.