Let the Games Begin!!!

Proud and Fabulous Bag, Fire and Ice Wrap Bracelet, Gold Glamor Wrap Bracelet, and Sedona Wrap Bracelet

We are only hours away from the Olympic opening ceremony!! The opening ceremonies in London are scheduled to being at 9p.m local time, or 4:00 on the East Coast, 3:00p.m central and 1:00p.m on the West Coast.  However, viewers in the United Stated will not be able to see a live showing of the event until it is broadcasted on NBC at 7:00 p.m. EST. Coverage of the event will kick off at 5:30p.m EST.

The athletes of over 200 countries will take the traditional march around the stadium, which is expected to hold over 60,000 attendants. Over a billion viewers are expected to be watching around world as well. It's such an exciting time when the World can come together for one massive event!

Once the Games have begun expect Olympic parties to become the new "thing to do".  Just because you are attending a gathering to watch the TV, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t show up in style. Why not show your support for Team USA in a way that your friends will be talking about until the games of 2016!

 http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/805102/throw-an-olympic-themed-party 

And should you want to host a party instead of just attend one, then our fabulous friends over at SheKnows have put together a great list of ways to spice up your Olympic themed party with decorating, menu and party favor ideas!

So SIT BACK, RELAX and LET THE GAMES TAKE OVER!!!

Olympic Style

Olympic Style by h2-z featuring a Indienne-Floral-Cotton-Bag

Gifts for your Hostess

Summer parties are in full swing by now, and if you're the sociable person we know you are, you have parties going all year 'round! Whether your are attending or hosting, there's usually something on your calendar planned for you and your girlfriends.

With all of that coming and going, it's nice to show some love to your hostess. Here are a few suggestions that H2Z has for wonderful hostess gifts from our chic collections:

• What better way to say thank you to your hostess then gifting her with a Hiccup Girl in her favorite cocktail! Like this Cheers! Champagne Girl!

• Or perhaps your friend is quite the fashionista! Try one of our gorgeous Destination Bags or Scarves like Jade Floral Cotton Scarf. There really are so many to choose from and are so fun and flirty for the summer!

• Perhaps your friend has a more understated sense of taste. Considering bringing a Wrap Bracelet as a thank you. We have a large variety of colors to choose from both in beads and leather color.

You can also check out our Pinterest page for Gifts for Her!

We hope this gave you some helpful ideas for hostess gifts this summer. Have a great one!

Exercise for Your Summer Beauty Part 2

Hot Air

Whew! It's hot out! But you need to keep that figure in check right? Here's some more tips to stay fit and looking slim this summer. Again, we aren't experts on this, but some things just make sense:

• If you're not going to sweat at the gym, then don't go! "What?!" you say, "Don't go to the gym? How's that going to help?" It turns out when you go to the gym and don't work hard, you give yourself a false sense of accomplishment. This will make you feel entitled to eat that Ben & Jerry's Half baked pint while sitting on the couch watching Pretty Women... which can in turn lead to weight gain and discouragement. Really mean business when you exercise. While walking the treadmill, you really only burned 20 calories (give or take a few). Studies show that people who go to the gym eat more, so think twice before you walk out the door just to walk on that treadmill!

• So you made it to the treadmill, and said to yourself, "Self, I'm going to work hard at the gym today!" Prove it: Let go of the sides! We aren't kidding: When you hold onto the sides of the treadmill you are decreasing the resistance and that will cause you to think you are working hard when you really aren't. You might as well eliminate the incline and walk because you get the same workout walking without an incline as you will when holding on for dear life at a ridiculous incline.

• Take the stairs! Many people today don't think about taking the stairs. Why should you? The stairwell is hidden in the corner of the lobby way over there, and the elevator is right here at the front door right? Little (or well) did you know that the stairs are a good way to get the heart pumping and tone those legs! Start small and increase the number of steps and the amount of time the stairs are taken.

• Sometimes the exercise routine just isn't enough. Genetics can make it hard to loose weight in certain areas you'd like to look a little slimmer on. Often makeup can help you reach the margin you're looking for. Check out this tip from 101 Lazy Girl Makeover Tips.

Exercise for Your Summer Beauty Part 1

The summer time is the best time to get out of doors and enjoy the weather. Being active outdoors is even better because you'll be doing your body a favor while enjoying everything you can do in the great outdoors, your local park, or just in your backyard. While we're not experts on fitness or health of any kind, we just wanted to offer some advise for other busy women looking for some ideas on how to keep in tip top shape all summer and into winter!

We have a few suggestions you might like for keeping fit and slim this summer:

• Check out Kaw! Studios' article on some very affordable exercise solutions for someone on a budget!
• RealSimple.com also has a great guide to some easy Yoga poses. This could be a great way to start out your day with fresh air and some exercise on the back patio or lawn. They also have plenty of other great tips for health and fitness.
• Do you have a pet? Walking a dog is a great way to improve fitness and burn calories. Being in the fresh air also improves mood, and walking a dog in the park is a great way to start a conversation with that attractive stranger. Plus, Fido will really love you for it!

And here's another helpful tip for staying chic this summer - it doesn't have anything to do with exercise, we promise! Covergirl.com has some nice In Season Looks with makeup tips to keep your beauty routine fresh.

The Best Summer Cocktails

As July races on into August, we will be starting to face some of the hottest days of the summer for most of the USA. Sometimes staying in the shade isn't enough to keep the heat at bay when you want to enjoy the outdoors. You could always invest in a mini motorized fan... Or you could mix up some icy cocktails to delight your taste buds! Take that summer heat!

We found a few great drinks to enjoy at your own personal cocktail hour. Check them out:

• Kitchen Confidante had a great mix going with their Summer Sangria with Rum cocktail recipe. Beautiful to look at and sounds delicious!
• MarthaStewart.com is also a great source of refreshing ideas for all sorts of cocktails, including Vodka cocktails. If you are interested in making a variety of things, this is the sight for you!
• Don't have the ingredients? Prefer to be served? If you live in New York City, CBS has put together a fun list for you of some lovely places to visit for delicious cocktails. Check out their article about The 5-Best Summer Cocktails to Try in NYC.
• Wrong coast? That's OK. Try the Huffington Post's article about Los Angeles's Summer Cocktails in LA: The Best Mojitos . 
• Check out our Pinterest Board for a few more summer cocktail ideas (and lots of other tasty treats)!

Fourth of July Fireworks - Turn some heads!

Proud to be an American! Happy Independence Day!

We wanted to wish all our readers out there a Happy 4th of July! We hope you had a great time celebrating our country's independence with your family and friends this past Wednesday. We wanted to put out a few chic patriotic outfits in the spirit of the holiday to help you turn heads at all the holiday parties you might be attending this coming weekend.

If you want to go the traditional route, you could always deck out your outfit with some red, white and blue to show you really mean it when you say "Happy Independence Day!"

Party Gear - Proud to be an American by h2-z

Or if you aren't sure red, white and blue will go with your complexion, here's a more subtle answer to your holiday's needs: an outfit with summery touches and an old fashioned American feel.

4th of July Party by h2-z