European Antiques and Timeless Textiles:

If traditional, useless bedding is the disease, then Pandora de Balthazar is the cure. Pandora specializes in magnificent textiles and luxurious linens to make the time you spend in bed the most exquisite and enjoyable time of the day or night. Her store, Timeless, houses a luxurious, exquisite, and unique collection of over three million pieces of linens and textiles. Not only does Pandora’s line create a style of sleeping that allows a person to get the luxurious sleep he or she deserves, but each priceless collection of linens and textiles also hold a story of its own that not only allows you to feel at home amongst the fascinating pieces of work, but also connects you to the timeless history of the art form which preserves these fine linens.

            Pandora claims that her first and foremost reason for creating antique European linens and decadence down is to provide individuals with a way to live a full, restful, and relaxing life through adequate rest and recuperation. “We are about changing the way people approach sleeping. We’re teaching others that personal luxury is an absolute necessity, and that it’s all right, and even necessary, to nap, rest and recuperate in pure, comforting luxury.” She approaches life with the philosophy that the bedroom should be a decadent retreat where you can feel lavishly comfortable and relaxed amongst the richly swathed Hungarian down pillows and comforter set, finely draped windows, and relaxing oils and incense. “Your bedroom should be a haven welcoming you with open arms. You should feel cherished and protected in your bedroom.”

            Pandora’s philosophies on leading a restful, peaceful life stem from a debilitating car accident that led to a subsequent neurosurgery. Because she was forced to spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for over six solid months in bed recuperating from neurosurgery, Pandora sought a way to comfort and support her body through recovery. “The result was a product of my own design, a line of custom down pillows and bedding - a sleep system that pampers and cradles the body.” She learned about the sleep system in Hungary during her recovery when she noticed that the Hungarian Healers placed great importance on the way one slept by focusing on bedding and high quality linens that allow one to be sumptuously comfortable and relaxed. Now, Pandora is committed to helping others rejuvenate their mind, body, and spirit through the art of sleeping so everyone can lead the best life possible. She combines the European Sleep System and her love of linens and antique textiles in a wide spectrum of products designed to help you truly rest in a peaceful surrounding.

            From centuries’ old European lace to more modern designs, Pandora de Balthazar’s textile inventory includes crisp sheets, bed covers, pillow shams, tablecloths, and a wide variety of other uniquely crafted textiles. She provides one-of-a-kind custom designed textiles dating from the 1720's through the 1920's. The artworks are provided in linen, cotton, silk, and even mohair. Most are delicately embroidered with silk or bronze, linen designs and lace work, and the collection includes primitives, Arts and Crafts, Art Deco, Americana, French, Italian Country, and Italian and Belgium linens and laces. All down products are made of the finest handpicked Hungarian down, and, as Pandora informs us, “The European Sleep System consists of four specialty pillows designed to cradle your body and promote ergonomically correct, healthy bed rest that offers the foundation for your nightly rejuvenation. My team and I collect the finest in antique linens from around the world. These are only the highest-quality linens for the home and bedroom.”

            The European Sleep System is designed exclusively by Pandora de Balthazar and is designed to cater to the bodies every need during rest. It is produced of the finest handpicked Hungarian goose down, which is carefully chosen and gathered for maximum comfort and insulating capacity. Once the finest down is gathered, it is washed and rinsed six to seven times in the purest water available, sterilized, sorted, tested, and graded to ensure the highest quality product that is as allergy free as possible. The down is then encased in a tight weave of 350 thread count down proof cotton ticking, a procedure to make sure you receive the best rest possible. The structure Pandora’s European Sleep System is a result of many developments and tests, resulting in pillows that form to the body in the most functional, comforting way. The system is composed of four different styles of pillows - a Euro King, a Euro Queen, a Euro Standard, and a neck roll. Each pillow serves its own specific purpose in the process of making the user feel optimal comfort. The King pillow provides the foundation for the bed rest function; its more strong and sturdy, creating support for your upper back and shoulders. The Queen is a bit softer and designed to be used as the middles pillow. The Standard pillow is designed to cradle your back for the utmost support. 

            After turning your home into the haven you’ve always deserved with bedding and textiles from Timeless, you simply must take a gander at her new line of luxurious lavender spa collection. Her large collection of lavender supplies include lotion, facial washes and scrubs, lavender mint soap, lavender oatmeal soap, lavender patchouli soap, lavender rose soap, and bath washes. All of Pandora’s products are made with non paraben based preservatives and are infused with wonderful ingredients like olive, coconut, shea, goat’s milk, aloe vera juice, green tea extract, avocado, and jojoba. Another plus to Pandora’s fabulous line of lavender soaps is that her botanical-based, handmade soaps include the ingredient glycerin which works to soften and moisturize the skin. In addition to glycerin, Pandora also adds plant and other natural oils with moisturizing and softening characteristics. Beata (Tony) Antal, a native Hungarian and sales associate for Pandora de Balthazar’s Timeless, says, “Honestly, lavender is just really relaxing. It makes me feel comfortable. I don’t necessarily use it to help me sleep but to simply calm me down. As soon as you put it on, you have this aura about you - a very relaxing feeling.”

            Not only does Pandora create a restful atmosphere for individuals to receive the relaxation he or she deserves, but she also makes it possible to preserve and recycle antique textiles and linens. “We import antique textiles and try to preserve them. For our lifetime, people have appreciated antiques, but not many people embrace the art of textiles. We are trying to make people appreciate textiles for what they are - ART.”

Indulge in the little luxuries that life has to offer and appreciate the stories that can be found in the history of Pandora’s textiles. Pandora rightly states, “We’ve all but forgotten in our hectic lives, filled with achieving our ambitions and goals, to take the time out to re-energize and rejuvenate, so that you can live your hectic life fully invigorated and ready to take on everyday challenges is vitally important to your physical and emotional health and sustaining healthy relationships with those in your lives.” Your body needs to completely rest before, during, and after sleep, and Pandora’s line of timeless textiles can give you the relaxation and rejuvenation you need. Pandora hopes to change a life for the better. She wants to help other invest in changing their own lives, to invest in gaining peace of mind, and to invest in resting. Your bedroom is where you lay your head, where you cry, where you make love, and where you dream. Since we spend about one-third of our life in the bedroom, this haven should be given the same, if not more, level of attention, as other areas of your life. Pandora’s costumers discover a well-kept secret. “We’re re-introducing them to the art of napping and sleeping.” Rejuvenate your life with restful sleep - rejuvenate your mind with Pandora de Balthazar’s timeless textiles.

For online ordering or more information, please visit Pandora’s de Balthazar – Timeless:

www.pandoradebalthazar.com

www.antiqueeuropeanlinens.com

Aura New - Journalist
GunghoCity.com

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Summer Beauty Tips

Alright ladies, summertime is here and we always want to look our best when wearing the least amount of clothes in public.  I've searched high and low and come up with a list of things you can do to help keep yourself looking healthy, fresh, and beautiful during the heat!

• Seek shade, especially during midday hours (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), when UV rays are strongest and do the most damage.

• Get a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.

• Grab shades.  They'll help keep you protected from the sunny summer sun's lovely rays and can also help keep you from forming early lines around your eyes from squinting all the time.

• Rub on sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.

Just remember, even though it's hot outside, cover up when you can or stay in the shade. Everyone wants to look a nice golden tan, but skin cancer is no laughing matter and might be closer than you think if you're outside baking all day.

2. Go Lite on Alcohol

Summer's the time to skip hard alcohol and choose a light, chilled alcoholic beverage (unless you are pregnant or should not drink for health or other reasons).

A sangria (table wine diluted with juice), a cold beer, or a wine spritzer are all refreshing but light. In moderation -- defined as one to two drinks daily -- alcohol can protect against heart disease.

3. Stay clean

If you're a "soap and water" girl you may want to rethink your cleansing strategy. Dermatologists say that one of the best beauty tips around is to use the gentlest cleanser you can find -- and use it sparingly.

It'll be tempting to wash your face often during the heat, but really it's been stated that you shouldn't. Washing your face too often can damage the natural lipid barrier, the protective mantle of lubrication that keeps skin looking and feeling healthy.

If you destroy that barrier, you could increase itchiness and add years to your looks.  You're best bet here is to find a cleanser good for your skin type and then to wash your face no more than about twice a day.

4.  Whiten the Smile

I'm sure you've seen all those billboards and commercials about how a bright white smile will make your entire face light up.  Well...it's true.  But you don't necessarily need to go to the dentist and pay extra cash to get the whitening done.  I've found some cheap easy ways to whiten the teeth right in your own bathroom:

Baking Soda and Peroxide.

You take the baking soda and peroxide and you make a thick paste out of them. You shouldn’t need more than a tablespoon of the paste.

Apply the paste to teeth, and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes every morning and night.

The most effective way to do this, and brighten your smile, is by brushing your teeth with the paste.

Baking soda and peroxide will not only whiten your teeth but clean them too, if you use them in place of toothpaste.

If that just isn't your cup of tea, you can still go down to the local Wal-mart and grab some over-the-counter whitening products.  Not quite as cheap as the above solution, but I've used these products myself (and I smoke) and they did indeed brigthen the teeth as promised.

5.  Stay Hydrated

Keep in mind that just being out in the height of a summer day can cause you to become dehydrated.  Staying hydrated during the hot days is a must!  And coffee, alcohol, etc do not count.  I'm talking about drinking water here, ladies.  It's said that you really should drink before you are thirsty, since by the time you are thirsty, you've probably lost a cup or more of hydration than you needed to. 

Keep cool water bottles handy when you head out for summer fun and drink, drink, drink up!  Try to keep yourself on a schedule.  Drink some water every thirty minutes.  If  you stay hydrated, you'll find that you'll last longer in the heat and be able to enjoy more of the day.

6.  Go with less stress

Summertime is also known as vacation time!  Try and make sure you get some time for yourself ladies.  Relax in your own backyard with nothing to do but read a good book in a hammock, do a bit of gardening, whatever it is that you find enjoying, go out and do it!  Make sure this summer you treat yourself right and get some much needed relaxation time in!

There you go, 6 quick tips to help with the summer.  Have you go a summer tip you'd like to share?  Send the tip to me I can add it to the list!

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