Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York & Los Angeles

Last year I wrote about how the pet industry was picking up speed, especially the luxury products aimed at our pets. It still shows no signs of slowing down and there continues to be an abundance of products and services to pamper our extended family members all within a click of the mouse. One such brand I have had my eye on is forthedogs.com

Forthedogs.com understands what is comforting for every pup, all the while being committed to high quality and eye-pleasing designs that their pet owners are in search of, as well.

As a dog owner myself, I was thrilled to see their Hoodie bed for small dogs. Finally--a pet company that understands that small dogs love to bury themselves under mounds of softness (albeit blankets or those clothes you lazily left on the floor) when seeking out comfort and security. Your pet can now have a bed to call his own that gives him exactly what he is looking for: a soothing place to cozy in for the night (or those lazy naps in the afternoon).

The new Hydrant Bed, made for both large and small dogs, offers a whimsical design (yet still maintaining a contemporary look). It has a removable slip cover that is machine washable, making it easy to keep your dog's place of rest looking good.

Forthedogs.com also offers a Yum Bowl (designed by award-winning designer Karim Rashid), stylish bandanna's and a Dxg Bxne (of which they make a donation to animal welfare groups for each one purchased).

Forthedogs.com beds are print screened in Canada on USA woven preshrunk heavy cotton twill. All products mentioned can be purchased through their Yahoo store and while all prices are listed in Canadian dollars, there is a currency converter handy on it to help you know just how much you are paying in US currency.

For gifted jewelry designer Carolyn Rafaelian, a career in the jewelry industry was never a question as she was born into a family of jewelers; her father having a jewelry company of his own. She grew up in Rhode Island, well-known for it's leadership in jewelry, and still maintains her headquarters there. Her jewelry company, Alex and Ani, came to be in late 1993 after her second daughter, Ani, was born. Alex and Ani was created as a vehicle to enhance human consciousness and is an effortless mix of uptown elegance and downtown cool, ethnic chic and causal couture.

The Alex and Ani expandable wire bangles are the concept product which launched the brand and are the signature jewelry in her collection. The expandable wire bangles can be easily adjusted to fit wrists of any size. All of Alex and Ani's expandable wire bangles are eco-friendly, as they are made from recycled metal scraps.

You can tackle two trends in one design this Fall with Alex and Ani's Free Bird Collection. The cuff bracelet and feather trend merge in this Phoenix Striped Cuff.

Carolyn Rafaelian doesn't follow trends, she creates them. Her jewelry designs stay one step ahead and are unique in their innovative design. Alex and Ani jewelry can be found at Fred Segal, Henri Bendel's, Nordstroms, Bloomingdale's and online at alexandani.com.

Intoxicating, indulgent, opulent; all of those things describe the luxurious fragrance line of Sharon Bolton Scents. A Santa Barbara resident, Sharon Bolton captures the essence of grace and femininity along with the lush splendor of Santa Barbara's natural bounty. Discovering Truth, Luv and Soul is similar to experiencing the relaxed yet chic lifestyle the town is known for.

Truth: A refreshing, clean citrus. A tangy lemon-lime softened by an exotic floral and an airy, sheer musk...fresh like a warm sea breeze.

Luv: An intoxicating, ultimately feminine scent of rare pink gardenia, lush Hawaiian white flowers, and a hint of creamy vanilla with a delicate whisper of white musk.

Soul: Sweet tropical notes that will evoke a memory for your soul. Juicy papaya, luscious pineapple, and creamy coconut with undertones of clean musk.

I had the opportunity to ask Sharon what her mission was when launching her company:

You'll be surprised to hear that we actually don't offer just scents, we offer a luxurious sensory experience and a tropical getaway. Scents evoke such things as to bring us to another place or transport us to another time. I can't tell you how often I hear from customers that one of our scents reminds them of their wedding, or the beach, or a favorite childhood scent...the list goes on and on. I also wanted women to wear the scents, not the scents wear them. Light, clean, fresh is what we strive for. We kept the component of alcohol out of the perfume oils for those with sensitivities, like myself! The luxurious bath and body products offer indulgence in the sensory experience of Sharon Bolton Scents. They are rich and creamy and the shower cream creates loads of bubbles. We chose Soy candles with cotton wicks for the environmental factor. Our products are cruelty free and packaging is 100% recyclable. We truly kept in mind the customer's experience, which we wanted to be a luxurious, indulgent and evocative one. And lastly, we wanted to keep part of our mission to give back to our community and to causes that are important to us.

Where does the inspiration for your scents come from?

The scents are reminiscent of our breezy seaside town of Santa Barbara as each season presents different floral aromas in the air. Also, Hawaii is a huge inspiration. The air always smells like a burst of Plumeria and the Papayas plucked off the vine smell heavenly! Hawaii was definitely the inspiration behind Soul (think a day at the beach in Maui) and Luv (reminds me of wearing a big, bountiful floral lei) and Truth's inspiration was more Santa Barbara. I'd say having a margarita while the Santa Ana's come whistling through bringing night blooming jasmine alive. And our most recent addition Dream...I just knew I'd want to be wrapped in cashmere in the Santa Barbara winter and that is what this scent reminds me of...it's Dreamy! Throughout my travels and experiences I am always noting the smell of fruit, flowers, soaps, the air, food...you name it!

Sharon Bolton's newest scent, Dream, is launching on November 15th only at The Powder Room on Bustleton Avenue in Philadelphia. It can be described as a heady concoction of bergamot, white freesia, mimosa with accords of amber, sandalwood and exotic musk.

See all that Sharon Bolton Scents has to offer online at www.sharonboltonscents.com or find a store located near you. I promise you won't be disappointed!