An awesome deal

Hey girls! Remember the eShakti dress review I did during the Autumn Allure fashion week? Well here's your chance to get your own eShakti dress! The company is having a store-wide 40% off sale this weekend: now-Oct. 15! This is an amazing deal! So go check out the website and see if you can't find something to your liking in your budget! (And if you do, come back and tell me about it!)

Curly Girls

I am going to be leaving for a week without internet and cell-phones to counsel at a camp in the NC Blue Ridge mountains, starting Sunday. So I'll be off posting for a week, but there'll be lots of pictures and things come the return!

One of my dear friends, Rachelle, has been what she calls a Curly Girl for years. This means her hair has a certain measure of wave/curl and she takes care of it with a certain system she describes here on the YLCF website. It intrigued me. Really? Washing your hair with nothing but water? Putting gobs of conditioner in and not rinsing it entirely out? NEVER USING A HAIRBRUSH? It sounded extreme, but intriguing. After all, my own hair is always in a dubious state of frizz...maybe I should try it! I tried washing my hair with only water this morning, and then putting in conditioner. *sigh*.

 I am skeptical at best. I know it'll probably take repeated attempts for my hair to wake up and smell the coffee, but I really do want to try this at some point. Probably not right before I've got to be around people for a solid week though. ;)

Here are links to the whole Curly Girl spiel. What do you think?

Curly Care
Curly Styles
Curly Shopping
Curly Handbook
Curly Concoctions
Curly Cutting
Curly Kids
Curly Links
Curly Tweets
Curly Stories
Curly Q's

Are you a Curly Girl? Have you tried this hair-care regime?

Stunning: Andrea Bocelli on Abortion

We attended a Life Chain event this afternoon--I was so blessed to be able to go because last year I missed it on account of camp week colliding with the event. Life Chain is a yearly event where we go into the city, stand on the main drag, and hold Pro-life signs while praying for our nation, unborn children, and Life for an hour. Such a powerful time, and all the more so because on this day all across the nation other people are gathering to do the same. I look forward to this event every year...it's amazing what a focused hour of prayer can do to encourage you! :)

Afterward, because it was so chilly, our group piled over to McCafe where we had such a riotous, great, homeschool-peeps time together. I almost laughed myself sick I laughed so hard....that could have had something to do with a large cup of caffeinated coffee....perhaps. :D

 I came home to see this amazing little video in my Facebook feed: we all love Andrea Bocelli's music. Perhaps because he is blind, he is able to throw enough emotion and power into his voice to wow us all...but I bet you haven't heard this side of the story. It encouraged me so much to hear such a great artist, such a famous man, stand up for the unborn children:

Share it around! You never know what a timely reminder and encouragement this might be to some confused and hurting mother...to see Andrea Bocelli now and think that he could have another baby-soul never to walk the earth...it's heart-wrenching. <3

"...the gull's way, and the whale's way..."

"I must go down to the seas again, to the gypsy's vagrant life,

To the gull's way, and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,

and a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over."

-John Masefield "Sea Fever"

I have always loved the fact that we live near the historic triangle...Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown...living near someplace as amazing as the James River is a real treat. Not many people can lay claim to dipping their toes in a body of water with so much history. Lucky for us, there are many places roundabouts where you would hardly realize the land has been touched. Fort Boykin is one of those places. Such a beautiful little spot nestled along the cliffs of the James...almost a secret beach, really.

It's Abigail's birthday on Monday so we have turned this weekend into a bit of birthday-trip for her including taking her to this secluded spot. It was a beautiful day--just the right mix of hot and cold so we could still put our feet in the water in tolerable comfort. :) Indian-summer at it's best.

These funky green things were Osage Oranges...unfortunately inedible.

From darkness to dawn...

Surprisingly, the oysters smelled divine...like salt and sea and all things adventurous. I wish I could have bottled the scent to snuff when that old wander-lust comes upon me.

Lovely evening, lovely day, and lovely people. All credit for pictures goes to Sarah, who kindly lets me take them and show them off. She and I were naughty, crossed a No Trespassing fence, and walked along the waterline so our prints would get erased...we hoped no one was by to shoot at us. {Obviously no one was, or else they were feeling kindly} Feeling clandestine already, I also stooped to stealing sea-shells.... ;) My magpie-self couldn't help lovely the Shiny!

How did you spend your first weekend in October?

How far can you stretch 50 bucks in fashion?

Each year there is a monumental struggle between wardrobe and wallet. It's like the clash of the Titans. And for some reason Sisters-mine and I all step forward to participate in this struggle at the same time. Not having much of our own moolah means that Mama and Dad's wallet takes a hit that it doesn't like the flavor of. You know the old tale--every family does, unless you happen to make a 3-digit thousands income. ;)

Yesterday, however, I took my last fifty dollars from the money I made this summer and thought I'd help out--I needed the clothes and the family couldn't foot the complete bill so soon after Sisters-mine drained the coffers last week for their autumnal shopping. This was going to be a fun challenge for me, and already I had an idea that I'd make it into a cool practice-what-you-preach blog post.

You remember I lectured you on wise spending a couple weeks ago? Yeah? Well this week it was my turn to try out my own methods. Just how much can a girl get for fifty bucks? Let's see...

I started by using my own Rule Number One: getting rid of anything you don't wear now. That was easy enough--after a year you kinda get a feel for what you wore and what you didn't the year before.

Then it was time for Rule Number Two: buy at thrift-stores!

I moved on to the rest of my rules to see if the system actually worked. First stop? Salvation Army! There are two in a town nearish us, so we went to both of them. Salvation Armies are amazing because on Wednesdays, all clothing and apparel is 50% off! YES! And I apologize in advance for the low photo-quality...Sarah had done something genius and photographically correct with her settings which was too advanced for my point-and-shoot self, and the shutter took *forever* to snap so I couldn't get any cool shots of the belt or the vest like I wanted....

Sage green ruffle-button top and cozy grey sweater: $1.50 and $2.00

Total: $3.50

This looks so much cooler in person. It's what I've affectionately termed my "Amelia Earhart" outfit.

Genuine Leather Vest: $5.00 (I splurged) 

Short-sleeve Sweater: $1.50 

Really good-quality brown skirt: $2.50

Total: $9.00

I'm planning on wearing this with my vintage alligator-skin Oxfords! :D

Rose-bud silk/satin blouse: $1.50

Lavender ruffle-top: $1.50

Dip-dyed sweater: $2.00

Total: $5.00

I walked past this blouse in the store and thought, "Aw, that's kinda cute. But it's probably for grandmothers." Then I saw the smocked elastic at the bottom and knew it was a vintage-inspired item for "Today" that I wanted to own. :) I mean, come on. Who doesn't like a fluffy blouse with blue polka-dots?

Vintage-inspired blouse: $1.50

Total: $1.50

Forest blouse with side-tie sash: $1.50

Total: $1.50

 This one is going to be my cozy go-to outfit. I just know it. A sweater-knit hoodie/cami? Yes please! And in a warm, cozy mulberry color. Love it! The brown, calf-length "broom-stick" skirt is pretty cute too.

Mulberry Sweater-duo: $2.00

Skirt: $2.50

Total: $4.50

Who can say Nautical? I love this sailor-sweater. So warm, but so winsome! And it's soft as cashmere, which is a plus. I hate scratchy sweaters. :D

Sweater: $1.50

Total: $1.50

Blue half-sweater: $1.50

Cream lightweight sweater-blouse: $1.50

Total: $3.00

Of course either of these two items could be paired with something different, but I liked them so much together in the store, I'm sure I'll wear them that way much of the time. Here's a close-up of the detail of that cream sweater:

One last outfit...

Mulberry-colored thermal shirt/hoodie: $1.50

Style & Co jeans: $3.50

Western-style leather belt: $2.00

Total: $7.00

Look! I even managed to squeeze in a pair of shoes. Really really cute shoes at that.

Lace-accent peep-toe heels: $3.50

Total: $3.50

I ended up at a Goodwill too, but only bought the jeans there, having only a little money leftover. But I was pretty pleased with myself because the pair of jeans had an orange tag and guess what? Yup. Wednesday is Orange Tag day at that Goodwill!

If you tally up all my best-as-I-can-remember prices it comes up to around 40 bucks. I know I spent closer to fifty so I guess I am remembering some of the prices incorrectly. STILL! God's provision is so awesome! 19 items for $50.00...comes out to just over $2.50 an item! Beautiful.

If this isn't cool enough, I'm busting the myth of thrift-store clothes being Walmart hand-me-downs. There is quality stuff here, okay? Let me prove it to you--here's a list of all the brand-names I got:

She Said

C'est City--an August Silk company

New York & Company

Appleseed's

Sag Harbor

Dressbarn

L.A. Blues

Gap

Cato

Say What?

Fioni

Style & Co.

Worthington

Laura Scott

D.F.A. New York

In a way, we Thrifters are the die-hard fashionistas. We're the ones who are willing to pour time and patience into wearing brands. It's easy to swipe a credit card and buy clothes from designers. But those of us  who wait...and wait...and search...and wait...and search longer get the labels at an ounce of the original price. Don't lose heart--look how the Lord blessed fifty bucks! Amazing.

What say you? Thrift stores for the win?

All the possibilities!

Hello lovelies! 

Here's me being busy again with a lot of writing: blogging, novels, devotions, and researching for the classes I'll be teaching at Camp. I'm really excited this time: I'm assisting in the hair-cutting/styling class and spear-heading the hair-do half. :) Unfortunately there isn't internet access up at the camp (or the girls aren't supposed to use electronics during the week for sanity's sake) so I can't just direct them to my Pinterest board. Ha ha.

That means I get to put together a notebook of all my favorite hairstyles. I'm also typing up a sheet of hairstyling-links for the girls to take home, and I thought I'd share the links with you for your own hair-happiness. Oui? Okay.

ebeautyblog.com -video tutorials for casual/formal styles

Rapunzel's Resource- picture/ video tutorials {especially for long hair}

Pinterest.com- My Art of Beautifying Board, and Sarah's Pretty Hair board.

Two's Company: a double-take- several historical copy-cat styles I linked to a few posts ago...

A Beautiful Mess- lots of hair tutorials here!

Join the Mood

Kouture Kiss

Pink Pistachio

The Beauty Department

A Cup of Jo

My {yellow} Sandbox

I had to laugh over my hair today. First off, it's like 85 degrees here and humid as a greenhouse--can't tell why when it's been so beautiful lately. ANY-how, this no-way sets my hair up for a good time. Then I get in the shower and find that the little container I'd assumed as shampoo turns out to be conditioner.

I knew we were running low, but not that low.

My only choice is bar-soap or the guys' Axe Body-wash....

I go for the body-wash.

Guess what?

Yep. Best hair day I've had in a month.

Go figure that one....smooth, silky-soft, and way less frizz than I'd even hoped for on a day like this.

{From My Bookshelf}: With Every Letter- Sarah Sundin

With Every Letter

 (Book One in Wings of the Nightingale Series)

By Sarah Sundin

If you've stuck around this blog for any length of time you'll have come up with the quite accurate idea that I'm a romantic. I don't need anyone to teach me how to dream, how to propose (or help him propose) or how to make a match. I count it one among many "severe-ish mercies" in my lifetime that I have gone through my girlhood years knowing next-to-no eligible young men. Honestly, I didn't need the distraction. Which is why, as a general rule, I stay away from romance novels. It isn't that I think they are bad, or harmful. (though some might fit the bill) It's just that my poor little fluffy mind doesn't need help imagining or longing for that All -Elusive Someday. On occasion, even an over-abundance of BBC films can throw me into a slight state of discontentment that I'd do better to avoid.
But when I won Sarah Sundin's latest book, With Every Letter, in a giveaway, I knew I had to take a whack at it. First of all, it was free. Second, it had a beautiful cover. Third, it was set in WWII. Fourth, I could tell she'd done her research. Fifth, it had to do with a romance conducted through letter-writing. I was hooked. When the book came in the mail I ambled over to the picnic table we've somehow neglected to remove from the roadside the past several winters, and started to read. Once started, there was no going back. This gal is good.

"Before I start this letter, I must be clear that I'm searching for friendship, not romance. I don't want to mislead you or toy with your affections. I do apologize if you hoped for a romantic letter from a perky beauty..."

Thus runs Lt. Mellie Blake's first letter to her anonymous correspondent. Gotta love her frankness! This is what tipped me off to the fact that this book would be different than a lot of romance novels. It was going to actually be pure.
With Every Letter follows the young, insecure, but compassionate and loving Lt. Philomela (Mellie) Blake--a young flight nurse in WWII. But because I'm never that great at synopsisises...synopsi? Whatever. Since I'm not that great at those, I'll give you the blurb on the back of the book. It's enough to grab anyone's interest!

        Lt. Mellie Blake is looking forward to beginning her training as a flight nurse. She is not looking forward to writing a letter to a man she's never met--even if it is anonymous and part of a moral-building program. Lt. Tom MacGilliver, an officer stationed in North Africa, welcomes the idea of an anonymous correspondence--he's been trying to escape his infamous name for years.
        As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, Tom and Mellie develop a unique friendship despite not knowing the other's true identity. When both are transferred to Algeria, the two are poised to meet face-to-face for the first time. Will they overcome their fears and reveal who they are, or will their future be held hostage by their pasts?

Isn't that interesting? I thought so. This book did not disappoint me in any way, shape, or form. In fact, I ended up falling way harder for the characters than I thought I would. Here, therefore, is a list of my favorite things and my thoughts about With Every Letter...

1. Lt. Mellie Blake: Perhaps I identified with Mellie because of her heart for Christ and loving spirit, but I will also admit that Mellie's insecurities and doubts sometimes about whether a man could think her attractive enough to see her and only her sound an awful lot like some of my doubts and fears when I take my eyes off Christ. The way the Lord {and Sarah Sundin. haha!} bring Mellie through this is beautiful and humbling. I also appreciated the fact that she is definitely not looking for romance. Actually, she resists officially meeting Tom to the point of exasperation for me--sitting back here knowing Tom loved her and how...AHHH!

2. The setting: WWII is a great enough setting...but Sarah Sundin set the book in North Africa, Algeria, and the lower Mediterranean which was just really neat. I mean, who has read a book set in those places? Not me. Plus, Lt. Blake is one of only 500 flight nurse to serve the US during WWII! Really neat.

3. Sarah's research: As an author, I know it's tough to do your research thoroughly--and she has done it. By George, she's done it! You feel like you're in Algeria during the 1940's. Seriously!

4. How Mrs. Sundin portrays Christianity: there comes a point in the life of your book when you've got to determine how your relationship with Christ and your world-view will come out in the story. Some books/authors turn preachy and unrealistic with that OSS (Obligatory Salvation Scene) we all cringe over. Others omit all mentions of religion and Christianity. But both Mellie and Tom and Christians and their personal relationships with Christ are a huge part of the story, which I really liked.

5. The romance: You were waiting for that, weren't you? ;) Unlike many stories, I felt like Mellie and Tom's romance was realistic, beautiful, and pure. They begin with a mutual desire for only friendship and therefore their relationship is built upon encouraging one another in the Lord, learning the heart of the other...discussing important things...all of that. Then you get the romantic tension building. Tom's struggle (which I can't discuss at length here, not wanting to spoil the plot for you) with physical attraction toward an "acquaintance" is portrayed so honorably I wanted to cheer. Without being inappropriate {which a lesser author would default to}, Sarah let us know that Tom felt attraction toward this one woman (not lust, mind you.), and described and played out his struggle for honor in so great a way that you like this guy a lot. A whole lot. Ahem. So much that you kinda-sorta-wish-he-was-real-and-not-confined-to-the-page.

And the last scene? Great Snakes. I didn't see such an "AWWWW!" moment coming and it totally made my day when I read it. That, darling, is how I want to be loved. That is the kind of man I want to marry. That is what love is supposed to look like. *sniff*

In conclusion: Not having read any other "Christian historical romances" and not knowing how much actual history they put in amongst the kissing, I am sticking my neck out and saying Sarah Sundin has it down pat for the perfect formula of romance and actual historical plot. I found myself enjoying this book an actually thinking that my brother might enjoy it--Tom's side of the story is strongly supported and written so the book is an even split between guy and girl. Because of the fact that this is a romance and the author does deal with their increasing physical attraction toward one another (though in a very mild, gentle, innocent way) and because of high danger/action/emotional tension in the rest of the plot, I would recommend With Every Letter for ages 18+, though mature, younger readers would enjoy it as well. I say 18+ merely because it's my personal opinion that younger girls don't need to be focusing on romance just yet. ;)

But trust me. You'll love it. I know you will.This is how historical romance ought to be written!