Tuesday, March 25, 2014

How to do a Waterfall Twist Hairstyle



Have you ever seen the gorgeous Waterfall Braid? So pretty, but a little tricky to do. I’d love to show you how to do a simpler version of the Waterfall Braid…the Waterfall Twist! Instead of juggling three strands of hair, you only have two, yet the results are just as spectacular!




You can find the mini flexi clip, along with all seven sizes of Lilla Rose flexis for any type of hairstyle, and any type of hair, at www.lillarose.biz/BeautifulLife

Are you ready to give the Waterfall Twist a try?



Tuesday, March 11, 2014

How to Do a Bun Using Lilla Rose (or any!) Hair Sticks


Ever wondered how to use hair sticks? Here is a simple video tutorial showing you how to do a quick and easy bun using the Lilla Rose hair sticks! The method is the same for any type of hair sticks (even chopsticks or pencils!) but I love the many beautiful and classy styles that Lilla Rose offers, and their quality is second to none!*


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You can find all the lovely styles of Lilla Rose hair sticks at www.lillarose.biz/BeautifulLife


*All Lilla Rose products come with a hassle-free one-year guarantee!



Monday, December 23, 2013

Parents, Please Remove your Crying Children!

Please take a minute to read this before you go to church in the morning...

We went to a great Christmas concert tonight! Since we were a few minutes late (shocking, I know) we missed the announcement to anyone with babies asking if they would please take them out of the room because the concert was being recorded and apparently they did not want crying babies in the background. Sounds like a good idea, right? Wrong. Think about it this way... That little baby and his/her family may have had to juggle nap times and feedings, fussiness and busy schedules, last minute diaper changes, siblings who can't find their socks or who have emotional meltdowns as they’re walking out the door, phone calls and washed out roads, etc. It may be the only outing of the week for a mom and dad hanging by their last thread. The last thing they need is to be asked to leave when it may have taken them everything they had to get there. 



I never thought about these things before I had children. I never appreciated children. I never even liked being around children. It's not that I disliked children;  I just didn't love them like God does. I didn't really get it. When we are single, our world is pretty much just about us. When we get married, our self-centeredness starts to show its ugly head as we realize that opposites really do attract, and that God uses our differences to sharpen us and make us more complete, more like him. When we have children, all thoughts of self go out the window, and your children are your world - and that's the way it should be. I don't buy the garbage our world tries to feed us that pushes children aside so parents can pursue what they think they need to - always sending them away to play in their rooms or outside, or shuffling them from one sitter to another. 

Why don't we want to hear their voices? Why don't we want to see their smiles? We only have our children for a very short time, on loan from God. We have a huge responsibility to train them up in the love, grace and truth of God's Word. We need to discover (along with them) who God made them to be and encourage them in their uniqueness. We need to instill clear vision and purpose into their lives. We need to be with them to do these things, talking with them, listening to them, doing things with them. If we neglect our responsibilities or pass them off to someone else, our children will walk in darkness and confusion down a path of destruction all their lives.




So, the next time you hear a baby crying in a church service (or other public meeting), if you catch yourself wishing the parents would remove their child from the room, ask God to forgive you and change your heart about those wonderful little creations of His. You might even offer to hold that little one for a few minutes and give those parents a little unexpected blessing!

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/ThingsJesusNeverSaid


Guest post by Amy Humphrey, and was not actually a post at all, but just an honest and heartfelt plea that she had written in a Facebook post after attending said concert.  Amy makes lovely handcrafted jewelry and bags that can be found in her Etsy shop and website, U.R. Unique.




Sunday, October 13, 2013

21 Ways to Raise a Daughter to Rebel and Despise You


1.     Laugh at her disobedience and bad attitude when she is two or three, because she is just so cute.

2.    Let her have whatever she whines or begs for, so you can have some peace and quiet.

3.    Idolize her while she is a preschooler, because clearly she is so far ahead of everyone else.

4.    When her bad attitude is not so cute anymore, just grin and bear it with the consolation of your friends in similar situations, because it is just a stage that all kids go through, and it will pass.

5.    Make sure she knows that you feel that the first day of school is the best day of the year. Cheer and high-five other parents at the bus stop because you finally get a much-needed break.

6.    Expect that she will rebel when she is a teen, because it is a natural part of growing up.

7.    Let her hang around friends who are bad influences, because you don’t want to shelter her from the real world.

8.    Let her develop relationships with friends that are closer than those of her family, because peer socialization is a vital need.

9.    Let her wear what everyone else is wearing, even though it is immodest, because you don’t want her to feel left out or made fun of. It’s the heart that matters, anyway.

10.  Let her watch whatever movies and TV shows that everyone else is watching, because you don’t want to be overprotective.

11.  Let her read whatever teen magazines or romance novels everyone else is reading, because you want to encourage the love of reading, no matter what it is.

12.  Make sure she is a part of a church youth group, because not everyone can disciple at home, and kids listen to youth leaders more than their own parents, anyway.

13.  Let her have a private Facebook page, email account, and texting because it’s none of your business what she is saying or displaying to her friends.

14.  Don’t ever read her diary, even when you have good cause to believe that she could be harming herself or may harm others, because that’s just plain awful.

15.  Don’t ever pull her out of public school, and certainly not Christian school, even if you see it is affecting her negatively, because then she will not have access to extra-curricular activities or be able to get into a good college.

16.  Follow the advice of those in positions of authority, because they are wiser than you. The fact that they are losing their own children, makes absolutely no difference.

17.  Don’t take advice from those who have successfully raised godly children, because you don’t want to be legalistic and overprotective like they were.

18.  Don’t discipline her for disobedience or bad attitudes when she is older, because you don’t want to lose her as a friend.

19.  Let her keep her music, friends, phone, computer, game console, TV, etc. because those are rights, not privileges.

20. Let her hear you tell other people that you can’t wait till she is on her own and out of the house, because then she will no longer be your responsibility, and you can finally do what you want to do.

21.  Just give up, because there is simply nothing you can do.


Don’t be intimidated by this long list! None of these are hard to do; in fact, you will find that this is the easiest way to raise your little princess…

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vauvau/3466024918


to rebel and despise you.




Friday, August 2, 2013

Aunt Mae's Earrings Giveaway!

Have you heard of Aunt Mae’s earrings? They are a brand new line of absolutely stunning handmade earrings that are lovingly made to match the wildly popular Lilla Rose Flexi clips! 


Mr. Owl Earrings with Who's Hoo Flexi clip

Aunt Mae* has meticulously searched the globe for just the right matching beads for these beauties! The resulting creations are nothing short of magnificent!


Elegant Emerald Dream Earrings with Circle Stoneset Flexi clip

The ear wires are made of stainless steel (nickel-free), and there are 23 styles to choose from, with more on the way! Mae will also take special requests, if there is a flexi you’d like to match!

Starting at only $8, these are incredibly affordable, and would make wonderful gifts for the Flexi-lover in your life!


Hummingbird Earrings 

Aunt Mae is generously giving away 3 lovely pairs of earrings to one lucky winner!

Just enter in the Rafflecopter below!



Elegant Emerald Dream Earrings

*In Februrary, my friend Mae unexpectedly lost her beloved husband, leaving her and her young son devastated with very little to live on. Mae is working on several home businesses to help support the family so she can continue to stay home and homeschool her son. Thanks so much for supporting this dear family, and please share this with your friends!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, June 24, 2013

Learning to Love Where You Are

About six years ago, we were close to living our dream of buying land and moving to the country. We found breathtaking rolling hills with lush shades of green wherever we looked.
  
 


Unfortunately, circumstances arose that prevented us from making that purchase and realizing our long-held dream. My heart was sick. I ached to live in the midst of such immense beauty.

I came to the realization that I could not remain in that deplorable state. I needed to learn to love where I was. I needed contentment.  Thankfully, God showed me the path to becoming content, and now I do love the place I am, and thank Him every day for where we are.

Are you facing a disappointing situation? Do you wish you lived elsewhere? Do you realize  that it is actually possible to learn contentment? (… I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.  Phil. 4:11) Let me share with you what I learned about achieving contentment:



1. Ask God for contentment. This first step seems obvious, but it is surprising how we rarely do it! Pray continually, and keep God always in the front of your mind. He loves to lavish His beloved children with his bountiful grace, and will be happy to grant this gift to us, if only we ask!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Eph.1:3







 2. Give thanks in everything… no matter what your circumstances.  I cannot overstate this enough.
“God has yet to bless anyone except where they are. And if we faithlessly discard situation after situation, moment after moment, as not being right, we will simply have no place to receive His Kingdom into our lives.” ~Dallas Willard

Not only are we commanded to do it, but it is amazing how being thankful in everything can totally change our perspective and bring abiding joy. It is impossible to make yourself feel joyful, but you can become joyful by practicing thankfulness and gratitude.

“...the secret to joy is to keep seeking God where we doubt He is.”
“Eucharisteo—thanksgiving—always precedes the miracle.”  ~Ann Voskamp
 3.  Open your eyes.  Look for the reasons why God may have you where you are at this time. It may not be obvious at first, and you may not ever know why in this lifetime, but if we don’t make a conscious effort to see God working and our role in what He is doing, then we will miss out on some incredible opportunities!

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Heb.13:15-16



4.  Meditate on scriptures about thankfulness. Fill and transform your mind with what God has to say about gratitude. The scriptures are filled with instructions to rejoice, and for good reason!

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Rom. 12:2

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thess. 5:18

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.
Col. 4:2
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!  Phil. 4:4
Learning contentment will bring you abundant joy and change your life!  Many times circumstances only last for a season, so just because you are at a particular place at this time of your life, it does not mean that it will last forever. Do I still dream of moving to the country? Certainly!  One day we just might. But can I be content if I never do? Absolutely!


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Sunday, April 21, 2013

How to Make Easy, Homemade Natural Foundation

I just made my first batch of homemade, natural foundation! Who knew that you could make your own makeup for a fraction of the cost of store-bought? It also  has no questionable ingredients!  As a matter of fact, you could actually eat it! Well, you may not want to eat it, but you WILL smell delicious!




All you need are a few simple, inexpensive ingredients:


arrowroot powder
cocoa
nutmeg
cinnamon

Pour a tablespoon or two into a bowl. Next, add one or more of the other ingredients, depending on the color you'd like. All of them are fairly neutral, and very similar in hue. The cocoa gives a cool, very slight red tint. The cinnamon gives a slight yellow tint. The nutmeg is inbetween those two, with a more neutral tone; however, it is has a more grainy texture. Experiment with how much to add of what to get your desired shade. You may prefer to simply go with the scent you prefer!

 That's it! So easy!





Homemade vs. Mineral Foundation:

Now, you may be asking how this homemade makeup compares to the more expensive natural mineral makeup. Well, it does a fair job of covering and evening out your skin tone, and giving your skin a more matte, smooth  appearance. It is also very soft and comfortable, and does better at absorbing oil.  


The mineral counterpart is superior in regards to coverage, evening out your skin tone, and giving a smoother appearance. The one I love and have been using for three years now, is Ecoglo Minerals. 

I believe that the homemade version is a great affordable alternative for everyday use.  Save your pricier makeup for date night with your hubby. Your edible foundation  will save you money and make you smell absolutely scrumptious!

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Deep Roots at Home
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Wise Woman Builds her Home