Fascinator Giveaway with Vivo Masks-CLOSED
I’m so excited for this opportunity for another lovely lady to wear a Vivo fascinator.
Entry closes at midnight EST on Monday, October 13th.
xo
Natalie
Something Fascinating: What a Hat Can Do For a Girl
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What can a fascinator do for a girl? Here are 4 of the many things:
*A fascinator can bring interest and attention to your face, to highlight your natural bone structure and stunning eyes.
*A fascinator can show off your beautiful hair by adorning it with something special.
*A fascinator can visually balance your shape or outfit with a nice little lifting of the eye upwards.
Last, but CERTAINLY not least:
*A fascinator is a most beguiling way to show off your personality and sartorial flair.
This is truly, truly a handmade work of art, with delicately ruched silk, horsehair and feathers. I simply had to take some more artistic shots to show you the delicate beauty of Faith:
I’m also wearing some sentimental light-pink pearls that were given to me by my parents on the occasion of my first ballet company performance when I was a teenager. Pearl earrings as well, another gift, to complement the necklace.
The coat is one of my favorite pieces, a Rebecca Taylor gray jersey, silk and sequin jacket that hugs nicely. And the boots are my beloved wine suede wedges from Steve Madden.
Just be sure your hat is properly affixed or you may end up with a wilting flower! đ
However, I knocked this off my head myself (I’m graceful like that), but extensive wear testing shows the elastic stays
tight and neat in place for long periods of time and activity.
What’s that, you say? You’d like to try your hand (head?) at wearing a fascinator? Yes, please!
We’re having a GIVEAWAY for any under-$50 fascinator of your choice, starting Monday!
Check back then for your chance to win.
Happy weekend!
xo
Natalie
Happy Fall!
It has been a beautiful first few days of fall here! I love being able to wear my favorite boots and a few layers or heavier materials (such as this lovely alpaca sweater, one of my favorite fall pieces).
These are all classic pieces that combine to make an outfit that is both timeless and modern, with the addition of a fun, colorful necklace and some details like wedges and zippers on the boots and bell sleeves on the sweater. I’ve had the Coach belt since high school!
Big sunglasses are always a must, and a Cafe Americano can go a long way towards making a beautiful day, too.
Sweater: Catherine Melandrino//Jeans: Joe’s Jeans//Sunnies: Local boutique//Necklace: Urban Outfitters forever ago//Belt: Coach, forever ago//Boots: Steve Madden
Happy Fall, my friends!
xo
Natalie
Friday Vlog
What are YOU up to this weekend?
xo
Natalie
From back when it was summer…
Let’s All Be Brave
I really wanted to love this book by blogger Annie F. Downs. It’s the first book of hers I’ve read, and I loved the concept and title. I NEED more bravery in my life right now! And I know several good friends who really enjoyed this book.
So I was disappointed when I found this book to be lackluster from the very beginning. It was far too personal, as the entire book was simply “essays” about times in her life (some random examples, I thought) of when Annie tried to be brave, that were confusing, muddy, and convoluted to the uninitiated reader (i.e. anyone who is not very close to the author). I felt that this book tried too hard to be hipster by including the coffee shop where each piece was written. The pieces were not chronological, which made following Annie’s travels and stories confusing. The stories were more like mini therapy sessions for the author, in my mind, with a,”So be brave! Like I sorta was!” at the end of each “chapter.” Not what I was looking for. The writing style was also far too young for me, very adolescent-oriented and not quite deep enough for the subject matter. The sentence structure was very stylistic. That might suit others just fine, but it just didn’t jive for me. I also found it disconcerting that Annie talked about the writing process a lot, making reference to the fact that she was writing a book, and in one or more cases, spending at least a whole page talking about how nervous she was to be writing what we were going to be reading on the next few pages. Bravery? Maybe. Good reading? Not in my book (ha, a book pun, get it?).
Sorry Annie and friends, I really am. But this one only gets 1 star from me.
Happy reading!
xo
Natalie
The Spirit-Filled Life
The Spirit-Filled Life
Dr. Charles Stanley
***** 5 stars
(Disclosure: I was given a complimentary copy of this book to review by BookLookBloggers. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post this review.)
“Discover the Joy of Surrendering to the Holy Spirit” love that!
This was one of those books that fit into the category of “right book at the right time.” I have been recommending this book to everyone! Dr. Charles Stanley was new to me until a few years ago, living in Minnesota and being blizzard-ed in a few times with my grandma, we watched his In Touch Ministries streamed church services. Dr. Stanley is smart, no-nonsense, but still comes across as a Mr. Rodgers type that you want to be your mentor. His sermon on anxiety resulted in 2 pages of notes that I still keep in my Bible to read frequently.
But back to this book. There are so many misconceptions about the role of the Holy Spirit in the church today. Stanley cuts through the confusion with a Biblically-sound, simple, straightforward and yet heartfelt and personal approach that every Christian should read. This will wake you up to the loving power of the Holy Spirit in your life. It’s hard for me to tell you how much you’ll get out of this book because it’s just SO. MUCH. Total game-changer. Here are some of the things they list in the promotional materials:
- who the Spirit isâand how to develop a relationship with Him
- who the Spirit isnâtâand how to avoid damaging misconceptions
- how being âfilledâ with the Spirit actually works
- what the Bible really teaches about spiritual âsignsâ such as speaking in tongues
- how the Spirit can increase your capacity for faith, hope, love, and personal transformation
- what it means to âhearâ the Spiritâs voice
- how to make the most of your unique spiritual gifting to build up Christâs body
- what happens when the Spiritâs power is unleashed in your workplace, your family life, your friendships, and every other area of your life
Everyone I told I was reading this book (online, friends in person, and strangers who saw me reading it in public) said, “That book changed my life!” because it was originally published years ago and this is an updated re-issue. I can now add my own voice to that chorus! I’ve got a copy for my boyfriend already…grab your own for sure! I highly recommend it.
Happy weekend reading!
xo
Natalie