Thursday, April 7, 2011

Historical Hair: The Belle Gardiner Ball Coiffure



So here is the second historical hairstyle tutorial. Leah agreed to let me do her hair in this gorgeous style...thanks Leah! :)
The difficulty level of this style is a little harder than the Ada Clare Pull-Back, simply because you begin with straight hair, and mistakes are more easily seen. Remember, this is the style I have come up with from this picture from the movie. I know it is not exactly like the movie. But this is one version of a hairstyle inspired by and similar to Belle Gardiner's movie coiffure. I may try again sometime and try to watch it over and get the exact style, but anyway, to begin! :)

Step One: Brush out hair

Step Two: Pull hair smoothly and gently over ears, so that is looks smooth and flat over the ears from the front. The essence of the Civil War hairstyles. Pin in place.

Step Three: Starting below the right ear, very gently begin French-braiding the hair, keeping it loose so that the hair will still lie flat over the ears. Braid along back of head and over to left side.
Try to keep the braid inconspicuous. It is not the focal point of the hairstyle.


Step Four: Hold the braid loosely in one hand, and take out a strand of hair near the middle of the back of the head for a curl. Take another strand or two to curl and hang over the shoulder. Braid the remaining hair into a long braid, and coil into a bun. Pin in place.

hee-hee...you can see I was double-dutying on the hair thing...there's Sarah with her hair in bandanna waves! :P

I also kept the coiling of the braid loose. This is not supposed to be a very tight style as far as the braiding goes, so a meticulously braided and coiled bun would be out of place.


A side view

Another side view. You can see the way the hair is pulled softly over the ears.

Step Five: Curl the strands of hair left out and arrange as you like. I left one curl hanging down Leah's back, and two over her shoulder. In the original hairstyle in the movie, Belle Gardiner's curls were very tight and small ringlets. However, my curling iron is sort of fat and would not make a small ringlet. You may wish to set the strands of hair in sponge curlers to get that effect. Also, the shorter your hair, the smaller the ringlets will be.

Step Six: I put a comb into the hair, above the braided bun. This is how Belle Gardiner had her's in the movie, as far as I can tell. Her comb was much larger than mine, though.

Here are the final pictures! :)



I could have wrapped her curl once or twice around her bun to make it shorter, but I chose to leave it longer and looser.




So there you go! Complete instructions for the Belle Gardiner Ball Coiffure- as far as I could get it right! :) Tell me what you think! ~Rachel

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

"O I wish I was a Lassie" : National Tartan Day! :)

"Oh ye tak' the high road
And I'll tak' the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland 'afore ye...."

So today is the day every American who observes such holidays digs up their Scottish genealogy and displays their clan tartan proudly. Or, if you are like me, you bemoan the fact that you came from the Irish MacWilliams, and look up your Scottish cousin's tartans! :P
So pretty much, here we are! These are the MacLeod Clan's crests! (MacWilliams being an offshoot of the MacLeod clan) The motto: Murus Aheneus Esto means: "Hold Fast" which relates to the time when the Clan Chieftain wrestled a bull to the ground and the crowd shouted "Hold Fast!" *Swoons at thought* ;)
I love the language of heraldry, and learning what various symbols mean. The crest within the crest badge is blazoned a bull's head cabossed sable, horned Or, between two flags gules, staved at the first. Basically, all these various symbols stand for such tangible things as diamonds, gold, rubies, and topaz, and for such virtues as faith, obedience, and gentility. Better and better! :)
As a clan badge, we can also wear a sprig of juniper in our hats, or for ladys, at the shoulder of our tartan sash. Which brings me to our tartan! :)

"What an unusual dress, Molly. Is that the tartan of your father's clan?"
"Oh...no, Mrs. Hamley. Papa said it was not like any proper tartan he'd ever seen. But Miss Rose said it was the latest fashion in London last season."
~Molly Gibson of Wives and Daughters


These are the tartans of the MacLeod clan. The loud yellow one was designed in 1841 under the name "MacLeod". It is sometimes called Dress MacLeod, or MacLeod of Lewis, supposedly to come from that side of the family. (though it was designed after the family of Lewes had ceased to be chiefs)
The blue tartan was recorded in 1831 but is thought to be much older. It is sometimes called MacLeod of Harris.
So here I am, sitting on National Tartan day wearing a bright and springy plaid shirt....and hoping that there is some genealogical mistake and we are actually from the Scottish MacWilliams. However it is, I have enjoyed the research I did! :)
~Rachel

Monday, April 4, 2011

The Pollen Bowl of 2011

Back when Grandma June and Grandmama were little, they had the Dust Bowl of 1930....



Our entire countryside is a yellow-ish haze. Visibility is low.
It isn't smoke....
It isn't fog.....
It isn't smog.....
Well....they do say history repeats itself. Our corner of Virginia is currently experiencing a frightening and intense natural disaster:
The Pollen Bowl of 2011. :P




If you were blessed with good sinuses that can take rolling clouds of this vile powder...be thankful. We're on the verge of sniffling like love-lorn ladies ourselves. :P

;)

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Who I am in God's Eyes: Week 7

Who I am in God's Eyes Series Week 7:


I am.....



Chosen by God
and precious to Him!

Have a blessed week ya'll! :) Feel free to leave a comment. ;)

-Sarah





Friday, April 1, 2011

Winter Comes Back....?

I cannot believe this!!
Yesterday it was a pretty moderate 50 degrees and today--
look at what I woke up to:




Yes, you're seeing correctly, that's snow! And not just a dusting, either!
And right as we were thinking it had finally "sprung" too.I'm not sure whether I like it or not.... 
but at least.. instead of weekend cleaning, we get to do this:
:)


Did anyone else get this surprise?!
(oh, and did I forget to mention that I Slap Floor?;)
-Sarah