Personal Style

Do you like blue or red? A round skirt or a straight one?

Are you and your family members adventurers or bookworms? Do you prefer the art museum or a football game? Or planting lettuce in the backyard or sipping coffee at a cafe? 

Each of us are so unique! We have different ideas, quirks, and aspirations. Clothing should definitely express your characteristics! It is not only fun, but helpful to the tasks you need to accomplish.

So what do you do?

Do you bake pies, sketch landscapes, research history, help with secretarial work at your dad's firm, attend literary lectures, assist a film set, ride horses, coordinate special events, work with graphic design, or enjoy deep sea fishing?

After you observe what you do, then build your wardrobe to fit your needs and your style!

Here are a few inspirations for different gals with different styles.

More to come! Keep watch!

Why Mothers Matter

If there's one thing about me worth knowing, it's that I love my mom. She's smart, funny, and one of the only people I know who could handle raising two teenage girls and two boys aged one and seven. I think of her as a friend to confide in and a godly example to live by. But unfortunately, a lot of young girls don't like or appreciate their mothers as much as they need to.

Now I know what you might be thinking. "This isn't Mother's Day. Why is she talking about moms?" Well, I know this sounds kind of weird, but I feel like this is a subject God's been calling me to write about. It saddens me to see girls arguing with their moms in public or to hear friends of mine complain about their moms when it's obvious that they don't realize their moms are trying to protect them. I'm not saying that I have a perfect relationship with my mother; nobody does. We have our share of disagreements just like any other mother and daughter, but she's always there for me.

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many woman do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:26-31

 The main point of this post is that mothers are some of the most noble, loving, and loyal people on earth. They never leave your side no matter what, because that's the way God made them. They provide not only their children, but everyone around them, with a sense of true and never-fleeting beauty unlike any other. But most of all, they teach us to be the godly women we were made to be. All that I am I owe to my mom and all the other women in my life. And if God blesses me with children when I am grown, I hope I can be half the mother to them that my mom has been to me.

 

So don't take your mom for granted, because you may not always have her. And don't forget to let all the other beautiful women in your life know how much you love them. Because whether or not you realize it, they care a lot about you. If you and your mom are arguing about something right now, just let her know you want to stop. Every minute you spend upset with each other is one less that you could have spent being happy and enjoying your special relationship. Enjoy your mom, and let her enjoy you. It's one of the best relationships you can have.

*********************************

By the way, love you, Mama! ;)

Scarves and more scarves!

Photo's via A Beautiful Mess and scarves.net.

Make Your Own Facial Products!

Here are some wonderful recipes for making your own facial products. Most of the ingredients can be found in your pantry or at the local health food store. You can buy your essential oils here.

The facial products available on most shelves at Walmart contain harmful ingredients, dyes, and fillers. And yet many of the natural facial products are quite expensive, and our pocketbook says, "Ouch!" So here are a few recipes to get you started on the road to making your own products at home. Have fun with it, and don't forget to treat your mom with some of the finished product!

Herbal Facial Wash

- 1 16 oz. bottle unscented liquid castile soap

- 5 drops each of the following essential oils: tea tree, peppermint, chamomile, and lavender

- 1 teaspoon hazelnut or jojoba oil

1. Add essential oils and jojoba or hazelnut oil to the bottle of liquid castile soap. Shake vigorously.

2. Store in the same bottle, or container of your choice. 

Refreshing Lemon Astringent*

- 1/2 cup witch hazel

- juice of 1/2 a lemon, strained

1. Combine ingredients in the container of your choice and shake well to blend.

2. Use within 2 weeks.

*Do not use this astringent if your skin is dry and/or sensitive.

Parsley and Peppermint Astringent*

- 2 cups filtered water

- 1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley 

- 1/4 cup fresh, chopped peppermint leaves

- 5 drops peppermint essential oil, optional

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and remove from heat.

2. Add herbs, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.

3. Add essential oil, if using, and place in the container of your choice. Shake well.

4. Store in the fridge and use within 1 week.
*This astringent is wonderful for oily or acne-prone skin.

Brewer's Yeast and Oatmeal Scrub*

- 1/4 cup Brewer's yeast

- 1/4 cup finely ground oatmeal 

- purified water

1. In a small bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Store in the container of your choice.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients and enough water to form a spreadable paste. Allow mixture to thicken 1 minute before applying to face.
*Do not use this scrub if your skin is extremely dry or irritated.  

Buy of the Week

I really enjoy this necklace! My sister gave it to me as a gift and it's one of my very favorite pieces of jewelry.

If you're not a fan of the size and prefer a more delicate necklace, this etsy shop has a lot of variety!

Find all these necklaces here!

Also, check out this link for even more bubble rock necklaces.

**Please note that not all items from this store are recommended by SnP. Happy Shopping, but be mindful of what you purchase as an ambassador of Christ!**

The Skirt vs Pants Post

"Choose your battles wisely."

You have probably heard this old adage or something like it, and the gravity of this statement rings true.

I'm weary of it.

I'm weary of hearing about and being torn by the controversy, and if you grew up homeschooled or are still being homeschooled, you might be torn about this subject, too.

Skirts vs Pants!!!!!!!!

(Cue creepy music)

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha! You knew we were bound to cover this topic on Silk and Purple some day. Yet, in all honesty, I really didn't know how to approach it at first. I can tell you my personal story of how I have swung back and forth, either feeling "liberated, yet guilty" or "virtuous, yet pious." At the age of 5, I would throw a tantrum if I couldn't wear a beautiful dress even to play in the mud. When I became a little older, I grew up in the homeschooling community where I would choose dresses and skirts when attending a conference or seminar, but in my day-to-day life, I really didn't think much about it. I wore skirts, jumpers, dresses, jeans, capris, slacks, bermudas... and who can forget the classy overalls. When I was about 15, I read a lot about the feminist movement and the need to reclaim femininity again. One way I thought I could do this was to put on skirts and dresses ONLY. I got into blogs about how to wear long skirts while scrubbing the bathtub; many of my friends and I would chat about the virtues of skirts over pants; and acquaintances often remarked about how I always was so dressed up, i.e., this was code for, "She is always wearing skirts."

And so this continued, and I stood on my little soapbox and preached the glad tidings of feminine glory! Skirts and dresses to all women and to all a goodnight!

And then I did something foolish. I hurt someone I love over this subject. My sister and I are total opposites in some ways. She sports a baseball cap while I might wear a beret, but in many ways we complement each other, keeping each other balanced and laughing, reminding each other to laugh at ourselves. But one day it wasn't a matter of laughter. I hurt my sister. She was in town for a visit with her newest little one and our family was going some place (I really don't recall where). At that time in my life, I ONLY wore skirts and dresses. Whenever Mom asked for some wardrobe advice, I would pull out... you can guess. Jacqueline, who recently had had a baby, didn't have many options of clothing due to her beautifully changing body. I didn't necessarily say that my sister was WRONG to wear pants, but I made it evident that I found greater virtue in "lady clothing."

I made my sister feel she was in someway less of an excellent woman to her family. She and her husband don't share the same convictions as I on this point, so I, in essence, was asking her to overstep what conclusions they had made for their family. When Mom told me I needed to check my pious attitude, I realized I was the one whose "excellence" needed to be examined.

So why do I tell you this story? After this ordeal, the Lord helped me to do a little heart reflecting. My passion for femininity started with wholesome intentions. It began as a quest to preserve my role as a woman. But simply wearing the "right" clothing does not make me have a godly, feminine heart. I know girls that, aside from wearing a jean skirt to the floor, seemingly have no idea what femininity is.

Now I'm not saying that if you choose skirts over pants, you are practicing the ways of a pharisee rather than a disciple, but honestly, I was. Somehow I felt like a more holy Christian. I was prideful about the impression of humility. Yet I did learn some very good lessons, too -- like it is just as easy to wear a dress as it is to throw on some capris. I am treated more gently by strangers. I also learned that keeping a difference in the way men and women dress is very glorifying to the Lord!

So my question to you is: Is this argument about skirts and pants worth the separation of community within the body of Christ?

I hope you are following me with a resounding NO.
Girls, we have MANY battles to fight. And making our army of the Lord weaker by bickering or constantly focusing on this issue is not getting us anywhere -- it's rather like a dog chasing its tail.

But this is an issue today among many Christians, and Paul was going through a similar one. Here is what he did:

 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?  If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.  Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

1 Corinthians 10:23-33

During this time, the church had a great many issues to deal with -- a big one was eating the meat offered to idols. (Let's call them "Zeus burgers.") Christians in society wanted to win people over to Christ and they were faced with a problem of how the law of Moses and the pagan rituals would be felt within the new church. What Paul was saying here is, if as a Christian you eat a Zeus burger, then you are not in danger of falling from grace; however, if you have a friend who came from that pagan background and she has a conscience about the Zeus burgers, then it is wise not to eat one. You want others to be at ease around you, not feeling as if you are being judgmental.

Zeus burgers are a lot like clothing because the verse here says "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

I think the big question is: Do we believe this? Are we wearing jeans to the glory of God? Are we wearing swimsuits to the glory of God?

Hard questions, because we are going to need to examine our hearts. So here is my advice on how to move on from this feminine dressing dispute.

1. Read scripture and define femininity, not as weak and childish, but strong, noble, and wise.

2. Prayerfully consider how the Lord wants you to grow femininity in your life.

3. Respectfully talk out with your parents as to what they would like for you to express in your feminine appearance.

4. Don't over-think it. Make decisions and move on. Turn your thoughts to the everlasting treasures -- sharing and teaching Christ.

Personally I have taken these steps, and I've found that even when wearing a pant I can look very feminine. I do enjoy dresses, skirts, pants, and capris because of the usefulness of each garment in many different life challenges.

As always, femininity is not just the exterior, but the inward person shining through.

One in Three

Mixing and matching is one of the fun things about clothing! The way you put outfits together can show your personal style and share a glimpse of who you are to the people around you.

So here is one item, but as you can see below, it can be used in very different ways!

Blue Jean Top

Emily Post: "Table Manners" (1947)

Enjoy a little etiquette from the master!

Heart Reflections ~ Part 2

We select our clothing and look in a mirror.

We watch ourselves as we brush our teeth, fix our hair, put on makeup, pluck our eyebrows, and select our accessories. Then we stand back and see how the whole appearance looks. We grab our coat and bag and give ourselves one more glance before walking out the door. During the drive, we put on lip gloss and before we walk into our appointment, we take one more moment to make sure our hair is in place.

Does all this staring into our looking glasses reveal our vanity, or are we just peering upon the wrong reflections?

All that is depicted above is a general average of how many times a young woman might see her reflection in a mirror when preparing to go out in public. Obviously we need mirrors for the placement of hair, the selection of flattering fashion, and for our beauty and hygiene regimens. The sole drive to accomplish these things is not just because we need to, but rather we want to be admired or accepted by others. We think about what others might think so we alter our likes to fit theirs.

As I've said before, it's okay to have the desire to be accepted. We are created with a sense of community. The imbalance happens when we make an idol out of either a crowd's or a person's acceptance rather than considering what our Creator thinks of us.

I'll be the first to admit that I easily fall into the sleepy slumber of a passive Christian life. Yet if I consider what my Heavenly Father thinks about me, how can I stay content with the old passive me? We need to desire His loving acceptance.

So we're going to need to peer into our reflections.
And that means we'll need a mirror,
 but not the one where we put on blush or pick broccoli out of our teeth. This mirror is not reflecting our external appearance, but rather the inward person -- our hearts, minds, and souls. I like to call these heart reflections, and sometimes it can be easy to push aside the grooming of the inward heart. Maybe it's because we don't want to or we have an overly hectic schedule. Things happen, and day by day it's easy to put off the inward upkeep for the One who always sees us -- Christ! If you don't floss and brush your teeth, what will happen? Decay will set in and your smile might resemble more of a jack-o-lantern. If you don't care for your hair, it will become knotted, gunky, and smelly. So why don't we think about our inward hearts the same way?

We are most prone to decay of the inward heart because Satan wants to pull us away from Christ. Can he succeed? The Bible says nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, but can he stunt our effective Christian life? Yes! We will not be positively impacting others.

So what type of mirror do we need? Our Father has made one that enables us to peer right into our souls. It's the Word and if you haven't read it today, yesterday, or the day before, you are in need of some serious grooming. His Word will wash you and make you ready.

 I know what a busy life is like and I struggle in this area, but would we ever leave our homes half-dressed and smelly? Probably never! Yet many of us are walking around like this on the interior. We are in need of an inward makeover.

For the next few weeks, let's talk about heart reflections and how we can spend time peering into our souls. The last post on Silk and Purple was a photo. Use it as a gift from Silk and Purple! Print it out and hang it on your mirror to help you with some exterior, and interior, grooming before you walk out the door.

Buy of the Week

 Coat sale!

 Follow this link and get this coat 50% off!!

$21.99

Don't miss out!

**Please note that not all items from this store are recommended by SnP. Happy Shopping, but be mindful of what you purchase as an ambassador of Christ!**

Make the Switch

My family has been eating a gluten-free, organic (or at the very least 100% natural) diet, with a hearty helping of daily raw fresh veggies, for over four years. And we try to use only honey, agave, and raw sweeteners. We made the switch -- feeling good never tasted so good! Some days we do better than others, but we've experienced many lumps and bumps along the way. It's not easy to change your family dinner menu when cooking for a hungry papa who has been used to "regular" food for years.

We call my daddy Potato Man because he is more fond of meat and potatoes than a green kale salad. :) He prefers simple flavors and country cooking, so Mom and I had a mission -- how could we turn those tasty comfort meals into healthy dinners? Here are three of my family's (and probably yours) staple dinners, but I'll share some simple ways we make them healthy. These products might be a little more costly, but we've found our food budget has really not been affected because of less junk-food purchases.

Spaghetti

This is one of our go-to meals, but when we went gluten-free, the normal pasta had to go. Replacing the taste was hard, but when we found these pastas, we fell in love!

Find Quinoa Pasta here!

Find Tinkyada rice pasta here!

Pizza

Pizza is my favorite comfort food, but who wants to be sick after eating what the pizza delivery guy brings?

Make your homemade pizzas with ease, using a gluten-free crust that is so yummy! Add basil, your favorite veggies, or pesto for an easy gourmet dinner.

Find out more about Against the Grain Gourmet here!

Cheeseburgers and Fries

The ultimate American food staple. So how do you make this good for you?

For fries, slice potatoes and toss with sea salt, pepper, and EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). Place in your oven (350 degrees) and let cook till golden. For an even healthier choice, prepare sweet potatoes the same way, omitting the pepper.

For your burger, replace your white hamburger bun with an Ezekiel sprouted grain bun.

Find out more about Food for Life Ezekiel products here.

Nifty Tricks

Being creative with the items around you can save you a lot of money and be very fun! Think outside the box when it comes to fashion! Here are a few inspirations to help you get started in becoming a thrifty crafter.

Cut an old sweater sleeve and use as a sock look-alike without the bunchiness in your boot. 

Great ways to recycle old tee shirts.

Trash into treasure!

Heart Reflections ~ Part 1

Buy of the Week! {Dressy Dresses}

One of my very favorite items to shop for is a dress. They can be easy to wear and can express your personal style with color, patterns, and cut! Add boots and tights to stay cozy all the cold months ahead.

Here are a wide variety of styles and prices. Have fun dress shopping this season! 

DRESS, DRESSY, 

DRESSNESS,

MAXI, MAXIER,

DRESS,

MIDI

**Please note that not all items from this store are recommended by SnP. Happy Shopping, but be mindful of what you purchase as an ambassador of Christ!**

P.S. Check out this dress giveaway from Shabby Apple. 

12 dresses for free!!!

http://blog.shabbyapple.com/2012/10/why-because-we-love-you.html

Facial Lotions

With the return of cool weather, most people are cranking up the heat in their homes. I'm sure you are no exception! We are so blessed to have heat in our homes. However, the heat brings something that not many of us like, and that is dry skin. Below I have recommended some all-natural facial lotions that will keep your face smooth and moisturized without clogging up your pores.

Alba Botanica Oil-Free Aloe and Green Tea Moisturizer 

Find this facial lotion here!

Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Daily Moisturizer

Find this facial lotion here!

Yes To Cucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer

Find this facial lotion here!

Dessert Essence Daily Essential Moisturizer

Find this facial lotion here!

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Have a wonderful day serving the Lord Jesus!

F.S. ~ Tips on Punctuality

 Autumn is here and brings with it the pleasant cool weather and beautiful scenes we all enjoy. Even the dog seems exhilarated as if to exclaim: "It's cool outside! Come play!"

"The leaves began to change. Hot tea became more precious, 

books more sought after, fires warmer, and walks more pleasant."
-That We Might Have Hope  

Although the autumn garden is muted with new blooms and fading flowers, this season is regarded by some as a time of beginnings. School supplies, wooly wardrobes, and a flurry of activities and gatherings dot the calendar of cooler months.

  This brings us to our Finishing School topic...Punctuality. With all of these events to attend, punctuality should be in the forefront of our minds. Respect and honor are best shown by being on time, whether it is a hayride, school meeting, business presentation, or worship gathering.

So here are just a few basic guidelines to encourage a timely arrival:

 ~At an open house, it is appropriate to arrive during the designated times. If the invitation says from 2 until 4, then you can drop by anytime within those two hours and it would be acceptable, if you are sure to leave by 4.

~It is not polite to arrive early to a dinner party unless you are asked to help with preparations. Arriving early can send the host or hostess into a panic! Your hostess will appreciate your timely arrival as serving dinner depends on it!

~If it is a wedding you are attending, it is appropriate and preferred to be early. Wedding guests should arrive at least 20 minutes early so that you are then able to be escorted to your seat. 

~If circumstances beyond your control make you late, it is polite to call ahead if you are meeting with friends or business associates to let them know you will be late. Be honest; don't blame it on traffic if you just slept in late.

Tardiness is sometimes unavoidable, but as we gather together this season remember... 

"Punctuality is the politeness of kings."  Louis XVIII