Soul Candy

Dress to Look Tall

2011-12-21T21:22:00.000-08:00

Taller Makes you look Thinner.

To dress to make yourself look tall:

1. Reveal your throat and chest with scoop or V necks

2. Choose fabrics with vertical or diagnal stripes.

3. Choose pieces with built in verticals such as corduroy fabric or princess seams.

4. Create long lines with scarves around the waist or neck (becuase it will drape down), long jewelry such as dangle earrings or long necklaces.

5. Dark colors of any type (not just black) wear from head to toe if you can. (such as brown pants with a brown jacket or brown shirt. If thats too much of one color for you thats okay but it will make you appear taller and thinner.)

6. Create vertical hairstyles such as vertical up-dos, high ponytails, halfup half down, or straight hair.

7. Keep your pants 1inch above the the floor behind your heel.

8. Wear shoes with platform soles.

9. Get tops and jackets with hems that fall about three inches below your hipbones. This is long enough to cover most of the tummy. You can get them longer but they will make your hips and butt look larger than they are.

10. A-line skirts. The most flattering hemlines fall right at the top of the knee and about two inches below the knee.

11. With skirts, wearing shoes that are the same tone as your skin is slimming. Pantyhose should be the same color as your skin and opaque tights should be the same color as your shoes.

12. If you use a cover up of some kind choose a fabric you can see through. This will keep you from looking bulky.

AVOID

1. Boxy, loose, oversized anything.

2. Tops, Jackets that are 3inches below your hip bones. The longer the top, the wider you will look.

3. No horizontal stripes or designs.

4. Pants with pleated waists. They make you look larger despite the common thought that they slim you.

5. Pants tapered at the ankles (''Mom jeans'') Anything tapered at the ankles will make your hips look wider.

6. Pants with side pockets or back pockets with flaps make your hips and butt look bigger (I personally want this so this is not a no for me haha)

7. Skinny jeans, leggings, bike shorts that fit tight across the hips, butt thighs, calves. These make everyones butt look big.

8. Skirts with longer hems than 2 inches past the knee will make you appear shorter and wider.

9. Shoes with ankle straps or gladiators that go across your leg will make your legs look shorter and wider along with the rest of your body.

Sweet Savory Rice

2011-09-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 Tbs Turmeric, garlic powder, cinnamon, clove, coconut oil, butter (or half a stick)

1 Tbs Vanilla extract

1 chopped onion

4 c Basmati or Jasmine rice (really any rice you're willing to try the mixture with.)

5-6 c chicken broth

Salt/Pepper to taste
Lemon or lime juice

(You can also cook chicken pieces and mix them into this if you wish. You can also add peas and carrots shreds if you want more vegetables.)

Directions

1. Soak rice for about an hour then let it drain it for a while (I spread mine out on a paper towel, the goal is to get the rice as dried again as possible--it will absorb the flavors better this way.)

2. Put all the ingredients but the rice and broth in large pan with a lid on a simmer level. Cook until the onions are clear. Add the rice and mix well until all the rice is covered in the mix.

3. Add the broth and bring to a rolling boil, then let simmer for 20-30 minutes with the lid on. When it's done you can put more lemon juice on the rice to help the fluffiness if you want.

Blueberry Corn Muffins

2011-09-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 c sour cream or cream cheese
1 stick of butter melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 Tbs baking powder
1/2 c milk
2 egg, beaten
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/3 cup Honey
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
Tons of blueberries (I like a lot, use however many you desire)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375* F (190* C). Grease muffin cups and add a bit of flour to stick to the oil to keep muffins from sticking (this is if you don't have cups of course.)
Sift dry ingredients. In a bowl, mix wet ingredients. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until moistened.
Put a spoon blob into each muffin spot and then drop a blob of blueberries over it. Then add another spoon on top, then add another blob of blueberries on the top.
Bake for 20min, let sit for about 10.

Prayer Time Prayer

2011-08-29T02:46:00.000-07:00

PRAYER TIME

Get my bible near me.

Go wherever you need to go to sit and listen, be quiet before God.

Do not rush this time.

Heavenly Father,

I am nothing without you and can do nothing without you. Thank you for being with me always. Forgive me of my sins. Forgive me of ____. Show me sins I do not notice. Change my attitude to the ones I choose to ignore. Thank you for the compassion to have Jesus on the cross to forgive me. You are so holy, merciful and loving. Thank you for moving (this way) in my life and providing everything I need. Thank you for (physical blessing, a person that has blessed you, spiritual blessings, transitional blessing.) Thank you for all the blessings you freely give to me as I walk with you and trust you with my life. Thank you for your interest in me and my life and allowing me to ask anything of you and tell you anything on my heart. My life is in your hands always and I surrender my entire self to you. Control me with the holy spirit. Allow me to borrow your eyes and see things how you see them; borrow your heart and feel what you feel; and borrow your mouth, that I speak for you and not for myself. Help me keep my heart as open to you as an open window. (Ask of anything that is on your heart.) (Think of anyone that keeps coming up in your heart, imagine them in between God and you, present their needs to God.) Lord, please cloth me, my family and close friends with your armor. Protect us from spiritual attacks as well as our safety as we go through the day. Too many I know live without your glory and love in their lives. Please create the circumstances in (List the unsaved); in their lives that they will see the need for God and turn away from what the world claims to offer them. For those that I am able and close with, allow me to be able to share Jesus Christ with them in a way that reaches them and doesn't turn them away from you. I also pray for those that I do not know that do not have you in their lives. (Pray for anything that has been asked of you to pray for.) Lord, I pray for our nations and our leaders. I pray for Israel's safety and that our country does not support those that plan to destroy Israel.Thank you for all of your blessings and listening to my prayer Lord. Give me the strength to do what I need to do through the day. Most of all, keep me in the spirit and your guidance that I listen to you when you communicate with me. That I don't ignore or miss your guidance doing other things. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

2011-08-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

1 heaping cup of all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda (or 1 tsp baking powder+1/4 cream of tartar)

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup Vanilla Sugar (put a vanilla bean in a covered cup of sugar for a few days and you'll have vanilla sugar.)

1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw

3/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg 1 yolk at room temperature (only add the rest of the egg white if for some reason the mix seemed dry.)

Bag of Toffee

2/3 cocoa powder

1) Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

2) Cream the butter and sugars until it is smooth.

3) Add the vanilla and eggs until mixed.

4) Slowly add flour mix. Add toffee Refrigerate dough for at least an hour or 24-36 hours.

5) Preheat oven to 350. I use an inch wide melon baller and place them about an inch or two apart. I pat the top down to make them flatter.

6) Bake for 11-15min (this varies per oven.)

Voila

Moving back in...

2011-08-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

It amazes me how much our tuition is and how incredibly crappy our dorms are kept at our school. They cut way too many corners. Anyway, I slaved away in the dorm today cleaning as much as I could. It was like someone had cooked something and dumped bits on the floor letting them crust on the tile, letting bugs eat it and die there and shedding hair all over the place. I got most of it clean though and the majority of my room setup. It's been a long day but even though I'm tired I feel good to have something under my belt.

Project Rachael

2011-08-07T00:11:00.000-07:00

I have very eclectic taste. Some would call it tacky haha Usually, I know where the tacky line is. I'm taking my college dorm as the last few years of being allowed to just have a hodge podge of everything and it being socially acceptable. I've been making and ''rachifying'' what I already have. I'm still working on some pillows but this is one I've Rachified so far.

BEFORE:

RACHIFIED

The dots were more of a salmon pink color that didn't quite thrill me. The online picture shows up as more red and on my camera the edges show very hot pink. The blue color in the original color is actually more of a light teal color on the actual product. I used an old GAP scarf to make the border (it's kind of sheer but I don't mind)--random buttons for the eyes and a green ribbon bow. I don't know which I like better really but I achieved my goal in getting rid of the busy polka dots.

Importance of Travel

2011-07-29T23:22:00.000-07:00

Traveling is something everyone should go out of their way to do. You don't have to go far either. Some of the best traveling experiences I've had were within an hour or two away of where I live (and I live in the sticks in case you think I'm from a city.) You meet incredibly people (and some not so much) but either way it's an experience and in my experience, it will help you grow.

FRANCE

This was in Paris in front of the Louvre. This picture isn't a great shot but the guy there in the front cracks me up. He looks lost like he's thinking, "Ugh like, Where's the Louvre man?"

This of course is the Eiffel Tower

About midway up the tower you are stopped to take another elevator up. So, in a crowd of a ton of people you are waiting for the elevator. The view even from half way was beautiful. I know the photograph above is dark but the sun was setting by the time I took the photo. When there was still more light however I admired the park on the ground. I saw this guy laying by himself and I thought I wonder if he's alone... Either way his position made me laugh and I had to take a picture of this awesome guy enjoying the park!

Once we arrived at the top, naturally it was also a great view. You're caged in though so it is slightly restricted but for me that didn't ruin it or anything. Below is the Sacre Coeur from the Eiffel Tower.

Most of the view was of buildings scattered about such as this.

Sky in Paris

This is a sheep I bought in Stonehenge. We were stuck in traffic in a tunnel for a few hours.
This started a series of many pictures of my sheep.
I named him Francois Jr. after our tour guide Francois.

This is the Da Vinci Staircase located inside the Chateau de Chambord.
If you've ever seen the movie Ever After, Chateau de Chambord
is the castle they used in the film.

Another Francois pic. This was in the Est hotel in Paris. It was small
and not exactly new but I LOVED this hotel.

This was taken in Normandy. A beautiful but historically tragic place.

I have forgotten where in France this was...

This was on the way to Morocco.

Somewhere in France--We drove by.

Unfortunately back in this time I wasn't that big into photography. The photographs I have of the trips I took when I was in high school are scarce.

LONDON

Big Ben! I've always loved cool clocks...

The London Eye. Those pods are HUGE. I would have loved
to ride this at night when the city was lit up! When I went it was very
cloudy. I really enjoyed it though and I hope I get a chance to go again.

About random towns

I found this abandoned park. I tried to walk on the property and got in trouble by the owner haha.
One day, I will try again!

This was as close as I could get of this TRex. This actually is also on some versions of the DVD cover of Elizabethtown.

At a waterpark in Florida.

In my yard.

Bench in a park.

I saw this and just couldn't help but laugh. I wish I could've seen what
good stuff that had in there... I bet it was real good...

This was in a tiny but beautiful Catholic church
that was tucked away in the woods.

It doesn't matter where you go, just go. Travel. Anywhere, anytime you can. You won't regret it. There is always something to see as long as you take the time to take it in and enjoy where you are.

The Beginning of the Ugly Girl

2011-07-28T10:04:00.000-07:00

I guess you could say I was kind of delayed when it comes to growing up. My mother became terminally ill when I was in high school and my dad decided to take his own frustrations out on me verbally and physically (not sexually thank God.) I didn't have time for dating and I never took more than simple consideration to what I looked like. I ate like crap for years based on the diet trends of my parents. Eventually I did lose some weight in high school from depression of my family situation. After concerns for my safety I ran off from home, worked every hour I could get on the clock and got an apartment with my best friend. Work being a priority over everything and having very little money for food, I once again ate very unhealthy (and at the time I was quite happy eating that way haha.)

I was a chunky kid with glasses, asthma, braces, acne, frizzy hair with poofy bangs that made my round face something poodle like. I lost the braces and occasionally seem to manage my hair. After changing quite a bit, including losing some weight (the most effective help being Jenny Craig but watch out for the food expense!), I still felt like the awkward girl that was made fun of all the time. I started to become obsessive about the way I looked. I gained my weight back plus some, I never got rid of my acne (even after taking the harshest medication accutane) and at some point I would fall into these serious slumps of depression hating how I was. Once I had time for dating it seemed there was no one taking interest, despite everyone easily becoming my friend. Even when I tried to initiate first, it just never seemed to work. I never felt pretty enough and after years going by I simply gave it up. After giving up, it took a while but at some point I just accepted this empty shell of mine as the norm. I had failed and would never be the woman the world wants me to be. I've realized that the worlds desires however, are never satisfied, no matter how good or beautiful you are.

After truly seeing this, I started to shift my focus toward changing myself from the inside out rather than the other way around. It sounds like that would be common sense but it is so rarely applied; the common thought being if I change this part of my body then I will gain self esteem and become a better person. I realized that our outline is a reflection of our inside. I can easily (not proudly) say that I was a typical Christian living in the safe zone. I consider the ''safe zone'' the place where you say you believe something but you're not really going the distance to actually strengthening your faith. I never realized how dangerous this actually was until I took that effort to strengthen it. I've noticed over the years of my ups and downs; when I focused on my relationship with God first, even when things went wrong for me, my life still seemed so much more together. I suppose it took this long for me to realize my goal should be the best Christian woman I can be and I won't lie to you; It's not a cakewalk, specially after creating MANY habits that shouldn't have been made (which I'm sure I'll get into later.)

One of my favorite versus: "... the Lord doesn't see what men see for men look on outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

It's been a hard journey and I'm nowhere near to the end. I never thought that taking care of my body to be healthy, my appearance, or even small actions that I do, reflect God. God wants the best for us. He's given us limited freedom to protect our souls from the harm we do to ourselves on a regular basis. The trials we face are to bring us closer to God not push us away. We've never been promised a perfect, pain free life. So those living by that standard will be disappointed. God promises to be there if we'd only take the time to reach out and get to know him. There is nothing in the world you can do that is unforgivable. Nothing. Your errors are miniscule to the errors done over the ages. God knows your heart better than any person can hope to and only He can grant you peace of mind,

There seem to be extremes in how women should be in the world, even the Christian world. The bible makes it clear that a woman's heart should be set on her home, and the affairs of her house should be met. This does not mean you are slave driven over your home and it is also clear that the bible does not say you are not able to work outside the home either. As long as the affairs of your house are in order, then run that business on the side wonder woman!

I have been incredibly fortunate to have the chance to get to know my grandmothers. They are incredible women who have run through serious trials of life. If your grandmothers are still alive, be blessed and seek their counsel. Elders are gold mines of information. Yes, the times have changed and some things may come off as irrelevant but no matter the age-history has always repeated itself and will continue to do so. Don't be fooled into thinking you are more knowledgeable than they are. We're all women and the basic fundamentals of being human are the same.

May favor rest on us all.