Celebrating

Theme colors.



I already missed my first Thursday I was scheduled to post for Thrifty Thursdays. Sorry I was so sick and not up to posting. You are welcome to explore the budget wedding collection I have assembled this past couple of weeks, all for well under $200, total (for full vow renewal, including cake and wedding party atire)! Hopefully I'll get back on track and into a posting rhythm soon.





I need boots for the support, in order to walk better, but they had to be cute!
My big splurge at $20 on eBay, with free shipping.



Some of the language choices here hurt my heart because I know they dishonor God, but the overall letter, from an adult daughter, to her own mother, also referencing the author's 3-year-old and grandmother, is so eye-opening! I'm planning to share a portion of this with my 11-year-old this afternoon, to give her insight into how the truth we know about beauty in childhood can be so shaped and manipulated by life!

Edible butterfly cake decorations.

---- Update : Had that special time with my daughter before I ever got to post this. I will update by saying THIS is another reason infertility hurt so bad, one of those "Mommy moments" I so yearned for and truly enjoyed! If you are facing infertility or pregnancy loss, please know you are in my prayers today! ----

For all moms of pre-teen or early teen daughters (around 10-14 years), I must highly recommend Queen Esther's Secrets of Womanhood by my friend Ginger Garrett. My daughter and I started her Esther Year this month and I am SO excited!!!

For lack of a better descriptive on my part, I guess it is sort of a devotional leader's guide for you and your daughter. It take's the story of Esther and unfolds 12 monthly "dates" for a mother and daughter, fun little beauty splurges (yesterday's was just a basic skin care lesson, but since we had already done that and both needed hair cuts, we got our hair cut together, then sat and talked at Starbucks) that are really just spring boards to talk about deeper heart issues and what God has to say on the topic of beauty. It is a few years old, so if your local Christian bookstore can't order it try Amazon, half.com or even eBay. So glad to have this book I've hung on to since my "baby" was little!

For lack of a better descriptive on my part, I guess it is sort of a devotional leader's guide for you and your daughter. It take's the story of Esther and unfolds 12 monthly "dates" for a mother and daughter, fun little beauty splurges our first was intended to be just a basic skin care lesson, but since we had already done that and both needed hair cuts, we got our hair cut together, then sat and talked at Starbucks) that are really just spring boards to talk about deeper heart issues and what God has to say on the topic of beauty. It is a few years old, so if your local Christian bookstore can't order it try Amazon, half.com or even eBay. So glad to have this book I've hung on to since my "baby" was little!

Beauty Secrets of the Bible

I have mentioned this book many times before, and the link to the author's website is in my sidebar, but given that this Virtual Spa Weekend idea was born out of the desire to provide a fun weekend for women who could not attend the Hannah's Prayer Ministries retreat in Ohio this weekend, I think Ginger Garrett and her book Beauty Secrets of the Bible deserve another spotlight today! Ginger is the keynote speaker at the Hannah's Prayer retreat and I am so sad that I am not meeting her in person right now! But I know she will be a blessing to all the ladies at the retreat and if you take the time to explore her website, her resources will be a delight to you as well. :)

Virtual Spa Weekend!

The first weekend in May, Hannah's Prayer Ministires (Christian infertility and pregnancy loss support ministry I helped launch nearly 15 years ago) will be holding a retreat in OH. There will be about 40 ladies gathered to encourage and support one another. The theme of the weekend will be "Beautiful In His Sight" and the guest speaker is Ginger Garrett, author of Beauty Secrets of the Bible (as well as a devotional book on infertility and several award-winning Christian fiction titles). I know it will be a wonderful, blessed weekend for all who attend!

Unfortunately, there are hundreds of women who are regular participants on the Hannah's Prayer Community Forums who are unable to attend for a variety of reasons (mostly, the prohibitive cost of travel) but would really love to be there. As the excitement builds on our Forums for the ladies who will be attending, the disappointment for those who cannot is growing as well. And so I'm going to be hosting a Virtual Spa Weekend here on my InnerBeautyGirlz blog from May 1-3.

This event will be open to everyone, but especially geared toward the ladies of Hannah's Prayer. I am looking for home-spa ideas, beauty treats and suggestions, guest blogger articles on beauty (with fun tips for our bodies, but also a focus on inner beauty), and product donations for drawings and give-aways throughout the weekend. Since my target readers that weekend will all be dealing with infertility or the death of a baby, I need to specifically avoid child-related posts and products (like using examples from motherhood in your stories).

Please share your suggestions for this event! Have a beauty topic you would like to write a guest blog about? Have a product you would like to donate as a give-away (and get your business featured in the process)? Have any creative ideas and suggestions for creating an at-home-spa experience? I would love to hear from you!

For instructions about how to participate in Virtual Spa Weekend and earn contest entries, check out the Early Bird entries post. :)

Essentail Oils and Infertility Support

I just signed up as an affiliate with Mountain Rose Herbs. I actually haven't even tried their products yet, but I'm drawn to the site for several reasons including that I look out my window at "Mt. Rose" everyday (OK, probably not the one the company was named for, but a mountain that I think is very beautiful). "My" Mt. Rose plays an important part in one of the fiction books I hope to some day write. So even just at the name, this company already had my attention!

They have come highly recommended to me by Leon of the Glowing Diva message boards, a woman I trust for helpful, natural beauty advice. She loves the products, so I'm giving them a try. If anyone else wants to make a purchase, I earn a small commission on any orders placed by entering their website through my referral link at http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/cgi-bin/Main.pl?AID=101123&BID=30 or any of the button/banner links to the site found along my sidebar or in my posts on this blog.

I think my first order will be Lemon Flavoring Extract ($2.97 for 2 ounces) from April's Specials along with both some Tea Tree Essential Oil and some Peppermint Oil to mix in shampoo. I'm so excited to try these!

While we are on the topic of beautiful scents, don't forget to register for the Hannah's Prayer Ministries infertility and miscarriage retreat, Beautiful In His Sight, to be held May 1-3, 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The guest speaker will be Ginger Garrett, author of several books including Beauty Secrets of the Bible and Moments for Couples Who Long for Children. Along with many wonderful beauty secrets, Ginger is an expert on essential oils and fragrances that can enrich your beauty regimen, so her book is a great resource if you are interested in essential oils but wondering how to use them! The retreat registration deadline has been extended to this Wednesday, April 15, so if you or someone you love could use some support and encouragement in the areas of infertility or pregnancy loss, please visit http://www.Hannah.org for details right away!

Beautiful In His Sight Retreat

Event: Hannah's Prayer Retreat
Date: Fri, May 01, 2009 - Sun, May 03, 2009
Place: Cincinnati, OH
Details: This retreat is for married women who have experienced infertility, pregnancy loss, or infant death. Join other sisters in Christ who know the pain these experiences bring, and be encouraged together to look to Christ for hope and healing.

Location: Sheraton Cincinnati Airport Hotel, 2826 Terminal Drive, Hebron, KY 41048

Cost: $200 per person for event, hotel, and all meals. $65 per person local option for event and Friday dinner only.

Speaker: Ginger Garrett, author of several books, including Moments for Couples Who Long for Children and Beauty Secrets of the Bible (a book that has often been spotlighted on this blog).

The theme is "Beautiful in His Sight." Through worship, prayer, encouraging messages, various workshops, and fun & fellowship, we hope to strengthen our relationship with Christ and one another and be reminded that even though our bodies don't work the way they're "supposed to" and our lives are not turning out as we'd planned, we are precious and beautiful and loved by the Lord, and He has a great plan for our lives, whether He sends us children or not.

God brings beauty from the ashes in our journey!

For more information or to register, please visit Hannah's Prayer Ministries at http://www.Hannah.org

Winner of Beauty Secrets of the Bible is...

Yvonne P. of Alberta, Canada!
I will be emailing you this week to confirm your mailing address and get your copy of Beauty Secrets of the Bible in the mail to you.

Thank you to everyone who entered February's contest. Be looking for our new March give-away to be announced later this week! :)

Is Your Makeup Safe? Learn about the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

I've been reading several books about safe and natural cosmetics recently. Over and over one website has been noted, SafeCosmetics.org. This amazing resource offers helpful information about beauty products that may be doing many ugly things to our bodies, as well as explaining healthier alternatives. They offer an extensive list of "safer companies" who have each signed a "Compact for Safe Cosmetics" pledging "to not use chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects in their products and to implement substitution plans that replace hazardous materials with safer alternatives in every market they serve."

According to the Safe Cosmetics website, "Several major cosmetics companies, including OPI, Avon, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, Revlon, Proctor & Gamble and Unilever have thus far refused to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics." But I am proud to say that Affordable Mineral Makeup has been a member of this compact for nearly a year already. Please check out our cruelty-free products at InnerBeautyGirls.com and do something good for your checkbook and great for your skin today!

One of the books I've been reading is our featured give-away this month, Beauty Secrets of the Bible by award-winning author, Ginger Garrett. If you would love to win an autographed copy of this amazing resource, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter here at www.InnerBeautyGirlz.blogspot.com by Feb. 29 to be entered into a drawing for this great tool!

Do you ShoutLife?

Not quite a year ago I was invited to visit a freind's website at ShoutLife. Having never heard of the site before, I had no idea what a treat I was in for! ShoutLife is a social networking community (think "myspace") from a decidedly Christian viewpoint. They offer personal pages for each registered user (yes, registration is free), and also special spotlights for Christian commedians, musicians, authors and organizations. You are also free to sign up for fellowship groups within the site on a range of topics or start new groups if you don't find what you are looking for. I have made so many wonderful friends there and find continual encourgament from this site.

If you haven't had a chance to visit, you are welcome to start at my page at www.Shoutlife.com/InfertilityMom. If you register for or already have a SL page, please shoot me a friends request there. I love making friends and keeping up on the happenings of your life! And yes, leave me a note here at InnerBeautyGirlz.blogspot.com with your SL link and you will earn yet another entry into this month's give away - Beauty Secrets of the Bible (follow the link for more chances to enter) by award-winning author, Ginger Garrett. :)

Another Way to Earn Entries for Beauty Secrets of the Bible drawing!

I told you I would be posting more ways for you to win additional entries into the Beauty Secrets of the Bible book give-away all month long. So here's your next chance already. In addition to those mentioned in the previous blog entry, visit me now and InnerBeautyGirls.com and place an order for Affordable Mineral Makeup.

For every $10 you spend in the month of February, I will give you 5 more entries into this drawing. And if you place your order before midnight EST this Friday, Feb. 8, I will double that offer, giving you one entry for every single dollar you spend! Don't forget to take advantage of the 5 grams of free makeup offer while you are shopping!

Be sure to email me at innerbeauty AT affordablemineralmakeup DOT com (remove spaces, change AT to @ and DOT to .) or to leave a post here letting me know that you ordered, your order total, and your email address so that I can properly credit your points total. :)

Join My Newsletter and You Could Win Beauty Secrets of the Bible

I am giving away one copy of Ginger Garrett's book Beauty Secrets of the Bible this month! Ginger has also written the amazing novel, Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther and many other titles such as Dark Hour, Loose it For Life (for Teens), and the beautiful infertility devotional, Moments for Couples Who Long for Children.

Additional information on how to enter this drawing for Beauty Secrets of the Bible will be posted here later in the week. But to get a jump-start on your chance to win, simply fill your email address in the subscription box over to the right sidebar and you will automatically receive my update posts as email newsletters! :D Joining the Inner Beauty mailing list earns you FIVE entries into this drawing that will be held on Feb. 29.

Once you have subscribed to this newsletter feed, earn ONE more entry simply by leaving me a comment here on this blog entry as well. For additional chances to win, be watching this blog all month (not a problem if you are signed up for the updates) for more information to come. :D

Beauty Secrets of the Bible

Welcome to the Inner Beauty Blog! I can think of no better way to launch this site than to intoduce you to one of my favorite beauty resources, Ginger Garrett's book, Beauty Secrets of the Bible. In this book, you will discover beauty secrets the cosmetic industry doesn't want you to know, including:

· All-natural cosmetic alternatives that you can create at home

· A twenty-eight day cleansing regimen for your body, mind, and spirit

· Treatments and cures for common skin ailments ranging from acne to wrinkles

· Secrets for glowing skin and shiny hair

· Essential oils and fragrances that can enrich your beauty regimen

· Biblical foods that promote a healthy weight

These timeless products and treatments are soothing, natural, effective, and affordable. In fact, you can save over $1,500 a year by making these simple, healthy choices! Join Ginger in exploring the unique relationship between worshiping our Creator and caring for ourselves. Beauty Secrets of the Bible is not only about rediscovering ancient beauty secrets-it's about rediscovering your own beauty.