Treat Yourself to a Stunning Spring Bonnet ...You Deserve It!

(BHLDN)

There's something about yesterday's women that we're missing in our everyday fashion landscape -- a complete fashion look.

Sure, there are women who have jobs that call for more formal wear ... suits and dresses.  But with casual dress storming the boardrooms and cubicles, the shoulder-padded suits of the eighties have disappeared in favor of more separates and comfortable dresses.  

Our yesterday's women from the 1920s to the 1950s wore the complete look on pretty much a daily basis i.e., the hat, gloves, matching shoes and handbags. You've seen pictures of then shopping in a hat and gloves.  Do you remember Beaver's mom?  I'm not suggesting we go back to that.

 (Vintage Hats)

(Papillon Violet)
  
Today's millennium world is much too chaotic and we have less time to spend on that effort.  But for women, who have home offices or are work-at-home mothers, there are times we crave for more opportunities to look formal.  I live in yoga pants and sneakers in front of my computer, from Monday to Saturday.  Busy moms enjoy the same attire shuttling their kids to and from school and activities.   

Come Sunday morning, I'm excited about wearing heels, a hat, a dressy handbag and shoes.  And yes, I even bring out the pearls on occasion. 

(The Leader)


Don't criticize, then you won't be criticized, for others will treat you as you treat them.  Why worry about the spec in the eye of a brother, when you have a board in your own... Matthew 7

Miracles and Blessings, Kiki here with today's text-webiisode: Treat Yourself to a Stunning Spring Bonnet ...You Deserve It! 

Yes, hats are back.  And they have gradually gained momentum in popularity over the past decade.  You see more women, teens and tweens wearing fedoras, newsboy caps, cloches, bucket hats and wide-brimmed hats now than 20 years ago.  You even see the growing Millennials  (born in the 1980s and 1990s) sporting hats with casual wear, along with our emerging Z Generation youngsters. (Generation Z - born in 2000 to present)

(Girl in Straw Hat)

What a cute baby fascinator below.  In fact, all of our hats featured in this text-webisode cover all generations, dating back to the turn of 20th Century.  

(pinterest.com)

Here are eight hat styles you'll love to add to your Spring accessories.  Find one to match your personality and style.

1. Not Too Formal, Not Too Casual 
from CaronlinaHatGirl on Etsy.com

My personal favorite, the cloche gives a nice saucy look to a spring dress or pant suit.  It also has that old Hollywood, roaring twenties style that's made a comeback in the New Millennium.

2. Kentucky Derby We Go!

(Boomerines - How Can You Go Outside 
Without a Hat)

(eventup.com)

It's not just for the Kentucky Derby.  This hat would look great at a luncheon, fashion show or afternoon tea.

(Eventup.com)

3. Going to the Chapel - A Wedding Guest Dress Hat  
British women have the right idea.  They always attend weddings wearing stylish hats and fascinators that often outshine the bridesmaids.  But never the bride -- all eyes are always on her.  The gloves add just the right finishing touch.  
  

 (Black and White)

4. Praising in the Sanctuary Church Hats 
Of course, any of these hats could be worn in church and on Easter Sunday.  You can go small, or full wide brim.  Below are how two generations strut their individual fashion style at a Sunday service.

(Praise Cleveland.com)

5. Spring Break Bound - The Fedora, A Spring Break Favorite

(BeautyHigh.com)

This straw fedora made Beauty High.com Ten Hair Accessories to Pack on Spring Vacation. They suggest trying fun colors like brick red and turquoise, instead of the safe tan and black.

(Style Bistro.com)

6. Ladies Just Wanna Fun Red Hat Society
From Wikipedia - The Red Hat Society is a social organization originally founded in 1998 in the United States for women age 50 and beyond, but now open to women of all ages. As of 2011, there were over 40,000 chapters in the United States and 30 other countries.

(Red Hat Society-Wikipedia)


Here are a few hats that will dress up casual wear and perk up your everyday routine.  These are also great to wear when you're having a bad hair day.

7.  Sisterhood of the Traveling Hat!  - Spring Knit Military Hat
All ages can enjoy this style.

(Spring Knit Military Hat - AliExpress.com)

8. Happy and Sassy Straw Sun Hat

(Ali Express.com)

(Clothes, Cameras and Coffee)

8a.  I sneaked in one more.  Here's an ode to the sixties.  A cute pill box hat, which was actually popular in the 1930s to 1950s.

Tell us about your spring hat purchases.  What style catches your eye?

Craving Sweets and Salty Snacks? Lenten Fast Alterntives Part 2

Congratulations!  You're halfway through the first week of your Lenten Fast.  Are your cravings for cakes, cookies, potato chips and nachos, threatening to take over?  But you're determine to see it through to the end.  No worries, we've got your back.

"Good salt is worthless if it loses its saltiness.  It can't season a thing.  Don't lose your flavor.  Be at peace with each other."    Mark 9:50

Kiki here ...with a special S.O.S text-webisode and recipes from All Recipes.com -- to help you succeed.  

Miracles and Blessings, thanks for joining us.  Your first reward is the Perfect Flourless Orange Cake below.  I'm one those people who always looks at the dessert menu first.  Did I just describe you? 

This would go great with a cup of Celestial Seasonings Cinnamon Apple Spice tea.  This is one of the few teas I drink without adding sugar or honey.  Sugar would only take away from its flavor.

(Perfect Flourless Orange Cake - AllRecipes.com)

Perfect Flourless Orange Cake

Ingredients  

Makes 1 10-inch round cake 

• 2 whole oranges with peel
• 6 eggs
• 1 pinch saffron powder (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups finely ground almonds (almond meal)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped candied orange peel (optional)

Directions

1. Place the oranges in a large saucepan, and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and boil for 2 hours over medium heat. Check occasionally to make sure they do not boil dry. Allow the oranges to cool, then cut them open and remove the seeds. Process in a blender or food processor to a coarse pulp.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Thoroughly grease a 10-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together using an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 10 minutes. Mix in baking powder and saffron (optional). Stir in the pureed oranges. Gently fold in almond meal and candied orange peel (optional); pour batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake until a small knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Allow the cake to cool in the pan. Tap out onto a serving plate when cool.

• PREP 2 hrs 30 mins
• COOK 1 hr
• READY IN 4 hrs   

Enjoy a Healthy Smoothy

What can I drink that will sustain me when I skip a meal?  Mind, Body and Green has the solution with their green smoothies for beginners:  Tropical Cleanse and Banana Berry Smoothy.  I've enjoyed versions of the Tropical Cleanse, substituting kale for the spinach and adding beets; and substituting wheat germ for the raw nuts in the Banana Berry. 

Tropical Cleanse

1 cup frozen or fresh pineapple

1 small to medium banana (ripe and peeled)                                                        

1 inch piece of ginger

2 handfuls of spinach

1 cup water or coconut water (unpasteurized)

Banana-Berry Super Smoothie

2 cups of spinach

1 frozen small to medium banana (ripe and peeled)

3/4 cup of frozen mixed berries (or fresh strawberries or blueberries)

¼ cup of raw nuts or raw seeds (my favorites are sunflower seeds, walnuts, flax seeds or almonds, or a combination of the above)

1-2 cups of water or coconut water (unpasteurized)

What About My Snack Attack?

We've got you covered there too.  Try these tips to help you through the snack cravings.  There's nothing like movie popcorn, a snack bag of chips and nacho chips in moderation.  But once you're fasting, there will be no empty calorie snacking even if it's in moderation.  So how do you satisfy your craving when it hits hard?  

1. Freeze Seedless Grapes - They're a great substitution for hard candy.  They're delicious and great when you have a sore throat.

2. Bake up some kale.  It's tastier than you think.  Combine the natural sweetness with seasoned salt, you won't be able to stop snacking on them. 

3. Make up your own trail mix with unsalted peanuts, Chex squares and golden raisins.  

What are some of your Lenten Fast alternatives?  Hungry stomachs want to know.

What about St. Patrick's Day?  

What's the substitute for Corned Beef and Cabbage?  Try Vegan Corned Beef and Cabbage with roast red potatoes and dill and, of course we can't forget about the soda bread.

 

We found this dish at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen Sinlessly Delicious, created by Susan Voisin.  We'll send you over there for her Vegan Corned Beef and Cabbage, dill potatoes and soda bread recipes.  How cute is that.  She shaped the soda bread into a shamrock.

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings 

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. 

3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.