10.31.2012

HALLOWEEN PAST

Happy Halloween!  For the first time in years, I'm feeling a bit blue on Halloween.  I take that back, last year I did b/c it was my first year without my dad... Halloween was his favorite holiday (as well as mine).  But this year, I guess b/c I have so many new raw emotions going on inside me, I really don't feel it.  I might not dress up tonite, for the first time in... uh, my whole life!  I'm just not sure.  I feel like such a debbie downer lately.  Boo... So, I thought I'd share my costumes from the past 3 years.  And (if) I happen to end up dressing up tonite, then I'll be back with more... I hope everyone enjoys their evening, and of course stays safe!

2009 - Sugar Skull
(This year seems to be the year of the sugar skull, I've seen this costume everywhere this year!)

I waited tables in this costume and had a blast.

2010 - The Bird Keeper
 
2011 - Gypsy Fortune Teller
 
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10.30.2012

COSMIC BATH & BEAUTY GIVEAWAY

I'm excited to bring you another awesome giveaway today!  This one is from the lovely ladies of Cosmic Bath & Beauty who supplies all of our makeup for The Bohemian Collective lookbooks!  The image above is from our summer season.  I have never used such amazing eye shadow in my life.  I love the way they shimmer.  Pure magic.  And 100% all natural.  Check out their website for more info on all of their products.

One lucky winner gets to pick out 3 shades of eyeshadow!  There is even one named after my shop Violet Bella!  My current favorites are Navajo Sunset, Hot Mama and Foiled.  
 
<<< TO ENTER >>>
visit their shop and tell me which colors you would pick
follow Cosmic Bath & Beauty's facebook page

<<< EXTRA ENTRIES >>>
share this on your facebook // twitter // pinterest // blog

(separate comments for each, must be a follower of my blog to participate)

ANNOUNCEMENT:
The winner of the Blowfish Shoes giveaway is:
Congrats Kristal!  Please email me at violet_bella (at) hotmail (dot) com to get your shoes!!

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10.29.2012

ROOTS & FEATHERS SPONSOR SPOTS

Since I don't announce a sponsor call each month, every now and then I like to just remind you that you can place your ad to feature your shop or blog here on Roots and Feathers at anytime of them month, as long as there is an availability.  Right now, the XL spot and several Large spots are available (which is sometimes rare)... as well as the Medium and Small sizes too.  If you sign up for a L or XL spot, you have the option of a solo giveaway feature!  See the rates and info here

(And a HUGE thank you to those of you who left me such encouraging words in my last post.  It was a hard post to write, but one that needed to come out into words.  It warms my heart to know I can be present in this space in that way, so thank you.)

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10.27.2012

WHISKEY // RAINBOWS

It's about to get real up in here...  The other night we spent with our amazing friends, celebrating Jonny's birthday.  It felt so good to be surrounded by the people I love and feel myself with.  We just hung out with each other, ate some amazing food, and had some drinks.  I was drinking my new favorite, whiskey gingers.  By the time we left, I was beginning to realize I drank a bit too much.  I don't drink all that often, and its very rare when I drink enough to feel like it was too much... The past month, there has been some tension in our marriage... mostly due to outside responsibilities and underlying emotions about my dad.  On the way home, something was mentioned about my dad, and I basically lost it.  I cried so hard, screamed, hit the door, freaked out.  I think I've been bottling it all up so tightly that it just poured out with the whiskey.  As much as it sucked, I think it really needed to happen.  A release I wasn't allowing myself to have.  

For those of you who don't know, I lost my daddy to suicide in July of last year.  It has been such a strange healing process.  So many different emotions than I had when I lost my mom to cancer four years before that.  With her death, I was aware it was coming, I had time to say goodbye, time to love on her with everything I had, time to prepare the best way I could for what was ahead.  I did not get any of this when my dad left this earth.  Not a touch of goodbye.  Nothing.  Just gone.  For the most part, I feel such a compassion for my dad, that I have not been angry with him for his decision.  I feel so much love for him, like I always did.  But I would be lying if I said I never feel angry.  Sometimes it hurts so bad that I did not get to tell him goodbye, and I feel the anger well up in me.  And sometimes I think I let it out in petty arguments with James, which I hate.  When my mom died, I felt like I had to be so strong for my dad, and for my brother.  Now that my dad is gone, I don't know who I am trying to be so strong for.  I guess myself, so I don't just fall apart and become something I hate.  Im not sure really.  

I'm beginning to realize that having someone leave that I loved so dearly, not tell me goodbye, has made me lose a bit of self worth.  And so many of my other internal battles (like having children) have been affected even deeper by this.  There have been a few other times in my life when friends, people whom I thought loved me, just turned and walked away, without a goodbye... and though that hurt deeply, this is so much more raw.  But, I know I shouldn't let it get to me, b/c my dad was never good at goodbyes.  Every family function we ever had, he left without telling anyone goodbye, not even his wife or kids.  It's just the way he was.  And I have read countless times that people who take their own life, often don't say goodbye or leave notes.  But even statistics and deep rooted routines he had don't seem to take away that pain.  A part of me even feels guilty for feeling pain about it.  I don't want my daddy to know how much it hurts me, I still don't want him to feel bad, even though he is gone.  I just want him to feel love and acceptance. 

As silly as it sounds, seeing rainbows in my whiskey that night was no coincidence.  All of my family that has passed leaves something behind in times of need.  My grandfather leaves marbles and feathers, my mom leaves mountain laurel seeds, and my dad leaves rainbows.  It was only fitting that I kept seeing rainbows on the drink that let out all this emotion built up inside me.  It was so deep and buried I didn't even know it existed, or at least not like that.  This is all part of the bones I must gather, to understand myself a little deeper, and understand where I come from. 

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10.26.2012

SPROUT WRAP

This wrap is so simple, and oh so yummy!  It's just a multi grained wrap, layered with spicy bean dip, guacamole, sliced smoked gouda goat cheese, broccoli sprouts and mixed cherry tomatoes.  I could eat this everyday!  And it took under 5 minutes to make, including the time to get the stuff out and put it away.  Double win!


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10.24.2012

MACA CACAO SHAKE

A pretty shake, that I can't remember what all is in it.... Something along the lines of spinach, sprouts, blueberries, peaches, orange juice, maca powder and cacao powder.  It was a strange combination.  It tasted good, but had such a strongness to it that I could only finished part of it.  I need to remember to make smaller shakes, b/c even the best tasting ones I usually don't finish.  Not good.  I love being surprised by the color everytime I make a shake.  James has been making them alot lately, and its so cute when he comes to show it to me just b/c it is a pretty color!  (and oh my, how pretty does it look with that rug???)


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10.22.2012

BLOWFISH SHOES GIVEAWAY

I'm excited to offer another lucky lady any pair of Blowfish shoes!  As most of you know, I'm a huge lover of their shoes.  Their shoes are the perfect blend of style and comfort.  They have recently released their new fall collection, including so many cute new boots! 


<<< TO ENTER >>>
Visit Blowfish Shoes new fall arrivals section and tell me your favorite pair

<<< EXTRA ENTRIES >>>
follow Blowfish via facebook
follow Blowfish via twitter
share this giveaway via your facebook // twitter // blog // pinterest 

(separate comment for each)

Below are the winners of the last two giveaways!  Please email me at violet_bella (at) hotmail (dot) com to claim your win!

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10.21.2012

INSTAGRAM LOVE

If you haven't noticed yet, I'm kind of an addict to instagram.  Yikes!  I grouped a bunch of sets together from the past few weeks.
S C R E E N   S H O T S
1. typography  //  2. tunnel vision  //  3. outfit post  //  4. james sawing

D A Y   I N   B E D
1. snuggling  //  2. maca cacao shake  //  3. day in bed  //  4. chris isaak

Y U M M Y   E A T S
1. tomatoes + broccoli  //  2. pasta  //  3. pesto pasta  //  4. yummy lunch

G I F T S   F R O M   S W E E T   S O U L S
1. from spiral drift  //  2. from squam workshops  //  3. from abbe  //  4. from sun and glory

M Y   F U R R I E S
1. violet chowing on a grubworm  //  2. bella helping me work //  3. bella lounging  //  4. violet loving

H A M M O C K   T I M E
1. bella chillin in the hammock  //  2. me in hammock  //  3. me in hammock  //  4. reading in hammock

F A M I L Y   T I M E
1. me and my nanna  //  2. ditto  //  3. james with amber  //  4. amber my nannas pup

S T Y L E   L O V E
1. bcfootwear boots  //  2. outfit love  //  3. neil young tee  //  4. blowfish moccs

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10.18.2012

THREADS - CHARCOAL & WINE

Just a quick outfit post from the day Katelyn arrived.  These are my favorite worn in jeans b/c they are just so so comfy.  I paired them with a loose grey crochet top and fedora from f21, my favorite wine colored suede boots from lulu's.com, the sun and moon leather bracelet from Spiral Drift and the gorgeous long feathered necklace from My Sweet Life.  Simple and cozy.

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10.17.2012

KATELYN COMES TO TEXAS

This week my friend Katelyn is down from Louisiana to visit, and the photograph the next lookbook for The Bohemian Collective.  I'm happy that we have a few days to just be and hang out this time instead of working through her whole visit.  We will be packing in all of our photo work over a 3 day span though, so once we get started it will be crazy, but fun!  Anyone who follows me on instagram (lauramazurek) will most likely see a flood of baby pics while they are here!  Her kids are just so darn cute.  

These images above were some I took the last time they came down.  The headband she is wearing is from Spirit Y Sol, from our autumn lookbook.

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10.16.2012

SAVANNAH WEARING ROOTS AND FEATHERS

I'm back with another style post from one of my favorite bloggers, Savannah from Maie Dae.  Savannah wears Roots and Feathers like none other.  Everything pops so well with her beautiful red hair and the color palette of her wardrobe style... (which I'm slightly obsessed with).  Savannah is a girl I truly look up to.  Beyond just her beautiful looks and stellar fashion style, she is uber talented with graphic design and photography, and is one of the sweetest girls Ive met online.  A gem, this one.  If you love just these few looks below, you must check out her blog for more, as well as so many other inspiring things. 

(wearing roots and feathers leather fringe earrings)

(wearing roots and feathers arrow necklace and single feather earring)

(wearing roots and feathers cow skull necklace)

(wearing roots and feathers leather fringe earrings)

(wearing roots and feathers leather fringe necklace and beaded triangle earrings)

P.S.  Today I am honored to be a guest blogger over on Savannah's blog while her and her hubby are taking an internet break!  Go check it out to see my FALL DAYDREAM...

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