Welcome back to #NationalPrincessWeek! A week for us to celebrate the little girl (or not so little girl) in all of us that at some point dreamed of being royalty and finding her Prince Charming.
I love to
read to my dolls, just like Kianna reads to us. (I wear my princess hat of
course.) This book is a really good one to read out loud and it’s not too hard for
me. Plus, my dolls really love the pretty drawings and cute animals. I don’t
think I’d want to sleep for a hundred years, I don’t even take naps if I can
help it. But a kiss from a handsome prince to wake me up, well I think I’d like
that a LOT!
Sleeping Beauty by
“A
frog tells a childless queen that she will bear a daughter. At the girl’s
christening, an uninvited fairy utters a death curse, which another fairy
amends. As foretold, at age 15, the princess pricks her finger on a spindle and
sleeps for 100 years, along with everyone in the castle, which is soon
protected by a lethal, thorny hedge. After 100 years, a prince finds the
now-flowering hedge, which opens to let him pass. He awakens Sleeping Beauty
with a kiss, and the court celebrates their wedding.”
I have
another series for you today, but this one definitely puts a unique spin on
being a princess! I love the idea of being saved or rescued by a handsome
prince, but let’s face it, we’re all modern women and we do a lot more saving
of ourselves these days. We have goals and dreams and plans and it’s not
considered so strange anymore to pursue them. It’s okay to Dream Big! *gasp*
LOL! Okay, so I’m being a little melodramatic, but with the Princess of
Valendria Series by Mary Waibel it was fun to see the Princess and Prince have
their roles reversed. I suppose you could say, Princesses can slay the dragon
and roast it, too!
Quest of the
Heart
A
reverse Sleeping Beauty tale where the princess goes on the quest to save the prince.
Princess Kaylee has never had to fight for anything. Her
entire life has been arranged, even her marriage. But when Prince Devlin falls
under an enchantment, she finds she is willing to do anything to save him, even
if it means fighting a dragon.
Devlin's own sister, Princess Arabella, is behind the deadly plot. She wants the throne and will use any means necessary to gain it. Her perfect plan unravels, leaving Devlin caught in a magical sleep that is slowly spreading through the kingdom of Breniera. All Arabella needs to finish her spell and claim the crown is a drop of Kaylee's blood, but obtaining the single drop is proving more difficult than expected.
To save her betrothed, Kaylee embarks on a quest to find an ancient sword and gather a drop of dragon's blood, while trying to stay out of Arabella's traps. But Arabella's traps aren't the only danger. Time is everything. For once the last inhabitant of the kingdom falls asleep, the spell will be sealed, and not even true love's kiss will break it.
Devlin's own sister, Princess Arabella, is behind the deadly plot. She wants the throne and will use any means necessary to gain it. Her perfect plan unravels, leaving Devlin caught in a magical sleep that is slowly spreading through the kingdom of Breniera. All Arabella needs to finish her spell and claim the crown is a drop of Kaylee's blood, but obtaining the single drop is proving more difficult than expected.
To save her betrothed, Kaylee embarks on a quest to find an ancient sword and gather a drop of dragon's blood, while trying to stay out of Arabella's traps. But Arabella's traps aren't the only danger. Time is everything. For once the last inhabitant of the kingdom falls asleep, the spell will be sealed, and not even true love's kiss will break it.
Charmed
Memories
A
prince vows to prove the girl he loves is his missing princess by recovering
her lost memories.
Prince Trevor has always placed duty to his kingdom above
the desires of his own heart. But when his betrothed is lost at sea, he finds
himself torn between honor and love.
After four years of searching for the missing princess, he begins to secretly long for Lady Bri, the Woodland Guide he works with each day. But the law says he must marry a princess, and Bri is barely a noble.
When Trevor learns that Bri shipwrecked at the same time and place as the princess, he begins to believe he has finally found his bride-to-be. But his happiness is short lived. Bri has no memory of her past, and the princess wasn't the only girl who disappeared from the ship.
Desperate to prove Bri is his princess, Trevor unwittingly places the two of them in grave danger. Buried in Bri's memories are deadly secrets someone wants kept from the light of day, and learning who she is may cost more than either is willing to pay.
After four years of searching for the missing princess, he begins to secretly long for Lady Bri, the Woodland Guide he works with each day. But the law says he must marry a princess, and Bri is barely a noble.
When Trevor learns that Bri shipwrecked at the same time and place as the princess, he begins to believe he has finally found his bride-to-be. But his happiness is short lived. Bri has no memory of her past, and the princess wasn't the only girl who disappeared from the ship.
Desperate to prove Bri is his princess, Trevor unwittingly places the two of them in grave danger. Buried in Bri's memories are deadly secrets someone wants kept from the light of day, and learning who she is may cost more than either is willing to pay.
Different
Kind of Knight
Happily-ever-after
isn't guaranteed. Sometimes you have to fight for it.
Through a twist of fate, Princess Gabrielle became First
Knight of the King's Elite Guard, a position always held by the second born
male. She's spent years proving to the Minsters of Faldaera she's capable of
leading the king’s Army.
When mythical creatures plague her kingdom, Rielle is sent to capture Captain Brody, the alleged culprit behind the attacks and the man who broke her heart four years ago.
Brody, Crown Prince of Delphine, is living in self-imposed exile, atoning for the sins of his father. But Fate has different plans for him. Tired, beaten down, and ready to give up on life, he is tossed into the path of the one person he would do anything for―Princess Gabrielle.
With a traitor in her ranks, and a mark on her head, Brody joins forces with Rielle, hoping to keep the woman he loves safe. Happily-ever-after is not guaranteed, and mythical creatures aren't the only danger the couple face. As battles rage, Rielle has the chance to prove herself a capable leader, but will doing so cost her the love of her life?
When mythical creatures plague her kingdom, Rielle is sent to capture Captain Brody, the alleged culprit behind the attacks and the man who broke her heart four years ago.
Brody, Crown Prince of Delphine, is living in self-imposed exile, atoning for the sins of his father. But Fate has different plans for him. Tired, beaten down, and ready to give up on life, he is tossed into the path of the one person he would do anything for―Princess Gabrielle.
With a traitor in her ranks, and a mark on her head, Brody joins forces with Rielle, hoping to keep the woman he loves safe. Happily-ever-after is not guaranteed, and mythical creatures aren't the only danger the couple face. As battles rage, Rielle has the chance to prove herself a capable leader, but will doing so cost her the love of her life?
Today, Hope
is back with us. Welcome back, Hope, I see you’ve been shopping! What is in all
of these bags? How did you manage to carry them all in by yourself?
I didn’t,
that’s what cute, helpful neighbor boys are for. Now that the last bag is in, I
can’t wait to show you what I have planned.
Oh, wait, let
me guess… A makeover?
Yes! My
favorite project. :)
And you, Cherry-Locks get to be my guinea pig.
Okay, sure, a
new look can’t hurt. Have at it!
Since we have
the #NationalPrincessWeek International Tea Party on Saturday, then we have to
have you ready for it. I want to show everyone some tips on how to dress like a
Princess on a Pauper’s budget.
Cute! Okay,
so what is the first step?
Outfit – You can
dress up, you can dress down, you can skip the dress altogether, but what will
make your outfit seem right, is the setting for your party. If you know the
theme is English Tea Garden with lots of lace and pretty hats, then a dress
with soft colors or a muted floral pattern could work well. If you don’t ever
wear dresses, consider white or a light neutral color pant with a more delicate
blouse. Just don’t wear jeans. Unless the tea party is more of a Hang out with
Friends and Get Crazy kind of event (those are a blast!)
Since we know
that our theme is International Princess, I suggest choosing a country your
drawn to and style yourself after a princess from that country.
That’s a good
idea. Since you have so many sacks already, I’m guessing you’ve already chosen a
country for me?
I have! I
Picked Morocco - more specifically, Princess
Lalla Salma of Morocco. The two of you share a really striking shade of hair.
Plus the clothing has a beautiful flow, color and texture. It’s bright, pretty
and elegant but still unique and fun.
I know you’re not fond of
dresses, so I’ve chosen a pair of pewter colored slacks paired with a dark
purple Moroccan inspired top and silver strappy wedge sandals.
Beautiful! I love purple. This
shirt looks expensive, was it?
No, if you shop carefully, you
can find a lot of good deals on beautiful pieces. Ebay, thrift shops or second hand
stores, even retail can be reasonable if you’re shopping for something that’s
trending. These Moroccan inspired tops are trending so they’re more common than
you expect. If you can’t afford to shop at all, raid a friend or family members
closet or get creative and re-purpose a piece of your own clothing. Give it a
new life and you’ll wear it more often.
Great idea. What about
accessories? Do I get a tiara?
Um… no, but I do have some
fabulous bling for you. If you want to wear a tiara though, don’t let me stop
you, go for it!
I found these great pieces made
by Angel’s Divine Designs. The slave bracelet is quickly gaining popularity and
it’s a statement piece that everyone will ask about. The earrings are real wire
wrapped amethyst stones. Royal jewels with a little bit of a non-traditional
touch to keep things interesting.
These are awesome! So now that
my outfit is covered, what about make-up and hair?
Each culture has a style that’s
a little more unique to them, so keep that in mind, but if in doubt go for a
clean and polished look that plays up one of your best features. For example
Princess Lalla Salma plays up her beautiful eyes and keeps the rest of her makeup
a softer color.
The same applies for your
hairstyle. If you can choose a style unique to your countries culture, go for
it! How fun is that? Otherwise, choose a style that's flattering and fresh. Long
loose waves are pretty, but if it’s windy and the party is outside, you’re
going to be wishing for a hair clip! Up do’s, twists, braids or a low pony
could work beautifully.
Thanks, Hope. Those
are all great tips and I love my new outfit! I look forward to seeing what
everyone else has chosen on Saturday.
Tomorrow is
the LAST DAY of #NationalPrincessWeek! That means the contest is slipping away
QUICKLY. If you haven’t entered yet, be sure you do that right away.
And if you
haven’t stopped by my Facebook page yet, be sure to check out the spotlight on
Modern Day Princesses around the world. Being a princess is more than wearing
pretty jewelry, now they have big aspirations. These girls are well educated
and have careers of all kinds that benefit their community. What country would
you choose to style your outfit after for Saturday’s tea? Tell me about it in
the comments below!
Don't forget to Enter to Win!
 |
| Available at all fine e-book sellers |
For her birthday, her best friend gives her a
journal and dares her to follow her dream of songwriting and vocal lessons
quickly follow. Kianna’s finally dared to dream big… if the three men in her
life don’t get in her way.
Nick Steele, her new
vocal partner is flirtatious and charming. Derek Simpson, the new vocal coach is
asking her out for coffee. Even Jason Payne, a childhood friend is acting odd.
For the first time in her life, she will have to navigate dating and flirtation.
Will her inexperience be her downfall? How will these relationships affect her
songwriting career? Letting go and trusting God is the only answer that brings
the path to real love and success.
Buy your copy today at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and more. Click the Buy My Book tab for a list of direct links.
Check out the Twitter activity too: @aprilerwin
2 comments:
What great advice on dressing like a princess while on a budget. And the jewelry you shared was AMAZING!!!
Thanks so much for showcasing my books. I'm honored to have been included in such a wonderful parade of princess themes titles!
Thanks for stopping by, Mary. I'm happy to have included such a great series. You can never have too many great princess stories in my opinion.
My sister is the jewelry designer, I'll be sure to let her know how much you liked them. I adore her pieces too. That slave bracelet is one of my fave pieces, but she has so many to choose from! lol.
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