Beginner To Expert + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

It's been awhile now that I've been creating posts at least once per week, and on average 2.5 times per week. These posts have been mostly original (unless it has been a guest post) and there have been so many times I have struggled at trying to get wording just right, trying to create a nice image to go along with the post, remembering to link everything properly, and giving credit where it is due. 

But I found out recently that all this hasn't been in vain! I can actually use this hard won skill in other areas! I found that I am more able to gather my thoughts and create something when it comes to speaking in public, which I was asked to do recently. It has been quite awhile since I've talked in public because I don't relish it much, mainly preferring to be in the background, letting someone who is more outgoing than me do it. 

But what I noticed is that when I was writing up my presentation, the words came out of my head, onto the page quickly and getting the material to flow and be cohesive was so much easier than I remember it. It made me feel so good that a skill set I've been developing in one area actually translated rather well into another area!

I watched 'Running Wild With Bear Grylls' last night with his guest, Roger Federer. Roger is the greatest tennis player in history, winning more Grand Slams than any other man (although Raphael Nadal is on his heels!) As they braved a treacherous descent and subsequently, a steep climb up an ice waterfall in Switzerland, they used Roger's tennis racquets and his tennis balls to accomplish some daunting tasks! Roger's skill at hitting a tennis ball very long distances with great accuracy came into play. I loved how his skill set really did help when it was needed in a different situation than tennis! I really love that show btw!!! All the hearts!

Image - Jeff Stewart

Ana Luisa Jewelry Review + #Giveaway

                         Ana Luisa NY
                            Handcrafted Designer Jewelry 
                     Free sign-up here: http://bit.ly/AnaLuisa_Helena15
                             Use code Helena15 to get $15 OFF

Can I just say I had the best time the other evening when I attended a Summer Solstice Garden Party? It was held in a beautiful backyard, with the Wasatch Mountains as a backdrop. It was a truly spectacular view! The evening was enjoyable, the food was amazing and the chit chat was fun! The food theme was 'summer salads'. I brought a salad that I actually found from one of my features in #MyPostMonday!  I didn't bring back much, so that was a good thing! People must have enjoyed it!

One of the fun things about the evening was that everyone who attended was able to choose a hat to match their outfit. Since I was wearing purple, I chose a hat with a purple ribbon.

I received product to facilitate this review. Regardless, all opinions are mine! Your experience may vary!

I actually received some compliments on the outfit and the jewelry I wore from Ana Luisa! I wore the Virginia Bracelet and the Gaby Earrings and I'd love to tell you about them, if you would indulge me!

Ana Luisa Jewelry is a company comprised of jewelry lovers and craftsmen who want to make a difference in the industry. They create high-quality pieces suitable for everyday life! Each piece is precious and is limited release to guarantee their uniqueness! I like the fact that the pieces are limited and that I can be assured that my choices of jewelry will be unique to me! Also Ana Luisa is a membership shopping site where enrollment is entirely free! Many of their jewelry designers have previously worked in such famous jewelry houses as Kenzo, Alexander Wang, Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren!

So on to the Ana Luisa jewelry I was wearing!

Virginia Bracelet
This bracelet is so very delicate, yet when you really look at it, very intricate!  Dipped in 14K gold, it has 3 layers that cater to that inner fashionista. I've received quite a few compliments on it, especially when people look closely at it!

Gaby Earrings
Almost in direct contrast to the Virginia Bracelet, the Gaby Earrings are statement pieces that bring a fun element to your look! I usually like to wear one statement piece, along with other more subtle pieces and for me, these earrings were the best! They are a combination of gold plating and enamel. The three mobile parts are connected by 4 small rings, making them your not-so-ordinary round earring!

Giveaway!
I'm very excited to be able to extend to 3 of my readers a pair of Laura Earrings from Ana Luisa Jewelry!

The Laura Earrings are drop-down front-facing to give a true depiction of boldness with a classic feel! The gold-dipped earrings feature a marble-like appearance with a soothing tone that give off a sort of beachy vibe! I think you will absolutely love the fun feel and the added versatility they will give your summer wardrobe!

To enter, sign into the Rafflecopter below and register for your free membership to Ana Luisa! There are other entries available which are totally optional and serve to increase your chances of winning if you so choose! Good luck!! a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: Open to U.S.!  A GAL NEEDS...received product from this sponsor to facilitate the review of this product. Affiliate links may be present. No Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, nor any other social platforms are involved in any way! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and must have a valid mailing address, no P.O. Box.
Must be 21 or older to participate, 1 entrant per household, Winner will be contacted by e-mail
after 07/18/18.  Must respond within 48 hours.
After notification, winner will be asked to acknowledge their win by contacting sponsor on Social Media and letting them know of their win.
Entrants with invalid entries will be disqualified.
Sponsor, Ana Luisa, is responsible for delivery of prize.  

Don't Stress It + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I like to think of this space as a moderate health and wellness site. I don't recommend that people go on any crazy diets, other than substitute out the really bad foods for better foods, and I say get yourself moving in some form of exercise every single day, including some stretching. But first and foremost I advocate appreciating the body that you have and speaking nicely to yourself.  I feel pretty good about that, since that is what I do, along with a few other well-guarded secrets to be revealed when I write my e-book or open up coaching sessions! (I plan on doing that within the next 3 years, so don't go anywhere!) But then again, maybe that won't happen after all. Today I found out a piece of info that was particularly hard to swallow because I know I have failed at this big time! Read on, my friend!

I found out that an analysis of data from four studies that included nearly 40,000 people appears to indicate a possible connection between anxiety during middle age and a diagnosis of dementia in old age. What? Come again? Did I just read that right? 

Image - Dianne Brown

$100 Cariloha Cash #Giveaway + 20% All-Product Discount Code

It's time to unveil one of my most favorite companies with a great giveaway that I'm confident will persuade you to my way of thinking as well! Actually you may already know that it has been one of my favorite companies for awhile now, if you have been a follower here at A GAL NEEDS... for any length of time! I've worked with them quite a little bit!

Affiliate and non-affiliate links are present on this site for information purposes! Product was received for review purposes!

Cariloha is an 11-year-old company that is continuing it's rapid growth and success, based on their in-tune connection with their customers' wants and needs. Originally starting out with just a few port-of-call shops for vacationers at luxury resort destinations, they realized that their luxurious-yet-sustainable bamboo product line was appealing to far more than tourists aboard cruise ships. They now have more than 50 store locations in 16 countries and their online presence has grown right along with their stores. 

Top Award - Just this month, out of hundreds of applicants and 24 finalists, Ernst & Young recently named Cariloha's founder and CEO, Jeff Pederson, as the 'Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018' Award Winner! It just goes to show what an outstanding company this is and the leadership that is behind it, along with all those who have helped to make it happen.

Product Line - Cariloha offers an exclusive collection of bedding, apparel, active wear, bath goods, and accessories all made from soft, cool, comfortable, clean, green bamboo! And whether you're on vacation or at home, bamboo offers the feel of the tropics wherever you are! Special care is taken to drape their customers in breathable and sustainable bamboo fabrics and blends! 

See my reviews on their Bath Towels, bathrobes, sheets and apparel!
 
I have an exclusive promo code for 20% off any product at Cariloha. Enter GNEEDS5468 at checkout for 20% off anything on their site, including sale items! It comes just in time for summer, when staying cool is key! Valid until July 1st! Please no sharing on 3rd Party Discount Sites!

I'm so excited to be able to offer one of my readers a $100 Cariloha Cash Prize! What is Cariloha Cash? With an exclusive gift code, you will be able to choose $100 worth of merchandise from Cariloha's website!

Enter in the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win! This is an exclusive A GAL NEEDS...giveaway. You won't find it anywhere else! What that means is more chances for you to win! Open to U.S. and Canada, must be 21+, one entrant per household, all entries are validated. 

And remember, A GAL NEEDS...Cariloha!! Best of luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer: Open to U.S. and Canada!  A GAL NEEDS...received product from this sponsor to facilitate the review of this product. Affiliate links may be present. No Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, nor any other social platforms are involved in any way! This giveaway is open to U.S./Canadian residents only and must have a valid mailing address, no P.O. Box.
Must be 21 or older to participate, 1 entrant per household, Winner will be contacted by e-mail
after 06/30/18.  Must respond within 48 hours.
After notification, winner will be asked to acknowledge their win by contacting sponsor on Social Media and letting them know of their win.
Entrants with invalid entries will be disqualified.
Sponsor, Cariloha, is responsible for delivery of prize.

Cariloha Bath Towel Review + 20% All-Product Discount Code

Do you know of a company or store that you just can't leave alone? Because of your obsession with them, they continually get your money because you absolutely love their products? That's what Cariloha is for me! I love their stuff! Time after time, anything I choose, turns out to be amazing! I have reviewed them several times over the past 8 years and I've also bought from them many times! I love everything that they have because it represents sustainability, luxury, and tropical climates (the latter of which I am not privileged to live in, so I fake it)! The name Cariloha is a combination of two tropical locations--the Carribean and Hawaii (think aloha). 

This site uses affiliate links and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. I was provided product for review purposes. Thanks so much for visiting my site!

Up until recently, however, I had never tried Cariloha's bath collection. Cariloha weaves their bath towels from a combination of Turkish-combed cotton and bamboo viscose, leaving it feeling so luxurious and soft you feel like you are royalty (without the required etiquette). Having bamboo fibres in the weave of a towel is advantageous because bamboo is naturally odor and allergy resistant. It is also a great moisture absorbant. 

Natural Skincare At It's Best---B&W Apothecary Review

I feel that when I find a great company to review, it's meant to be! B&W Apothecary is one of those great finds! I was at a trade show and getting ready to leave when I saw a little booth with one woman manning the station. I asked about her products and she proceeded to tell me that she made the products herself, with all natural ingredients. 

Brandi, the owner, makes her skincare line with just enough ingredients to make the products what they are intended for. There is actually a term for that. It's called, "NAKED" Skincare. The benefit to naked skincare is that it's all natural, and you can then dress it up with other natural or, heaven forbid, synthetic ingredients to make it specific to you! For instance, you may want a particular smell or color in your cosmetic. You may want an ingredient that reduces swelling, whereas another person may want something to minimize pores. 
I was provided product to facilitate the review of this company. No payment was received.  
B&W Apothecary offers a free consult to mix custom blends just for you! That's really exciting stuff! Think about it, no one is the same, and to make something that is designed for you in mind is a real treat! 

Commercial brand "natural" products have, on average, 3 or more unnatural preservatives or chemicals in their formulations. If you read on the ingredient list, you will find that 99.9% of those products will contain water as one of the top ingredients, which requires preservatives to keep the water from molding or growing bacteria. 

B&W Apothecary uses Aloe Vera instead of water which eliminates the need for water due to its antibacterial properties!

I had been looking for a good primer to use before applying foundation in the morning. Brandi provided me with the Hydration Primer, containing Aloe Vera, jojoba oil, cod liver oil, apricot kernel oil, rose water, raspberry seed oil, and orange essential oil! It was just what I had been looking for--my foundation goes on seamlessly! 

 Incidentally, the best way to use a primer is to put it on and then wait 1 - 2 minutes before applying foundation. I just do a couple other things in my morning routine to give it time to absorb. It gives the primer a chance to sink into the skin for the right consistency to accept the application of foundation.

B&W Apothecary is Veteran Owned, established in 2013, with all products made by hand, and no animal testing on on any product. They also provide free shipping with orders over $30! Their prices are very reasonable! 

 I'm so glad that I happened to find this treasure of a company, currently making the rounds at trade shows and other venues. I expect great things from B&W Apothecary, and hope they continue on the course that they are on! We need more of these types of companies so we can choose the things that go on our faces and on our bodies!

To find more of the amazing products that B&W Apothecary offers or to get your free consult, go to their website or visit their Facebook Page! 

prAna Organic Active Wear + 15% Discount Code

I come to you with a premise, and it is this: If you are wearing clothing that is at one with what you are doing and at one with the earth, amazing experiences can happen! This is what happened to me when I wore my prAna 100% organic cotton pants for the first time!

As many of you know, I work in a Middle School and it requires less than business casual. It results in a more utilitarian, casual kind of look. I'm so OK with that, and my look has evolved into just that for everyday! But I still want to look nice and I definitely want to be comfortable! I put on these awesome prAna Shala pants and the day went amazing! I didn't do anything different other than wear these great pants, so that's why I know it was these pants! They are so comfortable. They feel like brushed velvet, only breathable!

Anyway, the day was just so easy and I felt more of a reserve of energy than I usually do. Well, that was great! Right after work, I headed over to one of my all-time favorite spots, 'This Is The Place Heritage Park', where there is always something fun going on, yet plenty of space to just walk and see beautiful things. It happens to be Baby Animal Season and so I wanted to see those cute animals before they get too big! 

It was so beautiful there. May is the most gorgeous time of the year for me! There were quite a few little baby critters running around, but I was enchanted by the goats, and one in particular which seemed to be so calm and easily entreated by the likes of me. I sidled up to it and put out my hand. 

I was provided product to facilitate an honest and fair review. Affiliate and non-affiliate links may be present for reference purposes. Thank you for your support!

 At first it seemed oblivious to me, but then as I talked, slowly and non-nonchalantly, getting closer with my hand still outstretched, it took the bait, which turned out to be no bait at all. Perhaps it thought I was going to offer it a nice morsel of goat food (What do goats eat? I'm not sure, except maybe the labels off soup cans...). I had nothing to offer, which it soon found out. 

 I was hoping its mood wouldn't turn sour. I wanted to avoid being gored at all costs! But it stayed sweet and simply turned towards the camera and gave a sweet little goat pose before setting off to find more tasty and interesting pursuits. 

That might not seem like the most exciting and fun thing that has ever happened to you, but I just loved the feeling of nature, and peace with the earth, and friendship between human and animal. 

This spring and summer I'll be wearing more comfy and cute clothing from prAna, that are great for every kind of adventure because when I'm hiking or working with the kiddos, I want comfy clothes that allow me to move freely. That is what I get with prAna. 

I was interested to learn that organic cotton uses 71% less water than conventionally grown cotton! And organic cotton doesn't pollute the water it does use with toxic chemicals. So important! Just remembering to buy an organic cotton shirt when you need a shirt would be a huge contribution! There is something about wearing organic materials. They make me feel like I'm in tune with the earth and that I'm keeping its interests at heart. It's a good way to feel!

Make sure to check out prAna online and get 15% off all purchases using this code: TRGAS18

One More Healing Step + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

I must tell you about a wonderful day I experienced not too long ago in a little resort/retirement town called Midway! I was invited to be part of a council associated with something called 'Tribalry', a company dedicated to bringing like-minded, similarly motivated, and professionally associated people together to find common ground and to help build friendships and business connections. 

Image - Craig Jensen

I'm here to tell you that these people know how to do it! They had us gather in a big meeting hall, with tables seating 5 - 6. We gathered in our various tribes--health and wellness, bloggers, baby boomers, PR, financial planners, moms, event planners, etc. We were then told to tell a little bit about ourselves in about 2 minutes. We got to hear stories about everyone and it was a great time! We spent a lot of time talking, listening, and taking notes for the whole course of the morning and afternoon, just getting to know people and making connections! I felt like it was going pretty well and I heard lots of great stories, but then something happened. I took the next step, became vulnerable, and revealed more of myself than I ever thought I would. There was a group of women at one of my tables whom I had learned a little bit about previously and I instinctively felt that we all had experienced something similar in our lives. But not only that, we had managed to deal with those experiences in similar ways. I found myself admiring and being drawn to what they had learned. I found myself being inspired by their experiences. (Names changed to protect indentity)

Each one of these lovely ladies had experienced a great loss of one kind or another. But each one had managed to come back with grace and strength, and had adapted to their losses creatively and even profitably! Briefly, here are their stories:

Sarah unexpectedly had a stroke that paralyzed the entire right side of her body. She was left without the ability to care for herself or to even speak. Gradually, and with a lot of work, she was able to get back a lot of what she lost. Ultimately she did have to give up skills that had formerly been easy for her. But she was so grateful to be able to have what she has now and is very accepting of her limitations and is so positive that people around her are lifted by her gentle spirit. She is also very skilled at crochet!

Cindy loved dancing as a girl and young adult. She was looking towards becoming a dance major, graduating in dance and dancing professionally. She lived and breathed dance. But tragedy struck when she was involved in a serious car accident that rendered her immobile and unable to move, much less dance. She never regained her ability to dance. With the evaporation of her dream, she had to find other interests that were within her abilities. She found that she was good at writing. She developed her skill and is a  published author of at least several books. She is a public speaker. She makes beautiful jewelry and she is a traveler. She also is a Life Counselor who is very generous with her hints and tips. I took one of her tips to heart to make my own professional and personal life richer and more meaningful!

Bethany's world was her husband and family. Married to the love of her life for many years, he unexpectedly betrayed her and ruined their marriage. It ended in divorce. He then stole her intellectual property and used it for his own financial gain, giving her nothing in return. She has had to pick up the pieces of her own identity, which was so intertwined with her marriage and what that represented. It hasn't been easy and she has been tempted to take the path of bitterness and revenge. But instead she has chosen to be positive, build from the ground up, and state her intentions of growth. She is adamant that she wants to be married again and is positive that there is love waiting for her at some point, even though she isn't young anymore. She is so positive and upbeat and faces the world with dignity, courage and hope! I know that her positive vibes will attract what she is seeking!

When I started learning about these women, my guard was let down and I started to feel trust in them. That is a strange emotion for me. My own life's experiences have not been ones to foster that particular trait. Trust doesn't come free with me. I realize that not everyone can relate to where I have come from, a divorcee whose husband not only unexpectedly left her, but took everything, including her precious children and was successful in keeping them despite many and repeated efforts and finances to gain them back. I was taken by surprise, destitute, broken, and unable to navigate the curve balls dealt out to me.Thus I was never able to raise them as a true mother, and the role of "mom" was taken from me. Even my own family looked at me like I was some kind of failure for many years, ostracizing  and criticizing me. So why should I expect anyone to believe or relate to my story?  I eventually was able to rebuild my life, re-connect with my sons, and become identified as something more than a "birth mom". 

When I realized that these women experienced loss that completely took away their former identities, and yet they were able to rebuild, it was so empowering! I felt such a sense of healing. They could understand me because they had lived through similar experiences. I'm thankful that I was able to experience yet another step in my lifelong recovery from the one trauma that could have destroyed me personally forever, but didn't!
This certainly isn't a sponsored post, but I can tell you that this controlled and empowering experience was life-changing for me. If you hear about 'Tribalry', you should definitely check it out! 

 Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome) 

Real Time Pain Relief Review + Giveaway

I am a firm believer that much of the pain we experience can be alleviated by natural means and without the use of drugs! Casually using drugs for pain relief is so dangerous! Before aggressive measures are undertaken I feel that that one should do as much research as possible to take charge of their own health and not leave it up to a drug or the healthcare system. But that's as far as I will go in telling anyone what to do or how to do it. I can only give suggestions, such as the products that I am about to review here!

I was provided samples of the following products, so I can give you my honest opinion about them. Affiliate and non-affiliate links are provided here for reference purposes. Thanks so much for your support!
Real Time Pain Relief is an American owned and operated company in business since 1998. They offer homeopathic, safe solutions for pain of all kinds. 

Hemp Oil Plus. The other night was a case in point. I had some weird excruciating pain in my left shin. It was a deep pain, which I thought might be associated with my veins. I was really hoping that it wasn't leading up to varicose veins, a painful condition indeed. At any rate, I couldn't sleep because it was a sharp pain and it would jolt me awake with its intensity.

I had just been provided with Real Time Pain Relief's Hemp Oil Plus so decided to give it a try. It smells wonderful! I love the way it smells so natural and fresh, with all kinds of homeopathic ingredients like Arnica, St. John's Wart, Calendula, Nutmeg Oil, Wasabi Extract, Witch Hazel, Coriander, Aloe Vera, Turmeric, Peppermint, Willow Bark, Emu Oil and more! They have blended all these natural ingredients perfectly, so that they smell amazing!

I applied the lotion and was able to get some relief for a bit, but then the pain started up again after an hour or two, so I re-applied and got relief once more for a period of time. I repeated this process a couple of times until morning. I didn't get as great of a sleep as I'd have liked, but it definitely helped keep the pain at bay.The next day the pain lessened and by the evening, it had totally disappeared. I still don't know what might have caused it, but am grateful that I escaped more of the same!

One of the main things I was impressed with was the smell. Now, I find myself actually looking for any kind of pain at all, just so I can apply the lotion so I can use it for aromatherapy purposes! It's definitely not your typical pain cream smell.

Homeopathic Lip Therapy. I am a total lip balm snob. The British Aristocricy would be proud of me! I'm sorry, but I don't use the grocery store brand, plastic-y feeling stuff. Usually when companies are giving away free swag in goodie bags, more often than not it will include a lip balm, the kind I won't use. So I have all kinds of lip balms, chap sticks, lip healing agents hanging around my house, waiting for I don't know what, 'cause I won't ever use them. But I try them in the hopes....leaving them used and wasted. I need to come up with a clever idea to make use of all the opened, used one time lip balms I have accumulated!

I'm happy to report that Real Time has got a really good lip balm! It's for the dry, cracked lips that people get for various reasons. However, I use this lip balm for everyday use, along with my other lip balms of choice. I usually have one in my bag, my makeup mini-bag, my bathroom, my dresser, my first aid kit, on my desk, and in my kitchen drawer. The ingredients of the 'Homeopathic Lip Therapy' sink into my lips, not hanging around on the surface. It smells wonderful, "using a low amount of Menthol, Camphor and Peppermint Oil, which gives it a minty smell and creates a light, refreshing zing on the lips." It is free of artificial fragrances and also contains Lavender Oil, Chamomile Oil, and Jojoba Oil. It comes in either a jar or a stick!

Pet Formula. Our dog is part of our "pack" and we believe in treating her well, especially since she is getting older (she'll be 10 in December). 

The Pet Formula is perfect for when she gets a rash or a hot spot on her skin. When you spray it on, it feels cool and gentle. Ingredients include Aloe Vera, Menthol, and Arnica, with absolutely NO Parabens, SLS, or dyes, so you can apply it worry-free on dogs, cats, horses, and pets of all sizes!
There are many great reviews of this company, both on the site and on their Facebook Page. I love this one! 

" I have been using Real Time Pain Relief since January 19, 2016, and I left the Pain Clinic, came off the narcotics which were causing problems with my kidneys and liver. It was the only cream which I was not allergic to. The Pain Clinic helped me research it for a few months to make sure it would not cause blisters on my skin because I suffer from Scleroderma. Along with RA and Lupus. I use it every morning and every night. I start to hurting when I start to run out and begin using it sparingly. My husband says, "don't run out", and it is placed on the house hold budget when my own budget is limited. We can see a difference in my work performance, ability to sleep, irritability, and pain levels should I not use Real Time Pain Relief. I give out the little packets to my co-workers, because I hate to see others suffer when I have the means to relieve it. People keep telling me to "save" my little packets for myself, but I just have to share, it is just how it is. You find something amazing, you want to shout it to the world. I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING THAT WORKS!"

I am an enthusiastic supporter of this great "made in the USA" company and will definitely be a repeat customer!

I am excited to partner with Real Time Pain Relief and give away 1 of the items I have reviewed, winner's choice! Enter in the Rafflecopter below! Open to U.S. no P.O. Boxes, +21 years of age, one entrant per household please.

Disclaimer: Open to U.S.!  A GAL NEEDS...received product from this sponsor to facilitate the review of this product. Affiliate links may be present. No Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, nor any other social platforms are involved in any way! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and must have a valid mailing address, no P.O. Box.
Must be 21 or older to participate, 1 entrant per household, Winner will be contacted by e-mail
after 05/29/18.  Must respond within 48 hours.
After notification, winner will be asked to acknowledge their win by contacting sponsor on Social Media and letting them know of their win.
Entrants with invalid entries will be disqualified.
Sponsor, Real Time Pain Relief is responsible for delivery of prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Reliable Fashion Photographer And An A-Line Skirt

Today I'm going to discuss the reasons why fashion bloggers need a reliable and skilled photographer ready to take amazing photographs on a moments notice. It will be discussed, along with commentary on this A-Line skirt.

Affiliate and non-affiliate links may be used in this post for reference purposes. Thanks for your support!

For a great photography session, one should schedule out at LEAST a week in advance but even then, an in-demand photographer might, without notice, produce a reason to postpone or cancel the session. NBA play-offs, errands, or a need to nap may suddenly overcome any reasonable request for a scheduled session.

I love this spring skirt. I believe my mom used to have one similar to this. It had flowers and had a large A-line flair to it. It made her waist look so tiny. I feel like I'm so much more substantial than she ever was. But I can see why I saw her in it so often. The skirt feels good, it feels feminine and it is quite forgiving!

A photographer needs to be able to find good angles that aren't always straight ahead shots. But in getting those other angles, one must be able to get the whole body in proportion, so that it doesn't look as though you have no legs!

I found a denim jacket that had been languishing in my closet for awhile just because I didn't like the cut when worn with pants or skirts. I thought it might work out well here because it would bring out the subtle blue tones in the skirt.

A good photographer has an eye for the best locations, the best backgrounds, and is able to be creative with those selections, mixing it up and always keeping it interesting. My photographer likes trees and greenery, most of the time. When I told my photographer that a wall might be a nice change, my photographer winced, like there was something in his eye. There wasn't anything in my photographer's eye.

I feel like this kind of skirt would be perfect for an outside luncheon, a wedding, going to church, or a recital! And I love the pockets!!

An excellent fashion photographer should never roll their eyes when the subject of the photos makes suggestions about what might make a good photograph. They should be able to work with said subject and make the subject feel good about themselves, their ideas, and their annoying idiosyncrasies. It's probably in their best interest, because they want to get good references and get paid really well, don't ya know. 

I really liked the shoe that I chose to wear with the skirt, a high heeled gladiator sandal. It's neutral and doesn't clash with the other colors. 

A competent photographer should have their own equipment, ready to adjust to any situation at hand. It's best-practice to have a handy carrying case with the basics and some extra lighting equipment in order to capture that one awesome shot. My photographer had an excellent android phone of which he carried in his back pocket, but trust me it was good. The photo was definitely captured 'cause that's all you had to say was "Capture"!

The material for this skirt is 100% polyester but feels like satin. It is hand wash in cold water or dry clean. To get out wrinkles, a steam iron should be used on the inside of the skirt only.

All in all this was a good photo shoot, and I do know my photographer extremely well, since he's my husband...and heck, the price is certainly right!

Linking up here: By LaurenM, More Pieces Of Me, Shoe and Tell, Beauty By Miss L