Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Our Homeless Mission: NE Partners with "Wandering to Nourish Atlanta"

Isn't it fabulous how sneaky God works?

A Little Background:

A few months back, as I was planning the end of the year events for Natural Elegance, I decided that now was the time to start branching out from North Georgia and take the girls into a real world experience to really get their hands dirty. I wanted us to warm the homeless.

I contacted my graphic designer and she got to work on our flyer for Operation Warm Heart.


It was a fantastic idea...that just kinda kept growing. It went from blankets, to clothes, to shoes to food. 

The only problem was I had no contact I trusted to help get this set up.

I had been praying and praying for God to open some kind of a door before November 3 that would lead us to the big city of Atlanta. And He gave me nothing. 

Then, one night out of the blue, our sweet photographer, Paige randomly messaged me. We were chatting about events and then she sent me the name and FaceBook page of an organization based out of Atlanta that fed, clothed and provided hygiene items for the homeless in the city. 

God answered.

Wandering to Nourish Atlanta


We both were ecstatic! I immediately sent them a message and one of the co founders promptly messaged back, Marcus Acosta. We decided to have a conference meeting the next day with WtNA's other co founder, Ali Froid. 

Praying some more, I knew in my heart this was His answer and it would work out some way.

Natural Elegance has now partnered with WtNA and this will be our new charity of choice. We will take the girls on monthly wanders in the city, and what a great reminder to us ALL just how blessed we are. I hope and pray that you mamas will band together with me and show these girls what it is to truly give to those who have nothing. It won't take up much time and its only a day per month. 

I am so proud of what NE stands for and what we are becoming. With His guidance, these girls will move mountains. 

Please join us for our first Operation Warm Heart and Wander November 3! Open to ANYONE, not just those who compete with us! 

Thank you to Marcus and Ali for welcoming us from North Georgia! 



Please read below and see what we are a part of! 

"One day two friends who were having a rough week got together and decided to get outside of their own problems and find a way to give back.

They decided to make 20 (which they thought was a large number at the time) bologna sandwiches and go downtown to feed the homeless. 

They parked the car and had no idea where to go, walking back and forth down the same sidewalk, not knowing which direction to head. They eventually saw a construction worker and asked, “Where can we find people who are hungry?” and he pointed them in the direction to Pine Street.

They had no idea what they were doing; they just knew their hearts were in the right place.

They had such a good time that they posted a video on Facebook telling people what an eye-opening, soul cleansing, heart breaking experience they had and invited anyone out to come with them as they committed to doing this at least once a month.

We often take things for granted, we take and take, but until you experience the feeling of giving, that’s when you truly find happiness.

We knew they needed more than just food, they needed clothes, they needed shoes, they needed a blanket, they needed a shower, they needed HOPE, they needed most of all, LOVE.

Every Wander, we walk around with smiles on our faces, peps in our step, a song in our heart, even if we are having a bad day we don’t let that show. When we smile they smile. Smiles are contagious.

This charity is our LIFE, we want this to spread worldwide! One person can do so much; we forget how much power is within us.

To start your own Wandering to Nourish you don’t have to have money, we don’t have money, we reach out to shelters, grocery stores, companies, people, and everything in between!

We started with 20 bologna sandwiches, feeding 20 people we are now not only feeding THOUSANDS of hungry people, but giving them clothes, shoes, hygiene products.. HOPE and LOVE too!

"

Please visit them at https://www.facebook.com/WtNAtlanta and tell them we sent you! 


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sydney: September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Our own Queen winning the fight against Ewings Sarcoma

Every parent's WORST nightmare is to hear your baby has cancer. I couldn't imagine hearing those words about my little boy. I just don't know if I would be strong enough to handle it. With that being said, I think most parents think that way until the day comes and you DO hear that.


I'm such a firm believe that God specifically places certain people in our lives for a reason. About a year ago to the month, I received a phone call from a super sweet lady wanting to enter her daughter into our Miss Rockabilly pageant. I was leaving for vacation and wasn't answering messages or calls that week. When I returned home, the Tween division had filled due to payments coming in. Tammy called me and I informed her the division had filled while I was gone. Her daughter's heart was broken and so was hers. 

I learned a little more about Sydney and how she had just went into remission from battling Ewings Sarcoma and she was wanting to add pageants to her resume and try them out. 

I asked everyone in the Tween division if any of the girls would like to crown for me instead of competing, then we could have an open space for Sydney. We had a volunteer and so it began. :)


A year passed by and Natural Elegance was blessed to have this young lady a part of our family. She competed in almost all of our pageants and queened at most of them, along with some other systems. Healthy and happy, she was a ray of sunshine and hope. 







Sydney isn't only a pageant queen, but she is an avid dancer, as well. Grace just oozes off this gal. 



A few months ago, I received a call from Tammy. God had decided to ask her to fight against this monster called cancer once again. Hearts were broken, tears were shed...and this little one is so much stronger than any of us. My heart wasn't only broken for her, but for her family. I could not and would not ever want to imagine what they are going through.

Sydney wanted to compete in our Miss Burnin' Love pageant so bad, which would mark a year of her being part of our family. She would be going through her 2nd week of chemo the week before our pageant. Lots of prayer went up for her that she would feel well enough just to be able to make it to the pageant to see her pageant sisters. 

Saturday came and they showed up! And not to mention, Sydney looked like a million bucks! Huge smile on her face, as usual :) Hugs, Loves and Kisses were given out and it was competition time. 

SHE ROCKED IT and Supremed! 



Everyone knows we execute our Queen for Day days and, Lord knows, we need to take care of our own. The system and our SWEET mamas rallied together within a matter of a few weeks and were able to present her with an abundance of goodies of her small favorite things. 

This baby had no idea, thanks to her sweet mama for keeping it a secret, that she had some goodies to take home with her! It was a sweet and touching moment to share with her on that stage and see her face. I love her more than she will ever know and she holds a very special place in my heart. 




For those wondering, Ewing's sarcoma is a malignant small, round, blue cell tumour. It is a rare disease in which cancer cells are found in the bone or in soft tissue. The most common areas in which it occurs are the pelvis, the femur, the humerus, the ribs and clavicle (collar bone).

Sydney will leave on September 24 for Houston Texas for more treatment and surgery. I am asking everyone who reads this to pray for this child and her family who shouldn't have to watch her fight for her life. 

My heart is very much broken to see this happen to Sydney. Cancer does not discriminate. Spread awareness and pray for these innocent children who do not deserve to battle this during their most lively years of life. 



Thursday, September 19, 2013

2013-2014 Ambassador Queens: Mackenzie and Layla

As far back as I can remember, I have been involved in some sort of community work, thanks to my sweet Mother who raised me that way. I was very blessed growing up, being part of the Lakeshore Mall Mascots, in which my mother was over, heavily involved with The American Heart Association, church functions, all sorts of fund raisers and walks and so on. I constantly had my hands in something and I loved it. 

One thing most people don't realize is what you really imprint on a child, they remember and it makes them who they are as adults. I started NE with the full intent on community work being first and foremost...above and beyond just pageants and crowns. 

In December, 2012 we had our very first nursing home visit. Since then, we have had multiple events with so much more planned, we are growing by leaps and bounds in all aspects of our system. Keeping God first and doing HIS work is what has made NE what it is today. 

I decided right before our Miss Burnin' Love pageant I wanted to add a very special title to our system. This annual title would go to the girl(s) who had attended the most community service events, without the intent of "winning" anything. I went back through all our pictures and found we had two very special young ladies who had been to every one, so I awarded two Ambassador Queens on August 31, 2013. 


They each would receive a full round crown, a rhinestone sash, a framed custom NE certificate, would have several perks throughout the following year including 3 trips, free entry into certain events and some more little surprises. This is, by far, our most prestigious title. They have responsibilities throughout the year which includes still attending the events as we have them. They will be mentors to their pageant sisters and a staple of Natural Elegance. 

(Ambassador Queens do NOT have to win a pageant in order to qualify)


Mackenzie has been competing with us since our first pageant in May 2012. She has grown with us and has a special place in all our hearts. Mackenzie has a contagious personality and she makes each and every girl feel welcome who come to our pageants as newbies. She always has a smile on her face and has a bond with these girls that is unbreakable. Below is a little blurb she wrote about "winning" and I couldn't have said it better myself! 


Our next Ambassador is little Layla. Layla came to us in September of 2012 and hasn't left. She is our "little mama", always chasing around the babies and taking care of them. She has such a pure heart and a personality to die for. Her little giggle is the cutest you've ever heard! 


Below is a little something Layla wanted to write about Natural Elegance. So sweet and so pure. 


I just can't preach it enough that our work helping others is what is important. ANY girl who is active with our system is welcome to attend any of our community events and receive the ambassador tallies for the following year. Most of the time, it only takes a couple ours of time per month. That isn't a lot to ask to brighten someone else's day. I hope next year, we are crowning 10 Ambassadors! 

A very special thanks to not only these two young ladies, but to their mamas who have made the commitment to have these girls involved in things that will not only make wonderful memories for them, but will mold them into adults who will have compassion and a desire to pass this along to others. 




Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Bell Minor Nursing Home: SPA Day

Who wouldn't want to come to a Spa Day?!? I wouldn't want to miss it with all these beauties!

We changed things up a bit with this nursing home visit and instead of doing crafts, which I think the residents were a little bored  with AND the girls too, we did a full out Spa and makeover day with the ladies!

IT WAS A BLAST! We also had our largest group so far....which of course, made me SO proud!







The girls brought nail polishes, hair brushes and bows, lotions, makeup and one lady donated a plethora of Mary Kay products! It was so much fun, they felt like Princesses!


One thing I love to see is how the girls grow each time we come here. The residents now know our girls and our girls now know the residents. I don't think anyone can really understand the impact they have on each other until you are there and can witness it.


We spent a little over 2 hours here. One thing that made this day so very special is our system photographer and good friend of mine, Paige Sweany of Sole Photography contacted me early on and asked if she could donate her time to come setup a backdrop and photograph these beautiful women. Not only that, she also offered to print off their pictures and frame them for their rooms. How blessed are we to have met some of the most caring and loving people who have become family and part of NE?  PIctured below is our sweet Paige, we love you <3 Her website is http://solephotography.smugmug.com/





I can't say this enough, I am SO proud to know these girls, mamas, people who are part of our system in such a huge way and all the ones we have met along the road, including Sabrina Souders who makes all of this possible for us at Bell Minor.


My biggest prayer is that more and more girls will want to give a VERY SMALL amount of time to these mothers, grandmothers, fathers, papas, aunts and uncles and friends who need us. It is our job as Christians to visit with them and help take care of them. Every time we meet, we have a group prayer and that is mine...for more and more to go to their local nursing home and love someone. We take for granted having people around us constantly and we complain about a lot, but when we are there, I think a lot is put into perspective for most of us. 


I am so thankful for all of you who came to this and experienced something the girls will never forget and the memories that were made will last a lifetime, for everyone involved. The love that came through each and every girl would have made you all so proud.












Thursday, September 5, 2013

Miss Burnin' Love 2013


Our biggest and most elaborate production yet! Pretty much, 2013 put 2012 to shame! This was, by far, our best and largest pageant yet! 
 Awards for this pageant were phenomenal, and not were they only quality awards, but the quantity was out of this world! Entry was kept at a phenomenally low cost for everything that went into this pageant! 

Not only did we have amazing awards and at gorgeous and huge venue, but we had Elvis! Chris Monteith was such a trooper and put on a total of 4 shows for us! 
Lots of mamas got scarved throughout the day and everyone had a true Elvis tribute show! 

Our queens and supremes were awarded with gorgeous royalty crowns, custom trophies, true blue suede sashes and blue fur trimmed robes! No other pageant anywhere can compare. 
I am so unbelievably proud of what Natural Elegance alone did for Helen Theatre and Helen Ga. We brought in over 700 people that weekend!! We are amazing! 

Also during this pageant is when I awarded 2 very special gals and very special title. Our very first Ambassador queens for 2013. Mackenzie and Layla have been to every community event NE has hosted since December 2012. They were awarded with a gorgeous full and stony round crown with AB stones, an AB stoned sash, a framed custom certificate, their own Facebook pages and will have 3 trips throughout the next year. This is the whole reason NE is what it is and is the reason i started the system in the first place! I'm so proud of these girls! 

 
We also had a lot of donations going on at this pageant. Sydney, one of our girls who has been with us since rockabilly last year is battling cancer for the second time. We were able to raise a lot of goodies for her! She was awarded all the gifts on stage and she also supremed! 

I'm so proud for what we stand for and for the people who are involved with our system. 

Thank you to everyone who came out and I love each of you!