b december 2014
free
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 3
December 2014 | Issue One Hundred Two
Joey Coakley Beck Publisher & Owner
jbeck@beckmediagroup.com
Hayleigh Worgan Editorial Director
hworgan@beckmediagroup.com
Sara Coakley Office Manager
bella@beckmediagroup.com
•••
Cheryl Matthews Senior Account Executive
cmatthews@beckmediagroup.com
Advertising Inquiries advertise@beckmediagroup.com bella@beckmediagroup.com (540) 904-6800
•••
Contributors Stacey Brugh, Centra Health, Decca Knight, Member One Federal Credit Union, Tanya Ritz, Dr. Jennifer Walker, Hayleigh Worgan
Editorial Inquiries editorial@beckmediagroup.com
LLC
page 4 | bella magazine | december 2014
806 Wasena Avenue, Suite 101, Roanoke, VA 24015 540.904.6800 fax 540.904.6803 Bella Magazine is the property of Beck Media Group LLC. It is a free publica on printed monthly and is distributed throughout Southwest and Central Virginia and beyond. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse ad space for any adver sement or editorial content the staff deems inappropriate for our readers. The concept and design of Bella Magazine, as well as the design, adver sements, art, photos and editorial content is property of Beck Media Group LLC and may not be copied or reprinted without wri en permission from the publisher. ©2006-2014 Beck Media Group LLC All Rights Reserved. PRINTED IN THE USA w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
inside: 7
Shop Local
A local designer brings us the must-have planner for 2015!
10
Bella Do-It-Yourself
Cookies in a Jar: An easy and personable “thinking of you” gift.
21
13
Mind. Body. Soul.
Live a healthier, conscious, and inspired life.
Bella Sips
Pinterest-worthy eggnog creations for your holiday party.
25
16
Save This, Buy That
Bella Muse
Member One offers advice to make your wallet happy this holiday season.
18
Events & Happenings
Holiday makeup tips and advice on maintaining perfect eyebrows.
26
The Nutcracker kicks off Southwest Virginia Ballet’s 25th anniversary season.
Bella Parents-in-Training
Damaging labels and how to avoid using them with your children.
29
Tales from Stacey Rae
Stacey recalls the timeless holiday tradition of Buchanan luminaries.
30
Bella Finds
Your go-to guide for unique holiday gifts.
find us: w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
lovelybella.com
bellamagazine
bella_mag
bella_ _magazine december 2014
bellamagazine
|
bella magazine
|
page 5
page 6 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
shop local
Support small, locally-owned businesses with your holiday purchases
With the Christmas season starting and the big box stores and internet sites creating a mass holiday shopping frenzy, I want to remind you to remember your small business retailers for your holiday shopping. Most people frequent their local businesses and know someone who either owns or works for a small business. As a small business owner, I am asking you to give your favorite stores a chance to assist you with your holiday shopping. We normally have the same products that the internet sites have but house them in an inviting setting with a knowledgeable and helpful sales staff. In the end, you will receive a purchase that was chosen with thought, most likely beautifully wrapped and postage free! Although clicking a button on your computer is easier, supporting a local business can have so many more bene its.
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
A few statistics concerning your local small businesses:
*Small businesses employ over 50% of all private sector workers—-this is over 120 million US workers *Small businesses provide 65% of all new net jobs annually *90% of all small businesses support local charitable organizations and nonprofits *52% of all retail sales are with a small business Regardless of what you decide to purchase this year, remember your small, locally-owned businesses. Your purchases will keep your dollars in Central and Southwest Virginia and allow your friends and neighbors to keep working. This keeps our local economy running which is an important bene it to everyone.
We would like to thank Katherine Juker at Yarid’s in Roanoke for these enlightening facts about shopping locally. Bella Magazine is proud to support them and the other small businesses featured in our magazine each month. We encourage you to remember to give back to your community this holiday season by shopping locally for everyone on your list. Happy Holidays!
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 7
Shop Local
Get Organized in 2015
s
inStyle!
She Plans began as a lifelong dream of Ashley Staum, graduate and former event planner at Virginia Tech. She irst began designing her own planners while working towards her MBA, with the goal to create a planner unlike what was on the market, one with much needed uncategorized writing space. “I could easily spend just as much time organizing my notes and notebooks as I would spend actually studying for a test. I’ve always loved the feeling of a clean, organized desk—the potential for ‘great things to come’ that it represents,” she explains. “But when it came to a planner I simply couldn’t ind something to it my needs. I needed space to jot down meeting notes and keep my To Do list as well as my appointments and I was tired of using multiple notebooks and slips of paper that were easily lost on my desk or in my bag.” Post graduation, Ashley continued to make planners and they grew and changed with her. She wanted to create something that would bene it women in all stages of their lives—including motherhood. As a mother of four young daughters, she understood the importance of having every task and appointment organized in the same notebook. “I soon realized that I could merge the traditional planner with my To Do List notebook,” Ashley recalls. “So, the To Do List Planner was born!” Today, the To Do List Planner is a place to keep your master To Do list, daily list, as well as appointments, celebrations, meal planning, a mini gratitude journal, and uncategorized notes pages. There is also space to crepage 8 | bella magazine | december 2014
ate goals for the year ahead, and jot down gift giving ideas. It is truly a one-stop shop for all that life throws at you. “I believe in the importance of being truly present in your daily life. In the hectic world in which we live the complaint of ‘boy I am so busy’ can be seen as a badge of honor, and I believe there is a need to step back and slow down,” she says. “It is my hope that I can build tools for people to organize the tasks and events in their lives, not so they can add more and get more done, but so that they can have the space in their day, the space in their life, to become the people they are meant to be. Without organization, it is easy to let our to-do list create our priorities rather than let our priorities create our to-do list.” Take the irst step in organizing your life or grab one of these stylish planners for a holiday gift that the recipient will treasure throughout 2015! Ashley’s Etsy page offers a variety of planners, custom notebooks, a wall calendar, printable planners and organization sheets. Go to www.etsy.com/shop/sheplans for more information. w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 9
Bella Girls D.I.Y.
Cookies are a great gift for acquaintances and coworkers. However, during the holidays, it is easy to be overwhelmed by cookies. Give them the gift of Cookies in a Jar! They can save your cookies for later and make them with their families. Check out the recipe for Buttered Toffee Oatmeal cookies here and visit our website & Facebook page this month for the Hot Chocolate Cookies and Fudge Peppermint Crinkle Cookies recipes! Thanks to www.followinginmyshoes.com for the inspiration!
page 10 | bella magazine | december 2014
Bu ered Toffee Oatmeal Cookies 1 box White or Vanilla Cake Mix ⅔ cup Toffee Bits 1 cup Rolled Oats
Empty cake mix into a clean, wide-mouth canning jar, lightly packing the mix down. Add the toffee bits in an even layer on top of the cake mix. Next, carefully add the rolled oats. Seal with the lid. For the Recipe Card: • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. • Using a stand mixer, combine the cake mix, 2 eggs and ½ cup very so bu er. • Gently mix in the toffee bits. • Add the oats and s r slowly (the dough will be quite thick). • Using two small spoons, measure out and shape each cookie into a ball. • Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes or un l bo om edges are golden brown. • Remove and cool cookies on a wire rack. • Store in an air- ght container.
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 11
page 12 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
Bella Sips
a holiday cocktail party! Eggnog creations to please all your guests Holiday parties are not complete without eggnog! Like a Bloody Mary, everyone prefers their eggnog served differently. Fortunately, Pinterest is FULL of amazing recipes to make sure that all of your guests are happy. Try a few of these recipes over the holiday season, and let us know your favorite! Eggnog is not very dif icult to make. If you are feeling creative, try this recipe for Pasteurized Homemade Eggnog from www.creative-culinary.com:
Pasteurized Homemade Eggnog 5 large egg yolks 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3 1/2 cups milk, separated 1-2 cups heavy cream, separated Nutmeg, grated (op onal)
Prepare an ice-water bath. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed un l the mixture is very thick and pale yellow, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the milk un l well incorporated. Cook the mixture over low heat, s rring constantly, un l it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and immediately s r in 1 cup of the heavy cream. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium-size bowl, and set the bowl in the ice bath un l the mixture is chilled, s rring occasionally. S r in the remaining 1 ½ cups milk and addi onal heavy cream if desired, to taste. Transfer the eggnog to a pitcher and chill un l ready to serve.
At this point, you can add your nutmeg and serve if you wish. If you want to add a little kick to your eggnog, try this easy recipe, “White Christmas,” from www.punchbowl.com:
White Christmas Eggnog 4 oz eggnog ½ oz white chocolate liqueur 1 oz Southern Comfort S r before sprinkling the top of the drink with chocolate flakes. w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
more...
bella magazine
|
page 13
Bella Sips If the taste of bourbon is not favorable among your guests, they may enjoy this Eggnog Martini recipe from www.nutmegnanny. com:
Eggnog Martini 2 ½ oz eggnog 1 oz vanilla vodka ¾ oz Amare o Combine ingredients in a shaker and shake over ice. Strain into chilled mar ni glass. Dust with freshly grated nutmeg.
We also love this Kahlua, Eggnog and Jameson Irish Whiskey Cocktail from Creative Culinary:
Kahlua, Eggnog & Whiskey Cocktail 1 part Kahlua 1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey 4 parts eggnog Fill your cocktail glass with crushed ice. Put the Kahlua, whiskey and eggnog into a pitcher and mix thoroughly. Pour over ice and top with freshly grated nutmeg.
Keep ingredients for a non-alcoholic eggnog creation on hand, just in case. This Skinny Pumpkin-Nog Shake from www.iheartnaptime.net is easy to make and wonderful to enjoy by a ireplace:
Skinny Pumpkin-Nog Shake
1 cup Eggnog ½ cup low fat frozen vanilla yogurt or ice cream ¼ cup chilled pumpkin puree 2 TBS graham cracker crumbs ½ tsp vanilla ¼ tsp pumpkin spice 8-10 ice cubes Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Serve one, two, or all of these creations at your holiday party for Instagram-worthy drinks your guests will enjoy throughout the night! Visit our Pinterest page throughout December for other great cocktail recipes.
page 14 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
This holiday season make an big impact in your community by suppor ng your neighborhood and locally-owned businesses this year.
! l a c o L p o h S
GREAT GIFT IDEAS • MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 15
die Crush
Bella Muse
Holiday Makeup Add a little shimmer to your natural beauty You have found the perfect dress and shoes for your holiday party. Your makeup is the next hurdle. Fortunately, we have found a few wonderful products that will dazzle without overwhelming your face. Neutral eye color and bronzer are great ways to accentuate bold holiday looks. Try the Too Faced Beauty Wishes & Sweet Kisses palette (www. toofaced.com). Featuring two varieties of bronzer, chocolate soleil and snow bunny, it will give you the opportunity to add just enough shine without going overboard. The palette also includes shades of eye shadow in white chocolate, crème brulee, and haute chocolate. Together, they create a beautiful smoky eye. Complement your natural hues and smoky eyes with shimmering Spice Spice Baby lipstick from Too Faced. Spice Spice Baby is part of a three piece “Under the Mistletoe” collection that comes with a beautiful carrying case just small enough to carry your makeup essentials with you to freshen up at your holiday party.
page 16 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
Beyond the Fringe:
Q&A Written by
Tanya Ritz
How do I create the perfect brows?
Longer, fuller lashes will enhance your appearance. Fake eyelashes can be a hassle, but once you learn a few tricks on how to apply them it may make the process a little easier for you. Hold the fake lash up to your eye and make sure it will not be too wide. Trim them irst, if needed, and then use a pair of tweezers to line the edge of your fake eyelash with glue. Let it dry for sixty seconds (or until sticky). Then apply it to your eyelid, where the base of your eyelash meets the lid. If full lashes seem like too much work or your eye lashes are already long and just need illing in, try adding individual lashes where your own seem sparse. Eylure (www.eylure.com) offers a wide variety of lashes for all occasions and needs. Their individual lashes are easy to apply and will serve to make your lash line look a little fuller without going overboard. Visit our website for more holiday makeup tips during the month of December!
A lot of factors like overplucking or unfortunate waxing experiences can create misshaped eye brows. My number one piece of advice: step away from the magnifying mirrors, ladies! It is all too easy to pluck “just one more hair” and then you have a hole, so you have to pluck more to make the hole look less obvious. Before you know it, you have a thin line of an eyebrow and you must start the process over on the other side so both brows match. If you are able to, avoid that step altogether and see a professional. Sometimes, if you’ve plucked too much, it’s best to just grow them back in for a month or two. You may look like you have two little fuzzy caterpillars on your face, but it’s temporary and worth it later to have fuller brows that can be resculpted. If your brows are long or unruly, brush them straight up and trim with manicure scissors. There are so many great brow cosmetics on the market today, and a good brow powder and/or pencil can be just what you need to ϔill in and create more sculpted brows. Some companies offer special brow kits which are great, but I actually use an eyeshadow for my brow powder. The key is using a cooler toned brown that is medium to light for brunettes and a very light brownishtaupe for blondes. I also use a tiny, stiff angled brush for applying the shadow to my brows. I also love brow pencils, especially if my brows have sparse areas. Anastasia Beverly Hills is my go to company for eye brow cosmetics. Their Brow Wiz pencil is amazing because it has the tiniest point for mimicking brow hairs. Finish with a brow wax or gel to keep hairs in place.
{
Tanya is a hair stylist & colorist at Gloss Salon in Roanoke and lover of all things beauty. She specializes in precision haircuts and custom color. For more ps, trends and informa on, visit her page at www.facebook.com/tanyaritzhair
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 17
Bella Parents-in-Training
Damaging Labels
t
Written by
Decca Knight
Take a few minutes and think about how you would “label” yourself as an adult. Do you think of yourself as smart, funny, shy, mischievous, athletic, or something else? Where did these labels come from? Were they created from your own perception or from the murmurings of others in your life? Often we, as parents, unwittingly create a persona for our child. From the time they are born, we begin to slowly mold their being. This is, in fact, our job as parents. But we often don’t realize how detrimental our labels can be. Consider the label of “challenging.” We have all heard parents chastising their children with phrases such as, “Stop being so dif icult all the time,” and “You are always causing problems, straighten up!” These same parents often talk negatively about their child to other adults, while their child is in earshot. While some of these statements may hold some truth, we as parents should attempt to keep such judgments to ourselves. Why? Because children often struggle to separate themselves from their labels. As a counselor, I have had many children say to me, “My parents and teachers think that I am a bad kid, and I am.” If children perceive themselves in this way, they often feel that they are “swimming against the current.” Why should they improve when they believe that the individuals they trust don’t believe they can? They begin to personify the troublemaker, the bully, or the class clown. The same holds true for seemingly positive labels such as smart, athletic, and beautiful. If a child is constantly being told they are intelligent, they begin to believe that there is no room for failure. When they haven’t won the football game, they become overly discouraged. When they feel that they don’t look pretty enough, they become exceedingly self-critical and depressed. So, what do we say instead? If our child has a behavior we don’t like, we separate the child from the action. We don’t say, “You are a bully.” We say, “You seem to be saying some hurtful things to other kids. Let’s talk about where this is coming from and what we can do to change it.” We then encourage the child when we see behaviors that are counterintuitive to the former actions. We say, “Wow, I noticed that you are really treating your friends with respect. That has to feel good.” For the “troublemaker” child we encourage them when we see them “bucking” the trend. We say, “You treated your sister with such respect, thank you.” This phrasing also holds true for the seemingly positive labels. Instead of saying, “You are the smartest kid we know,” we might say, “You worked hard on that project, and it shows.” For the athletic child, we might say, “You really worked with your team today, you should be proud.” Notice that there is no judgment in these statements, only “noticing.” These phrases convey the belief that you “see” your child for the small things they do as opposed to the labels they wear.
{
Decca is a wife, mother, counselor, and paren ng educator. In an effort to further help kids and parents, Decca began studying a variety of paren ng philosophies. She teaches classes, consults with other “Parents-in-training,” and runs Blue Ridge Paren ng and Consul ng LLC. For more informa on about paren ng classes and consulta on visit Decca’s website www.blueridgeparen ng.com
page 18 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
Bella Do-It-Yourself
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 19
page 20 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
Written by
Moni Baidya, MD
Mind. Body. Soul.
Coping with ress & anxiety during the holidays
t
Twinkling lights, Christmas trees and family meals are hallmarks of the holiday season when friends and family gather together for celebrations. These much anticipated holidays can be both joyful and stressful. For those battling depression or anxiety, holiday stress can be a tipping point. The holidays affect everyone differently. Some worry of being around dif icult family members. Others have no one to celebrate with at all. Even for those without depression, the holidays are stressful, but for those struggling with sadness, this season makes life much more dif icult. To complicate matters, many people struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a sense of melancholy during the winter months when time outside is limited. When spring comes and people spend more time in the sun, absorbing Vitamin D, they often feel better. SAD is often undiagnosed and those struggling with it are more vulnerable to stress during the holidays. Whether the issues arise from inancial struggles, family discord, the worry of planning events or loneliness, identifying individual stress factors makes coping with the holidays possible.
Know yourself. Recognize what makes you stressful or causes anxiety. Enjoy the me. Whatever part of the holidays you value the most, gravitate towards those activities. Don’t make the holidays harder by doing more than you can handle.
Have a plan. If you are in charge of orchestrating holiday events, avoid stress by planning ahead. Be willing to enlist help so the burden doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders. An cipate stressors. Remember dif iculties from previous holidays and determine how you will deal with them if problems arise. Lean on friends and family that will help you in stressful moments.
{
Accept the stress. The holidays are
stressful on everyone. A holiday gathering doesn’t have to be perfect to be pleasant and memorable.
Consult your doctor. Talk about the upcoming holidays and allow your doctor to help you work through any potential issues. Take care of yourself. Eating a
balanced diet, maintaining a normal sleeping pattern and avoiding excessive alcohol, which is a depressant, are important to managing stress and anxiety. Take time for yourself with exercise, yoga, reading or another activity you enjoy.
Serve others. If the holidays are a
particularly lonely time, volunteer at a soup kitchen or another charity to share and care for others. The holiday season should be a joyful and exciting time, but planning, hosting or attending celebrations can be stressful for anyone. Take time to care for yourself, avoid unnecessary stressors and treasure the time.
Article courtesy of
Moni Baidya, MD, is a psychiatrist, specializing in adults and geriatric pa ents at Centra Medical Group Piedmont Psychiatric Center in Lynchburg. For more informa on or to schedule an appointment, call 434.200.5999 or visit CentraHealth.com.
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 21
Mind. Body. Soul.
Handling Holiday Stress It’s the most wonderful time of the year….for some! Written by
i
Dr. Jennifer Walker
I remember the irst time I wasn’t super excited about the holidays. Instead of focusing on the quality time I would have with my family, I was thinking about all the additional tasks that needed to be completed before the festivities. It was almost as though overnight I became an adult! The holiday season ultimately means lots of additional stress for many of us. Not only do we have inancial and emotional stressors, but even physical stressors as we hang decorations, clean, cook and/or travel in anticipation of visiting relatives. Add in the chemical stress of eating lots of sugary foods and we have a recipe for disaster!
5 tips for reducing stress during the holidays: 1. Don’t be afraid to say no or “delegate” tasks. Limit your “to do” list to the tasks you are uniquely gifted at handling and let others step in to assist with the additional responsibilities. When it comes to the holidays, it truly takes a village! 2. Take a few “time outs” over the holidays and focus on just you. A few minutes of quiet time devoted to you will not only save you, but everyone else around you! Everyone has a threshold for stress, so be proactive and the holiday will be happy for all. 3. Eat, drink and be merry – in moderation. Use the principle of moderation and you will only be left with fun memories of the holidays instead of unwanted pounds! 4. Get moving! Why not schedule in your workouts just like you would your social calendar? Getting a quick workout in before a party will minimize over-consumption and help reduce the effects of other stressors. 5. Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated will decrease your hunger and improve your overall health. Our bodies need approximately half our body weight to stay properly hydrated (and this does not include adult beverages!). The holidays should be a time to enjoy ourselves as we spend time with our friends and family, as well as look forward to the New Year! Happy Holidays and best wishes for a fantastic 2015!
{
Article courtesy of
Dr. Jennifer Walker is owner of Balance Wellspace, a three story wellness resource center in South Roanoke. You can reach her for more informa on at Balance Wellspace, 540-343-0055 or visit www.balanceroanoke.com.
page 22 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
Mind. Body. Soul.
Planning Guide Holiday
t
Host your party like a professional!
‘Tis the season for family gatherings, dinner parties, gift exchanges and the sound of laughter coming from around the table. With the hustle and bustle surrounding the holidays, it can seem challenging to plan the perfect celebration. Here are a few simple tips that will help your holidays go from hectic to holly and jolly:
Clean sweep your to-do list
Getting a jump start on your home’s preparations will keep you from burning out early. Clean the house thoroughly a few weeks prior to your big event instead of waiting until the last minute. Check for any light bulbs that need to be replaced, carpet stains that need treatment, and pesky cobwebs in your ixtures. Discard old condiments in the refrigerator and add more to your shopping list. Baking soda and a warm rag left on a glass cook top for 15-minutes leaves your surface sparkling—no elbow grease required. Don’t forget your oven—the self-cleaning option saves you time so you can move on to the next task.
Own the tradition
Forgo a traditional centerpiece and create a tablescape re lective of your family’s personality instead. To add dimension to your dessert table, glue candlesticks to mismatched plates to create holiday treat pedestals. Create centerpieces and personalized place settings out of beads, gourds, holiday baubles and handwritten name cards.
Decorate like a pro
A tchotchke here and garland there can soon lead to decoration overload. Choose a color w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
scheme ahead of time and stick to two or three colors. Decorating with colors that complement your existing decor will bring holiday cheer into your home seamlessly. If you have outdated decorations that you just can’t part with, consider giving them new life with a fresh coat of metallic spray paint. Wrapping gifts with similar colors, ribbons and metallics add the inishing touches to your decorating scheme.
Satisfy the senses
Add a few drops of essential pine oil to your air ilter to keep your home smelling festive even if you have a fake tree. For a softer scent, boil water and add vanilla extract, rosemary and a few lemon slices. Opt for table lamps in the living room instead of harsh overhead lights. The warm yellow glow will add to the ambiance of candles, ireplaces and twinkling string lights. Finally, have a few familyfriendly movies on hand to provide your guests with entertainment and a little down time between dinner and dessert.
Storage solutions
When the holidays are over, ornaments don’t always ind their way back to their original packaging. Wreath bags, ornament organizers, dinner plate containers and string light storage bins keep your decorations safe during the off-season. If you have wrapping paper left over that you’d like to save for next season, cut a toilet paper roll lengthwise and wrap it around the wrapping paper to prevent unraveling. Visit our Pinterest page for more great advice on creating your picture-perfect holiday celebration! december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 23
page 24 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
{
Article ticle courtesy of
Join Member One here each month for more moneysaving ps, giveaways and all things awesome! Be sure to follow @SaveThisBuyThat on Twi er and check out our board “Save This Buy That” on Bella’s award-winning Pinterest page.
‘Tis the Season of a Happy Wallet Holiday shopping can really take a toll on your bank account. This season your credit cards and wallet will be having a bit of a workout. Don’t worry—Save This, Buy That has your back – even when you think you can’t spend anymore!
Holiday Shopping 101
Group Gifts: Save cash and go in on a gift with family or friends. In the long run, it’ll save you more cash and you’ll be able to buy a higher priced item!
Theme-It-Up: Creating a themed gift can be easy on your wallet. Know your friend loves makeup and fashion? Create a gift basket with a bunch of small items— fashion magazines, nail polish and lip gloss! Keep a Budget: It might be pretty self-explanatory, but you can easily overspend if you don’t set a budget. Set a budget per family member - it’ll de initely help keep you on track!
DIY Gifting Hot Cocoa Mix
2 cups nonfat dry milk powder 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer 1/8 teaspoon salt Measure out all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them until they are evenly blended. Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature until you are ready to package. Mason jars are perfect! Add a tag with directions + give it to a loved one!
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 25
Events & Happenings
a i n r i V e w h t u So s t n e s e r p Ballet
r e k c a r c t u The N
s
Southwest Virginia Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker is a Roanoke holiday tradition. Featuring a cast of 180, and the assistance of hundreds of volunteer hours to put on the production, the performance draws a large audience each year. Adapted from “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E.T.A Hoffman, the story follows Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as they battle giant mice, dance with snow lakes, and journey to the Land of the Sweets where the Sugar Plum Fairy entertains them with exotic dances from around the world. “Every year is different. I love seeing how the company members grow over the years as artists, dancers, and people,” says choreographer Pedro Szalay, “For the 25th anniversary, we are bringing back two students who worked with us before and are now professional dancers. This is important because it illustrates that we are creating dancers in our organization.” Maria Jessee and Molly Cook are former students who will return to dance the role of The Sugar Plum Fairy. Maria irst auditioned as an extra nearly a decade ago. Today, she is a dance major at Butler University in Indianapolis. She is excited to return to the stage where her relationship with Southwest Virginia Ballet began. “I felt honored when Pedro asked me to return for this production,” she explains, “It is a way for me to give back to him and the company. Also, it is an opportunity to show how I have grown as a dancer.” Molly agrees, “I am excited to perform another role with Southwest Virginia Ballet, dance with a professional, help out the company, and see old friends again.” Performances will take place on Saturday, December 13 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 14 at 3 p.m. A special pre-performance event, Clara’s Tea Party, will take place on December 14 at 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.svballet.org.
page 26 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 27
page 28 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
Tales From Stacey Rae
e
The Buchanan Luminaries Written by
Each year, on Christmas Eve, I have my own tradition of making my way through my hometown of Buchanan to see my town “sparkle.” Even before I could drive, my parents, my brother and I drove down Main Street every year after the Mill Creek Baptist Christmas play to see the town lit up with luminaries along its streets. There is a very special meaning and symbol to these simple milk jugs illed with sand and a small candle placed inside them. I reached out to a town resident, and also one of my favorite elementary school teachers, Mrs. Elizabeth Provost, to ind out how the tradition of Buchanan luminaries began. Just one month after the Flood of 1985, town citizen, Jean Baber, came up with an idea of using milk jugs for luminaries on Christmas Eve. For the folks of Buchanan, those jugs symbolized the goodwill and friendship displayed by area businesses and Botetourt residents who brought pallets of fresh water in clear gallon jugs to those impacted by the devastation of November’s lood. In 1995, the luminary project was revitalized by Buchanan Elementary School’s ifth grade teacher, Elizabeth Provost. She and her students measured the distance from one end of town to the other, taking in to account resident’s driveways, and calculated how many jugs they needed to complete the job. They decided to place the luminary jugs every three feet. Once they igured out the logistics, the group had to come up with an ingenious idea to collect the needed one thousand jugs. Mrs. Provost traced a Christmas tree onto wood. Her husband, Charles, was used to helping his wife with class projects and cut the tree out with his band saw. Mrs. Provost then took her students to the hardware store, owned by Bobby Falls, where they explained their project and asked for a donation of paint to complete the wooden tree. Mr. Falls agreed to their request and the students painted the tree while Mr. Provost made a stand so it would be upright. Each project member agreed to work with a speci ic grade level. That student created their own paper Christmas ornament for the grade levels: K-6th grades. They visited their speci ic grade level classrooms every morning to collect water jugs and exchanged each jug for an ornament that would be attached to their Christmas tree. The tree was displayed on stage in the cafeteria at Buchanan Elementary School. Students met and exceeded
{
Stacey Brugh lives in Roanoke, but grew up in “Brughville” in Buchanan. She says, “My parents taught me to live each day to the fullest and we do! My days are always filled with fun stuff!” She claims to be just a “small town girl with a big smile.” And big dreams! Read about her life—past and present—here each month. For more of this story, visit www.lovelybella.com.
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
Stacey Brugh
their goal of one thousand jugs. The next task was transforming the jugs into luminaries. Mrs. Provost made the initial cut in each jug. Student volunteers stayed after school to assist with cutting of the jugs. Next, additional volunteers put sand in the bottom of each jug to weigh it down. Once all this was done, the kids and Mrs. Provost placed the jugs in the back of pick-up trucks that many kind parents volunteered. The luminaries were then taken to the basement of the Town Municipal Building.
On Christmas Eve at 3 p.m., the students’ inished projects were placed on the town’s sidewalks. Many student volunteers, teachers, and families participated, and some continue to do so every year. The irst year’s lighting of the luminaries had few volunteers at the beginning, but town residents stopped to help and it became a heartwarming community effort. Nineteen years later, the jugs are still displayed. Tis the season to give, and my town took a simple milk jug and turned it into a beautiful gift that reminds us goodwill from strangers still exists. A few minutes of your time is the best gift of all and I can’t wait to do my part to help continue this tradition for years to come. Happy Holidays! december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 29
Holiday Finds
Great finds for the Bella Fellas on your list!
Grooming products, shaving accessories, and gi cards from Jack Black. Available at Jack’s inside Davidsons.
Wood Calendar from Ar fact Uprising. www.ar factuprising.com
Wacom’s Bamboo™ Stylus Fineline. www.wacom.com www.waco
Heritage by award-winning chef, Sean Brock. k. An excellent cookbook and guide to Southern rn cuisine! www.huskrestaurant.com page 30 | bella magazine | december 2014
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
w w w. l o v e l y b e l l a . c o m
december 2014
|
bella magazine
|
page 31