Style Evaluation

As mentioned, we received the results of the style evaluation.  They love her hair and she is to leave it alone.  She's mostly okay with that but keeps having bouts of wanting to hack it off.  It's kind of nice to throw the style team under the bus on that one and just avoid a fight.  Nope, sorry.  They said you can't.  You have to obey.  So go brush it for pete's sake!

They also said for her to leave her brows alone.  It wouldn't have occurred to me that we should mess with them, but they reminded us that she is a kid and her brows are fine.  I guess maybe they've had issues with moms thinking their kids are bushy and plucking too much?  More of a toddlers and tiaras thing than an AMTC thing, I'm thinking.

Face and skin are good, keep drinking lots of water and use a moisturizer and sunscreen.  Only chapstick if needed.

Body- I love this.  Copying directly:

Good. Your body is a temple! Stay active and make healthy eating choices. Take this as an opportunity to substitute junk food with healthy alternatives, like rice cakes instead of chips and trail mix instead of skittles. Those things are fine every now and then, but take care of your temple.

 She's so like me.  I remember being CONSTANTLY hungry as a kid and wanting to snack all the time, and obsessing over junk food.  Hello, cans of chocolate frosting hidden under my bed... I'd love for her to avoid ending up overweight like me.  This is great advice from an outside source rather than her crazy mother.  :)

So then there is a ton of information about the clothes.  They gave links to four or five of the articles online that I need to go read.  There's a complete packing list there.  From what I gather so far, they don't want you to show up to the photo shoot with outfits in mind.  They want you to bring multiple choices for layering and lots of accessories and they will put together the looks they want when you get there.  I like that.  I also like that they give you some specific ideas, with pictures.  I haven't shopped at some of these stores before- have y'all?  Seems like a good list of choices and not too crazy expensive.

Stores for Inspiration

Our style team loves these stores. We want you to be economical, use what you have, borrow, thrift shop and try to bring good new options to the photo shoot. Here are stores we love. Look at these styles and try to duplicate. 

GAP

Forever 21 Girls

JCrew

Zara Kids

H&M

Target

Then they sent a bunch of pictures of individual clothes, along with a girl about G's age and hair color modeling some of the looks.  Extremely helpful.   I also love "IF YOU DON'T THINK THESE ITEMS ARE COOL, WE DON'T CARE!"  :)  There's an article about etiquette and being cheerful no matter what the photographers put you in, and how having a prima donna attitude is so detrimental to your career.  Again, great advice from someone NOT mom.


For Shoeaddict and any other clothes-minded folk, here is the packing list just for "Look One".  She has to have two looks, and bring multiple options for each.  (The other one is supposed to be shades of blue, purple, and green.)  Also she's supposed to bring more outfits that she's thinking of to wear for her showcases at Shine so the team can approve or veto.  Clearly this is going to require the most shopping and planning of any event I've ever attended, including my wedding.  Honestly it's a little daunting... but maybe this will actually get you out here for a visit, if I lure you with shopping, Shoe?


Denim Bottoms:

• Dark Denim Only.
• Skirts, pants, shorts, skinny jeans- bring a variety.
• Dresses in black or denim are great too. Daytime dresses.
• ONLY well fitted denim will be used. Leave your faded & baggy clothes at home. Men, please downsize in whatever denim you normally wear (unless you avidly study men’s fashion and are an expert at fit). If anyone does not have the right fitted options, we may ask you to run to the closest Target which will delay your shoot.
• Important to bring lots of options.

Black Bottoms:

• Black Only.
• Skirts, pants, shorts, skinny jeans- bring a variety.
• Dresses in black or denim are great too. Daytime dresses.
• ONLY well fitted options will be used. Leave your baggy clothes at home. Men, please downsize in whatever pants you normally wear (unless you avidly study men’s fashion).
• Important to bring lots of options.

Assorted Tops:

• Black & Grey Only.
• Cool fitted t-shirts, v necks, tank tops, button ups, sweaters, blouses, etc.
• Important to bring lots of options.

Layering Options:

• Black, Demin & Grey Only.
• Vests, denim jackets, blazers, motorcycle jackets, hoodies, cardigans, etc.
• These layers will make your look & character style!
• Important to bring lots of options.

So.  There you have it.  Every time I think I'm starting to get a handle on the scope of this thing, I realize we're just scratching the surface.  She's also got her monologue written and approved now, and is working on memorizing and performing it for camera so we can send it to the acting coaches for critique.

Garage Sale

So we finally got to have our first garage sale this weekend!  It got rained out before, but it worked out nicely because a lot of people brought more stuff over.  Friday night it was looking like it might rain a little bit and we discussed the possibility of canceling again, but I think my poor hubby would have an apoplexy if all the piles of stuff stayed in the living room any longer.  So we carried on.

It went well, and thank you so much to all the generous people who gave us their treasures to sell!  We made $276 and I have enough leftover things to fuel another sale in a month or two when I get my breath back.  I didn't even go through my closets and attic because we had so much donated.  The next payment gets drafted on Wednesday and we are ready!  Love it.

G ran a lemonade stand in the morning before she had to leave for her softball game and made three bucks.  She was pleased.  Then they went to the game while I finished up the sale.  She hit a TRIPLE.  First game of the season I've missed and she hits a triple.  It was their best game yet.  So sad I didn't see it.  But oh well. 

Next acting class is Thursday night, so we'll see what info we get from that.  She also got the style team evaluation back and got lots of great feedback about clothing for the photo shoot and what to wear for Shine.  more to follow on that.

Frazzled

We could use some prayer going into this week, just with scheduling and general business.  The fundraising is going well, thanks to some generous support from aunties.  Thanks Kate, Danna, and Dianne!  We do need some more to make this month's payment though, and I carefully scheduled the garage sale around G's off week in softball.  Come to find out I read the schedule wrong and she DOES have a game, plus practice, plus she and I are doing a night camp every night this week.  I'm feeling terribly stressed about getting the stuff for the sale ready in time, and being able to run the sale while getting her to softball.  I don't really have the luxury of waiting to do it because the payment is due before our next available sale date, and also I want to get this stuff out of our house since multiple people have been so generous about donating sale items.

I just feel very frazzled.  And she's got an acting class next week and she needs to write a monologue for it and I feel unclear on the directives and I want her to be prepared.  I'm having trouble though with knowing how much to step in and help, and how much to step back and let her take ownership.  She is only almost nine, after all, and I don't want her lack of experience to penalize her, but I don't want it to look like momma did it all.

Ack.  Prayer please.  Peace, scheduling help, delegating tasks, a successful sale... and a softball win would be good too.  Her poor team has lost every game this season and they're getting mighty discouraged.