My hubby and I are getting our Christmas decorations out of storage and preparing our house for the holidays. Christmas is my time of the year, but our house is small so sometimes I feel a little claustrophobic with all the boxes out and about as we are decorating. However, we make it work and the house feels so warm with Christmas cheer. While decorating I enjoy listening to my favorite holiday tunes playing in the background.
In collaboration with LEV3L Digital, my hubby and I had the opportunity to preview an upcoming BYUtv Christmas specials. Christmas Under The Stars with Lauren Daigle airs Sunday, December 6 at 9 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. PT on BYUtv website, or on the BYUtv app anytime after the premiere.
If you are looking for a New Orleans jazz-style Christmas concert, you will definitely enjoy this concert. You will feel like getting up and dancing, while at the same time, it will make you celebrate the real reason for the Christmas season. Here’s a preview of the special below:
Lauren will get you in that Christmas spirit with many traditional hymns and classic songs. One of my favorites has always been Jingle Bells. Lauren sings it with an upbeat jazzy sound and it is swinging with my soul. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas brings back fond memories of my childhood family and friends. Lauren included a couple of songs from the album Look Up Child. One of those songs is Rescue. Watch the video here. The song’s message really gets deep.
I included the video for you to get that cozy feeling. In between sets, Lauren shares Christmas memories and you will hear influences of New Orleans Jazz renditions of Christmas classics and well-known originals from her Christmas album Beholdin this intimate concert experience.
Lauren grew up in Louisiana where it is rare for any snow to fall, so it was cool that she sings White Christmas. The background singers and the band adds a richness that makes you encircled in the music as if you are one. The whole ensemble brings out the soul with Lauren’s voice for an enjoyable evening. Some people say that Lauren sounds like Adele, but I think she has her own unique original sound that’s all her own.
I can listen to Christmas songs any time of the year so this music is awesome for decorating the tree, baking cookies, or preparing your Christmas dinner. The music is soothing and makes me want to get a cup of cocoa and sit by the fire. Behold is big-band jazz and makes you feel like your walking with the snowflakes falling gently on your face. This wonderful time of the year.
In collaboration with LEV3L Digital we celebrating the holiday season with a giveaway of Lauren Daigle’s BEHOLD, A Christmas Collection CD!
Giveaway Details
In the comments section below, please let us know what is your favorite Lauren Daigle song and why.
One commenter will be selected at random to win a copy of Lauren’s Christmas album.
The giveaway runs now until Tuesday, December 8th, at 11:59 pm CST. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 9th.
Merry Christmas!
FTC Disclaimer:
This giveaway is in collaboration with LEV3L Digital. In exchange for providing the concert preview and hosting the giveaway, Bubbling With Elegance and Grace will receive their own copy of the Lauren Daigle Christmas album.
Dogs are great; they are cute, they are fun, they love you no matter what, they always make you feel wanted, and they provide you with endless entertainment. There will likely be more people than ever before planning to get a dog this Christmas as so many people have spent more time at home this year and will still have some element of this next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so they feel they have the time to dedicate to training a puppy or getting a rescue dog settled. However, you do need to remember that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas, so here are a few tips and considerations if this is what you’re thinking for this year’s family present.
When is the best time to introduce your new addition? It might seem like the ideal Christmas morning to have a puppy waiting under the tree with a ribbon around it, but in reality, you should introduce a dog to its new family in a quieter period as the visitors, the excitement, the decorations, and lights can hurt your new dog. You must have the time to spend with them one-on-one to get them settled. If you are set on getting a pup over the Christmas period, then try to keep it as calm as possible for them, and there are plenty of great products from Pet-Ness which will help you to keep them calm and relaxed.
Remember, it’s a big responsibility. Not every dog fits with every family, so it’s important to choose the right one for your lifestyle. And remember that if your lifestyle has been different because of lockdown, this won’t last forever. While this may be the perfect time to get a dog settled with the kids off school and you at home all the time, you need to think about what happens when things go back to normal. Will, the dog be left at home all day alone? Will you have time for a dog then? They will still need walks and attention, and you’ll have to help them adjust to things changing as they won’t understand what’s going on. Do some research to see which breed and temperament will best fit with your family and make sure you have considered all the pros and cons.
A dog will change your life, and so if you want to get one, then it doesn’t matter when you get it because it’s not just for Christmas. So, think about it carefully and do it right, take your time, do your research, and you could always consider adopting a rescue pup who is in dire need of a home. This might mean you get an older dog who doesn’t need training or one who has had a bad experience and will take a while to trust you but a good rescue center will help you find one that is the perfect family pet. Just make sure that your Christmas present doesn’t end up being one of these.
When looking at any diamonds with a view to purchasing, there are many aspects to consider and you do want to be sure that the diamonds are real and worth the asking price. It is never a good idea to buy things of value with little or no knowledge and in order to get acquainted with diamond grading, you should understand the 4C diamond grading system.
The 4 Cs Namely, colour, clarity, cut and carat, the 4 Cs are globally used when appraising precious stones. Indeed, a genuine diamond would be accompanied with a grading certificate from the Gem Institute of America (GIA) or another well-respected diamond evaluator. This applies to diamonds of all kinds, even the blue variety and a little online research is advised to acquaint yourself with grading certificates and protocols when acquiring diamonds. Spend a couple of hours researching diamond grading and you will be glad that you did.
Buy From An Established Jeweller This is the best way to ensure that the blue diamonds are, in fact, genuine and fairly priced and there are online jewellers with blue diamond engagement rings for sale that come complete with GIA certification. It is possible to approach a custom jeweller who has access to loose stones and the expert can hand-craft the ring in line with your concept, whatever that might be.
Blue Diamonds The blue tint comes from a portion of the carbon transfused with nitrogen and this is a very rare occurrence, hence blue diamonds are rare and therefore, expensive. There are two types of blue diamond:
– Natural: Carbon and nitrogen transfusing to give a blue tint. – Artificial: A chemical process can be used on genuine, clear diamonds to produce an artificial blue colour.
If you take a look at a blue diamond’s certificate, under the tile ‘origin’, it should read as ‘natural’, which means the diamond is a naturally occurring blue colour. Of course, a natural blue diamond is worth far more than an artificial blue diamond and when you buy from a respected jeweller, you can be sure the stones are real and have corresponding certification from a recognised body. The blue diamond that has been artificially coloured will not state ‘natural’ as colour origin on the certificate, so bear this in mind when looking at diamond certification.
If you are planning to include blue diamonds in an engagement ring, why not approach a custom jeweller? The jeweller has access to loose stones and can create a perfect design for a special ring and with diamond certification, you can be sure the diamonds are real. If you are worried about cost, having a ring made is no more expensive than purchasing an existing ring, plus you get to create something unique.
The custom jeweller can buy loose and uncut blue diamonds at trade prices and that will result in a big saving and with your input, the perfect clue diamond ring design awaits. First Image Source: Unsplash
As we approach Thanksgiving, we need to be thankful for the many blessings in our life. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, we have to take a moment to realize that there are still good things happening in our lives and we must show gratitude for those things.
In times of sickness and disease that many people have endured, it may be difficult to think about your own good health. In times of great economic uncertainty, it may be difficult to think about your own good fortunes. The more we focus on the perilous things that are happening in the world today, the harder it will be to see how God has blessed our lives. If we cannot see what God has done for us, we need to reflect on His goodness that is found in His Word.
Reading and studying God’s word develops a closer relationship with Him. The more you read and reflect on the stories, the more real the Word becomes in your life. For some people, it may be difficult to relate to a story that had happened thousands of years ago. Without a visual aid or without the context of a real place, they cannot connect the Bible to their everyday life today. Filled with more than 1,200 images, maps, and illustrations, and 275 full-length commentary articles, the new CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible provides those people with an opportunity to draw closer to God in a real way.
As a way to keep connected during the pandemic, our church has offered its members a variety of small groups. I am a part of two groups – the Inductive Bible study group and The Beatitudes study group. I can definitely see this Bible as a tool for finding insight and more knowledge of God’s word and sharing it with my group members. The pages come to life with the many different illustrations and the ‘Digging Deeper’ sections. It is amazing when I take my time to go through a chapter in-depth what I learn.
Have you ever wondered where on Earth was the Garden of Eden and what Adam and Eve’s life was like? Within the new CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible, you will find a brief article excerpt on Eden with a photograph of the Tigris River in eastern Turkey. You can visit the Garden of Eden and other places in the Bible without ever leaving your home. You can see images of religious artifacts, recreations of buildings, and photographs of the area as it looks today. This video provides an overview of the many features of this wonderful Bible.
This Bible would be a great Christmas gift for a family member or friend. The Bible retails for $49.99 and can be purchased HERE in a variety of colors. Giving a Bible as a Christmas gift shows that you care and are concerned about their spiritual well-being.
Giveaway Details
In collaboration with LEV3L DIgital and Lifeway Christian Resources, we are offering our readers an opportunity to win a copy of the CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible. One person will win receive their own copy of the Bible. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below, telling us how you plan to use the Bible in your family or who you would give this Bible to as a Christmas gift. One person will be selected at random to win the Bible. For an additional entry in the giveaway, share this post on Facebook or Twitter and include the hashtag <#JTwisdomBibleGiveaway>.
The giveaway runs until Monday, November 30th at 11:59 pm (CST).
The winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 1st.
Are you tired of wearing the same tops or shoes? Wait! Don’t toss them out just yet. There are plenty of DIY ways to spice up your wardrobe to wear them out a little longer before the Spring cleaning.
Credit: Pixabay
Express your creative side through your fashion. Design what makes you happy through these five easy ways:
Fabric Patterns Have a boring or plain piece of clothing? Add a layer of fabric to bring it back to life. Decide what you’ll place fabric over and what pattern expresses you best. Will you change the display of the pockets, dress one sleeve, or redo the entire piece? Are you going to feed cotton pieces, laced pieces, or a mix of many? The options are endless!
You can place your favourite lace design over one side of solid shaded shorts, change the cuffs on your favourite jacket, and more. Go with the season or go with your ultimate favourite pattern. Take your time in bettering your clothes. This is the perfect way to use your free time and have it pay off whenever you travel out.
Rhinestones Remember those childhood times when everything was better bedazzled? Go back to those shiny times with wholesale rhinestones. Choose your favourite colours to put onto your clothing. It’s similar to laying over fabric except for this time it’s shiny looking buttons.
Rhinestones seem like boring stickers, but they are not, They come in many shapes, sizes, and shades. These little stones are amazing to express your diva side. Step up your shoe game with a whole new presentation. Put some on your back, flowy hat, and whatever your fashionable needs desire!
Knots & Rips Sometimes, destroying your clothes is a part of fashion. Ever hear of distressed jeans? Distressed jeans appear ripped, exposing the white string that helps keep the jeans together. You can do this to your clothes to give it that rebel look. Express your savage, yet fashionable self on the streets with ripped clothing.
Here’s another simple, less damaging way to express yourself in your clothing. A simple not at the front or side of your shirt goes a long way. Shoes some skin through the innocent way of tying a loose shirt or button up like you’d tie know with your shoelaces. Combine the knot and distressed look if you dare!
Hair & Makeup Here’s one more thing you can do for your wardrobe. Change up your hair. Dye your hair or give yourself a new hair cut. Or, do an updo. Wearing your hair down after a shower is a typical style that can get boring. Do something different! Braid your hair, create a messy bun, do some curls. Try something different with your hair that you only do for special occasions.
Makeup is something that always changes an appearance. Be daring with red lips or long fake lashes. Get creative with eyeshadow colours. Whatever you do, you will look pretty.
And remember, this is all optional, Do what you want, and what best expresses yourself.
Learn More About JT
Bubbling with Elegance and Grace started out as an outlet for my passion for fashion but has evolved into a place for me to teach, collaborate, and inspire. My hubby has since joined the team and we have been digital creators for 13 years. We are thankful for those who believed in us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
Credit: Pixabay
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