Inspired by Enchanted I decided to put together a little list for ‘How to be a Disney Princess.’ This is mostly in jest, for a bit of fun, but for girls who grew up with the Disney Heroines as a major inspiration for the Inner Princesses, this may bring back a touch of nostalgia!

Sing sweet nightingale, sing! Disney Princesses will take any excuse to burst in to song, all of which seem to be strangely appropriate to the situation at hand. Sing as you do your chores, stroll through the garden or sit by your window daydreaming. If you’re like me and very shy about your voice, just sing when there’s noone there to listen. Make up little songs and melodies like you did when you were a child, if you don’t want to sing, hum or whistle!

Dance whenever you feel the urge, express your happiness by flitting about as if your every movement is a ballet move. Disney Princesses have pretty little mannerisms, giggle behind your hands, clasp them to your heart, spin around and let your skirts swirl out. Rest your chin on one hand as you gaze at the clouds. Dance on the beach, in the park, in your room when nobody’s watching. You don’t need music, just listen to the melody in your heart.

Make friends with animals. Talk to the birds in your garden, your pets or stray cats and local wildlife. If you’re a bug loving Princess don’t forget to say hello to the snails and the butterflies too! Just because they don’t talk back doesn’t mean they can’t hear you. Plants and trees can make good friends too, I have a Sweet Basil plant who lives in our kitchen and they say plants grow better if you talk to them!

Clean the house. Scrubbing floors and sweeping seems to be a bit of a theme in Disney movies, so make sure your home is always spotless! Tie your hair up in a scarf and don’t forget to sing! You could also offer to clean house for a friend or relative. I don’t suggest trying to get your animal friends to help though, they’re likely to do more harm than good!

Go out to the markets ‘In disguise.’ You won’t be able to mingle with the masses unless you hide your true identity so leave the ball gown at home and wear a simple dress. Chat to the local shopkeepers and buy some fruit. Take some time to experience the world outside the palace doors.

Daydream about your Prince. Does he have clear blue eyes? Is he tall and handsome? Practise your waltz for the day he asks you to dance. Maybe you should spare a thought for his real features to, is he brave and courteous? Kind and compassionate? How will you know when you find him?

Be resourceful. You may not be living in a beautiful palace (yet) but you can use your imagination and create beauty all around you. Learn to make your own dresses, decorate your room with wildflowers, make a daisy chain for a crown and remember its the thought that counts, not the price!

Buy or sew yourself some ‘Princess Gowns,’ typically you should have one plain dress and one fancy one. Disney Princess dresses are almost always ankle length with nicely fitted bodices and flared skirts. Plain dresses in brown, cream, black or blue will serve for cleaning, shopping and walking through the forest (don’t forget an apron!) Your fancy dress should be in your favourite colour, elegant and decadent enough to wear to royal occaisions!

Kindness counts. Disney Princesses are always kind, considerate and charitable. They never hate and rarely express anger, but conduct themselves with grace and gentleness. Read books to a group of children, help elderly women with their shopping and always volunteer to be of service when you see someone in need. Be generous to strangers and considerate to your friends. Always say please and thank you!

Make wishes! Thats how dreams come true after all, you have to wish very hard and believe with all your heart. Wish on wishing wells and shooting stars, blow dandelion heads and candles and catch falling leaves before they hit the ground. Make your wish very clear, and cross your fingers that it will be granted!

There must be a Ball! All good fairy tales have a ball, so keep an eye out for events in your city and plan to get tickets. Take your Prince Charming or go alone in the hope of meeting one. Wear your prettiest dress, your glass slippers and flowers in your hair or a sparkling tiara. Then dance, dance the night away, but make sure to leave before the clock strikes twelve!

When I originally heard about this film during production, I admit, I was not excited at all. There have been so many Shrek-esque films lately, with pop culture jokes put in to fairy tale worlds that they’re getting rather tiresome. Not to mention how disappointed I was in ‘Ella Enchanted’ which was a beautiful book and got turned in to a shocking parody of a movie (read the book, its completely different!) However, after Enchanted was released it received so many glowing accolades from my friends I decided to be a little more open minded.

Unfortunately I missed the film while it was in the Cinemas, during school holiday time here which does not make for enjoyable viewings, but I finally got to see it on DVD today! I really enjoyed it after all!

Enchanted is the tale of Giselle, a girl from an animated fairy-tale world called Andalasia who meets her Prince in true Disney style and is rushing off to her wedding when the evil Queen Narissa, disguised as an old woman, pushes her down a well. This well, as it turns out, is a portal to our world and the poor girl, still in her wedding dress, comes out a man-hole in to New York. A land, as the story says, where there are no ‘Happy Endings.’

The plot isn’t terribly inspired, though it is sweet, but what really makes this a lovely film is Giselle. I had fully expected an over-the-top parody performance of the silliest aspects of the Disney Princesses, and that’s exactly what she is however she manages somehow to make it seem sincere and charming. There were still points where I cringed, like the fish tank scene, but as the movie progresses she gets deeper while still keeping that joy and innocence. Her dresses (which she makes from curtains in a miracle of efficient sewing) are gorgeous and worth watching the film for alone! I doubt I’m the only princess sighing over the turquoise and pink gown she wears for the big dance number.

I really liked the soundtrack as well, there were some subtle jokes slipped in to the lyrics but the music was still well orchestrated and both Amy Adams and James Marsden had good voices for the musical style. One of my favourite features was how they managed to merge parts of different fairytales together in the storyline, there’s Sleeping Beauty’s Dragon, Cinderella’s Ball, Snow White’s Apples and they even play music from the Little Mermaid in the background of the fish tank scene. A very sweet film with a true touch of Disney magic. Now I’m even more excited about Rapunzel!

Congrats to Mystique for winning Sabraelle’s Garden’s ‘Princess of…’ Contest! Sabraelle’s Garden is a pretty little pixel art site run by the lovely Dalliann. Over the past month she has run a contest for other pixel artists to participate in and the theme was ‘The Princess of..’ so the artists created imaginary Princesses of everything from Pandas to Tea parties. The winning graphic shows the beautiful Princess of Winter.

I love pixel art and I thought it was such a cute idea for a contest that I offered to post the winner here! Please have a look at the rest of the winning entries they’re all beautiful!

From Rapunzel to Lady Godiva, Princesses in tales and history are often famed for their beautiful hair and I’m sure many of us would also like soft, shiny, healthy hair even if not quite so long! After writing the first two parts of my skin care article I’ve had a lot of requests and great suggestions for a Hair Care lesson. However I think there are so many sites out there with fantastic information on hair, growing long hair, looking after it and even dying hair naturally that instead I would like share with you my favourite links and some excellent ones that have been sent to me so you may peruse them at your leisure.

Rapunzel’s Delight
A huge in depth resource for Princesses who have or would like to grow Rapunzel-like locks! Lots of information on health and lifestyle topics as well as remedies to make your own shampoos, conditioners and rinses. Also have a look at their galleries of historical photos featuring women with floor length hair.

Long Locks Salon
This forum is a great place to discuss various hair care tips and read up on what others reccomend for your particular hair colour and length. Some great advice for dyed hair and different styling ideas too, my favourite section is the Au Natural board. Thank you to Dalliann for this link!

Henna for Hair
Everything you ever wanted to know about dying your hair naturally using Henna and Indigo. You can achieve fiery red to auburn locks using Henna as a hair dye or black with Indigo. The two can be combined for various shades of brown. I found this site fascinating, as someone against using the harsh chemicals in salon dyes on my own scalp, I may even try dying my own hair with Henna soon! I’ll let you know how it goes.

Nocturne - Vintage Hairstyles
Vintage hair styles can be adorable or glamorous, from Shirley Temple ringlets to classic finger wave, Nocturne shows you how to create these looks. I want to try out their tutorial for pin curls some time, the style is so cute! I’m sure the rag curls tutorial will be helpful to Lolitas who want to achieve those beautiful ringlets.

How to Make a Daisy Chain
For a bit of fun and to decorate your beautiful locks, why not make a daisy chain or other floral wreath? Flowers have been used as hair accessories for time immemorial and they still look beautiful today. In the Victorian era it was popular to choose fresh flowers that match your ensemble to decorate your hair with, although these days we tend to use fake flowers. I remember making daisy chains whenever we went to the park, and this is exactly how we made them! Try it yourself, it will bring out your inner child and make you feel like a fairy princess.

Eleanor of Aquitane is often given the epitah of the most powerful woman in Medieval Europe, and with good reason. She was charming, beautiful and fiercely intelligent. She married a king of both France and England and had two sons who became Kings aswell!

Eleanor was the oldest of three children born to the Duke and Duchess of Aquitaine. The court of the French province was one of the most cultured and beautiful in the world and the young girl had an extensive education in the arts, languages and classics as well as more active pursuits such as riding and hunting. She was said to be very beautiful, though the colour of her complexion is unknown, and possessed of a strong will and free spirit.

At the age of 15, when her father passed away she became Duchess of Aquitaine and inherited all of his estates. She was left to the care of the king, Louis VI who quickly married her to his son the Prince, so that her lands may be brought under control of the crown. While married to Louis she took part in the Crusades, riding at the head of the vassals of her Duchy, she was much acclaimed for her bravery and compared to an Amazon Queen. However the crusades were not successful for her and her husband who had begun to drift apart in their marriage as well. They divorced shortly afterwards.

Eleanor’s second marriage to Henry II was not an easy one either, but possibly they were closer and certainly respected eachother. They had eight children, one of whom became the famous king Richard the Lionheart. Eventually, disgusted by Henry’s behaviour, Eleanor returned with some of her sons to Aquitaine, from where she encouraged them to stage a revolt against the King. She was captured by Henry and imprisoned in Winchester castle for 15 years. On his death her son Richard became King and she, his Regent. She survived Richard to see her son John become king and arranged his marriage herself.

Eleanor was a powerful Queen who led an incredible life, she had more influence than any other woman of her era and very much typified the ideal of ‘the power behind the throne.’ Her story is so fascinating I could barely brush the surface of it here, so I do suggest reading these resources to learn more about the Lioness Queen.

reference 1, reference 2

This morning I had french lessons as usual so I headed in to the City to meet my tutor at our favourite cafe. Afterwards I decided to do a little shopping. Girls often tell me that they don’t enjoy shopping that much, even though they feel they should, and I must admit somedays it seems like more of a chore than a pleasure for me aswell. There are a few secrets I find help make shopping a more enjoyable experience;

Dress up! Shopping is much more fun if you feel fresh and pretty to begin with, and you’ll be so much more at ease walking in to nice boutiques. Looking your best makes you feel more confident aswell. Do wear clothes that are easy to change out of if you’re clothes shopping though and don’t forget comfortable shoes!

I personally can’t stand shopping centers or ‘malls’ as they are called in some countries. I prefer shopping on streets where I do most of my walking outside, especially when the weather’s nice. Being stuck in a giant complex with strong airconditioning and no windows for hours on end is just so draining. Open air markets are fantastic aswell!

Leave the shopping list at home, or bring it, but pay minimal attention. Shopping for fun means allowing your attention to wander and exploring new store and areas you’ve never been to. It can be nice to buy some things you need, but it doesn’t hurt to also pick up a few things you fall in love with at first sight.

Make sure you keep hydrated, shopping is hard work! Also stopping for a snack or lunch can make the outing more relaxing. Don’t rush around everywhere, give yourself time to stop and listen to a busker or check out the nearby art gallery or museum. Break your day up with some other activities and it will seem less tedious.

Here is my little haul from today, ViVi and Popteen magazines, Sugarbunnies pen, Crochet strawberry phone charm, some makeup and an adorable pink Scotty Dog bag!

In my last article on skin care I mentioned that every Princess has different skin and that not all remedies and products work for everyone. To decide on a routine that works best for you, it can be helpful to find out which skin type you have. There are four main skin types, and a commonly listed fifth is ‘normal’ skin, which is well balanced skin with no particular problems. There might be a lucky few with this skin type, but most of us will find we lean towards one of these.

Oily Skin
If you wake up in the morning and your skin has an oily film over it (easily removed with a tissue) you are prone to acne or blemishes and find your face can look a bit shiny throughout the day you probably have oily skin. Its important to cleanse regularly and you might also need to exfoliate to keep your pores clean and prevent blackheads and blemishes. The benefit of oily skin is that it is less prone to wrinkles and will look younger for longer.

Dry Skin
The opposite to Oily skin, Dry skin can appear a little dull and is dry to the touch. It can sometimes be sensitive and prone to itching or rashes. Its important to keep dry skin hydrated throughout the day and to protect it from the sun or strong winds. Using a nice nutrient rich moisturiser will help keep your skin firm and soft. The good thing about dry skin is you’re probably less prone to blemishes.

Combination Skin
This is a mixture of Oily and Dry skin. Usually it includes an oily ‘T zone’ which is your forehead, nose and chin and dryer cheeks. This can vary though. Combination skin has to be treated separately, make sure to cleanse and exfoliate your T zone and be sure to moisturize and protect your cheeks.

Sensitive Skin
This is usually dry skin that is extra sensitive to the environment and chemicals in products. If you find you get a reaction from makeup, shampoos and skin care products or that your skin flares up easily in reaction to weather conditions you may have sensitive skin. I strongly reccommend using all natural products and staying away from anything too acidic on your face. If you have sensitive skin its always good to test new products on the back of your hand first.

Once you have identified your skin type, you can begin to establish a routine for maintaining your complexion. This includes all of the products or remedies you use and also lifestyle factors, which can have a big impact on your skins health and appearance.

Food for the Skin
Your diet is a major factor in your skins appearance, the Skin is your largest organ and it is also used to excrete toxins. Avoid foods high in saturated fats, such as fried foods and some baked goods, this is especially important if you have oily skin as you don’t want to increase your natural oil levels. Unsaturated oils however are beneficial to your skin, these include fish oil and olive oil (when uncooked.) Eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables provides you with the nutrients required to repair and maintain healthy skin. You may also like to read my article on healthy living.

Internal Cleansing
Drinking plenty of water is one of the best remedies there is! However the minimum of ‘8-10 glasses’ often toted is actually a myth. Most people do not need to drink this much water. The water needed to remain hydrated varies greatly from person to person and also depends on how much liquid you are losing through perspiration etc. A more accurate estimate is that a normal adult loses about 10 cups of water a day, and consumes at least 4 cups in food so they only need 6 cups of water to stay healthy and hydrated. Adding a little lemon juice to your water is a great way to help detoxify your body as well.

Sleep and Rest
I can not emphasize enough how important it is to get your beauty sleep! It is while you are sleeping that your body is at its best repairing your skin so if you wish to have a nice complexion and heal quickly its early to bed and early to rise. Most people benefit from at least 8 hours sleep, but I find if I get 10 hours sleep a night my skin is significantly better. Stress is also a factor in poor skin so make sure you have your relaxation time each day.

Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise
These are the three steps most common in a skin care routine. With oily and combination skin you should probably do this twice a day, morning and night. For dry or sensitive skin you may be better only doing it once a day but moisturising more often. Find a balance that works for you. Cleansing removes dirt, makeup and oil from the skin and should be done with warm water and a gentle cleanser. Toning protects the skin and tightens pores, helping to keep it firm and youthful. Moisturising is the last step, it rehydrates the skin and a good moisturiser will also include nutrients and oils that help maintain the skins elasticity and balance.

I’ll be looking more at these three steps and sharing some of my favourite products in the next lesson, as well as offering some natural remedies for each.

Today is a lazy day, the weather is alternating between warm and sunny and cool and windy which is rather draining. Its ok though, I think I’m due for a lazy day as I have been so busy of late. This morning I spent reading the new issue of Kera magazine (which has Tommy Kawase modelling for BABY the stars shine bright!) and playing with felt, in an attempt to create some new designs. I’ve been sketching a few ideas for the ‘Secret Garden’ line at Petit Miel, but its always a little harder to figure out how to turn something from a paper design in to three dimensions. I’m happy with what I have so far though.

This afternoon the Queen and I enjoyed a little repast at the Coode st Cafe, which had been reccomended to us and we were eager to try out! The decor was very pretty, I especially liked the jaquard wallpaper and the food was no less delightful! My Mother had scones and peppermint tea and I had a Chai latte (delicious when made well) and a little lemon and poppyseed friand. It was a relaxing way to end the day.

I’m very excited to have just listed my first One-off design for Petit Miel! This Cherry Polka Headbow is made from cute red polka dot grosgrain ribbon and decorated with pearls and cotton lace. It was nice to be able to spend a little more time on this one, adding details such as little pearl beads sewn to the bow shaped lace. As with all the One-Off pieces I will be making, this design will not be repeated which makes it a bit more special I think

I have been sketching up some more designs for items, including some small rings and bow barettes. However I would love to know what you would like to see in the Petit Miel boutique! Different colours? More jewelry or hair accessories? Something with flowers or jewels or sweets designs? Please post your suggestions and requests! I would love to create your dream accessories

Tonight I rewatched an animated film that was a childhood favourite of mine, it was one of the few non-Disney animated films that came out during the 90’s and is based off the tale of Swan Lake I discussed before. I find it an interesting and charming adaption of the story, though it has a lot of humour as well! The scene with the Musicians dressed as animals always makes me laugh.

The introduction to the story is very cute, it shows how the young Prince and Princess, betrothed from birth are forced to spend every summer together, much to their displeasure! They tease and mock eachother through childhood, but this is a welcome change to other tales where the Hero and Heroine fall in love at first sight, having no history between them. However when they have grown and finally fallen in love, the Prince (who’s name is Derek, not Siegfreid) makes the fatal error of being unable to express why he loves Odette, all he can say is that she is beautiful and for this she turns him down.

The rest of the tale plays out as in the Ballet, though with a sweeter ending. It is visually a beautiful film, the painted backgrounds in particular are vivid and I adore Odette’s swan form. Some of the musical numbers are lovely, such as ‘Far Longer than Forever’ which is also the theme to the film. However I find a few of the more jazz-like numbers towards the end a bit over the top, verging on the ridiculous. They may be humorous to others though.

In all, it is a beautiful and mostly faithful adaption of the tale, with its own individuality and sense of humour. I think I love it even more than when I first saw it. It is every bit as romantic and sweet as the more famous Disney Princess films.