|| Brandi's Wish Foundation Bake Sale ||

Today (Saturday the 27th of July) my sister and I hosted in bake sale in aid Brandi's Wish Foundation;

Brandi's Wish Foundation aims to offer intervention, prevention and education assistance with addiction and recovery, particularly within prescription drug abuse and addiction. 

It was created in March 2011after the loss of Brandi Meshad to prescription drugs, and since then her mother, Lisa Brandy, has fought long and hard to get her story out and help change the lives of those suffering with this disease and to help prevent anyone else succumbing to this problem. 

She believes that "the deaths that occur from the misuse and abuse of prescription medications are preventable," and that "we must change the way communities perceive addiction and the victims of this disease and proactively work to educate children, parents and community members to remove the stigma associated with the disease of addiction."

The main goals of Brandi's Wish are: 

• To actively work in changing state legislation and pass laws that protect our children from the dangers of prescription drug misuse and abuse.

• To create and offer school programs to educate families beginning in elementary school and continuing through high school to the danger of using and abusing drugs.

• To offer referral services to those families in need of rehabilitative and substance abuse recovery programs.

• To help families in need with financial assistance if they have a teen at high-risk and in crisis and cannot afford the cost of rehabilitative programs.

Brandi's Wish Foundation is a charity that is close to my heart as I know the Meshads well and almost consider them family. Brandi was one of the most wonderful people I have ever had the honour of knowing and my memories of her will stay with me forever. Her mother is one of the strongest women I know and I admire her for everything she does, even when it seems like it's all getting to hard she keeps going, pursuing to spread the word and change lives. 

For more information about Brandi's Wish, please visit the Facebook page or the website to learn more about this wonderful charity.

Today the cakes my sister and I made raised £47, which in US dollars is around $72. We spent the whole of Friday baking (and I have to admit, I'm not the greatest baker and I've never enjoyed it a great deal) and made an array of various baked treats such as: rainbow cake, lemon syrup cake, cupcakes, chocolate chunk cookies and chocolate crispies. My neighbour Rosie was also kind enough to bake some chocolate brownies. All in all the day was a success and I would like to thank everyone that helped out by purchasing out cakes and helping donate to this wonderful cause.

http://www.brandiswish.org

Here are some pictures taken from Friday (the day of baking) and today whilst selling them.

|| Mermaid Nails ||

Badgley Mischka; J. Mendel; Monique Lhuillier; Christian Siriano; Naeem Khan
Source

The mermaid look seems to be floating around everywhere at the moment. I think it's something to do with summer being finally here and a combination of the various hair styles that have been swamping the fashion world; such things as long beachy waves, and pastel coloured hair - a mermaid's dream.

I've seen so many references to the beautiful underwater sea-creatures through clothing, hair, jewellery and makeup, it seems that the fashion world can't get enough of it right now.

Mermaid inspired hair.
Source

Kate Hudson sporting the more
natural mermaid hair.

I personally am a massive fan of this look. I've always loved mermaids ever since I was a little girl, so now that fashion is incorporating the mythical creature into their looks I couldn't be more excited. I've always loved the 'beach-wave' and as I naturally have extremely curly hair I've always loved what it looks like when I come out the sea - all mermaid-esque.
On the left is more the more striking of mermaid hair, but the on the right Kate Hudson shows how you can get mermaid style hair without dying your hair blue. A simple way of getting these beachy waves (without making a trip to the beach) is using salt spray. There are many brands out there essentially selling the same sort of thing. They all give you effortlessly wavy hair that makes you look like you just stepped off the beach.

Another way of incorporating the 'mermaid-look' into you wardrobe without going all out and sprouting a tale and wearing a shell-bra, is with your nails. I'm absolutely loving this look at the moment, it's fresh and summery yet also girly and sophisticated.
Here is my own mermaid-style nails: