Your Pleatin’ Heart

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“If at first you don’t succeed, Try, try, try again.”
Thomas H. Palmer

Well, hello, ladies! It’s Sunday, which means that we’ve got another spectacular Challenge of the Week gallery to share with you all! For many, this was the most difficult challenge yet, however, each and every one of us truly made it our own and EVERYONE shined!

Despite the technical skill required, practicing the art of pleating can feel overwhelming to some. Learning which scarves work best and how exactly to place each fold takes time and persistence- an ability that rarely comes naturally. However, even if you don’t feel like a master pleater today, that doesn’t mean that you might not become one tomorrow! Experimenting and learning new techniques in can teach us so much and actively contributes to improving our skill levels over time. Try to think about it that, the next time you find yourself struggling with a new wrap or scarf!

Thank you ALL for participating in #wrapunzeledinpleats and don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for the announcement of next week’s challenge!

 

For this week’s theme, we’ve chosen a color that’s beloved my many. One of the colors of Tu B’shvat and one that is inspired by the trees! During this time of year, many have to look long and hard to find its presence in nature… Have you guessed it yet? Check out the reveal video below to find out!

 

 

Would you like to be featured in next week’s collage? Head on over to the Wrapunzel Fangroup and share your pictures using the hashtag #wrapunzeledingreen. If you would also like them featured on next week’s blog post, make sure to also post them in the comments on the pinned post at the top of the Fangroup page, so we know to share them. We can accept up to 5 headshot-style photos per person – no collages, please! If you’re not on Facebook, you can also email your pictures to us at wrapunzelthestore@gmail.com with the subject line “Challenge of the Week.” Can’t wait to see what you create!!

 

-Rachel

Naomi Rose: “The Duchess” Wrap Tutorial!

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Hi everybody! I was playing with Andrea’s latest tutorial for the Wrapunzel Veil (don’t miss it!!) and came up with this variation, which looks so regal. Wear it somewhere special – a wedding, the Renaissance festival, a birthday dinner. You’ll feel incredibly feminine – one thing I love about this wrap is how much it looks and feels like luxurious long hair.

This was my first attempt, in my bathroom (land of tichel experimentation):

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And here’s an awesome contrasting version I did over Shabbat:

To do this wrap, you’ll need a few things:
A large, rectangular scarf – the bigger the better (I used Shiny-liciouses in various colors for all of these photos)
-A square scarf, triangular scarf, or sash (In the three versions pictured here, you can see a Shadowbright Sash,Silky Square, and a Dreamy Lace).
-A pretty tichel pin (I used a Sunblossom Pin)
-A safety pin or small, easily hide-able brooch (you won’t see this in the end result).
You can achieve a bunch of different effects by varying the types of scarves and pin that you use for this! Here’s how to do it:

 

What About my Bling Bling Bling?

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Wow, wow, WOW! If sheer volume of submissions is any indication, Wrapunzel ladies sure do like bling! We had so much fun last week experimenting with shiny accessories and blingy scarves, and have even got the photos to prove it!

If you need inspiration on how to wear tichel pins, clips or headbands, check out the incredible gallery below! Also, don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post to learn our theme for next week’s challenge!

Bonus: Somewhere within this collage is a chicken donning bling! Can you find the hidden fowl?

 

Our theme for this week is one that many Wrapunzelistas find challenging. A style that we might get more questions about than any other! Our hope for those of you who find it challenging, is that this week will inspire you to think out of the box and try something new! Check out the reveal video below:

 

Would you like to be featured in next week’s collage? Head on over to the Wrapunzel Fangroup and share your pictures using the hashtag #wrapunzeledinpleats. If you would also like them featured on next week’s blog post, make sure to also post them in the comments on the pinned post at the top of the Fangroup page, so we know to share them. We can accept up to 5 headshot-style photos per person – no collages, please! If you’re not on Facebook, you can also email your pictures to us at wrapunzelthestore@gmail.com with the subject line “Challenge of the Week.” Can’t wait to see what you create!!

Need a refresher course on pleating? The following tutorials are here to help!

-Rachel

Layered Artsy Side Swoop!

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#wrapunzeledinbrown

 

Here is a look that I’ve been having a lot of fun with lately! It’s formal, dramatic and fun, and is an excellent tie for pashminas with fancy borders (Especially the Shine On, seen here)! Adding a 2-in-1 and Shiny-licious to the mix gives a nice variety of texture and added interest. My favorite part of this style, though, is the unique “side swoop,” which can give the wearer the feeling of hair, without hanging tails!

*Please note that this style requires the use of pins and is not for the faint of heart! It is definitely more suited to more experienced wrappers and those who don’t mind the wearing the weight of multiple scarves.

 

 

You might recognize this version from our Most Popular Tichels video!

 

After many requests, I was finally able to film a tutorial, so without further ado, may I present to you the Layered Artsy Side Swoop!

 

“The Malka” Tshirt and Shimmery Together!

We’ve been inundated with requests for a tutorial on this gorgeous tichel style that Malka modeled for us!  It combines a Favorite T-Shirt tichel with a Shimmery… aka it looks fancy but can also feel more casual depending on what you pair it with and what colors you choose!

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Check out this SHINING woman!
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Here is the version I came up with for the tutorial!  Same thing, different colors!

So this morning I made a tutorial!  You’ll have to excuse the unstable screen (cue computer on music stand and adorable baby boy grabbing it).  Enjoy!

Naomi Rose: Bronze and Turquoise

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Hi everybody!

I feel like it’s been AGES since I’ve made an outfit post, so I’m overdue!
Lately I’ve been inspired by combinations of a metallic tone (gold, silver, bronze) and a jewel tone (green, turquoise, dark red, purple, etc.). It reminds me of a gem in a setting, and I’ve found that almost ANY combination of colors from these two categories looks fantastic!

Today I wore a bronze Shiny-licious, with a teal and turquoise 2in1 tied in a Liezl, one of my favorite fancy ties. When I wear three or more colors I often stay pretty match-y so I paired the tichel with similar flowy stretchy clothes (my skirt was brown, even though it looks super dark in the photo for some reason!).

 

Lately I do most of my Wrapunzel work from my home or my fave coffee shop, so one thing you will NOT often see is me this dressed up at 8am on a Monday! But this morning was my friend Talya’s bris for her new baby boy, and it’s a gorgeous chilly morning with nice fat snowflakes falling, so it was just the time for a special wrap.

Have you tried a jewel tone + metallic tone wrap? Give it a go, I bet you’ll love it as much as I do!

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#wrapunzelcomforted (and next week’s challenge)

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth,
for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:
it is the time for home.”
– Edith Sitwell

 What do you think of when you hear the word “comfort”? Is it the process of easing grief or restoring a sense of well-being? Consoling, perhaps? Or more of the physical, like wearing your most comfortable pair of slippers, relaxing in a reclining chair or wrapping your head in your most worn scarf?

No matter what your own personal definition might entail, I think we all can agree that comfort is a feeling and with this week’s Challenge of the Week, we’ve seen more interpretations of that feeling than ever before! Turbans, tails, braids and buns… the diversity of these tichels seem to match the diversity of the women themselves, each a reflection of our own individual definitions of comft!

Check out the collage below to see some of the ways that women have wrapped their heads in comfort and be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to learn our theme for next week’s challenge!

The title for our next Challenge of the Week is inspired by hip hop culture! For those of you who are fans, Jay Z and Jermaine Dupri coined the phrase, but in the years since, it has become well known, even outside of this music genre. Think you have it figured out? Watch the reveal video below to find out!

Would you like to be featured in next week’s collage? Head on over to the Wrapunzel Fangroup and share your pictures using the hashtag #wrapunzeledinbling. If you would also like them featured on next week’s blog post, make sure to also post them in the comments on the pinned post at the top of the Fangroup page, so we know to share them. We can accept up to 5 headshot-style photos per person – no collages, please! If you’re not on Facebook, you can also email your pictures to us at wrapunzelthestore@gmail.com with the subject line “Challenge of the Week.” Can’t wait to see what you create!!

-Rachel

Rachel’s Official Welcome!

Hi everyone!  Andrea here!  You likely have noticed a gorgeous new face here in Wrapunzel land over the last few months… on our youtube channel, in our photos, on the fangroup, and also contributing blog posts!  That’s right!  Our tremendous turban teacher, Rachel, is now officially part of the Wrapunzel team!

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The Lovely Rachel!

It was natural, really.  From the first time I met her, there was a connection between us deeper than the pretty scarves we were wearing on our heads.  It was at our Cleveland show last year!

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Meeting for the first time!

Over the year, Rachel has become more and more prominent in the Wrapunzel community, sharing gorgeous photos and essential tips, making fabulous tutorials, and always being sensitive to the needs of others.  When we started the weekly challenges, she shared a collage of her wearing #wrapunzeledinallthecolors tichels.  And when asked, she directed Wrapunzelistas by describing in detail every single product on her head, where to get it, and every tutorial needed so everyone could do the same.  It was her dedication, her instinctual giving, her integrity, her work ethic, and her attention to detail that moved me to tears, and it was then that I knew she had to join the team.

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Check out those wrapping skills!

So what’s Rachel up to?  Officially, she is our “Social Media Specialist”, working on organizing our youtube channel and making it more user friendly.  She is doing the same for the blog, helping us figure out a way to make the vast content accessible.  She’s coordinating the challenge of the week posts, continuing to make tutorials, helping with emails, doing a fabulous job moderating the fangroup, restarting our pinterest and twitter, and most recently she has taken over writing our newsletters, and doing an INCREDIBLE job!  (If you aren’t signed up for these, you’re seriously missing out!)

Let’s call this our official welcome!  Welcome to the Wrapunzel Team, Rachel!

The Wrapunzel Foundation

Hey ladies,

Since this started off as my personal blog, I figure that I can write a personal post.  I honestly have no words right now… I am shaking with tears of joy.  Something that I have been dreaming of doing, which I thought was not possible, has finally become a reality.  And it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of some incredible women.

I want to write more, but I am so overwhelmed with gratitude that I know it’s just time to share with you what we’re up to here at Wrapunzel.

Here’s a video I made this morning telling you what’s going on:

The Wrapunzelution:

First there came the blog, from which the community blossomed, then the shows were in demand all over the world, and then the store was born!

Now we have the hugest most exciting news ever: Wrapunzel now has a new project, our biggest project ever…

Introducing…

THE WRAPUNZEL FOUNDATION!!!

Yes! You read that right! The Wrapunzel Foundation is a fully-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization! Pop the champagne corks! It’s REAL! It’s happening! Miracles of miracles! Join us in making this dream a reality!

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I’m so excited we just had to take some photos!

The Wrapunzel Foundation is spreading joy and strength through the art of creative headwrapping. Help women rise above illness or hardship by finding their inner beauty! Join us in our launch fundraiser and let’s make this happen!

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Click HERE to get all the details about what we’re doing!

Pretty in Pink!

 

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Blossoms will run away,
Cakes reign but a Day,
But Memory like Melody
Is pink Eternally

Emily Dickinson.

Pink week in Wrapunzel-land was a challenging one for me (Rachel), but for many others, it gave them a chance to truly shine with one of their favorite colors! Today’s  gallery is full of beautiful, blushing shades and seemingly endless inspiration. Thank you ALL for your participation!

Back when I was in art school, we performed a very interesting experiment during our Color Theory class. Using huge solid-colored drop cloths, we created small “rooms” to study the psychological affects of color. In these make-shift spaces the occupants would be totally surrounded by a single color on all four walls, ceiling and floor. We would then spend a predetermined amount of time in these rooms documenting our feelings and what we observed from those around us. An interesting challenge for those beginning to academically learn about color! (scroll past the first collage for more)

 

 

When it came to the pink room, the pale hue chosen seemed to have a somewhat calming effect on both my peers and myself. The freshman group of art school students, with our high-capacity sponge-like minds, were now quite mellow and relaxed, which was quite an unusual sight for my creative group of friends and I!

It was later that I also learned of the shade known as “drunk-tank pink,” which is sometimes used in prisons as an attempt to subdue inmates. Another instance of this effect is how one sports team’s coach (who happened to be a psychology major) had the visiting team locker room painted pink  to mess with the minds of their opponents. Who knew?! I certainly didn’t and was shocked to find out that this color, which has become a sign of love and femininity, can hold a seemingly ulterior motive!

 

 

How about pink headwear? Can wrapping oneself in the color pink be a calming influence to those around us?  What have you observed about pink with yourself or loved ones? I’d love to hear about it in the comments, but before doing that, check out this week’s challenge below!

 


 

We’ve been wanting to do this week’s Challenge of the Week theme for some time! Coming from a calming color, to one that reminds me of home, seems like a natural transition. Take a look at the reveal video:

 

 

Would you like to be featured in next week’s collage? Head on over to the Wrapunzel Fangroup and share your pictures using the hashtag #wrapunzelecomforted. If you would also like them featured on next week’s blog post, make sure to also post them in the comments on the pinned post at the top of the Fangroup page, so we know to share them. We can accept up to 5 headshot-style photos per person – no collages, please! If you’re not on Facebook, you can also email us your pictures with the subject line “Challenge of the Week.” Can’t wait to see what you create!!

 

Martina Lara ~ Our Lady Wrap Star!

Meet the beautiful Martina!  I (Andrea) have been so awed by her wraps, her zest for trying new things, and her personable style.  She is a cancer survivor and current fighter and I am inspired by the strength in her eyes and the pureness of her giving spirit.  She also makes wrapping look like so much fun!  (Which we all know that it is, but for someone going through such trials to make it into such a calling and art… just, wow!)  I can’t wait for you to meet her…

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Martina’s Story:
“I moved [to the US] from Germany in 1994 with my first husband,  who was American. We divorced in 1996 after 10 years together. It was an ugly divorce and that’s why I decided to stay here, rather than bring danger to my family’s doorstep back home. I found a decent job quickly and did pretty good for myself. I had a wonderful boyfriend and really thought I had it all when against all odds (according to doctors) I became pregnant at the end of 1997. It was a tubal pregnancy and so I lost my only chance at becoming a mom, which made me a spiritual seeker of sorts, since I wasn’t brought up with any religious identity and losing my baby made me look for proof that I might one day be reunited with or rather meet my child.
I had always been an animal lover, and so I did the next best thing and started adopting the animals I would find running in traffic, even while working as a bus driver! I would literally pull over a bus full of people to rescue a dog or cat! Then if I was unable to reunite them with their owners, I kept them, and that’s what has satisfied my maternal instincts over the years.

The first time I was diagnosed with breast cancer was in 2002. Luckily it was found early. I did my homework (research), opted for a lumpectomy, made the decision to refuse all other treatments against my doctors advice and moved on with my life as best I could. My wonderful husband and I met in 2008 and married in 2009. My second diagnosis came at the beginning of March of this year, a few weeks after my 13 year old cat Miracle was diagnosed with lung cancer. When she passed I fell into this hole of despair. The “woe me” feeling was overwhelming. My grief paralyzed me, made me want to give up before my own fight had even started. My husband’s love brought me back from the brink. We decided to take a more radical approach than the first time: bilateral mastectomy! Chemo! Sweet Lord! Because of my particular diagnosis, chemo had to happen first. The knowledge that I was going to lose my hair was worse for me than losing my breasts. I had long blonde curls that my husband and I both loved. On top of that I felt guilty for being so vain… I didn’t think I could survive watching it l fall out, finding hands full on my pillow, so I decided on having it shaved off and donating. I bought a hat on the way to the salon. How I made it through that and out of the salon without falling apart…I don’t recall, it’s a blur. I remember that I didn’t wear the hat afterward though, I decided to own it!
What made me look for different options was 1. my bus passengers’ silly comments about my bald look and 2. Medications that made me photo-sensitive. Back then I had a few hats and caps, wasn’t happy…looked online and all I found there for the first few months were hijab style wraps, which I didn’t think I could pull off, and African American women wrapping in a pretty particular style. So I experimented with that and liked it better than hats, but I’ll never forget the day I found Wrapunzel!!!!! It literally changed my whole cancer journey! I took to wrapping like ducklings to water, loved having a way for creative expression again! Before chemo, I had had long, strong, beautiful nails and loved to do nail art. The cancer took that from me. Now, with Wrapunzel, I reclaimed my self! I immediately knew I had found a game changer! Finding the Wrapunzel style allowed me to feel beautiful again! And I didn’t just feel beautiful, others could see it, too.
My husband complimented me constantly, as did my passengers and coworkers. I joined the Wrapunzel community, not saying much, just kinda watching…the kindness with which this huge, diverse group of women interacts, blew me away!!! And it began to change me… I found that I had a smile on my face all day, every day, and a completely calm and positive attitude toward treatment, surgery, whatever… I focused on myself and my cancer less, started treating people with more kindness, I mean going out of my way (the way it is modeled in the Wrapunzel community), my heart always full, seeing my creator at work in these amazing women who don’t just talk the talk! And I walk into the world each day with my wrap a visible sign of my belonging to this group and a reminder to represent the Wrapunzelistas well. I try to be a light onto the darkness wherever I go and especially at the cancer centers, where I’ve started to help other patients wrap, building relationships with social workers and the American Cancer Society.
My own style has evolved from the early days of barely managing to keep one scarf on my head (the pre-Wrapunzel days) without velvet headband or volumizers to being willing to try anything! I love just starting and seeing where a wrap wants to take me. I love matching my wraps and outfits… I love the waterfalls and color and I’m not afraid of big or elaborate, lol… I went from not being able to GET volume to not being able to get enough!  I had people ask me for tutorials…ME!!!!! WHAAAAT? Mind….blown!!!
My advice to beginning wrappers would be to relax and have fun with it. Definitely watch the video tutorials on YouTube, but don’t feel like you have to wrap like anyone else. Practice! Try different styles and colors, find what suites you, and I bet you will wear it with a smile…And when in doubt, come into the fan-group! The women here are amazingly helpful and supportive, someone is always here to give advise or just an opinion of what works 🙂 “
Love, Martina Lara

Let Your Surroundings Inspire You!

Imagine a mulberry tree, with berries shining like jewels in all shades of purple.  The leaves are green with life, and the sky is blue.

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This is what inspired my look for today; two Shiny Licious, in bright navy and mulberry colors (the sky and the berries), combined with a green lace sash, like the leaves of the tree.  Let’s scroll down and check out the elements of this outfit:

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Here it is without the dominant green lace – which do you like better?

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The Berry Warm Poncho was just begging to be worn this morning!

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And the Aquamarine Stream necklace and Indigo Horizon earrings tied the whole ensemble together!

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As someone that used to be super strict about what matches and what doesn’t, (green and blue together?!  Never!)  I am loving how tichel tying is broadening my horizons.  Often we’re asked, how do I know what matches?  Should I just pair everything with black?  My answer lately is to look at nature and take my cues from there.  Check out these photos for inspiration!

Does this inspire adventurous ideas for you?  Please share!  Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Love, Andrea

May The Force Be With You! *Out of This World Tichels!*

Where were you when you first saw Star Wars? I was a little girl, soon after the release of Return of the Jedi in 1983. It was this first viewing, when I was young and impressionable, where the entire world of sci-fi films opened up to me, and I began to develop a lifelong love of all things Star Wars!

There are plenty of other Wrapunzelistas who feel the same and with the recent release of The Force Awakens, we’ve seen an influx of Star Wars-inspired tichels that are mind blowingly cool!

Adina, Miri, Kathleen and Carie, sporting Princess Leia’s most iconic look!

The creativity we see in tichel-tying is seemingly endless and many wrappers love to use this medium for expressing both their passions and hobbies. Star Wars, as illustrated here, is no exception!

“Help me, ObiWan Kenobi, youre my only hope!”

I mean, seriously, how cool is this look that Jessica came up with?!

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“The force is strong with this one.”

Naomi, a fangroup member, truly went above and beyond, experimenting with various techniques, before developing her own version of Princess Leia-like Cloud City braids. This one is just begging for a tutorial, am I right?!

But that’s not all- Another member, Robin, expertly crafted our favorite princess’ braids from the final scene in A New Hope:

A beautiful princess. Absolutely incredible!

Not all Star Wars wraps have been influenced by the film’s beloved female lead. Many women have gotten their inspiration from other characters, such as Chewbacca, Darth Vader and R2D2!

Yasmine, Sam, Jana, Lila and another one of Sam’s, all looking excellent!

What fun! While these wraps might not be everyday wear for most, they certainly are fun for a night out or even Purim!

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Happy wrapping and remember… “the Force will be with you, always!”

-Rachel

Wrapunzel’s Best of 2015!

Hi, ladies! I had such a great time taking a stroll down memory lane this week, while reviewing my favorite tichels of 2015 and hope that you did, as well! As many wrappers know, whether you’ve been wearing headscarves for a week, a month or a year+, each individual wrapper’s style and technique can evolve over time. It’s fun looking back to see  how far we’ve come!

This week’s collage is full of so much creativity and beauty!  The process that each women took while choosing their favorites, led to much introspection and I’ve included some of the fangroup member’s thoughts here. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I have!

To join in next week, check out the directions at the bottom of this post. Thank you everyone for your wonderful year-end submissions!

Emma
It was a beautiful journey for me to be in this group. Though I see a several of my faces have been ‘shaped’ (oval,rounded, box) through variety of colours, scarves and shaper. But there is one remain, the smile. It reminds me the diversity of the cultures, histories and memories that have been shared among of us. But, there is one remain the same; the compassionate of each other. May the New Year 2016 grant us more compassion, strength and kindness. We are so beautiful when we love each other. Thank You Wrapunzel! – Emma S.
Judy Silkoff
I chose this one over others that were more exciting or involved more scarves because to me it represents what the essence of hair wrapping is – one beautiful scarf, elegantly wrapped, with the right ‘foundation’ underneath can make you feel like a million dollars, transform the way you feel about yourself, carry yourself and project yourself to others. Thank you Wrapunzel for this gift! – Judy S.
Katherine Bartlett
“I started wrapping this year and at first it was really hard for me to give up having my hair down. I was so used to doing different things with my hair everyday that I didn’t feel like myself without it. But after I learned you could do amazing things with wraps, now I feel like that expresses myself better and I am following Torah too! Wrapping makes me feel so much better about myself now.” -Katherine B.

 

For this week’s challenge, we’ve chosen a color that’s a tricky one for many. One with a complex history in both fashion, design and culture. A color that seemingly evolves with the times. Bruce Springsteen sung a song with this color in the title! Have you guessed it yet? Find out in the video below:

Would you like to be featured in next week’s collage? Head on over to the Wrapunzel Fangroup and share your pictures using the hashtag #wrapunzeledinpink. If you would also like them featured on next week’s blog post, make sure to also post them in the comments on the pinned post at the top of the Fangroup page, so we know to share them. We can accept up to 5 headshot-style photos per person – no collages, please! If you’re not on Facebook, you can also email us your pictures with the subject line “Challenge of the Week.” Can’t wait to see what you create!!

-Rachel

 

*An earlier version of this post misquoted the beautiful Katherine B. It has since been corrected.