When I made the Lovely Lace tutorial yesterday, someone mentioned that it was hard to see how to do the “Loopy” part because my hands were in the way.  So since it’s actually a tie that you can do on its own (I love doing it with the Lakeshore Bliss) here is a detailed tutorial on how its done!  You can see that even though I’m blabbering away and doing it very slowly , it still only takes 2 minutes for the video!  You’re gonna love this trick!

Good Morning!  We’ve received so many requests for the Lovely Lace tutorial since posting this photo of Deidra on our facebook page yesterday!  So while getting dressed this morning I decided to video myself trying it out!  It’s so easy!  You’ll also learn how to do the lovely “loopty-doop” on the side!

Sometimes, a busy day calls for a perfect one scarf wrap; a Regal Wrap done with a Tapestry Luxe (this is the Blonde one) fit those requirements perfectly!  And I can’t believe how many compliments I’ve gotten when getting ready only took 2 minutes!

You know how I’m always talking about that ‘must have’ go-to wrap that we all need to master?  Well, this is mine!  Whenever I’m in a rush or my so called ‘genius’ creative idea isn’t working, I always go for this wrap.  It’s foolproof once you master it!  Do any of you have a go to wrap that you can just do in your sleep?

Love, Andrea

It’s been years since I made this video, and I’ve always been meaning to remake it.  Here is part one of the remake!

Here I discuss one of the reasons why I love covering my hair: the intense multi-level pleasure that I get from it!  Learn about the different kinds of pleasure we can experience in this world, and why hair covering allows me to start my day connecting to all of them!

Check out this awesome trick!  Great for anyone that gets annoyed with having too many knots at the base of the neck!  This will change your tichel tying game!

It seems that spring has finally sprung here in Baltimore!  (Praying that it lasts!)  I love spring for its energy of renewal, rebirth, the rediscover of potential.  There are so many wonderful holidays that we celebrate that have the energy of spring:

Purim – allowing us to reveal the hidden
Pesach – enabling us to cast off our chains and grow towards our full potential

I am just so excited to be a part of all this!  And here on the Wrapunzel front we are also working hard in the springtime!  We are currently launching our new spring line, and we are truly inspired by the potential of these new tichels and accessories!  Here are some photos of what we’ve found for you so far!  Get excited… there’s more to come!

What are you looking forward to most about spring?

It all started when Naomi Rose posted this photo…

In it, she’s wearing a purple 2 in 1 and a Lakeshore Bliss in Green, a color combo rarely seen!  What resulted was an IMMEDIATE snowball effect!  We all had to try out this gorgeous color combo! It started with a few ladies…

And then more jumped on the bandwagon… we tried it with different scarves and sashes too!

Finally I had to join in as well!  I had been looking for the perfect excuse to break in my purple lace sash… and don’t worry, even though this color is sold out right now we are getting more in!

Thank you Naomi Rose for clueing us in to this gorgeous color combination!!!  Love it love it love it!!

Teal, and teal, with teal, plus teal??

Yes, please!

I wanted to figure out a gorgeous way to wear this new Teal with Black Threads Limited Shimmery.  What better way than to pair it with a Teal Shimmery?  (And a teal shell, and a teal shirt…)

Any wild guesses as to what my favourite color is?

…

And it’s so easy to tie!  Here’s the tutorial!  I just used a black hair elastic to secure the ends and did a slight zig zag with the front.

I wish the photos showed the lovely “shimmery-ness” more, but you get the idea!  What is your favourite current shimmery combination?
Love, Andrea

So I have a confession to make.

I don’t own as many tichels as y’all think I do.

The reason is that I usually end up giving them to ladies that I end up Wrapunzeling unexpectedly… and that often happens in shows, formal events, and public washrooms!  So it certainly helps me keep my collection manageable.

Never have we carried a scarf that I’ve loved enough to want in all colors… until now.

The Tapestry Luxe is awe-inspiring.  We first carried it in grey, as a fancy neutral scarf for the elegant and subtle ladies.  Then we saw it in Blonde and just had to share it with you as well.  Soon after our jaws dropped when we saw the Auburn… now THIS one was my favourite!  Oh wait, but I love the blonde and grey too… so why choose?  And then we got it in purple.

Basically, I am not going to choose which one I like most, because it’s always the one I’m currently wearing!  This is definitely a thick, cooler weather scarf, but it’s so so soft.  And the different sides of it (there’s the colorful side and then the gold side) make for so many different wrapping options!  I just can’t get enough!

I’ve paired it with a cream&gold Braided Wreath Necklace (made into a headband with the Regal Clasp, of course!) – but usually I just wear it on its own!  Here is a tutorial on how to wrap this scarf!

Hope you’re all doing well and if you’re in the cold/icy weather like I am, staying warm and safe!
Kol tuv,
❤ Andrea

Here’s Tamar Adina again, with great ideas for Purim costumes and also some essential safety tips for you and your family to ensure that you have the happiest Purim ever!

Hey Wrapunzel!

Purim is coming up, and as a professional face painter and make up artist, Purim (and Halloween) are two holidays where I have a lot of experience and a lot to say.

First of all, there are SOOO many exciting costumes that allow you to fully cover creatively!  Cheap costume wigs, veils, baseball caps, helmets…So let’s get started.

Perhaps one of the easiest hair wrapping costumes is The Girl With a Pearl Earring.  I wish I could claim that the popularity of this costume arose from Johannes Vermeer’s enigmatic painting: Girl with a Pearl Earring, but that’s not quite the truth. For anyone that has been living under a rock and away from all media influence (you LUCKY person!), the protagonist in this bestselling novel (and major feature film) is none other than that particular subject for Johannes Vermeer’s enigmatic painting: Girl with a Pearl Earring.  The oil painting features a young, European girl wearing a very Wrapunzel-esque tichel and (drumroll) a pearl earring.  The reason that I say “drumroll” is that the pearl earring is actually a subject of debate among scholars – it might actually be a tin earring.

Rock this costume with a light blue lakeshore bliss and a taupe 2-in1, a white shirt, a brown jacket, and an oversized earring.

Next on the agenda – the Renaissance costume. 

Although at first glance it appears that Renaissance costumes all feature women with corsets, plunging necklines, and a gold circlet, the truth is that those are the sexy-Halloween versions of those costumes.  More traditional Renaissance outfits come complete with hair coverings.  Mimic these looks by trying Andrea’s video for a Princess Wrap (which is one of the older, original, Andrea wraps).  Pair it with one of the new Wrapunzel lace! 

If historical costumes aren’t for you, try a Star Wars Princess Leia double bun done with a pashmina! While Wrapunzel doesn’t have an example, Nye’s Old Channel made an awesome tutorial for that!  (I would actually move the buns so that they’re not perfectly covering your ears and so that you can hear what is going on around you!)

If Star Wars isn’t your thing and my other options are also not for you, try cyberlox! What are cyberlox? Cyberlox are synthetic dreadlocks that are MEANT to look like random pieces of technological tubing.  These hair pieces can be made of plastic tubing, tubular crin, rubber and foam strips, and event belts.  Traditionally, cyber lox slip around a ponytail.  But…for those of you that don’t want a partial covering (and don’t have an abuse-able ponytail sheitel), this tutorial gives a full explanation using a wig cap.

But most of this post is actually not going to be about hair covering (sorry folks!).  See, while most of the costumes and themes (yep, themes, for those of you that are looking at me in confusion, some people have wayyy too much time on their hands and they manage to create a yearly theme that ties their families costumes and their food packages together into one neat and hilariously rhymed poem) that I’ve seen are rather cute, I’ve also seen a lot of costumes that are downright dangerous.  Most of the time, people don’t even realize that a particular costume quirk can be a HUGE safety issue!  So, today’s blog post includes a list of safety considerations for you and your children. 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me! I can usually be found lurking on Facebook…

Clothes:

Prevent falls by shortening overly-long skirts, pants, dresses, veils, tails, and anything else that can trail on the ground.   

Many costumes come with small detailing or accessories that can be hazardous to young children.  Infants and toddlers should not wear costumes with removable detailing.

Shoes:

Choose safe, sturdy shoes for children; ditch the high heels or too-big adult sized shoes.  Cheap, plastic costume shoes may look adorable, but they can serve as tripping hazards.  Purim is too special to spend in the ER.

Accessories:

A long cape can be a serious choking hazard.  Even a short cape can cause choking if it is stepped on while someone is walking down a flight of stairs.  Minimize that choking hazard by making a cape that has arm loops to keep it in place instead of a tie that fastens around the neck.

Avoid overly-floppy hats.  I know, they’re cute, but they limit a child’s field of vision and thus pose as tripping hazards.  Don’t wear one for yourself either.  They can interfere with driving, and even if you are not planning on getting behind a wheel, they can prevent you from seeing things in your peripheral vision.  I’m going to be honest, there are sometimes inebriated drivers on the roads on Purim, you do NOT want to limit your ability to see a car coming towards you.

If your child is carrying a wand or sword, it should be made from cardboard or flexible rubber – not metal or hard plastic.  The key here is to avoid anything that has sharp edges.

Most parents already know to avoid peeling paint on house walls and they already worry about lead tests for their children, but walls and water are not the only things that can be contaminated. Unfortunately, all that glitters is NOT gold as far as jewelry is concerned.  But lead is not the only problematic ingredient that can infiltrate accessories.  Inexpensive metal jewelry, like the kind found in discount and dollar stores, are frequently high in cadmium, a heavy metal that can cause severe health problems if absorbed into the body. It is important to avoid childhood exposure to cadmium, and there is no way to tell just by looking at a piece of jewelry if it contains cadmium.  The best advice is to keep inexpensive jewelry away from children younger than six.  Should you be scared of the necklaces and bracelets sold in mid-range retailers?  Well, federal law limits the amount of cadmium that is allowed to be present in children’s jewelry.

But…as an extension of that, while fake tiaras and bangle bracelets are cute, if the jewelry isn’t “primarily intended” for kids 12 and under, it’s an adult product – and adult products have no cadmium restrictions. 

Avoid the use of fake teeth (such as vampire fangs) by children under age 5.  They are a major choking hazard.  ‘Nuff said.

Masks:

Masks can cut off a child’s peripheral vision.  If your child insists on a mask, make sure that it offers good ventilation and that the peepholes line up with your child’s eyes.

Face paint: (alright, this one is a topic that is near and dear to my heart)

Face paint is a great alternative to masks, provided that it’s SAFE face paint. 

Face paint needs to be cosmetic grade.  End sentence.  “Non-Toxic” does not mean “safe for skin.”  Even the words “safe for skin” and “hypo-allergenic” are meaningless where face paints are concerned.   The only language that you must always look for in face paints is “FDA (Food and Drug Administration) compliant ingredients for cosmetic use.”  There are no actual cosmetics that are approved for use by the FDA.  (If someone tries to tell you that there are, they are full of beans.  I digress though, moving on).

Acrylic craft paints are not meant to be used on the skin – nor are watercolor paints, pencils, sharpies (yep, I’ve seen teens with sharpies smeared all over their faces!) or markers.  In addition to the long-term complications from using these materials, many people are allergic to the chemicals and colorants used in craft paints such as nickel, soluble cadmium, and formaldehyde.   As an equally exciting side effect, “homemade” face paints made from lotion and craft paints are sometimes photo-toxic, and a child can wind up with a miserable chemical sunburn. 

Avoid the dollar store or party store tubs of liquid face paints or the waxy crayons that are made in China.  Those tend to be made of highly irritating ingredients.  (You would not believe some of the pictures that I’ve seen of reactions!) Plus, whenever the media discusses a recall on face paint due to some type of contaminant, 99.9% of the time they are referring to these things!

So what should you use?  Honestly, there are a large number of legitimate face paint products on the market.  Ben Nye, Cameleon, Diamond FX, DIPS, FAB, Global, Graftobian, Kryolan, Kryvaline, Paradise, ProAiir, Ruby Red, SillyFarm Rainbow Cakes, Snazaroo, Starblends, Superstar, TAG, Wolfe FX….which one is good? They are ALL good!  Most of those brands can be bought online, in local costume shops, or sometimes Snaz can be found in Michaels/Jo-Ann craft stores.  If you cannot get your hands on any safe face paint and your child desperately wants to be a cat, consider either calling a professional face painter, or hitting up the drugstore for eyeliner pencil or eye shadow.  Those two products can frequently get a very small whisker and pink nose done.  Do yourself a favor though – face paints are primarily water based and will wash off easily with soap.  Adult makeup tends to require additional scrubbing.  And whatever you do, make sure that the pencils that you grab are not waterproof!

The skin is the largest organ of the body, and it can be an entrance for germs and bacteria; do not place face paint over an open wound or scab.  By that same token do not just whip out your eyeliner and draw on your child’s nose, and then touch up your Cleopatra eye makeup.  Doing so is a phenomenal way to wind up with an eye infection.  (child’s mucus + your eyes = well…you get the picture).  Break the point of the pencil, dip in alcohol and re-sharpen the pencil. 

Nix the face paint if you or your child suffers from eczema or other skin conditions.  Reactions are NEVER worth it.

Have a happy holiday!  See you next time!

Tamar Adina

[Photo Credit – http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg]
[Photo Credit – https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/66/1e/f8/661ef87346029cff8ba9fab34df2380e.jpg]
[Photo Credit – http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/113/8/0/carrie_fisher_princess_leia_xvi_by_dave_daring_d62_by_dave_daring-d62qtyz.jpg]

Decided to do a combination of twists this morning – one around the crown and a double at the side!  I’m loving it!  So perfect for this chilly weather!  (And I’m loving this sweater that I got at goodwill on sale!  So big and comfy!)

Here are some tutorials/inspiration to check out for this wrap!  Should I make a tutorial for this?
Artsy Twists;   Do the Twist!;  Triple-y Twisted

I’m wearing a denim Lakeshore Bliss, Navy NYB, and a gold Perfect Headband 🙂

Wishing you all a Shabbat filled with love and shalom!  Hope you’re doing well and sending you hugs!

It is my absolute pleasure and honor to introduce you to Jen.  Jen’s story is a personal and deep one, and I am so honored to have been a witness to her incredible journey (and I know that journey is just beginning!)  She has put so much effort and love into covering her hair, and has been wonderfully open about her struggles and successes.  She truly has come into her own in developing the perfect tichel style for her unique personality – it’s so inspiring!  Even though we’ve never met in person, I feel so connected to her, and can’t wait to the one day that we can meet!  Here she is!

Many people have asked  how I came to start covering my hair …..

I first felt the desire to cover in around 2009.  At the same time we were coming out of the church and moving through the “Hebrew Roots Movement” – which turned to to be a very brief period, as intensive study led us both, separately, by the beginning of 2010, to prepare for conversion to Judaism.  That, of course, is another story!

I started covering very occasionally between 2009 and 2010 – mainly for Shabbat meals, but when we were coming up against more than the 3 traditional “obstacles” in our quest to pursue conversion (another story!), I stopped covering.  But there must still have been some underlying or subconscious desire deep within me, because I kept purchasing scarves!

About 18 months ago, I started covering at home to read the parashah on Shabbat, and on sundays for shopping.   Shortly thereafter, we started attending synagogue in preparation for conversion and I asked someone in a leadership position if I would be able to cover.  I was told it was “not done” and I could wear a kippah if I liked.   Wearing a kippah was, for me personally, absolutely out of the question.  Only the Rabbi’s wife wears a kippah when she occasionally attends services.  Hubby and I both understood the “not done” to mean “may not be done” so I continued to cover my hair on Shabbat mornings to read the parashah and then remove it to go to services.   After a few months we thought to ourselves “this is ridiculous!” so in May we approached our Rabbi and asked his permission to cover.   He readily agreed, he was almost surprised we had asked his permission and even more perplexed that we had both felt dissuaded by this other person.   I still remember the first time I covered for a service.  I was so self-concious and I know that people were looking at me.  But I survived, and each week, for both the Kabbalat Shabbat and Shacharit Services, I attended, wrapped.  At this point I was showing my fringe and doing very simple wraps.

Around February/March I had come into contact with “Wrapunzel” on Facebook.  Two amazing Jewish ladies, passionate about the mitzvah of headcovering, who first created a blog with tutorials and then opened an online scarf and accessory “paradise”.  They, together with the Wrapunzel Fan Group on Facebook, gave me so much encouragement, support and teaching.

Covering is something that is unusual in our city, even with a predominantly orthodox community, and it was extremely difficult for me to go to service after service, knowing that I was “sticking out like a sore thumb” and knowing that people were talking.  Some people asked me about it directly and I appreciated the opportunity to try to put into words why I chose to cover.  I continued to cover just for services and on sundays.   I was too nervous about the reaction if I extended my wrapping to community events or for work.

I decided to cover for work for Tisha B’Av and was met with quite a positive reaction.  The timing probably wasn’t the best because I felt quite bad getting so many compliments on what was the saddest day in the Jewish calendar!  I explained to my boss afterwards why I had covered and said I would like to do it more regularly.  He told me that he didn’t care what I wore on my head!!  I then covered for a two day Jewish conference in August, which was attended by about 150 Jews, mainly orthodox, and I received quite a few negataive comments and stares.  I still held my head up high, though, even though on the inside I was a wreck!   One of the overseas presenters wore a headcovering (the only other person present), and although I didn’t get the chance to speak to her, there was a “smile of sisterhood” between us.

On 1 September 2014, I decided to “take the plunge” and cover full time for work and public, still showing my fringe because I’d had one since I was 13 (nearly 36 years!) and I thought I looked too wierd with it tucked in.  My boss was a little “bemused” because I don’t think he realised that “more regularly” was going to turn into “all the time”.    In late October, I made the decision that if I believed strongly in head covering, then I should cover ALL of it.  And since then, I have not left the house uncovered, even to the extent of keeping a cap at hand should anyone knock on the door or for running down to the communal washlines.  During this time I have acquired more confidence and maybe a little bit more skill!

I still cannot express eloquently WHY I choose to cover.  I just know that I HAVE to.  There is a burning desire within me to do it, to honour my Creator, and to honour my husband.  I choose to cover in a way that is both modest but fairly attractive at the same time.  I don’t believe in looking ugly.  But I’ve never felt ugly in even the most simple Israeli tichel.   I feel set apart, beautiful, feminine.  Whilst there may not be a specific instruction in Torah “thou shalt cover” there is enough “evidence” to convince me that it was a tradition even in those days.  Rivka covering herself before meeting Yitzchak, and the story of the “Sotah” in Numbers are two examples.

I still meet with criticism and occasionally it has been cruel and uncalled for.  I have brushed it off in public and cried in private.  I have sometimes said “I can’t do this anymore”.  But when it comes down to it, I could not even conceive the idea of leaving my home without a covering.  I have regular “tichel tantrums” when my scarves won’t sit properly (“tichel” is the yiddish word for scarf) and because of my problem wrist, sometimes battle with a simple knot.  I am so grateful for a husband who supports, encourages, and even helps wrap my scarves when I can’t do it myself.   I am also so grateful to the communities on Facebook who are there with advice, encouragement, support, love, friendship …. and yes, even loving honesty when I ask for opinions & advice.

I do not regret my choice to cover, even though it is a “lonely” choice.  I believe it is a beautiful mitzvah.  And it’s a mitzvah I’d encourage all ladies to try!  You might just feel as special as I do.