Twenty Something

December 2012

Twenty Something

Jessica BohneOneHealthyBod

Monthly Workout

Angela HamiltonHair Designer

Elevation Salon405.659.5212

Samantha LambFeature Writer

Mikala EwaldMakeup Artist

www.MakeupByMikala.com

Steve ClausenOneHealthyBod

Monthly Workout

Kealey McIntireFeature Writer

Alex Mendez-KellyMakeup ArtistFeature Writer

Jamy GreenHair Artist

Duncan Brothers Salon405.550.0690

CONTRIBUTORSIntern: Christopher Turner

Kelsey SelfFashion Director

Co-Creative DirectorStylist

Bethany YoungEditor-in-Chief

Co-Creative DirectorPhotographer

Jessica BohneOneHealthyBod

Monthly WorkoutSarah EthridgeMusic Writer

Meagan OwenFeature Writer

Chad CosperVideography

DCMGMT Creative, Inc.

Whitney LynnFeature Writer

Emily DavisDecor Writer

Jeff RaganHealth Writer

Amber FikeMakeup Artist405.473.9145

Denver DuncanFeature Writer

CONTRIBUTORS

Fashion

Glamorous. Edgy. Chic. Girly. Vintage. There are so many words that come to mind when discussing personal style. Fashionistas all over have their own unique point of view when it comes to wearing clothes. Personal style is all about figuring out what type of clothing makes you feel and look the best. There are so many different types of personal style that it has been displayed through what we know as street style. If you have been around anyone who is obsessed with fashion, you have probably noticed one or more of these personal style types.

The glamorous girl is the girl who loves to dress up whenever she can. Her go-to items are her dresses and high heels. Her diamond earrings are on display when she walks out the door. Her bags are designed by the most popular designers in the industry. She is the girl who wants to make a statement. If this sounds like you, then your personal style is glam-orous. Your fashion icon would be someone like Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Since your wardrobe consists of dressy clothing, you probably like shopping at a very styl-ish and chic store.

The vintage girl is the girl who loves vintage clothing. Her go-to items consist of a great vintage dress and a pair of vintage shoes that she picked out in a vintage boutique. Her bags and jewelry are one of a kind because of those hours spent searching through vin-tage bins. She does not mind looking a little retro because that is what vintage is all about. If this sounds like you, you guessed it! You are the vintage girl. Rachel Zoe, the celebrity stylist who is known for having a great vintage wardrobe, would be your style icon. Your clothes are unique in style and design due to the fact they were made years back. If you are the vintage girl, it is obvious that you like shopping at those unique vintage stores.

The laid-back girl is the girl who likes to dress comfortably while still looking chic. She doesn’t mind putting on layers of clothes and slipping on a pair of flats. She carries a basic everyday bag and she may slip on a pair of earrings here and there. Although she has a laid-back attitude towards the way she dresses, her look is effortless and stylish at the same time. If your attitude towards dressing sounds like this, then you are the laid-back girl. You like shopping at stores that sell simple but stylish clothing to compliment your laid-back attitude. Having a simple wardrobe, you wouldn’t want it to look too fancy but you would still like to keep it stylish!

I could go on and on about the different types of personal style that people like. Although I only mentioned a few, the various types of personal style that I have seen give a unique flavor to the fashion industry. As I have said in earlier articles, choose the right style for you. Every fashionista has her own personal style. You just have to find the one that makes you feel and look your best!

Personal Style

Written by Whitney Lynn

Fashion

Visual DelightsI have spent lots of time telling all about how to get different makeup looks and how to better your skincare and body care routines. So I thought it only fitting in a season that is ALL about the visual delights, to SHOW you what all this advice can look like!

First off we have Brittany, who is the Hair Designer at The MakeUp Bar. She is sporting flawless skin, thanks to our last chat about exfoliation! We have used MUB beauty’s Sha-liner in BlackBerry ala Adele. Mixed in above the luscious liner is soft champagne glitter courtesy of Gilractik. What Holiday look would be complete without a bright 1940’s inspired red? From the Lipstick Queen herself, Poppy King’s fav, Sinner Red with Rouge Lip Liner. Light on the face makeup and blush, and voila! You have a classic, can never disappoint look.

Second we have the beautiful Betsy. She’s a little more rock ‘n roll, so Dakota, makeup artist at The

Beauty

MUB, choose Nude’Tude eye shadow palette from The Balm. It is filled with, well nude colors! Rang-ing from light and glimmering to dark and sultry, this palette has everything you need for everyday and elegant affairs. He smoked out her eyes and smudged the liner to look messier. The blush is a very soft peachy neutral from The Balm, also called Frat Boy. And for the lips it was a very soft lip color, not to compete with the smokey eyes. Blonde Venus lipstick and Sweet Dreams Lip gloss both from NARS.

Written by Alex Mendez-KelleyOwner of The MakeUp Bar

Third but cer-tainly not last, Miss Sara wanted glam to the max. So Dakota held nothing back! He started with MUB beauty’s Sha-liner in New Day all over the eye to create the base of smoked out glamour. To intensify the dark plum color

he softly pressed T.LeClerc’s Prune Tendre eye shadow over the sha-liner. Using a BB cream by B. Kamins and a cream foundation by The Balm, the matte and flawless canvas was created. Dakota highlighted her skin with our favorite highlighter of ALL time, Mary-Lou-Manizer also by The Balm. A soft sweep above the cheekbones and along the eyebrow arch makes the finishing touches seem easy as pumpkin pie. And for la piece de résistance! Lips were lined in Vintage by MUB beauty and filled in with T.LeClerc’s Organza and topped with La Moss (Created for Kate Moss) by Butter Lon-don’s Lippy Collection. I hope you enjoyed “seeing” what a few swipes of the perfect color can do and get some ideas for your own party attending self! My Holiday wish for all of you is peace and love. May you be with those that share your lives, be it with the family you were given or the family you created. Smile wider, hug longer and selflessly give somebody else the last piece of fudge. Happy Hanukah and Merry Christmas!!

Unique Holiday DecoratingHoliday decorating, like decorating in general,

should be nothing if not unique. There is nothing worse than having the exact same décor as everyone on your street, and this rings true for holiday deco-

rating as well. This season, let’s all step outside of our box and try some unexpected and unique holiday

decorating ideas!

Forget your front door - Hang a wreath in an unexpected place. Perhaps nothing is more ‘holiday’ than a great wreath. I love them all

over the house. I say anywhere you can - hang one!

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Image Sources: Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens, iSuwanee Blog, Shelterness, Lonny

xoxo,Emily

Don’t forget the chandelier. Because they are so pretty on their own, chandys can be easy to over-

look while holiday decorating. But they can be so much prettier with a little swag or ornaments hung on them.

Go for a non-trad color. Perhaps the most unique choice you can make while decorating is

choosing an unexpected color. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do love the tried and true green, red and white - but trying a different color can

be a super fun way to change it up!

Fashion

HolidayStatements

Photography: Bethany YoungMakeup: The MakeUp Bar

Hair: Angela HamiltonStyling: Kelsey Self

Clothing: Blue Seven, Gil’s, Royce ClothingModel: Graham T. of Anthony David Agency

Christmas day with family and friends is guaranteed to

be a Kodak moment. See how you can style up

this holiday by finding that perfect casual-chic look

while still being comfortable enough to tear through all of

those presents.

A Christmas CarolFeature

It’s the Holiday season, which means one thing - it’s time for Lyric Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol! We caught up with the

leads of this classic to find out more about the show.

Jonathan Beck Reed - Scrooge

Tell us about yourself!My name is Jonathan Beck Reed and I am reprising the “plumb” role of Ebenezer Scrooge in Lyric Theater’s Spectacular An-nual Holiday Production of ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Before this assignment, I appeared in the leading role of Ned Weeks in Oklahoma City Repertory Theater’s (CityReps) highly acclaimed production of the Tony Award

Winning play ‘The Normal Heart.’ I am a long time veteran of all aspects of the performing arts, having first appeared in a play at the tender age of eight. I lived and worked extensively in New York for twelve years before returning to Oklahoma City to settle down. I am a co-founder of City-Rep, where I frequently direct, design, and/or perform. My wife Amy Reynolds Reed and I have, for thirteen years, owned and operated Dance Unlimited and Spotlight Acting Academy in Edmond, Oklahoma, and we each teach in area university musi-cal theater departments; Amy at OU, and I at OCU. We are the extremely grateful and proud parents of four and a half year old twins Krayson Rayce and Emmalynn Em-ber.

How did you become involved in theatre?I was born and raised in Oklahoma City (The Village) and from the time I can call

to mind a memory, I have wanted to be an actor. My beautiful mother Mary rec-ognized in me some ability and interest in acting around the age of seven, and gently encouraged me to give the stage a try. By the time I was eight, I was enrolled in acting at the now “mythic” Mummers Theater in the warehouse at 1108 West Main. It was a magical place, inhabited by genius and art-istry at every turn. It was an “artistic incu-bator” for the gifted and passionate, and, in short order, I was hooked. The Mummers, at that time, was a professional regional theater and highly regarded on the na-tional stage. Over the years, I was not only exposed to some truly tremendous perfor-mances by acclaimed actors and creative and thoughtful instructors, but also allowed to succeed and fail, and taught the value of both.

What is it about the theatre that inspires you?Hard to say with any specificity! So many things about the theater “inspire” me. The theaters themselves...each unique, with their own personalities and history. An amazing set on which to play. Wearing a costume that “completes” the creation and allows you to fully “inhabit” the character. A great play to perform. A great role to play. Working with a wonderful cast and/or di-rector. Performing for an appreciative audi-ence. Simply standing on a stage and having another opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life through the work you do on that stage. Trials, challenges, triumphs and tragedies. A life in the theater is never short of inspiration!!!

Of all the experiences you have had in the theatre world, what has been the one that outshines the rest?In my long career, I have been blessed to work with some extraordinary people, both famous and infamous, and experience some

extraordinary things. It is difficult to say what one experience outshines the oth-ers. It’s not fair to compare. But I will tell you of a couple that have served as proof, to me, that some “Greater Theatrical God” is guiding my life. When I was a kid, there were two celebrities that I WORSHIPPED. The first was Don Knotts, whom most will remember as Deputy Barney Fife on ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’ He was my hero. I LOVED him. Even as a kid, I would study his acting and wonder how he was able to DO what he DID. The second was Rip Taylor...a comedian who was the Robin Williams of his time. He was a MAJOR Ce-lebrity and the funniest and most eccentric human oddity I had ever seen. Well, in the interest of space, I’ll forego the complicated, though fascinating, stories delineating the circuitous route and unbelievable circum-stance which ultimately brought us together on the stage but, just suffice to say, they DID!!! I starred opposite Don Knotts in the national tour of ‘Norman, Is That You?’ and appeared as Hysterium opposite Rip’s Psuedelous in the Broadway national tour-ing revival of ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.’ In both cases, I was blessed to became very close friends with the two men, and, in fact, spoke alongside Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Bob Newhart, Tim Conway, and other icons from the Golden Age of Television at Don’s Memori-al Service in LA. Who knew that little Jonny Reed would one day grow up to share the stage and a close friendship with the two men he worshipped as a boy?! Those expe-riences shine pretty brightly over the course of my career, but the one that always shines brightest is the one you’re in NOW!!!

Tell us about your involvement with Lyric!I first appeared on the Lyric Stage at the age of eleven as a Snow Child in ‘Carou-sel’ under the direction of one of the most important and influential men it has been

my honor and privilege to know...then Lyric Theater Artistic Director Lyle Dye. A few years later, I performed in ‘Bye, Bye Birdie’ and, a few years after that, was hired for en-semble and principle roles for four consecu-tive seasons. To date, I have been perform-ing on the Lyric Stage for twenty-nine years and have played a wide variety of roles, some of which include twice Tevye in ‘Fid-dler,’ twice Harold Hill in ‘The Music Man,’ Julian Marsh in ‘42nd Street,’ Captain Hook in ‘Peter Pan,’ Bill Snibson in ‘Me and My Girl,’ Nathan Detroit in ‘Guys and Dolls,’ The Chairman in ‘Drood!’, Herbie in ‘Gyp-sy,’ Joe/Josephine in ‘Sugar,’ and twice Will Rogers in ‘The Will Rogers Follies.’ I have also been a part of many “firsts” with Lyric Theater. I played Eb Scrooge in Lyric’s “first” original musical, the World Premier of ‘A Country Christmas Carol’; starred as Will Rogers in ‘The Will Rogers Follies,’ which was the “first” Lyric Show to perform in the Civic Center Music Hall after the move from The Kirkpatrick Auditorium; co-starred with David Coffee in ‘Greater Tuna’, Lyric’s “first” non-musical production; and with this production of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ I have become a part of a new Lyric Theater ‘Holiday Tradition,’ a “first” for the Theater that I consider to be a second home.

What should patrons expect out of ‘A Christmas Carol’?Audiences who attend Lyric’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ can expect to see the Dickens Classic brought to life by a tremendously talented and exuberant cast; directed with inspired passion by Michael Baron; set against a beautiful, evocative set; costumed in walk-ing works of art created by the enormously gifted Jeffrey Meek; lighted by Arial in washes and wisps of shadows and color that bathe the stage with joy and sorrow, fear and foreboding; surrounded by impressive techno wizardry that make ghosts fly and snow fall; and MUSIC!!! Beautiful voices signing beautiful songs and carols that act

as a “connective tissue” throughout the play. It is a TRULY spectacular show made all the better in the intimate Plaza Theater.

What are you most excited about when it comes to starring in ‘A Christmas Carol’?Playing the role of Scrooge is one of the most challenging roles it has ever been my privilege to attempt. I have played the mi-serly old skinflint now a total of six times and it never gets any easier. But the chal-lenge, for me, is the great appeal. Anytime you play a character that has an “epiphany”, it is tricky but, in the case of Scrooge, his revelation is played out entirely onstage in full view of a discriminating audience’s eyes. Taking him from a place of being cold, mean and miserly to a place of uncontain-able joy and generosity requires that the “evolution” be clear to an audience and that the changes in his nature seem believable and motivated. Every second that I stand on stage, I have to “live” this story with authen-ticity if I expect to earn the audience trust. THAT challenge excites me!!!

Tom Huston Orr - Bob Cratchit

Tell us about yourself!I was raised in the theatre. I started work-ing at age seven at a wonderful old theatre in Ft. Worth, TX called Casa Manana. I literally spent my whole youth there in

some capacity: as a child actor, then work-ing backstage as a crew kid, then a produc-tion assistant and assistant stage manager, and finally back on stage as a resident actor for three years in my early 20’s. I’ve lived and worked on both coasts and worked in regional theatres all over the country. I married a wonderful woman and gifted performer, Robin Huston, and we have now been together almost twenty years. We have two amazing kids, Harper and Henry, and we are in our tenth year living in Norman where I serve as the James Garner Chair and Director of the University of Oklahoma School of Drama.

What is it about the theatre that inspires you?The wonderful community of artists that become your larger family. I am so blessed to be surrounded by such talented and awe-some people. I am humbled and inspired by them daily.

Of all the experiences you have had in the theatre world, what has been the one that outshines the rest?I can’t answer that question, honestly. My life in the theatre has been incredibly joy-ful and fulfilling. Overwhelming, really, in retrospect. I might be able to say that I treasure coming along at a time when I was able to work with and/or observe some of the greatest talents of the modern theatre, and now I am able to share that history with young actors and students that I work with. I feel very lucky about that.

Tell us about your involvement with Lyric.I have worked with Lyric for five or six years now. I have choreographed fights for them and worked as an actor. It is a privi-lege to be able to say that I am a part of the Lyric family.

What should patrons expect out of ‘A Christmas Carol’?I don’t want to brag, and I say this with all humility, but this production is awesome. The talent assembled in this group is amaz-ing. OKC is blessed to have a significant talent pool. Our cast is made of some of the best actors in this city. And when you put them on stage together, magic abounds. Michael Baron’s adaptation and direction are utterly inspired. Ashley Stover-Wells’ choreography is a blast and so much fun to watch. I think this ‘Christmas Carol’ perfectly captures the magic and spirit that Dickens brought us in the novel. And I think proof of that is in the faces of the au-dience. Kids grinning and laughing, wide eyed with astonishment, and adults with tears in their eyes, holding on to their loves ones. It’s just a very joyful, celebratory and lovely show. That’s what I have come to expect.

What are you most excited about when it comes to starring in ‘A Christmas Carol’?Well, I’m certainly not starring in ‘A Christ-mas Carol.’ This group is an ensemble from the smallest Tiny Tim to the oldest and most experienced among us. And that is what I am most excited about. Being a part of this family. Every day we are together is a Christmas gift. I feel guilty to be having so much fun!

For showtimes and to purchase your

tickets, please visit www.LyricTheatreOKC.com

What We’re Listening To...Best Christmas Album: Ella Wishes You a Swingin’ Christmas

It is the most magical time of the year and this month I feel it would be a shame to not write about the most wonderful Christmas music ever. This is strictly my opinion but Ella Fitzgerald has the best al-bum of holiday music with Ella Wishes You a Swingin’ Christmas. It has all of the classics that automatically make you feel nostalgic. Even though most of us know who Ella Fitzgerald is, I have to cover my bases because she is the queen of jazz. With songs like “Frosty the Snowman,” “Winter Wonderland,” and my personal favorite “Sleigh Ride,” I can’t help but think of films like The Holiday and Elf. Why wouldn’t such fantastic Christmas movies only choose the best for their soundtracks? Your holiday season isn’t complete without Ella.

Music

What We’re Listening To...Best Christmas Song: “The Christmas Song”, Nat King Cole

Choosing a favorite Christmas song is like choosing a favorite child. It’s almost impossible. But if I only had one option, I would probably choose Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song,” only because no one else does it better. His voice turns such an original song to gold and I can’t imagine anyone else’s interpretation having the same effect. This song was actually recorded three different times within twenty years and the last record-ing made in the early 1960s was done in one take. It was the one that stuck and has been the most played Christmas song within the past fifty years.

Best Christmas Artist: Vince GuaraldiMy choice for best Christmas artist would have to be Vince Guaraldi. Not only did he provide all of the Charlie Brown music for all of Charles Schulz’s creations, he man-aged to create a soundtrack to a cartoon that is strong enough to stand on it’s own. It is pretty amazing that his music tran-scended such an iconic film. Originally a jazz musician on his own, Charles Schulz thought Guaraldi would be perfect for the Peanuts gig. Vince Guaraldi and his trio truly contribute to the Charlie Brown legacy including Jerry Granelli on drums and Puzzy Firth on bass. He died in 1976 but recorded this work in 1965. Obviously I have an appreciation for the past when it comes to Christmas music, but where would we be without the trendsetters?

Written by Sarah Ethridge

Miranda Lambert’s new store The Pink Pistol, named after her pink .38 gun that she carries, has opened its doors in Tishom-ingo, Oklahoma.

“My husband [Blake Shelton] actually en-couraged me to do it. I’m really creative and most of my creative outlet is through mu-sic, but I love to paint things and do crafts and so does Blake’s mom, so he said, ‘You should open a store because you would re-ally love it.’” Soon after, there was a building for sale in downtown Tishomingo [where the country legends reside] and the rest is history.

Many fans may be wondering why Miranda Lambert would open a store in a town with a population of only 3,000, when more traf-fic could be gained in larger markets like Nashville or even Dallas. But to Miranda, Tishomingo is perfect. “I’m gone away from home enough, and so when I’m home I wanted something close that I could do for fun. I want to draw attention to our small town, and help our economy here. When I’m home I can go 5 miles and do some-thing fun for myself, so it seemed perfect.” Don’t be quick to fret all of you east and west coast country music fans, because with time The Pink Pistol may grow into a multi-location store. “I would love for it to be something that grows bigger and better with time. It would be amazing if we could have The Pink Pistol in Nashville or Vegas or Dallas… Right now its just Tishomingo, and nothing is sold online so you have to come visit us, and that’s what we like about it.”

The Pink Pistol is a Lambert/Shelton fam-ily affair. Dorothy Shelton, Blake’s mother, makes one of a kind handmade crosses

The Pink Pistolthat can be found throughout the store for purchase, while Beverly Lambert, Miranda’s mother, brings a strong business sense to the table. “She [Beverly Lambert] owns a store of her own. She’s been teaching me the ropes of how to actually run a store, and his mom [Dorothy Shelton] is so great at mak-ing these beautiful handmade crafts. Ev-eryone is involved in one way or another,” Miranda told us.

So what can you find at The Pink Pistol? Just about everything from home décor to apparel, and everything in between. Nearly all of the merchandise in the store was hand picked by Miranda. “We have what I like to shop for. It’s fun stuff. Whenever I am in need of a last minute gift I never have anywhere to go to get one, so I thought why not open a place where people can do that,” Miranda explained. “Mostly everything in here I picked myself while I was on the road through online ordering. I’m very, very in-volved with it, and I’m very hands on - a lot of my heart was put into this.”

The grand opening of The Pink Pistol took place the day after Thanksgiving, tradition-ally known as “Black Friday”, although Mi-randa felt it would be more appropriate to call the day “Pink Friday.” The entire block where the store is located was shut down to traffic so visitors could walk the streets, enjoy hot chocolate, listen to some kara-oke (of which Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton participated in), watch a beauty pageant, and of course visit The Pink Pistol. Thousands of people stood in line all night for their turn to enter the new store, and it did not disappoint. The merchandise is displayed on fun things like a pink piano or miniature ferris wheel, while antiques and interesting objects hang from the ceiling.

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To top it all off, there is a fully restored soda fountain in the store where visitors can sit at the bar and order a sundae or Miranda’s signature drink appropriately named, “The Pink Pistol.”

So what made Miranda decide to make the store opening a grand event? “I have the name to put out there, I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am and I figure if I can draw more attention to our little town and make it an event, that’s great. I’m from Texas, so the bigger the better,” she told us with a laugh. If you weren’t able to make it to Pink Friday this year, you’ll be happy to know that plans for 2013’s Pink Friday are already in the works. “I hope it’s something that we can do every year that just grows and grows, and involves everybody in the town. People can come from all over and see what small town America means,” Mi-randa explained.

Miranda Lambert is country music’s reign-ing female vocalist of the year, she has countless CMAs, ACMs, and Grammys, and we’re sure that The Pink Pistol will quickly become one of the most visited stores in the state of Oklahoma. So what is the secret to accomplishing so many things while being so successful at all of them? Miranda revealed it to us in saying, “I feel like a lot of it is just God blessing me. Giv-ing me a gift to get to share with the world through my voice. Also it’s a lot of work. I definitely always have to be busy and doing something, and that’s just what I enjoy.”

You can visit The Pink Pistol Monday through Saturday, 10:00am to 6:00pm.

Article & Photography by Bethany Young

The Decision To Grow RainbowsI am currently sitting in the small cottage garden that is positioned directly in front of my house. Small Blue Swedish baby ducks are running through a thicket of grass and singing to the baby chicks just a hop skip away. Within it I have two large raised beds that are surrounded in cinder blocks, where car-rots grow, and large river stones serve as stepping-stones through the clover and sweet grass. This garden in the spring and into late fall serves as my plot of sweet and light soil that grows all of my favorite things of wonder. Herbs of every kind try to creep over the wooden barriers of old and lovely pine, purple carrots make sweet songs from their thriving place in the depths of the sun, a few stalks of blue corn take their share of love and light… & large leaves of rainbow swiss chard take on the tone of wonder here in my fondly-named gnome garden. I adore it when people step onto the paths and really just can’t quite fathom the colors of all of these edible flowers and vegetables. One small boy who came to the farm for a visit first observed my eggs of every color that I had gathered in my dress and also looked deep into a thicket of plants and made the proclamation, “Dad, she really does grow rainbows!! They are really, really in there!!”

It has turned into my place of peace here at Early Bird Acres. I take my coffee upon one of the stones, while the sheep that are perpetually out find me there and expect lots of kisses. While the evening is coming on I sit on the wooden ledge and pick a handful of mint for my water, and then pick a basket of mixed greens for a lovely salad with wild berries and anything else I found while wan-dering through the many meadows and dappled shade of the trees. When I set out to make this garden, I knew I wanted to not only inspire people with a bit of beauty and give them a moment of repose, but I wanted them to see a stan-chion of nature and go back home with the whole-hearted inspiration of life. Once they are away, a certain light would stay and give them a boost of wonder to achieve their own wonder, which turns into more than even words. What I ask of you in these hours of days as we witness the coming of winter, is to think about a personal project you would like to achieve that not only serves as your own personal peace and personality evinced, but makes other people realize the wonder of this sweet old world. I ask of you to evince a girl who can talk to wolves and the boy who sings to the fishes. It does not haft to make sense at all. Once an idea is fleshed out, it has the habit of rising like bread and then baked lovingly in people’s minds. Me… I chose to grow rainbows, and I hope this sweet old world is better for it.

Article and Photography by Samantha Lamb

Feature

Feature Twenty Something Girl

Photography: Bethany YoungStyling: Kelsey Self

Hair: Jamy GreenMakeup: Mikala Ewald

Twenty Something Girl

Tell us about yourself!I grew up in Oklahoma City and moved to Yukon when I was in sixth grade. I am now at-tending Oklahoma State University, where I am a junior studying Elementary Education.

What drew you to compete in the Miss Oklahoma USA pageant?I am good friends with Lauren Lundeen, who was the previous Miss Oklahoma. I knew that she had a great experience participating in the Miss Oklahoma pageant. I also thought that it would be a great way to learn more about myself and, if I got the opportunity to be Miss Oklahoma, I could touch a lot of children’s lives.

Was this your first pageant?This was my first pageant so I did not know what I was getting myself into when I first decided to do it. I was very pleased with what I found. All of the girls were so nice and encour-aging and I have made some great friends that I still keep in touch with.

What was it like preparing for the pageant?Preparing for the pageant was a lot of work. However, I had a lot of amazing people sup-porting me and training me. I really learned a lot about myself and I learned things that I will use for the rest of my life. I had a trainer who taught me how to lead a healthier life style - he gave me work out plans to follow each week. I also trained for interview and onstage question with Heather Rouba, which was the hardest part for me. I know that I will use these skills for interviews in the future.

What was your favorite part of the weekend competition?My favorite part of the competition was defi-nitely meeting all of the wonderful people.

Everyone that put on the pageant was so friendly and has been so welcoming. The girls that I met there were all so nice and have kept in touch with me even after the pageant.

What was the scariest part of the weekend and what did you do to overcome that?The scariest part of the competition was the onstage question. However, I did not know if I would even make it that far. So I just tried to take each part as it came and once I actu-ally made it to the questions I just took a deep breath and started praying. ;)

What was the first thing that went through your mind when they an-nounced you as the winner?People have asked me this question a lot and I never really know what to tell them because it all happened so fast! They announced the winners so fast and after that everyone was say-ing congratulations and taking pictures. It still hasn’t really sunk in!

What will you do to prepare your-self for the Miss USA pageant?I will keep working with my physical trainer and I will have bootcamps with some of the other contestants to prepare for Miss USA. Just a lot of interview training and onstage question training also!

What are you most looking for-ward to experiencing out of all of this?I cannot wait for Miss USA, but also I am really looking forward to all of the appearances I will get to do. Since Elementary Education is my major, I am really looking forward to working with kids and trying my best to be a role model in their lives. I am so blessed to have this opportunity and there are so many amazing things that can come from this. I am so thank-ful for all of the people who have supported me and that have been so encouraging.

Meet our DecemberTwenty Something Girl -

the newly crownedMiss Oklahoma USA,

Makenzie Muse.

Fashion

Nothing says ‘Tis the Season’ more than the Nutcracker. Without hesitation, this

iconic figure makes his appearance every year. Who knew he could inspire

such fashion? Pair your military inspired jackets with sparkling skirts and dresses

for an “Ode to the Nutcracker” holiday look.

Hair: The MakeUp BarMakeup: The MakeUp Bar

Photography: Bethany YoungStyling: Kelsey Self

Model: Chasity R. of Anthony David AgencyClothing: Blue Seven, Gil’s, Royce Clothing

Holiday TraditionWhether you are a twenty-something single, almost-married or

married girl, you have your own holiday traditions. You do “Dirty Santa” on this side of the family, you draw names on that side of the family, but what do you do just for you during the holiday season? What makes you love the holidays the most? Could it be giving to people in the most need, hosting several friends over for a night of

food and fellowship, or is it just soaking in the Christmas atmosphere? Keep your old traditions this year, finish all your shopping and

maybe… maybe find some time to add a new tradition in the mix with the ones you love!

For the Entertainer…Host a holiday-themed party for all your friends! Possible themes up for grabs:

-Christmas jammies and movie party: Invite all your pals in their Christmas PJs for a marathon of your favorite Christmas movies. The good news is it’s as casual as it gets!

-Pinterest Christmas: Everyone’s invited, but they have to bring an experimental Christ-mas food they learned from Pinterest. Everyone has to come with an empty stomach and prepare to be stuffed!

-Tacky Christmas: The college date party revived. Everyone shows up in his or her tacki-est-of-Christmas attire. Ugly Christmas sweaters preferred.

For the Giver…Find someone in the most need and do some Christmas good!

-Adopt a Salvation Army Angel. Trees are in the malls and you will not be surprised how much fun it is to pick out clothes in a 4T size and a tiny Buzz Lightyear for a bitty buddy!

-Pay off someone’s layaway. Head up to Toys R Us or your nearest Wal-Mart/Target and request to pay off a part of someone’s Christmas layaway. What a Christmas surprise that will be to a hard-working family to know the stress of their Christmas is relieved!

-Contact a school in need of coats for kiddos or just generously contribute to a coat drive. Winter is chilly in Oklahoma and all kiddos could sure use a coat. (Do a good deed and get something in return if you participate in Winter on Western on December 6. Drop off a coat at any of the drop-off locations and get a 20% off card from some chic Western Avenue stores!)

Feature

Written by Meagan Owen

For the Christmas enthusiast… -Grab a hot chocolate, pop some popcorn, load up the car, and head on a Christmas light trek across town to see the best lights. This is kid and adult friendly, as Christmas lights seem to warm all hearts!

-Buy a real Christmas tree! If you are not allergic, don’t mind the occasional passes with the vacuum, and want your house to smell like a delicious forest, then head to a tree farm and cut down your own this season!

-It may be a little late this season, but next year gear up your friends for Black Friday mania. It’s so much more fun with your pals and 50% off the entire J. Crew outlet… why would you not brave a little line?!

Maybe you have already adopted some of these or maybe they have inspired you to start a few new traditions with your family and

friends. But truly a tradition that never goes out of style is telling all your loved ones how much they mean to you and how much you love them! Share some love this Christmas with them and maybe even a

few strangers!

Yep. This is going to be another article on what gift to give for the holiday season. However, I’m channeling my inner nerd for this one. I could’ve talked about good go-to gift ideas, which, in my opinion, is any combination of a mani/ pedi/ massage. Instead, I thought I would bring back an idea that seems to be fading into the past. Reading.

I recently had a discussion with someone who was about to stand in line overnight so she could buy a popular electronic item on the first day of its release. She said that she didn’t know what she was going to do all night to pass the time. I suggested that she read a book. Her response was something like this… ‘Pff, I don’t read!’ We are well acquainted so I gave her quite a bit of grief over this statement, but it really got me thinking about the art of reading. Is it going by way of the traditional paper book… an item of history? Something we’ll tell our grandchildren we used to do a lot more of? In this age of Facebook and Twitter, where we get quick, simple bits of information, is reading something longer than a status update going to have longev-ity?

As an infant, reading is important for brain development and to encourage educa-tion. As an adult, I believe it helps keep the imagination going. Some of my favorite reads have helped shape my views of things like death, and what heaven might be like (The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold). A real life read has given me insight into what life was like for a victim of child abuse (A Child called It by Dave Pelzer). Reading makes you think about subjects you might otherwise overlook. Plus, it’s just fun. How else could we have a certain story about werewolves and vampires involved in a love triangle?

So, in lieu of the traditional stand-by gift this year, why not look into an e-reader like a Kindle or a Nook for someone who has already expressed an interest in read-ing. Amazon.com has good deals between now and Christmas. For the novice, I suggest a gift card to your favorite new or used bookstore (used book stores often have current popular items for a quarter of the price). This holiday season I encour-age everyone to give the gift of enrichment to friends and loved ones, but most im-portantly for yourself. Commit to reading anything on a regular basis; this magazine (congrats to you for already doing that!), a blog, a newspaper or take the leap into novels. Let’s just do something to keep this wonderful art form of storytelling and story reading alive and well.

R-E-A-DFeature

Written by Kealey McIntire

KiZE Better Life Bites: All Natural, Premium Food SolutionTis’ the season good twentysomething friends! For all the great rea-sons about the holidays, my favorite is giving gifts! That’s right…giv-ing, not receiving. I LIVE TO GIVE and nothing beats the feeling of doing something to positively impact someone’s happiness and well-being, especially when you see firsthand the joy and benefit it brings. Whether it be time, effort, or something material, I encourage all of you to give BIG this holiday season. And what better gift to give than the gifts of health, time, and enjoyment? Luckily, you can give all of these and more with KiZE Better Life Bites, which just so happens to be my own company (shameless smile here).

KiZE Better Life Bites is an all-natural, premium food solution that helps make eating healthy easier and more enjoyable without sacrific-ing time, taste, or nutrition. Each delicious flavor is simply made us-ing only four to six all natural, high quality, gluten-free ingredients. No preservatives, artificial ingredients, or cheap fillers. Only simple ingredients you know, can pronounce, and feel good about.

Health

KiZE Better Life Bites: All Natural, Premium Food Solution

Written by Jeff RaganFounder of Kize Concepts Inc.

Better Life Bites are nutritionally balanced, filling, and provide quick and sustainable energy to power you through your day. The reseal-able bag is comprised of nine bites providing you the flexibility to eat one, a few, or the entire bag; whatever best fits your life at that time. Great as a snack, workout fuel, full meal, or healthy dessert. How you choose to use is up to you.

Better Life Bites are ideal for individuals of all ages and activity levels. Athletes of all sports, busy professionals, kids, dieters, those looking to make an easy transition and gain control of their health, and those that enjoy great tasting food are just a few of the many types that greatly benefit from the easy-to-use, enjoyable energy of Better Life Bites.

Flavors include Vanilla Almond, Cocoa, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin Seed, and Cinnamon Raisin.

KiZE, inspired by the Japanese business philosophy Kaizen, is about getting better, rising up, and growing into your ideal life one step at a time. It is about enjoying life, loving more, living more! Our passion at KiZE is creating solutions that free you to be you. Choose your life, we want to help you fuel it!

AND because I love to give so much, all orders will be 15% off when you use the special discount code ilovetwentysomethingmag! at www.kizeconcepts.com. They make excellent stocking stuffers and Christmas gifts for co-workers, family, and friends…not to mention for you!

So whether you give the delicious, nutritious, and convenient gift of KiZE this holiday or many other, wonderful things, enjoy giving more than you ever have before this season!

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