Request for Sponsorship

Belle and I have been providing this blog as a free service for almost a year now.  It is a fun hobby, and I love having the creative outlet.  Belle likes looking like a princess every day, and enjoys getting attention from people about how her hair is done.  Now when people ask her how her mom did that, she says, "I have a blog!"  How fun.

Times are tight for us right now, and I have been brainstorming ways we might be able to get some more income.  I spend a lot of time and energy on this blog, and I am hoping that I can use it to help out our family.  Rather than annoy my viewers with ads for vacuum cleaners and car insurance, I want to try an experiment to see if I can get some sponsors PBS style.  For my many international viewers, the Public Broadcasting Service is an American TV station that shows educational programs without commercial interruptions.  They have a yearly pledge drive to generate the funding they need to run the service.

So here is my request:  If you have enjoyed learning hairstyles from Hairdo How-to, and you would like to help support me and Belle and our family, would you please offer to donate a dollar or two or more?  Please send an email to hairdohow2@gmail.com and I will respond with more details about how to do it.

I'll tell you how I got the idea.  Belle received an invitation in the mail to attend an open call to National American Miss.  We went to see what it was about.  We filled out an application, and they gave Belle a short interview (and a fun photo opp below).  We listened to their presentation where we discovered that the entrance fee to be in the pageant is about $450.  They suggested we ask other people or businesses to give the money to us.  They mailed us a certificate to say that Belle has been selected as a State Finalist to compete in the Miss Utah pageant for NAM.  Since there is no make-up allowed, no swimsuit contest, no talent required, I gave it some sincere thought.  It would be good for her to get over some fears and learn some new skills, but frankly, I can't see myself going out and asking for money for something I don't wholeheartedly believe in.  She already knows she is a princess (daughter of Heavenly Father), already has a tiara and beautiful dresses.  She isn't interested in modeling or acting (she wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up--thanks PBS!).  She can learn confidence and stage presence by speaking in church and perhaps music recitals and such.  She doesn't need interviewing skills when she is only six.  I don't want her to feel like she has to be in competition to be better than other little girls at this age.

So I thought I would ask for sponsorship for things I really do believe in.  Any donations I receive from this blog will be used for the improvement of our family, including things like music or athletic lessons for Belle and Sweetheart, and family outings or vacations to make memories and strengthen our family, for hairstyling equipment and accessories to make the blog more interesting, or perhaps to update some of the old technology I am using for this blog.

Check out the new gadget at the bottom of the right hand column.  I'll put your name here if you choose to be a sponsor, or list you as "anonymous" if you prefer.

I've got some great ideas for the future, including dutch braiding and cornrows, herringbone braids, and hairstyles from Barbie and Disney movies, and will still continue blogging even if I don't get any sponsorship.

Thank you!