Prairie Charms: Project Blogger | Just Add Ginger

Just over a month ago, I was contacted by Prairie Charms and asked if I wanted to take part in "Project Blogger" collaboration (click the link to find out more). I was instantly overwhelmed and excited. I had never taken part in anything like this before! So, of course, I immediately jumped at the chance to be involved!

I, being me, of course had to do my research first and find out more about Prairie Charms and the products they sell. 

Oh my GOODNESS! 

I was instantly drawn in by all the pretty, girly, sparkly, beautiful things. What made me even more happy, was spotting that 10% of profits go directly to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity, and the "Kiss it Better" campaign and this really touched me! Any company that takes the time to give back to an amazing cause - whether great or small - gets awarded instant Ginger Stars in my book! 

As a part of "Project Blogger," I was kindly given 50% off any part of the collection. And therein lay my first issue...

There were just SO many pretty things to choose from! 

But instead of going for the jewellery section, I decided to focus on hair. Over the summer, I was really into hair accessories (mainly floral crowns/headbands) so decided to carry on the theme and go for some hair accessory pieces. 

It took me ages (and one 40 minute phone call to Mama Ginger to help discuss and finalise my options) to decide what I wanted to try out. But after an agonising evening of trying to choose my products, I went for the: 

Farrah Glitter Bow (Burnt Copper): $15.00 (full price)

Suri Crown (White): $24.00 (full price)

For the next week or two I waited on tenter hooks for my lovely goodies to arrive, until, one grey, typically British day, they popped through my letterbox.

Okay ... Firstly we need to talk about the packaging.

Now. I know they say"never judge a book by its cover" but I hate to say tat when it comes to buying things, I really, really do! Call me superficial, but the way that a product is packaged says a lot to me about the quality of the goods and the company.

I was not disappointed. My goodies didn't arrive in a brown envelope, parcel or package. Oh no. But in a shiny, glittery, bright and beautiful  purple envelope. Just looking at it made me feel excited and full of eager-anticipation about the contents. 

Each of the hair accessories were individual wrapped, with the Suri Crown nestled in a bed of bubble wrap for extra protection. I also was really happy and surprised to find an extra hair accessory in with my bow and crown (I believe this may be because I spent over £10, which, I think, is such a sweet idea.) 

Farrah Glitter Bow

Farrah Glitter Bow (Burnt Copper)

Hair by: Helen Cameron (Glam Hair & Beauty, Liverpool)

The first item I road-tested was the glitter bow. And I absolutely love it.

I can't do a lot with my hair, so having good quality, easy-to-use, beautiful accessories is great for me. And the Farrah Glitter Bow is no exception. The clip is a crocodile style, so easy to slide right in to your hair, and the bow itself is stiffened into shape, so there is no risk of bow-droopage (not a good look.) 

But what made me squee the most was the glitteriness (Ooo....new word!) There are both big and small glitter particles in the bow fabric, which are always catching the light and sparkling away. This just automatically appeals to my magpie tendencies. The colour of the bow also complemented my hair to perfection. It was a great choice. The coppery/orangey tones of the bow will be perfect for Autumn, and Summer, and Spring, and all year round. Yippee! 

I wore the bow out for a whole day, and it did not slide down my hair. It did start to tip a few times, but to be honest, I think that was the way I put it in my hair (my amazing hairdresser friend Helen put it in for me in the photo above - my way went in a bit lop-sided I think.) When I took the bow out, it didn't get caught up in my hair either, which was also a brilliant attribute. Sometimes, clips or hair ties or bands can get caught in my hair, and I lose loads of hair strands trying to get them out again. 

Suri Crown

I think if I had been around in days gone by, I would have either been a flower child of the 60s/70s, a woodland faerie, or a creature living out in the woods, because I just love wearing flowers in my hair, walking around barefoot, and just always being as close to nature/outside as possible. 

So, as you can imagine, I got on with the Suri Crown like a house on fire! 

At first, I was a bit dubious. Not because of the crown itself, but because I er.....well...I have a head that's slightly on the.....larger side, so things sometimes don't fit me too well. Metal headbands (which the crown has) can sometimes dig in and start to hurt. But I didn't find this at all with the Suri Crown. Hazzah!! 

The comfort factor was amazing. I wore the crown all day one Sunday and it was like I wasn't wearing a headband at all. 

As with the glitter bow, I was really impressed with the quality of the crown. The bubble wrap packaging had kept all the beautiful white roses in tact, and they were all standing up beautifully. The flowers weren't too big either, so I didn't look like I had an even bigger head. I'm not a huge fan of OTT crowns anyway, so if, like me, you want something a bit more understated, I can't recommend this crown enough. 

I got quite a few compliments wearing it too. The Suri Crown is a great way to add a touch more detail to an outfit without going for jewellery, and the white roses are a perfect choice for an all-year-round accessory! 

I can't recommend Prairie Charms enough as a website. The prices are really reasonable (I haven't spotted anything over $25.00,) so budget friendly. The products that I received were beautiful and well-crafted, and I really admire the fact that they donate a percentage of their profits to charity. 

If you're looking for products that are super-girly and have a hint of whimsy, then head on over to the Prairie Charms website and have a look at the pretty goodies they have on offer! 

For more information about the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity click here

The "Kiss it Better" Campaign