Judy De Luca

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Legend of the Lenten Pretzel

Posted on March 23, 2015 by judydeluca

The pretzel, being symbolic of prayer and penance during Lent, is a small but powerful instrument in bringing families to God.

Lent is a period of fasting and self-denial. Praying, fasting and penance, at this time, is an imitation of our Lord’s fasting for forty days and forty nights in preparation for Easter.

In the Roman Empire the faithful kept a strict fast. No milk, butter, cheese eggs, cream or meat were eaten during Lent. They made small breads of water, flour and salt to remind them that Lent was a time for pray and penance. They shaped these breads in the form of crossed arms for in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying. They called the breads “little arms” (bracellae). From this Latin word Germanic people named them pretzels.

Many Christians follow this tradition with their children and I’ve included a little story of how Josie and her family celebrate this tradition in my sequel to Towel Dry and a Good Cry , Towel Dry and an Alibi, that I’m currently working on.

Judy DeLuca’s Latest Novel

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For All Hairdressers

Posted on September 23, 2014 by judydeluca

When my ebook was released WSMV News Chanel 4 came to the salon where I work and interviewed me. It’s pretty cool and I thought my fellow hairdressers would like to see it. Check it out on youtube!

Judy DeLuca’s Latest Novel

Available at your favorite ebook store

http://www.youtube.com/toweldryandagoodcry

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Men’s Hairstyles of the 90’s

Posted on January 14, 2014 by judydeluca

Hairstyles for men in the 90’s came a long way after the ever so popular mullet of the 80’s. After surviving the 80’s as a hairdresser, I was glad styles for men made a drastic change. Here are some of the hairstyle trends that were popular for men in the the 90’s.

The Caesar

Curtains or the long fringe front

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Long side burns

Shaved sides and back with a mop top or the swimmers cut

Crew Cuts

The Quiff, half pompadour half flattop

Spikes

And thanks to the Grunge era, a variety of Mohawks and colored Mohawks were also trendy men’s hairstyles of the 90’s

When I wrote my novel, Towel Dry and a Good Cry, I chose the 80’s time frame because it really was the most outrageous time for hairstyles and a time before electronic devices.

Protect Your Hair Against Heat Damage

Posted on January 7, 2014 by judydeluca

Protect your hair against heat damage.

Glamming your hair up for all the holiday season parties and gatherings is a lot of work, not to mention all the extra heat abuse our hair takes from more frequent use of, blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons and hot rollers.

As a professional, I always recommend a thermal protection product before you blow dry, curl or straighten. The conditioners and polymers in the product will protect your hair from scorching. Be sure to have your hair trimmed every 4-6 weeks and ask your professional hairstylist which product would be best for your hair.

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Judy De Luca’s latest novel is Towel Dry and a Good Cry.

View the book trailer: www.youtube.com/toweldryandagoodcry

New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on December 31, 2013 by judydeluca

I’ve never understood the New Year’s Resolution thing. So much pressure we put on January first to lose weight, quit smoking, drink less or whatever it is that we tell ourselves we have to do on that date. New Year’s Day comes and we stop our old habits cold turkey. Aunt Mary stops by with her famous pecan pie; Uncle Joe brings a bottle of wine. You eat another feast, because it’s a holiday, and you can’t refuse the pecan pie or the wine. Ten minutes later you are off to the convenience store to buy a pack of smokes. By nightfall the guilt sets in and you eat everything in sight and smoke twice as many cigarettes as you did before. So you try again the next day, and the next day, beating yourself up every time you cheat. Why do we set ourselves up for depression!? I say, quit whatever it is when you’re ready, take a little pressure off!

Judy DeLuca’s latest novel is, Towel Dry and a Good Cry.

View the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/toweldryandagoodcry

A Hairdresser’s Christmas Story

Posted on December 17, 2013 by judydeluca

A Christmas Story

By: Judy De Luca

The slightly stooped woman left a Christmas gift on the hairdresser’s station on her way out of the salon. “Put it under your tree,” she had said. But the hairdresser opened the gift her longtime client gave her as soon as she got home.

The woman was old school, brought up by immigrant parents who valued life, loved their neighbor and went to church every Sunday. She had always been an active member of her church and raised her own children in the strict moral values her parents instilled in her.

And when the Lord took her soul mate, her last memory holding his hand while he took his last breath, she fought the loneliness that gripped her by doing even more volunteer work for her church, taking pleasure in helping others. The ladies sodality collected toys for under privileged children in the community every Christmas and she was elected chairperson this year.

The woman, not being an extravagant woman in any way, chose her Christmas gifts carefully, choosing the perfect gift, in her eyes, for the person she was buying for. Her grandchildren were easy, and so were the women, it was the men she had a hard time with. Her hairdresser was fun to buy for and she never forgot her at Christmas. Her hairdresser was responsible for her hair looking good not to mention, that poor girl listening to her cry and cry over the husband’s death and all her other woe’s throughout the year.

The hairdresser, at it for ten years, had many clients she felt were like family, a unique bond brought on by her profession. She was good at what she did, had the real talent, and was also good at talking and pampering her customers, creating herself a little empire of loyal followers at one of the better middle class salons in the area. A single girl, trying to make it on her own, was a little down on her luck this Christmas season. While her friends were out partying and spending money, she stayed home and saved hers, purchasing a three room condo six months ago. It was her pride and joy, her little place to call home and she had earned it with her hard work. Most of her tip money went into fixing her little place up. But life kept getting in the way for the hairdresser. First it was the horrific toothache that led to a root canal, an expense she wasn’t counting on and a week later the alternator went in her car, another expense that put her budget behind and now the mortgage was about due. The hairdresser loved Christmas time because it is the busiest time of the year and the time of year that she made the most money. The extra tight bookings couldn’t be helped with all the up do’s and blow dry’s for Christmas parties and that meant more money along with Christmas gifts and extra tips. She was hoping to make the extra money to pay the mortgage and to buy her parents and brother a Christmas gift.

She ripped open the wrapping paper in her hurried excitement, tore through the tissue paper, to reveal a chrome rimmed sink strainer. She allowed the barest chuckle and smiled to no one but herself. Then her eyes became tearful as she pictured this sweet, practical woman walking down the aisles of the five and ten looking for a gift especially for her, chosen out of love. The hairdresser’s soul filled with the Christmas spirit as she laid the gift under her tabletop ceramic Christmas tree her mother had given her.

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Holiday Fruitcake

Posted on November 19, 2013 by judydeluca

This is the time of year I start seeing Holiday Fruitcakes out in the stores and they make me think of my late mother. Not that I don’t think of her everyday but, my mother had a holiday fruitcake recipe she loved to bake (and eat) around the holidays, called Holiday Jewels. They were shaped like bonbons. She was quite the baker, one of many talents she had. Even though I didn’t particularly like holiday fruitcake, I looked forward to having one of those Jewels right out of the oven every year.

If you love fruitcake and want a different way to make it, this is a great recipe. My mother would be mortified if she knew I was posting her original hand typed recipe, typo’s and all, for the public to see!

Judy DeLuca’s latest novel

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Halloween Game for Children, Witch’s Brew

Posted on October 29, 2013 by judydeluca

This is one of my favorite Halloween children’s game, Witch’s Brew.

This is a fun Halloween game to play at parties.

All you will need is: straws, construction paper and bowls.

Each child needs to cut out ten Halloween shapes such as, ghosts, bats and spiders on construction paper.

Have several templates ready ahead of time so the children can trace them out on the construction paper.Each shape should be the size of a tennis ball.

When the children have finished cutting out their shapes, place them beside a small bowl.

Using the straw as a vacuum, each player tries to pick up a shape and place it in the bowl to create a Witch’s Brew. The first one to get all ten in the bowl the fastest wins the game!

I hope your children enjoy this Halloween children’s game as much as mine did.

Judy DeLuca’s latest novel

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Bobbing For Apples

Posted on October 22, 2013 by judydeluca

Who thought of Bobbing for Apples, anyway? It’s such an odd game, don’t you think? Halloween has always been associated with the bobbing for apples tradition.

It seems, when the Romans conquered Britain, they brought with them an apple tree as a symbol for the goddess Pamona. She was regarded as the protector and watchwoman of the fruit trees.

Pamona represents a flourishing of the fruit trees, fruitful abundance. The Celts’ believed Pamona was also known as the fertility goddess and over time the two beliefs were combined.

When an apple is cut in half, the seeds form a pentagram. The Celts’ believed the pentagram was a fertility symbol. They believed the apple could determine marriages during the harvest time. Young unmarried people tried to bite into an apple floating in water. The first person to bite into an apple was said to be the next one married.

Weird as this game is, the tradition of bobbing for apples has lived on and is still played today at Halloween parties.

Judy DeLuca’s latest novel

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Max Factor The Father Of Makeup

Posted on October 15, 2013 by judydeluca

I can’t help it, I’m a makeup junkie. Here’s a little makeup history. Max Factor is commonly known as the father of modern makeup.

Max Faktor, born in Poland in the late 1870’s, was one of ten children. At age eight Max did an apprenticeship at a pharmacy and after mixing potions all day long Max became fascinated with cosmetics.

In the late 1800’s Max Faktor opened a cosmetics store in a suburb of Moscow selling his hand-made creams, rouges, perfumes and human hair wigs.

During that time a theatre group performing for the Russian nobility wore Max Faktor’s makeup and it made such an impression with the Russian nobility that they appointed Max as the official expert for the Royal family and the Imperial Russian Grand Opera.

In 1904 Max Faktor and his family moved to the United States and he was given the name Max Factor by Immigration officials at Ellis Island. He participated in the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis selling his cosmetics.

Max dreamed of Hollywood and in 1908 moved his family to L.A. and created a make-up specifically for movie actors, unlike theatre makeup.

Soon after he opened a store and movie stars were flooding into his shop to sample the makeup while producers sought Max Factor’s human hair wigs.

In the 1920’s Max Factor introduced a line of cosmetics to the public, claiming every girl could look like a movie star by using his makeup and to this day, the company still has that motto.

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Excerpt From Towel Dry and a Good cry

Posted on October 8, 2013 by judydeluca

I was sweeping the hair from Phoebe when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jumped. It was Wendell.

“Jeez, Wendell, you scared me.”

He grabbed me in an embrace, broom and all. “I finally found you,” he said in a tone that made me want to barf. “I finally found you.” He smelled like he’d bathed in cheap cologne. I got an instant headache.

“You should’ve called me. I had to go back to your other salon and finally, someone told me where you went.”

He bent his knees slightly and made a quick ball re-arrangement, never taking his psychotic eyes away from mine. Son-of-a-bitch, he caught me off guard. I looked down. I felt the heat of his gaze, but I didn’t look up. I focused on the floor.

“I figured word would get around.”

“This is a beautiful place, Josie.”

“Let me show you where to get shampooed.”

“Okay. Do you mind if I leave my book here?”

I pointed to a clear spot.

When I came back from directing him to the shampoo station, I glanced at his book. The Joy of Sex.

Haven’t read Towel Dry and a Good Cry, yet? You might want to check out the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/toweldryandagoodcry

Hairstyles For Women Over 40

Posted on September 24, 2013 by judydeluca

As a hairdresser, I try to encourage my clients in their late thirties to grow their hair long before they get too old to wear it like that again. When a women gets to be in her late forties early fifties cutting their hair a little shorter can give her an instant facelift. Cutting doesn’t necessarily have to be a pixie but bringing up the length can give a woman a younger look instead of the long hair dragging her face down. Professionally speaking, that’s the last thing a woman in her fifties wants a hairstyle to do. This is a little gallery of some hairstyles that I think would flatter a woman in her fifties.

For more beauty info and tips follow me on Pinterest. Have you read my novel, Towel Dry and a Good Cry, yet? If you’ve ever stepped foot in a salon, are a hairdresser or Italian, this is a must read. Prepare for lots of laughs and tears in this heartfelt story. Check out the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/toweldryandagoodcry