Weekend Warrior Project - Dresser Makeover, Guest post by Shanda Neighbors

I tend to be an all or nothing kinda gal. I'm either doing everything, or nothing at all. This weekend due to the weather and the time change, I was in do everything mode.   We bought a house a just over a year ago. It was a foreclosure and the task of making it home on  a tiny budget was frankly, overwhelming. For the longest time I did nothing... but complain. In the last few months though, the idea of starting small has gained momentum. I decided I'd tackle my "projects" one at a time. This weekend's project was to make a french mid century modern chest in the master bedroom reflective of the people that share that room. Sounds simple, but my husband taste is more like this:

Now doesn't that just scream MAN!!!! The problem is  my taste is more like this:

  

I'll admit it, this is feminine. So how do I make us both happy? How do I take this:

                            and make it reflect us both? 

 
This is what I came up with:

 

 

It was a lot of work, but I like the results. This dresser has a mate, any guesses what (God willing) this weekend's project will be?

Cherio!

Pumkins And Pine Cones! - DIY ThanksGiving Table Ideas

 

Thanksgiving is almost here and it is one of my favorite holidays for obvious reasons! :)  If you are hosting though, getting the thanksgiving decor together can be a little daunting, especially if you are unsure of what you want and running out of time...and you probably are.  No worries though, this post will either provide an idea you can execute or spark one of your own.

What is more earthy, humble, simple, budget friendly and easy to find than pumpkins and pine cones?  Answer, not much!  So, for this thanksgiving I think keeping things simple and using elements that are easy to find and abundant is the perfect solution for your table setting!  And don't let the word "simple" and "humble" fool you.  Pine cones and pumpkins can be quite spectacular!
Enjoy. :)

Cherio!

True Confession Of A Rat Race Escapee

Two days ago I celebrated my birthday and as usual it was a time of deep inner searching  and reflection for me.  I thought about my journey to the person I am today.  Emotionally.  Spiritually.  Physically.  And financially.  Am I living up to my true potential?  

In 2006 when I graduated from university my goal was to eventually step away from the 9-5 and support myself by owning and operating my own business. It was something I wanted sooooo bad! It was a goal then, but now I can say I am DOING it.  I officially began working from home 7 years ago and never looked back. It was hard, really hard but I had to get off the hamster wheel. I felt so stifled, it truly felt like a  "rat race"

. 

I made up my mind that I would grind and research and do whatever was lawful to see results!  Along the way I've had epic fails and countless booohooo sessions.  Sometimes I struggled really hard to pay the bills but with the support of my husband, we got through it.  Fast forward 3 years and I found myself separated and alone.  Suddenly I was at rock bottom wondering, now what am I gonna do?  Thankfully I was able to lean heavily on my faith in God which provided guidance and an endless supply of emotional strength. I was also blessed to have support from family and friends and then a little later, God totally restored my marriage.

Out of The Nest

 

Well, every baby bird must leave the nest eventually so 3 years ago year I took a leap of faith.  I moved to a new State, and decided to just do everything in my power to succeed.  I decided go hard with Ebay in addition to my Graphic Design business.  I also set up Etsy accounts as well and created new products.  As time passed my hard work started paying off!  I spent countless hours researching home based jobs, lost money with some of them but learned a lot along the way as well so it was the most beneficial experience as a business person so far.  I regret nothing. 

As I write this, there have been changes yet again in my life. I now reside in my native country. The Bahamas. 

While my location has changed I am grateful that my outlook on life is still the same.  Same Drive. Same Faith. Same Passion to go and get it for myself!

 I am not a millionaire by any standard or affiliate guru or any of those things. I am just someone who learned to support myself from home so I can live the life that feeds my spirit.  Someone who believes any dream or goal can be achieved if one is willing to work at it and above all be honest and diligent. Money can be made and lost in a second but character is the building block of lasting success. 

And so my friends, to your success and mine!

Cherio!

Fabulous Ideas To Dress Up Your Tee!

Hello Lovelies!

I have a confession.  I did not like t.shirts at all until a few years ago.  I know, I know, sounds a bit strange but it's true. You see, I always equated tees with sports wear and overtly casual outfits......and I am NOT a sporty kind of person fashion wise. At ALL.  

Wondering what changed my mind? Don't laugh but my conversion to t. shirt wearing is so outlandish. Ok, so I was browsing the web and stumbled on this pic of Michael Jackson from his Thriller album. 

Strangely, I felt drawn to the tee he wore with this red jacket. Super cute, like can I have it, cute.  The whole combo was fab but the tee and the belts he wore got my attention.  

Then it happened.

My Artist/designer's brain took over. I pictured that tee minus the jacket with a black pencil skirt and a simpler belt and stilettos.....

 Wow! So chic!!!! So unexpected. So NON sporty! 

This is how I fell in love with tees.  Thanks Michael!

Since that time to now, I have a healthy collection of tees. I love them plain and in varying shapes and styes but my fav will always be graphic tees. Hey, it's my first love. 

Check out these ingenious fresh ideas to dress up your tee!

CHERIO!

Royal Wedding - Prince Harry And Meghan

So, if you are counted among us earthlings, by now you know that we had a Royal wedding last Saturday. You also know that it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!  Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied and the knot in all the pomp and splender that we expected and we loved it all. From the start to the finish it was riveting.  We watched history being made and most of us were excited and happy to watch it happen.

When I was a little girl I was fortunate enough to watch Princess Diana's wedding, then in 2011 I also watched Kate Middleton and William's extravaganza wedding, as well.  Both were captivatingly

   B e a u t i f u l

                                                          R o m a n t i c

                          H i s t o r i c
                                                                                                 T i m e l e s s

There were so many expectations for Harry and Meghan's nuptials though. Not to mention all the drama and speculation leading up to this wedding which only heightened the excitement.

We were not disappointed!

From Prince Harry walking into the church with so much swagger, to the two precious little boys who held the veil and Meghan's carriage ride to the church with her mom, just before the dress reveal. I and the rest of the world was spell bound.

And speaking of the dress!!!! The Givenchy was so NOT what I expected.  This very simple, sophisticated and modern silhouette was very refreshing and suited Meghan to a tee.  It could have been a little bit more fitted to her body (because I am super nit-picky) but never-the-less, she looked absolutely stunning in her gown.

Here are my favorite pictures of the royal couple.  Enjoy!

Just Dance! (Guest Post By Shanda Neighbors)

I don't know why I'm wired this way, but when I hear upbeat music, I can't help myself, I have to move to it. I can't tell you how many times I've been in a crowd, heard a great song and felt like I was losing my mind trying to control the urge to dance, then looked around and it seemed like no one else could hear the music playing or was having the same issue. I really don't even have to hear music out loud, if it's in my head, same problem. My sister even came up with a name for it, "random dancing." Apparently I break out in spontaneous fits of dancing. Her son, my nephew has the same ailment. Whatever is wrong with me I've learned to except it. It's my normal, and thirty some years have taught me this oddity isn't going anywhere.

Lately, it's been harder to control the urge. What I need is a few hours of nonstop dancing, to get it all out of my system. I feel like I need to just hit a dance floor (most likely in my kitchen) dance like crazy, and leave it all there.  If I don't address this soon, I'm afraid I'll end up like this guy:

Cherio!

HOW TO LOOK STYLISH: tips from a stylist

This video was too good to keep to myself so I am sharing it with you! This is an awesome compilation of tips we know already and some we may not know or remember. Enjoy! :)

Cherio!

Nope! Not Today

              At it again.  My latest tee, Nope Not Today. I am a huge Clint Eastwood fan so I
              just had to do a Clint Shirt. What do you think? :)

                                     

                                                                        Cherio!