Memorial Day




Memorial Day is more than just a day off of work (well, I had to work today)and more than a BBQ and good sales at the mall. Some people think that people join the military for money, school, travel opportunities, me of those reasons are why people join, but others choose the military for more traditional reasons. The military- any branch- has been around for hundreds of years and have traditions. Generations of families go in to serve, to be apart of something bigger. I joined because most of my family served and I wanted to have independence and college money.



When I was 17 years old, I enlisted into the US Army. I started basic training the day after the 9-11 attacks. I was stationed in Fort Drum New York and served for 4 years. It was the best and worst times of my life.



 I met so many people and am proud that I served side by side with some amazing soldiers, one of which was a good friend of mine that gave his life. Dan was a good friend as well to my ex husband and babysat my daughter.



We lost him and many others and I want to take this time to thank everyone who is serving, or has served and thank you to the families of lost ones. It is a huge sacrifice for those to enlist and serve, and an eternal sacrifice for those who give their lives. You will never be forgotton.

Happy Memorial Day to all my brothers and sisters serving in the military or have served. Especially to those who've paid with their life.

**sure, why not?**: Grateful + Urban Decay Giveaway

I just entered this giveaway and you should too! :)

**sure, why not?**: Grateful + Urban Decay Giveaway: Happy Mother's Day to my mama readers. Today I'm grateful for: 1. My mom & mom-in-law. 2. My friends and family. 3. Jackie (my ca...

Get To Know Me (TAG)

Thanks to Cotton Candy Ink for tagging me in the Get To Know Me (Tag). I have only done one other tag, but I love doing them! I love to hear more about fellow bloggers and share a lil more about myself.

 

Rules :


1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on the blog.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you , as well as, creating your own eleven for the people you will tag.

3. Choose eleven people and link them in your blog.

4. Go to their page and tell them.

5. No tags back.



My Questions:


1. What inspires you to blog?

Everyday life inspires me, people I meet, places I go, things I find, books I read, almost any and everything inspires me to blog!

2. Would you rather have more comments or followers?

I would rather have comments, more interaction that way and most of the time people who comment on my blog are not even followers.

3. If no one read or followed your blog, would you still do it and why? No one read my blog the first year I did it, but I didnt care. I loved to do it, it is in a way an online journal of my life and what I am passionate about.

4. Whats your ultimate goal in life and why? My ultimate goal is to own my own art studio doing what I love so I can provide for my family and give my children what I never had.

5. If you were home alone and you knew no one would be interrupting you what would you be doing and why? I would crank up the music and dance and sing out loud horribly and out of sync, then take a hot bubble bath.

6. Favorite thing to shop for? Messenger bags, books and coffee mugs

7. If you could be a millionaire but be lonely or make a modest living and have the love of your life which would you chose? I would much rather make a modest living with the love of my life than all the money in the world....I already have that life and I am happy!

8. Side part or in the middle? (hair) The side part but only because half my head is shaved and I kinda have no choice. hhahahaha

9. What type of music do you have on your iPod or computer? I have alot of techno, dubstep, 90's soft rock...well a lil bit of everything

10. How long does it take you to grocery shop? depends on how hungry I am! I can take hours

11. Will you be rocking a 2 piece, a 1 piece or none of the above this summer? Ill be rockin a one piece again this year!

 

My questions:

1. What do you like to do on rainy days?

2. If you could go on your dream vacation where would you go?

3. If you were given a $1000 shopping spree to your favorite store, what would it be and what would you get?

4. What is your favorite dessert or icecream?

5. What is your latest online addiction? Pintrest, polyvore, ebay....?

6. Do you have any kids, or want any?

7. What book or magazine are you reading lately?

8. What is your favorite candle scent?

9. What made you start a blog?

10. What are you most thankful for?

11. Do you have a recipe that you love to make over and over? What is it and why do you like it so much?

I TAG:

Alice's Closet

Confessions of a Beauty-holic
Diminishing Lucy
Fashion and Cookies
JoellenLove
Lady Danger Makeup
Lipgloss and Razorblades
Makeup is my Medicine
Learn with Minette
Stylecat
Tina's Tattoo Artblog

Dont forget to link the person that tagged you in your post as well! Have fun tagging!





CATO Grand Opening!


I was invited to go to the Grand Opening of the new Cato Fashions in Norfolk this weekend. They opened their doors last wednesday, but due to the rain we had, I couldnt make it out. After I styled hair at one of Will King's Photography Workshops, I stopped by the new store.


I walked in and was surprised at how big the store was. I havent been to Cato in a few years since I was living in Colorado up until a couple of years ago, but I loved how bright and open it was. The staff was really friendly to me too as soon as I walked in the doors. I was sent a $25 gift card to buy whatever my heart desired.


They have clothing for women, juniors, plus size and young girls, as well as accessories, jewelry, shoes and lingerie.

I am loving the colors this spring and summer. I wish they had more variety in dresses, but they had variety in their shirts and pants that I liked.  I gravitated towards the accessories area and there were some really cute jewelry cases and holders.


I am a sucker for watches in every color and style! I ended up picking these three items out using my gift card!


I got this vibrant neon makeup bag, a pair of black earrings and this blue knit sweater top. I wanted to get a new hanging jewelry organizer since mine broke, but I would much rather have these items. hahaha



 I had fun shopping there even though it was busy, but thats a good thing! Its in a big shopping location too and on my way there I saw a thrift store I wanna go stalk! If you liked what you saw here, and in the Hampton Roads location, this store is at the Roosevelt Gardens Shopping Center in Norfolk, VA or you can visit their website at CATO FASHIONS.

Thanks goes out to CATO and their marketing team for sending me a gift card and going to their grand opening! I had fun!

Do you see anything that you like there or on their website, would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!





Grad Ceremony and Moving

Yesterday was raining pretty bad. I left work early so I could get ready to attend my Aunt's Graduation Ceremony for Thomas Nelson Community College. I wanted to stop by the grand opening of a CATO store that just opened up in Norfolk, but the way the rain was coming down and all the traffic...because you know people do not know how to drive in rain...let alone DRIVE AT ALL! hahahaah  Ill have to go to CATO this weekend sometime.

Im so proud of my Aunt Beth, she has been back in college for a couple years and she worked so hard too. She would call me up to help her with her math problems...like I could actually remember....hahaha
The whole family went to watch her walk across and receive her certificate and degree diploma (she has two majors I think).

 While we were waiting for her to go across the stage, we were getting a lil snap happy with our cameras....my Aunt Dale and my cousin, Marina.


For my outfit...it was really cute, and half of it I borrowed from my mom's closet! hahaha My mom and I have different styles but we like alot of the same things! She was surprised that the sweater I was wearing was hers! hahaha I paired this outfit with my favorite silver glitter shoes I got from Charlotte Russe.




Jermie and I finished up our packing tonight that we were too tired to do last night. Luckily Jermie works at Target, so he got us these HUGE boxes....and we came home and did Speed Packing....you shouldve seen Jermie just throwing clothes and shoes and whatever was nearby into boxes.....hahahaha.

I already got two of my packages...the chair and the portable sink...so it was perfect timing since were getting a uhaul truck tomorrow. Im so excited that Jermie and I are going to be in our place. We have always had roomates or shared a home with other people....and its time we had our own place!

I need to get to bed since I am going into work early so I can leave early! So good night and I hope you had a great week! If youre having a rough day like I did today....just remember..its only temporary and whatever problems you are stressing about, let them go. Everything will work out on its own.

"How can you have charisma? Be more concerned about making others feel good about themselves than you are making them feel good about you."~Dan Reiland


Graduation Gifts

I graduated from the Rudy & Kelly Paul Mitchell Academy back in December last year and then had the ceremony in March. Since my mom is in the military and was still in Korea at the time, she missed my proud moments and our celebration.  I know she would have been there if she could and I know that she is proud of me. But she totally surprised me on Sunday by wanting to get me a few graduation presents. Isnt that sweet?

Hugging one of my learning leaders when I graduated
I dont work in a salon, but I do still take clients on a freelance basis. Oh, I totally forgot to tell you that hubby and I got a new apartment! (Off Subject for a minute- mom and I went and checked it out on saturday and went ahead and signed a lease, were moving this weekend. YAY!!!) So, now that I will have space to work on my creations.....Mom thought it was a good idea to help get with a few things so I can do hair and makeup out of my home a lil easier. If you have done anyones hair at home, you know the challenges...no space, hard to rinse hair out, no cool hydrolic chair.....well now that I will have more room so I plan on making a lil beauty station..and also a room to do my drawing, painting and sewing. I am sooo excited!

Here is what we picked out! All ordered from Amazon.com! And at a decent price! Ill include links just in case you wanna check them out.

A black salon hydrolic chair! I can use this baby for styling, coloring and doing hair, doing makeovers, a tattoo chair, and of course a chair for me to make my videos or paint and draw! This chair was only $75 and then shipping too. Click HERE for the link!


A portable washing sink/bowl! This will make it so much easier to rinse out hair color or bleach instead of having my client stoop over my kitchen sink with a towel over their face. hahaha (One day I will have my own salon studio) This easy adjustable sink is only $50...Alot cheaper than other websites I was stalking. Click HERE for the link!

Next is a trolley or cart, however you want to call it. hahaha. This is perfect so I can store all my supplies like all my makeup sponges, cotton balls,towels, orange sticks, manicure and pedicure stuff, hair combs, clips, I can store all sorts of goodies! Can you tell how geeked out I am about it???? This cart is only $45. Click HERE for the link!



And last but not least, I slipped in a tattoo kit in there. Well, technically I am paying for this, but my mom went ahead and just paid for it since I dont get paid for another week since I was out last week for my recovery. This tattoo kit is not top quality I am sure, but its enough to get me started and familiar with everything and practice on some fruit and fake skin. You dont even know how excited I am. This kit is only $60 with free shipping! Click HERE for the link!

The shampoo bowl and the kart has already shipped and Im so excited to get them. I am already trying to imagine what my lil studio space will look like. I want to get a small dresser or something to make my station and then do a DIY project to spice it up. Something cool like this for inspiration:





What do you think? These are all cute ideas! And easy to do! A perfect summer project!

This week is turning out great and its getting better and better. This weekend I was invited to do hair for a few models for a Photography Lighting Class, which is great because I have been wanting to get back into the photography scene in the Hampton Roads area and get back to networking. I miss doing photoshoots, so this timing is perfect! Now all I need to do is reorder more business cards! So much to do, this month is just flying by!

"I may not be the prettiest, smartest or strongest, but at least I'm me, and don't pretend to be someone that I'm not meant to be."- Unknown






Motorworld Go Karts Fun

Jermie and I took the kids last friday night out to have some fun since the weather was really nice. We grabbed some junkfood at Mickey D's ( Mcdonalds) to get some food in our stomachs. I know I know, not very healthy, but I am a junk food junky and I love their fries and chicken nuggets-so leave me alone. hahaha

Jermie trying to figure out Matthias's toy.
I had to sneak a cheesy photo in here somewhere


Then we made our way down the street to Motorworld, which is connected to Ocean Breeze waterpark, but its not open yet. Motorworld is a place I used to go as a kid with my family. There's go karts, kids rides, minature golf, paintball and water bumper boats. We only had an hour since they close when it gets dark...in the summer they are open later of course for tourist season. We got the kids wristbands that lets them ride all the kid stuff unlimited for an hour.

I think Matti is gonna grow up to race cars or bikes...anything that is fast. He loved it so much
Bella gokart was a lil jerky and kept going fast at random times. I caught this and it just makes me laugh. She loved it too!
It was their first time doing go karts...which I am surprised their dad hasnt taken them, but it was definetly fun to share this with the kiddos and the hubby!


 I didnt get a chance to catch Jermie driving the really really fast carts because I was too busy with the kiddos....but I am sure we will be back again sometime this summer and I will catch him driving on the Euro Track.

Theres lots of fun things were hoping to do this summer, this is just the beginning. What kind of summer fun do you and your family have planned this year? I would love to hear! Please leave a comment!

In Front of the Camera

This past friday, I went into work not to WORK, but to be in a photoshoot. If you have been following my blog for a while, I have mentioned that my job, Xotic Eyes, has been getting ready to film for a reality show. Weve have done a few days of filming a while back and now we are doing a photoshoot of some of us for the show.

The set was pretty glamorous, so be prepared for PINK all over the place and glitter, and rhinestones.


The shoot is mainly for my Boss...of AKA "The Glitter Boss" of course because its her business...her baby!


So I have just a few behind the scenes photos to share with yall until the real photos are released.

I did some video filming for Shannon

The Glitter Boss wearing the new design "Flamingo"

Kearsten and I helping out with the shoot


We got to work with a new photographer, Dexter D. Cohen. Well, new to work with us, but this photog has been around the block and it was such a pleasure to work with him. He is in this Hampton Roads area, but of course he does work up and down the east coast from what I gather on his facebook. He does have a website, but he is making some improvements so you cannot see his portfolio.


Dexter was very easy going and easy to work with. It was alot of fun and I cant wait to get a chance to work with him on a set. Here is some of his work I grabbed from his FB.



Dexter and one of his models



It was nice to see everyone from work and to meet new people as well. I cant wait to see the photos of us all. Im never really good posing in front of a real photographer. It can be alot harder than it looks. haha The only posing I can do in in front of my own camera. hahaha Like this picture below


I love this photo above only because of the way my eyes look! hahahaha Oh yea, I forgot to mention that I colored my hair purple. But I am thinking about changing it again to maybe a normal color....like brown with maybe some highlights....I dunno though if thats "ME". I change my mind so much.

I go back to work today so getting back in the groove of things again. In case you were wondering about my recovery- I am doing alot better! Each day I get a lil more stronger and can walk better and dont feel as much pain. I hope yall have a great week!