Hammock

It’s Friday, and stress from the week can finally be let free. What better way to say relaxation, than a few photos of the epitome of relaxing.

(Photos from tumblr)

Utilizing Talents

It’s so awesome to have talents… I think everyone in one sense or another has a talent, whether it’s a very specific talent, or a broad array of talents.

Personally, other than dance, creativity is my talent. (So deep and alluring….I know). I come from a line of very talented women. My mom is probably one of the most creatively talented people I know!

Any craft you can name, she can do, and probably HAS done.

Painting, drawing, sculpting, knitting, sewing, quilting, baking, DIY-ing… The list goes on….

I feel lucky. But like many of us, it’s finding a path in life that suits our talents.. And in many cases, it frustrates us because you have these ideas and talents, but aren’t sure how to turn them into something GREAT, or something more than just a hobby. Talents are our talents because it’s what we have worked at our entire lives, so not being able to focous on our talents, or in other words, our passions and desires

There are many times when I myself get down because I am not working on my business 24/7… Especially now, when the company is about to launch a clothing line on top of its already existing accessories. But the reality is… I have it all ass backwards.. And here’s why.

Right now, I work full-time… in a field that interests me, but doesn’t intrigue me to the point of indulgence or fulfillment. What intrigues me? Fashion, Art, style and interior design! So now what?

I think it’s important to never give up on your passions. My company is my talent and my passion. If I could invest all of my time into it, I totally would, and I would be happy doing just that for the rest of my life, stresses and all. But with that being said, time is money. My business, costs money…Everything so far has always ended at money. And though money isn’t everything, in business, it kind of is.

Keeping the full-time job you have is important. No matter what, even if it’s a job you HATE, you can always learn something, and take the experiences you learned and apply them to your business when that time comes.

 My favorite quote: “Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20.”

It’s important not to get too caught up in what other people are doing with their lives. I can tell you one thing for sure, all the people you look at on social media and wish their life was yours, has gone through, or is STILL going through something that’s knocking them down, but it’s their job to pick themselves back up. It’s good to be lost sometimes… If you’re never lost, you’ll never be found. Never get discouraged because you are working a 9-5 while others you know… (Or just follow on Instagram), seem to be living the dream you have every day.

It’s easy to come home from a long day and be discouraged.

Working hard now… at your 9-5, while spending free-time working on your dreams for yourself little by little is key. Never rush anything, or be hasty. Don’t quit a job because you think you have an idea that could be GREAT… Pace yourself and your emotions. Earn capital that is specifically put aside for a business or an idea… Make those talents a reality, and don’t let anyone tell you it’s too late.

 

Pink Sand

I woke up this morning literally dreaming of being at the beach, soaking up the much needed vitamin D. But of course, not just any beach, but PINK sand beach. Apparently, I have a thing for  microscopic coral insects.  After the insect dies, the wave action crushes the bodies and washes the remains ashore and mixes it in with the sand and bits of coral.

What a way to start your Monday morning huh? Shout out to the fallen insects who make these beaches beautiful! 

Photos via Tumblr

Top 10 places to visit a pink sand beach: 

10. Elafonisi Beach, Crete – Greece

9. Spiaggia Rosa of Budelli, Sardinia – Italy

8. Pink Beach of Komodo – Indonesia

7. Horseshoe Bay Beach – Bermuda

6. Pink Beach of Great Santa Cruz Island – Philippines

5. Pink Beaches of Barbuda – Caribbean Sea

4. Balos Lagoon Beach of Crete – Greece

3. Tangsi Beach of Lombok – Indonesia

2. Bonaire Pink Beach – Dutch Caribbean Island

1. Pink Beach of Harbor Island – Bahamas

Styled To Explore

Eric and I haven’t had much time to explore the new neighborhood we moved to a couple of months ago due to us getting a puppy who couldn’t go outside until she had all her shots. The constant fear that she would destroy the apartment if we left her, held us back from doing much. But now that we know our beast is not as crazy as we had expected, we slowly began going out, letting her enjoy the apartment to herself. (so far, no disasters)

We found that we have QUITE a lot to do in the new neighborhood, and this is something to be happy about. A walk-able living area, is a happy living area. There’s an outdoor cafe, which has afternoon tea and scones! So European. There are also a couple of bars, and my personal favorite, a park, that is about 100 feet from our front door where people BBQ, play on the playground, have yoga and exercise classes, and, cutest of all, there’s a small “library” stand where you drop off a book to get a book. It was pretty awesome.

I’m Wearing: Vintage Find Top  |  Sabo Skirt Shorts | Yes We Are The Shit Sandals  |  Nastasya Cat Eye Sunglasses | Coco Tree Necklace

Bird’s-eye View

It’s all about perspective. 

How To Shop Without Overspending

It’s the technological age where shopping online is easier than ever. We all know the habit way too well, Come home from work, make dinner, browse the web shopping til your fingers are sore! There have been one too many times where I have gone online shopping out of pure boredom and deciding it was the smart thing to do, and that I NEEDED to get some new clothes. Truth was I didn’t need any of what I ordered and 9/10 times I hated the things I would purchase once it arrived. Here’s how to shop smart in just 3 easy steps. -J 

1: Clean  out  your  closet:

Cleaning out your closet is so crucial. I am one of those people who hoard every item of clothing I own, thinking that ‘maybe one day I’ll wear this’ but I never do, let’s be real. So if you are like me, and have the worst time getting rid of clothes, go little by little. It took me about a month to really get my closet cleaned out (and I have to tell ya’, it feels AMAZING.) If you haven’t worn the item in a month or more TOSS IT. Seriously, just do it. Another method of doing this is to turn all your hangers around the opposite way, and by the end of the month, whichever hangers are still turned the opposite way, get rid of those things, you aren’t wearing them.

2: Organize:

Once all your “I really don’t need this”  items are gone, organize. Put all your shirts together, all your pants together, all your jackets together, dresses, jumpers, etc. This way you’ll have a very clear idea of what you actually NEED, and what you have too much of.

3:  Start  the  hunt:

Now that you have a pretty clear view of what you need, versus what you THINK you need, you can shop. The sale section is your best friend. I never recommend buying items that are “cheap”. Don’t shop at places that take designs and recreate them in china, allowing them to mark down their clothes to $10 for a pair of pants, when clearly it’s a redesign of another company. The perfect example would be Sheinside.com. Sure you’re saving money, but chances are the material and stitching on these items will be totally shit, and will fall apart a year from now, or maybe even sooner. So are you really saving money? No not really.

Hit up the sale rack at any of your favorite online retailers first, before checking out their new arrivals. And remember only things you NEED. Just yesterday I finished clearing out my closet, organizing, and I realized what I needed, which was some new socks, a new bra, and a pair of trousers that I can wear to work, but also wear around town, and I feel much better about that purchase than spending X amount of dollars at a place like She Inside and spending less to get MORE. In reality you really want something that’s going to last you, so spending a little extra on whatever it is won’t kill you. It will only kill you if you’re buying things you don’t need… See how that works?  I needed one pair of trousers. They were on SALE from $50.00, marked down to $30 or so, so I spent the 30. But If I went on a spree and bought other non sense, I would have spent a whole lot more. That’s where the saying ” I spent all this money and have no idea where it goes”  come in, because you didn’t need that blouse, or those shoes, now you’re broke.

And that’s it! In review, all you really need to do is focus on what things you really need to be spending money on. Set a limit for your spending, something you know you can afford, and you’ll be set!