mon{diy}day: tracee ellis ross hair :)

Tracee Ellis Ross is one of my favorite actresses. One of my favorite things about her is her hair! It's full, curly, crazy, and BIG! I decided to channel my inner "Joan Clayton circa Girlfriends Season1" this weekend and put down the pressing comb. I also added a bit of Carol's Daughter Original Hair Milk to the mix and the look and smell was a great combo. I kept "whipping" my hair around all weekend because I loved the smell and loved that no matter how hard I shook it, my hair still looked nice. Wash, Condition, Blow Dry and Twist...et voila!!!

Taste Test: Naked Mango Veggie

Ok, so I kinda like to experiment when it comes to different foods. I won't knock it till I try in a lot of cases (not all, but a lot). So when I was perusing the aisles of Whole Foods and came across the Naked Mango Veggie drink, I had to pick it up and see what the ingredients were. Needless to say, I was slightly nauseated yet intrigued at the combo. The ingredient list includes mango, yellow carrot, sweet potato, sweet corn, apple, chickpeas, a hint of lemon, and a hint of butternut squash. So I decided I'd try it :) (random, right?)

Verdict: I didn't give it two thumbs up but it wasn't bad! Would I buy it again? Probably not :)
But, I'm glad I tried it. It gives me inspiration. We can add random veggies into our foods but make sure that the ingredients we love (i.e. mango, strawberries, cherries) overpower the ones that we don't understand too much (i.e. beets, chickpeas, butternut squash).

now playing:

Design Sponge at Home (Official Book Trailer) from The Panic Room Videos on Vimeo.

I'm truly excited for Grace Bonney! I'm a big fan of Design Sponge and a lot of the projects that I can't wait to DIY are from Design Sponge. She's def. an inspiration to me. Check out the promo video for her new book!! Lovely job! :)

dreams demure [#4]

"A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman but loose enough to prove you're a lady." -Edith Head

You just don't see a lot of modest fashion nowadays. It's out there though. Perhaps a weekly reminder might help. Keep in mind that body proportions play a HUGE role in what's okay/not okay for each individual. Here's my interpretation of how individual style is executed well while still being modest. I may not wear each and every style shown but I can def. respect the brainchild behind each look:

                     **when i picked this pic, I was actually looking at the man's outfit! menswear ftw!!!**

Photos c/o: Vogue.com, Late Afternoon blog, Tumblr, Weheartit.com

vlog#1

Hi, guys!!! It's been a crazy week so I haven't been able to do any cooking or DIY projects. Bummer :(
But, I've had some things on my heart that I felt impressed to share (which I've been doing this week).
So, this is a video that I really hope encourages someone out there. Thanks to all who continue to stop by and read the blog. It means a lot that you've taken interest! :)
Have a great day! :)

may he rest in peace

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to Heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma -- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And more important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. " 

[Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]. 

the validity of validation

Photo c/o: Tumblr

So, I'm a fan of Oprah. Yes, I'm admitting it. I really appreciate her story and also her perspective on life. She has to be one of the most open-minded individuals to be able to interview all of the different people she's interviewed. Drug addicts, murderers, pastors, and artists: she treats them with the same amount of respect and genuinely wants their stories to be heard to enlighten others. One of the most powerful thoughts she continues to share is that we all just want to be heard and validated. We all just want someone to make us feel as if there is value to what we say and/or feel. Next time you're in a conversation with someone who is sharing something important to them, listen. Listen to what they're truly saying. If you don't understand, ask them to clarify. If that doesn't work, just be there. On top of that, validate them. You don't have to agree with what they're doing but validating someone is simply acknowledging the true presence of something whether it be a idea or an emotion. It can make a world of difference in a person's heart.
Just a thought.

mon{diy}day: me

Dear Jesus,

You're probably thinking, "Hmmm. That's odd. How is she going to d.i.y. herself?" I'm glad you asked.
Well, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday weren't the greatest for me. Each night was fantastic (random) but the morning and afternoon were really tough on each day.  I've been pretty unsettled about a couple things that have happened to me personally and professionally. So I try to feed myself as many positive and encouraging words as possible when I'm down. I've been listening to sermons, talking to Holy Spirit-filled people, reading the Word and have been in constant communication with God. If you're going through a tough time in life, you may feel like you've got to "do it yourself" with your life. However, there is a Higher power greater than your own who is ready to help if you ask.  In the beginning of the weekend, I felt as if everything came down on me like a ton of bricks. Every issue, that I've been dealing with, reared it's extremely ugly head one by one as the weekend continued. I sank into the mindset that things would never change and that there was no reason for me to even try to change things. I told myself that even though I wanted to believe and trust God to do miracles in my life, I needed to understand that it probably wouldn't happen. As I talked to God, I expressed my disappointment and frustration. One of the sermons I had the opportunity to listen to was entitled "There is Hope For Your Future" by Pastor Rene Schlaepfer of Twin Lakes Church in Santa Cruz, California. I came across the video in a Google Search. I took down some notes to share from the sermon that really resonated with me.I'm a work in progress but this sermon encouraged me to get back up and start again. We get knocked down in life but you have to get back up and keep moving (even it means starting over). So below are the notes that I took as well as the vimeo link to one of the sermons I watched. I hope they serve as encouragement to you if you're going through a situation that feels unbearable. You can make it!

1. Refocus on God! Take time for the following steps:

    - Mourning:Expressing your hurt to God

    - Fasting: Focusing your heart to God

    - Praying: Asking for help from God

2. Risk a first step. 
    - After a crisis hits, we're naturally afraid to make a first move in fear of falling again. 
      Trust God and move forward. 

3. Ready myself for progress.

  - Imagine solutions.

 (Ex. People will ask what they can do to help. Be prepared with an answer)

  - Worry focuses on what you'll do if the answer is no. 

  - Faith focuses on what you'll do if the answer is yes. 

4. Review the problem.

  - It cuts the problem down to a manageable size.

  - It renews a sense of personal responsibility.

  - It helps me see the immediate need.

5. Request help. 

http://vimeo.com/26373783