31 December 2016

Farewell, 2016


I always have these big plans to do a full round-up post that summarizes some of my favorite things from the year but that never seems to happen as planned. I know everyone is beyond ready to throw up a big middle finger to this past year which seemed like a nonstop whirlwind of devastating losses in the entertainment world and on a personal level. But, even in the midst of all that, for me, there were still some highlights and good memories made.

2016, for me was all about appreciation, preparation, realizing my gifts, and living in the moment. This year I've learned to have a deeper appreciation for the people in my life whom I truly love and who truly love me. I don't talk about my personal life often but the past 3 years have rocked me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually to my core. I've been through so much during that 3 year process but 2016 has been a revelation period for me. With the support of genuine friendships and personal faith, this year I learned how to not allow inevitable circumstances to define the person I want to always be. The biggest and toughest lesson I gained this year is realizing that I have to meet people I love where they are in life and to not have expectations beyond their capacity. I've also learned that if there is anything dimming my light then it must go. My peace of mind and sanity comes first, always. So today in the wise words of Iyanla Vanzant,  I am detaching myself from every person, every circumstance and every situation that no longer serves a divine purpose in my life.

This year was also about rekindling my gifts. I'm very private when it comes to those but I'm learning to be more open with sharing my gifts. I've loved art since the moment I could hold a pencil in my hand. The beginning of 2016 I made a promise to myself that I would draw more. I fulfilled that promise and I'm so glad I did because so much growth and inspiration followed. I plan to do much more with my art this upcoming year and I will surely keep you up to date.

A drawing I did a few days ago


It was also such an incredible year in music. So many new projects and albums. I feel like everyone in the history of music literally toured this year. I went to SO many shows! I don't have the opportunity to go out a whole lot but when I do it's usually a concert. Music is my happy place. There is something so nurturing and therapeutic about experiencing one of your favorite musicians live and in their element.

A few clips from the concerts I attended in 2016



I don't dig too deeply into to yearly resolutions but I think 2017 will be about putting things into fruition for me. Overall, I've been blessed and look forward to what the new year has in store.



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Chinese Lantern Festival Atlanta



Let the NYE countdown begin! I decided that I want to stay home this New Years Eve but I still had a little bit of the holiday itch left so I wanted to do one last outing before ringing in the new year. In celebration of Centennial Olympic Park's 20th anniversary the city of Atlanta has hosted a number of events around town this year including the Chinese Lantern Festival. The fest travels around the world and showcases beautiful illuminated, handcrafted decorative lanterns, enriched with Chinese culture.

If the fest didn't make it's way to your city - no worries, I've got you covered. I wanted to share a few photos I took last night. If you're in Atlanta I highly recommend making a trip downtown to experience it for yourself. The fest will run everyday from now through January 15, 2017. They also have mini shopping booths, refreshments and live entertainment. It was super cold and windy out so be sure to bundle up! Let me know if you decide to go ^_^












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25 December 2016

Mini Holiday Haul


Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is having a joyous day. I honestly had no intentions of buying much for myself this holiday season but once those sales emails started rolling into my inbox I just couldn't resist. So to get back in the spirit of bringing this blog back to life I decided I'd share a mini haul of some of the items I bought.



I've been in search of an everyday bag that was small, fashionable and could hold my daily essentials. I grabbed this black Calvin Klein bag from Macys online during their Black Friday sale. The red bag is by Coach which I purchased from their online outlet, also for a great price. I've always wanted a cute red bag and this one is perfection. Both bags are leather and I love the quilted look and crossbody straps.



I'm serious about skincare these days and I had a $15 Sephora coupon to spend so I figured what better time to restock my absolute favorite. ExfoliKate by Kate Somerville is an essential part of my skin routine and it's truly the only face scrub I will ever use. Seriously, if you haven't tried this then do yourself a favor and pick up a free sample at Sephora - I promise it'll change your life :-) I also had a bunch of Sephora Insider points piled up so I used them on a free deluxe gift. I chose the Argan Oil set by Josie Maran, I can't wait to try it.



I love cooking, especially during the holidays. I've had these cookbooks by Kelis, Ayesha Curry and Chrissy Teigen sitting in my Amazon cart for quite some time so I decided to finally go ahead and purchase them. I also added my fave Around The Way Girl Taraji's book to the mix. I can't wait to try some new recipes (which I will share here) and catch up on some good reading.



I'm a tad obsessive about organization and decluttering these days so I purchased a couple of jewelry organizers that I've been stalking from Pottery Barn Teen. These were also on sale. 



Ok, so I'll admit these were an impulse buy after what was supposed to be a quick trip to Target. But everyone knows there is no such thing as a quick trip to Target. The bronze piece on the left is supposed to be a stationary item for holding pens and things but I'm going to actually use it as a holder for my makeup brushes! The piece on the right is a large candle holder but I plan to use it as a vase for a centerpiece that I'm putting together. I'll update you on that once it's done. 

That's it for now...I promise to be back soon with updates. Happy Holidays! 



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27 April 2016

The Beautiful Ones


I'm still having such a hard time believing that this wasn't a dream and at any moment I will finally wake from it. Even though it all still feels so surreal, the reality is that this is real mourning I'm experiencing. For me, it's always such a shock when my favorite celebrities die because I feel connected to them in some way. Not personally but through their gifts in which they shared unselfishly with the world.

Prince wasn't just a celebrity to me, he was an icon. Incomparably talented, undeniably unique and second to none. I think this is hitting me so hard because I was at what would be his final show here in Atlanta just a week ago.


This photo was taken just moments after he left the stage singing Purple Rain. There were heavy restrictions against taking audio/video per his request. Though there were a few to rebel against his wishes, visibly eager to capture the moment. (I thought about doing the same) But this time I chose to put the phone in my purse and then something beautiful happened.

I've been to many concerts but for the first time I got to truly experience the artist in all of his glory. There was something so raw, so emotional, so intimate about putting the phone down and just taking in everything. I sang, I danced, I laughed and smiled the entire night.

For me, this was just a vivid reminder to always live in the moment and to appreciate the life I have and of those I love. Who would've known that I would get to experience what would be his last performance ever. Although this hurts deeply and my heart feels broken I feel truly blessed to have witnessed the beauty that manifested within him. The Beautiful Ones always go far too soon. Rest in eternal love.


My first time seeing Prince was at Essence a couple years ago. Me and my best gal pals forever bonded in purple.
New Orleans, 2014. 



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26 April 2016

Rebirth.


Yes, I'm alive. Wow! I can't believe it's been 2 whole years since I've posted on this site. Hey, life happens and I've had a lot going on personally that resulted in a much longer hiatus than I anticipated. But one things for sure, I can never stray too far because this blog is a little piece of me that I can never truly let go.

I've done a lot of self discovery in the past couple years and I've realized that I just have so many interests that can't be confined to one specific genre. Though I loved the foundation of beauty, style and confidence that this blog was rooted in; I'd be dishonest if I said I never felt like it was becoming one dimensional. Which as a creative started to bore me.

I'm all about new beginnings and this will be a rebirth so to speak. I have a lot of ideas flowing through my head right now but nothing solid enough to confirm exactly what they are. I do know that the direction I want to go in for this blog is what feels most natural to me - being organic, authentic, relatable and vulnerable.

Those that have followed my blogging journey throughout the years know that I truly do this for the love of it and the intangible things I gain from it. It's been a form of therapy for me and I really want to get back to sharing on a personal level. I feel like re-branding this as a Lifestyle blog is what I'm gearing toward the most. I think I can throw so many variations of things into that pot. Creativity, travel, my experiences and just life. No worries, my love for kick-ass nail polish and banging lipstick will still very much be a part of  it. I'm still a fucking girl that loves pretty ass things. Ha!

For those of you that still follow , subscribe and who have supported my blogging journey throughout the years I thank you wholeheartedly for staying with me on this bumpy ride. Stay tuned...



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