Humpday Confessions!!

What time is it?! It's time to confess.....

1 - I am no longer a blonde! That sh*t was just way to hard to maintain. I am too darn lazy and too darn poor to to be getting that stuff done like every 4 weeks.

What do you think?! I love it but I plan on going darker brown/cherry red in a month or so. This girl gets bored easily.

2 - I am frustrated on how dumb people with stupid ideas get people to fund their ideas. I have an awesome business idea, great plan but don't have to $ to get it in the works. Meanwhile, some idiots get their parents to refinance their homes to pursue the craziest things I've ever heard. Why do these people always find people to go out on a limb for them?? UGH!!!!

3- I am sick of Facebook. If I didn't get so much of my photography business from there I would definitely deactivate my account. I am sick of the complainers, the I'm so much better than you-ers, and those constantly posting about health and fitness. Over it!

4 - I've been stalking Twitter lately looking for some of my fave bloggers to have some ad sales. I love you ladies but I can't afford a $100 sponsorship (although, I know it's worth it.)

5 - I don't get why this giveaway I launched Monday has so few entries right now. You can win a $50 credit to my shop: Hole In Her Stocking Designs. Enter below! Hell, you have a good chance of winning right now!

Just a few bracelets stacked up!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Birthday Wish List

So my birthday was yesterday and I received a little cash and some gift cards. Now it's decision time: what would I like to splurge on?! I have a few thoughts and ideas. See photo below.

1 - A monogram necklace. At first, I wasn't a huge fan of these but after seeing more and more people wear them I am finding myself loving the way they look and wanting one for myself.

2 - Alex & Ani bracelets.  I love these, always have but I feel like I am cheating on myself. I design and make jewelry and some of my designs are similar to a few of the Alex & Ani designs so I feel like I should only be rocking my own brand. Thoughts?! 

3 - A new bag. I am definitely a bag whore. I love handbags and haven't gotten a new one in a while. It may be time. I am thinking a nice new bag for fall.

4 - A backpack. Never thought I'd be saying this but I need a small backpack. Sometimes when I am doing certain things with Olivia (going to the playgroud, walking around the mall, walking around the zoo) my shoulder bag keeps falling down all day and it is quite annoying. A backpack would certainly solve that problem. 

Besides what is shown above, I want an elliptical and more beads to create some new masterpieces! What would be on your birthday wish list?! xoxo

Don't Try So Hard {It's My Birthday}

Happy Monday!!! This is an extra special Monday for two reasons. It's my birthday!!! Happy birthday to me!! And there is this amazing "Don't Try So Hard" linkup going on today that has a bunch of bloggers showing their natural beauty. Therefore,you will be able to see me completely makeup and photo effect free today!

I used to never leave the house without makeup but after having my daughter 2-1/2 years ago, putting makeup on has become a luxury. Hell, taking a shower has become a luxury and you can read about that here. I have become more comfortable in my skin but haven't really gone as far as using makeup-less photos on my blog. Well, there's a first for everything! So here I am, flaws and all. But one thing I do love and have to point out (as per linkup instructions ;) ) is my blue eyes. Makeup or not, they are all mine, all natural.

Au naturel baby!!

So did anyone notice, I am no longer a blonde?! I had the blonde hair for about a year and it was becoming to much to maintain. I went light brown as a stepping stone for what I really want, which will be done on Tuesday. So exciting!!! Cannot wait to reveal!!

Anywho...I have to make this post a bit of a celebration as well since it is my birthday and all. How about a giveaway for a $50 shop credit to my shop, Hole In Her Stocking Designs?! AND....I will also be giving 25% OFF in my shop for one week only in honor of my special day with code: BDAYLOVE . Don't forget to enter below and good luck!!!

Some bracelets from my shop

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Humpday Confessions: I Can't Even Shower

So the hubby has been away for work for about ten days now and won't be home for at least another four days. What has this shown me? Single moms and military spouses are like superwoman!! This has been hard on me because I work from home and I rely on my hubby being home in the evening to watch Liv so I can get my work done. Well, forget getting my work done, I can't even get a shower in. I swear there was one time this week, I went like 3 days. Trust me, this wasn't intentional. How does this happen? I'll tell you exactly how this happens...

Day 1:
-Manage to wake up a few minutes before Liv. I could shower here but I straightened my hair the day before and I want to get one more day out of it. I figure I'll shower at night after Liv goes to bed.
-11pm Liv is still awake. I am exhausted. I end up falling asleep on the couch before her.
-12:30 Wake up in a panic. Move Liv (who is now sleeping) to her crib. Now I could get in the shower but F%ck it, I'm exhausted! I'll set my alarm for early in the AM.

Day 2:
-5:30am Liv wakes up!!
-6:00am My alarm goes off to get it in shower before Liv wakes up. FAIL!
-All day I sporadically ask Liv to hang out in bathroom with me for a few minutes do I can shower. She refuses. Guess I'll need to wait until night time.
-11pm We are both still watching TV on the couch.
-Midnight We are both still watching TV on the couch.
-1am She finally falls asleep but I am spent. This isn't happening tonight. Set my alarm for the AM.

Day 3:
-5:00am Liv gets up. F%CK!!!!!!!!!!
-5:30am My alarm goes off so I can get in the shower before Liv wakes up.
-Finally mid afternoon I beg someone to watch her so I can finally shower. About time!!!

That my friends is how a mommy can go days without showering. So my confession is yes, that was my life a few days ago and yes it was three days. I swear I am not normally that gross! xoxo

A Pinterest Worthy Party

I cannot believe how much things have changed in the last few years when it comes to throwing a party. There is a lot of pressure to throw a party that looks like it came right from a fabulous Pinterest board. This fabulous site along with others show us photos of immaculately planned parties that would be worthy of any celebrity but now the every day person is expected to be able to pull off these grand events as well.

I got married almost 6 years ago and my wedding didn't have a theme. That's all I hear about now is people trying to choose a theme for their wedding, thanks David Tutera. I picked out a nice place, flowers that matched my girls dresses, linens to match the flowers and that was about it. I had a good DJ and good food. And everyone had a blast!

Our engagement was probably about 7 years ago and it was a St. Patricks's Day theme but only because the actual party fell on St. Patty's Day. If it didn't we wouldn't have had a theme. It was just at some generic hall with lots of food, drinks and music. Again, a good time was had by all.

Nowadays I feel like so much pressure is put on the party giver to have a great theme and fabulous decor. Part of me wishes things were like this when I was getting married because I love to throw a good party and am pretty sure I could have came up with something great but part of me is like planning a wedding was enough stress, I didn't need to add to it with decor stress.

I attended a engagement party over the weekend that really made me wish I had thrown this party. It had a country, barn-like feel and everything was gorgeous. This party kind of made me wish I could do mine all over again. Oh well, times change. But here are a few photos of some of the great decor details from the party. Beautiful, huh?! xoxo

Blogger Love Friday Favorites {#1}

I know I am getting this post up late but better late than never, right?! Words cannot describe how excited I am for this new link up from All the Joys!! I love to share love so here we go!

Fave posts from the week:

I'm Not A Stay At Home Mom by our hostess with the mostest Meaghan from All The Joys. I think this post struck a nerve with me because I could completely relate. It is a great post for anyone searching for some balance in their life.

On Creating An Awesome Next Year Of Life by Erin from Living in Yellow. I totally loved the concept for this post. Erin wrote a list of goals she hoped to accomplish for each month for the next year. She had some amazing ideas and I definitely want to do something like this for myself. Thanks for the idea Erin!!

My 6 Month Old Beauty by Samantha from The Samantha Show. Being a photographer I always love a post with great photographic artistry and this post had just that. This post had stunning photographs of her and her daughter and I just couldn't get enough.

Off The Grid by Cece from Pink Sunshine. This post had fabulous photos of what appeared to a fabulous trip to Cancun. I contemplate going to Cancun and I found this post (and others) CeCe wrote informative and making me yearn to visit a resort just like this!

I highly suggest checking all these posts out!! And hope you'll link up with us next week and show blogger love!! xoxo

That Awkward Age

Today I would like to discuss that awkward age. No I am not talking about being a girl between like 9-13, I am talking about being a woman in her early thirties. I feel like I am expected to be this boring, responsible adult but my young partying days are in the not so distant past. And I am still grasping on to trying to be young and cool but am getting pulled towards a mature responsible adult. I feel like I am in a weird spot.

Part of the reason I feel this way is because I look younger than I am. Most people assume I am in my mid-twenties, which is great, but for some reason I feel like I need to act that way as well. Don't get me wrong I am not running around "clubbing" every weekend night or doing keg stands but I don't mind kicking some serious a$$ in beer pong or flip cup at a backyard BBQ. But then I feel a little awkward when I think about the fact I am 32 playing against 23 year olds. And then I think a little more and am like sh*t do they think I'm fun or am I the weird old lady who thinks she's cool? Awkward!!

So I ask you, how do you know if are indeed viewed as hip by a younger demographic or if you are viewed as a "wannabe." Hmmm...I find this even more difficult to decipher because several of my friends are indeed in their mid-twenties. So I have to be cool, right?! Not that I honestly give a sh*t what other people think of me but I don't know what I think of myself and how I should act at times. Do I do what a 20 year old would do or what a middle aged 40 year old would do? Kinda stuck in the middle. Being in your 30's is a awkward place at times. 

I know I am probably giving this too much thought, maybe because I will be turning 33 in a week and a half and I am having this slight identity crisis. My twenties are getting further and further in the past and my forties are getting closer. 20's mean youth and opportunity 40's means middle aged and mini vans. What does it mean when you are in your 30's?! Well, thanks for reading this rambling post...Please tell me that I am not the only one who doesn't know where she fits in age wise. xoxo

Newborn Photography Photo Dump

Good morning! It's that time again, time to share a little bit of my photography with you. This adorable bundle of joy was about two weeks old when these photos were taken. Hope you enjoy!!

What do you think, what was your fave photo? I cannot decide. Have a fabulous day!! xoxo
(All photos are property of Jenny O Studios)

DIY: Seed Bead Wrap Bracelet

If you are like me and love a Boho jewelry style, boy do I have a treat for you. I am going to show you how easy it is to make your own seed bead wrap bracelet.

First you will need to gather your supplies. Decide the color theme and pattern you want for your bracelet and get appropriate beads. You will also need memory wire (I used Beadalon .025 in., round, large bracelet) . Finally you will need round nose pliers.

You will need to decide how many times you want your bracelet to wrap around and cut wire appropriately. Then use the round nose pliers to round the wire at one end.

Now you will start stringing your beads on the wire.

Once you get a decent amount of beads on wire you can push them along to the circle you made at other end of wire.

Keep beading until you have just a little bit of wire left.

Make a circle out the left over wire like you did to start.

Voila! You have a super cool, super hip bracelet to rock!! And if you aren't into making your own accessories you are in luck! This bracelet and others like it are available in my shop: Hole In Her Stocking Designs. And to make things even better I am offering 20% OFF all jewelry in my shop with coupon code: ARMCANDY.

Meet Jackie From Our Nashville Life

I am super excited to introduce you to Jackie from Our Nashville Life. She's got a great blog and has some sass which is why you have to go check her out. I asked her a few questions so you can all get to know her a little better.

1 - What can one expect to find on your blog?

I have always been the type of person that is interested in tons of different things and I love to learn, so I really try to reflect that in my blog.  

2 - Describe yourself in 5 words.

Sporadic.  Passionate.  Caring.  FUNNY.  Inquisitive. 

3 - What would be your dream vacation?

Really anywhere!  I love experiencing other cultures and think it would be fabulous to go anywhere outside the States.  I'm almost terrified to go to Europe because I really feel like if I go there I might not come back.  

4 - I always wanted to live in Nashville although I have never even visited it. Would it be a smart move and why?

Nashville is a great city that has lots to do and is pretty central to everything (close to the Carolinas, Florida, Atlanta).  If you like experiencing the four seasons, it's perfect because we get them all but have a very mild winter.  I wish it wasn't a landlocked state though.  I miss the water and seafood.

5 - Where do you see yourself and your blog in 5 years?

My dream is to adopt children and I hope to start doing that in a few years.  For my blog, I'd just love to have it be something that makes me happy like it does now.  

6 - Tell us an embarrassing story.

It's not really an embarrassing story, but I've always been a clumsy person.  No matter how self-aware I try to be, I'm always running into walls or spilling water down the front of my shirt.  It's become lunch time gossip at my job to see what I'll spill on myself while eating.  

So what are you waiting for?! Head over to Or Nashville Life and say hello to Jackie! I'm sure she'd love to hear from you! xoxo

Little Miss Giveaway

Summer is the perfect time to celebrate little girls! These girlie Summer Essentials featured by Green Scene Mom are made by companies who offer eco-friendly, quality, and innovative product solutions that incorporate adorable styles too!

pediped's adorable shoes are perfect for going on summer adventures! These stylish shoes fit comfortably and ensure healthy foot development. They are available in more than 140 designs for boys and girls.

Exceptional quality, unsurpassed comfort and distinctive styling have made pediped the fastest growing children's footwear brand in the United States. pediped footwear is sold in over 2,500 stores in the United States and 40 countries worldwide. pediped has also received many awards for their innovative footwear designs. For more information, visit pediped.com.

Pacific Baby thermal bottles keep liquids hot or cold for up to ten hours. These high quality bottles are versatile to use from birth to 5 years old and make feeding and drinking simple during outings and while traveling. Featuring vacuum insulated 304 stainless steel, they're also BPA-, PVC- and phthalate-free.

The wide neck offers greater visibility and the inner scale simplifies measuring out formula. The bottle nipples come in three speeds and are shaped similar to a mother's breast. Just add handles and a spout to transform this bottle into a sippy cup for older kids. For more information, visit pacificbabyworld.com.

Bobee elephant wall decals are a cute and fun way to decorate your little girl's room. Easy to apply and easy to remove, these elephant wall decals come in four colors to dress up the little spaces.

Bobee makes all their products in the USA. Owned by a mom-entrepreneur, her own children are the inspiration for the fun decal designs. Elephants, whales, giraffes, and wall quotes are among the new fun decor Bobee is creating. For more information, visit bobeeinc.com.

Yummi Pouch makes eco-friendly snack solutions that encourage healthy snacks for active kids. Their reusable food pouches are freezer safe, dishwasher safe, BPA-free, Phthalate-free, and can be filled with healthy blended snacks and easily taken on-the-go, no spoon required.

Yummi Pouch also recently introduced cloth snack and sandwich bags, each lined with a water resistant interior and decorated with colorful prints. They're perfect for crackers, chips, and sandwiches and also make great little storage bags for hair accessories and cosmetics. For more information, visit yummipouch.com.

FunBites is the first state of the art kitchen tool that instantly cuts kids' food into bite-sized, fun shaped pieces. FunBites is 100% made in the USA and BPA free. They are perfect to get even the pickiest eaters to try something new and eat healthier.

FunBites was designed by a mom who was inspired by her own daughters to create kid-friendly snacks with one easy cutter. FunBites encourages kids to try new foods and eat better, and makes mealtime less stressful and more fun. For more information, visit funbites.com.

Your little princess will love Kushies new soft & oh so comfy pajamas! Each set consists of premium quality, 100% cotton to keep her warm and cozy all night long.

Trusted by moms since 1987, Kushies offers more than 350 superior baby products including stylish layette and playwear, washable diapers, the award-winning Kushies Zolo toy collection and a broad range of baby essentials. The worldwide market leader in reusable cloth diapers and accessories, Kushies takes great pride in operating as a responsible company and as an environmentally concerned member of our planet. For more information, visit kushiesonline.com.

Babalu Baby is a mom owned and operated online store that wants to give back to children's causes in whatever ways they can. Babalu's "One to Wear, One to Share" cloth diaper campaign gives a cloth diaper and insert to Jakes Diapers for every one diaper sold, to be distributed to orphanages around the world. Babalu also believes wholeheartedly in positive, encouraging messages for children such as hope, love, kindness and giving. Babalu hopes to encourage the children's retail industry to promote positive values on every level so kids can feel and give love, be hopeful, dream big and care for those around them.

For more information, visit babalubabyshop.com.

Enter to Win this amazing gift set!

pediped pair of shoes
Kushies pair of pajamas
Pacific Baby 3-in-1 combo bottle set
FunBites food cutter
Bobee elephant wall decals
Babalu "Inspire" 4T lavender ruffle shirt
Yummi Pouch Brights reusable food pouches + snack bag set

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Wrote A Book

I wrote a book. Before you jump out of your chair with excitement, I did write  a book but it is not published. I wrote it a year to two years ago and never did anything with it. It was just sitting on my desk collecting dust until the other day at least.

When I first completed it I gave it to my mom, my hubby and a few friends to give me their thoughts. And I was delighted that they all seemed to love it. Hopefully, they weren't just blowing smoke up my arse. I knew I would be adding some detail and fleshing it out some more but I was really happy with the fact that the people who read it didn't think that it needed much more.

I tried to go back and edit but after spending months writing the first draft my head was on overload from this book. I was having writer's block and didn't know what to change. I knew I needed to step away for a good while to look at it with fresh eyes.

I never intended to step away from it for this long but after I took some time away I began to doubt the whole thing and thought it was silly to pursue publishing it. That was until I read some books that were on the New York Times Best Seller List that in my opinion were not written well, at all. I couldn't help but think my book is way better than that was. I spoke to one of my friends about this and she said she thought it was better than a lot of published books she read. That was it, I decided I needed to move forward with this venture.

I reread it the other night and after spending so much time away from it I thoroughly enjoyed it. So I am going back to edit it and I decided I am going to go on the path of self publishing. I did some research and besides the fact that it is near impossible for an unknown to get picked up by a publisher , if you are one of the lucky few enough to do so you basically have to still do all your own marketing and promotion. Basically, if I am going to do all the work I want to reap all the benefits. And I don't want to spend years getting rejecting for the one possible yes. I want to get this show on the road and do it now.

So stay tuned. In the upcoming months I hope to have my romantic thriller available for you all to read. xoxo

Redemption

After a lackluster fourth of July that you can read about here I was grateful for a good Saturday and Sunday. My holiday weekend was redeemed! Thank goodness!

On Saturday I went with my hubby, Liv, my sis, her boyfriend and my nephew to the Bronx Zoo. We had a fabulous time and the kids had a blast! Not gonna lie, it was a bit of an expensive day but it was so worth it.

The kiddies forming a plan of action

On the Dinosaur Safari

My sis and I

Aren't they adorable?!

Sunday we went to a BBQ at my mom's for my dad's birthday. Always a good time and good eats. Then we came home to a BBQ at our house. And an added bonus was that we received a Redd's Apple Ale party! So we had free Redd's and other goodies like sunglasses, keychains, koozies and beach balls. Everyone had a blast and enjoyed their Redd's!

A bunch of us sporting our Redd's glasses! 

So what did you do this holiday weekend? Anything exciting?! xoxo

The 4th Was A Sucker

Waaah...waaah... So this 4th was a real dud. First of all, we woke up to rain and it proceeded to rain for the entire day. On top of that Liv had a slight fever and was feeling too well so she slept for a good portion of the afternoon. Once she woke up she was feeling much better and got to really enjoy a lollipop.

The sun finally decided to come out around 6:00 so we decided to take a ride to a local beach/park. The fireworks were already canceled for the evening  but we just took a stroll and snapped a few photos.

Strolling on the boardwalk...

Since Liv refused to take a nice pic with me, here I am all by my lonesome

After our venture out we went home and hoped to sit in the yard and watch all the fireworks being done around the neighborhood but Liv was petrified so we had to go back inside. Bummer! So as you can see I had a completely uneventful 4th. Hopefully the rest of the weekend is better. What did you do today?! xoxo