Danie Styles

I am super excited for my girl Danielle from Miss Glam Dan who is getting ready to launch her own online clothing boutique Danie Styles.

But she needs our help in helping her decide what will be the first three designs available for presale. Check 'em out:

I know I definitely have quite a few faves.Now it's time for you to have a say and vote below! xoxo

Just Breathe

This has been one super stressful week. Between being swamped with work, the hubby being out of town, getting in a car accident, and my daughter not exactly being on her best behavior I am at about my wits end. I am desperately in need of some sort of stress relief. Luckily, my first purchase from Yoga Outlet arrived about a week ago. And I am so ready to give yoga a try!

I cannot believe that I have never tried yoga but the time has now come. I need a healthy way to relieve stress and cannot think of a better way. I received a Gaiam beginner's yoga kit that includes a DVD, yoga mat, yoga strap and yoga brick.  I also ordered a fabulous long sleeved workout shirt perfect to wear while using my new kit.

If you are looking to give yoga a try or need some new yoga gear I highly recommend visiting Yoga Outlet for great deals on everything yoga. And as if there prices weren't good enough they are offering you 15% OFF your first purchase with code: bridgepose.

So I will keep you all posted with how my yoga experience goes and if it is able to be the therapeutic activity I need.  What about you? Do you do yoga and is it good stress relief?

Humpday Confessional

"Do the humpty hump, come on and do the humpty hump..." Happy Humpday b*tches!! Confessional time and away we go!!

- I must wear sweats, yoga pants and over sized tees way to much because any time I am just wearing jeans and a nice well fitting t-shirt everyone is like "Where are you going?" "You going out?" This is pretty sad and a result of working from home. Nobody sees me so I don't bother getting dressed in the morning. A bad habit I apparently need to break.

- Today I had tons of orders that needed to ship and my daughter wasn't exactly being cooperative in letting me get done what I needed to so I lost my temper more than once. Now that I got everything done, I feel a little bad. But she was being bad but I probably got angrier quicker than I should have. 

-Sometimes, okay like all the time, I have the urge to drop kick my cat across the room. He is such a whiny 'lil b*tch. Always crying to be fed, to be let outside, etc. This wouldn't be a huge deal but I feed him, he takes one bite and walks away. Then the dogs eat his food then he wants more like 10 minutes later but only takes one bite and the dogs eat it again and the cycle goes on all day. Hence his crying all day and the urge to punt him across the room. 

The annoying 'lil devil...

Boho Friendship Photoshoot

Last week I did a boho inspired photoshoot to feature a few of my latest jewelry designs and I loved the results. I thought I'd share some of my fave photos. All jewelry is currently available in my shop, Hole In Her Stocking. And because I love you all so much for stopping by you can 20% off your entire order with code: BOHO20. Hope you enjoy the photos!! xoxo

That Time I Was Mistaken For A Prostitute

I was 18 and innocent but mistaken for a prostitute. How does that happen one may ask? I'll tell you how...

I was visiting one of my friends who went to college in the city, NYC that is. We had decided that we were going to go to the Limelight, a cool club back in the day. We had gotten all dolled up to party the night away. Although for me "partying it up" back then just meant looking cute and dancing a lot. Wasn't really into drinking back then. I know you can't believe it, neither can I.

What was I wearing? Black snake skin pants, obviously not the real thing just some weird patent leather and spandex print to look like black snake skin. I swear this looked  "good" back then. A black spaghetti strapped shirt and black heels. It was winter but since I didn't want to have to keep track of a coat I just braved the cold (which is where I think I went wrong).

There was too many of us to fit in one cab so we had to take two to the club. My friend and I went alone in one cab. We told him to take us to the Limelight and really trusted him to get is there. Well, he let's us out of the cab and points at some building and says that was it. We walk over and surprise, surprise it wasn't the club. By this time he is long gone.

I see another cab dropping someone off and I run to the window to try and ask the cabby if he knew where it was. As I was approaching his window he is waving his hands saying "no, no I don't want," in broken English. I wasn't understanding why he was acting this way and got closer to the cab and he says: "no, go away. me no buy sex" and speeds away.

What the hell?! I was shocked, actually I was so amused. I thought it was so funny. Luckily we found the club just around the block but I couldn't help but think I looked like a hooker all night. So what about you, have you ever been mistaken for a lady of the night? Or am I the only one that gets that honor?

$300 PayPal Cash Giveaway

Time for a great giveaway with some fabulous ladies! Jackie from Jade and Oak is celebrating her birthday and blog birthday this month. She and the lovely ladies below are giving away $300 in PaypPal CASH. Super awesome, right? Enter via the rafflecopter below, visit the co-sponsors and good luck! (Must have a valid PayPal account in order to claim prize and all entries will be verified. Open internationally!)

Rebekah - Living Lavender | Madison - Wetherills Say I Do | Kelsey - Ladies in Navy | Ashley - The Grits Blog | Sarah - Venus Trapped in Mars | Helene - Helene in Between | Rachel - With Love, Rachel | Jordyn - The Fairy Princess Diaries | Kelly - Six One Six | Madaline - Pretty Thing & Co. | Jana - Life Could Be a Dream | Crystal - The Happy Type | Lisette - Northern Belle Diaries | Tori - Fashion, Bling, and Other Girly Things | Jess - Jess Loves This Life | Jenny - Dancin' With A Dolly | Jenn - hellorigby! | Marielle - This Flooded Sky | Sarah - The Baloney Bin | Jackie - Jade and Oak

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's A.....

No, I am not prego but my sister is and we found out this weekend that she is having a baby boy!!!! I am so excited to have another little nephew. I just wanted to share a few of the gender reveal photos we took yesterday.

Now that the gender is revealed, it's time to go shopping for this 'lil fellow...xoxo

Oh Hey Friday! / Blogger Love 5 Friday Favorites

Wooohooo!!! It's Friday!! Okay, being a mom and self employed makes the weekend no different from any other day but I'll be excited for you guys.

Time to show some blogger love with 5 of my favorite posts from the week and this was a good week.

1 - Robin Williams, The Act of Suicide and the Vilification of Mental Illness by Tyler from Arkansassy. If I could give a standing ovation after reading a blog post this would deserve just that. Fantastic post about mental illness and the way Americans need to change their view on it. Instead of me going on giving tons of praises just go read it. NOW!

2 - 5 Books To Read In 2014 (+ Some I Hated) by Helene from Helene In Between. I love to read and i am actually on the hunt for some new good reads so this post came just in time. Cannot wait to read some of these suggestions.

3 - A Clean Slate by Anne from Love The Here and Now. The title says it all, sometimes you just need a clean slate. I certainly feel that way lately and this post was inspiring. Need to feel better about things go give this post a look.

4 - Las Vegas Confessions by Cece from Pink Sunshine. I have always wanted to go to Vegas. I almost went on my honeymoon. And this post certainly made the urge to go that much stronger.

5 - Another "see you later" by Samantha from The Samantha Show. If you are military spouse this is a MUST read with some beautiful photographic imagery. If you aren't a military spouse this post will certainly put things in perspective for you.

Well, I really hope you give all these posts a read, they truly deserve it!!

Tips For Launching A Successful Photography Business

So you love taking photos, invested in a DSLR and want to take your hobby to the next level? A successful photography business is just a few steps away. If you take the time to work on these 6 steps you are destined to turn your hobby into a money maker.

1 - Build A Good Portfolio. You should build a great portfolio before even launching your business. How do you do this? You are going to have to bite the bullet and do some free sessions for friends and family. You can then utilize the best photos from these sessions to start with a great portfolio right off the bat.

2 - Practice, Practice, Practice. Good thing for you this can be done while you are working on #1. It is inevitable that you will run into some snags during some sessions, like uncooperative toddlers, unrelenting sun, and camera malfunctions. The more you practice before you officially launch your business the more you will be used to the unexpected and know how to handle it like a pro.

3 - Set Reasonable Rates. Yes, some photographers charge a fortune but you can't start out charging what experienced photographers charge. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying to undersell yourself but do some research. Find out the range of prices photographers in your area charge and set your rates accordingly. Once you get more experience and build an even bigger portfolio you can raise your rates accordingly.

4 - Create A Social Media Presence. Make a Facebook page, create an Instagram account to showcase your work. Pin your photographs. Start a photography blog. Have a website. Be everywhere. The moe you are out there the more business you will get. Most of my business comes from my photography Facebook page.

5 - Do What Others Do. No I do NOT mean copy others artistic work but more their business sense. Find some successful photographers in your area and see what they do. Do they ever run specials? Do they ever run contests? How frequently do they post their work? They are successful for a reason, they are doing things right on the business and marketing side. This research will help you learn what works as far as marketing and promotions.

6 - Network. Network end of story. Have business cards made and carry them with you. Give them out when appropriate. Talking to someone whose sister is having a baby, give them a card. Give your friends and family cards as well. So much of my business comes from my family and friends singing me praises.

So some of these may seem a bit obvious but you would be surprised how many people don't do these things. You need to pay your dues, do your research and put the time into marketing. If you do that you are on a sure path to success! xoxo

Humpday Confessions

Time for our favorite blogging day of the week...Humpday!!! Woot woot!! Let's get this confessional rolling..Here we go!

1 - I know I b*tched all winter that I couldn't wait for summer but I am really excited for fall. Love all the fall activities and love a chill in the air.

Who doesn't love a good pig race?!

2 - I always wonder why are people with money usually the worst tippers?! The people who can afford to leave a generous tip usually leave the least acceptable amount possible even when they receive good service. Meanwhile the less fortunate individual will leave 20% +. Maybe because they know what it's like to work hard for their money and give people what they deserve. Shame on you bad tippers.

3 - Why do my nails always look like crap?! I can file them, buff them, paint them and they never look remotely close to what they look like after I leave the nail salon. I don't know what they do but they always look so good. I could do the same stuff at home and they don't look remotely close to being professionally done. Guess I will never work in a nail salon.

4 - I cannot stand people who schedule tweets about posts from their archives. I have no problem with people tweeting about past posts but it's obviously when it's automatically tweeted especially when you are tweeting about Christmas crafts in May or Easter crafts in August. What?! You automatically become less personable because we know you really didn't post that yourself at that time. Why would you?

There you have it. This week's confessions. Thanks for stopping by! xoxo

I Met Brad & Angelina

O...M.....G....Hello friends!! You are never going to believe this...I met Brad and Angelina, yes that Brad and Angelina!! And was in their NYC penthouse!!!! How did this happen you may ask, this is how...

One of my good friends is an amazing publicist who works with a lot of the rich and famous and she let me in on the fact that Brad and Angie were looking for a temporary nanny for the time they'd be spending in NY. I was joking at first when I said I would die for that job and my friend had the bright idea of scoring me an interview.

A few days later I had completely forgot about the ridiculous suggestion when I had gotten a phone call from my friend that she called in a few favors and got me an interview. Say whaaattt?! Craziest part was my interview was the next morning. Not much time to prep. I felt like I was living in a dream.

I was shaking with nervous energy the entire train ride into the city. I finally got to their penthouse and after security checked me out and took my bag I met with one of their assistants who interrogated me. It definitely felt like an interrogation and not an interview.

But then it happened. Brad and Angie walked in and introduced themselves. Like they needed an introduction. It was short, sweet and took everything I had not to jump up and down like a little girl. I wish I could have gotten a pic or an autograph but that definitely would not have been very professional.

SO I WISH THAT WAS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED BUT I FABRICATED THE WHOLE STORY.

What was the point of that whole little lie? To show how gullible people are when it comes to the stuff they read on the internet. Some people believe every little thing they see on the internet and as you can see it so easy for anyone to put anything up on the web. And with the beauty of social media that little lie can spread like wildfire and few people bother to check the facts. A very sad truth.

I saw a post of a supposed news article on Facebook the other day about a NYC cop who apparently arrested a woman at a bus stop for breastfeeding in public. When they grabbed her she dropped her baby and the baby died. And the NYPD made no arrests. This is absolutely absurd. People were getting so worked up commenting on this article and bashing the NYPD when this didn't even happen. If it did, wouldn't they have seen it on the actual news report not just by some random online news site.

These "articles" can really do damage. People were commenting on this article so outraged (which would have been understandable if it really happened) and were ready to start protests and all. It's all so crazy to me. How do people believe everything they read?! Do your research people and save yourself a headache. xoxo

Photography Love : Kai

I just HAD to share some of my photography from a session a few weeks back. Stunning model, beautiful location, great weather. Everything was in my favor and I was thrilled with the photos. Here are just a few I wanted to share.

Thanks for stopping by and I hoped you enjoyed them!! xoxo

3 Things I Would Never Buy Off Groupon

I was perusing Groupon last night and as I looked at all the amazing deals I realized there are a few things I don't think anyone should ever consider getting off Groupon. Those things being:

1 - A Tattoo: Don't get me wrong, I love a great bargain but this is not something I want to be cheap about. Do you really think a $50 back piece is going to look quality?! Don't think so! This will be on me for the rest of my life so this is one thing I will pay the big bucks for. All about the quality on this one.

2- A Wedding Photographer: So I see lots of Groupon deals for portrait sessions. Okay, great! Photography can be expensive so I am all about people going for the deal here. There are more and more photogs emerging everyday so good photographers are offering deals to get more business. Or maybe a newbie is trying to break into the business. So there is potential to get a great photographer for a deal. BUT I said POTENTIAL, which means you could end up with someone who has no idea what they are doing which is why they need to have a Groupon deal to get business. Which is why I would NOT go this route for wedding photography. If a regular portrait session is botched you could always do another but you cannot relive and re-photograph your wedding.

3- Botox Injections: This is not something I ever see myself getting but if it was I do not think this is something I would look for a deal on. It might just be me but when I see 70% off botox injections I would be petrified I'd come out looking like Bruce Jenner, just saying. I would definitely want a top notch place with my face being on the line.

All this being said, I LOVE Groupon and have gotten some great things at great prices but there's just this handful of items I would be too nervous to buy at a discount. Do you agree or am I being paranoid?!

10 Types Of Karaoke Singers

The Show off - This person is good and they know it. They are the type if singer that discourages the lesser singers from performing and having a good time. How can anyone compare to that? Thought this was just supposed to be a fun night out, not a competition.

The Drunk - Are they singing? Are they screaming? What are they saying? Who cares they are drunk and entertaining. Time for another round of shots!

The Not Drunk Enough - They are nervous. They look uncomfortable, so much so they are making you feel uncomfortable. Go have some drinks and relax before hitting the mic again. Thanks!

The Buzz Kill - Everyone is having a great time in their drunken glory and a ballad comes on, a loooong ballad. We can all deal with hearing some of the epic ballads but these definitely aren't those. To make matters worse it is usually someone without the greatest voice singing the buzz kill song. Note to karaoke singers: if you are going to sing a long ballad at a bar you better have an AMAZING voice so we are all  too much in awe to care what the song is.

The Group - This is usually a group of girls, none of which want to sing alone. They all say "I'll sing if you sing with me." It is usually a giddy performance of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" or something of the sort.

The Surprise - This person either looks very unassuming and has a phenomenal, powerful voice or they look confident and ready to rock and they cannot hold a tune. Either way you are slightly surprised. They can be a woman that sounds like a man or man that sounds like a woman. I think the element of surprise is a must for a fun night of karaoke.

The Tone Deaf - Every karaoke night unfortunately consists of some of these. Those who could not hold a tune if their life depended on it. They start start singing and your friends all stop chatting for a moment to cringe. Guess we have to give them credit for being comfortable in their own skin.

The In Denial - We have all encountered some of these. They think they are the best thing since sliced bread and where they may not be completely tone deaf, they aren't as good as they think they are. But damn they walk around like they own the place and like this is just a temporary venue to perform until they get a big record deal. Keep on dreaming sweetie!

The Freak - This person is a little strange. I once witnessed a woman sing "I Touch Myself" and let's just say she got really into it and the lyrics. An image I had hoped to have forgotten by now.

The Good Time - They may not be the greatest singer but it doesn't matter. They sing fun, crowd pleasing songs and have a great energy. The really know how to keep the party going.

So I ask you, what type of karaoke singer are you? And did I forget any of the karaoke stereotypes? xoxo

A Dent For A Dent & Some Blogger Love

Happy Friday!! We made it!!! So I probably did something I shouldn't have yesterday but ya know sometimes you do some crazy things in the moment.

I went into a store with Olivia and when I came out of the store, there was a car on my passenger side that was a good 6-12 inches over the line into my spot. (Please note: I was actually parked perfectly centered in my spot.) This made it next to impossible to get Olivia in her car seat because I had no room to open the door. To make matters worse I notice a nice scratch and a dent on my passenger side door. Which was definitely made when the this horrible parker apparently flung their door open.

The scratch/dent

At this point I am livid. My first reaction is to take a photo of the car's license plate. Not that there is really anything I can do but I was kinda hoping the driver was approaching and would see me taking the photo and at least sweat it for a minute but no such luck. So after struggling with getting Olivia in her car seat because I had absolutely no room, I  "accidently" hit my door and it slammed into their door causing a similar dent/scratch. Oopsie!! Sorry not sorry mofo!

So on a less hostile note it's time to give some fellow bloggers some love with Blogger Love Friday Favorites.

Here they are, just a few of this week's fave posts:

1 - Why I Started Writing Fashion Posts by Jana of Life Could Be A Dream - This is a great post about confidence and feeling comfortable in your own skin.

2- Not A Fan by Meagan from All The Joys - I am not a fan of any of these things as well so I AM a fan of this post.

3- Athens In A Day by Helene from Helene In Between - I am yearning to go to Europe and Athens is definitely on my list of places to go so I loved getting to live vicariously through Helene.

4-That Day I Finished Writing My First Novel by Cece from Pink Sunshine - I also just recently finished writing a novel and completely relate to this post. I am also super proud of Cece and cannot wait to read her book!

There you have it!! Make sure you check out these posts. They are definitely worth your time! xoxo