by | Mar 11, 2011 | FBFF |
Day 18 30 for 30
There needs to be a healthy balance for everything that we do in life. We can always say that there is never enough time; but we have to make time. I need to schedule my time for work and for fun, so that way my day is always productive.
It’s Friend Friday and it’s time to talk about balance.
Balance: being able to blog and to live life to the fullest.
1. When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall?
Blogging is fun and I enjoy it; but it is not my life. I think that helps keep the balance healthy for me now where I don’t feel overwhelmed. The following is my list of priorities in the order of importance:
- Christianity
- Husband
- Personal well-being/Exercise
- Friends and Family
- Church Services
- My job
- Church commitments
- Piano Playing and Practicing
- Classes I am involved in
As you can see because I have other commitments, blogging is not high on the list. I blog because fashion sense is something that is just in my blood. I love to talk about it with friends here. I do not get paid for my blog, yet I have a full-time job. I want to say that even though blogging is not my bread and butter, I still want my blog to look like I get paid for it so I have to space out my time accordingly.
2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible?
Having great editing software like picnik, picasa, photoshop.com eliminates a lot of time down when it comes to editing photos. I try to write during lunch or I schedule time to write three times a week in the evenings. Sometimes the schedule has to be changed up if I am working on a guest post or was not able to get a lot of time in during the week.
I start writing down ideas so I keep a journal when an idea strikes or write down interesting articles that I come across.
3. Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient?
An outline is so important because I can visualize what I want to write about and from what angle I want to go at a particular topic. By having this I can list the type of photos I would like to have in the post and if I need to do anymore research. When I am finished with the outline everything is laid out for what I would need to do for a post.
Maybe I will only do a quick review that will not take me as long to write if I am short on time. Or I may post a picture that I will style critique.
4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead?
No, I do not have an editorial calendar, but I use a google calendar. I really like having the google calendar linked to my phone because I can set reminders for myself to write, take pictures and edit photographs.
5. If time wasn’t an issue what would you be doing on your blog/for your blog that you aren’t doing now?
-I would like to have regularly scheduled postings on various different topics from fashion to haircare and makeup.
-More reviews of the different fashion week shows from around the world.
-Go in depth on steps for healthy natural haircare.
*If money was plentiful I would make sure that I had a home in the different places that I attend fashion week so I wouldn’t have to try and book a hotel room. I would rent out the property when I was not there.
Check out Katy Rose blog modlychic to see how other bloggers balance their schedules.
by | Mar 10, 2011 | From the Heart, Inspirations |
The Red Pump Project is sponsoring the “Rock the Red Pump Blogging Event!” to raise awareness for women with AIDS.
The red pump project was founded in March of 2009 by Luvvie Ajayi and Karyn Watkins. “They believe that the red pump is a feeling of empowerment to represent the strength and courage of women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.”
The “Rock the Red Pump” campaign is an annual initiative to commemorate National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It has become the group’s biggest initiative, and is what started The Red Pump Project. According to its website, “Since 2009, when we had over 100 bloggers “Rock the Red Pump,” we have started the “Rock the Red Pump – 500 in 50” to get 500 blogs to participate in the 50 days leading up to NWGHAAD.”
The more bloggers who get the word out the more people will be more aware and go and get tested.
I was looking at The Red Pump Project website and saw some startling statistics.
-There are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and almost 280,000 are women
-High-risk heterosexual contact is the source of 80% of these newly diagnosed infections in women
-New York has the highest number of women living with AIDS – 22,532
HIV is the:
* Leading cause of death for Black women (including African American women) aged 25–34 years.
* 3rd leading cause of death for Black women aged 35–44 years
* 4th leading cause of death for Black women aged 45–54 years
* 4th leading cause of death for Latina women aged 35–44 years
* The only diseases causing more deaths of women are cancer and heart disease.
These statistics made me realize how much the word needs to get out. We can write posts, tweet, do whatever we can to spread the word.
Sources
The Red Pump Project
Bloggers are getting on board in a big way because The Rock the Pump project has surpassed its goal of 500 bloggers. Over 850 have joined the cause and the count is growing daily.
“Join The Red Pump Project on March 10, 2011, for their Twitter Townhall in commemoration of National Women & Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). Starting at 1pm CST, they will kick off a discussion on Twitter surrounding issues around HIV/AIDS and women. They want to hear what you have to say about the epidemic and its effect on women. Be sure to use the hashtag #redpump.”
So if you have not joined The Red Pump Project then please do so now and add their link to your blog to raise awareness.
Postscript
1200 Bloggers signed up for the cause so The Red Pump Project is a great success. Next year I know there will be even more bloggers joining in to spread the word on HIV/AIDS.
If you didn’t get a chance to “Rock the Red Pump” on March 10th please go over to The Red Pump Project website to join their Facebook page, follow them on twitter, and check out the different ways you can get involved because it is so important for all of us to get the word out.
by | Mar 9, 2011 | Fashion |
JT & Gio
I am on the phone talking about how wild I am about polka dots. Polka dots you say? Yes polka dots. I had bible study last night so I was not able to post these pictures until today so my hubby was taking pics of me while I was on the phone because we had to leave soon. Well it happen to be raining buckets yesterday so it was perfect that I could wear my Chooka polka dot rain boots.
JT in polka dot chooka rain boots
Polka dots bring a smile to my face and to find out that I could have them on my rain boots was a plus. These rain boots retail for $60 but I got a great deal on these babies for $19.98 at Sams of all places. I jumped up and down in the store when I saw them because I know what they retail for.
I have to say that every time I get ready to take a picture my doggies want to steal the spotlight. They are going wild for polka dots too.
I wear this polka dot skirt all year long the fabric is cotton so whether bare leg or with tights the skirt works.
Other ladies are going wild for polka dots too. Please check out Everybody, Everywear!
Side note: Those Toile curtains in the background were sewn by me.
by | Mar 8, 2011 | Beauty, Fashion |
JT
I am wearing pink lipstick in this photo. Pink is a subtle and soft color on me and I like that for my complexion. Make sure that when you chose a lip color that it lights up your face.
JT
The softness that pinks can give my face is so alluring. I love this look on me, it’s not in your face it’s a soft glow. I used bareminerals cupcake and added Fran Wilson frost on top to give my lips that romantic glow.
JT
The sun was really bright when some of the pictures were taken so mixed it up and took some pics inside.
JTwisdom
The Look
1st Step
Add to cleansed face your moisturizers and primer of your choice.
2nd Step brush on my bareMinerals foundation in Golden dark with SPF 15 and add your Josie Maran concealer where you need to on your face.
3rd step -Eyes- ELF Sweet face eyeshadow
Add this bright pink shadow to lower lid
4th Step brush a thin layer of bareMinerals Beautiful Lisa eyeshadow over the lower lid over ELF Sweet face.
5th Step brush on your bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara
6th Step bareMinerals Big and Bright Eyeliner in Midnight on the lower and upper line of eyelashes.
7th Step Brush Blush – bareMinerals Pink Pearl to the apples of your cheeks. (smile and instantly the apples of your cheeks will come forward for you to brush blush on your cheek).
8th Step Josie Maran Argan color stick for lips and cheeks in Pink Peony
Josie Maran Pink Peony Argan oil cheek and lip stick
lips
bareMinerals lip gloss – cupcake
Fran Wilson lipstick- Rose
Tarte Pink lip stick
I love layering lipgloss over lipstick. It makes lips look so healthy and luscious.
Brushes
Bare Excentuals Flawless Face
bareMinerals Tapered crease defining
In the first pic I only added pink lipstick and in the other photos I experimented with eyeshadow and layering of lipgloss and lipstick.
Finishing
Mineral Veil – Love it!
bareMinerals Women of BE 20-piece eye color collection qvc.com
My hubby bought this eye color collection from QVC.com for me for Christmas last year. I feel like a beauty chemist because I can mix so many colors to create some fantastic shades. I have so much fun and I just found out that it’s not available any more in this configuration so this was a wonderful gift.
This post was in response to MJ of Fierce Rock Your Beauty Event March 9, 2011.
Thanks MJ for coming up with this idea of having fun with the color pink.
Oops almost forgot my Dooney & Bourke handbag is Pink too!
by | Mar 7, 2011 | Fashion |
Boy this 30 for 30 is different, I guess it’s because I remix all the time. I think everyone remixes in one way or another.
I am going at my own pace with this because a lot has been going on. Meaning life so here’s day 17 of 30 for 30.
JT
JT
I love the necklace. It was such a great find that I try to wear it every chance I get because it adds pizazz to any outfit. My Studio Barse turquoise ring in bronze is one of my favorites. I am very fond of turquoise jewelry and I wear it all year long. In St. Louis the weather has been all over the place, the day I wore the leather jacket as my outer garment it was 70 degrees.
JT
My red turtleneck from Macy’s and my pants are from Jones New York. My boots are Aerosoles and my bag in Pink is from Dooney & Bourke (one of my favorites).
Follow!