Sunday, July 31, 2011

Summer is over, and a new DIY Project!

Hello everyone...and by everyone I mean the few wonderful people that actually read my blog!  :)   Hopefully that number will begin to grow since summer is pretty much over, and I'll be able to focus on growing my businesses and this blog.  I cannot believe how fast the past few months went by...my son will be starting 8th grade in just 2 weeks, and my little baby girl is already 18 months old!  I have loved this summer, spending time with them, but it's also had its share of drama...so I think I'm ready for it to be over, and to move forward.  Even though my son is homeschooled, we are doing a Cyber Academy this year, which means less work for me, and more responsibility for him.  Fingers and toes are crossed that everything clicks and he finally realizes how amazingly intelligent he is! 

So...I mentioned a new DIY project in my title...and I will not disappoint my readers!  I was on Facebook yesterday, as I frequently am, and a friend of mine from college who I've reconnected with posted a gorgeous new desk she had, and it turns out - it's repurposed!!!  She inherited a piece of beautiful (and heavy) marble, purchased 2 filing cabinets, which she told me were on sale (even better!), and VOILA...


I love how this turned out!  And when I commented on the chair, she told me she had found that at a junk store!  Perfection!!!!  What a great idea on how to use that piece of marble!  Oh, and Kristy - I love that paint color and the round rug as well  :) 

That's all for tonight, but I promise now that we are getting into more of a routine, that I'll be blogging more frequently...and look for new posts on my other site, http://www.so-sew-cute.com/!  It's a new site I'm super excited about - go check it out!!!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Lead by example...

I had to run to the blue store earlier today. I really hate going there but had a list of cleaning products we had run out of, and their prices are the lowest around for that kind of stuff.

I had my 13 year old son, and 18 month old daughter with me. As we passed the ladies "unmentionables" department, my son noticed a girl who was walking through the department. From the back she looked about 15, "slamming" body (according to my son), and had on short shorts with "cutie" written across the butt, a skimpy tank top (bra straps showing), and sine cute girly tennis shoes on. Long blonde hair in a messy bun...as she turned around I expected a fresh faced teenager. Instead, I saw an older woman, with a younger daughter in front of her, looking at push up bras. The young girl could not have been older than 10, and was asking to get a lacy push up bra. The mom said no, that is was too "racy", and offered the same bra, but without the lace.

I looked at my son and asked what he thought of that and he said "I don't care how good your body might be, it is NOT ok to dress like that when you are a mom". I was very glad to hear him say this, and a part of me wished he had said it loud enough for that mom to hear. Sure, I may dress like a mom, fairly conservative, my hair is usually in some sort of a headband or clip, and I either have on flip flops or tennis shoes, but he is the thing...I AM A MOM. I'm 38, I don't have the time, or the energy, to flat iron my every day and do a full face of makeup. And, regardless of how awesome of a body I might have at some point in the future, I wii never, ever, ever dress like a teenager.

The fact that this woman was telling her daughter a bra was too racy was hysterical, and sad to me at the same time. Hysterical because of the hypocrisy of the situation, and sad because she had no idea how she looks to the rest of the world, and what a poor example she is setting for her daughter. There is a saying...do as I say, not as I do. People need to stop using that as an excuse for bad behavior, and bad parenting. Grow up, take a good look in the mirror, and realize you aren't a teenager anymore. You are a grown up, act like one.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Hacked!

I'm not sure anyone actually noticed that I haven't been on Twitter the past few days. I was sick, and then some very charming, sweet person decided to hack my Twitter account. I'm not really sure why this person thought it would be fun to do so, but I guess why got some enjoyment out of it.

If my account sent you anything inappropriate the past few days, I apologize...it wasn't me. I'm working on getting the password reset but Twitter seems to not want to believe that I am actually me. Sigh.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Pamper Me!!!

I recently joined the Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop, and this is my first week participating!  Last week I got the email, but sat out because I wasn't quite sure what I needed to do...but after checking out some AMAZING blogs, I now have a place to start.  This week's prompt is "Pamper Yourself".  I had to think back a while to remember exactly what pampering was, my almost 18 month old daughter, and 13 year old son, do a really good job of making sure I don't have a lot of free time...but, in a perfect world, here would be my day of pampering:

First, would be to sleep late and be able to "lollygag" in bed for a while before actually getting up...maybe read a book, watch a movie, do whatever I want with no time constraint.  Immediately following would be this:


Seriously, how could you NOT relax with that view,
that amazing tub, and the shower-bigger-than-my-bedroom
helping you start your day? 

One of my favorite things...the mani/pedi.  I'd pick some
super luxe spa and just close my eyes, then wake up to
immaculate fingers and toes! 


Once my feet were nice and pretty, I'd go shoe shopping (with my unlimited
budget, of course), and spend a little time with my bestie, trying
on and buying gorgeous shoes...

I'd end my day, with my wonderful husband, at Chateau Elan, a gorgeous
Castle/Hotel/Spa in Braselton, GA.  We'd have a couples massage,
a quiet candlelit dinner, maybe some dancing, and then spend
the night in a plush and super romantic suite...just the two of us. 


**big thanks to Gussy for this great prompt, after the day I had, I'm feeling relaxed after just imaging a day like this!!! 

Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Twitter = High School???

So since this is my little corner of the internet, and I've had a really, really hellacious day...I'm going to prop my little soap box up in said corner and speak my mind. 

I am friends on Facebook with a girl I went to high school with.  Everyone knew who she was, and everyone knew who I was, but we existed on totally different levels.  She was a cheerleader.  She was thin, gorgeous, led a seemingly charmed life, always had a date for Homecoming, Prom, National Holidays, etc...  She was one of the girls I wanted to be, or at least wanted to be a part of her crowd.  We lived in the same neighborhood.  She lived "around the corner and up the hill" from my house.  Socio-economically we were the same, upper middle class. 

When my daughter was an infant she had her days and nights mixed up.  This was something I had not been through with my first child, so I turned to Facebook for help.  Posted my problem and asked if any of my friends had dealt with this.  This one friend responded to my post, and then sent me a very long, very informative email (through FB) about a book she had read and how well it had worked for her daughter (who is about 5 months older than my daughter).  We started an email conversation and I mentioned that I go back to the "old neighborhood" often as my parents still live there...her response?  "Oh, I didn't know you lived in <insert name of our neighborhood>".  I was mortified.  It brought me right back to high school and the days where I would not dare to say hello to this girl, or anyone in her crowd, for fear that they would not know who I was.  As I told my friend shortly after this happened "I didnt even exist in her world back then".  In hindsight, I realize how silly this was...I'm friends with nearly my entire graduating class, and most of them friended me, so they obviously know who I am.  But in that moment, I was 15 again.  Shy.  Insecure.  And absolutely terrified of being "unknown". 

I'm feeling the same way tonight.  I know most of it is because of the day I've had.  But I've recently launched an online store, and even more recently begun advertising on another blog that I read daily.  Ever since I started the ad and knew there was a giveaway, my fear has been "what if no one even enters???"  Could I live with the shame and humiliation, the rejection of knowing that this little business that I've poured my heart and soul, not to mention my hopes and dreams, into, doesn't even register on most peoples radar?  That they don't even care enough about it, or are not interested enough in it to bother entering a giveaway for a $25 gift certificate?  Well...the giveaway launched yesterday, and in just over 24 hours, there are 2 entries.  Yes, 2.  As in one more that 1. 

To add insult to injury, I decided today that I need to clear some space in the store to make room for some really great stuff I've recently found, so I announced a 40% off sale through Monday.  40%.  That's quite a markdown.  Sure, not as great as 50%, but still...I'm always happy to pay 40% less than regular price.  I began tweeting about the sale this morning, asking people to retweet.  I posted it 3 or 4 times throughout the day, and not one person bothered to retweet it.  Zero.  I'm so invisible that not one person of my minor following, cared enough about me, my store and my sale, to hit the retweet button, and click send.  Two mouse clicks.  Really?  I'm that invisible?  Just when I was starting to actually have conversations with people on Twitter, and felt like I was infiltrating the cool crowd just a bit, I get kicked in the face.  I'm feeling really down.  I just spent a couple hours working on a new site that I'm hoping to launch late this week or early next week, and now I'm sitting here thinking, why?  What is the point?  This wonderful resource that we have has become so "clique-ish" that the people who get my tweets can't even bother to give me 2 mouse clicks.  All the hopes I've had that maybe this is the idea that will allow me to work for myself, really make my own hours, find an outlet for my creativity, etc...they are dashed.  Stomped into the ground.  Gone. 

Hopefully tomorrow I'll wake up with a positive attitude and this blah-ness will be gone.  But if not, I guess I'll gather up my backpack, tight roll my Forenza pants, throw on an Outback Red henley t-shirt, and head out the door to catch the school bus for another day at Twitter-High.  I'm sure eventually, someone will see me, and realize what a cool, smart, funny and amazing person I am.  ::crosses fingers::

Wordless Wednesday...This Little Piggy


Sunday, June 26, 2011

Coming Soon...the sequel

For those of you that follow me on Twitter (@lightseyj and/or @ConsignOnLineGA), you know that a certain blue store had a HUGE fabric sale last week.  I'm not sure if they are going to be selling fabric anymore, but I couldn't resist the great deals.  2 yd. packages for $1.50, $2.00 and $3.00.  Saying I "stocked up" would be an understatement...


This is ALMOST everything I bought...but not quite.  I'm really excited to start cutting into all that fabric and put it to good use... 

I hope everyone had a great weekend and is ready for another week, it was crazy hot here, with the usual nightime rain showers...not my favorite part of summer, but at least it brings the temps down a bit.  Can you believe it's only a week until the 4th of July?  What are your plans???  We'll be dgoing to see fireworks Sunday night and then I'm thinking of planning a cookout for some friends on Monday.