A Prescription for Glitter

Just stumbled upon this gem of a blog...www.abubblylife.com and wanted to share! She just did a DIY tutorial on how to make glitter pills.


I think I just died and went to heaven. After the past few weeks I've had, these might just be what the doctor ordered!

Full tutorial here:

Enjoy and shine on!

*Disclaimer: I do not recommend eating glitter pills. They are for fun and in case of a sparkle emergency. I am not held responsible. :-)

Standing on the Promises of God.

Who remembers the old hymn, Standing on the Promises of God? Once it's in your head, it tends to get stuck there...you're welcome. Just in case it doesn't come to mind, the chorus goes like this:

Standing, standing,

Standing on the promises of God my Savior;

Standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

I bring up the song to bring up something that's been on my mind recently. The promises of God. I was curious, so I Googled the number of promises mentioned in the Bible. The first hit said 3573. Now, that might not be totally accurate, but that's still ALOT! (If someone has a more reliable number, let me know.) 3573 promises in God's Word!

So what made me really start to think about God's promises lately is an Instagram post I saw the other day. It was from someone I have never met in person, but I admire her heart for God and love of Scripture. She posted one of my favorite verses...a promise.

The verse alone is amazing, but it's what she said in her comment that really got me thinking.

She goes on to talk about choosing to do what is right,  and how now good thing will be missed if we choose integrity and obedience. Also, no good thing will come from compromise or deceit. It was just a really good kick to the gut, and I wanted to share it with you. I believe this promise/verse to be true, and I choose to claim it!

God's promises are so good and so true, and they give me something to cling to when things are hard and when things are easy. It's a great way to battle against satan, and to calm the doubt and to encourage the soul. 

I encourage you all to have some of God's promises in your back pocket, to be armed and ready. Claim them! What are some of your favorite promises from God's Word? Here are a few more of mine:

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodous 14:14

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;  I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters,   I will be with you;² and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire,  you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.For I am the Lord your God,³     the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;" Isaiah 43:1-3

"The LORD is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

"The LORD's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over." Psalm 12:6

Standing on the promises that cannot fail, When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail, Standing on the promises of God.

Furry Friend or Foe

Allow me to introduce you to...








"The Notorious T.O.D"

His real name is Tod, but that wasn't his original name. Back when I got him about 12 years ago, after I graduated college, he was first called Tuck (yeah, not sure what I was thinking either). My brown-noser of a brother told his statistics teacher at Samford, Dr. Todd, that he named his sister's cat after her. After he told me that, it just kinda stuck.






(He thinks he's God's gift to the world.)

I wouldn't consider myself a crazy cat lady, but he does keep me pretty entertained. He fetches like a dog, follows my grandmother around day and night, and even feels the need to wedge himself in-between my grandmother and her boyfriend( yes, I said boyfriend but that's for another post), while they read their devotional. I think he just wants to make sure that they leave room for the Holy Spirit...

You never know what you're gonna get with him. Well tonight, I came home to find this:








He had somehow managed to knock his probiotic medicine,(tmi-he has stomach issues) that he thinks are treats, off the kitchen counter, dragged it into living room and proceeded to devour the contents. It was almost full, side note. So this could be a pretty interesting night around here.

Just wanted y'all to get acquainted with him, because I'm sure he'll be making more appearances.








Sweet. Dreams.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Pretty Reminder

Love this and wanted to share! I put it on my phone's lock screen.. Such a great reminder!

2015...

So I'm back. I'm really back! I'm a smidge excited about getting back on the blogging wagon. I thought the first week of the new year was a great time to start up again. I'm still in the process of redoing my "logo", etc., but I just couldn't wait until it was done to my liking (because it could be months, let's be honest). So, I'm just gonna jump right in...

2015. The year of "Simplicity". For the past couple of years, I've chosen a word for the year. Two years ago it was "Adventurous" and I like to think I did a pretty good job of that. Well, "Adventurous" led to "Stillness," which I did a horrible job at. I think the Year of Stillness was anything but Still. I felt like I was on the go 24/7, doing a lot of things, but feeling like I did none of them really well. It was a great year, but just exhaustingly busy. Towards the beginning of last year, I felt the LORD telling me (as well as people blatantly telling me) that I needed to slow down. Honestly, I was more than happy to oblige. However, being the people pleaser person that I am, I have a hard time saying no. I slowly started taking baby steps in December and seem to be getting better at it.

I'm going through all the clutter and cleaning it out...physically and mentally, and I literally feel lighter. I am realizing just how much "stuff" that I have and that I don't need. I don't need it to function/to live, and I think for so long, I thought I did. It's weird, but there's a big sense of relief. More stuff is just more junk to carry and weigh you down. I'm tired of the junk. More on that in future posts, but for now:

Here's to you, 2015...It's gonna be a good year!

So Much More Than a Gift: Part 4 out of 4

There's still time to find that perfect gift for Christmas! One easy one stop shop is the TOMS Marketplace, "A Different Way to Shop".


This fair trade "store" had something for everyone. They have tech items, accessories, jewelry, bags, clothing and more.

Check it out at www.toms.com!



Shine On!

Advent: A Time to Slow Down and Refocus.

I can't believe it's December 1st, and with it comes the start of Advent.

What is Advent? It's is a time that Christians set aside to prepare for celebrating Christ's coming.

Why Celebrate Advent? It forces us, in the middle of busy lives, to slow down and focus on the true meaning of the season.

How Can We Celebrate Advent? There's no set formula. Many families make an Advent wreath and light a new candle each successive Sunday of Advent. Many also use Advent calendars.

My church, Christ City Church, created an Advent Devotional for mornings and evenings, offering it for a daily time of Scripture reading and reflection.

I wanted to share it with y'all in hopes that we would all slow down during this season, which can so easily get out of hand, and truly remember what Christmas is all about...the coming of the King.


Click on the link below for the PDF version of it, and to find out more about what is Advent, and why it's important.

Merry Christmas!

Advent Guide and Devotionals

So Much More Than a Gift: Part 3 out of 4

I stumbled upon this next company through another blog that I follow. I love anything that's shiny or involves glitter, so I had to check it out. What I found was an amazing company called THIRTY ONE BITS, started by friends after college, who desired to make a difference in the lives of women in Uganda.

I was super impressed by their story, and also by the jewelry that being created. Let's take a closer look at their mission and model and fabulous jewelry.

"Our model is to empower people through the fashion industry. We work with our beneficiaries in Uganda to create fashionable, quality products. They earn an income enabling them to provide for their families. We care for them holistically through counseling, health education, finance training, and business mentorships.

After five years in our program, our beneficiaries are ready to graduate. A graduated beneficiary has her own business and is educated, healthy, and confident. She is empowered.


And guess what? Everything we do is funded through product sales. That means every time you make a 31 bits purchase, you have a direct impact on women’s lives in Uganda."


For more information on THIRTY ONE BITS and to do some shopping, click HERE. I am definitely ordering some Christmas presents from here! 

So Much More Than a Gift: Part 2 of 4

This next company is based right here in Memphis, TN, and it's one of my favorites. I first stumbled upon Ekata Designs at a street festival, and feel in love with the dainty, one-of-a-kind jewelry.

I also love it that the line is created by refugees from Bhutan, a people group whom I've had the pleasure to build relationships with over the past year. These jewelry-making women are ethnically Nepali, but for the past few generations they have lived in southern Bhutan.

There are currently 15.2 million refugees in the world. The vast majority of them are women and children. A refugee is someone who is forcibly displaced from their home by persecution, war, or natural disaster. They flee their home country often traveling for days in order to survive.  Refugee camps, marked by thousands of tents or huts, meant as temporary solutions, become their “home” for years and even decades.  They are often not accepted into their new country. Returning home means great danger and persecution. Remaining in the camp is a hopeless, purposeless existence.

Ekata Designs was started to break the silence surrounding the plight of refugees and empower them to succeed in their new life.  They are privileged to work with several strong, beautiful, and talented refugee women in Memphis, TN, and teaching them to make and sell high quality jewelry. This is a small step in helping them become self-supported.

For more information on Ekata Designs, and to see the women who are making this wonderful jewelry, go to www.ekatadesigns.com or click HERE. To visit the Ekata shop on Etsy, click HERE. The jewelry is lovely and affordable. Let's make a difference for this amazing women here in Memphis!

The Jewelry Makers!

So Much More Than a Gift: Part 1 of 4

With Christmas season almost upon us (I know, let's celebrate Thanksgiving first), my thoughts have been wandering to what gifts to give this year. To anyone who knows me, you know that I LOVE to give gifts. I can't help it...from "little happies" to birthdays, to Christmas.

Lately, as I have been scrolling the my News Feed on Facebook or checking out blogs that I follow, I've noticed that there are a lot of neat little companies that go beyond just providing products. These companies desire to use their goods to help others, employee others, and love others.

Today, as I was sitting at my desk, it clicked for me...Why not take advantage of and help out these awesome companies, while getting some great gifts?! So, I've decided to challenge myself this Christmas, and maybe you all could join me, to try to buy as many of my Christmas presents from companies that give back or are local. There have been a few that have made it on my radar, and I'd like to share them with you in my next few posts. I hope you enjoy learning about them as much as I have! First up is...

"Fashioning Better Lives"

JOYN was founded in 2010 by Mel Murray (whom I have the pleasure of knowing), after she and her family felt God's calling to move to India. They didn't want to give a hand out, but a hand out, and realized that the artisans in Rajpur, where they live, could make beautiful textiles, but lacked markets and jobs.

 The Murray's saw that the need was so much greater than just needing a job. At the heart of JOYN lies a desire to see lives changed. To see those crippled by poverty and hardship dance for joy. To do this, JOYN has partnered with a nonprofit to provide employees with not only steady jobs and a good work environment, but a daily meal plan, education for their children, English and vocational training, and medical care. Lives are changing as a result.

I could go on and on about this company and the Murray family, but I'll let some of the JOYN products do the rest of the talking. To find out more about JOYN, visit their website HERE. They have also partnered with TOMS Marketplace as one of about 30 merchants who are giving people "A Different Way to Shop". Check that out HERE. Oh, and did I mention her husband, Dave, started an amazing guitar making company there too?! Check out the Dehradun Guitar Company HERE.

Happy shopping!

 

 

I'm BACK!

Well, once again, it's been a while since I've jumped on here. Life has been super busy mixed with a tad of crazy, but that's no excuse. :-)I'm excited to get back on here and share stuff with you guys. As I mentioned before, I've decided to broaden my blogging topics, to include more of what's going on in my life and what's close to my heart. And as always, if there's something you want to know about, both beauty or otherwise, don't hesitate to ask!

On My Nails for the Holidays!

Fishnet Stockings

Just in time for the Christmas festivities, I have discovered the perfect red nail color! The brand is Essie and the name of the polish is Fishnet Stockings. Fun, right?!

This picture does not do the color justice!

It's not a fire engine red, but it's not a burgundy either. I think it's a great blending of the two, which equals oxblood red! This color is right on trend and so hot right now, despite the not so pretty name. 

You can pick up a bottle at Target, Ulta, and some other places. Runs about $7.



What color are you going to rock on your nails this Christmas season?!

 
SHINE ON!

Ruffin

Swoon Worthy

swoon  (swn)

intr.v. swooned, swoon·ing, swoons

1. To faint.

2. To be overwhelmed by ecstatic joy.

n.

1. A fainting spell; syncope. See Synonyms at blackout.

2. A state of ecstasy or rapture.

When my friend showed me this fabulous jewelry line, I did just that...SWOON! Kendra Scott jewelry combines gorgeous colored stones with great design. The prices aren't too bad either. Granted, it's not cheap cheap, but it's still affordable. She works with bold rocks and colors to create something that's striking. Take a look at some of my favorites. They truly SHINE and make great Christmas gifts...hint hint. 

Skylar Earrings in Chalcedony

$65.00

Tela Cocktail Ring in Salmon

On Sale for $24.97

June Long Earrings in Black

$65.00

Dryden Stud Earrings

On Sale for 39.97

You can order online or click here to see store locations. 

Shine On!

Ruffin

Something in the Hair..er...Air

Happy Monday to you all! Since I moved to Memphis, I've gone to Pavo Salon Spa (I HIGHLY recommend), and they use Aveda products. Since I've started using them daily on my hair, I've noticed a dramatic difference. It's a little more pricey than your average hair care products, but I think it's definitely worth it.

Aveda products are naturally-derived and smell DIVINE! Two of my favorites are Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair and AirControl Hair Spray. Here are the details:

 Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair

 Our daily leave-in treatment instantly repairs damaged hair by 26%*, helps protect from heat styling and detangles to help prevent further damage.

• Certified organically-derived quinoa protein penetrates hair to instantly repair damage and strengthen from the inside out.
• Wheat protein helps protect from heat styling—such as blow-drying and ironing.
• Soy-derived oil detangles to help prevent further damage and breakage.
• Certified organic essential oils including bergamot, mandarin and ylang ylang provide an uplifting aroma.

Put a dollop of this in your damp hair before you blow dry it.

 

$26.00

 AirControl Hair Spray

Take hold of innovation: with a flexible, lasting hold hair spray—for all hair types—that has a net-zero impact* on the Earth's climate.

•	Breakthrough pine resin technology for hold
•	Dry delivery

*Through Aveda's funding of renewable energy to offset the CO2 associated with the manufacturing, transportation and use of Aveda aerosol hairsprays.

$24.00

 

 

 To find out the nearest Aveda retailer to you, click here. Trust me, you'll fall in love with these at first smell!

Shine On!

Ruffin

Another Way to SHINE

I thought I'd take a minute to spread the blogger love and highlight a blog that I follow. Now I might be a little partial to it because of its name :-), but the girl who started it seems super cool, and what she's doing is even cooler!

It's called The Shine Project and its founder, Ashley, believes :

"that all of us possess talents, skills, and abilities that can be used to literally change the world.  I believe that stepping out of your comfort zone to do hard things is what gives meaning and happiness to life.

This is what The Shine Project is all about:
Going out of your comfort zone
to bring light to those who need hope.
The Shine Project emulates love, sacrifice, and
CHANGE.

 The Shine Project's purpose is to inspire you to live the highest quality of life obtainable, and to motivate you to join our efforts in making this world a better place. We have many events set up around the country, and would love for you to get involved!"

 

 This site has really cool shirts, jewelry for a great cause and fashion/beauty tips. I've asked for a few items for Christmas! So take a minute and browse The Shine Project here. What blogs do you think I should check out?!

Shine On!

Ruffin

Fit to be Tied

Scarves...I literally have about 30 of them (pretty embarrassed to admit that). I have scarves for the summer, winter and anytime in between. I love them. They are functional and can also change the look of an outfit in an instant. I'm always seeing on Pinterest multiple different ways to tie them. I found this Pin the other day on 40+ ways to tie a scarf. Click HERE to visit the site to learn how.

While you do that, I thought I'd take a second to show you some of the scarves that I'm rocking or wanting to rock. A few good places to look for scarves are H&M, Target and TJ Maxx. I also found this great Etsy shop, RunSystem63, that has fabulous and cool scarves.

Just got this infinity scarf from H&M for $9.95!

I want this Run System63 scarf for Christmas! $60

What should you be looking for??? I recommend a good leopard print one, maybe a fun red one, and a black pashmina that can also be used as a wrap. With cold weather here, now is the perfect time to rock a scarf, and don't be afraid to put a different "twist" on it. Have a great weekend and...

SHINE ON!

Ruffin

(Please forgive the lay-out of this post. I am having computer issues!)

My Go-To Nails

I know I just posted about nail polish a few days ago, but when I painted my nails last night, I remembered how much I LOVE this color. It's a GREAT nail color for the cooler months, and it's also made by one of my favorite brands, Sally Hansen.

This one is called Slick Slate, and it's from the Insta-Dri line. I love this color, because it's a blend of gray, beige and little bit of purple. Also, they're not kidding when they say this polish dries in a minute. It also has the brush that I love, which contours to your nails and makes painting them so much easier. You literally could paint them and walk out of the house in 5 minutes!

You can pick this up at the usual places, and it retails for about $4.There are also about 35 other shades to choose from as well!

Shine On!

Ruffin

Bat An Eye

Several of you all have asked me lately to recommend a good mascara, so I thought I'd share. I feel like I have tried A LOT of mascaras over the years, and I'm really liking what is on my lashes at the moment.

I put two coats of this on my top lashes.

One of my make-up artist friends swears by Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies, so I thought I'd give it a go. I wasn't disappointed. The brush is curved and flexible, making it easy to get all the lashes. It's got great coverage, doesn't flake(I use the waterproof kind), and makes my lashes a lot fuller and longer. It's also cheap, being around $7 for a tube.

I put one coat of this on my bottom lashes.

Now that was for my top lashes. For my bottom lashes, I do use another mascara, and this one is a little bit pricier but so worth it. It's Bobbi Brown's Intensifying Long-Wear Mascara. With its skinny brush and staying power, it's perfect for bottom lashes. Nothing I hate more than raccoon eyes, and this mascara STAYS PUT! It's $24 and can be found in most major department stores and online.

Have a great weekend and SHINE ON!

Ruffin

FALLing for Dark Nails

I love nail polish. Plain and Simple. It's like me and shoes...you can never have too many!

I like to go a little darker/neutral for the Fall and Winter, and last night, I pulled out one of my go-to's for the Fall. The color is "Pat On the Black" by my favorite brand, Sally Hansen, and from one of their best lines, Complete Salon Manicure. I honestly think it's better than OPI and Essie *gasp!

The color is pretty dark, but it's not straight-up black. It's more a dark purple, which I like a lot better than just black. I did apply three layers for a really rich look, and I followed it with THE best top coat, Sally Hansen's InstaDri Anti-Chip Topcoat (blogged about it here previously).

Here's why I like the Complete Salon Manicure line:

- It's got a way cool brush that contours to your fingernails.
- There are 5 Steps in 1 Bottle: Base Coat, Strengthener, Growth Treatment, Color and Top Coat.

- Contains Vita-Care Technology for advanced wear (it really does stay  on a long time) and more shine.

- There are 42 shades to choose from.

It's about $6 a bottle, and can be found at drugstores, Walmart, and Target. Try it out and let me know what color you chose!



Shine On!

Ruffin