Friday, December 7, 2018

Glam Home Office Tour

About My Desk:
Desk: Wayfair| Chair: Amazon| Photos: Target/HomeGoods| Lamp: Target| Storage Boxes: Target
 Hello, Dolls! Happy Friday and Happy December, I hate to start a post at the end of the week but I've decided to no longer do this thing called, WAIT! I am the queen of "I'll do it when...." Prime example is actually my office. I decided to post these pictures before I change up this space yet AGAIN. I finished my home office back in September but never posted the pics before well, who knows! I could have decided not to post these pics for something as simple as the wires are showing behind the desk or the lines in the carpet aren't straight or because I forgot to put a picture in a frame. Well here it is months later and this space has already changed and these poor pics nearly went to waste.

Here's the thing, for the next 21 days I'm going to be choosing progress over perfection! The picture isn't perfect? Post it anyway! Posting something and getting better with time is much more productive than waiting FOREVER to do any one thing. Be sure to follow me on my Instagram HERE because  I will be posting every single day for the next 21 days. I know that doesn't seem like a lot to most bloggers and it shouldn't. But me, on the other hand, has a habit of posting once a week if that. I haven't set a goal for my blog just yet but I know planning out my Instagram content will ultimately allow me to be more organized with my blog content so it should be a WIN WIN. I truly struggle with consistency in ALL things but especially on social media. I plan on changing that going into this New Year. Nothing wrong with getting started on your 2019 goals a little early.

Please let me know your thoughts down below and I would love to know what goals you're getting started on right now! Happy Friday and have a beautiful weekend, dolls.

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Thursday, November 29, 2018

How to Decorate your Christmas Tree on a Budget

How to Decorate your Christmas Tree on a Budget
Every year I am giddy with excitement to decorate my home for Christmas. I love being creative with my tree and creating great holiday memories. The more whimsical the better for me! But one thing is for sure it can add up big time when decorating a tree or even your whole house. Here are a few of my tips and tricks to save money during this time.

SHOP MY TREE:


Tip #1: Shop After Christmas sales! This step will require a bit of patience and vision. First, it is likely most of the good stuff is sold out after Christmas. However, if it’s not you can score some pretty amazing deals once Christmas is over. For instance, if you know your current tree is on its last leg and you will need to replace it next year it might be a good idea to do that now while it’s on sale for 70% off. You will thank yourself for being prepared and saving a few coins along the way.

Tip#2: Use coupons! I typically get 70% of my Christmas decorations from Micheal’s or Target. Both of them I have the app downloaded on my phone with post notifications turned on for coupon deals. My favorite coupon from Michaels is the 50% off your entire order. It is a gem and I feel they have the best stuff but you need to shop early. The good stuff goes fast, trust me!

Tip #3: Shop Discount Stores! As much as we love the BIG BOX stores for decorations please don’t forget the discount stores in your area. You will be surprised by what you can find at your local Dollar Tree or Big Lots. At Big Lots, items are heavily discounted and pretty darn cute. Many of my ornaments came from Big Lots this year. The diamond rings, large textures gold balls, snowflakes, and stars all came from Big Lots for no more than 6 dollars a pack!


Tip #4: DIY IT!! Look, there is nothing wrong with faking it til you make it or creating a beautiful unique piece for your tree. I love to DIY ornaments and the Tree Skirt. The tree skirt can be expensive, VERY expensive! My DIY solution is to take a cute throw blanket and pillows to create volume. I found THIS cute throw blanket at Target for 9.99 that will work great as a tree skirt. Typical tree skirts run upwards of $40 dollars. No Thank You!

So there you have it, a fabulous tree on a budget! Happy hunting and enjoy the process. I hope you found these tips helpful. If I missed any gems please leave them below I would love to know your money saving techniques down in the comments!
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Thursday, November 15, 2018

Fall Fashion at Wal-Mart!






Shop the Look:
Sherpa Pullover: Here | Leggings: Here | Suede Booties: Similar | Turtleneck: Target          
Bag: Botkier


HELLO THERE DOLLS!!! Long time no chat my loves! It's been a minute but today I have someTHANG to share with ya'll. Fall has arrived and while I'm on my current fitness journey (more to come on that later) I've been having fun finding affordable, fun and chic options to add to my Fall/Winter wardrobe. To my surprise, one of my current favorite places to shop is none other than WALMART. Yes, WALMART! If you haven't browsed around their clothing section in a while,  I recommend you do so in the near future. I found a lot of trendy pieces at crazy affordable prices I think you all would love.

A couple of my favorite Fall finds is this super cozy fleece pullover and khaki green leggings. I love that this pullover came in a size wide so I can be extra comfortable and have room for layers underneath. Not to mention this thing is sooooo soft and warm. It also came in 4 colors because whenyou find a good thing....buy it in every color!? Isn't that the motto?? No? Just mine? Ok moving on to my next favorite, these leggings. The leggings I picked up because 1. I'm in love with khaki green this season and 2. the design was super cute to me. I will say the fit is not as great as my Fabletics leggings by no means but they are comfortable and very on trend. I also work out in them with no VPL (visible panty line) issues. They do tend to slide down a bit and I have to adjust them more than my higher quality leggings so keep that in mind. 

I styled this look with a striped turtleneck underneath and brown ankle booties to elevate the casual look. This look will surely be a repeat for me this Fall so feel free to head to Wal-Mart to recreate it. 

Now I am in no way sponsored by Wal-Mart in anyway but I will be sharing with you some other amazing finds I picked up recently. Oh and don't worry Wallyworld isn't the only place I've been loving, stay tuned to see what I recently scored at Mango recently! ;-) 

Until next post loves, take care! Muah <3
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Wednesday, September 5, 2018

OOTD: Summer Uniform

What I'm Wearing:
Jeans: Charlotte Russe | Band Tee: Boohoo.com | Heels: Shoedazzle.com (old) | Bag: Botkier Cobble Hill Crossbody via Bloomingdale's | Necklace: Nordstrom
Well, would you look at this, an outfit look over here on the blog? I know it's been a good minute since I've shared my style. Honestly, it's been because of nonstop insecurities and self-doubt. The toll gaining weight can take on your mental is truly impactful and one that shouldn't be ignored.

I can honestly say that I'm finally in a good place where I feel confident enough to share these pics and more importantly share this struggle with you guys. It's easy to post when you're feeling your best but the true test is to have the perseverance to post when you do not. Change is the only thing guaranteed in this world, so you need to embrace it and KEEP GOING!

So with that being said, this look has been my summer uniform as of late. Minus the heels. I did that for ya'll LOL I'm usually in furry slides (judge yoself ma'am!), classic sneaks or a wedge if I'm feeling fancy! I have been loving a super casual Jeans and Tee look all summer long. Too self-conscience for shorts these plus size jeans from Charlotte Russe are a FAV of mine at the moment. Accessorize with jewelry, shades and a good bag and you have a LOOK hunni!

What have you guys been wearing this summer? I want to know what your 'summer uniform' consists of. Also, are you sad or glad to see summer go and fall fashions to move on in? Sound off below, let's chat!

P.S. Please excuse the quality of these pics, I totally took them with iPhone and mini tripod! *kanye shrug*
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Wednesday, August 22, 2018

DIY Kitchen Upgrade

Hello, Dolls, long time no post! It's been a minute and I'm trying to do better. If you've been around these parts for a while you know I purchased my first home about 2.5 years ago now and have been updating and making it my own ever since. Today I'm sharing with you a DIY project I've been wanting to do in my kitchen for some time now. I always felt my kitchen without a backsplash lacked interest and personality. It literally just looked incomplete and bothered me A LOT. After getting quotes from several contractors for well over 800 bucks to tile the tiny space, I decided to take a crack at it on my own. Buuuuttt I'll be honest, I took a short cut. I decided to try the 3D peel and stick subway tile. My logic went a little something like this.....spend a hundred bucks and love it, YOU WIN! Or, spend a hundred bucks and you hate it and spend the 800 bucks to get it done professionally anyway. You're out of a hundred bucks but at least you have the piece of mind knowing that you at least TRIED it on your own.....I STILL WIN!

So off to measure and order my materials I went. I also watched every YouTube video there was showing you the best way to apply the pieces. Fast forward 3 months later (procrastination Queen here folks!) and I finished my project. I will be doing a video of the application process soon but in the meantime please enjoy pictures of my new pretty kitchen backsplash.

If you are a homeowner or DIY'er like myself, what are some projects you have coming up soon? I would love to know in the comments below!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by and following my journey.

xoxo,
Naja






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Monday, June 11, 2018

Cheers to Self Love & Body Acceptance





Shop The Look:
Dress: BooHoo Plus |  Heels: Payless (old), similar | Bag: Bloomingdale's, similar HERE
Hair: HerGiven Hair Kinky Clip-ins
 

Happy Monday dolls! Welcome back to the blog boos! Today, I want to chat about something pretty personal that's been weighing on me heavy for some time now. You want to know the REAL reason I stopped blogging? In all honesty, it's because I got FAT! I feel like I've sugar coated it in posts and make a joke about it in passing. My way of deflecting or hiding my own insecurity. If I make a joke about it or act like it hasn't happened you won't notice this size 16 frame. Hmmmm yeah ok, girl. 

Here are some pictures I took this weekend and although I felt good in this look and better than I had in months being out in public, when I checked this pics I wanted to crawl back into my sweats and hide. Normally, I would take these pics and NEVER post them on my social media and quietly untag myself if friends posted them on theirs but enough with that! Something has got to give and I CAN NOT hide forever. I just celebrated a birthday last week and life is just too damn short to not LIVE yo life! So in honor of my new commitment to just LIVE, Naja, I'm posting the pics and keeping all the tags!

If we've learned nothing else this week with the passing of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, depression and mental health is so so important to keep in check. I have found myself fighting this battle quite a bit in recent years and it's something that you must FIGHT against every day. It's not easy and anyone who says that it is, is a WHOLE LIE! You have to combat the negative thoughts with positive affirmations, surround yourself with good people, avoid the darkness at all costs and chase your light (joy) relentlessly. It's a battle doll, but YOU are worth it! 

Until next post, stay encouraged and stay beautiful!
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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Life Lately....An Update

 

Where has the time gone? No, seriously, how is it May 2018 and I have yet to put up a blog post this year let alone pump out any content. Let me be clear, I do not blog just for you guys. I blog for me. It is my happy place and corner of the cyber world that is my own and my goodness do I miss it. Honestly, truly. Let's just start from the top of the year and get you guys caught up so we can proceed with all the dope stuff I have planned for this year!

Just a little back story. I took about 9 months off in 2017 and in those 9 months I got my iiiiisssh together, mentally. I was exhausted from my last job and honestly just needed. a. damn. break. I thank GOD I was in the position to do so and feel so much more refreshed and excited about the future because of it. I had got to a place where I was on this hamster wheel and couldn't get off. I was just running a race but getting absolutely NO WHERE. I was sad, depressed and felt trapped. I knew I needed to make a change and fast. What I didn't plan for was getting off the wheel and not moving all together but sometimes GOD does that. He stops you in your tracks to realign you for the greater good. I needed it, so needed it. When I felt ready, I went back to work. Yes, I got a job.

The difference is I got a job that I actually enjoyed. I've been in my career field for about 14 years now and have ALWAYS went where the money and notoriety was. I went to the big companies because of the name and how impressive it would look on my resume or Linked In profile. I was proud and privileged to make great money but I hated the work. Here's a Pro Tip for ya: Do work you enjoy, you may not be rich but you will be happy and that's better than rich! This job makes me happy and I like it so a lot so far. Let me not forget about all the travel I have done and have coming up that I'm super excited for. With my new job I get to visit some really cool places and am extremely blessed and grateful to be able to do so. Stay tuned for more pics, my recent Italy trip was nothing short of EPIC!

Anywho, bear with me while I get back in the saddle ya'll.

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