FALL.....in love with your home.

     Golden leaves, pumpkins, cinnamon, and cool air...these things remind me of my favorite time of year, Fall. Just when you think you can't take one more day of North Carolina humidity, the evening cools down, you are awaken to see shimmering dew and crunchy golden leaves scattered across your front yard. Ohhhh, I get butterflies just thinking about it!

      Although, I love decorating my front porch area in Fall decor, I am NOT...let me repeat...NOT... going to spend alot of money doing it.  Here are just a few things I plan on doing this year for fall...and you can too...its easy...I PROMISE!

    I am fortunate enough to live surrounded by pine trees (which can be not so fortunate in the summer). If you are not so fortunate...believe me..your neighbor will not mind it at all if you ask to pick up the fallen pine cones and stick in their yard...they will be most grateful, plus you will be doing your daily good deed.

•     Gather up some pine cones and spray paint them silver, gold, deep orange, and leave some brown too. Place them in old wicker baskets, (don't worry if they don't match, if it bothers you OCD decorators, spray paint the baskets all to match too) and place them either scaling up you porch steps or at the entrance of your front door.
•     Next bundle up the sticks and place in assorted sized vases and baskets also....place these to you liking. If you have extra ribbon laying around your house take some ribbon (just make sure it goes with your fall theme, don't go grabbing the one with Christmas trees on it) and wrap the bundle of sticks and place them strategically where they can be seen..after all..you did take alittle more effort on these.
•     Depending on where you live, you may have an abundance of beautiful leaves laying around just waiting to be raked in a pile and burned. Well....in the mean time...gather some of the larger leaves and your glue gun. (Now is the time for that Christmas ribbon that's covered in dust)...get some old ribbon and  start gluing the leaves to the ribbon, overlapping will give it a more fuller look. Make sure when the front is dry flip the ribbon over and glue the leaves to the back too. You can make this as long as you want..according to however much ribbon you have laying around. Take the ribbon after it has had time to set and either hang around your door or drape around your step railing on your porch.
•     Last but no least...pumpkins...now unless you have your own pumpkin patch, if you do i commend you...you will need to spend money on this project. If carving your pumpkin is a family tradition..by all means...keep the tradition alive shug....but if your like me and your not interested in all that clean up afterwards....grab some spray paint and a sharpie! With as many pumpkins ,according to your budget, as possible, spray paint them in either  silver, white, or even black..of course you can leave them their natural color as well. Then get a pencil and trace out the first letter of your familys last name. Then follow by coloring it in with black sharpie. You can pay up to $15 for pumpkins such as these at home and garden stores. Well, you mam', have only spent a few dollars...hmmmm.

    Don't let these projects be overwhelming. Involve your kids, husband, and even dog (by fetching the sticks and pine cones).
You don't have to spend alot of time and cash to have a warm and inviting front porch this Fall season. Leave that kind of anxiety to people who have the time and money to do so!

Black is Back.

Black is Back.......

well, did it ever leave?.... everyday when i dress for work my wardrobe consist of black, black and more black. I'm sure many of you have been to get you hair done recently, or in the past, and pondered for a brief second...."wonder why many hairstylist always wears black?" Or maybe many of you have never noticed. Well, now that I've got you pondering, lets discuss. Is it to hide all the color and chemical stains..maybe, Is it to make them look and feel slimmer....theres a good chance, but the main reason I wear black is all of the above, but leaving out the most important reason... Wearing black takes all the eye off the stylist and focuses it on you, the client. hmmmmm you say..I'll explain. In my profession i see women with self confidence issues, troubled home life, crazy work environment, you name it I've heard it and seen it. When someone sits in my chair I want all the focus and attention to be on them. If they ask me about my weekend I will tell them. If they inquire about my children, I will tell them. Not all...but most of these women are looking for someone to vent too, tell them how good they look even though their roots are 3 inches long, and just give them your undivided attention. While wearing black seems so insignificant, it takes the eye and focus off me, the stylist, and on whose important.....you, the client. So wonder no more if I'm a stylist by day and witch by night.....its just my way of showing you your important to me, and it doesn't hurt that its slimming..lol!

Where are the Jones'?

As i thought about the title of my blog, I regretted not putting "WHO are the Jones'?".  Everyone is familiar with the saying "keeping up with the Jones'", well my motto has over the years become......"I don't even know where the Jones' live... I believe our society has become one that wants to promote themselves as well, if not better, than a relative, friend or aquantance..especially when it comes to the material things. Why has it become this way? Why do we feel as though we need to live up to others expectations?.....Why not be different? Why not take on a new perspective on life? Be thankful for the breath in our lungs...our heart that pumps blood through our body with our help, your heathy children, and so on. Try taken on my little motto when that feeling of covetness(want for what others have) arises in you.... or if it helps, get a small notepad and write down 10 things you are thankful for and keep it with you to remind you daily. Maybe this is the first step of changing the way society functions/thinks. Just a thought.