FASHART: Mixed Prints and Peplum

Hi ladies! The last few blogs were really serious, so I decided to do something FUN with “what I like to call” FASHART! As an artist who loves to paint and draw, it comes easy for me to step outside the box with color. Now, prints can be tricky, when it comes to mixing. Mixing prints should be done very carefully.

For this particular look, I had some help from my stylist, J.Briscoe. We love searching for fashion inspiration when we come up with looks for various events and photo shoots. It’s incredibly fun!

A few tips on mixing prints:
Allow one of the prints to act as a neutral so that the prints don’t overwhelm each other.
Keep it in the family. For example, two animal prints will work well together.
Pair a solid shoe with your mixed prints, and avoid over doing the jewelry.

Above, you see stripes and florals, and to top it off…we added the peplum look! You can never go wrong with peplem. It adds shape to your figure, and helps hide unwanted belly bulk. Oh! The tshirt is from my line, Kingdom Fresh Clothing! ;-}

Ok, now go try it! Remember, fashion is ART! Have fun, until next time. Xoxo

*Blazer: Charlotte Rousse
*Tshirt: Kingdom Fresh Clothing
*Skirt: J.Briscoe
*Jewelry: Mi Joi Jewelry
*Photo: Strikingly Odd Media

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NECESSARY SEASONS

If I had written this blog post earlier this week, I would have called it “Hell Week”. When I say that this has been “that week”, I really mean it. I’m not one to share all of my business, especially when I’m feeling down, but I will not hesitate to be transparent when I’m sure that God will get the glory. My heart is for people to see God through all things!

Ok. So, this week for me was filled with discouragement and feelings of (what felt like) depression. I can’t really pinpoint one specific thing that happened, I just felt down. It was definitely a spiritual attack. Now, I could be deep and say that I’m not going to claim depression, but these emotions were so bad that I had to reach out to some prayer warriors in my close circle. There comes a time when we have to get off the battlefield and allow another soldier to fight for you. It could be that you are tired, weary, or just frustrated from looking at a tree with little to no fruit, especially when you know you have been putting in the work.

Speaking of fruit. In the midst of the storm I experienced this week,
God spoke. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, we learn that there is a season for everything. God began to show me through a series of events, thoughts, and prayer moments, that every season is NECESSARY. Though I was not in a place fully comprehend why I would be going through a winter, right in the middle of my approaching summer, I knew it to be true. We can’t forsake our seasons.

Here is what I learned in this week’s storm. We are not all in the same season at the same time, spiritually. Imagine that you are in your winter, when no fruit is on your tree, no leaves are on your trees, flowers aren’t blooming, it’s cold and windy outside, the sun is rarely shinning, but you are still trusting God. You look over to your friend’s tree, and you see the sweetest looking fruit filled trees, the others are filled with beautiful green leaves, and the sun is shinning bright, like a diamond. All is well over there, but you feel like you are in hell. What do you do?

Real talk… It is difficult to look at someone else’s spring, while you are in your winter. But, what we must realize is that the person who is in spring just came out of a winter. Praise break right there!!! You don’t know the struggle and preparation they had to go through to get to their spring. They had to wait, just like you are waiting. It is IMPOSSIBLE to successfully jump from one season to the other, without properly going through each season, and getting all the lessons…that’s if you want to be ready for your new level.

You can’t just jump from one course in school to the other without successfully passing (and learning) the pre-requisite course. God showed me what it looks like when people forcefully jump out of their winter because it’s too cold. See, the winter was supposed to prepare you, and to prepare your atmosphere for the coming blossoming. But, you aborted the season. You couldn’t stand the heat. You couldn’t stay in the furnace long enough to come out like gold. So, you come out half processed. Now, you are in your spring because you jumped out of winter too early. And guess what? You have to go through a spring, summer, and fall WITHOUT THE PREPARATION YOU NEEDED.

So, then we start wondering why the fruit on your tree looks good, but doesn’t taste good. See, we, as women, we know how to dress it up. We know how to put makeup on a scarred face, and we can jazz up a tired body, and we can smile on top of our depression. But, I’m coming out of this winter season ON FIRE! I’m determined to stay until I’m ready to come out; no matter how much it hurts.

It will be worth it! I don’t want to look up next year and find myself going through the 2015 winter that I was supposed to go through in 2014. I don’t have time for that! Therefore, I will learn to recognize my season, praise Him anyway, and dress according to the season I’m in, and keep it moving. See, because now, I know why I’m going through my SEASON. I’m being prepared for my next level. Therefore, I WILL REJOICE!

WILL YOU REJOICE WITH ME? Comment below with your praise! Let’s start giving God Glory now. Remember, a butterfly goes through stages (seasons). If it comes out of its cocoon too early, it may not be able to fly properly. It is the struggle of getting out of the cocoon that produces the strength that enables the butterfly to soar. Stay there until He moves you into your next season! REJOICE!

BOOM

From day one, my husband and I had a covering scripture for our marriage. We chose Psalm 91, which is a clear formula for how to stay under God’s protection. The text starts by stating that as we REST in the shadow of the Almighty, we find refuge and safety. It goes on to give numerous examples of what that protection looks like.

On our honeymoon night, in Palm Springs, California, we arrived after midnight, only to find that our resort was locked. I mean, locked to the point that we couldn’t find anyone at that hour to check us in to our room. Boom! That was a hit. Then, we went to the absolute worse Motel possible, after running down a cab to get us there. Ok, remember, this was our honeymoon night. The first time we would ever be “together”. Boom! That was a hit.

Ok, so we wake up, only to realize that many of our wedding gifts, which were checks, could not be cashed because the name was wrong. Of course, right after you get married, your name doesn’t just legally change. You actually have to change it. Sooo, here we are, just married, and facing major issues immediately. Boom! Hits from every direction.

The picture above is a perfect depiction of how God will shield and cover you as you go through fires, storms, and countless challenges. Though the fire may get close to us, it won’t touch us. Why? Because we are covered by His Word…our covering, Psalm 91.

Once my husband and I realized that it was God building us through what the enemy was throwing at us, we built a bond that could not be broken because the bond was made by God, not just in times of calm, but in times of fire. We were being fire certified and approved! No matter what crazy storms and fires you face, if you just rest in the shadow of the Almighty through prayer, praise, and worship, you will be just fine. You will look at the storm and ask, “What is God building in me/us now?”. BOOM!!!

What Separates You?

This picture from Oprah’s Legends Ball speaks volumes!  A portrait of phenomenal women who walk in GREATNESS.  My question for you today is, “What Separates You” from being amongst great women like these?  I propose to you that the answer is NOTHING.  There is absolutely nothing that can keep you from greatness, because greatness is within you.  It may be lying dormant, the seed may be choked by fear and doubt, but your greatness can still grow.  Let it sprout up! 

For many of us, we are walking in some level of greatness, and for many, we are longing…feigning for something better.  We look at others and wonder how they got there.  What are they doing differently?  Why can’t I do that, or have that?  The first thing we have to do is to realize that competition & comparison is a joy killer.  It can be a destiny choker, and a happiness blocker.  We shouldn’t spend our time comparing our lives to others.  But, we should spend our time searching out the greatness within us.

As a child, I used to gaze at the television screen as women from all across the nation (usually only a few black girls) walked across the stage in competition for the title of Miss America.  I always wondered what I had to do to get on that stage.  The competition shouldn’t prompt us to compare, but to press.  As a young girl, what I didn’t realize was that what I was looking at on that stage was a picture of greatness.  I always knew that I wanted to be great.  There was an innate passion within me to do the very best at every single thing I did.  I have to admit that as an athlete at a young age, I was taught to be competitive.  That was a part of my nature, as it was taught to me.  But..when God came into my life, I learned to understand how to use the competitive spirit within in me.  I learned to compete against ME.  Thus, I learned to always strive to be the best ME possible.

Even as I watched the Legends Ball this past weekend, I realized that nothing separates me from those phenomenal women.  I must accept that I am phenomenal because God placed that within me before I was born.  I am phenomenal because He is phenomenal and I am made in His image and likeness.  So are YOU!  Each day, push yourself, cultivate your gifts, practice your craft, do the best job at work, write your visions, seek God, and realize that there is nothing that separates you from greatness.  NOTHING!

BE THE BEST YOU THAT YOU CAN BE!