Category: Glitz & Glitter

Stay On Track in 2022: 3 Tips

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Holy cow, friends!

Can you believe it’s already 2022? After all of the ups and downs that last year held, I am grateful that there were many lessons that I learned during it all. One of the things I learned is how important it is to stay on top of my schedule and keeping a happy flow with organization. As a full time student who works and has a decent amount on her plate, I learned last year that staying on top of my schedule and having everything I needed laid out is better for my mental health! When I have my month planned out and can see what I have to do during my day, I feel on top of it. I figured that now is a great time to put together a list of things that have helped me stay on track!

Step One: Utilize Google Calendar!

I think the majority of us have a Google account and a Gmail account! If you do, one of the fun tools that Google provides is the Google calendar. I use my calendar every day to see what I have going on and what’s coming up during my week. Another thing that I like about using Google calendar is that I can share my schedule with any organizations I am in that need it for planning, or I can share it with a family member.

I also love to color coordinate my events and tasks with the pastel color pallet and I’m obsessed! Look how cute it is!

The best part is that I have access to my calendar on my phone with the app and on my computer. I pretty much live off of my calendar!

Step Two: Try to Stick to Your Schedule!

One of the hardest parts of getting my schedule on track was actually sticking to it! I’m the champ of waking up to alarm and staring at it blurry-eyed, inching to hit snooze. But the thing I realized is that when I actually get out of bed and start my routine, I feel put together. If I wake up with enough time to put on a quick face of makeup, get my outfit together, and pack my lunch, I’m doing myself a service! I am a happier person when I am organized and it has helped me so much. Set your alarm, plan ahead, and try not to hit snooze! (But if you do, there’s zero judgement from me because I have some mornings where I do too because let’s face it, an extra 10 minutes of sleep and some dry shampoo are worth it!)

Step Three: The Final Piece

Step Three is the most important step by far! Take care of yourself!! Taking time for yourself to make a yummy meal, do a face mask, or drink a glass of wine while you watch Netflix is so good for your mental and spiritual health and no matter how much you schedule into your day, it’s important to make time for yourself! This year we are taking care of ourselves and making us a priority!

I hope these little tips help you get organized this year and find some peace! Stay groovy, friends!

The Best Movies I Streamed This Month

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Hi, friends!

There’s nothing better than coming home from work and cozying up to good movies! This month I had a lot of down time before I changed jobs and I definitely did my fair share of streaming on different platforms! This is my list of what I streamed this month and my recommendations for you!

Practical Magic

Hello, this is one of my favorite comfort movies! I found it on HBO Max and it put me in the mood for fall weather and fluffy blankets! Sandy B and Nicole Kidman star in this 1998 classic that spreads the love on the bond of sisterhood with a healthy pinch of witchy magic. It also brings an important awareness to being careful at what spells you cast and what type of witchcraft you are practicing. I love this movie anytime during the year!

Beetlejuice

Say his name three times and he shall appear! Hulu currently has this Tim Burton film ready for your enjoyment! Once again, another spooky film has made my favorites list. Any Burton film is a good one but I have always loved Beetlejuice the most. The humor, the prosthetics, the music, chef’s kiss!

Harry Potter collection

When I’m in the mood for a movie I’ve seen before that I can put in the background, I always watch Harry Potter! You can find the collection on HBO Max and Peacock while it lasts! I subscribe to both streaming services but I mostly watch it on Peacock! If you haven’t seen any of the HP movies, you need to at least see them once!

Leap Year

Leap Year has been on my list of go-to romantic comedies ever since I saw it years ago! Amy Adams and Matthew Goode star in this heartfelt film that makes my heart pitter patter. Peacock has this streaming now! Go pop a bag of popcorn and grab your best blanket!

Jaws

Dun-dun-dun-dun-dundundudndun…iconic, right? The full Jaws film collection is streaming now on Peacock for subscribers! The first film is my personal favorite by far! I remember the first time I saw our VHS tape, I was terrified! The boat scene where the head pops out made my soul leave my body! I think that was my first “scary” film experience growing up! If you’re a fan of the classics, it’s a perfect time to plan a movie night with the fam!

Pretty Woman

Believe it or not, Peacock isn’t sponsoring this post (but they totally can! My email is linked *wink), they just have a lot of great movies and shows (here’s to The Office fans!). Pretty Woman is kind of intense and pulls on my heart too much..but the piano scene! Woof! It definitely rose my expectations! Funny story- kind of- when I was around 11 or 12, my mom and I went to a flea market and I saw a VHS of Pretty Woman and I asked my mom if we could get it. She said no, of course, and the woman running the booth told my mom it would teach me what NOT to do. Little did that woman know I would be an accountant (briefly), ehehe. Anyway, Pretty Woman is fantastic and you should go see it!

Twilight saga

Yes, I am one of those people who started streaming it as soon as it dropped on Netflix! I was heartbroken with Amazon dropped it and it could only be rented but Netflix came in to save the day! It’s no surprise that as soon as it released, the movies shot to the top 10 movies on the platform in the US. We all missed the cringey and, honestly, problematic love triangle of Edward, Bella, and Jacob.

That’s it, y’all! That’s what I streamed this month! If you’re looking for a good film, or series, to spend your weekend watching, check these out!

Catch you next time,

My Favorite FREE Resources for Bloggers

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Hey y’all!

If you are just starting out as a blogger or need a little content pick me up, this post is for you! When I started blogging years ago, I remember feeling lost and didn’t know the first place to start. With a few years under my belt and some good advice from others, I have a learned a few great tips for blogging and content creating!

+ Free Stock Photos

There are a lot of great websites to find good quality stock photos that are royalty free, meaning you can use them without paying for them. My go-to websites for free stock photos are Unsplash and Pixabay. I use Pixabay for vector images and illustrations to give posts a little pop of color and something fun. Unsplash has a lot of really good photos and the quality is A+! I have seen some bloggers use images from Unsplash to fill in content gaps on Instagram and while that’s not really my personal style, Unsplash’s high caliber photos look great on all social media.

Tip: make sure you know where you are allowed to use images! Different websites have different rules!

 

+ Editing Websites & Apps

So you are ready to make your own Instagram stories but you aren’t sure where to find free templates that actually look good. Look no further- I gotchu! My top two websites for templates, banners, and a bunch of other projects are Canva and Crello! Canva is what I used from day one and their styles and options have only gotten better. They do have a paid premium subscription option but I still use my free account! I utilize Canva for my Facebook and Instagram stories, post templates, making fun social media quizzes, a a lot more!

Crello also has a paid membership option available but the free account has a lot of access to editing tools and templates. If I can’t find something I like on Canva, I’ll jump on Crello and check out what they have. Their animated post options are really cute and I have used those for a few different posts. If you check out Crello, I recommend looking at their templates for Instagram video stories!

 

+ Photo Editing

Girl, yes throw the filter on that photo! I never used to use filters and sister, let me tell you- filters change the entire game! If you have some dark light, the right filter is going to light everything up and smooth it all over.

VSCO (yes, like the VSCO girl stereotype!) is a wonderful free app for filters that do the job. However, the number of filters is limited for the free version! There are currently 10 filters available for free, but if you want to invest on a paid membership, it is $20 for a full year and that allows complete access to the app and editing tools.

Snapseed is the other app I use! I haven’t played around with it a lot but it is a good resource for editing! I learned most of how it worked by sitting down and trying out all of the options and going by trial and error, but that’s also how I learn best. I’m sure there are other apps out there that are better but Snapped is free so I can’t complain!

 

+ Join Facebook Groups and Instagram Pods!

Facebook groups for bloggers are a fun way to make friends, get some of your blog posts views, and to expand your blog’s followers. It’s completely free to join groups on Facebook and I promise you that you are going to find people you will click with!

Instagram pods/messaging groups are another way to get engagement on your posts, plus you can interact with new and upcoming bloggers or influencers. Supporting fellow bloggers is an awesome way to get out there!

I hope that some of these tips may have helped you and given you some ideas to get started on your blog! Drop your blog links down below! I would love to read some of your posts and support you!

Until next time,

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Featured image by

Nick Morrison on Unsplash

What’s The Big Deal About Dating Apps?

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Hey y’all!

In today’s day and age, there is a dating app for everyone. If you want a sugar daddy/mama, there are plenty of apps to choose from. Like distinguished gentlemen? You’re in luck, there’s apps for that too!

Since I have been single for a hot minute now, I thought it would be a good idea to get back out there and see what’s up. I’m still not sure if it was a mistake or not, but I ended up downloading two of the App Store’s most popular dating apps: Bumble and Tinder. If you don’t know about the two apps, Bumble is a bit different from other apps, as the female has to initiate contact with the man. It’s not a bad idea, because it does save your inbox from being assaulted with invitations for quick hook ups as soon as you make a match. That takes us to Tinder! I have gotten way more interest on Tinder than on Bumble, but only 1 out of the 20 something men I matched with/talked to was sincere about starting a relationship.

A lot of what blows my mind with dating apps (more specifically Tinder) is how easy it makes the hookup culture. Send a few good messages and you may have someone coming over. Coffee and a good conversation to get to know each other feels like it is no longer there. I’m not shaming hooking up, it’s up to everyone to figure out if it is for them! Sometimes no strings attached is the way to go if we are being honest. But sometimes it would be nice to try to be wooed before jumping straight into bed!

So the big question is: what’s the big deal about dating apps?! You have to make an assessment on someone based off of their pictures, bio, and, if you match, a good opener. It’s the window shopping of the dating scene. I’ve always started out as friends with anyone I was going to date, so just sending a quick “hey” and talking completely over a chat is still a bit foreign to me. However, there are pros to the list. If you end up not liking someone, you can unmatch with them and boom, you don’t have to talk to them anymore. Ghosting people is so easy to do and typically neither party gets hurt. We just go back to swiping for more fish in the sea. And speaking of swiping, it gets addicting so you should probably limit how much time you spend on dating apps. I’ll jump on and look up a second later and an hour has already gone by. It’s dangerous!

Dating apps have helped with the boredom that comes from quarantining from the COVID pandemic. It kills a bunch of time throughout the day and you can spark mini conversations with people and stay connected. So while it may be a scary business to talk to random strangers on the internet, it is still a little thrill to be hit up and poured with compliments, even if they are just trying to crack your shell for a good time.

If you decide to download a dating app, just be safe! There are some creepy people but there are way more good guys and girls out there!

Happy dating!

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T-Town and U-Haul Rentals

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Hey y’all! 

Life update: I am leaving the small town life behind and am headed for the big city! This journey has been sad, happy, exciting, and heartbreaking all rolled into one package, but I am ready for what the future holds. Being able to spend time with my girlfriends has made the transition a lot easier and having the ability to come back and see them is relieving and a blessing! Trying to make new friends is a scary idea and I am grateful that I have my circle from home! 

“After all, seasons change, so do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it’s comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart, and if you’re very lucky, a plane ride away.” – Carrie

So with all that going on, going back to my hometown of Tulsa with my best friend and basically other half to spend some girl time has been a savior. If you know me at all, you know I am known to stress out (any meditation tips are welcome, y’all!), and getting away to have some fun time is the best way to kill stress! 

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One of my favorite things about Tulsa is their art! If you go to downtown, there are murals on buildings that pop out and show you the love people have for expression! One of my favorite murals is a Star Wars themed wall with Princess Leia and Boba Fett! The creativity is endless and all of the local artists make Tulsa pop with color! 

After countless moving boxes getting packed up, a few shed tears, and lots of questioning, tomorrow is the day for a new adventure and the power to make the best out of what has felt like a frustrating and brick wall of a situation. To all the friends who have taken a minute to check on me, ask if I am okay, and put up with me while I vent a few things out, thank you! You mean the world to me and I am thankful for you every day that I wake up. 

Once things are settled and I have an office space to work in, Glitz and Glitter is getting a new makeover and touched up. It’s only a little piece of the adventure pie I have in store! Get ready for fun things! 

Until the U-Haul gets returned and the boxes are unpacked,

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Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Happy Life

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Hey y’all!

It’s no secret that I have been in and out in the past few months and a lot of that is because I have been searching. I have felt so lost since I started college way back in August and it only got worse after I left school in October. I’ve had four jobs since college, no idea where I’m going, and lots of flipping and flopping around. Finally, I’ve started having a step to what I have been searching for.

I’m finally in a work environment that I love and where the people love you back, and let me tell you, for me personally, that means so much. If you think about it, you will probably spend more time at work interacting with co-workers than you do at home during the week. That’s a lot of time to be around people and I hope you enjoy their company. Having friends at work is amazing and having ones that support you and make your day better by just being there is the best.

My dream for years has been to join a school where I can eventually work in conservation to help sea turtles and rehabilitate them. I talked with a school for a few months and after talking with my awesome advisor more, I made the jump and applied- and was accepted! Another step to chasing my dream.

I talk a lot about fitness, eating good foods, and trying to be overall healthier to my body and mind. Losing weight is something I would love to be able to do in the blink of an eye but I cannot do that. However, after consistently going to the gym and making better decisions, I have finally started to lose some weight and I feel so much healthier! Something I love to help me keep track of my day is Lifesum (yes, we have been through this before, I know!).

Lifesum is a free app that helps count your calories, keep track of drinking water, find yummy recipes, and so much more. I would love to be a Super Human and be able to drink only water, but I love a good Diet Coke every now and then, too! Lifesum helps me keep track of all of that! A feature that I love is the barcode scanner! When you eat something, all you have to do is scan the barcode on the packaging and it will probably have it in the system already so all you have to do is add it to your daily food log! It’s easy and quick!

I feel so much healthier than I used to and staying with a routine has been one of the best things I have done. My tip: use all the resources you can, drink lots of water, and find a workout buddy to keep you (and them!) accountable. I work out with my lovely boyfriend Caleb at least 3 times a week and we are stronger for it!

Your body holds deep wisdom. Trust in it. Learn from it. Nourish it. Watch your life transform and be healthy.” – Bella Bleue

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*This post is not sponsored by Lifesum or their affiliates. I just love the app!
*Feature cover photo Oliver Cole on Unsplash

Current Favorite Influencers

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Hey, guys! Happy Monday!

I don’t know about you, but I love finding new influencers with amazing content and sometimes I just want to give them the recognition that they deserve! I’m coming at you with a list of amazing women that you should follow!

Jessica Kelley @therealmrskelley

Not only is Jessica a body positive role model in my life, but she is a positively fearless and confident woman who is  unapologetically herself. I can’t tell you how much of a difference it makes to have someone on your feed who is showing that they love themself. I used to hate what I saw in the mirror and I have slowly started to change my view on myself. If I could copy anyone’s style, it would be hers!  Jessica also has a lot of cool content on plants, DIYs, and makeup, so check her out on Instagram and give her a follow!

 

Bekah Martinez @whats_ur_sign

Bekah is another strong woman who shows the world that women are a force to be reckoned with! I first saw Bekah when she was on The Bachelor and she was instantly my favorite! There’s something about her spirit that is so calming and peaceful and I love the presence she has. She recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and watching her entire pregnancy journey was stunning. Bekah has such a positive attitude and all of the products that she endorses are from good brands that I always end up loving. Another fun fact? She and her friend Jess have a really cool podcast called Chatty Broads!

Malori Clark @malorisclark & A Walk Through My Closet

Y’all, I have known Mal for a while now and her sassy spirit and good heart are infectious. She was one of my first blogging friends and it is such a joy to see her grow and get the audience she deserves! It’s so exciting to see a friend get more features and recognition and Malori deserves it! I love her content and fashion style and I love trying to recreate her outfits with items I have in my closet. If you want to follow someone with great style, go follow Mal on Instagram and read her blog A Walk Through My Closet!

These three ladies are some of my favorite influencers and I hope you check them out! Who is your favorite influencer? Let me know in the comments below!

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What’s New

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Life is a crazy and beautiful trip. Some destinations are hectic and a wild mess, but the next stop is beautiful and breathtaking. I started a new chapter of my life in August when I left for college and I thought I had everything figured out. I was going into art School, I had a stable university job, and my life was playing out how I thought it would. I was going to be successful and my life was great. It’s funny how when I think it is all rainbows and sunshine things change and I am in the middle of a hurricane. I had almost everything I thought I had wanted. But as life goes, things changed. I fell back into my depression, I did not want to be at college, and all I wanted was to be at my escaping place back at home. I hated my life. What I thought my major was going to be changed and I began to do the confused jump of “well maybe I will like this degree” and back and forth on what I wanted to do.

Cut to the end of October and I’m talking to my parents in a mess of tears and uncertainty. The decision I made that day will effect me for a while and it took some time to realize that it would be okay. My decision: I was going to completely withdraw from my university. I let my university know and despite their prompting for me to stay and seek counseling on my situation, I packed up up my room and belongings and moved back home. In a week of being home, I had the job that I had wanted since June lined up and I was making my way.

It took a lot of tears and tough choices, but I am finally in a spot where I am happy, I am at peace, and I love how my life is going. Out of all of this, people have kept telling me to go back to school and not to give up on that, but the truth is, I am living my life and not theirs. I do want to go back to school eventually but right now I am living for today and saving up for my future. College isn’t for everyone and that is okay. You don’t have to be in college and taking exams to know your future will be “good”. I learned that by realizing I hate college right now.

So make decisions for yourself. Make choices that will make you happy. It is your life and it’s okay to ask others on their opinions but you can’t live your life based on them. If I did that, I would still be in college, I would be in a dorm, and I would be on my way to a career where I would not be happy. It is insane for me to tell people that I left college to be a barista back in my hometown but the fact of it is that I am so much happier now than I was. This is the life I have wanted for a long time. I have peace now.

So even in the hard times, just keep in mind that it will be okay and things will play out. There were nights where I silently cried myself to sleep and all I wanted was to be at home with my best friend and our family. I’m sitting here on a Tuesday afternoon in a coffee shop while people drive by and come in for a cup of coffee and I am

“Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.”

-Carol Burnett

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Absences & Mind Sets

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Hi, friends!

I hope you are all having a great week and a fabulous summer. Here in Oklahoma we are experiencing another season of uncomfortable heat and it is less than fun to be sure. I’ve been pretty absent here and on my social medias lately. Taking breaks from blogging is never fun and I am the worst at taking them. I always think I stay away for too long and when I do end up coming back to blog, it won’t be worth it. Welcome to the highs and lows of Mimi. So in every aspect, I let myself down when I set goals for the month because I get sidetracked or things happen and my focus goes away.

With college starting up really soon, I know I am not going to be here as much as I used to be or as much as I would like to be. And you know what? That’s okay. It isn’t going to be the end of the world and the universe won’t explode if I don’t have a consistent blogging schedule. I would rather get a degree and work in my passion.

As for mind sets (Because we all could use a super positive mindset where we only build ourselves up!), I am working on mine. I don’t like being confused and right now, I feel majorly confused about everything that is going on in my life. The balance has been knocked out of alignment and that really freaks me out. With major life changes happening, I know that it is normal to feel this way and to want things to be centered again. Going with the flow is not one of my strong suits and I need to work on trusting that everything is going to work out.

One of my favorite songs is “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Don’t worry about a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright
Singing’ don’t worry about a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright

It is relaxing and is my go-to song for when I am about to have an anxiety or panic attack. All I have to do is plug in the music and let it flow into my soul.

So in all of the changes going on in my life and through all the confusion, I’m trying to remember that it is going to be okay. Going with the flow is good. My wish for you is that you can go with the flow, too. Let’s all relax and “Rise up this mornin’
Smiled with the risin’ sun.”

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CaseApp Tech Gear

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Happy Friday, friends!

If you love phone cases and laptop skins like I do, you are going to love today’s post! CaseApp was kind enough to collaborate with me and I ordered two laptop skins for my MacBook Pro to spice it up. I also had the honor of hosting a giveaway on my Instagram last month with CaseApp, so if you missed out on that, make sure to follow my Instagram account so you will stay updated on when I post new giveaways!

The ordering process was really simple and if I had any problems, my PR rep Tobias was there to help me. There are a lot of skins to choose from for different laptop sizes that are all stylish and modern. If you have a phone that fits one of their case sizes, you will find a phone case or skin that you love! My phone is an odd model so there weren’t any case sizes that would fit it, thus my choice in ordering two laptop skins.

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YOLO Vivianne MacBook Pro Skin

When I was getting ready to order everything, I had 5 favorites that I couldn’t make my mind up on. A lot of “but this one is so gorgeous, too!” later, I narrowed things down to my top two favorite designs. YOLO Vivianne and Spring Flowers are my two favorite designs and they fit my personal style so well.

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Spring Flowers MacBook Pro Skin

Spring Flowers is so gorgeous and caught my eye immediately! I love the detail the little strawberries add to it and the pastel colors are beautiful.

CaseApp ships worldwide and all of the MacBook Pro skins (US priced) are $29. Since this post is going up so late, the code I had for you guys that was on my Instagram has now expired. There are a lot of bloggers who collaborate with CaseApp though, so if you support and follow fellow bloggers, one of them is sure to have a code you can use for a small discount!

Another fun fact about CaseApp: you can design your own phone case, skin, or laptop skin in their creator studio! Just select the size of your phone or laptop and then begin designing your own personalized tech gear! This feature is great if you want a family photo to be your laptop skin or phone case.

Check out CaseApp here and start browsing their designs!

I hope you had a great holiday weekend if you live in the US and that you celebrated the 4th of July safely!

See you next time,

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