TOP TWELVE SHOTS of 2017

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1.   CHANDELIER LOVER

Like most ladies, I absolutely love chandeliers!  When we decided to move into a new house in January, I struck a deal with my husband.  We could buy the house, which was about 10 years old, if he let me remodel the entire thing before we moved in. I didn’t want to drag it out over time while we were living there!

My vision included cramming as many chandeliers as possible into the house!  Since we had visited Paris earlier in the year, I decided to use the inspiration from the Palace of Versailles for our little Texas home! The remodel went very smooth and we were able to move in on time!  You can see some of the blog posts here!  

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2. HOME REMODELER

This is probably the fourth home I have gotten to revamp, and it gets easier each time!  This time, I really got to have fun and not worry about boring things such as resale potential!  My dad stated, “Well, that’s great as long as you don’t need to resell it,”  after seeing the beginnings of the work! LOL!  The saying goes, everything needs to be dull, safe, simple to help with selling potential….which I refer to as vomit. It was nice not having to worry about anything except what we want.

The other great thing was that my husband had literally no input! 🙂  It was heaven to not have to debate each little thing! There’s another link here. I had to have dog friendly flooring and furniture so those were really the only requirements.

As I sit here, almost a full year later, the entire decor part is complete and now I can focus on gardens and real life.

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3. BIRD WATCHER

It’s always been a desire of mine, to be able to get up close and personal on a fresh bird’s nest.  I’d always wanted to be able to watch the babies grow!  I finally got my chance when a few months after we moved into the new house, a bird made it’s nest in a pot on my front porch!

I checked it several times a day and got to photograph the babies as they grew for a few weeks! If birds are your thing, you can see the shots here!

hummingbird

4.  HUMMINGBIRD STALKER

I find it annoying when people always talk about how blessed they are. But OMG, I feel so blessed because I’ve always thought of hummingbirds as my favorite bird…and I have tons of them that I feed now!  I spend hours trying to photograph them, and finally got a few fun shots.  Not perfect or detailed, but they speak to my heart.

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5.  FASHION BLOGGER

I work for Johnny Was Clothing, a California brand that I love…so I blog about their clothes a lot. The shot above was actually showing off a custom dress that Eshakti  sent to me, along with a Johnny Was Biya coat that I love!  Although I have made some money from my blog this year, I am not one of those people that only shows you things that I want to earn a commission on by linking to an online shop.  If it’s something I think is cool, but won’t make a dime for me…so be it.  My blog is an ongoing commercial about clothing.  What is terrible is that I could provide a lot more content due to my ongoing new supply of clothing but time is an issue. For us, if I happen to be dressed and in the mood…we snap pictures. I want to do so much more writing and hopefully this year I can get better at a lot of things…blogging being one of them!

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6.  LASH BOSS

I finally got to do something I’ve always wanted to do!  I’ve started a new business in the cosmetics industry!  After researching strip lashes for years, I took the plunge and developed my own brand, Bosscat BeautyI designed two types of silk strip lashes and decided to start the business with one product, the Glam Edition Lash BoxThe fun part was getting set up and building the first product from start to finish. Social media advertising is also fun.  This next year will be about setting up retail accounts while also growing individual online sales to help promote brand awareness. I’m proud of my work so far and can’t wait to see how it goes in 2018!

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7.  CREATIVE DIRECTOR

One of the greatest jobs that I have with Bosscat is being able to create and design products that I  hope people love!  The above is just a first shot that I took for initial marketing once my boxes first came in! I will take a little time and get better at it, but it’s a start!

dogmom

 

8.  DOGMOM

Somehow I turned into a pink loving, flamingo floating, bleach blonde, dog mom. I think it’s funny as hell.  I wanted to include this cell phone picture because it is so real.  This past summer, each afternoon for an hour, I would try to relax outside with the girls.  They love getting on floats and we just hang out and watch the birds and squirrels. It’s a little bit lonely at times to have such a simple life, but at the same time, I love peace and quiet so it’s really a cool life.

 

9. JAZZY LOVER

Being a dogmom, really started with adopting my Jazzy about 16 years ago.  She was skinny, small, not too outgoing of a personality.  She looked me straight in the eyes though, so I adopted her for the connection and her desire to understand.  We knew she didn’t have much longer, so we took all three girls on a #dogcation  a few months before she died.  She had an accidental death three days after we moved into the new house. It has not been a year yet.  I loved her and gave her a safe home for 16 years and try not to think about her accident.  She was a great little dog and this year I had to say goodbye.

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10. PET CEMETARY GROUNDSKEEPER

If you read #9….then you get why I created a Pet Cemetary in my yard!  It’s my little special place to honor Jazzy’s life and respect her with a memorial garden while having a great prayer spot at the same time!  I’ve never shared a peak before.  This next spring my biggest project will be my back yard.  It’s freezing right this minute and probably killing my palms and fruit trees so a big clean up will be in order.

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11.  WANNABE YOUTUBER

I started making a few videos again, due in part to the new Bosscat venture!  It is so hard to try to come off as your true self, and look ok, and have fun!  The thing is, that it really is fun to make videos if you have the time to put in!  This year is going to take some serious time management in order to meet my personal goals! It would be so neat to be interesting enough to do well at videos but not sure if that’s in the cards!

 

12. MAKEUP ARTIST

I made time to do makeup on a new friend this past year! I met her through work and really like her so we took a day to play! Nothing feels better than doing what you love and spending time with nice people so it was a high point for me! Leilani is a total ray of sunshine!

 

In closing…these are just a few simple pictures that help show my year, and what is important to me.  Well, some of the things anyway!  I also love President Trump, Jesus and my husband. We’re not supposed to talk about politics or serious things because we want to appear neutral.  It’s very hard to pretend to be neutral when there’s so many serious issues in the world and my conservative belief system is not in line with the previous status quo.

It irritates me when a woman mentions Trumps “ridiculous tax reform bill” which was only “for the rich” and he’s only President “to make more money for himself.” Most people who bitch about the tax reform agenda have not processed their own tax return or run a business so how would they know about tax code ?  So yes…it’s very hard to stay neutral a lot of the time.  I hope to branch out a bit and share more in the future.  Blogging is very therapeutic!

Let’s have a great 2018, everyone!

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#dogmom

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We occasionally take a minute to breathe.  we wonder how people with kids do it all.  We feel terrible for not taking the dogs anywhere so we can’t imagine how parents have the energy to do it all.  On this day, we decided the stroller originally intended for Jazzy before she passed away, would be the perfect tool to take the girls for a quick outing.

The problem with them, is that they are not around people a lot…so their manners are in need of a tune up.  They feed of of one another, so if one barks at another dog, so does the other.  By zipping them up in the stroller, we hope they can get used to seeing the world without barking at anything they see! Eventually they can graduate to their leashes. In our neighborhood, that’s how we roll but for a real outing, this seems to be the easiest way to start!

A lady walked by with a huge dog and these girls went crazy.  Jazzy would just avoid looking at anything unpleasant and never barked, so they would follow her lead. Now I just have crazy and not quite as crazy feeding off of each others kookoo vibes.

We still love them!  Although I do need to work on my ill behaved babies!  The story of how I ended up being only a dogmom is kind of funny, and was never my intent. However, we absolutely love our home life and plan on adopting another little furry soul when the right one comes along! I think I will post a video on this topic soon, because I am trying to post more videos. Pictures do not easily tell the tale and people really like videos as opposed to reading.

My eyes were watering like crazy from allergies, but I discovered Flonase this week! It really helps!

I’ve been severely sleep deprived all year from a neck issue so my husband said I look like I’m in pain most of the time, and in a lot of photos.  I am, but I try to hide it or not think about it. My blog is supposed to be my happy place, so I never mention it.  I saw a blogger years ago, who was ill…and she mentioned it in every single post. I don’t want to be that person. I also do not want to ever be a pill zombie so I work hard to do what I can outside of that. I guess i am explaining why I often crop off my head!  Honestly, it’s about the fun of clothing anyway so my sometimes tired, sleep deprived face doesn’t need to be seen unless we are showing makeup or lashes or making a video!

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SIX SHOTS for JULY 2017

sunflower

1. SUMMER

Summer is here. It’s really hot. My yard is hanging on but who will live and who will die is a crapshoot. There are some fabulous surprises here and there that pop up, though. I mean…a sunflower? Wow. I’ve never had one before but there’s something old school and groovy about them.  I feel like flowers are such a gift. Each one has something to say. This one is saying, “Hi, it’s me!  Look how cute I am!  Happy summer! Enjoy life, it’s a gift!”

 

lemon tree, Texas lemon tree

2. WHEN LIFE GIVES LEMONS

I planted a lemon tree at our old house, and literally a month later we found this one and decided to move. Imagine my joy when I had seen that we had two lemon trees that had been established for a quite a few years and produced zillions of lemons! I love nature and i feel guilty when I plant ornamental plants or shrubs because fruit bearing trees make more sense. I was thrilled to see the first sightings of lemons this summer.

angels, garden, coffee garden

3. COFFEE SPOT

Every day, after I get home from work, I change and run outside to suck out the last drops of sunlight. I sit with the dogs, listen to the birds chirp have a cup of coffee so that I can stay awake until bedtime, and I breathe in my life. I have stress. I have a million things I need to be doing. I put a lot of stress onto myself to meet timelines and achieve goals. The hour to sit, relax and enjoy some quiet time is my treat to myself. If my husband is with me, it isn’t quiet time anymore. We’re really working on spending time together doing nothing. He can’t sit still for very long so it’s a challenge. Typically, he starts piddling around, pulling a weed, trimming a shrub, watering a plant… while I relax. when I am alone though, there will be coffee and quiet with the Angels!

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4. SUMMER SMILES

Bella is a serious lady. Pool time has become our thing together. The minute I drag a float out, both dogs are wanting to jump on. Bella prefers to sit in my lap, but they will also float alone together. We literally hang out and have a peaceful time. i think it’s weird that such a nervous little dog has decided she wants to be included in pool time but the more loving and inclusive I am with her… the more she’s come out of her hard little shell. These kooky dogs are my people. I spend more time with them than anyone else. I just wanted to share this funny shot of her on the float!

Texas fig tree

5. FIG ORCHARD

I have lemon trees, pear trees and I added a fig tree earlier this year which is already producing a small amount of figs! So by “fig orchard” what I really mean is that I planted a fig tree! I guess I take cell phone pictures to share with my dad so I end up with garden shots all over my phone. I have always wanted a huge fig tree so my hope is that I do not kill it and it flourishes. I dream big.

6. THE ILLUSION OF TIME

I wish I had more time. Time is everything. We literally force ourselves to sit and enjoy 20 minutes here and there. This was a Sunday morning after church time together. Hummingbirds and cardinals were around us. I am glad he loves nature and birds as much as I do.

 

In closing, I would hate to give the impression that I think my life is perfect. It’s a lot of hard work and planning to get to a place where things work out nicely. I try to find the joy in little things. I especially try very hard to not dwell within my inner thoughts.  There is a whole world out there, in turmoil actually. To sit and spend time trying to develop an interior sanctum of peace, wellness and joy within the walls of one’s mind is not the most intellectual path…I find it more beneficial to know what is going on in the world, and be damn glad and thankful that the world’s horrors have not yet touched my own existence.  While I feel it’s important to take a certain amount of time every day to think and plan and breathe… I find myself in a centered, well state because I am thankful. If you think about the mentally “off center” people you know, there is always a common theme.  I. Me. I feel… I  think. I. I. I.

In the past, and current, I always find myself trying to council people to wellness by begging them to crawl out of their own mental sinkhole. They always tend to remain hyper focused on their own problems, past hurts and disappointments. It’s because of this that I do not believe in focusing on your own mental state repeatedly as a path to wellness. While some introspection is certainly good, mental aerobics will not get any of us to true psychological perfection. With the life quote that most not centered people often recite, “I have to love myself before I can love others”  being a prevalent mindset in society…is it any wonder there are so many broken relationships and unhappy people? How about this…“I need to love and respect others in order to feel love and respect for myself.”

I state all of  this to highlight the point that I am happy.  I love my life.  I am fortunate to have my job, a husband that I can stand on most days, and I’m not broke. I am not the prettiest woman on the planet, but I can get by. I have emotional intelligence so I am able to make correct life decisions even when it’s things that I do not want to do. We share the same perspective on every level. we love birds and animals because we know where they come from.  I have a new business in development, although no one has faith in it, I am still hopeful.  I try to operate with integrity and treat people with dignity.

It is never my intent to leave people feeling bad.  It is my hope that everyone can find happiness within the confines of imperfection. I certainly have!

 

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HOME DECOR REVAMP: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

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I have a few home remodels and revamps under my belt.  This latest one is finished.  It was just a small nest, but my husband let me do whatever I wanted so I ended up changing it from an all white bachelor pad that didn’t look lived in and transformed it into a fun, cozy nest for two.

Pretty much the only thing that is left over from his single days, is the dining table with nude angels on the base.  I mean, who doesn’t need naked angels around the house? Oh, and the single guy, creme leather sofa set in the front office.  It kills my soul, but he won’t part with it.

We took two bedrooms, and made them into our separate offices because it was a total waste of space to have spare bedrooms when literally no one ever comes to stay over night! We have sold two beds in the past 6 months, and I have one more in the garage to deal with.

This commercial grade flooring was completely scratch resistant and made life so much easier than the previous carpeting that was there before. I am using this same flooring in the bedrooms of the new house we are remodeling because it goes with anything, doesn’t show dust like dark wood flooring does and is so extremely durable and scratch resistant.

The kitchen was probably the best part of the house, with a large center island that makes cooking a lot more enjoyable.  The large crystal chandelier over it was the focal point of the area.  Black granite was used in the kitchen, as well as in the two bathrooms.  We could not bear the thought of having different counter tops throughout such a small home.

When it came time to list this home, it sold within a week. In the mind of a new homeowner, there was literally nothing a person would need a to repair or change, except perhaps the paint.  Paint is the cheapest, easiest fix for a new homeowner. Of course it is the first thing we are changing in the new place we found, along with the flooring throughout and a bathroom revamp.  (I’ll share those pictures once it’s complete!)

I had been wanting to share this little revamp of mine for months, but never had the time!  Now that we made the decision to sell, it seems the perfect time to share! We are super excited about the move and can’t wait to share the progress on that project!

-SDS

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Bye, Summer

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Bye, Summer. You kicked my ass. I gained 10 pounds because it was too hot to do anything outside.  I’ve been working in my yard all week because I neglected her all summer because of you.  The A/C in my car now needs a trip to the doctor (again) because of you.

Now, that it’s a cool, crisp 89 all week, as opposed to your sorry 100 degrees or more…I will pull out my Fall Wardrobe. There will be boots, and velvet, and layers and good hair days because it’s just about impossible to have a decent hair day when it’s 100 degrees and humid outside. The struggle is real.

The post above is from about 6 weeks ago.  I didn’t post much because it was just too hot outside to deal with reminding Ken Sjoberg to focus the camera before clicking. Ugh. He goes from Alejandro to Liverpie real quick when it’s hot.

Summer made me decide to only post when it’s fun.  I was with a friend on this day, and it was so hot and steamy outside that I decided to embrace the messy bun. 

As far as the light silk Johnny Was scarf…I literally feel naked without one on now.  I’ve sort of made a game out of the scarf thing at this point.  Each Johnny Was scarf is like a little piece of art. Things are looking up though because we are now moving into real Johnny Was Scarf Mode as Winter draws closer.

Let’s move forward together into Fall and Winter! Bring on the boots, scarves, jackets, fabrics with texture…and please Lawd…put the flip flops away by November. This is a non-negotiable.

-SDS

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