Bracelets, Youth and Music!

Good Morning Good People!

I did not post yesterday so I'm gonna try to post twice today. Had a friend to call me the other day to design a denim bracelet for her. I am proud to say the pieces turned out great and I've decided that it will be one of the handcrafted pieces I'll carry in my online store. Thanks Deonna for believing that I could do this.

Saturday!!!! I've got a meeting with Live.Seed, an organization founded by my friend Crystal Johnson that provides a platform for youth to express themselves through spoken word, art, music and drama. We're facilitating some workshops with Peace Jam at the end of next month plus we've got a youth open mic event planned July 9th. For the Peace Jam event, I'm thinking of a workshop entitled Chorus of Hope - a brief study on the choruses of songs that changed the world and how these songs were instrumental in progressing a movement.

After the Live Seed meeting, I get yet another opportunity to share the gift of music at youth choir rehearsal. We haven't had a youth choir at my church in a good minute, so I knew when I was asked to assemble and work with them, it would be a challenge. They weren't great in numbers at the Tuesday night rehearsal, but the few that came, had a heart to serve and sing. I'm excited to present them before the congregation tomorrow.

I'm working on my online store today so I've got to take some inventory pics, but before that I've got to clean this mess of a desk and tidy up my house. Talk to ya'll later.

Love Ya!

Budget on a Budget

OK, woke up too late and just not feeling a workout this morning, I'll get it in after work though. But I do have to pay some bills this upcoming week. Ya'll know I'm growing my business without a loan from a bank while working on my own debt, so that means putting my budget on a budget. This for me is simple in some ways, yet tough in so many other.

Easy because:

• I don't go out a lot, really hardly any.
• I don't eat out, because my parents, especially my dad, are the best cooks I know.
• I hardly buy anything new. I have nothing on credit in my house. All my furniture was either given to me by my parents ( as they bought new furniture for their house), from the thrift store, or Craiglist.
• I shop at the thrift store and Plato's closet for the majority of my daughter's clothes.
• I shop only sale and clearance for my clothes, plus I'm a stylist so I know how to creatively achieve several looks with one piece. Little secret of mine (Half of Half-look it up)
• My parents, especially my mom, are my biggest supporters. I don't know how I could do anything I do, especially raise my daughter, without their help.
• I stay away from WalMart best I can. That store is a trap, yea the prices are great, but unless you're superfocused when grocery shopping you will walk out with several items that are not on your list. For this reason I have come to love Big Lots and Aldi, the prices are better and the customer service is great.

I do have some budget-killers though:

• I bought a car about two years ago, which I love, but I hate paying a car note. Next time, Ill go a different route.
• Purses and Shoes-enough said, right? Though I must say I've been doing so much better. I don't switch purses as much as and I've been wearing flats to work now instead of heels.

Lately, every bit of the little disposable income I do have, has gone to growing my business. So I'm very careful about where my money goes. But that's cool cause I'm learning some critical life lessons. Now its off to make out the budget for the week.

Whew Lord

I'm tired physically and mentally today, but I got a lot accomplished. Got in a good 25 minutes on the elliptical after work , washed my car and did my daughters hair. But I promise everything in me wanted to call it a night at 7:00. The way I see it, if I'm counting on God to do something extra-ordinary in my life, I've got to make some extra-ordinary moves and prove myself worthy.

Great news! The cover has been released for the new magazine, Love Nu Art, for which I'm the Fashion Editor and Stylist. This is really not your typical, gossip, hip-hop, beauty mag, as the Publisher/Photographer/President says "it speaks to all art forms." We're having a Premiere Issue Launch Party in July, so you know I'm already searching for THE outfit. I'll tell ya'll more about this later.






So I told ya'll I would be posting pics of my natural do. I had my daughter take a few pics of me at the library where I bought two single LP's. LL Cool J - You'll Rock and New Edition - Count Me Out. I know right, I'm such an 80's child, but I shoulda been born in the 60's, cause I'm just way before my time. I have a record player and tons of classics: Earth, Wind & Fire , Billie Holiday, Milton Brunson, Miles Davis, Shirley Caesar. I even have Michael Jackson's Thriller. Music just ain't what it used to be, but I can start a totally new blog dedicated to real music. So my there's my hair and the new additions to my collection.


Gotta go now, Maddie wants to watch a Bee Movie and I want to watch the back of these eyelids; doesn't look like I'm getting to an jewelry tonight.


Good night, good people.

Love Ya!

Daily Blogger?

Can I seriously blog everyday? Great idea in theory but the actual practice is what's going to present the problem. I just need to chronicle what's going on with me cause I know God is about to do something life altering. Most of these posts will be rants and ravings in no particular order, with no beginning, no day one, no middle, no climax, no turning point, just my daily thoughts. I'm sure I'll read these later and be able to connect the dots.

As I type this I am throwing down on a bowl of this one pan casserole I quickly threw together cause #1 I was hungry and #2 I would ordinarily eat a bowl of cereal but I have no cereal. Great, right? I wish I had some cereal instead though cause I'm attempting to lose weight (which is the story of my life). Those who knew me 12 or so years ago, know that I've lost a lot of weight, maybe about 70 pounds, in my adult life. Now I'm shooting to lose 30 more.

I've learned that I've got to set a date for losing this weight cause that presents me with a challenge and I welcome challenges. I have a goal to lose 15 pounds by July 20th, which is a month from now ( I just set that goal like one minute ago) and because I told you and set it in stone on the world wide web, its got to get done. I weighed myself yesterday at the Y and brace yourselves, I am a shapely 224 pounds size 14/16. But don't be afraid, I wear it well, I just know I can wear it better at a size 10 or 12. Once I get there, I'm sure I'll want to come down more, but as I tell my daughter, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Alright, enough for tonight, I've got a grueling date with Billy Blanks at 630 in the a.m., plus I need to make or begin at least one piece of jewelry before I go to bed. Oh yeah, Ill post pics of my natural short red hair tomorrow.

Good night and God Bless, don't forget to say your prayers.

Love Ya!

So I'm supposed to be designing some jewelry tonight for a mini trunk show tomorrow, but this week has been a tad bit overwhelming for me. I've created and recreated like 6 pieces in two days for a photoshoot I styled. I wish I could sell those but I dismantled a lot of my mom's jewelry to create pieces that really flowed with the concept of the shoot. Right now I'm just too freaking tired to even think about a bead or a bauble. The show isn't until 4 so I can still get a good number of pieces finished before then.

I think I'm going to call it a night and begin the day with an early morning walk either downtown or at Shelby Farms. I must say since I've cut off all my hair, yes I cut it all (maybe not all), my workouts have been more frequent and intense. I've even added swimming to the routine. I'll have to post some pics soon. Its amazing the reactions I get when people who are used to my long flowing tracks see me. But ya'll know I will do just about anything to my hair cause I am one of the few who understands that whether long, short, red, black, nappy, straight, curly or even bald, my hair does not define me. For now, I'll keep it short and natural and we'll see where it goes from here.

That's all folks, got a busy weekend including an interview with a local bag designer and another photoshoot for Love Nu Art Magazine of which I am the fashion editor. By the way, our launch party is July 24th at 8 pm at Safari World Tapas Bar in the South Main Arts District. Tickets are $15.00 or 2/$25.00 and that includes a complimentary glass of wine. You'll get a chance to preview the mag and meet our ubertalented staff! The site for the mag will be up soon, so I'll keep you posted.

Love Ya,
Kim

What a day! Sold some jewelry and styled for a photoshoot, but I must say the highlight of my day had to be meeting with Patrick Henry to discuss the design of my custom made, handsewn bag. I just had to stop and take a breath from the excitement of typing that sentence, my custom made, handsewn bag. I'll post some pics of his work throughout the post.


Meeting with him inspired me to come home and get to work on my handcrafted jewelry. I've got some new earrings I'm working on...hope to be finished with the test pieces tomorrow. Can't wait to show those. But as I type, my scratchy throat, dry cough and runny nose remind me that I need to get in the bed early and get some rest. I rarely get sick from colds and such. I think it's because I constantly wash my hands and I try, keyword being try, to watch what I eat. So when I get sick I figure its because my immune system is weak.



I've got tons to do, like cleaning my house and finishing up some pieces but I'll have to put that to the side to take care of self. I've learned since starting this small business, that some things just have to go undone. Hopefully I'll wake up early enough to clean before heading to a 9 am meeting and then off to church.





So back to my bag and Patrick Henry. Check out his site at http://www.philipgrene.com/. You can catch him on facebook too. I know you'll love what you see!


Bed time ya'll. Bout to make a PB & J sandwich and call it a night.

Love Ya!
Kim A. B.

I haven't posted, it seems, in forever - so I'm back to update you on what's going on! So much, oh my goodness, where do I begin. On the day of my relaunch trunk show, the heavens opened up and God let us have it. I mean, I've never seen that much rain in one day. Some of my regular customers couldn't make it, but that's ok cause the ones who did come, spent well, namean (know what I mean).

I'm still working on the online store, logistics and supply chain management are just not my thing. Even though it's an extremely small business, I don't want to overwhelm myself with something I need to know more about. Many tend to think its just a matter of taking orders and mailing and while that may be true, there's so much more to it than that. Just give me time, I'll get there.

I do have alot going right now, including being the fashion editor for a new online magazine that a friend of mine is starting. Ya'll know I'm just elated about that cause I love fashion! But oh my, its been a lot of work. Yet it hasn't felt like work, cause I enjoy it so much. I'm just grateful that God is opening up doors for me, but why am I surprised, I asked him to enlarge my territory and he's doing just that.

Yea, I'm still working on growing my business, I'll be always doing that, but I've taken a few steps to the side to learn something new in the industry I desire to flourish in ...fashion! Yes I am a single mother who makes time for my daughter in spite of all I have to do, I still work full time at the University of Memphis, I am a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I still work with the youth at church, yea I'm just everywhere, but I pray for strength and God daily delivers.

Check out the pics from the trunk show on the site and be sure to book yours soon. Remember the host receives a substantial discount on select pieces and maybe even something free!

www.urchocolateboutique.com

Love Ya!

Kim