D.C.

My week has been a complete whirlwind since Tuesday.  As I mentioned I went to D.C for a couple of days to complete my citizenship testing.  Thankfully I passed & now I just have to wait for an appointment to take my pledge.  

I have a longer blog to post about my Citizenship in the near future but today I wanted to  post a few pictures from my quick trip to the Capital.

To celebrate the passing of my test we stopped by Georgetown Cupcakes.  I have never seen their show & didn't go in there with high expectations.  Cupcakes often look better than they actually taste.  I have to say these were amazing, they were the perfect size, great flavor & the icing was light.  If you visit you must try the Cookie & Cream. 

We also stopped by World Market to stock up on some of my favorite English items then we popped in some fun stores like Kate Spade.   I really do love the Capital, its a great city & filled with so much culture, however I can't stand the traffic!!

When I returned to work I was greeted with patriotic treats & decorations.  I mean how sweet are they?  Thank you Beth & Tricia. 

  

Snail Mail

As outdated as snail mail is it's so lovely to receive a hand written letter or package, luckily I have some amazing people in my life who pop little treats in the post for me. I however am the worst at responding. I have the best intentions & ideas but with my jobs I never get around to it.

Recently, I found an old box full of letters from friends in England sent after I moved to America.  Reading those letters flooded my mind of memories & emotions. Then I discovered letters that had never been opened. They had been stored while in College & never seen until now!! Ridiculous I tell you ridiculous!  Only would this happen in my life!

Reading them was so bitter sweet. I was extremely thankful for the sweet notes from people I love & miss yet I am upset that I never read or responded to them.  For many reasons; work, money, greencards & visa processing, I have not been able to spend a lot of time in England over the years & it has broken down my friendships. I can’t help but think that if I had spent more time communicating through letters in the pre-facebook world that we would still be close friends today.

The letters made it more apparent to me that I have placed importance on the wrong things in life like work, which lets be honest that hasn't got me where I want to be in life.  My choices clearly have held be back.  As I continue to create a life of intention friendship has to be at the top of the list.  I need to spend more time reaching out even if it’s been years since I have seen someone & actively following through. I may have the best intentions to send a note/text/call/visit but how does that person know I care if I never follow through?  I know part of the distance is insecurity that the friendship will not be the same & that I am not happy with where I am in life, but the longer I wait the more awkward it becomes. 

ok moving on! I'll stop the "im feeling sorry for myself" part & onto something superficial, cause superficial is more fun.  Writing letters means I definitely need new stationary! Which one do you like best?

You all know I love some glitter so the Jess LC ones are perfect & I love the elegance & humor in the "holla back yo" lol

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 

Grateful

I am taking a training class at work that focuses on Energy and basically living a life of intention.  I am a faithful reader of Make Under My Life and am constantly attempting to create my life with intention and this class is just enhancing that focus.  In class they suggested writing down what we are grateful for, I decided to be open and do this on my blog.  

Whether is something small or something Huge l I am excited to start the day off on a positive note.

Today I am grateful to have reconnected with my college roommate Ann.  We have drifted apart over the years even though I always thought about how her and her family were doing.

I have always considered Ann a great friend, even when though we have not had much contact over the last few years.  Lots of people, my self included, think just because you care about others that means you are a great friend.  Unfortunately, this is not true.  Caring is great but actions are so much more, it proves you are a great friend, it shows you will be there for them anytime.

As I work on where I want my life to be, I know friendship is one of my highest priorities. I can't simply just care anymore I need to invest my time into my friendships that are positive in my life and shift away from negative energy.

lets talk about someone else....

I am having having trouble with things to blog about.  I have plenty to say but not sure that I should always say it lol or that you would want to read it.  I want to find a more clear direction for the blog not just my random postings.  So while I ponder that I figured I would talk to you about one of my friends.

My friend Blair is a TV obsessed, comedian of sorts.  You know the type of guy who always says "that's what she said" and half the time it isn't funny or doesn't make sense? Ok well actually he is really funny, I just like to give him a hard time about his sexist jokes :) He also literally knows everything about about sitcoms and whats going on in TV.  Not so good with my genre of murder mystery shows tho, he doesn't share my love of NCIS but he will watch the Kardashians with me :)

His dream would be to be on SNL or 30 Rock and make millions of people laugh.  He has been writing/producing/acting in skits since he was little and has even worked with MTV.  So I want to introduce you to his latest project "Tuned Out". 

"TUNED OUT is a documentary-style sitcom, locally produced in Roanoke, Virginia. The series begins when a camera crew shows up to follow the daily antics of a small-town, religious radio station “Good God FM”.

Little does the staff know that the station has been sold and flipped to a “Top 40″ format… which comes to light with the hire of a new disc jockey who has to break the news. Now, the inept staff has to adapt to the unfamiliar and then the chaos ensues. 

In addition to the changes on the surface, the personal lives of the new “Pop FM” begin to unravel… like a highly dysfunctional soap opera!"

Now the show can be a little controversial to some but in a light hearted way! Plus he is a preachers kid, so he feels he has a pass when it comes to religious jokes :)

You can watch the show on Youtube or at tunedouttv.com.  If you are in NYC you can also watch it every other Sunday at 11-PM on MNN-4 in NYC (TW-67, RCN-85, Verizon-36). How exciting that his show is on in NYC? He could possible be making millions laugh without SNL!

Part of this blog kind of sounded like a match.com ad for Blair, well ladies he's single, has a car and job, which in this economy is always good! So let me know if your interested :) 

5 o'clock somewhere

I am on my afternoon break from work and all I can think about how gorgeous the weather looks through the boring white office blinds AND how I want one of these ......

credit

I love Spring evenings sitting on a deck with a frozen margarita, (minus salt, that ruins the drink for me, I want it super sweet) enjoying good conversation and laughs with friends and family.

Tonight I am hitting the town for a co-workers 21st birthday and can't wait to enjoy a couple of cocktails!! Oh to be 21 again! Actually 25, 25 was a good year for me :)

Whats you favorite spring moments??

P.S Remember to enjoy the little things this weekend!!

My 20!

So I really want to blog about my trip to Atlanta but I haven’t found the time during being ill, working and watching NCIS re-runs to upload the pictures.  A travel post is coming soon, I promise!  I promise because I know all 13 of my followers really want to know about my trip right? J

Anyway in the meantime I did find time to catch up on my blog reading obsession.  So while I was over at Kendi Everyday, I decided to click on one of her sponsors 20besttwenty.com is a really great site that shows you to 20 best items created by independent retailers across the world.  I began reading about their guest curator for the current best; she decided to share her 20 best (favourite things).  So I took the inspiration to write my 20 best:

1. Coke a Cola ~ nothing like an Ice cold coke on a summer day.
2. My Tiffany Notes Necklace.
3. Eating Pizza outside the Pantheon in Italy.
4. Genuine Laughter.
5. Reconnecting with old friends.
6. Play dates with my friends children.
7. Dressing up.
8. Theme Parties.
9. The flight to England.
10.  Original Art from Street Vendors.
11.  Sunset at Montmartre.
12.  NYC.
13.  Romantic Comedies.
14.  MAC Make Up.
15.  Armani Jeans.
16.  Driving with the windows down and sunroof open listening to great music.
17.  Summer Barbeques with Friends and Families.
18.  Dancing – all forms.
19.  A cool crisp night in Fall.
20.  Spontaneous Road Trips.

         

What are your 20 best?

I am NOT smarter than a 5th grader!

In England Pub Quizzes are a staple in most local drinking establishments.  My Mum and Dad used to go every Monday when I was little.  Since I moved here when I was 17 I never had the opportunity to join in on the quizzes but LOVE trivia, I might suck but I love it.

Well my friends told me about Quiz night at a local Irish bar here in Roanoke and invited me to join them yesterday.  I knew I wouldn’t be much of an asset to the team but thought it would be fun anyway.  I think I’m a person of average intelligence but didn’t know a lot of the answers ugh.  I know a lot of random facts but few things relevant to this quiz!

Here are some of the questions:

Name all Seven Men’s and Women’s Olympic Gymnastics competitions. Um what? I have no clue, I get bored watching the Olympics and I’m obviously not into sports unless its soccer and then it has to involve either David Beckham, Manchester United or England! lol.

Name all the main characters on the Addams Family. Not so bad, I did dress up as Wednesday for Halloween once.

How many steps are in Big Ben? Ah a question about England, I should know it right? Of course not! I don’t think anyone is even allowed up there! I guessed 235 but it’s really 334! So remember to place that little fact in your random knowledge folder incase someone asks you lol

However I did get this question right!!

Whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta? LADY GAGA of course J Paws up little Monsters lol

(credit)

Anyway, it was a fun night and hopefully ill go again and study before hand J

Off to Atlanta this weekend to shop for Stella Jewelry and enjoy some Southern Hospitality!  Hope everyone is enjoying the lovely weather.  I can’t wait for Spring!

My Week

I know you are all patiently waiting to know how my week went, right?  Oh your not? Ok well I’m going to share anyway. J

Last weekend was not very eventful.

It started out sad by going to support a friend who lost her father.  I know she will be ok but it hurts me to know she has to go through the pain I remember so strongly from when I was a child.  Times like this renew my thoughts on loving your family and friends as much as you can and making sure they know you do.  Sometimes that’s hard to do, life gets busy, people make mistakes and hurt each other but regardless if you care about someone we should always take a second to tell them.

Saturday ~ I helped a high school friend pick out her Wedding Dress.  I was excited to help; I love shopping and love looking at the dresses.  She asked me to make her a Bridal headpiece because I’m “creative”; I know what she wants and am pretty confident I can make it but what if she doesn’t like it?  It’s the most important day of her life; I don’t want her to be disappointed.  Oh and I won’t see her before the wedding so I won’t know until then if she likes it or not agh! 

Sunday ~ I spent most of the day de-cluttering my life, throwing away things I don’t need and getting things together to donate or sell.  It felt good to clear out the unnecessary things I had laying around.  I know this will help simplify and organize my life.  I also went grocery shopping, I never do a real grocery shop, so I got things to pack lunches for work and light snacks instead of junk food!!

The rest of the week I have spent my spare time with friends and family.  I had a girl’s night with my Mum; we went shopping and got some great deals, had our hair done and went to dinner.  Unfortunately the service at dinner was horribleL.  Yesterday; I met some girls from my part time job and went to one of their son’s basketball game.  8 yrs old playing sports is sooo cute, he scored 3 pts and played great.  You can tell they love just playing to play and aren’t upset if they loose.  The other team however I feel is in a mini basketball boot camp.  They were running plays and had hand signs it was crazy to see them soo into the game on a serious level.  

On the business front, I made some new pieces and bought a printer.  I know exciting stuff buying a printer. I also participated in DIY Desgin Your Life.  You may have already read the blog from earlier in the week if not take a look.  I wrote out six intentions I want to fulfill in my life.  It was great to write out my goals and I have had some great feedback from friends as well as those in the blogging world.  Plus my blog was mentioned on one of my favorite blogs makeunderyourlife.com, very exciting!

Today is 11 days into my No Fast Food February and I haven’t stopped at any fast food joint.  I am reevaluating which local restaurants may be consider fast food too.  Plus I am down to two cokes a day and only water after 7 pm.  FYI caffeine withdrawals suck! 

Our First Etsy Order

Last week I mentioned I had uploaded eight of our pieces to Etsy.  I was really excited to get that started. It takes a long time to get good/decent pictures taken to ensure the product looks accurate for the buyers to see.  Then you need to ensure the descriptions entice the consumer and tags are appropriate for people to find the products.

It took me approximately three hours to finish the first eight and I am still not happy with the titles and descriptions.  I know I can't learn the easiest and best ways for online selling immediately and trying to keep that in my mind but I am frustrated with how long it took to add so few items.

Then comes today and I find out we made our first sale on Etsy.  This honestly made my day.  It was the little boost that made me feel those three hours last week were worth it.  I should provide a disclaimer here that the buyer was my college roommate but still our first sale. Plus so she lives in a different state so its a legitimate business deal, right? Renatta is a natural when it comes to looking stylish and never has a bad outfit in my opinion. This makes the sale a little sweeter because if she likes our product it must be relevant. I hope :)

These are the earrings Renatta purchased, I can't wait to see her rock these!

Thank you Renatta for being our first online customer <3

Starting to create....

So as my first week not working at my part time job comes to an end I thought I would go over the baby steps I’ve taken to create my new life and career.

The weekend ~ As I mentioned, I went to Charleston SC to get away for a couple of days and see a friend.  It was a great break and I was able to find some cute beads for my business.  I also had a bunch of ideas for a photo shoot for my summer collection by the water and downtown.

Monday ~ I spent the Morning with my Mum shopping for things for her store.  Then went to Blacksburg with Tricia (friends/business partner) to visit Beadsburg only to find out after 30 mins of the GPS taking us all over that the store was closed on Monday’s lol 

Then I got to see the beautiful baby Brianna.  Rachel and Matt definitely made one cute little love muffin!!  I fell in love immediately and cannot wait until she is around 1 or 2 yrs old and can talk and be animated J

 Isn't she the cutest!!!!

Although, I didn’t get to much business stuff done it was great to have a day off and see some of my favorite people.  My life needed this; I see some of my friends a lot and others never.  Working less will hopefully make it easier for me to make time for people who I care about.

Tuesday ~ I met up with Jenna a friend and photographer (she a new blogger at http://birdseyeviewoflife.blogspot.com/ go follow her) to talk about a photo shoot for my Spring Jewelry Collection.  We spent most of the time talking, like girls do,  but did come up with some great concepts.  Right now, I am leaning towards a very girly tea party think a little Alice in Wonderland.  Lots of tea cups and clocks with the model in a cute spring dress, or just a cute downtown photo shoot.  I want something bright and fun.  Another idea was to convince a local Cupcake store to let us shoot there for some of the pictures! I am indecisive so I need to think about this some more.  Let me know your opinions! I would love to hear them.

Wednesday ~ I got quite a bit of the Spring Collection started.   Not completed but started and there is a clear direction I am going in.  I want the collection to be girly and feminine with some pieces that have a little edge to them.   

Bad Blackberry pick but this is a piece I'm currently working on.

Thursday ~ Continued to work on my Spring Collection and placed some supply orders.

Friday ~ I plan to relax and not doing anything business or work related.  Just a good chill night maybe go see No Strings Attached.  Has anyone seen it?

Weekend Away

I love love to travel and if I could that's all I would do!  This past weekend I drove down to Charleston S.C. to see my friend Brianna.  It was great to get away and to see one of my favs. 

I am officially in love with Charleston.  The buildings are gorgeous, I would love love love to live in a house downtown and be able to walk to work everyday and do something I love.  Maybe a little jewelry boutique with other fab accessories.  King Street reminds me of shopping the high streets in England and I love it.  Sure the mall is nice when the weather is bad but I love being able to enjoy a day outside and shop at the time same time.  I love the chill/relaxed atmosphere of the town and that although it is a beach town, their downtown didn't have a cheesy beach feel.  I love the independent unique stores and the cute 7yrs old selling hot chocolate outside their house to raise money for "microasia".

How cute is this house?  It kind of reminds me of the house in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.  How relaxing would it be to sit on the porch in summer with a cool lemonade?

* www.plantware.com

Next time I go I hope to set up a little photo shoot for my jewelry and to take their Candle Light Ghost Tour.  Has anyone ever been and taken the tour?

The Motherland

I haven't been back to England since 2006.  I can't believe its been that long, working 9-5 in the corporate world kind of messed me up when it comes to gallivanting all over the country/world.  Not because I don't get time off but its a lot harder to take a few weeks together with my job now as it was when I was younger.   Anyway I digress, this summer I am going home for 3 weeks and I cannot wait!! I feel complete when I am home! I love living in America most of the time but there is just a sense of belonging when I go home that I don't have here.

A few reasons I am counting the days until I'm home:

1.  I get to see my childhood best friend get married!

2.  Catching up with long lost friends.

3.  Real Fish and Chips!

4.  I get to see my family!

5.  Going to a Pub, there is something about a Pub that no bar here has.

6.  Shopping in Manchester ~ I miss shopping there, the mall in Roanoke just doesn't cut it.

7.  Childhood memories ~ visiting places that I loved when I was little is always a good feeling.

8.  London ~ some friends from here are meeting up with me to visit London.  I can't wait to show them why I love my motherland :)  The museums, palaces, stores, restaurants, clubs.  I can't wait.

9.  English Chocolate and candy!

10.  Having my accent back for a few weeks lol.

 * 10 over the last 12 yrs my accent has almost disappeared. Unless I'm with my family, upset or maybe a little tipsy.   Some of this is on purpose, my job requires me to talk a lot and its really annoying when people say you talk to fast, I don't understand you or make fun of the way you say can't.  So I try to slow it down, use American words like soda instead of pop.  Unfortunately, I can't change the way I say CAN'T and many people think I'm saying "c*nt* lol 

            *yourlocalweb.co.uk

The manor above is Astley Hall, it is now a museum on the edge of my old Village.  I have visited the Hall probably hundred's of time.  When I was eight I had my Ballet pictures taken there, my mum used to hold events their and my friends I walked past it everyday walking to and from school.  This place is not the most exciting place in the world but I have great memories and it is full of history from hundreds of years ago.  They have a shoe that Oliver Cromwell left there when he was travelling and they filmed Moll Flanders their when I was in High School. 

30 before 30

So I wrote my 30 before 30 quite sometime ago so now I have a blog I found it fitting to post it.  I thought it would be easy to find 30 things I want to do but I was wrong, creating a list of 30 things to do before I turn 30 was tough. 


I can’t believe how fast my 20’s have flown by, for the most part they were pretty amazing but I have realized that I left work control my life and that’s not how I ever pictured things to be. Starting today I will still work hard but I will play harder and enjoy everything. I have been given a great life with amazing people and that is more important that my work life ever will be.


I may change some of these in the next week but for now this is my list.


1. I want to start my blog! So done :) lol I’m not crossing this one off until I have been consistently updating the blog throughout the year.


2. Visit my friends all over England ~ Going in August for my childhood best friends wedding!


3. Visit my old friends.

4. Take a Photography class.


5. Update by blog with my photography fails and successes.


6. Take French again and remember it this time.

7. To fully Launch Stella Jewelry. They say find something you love and you will never feel like its work. I truly love making jewelry and hope this can be my career sooner than later.


8. To stick it out with college classes, college isn't for me but I now know its something I want to complete.


9. Actually read and enjoy a fiction novel. I am not a huge reader unless it’s some juicy celeb gossip online so I would love to actually make my way though a book and enjoy it.


10. I danced from the time I was 2-17 and then I moved to America and never danced again. I am not sure why I decided not to start again but it’s something I regret so before I am 30 I vow to at least take one dance class. Probably hip hop, those routines are always by favorite on SYTYCD. ~ thinking about taking Zumba now.

11. Take my Mum to a SYTYCD show, she’s obsessed with the show and I know to see them in person would bring her such joy ~ Took my mum for her birthday it was soo fun!


12. To send a celebrity my Jewelry :) hopefully they I will spot it on one of my gossip sites :)


13. To visit Salem, MA in the fall.


14. To actually rest and relax on a vacation.


15. Make cupcakes from scratch and learn to decorate them like a professional.


16. Send all my out of town friends a letter through snail mail. Who doesn’t love something in the mail that’s not a bill or junk mail :)


17. Clear out my closets and donate anything I do not need.


18. To organize all photographs and scrap books.


19. Go to a tech game.


20. Take a ghost/historic tour in Va.

21. To not eat fast food for a week, actually a month!


22. Run my mums shop for a week so her and my Dad can have a relaxing vacation together.


23. Take a trip where I don’t have to plan a thing. I am always the planner or in charge of things and it can become stressful when more than two people are involved. So I would love to just take a trip someone else has organized.


24. Take a silver smith class.


25. Stop procrastinating things.


26. This is getting tougher :) ok this one is simple enough wake up early on the weekends and take a stroll through the farmers market or downtown. Photograph this experience as I am not a morning person.


27. Workout more than once a week.

28. To find another store (other than my Mums amazing shop) to carry our jewelry.


29. To enjoy every minute of my last 10 months of my 20’s and not stress the 30s.


30. Have an amazing 30th birthday party :)
 
I hope my friends and family will enjoy this trip with me and be a part of my 30 before 30!
 

a spot of tea...

I am not sure how to start out my blog,  I have so many ideas of things I would love to write about, from fashion to travelling to memories. I have a feeling my blog is going to be quite random.  I will start of with a little about me.

First off you should know that I actually don't like tea at all but thought the name was cute for a blog.  I know weird, I'm British and don't like tea. 

So you already know I am British, what else?  Well I have lived in America since I was 17.  I am a 90's Pop Child who will always have love for the Spice Girls.  I am a fashionista wannabe, who can't bring herself to be daring with clothes!  I am an amateur make up artist, which means I buy lots of make up and sometimes practice on friends :).  I work in the corporate world and dream of my handmade jewelry making me millions, positive thinking works right? I am a part time traveller, wannabe jet setter.  A Bravo reality TV show junkie, candy lover, coca-cola addict.  I have champagne taste with a beer budget.  I am random thinker and self proclaimed detective.  I am possibly a social media addict, and cannot be without my phone, isn't that sad? I am shy and insecure at time and other outgoing and confident.  I know who I am or should say who I want to be and am ready to work on myself and my life to be the best friend, sister and daughter I can be.

YAY I've actually started my blog! 

Roxy xoxox