November 21, 2014

It's my birthday!!!!

Ah, on November 21, 1983 a cute bundle of joy came into the world- Ronalda was here! ^_^

So I am 31 years old today. Sigh, can't believe it. Like really, I don't feel 31 at all. I still feel like I'm 22 but with the maturity & some life experiences of a 31 year old. 


I don't feel like I look 31 either. I feel great about myself and more confident than ever. It's funny the things that as you get older you accept about your looks and yourself that other people make fun of or tease you about, or you yourself feel badly about.  I love the person I am, how I look and know that each day I get better!



So for my birthday I took the week off from work. I usually take my birthday off, if I can. If I do nothing else, as long as I am not at work, I would have had a great birthday. 



Talk a good reason to eat cake, huh? I actually am making my own birthday cake this year. My final Designer Cake class was on November 16 and I did my final cake in class. I put it in the fridge until today. I was in NYC since Sunday and cam back yesterday. 



My mother came down with me so she is here for my birthday. I went to the beach to have some delicious fish and went to visit my grandmother's grave. Seeing my grandma was a birthday tradition. This is my 2nd one without her, she is sorely missed. She was my happy place and my world. 



 Here's to another one. I'm proud of my age and announcing it. I feel grateful to have made it this far as so many others have not. My thing is as long as I don't look nor feel my age, I'll shout it from the rooftops. 


Xoxo
Ronz

November 19, 2014

Aye aye sailor

I absolutely love this jacket. It's very nautical inspired. There are anchors on the buttons too, which I thought was such a cute detail. 

There are tiny pink stripes in the jacket also for a little girly touch. Pinstripes are quite classic and literally break up the colours in an outfit. 


Jacket- Forever 21 (US$13.99, sale)
Skirt- old
Shoes- Nine West (US$40, TJ Maxx)

Xoxo
Ronz

November 17, 2014

A tribe called....Resort Chic

I just realized I have other posts with tribal print clothes in them (here, here & here). I didn't realize I had that much of the print in my wardrobe, Funny how things happen like that. 

I had worn this ensemble coming home from a staff overnight trip at Iberostar Hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Iberostar is a very lovely and big hotel. The food and staff was very good.

I was channeling my resort look. 
Top- Rainbow (US$7, sale)
Pants - Rainbow (US10, sale)
Slippers- Unisa (Mommy's)
Xoxo
Ronz

November 14, 2014

Workout look

I like to work out at home. I don't like any one seeing me or watching me. I used to go to a gym for a year and couldn't afford to sign up for another year and started exercising at home.

 I follow free weekly schedule & videos from Tone It Up. I also use some dvds I have sometimes for cardio. I never really cared what I wore to work out and would wear very drab clothes. In watching the instructors for a couple weeks I wanted nice, bright & cute workout clothes like what they would wear. They have such infectious positive attitudes which really helps with keeping motivated. 

I also started to exercise with my full length mirror in front of me, leaning against my chest of drawers. I like watching myself, it's funny. I also get to see my form- how well I am doing a move. 

Top- Forever 21 (US$5, sale)
Leggings - Danice (US$5)
Sneakers- Champion (US$25, sale)
Xoxo
Ronz

November 12, 2014

~* Island Frugalista*~ find: Ebates

If you follow my blog, you would know that I'm all for saving more and maximizing money actually spent. 

My friend Kim actually told me about this website. I had seen the ads on TV but didn't actually sign up until she told me she had used it herself. Funny thing about referrals, they can be more effective than advertisements that companies spend so much money on. It is very important to have a happy customer as they are THE best ad. 



You get cash back at any of 1,700 stores any time you start your shopping trip at Ebates.com. There are no points to redeem, no forms to mail in, and no fees.

I've used the site myself. I don't do a lot of shopping from some of the stores featured and sometimes I actually forget to go through Ebates.com- literally money wasted. It felt great thought to get a check, albeit a very small one, for purchasing a tablet for my sister last year.

Here's how it works & some tips:

  •  You log on to www.ebates.com and sign up for a free account. 
  • When you want to purchase something online, go to www.ebates.com, search for the store you are going to buy from and select it. It will take you to the store but it will note that you went to the store through Ebates and if you would be eligible for cash back
  • Ensure however that you check what exactly at that particular store the cash back offer is on. Sometimes it's specific items or departments that the cash back is offered on. The criteria also changes from time to time so make sure to check- the % cash back & also the items/departments
  • If you make a purchase and forgot to go through www.ebates.com you can contact them to send them your receipt. Do this as quickly as possible.
  • You can sign up to get email notifications to stay on top of the offers and changes
  • You can also earn money from referrals (the Tell-A-Friend tab)
Xoxo
Ronz

November 10, 2014

Fuchsia & white

I couldn't decide which one of these pictures to post so I'm posting both. ^_^

I love these shoes, they are from my favourite brand Nine West. It had a splash of orange in it as well as pink & purple. I usually have to start the outfit with the shoes first, as this shoe doesn't exactly go with everything. I just love this fuchsia cardigan & the white eyelet cotton dress. 


Cardigan- Gap (US$13, sale)
Dress- Old Navy (Mommy's)
Shoes- Nine West (US$40, Marshall's)


 Xoxo
Ronz

November 7, 2014

Pajama party

Pants that look like pajamas are all the rage now.

I love wearing pants. I was a tomboy growing up and my father also raised me and my sister like boys. He didn't want us in dresses, shorts, skirts and thin strapped tops.

I was so happy when I found this one in my size. It's hard to find my size in stores as my hips are quite broad. So when this one fit, I rejoiced - score!

I had worn this outfit when I went on Weekend Smile on TVJ to show viewers how to make cake pops as owner of Heybabycakes Cupcakes. See the interview here. The theme of the morning show on that day was Lazy Days. I demonstrated how to make cake pops the easier way. 

I loved the way the lady did my makeup. She said I didn't need much makeup as I didn't wear any. Teehee. I don't like wearing much makeup on a day to day basis. I'll wear mascara and lip gloss; but I saw the value of how much she had put on as I was going on TV. While watching back the interview it didn't look like I had on as much makeup as I felt I had on. TV makeup is definitely different from every day makeup. 

Top- Rainbow (US$5)
Pants - Danice (US$12.99)
Xoxo
Ronz

November 5, 2014

Checkered Flag

As a follower of my blog, you know I love to wear black and white. If it ain't broke right?

 I also don't like to wear red with the pairing as everyone does that and I love to be different. ^_^ I added this sweater to add some colour & brightness to my ensemble. 

I've had a post wearing similar colours (New York Taxi). Same colours, different look. 

Dress- Rainbow (from Mommy)
Cardigan- Gap (US$10, sale)
Shoes- Jessica Simpson (US$40, Zappos.com)

Xoxo
Ronz

November 3, 2014

~** HAPPY NOVEMBER **~

It's November. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why the excitement? I was born in this lovely month.

Last year for my birthday I went to Dubai (see post here). This year won't be as exciting as that but I will be grateful to make it to another year. I'm going to be 31.

Women especially don't like to say their age but I feel it's a privilege to be as old as I am. There are so many people that don't make it to 31. I am grateful indeed. 

My birthday plans are to hang with my mom, dogs and friends. My friends and I will probably do Restaurant Week as we normally do, before the actual day.  I'll be in NYC for a bit but will be home in Jamaica for the day. My mother should also be here visiting. 






Xoxo
Ronz

October 24, 2014

Paisley & Green

I couldn't decide which one of these pictures I liked better and wanted to post. I decided to post both :).

I love wearing colours and prints. This paisley shirt is great as it has so many colours and I can wear it with different colour bottoms & accessories. Items of clothing like this are important in your wardrobe so that you can get more mileage out of it as well as make the purchase worthwhile. 

In 2 years of working at my current job I have maybe repeated the exact same outfit twice. I make a point to not wear the exact same thing. If you follow my blog or go to my outfits page, I repeat an article of clothing but not the same combination. It requires some thought and having the blog also helps as I see what I had worn before.

I usually hang 2 items on 1 hanger and sometimes this is how I come up with my ensembles as I see things together and I'm like hey this can work! Even when doing laundry this happens. When I am hanging out clothes or even picking them up. Happy Accidents. 

Shirt- Mommy's
Skirt- Seamstress (US$10)
Shoes- Nine West (Mommy's)


Xoxo
Ronz

October 22, 2014

OCTOBER: Breast Cancer Awareness month

This is a previous post but it's still relevant.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The aim is to raise awareness to reduce the stigma of the disease through education as well as to raise funds in an effort to find a cure and treatments. 


The recommended age for even starting to do mammograms, etc was 40 but these days there are an increasing amount of women being diagnosed with cancer below age 40.

It's very important to do breast self-exams. Early detection is so important as it increases your chances of successfully beating cancer. You can find many videos online on how to do a self-exam. It's important to just do it so that you are familiar with your breasts so that you can tell when something is different. Here's one link you can try: www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6wpOnf2ORg‎ .


Do your mammograms and breast self-exams if you have a history of the diseases in your family.


Did you know that drinking a lot of alcohol increases your risk of breast cancer? Compared with non-drinkers, women who drink alcoholic beverages are at increased risk. The risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. Risk for those who consume 2 to 5 drinks daily is increased by about 1½ times normal.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women.
Breast cancer incidence rates are highest in non-Hispanic white women, followed by African American women and are lowest among Asian/Pacific Islander women. In contrast, breast cancer death rates are highest for African American women, followed by white women. Breast cancer death rates are lowest for Asian/Pacific Islander women.
Exposure to certain environmental substances and conditions may also increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Currently there is conflicting evidence regarding the risk of environmental exposure to organochlorines (some exert a weak estrogenic effect), tobacco smoke, as well as night shift work. Research is ongoing in these and other areas of our current environment with potential for effecting breast cancer risk.


This is no joke and as women need to take this seriously. Look at Angelina Jolie- her mother died of the disease and she made the brave decision to remove both her breasts. We all aren't big movie stars with lots of money nor have to go to such extremes but there are things that we can do such as breast exams, mammograms, drink less alcohol, etc. For more information please visit:
http://qap.sdsu.edu/screening/breastcancer/facts.html

Xoxo


Ronz

October 20, 2014

Grey & Black

I'm a girl that loves wearing black clothes. Love it, love it, love it. 

I also love this jacket for the embroidery detail at the edges, such intricate detail and adds a touch of femininity. I got this jacket made when I started working full time 9 years ago. It can't close anymore due to a larger chest now but I could not give it away. I just wear it open now. ^_^.


Jacket- Old
Top- Rainbow (US$5)
Skirt- old
Shoes- BCBG Generation (TJ Maxx, US$40)

Xoxo
Ronz

October 10, 2014

Paisley

This is my mother's top. It's sleeveless actually and I did what I usually do- pair it with a cardigan to make it work appropriate. 

One of my mother's favourite prints is paisley. This is print that is classic and timeless. 



Top- Mommy's
Skirt- old
Cardigan- Old Navy (US$13, sale)
Shoes- from Mommy
Xoxo
Ronz

October 6, 2014

Pretty little daisy

I just love this top. It's so girly and lady-like. This is the right way to wear floral print. Some of these prints can age someone and look very old. This one could be worn by a younger and an older woman.

As much as I'd like to consider myself a tomboy, that's my teenage persona. I used to say I hated pink- yuck, so girly. The colour looks darn good on me, if I may so so myself ^_^. Nowadays I embrace my femininity and have embraced being a woman. 


Sweater- Thrift store (US$5)
Top- Thrift store (US$4)
Pants- Burlington (US$19.99)
Shoes- from Mommy
Xoxo
Ronz

September 19, 2014

Tea

I named this post Tea as I'm wearing green, orange and grey- green tea, orange tea & earl grey tea. ^_^. I don't know it just came to me.

I wore this statement necklace with it to tie it all together as it had all the colours I was wearing. 

Jacket- Harve Bernard (old)
Inner Blouse- Danice, US$5
Skirt- Seamstress (US$10)
Shoes- Xhilaration, Target (US$19.99)
Xoxo
Ronz

September 17, 2014

~ * Natural Beauty * ~ : Lemons




1. Treat Blackheads with Lemon

Cut a lemon in half and put a few drops of honey on the surface. Rub it around on the areas effected by black heads, rinse with warm water.

2. Lemon as a Toner

For brighter skin, put lemon juice on a cotton ball and apply it to your face as you would use toner. Leave it on over night and rinse with warm water before applying makeup.

3. Whiten Nails with Lemon

Slice a lemon in half and place finger nails on the lemon. Be careful of cuts, because it will sting!

4. Lemon to Treat Acne

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a few cups of water, soak a wash cloth in the mix and apply to face (with your eyes closed) until the wet rag cools.

5. Lemon for Shiny Hair


Add a tsp of lemon into a 1 cup of water and apply to wet hair after you have washed it. Rinse after 3-5 minutes as it may lighten hair color.

Xoxo
Ronz

September 15, 2014

No frills

This is one of my favourite tops. I love the print. I love that it has so many colours in it. I love the ladylike ruffles/frills that it has. I love the ruffled cap sleeves.

I of course wore a jacket with this outfit for work, so as to not violate the dress code but had to take a picture without the jacket. 


Top- Ali & Kris (from Mommy)
Pants- Mommy's
Shoes- Bandolino (US$29.99, 6pm.com)
Xoxo
Ronz

September 12, 2014

Orchid


This top reminds me of an orchid, a phalaenopsis to be exact. 



I love orchids. I used to have a few. I don't really have a green thumb although I had some for months and they would bloom several times. They all died eventually though. I did try though. Sigh. I had spent quite a bit of money on them. Now I just package and sell them: OrchidBloom .

I am a certified hustler. I love doing anything artistic-Ronz Jewellery & Heybabycakes Cupcakes. I am a creative person, that much I know.

I just finished a cake baking course, to brush up on my skills. I'm about to start a fondant decorating course in about 2 weeks. I'm so excited. I truly enjoy these classes even though they are taking up my precious and little free time, but I love being able to express myself creatively. It's where I can be my true self. 


Jacket- Forever 21 (US$15.99 , sale)
Top- Charlotte Russe (US$10, sale)
Pants- H&M (US$3, thrift store)
Shoes- Crocs (US$39)*
*this from when I had twisted my ankle

Xoxo
Ronz

September 10, 2014

Black and blue... with leopard

If you are a follower of my blog, you would have noticed that I have quite a few items in my wardrobe that are animal print.

When I saw this top on the sale rack I had to have it. I had never worn it to work before and it's sleeveless. Enter the cardigan- the amazing wardrobe extender! 

The shoes I'm wearing I had had for a number of years and certainly did their time. I had worn them out indeed. This was the last time I had worn them. A moment of silence for my shoes please..... ^_^. It's really hard for me to let go of shoes. They have to really look bad for me to throw them out or give them away.





Cardigan- Old Navy (US$13, sale)
Top- Rainbow (US$10, sale)
Pants- H&M (US$3, thrift store)
Shoes- Nine West (US$40)
Xoxo
Ronz

September 8, 2014

RIP Joan Rivers

When I heard she was sick and in the hospital in serious condition, I prayed she would pull through. When I heard she died, I was so sad. When it is your time, it is your time. 

She will be sorely missed though :(. 

I didn't have cable until I was living on my own so I never got to see much of her career but when she took over Fashion Police I was hooked. 

Here's my typical Friday night. Starting at 6pm, I watch E News, then Say Yes to the Dress then Fashion Police, then more of the last 2 until I go to sleep. I also clean my kitchen, put my laundry to soak, work out and wash off my patio in between everything. Boring I know but it's my thing. 

My TV line up won't be the same anymore. I love the other co-hosts but I just loved how Joan would push the boundaries with her jokes. Fashion Police will not be the same. As they said on an E News tribute to Joan, she would say what everyone else was thinking but would not say. 

I loved her sense of humour and her potty mouth. For an old lady she was super cool and with the times. I especially loved that she was so kind, caring and loving. I saw a lot of myself in her. 

It's weird that she died at the start of Fashion Week. The coverage wasn't the same. 

I will truly miss Joan Rivers. 


Xoxo
Ronz

September 5, 2014

To the max!

In a previous post,, I mentioned I bought another maxi dress on sale at Charlotte Russe. I had gotten this one as well. 

Even though I'm short, I wasn't feeling in the mood to wear heels, so I wore the dress with sandals and I must say I liked it. I'm a maxi dress convert! ^_^ 

Prints are great. The key is to chose a print that will last beyond just what's in season & also incorporates several colours. This ensures you can get more mileage out of the item as well as the money you spent on it. 

One has to be very careful buying items that are trendy. Once it's not in style anymore, will you wear it? If you can answer yes then it's a good buy. If you're like me and on a budget, you need clothes that will last and that you will wear until you just can't anymore or you get tired of it. 

Another good thing is that in fashion what is old will be new eventually in 5 years or more. I will do a post on that another time but it's amazing to see. This comes with old age however- LOL. 


Dress- Charlotte Russe (US$15, sale)
Sandals- Bridget Sandals (gift)
Watch- Michele (gift)
Xoxo
Ronz

September 3, 2014

~ * In the Kitchen with Ronnie * ~ - Cornstarch as DIY face powder

Given the title of this post, you may have thought I was going to share a recipe for something yummy to eat. This is ~ * In the Kitchen with Ronz * ~ with a little twist. 

I'm a frugal person and enjoy finding cheaper ways to do every day things. What I save, I can invest. Not to mention I get a rush from saving money and getting a bargain- score!. 

I came across this some time ago from a blog I used to subscribe to. My nose gets shiny throughout the day- call me Rudolph. I would 'powder my nose' with loose face powder or use oil control blotting sheets daily or sometimes even several times a day. 

An alternative is to use cornstarch. Yes, cornstarch. The kitchen is like a gold mine for beauty products and treatments. See one of my previous posts on a face mask

I just used an old Bare Minerals container and a brush I had. I sprinkle a little of the cornstarch and brush it over my nose and sometimes the rest of my face. It's best to start with a little and then add if it's not enough. You don't want to walk around with a white nose or face. 

You can also add cinnamon or some cocoa powder if you wish to add some colour to the mix.

A box of cornstarch costs less than loose powder or oil control blotting sheets. 

Every little saving counts! 



Xoxo
Ronz

September 1, 2014

Piano Keys

I titled this post Piano Keys because they are black and white, like my outfit below. 

I sure do love wearing black and white. I didn't quite realize how much I wore of the combination until I really looked back on my Outfits page. Well, if it ain't broke right?



Shirt- New York & Co (Mommy's)
Skirt- Merona (Mommy's)
Shoes- Charles by Charles David (from Mommy)
Thanks to my Mom. I shop in her closet essentially ^_^.

Xoxo
Ronza