Turn a loss into a gain: giving new life to a piece of jewellery

It's been a while since I've posted to this blog. I'll explain in another post but basically I moved from Jamaica to the US and it's been quite a journey but I'm back ^_^.

Have you ever lost 1 of your earrings and just had the other one sadly looking at you? 

This has happened all too many times to me. What do you really do with the odd earring though? Well you can either mix and match and wear earrings that don't match or you can repurpose them. 

What do I mean though really? I am a beaded jewellery maker and I turn earrings into pendants or brooches or bracelets- I use it to make something else. 

I also realize I'm a bit of a hoarder, a neat one but a hoarder nonetheless. I hate throwing out things. Usually I'll hold on to it for a while then my head will take me and I start shedding stuff because the place feels stuffy and I rearrange and throw out or give away items.  I digress but the point is I can make lemonade from the lemon of a lost earring.

Here this is my mother's earring. She loved these earrings and it is in her favorite link. One day she lost one and that was it for the pair.  It was real gold and I thought hey I must can do something with this. I could have melted it down and make something else or do cash for gold, etc. I recently came across it and thought about how I love rings so I tried it to see if it could fit any of my fingers. It fit my middle finger to my delight.  Just like that I had a new ring. 

 

I broke off the hook that would have been inserted into your ear and I will also use my pliers to break off the little things jutting out. This can snag clothes. In fact the other day I was putting on my moisturizer on my face and forgot I had on the ring and scratched my face.

So if you lose an earring,  don't just throw it away, turn it into a part of a craft project, make another piece of jewellery or get cash for it. Turn a loss into a gain!

 

Xoxo

Ronnie 

Royally Grey in GAP

Purple is the colour of royalty. I love wearing purple coloured clothes. 

I've actually worn this combination of colours in a previous post but with different articles of clothing.

I love wearing sweaters to work. I usually wear them on a Thursday or Friday, as I get more casual as the week goes on. 

I got these items at the GAP Outlet at Sawgrass Mills Mall in Florida. I had so much fun in this store. The prices were great and the quality of the clothes were good especially the pants. I got more discounts by purchasing a US$5 GAP tote bag and I could use the bag throughout the year for more discounts. Score!

Sweater- GAP Outlet (US$7.60, sale)
Pants GAP Outlet (US$16.15, sale)
Shoes - from Mommy

Xoxo
Ronnie

~ * Natural Beauty * ~ : Oil Pulling

I came across this beauty tip some time last year. I saw articles by Lauren Conrad and Gwyneth Paltrow about oil pulling.  I did some research and decided to try it. After all, it involved using coconut oil and it was a natural product.

So what is oil pulling really?

Oil pulling, also known as "kavala" or "gundusha," is an ancient Ayurvedic dental technique that involves swishing a tablespoon of oil in your mouth on an empty stomach for around 20 minutes. This action supposedly draws out toxins in your body, primarily to improve oral health but also to improve your overall health (Source: Google)

In my research I saw that several types of organic oils are recommended. These include sesame, sunflower and coconut oils. I personally use expeller pressed organic coconut oil. Coconut oil is said to lauric acid, which is well-known for its anti-microbial agents.  The one below cost me about US$5.99 at TJ Maxx. I love the kitchen section of TJ Maxx. They have a lot of organic items for less.

Besides the removal of toxins, oil pulling claims to whiten your teeth as well. I can attest to this. This is especially great for those persons that are concerned about the harmful effects of whitening products on the market. It's also a cheaper alternative. 

How much do you use? I usually take a small mouth full. Also if you can't do 20 minutes, start with 5. I usually start as soon as I wake up and go about cleaning up after my dogs and bathing. I put on my timer and just keep swishing until it goes off and my 20 minutes are up.

Disposal of the oil after you are done is also important. Don't spit it out in your sink. It's usually advised to spit it out into your trash. I usually spit out the oil in a small plastic bag, tie it and then put it in the trash. 

In spitting it out you may get a gag reflex and feel like throwing up. I'd advise just spitting it out quickly into the bag and getting rid of it. Try also not to smell it. You'll get a hang of it though. 

I had a weird inflammation and sensitivity on my gum and was a bit worried. I didn't want to incur the cost of going to the dentist so I tried oil pulling for about 2 weeks and within a few days my gums felt great!

Please note that oil pulling should not replace brushing your teeth or going to your dentist. This is a great addition to your normal oral care routine. 

Xoxo

Ronnie

Green & Mustard

This is one of my favorite colour skirts. It's not the usual yellow and it goes with everything. 

It's also more comfy as it hits right below my knee, making it very work appropriate. 

Jacket- old
Skirt- US$10 (seamstress)
Shoes - Nine West (US$40, TJ Maxx)

Anything above my knee, I get so self conscious and worry about people saying I have fat knees. The things we women worry about. Sigh. 

I also worry that people will say it's not work appropriate according to the company's dress code. The worst thing you can do is give people ammunition especially in an environment where people will step on others to get ahead or for them to feel better about themselves. Hi haters! and boy do I seem to have a lot. I read somewhere though if you have people hating on you like that, you probably are doing something right. ;)

Another point I'd like to make also about this skirt is that the length is important for another reason. I'm short, I'm 5 feet 3.75 inches- yes the .75 counts :p. A shorter skirt will make me look shorter visually. A skirt that hits below the knee lengthens me. Also the nude shoes also help with the illusion of being visually longer- tricks of the trade. There is a method to my madness ^_^

Xoxo
Ronnie

Orange & Grey

Have you ever found some great deals at the flea market? I did with this skirt. I got it for US$3. Yes, seriously! It's a Gap skirt too. It takes some work sometimes to weed through to find nicer pieces, but the cost is the best part. I've found some really nice clothes from the flea market and some were even brands I knew. I've gotten a few Gap, H&M, Banana Republic and other brand name items and all for less than US$5.

It may be second hand but unless I told you, you'd never know. It's like getting hand me downs from an older relative. Some people turn their noses up to thrift shopping but as long as it looks fine, I have no issue. The savings benefit is definitely something to smile about. ^_^ and you can take THAT to the bank! You just have to check that there are no visible tears or snags and that the buttons and zips are good. 

Shirt- American Eagle Outfitters (Mommy's)
Skirt- Gap (Flea market, US$3)
Shoes - Bandolino (Ross Stores, US$19.99)

Xoxo
Ronz

It's been 2 years!!!......Zebra jacket

I can't believe that it's been 2 years that I've had this blog. My first post was April 21 2013. Wow, where does the time go? 

Over the 2 years I often wondered what was the point of this blog and who really cares. I do. This is something I do for myself and hope that 1 other person will read it and it may help or inspire another person. I work in a field that is not my passion. I'm good at it but it wasn't my first choice, though I am grateful for all that I have achieved and where I am at. However, being artistic and creative is my passion and it makes me happy. For now, I express myself through my blog, my cupcakes and jewellery. It helps to balance me. 

I love this jacket. Besides, it being black & white, I love the fit and structure of it.

I was a bit matchy matchy but I didn't care, I wanted to wear these shoes. :).

Jacket- Mommy's
Pants- Old Navy (US$20)
Shoes - Nine West (TJ Maxx, US$29.99)

Xoxo

Ronz

Free Money- rewards programs

N.B. I had done a post on Ebates earlier (here) but this post is more general & has other examples.

Rewards programs are also known as loyalty programs. These are designed to encourage the customer to increase purchases from a company with some direct reward to the customer. 

Consumers have so many choices in the market place and companies use this method as a way to build brand loyalty and to say thank you for their business. Consumers love these programs as they are getting something extra for what they are already paying for. 

Businesses not only aim to have a satisfied customer, then want a loyal one that keeps coming back and, to go even further, where that customer makes a referral. Referrals are advertising gold. It's free advertising for the company. Loyal customers will also overlook the occasional error and not be turned off from the company unlike a first time customer.

3 Types of Reward Programs Rewards programs generally fall into three main categories. Some financial institutions utilize a combination: Frequency/Points—rewards account holders for using a product or service Membership/Recognition—acknowledges the longevity and value of the account holder relationship Relationship/Pricing—offers account holders discounts, better rates or bundled services The more innovative programs have gone beyond points to include all product lines within a financial institution, which ultimately stimulates the growth of relationships.

Source: https://www.harlandclarke.com/dv/08Q1/01.php

These rewards can include not only discounts but other perks such as upgrades, refills, cash back, waived fees and free products.

There are even applications to help you manage your rewards programs in one place. These include Google wallet, Passbook & Passsource.

Several years ago I used to travel using mostly 1 airline. I used them because they offered 2 free checked bags. They would advertise their frequent flyer program during the flight and I would ignore it. It was free to sign up and I was using their service anyway so I decided to sign up online after my second flight. I had always heard about the program, years before I actually flew with them. I thought the only way to really benefit was to fly a whole lot and I wasn't going to be doing that as I barely could afford a flight in the first place. I did about 2 or 3 trips a year to the US to visit my mother in NYC. Fast forward 3 years later and I have a 'free' ticket to Florida (I'd have to pay taxes) but it's significant savings. I got free money on money that I had already paid and would have spent anyway. Imagine if I didn't sign up? Some airlines also allow you a 6 month grace period to add the trip to their frequent flyer program. 

I also am a member of Pricesmart, which is like a Costco or a BJs. It's membership shopping. Besides being able to enter the facility and shop, there really aren't any other perks. I pay about US$30 a year for membership and that allows you to get 2 cards and you can enter on each card with another person. To save money on the membership fee, I split it with a friend of mine. She got one card and I got another and we can shop independently. What I have realized too is that even though there isn't really any other benefit besides entry, it still saves me a lot because items cost a lot less in Pricesmart when I compared prices of the exact products to other regular supermarkets. People say you have to buy bulk and that you don't end up saving because you have to spend a lot more but I'm the proof. It works out either way. If I buy 32 rolls of tissue this month, I don't have to buy tissue for another 4-6 months. I also can go with my sister or a friend and split the costs by buying bulk. It's not rocket science and I save money. Pricesmart & other membership clubs offer credit cards to its customers as well. Even more savings to the customer, given that the customer is responsible and pays off what is used, etc. You have to be careful though and really examine what you get versus what you pay. I didn't get a Pricesmart credit card because when I compared the credit card fee and the % cash back I got when I looked at my average monthly purchases, I didn't benefit that much. If I was making purchases for a household of more than 2, then maybe it would be worthwhile. Remember to do your cost/benefit analysis with any rewards program.

I have a Magna card. It was free to sign up so cost was zero. Benefit? I get cash back if I shop at participating retailers. I'd shop there anyway so this is free money. It's similar to Ebates (see my post here). I get a check every couple of months and I can use the cheque to make purchases at the same participating stores. 

There are so many rewards programs. I could go on and on but in conclusion:

•  If you are making a purchase, see how you can maximize your purchase. If it's a one off purchase, check Ebates. If it's a place you regularly shop: check Ebates too if it's online, & find out if the company has a rewards program and/or a credit card. You can also check online for a coupon- that's another post ^_^
• Ensure that you do your cost/benefit analysis. Read the fine print or call customer service and ask questions
• It's free money! You get back something for spending the money you already have or would spend. 

Happy Frugal Living!

All opinions expressed here are mine and I have not been compensated by any company.

Xoxo

Ronnie

Mint chocolate

I love these shoes (also shown here & here). With them being mint (pastel green) though, they don't exactly go with everything but that's not going to stop me. Neutral coloured (black, brown, grey & beige/nude) shoes are staples in any wardrobe but after having the basics (see my post here on building a wardrobe for work), one can have a little fun with shoes that aren't neutral coloured. I have mint coloured articles of clothing and accessories and I make it work. 

I started this ensemble with the shoes, then I added the shirt to tie in the shoes. I of course needed more to wear with it so I decided to do a jacket & bottom with the same colour. The top is sleeveless so I had to wear a jacket or sweater with it. Voila!

Inner Blouse- Rainbow (US$5)
Jacket- Pretty Girl (US$15)
Pants- TJ Maxx (US$20)
Shoes- Guess (US$40, TJ Maxx)

Xoxo
Ronz

Black & white...again

I've been MIA for a while, Basically I've been trying to make some life changing decisions and I've been doing some reflection. I wondered if I really should continue this blog or not. I'm not making money from it, does anyone really read it?, I have very little free time and feel overwhelmed a lot- not blogging would be one less thing in my long list of things to do. All that aside, I have decided to continue as I love fashion & styling and I do this for me.I'm back y'all!!!!

I love wearing black & white (as seen here, here, here & here). I love wearing black and somehow white comes in. LOL. 

This jacket is actually a sweater. It looks a jacket as the fabric is a bit sturdier. I wear jackets on Mondays & Tuesdays. I wear sweaters on Fridays & Thursdays sometimes. I get more casual as the week progresses. I wore this on a Monday or Tuesday. I can't remember :).

Jacket/Sweater- Mommy's
Skirt- old
Shoes- Nine West (US$29,99, TJ Maxx)

Like both pics so I'm posting both ;p

Xoxo
Ronz

Navy & lace......Eek it's Friday the 13th O_O

It's Friday the 13th...... Hmm just another day as far as I'm concerned. Another day to give thanks, another day to make moves towards my dreams, another day to be happy!

I looooooove this skirt. It combines 2 of my favorite things- coral colored clothes & lace. 

I have posted outfits with coral colored clothes before (here, here, here & here- to show you a few).

I just feel lace is so lady like and classic. A far cry from my inner teenage tomboy but I just love lace!.

Anyhoo, off to work!

Jacket- Seamstress, old
Skirt- Forever 21, US$19.99
Shoes- Nine West, Mommy's

Xoxo
Ronz

What was the #1 song when you were born?

I saw this on Facebook and had to share. 

The #1 song when I was born was "All night long (all night)" by Lionel Richie. 

I actually like this song ^_^. Love Lionel Richie. I first knew who he was at my Grandma's house. She used to play his album often and her & grandpa's song was "Still".

What was yours? Click here to find out. 

Xoxo
Ronz

Checker flag

I've said it so many times and I'll say it again- I love wearing black and white!. 

I've worn it so many times on my blog (here, here, here, here & here- just a few)

I am wearing 2 prints as well. Yes, you can wear more than 1 print at once. One general rule of thumb is for them to have the same color scheme. My shoes are black & white but in a floral pattern. My sweater is checkered. And that's all folks! ;)

Sweater- Mommy's
Skirt- Mommy's
Shoes- Mommy's (Anne Klein)

Thanks Mommy for this outfit.

Xoxo
Ronz

Purple & Grey

My father went to Kingston College and growing up it's been about the school colors purple and white. If I was a boy I would have gone to the all boys school. Fortis!

Despite having the right hardware, I love the color purple.

I love this shirt and even more so these shoes. I decided to wear 2 shades of purple to not be too matchy matchy.

Shirt- NY&Co (Mommy's)
Pants - Charlotte Russe (US$10, sale)
Shoes- Guess (TJ Maxx, US$40)

Xoxo
Ronz

~ * In the Kitchen with Ronnie * ~: Freezing perishables

I've been on a journey, I call it, to be a better version of myself consciously for the last 2 years. One aspect of that is eating healthier. In doing this, I eat less processed food. I go to the market about 2 times a month. Less processed though means more perishable, which means increased spoilage and money wasted. 

I am not about throwing my money into the garbage. No-uh!.

I freeze as many items as I can. I peel food and cut them up and put them in ziploc bags and into the freezer they go. When I need to use them I just defrost or break off a piece and put it in the pot. 

This lemon juice.
The lemons were starting to spoil so I juiced them.

This is what I call my "natural seasonings for cooking" bag. The items are peeled & pre-cut.
It has red & white onions, parsley, escallion/green onion, sweet peppers, scotch bonnet pepper & garlic.

This is for my detox water - lemons, cucumbers & mint.
Yes I freeze the mint as I'm not going to use the whole bag I buy.

Escallion/green onion prepped.

Papaya & bananas peeled. I like them to get really ripe so that the flavours are really rich.
This great for my shakes & smoothies.
 I just cut off a piece, it's already frozen making it great for blending. I don't need to add ice.

Xoxo

Ronz

Orange & Houndstooth

I love wearing black and white, and houndstooth has both. 

I've worn this print (here, here, here, here & here). LOL I've actually worn this skirt quite a bit. 

What my previous posts demonstrate, is that one can wear black and white with essentially any bright color or any color that pops.

Sweater- Gap Outlet (US$14, sale)
Skirt- Burlington (US$19.99)
Shoes- Nine West (gift)

Xoxo
Ronz

Coral & baby blue

I love coral colored clothes (as seen here, here & here). I think it goes so well with my skin tone. It's also not pink. Most girls like pink and I like to be different. I hate wearing pink as it's expected that because I'm a girl I must love pink. It's a nice color and I wear it, but it's not my favorite. 

This dress was a bit big on the top. I recently gave it to my dressmaker/seamstress to take it in. It's also sleeveless & see through in the back so to make it work appropriate, I wore a cardigan.

I wanted to wear a nice complementary color with the dress. It's so much fun playing with colors with one's outfits.^_^

Cardigan- Gap (US$13, sale)
Dress- Rainbow (USS7, sale)
Shoes- Chinese Laundry (old)

Xoxo
Ronz

Checkerboard

Sometimes a girl needs a bold color to pull together an outfit. What better than a red jacket? ^_^

I absolutely love these shoes but given the amount of cut outs I decided to wear them with pants.

My office's dress code doesn't allow a lot of your foot to show- conservative banking environment. There are ways around those things though so that I can make it work appropriate. One can make an item that wouldn't on its own be a little questionable. My blog is filled with examples.

Jacket- old
Pants- Gap (US$17, sale)
Shoes- Nine West (Marshalls, US$30)

Xoxo
Ronz

~*IF*~ Makeup Tip: Mascara

I was watching the Grammy's pre-show on E! on last week Sunday. They were showing some makeup looks and the makeup artist shared a little tip.

I'm not really into makeup so this was news to me. I do, however, like to wear mascara. If nothing else, I like to wear mascara and lip gloss.  I don't apply the mascara every day though maybe every other day or so.

So the tip is to hold a business card over your eye lid while swiping on the mascara on your top and/or bottom lashes. Who would have thunk it?! Lol. Sure enough I tried this while applying my 5 minute face while in traffic in my car.  My 5 minute face involves applying some foundation to cover any acne scars I have, mascara and lip gloss.

It really worked. Normally after applying my mascara I have to try to carefully wipe off the transfer on my eyelids, I often end up messing up my fanned out lashes in the process and have to do it again. My work around was to apply the mascara, wipe off the transfer then run through my lashes again with a old mascara wand that looks like a little comb.

My lashes was perfectly fanned out and no mess!

See below for some other tips using a business card from www.michellephan.com.

Xoxo

Ronz

Color Blocked

I love this dress. It's right in trend with the color blocking look. It's also so easy to wear.

It has multiple colors also which makes it more versatile. I can wear a black, grey or yellow jacket or cardigan as well as accessories. In fact I wore it previously with a black cardigan and black pumps. 

Cardigan- Old Navy (US$13)
Dress- Rainbow (Mommy's)
Shoes - Nine West (Marshall's, US$7, sale)

Xoxo
Ronz

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!!!!!

Hope you had a great day with your loved one(s)- family, friends, a boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. 

Single? Hope you had a great day appreciating & loving the fabulous person that you are. You are a complete person!

Jacket- Forever 21 (US$17, sale)
Top - Rainbow (US$5)
Skirt- Seamstress (US$10)
Shoes - Jessica Simpson (US$40)

View of the detail at the back

Xoxo
Ronz

Yellow & gray

Some days you just don't feel like wearing a jacket to work. I wear jackets Mondays & Tuesdays now, down from 3 days a week, as I have more button down shirts & cardigans than I do jackets. I hate repeating an outfit and this allows me to have more options.

One can look office appropriate without being restricted to a jacket. :)

Shirt- Old Navy (Mommy's)
Pants- Gap (US$25, sale)
Shoes- Kenneth Cole (old)

Xoxo
Ronz

Queen bee

I love wearing black & white (here, here, here, here). I also like NOT wearing black & white with red. I try to be different.

In doing this post, however, I've noticed I like to wear black & white with yellow (here & here).  LOL. Hence, the title of this post. I look like a bee. Also I'm the only female left in my department for the last 2 months and my friend started calling me Queen Bee recently. :)

I love my GAP sweaters. They really are quality and I got them at the GAP Outlet in Sawgrass so they were less than US$20! Score! So you see you can get quality for a great price.

Sweater- Gap (US$17)
Skirt- Seamstress (US$10)
Shoes- Old, Guess

Xoxo

Ronz

Making a statement in blue

Statement necklaces are a great way to jazz up an otherwise dull or plain outfit.They are usually larger in size to really stand out. 

I added this one to this outfit as I feel it needed something else to kick it up a notch.

Accessories are a great way to change up and jazz up an outfit. They are also usually more affordable than the items of clothing themselves. They also can allow you to differentiate an outfit and hence get more mileage from your wardrobe. 

I have said it before in a previous post that I am a shoeaholic. Shoes are considered accessories. I also have a lot of jewellery. I even make beaded jewellery- Ronz Jewellery. I'm an accessory junkie! ^_^

Necklace- gift
Jacket- Forever 21 Essential Jacquard Woven Blazer US$15.99 (sale)
Pants - TJ Maxx US$19.99
Shoes- Nine West (old)

Xoxo
Ronz

Grey, white & animal print

I love me some animal print. I've done numerous posts with outfits that have animal print (here, here, here, here, here- too many posts to put here, these are just a few).

I've had this top for years. I've worn it before to a party in this post too. It's actually sleeveless but I put on a cardigan or jacket over a sleeveless top to make it work appropriate. ^_^. This also aids in getting more mileage out of your wardrobe.

Cardigan- Old Navy (US$13, sale)
Top- old
Skirt- Gap (thrift store, US$3)
Shoes- Xhilaration (Target, US$19.99)

Xoxo
Ronz

Happy February!!!!

Can you believe it's February already?

Time flies and it waits on no one. 

Live your life to the fullest, the way you want as it's your life. 

Concentrate on making yourself happy, not others. Don't forget to love yourself and treat yourself as such.

Happy February everyone!!! ^_^

Xoxo
Ronz