I got an alert today that a very interesting “bombshell” book is available today for pre-order….Finding Freedom, Harry and Megan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family is going to be released later in the summer. The Couple has spilled some royal secrets to the authors, in this up close tell-all book. Here is the story:
When news of the budding romance between a beloved English prince and an American actress broke, it captured the world’s attention and sparked an international media frenzy. But while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have continued to make headlines—from their engagement, wedding, and birth of their son Archie to their unprecedented decision to step back from their royal lives—few know the true story of Harry and Meghan.
For the very first time, Finding Freedom goes beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan’s life together, dispelling the many rumors and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond. As members of the select group of reporters that cover the British Royal Family and their engagements, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand have witnessed the young couple’s lives as few outsiders can.
With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, Finding Freedom is an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world. -Amazon.com
For more information or to pre-order this book, click HERE.
Some people just love to shop exclusively online. They love to search the web for the perfect gift. I get it!!!! I love searching to find just the right thing to share with my readers. I have found some of the greatest gifts for mom right here!! The countdown has begun…8 days to go!!! Though I think this year, Mother’s Day should last the entire month!!!! Who’s with me???!??!?!?!???
These Blissful Brownies look heavenly!!!!
Help whip mom’s lips into shape!
I love this cool bag holder!!!!…No one should put their bag on the floor anymore!!!!
This little plant is soo sweet!!!
These Andy Warhol blocks are on my wish list!!! There are so many places I want to display them!!!!
These are the most luxurious pajamas..you will never want to take them off!!!
Love, Love these vintage looking espadrilles!!!
These pink Gucci rubber slides would make mom’s summer!
A pretty floral blouse is just the think mom would LOVE right now!!!
Treat mom to a really special lipstick in a little orange box!!!
Since a spa treatment is out right now, how about getting mom the ultimate facial!!!
These diamond huggies are sooo pretty!!!!
Why not make mom a yummy cheeseboard and add these gorgeous spreaders!!!
Still the cutest little straw tote!!! Was sold out all summer last year!!
One of my favorite sites is August Morgan, a lifestyle brand started by Kate Hersch, a style maven from Austin Texas. Kate has the ultimate selection of fabulous embroidered cocktails napkins, whimsical glass-wear, adorable dresses & sleepwear for yourself or for your mom….The napkins also make the best hostess or birthday gifts. Better yet, while you are at it get a set for you and one for mom!!!! Mother’s Day is only a week away!!! Bon Weekend!!!
This pretty much sums up the difference between my really smart friend Kris and myself…yesterday we were talking and she said to me “I’d love to win $100,000 right about now.”..and I quickly shot back, “WHY!!!!?????? We cannot travel anywhere and we cannot really buy anything…What’s the use for all that extra $$$” and without missing a beat, Kris said to me, “I would buy stock”…And there you have it!!!!!! So I thought maybe now would be a good time for a financial post…
Make sure you do as much as possible to focus on improving the way you manage your money and achieve success. There are a lot of elements you need to keep in mind here, and it is something that you should consider moving forward. Achieving financial success is important, and you have to make sure you do your best to work toward this. Doing as much as possible to achieve financial security is important as one of the sure signs of success.
Taking charge of your money is important, and this is something you need to make sure you focus on as much as possible. The good news is that there are a lot of elements to consider moving forward, and this is something you need to keep in mind. Do your best to work on these financial hacks and use them to try to help you achieve life success as much as you possibly can.
Hire an Accountant
When it comes to making the most of your financial situation, you need to make sure you hire an accountant. There are a lot of factors that play a role in this, and it is important to make sure you have a professional who can work with you to help you improve the way you manage your money. This is something you need to make sure you get right as much as possible, and it is bound to help you make some better choices right now. Furthermore, an accountant can advise you how to save money and ensure you are keeping up to date with your tax requirements.
Come up With a Budget
Something else you need to look at when it comes to money management is to come up with a budget. Now, this might seem a little bit dull and time-consuming, but there are a lot of things you need to come up with that will help you with this. Try to make the most of what is on offer to you, and make sure you consider putting everything down on a spreadsheet. Come up with an Excel document where you record all your incomings and outgoings so you can keep a record of what you’ve spent, where you’re overspending, and how much disposable income you have left at the end of each month.
Look at Investments
Another thing to keep in mind when you are trying to make the best possible financial life choices is to not be afraid of investing. This is no longer a rich man’s pursuit, and there are plenty of amazing ways in which anyone can invest these days, even you. The thing to remember is that you need to identify sensible and lucrative investments to help you. Look at buying something like an HDB investment property, and then renting it out to make money. You might also like to look at something like cryptocurrency and the best way of investing in them.
Cut Expenses
When it comes to sensible financial management, one of the most important things to look at is what you can do to cut costs and trim expenses. There are so many things you can do to combat this, and it is important to ensure you work on this moving forward. Now, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of things you can do to help you reduce expenses and free up more money in day to day life. Something like switching energy suppliers, reducing the amount of power you use, and couponing are all great ways of being able to achieve a degree of success here. Make sure you try to come up with as many different ideas as you can that are going to help you cut expenses, starting right now.
Go Green
Going green is all the rage these days and something that more and more homeowners are beginning to embrace. There are a lot of benefits to green living, and there is no doubt that it is something that can help to save you money, as well as protecting the environment. There are a number of things that you can do in and around your home to help you go greener. For instance, you could use energy saving light bulbs, start recycling more at home and grow your own fruit and vegetables. Going green in and around the home is really important for making you environmentally friendly and saving money at the same time.
Avoid Debt
If you are serious about taking the right financial steps to ensure you avoid debt, there are several ways of doing this. For a start, a budget would help as a point of reference because it would show you where you are overspending and how to cut that down so you can stay in the black. Then there are other things where you need to be disciplined, such as avoiding using credit cards or taking out loans. Try to make sure you pay for things outright as much as you can as opposed to in installments, as this will ensure you don’t have debt hanging over you.
Set Goals
Setting goals is really important, and you need to make sure you have clear and concise financial goals that you are working towards. This helps to give you drive and a sense of clarity, and this is something that is very important when it comes to working on your finances. Try to write out at least a couple of clear financial goals for the year right now. There is nothing wrong with starting out small and trying to work your way back up to larger and grander goals in the name of financial independence.
As you can see, there are a lot of factors you are going to need to keep in mind, and it is good to start now and think about the future. Getting a strong handle on your finances is something you should be looking to do right now, and this can give you much success. You need to be sensible with your money moving forward, and these are some of the best ideas that can help you to achieve this.
BeYOUnique has been a favorite of mine for years now…I love their designer inspired bags and totes..How cute are the clutches? Perfect for a stylish mom AND the new face-masks are fabulous!!!
Mongram Mary has the best monogram gifts around. I love her new concept..send in a handwritten message for mom and she will embroider it on a pillow or jewelry case!!!
Amanda Lindroth has the most beautiful accessories for the home. Her style is incredible. There are so many things on my wish list…Anything you pick from Amanda’s website will be just perfect for a style-savvy mom with an eye for design…
How great are the items from Wrap It Up for Mother’s Day? The chocolate pizza’s look divine…and the hand-painted potted flower pots (in collaboration with Artbybe11a and Perfect Petals by Ann) are the perfect thing to brighten up mom’s special day (all orders should be in by 5/6 for 5/10 delivery)!!!!! Also, don’t forget about their beautiful gift-wrapping service. Whatever you decide to get mom, they will come pick it up and wrap it fabulously!!
Another one of my all-time favorite small businesses is Ward Vintage jewelry. Over the years, I have purchased some of my favorite treasures from their incredible selection. Mom would swoon over any of their specially curated pieces!!!
A new find for me recently is Sue Sartor handmade tunics, kaftans, dresses and PJ’s. Sue made a pair of PJ’s for my daughter and her roommate at Georgetown. They were a gift from my daughter’s roommates mom. And, I was immediately hooked. Since then, I have purchased a few dresses and some fabulous accessories…Here I am trying on a pair of the most incredible earrings from Sue to show my mom. (sorry for the bad photo but the earrings are out of this world)…She is also now hooked, BTW!!! ANYTHING from the Sue Sartor collection will make mom very very happy this Mother’s Day!!! PS Next on my list is one of those fab floral numbers!!!
If mom does not own any of the gorgeous jewelry from Ilyses Pieces, then that is what she NEEDS!!! Ilyses designs every piece herself and the result is perfect. I am in love with those crystal bracelets made in France. They are really well priced and looked solo beautiful. Those are also on my wish list!!!!
I cannot get enough of Into The Woods handbags and accessories. Catherine just also introduced an incredible line of tabletop items. I love the “South Beach” and “Hamptons” bag and I am waiting to order my next one, the Miami.
Another new small business that I just found is Elysian by EM. Their collection of tote bags, mules, clutches and decorative pillows are simply fabulous. I feel in love with so many things…and so will Mom this Mother’s Day
Another amazing gift for mom is a monogram wrap from Elizabeth Chilla designs. Her embroidery is honestly a true work of art. She has so many colors, monogram fonts and designs to choose from. Her wraps are sure to be a true one of a kind gift from the heart!!!
Lastly, I LOVE the whimsical gifts from the local company Raynebow Designs. Their gift boxes for mom are the sweetest. You can add facemasks, bath bombs, personalized water bottles (the daily water intake measurement one is my fav), and really cute quarantine hats and T’s to your gift.
A new decade always brings with it a new set of trends. Trends change every few years, even every few months – but you can expect to see some huge changes now that we’ve reached the start of the 2020s!
If you’re looking for a great way to update your home decor, look no further. Here, you’ll find some home decor trends for inspiration that are really taking off this year!
Traditional Detailing
Although this is all about the trends taking off in 2020, it’s not all modern and futuristic. Many people are opting for lavish-looking traditional detailing, meaning things like spooled legs, spindles, and things we saw in furnishings from the 1800s and early 1900s. These things can actually be included properly with the help of residential architects, who will be able to make adjustments to your home that will add real value. Surprisingly, these changes do stand the test of time and they can still look great with modern pieces.
Bold Floral Wallpaper
You may be thinking ‘floral wallpaper? How original!’ however, floral wallpaper is a lot more exciting now than it used to be. Look for florals in bright colors, and even those with metallic accents. It’s certainly not boring anymore!
Subtle Plants
A lot of people love owning lots of different plants and having them all over the home. This is a wonderful way to bring the outdoors inside, but it can be a little overwhelming for those who are not so green-thumbed. If you can look after 20 different plants at once, then great, but it’s not always the smartest or most cost/time effective move.
Bringing in a single olive tree is a lot more subtle – it’ll bring in a nice, calming shade of green rather than lots of shades of a brighter green. The olive tree is sophisticated and can suit just about any home, too. All homes should have some form of greenery, but it doesn’t have to be in your face.
High Contrast Decor
Who doesn’t love the way contrasting colors pop? This doesn’t just mean black and white (which is classed as monochrome anyway). This means, for example, a black and white geometric pattern on your floor or walls, finished off nicely with a bright color to really make everything stand out, perhaps in the form of a sofa or rug. Using a color wheel will help you to see which colors you like best for contrast, and you can really get creative with it!
Color Pop Cabinets
Not only are people painting their front doors bright colors for instant curb appeal, but they’re also painting their cabinets bright colors, too! Choosing to paint your base cabinets in a daring color might seem out there, but it can bring a lovely cheery vibe to any interior and should suitably brighten your day. It doesn’t even have to be a super bright color like hot pink. A color like navy can look amazing, too!
Which of these 2020 trends do you love?