blog – Just Love Them Anyway

Style Sunday: The Sleeveless Black Blazer…

February 28, 2016February 28, 2016by SophieLeave a Comment

Hey guys!

Back again with another Style Sunday post! This week I thought I would focus on one major piece: A three quarter sleeveless black blazer.

I was looking for something simple to wear to a bridal shower. I’m part of the bridal party and we were required to wear black. I wanted to be comfortable but still stylish. So off to the mall I headed! I was able to find an amazing black sleeveless blazer at an alright price ( if you know me well enough I am the queen of bargain shopping so anything over 20 dollars is pushing it for me.. LOL) As of late, I have been trying to shop for multi purpose pieces instead of only stand alone pieces. This sleeveless blazer I purchased was able to styled in two ways that I will share down below!

Look 1: The Bridal Shower

My simple LBD ( Little Black Dress) was purchased at Forever 21 ( shocker… I really should have stock in this store lol) This was a T-shirt Midi Dress. This dress was only $17.90. I’ll leave a link here. This was something I already had in my closet but It came in handy!

My vest was purchased at a store we have here in Ontario Canada called “Sirens”. I don’t normally shop in this store anymore as it is known to have quite juvenile pieces and your local “club/party” wear( I don’t club or party hence why I avoided this store) But as of late, they seem to be revamping their image and they must have new buyers for the store because some of the clothes in there are now more appealing to a more mature clientele. I was walking by this store and saw this on a mannequin and had to try it! The price on this item was…. $ 39.99.. gasp I know but well worth it . Sirens doesn’t have a website to shop online, so I wasn’t able to find a link to this exact blazer, but I will link a similar one here!

I paired this with simple black heels purchased at Aldo many, many years ago, (for approximately 50 dollars) these are literally my favorite shoes, so comfortable and timeless! I also threw on some last minute accessories: some silver bangles and a silver and Tiffany blue statement necklace ( Tiffany blue was the theme) both purchased at the store “Le Chateau” for a whopping total of 15 dollars!

Dress: $17.90
Blazer: $39.99
Jewelry: $15.00
Shoes: $50.00
Total: $122. 89

I was comfortable and fashionable all evening! Success!!

Look 2: Churchin’ It

I loved this black blazer so much I decided to just recycle it and wear it to church the very next day. I went to church super simple this day. I paired the blazer with a black and white pinstripe chiffon blouse with 3 quarter length sleeves. I purchased this on Yonge St in Toronto Ontario at a little store called “Katie”. On the bottom I paired it with a simple pair of black trousers from… you guessed it… come on say it with me… FOREVER 21 lol. Here is the link 🙂 . I wore the same black heels and silver bangles . I paired those with a simple pair of silver hoops in lieu of a statement necklace.

Blazer: $39.99
Top: $ 14.99
Pants: $ 21.90
Shoe: Approx. $50
Bangles: $7.50
Hoops: who knows! 🙂
Total: $ 134.38 ( LAWD lol)

(I don’t mind spending money on pieces that I can wear again and again in a plethora of different ways!)

Anyway, what I love about this blazer is that you can dress it up or dress it down! Next time I wear it I will probably pair it with a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans and a white tee and some cute booties!

Have an awesome Style Week!

xoxo

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Monday Motivation: Take Time to Smell the Roses….

July 6, 2015July 5, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

Hi guys!

Just a quick post today! Over the course of the last few weeks , my family has been really going through it emotionally. Sometimes when you are going through a tough time, it’s really hard for you “see the light at the end of the tunnel” and ever think that life will ever be normal or okay again. But today I want to this post to serve as a reminder that your skies won’t always be gray. The rain will stop and the sun will shine again! So while you are blessed to see another sunrise, cherish the little things that make life what it is.

I read a book a few years back called the “The Book of Awesome”. It is actually a great little book full of little things that you wouldn’t even think to be awesome, but when you actually stop and think about it, you can appreciate how amazing the little things in life are! For example, the smell of freshly baked cookies.. AWESOME! Hearing your favorite song on the radio as soon as you get in the car…. AWESOME. Coming home to moms home cooking… AWESOME! Things like that just make you smile. I recently purchased this book for a friend for her birthday.. I might have to do a re-read 🙂 .

As you grow older life becomes so complicated. It becomes harder to stay connected to each other as adulthood and responsibility come into play. Our lives become so busy that we barely have time for ourselves much less others! I encourage everyone to take some time out to stop and smell the roses! Don’t let life become so busy that it literally passes you by!

Happy Monday Y’all !

Ps This week I’m jamming on that new Janet Jackson joint “No Sleep” enjoy! ( sidebar I absolutely CANNOT WAIT until Sept 15!!! JJ at the Air Canada Centre.. tickets in hand! 🙂

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Wednesday Weekly Reads: Busy Week.. And My Book Choice Bored Me…

July 1, 2015July 1, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

First and foremost, Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians living here or abroad 🙂 Oh Canada!!! 🙂

Alright, now back to book business! The book I chose to read this week “Watch the Sky” by Kirsten Hubbard was a total bust. I just couldn’t get past the first 30 pages. The story just didn’t draw me in at all ( Read my synopsis in last Wednesday’s book blog post) So I had to put it down. Sorry! No offence to the author, but the writing style just really didn’t connect with me .

So I put that down and I picked up “All the Bright Places” by Jennifer Niven. The synopsis of this book is as followed: ( as found on Goodreads.com) :

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

I have been reading this book for a few days and its pretty good so far. It’s a book I have wanted to read for a while. I’m about 105 pages in so far. It is extremely well written and the content is extremely deep. Considering all the grief I have experienced the past few weeks, I’m not sure why I chose this book…. but hey it is what it is! I recently heard that this book is going to be a major motion picture in the near future.

I hope to finish this book this week. As for what’s up next… I really have no idea. It’s summer y’all! I’m up and down and all over the place so who knows if I’ll even have much time to read this week 🙂 I’ll let the chips fall where they may! Have a great reading week guys!!

xoxo

2015, Alex Haley, blog, blogger, book blogger, books, Roots, tbr, wednesday, weekly, weekly reads, young adult fiction

Wednesday Weekly Reads: I finished Roots!

June 17, 2015June 17, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

Quick post today. I managed to finish Roots! I found it to be a great read. It took me a lot less time to read than I had anticipated it to! I did really look at the book as a work of “faction” ( facts that are embellished by fiction) I found it hard to actually believe that these incidents took place the way that they did simply because Mr Haley was accused of plagiarism. I think that if this story had been marketed as a work of fiction with some actual facts, the literary world, wouldn’t have been in such an uproar! However, this book has sold millions of copies and was even turned into a miniseries staring Levar Burton in 1977. Tough content, but very much needed. You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve come from!

This week I started ( and have nearly completed) “Tease” by Amanda Maciel. The synopsis of this book is as follows ( as found on amazon.com)

Emma Putnam is dead, and it’s all Sara Wharton’s fault.

At least, that’s what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma’s shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who’s ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media.

During the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment-and ultimately consider her role in an undeniable tragedy. And she’ll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

So far a really good read! Really relevant content,especially in this social media/cyber bullying age that we live in. Well written! Awesome debut novel by Maciel.

Up next week:
Kinda leaving it up in the air. I have a bunch of library books to get through like:
– Mosquitoland by David Arnold
-All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

-Watch the Sky by Kirsten Hubbard
-The Walls Around Us by Suma Nova Ren
– My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

I’ll pick one of those up!
Happy Reading!

xoxo

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Thank You!

June 16, 2015June 16, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

Hey guys!

Sorry I missed yesterday’s Monday Motivation post yesterday. I’ve been bitten by the pesky flu bug once again so I was not motivated to do anything but sleep and take medication 😦 . I’m on the mend so I will be back on my regular schedule next week!

This is just a quick blog post to say thank you! I’ve been so honored to have you all on this blogging journey with me! I never imagined that I would have an opportunity to interact with people all across this great world! Thank you for your continued support and feedback! I look forward to taking this blogging adventure to the next level! Love you all! See you tomorrow for Wednesday Weekly Reads! 🙂

Thanks again! Keep smiling!
xoxo

bible, blog, blogger, Christ, Christian, Christian blog, christianity, green grass, life, lifestyle, metaphor, positive mind, relationships, self help

The Grass is Greener Where You Water It…

June 8, 2015June 8, 2015by Sophie1 Comment

Today has been a rainy day. I know, I know, rain is good for the grass and flowers and the environment and blah blah blah ( lol) but sometimes, ( especially in Southern Ontario where the weather is unpredictable) all you want to see is a beautiful sunny day! I mean it is June after all! I bet by the time I have kids, I’ll be able to tell them about the times where the seasons were not interchangeable and when June was actually a part of “summer”. Okay, I’ll stop griping. It is only June the 8th. Summer still has time to redeem itself! 🙂

So, today as I sat sipping ginger ale and taking in some old jams ( I wasn’t feeling so hot 😦 ) watching the rain come down and observing how it saturated everything around it, a simple thought came to me from a meme quote I had stumbled across. It read: ” The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, It’s greener where you water it.”

Well if that isn’t a metaphor for my life right now ( and I’m sure countless others) then I don’t know what is! Everybody goes through transition phases. Maybe you feel like you are stuck in a rut and think that starting over somewhere new will help get you moving again. But who’s to say that once you start over that the grass in your new place won’t become brown as well?

First you should look at what caused the grass to become brown in the first place. Did you take care of it? Water it? Fertilize it? Weed out unnecessary impurities? Well if your answer no, then you can’t really be surprised that your grass isn’t thriving.

To me, grass is like a metaphor for life. Lets break it down.

Step one: Prepare your Turf: Basically prepare your life! Are you ready for a new beginning? Have you gotten rid of any things that can be hindering your growth. If so, move on to step two! If not, take some time to do some soul-searching and prepare your mind, body and soul for change.

Step 2: Spread Your Grass Seed: Now that your turf is ready, you can plant your seeds. The ground is ready to receive them. The same goes for your life. Once you have done the ground work, you are now ready to set your plans ( seeds) in motion such as taking the steps to complete your post-secondary education, getting yourself financially stable or putting time in to relationships that you want to be long-lasting.

Step 3:Water and Watch It Grow: After you plant seeds, you have to water it in order for it to grow. For life, watering it simply means taking care of it. Take care of the life you were given. Make the best of each day. Live each day like its your last.

These three steps work for your life spiritually as well. As a Christian, you have to prepare your turf ( get your Christian walk in order) before you can be of real spiritual use here in this crazy world!
Once your turf ( life) is prepared, you then can start spreading your seeds ( sharing the gospel ) Whether it be on a bus on the way to school, through ministry ( on any level) or as simple as sharing your love for Christ and your relationship with Him on something as trivial as social media. However, make sure you don’t get trapped in a “social media Christian relationship” If you are going to “post” about it, be about 24/7/365!
Lastly, water your grass, meaning your personal grass and the grass of those you have influenced. You can’t expect grass to stay green if you don’t take care of it. Simple as that! Take care of your grass ( your LIFE!)

(“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes:” Romans 1:16)

At the end of the day, don’t worry about what’s going on with anybody elses grass. The less time you spend worrying about their grass, is the more time you have to work on yours! Take pride in what you have and do your very best to make what you have the best!

I love y’all! Have a blessed Monday!

xoxo

P.S: here are two of the jams I had on repeat today! It was a slow jams kinda day. ❤

Alex Haley, bible study, black history, blog, book blogger, books, christianity, Kunta Kinte, Roots, women of the bible

Wednesday Weekly Reads: I’m Enjoying “Roots” So Far…

June 3, 2015June 2, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

Hey guys,

I’m still working on Roots and I’m really liking it so far.In one week I have managed to reach page 500! This story is so captivating. Very hard to read at some points.

Last Wednesday, I had left off at the part of the story where in The Gambia, the protagonist Kunta Kinte had begun his manhood training. As I continued the story, we see that he has successfully completed his training and has become a prominent member of his village. One day, after a night shift of watching the village, Kunta enters the woods to chop wood. Unfortunately, he does not hear the slave catchers behind him and is captured.

The next chapters detail the gruesome capture and travel on the slave ship to America. Once he reaches America, he tries to run away several times, with the final time ending in a horrible way. ( I don’t want to put in too many spoilers)

The next sections recounts Kunta’s many years and experiences on the plantation. You see him adjust ( but not conform) to life on slave row. He takes a wife and she bears him a child whom he named Kizzy.

Right now, I am at the section of the story where Kizzy is being taught the ropes of being a “house nigger” working alongside her mama. Kunta is also displeased that the masters niece ( who is as young as Kizzy) has taken a special liking to her.

So, that’s where I am right now. I can’t even wait for my lunch hour so I can dive right back in! At this pace, I may finish this sooner than I thought 😛

This week in my devotional we are studying “The mothers of Moses.”

Have a happy reading week!

xoxo

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Mourning Into Dancing

June 2, 2015June 2, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

Hey everybody,

I hope your day was fantastic. I had an extremely busy day at work ( will do a detailed blog on my busy work life soon 🙂 ) and as I was sitting here catching up on my devotional, the scripture Psalms 30 came to me. It reads ( from the New Living Translation) :

1I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
2O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,and you restored my health.
3You brought me up from the grave,^a O LORD.You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
4Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones!Praise his holy name.
5For his anger lasts only a moment,but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night,but joy comes with the morning
6When I was prosperous, I said,“Nothing can stop me now!
”7Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain.Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
8I cried out to you, O LORD.I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
9“What will you gain if I die,if I sink into the grave?Can my dust praise you?Can it tell of your faithfulness?
10Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me.Help me, O LORD.”
11You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
12that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Verses 5 and 11-12 are on replay in my mind right now!

Verse 5 serves as a reminder that things may seem tough right now ( weeping my endure for a night) but there is always light at the end of the tunnel.( joy comes in the morning)
Verse 11-12 are verses that show that God will turn all of our mourning into dancing or in other terms, turn an unhappy situation into a pleasant one. I am pleasantly reminded to give thanks to God for everything! I won’t be silent! I’m forever grateful

I don’t know who this message is for this evening, but I hope whoever is reading this is encouraged! Even If you don’t believe in what I do, remember that any day above ground is a good one! So take your lemons and turn it into lemonade!

We sang this song at church a few weeks back! Enjoy ( this isn’t my praise group but i’m not a huge fan of the Ron Kenoly arrangement…sorry )

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Monday Motivation: Busy Weekend=Tired Girl

June 1, 2015June 1, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

Hey y’all!

I hope your weekend was excellent! Here in my city I experienced 3 different types of weather at least; rain/hail, warm/sunny and just plain old cold( lol) #CanadianWeatherProblems. I had a super busy weekend spending time with great friends ( thanks for the s’mores) and also having an opportunity to work in praise and worship ministry in a conference that my church hosted. So three long days of non-stop singing. My throat is so raw and my body is so tired. So I’d just like to relax and chill out tonight. When I am super exhausted, my body shuts its self down, it leaves itself susceptible to getting sick. But…. ain’t nobody got time to be sick!! So tonight its me, vicks vapour rub, cepacol drops and lemon ginger tea. I’m going to become acquainted with my bed once again and curl up with a good book! 🙂 ( check out my upcoming Wednesday weekly reads post for details on what I’m reading)

So, dear friends I bid you adieu until next time! I hope your Monday was amazing!

Today I’m jamming on:

xoxo

africa, Alex Haley, authors, bible, bible study, black history, blog, blogger, book blogger, books, christianity, read, reading, Roots, slavery, wednesday, weekly, weekly reads

Wednesday Weekly Read: Feeling Motivated Again Finally!

May 27, 2015May 25, 2015by SophieLeave a Comment

Guys,

After a two-week reading slump, I can honestly say I’M BACK! I’ve reignited my passion for reading again.( it was a sad two weeks without my books LOL)

Like I had mentioned before,I recently started reading the book “Roots” by Alex Haley and although I didn’t have an enormous amount of time to read, I did manage to get about 160 pages (of 888) into it! (Yay me!) Man, is it ever a captivating read! I The story has been journeying through the protagonist Kunta Kinte’s childhood. Right now, I have reached the part of the story where Kunta has begun his manhood training. I don’t really want to say too much more, because if anybody has yet to read it, I don’t want to spoil the journey! I will continue with my progress next week. 🙂

I really have no set plans to read anything else right now, except for my “Women of the Bible” devotional. We just finished up “Tamar” and now we are on to “Potiphars Wife”.