Spring Break in Style

Today’s blog is courtesy of Janet Kinkade.  She is the creator of JK by Thirty-One jewelry. Her ultimate passion is to inspire women and help them recognize their own beauty and potential.

I love her tips for how to pack for spring break..

After a long winter, it feels like spring break can’t come soon enough! Typically, we’re facing at least a few weeks of fashion limbo, when it’s too warm for a coat, too cool for a sundress – but your sunshine-soaked spring break is calling! These spring break travel fashion trends show you a few ways to “spring up” your winter wear, winterize your spring wear or maybe just invent a whole new season altogether: Happy “Sprinter,” everyone!

Get ready for spring break travel!

White jeans and capris can be dressed up or down – a great choice as the seasons transition. Embroidered or embellished tops are a sure way to bring in all the seasonal bright colors, especially in an off-the-shoulder blouse to keep you cool. Add texture and an organic feel. That looks especially springy and on-trend to any outfit with a touch of woven straw. Even the most delicate of silver jewelry can make a statement, like drop earrings, a beaded bracelet and long chain necklace. Then just grab a hat, your tinted sunglasses and a fabulous, beach-ready tote!

Styles to try:

Beach-Ready Tote, All About the Benjamins, Beaded Charm Bracelet,Navy Starfish Keepsake Charm

Go straight from the office to the airport

As soon as hot weather approaches, the basic rules of work-appropriate dress quickly become unbearable, right? A loose-fitting top with on-trend bell sleeves and ruffles will keep you cool. Plus, a little bit of outfit planning up front will save you precious vacation time on Friday: Just swap out your work pumps for a pair of sweet slides, and you can head out. (Bonus: You can show off your super-cute mint pedi toes all weekend long!)

Styles to try:

Midway Hobo, Rubie Mini, Just Write Snap Bracelet, Delicate Dream Necklace

Add a pop of coral, the season’s hottest hue

One of the biggest fashion trends for spring and summer 2018 is CORAL! And coral is one of those colors I never get tired of seeing, with its pinkish overtones and orange undertones. It’s positively lovely and looks great with shades of blue and our new Diamond Straw Weave! This summery shade lends itself to a bit of fun, so why not add a splash of the season’s hottest fruit: pineapples! You can find this sweet symbol decorating everything from jewelry and accessories to novelty print totes this season. With so many fun ways to wear coral, I hope you’re inspired to infuse it into your own wardrobe this spring!

Styles to try:

Cherish Bracelet, Shore Enough Tote, Carry Me Away Luggage Tag

Try casual spring travel layers for him

Spring and summer of 2018 will be a season of contrasts in men’s fashion. You’ll see a mash-up of couture hikers, nineties streetwear and stylish sea breeze looks. Casual, comfortable, lightweight and loose-fitting are important elements for menswear this season. And don’t forget functionality: Every guy needs a great weekend travel bag so he can swing home on a Friday, grab some gear and hit the road!

Styles to try:

24/7 Case, Retro Metro Weekender

The winter-to-spring transition can be a freeing moment! Wool gives way to cotton, black to bright (or better yet, coral) and boots to something strappy – something to have you itching to dig your toes into the sand. Embrace it, and enjoy your well-deserved spring break in style!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Affordable and Fun Staycations

 

The weather has been crazy – some days it is freezing cold while others it is close to 60!  I love the warmer weather and I know many are thinking about Spring Break or those long weekends, right?

As a single mom, I didn’t have a lot of many for vacations and I wasn’t as creative as some of these ideas from the ThirtyOne blogger… We lived close to the shore so trips to the beach and boardwalk were always a easy and inexpensive way to take a break.  Check out some of these “staycation” ideas;

Spa day at home

Fully embrace the spring break spirit with a spa day in your very own home. First, gather the supplies. Fill a Double Duty Caddy with the scrubs, cleansers, mud masks and other items to make you feel relaxed and renewed. Make sure your Glamour Case has a variety of nail polishes so you can choose the hue which strikes you when it comes time for your do-it-yourself manicure and pedicure.

Light a candle, soak your feet and grab a refreshing beverage. Bonus: Now your caddy and case are ready and waiting, it will be easy to create your own at-home spa long after spring break ends, whenever you need a little pampering without the price tag.

Park and picnic lunch

Take in the great outdoors! You don’t need to visit a national park to stop and smell the roses. Head to your favorite local park or playground and relish a few hours under the sun. Hike the trails, spot some wildlife and make the outing a little more special by eating al fresco.

The Picnic Thermal Tote’s zip-around closure makes it easy for you and your companion to pack a picnic lunch, or choose the Fresh Market Thermal when you want to carry enough sandwiches, sides and drinks for the whole gang.

Swim outing (inside!)

Instead of a trip to the beach, stay closer to home! Find the closest indoor pool or water park and spend a day in your swimsuit, come rain or come shine. You might not be able to dig your toes into the sand, but you can enjoy the next best thing when your Essential Storage Tote is filled with snacks, goggles and water toys. Even better? No sunscreen required!

Movie under the moonlight

See the stars – on the big screen and in the sky. Planning an outdoor movie night add a little bit of pizzazz popcorn alone just can’t manage. Once you locate a projector (pro tip: check your local library), the rest is easy. A mobile movie screen (inflatable or otherwise) is great, but a white or cream-colored garage door or even a large blanket will do.

A Zip-Top Organizing Utility Tote is roomy enough to hold everyone’s favorite movies, snacks and drinks with space to spare for outdoor necessities. Keep the bug repellent close at hand in one of the tote’s exterior pockets. Or carry a Catch-All Bin outside, filled with enough candy, napkins and glow sticks to keep even the smallest movie buffs entertained.

Road Trip!

How far can you go on a tank of gas? Forget the overnight bag and instead explore some of those hidden treasures an hour or two from home. A Crossbody Organizing Tote can fit everything you need for a day on the road – books, toys, snacks, water bottles and even a few diapers for tiny travelers. Best of all, you can throw it over your shoulder and keep your supplies close at hand all day long!

What is your favorite type of staycation?  Share it with us…..

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Is Vacation Veronica Your Summer Persona?

Summer and the living is easy, at least here at the Jersey shore unless you are fighting traffic from all of the “shoobies”.  Pools, picnics, gardening, homemade ice cream, life at the beach, on the lake, and the lazy days of summer are what we want our lives to be full of, right?

Most adults have to work a JOB, so all of the fun summer things are squeezed into weekends or when you are on vacation.  For those who have their own business, there are BIG choices to make. Sometimes, it is hard to remember our “business is flexible, not optional”, especially if you want to get paid!

I know it is the end of July but for some, there are still 4 more weeks of summer vacation.  What are you going to do with your business?

Have you put your business on hold this month?  Are you going to do it again in August?Sure you can BUT how is it going to effect your customers, your team, and maybe even your company.

Are you in Vacation Veronica  mode, taking the entire sumer off?  We often talk about “vacations” during the holiday months, right?  I can’t be the only one who finds it hard to work between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We tend to take a “holimonth instead of a holiday”. Not good for your business then and certainly not good during the summer.

In a conversation last week with a friend, we were talking about the excuses everyone has about not working their business during the year:

• July/August – Summer time is vacation time, fun time. Who wants to work when everyone else is enjoying summer fun
• September/October – Back to School and sports
• November/December – holiday times.
• January – No one has any money because they spent it all on gifts
• April  – Easter or Spring Break
• June – Graduations, weddings, end of school year parties, etc.

Do you see the pattern?  So, if you don’t have a plan, you can end up working your business maybe two months out of the year.  I don’t know about you but I definitely would have to work 24/7 to make sure I made enough money to pay the bills all year long.  No one says you can’t enjoy lots of down/vacation time when you have your own business, you just need to have a plan.

Here are the 5W’s of Direct Sales which helped me keep “Vacation Veronica” away:

1. WHO will I share this with? Who will have my next show?
2. WHAT do I want my business to provide for me? What is my vision? What difference do I want to make in this world?
3. WHEN will I make time for my work and for my family?
4. WHERE will I be in one year? Where is my time best spent right now?
5. WHY am I really doing this? WHY does this bring me joy?

There are a lot more questions in each of the sections but these are MY personal favorites. When I keep these things in front of me, Vacation Veronica doesn’t have a chance to get me sidetracked. I am not saying we don’t all need a break but let’s put it in perspective. If you owned your own store-front and took a month off, don’t you think it would be hard to get back into the swing of things. What if you work a full-time job and took a month off? Would you want to go back to work and when you did, wouldn’t you still have vacation brain?

When you imagine the rest of your summer, think about what you want, and create an intentional plan.

Here’s to hoping Vacation Veronica doesn’t linger long at my house or yours.  Take a break and enjoy your family and friends but don’t neglect your business.  If you had a store front, you wouldn’t close for 2 weeks would you?  So why should you close your direct sales business for 2 weeks unless you are fully booked for the next 2 months – even then, I am not sure I would stop working my business.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Travel Tips

We are smack dab in the middle of winter with snow and freezing cold temps.  Some are planning to escape to warmer climates for a short getaway or for longer periods of time (the lucky snowbirds).  I am working on earning a cruise for hubby and I so we will be able to head to warmer waters in September.

Here are some travel tips I found online:

1. Check for special occasions

Sometimes it can’t be helped BUT if you have any flexibility in your travel… be sure to stay away from public holidays, local elections, political conferences, or major sporting events (unless it is the reason for your trip) when selecting a destination.  Any and all of these things will affect prices, hotel availability and traffic.  In addition to more security due to the fear of a possible terrorist attack.

2. Make three copies of your itinerary & identification.

No matter where you are traveling to, make sure your emergency contacts (or next of kin) have a copy of your itinerary.  Pack one copy in your suitcase as well as the one in your purse.  You can even take a picture of it with your phone, this way you will never lose it!

3. Use accommodation providers you know and trust.

We have all heard the horror stories of those discount hotel websites, right?  If you are doing your own research for accommodations make sure you check out ALL of the reviews – the good and the bad.  Ask for references from friends and family who may have traveled to your destination. Remember pictures posted on the web can sometimes be deceiving or old.

4. Ensure you have more than one source of funds.

Okay, so I am guilty of this!  It is suggested you don’t rely on a single credit card (or debit card).  If you begin charging things out of your normal pattern, you could very well be blocked because the bank will think the card has been stolen.  Another suggestion is to notify the bank you will be traveling so they are not surprised by unusual charges.

5. Consider your arrival time in a city you have not been to before

Will it be after dark? How far out of the city centre is the airport? Make sure you arrange an airport pickup through your hotel or a local contact whenever possible.

6. Use a reliable travel agent with high standards of customer service.

We have all seen the ads for online companies to help with your travel arrangements, right?  They may be convenient to use but what happens in an emergency?  Not sure, use a travel agent who has great ratings or recommendations from friends and family.

7. Pack an extra pair of glasses and medications.

Traveling for longer than 2 weeks?  Okay, so I am jealous but the truth is you should be prepared for emergencies when it comes to your health.  If you are carrying medications, keep a copy of your prescription with you and the generic names for the drugs. You never know when you will lose a bag or the airline will lose a bag.  Keep medicines in their original, labelled containers.  I tend to put them in a pill container to make travel easier when we are going for 1 week or less.  Any longer, I always carry the bottles.  It’s alway a good idea to take enough medication for the duration of your trip plus 7 days (for emergencies).  Wear prescription glasses or contacts, keep a copy of your script with you, you never know when you may need to get an emergency pair.

8. Take a photo of your luggage with your mobile phone camera

How often have you been at baggage claim only to find a zillion black suitcases.  Of course using a Thirty One week-ender could solve the problem BUT if it isn’t an option, take a picture of your luggage.  If it goes missing you can show the picture to the baggage desk staff at the airport, making it easier to find it for you.

What is your best travel tip?  Share it with us….

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Tea and Cookies

My favorite afternoon drink is tea.  I am a coffee girl only in the morning to give me a little kick to start my day.  Hot green tea is what I will drink in hot or cold weather and especially when we go out to eat.  Favored teas just didn’t seem to be for me.

Then I found tea blends created by my dear friend, Kathleen Edinger who is the founder and owner of TeaScapes. This is like no other tea I have ever had. I LOVE it. The Spring Break is a combination of Black tea, papaya, peach, apricot, apple, strawberries, hibiscus, kiwi, orange peel, blackberry leaves, calendula,sunflower, rose petals, and natural flavors.  Check it out….

Jersey Cookie Girl founded by the AMAZING Nicole.  Her cookies are so YUMMY! Now being gluten free, I was sure I would miss these YUMMY cookies.   I was thrilled to taste her gluten free cookies courtesy of TeaScapes (picture on the left). They were just as good as her regular sugar cookies. The cookie tray on the right is a birthday tray Nicole shipped to North Carolina for my daughter’s birthday.  Cookies themed just for her – not a one was cracked or broken. Homemade delicious cookies shipped – YEAH!!! What a great way to share a taste of home with Belinda.

I love sharing my favorite products with you… Check both of these AWESOME business women out.  Have a favorite product you would like me to try and share, send me an email at HopeWs31@gmail.com.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!