Hardware Gone Awesome

This DIY has to be my absolute favorite...seriously. I wear these gems almost everyday and the best part about it, its so easy to make. Check out my latest mirror mirror segment via the link below.

>>> MIRROR MIRROR DIY HARDWARE JEWELRY SEGMENT <<<

Hinge Bracelet 

• cut two three-inch pieces of chains possibly shorter if you have thinner wrist. lucky you. :)
• attach the end of chain to the side of one hinge using one jump ring and attach the other end of that chain to the other side of hinge. Repeat on other side.
• in the center of the chain on one side, attach a jump ring to the center link, repeat on other side.
• on one end attach your clasp to the jump ring.
• now you are ready to clasp and go. 

Chevron L-bracket Necklace

• grab your brackets and determine length of chain between both. make sure they are the exact same in length on both sides so it doesn't go lopsided on you. 
• connecting the brackets to chain using jump rings.
• attach a jump ring to the end of the chain and attach the top bracket, repeat on other side.
• cut chain at the center and attach a jump ring to each cut side of the chain.
• attach a clasp to one of the sides and you're done and doner!

For less than 5 bucks and in 5 minutes to make, I call that a totally win! 

Kjoy

Ps i would love to hear your feedback! xo

fears vs dreams

i fight the fear of rejection, imperfection, and not fulfilling my destiny.

 I dream of becoming a talk show host. I dream that I'll inspire lives through asking the right questions, encouraging, and sharing creativity and love. I dream I'll have enough love and resources to be able to attend to other's needs.

 
So the past couple of days I've been following my dear and talented friend Caitlin Crosby and creative genius Jeremy Cowart on twitter. They have teamed up with some amazing folks and are road trippin' across the country inspiring hearts, challenging fears, and encouraging people to remember their dreams. Cowart, Crosby and gang are not just asking the questions, but they're putting to use their gifts of photography & music to encourage people to live the life they were destined to live. Can you even begin to imagine the ripple effect of change that will happen when people live out their purpose??!!

I couldn't let an opportunity to voice my thoughts on this subject  go by, could i?...so they are as follows....lucky.

Fear vs Dreams...who wins? that my friend is up to you. 

We are all faced with fear...

fear of heights, failure, not being loved, poverty, death, travel, opinions of man, ect.

...and i pity the fool who never acknowledges them. um hello the first step is admitting you have a problem and let me tell you fear is most definitely a problem. DO NOT make fear your friend, DO NOT go have coffee with it, DO NOT allow your mind to accept it as "oh well, this it the deck i've been dealt". Make the choice, and love yourself enough to do the work to let it go so it no longer has the power to paralyze you from who you are and what you've been destined to do. In the words of Joyce Meyer..."do it afraid"!

I think one of the best things to "hiyah"ing fear is to DREAM, never stop dreaming and to dream even BIGGER than the dreams you've dreamed before. You see if you do not have a dream than you do not have a vision. Without a vision, you lose sight of purpose and you begin to drown in a pool of apathy and discontent; which will ultimately be the demise of your destiny. Don't do it come back into the light, step away from the ledge.

DREAMING IS AN ANTIDOTE TO FEAR.

Now that you have your dream, you must BELIEVE it, PROTECT it, and FIGHT for it! I love the quote by John Osteen,

Great it is to dream the dream, as you stand in youth by the starry stream

 but a greater thing is to fight life through, and say at the end the dream is true.

When fear of rejection, imperfection, and not fulfilling my destiny comes into my mind, I remind myself that I have a dream and my dream is my destiny and if its destined it will come to pass. Therefore I see my dream not as my fantasy, its my reality.

So in the honor of dreaming the dream and "hiyah"ing my fears, i finished my reel. I'm sure along the way I'll make many adjustments  but woohoo I'm one step closer in making my dream come true. Just to disclaim: I'm no Jeremy Cowart, Donald Kilgore, Dan Rubottom, Micah Bickham, Taylor Gahm and Tim Schaaf but I gave it a good ole college try. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.



So guys recognize fear and fight it, dream bigger than ever before.

Live full, die empty.

kjoy

p.s. Follow the fear vs dream journey on twitter #fearvsdreams

beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

There's an age old saying that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"... but what if you're your own beholder? I think sometimes when we look at ourselves in a mirror we see things that maybe we didn't ever think was wrong until we compare. comparison kills joy.

I know that I've struggled to see my bodily differences as being beautiful and unique but instead I see them as uniquely flawed. I look in the mirror and compare my flaws as failures to the successes of the "beautiful people" in media or in my own personal circle. I find that when my inner self is strong and I keep God's perspective of His creation (me) as my focus, the weight of my flaws slip away until the dark pit where it belongs.

My good friend caitlin crosby has spent years fighting against the media's skewed eyed view of beauty; so much so she made her debut album all about loving your flawz. It is full of talent, fight, love of people and true beauty. Go get your copy of FLAWZ HERE. I love, love love it!




We're all created different, beautiful in our on unique way. I think when we can embrace our specific and wonderful differences we will find freedom. I love the lyrics from Caitlin's song Freedom.

No, don't put me in a box.
I'm not just like a puzzle piece
I might not fit, I will not bend
No, I'm not the color red
I'm not the girl next door
I clinch my fists, I might stay home instead
Sick and tired of making faces
Nothing more than second places
I'm coming 'round the bend
But I am crawling slowly
When everyone around is rising
Raise your glass to compromising
Tell me now is this what we call freedom
This is freedom, this is freedom
So give me freedom
Give me freedom

Oh freedom, how i love thee.

More love from Caitlin. She has started a site called http://www.loveyourflawz.com/ where you can post yourself in a pic holding a sign saying how you love your freckles, gray hair, or even your cellulite! Its about embracing you for you. Go celebrate you and post a pic!

Lastly, Caitlin's song "Imperfect is the New Perfect" is so true and relevant, we need to hold on to that and make it our mantra. Here is a glimpse of its awesomeness...

Just dry your eyes, you're beautiful
I understand, it's logical
'Cause these images are everywhere
They're make believe, so don't compare
I will not compare
We're every shape and size
You know we're just perfect, just perfect
We love our hips, our thighs
Because they're just perfect, just perfect
I don't fit the mold, I am real
I'm too colorful to conceal
Imperfect is the new perfect
Imperfect is the new perfect

The line "They're make believe so don't compare" makes me want to put this video on our mental stereo and press repeat. Take a look below what I'm talking about...

Wow! Can you even believe!? Gotta love the exposure of truth...things are not what they seem to be.

Its time for us to enhance what we have been given, not destroy it with our mental torture and media driven disillusions. Embrace what we have, give it a beautiful name, You.

Concern your heart with what matters, the inner you. Because when you beautify your inner self your countenance will radiate brighter than any outer thing good or bad you might possess.

Do what ever you can to break free, get healed, be whole...fight for it, its worth it! I'm on the journey with you, better yet God is, you're never alone.

You are beautiful, I just know it!

kjoy