Category:

How to Save Money for Your Next Tattoo

1/3/2019

Greetings all! I hope the New Year finds you well!
Today I am kicking off 2019 with a fun blog post that I hope you will enjoy!

If you have been reading this blog or following me on Instagram lately, I'm sure by now you have figured out that my husband and I have just recently opened up our own tattoo shop, Tatty Zaps! Today's post is one part shameless promotion (if you live in the Atlanta, Georgia area come get a tattoo or piercing!), mixed with my love for managing money!
I decided to write this post because A. I love managing money, talking about money, and telling other people how to better manage their money, and B. My husband and I are constantly having people tell us, "I would love to get a tattoo, I just don't have the money for it." Well no more! Today's post is based a bit off a blog post I wrote three years ago, "My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel." If you want to travel and just don't have the money, go read that article after you read this one!
Let's dive right in!

Step 1. Make some decisions
What tattoo do you want to get? Do you want it in color, or black and gray? Where on your body do you want to get it, and what approximate size?
If you aren't exactly sure on all of these things that's not a problem at all-some people rely on the artist's judgment on some things since they're the professional. And Nick says that is perfectly fine with him! We are just trying to figure an approximate price for your tattoo. So once you have most of your ideas together, the next step is...

Step 2. Contact Nick at Tatty Zaps (or your artist and shop of choice)
Tell him all the decisions you made above, and ask an approximate price. He will give you a ballpark. No lower than this price, but no higher than this one.

Step 3. Figure out your timing
Once you've talked to Nick (or your artist of your choice) and gotten your ballpark price, now you need to decide when you want this tattoo. Do you want it right before a big holiday to shock your family? Do you want it right before a vacation to show off in all your pictures? Figuring in healing times, decide on what month you want your tattoo. How many months is that from now?

Step 4. Get your magic number
Take the highest number from your ballpark amount, add in a tip if you will want to leave one, and divide this number by the number of months you have from now until you want to get your tattoo. Divide that number by two if you get paid every other week, or four if you get paid every week.

And that number my friend, that little tiny number you see before you, is all the money you need to put aside every paycheck, to get your next dream tattoo.

Unless you want an exceptionally large piece, and only give yourself one or two months to save, that number is going to be smaller than the price of going out drinking every weekend, smaller than a $5 Starbucks a day coffee!

Want a nice $500 piece in four months and get paid every other week?
500 divided by four divided by two= 62.50

So the grand total you would need to set aside every paycheck, is only $62.50!
Only $62.50! That is only $125 a month for four months, and you can have a brand new tattoo that will last you forever!

And you don't need to spend $500 to get a beautiful tattoo at Tatty Zaps! Want a $150 tattoo in three months and get paid every other week? You only need to set aside $25 a paycheck!!!

Step 5. Start saving
Every paycheck, set aside in a separate savings account (bonus, you will be making interest on your money!), a piggy bank, or in an envelope hidden in your underwear drawer, the amount of money that you need. And that's it!

Ok so, what if you've read this, figured out your magic number, and are saying, "I can't save that amount of money every paycheck!"

Here is what I have to say to that;
-You're lying. Ok, maybe not. But! I do find it very difficult to believe that an adult person, with a job, can not save an extra hundred odd dollars a month!
-Read my complete Money Management Series. You should be able to save at least $100 a month with most of my money saving tips.
-Give yourself longer to save. If you need $500, but can't save $125 for four months, instead, save only $100 for five months! Still doable!
-If after all of this, you still can't manage to scrounge up an extra $100 or so a month, then you don't want it bad enough. You would rather spend your money on other things And that's fine! If a tattoo isn't your priority, then you will not be able to save up money for it, and you don't have to! If you can't give up your daily Starbucks or cigarettes for a couple months to save for your tattoo, then continue buying your Starbucks and cigarettes. But, if getting tattooed is a priority, then I know that you will be able to find a way to save that money!

Tatty Zaps
Instagram
(678)539-7932
2531 Piedmont Rd. NE Suite 100 Salon 502 Atlanta, Ga

Peace Love and Tattoos
Jess <3

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A week in Vietnam with saigon om

11/20/2018

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"Sitting on our mats on the ground, joining in a guided meditation, listening to the birds chirping in the top of our shala, and the waves just beyond, I couldn't help but smile, and just be thankful to be alive, and to be spending a part of my life in this glorious slice of God's earth."
This was an entry I wrote in my journal I kept while at the retreat. I don't normally journal, but there were so many moments, and so many emotions happening, that I didn't want to forget a second of it. A good portion of this post has been taken from the journal I kept at the retreat.

As I am sitting here looking at my three hundred plus pictures, and going through my pages and pages of hand scribbled notes, I am wondering how on earth to truly share with you guys, and do justice, to the five days and six nights I spent with saigon om. I guess I will just share with you what our week looked like, and start by telling you our daily schedule while at the retreat. I know I wrote a little about the schedule in my previous post, where I told you all about saigon om and how excited I was to attend a retreat by them. If I'm being honest, when I wrote that schedule down, and then showed it to my husband, it left us both feeling a little overwhelmed. Neither of us were super advanced in yoga, had ever attended a retreat, or knew anything about mindfulness, and that schedule, while it looked amazing, was a bit daunting! If any of you felt the same way when you looked at it the first time, don't feel bad! But I knew it would be good for us, we wanted to do it, and so we did it! And wow, I can't even begin to explain how happy I am that we did! So with that in mind, here is what our week looked like while at our yoga and mindfulness retreat with saigon om in beautiful Mui Ne, Vietnam.

Daily Schedule
6:00-7 a.m. Qi Gong, mindful walking on the beach, and guided meditation
7:00-7:45 a.m. Fruit, tea and coffee
7:45-8:30 a.m. Lecture
8:30-10 a.m. Morning yoga
10:00 a.m. Brunch
11:00 a.m -4 p.m. Free time
4:00-6 p.m. Evening restorative yoga, mindful tea drinking, group sharing
6:15 p.m. Dinner

6:00-7 a.m. Qi Gong, mindful walking on the beach, and guided meditation
I am a bit embarrassed to admit that one of the things I was worried about, was our schedule beginning at six o'clock in the morning. I have trouble getting to bed before midnight, and getting me out of bed before eight is nearly impossible, so the thought of having to start my day every morning at six, was a bit troubling! However, I discovered with delight, traveling to a place eleven hours ahead of home, is the perfect solution for that! I fell asleep every night before eight, and every morning we arose before sunrise. Sneaking out of our villa, following the trail to the ocean, we would watch the magnificent sunrise, the clouds slowly peeking above the ocean, the sun casting its fiery rays. This was a beautiful moment for Nick and I every morning.

Once the sun had rose, we would wander up to our shala, which was a second story open-air hut with a beautiful thatched roof that housed a large number of birds, that had a breathtaking view of the ocean. Shala means house in Sanskrit-it is used in yoga to mean a house of yoga. This is me at the front of our shala.

The Chinese practice of Qi Gong was a delight! Qi in Chinese means energy, and Qi Gong is the practice of using breathing, meditating, and movement to get your energy moving (Sarah and Hang explain it much better!).
I loved learning about this thousands of year old art form, and getting to use the free flowing movements to wake up my organs, and even ease some of the tension in my shoulders!
The photo above and below are courtesy of Pascal Lefebvre, the owner of Full Moon Village Resort.

Our mindful walking was a beautiful time spent every morning walking in mindful silence, as a group, along the beach.

Guided Meditation
During our first morning guided meditation I sat on my mat, and participated in the guided meditation. I closed my eyes, listening to the sound of Sarah's voice gently guiding us on our meditation journey. Tears ran down my face as I listened to the birds chirping, the waves crashing, and focused on loving awareness towards myself. I was overcome by such deep feelings of joy, peace, and a love for myself and my surroundings.

7:00-7:45 a.m. Fruit, tea and coffee
Once the guided meditation was over, we all walked down from the shala where fresh fruit and teas were awaiting us. If that wasn't enough, we got to order a fancy tea or coffee from the wait staff. My iced Vietnamese coffee with coconut cream was probably one of my favorite parts of the day! I also loved the opportunity to sit and conversate with the amazing individuals from five different countries, and all walks of life that were at the retreat. Being in a group of like minded people, talking, sharing, and nobody on their cell phones (!!!) felt like paradise to me!

7:45-8:30 a.m. Lecture
After we had our fill of the glorious fruits, teas, and coffees, we made our way back up to the shala. I thoroughly looked forward to, and enjoyed the lectures. The word lecture conjures up for most hard chairs, fluorescent lighting, and a long-winded professor. More opposite of that this could not have been! We sat in a semi-circle in our shala, on our yoga mats, with the wind in our hair, and the ocean beside us, learning lessons that we would later practice on the mat, and in everyday life. Hang and Sarah enraptured and delighted us with their vast knowledge, humor, and contagious joy. We learned about the different doshas, mindfulness, the garden of the mind, and how words can affect us, and more! I took lots of notes and am so excited to keep applying these wonderful principles to my life.

8:30-10 a.m. Morning yoga
Ahhh morning yoga...can you think of anything more perfect?
Lying there on my back focusing on my breathing, hearing only the gentle sounds of Hang's voice, and the crash of the ocean, with its cool salty breeze blowing delicately on my face, I knew i was truly in paradise. And yes, this is the view from our shala!

10:00 a.m. Brunch
Brunch was an absolutely glorious time! After four hours of yoga, meditation, and lectures, we were all invigorated-and hungry! We made our way downstairs where a buffet of freshly squeezed watermelon, coconut and other various juices were waiting, along with a different vegetarian pho every day, as well as fresh salads, coffee, and other various brunch foods. We ate these with the glass doors wide open to allow the outdoors access to us. Sigh, heaven.

11:00 a.m -4 p.m. Free time
After brunch we had five glorious hours to do whatever our hearts desired. This included for Nick and I spending time at the pool, walking the beach, and spending time in our room.
A note about the hotel, I have never stayed in a place more secluded, delightful, and luxurious, all rolled in to one, than the Full Moon Village Resort in Mui Ne. It housed the most beautiful pool I have ever swam in, incredible and authentic vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine, amazing staff, the ocean right at our back yard, and don't even get me started on our room! It was not even a room, but our own private villa! A completely fenced off, perfectly private villa with a spacious kitchen, dining and living room, bathroom, and a bedroom with romantic netting surrounding the bed! This luxury was completed by our very own outdoor hot tub! I will be writing more about this amazing resort in an upcoming blog post about Vietnam.

4:00-6 p.m. Evening restorative yoga, mindful tea drinking, group sharing
At four we all arrived at Sarah and Hang's villa, yoga mat and couch cushions in hand.
We would start the evening with a mindful tea drinking ceremony, first reading the above mantra, then partaking in mindfully, gratefully, and with purpose drinking our tea.
Next was group share. I loved group share! We took turns sharing whatever was on our mind and heart. Some were joyful things, some had realizations and epiphones, and others were struggles and losses. We shared together, we cried together, we experienced together.
Last was restorative yoga. If you are a person who thinks yoga is too hard, then you must try restorative yoga! The lights were dimmed, soft music was played, and we all lay on our yoga mats using big fluffy couch cushions for comfort. Hang and Sarah took turns guiding us on this relaxing, and healing yoga session. Nick even fell asleep one day and started snoring real loud. And Nick never takes naps! It was that relaxing and good!

6:15 p.m. Dinner
The first fifteen minutes of dinner was spent in mindful silence. We first gave thanks to our higher being, and then gave thanks to the food. We were encouraged to say hello to each piece of food, imagine the journey they took to get to us, and to chew slowly and thoroughly. Doing this, we got to experience mindfulness and a different way of thinking in something we do every day, in something as simple as eating a meal. Truly amazing! I actually really enjoyed the mindful silence at dinner time. I got to really taste, and really enjoy every bite, instead of wolfing it down like I normally do. After fifteen minutes we were free to get seconds, and talk. Nick and I usually stayed until about seven thirty talking with all our new friends, then went back to our villa for bed.
The next morning we got to do it all over again!

I am someone who loves to totally immerse myself in things; cultures, languages, experiences. And being totally immersed in this culture of mindfulness was completely transformative! We got to listen to teachings about mindfulness, and then experience it during a yoga session, a walk on the beach, even eating! And that was just perfect.
And yes, yoga and meditation can be daunting. But Sarah and Hang guide you through it with ease. Giving you tips, helping your form, and always teaching you new techniques and sayings, it was such a special experience.

Not a bad way to spend five days!
I 1,000% recommend trying a yoga and mindfulness retreat at least once in your life. Hang and Sarah hold retreats and trainings year round in Vietnam and Australia, if you've ever wanted to visit one of these delectable places, and also Canada if you live in Canada or the States and don't want to venture too far from home. It doesn't matter which location you choose (though I'm quite partial to Vietnam...), just go! Go on this transformative, once in a lifetime journey with saigon om.
If you have any questions about the retreats or different training courses, feel free to email them (saigonom@gmail.com), Sarah and Hang are the greatest and will be happy to answer any questions. Just tell them Jessica from My Peace Love Life sent you! Go like them on facebook to see all the amazing things they are doing!

*A million thank yous to my wonderful husband Nick for going on this adventure with me, and for all of these amazing pictures he took, and also to saigon om for sponsoring this post and for being so so incredible*

Peace Love and saigon om
Jess <3

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Be Strawesome...use Glass Straws!

6/27/2018

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Lately I have gotten really jazzed up about the environment, and doing everything I can to help stop polluting our air and oceans. I have always recycled, but lately I decided that I needed to do more, and get into re-usables as a way of life. There is a new blog post coming your way soon with lots of fun re-usable items that I have found and tested out.
But today I am going to talk about straws. Yep, little plastic straws!
If you are not yet aware of what disposable plastic straws (and other disposable plastic things) are doing to this earth, here is an excerpt from Strawesome's website;
"In the beginning, there were plastic straws everywhere and people thought this was good because straws helped suck things up faster and easier without messes. You could find plastic straws almost anywhere a drink was served.
But soon plastic straws were found in places that were not so good. They were found used and thrown away along streets, on the beach, and even in the waterways. Used plastic straws were everywhere. But it got worse.
Plastic straws were found in the bodies of animals that lived out at sea (like in turtles’ noses). That was terrible to discover, but then something unimaginable and worse was found….the Pacific garbage patch! It was a huge collection (like hundreds of tons) of plastic things floating on the ocean the size of Texas! Someone did some research and discovered that millions of straws every day were being used once and then thrown away. And most everyone didn’t even realize what they were doing. Who’s great idea was this? But it got worse. Plastic was discovered to be toxic and non-decomposable. It was both unhealthy AND not going anywhere, EVER! Yikes!!!..."
If you haven't seen the many videos floating around Facebook and Youtube where plastic straws are being pulled out of turtles noses, and turtles are being pulled out of the ocean wrapped in plastic and garbage, go and watch those now.

Have you watched the videos yet? Or can you just picture it in your head and realize how sad this all is. Yes? Me too. So, what are we to do?!
Well, right here I have for you the solution to the plastic straw epidemic! Glass straws!
Taken from the Strawesome website, here is how Strawesome's glass straws got started;
"A creative glass artist made a straw from glass. Huh? A glass straw? What is that? Is it a bean shooter? Is it a crack pipe? No silly, it is a straw you drink from. Kinda like all those plastic ones you use all day long, but these are non-toxic, can be used over and over again, and look way cool like art. Oh, I get it. That’s a great idea! Freaking brilliant! I can’t believe no one thought of this before. Since I don’t want to use plastic straws anymore, can I get a glass straw? Can I get a bunch of them for my family and friends? Can I get long ones, short ones, bent ones, and colored ones? Please? Pretty please? Yes! Of course! We would love to! How about we work together and spread the word to everyone we know that there’s a solution to this plastic straw problem and make the world a better place in our lifetime? Sound like a good idea? Yes! Let’s do it!
So Strawesome was born and people on earth lived happily ever after with their glass straws and healthy planet."

I have had my Strawesome glass straws for a couple months now, and I. LOVE. THEM!
These straws are so unbelievably smooth, I love the feeling of drinking out of them, they make even the blandest water exciting! And when I'm drinking something with ice, the straw gets super cold, and makes the drink even colder, and even better tasting! Yay! Plus Strawesome is a small business which you know I love!
I bought four of them, gave one to my Mom (she loves it, she sent me the picture below and said, "I like drinking out of this straw! :D), gave one to my husband, and have two for myself!

"So where can I find these beautiful looking straws?" I'm so glad you asked!
Strawesome.com is where you can see how exactly they are made (so cool!), find out how to clean them (super simple!), design your own glass straw (wow!), and lots more! Click on the banner below, the banners on the sidebar, or any other banner in this blog post, to get started shopping for your very own Strawesome glass straw!

Strawesome's Mission Statement;
"The world is plagued with plastic debris and toxins in our oceans and water ways, on and in the soil of our land, and in the bodies of animals and humans. It is a major problem. Rather than just give up and 'deal with it', Strawesome was born to do something about it. Since March 2009, we have been working towards sufficient awareness and action to forever eliminate the need for single-use plastic drinking straws. Our mission is to provide the world’s most artistic, eco-friendly, and health-conscious drinking straw. Combined with a lifetime warranty and great customer service, there’s every reason to join the alternative straw movement and eliminate the need for single-use plastic drinking straws. Will you join us?"
I will! But what is the best way to make an impact with these glass straws? The first thing is to buy a couple for yourself.

Once you've received your glass straws in the mail, you need to make sure to use them! As with anything new, remembering to use them does take some getting used to. I started keeping them in a pocket in my purse, so I can use it at work, and when me and the husband are out and want to make a quick stop to eat, I have both of our glass straws with me! I started putting them in fabric chopstick holders, it works brilliantly! They also have pouches and to go cases that you can purchase on the website. I also keep some in the house for when we're making mixed drinks or smoothies, it just tastes and looks so much more fun!

Now that you have your very own Strawesome glass straw and are doing your part in saving the world (and the beautiful turtles!), is there anything else you can do? Of course there is! Start buying glass straws for everyone you know! Glass straws make such great gifts! Instead of buying someone something that they probably won't use, and don't need, get them a gift that they will use every day, and give them the gift of knowing that they are helping save the planet! Wow! Ok now that everyone knows what I'm getting them for Christmas...

The next thing you can do is start spreading the word!
Share all those sad turtle Facebook videos, but instead of just sharing them and leaving it at that, talk about re-usable glass straws as a solution!
Start a conversation! Tell people about your experience using re-usable glass straws.
Share with your friends why #plasticsucks.
Make a vow to cut back on plastic products, and cut out plastic straws completely!

Webmasters Earn Money Here!

Want to go one step further? Become an affiliate for Strawesome! Click the link above to get started making money while helping to save the planet!

How great are these pinup pictures of me with my Strawesome glass straw?! They were taken by the wonderfully talented Brooklyn Brat Photographer, and my hair was done by the amazing Miss Candice Hair Extraordinaire (If you are in the Atlanta, Georgia area definitely check them out!).
Let me know all about your Strawesome journey, I can't wait to hear all about it, and see your pictures!
Stay tuned for another blog post about using re-usables to save the planet!

***This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of the affiliate links, this blog receives a small commission. The price when clicking through my link is the exact same as going directly to the website. It just gives this blog a little appreciation. Thanks for your support!***

Peace Love and Strawesome
Jess <3

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Join Us on Our Next Travel Adventure with saigon om

2/22/2018

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Normally I would take a little time here to talk a bit about how my life has been going lately, or give some sort of introduction about what I'm going to talk about, but honestly, I am just too excited for that, so I'll get right to the point!

I am super duper excited to share with you guys, that I have teamed up with the rad people from saigon om to plan our next travel adventure! In October, Nick and I are going to... beautiful Vietnam! Six days of yoga, mindfulness, and self discovery in tropical paradise!

Yes this is for real! I had to pinch myself when saigon om agreed to this partnership, because I have been dreaming of doing some sort of yoga/meditation retreat for years. And the fact that I have the opportunity to do it on a beach in Vietnam is just way too amazing!

What is this saigon om I keep talking about? saigon om is a holistic wellness school run by Sarah Martin and Hang Nhan. They offer teacher trainings and retreats in yoga, mindfulness, Reiki, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and massage in Canada, Australia and South East Asia. saigon om has an impressive array of classes and training sessions happening this year, and there is something for everyone. Be sure to check out their full schedule and events for the year.

This incredible 6-Day Yoga & Mindfulness Retreat is going to be held at the dreamy Full Moon Village Resort in Mui Ne, Vietnam, October 25-30, 2018. This resort has a private beach, a stunning pool, and is a TripAdvisor award-winning resort!

Our daily schedule will look a little something like this:

Qi Gong, Walking & Sitting Meditation: 6-7am
Fruit & Tea/Coffee: 7-7:45am
Lecture: 7:45-8:30am
Morning Yoga: 8:30-10am
Brunch: 10am
Free Time / Beach + Pool Time: 11am-4pm
Evening Yoga: 4-6pm
Mindful Dinner: 6:15pm
Noble Silence: 9pm - 7am

How incredibly magical does that sound!

Sounds pretty amazing right?! Well there are still spots available, and we would love to see you there! That's right, you could be doing yoga on the beach with us in just eight short months! And yes, that is the resort pictured above!

The cost to attend the retreat which includes; 5 nights ensuite villa accommodation, daily vegetarian brunch and dinner, and all activities listed above, is $675 USD per person for a shared twin/double room, and $875 USD for a single room (that does not include the cost of airfare or visas).

If this sounds like something you would enjoy, why not come along! This is a vacation that will not only be a blast, but be sure to enrich and change your life! Email Sarah and Hang at saigonom@gmail.com with any questions, and to sign up for the retreat! Be sure to tell them that you were referred by Jessica LaPinta from My Peace Love Life Blog.

saigon om's Instagram
saigon om's Facebook
saigonom.com
Full Moon Village Resort's Facebook

I will be attending the retreat with my wonderful husband, and once the retreat is over, we will be spending another week exploring this stunning country, for our long overdue honeymoon! So I am doubly excited about this trip!

Sound amazing but think you can't afford to travel the world? Be sure to check out "My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel" blog post. It will change the way you think about saving money for travel, allowing you to save enough money to travel anywhere in the world, be it to Australia, Fiji, or Vietnam!
Have a wonderful week lovelies!

*Huge thank you to saigon om for sponsoring this post*

Peace Love and saigon om
Jess <3

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13 Online Gifts for Everyone on Your List

11/20/2016

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*Disclosure. This post contains some affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking these links, this blog receives a small commission. The affiliate links have no input on what I link, and I will only link to products I like and believe in. Thanks for your support!*

Merry Christmas everyone!
So if (like most people!) you haven't finished your Christmas Shopping yet, don't worry! You don't have to go out on Black Friday, forget about running around Wal-Mart Christmas Eve, and don't even think about buying gifts last minute that aren't special, and aren't perfect for the person you're buying them for!
Because I have for you 13 Online Gifts for Everyone on Your Christmas List!
As I said above, I will receive small commissions off several of these products, but some of these products are just small businesses that I believe in, and wish to help out, and am not receiving any commissions or monetary exchange of any kind! Some of these are also my products that I make and sell off of my Etsy. So either way, take your time to look around and find some great gifts, while helping out small businesses, and without leaving your house!

**Update this company is no longer selling sunglasses**
Treestyle Sunglasses
My husband is absolutely obsessed with his sunglasses from Treestyle!
Also, use the coupon code mypeacelovelife for 15% off your order!

Men's Drop Crotch Jogger Pants. They are only $13.54, and they offer free shipping!
^^Click the picture to get this great deal^^

Record bowls.
I make and sell these on my Etsy. You can buy one for $1.99 or 5 for $9.99.

Shoes!
Everyone loves shoes. They make great gifts for everyone! And I've hand picked some of the coolest shoes the internet has to offer. Check it out!

An LED Night Light! Only $10.72, and free shipping! Click the picture to get this deal!

Vintage and hand made earrings. Prices ranging from $8-$15. These are from my friend's Etsy Shop Mystic Gizmos.

This awesome plus size Christmas sweater that is only $12.92.

Zombie Sheet Set
Twin Sets starting at $51.99

Anything from Amazing Creams and Lotions!
Amazing Creams and Lotions is a small business, brick and mortar store located in Wilmot, Ohio, where I live. But if you don't live close, you can purchase all their products from their website! I asked for a lot of things from there this year, because I absolutely love all their products. The owner makes all the products right there in her store; everything is all natural, and super healthy. I actually wrote an article about this business in 2013, because I believe so much in what she's doing.

custom bobbleheads

These bobbleheads are so cool! You send in a picture of the person, and they make a bobblehead that looks like them!

Lipstick!
I recently did some modeling for Mynena's Matte Liquid Lipstick, and I absolutely love them, they are so beautiful! The colors I'm wearing are Sonia on the top, and I'm wearing the color Elle, on the bottom.
These both make such great gifts!

Pokemon Hair Clips and Pins.

Superhero things!
Who doesn't love superheroes?! And here are some great superhero gifts for anyone!

Well there you have your 13 gifts for everyone on your list! And as a bonus, here are 5 more Online Gifts for you in my post from last year about Christmas Gifts from Uncommon Goods! So finish up your shopping early, enjoy your Thanksgiving, and have a stress-free and joyful month of December!

Peace Love and Christmas Gifts
Jess <3

How to Simplify your Christmas Shopping

How to Stay Sane During the Holidays

5 Cool Christmas Gifts from Uncommon Goods

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Outfit of the Day+Exciting Craft News!

6/2/2016

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Me and the husband are leaving for our vacation in less than a day! We are going to the Dominican Republic, for our one year anniversary celebration. Can you believe it's been a year already?!! I am just so excited! So, I am going to leave you with this Outfit of the Week post, along with some exciting craft news (!) and I will see you guys on the 13th!

What I wore;
-An adorable bow dress that I bought in a Chinese market for $2.00
-Blue tights that were also purchased in a Chinese outdoor market
-These adorable shoes that my sister got me for Christmas, from Rue 21. They are perfect wedges, with a strap, and a bow! What else could you want in a pair of shoes?!!
-A light brown thin cardigan
-A thin black belt. I love cinching my waist in with a thin black belt. Especially around a cardigan. It looks so cute!

I wore this outfit a couple months ago, to a meeting I had at the Massillon Museum. The meeting went really great, and now...

My record bowls are for sale at the Massillon Museum!

My record bowls are for sale in the gift shop, they're to go along with the museum's newest exhibit; Echo, the history of sound. You should go check it out!
I am so happy that some of my products are in such a great place, a place of art and beauty, being offered to the public!
Allright loves, I'm off! Have a great week!

Peace Love and Record Bowls
Jess <3

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Tattoo Blanket Tattoo Covers!

8/31/2015

Attention all my tattooed peeps! Today I have a fun new product for you to check out!

Do you ever wish you could erase your tattoos just for a couple hours, so you don't have to resort to wearing a hoody or other long sleeved (and toasty warm) shirt to cover them up?
Whether it's from your boss, customers, or anyone else, it can be a big pain to have to cover them up!

Never again will you have to suffer through the heat to cover your tats!
Introducing, Tattoo Cover Arm Sleeve Tattoo Blanket!

My husband has this to say about the tattoo blanket (he's the model in all of these pictures); "These Tattoo Blankets are a snug fit, but not too tight, They stay where they need to, and keep my tattoos covered when I need them to be! The material seems durable too. I will definitely recommend these sleeves to anyone who is in need to cover their tattoos for any purpose."

These sleeves come in two colors; black, and white.
They are a cool breathable fabric blend that you will find much cooler in the sun than a long sleeved tee.
Speaking of the sun! You can also use these to protect your tattoos from the sun! Whether you just got a new one and want it shielded while it's healing (the sleeves are non-sterile, so should not come in direct contact with a healing tattoo or open wound. If used to protect a healing tattoo it should be placed over a sterile covering), or just want to protect your ink from the fading effects of the sun, these sleeves are perfect!
And the best part? They are only $7.99 each!!!

So what do you think? Pretty sweet eh? You can purchase yours (for yourself or a great gift for someone else), on their Amazon Page here!

Peace Love and Tattoo Sleeves
Jess <3

*Disclosure*
I was given these Tattoo Covers, and these are my thoughts on them.

Support Small Businesses; Triumph Free Running

9/4/2014

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I am always very excited whenever I get to share about a small business that I think is just the tops, but today, I am EXTRA excited about this business that I get to share with you!
I have never actually had the pleasure of meeting this man in person, but we have gotten to know each other very well through facebook and texting over the past couple months.
This guy has such a huge heart, it is ridiculous! He is so very passionate about helping others less fortunate than himself, lifting people's spirits, supporting small businesses, and just in general, making this world a better place!

So now I will allow Mr. Jeremy Carr himself, co-founder of Triumph Freerunning, to tell you a little about himself and his business.

"My name is Jeremy Carr :) I'm 27 and from Sullivan, MO.
I love to see people smile and enjoy themselves. Which is why I, and along side with Ryan Gregory founded Triumph Freerunning to see people smile and come together as a community and make opportunities happen.

I carry a strong heart with a lot of values on life. Happiness is a must. It's OK to be get down every now and then but there are more things to happy about.

Parkour and freerunning has become my life. I love it, it brings my passion out like nothing else ever has. It keeps me healthy, active, peace keeper, and inspiration to others and myself. It has given me so many opportunities to travel the world as well, so I must say I love to travel and see everything, anyone and anything while I can. :)

Who Are we? What We Do? Why Us?

We are a group of close friends who are a sponsored and affiliated team through W.F.P.F. (World Freerunning Parkour Federation). We host classes, workshops, jams, charities, demonstrations, and many other events. We strive to build and inspire the parkour community as well as to promote knowledge, discipline and a healthy lifestyle to the people around us. We don't do this as a job or a career, we do this because this is our passion.

There are two catagories with our team. 1. Triumph Freerunning Productions- A non-profit page where all production type services go, could be photography, videos, commercials we film or in, music, and much more. 2. Triumph Freerunning is the team it's self and along where you can find us doing what we love, parkour and freerunning. Where you can find our services to you, blog, and so much more, like clothes! We have a t-shirt for $18.00 so go get one so you can get a free Triumph Silicone Band of Power.

The Team

Michael

Jeremy

Ryan

The team started with three people; Micheal Marino, Ryan Gregory, and myself, Jeremy Carr, in Sullivan, MO where we decided to make a team of just us three making videos. After a few months it was growing, and now today, we have grown so much, and had no idea it would get this big, we are now the biggest team in the St. Louis community and surrounding areas. If you ask about us, people will know.

We are changing the world by welcoming anyone to train with us or possibly become part of the team. Our target is youth but anyone can do this. We feel if children, ages 6+ get involved with this hobby it will keep them off the streets, or at least doing something rather than theft or another form of crime. Once they have the heart of parkour, it will brighten their future and take on amazing and intelligent career choices."

So that's what Triumph Free Running Productions is all about! If you think their pictures, purpose, and products are awesome, wait till you see their videos! Below is the latest video from them! Be sure to check it out (it's AWESOME!), like it, and share it!

Didn't I tell you?!! So cool!

And here's a really cool commercial they did for their local Starbucks!

They also just recently partnered with Eden Ministries, the ministry that I wrote about here a couple weeks ago. Read all about their partnership with this amazing ministry here!
I am SO stoked about these guys, and what they're doing. It is people and groups like this, that are helping change the world! Thank you so much for reading this, and be sure to check out their blog so you can keep up to date on what they're doing. Also their Products Page, so you can help support them (and get some really cool stuff!). Find them on facebook, and visit their youtube channel for tons more incredible videos!!!

www.triumphfreerunning.com

https://www.facebook.com/Triumphfreerunningproductions

573/259/2555

Peace Love and Parkour
Jess <3

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Midwest Reggae Fest!!!

7/28/2014

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Hey everybody! Who's comin to the 23rd annual Midwest Reggae Fest?!! If you said you, then I'll see ya there!

I am so stoked to announce that My Peace Love Life is going to be vending at this year's Reggae Fest! Wohooooooo!

I only found out about this fest three weeks ago, so we've been crazy busy trying to get everything ready for it! Today I just got done doing a massive red yellow and green batch of tie dye, and in only three days, me and my love have made over thirty headbands!
So we are reeeeeady!

So be sure to come on down and see me! And all the great bands that will be there too of course!:P

You can visit the Midwest Reggae Fest Website for ticket, schedule, and camping info, directions, lineup, and anything else you need to know!

Hope to see ya there!

Peace Love and Reggae
Jess <3

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My Journey thus far...my hopes, dreams and aspirations.

7/16/2014

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Almost two years ago, I started on a journey. A journey to stop living the American "normal" life; working an un-satisfying 9-5/Monday-Friday job. I didn't want to dread every day of my life because I was doing something I hated, and only have the weekends to look forward to! I wanted to look forward to every day! And love every day of my life! I wanted to do something that refreshed me; that made me happy, excited, and actually made a difference in this world! I was very excited, but I do have to admit that it was kind of scary also! I quit my full-time Health Insurance Sales Job (that I had no passion or excitement for [I despised cold-calling, and talking on the phone in general]), got a part-time waitressing job, started this website, and have been on a CRAZY journey ever since, figuring out what I want out of life, and how I am going to get it! That's what this website is; It is my journey of discovering a new passion for life, sharing it with you guys, and helping others discover and create their passion for life! This website is my creative outlet, and my means of making a living doing what I love.

I think that one of the most important things that we as humans can do, is support each other's dreams. If someone tells you their dream, DO NOT make fun of it! Instead,
encourage, and do everything you can, to help them reach that dream!!! If we all did this, then the world would be full of happy, fulfilled individuals, who are not afraid of dreaming big, and sharing their dreams with others! This world would be a better place, because good people would go out and change the world with their dreams! That is something I have wanted to talk about for a while now, but I was waiting for this post, because after almost two years of learning, and searching, I have finally figured out what I want to do in life! I have searched my mind, my heart and my soul, and figured out what I want to do, how much money I want to make, and how I'm going to do it. I want all of you to come along with me, and support me in this journey, because without all of you, my dreams couldn't come true!
Below, are my goals that I have set for this website, that I would like to have accomplished in the next 3 1/2 years.

My Goals for My Peace Love Life by 2018.
-100,000 pageviews in one month.
-1,000 likes on facebook.
-I want to make $100,000 (I know that this is a bold number, but I am going after my dreams!) from my crafts, this blog, my world ventures journey, and my e-book.
and
-I want to help change the world through this blog! I want to donate $10,000 (I donate 10% of all the money I make). I want to inspire and help people to go for their dreams, and to love one another, and make this world a better place to live! I also want to help out other small businesses achieve their goals, which is why I started my "Support Small Businesses" Series.

What I have accomplished so far!
-15,250 views in one month is the most I've got so far.
-244 likes on facebook (Need 756 more likes).
-I'm still figuring out all of the financials, but I definitely have a lot of work to do from now
till then!
and
-Last year I donated/gave away over $800 to Compassion International, Eden Ministries, and random people I find along the way that need a helping hand or some cheering up. I have also received emails and comments telling me that what I have written about has changed people's lives! This is AWESOME to me! I would love to see many more emails like that!

So there they are, all my dreams and goals of what I want to do with this blog during the next year and a half. And I shared those with you, because now I need YOUR help. I couldn't even think about reaching any of these dreams without you guys! So please, help me out in any way you can! Below I have written out some simple ways you can help! Do one, or all of them!

How YOU can help!

1. Keep reading, and supporting this blog! Simple as that! (:
2. Like us on facebook.
3. Share this blog and its posts with your facebook friends and twitter followers, stumble it,
    pin it, and anything else you can think of! Spread the word! This is super important!
4. On the right hand side are a couple advertisements. If you see something you like, click
    on it! Also, at the bottom of some of my posts, I will have an ad. Check those out too!
5. Check out my Etsy and Shop page. I have there, all my beautiful, and completely unique hand made crafts. Purchase them for yourself, or as a great gift for someone else!
6. Advertise with me! Do you have a small business, etsy page, or facebook page you want
    to have advertised? For only $5, I will put your advertisement on my blog for a week! $10
    gets you a month, and only $50 for a half a year! This is the cheapest advertising you
     will get anywhere! Email me for information, or to purchase!
7. Purchase my "Creating Your Dream Life" E-Book! It's only $20, and it will help you figure
out, and go after, your Dream Life!
8. Leave comments on posts letting me know what you think, and how you feel!

Thank you SO much everybody! I truly could not do it without you! I am so deeply excited to finally have figured out what my heart has been wanting to do, and now, I am going to do it! It IS difficult, and it is frustrating and scary too! But now that I know that this is what I was meant to do, I WILL NOT stop until I do it! So your support and help mean the WORLD to me! And seriously, if you have a dream, and need support for it, please don't hesitate to talk to me! Because I know how it feels to have a dream, and I know that you need support and love from others to accomplish it! So keep me updated on your progress, and I will keep you updated on mine!

Victorias Secret

If you have a dream that you're working towards, not sure how to reach, have never told anybody about, or it just scares the crap out of you, please leave a comment below saying what it is! Saying it out loud is the first step to accomplishing it! It can be scary (I have to admit, I am terrified to push the 'Publish' button on this post, because once it's posted, everyone will know my deepest darkest desires, and will know it if I fail!), but it is extremely important!

Peace Love and Dreams
Jess <3

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