Bold and Beautiful

It's important for me to talk about what its like Being BBJB (yeah I came up with this blog before Being Mary Jane came out on BET). Anyway, apart of Being BBJB are talking about some of the not so good things about me. There are two things I've always battled with and that's having short hair and biting my nails. Seems so minor when you write it down but boy have these things had a major impact on my self-confidence.

Having a mother with lovely long hair and a sister with thick voluminous hair, I wondered why I was born with short brittle hair. I would have loved to just have at least one good quality, why did I have to get stuck with hair 2 bad, hair that couldn't grow and then to lose the ones that did!! On top of that I have a terrible habit of biting my nails. Even down to the skin (yeah its a serious habit). For 28 years I have been trying to break this habit. At some points I actually did until I looked down and saw all my nails gone (not cute).  It got so bad that I didn't even know when or where I was doing it. I had gotten out of control.

This all had to stop!! I had to look for ways to believe that I am Bold and Beautiful just the way God made me. Regardless of what I had and the bad habits I had formed. So one by one I found ways to embrace my downfalls and control my own beauty. So how did I start? First I decided that if i was gonna be stuck with short hair that I would rock it out!!!

I got it cut and styled just like I've wanted to but have't had the guts to do. Since the cut a I have gotten nothing but compliments (which is an immediate boost of self-confidence.) This trickled into the way I dressed and developed into the confidence I thought I didn't have.

But I couldn't stop there, I had to come up with a plan for my nails. It certainly wouldn't be cute if you looked good  but had jacked up hands, would it? So I decided it was time to invest (which I never do). I invested in pampering my nails every two weeks. And if I make it two weeks without biting my nails I get to choose a nice color (red, pink, orange or aqua). For those of you that know me, I never have any nails to paint in the first place so this is truly a treat. Here's my progress:

It sometimes can be the simple things in life that can make a person feel Bold & Beautiful. These are just some of mines.

B&B

Credit Check.............

Well here it is.......How to get your credit in check Part 1!!!!!!!

Many of you have asked how to start or repair your credit so that you can be financially stable. First step will be to double check your report and make sure what is showing on your report is a reflection of the actual decisions you have made. So don't be fooled by the "freecreditreport" commercials or ads. And go to the only website that gives you your report:

www.annualcreditreport.com

This site will access all three credit bureaus that you need to know about:

Experian--http://www.experian.com/

Equifax--http://www.equifax.com/

Transunion--http://www.transunion.com/

You are allowed to see your report once a year per bureau.  So I recommend that you request a report from one bureau every 4 months. This way you see what each bureau is reporting and what changes are being made throughout the year.

I know you may also want to know what your score is but I do not think that's important when your trying to repair your credit.  The score is a direct reflection of what your creditors are reporting to the credit bureaus. So once you fix any disputes the score will self adjust (with time of course).

So you go to the site, you choose the bureau you want to start with, you pull your report, print it.......now review it!!!! Look for errors, if you don't find any good for you!!!! If you find some it's time to get to work.....Are you ready? I hope so, breathe its not the end of the world but it might be the beginning of a battle.

You will need to begin the dispute process through the bureau that is reporting the error so look at the bottom of your report for their contact information.  Draft a letter, with your account information and anything the bureau may need to identify you correctly. In the body of the letter state what the error you noted is and provide any information you have to support your issue. If you need some guidance here is a sample letter.

Stay tuned for Part II as I help you get your credit in check!!!!!


B*B*J*B Credit Rep

Viola Marie Events

This past month I was able to have my friends and family travel the world with me at my graduation celebration planned by Viola Marie Events. The event planners, Berdene Viola and Raquel Marie, captured my vision and created an over the top event for my guest to enjoy.

50 guest were invited to the celebration and were amazed at the travel themed decor. The centerpieces  were outlined with pictures of my travels to Trinidad, Barbados, Paris, Toronto, and London over the past 4 years. There  were also special features of places I have lived in of New York, Virginia, & Florida. The centerpieces outlined the representation of the grass of Wimbledon Tennis Center in London, England. The party favors represented the clay from the tennis courts of the French Open in Paris, France.

The menu included:

Appetizers-Sweet & Sour Meatballs, Eggrolls, Bruschetta, and Sweet Potato Fries

Dinner-Spanish Rice, Stew Chicken, Vegetable Medley, Curry Goat, Roti & Buss Upshot

Beverages-Tropical Fruit Punch, Mauby, and Limed Water

Desert-French Crepe, Fruit Platter, Banana Bread,  European Wafer, and Cake Pops

All the guests received a stamped visa documenting their experience. Have a wedding, birthday or special event coming up? You can hire Viola Marie Events at violamarieevents@gmail.com. You will surely enjoy yourself!!!! 

I would like to acknowledge my family and close friends, Mt. Calvary Treasury & Finance Departments, State of Florida Management Services and the Florida Department of Revenue for the impact they have had in helping me to reach my goals. Special thanks to the staff of Viola Marie Events, Carlton Arms North Lakeland, the catering services of my parents; Dalton & Esther Beckles, Marcelena Adonis, Sabriena Scott, Wendy Griffith-Reece, Donna Fowler, and Nancy Joseph. The assistance of Kandace, Jenny, Vanessa, Julia, Theresa, Amber, Candice, Allan, Eddie, Kwesi, and Ron were especially appreciated. The tributes by Kandace Reece, Bro. & Sis. Theo Neives, Rhonda Harris, Kay Lawrence, and Gwen Davis-Webb were heartfelt and will forever be cherished.

Thank you,

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T-shirt Quilt

Every time you sign up for something, win something, or just are apart of something you always get a free t-shirt. Then one day you go in your drawer and it is over flowing with t-shirts. Well I had enough but just couldn't seem to part ways with some of them. Like my high school project graduation tshirt or my very first pathfinder shirt, not to even mention my first andrews tshirt (there were plenty to follow). But still each has its own meaning especially the custom ones with my name on it (my BBJB collection lol) or the family reunion shirts that are just to special to just throw away. So a coworker told me about making a quilt out of it. A quilt, I mean I can sew, I have a machine but how in the world do I do that?!?!?

For every question, there is Pinterest!!!! And there it was, the beginning of my addiction.  Because I'm so unique I do things a little different,  but the end result is still the same. 

This is the instructions I followed:

http://cheapchichome.blogspot.com/2011/08/t-shirt-quilt-completed.html?showComment=1313514326206#c4821292592555110808

And here is my finished product...........

See if you have one of them in your T-shirt stack. 

B*B*J*B Forever