New Site!!

I've been working on a new site for about a month now, and I can finally say that I'm happy with how it's looking. Anyway continue to keep up with me and my creative journey over here at www.tynisenicole.com. I've been positng away a for a couple weeks now, so head on over and I hope you enjoy!

what i'm reading.

recently i finished reading the alchemist by paul cohelo. the alchemist is a magical story about a young boy's journey to find his treasure. this book unfolds the intricacies and beauty in the journey of understanding your true authentic self and allowing what dreams you think up along the way evolve into more than just thoughts. this book is a beautiful story of determination and defeat and is incredibly inspiring. below are some of my favorite quotes from the book. enjoy!

"it's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."

"it's the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary; only wise men are able to understand them."

"when each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises."

" if God leads the sheep so well, he will also lead man."

" never stop dreaming...follow the omens."

" when you want something all the universe conspires to help you achieve it."

" making a decision is only the beginning of things. when someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision."

" intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life."

" once you get into the desert, there's no going back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward. the rest is up to God, including danger."

things that make me smile.

Almost two weeks ago now the cutest little bundle of joy joined my life. my little kitty Pumpkin! She is the best little kitty anyone can ask for. It’s good to come home to her and see her so excited to see me. Although my last week has been exhausting, and consume with training her on my sleep schedule, she is so making me smile these days.

my lil cuttie patootie

me and pumpkin's first day together...

she found a spot to sleep, out from under the bed, after an intense catch the fish on the string session. 

i finally have a plan!

{flickr}

okay i realize i may be a little late to posting my goals for the year, but here they are! i took some time this past weekend to narrow down my 9 general goals for this year. now within these general goals i'll need to set incremental goals to keep me on track, but i'm glad that i solidified a starting point.

my 2011 general goals

1. raise credit score by 200 points.
2. increase savings to $2,000.
3. gain 500 followers on my blog.
4. enroll in grad school in fall 2011.
5. incorporate worship into my daily life by reading the bible, journaling, and praying.
6. grow hair to apl length in 6 months ( june 2011)
7. earn $5,000 from jewelry line.
8. own my first home.
9. pay off all credit card debt.

goal setting is a pretty vital part of my life. i've never been one for setting resolutions for the new year, but i'm a hard core advocate for mapping out the areas in my life that could stand to be modified, excelled in or completely eradicated.

when setting goals you don't want to aim to high with unrealistic capabilities. setting yourself up for disappointment. but you also don't want to limit yourself and forfeit an opportunity to challenge yourself. you have to develop a happy medium somewhere in between.  need some help in mapping out your plans for the year? the following links provide some helpful, fun and innovative strategies for goal planning.

• michelle ward, the when i grow up coach, suggests writing a letter to your future self. read more here.
• lulumon has a great website dedicated to goal setting. check it out here!

every new year, i try to make it more spectacular, invigorating, adventurous, and victorious than the year before. and this year is no different. probably one of the most important points to remember when you give yourself a goal is that you may not always completely fulfill that goal. you may just partially complete it. but in my opinion, that's a thousand times better than doing nothing at all. as long as you are making steps towards achieving that goal, you've won half the battle. so what you only saved $1,500 instead of the $3,000 you set out to stack up. the fact you made a conscious effort to stash some extra funds away puts you a lot closer to that goal than if you hadn't set it. and even better, you have $1,500 more green than the year before.

sometimes goal setting/accomplishing can be difficult, but if you develop a plan, you make it easier to turn your dreams into the realities you hope for.

 happy goal setting!

in the kitchen

my sunday routine usually consists of going to church in the morning then going to the farmer's market after wards to get my produce for the week. i picked up some pink lady's, my favorite apples in the world; a bushel of top cut carrots, and green tomatoes!!!

the green tomatoes sparked my fancy and i decided to make fried green tomatoes. this was a first for me. i've had them once before in the past and decided to give it a try. i didn't get this recipe from anywhere in particular i just kind of winged it.

so here's what i used:

1-2 sliced green tomatoes
bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 milk
flour
salt
pepper...
seasonings of your choice ( i used paprika and adobo seasoning)
olive oil

set up three stations for the flour, milk/eggs and bread crumbs. add oil to a  medium size pan, enough to coat the pan. season the sliced tomatoes with your desired seasonings. after the tomatoes are seasoned dip them in flour. dredge the tomato in egg/milk mixture then dip it into the bread crumbs. continue this process until all the tomatoes are coated with flour, milk, and bread crumbs. next place the coated tomatoes in the pan and let them cook 2-3 minutes on both sides. take the tomatoes out and place them on a paper towel to soak up any access oil. and viola you have fried green tomatoes.

{notes}

• i made a grilled chicken sandwich with advocado and munster cheese to go along with my tomatoes...for a recipe on the chicken sandwitch comment below or send me an email.
• this recipe makes about 3-4 servings.
• you can add you own seasonings to cater the recipe to your tastes...however, the tomato already has a great bold flavor and you want to be sure you don't take too much away from that.

happy monday!

and never forget...

happy 2011!

sale!!!!!

i'm making way in the shop for a fresh new collection coming in january!!! today only, everything in my shop is 30% off!! use this shopping code SHOP1216 to get that discount. click here to get to my shop. happy shopping :-)

happy hump day!

journeying.

"The only journey is the one within."~ Rainer Maria Rilke

wow! let me first say that i can’t even believe that it’s been almost a month since my last post. so much has happened since my last blog…or let's say 24 days ago. well probably one of the most major “accomplishments/ events” in my life has been my 25th birthday!!!! that’s right I am now a whole quarter of century old. It’s still pretty crazy when I think of it now. i’m 25… but it’s great! although, by no means am I wear I want to be in life, I have made some pretty challenging, heartwarming/wrenching, amazingly beautiful accomplishments and decisions in my life that have rendered me to this wonderful place in life that I am now. but my journey continues.

i feel some major things happening during this 25th year of my life and i want to be sure that i document every waking moment. everything, from the time i wake up to my new crazy and fun challenge to make an attempt to expand my cooking expertise by trying a new recipe at least once a week. it’ll all be documented, here of course, and on my new photo history blog; which i’m so incredibly excited about!

a little less than a month before my birthday i decided i wanted keep a photo history of my 25th year. yes, document everything that happens throughout this year through photos. i began this blog on tumblr, but because tumblr has been acting a little crazy these days, shutting down for random reasons and what not, i’ve decided to move this blog to my flikr account. i know can count on yahoo not shutting down. so to see what i’ve been up to for the past couple of weeks head on over to my tumblr here. but to follow the rest of my journey from this day on, head on over to my flickr page.conveniently, you’ll also be able to see my updates on flikr photostream over there to the left.

Have a lovely day!!

influencers.

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION (FR) from R+I creative on Vimeo.

being in an icky place.

"now is the time for guts and guile." elizabeth taylor

wow! i realized that i've been absent from this blog for entirely too long.  i have my reasons though. for a while i was in a really not so good place. have you ever experienced a time when things in your life are great? better than ever? you're being a productive busy bee, accomplishing goals left and right. all the while maintaining a motivated spirit to chase those dreams. and then out of no where something happens and you get stalled. it's like driving around on a windy road, on the darkest of nighs in your old 89' hoopty and the hoopty just stops. your stuck. you can't move and you're a little apprehensive about proceeding because it's so dark and gloomy outside of that comfort zone. well that was me. i was really stuck for a few months. things just weren't going in the direction that i thought they should be. despite my most concentrated efforts i wasn't experiencing the results that i thought i should. as a result, i lost my motivation and most importantly, i lost my creativity. i lost whatever motivation i had to design and create. there wasn't a creative bone in my body. someone or something had pillaged my creative juices. and i was not happy. nothing seemed to go right. creating is my lifeline and i was lifeless.  i was definitely in an icky place. to make matter worse, it seemed as though everyone else around me was getting ahead except me.

despite my icky state of mind, i held on to my faith. without it i would've completely lost my mind. in times like those it's necessary to have something to hold on to. i thought of sailor being caught in a storm. the waves outside may be unstable and the winds raging, but a boat is was keeps the sailor safe and provides him stability in the storm. my faith was my boat. my life was unsteady, boy was it rocky, but my faith provided me with balance and security. i knew that at some point in the right time i would come out of the place and rise to the top again. for me, my faith was the only thing that got me through. soon things begin to happen. after weeks of uncertainty my situation steadily began to change.  my motivation returned along with my best friend, creativity. my juices began to flow again.

everyone experiences the peaks and valley's of life.  one minute you're on top and the next minute we enter a bumpy plain and we're stagnant.  it's so easy to get stuck there and become complacent.  but remember anything in life worth having doesn't come to you easy.  so work diligently towards getting back on the peak.  remaining faithful in all you do.  understand in your heart and soul that it won't always be that way and soon enough you'll climb to that peak again.

have you ever been in an icky place? what helped you get out of that place?

being authentic.

"if you don't change your beliefs, your life will be like this forever. is that good news?" dr. robert anthony

my take on authenticity...

authenticity is was on of those words that can mean a lot of different things to different people.for me authenticity is taking full ownership of everything you embody. everything you possess within. everything that is rightfully yours and owning it. loving and accepting every flaw you have and playing it off as if its the best thing since hair gel.{ side bar: i mean if you don't like it who will?}

authenticity is acceptance. possesing the capability to accept the person who God created us to be.  we all hold different characteristics of ourselves.  we embody different mores and values, cultures and personalities. we were all raised differently. some in strict environments where our parents fobade us from leaving the house after the sun went down or we group up in strict religious environments like myself where we were excluded from participating in certain activities becasue we had to uphold a certain image. whatever the environment was that we were brought up in, no one background was better than the other, however, each played a significant role in molding us and shaping us into the person we authentically are.

what makes me authentic?

this question still stumps me at times. however, i believe that i can be authentically me in various settings. when i'm with my best girlfriend, i am authentically me because i can reveal to her every little thing about me and not feel afraid or nervous that my "secret" of me being me will get out. i am comfortable enough with her to reveal my fears, my doubts as well as my desires and my goals. i can simply be me with her.

sometimes i feel like i'm most authentic when i'm alone. i enjoy the company of myself and can truly be myself when no one else is around. not to sound as if i don't love to be around people, because that certainly isn't the case; i just know in order to be my authentic, quirky, creative self i really need to be alone. in this space i can be myself without fear or worry that i will be judged. i can dance wildly to my favorite band or sing out loud. i am able to create in my own space without the distractions of someone else around.

i believe that as i'm getting older and growing and learning more everyday, i'm beginning to accept who i authentically am. i'm becoming more confident and secure in who i really am.  

what about you? what does authenticity mean to you? what makes you most authentic?

scars aren't always so bad.

"it's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars." Garrison Keillor

scars tell a story. every scar tells a story of endurance and survival through the pain. they are a sign of heroism and strength. they are history. they are joyous because you were able to live through the pain to tell a story. they are a lesson. they teach you what to do and what not to do while teaching others. they are a sign of healing powers. they give character and uniqueness.

the physical nature of a scar is completely synonymous with the scars we acquire in life. we all experience things in our life that aren't the greatest. situations that plant themselves in our lives unbeknownst to us. they may not be the greatest, but they happen. without warning. they end up hurting us. leaving a wound so deep. often so deep they become unhealable, unable to mend its parts back together. however, more often than not they do heal. the wound will leave a scar, but it heals. they may start out as rough, bumpy and very noticeable scars, but over time they tend to smooth out in its appearance becoming barely unnoticed. but the victim of the scar knows its there. it serves as a constant reminder of the pain endured, but eventually overcome. it's the victims choice to allow themselves to be empowered by that scar rather than allow the scar to overcome them.

a scar is so much more than a scar. it can be someones gift, a source of motivation and encouragement that healing is possible. a scar doesn't mean that the world is over, it just means that you got a little banged up at one point in your life, but now you're all healed. as good as new.

scars aren't so bad. they give you a unique extraordinary since of character. no one has experienced what you have experienced. no one knows the severity of your situation. no one can copy that. we can share similarities in our scars but they are unique to us. use that a source of power and own it.

whether you have recently been bruised or your scars have been heled for quite some time know that your scar is beautiful in its nature. it's a sign of maturity and your undeniable strength to endure. take the necessay healing measures and you be renewed.

taking steps

"My travels led me to where I am today. Sometimes these steps have felt painful, difficult, but led me greater happiness and opportunities."~ Diana Ross

i found this image over here. i absolutely love this image! it speaks volumes. it reminds me that you must take a step in order to proceed with anything in life. sometimes it can be the smallest step, but you make it and and continue to climb the staircase. once you reach it to the top of the stairs, you turn around, look down and see just how far you've come...just from making that one little step.that's an amazing feeling. make that small step today. don't ever think a step is too small because it's all movement in the direction of a wonderful journey.

i'm a winner!

last week was pretty much non stop for me. it was almost as if i was going going going every day. this is what sometimes makes your desire to pursue your passions and ambitions that much harder to become reality, however, i'm not gonna let that stop me! despite the roller coast ride of a week, it ended on a high note. i won a painting! my church the bridge held its 2nd annual benefit concert expression live. the event was AMAZING!! i found out about a great new artist named green tea and i won this wonderful piece of art from local artist richant!!!

this piece was made just for me! i'm such a music junkie. i mean i love just pure music. i have a pretty eclectic taste and i can find the beauty in almost every tune. this painting just made my night!

i found a new blog!

I just found this new great blog! it's called follow my bliss. oh how i love finding new blogs. enjoy!

r.i.p. aaliyah

today marks the 9 year anniversary of the tragic death of aaliyah. she was one of my favorite artists. but not only that she was a great role model for me as a pre teen girl. she was certainly one in a million. here's my favorite aaliyah song.

bits of my weekend.

"every once in awhile, a girl has to indulge herself." ~ sarah jessica parker

this weekend was one of the best weekends i've had in a while! it was exciting, successful and relaxing. i participated in my 2nd marketplace and it was a blast! there were so many wonderful and creative vendors in my company. great food and and great music! i'll let the pics do the talking.

the night before. all packed up and ready to go.

this food cart stand was right next to my table. i couldn't resist the sweet smell of crepes. i eventually gave in and it was well worth it!

this random man off of the street decided to take part in the festivities and asked to sing a "gospel" song. needless to say he wasn't exactly a singer and the crowd was more excited to see him leave then come on. although, the band members were good sports and gave a sweet random soul a little shine.

there was a dj and the live band was called the dirty shoes however, the 2 band members were barefoot. the dirty feet may have been a more fitting name lol. but i thought they were really unique and they kept me bopping my head the entire time so really that's all the matters!

all in all it was grand ole time and i can't wait until the next one. these fairs are becoming a bit of a drug for me...a good healthy one ;-)