AND...............................

Before I explain the title, please know a bit has happened since my last blog. But I'm going to condense the last year in about two sentences (or at least try). Now living in Biloxi, with my boyfriend of over three years, Gilbert. I work for another property management company and I was just moved to a property only ten minutes from our house! Even though that transfer was a blessing, I was still not as happy as I knew I could be. Months of planning and thinking and praying and PENNY LANE EVENTS AND DESIGN was born.

Everything I love, everything I enjoy doing, everything I want others to enjoy is my business. Putting the glitter into the coast one small party at a time. (FOR NOW) It has expanded from a baby shower here and there to http://www.pledesign.com Basically, I work 7-5 at my "real job" and then come straight home to work on PL until about 1 AM. Hopefully, the other big news will enable me to not have to have that job anymore. Selling Premier Designs as of May 7th. Never too busy right? So what does this mean for my lovely ladies of Domestically fabulous? Basically it means I'M BACK and BETTER!!! Prepare yourselves for some GREAT POST to come, because I've got A TON SAVED UP and can't WAIT to share all the great DIY tips I've been using (and even tweakin' to meet some of the standards I require) Shopping advice, and clothing links are not gone. I've had some GREAT luck online for MONTHS planning my birthday party. Bascially, tune in. Not a waste of time anymore

UNEMPLOYED AND FABULOUS?

So there is good news, and bad news. Bad news first! I am now unemployed and having to move. Good news is.. I'm not going to be living in the middle of nowhere any longer! From never being let go, I didn't exactly take it well, at first. I just sat there, in shock. However, thanks to my friends and family, I have a new plan for my months ahead, already, and my real estate career almost to a start.

I am excited to have a bit of a break, though, since I haven't in over three years!!! Hopefully going home to Atlanta, for a bit. Being able to get back to MY business and blog again, and having time to focus on studying for the end.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic about this situation, but I'm not alone. Things could be worse. Basically, I'm Good...

IT'S SUMMA TIME, AND THE LIVIN IS EASY!

So, like most of you, I am not a fan of wearing the same bathing 100x's in the same summer. But it's kind of CRAZY what bathing suits cost, for the little amount of fabric they actually are. That's why my NEW FAVORITE THING TO DO is finding pieces for super inexpensive and mix-matching them.

It's always good to have at least one pair of black bottoms. They will go with almost ANY top, not to mention the slimming effect on the BOOTAY! I bought my black bottoms from the GAP for $20.00 and then went across the street to Walmart and found the same design/cut for $8.00.

Thanks to my WONDERFUL facebook friends, I've also discovered websites that offer tops, bottoms, and even one-piece suits for LESS than Walmart/Target.

H&M is AWESOME and they have TONS of cute designs to choose from at the lowest prices I've seen. Amazon.com or ebay.com is the way to purchase from them, if you don't live near a store, since they do not offer online ordering for the U.S.

Here's some of my favs from them..



Top and bottoms only $4.95 each, and it also comes in black!




This is also $4.95 for each seperate and comes in a variety of colors, and prints!


Ebay is also a GREAT place to find deals on seperates or one piece suits. I bid on a lot of 7 bikini tops from Hurley, Victoria's Secret, and Juicy for $25.00!!!

They have a TON of Buy it Now options, you just have to know exactly what you're looking for to pin point a good deal through all the others.

This SUPER SEXY one piece is only $20.00 AND has free shipping!




There are TONS more that I'm still compiling, so check back soon for deals on swimsuits, as well as beachwear!

Don't Mess With Texas!

Did the Beatles really know what they were talking about when they said that “all you need is love”? Or was it Tina who had it right when she asked “what's love got to do with it”?

He walked in and I felt good. I shook his hand and had a hard time looking in his eyes. All I could think of was getting him away from the office so we could talk more. It was a different feeling. After what seemed like an eternity we went to lunch...never have I felt so comfortable around someone. Well...maybe the one time and we all know how that ended right?

After lunch it was just the 2 of us...laughing, chatting and then it just comes right out...he asked me on a date! Oh...it was turning into a perfect day. Of course I agreed....why not...he was perfect...oh...except he's LDS. Yup, those 3 letters that make me feel like I'm from the wrong side of the tracks. Those 3 letters that make me feel inferior. But there is just something about him...something that excites me! Oh shoot...I forgot...he's moving to Houston as well! I guess it's OK because we know that nothing will happen once he finds out how un-wholesome I am....right?!

Wrong!! It's been 2 days and I've completely fallen for this man! And he's fallen for me! I got the text on Thursday and it's been non-stop since then...once again mirroring a former fling...even with the religion thing. We went out yesterday and I didn't want to leave his side. I felt so comfortable around him. My arms felt comfortable around him. My hands felt comfortable in his hands. My lips felt oh so comfortable touching his lips. Usually I would enjoy lunch and head home, Saturday I couldn't get enough of him. We walked, we talked we laughed and it felt great. Until I would look at him and know that all of our differences would eventually cause us to drift.

I feel like I am his lesson. He said that he's never felt like this about someone, anyone else in his life...am I his lesson like Riad was my lesson? I know that we could never be together. I know that he deserves to have someone he can share his life with the way he wants to and I would never take that from him I just don't know why he has to be LDS. Why can't this be what I want it to be. I prayed for my person and I meet someone so dang cute and funny and smart and perfect and I'm too flawed to be with him. Maybe he's my lesson...maybe it's time for me to learn that I can love. I learned that with Riad but then felt so broken...maybe I'm not broken. Or maybe I am broken and he's my glue...glue that's leavin' on a jet plane to that great state of Texas!!

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS!!

A couple of weeks ago I was watching "Pretty Wild" (yes I'm a reality t.v. junkie) and their mom was talking about how she bases all her school curriculum on the movie "The Secret". This intrigued me. I asked a friend of mine if she had ever heard of the movie and she immediately started raving about it and how I NEEDED to see it. Gilbert and I both watched it (thank you Netflix) and it seemed once just wasn't enough for me. I watched it a total of four times before I sent it back to Netflix, only knowing I would be buying a copy for us as soon as I could. This movie ROCKED my way of thinking. It teaches you on the laws of attraction and the power of our thoughts. I have even tried it for myself, envisioning checks coming to me in the mail and guess what........ it worked!!!! I thought about it and thought about it and even planned what I would do with the money! Then I get an email telling me that I would be getting paid extra for something I had been doing since I started! I can't STRESS how much I feel like everyone should watch this movie. With an open mind and a positive attitude, who knows how far each of us can go?

Gorgeous, Articulate, Sweet...Gay??

Gorgeous blue eyes, a walk like no other, amazing hair, a smile that lights up a dark room and a super snazzy sense of style! He must be gay!

He would chat with me. He smiled and waved on a daily basis...accompanying my smile and wave back were, the words, (under my breath of course) "Man, I wish he wasn't gay!" sometimes even, "All the good ones are gay!” This charade went on for months! Until one day...

T...let's call him...Mr. Hart...is my company’s property manager. He is absolutely gorgeous! Yes, I thought he was gay, but even if he wasn't...I was sure I would never be anything that would catch his eye! Man...I've been wrong numerous times with this man!!

As I was getting a soda from the sandwich shop next door Mr. Hart's bestie, the sandwich shop owner, we will call him...Philly, decided to ask me if I was single. My first thoughts were along the lines of "great...some weirdo hitting on me", "gross", "please let me go back to work", ect...So I answer..."Yes I am...WHY??" He told me that he knew someone that was interested. Hoping that is was his younger, handsome and nicer son I asked "who?” His answer...Mr. Hart! Can you imagine my surprise! Not only was he NOT gay...he was interested in ME!! Little ole consultant from the staffing agency ME!! Of course I begin to blush and gush about how cute I thought Mr. Hart was all while Philly was, I’m sure, uninterested! So I frolic back to my office with the BEST NEWS EVER for my boss! We chat, I’m giddy…the day goes on as planned…and I decide that Mr. Hart is just GOING to ask me out…tomorrow in fact!

Well, here it is tomorrow, around noon and I don’t have a date yet! Sad eyes!! I go to get a soda from next door at Philly’s shop. My plan is to walk in, walk out, and get back to work! I walk in, phase 1…complete! I get my diet coke, go to pay and the debit machine is down…I start to panic. My gorgeous son stole all my cash the previous day! I then turn to go put my soda back and walk away…looking awfully poor, and then I see them! Mr. Hart and Philly…enjoying delicious sandwiches and of course even more delicious soda’s! They wave! Shoot! What do I do? Wave back? Put my soda away and run? Steal my soda? (JK on the last one!) I walk over to their table and tell Philly that his machine is down (of course he had NO idea!!) he then asks if I want some money…yes please because I must have this diet coke! I take some money and go pay and go to engage in phase 2 of the plan (walking out remember) and they stop me! I’m nervous, I’m sweating, they start talking, about what, I have NO idea! I can’t take my eyes off of Mr. Hart. He’s gorgeous. He’s mesmerizing. I chat some more. I’m sure I sounded like an idiot 1st class! I giggled at all the wrong times and flipped my hair too hard! Finally a break in the conversation! I tell them I must get back to work and run away! Flustered I call everyone I know and tell them the story of how dumb I was! Can you believe it? Mr. Hart is never going to ask me out now!!! Luckily I’ve got a week to recover as he’ll be on vacation next week! Woooo…

Today is the day Mr. Hart comes back from Florida. Will he stop in and see me? I miss seeing his handsome self walk across the parking lot! Also, I have a great plan to get him engaged in some conversation I can handle! I’m going to ask him to donate to me for Relay For Life! Lunch time rolls around and I figure it’s a good day to go chat with Philly. I take a seat in his office recliner, take my shoes off and start to whine about my awful divorce, how this and that happened, why I do this and blah blah blah…completely relaxed and off guard…KNOCK KNOCK! OMG!!! (Yes, I did say that out loud) it’s Mr. Hart! I’m relaxing in a recliner, shoes off venting about stupid life stuff and here is the man of my month! My plan is going to fail!!! I start to talk at super speed about my race. Asking how his vacation was…then suddenly, I stand up and run out of the office! I did say goodbye as I was running! Again, my plain is foiled and I’m embarrassed! What do I do now? I know I’ll send an email! So I do. A stupid, short, not even funny email! Now I play the waiting game! The day goes by…he doesn’t come over to see me, nor does he reply to my email. I knew it was all too good to be true!

Well, it’s Saturday and I’ve checked my work email only 1000 times and on the 1001 time…He has finally emailed me! It’s nothing special…answered my question and that was it. BUT he did close with an “all my best”! I think that’s great! I’m stoked! I can’t wait to see what happens next!!

Well….here is what has happened next! After some chit-chats, flirty smiles, numerous trips to Philly’s shop…he sends me his personal email address and he asks me out for drinks! We’re meeting for drinks!! WOOOOOOO HOOOOO!!!

Drinks were amazing! Since the start of this we’ve had 2 dinner dates, 1 lunch date and we’re scheduled for a date tonight. He’s brought flowers, wined me and dined me and I’m purely smitten with this man! I look forward to many more outings with Mr. Hart. I look forward to the way he grabs my leg before he walks out of my office each and every day! What’s gonna happen tomorrow? I don’t know, but I do know that for now, I am going to enjoy him and his company! He’s amazing…and did I mention he’s 49? 19 years my senior?

Peace and Blessings!! MsShila

A Black Hole!

Ok...I'm going to preface this entry with an apology, as this is pretty much going to be a rant about the single life and one particular person who drives me crazy...which is good and bad!

We met a few months ago...he is a plant manager for a potential client (sounds like trouble already huh!). We hit it off right away, and when I say right away...within minutes of talking! Over the next week (as he was out of town) we spent HOURS and HOURS on the phone. Talking, laughing, telling stories...you know the drill! When he came back from vacation, we were inseparable! Things were great! And not great like it was a wonderful spring fling...but great like there was really a connection! After a month of the most beautiful romance, I went away on vacation (when I say vacation, I mean a trip to my mothers)...that's when it went downhill!

I came back after a few weeks to someone who had completely pulled away from me. There were no more stories, no more laughs just 2 people next to each other. It felt really weird to me. We discussed this, and of course...it was my fault! It was said that I came back from my mother's "different". Whatever! So...throughout the next couple months things have been on and off. Hot and cold! It gives me such a headache!

Finally, I decided I was tired of the cold and told him I was going to date other people...and that in fact, I had actually been asked out by someone (complete truth here ladies!!)...all of a sudden...things started to warm out! Imagine that! I however, wasn't as comfortable with the warming of things and I guess became a little irritated. We had our first fight! OUR FIRST FIGHT!!! All of these months and there hasn't even been a fight. So what do you think the outcome of our first fight was...a "breather". Ya...right in time for the weekend! Go figure!

So, after a long weekend of thinking and praying I decided somewhere in my crazy head and broken heart it was time to start letting go. It was now OK to start letting the tears fall and my heart heel. OK...so I'm doing really well with that! Then what do you think happens? Ya...HE SHOWED UP AT MY HOUSE TO HELP ME WITH A TV!! ( after he saw an FB post from another guy!) We actually had a good time (as we always do) and then the night ended and he left. A few texts later, and exchanging of FB post I go to bed! This morning I go to his FB page to leave him a little..."have a good day at work" post and he has erased everything that we've said to each other! WTH!! Is there someone else in his life and he can't let them know he was with me? Has he told everyone how much he hates me and can't let his friends see it? Am I being weird? I don't understand this man! I do not understand why I am continually being sucked back in to a black hole? I don't understand what prevents me from running away!

After all these years of being so independent. Loving the single life...this jerk hooks me like I'm a lost starving fish! I don't know what it is! Is this love? When did I become "that girl"? How do I fix myself? Get rid of that mold? I've gotten great advice from the other men in my life...FTOM...if you're not familiar with that...email me! However, that really isn't my thing! Not even close to my thing. I have guys asking me out here and there and I'm not interested! I'd rather sit on my rear end and watch sappy love story movies...WHO DOES THIS? Is this a broken heart? Or full on craziness? Do I need to heal...or psychiatric help?