NEW Year! New Website!

*Running in hysterically* I can't believe I am almost one month late in wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2012 has been a very busy and eventful year full of blessings. I regret not sharing them with you. But I am back and ready to blog away.

One of my resolutions this year was to work on my procrastination. When it comes to doing anything productive for myself, I am the biggest procrastinator. I wouldn't say that I am a perfectionist, but I do believe that timing plays a big part in having a great outcome. For the last 5 years, I have made "revamping my website" a top 5 priority. And each year I felt like the timing just wasn't right.

Sometimes we need special dates as a motivator. So I chose my birthday, January 3, as my launch date. So far I have been receiving great responses from my peers, clients, and associates. I have incorporated new features for my clients, such as a client log-in and a VIP Membership.

I truly appreciate the support and referrals that I have received despite of my outdated site! Now without further adieu, I present the new and improved Oddball Dsgn website (www.oddballdsgn.com).

Magazine Nail 2.0

Hello! Some of you may remember my post from last year on how to stamp your nails using magazine pictures (HERE). Below is a new and improved method. ENJOY!

Project Time: 30 minutes

What you will need:
-Magazine page
-Scissors
-Clear Polish
-Cup of water
-Tweezers
-Nail File
-Polish Remover
-Q-Tips
1. Cut pattern from magazine into the shape of your nail.

2. Brush a clear coat of polish onto the piece of pattern.

3. Once the pattern is completely dry, drop it into a cup of water. Make sure the pattern side is facing upward. The clear polish creates a barrier that will keep the top dry. Let the pattern sit in the water for 3-5 minutes.

4. Use your tweezers to remove the pattern from the water. Place it downward into the palm of your hand and GENTLY remove the layer of wet paper.  You should now have a thin layer of color and clear polish.

5. Paint a thin coat of clear polish onto the nail that you are placing the pattern on.

6. Place the pattern onto the wet nail and GENTLY slide into place. The pattern can easily tear at this point, so please be gentle.

7. Fold down any access pattern on the tip of the nail and gently file away. Use a Q-tip and polish remover to clean pattern from your skin or cuticles.

8. Brush a coat of clear polish over the nail and WALLAH you're FINITO!

I would LOVE to see your magazine manicure, so please send your pics to davida@oddballdsgn.com or tag me on Instagram: @Graphchic. Enjoy :) 

Dear Diary: How can I get ME back?

You may have recently gone through some hard times and you can't quite figure out how to regain your confidence. Whether you've just broken up or lost your job, devastating times seem to weigh heavier on women. We are still expected to maintain our sanity while being a mom, a homemaker, or simply a shoulder for another girlfriend. Here are a few things that you can do to get YOU back.

1.) Dress up for NO Reason: Have you ever been dressed a little fancy for a place that didn't require the effort? For instance the grocery store or to pick up the kids from school? You would either get funny looks or someone will ask "Why are you so dressed up?" Deprogram yourself to believe that a party is the only time to celebrate. Throw on those 4-inch pumps in the back of the closet and celebrate the NEW YOU.

I love wearing heels in the most random places, especially the airport. No matter the time of my flight I always fly the friendly  skies in a pair of pumps. It's so fun and it gives you a sense of celebrity. People wonder who is she and where is she going. Don't let the attention intimidate you. You need the confidence boost at this point. Of course it's more comfortable and easier to wear sneakers, but again deprogram yourself to thinking that you only have to dress up for obvious reasons. Getting YOU back is a celebration!

2.) Exercise: Being physically fit plays a major role in having self confidence. You don't have to be overweight to exercise. Everyone needs a healthy heart no matter their size. If you are a little intimidated with going to the gym, try yoga or zumba.

3.) Surround yourself with positive people: Positive people are usually happy with themselves and the way their lives are going. These are the types of people than can quickly uplift you. Get rid of the negative friends. Besides, will they be happy for you once you're in a better place?

4.) Complete some of the things on your bucket list: It is important to broaden your expectations and experiences to avoid making the same mistakes over again. Try something that you've never done to remind yourself of how rewarding life can be. Each time you try something new you will be able to look back on your life and clearly see what was lacking. Do you want to go back to those times?

5.) Daily Affirmations & Positive Reads: Trade in your daily fix of celebrity gossip for inspirational books. Continue to read them for the positivity reinforcement even if you start to feel like you are on track.

Here is a list of some of my favorite positive reads:
-Miror,  Miror by Venesha
-Fabulosity: What It Is & How to Get It by Kimora
-Your Best Life Begins Each Morning: Devotions to Start Every Day of the Year by Joel Osteen

Other ways to get YOU back:

-Set goals and execute them

-Become your own best friend

-Compliment others

-Sit in the front row

-Remember what you’re good at

Dear Diary, How can I Maintain Good Karma?

When you think of Karma, do you think of bad karma first - What comes around goes around? Do you find that you are always involved in bad situations? Karma is simply the process of cause and effect. If you do Y then Z will happen. Until you learn a lesson, you will continue to receive the same message through repeated experiences. If you are constantly receiving negativity then it is time to practice good karma.

Now practicing good karma does not mean you will be shielded from all bad things or life's natural disasters. Karma is activated through things that you control such as thoughts and actions. I have listed a few methods of maintaining good karma, but please remember that your heart and mind must all be on the same page as well.

-Give back: Once a month or a few times a year, find a charity or volunteer event that you can participate in. Giving back for a cause is a great selfless way to help many people at one time.

-Reach out to Someone You May Have Hurt: You may have had an altercation or a fall-out with someone years ago. Although you may say you're over it, there are still lingering issues that keep it open as an "issue". If you saw this person on the street, you would probably be reluctant to speak. You are over it verbally but not mentally. Reach out to that person to clear the air, explain your side, or even apologize for your part in the problem. Don't worry about what the person will say or think. Your purpose is to clear your wrong-doing in the past.

-Have General Respect for People: Often times we treat people according to what they look like, how they dress, or what they have. If you have a general respect for human life then none of those things should control how you treat someone initially. Smile at a homeless man the same way you would at a successful businessman.

-Share your knowledge: Be open to helping someone get to a higher place. Withholding knowledge or information because you want to be higher is only activating bad karma. I'm not saying that you have to give someone your business plan or blue print to success. But at least lead them to similar resources to get them started. A lot of people withhold information because they are intimidated by the possible competition. Just remember that no matter how much information or knowledge someone has, talent can not be mimicked. Don't worry, you will still stand out!

-Make sure your intentions are TRUE: We can manipulate other people, but you cannot manipulate karma. When doing something positive, always make sure your intentions are true. Sometimes when I donate items or participate in a charity I ignore the part about writing it off on your taxes. To me that is contradicting doing a good deed.

-Remember that YOU control your Karma: Have you ever gotten in the line of a rude and nasty cashier and you ended up giving her the same attitude in return? Well by doing that you gave her total control of yourself and your future. Learn to smile and remain calm despite of what is given to you by someone else. You cannot fix a person's attitude within the short minutes of you being in their presence, so don't even try to. That is either their personality or they have something going on in their lives. Don't let their energy become yours.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences of good karma.

4 Inspirational Reads for Women Aspiring to become Entrepreneurs

Positivity reinforcement is a necessity when making power moves such as Entrepreneurship. I am a strong believer in thoughts becoming things. As long as you are taking in positive thoughts, you will attract greatness and prosperity. I've put together a short list of books that have empowered me along the way. Remember, you ARE what you read!

Fabulosity: What It Is & How to Get It

A lifestyle guide from one of pop culture's most inspirational, stylish, and refreshingly unconventional female power players. At thirty, beauty icon Kimora Lee Simmons is the mistress of her own empire of lifestyle brands, half of one of America's wealthiest couples, mother to two young daughters, and a glamorous staple of the social circuit. Now, in this uplifting and inspiring book, Simmons spills her secrets of how women can use their smarts to build a rich and satisfying life full of success, fun, and, yes, a bit of blinding bling, the "Fabulosity" that every woman deserves. Simmons explains how to balance feminine, stop-them-in-their-tracks glamour with sign-on-the-dotted-line business power; how to get past barriers that exist because of gender, race, or age; how to find a marriageable man who'll support your biggest dreams (while keeping other women at bay); and how to have the most fun of your life while doing it! She gives hundreds of insider tips on fashion, beauty, home decorating, and socializing and explains how she succeeded in business with little formal experience, building a $70 million business out of a T-shirt. Packed with anecdotes and first-person experiences from the catwalks of Paris to P. Diddy's parties, "Fabulosity" takes readers behind the scenes of this diva's diverse, action-packed life and offers insights on how any woman can channel her own "high-profile personality" and creative power, no matter what her own goals may be.  (For more information)

Success Never Smelled So Sweet: How I Followed My Nose and Found My Passion

The creator of Carol’s Daughter, a bath-and-beauty-products company, presents her life story, along with aromatherapy recipes, in this lightly enjoyable read. Price grew up in a loving, strict African-American family in Brooklyn and later pursued careers in singing and television. She also ran up huge credit card debt, and wound up owing the IRS tens of thousands of dollars—at 28, she was forced to declare bankruptcy. It’s undeniably fascinating to learn how, a few years later, she managed to start Carol’s Daughter with $100 in cash; she slowly built the company—without loans or credit—until she paid off her enormous debt. With such an honest and inspiring tale to tell, it’s unfortunate that Price devotes so much of her time to describing celebrities she’s met along her road to success. A brief encounter with Prince gets a whole page, for example, but her decision to declare bankruptcy takes up little more than a paragraph. Readers might also raise an eyebrow at Price’s repeated belief that "God is in my corner" and that He employs Oprah and other celebrities as messengers to ensure that Price’s business continues to thrive. While Price does seem to be unusually blessed, this materialistic spirituality undercuts a potentially empowering message about discipline and entrepreneurship. (For more information)

Get Yours!: How to Have Everything You Ever Dreamed of and More

According to journalist and editor Barnett, living out a success trifecta (motherhood, marriage, career) isn't as easy as it looks. Having faced her share of sadness-from death and divorce to dead-end jobs and cheating men-Barrett chronicles her turn from despair to dedication on the path to becoming the first African-American woman to run a major mainstream magazine (recently shuttered Teen People). Eager to share the precepts that govern her productive, gratifying life, Barnett fills this book with sisterly advice; "Realize your value and demand the best" is easily the most pivotal of these tips, which also cover friendship, family, career, style, financial security, personal space, men, creativity and spirituality. Concrete steps point readers toward self-confidence and success: face your fears and "embrace them as a chance for growth" by "composing a list of 10 things that scare you"; keep family close by sending out a newsletter, or devoting one full day a month to them. Unfortunately, clichés outnumber innovative ideas, though personal anecdotes and celebrity Q&As (including Gayle King, Kelly Rowland and Venus Williams) prove revealing and encouraging. A fun, knowing and star-studded guide to success, this self-help is suitable for readers at any stage of life. (For More Information)

 
Tapping the Power Within: A Path to Self-Empowerment for Women

 The revised and expanded 20th-anniversary edition of Iyanla Vanzant’s first published work offers a powerful path to self-empowerment through the revitalization of one’s spiritual and ancestral roots. Written with Iyanla’s signature healing stories, this classic guide to uniting the will with the spirit teaches that only you have the power to make a change for the better. With chapters on basic breathing and meditation techniques, setting up a home altar, connecting with ancestors and guardian spirits, and the extraordinary power of forgiveness, this book is a perfect companion on the way toward the real you. (For more information)

How do you uncover and develop your own special talents? Kimora shares her step-by-step guide to achieving your wildest dreams, including her 16 laws of success, which cover everything you need to become the woman you want to be.

Whether you’re college-educated or street smart, just starting out or at the top of your game, Fabulosity has something to say to you. Learn how to cultivate Power, Independence, Confidence, and Positivity in everything you do, whether it’s finding Mr. Right, snagging that corner office, or rocking the latest fashion trend. Packed with useful lessons and Kimora’s personal tips, this book will be your instruction manual to empowering yourself, turning your individual talents into permanent success, and unleashing your inner fabulosity. (For more information)