Unlock Hope

Hey guys, I'm sorry it's been a week since I have last posted anything!  It has been crazy busy.  April is like a second Christmas at our house.  Triston, Lilah, and I all have birthdays in April.  We are also moving in a few weeks.  (Fingers crossed that this buyer works out), and I have a lot of different projects I've been working on in my personal life.  So I apologize for being absent.

Let's move on to today's post.  I'm featuring Unlock Hope on the blog today!  They are a phenomenal company that helps girls in Uganda have a better life.  They are also sponsoring a giveaway!!!  Let me explain a little about Unlock Hope before I talk about the giveaway.

 Uganda can be a hard place to live.  If you are a female who doesn't have an education, you can expect to marry young, have a large family making it hard to make ends meet, and you would have to do many hard and laboring jobs which pay very small amounts.  Unlock Hope provides many opportunities for females.  They've teamed up with Think Humanity which is an organization that runs a hostel in Hoima, Uganda.  This hostel provides health care, food, safety, and helps with education for many refugee girls which sadly most of them are orphaned.

When you purchase a product from Unlock Hope, you are helping cover a multitude of expenses that these girls are unable to provide.  Things like transportation, uniforms, health care, toiletries, books, and many other expenses.

The key shaped necklace is a great way to connect to a child in Uganda.  Most of the children in Uganda have a lock box of belongings that they keep locked up.  The key that unlocks everything they own is tied on a string around their necks. Thus the reason for the key shaped necklace.  Unlock Hope also has inventories of shirts, and one of their shirt designs is based off of one of the children's uniform patch.  The patch on the uniform is a design of crest which shows the school they attend.

I think this is a great company that really focuses not only on education for girls, but they help give them hope by offering so many things we take for granted everyday: Friends, safety, shelter, food, water, and the list continues.  Please check out their website and take a look at their clothing inventory and necklaces.

*Giveaway Rules*

National Giveaway only

Please follow Unlock Hope on Instagram or Facebook

Please subscribe/follow my blog or follow me on Instagram

Come back to this post and leave a comment telling me you did all the above.  I've heard from some people that sometimes they aren't able to leave a comment.  If that happens please inform me on Instagram under the post talking about Unlock Hope that you were unable to leave a comment on my blog and leave the comment there instead.

For an extra entry tag at least two friends on instagram.

The giveaway will close on Thursday April 17 11pm MST.  Winner will be announced on Friday's post!

Good Luck to you all and please spread the word about this giveaway.  

Lots of Love
                   Jaimey

A trail of glitter

First things first:  Congratulations to Hailey Ham!  You are the lucky

owner of the beautiful Stag pendent necklace from Red Earth Trading Co.

THANK YOU to everyone who entered.  If you didn't win you'll have a chance

to win something in a few weeks! 

Have you ever met a person who is just so amazing?  They just have this "wow factor" and you can't help but be drawn to them?  They just have this glow to them which makes you want to become their best friend?  I try to be that type of person every day.  That is A LOT of pressure to put on myself I know.  Don't get me wrong, some days I'm worse than the meanest, most evil person you can think of... I am only human so that is expected to happen.  And on those days where I constantly yell at my kids, dog, and hubs, and slam doors, and act younger than my children I think to myself, "Would I seriously want to be my friend at this moment?"  Uh Nooo!  I feel awful when I'm in those moods, and depressed, and I've found that the people around me feel my energy and it brings them down as well.  So I try my hardest to get out of those moods fast.  Here's what I do to lift my mood and be that glittery, glowing girl again.

1. Recognize the mood I'm in
2. Think about why I'm in that mood... Can I change the situation?  Or is it out of my control?  
3. Think of all the things I have been blessed with
4. Go outside for some fresh air and now that it's warming up, walk barefoot in the grass.
5. Put a sincere smile on my face... I'm always surprised that this makes me feel better
6. YOGA- not P90X yoga, but a calm restorative yoga
7. Giving and exchanging hugs with my Hubs and my kids
8. Dancing crazy with my kids
9. Jumping up and down for joy.  Please do this one.  I always look so silly doing this which then makes me laugh and helps change my mood.
10. Taking time for myself, whether it's going for a drive, window shopping, reading a book, a nice warm bubble bath, or putting a movie on for the kids and locking myself in my closet.  (Come on moms, we've all done this at some point) 
11. I find that I am such a happier person when I am doing acts of service for others
12. Positive thinking, and finding that silver lining in awful situations

"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words.  Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior.  Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits.  Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values.  Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny." 

                                               -- Mahatma Ghandi

In order to be that glittery, happy girl you've got to shine from the inside out.  Like I said some days are much easier than others, but if you make a conscience effort to leave that glittery trail everywhere you go then you'll succeed.  I hope you find my mood lifters inspirational and you try some of them.  What are some ways you guys get out of your nasty moods?  What do you do to leave your trail of glitter?

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  Lots of hugs and loves Xoxoxo

                                                                                                           Jaimey
(Glitter quote from pinterest & Ghandi quote googled)

Tukula

I am so excited Friday is finally here.  I have been having to keep this post under wraps for a few weeks now, but it is sooo worth the wait.  So, without further ado here is the big secret I've had to keep lol.

I have teamed up with an AMAZING accessories company named Tukula which means "We Grow" to help raise awareness about  their beautiful mission and for a...... A GIVEAWAY!!!!  Yes! Tukula has been kind enough to sponsor a giveaway. So thank you so much Tukula!! Before we get to their beautiful products, let me tell you why I feel like Tukula is such an inspirational company.

Tukula is based in Jinja, Uganda which if you didn't know, is the second largest town in Uganda, Africa. Times in Uganda are far from simple and leisure.  There is a lot of devastating poverty and secure, reliable jobs are hard to come by.  Tukula is amazing because they offer stable and consistent seamstress jobs for women in Jinja.  These women are given health benefits, a safe and encouraging work environment, they are introduced to savings programs, and they are paid fare wages.  Can you imagine how relieving these benefits are to these women in a poverty stricken town??

Another reason Tukula is amazing is because they see how important education is for the women in Uganda. Like I said before times are hard so an education can get you far.  Tukula offers paid internships for girls & women who are considering dropping out of sewing school due to lack of funds, health, or other issues.  The internships allow the women to finish their education and have a guaranteed job after their graduation. Did I mention that the interns also receive the same benefits as the full time employees, so they are able to focus on their education worry free?

I love that Tukula's mission is trying to help Women in Uganda have a better life with benefits and education. These women all have hopes, and dreams.  Many of them have families and small children.  Because of Tukula they are able to achieve their dreams and, give their families more opportunities and set examples for their children.

Tukula has really been a blessing to so many women in Jinja, Uganda. Please head on over to Tukula's website and get to know the amazing artisans.  Their stories are spectacular, and they all are so beautiful and so humble, and loving.  Their smiles are contagious and you can see how genuine they are.  Their stories really put into perspective how much Tukula has helped them, and given them hope.

I think this is super cool, the cloth the items are made from is not always available in the same print, so you my friends will be either be winning a one of a kind beautiful, beaded, handmade clutch, or a gorgeous, bright red, handmade beaded bracelet.  I couldn't decide which one to give away to the winner.  So, I thought it would be fun to let the winner pick the item they'd like.
Just to let you know these items are from their Spring/Summer 2014 line.  Their new website launched this morning so please show your support and go check it out.  Below are some photos of the gorgeous products you have a chance to win!!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!!!  Thank you to all who entered!

***How to enter***

This is a NATIONAL giveaway only!!!

1. Like Tukula's Facebook Page (Here)

2. Follow me on Instagram (jaimeytripp)

3. Follow my blog (Here)

4. Leave a comment telling me you did all of the above and let me which item you would like to win.

Contest will end Thursday March 20th at 10:00PM (MST)where the winner will be randomly picked.  This will allow me to announce who the winner is on Friday's post.

Good Luck to you all!!!

Roses and Lace

Happy Valentines Day!  Well, almost I guess.  I love Valentines day.  Ok, who am I kidding?  I love every holiday.  I love that you get to change your house every few months by adding adorable decorations.  For Triston's first Valentines Day I decided I was going to heart attack our house.  I picked out adorable heart shaped decorations and then stuck them to our walls with tack.  But those things just weren't sticking!  My sister came over and I showed her the tack that I had been using.  Turns out it wasn't tack but modeling clay!   Everywhere I had put the "tack" there were little spots of discoloration where the clay had eaten through the paint!!!  Yikes right?  What are some of your most memorable Valentines day stories?

For my look I wanted to do something girly and flirty.  Usually I just wear jeans and a cute valentines day shirt or sweater.  I paired my high waisted rose skirt with a black shirt and then put a lacy crop top over my shirt to give texture.  Added a pinkish/peach (is there an exact color name for this combo??) rose statement necklace and bracelets.  Added some loose romantic waves to my hair and finished the look off by mixing a coral lipstick with a light pink lipstick.  Hope you enjoy the look.  Have a wonderful valentines day.  Hugs XxX
Jaimey

Lacy crop top: Forever21

Black Shirt: Costco

Rose Skirt: Forever21

Black Tights: Steve Madden

Shoes: Forever Young shoes

Rose Necklace: Forever21

Bracelets: Forever21

Self Reflection

Follow my blog with Bloglovin As a mother I find myself getting so caught up in everything around me that I forget and have forgotten a lot about me.  Don't get me wrong, I love my little family and I wouldn't change my life, but I am a mom and it's easy to put my goals, and interests on hold and focus on everyday life. 

During the holidays I kind of had an epiphany shall we say.  I was really down on myself and just felt lost.  I felt really strongly that I needed to reconnect with myself and find out who I am.  (Because I don't know about you , but I swear I change daily)  So I took a time out for self reflection.  Here's a small list of things I wanted to improve on.

Doing things that pushed me to my limits
Finding out my strengths and focusing on them instead of on my weaknesses
Who I really am
Developing an artistic way to express myself
Appreciating my life and the gift of waking up everyday to a new day
Not comparing myself to other moms (Moms you know what I am talking about ;))

I have other things, but those were just a few examples. (Can you tell that I'm a perfectionist yet lol)
When I do self reflection, I like to read and explore.  I have a few books I would love to share with you.  I do take the covers off of books because they always get lost anyway so sorry you won't see the actual covers.

Volume four.  Thoughts for one hundred days by Richard L. Evans.

This book is amazing.  It has so many deep quotes by influential people.

Like Thomas Edison, Vergil, Horace.  Not only are there quotes, but there

are short stories that go along with the quotes.  I got this from Tylers' Grandma's

book collection right before she passed away.  I am so grateful for this book. So Inspirational

Treasure Yourself by Miranda Kerr... Yes, the supermodel.  Ok you're probably thinking

how does she know how hard life can be, she's a famous supermodel?!  Well, remember

that she wasn't always a supermodel, and just because someone is famous, doesn't mean they

are 100% confident with who they are.  This book talks about overcoming struggles, and being

confident and comfortable with who you are.  The last section of her book are words of affirmations.  They daily sayings and quotes from licensed professionals.  A lot of her book also talks about

respect and gratitude which I think we all can use.

 

I LOVE this book.  The Day you were born by Linda Joyce.  This book focuses on your horoscope.  For example I am an Aries.  That is me.  It talks about our Ego and Spirit and what happens when one is trying to over power the other, and depending on which one is the more powerful, how you are feeling.  It is spot on 100% correct.  It talks about ways to balance yourself, and how to focus on both ego and spirit.  This book has all of the horoscopes in it, so each horoscope has it's own section. 

Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath. My little sister recommended this book to me.  I am a perfectionist, so all of you perfectionists know how hard we are on ourselves, and how we focus on the negative, and how we could do better right?  Well this book does just the opposite.  It focuses on your strengths.  You can't lend out the book you actually have to buy it because each book has it's own code that allows you to log onto the website and take a quiz to find out your strengths.  Once you find out your strengths, it will tell you which strengths you need to pair up with for better results. ( My first strength couldn't be more correct :))

 

Last book on my list is The Birth Order book by Dr. Kevin Leman.  This book talks about.... you guessed it, your birth order.  Our birth order plays a large part on who we are.  I didn't realize that until I started reading this book.  Our birth orders explain why we get along with certain people, and why others are high stress, or perfectionists, or unmotivated.  It is a really interesting book.



 

I hope with the help of these books, you will be able to find your strengths and inspiration.  Remember focus on the positive aspects of your character and who you are.  We each have amazing qualities and talents.  Take a moment and remember yours!  Hugs XxX

 

 

"Let us be patient, tender, wise, forgiving, In this strange task of living..."

 

-Martin Armstrong

Volume Four Thoughts for one Hundred days