best of 2014!

Oh hey there! It's been two months since my last post. You know how I do *sigh*. I think I can commit to at least a post twice a month next year. Y'all help me be accountable to that. Managing two blogs is not as easy as I thought.

2014 has been an interesting year. Highs, lows and in betweens. It felt like the year of preparation and realization. Preparing for the next chapter in my life and realizing some thoughts and behaviors that need to be changed.

A couple entries ago, I listed 7 things I was committing to this year and I wanted to update y'all on how I did. I am proud to say I committed to 4.5 of the 7. Lol. I say 4.5 because one won't be done until March. I launched Cultured Mosaic, updated my online portfolio, made (and continue to make) love a verb, still prepping to be Mrs. Ansah and still planning the wedding. The other 2.5 I'm working on. Reading is on my commitment list next year and I really want to not just read but soak up the knowledge in the book to make positive changes in my life. Working out is like a thorn in my side. Lol. But I know I want to be healthy (and look good naked if we're being honest).

I have to share my highlights too. Of course getting engaged is one of the best moments I'll ever experience in my life. Seeing my brother get sworn in as a member of the military. Seeing Lecrae live. Celebrating my birthday with my birthday twin. Seeing Beyond the Lights twice and becoming obsessed. Meeting one of my favorite writers again. Celebrating my one year anniversary with my love. Trusting myself to launch my freelance business. Realizing there is enough room in the world for everyone to have success. Roadtripping to New York and Ohio to see some of my good friends get married. Having a photoshoot with the love of my life. Launching my passion project, Cultured Mosaic. Redefining the meaning of superwoman. Learning to delegate and asking for help. I could go on and on but overall I'm incredibly blessed to have lived to see 2014. 

I am so ready to see what 2015 has in store! I am expecting it to be one of the best years ever. Hope you all have an incredible, productive, and marvelous 2015!

P.S. I can't believe tomorrow is exactly 2 months away from my wedding date. So much to do, so little time. Eeeekk!

 ♥ A.Erika ♥

Cultured Mosaic is Live!

I'm happy to announce that my new blog, Cultured Mosaic, is finally LIVE! *shmoney dances* Lol! I've been working on it for quite some time and I just gave myself a deadline to launch it. Now here we are

Please subscribe and let me know what you think. I can cross that off my commitments list for 2014. Hope this week is treating you well!

♥ A.Erika ♥

Re-committing for 2014

I know this post should have been done in like January and we only have 3 more months for this year BUT I still want to be focused. I have so much going on right now, that I want to be intentional.

I believe self reflection is good for anyone. Humbling as well. It allows you to evaluate yourself and see the pretty and not so pretty things about yourself. I've recently done some self reflection and I realized I do much talking and starting but not finishing. I tend to a lot of multitasking, having many projects/tasks/etc started but unfinished. To me that's unacceptable. After all, a superwoman completes her tasks. You know I'm all about being a superwoman. There's power in finishing. The feeling of accomplishing a goal is exhilarating. At 26, I've accomplished many things but there's always room for growth. A recent sudden death of family friend jolted me and caused me to think how short life is. Then at church hearing a message about procrastination was really conformation that it was time to get focused. So I've decided to share my goals commitments that I am working to complete for this year. Commitments sound more intentional. But it really doesn't matter as long as I finish. 

7 Commitments for the remainder of 2014:

1. Read & FINISH 3 books - I'm currently reading Kingdom Woman by Tony Evans & Chrystal Evans Hurst and The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. I hope to read professional book next. 
2. Launch Cultured Mosaic - Remember the blog I was creating focused on art, design, and culture. Well Cultured Mosaic is that blog. I contemplated not doing the blog at all because I wanted it to be perfect. But we all know perfection is the enemy of progress. And I couldn't stop thinking about this project either. Every time I would something relating to my blog, I would be like oh that would be great content for Cultured Mosaic. After realizing there is so much I want to do with this project, I couldn't give up so I'm moving forward.  
3. Update Online Portfolio - As you all know I've been freelancing but I've realized my portfolio is a tad bit outdated. Currently I still have projects in my portfolio from college. O_o I mean I will be celebrating my 5 year anniversary from graduating undergrad so it's about that time to make some change. Plus, I want to show off the type of work that will attract my ideal client.  
4. Work Out 2-3/Week - I've been pretty good on this one. Last week was hectic for me so I didnt make it to the gym but I've got 2 days committed to the gym this week and I'm excited! And if I can't make it to the gym, I try to do some sort of workout at home. A combination of jumping jacks, squats, lunges, and abs exercises works wonders!
5. Make Love a Verb - Love requires actions. Whether it's loving words, spending time with friends, checking on my parents, I'm trying to do a better job of loving on people and nurturing relationships. I can get so caught up in my daily routine that I forget to check on people. Even it's a sweet encouraging text to your friend or funny video to your dad. It makes a difference!
6. Continue Prepping to be Mrs. Ansah - As y'all know I'm getting married. Eeeeeekkk! It feels sort of weird to hear myself say that. Lolol. We have less than 6 months until the day and so much to accomplish in a short period of time. Although the wedding is monumental event, I want that energy to continue through our marriage. I've heard couples have this lavish wedding and after the wedding is over, they say now what?  I feel like marriage is when the fun begins. At least that's how I see it. We both agreed that we are going to continue being the same playful and fun-loving people once we get married. No reason to be all serious just because we are husband and wife. 
7. Plan My Wedding - I consider this my bonus commitment because I feel like it's understood since I'm getting married. I'm doing most of the planning with help from my fiancé, family, and friends. I've got all of the major things complete so that's progress but I'm moving everything along. 

So that's what I'm committing to for the rest of the year. Any commitments/goals for the rest of the year?

♥ A.Erika ♥

Bride Chronicles: Quality Time

I've decided to start series about wedding planning and being a bride called Bride Chronicles. I know I initially said I wouldn't overindulge about wedding details and I plan to keep that promise. However I do want to share the high and lows of being bride and the road to marriage. The journey is exciting, overwhelming, eyeopening. So here we go...

I think we were about 4 or 5 months into dating (maybe later) and we were determining how many times we were going to see each other during the week. You know, a healthy number. Lol. I didn't want him to feel like I was sweatin him. Lol. Then he was like I could see you every day. I was like for real, me? I mean it caught me off guard. Lololol. I know there are some women wishing their baes would say that but y'all hear me out. I barely like being around myself everyday (I'm working on it) much less someone admitting to liking my company. Lol. I mean now we're a year into the game and it still surprises me that he likes me...85% of the time. Especially since I'm an acquired taste, as I like to say. I know I'm not for everyone and I'm cool with that so I'm just glad that I found someone who genuinely likes me for me and sincerely enjoys my company.

In May, we took a road trip and talked about what's important to us since we hadn't been vibing in the last month or so. We both agreed that we hadn't spent much time together just the two of us. Realize that when you become engaged, EVERYONE and their mama wants to see you and talk to you about marriage. O_O. Anyways, those quality time moments is where we build our intimacy and I'm not talking sexual intercourse. I'm referring to strengthening our bond through conversation as we are on the road to becoming one (and even after becoming one). I've realized how important it is for us to talk through everything so that we're always on the same page. The moment when he's page 9 and I'm page 5 or vice versa is when trouble begins. And with us being a new couple, it's vital that we remain on the same page because we are still learning each other. I know him but learning him is a gradual process. As we've been increasing our quality time, the love deepens, the bond grows stronger, and bottom line: we like each other and play like we are on the same team.

♥ A.Erika ♥

Long Overdue: The Engagement Story

Hello lovelies! I hope your summer is going well! I'm staying low key seeing that I have a HUGE event to plan for in less than 8 months. (ahhhhh!) I have some news and I can't wait to share soon. As promised in the last post, I am FINALLY sharing the engagement story! It's so special, everytime I think about it, it brings back every emotion I felt that weekend. I hope you enjoy!

I felt it coming because I kept asking about it. My friends know I was 1) anxious and 2) nosy. So him pulling this off was like an undercover mission. Lol. We like taking weekend trips so this seemed like an ordinary trip. I remember telling him that this needs to be the last trip for a while because we need to start saving. He goes we still need to take another 2 trips so in my mind that meant he wasn’t proposing this weekend. Lol. We get to Savannah and check into this beautiful hotel with an incredible view. We didn’t realize Savannah was an open container city so we stopped at Wet Willies for drinks and roamed around. We went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Dinner was a nice seafood restaurant overlooking River Street. Another nice view! Dinner was quite delicious.

The night was still young and babes said he had a surprise. We get back to the hotel and there is a horse drawn carriage waiting for us. I was like oh this is NICE!! We’re riding through the city of Savannah on a lovely night in a horse drawn carriage! I’m thinking this is the life! So we come to a stop and the tour guide goes well the horse has to use the bathroom so go by the well and make a wish. I’m thinking we’re stopping for the horse to pee; that’s silly the horse can pee or poop anywhere he wants to but I run to the well to make a wish. I ask John for change to make a wish and he obliges. I close my eyes to make a wish and after my wish, I open my eyes and he’s down on one knee. I scream like OMG! OMG! OMG! Babes is talking and I have no idea what he saying. I zone out and ask him if he got permission from my dad. He says YES, babe and then he continues talking and I’m like where’s the ring. Finally he pulls out the ring and it’s a pretty diamond ring. I’m like put it on. Lol. Seeing how impatient I am, he stops talking and puts it on my finger and we hug. At this point, I'm just crying! I'm like I cannot believe we're engaged. We get back to the carriage and the tour guide was like you did good John! Lol. We continue the tour and we headed back to the hotel. After our tour, we got some ice cream and walked along River Street.

The next morning, babes apparently told my parents we would meet with them that day but we had to get dinner with his mentor and his wife. I was not happy about this because it had been 12 hours but I hadn’t told my family. We get to Atlanta to meet his mentor at Maggiano’s but his mentor wasn’t there. My family and close family friends were there to surprise us. It was the perfect way to celebrate our engagement. I was cried all over again. The weekend was so perfect!

And there you have it, folks! Eeeek! I'm one for romance and he nailed it! Gotta love my babes!
♥ A.Erika ♥

Design Chronicles 002: I'm Officially Freelancing

Yes you read that right. I’m accepting clients. I mean I feel like it’s time right. This is my first step in my hopeful entrepreneurial journey and it’s only right that I share it with my blog readers. I know I discussed freelancing about 2 months ago but I really didn't do much to promote myself nor did I have a plan. I went back to the drawing and came up with a plan. Now it's time to execute. Lol. It's funny how focused you can be when you make up in your mind to commit to something. If you need or know of someone that needs design or social media services, be so kind and share my information.
p.s. after reviewing my old posts, I never told the engagement story. *covered eyes emoji* That's the next post. promise!

♥ A.Erika ♥

One Year Down.

The last weekend in May, the babes and I celebrated our first anniversary! I had been counting down the days all week and couldn't wait for Saturday to arrive. This is the first weekend in a LONG TIME where we didn't have anything planned and it was glorious! Although he had to work that morning, I decide to make him brunch and he was so surprised! Steak and eggs with roasted sweet potatoes. I got SKILLS! Lololol. We were supposed to look for some furniture after brunch and I was like can we just relax. And that's what we did. He went into his nothing box and played his new game while I worked on a project for a client. I found myself rooting for him and became his second pair of eyes while he was playing. When he advanced to the next stages, I would slap him a high five! I'm so corny! Lololol! We then went to one of Atlanta's finest restaurants, Chops Lobster Bar, for dinner. Dinner was AMAZING! Like from our favorite drink (Moscow Mule) to the calamari to delectable crabcake! Twas delicious! We'll be back. Afterward, we went to Cafe Intermezzo, where we had our first date, for dessert. We laughed, people watched, and talked about our relationship. It's truly a blessing to be spending the rest of my life with him. This road to marriage has not been easy. Many 'gifts' along the way but we always go back to remind ourselves that we are on the same team. Every day there is something new to learn about him, our relationship and myself. It's always inspiring and humbling when people say that we give them hope for love. We're both like we don't know how because we are struggling ourselves. Lol. But even when it's difficult, through the tears and the tough conversations, we push through because we have agreed that we are NEVER giving up on each other. And that...is the essence of love.


♥ A.Erika ♥

40 Day Blog Challenge Recap

I promised a recap of the challenge and here it is. I started this challenge because I wanted to commit to something for an extended period of time. I was tired of saying I would do something but carry through with it. Finally I decided to start with something small as a way to carrying through on my word. Hence the blog challenge. It started off easy because I had topics/posts I wanted to share but towards the middle I kinda got stumped or I didn't feel like blogging. But I push passed that. I wanted share a couple lessons from this blogging challenge:

• I missed a couple days during the challenge and it bothered me because I felt like reneging. Anybody who plays spades knows that feeling when you or your partner reneges. Lol. I digress. But I decided to not to beat myself up about it but make sure I was committing to the next day. Life happens and some of the best memories don't have to be captured and broadcasted. It encouraged me to live and enjoy life!
• Blogging everyday is difficult when you work full-time plus have a schedule after work that's crazy. I found myself typing my post like at 11:45 at night hurrying up to make my scheduled daily post. I understand why content calendars are important. I think I'll implement a schedule for my other blog, whenever I get a chance to revisit it.
• Have fun with the blogposts! I shared some personal and also silly stories about myself and I loved the balance. Expect that to continue. 
• People love reading the blog! I really didn't anybody would care but they really were interested and that was satisfying. Knowing that a post was reaching someone even if it was just one person was motivating enough to keep blogging. 

Blogging is fun! There's so many opportunities I have with enhancing this blog and excited about making some changes!

♥ A.Erika ♥

Quarter of a Century + 1

Today is my birthday. Shoutout to fellow Tauruses! Lol. Birthdays have been difficult for me to celebrate because something always gets in the way of my celebration. Almost every year I compete with Mother's Day, then when I was in college, my birthday conflicted with finals. All of these conflicts caused me to avoid celebrating. But I decided last year I would celebrate in some way or fashion. My birthday is also an reflective time for me. Much like New Year's is the beginning of a journey, my birthday serves as my New Years. I get to look back within the last year and see how much I've grown and what has transpired. This time last year, I had extended my birthday campaign to May 31 and I was hosting this big dinner for myself and some of my closest friends. I was so nervous, even though about canceling it because I thought nobody would show up. It happened and I had a wonderful time plus I was able to raise over $1000 for autism. I actually has a post written about my birthday last year but I never posted it. I gotta stop doing that. I have 3 or 4 posts in drafts that need to be posted. Sigh. 

So 26, huh? How do you feel, you may ask? Can I be honest? I feel lost. At times. Like am I doing things right? How do I transition in this new role as a wife? How do I communicate in a calm manner that I am frustrated rather than spaz out on my babes? Why is God making me struggle? In those moments of being lost, I'm reminded to focus less on being lost and more about progress. Even though I focus on the how, God just says trust me, I got you boo. I'm learning to let go of control knowing where to go because God ultimately knows where I should go. After all, His plan is better than mine will ever be. Along with trusting God, less thoughts and talking and more doing. I know God's got me but I have to do my part. Faith without works is dead. One of my favorite entrepreneurs said, You have to DO in order to BE. I am still soul searching for my goals for my 26th year but once I set them, I'll share! 25 was by far the best EVER! And I know 26 has much to offer! ;)

♥ A.Erika ♥

Penn Relays 2014

And just like that we're heading back home from Philly! Although I was reluctant to go, we had a great time attending Penn Relays. For those who don't know, Penn Relays is a large track meet where teams from all over the world come to compete. High school, college, and professionals. Even the professionals over 75. That was cutest race I've ever seen! I hope to be able to run a race at 75. Of course the Jamaicans were out in full force in the stands. It was a sea of green, yellow, and black standing proud. It felt great to be amongst my fellow people. Of course the rivalry between Jamaica and USA were apparent as each race took place. Every time USA and Jamaica took the track, the commentator would have to warn people to sit down so everyone could see. But he really didn't have to say that because we got anyway because of our excitement and anticipation. Babes was amazed at the amount of Jamaicans in the stadium. I was like we are proud people. Texas even showed out too. The women's 4x400 relay medley mashed up the race! There wasn't a weak link in that relay. It was beautiful! Seeing all those women athletes confirmed that I really want a trackstar booty and flat abs. I need to find myself in a gym soon. Tryna to get wedding dress fine. Lolololol. 

And I'm sad to say this is my last post of my 40 day blog challenge. :( I'll be posting the challenge recap soon. I'm glad that I actually stuck with the challenge. Learned quite a bit and can't wait to share. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

Lindo Clan to Philly

We're taking our talents to Philly. Nah not really. We're as in my family plus the babes are embarking on a 10 hour road trip to Philly. Should be interesting to say the least. Not sure how it's all gonna pan out but we're heading up to see some good running and eat some Philly cheesesteaks. Lol. Y'all pray us. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram (@msashlee_erika) for updates. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

Waiting with Expectation

The last two mornings I've been listening to Auntie Joyce talk about how faith works. She said you must pray with expectation that God will deliver on His promise. I was like yes you better speak ma'am. Fast forward to this evening, I went to see Rev. Jackie Thompson at my parents church. Now if you've ever heard her speak, you know it's a treat. So guess what she talked about? Expectation. I was like okay God this is confirmation to Auntie Joyce. The Rev. Dr. said expectations bring forth 3 things: 1) an atmosphere so God can move, 2) the ability to fuel activity, and 3) the power to change the perception of reality. By this point, I was just like I understand God, I understand. THEN she says you don't get what you pray for—you get what you expect. And I had to think how many I pray but don't really believe God will come through because I've been disappointed. Tonight was a reminder that no matter how long it takes never stop dreaming and believing God what God says. After all, it took Sarah 20 years after God's promise to bear a child. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

Sacrifices

After visiting wedding venues this past weekend, I realized how important sacrificing is to get to your goals. My family is not rolling in dough nor am I living my American dream...yet. So paying for this wedding is coming with much sacrifice and careful planning. I know I'm going to miss certain events and moments but I know that it will all pay off in the end. I was watching a Sarah Jakes webisode and she said: Everybody wants to eat but few are willing to hunt. That resonated with me. How many times do we just want to eat but don't want to work to eat. There are moments where I love working to eat and other times, I barely want to eat. I am trying to make the moments of working to eat more consistent. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

life happens

Hey y'all! My life is just busy. When I find the time to write, I fall asleep. It's a vicious cycle. And I'm mad because two blogposts posted for the same day. Ugh little stuff like that piss me off. Anyways this weekend I thought I would get to relax since we had Good Friday off. Yeaaaaaa nah. Wedding venue visits, brunches, outing with mentee, church and dinner with the fam. All of that left little time for anything. I did catch Scandal though. The season ended very openly. Like in the next season could go different directions. You never know with Shonda Rhimes. Believe it or not, my blogging challenge is coming to an end. I know, I know sad right?! I know you all have been enjoying the posts. Lolololol. The goal is to have a post done everyday until then. Buttttttttt if I dont, y'all know....life happens.

♥ A.Erika ♥

A Person with Integrity

I was listening to Auntie Joyce yesterday. Y'all know I love Auntie Joyce, right?! In the podcast, she was discussing being a person of integrity. Before I listened, I thought I was a person of integrity so this will be a great refresher. But I was wrong. She stepped on my toes and it hurt but I wanted to share what I learned. She defined a person with integrity is a person who does what they say even in the small things. For example, if you say you are going to call someone in a hour or next week, you make sure you do that. Another example is that you show up for work on time. Now I struggle with the latter. I mean I kinda have an excuse because I live in Jerusalem, not literally, but that doesn't excuse me. So I'm going to try to make more of an effort to be on time. I made it to work in good timing but I also forgot my watch and engagement ring. Sigh. You win some, you lose some.

She also talked about over-committing. Over-committing doesn't leave room for a grace period. Learning how to say no is powerful. Last year I made decision to slow down and it was one of the best decisions I've made. It allows me to enjoy the little moments plus it allows me freedom to do something on short notice. Which I could hardly do last year because EVERYDAY I had something to do. It was tiresome and overwhelming. Plus I was double booking myself and that's never good. My integrity was going down the drain. So that podcast was everything I needed to jump start my lifetime change being a woman of her word. Being a man of his word is one of my babes' strongest qualities and one of many things I admire about him. The walk HAS TO match the talk and I'm working on the walk.

♥ A.Erika ♥

So Last Night at the Shuler Awards....

So last night I had the task of live tweeting the Shulers Hensley Awards, which the Georgia High School version of the Tonys. It was a wonderful evening to see high school students display their talents of stage. I have to say Georgia has a state of talented children. I was excited to see who was going to win the awards especially since a predominantly black school was nominated for 14 of the 17 awards. Basically coming in as an underdog. They ended up winning 13 out of the 14 awards. Lolololol. After the 4th award they won consecutively I knew it was going to be an interesting night. To say the least. Of course it was all displayed on Twitter. People were saying the awards were political joke; they were at the [Insert Winning School name here] banquet awards [not the Shulers] and my personal favorite, I'm transferring to [Insert Winning School name here]. Lol. Nothing against the other schools but they were THAT good. We had a chance to see them performing a number from their winning production [because they won best overall musical]. And I wanted to see more like the little kid from the AT&T commercial. I was just proud that our kids could excel as the underdogs. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

First Decade

One of my good friends' mom and her colleague started a group called First Decade. The group is for young professionals in the first decade of their career learning how to navigate their professional and personal goals. It's a great little family we've formed and we look forward to seeing people one a month. I love the informal style of the meetings. It allows each attendee to feel comfortable to express their challenges and victories in their jobs. It's sort of like a support group for recent graduates. I enjoy the times we have together! After every meeting, I leave with a reminder that my career is my own and I must take charge of it and direct it where I want it to go. Tonight was our April meeting and we talked about grad school. The discussion was informative and I left considering grad school. We'll see if that consideration turns into reality. Lol. If you know anyone in Atlanta that could benefit from a group like this, hit me up! They won't regret attending!

Logo and Flyer Designed By Yours Truly ;)

♥ A.Erika ♥

Surprises

I love surprising people but I don't like being surprised. I mean I usually like what I get after the surprise but I like to know EVERYTHING. I try not to miss a peep. So when my fiancé talked to my friends about proposing, the first thing ALL of my friends said was you know she's nosy right. I'm not talking about the surprise proposal this post. Lol. My fiancé decided to surprise me with tickets to see the Hawks vs Heat game Saturday night. I hadn't been to NBA game in a while but it was nice to do something out of our norm. I actually thought we were going to the museum. I guessed and he led me to believe I was correct. So I'm talking all this junk to my family about how I guessed the surprise but when we pulled up to Phillips Arena, I was shocked. He got me! I really think he gets great pleasure in giving me surprises. I was rooting for the Heat and he was secretly rooting for the Hawks. He doesn't like Lebron, he's a Kobe fan. We argue endlessly on why Kobe's career is done. He's such a loyal fan, it's cute! HA! The seats were really good and we were sitting amongst other Heat fans so I was in good company until the Heat lost. They weren't playing with any zeal which is understandable since they have already secured a playoff spot. The Hawks on the other hand, had much more to prove. They had to win this game in order to go to the playoffs. I have to say the Hawks played extremely well. But I see it as the Heat did the Hawks a favor. I talk so much junk. Lol. Pizza at Nancy's was the perfect night cap. It was delicious! Good day indeed!

♥ A.Erika ♥

Networking with Creative Girls Atlanta

Hey y'all! It's been a couple of days right? Work has been turned up a notch. We're about 5 days away from Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards and I am in charge of social for the event. I've been in planning and brainstorming session to make sure we are fully engaging this online community. Handling that and being the point person has left me pooped. In the midst, I was able to get away and attend a networking event organized by Creative Girls Atlanta. Their mission is "to present social, hands-on workshops catering to the lifestyles and businesses of creative Atlanta ladies." I found out about the group through one of the founders, Kia Perry. I came across her Instagram page and loved the content so I started following her. I saw her posting information about her group and said to myself, I am creative woman in Atlanta. I should go. I went and she recognized me instantly. It was great! I got to meet other women and speak with them on how they are launching their creative ventures. It was great to be in good company with other women who trying to figure it out. It being their life. I made some great connects and I even got to speak with Kia about helping with the future planning of Creative Girls Atlanta. I've been looking for a creative outlet I could give my time to and when I heard about this group, I felt like it was a good fit. So stay tuned for more info about the group!

♥ A.Erika ♥

If You Told Me A Year Ago...

If you told me a year ago that I would be engaged, I would have laughed. Then probably looked at you like you were crazy. I would've told you that I'm not ready for all that. This time last year, I was fully immersed in my campaign and preparing for my 25th birthday celebration. I didn't expect to fall in love. I didn't expect to meet a guy that would change my perspective on what truly means to love. I had this plan. Y'all know me. I'm always doing something and finding something to do. Google and I have a STRONG relationship! Lol. But they say, when you plan, God laughs. I know He was laughing hysterically with me. I am a witness that God's plan SUPERCEDES any plan you may have for yourself. I mean when I sit back and think of where I am, I'm overwhelmed with emotion to how blessed I am. I found this quote and it's so true.

“If you don't leave room for the unexpected to express itself in your life, you close yourself off from the possibility of miracles.”

I believe God wants to do miracles in our lives but we/ our plans get in the way. He appreciates your hard work but sometimes we need to allow God to do His thing. I'm working on doing my part and letting God do His. I've applied this "leaving room" principle to my schedule and it has allowed me some great experiences. It also gives me the flexibility to do something I want vs something I'm obligated to. And that flexibility is priceless.

♥ A.Erika ♥

Design Chronicles 001

Before I start with today's post, I would like you all to notice that new URL for the blog is blog.ashleelindo.com. In attempts to start keeping my brand consistent, I decided to point this blog to that URL. I had to look up some tutorials on how to do and last night it went live! I was so happy because although I'm far from a developer but I felt like I could code a whole website. Well maybe that was an ambitious statement but y'all get it. Small victories I tell ya. Now on to the post....

I've realized that it's been awhile since I've shared any of my latest designs. As I'm transitioning into more freelance opportunities, I'm starting to put myself out there more to a) get more clients and b) learn to be more comfortable in sharing. Auntie Erykah was telling the truth when she said, I'm an artist and I'm sensitive about my sh**. Most designers are sensitive but we learn to grow thick skin because people can undervalue the skill. You can work umpteen hours on a project, only to find the client wants to go in a different direction. Yet the client's satisfaction with the final project outweighs all of that. Here I am taking a risk *wink wink* and sharing more of me. I present Design Chronicles...

I designed this flyer for Pledge To Be Bella, a women's empowerment group, here in Atlanta. I think I captured the essence of the event. What do y'all think? Also, if you know someone who needs a graphic designer, send them my contact info.

♥ A.Erika ♥

becoming a risk taker.

I'm learning to be a risk taker. Especially when taking chances on myself. I guess I'm nervous to make a mistake or be wrong or look foolish. I'm learning not to be afraid of being wrong and not trying. Something as simple doing the nae nae at a stop light made me clam up and for the life of me, I couldn't do it. I looked at that and said to myself girllllllll you got some work to do. Lol. I'm going to put 'take a risk' on my to-do list every week. I already asked babes to force me to take more risks. I would say I'm 1-1 for now. But I'm working on more wins for risk taking. Every day I get a reminder: Without God I am NOTHING. With God, I can do ALL things because He strengthens me. Maybe I need to bombard my cube with that message too.

♥ A.Erika ♥

Roadtrip Reflections: GA to OH

It feels good to be back home from Ohio. Ohio is an interesting place, not sure I could live there but it was wonderful trip. This trip seemed very special to me. Not sure why though. Maybe because it was our first trip together as an engaged couple. Maybe because I got take in the scenery of driving through states I've never been with the love of my life. Maybe because we laughed like never before. I don't know what it was but this trip was special to me. It also confirmed this: There is no other person I would rather spend 16 hour road trip than him. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

4.4.14

We're (babes and I) currently in Ohio for one of favorite couples' wedding. We took the 8hr drive Thursday into yesterday morning. We've been busy prepping and enjoying Shawn and Kat's day! It was truly amazing to see her so happy. Definitely a joy to share in their day! 

April is proving to be a crazily busy month. Every weekend is booked with something to do. It's kinda insane. We have our first venue visit in 2 weeks. I'm so excited about it!! 

♥ A.Erika ♥

Shine A Light On Autism!

Today is World Autism Awareness Day! As many of you know autism is a cause that is very dear to my heart because my older brother, Michael, was diagnosed at 3 years old. At that time, autism was a new "disability" and the ways to "treat" were very few. Thank God we lived in New York at the time where the government subsided therapy treatments for him. Now because of its prevalence (One in every 88 68 children are diagnosed), treatments are more widespread. What we are finding now is it seems that Michael was a part of the first generation of autism diagnosis and therefore there hasn't been enough consideration for treatment for adults with autism. It's kinda like oh shoot we've been focusing on research for diagnosing children but what about when the kids grow up. Therapy programs for adults can be quite expensive and if the families can cannot afford it, the adults are forced stay at home. Which was our testimony until we found funding and got Michael involved with a program. My family can rest assure that he is in a safe place during the day and doesnt become a recluse, which is a common trait for most adults with autism. For that, we are so blessed!

Last year I dedicated my birthday to fundraising for autism. Thanks again to all that supported the project. I am taking this year off to recoup in light of my engagement and attempting not to put too much on my plate. But know I will be back with something stronger for 2015 World Autism Awareness Day! Here's my selfie for a cause...Shine A Light On Autism! If you want to purchase a shirt like mine, visit here.

♥ A.Erika ♥

Out Of Many, We Are One

I was scrolling my timeline today and came across this video:



I have to admit when I first saw this, I was like God broke the mold when he made this women because aint no way 32 kids are coming out of my womb. Then my foolish fiancé says we're having 33! *side eye* I mean I do want 4 children but let's just get married first. Anyways, the woman is simply inspiring with her story of saving children off the streets of my motherland, Jamaica. The video needed 50,000 views by April 10. It has over 143,000 views and it's only April 1! The power of social! I'm sure Ms. AnnMarie will put those computers to good use. Awesome story!

♥ A.Erika ♥

Cultural Blending

Let me start off by saying my bad for slacking these past 2 days. It was a family focused weekend which kept me away from my computer and there's nothing wrong with that. We all need an impromptu break from technology. My family hosted John's family for a meeting of the minds to discuss wedding details. We've been holding off on jumping into wedding planning because we wanted both families to be on the same page. I believe that was accomplished this weekend. It was interesting to get a brief history lesson on the lineage of my soon-to-be husband's family. There was many similarities of between the Jamaican (my culture) customs and Ghanian (his culture) customs and the parents got to bond over that. We also discussed how each culture would be represented at the wedding. One of the most touching moments is when my fiance's dad thanked my parents for raising a wonderful soulmate for his son. My eyes welled up immediately. I was like woooooo this is TOO heavy because the way my emotions are set up..... LOL!

Now that we got this meeting out the way, we can dig into planning. We have 3 venues in mind and will be conducting visits in the next couple weeks. I hope to have a venue secured by late May. On top of that, we need to shoot our engagement photos so we can get the save-the-dates out by July. So there's much work to be done. But I promise to continue posting every day until the 40 days are up and of course continuing to post after that. I also promise to NOT to bomboard y'all with wedding planning stuff. I'm sure it will consume my life but I want to share much more than that. How was the weekend for y'all? 

♥ A.Erika ♥

Mind-shift: Me to Us

Before I got into my relationship, I was so focused on myself in every sense. Mentally, emotionally, financially, physically, spiritually. I wanted to get right for Mr. Right. I wanted to have it together before Mr. Right came into the picture. Travel a little bit, have my own place, etc. I had a plan, ok?! But when I got into this relationship I had to shift my plan from me to we. To us. At first, the shift was a little overwhelming because I was still forcing my plan but I realized that if I wanted an amazing relationship, I had to step back and evaluate what was important. I remember telling myself you can travel and have your own place but you can do that with him. Not to take away from women who want to work their plan, I just was presented with an opportunity to date a wonderful man before I could institute my plan. So if the man hasn't come, LIVE YOUR LIFE! Anyways, my plate was full and I remember on our first date, I told him that I'm so busy but I make time for what's important. Also, if he didn't want to be serious, then don't waste my time. In that same thought, I also felt like I wasn't ready for Mr. Right. I needed to handle some emotional baggage and felt like I couldn't do that with him there. But that's the beautiful thing about love. It covers insecurities and imperfections. We sat on the bathroom floor one late night as he reassured me that I don't have to be perfect, he just wants me to give my all. Hearing him say that, let me know of his expectations of me. To be honest, it was a big sigh of relief because he accepted me flaws and all. And that we were in this TOGETHER. So my mind shifted and it's been a blessing. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

Run Your Race

In the world of sharing on social media, it's easy to develop a sense of less than because you begin to compare yourself to what others post. Highlight reels vs behind the scenes. You see the trips, the new shoes, the *insert examples of good life* and you think your life sucks. Trust me we've all done it. The beauty of social media is that you are entitled to post whatever you want: good, bad, or indifferent. It has given everyone a platform even those who don't need one. Social media posts do not paint the entire picture. It's a snapshot. You have to remember your journey is your journey and their journey is theirs. There's no need to compare because honestly there is no comparison. Comparison is thief of joy. God created one of you so no need to try to be like someone. That person is already taken. I heard a pastor draw a parallel from running track to life. When runners begin a race, they are different lanes of the track. But once the race starts, the runners are focused on their lanes, you don't the runners looking beside them to see what the other runners are doing. If they do, they slow down. That's how life is. The moment you compare your life to someone else', your life loses its essence and beauty. It's not worth it. Someone is waiting on you and counting on you to fulfill your purpose. Don't waste your time comparing and losing sense of your purpose. You deserve better than that.

♥ A.Erika ♥

Superwoman Complex

I want to do it all and I want to have it all. But life doesn't work quite like that and quite frankly, no one can do it all AND have it all except Jesus. I want to help inspire change in people's lives, I want to be the philanthropic socialite my mission statement talks about, I want to be an awesome wife, I want to be phenomenal designer, much more. But I've learned that things happen in stages and through a process. I can't be frustrated where I am unless I am willing to change it. I'm learning to manage my expectations of what I can and can't do in a day. Slowly but surely I'm letting go of this superwoman complex and moving towards being complete and full.Or maybe I'm redefining the term superwoman.

♥ A.Erika ♥

2 Lifestyle Changes Caused By My Commute

I didn't really think about my commute what I got my offer for my current job. I was just so happy to get a full time opportunity in my field that it could've been in Timbuktu and I would've went. My commute is 1 hour, one way with no traffic. And I wish that was my life. Tuh. However because Atlanta traffic will never let be me great or anyone else for that matter, it takes sometimes 2 hours to get to work, that's one way. Sometimes I just look at people in their cars. I've noticed that people are CHARACTERS when they think no one is watching. And I'm the person to catch them too. I mean I have nothing else to do unless I decide to read like I saw one driver doing yesterday. Anyways, I've learned TWO changes I've made during my commute and would love to share.

•  One: I must spend time with God while I'm driving in the morning. Driving the same way for the last 1.5 years can cause you to go crazy. Trust me I've seen it. My day doesn't seem right if I haven't had a talk with God and listened to Auntie Joyce [Meyer]. Doing these 2 things has improved my spiritual walk and makes the time go by faster. Auntie Joyce and her nuggets have been life changing. I don't honk at people as much nor do I yell. I'm pretty sure my blood pressure has gone down because of that. It's truly a blessing to see my sanity is still in tact when I leave my house at 7:20 and don't get to work until 9a. 
• Two: My road rage is not rage anymore. It's peace. Road peace. Even my babes has noticed my calmed behavior. I've seen weapons pulled out on people, people getting out their cars and yelling at another car, people cutting others off...all because road rage. So because I value my life, I've decided to chill out on the honking and yelling. I just listen to my auntie Joyce or catch up with a friend or of course talk to the fiancé.

♥ A.Erika ♥ 

Lavender

Over the last year, I've become obsessed with the scent of lavender. Anything lavender scented, I stop and smell. When I get a whiff of the scent, it puts a smile on my face because it smells so heavenly! I bathe with lavender soap and I love how soothing it is. I recently stumbled upon Evergreen Valley Lavender Farm, a farm in Washington State full of lavender. I mean fields of lavender. The air must be soothing there. Their tag line: The allure of lavender is in the air and I want to be captured by the allure. Apparently brides can order dried lavender for their bouquets. So guess who will be ordering some? I already told babes we HAVE to visit!

♥ A.Erika ♥

today was a good day.

In the words of Ice Cube, today was a good day. Lolololol. My parents came to visit us at our church today and they had a wonderful experience! This is a big deal because my parents weren't too happy about me leaving their church to attend another one. I was slightly offended that they didn't trust my judgement to find a new church and start in a place with my then boyfriend but now fiance. But that's another post. We've been going to our new church for about 4 months and we decided to invite my parents to church with us. I know Mama Lindo was looking for something to complain about so I was praying that the experience would be exceptional! God showed up and showed OUT! Won't HE do it?!?! Babes and I were running late and couldn't get a break, catching nearly every red light. We thought it was the devil but it really was God setting up the experience. Once we finally got there, they were in conversation with a member of the welcome team. We moved downstairs and were escorted to the front of the sanctuary for seats. My parents were treated like VIP and I loved it. Praise and worship was phenomenal! I saw my dad moving and rocking like never before. The message was on point as usual. Then we went to the first time guest reception and they got a chance to speak with the main facilitators of our pre-marital class. My parents instantly connected with them because they were Jamaican.  But the words that our facilitators spoke...Can we say dynamic? My parents even gave their blessing for us attending the church. It was cute. I've learned that my parents think they NEED give approval for things now that I'm grown. And I'm learning that I don't need it. After that we treated my parents to brunch and they raved about it their experience. My mom even called me to say my dad really enjoyed the church and the couple. I prayed for God to be blessing and He did more than I even imagined. I never cease to be amazed by God and all that He does. So today was indeed a good day.

♥ A.Erika ♥

True Life: My License Was Suspended

Yeaaaaaa! Not something I'm proud of but here's the story....

After my first year of college, my parents gifted me with a brand new car, a 2007 Honda Accord affectionately known as Shadow. I thought I was TOO COOL with my new car. I was back in town for about a week and I got pulled over then was cited. My little brother was sick and we had already pulled over for him to throw up. In my mind, I had to rush to get home because he was not going to throw up in my brand new car. Well I got caught doing 100mph in 55mph zone. *covers eyes* The lady officer was too mad and I'm convinced the only reason I did not get arrested was because I had my brothers in my car. Honestly I had no idea I was driving that fast. I mean my parents had already warned me about speeding in that car and here I was with a ticket. My parents were so PISSED because I didn't tell them until days later and they felt like I had not took heed to their warning.

Later that summer I had to face a judge because my offense was worse than normal speeding ticket plus I was under 21 so I opted to go to a higher level court. So that postponed my suspension. Fast forward to 2008, weeks before my spring break, I decided to come home for my spring break. Well the court had gone to my school's website to see when my school went on break. Then contacted my parents and were informed that I was coming home.The court scheduled the court date on the first day of my break. Persistent much? I went to court and the judge suspended my license on the spot for 6 months, 60 hours of community service, and monthly reporting to a parol officer with a monthly fee. Say whaaaaaa? I felt like a criminal.

That summer I came home, MARTA (Atlanta's beloved public transportation system) and I became best friends. I took the train and bus to get to PAWS Atlanta for my community service so I could clean up dog poop. I didn't go many places that summer because by this time, my family and I were living in the country i.e. too far from access to MARTA. It truly sucked. I couldn't wait until my 6 months was over. Luckily I was away at school for majority of the suspension but the summer sucked! Oh as SOON as I got back to Atlanta for my winter break, I was the FIRST one in the DMV to get my license reinstated. I learned a valuable lesson that driving is a PRIVILEGE and if you abuse it, your rights will be taken. 

♥ A.Erika ♥

My Favorite Social Network

Being a social media enthusiast, it's difficult to choose a favorite because each network serves a different purpose. But if I had to choose, my favorite social network is most definitely Instagram! I'm checking it at least once per hour. I know I'm obsessed. But people get so creative with their content visually and I love it. From Church of Laugh to Myleik to personal style bloggers to my cool friends and their adventures, the knowledge and inspiration, and oh let's not forget the ratchetry you find on there is wonderful! Balance is key!

Social media in general is awesome. I mean you get to share things like this.

Lolololol! Definitely a March Madness highlight especially with that "Backstreet Boys spin move".  #huuuahhhh

♥ A.Erika ♥

Greetings Spring!

After a CRAZY winter, I am so glad to see spring! The Snowpocalypse plagued us twice in 2 weeks, first time having people in their cars for over 20 hours. O_O. To me new seasons equals new opportunities and fresh beginnings. Spring in particular, equals blooming flowers and reaping the fruits of the seeds you planted in fall and winter. Metaphorically speaking. 

Spring also means March Madness! I've blogged about how much I love it. It started today and my bracket is already messed up with all these upsets. I did babes bracket for his pool at work.....it's not looking so good. *covers eyes* Texas is playing now and I'm trying to keep calm. I really love this time of year because it shows the versatility of each team and the heart of the players. Of course I love the cinderella stories (as long as it doesn't mess up my bracket). The fact that a game could down to a shot just to make it to the next round is amazing to me! I got Louisville taking in one bracket and Michigan State in another. Who did y'all have taking it all?

♥ A.Erika ♥ 

Today's Devotion.

That's all the words I have to today. It's been a rough day emotionally but I'll be back tomorrow with some good stuff! I promise! Day 3!

♥ A.Erika ♥   

why I liked the movie, Need for Speed.

Source: CHUD.com

This weekend I treated my fiancé to movie date which is a big deal because he hardly lets me pay for anything. Not a bad thing at all. Plus he likes the little things. Anyways he loves cars so Need for Speed was a perfect movie for us to watch together. I won't tell the plot of the movie but Kid Cudi played one of the friends of the main character. He plays this full of himself but not overbearing guy. He actually was hilarious! What stood out to me though is the fact that his character was a) in the military and b) a pilot. The latter is what resonated with me the most. The fact that a black man, a hip hop artist, was playing a character piloting a military helicopter is really cool. And I know Denzel was a pilot in Flight but I really hated strongly disliked that role for Denzel. I can't stand Denzel to play negative characters. I strongly disliked Training Day too. We need more images of positivity! Thanks to the internet, we can create our own images and don't have to wait on Hollywood!

♥ A.Erika ♥  

the overdue new years post

Happy New Year! Lololol! I'm actually laughing as I type that because it's March and I've finally decided to do a post for the new year. Every weekend has been filled with something to do (even though I said I was hanging up my socialite cape) and I haven't had any down time to freely write until now. I'm notorious for writing a delayed New Years post anyway. Well maybe not this late. Eh whatever. I hope your new year is off to a wonderful start. Mine surely is. :D

If you follow me on social media, you already know that I'M ENGAGED!!!! On March 1, my babes asked me to marry him in Savannah, GA in a fairytale fashion! I had an idea because he was acting weird all day but I had no idea it would be so extravagant. It was perfect and I couldn't ask for a better person to spend the rest of my life with. So wedding planning begins. I can tell you that my favorite part of this wedding planning process is the design element like stationery and event design. Everything else I'm just like whatever. People are like you are just so cool about it. I'm like my family and friends won't allow me to be a bridezilla so I might as well be calm. But this is an exciting process!

I want to commit to something for 40 days and see what comes of it. Soooo...I'm challenging myself to 40 days of blogging. I know my sis Z will happy to read everyday. Lol! I have a couple ideas for what I want to write about but I would love to know what my readers would like to know. Leave a comment about what you want me to write about. Before y'all even ask, yes I'm doing a post on the proposal. I have to get my feelings right for it because the thought of the proposal story makes me tear up. Anyways, I've missed y'all. How has the new year been so far?

♥ A.Erika ♥