Free downloads!

Hey everyone!

I'm launching a new section to my LPD Facebook page.... Dum da da dum! Freebies!

Head on over here to download this nifty March 2014 wallpaper for your desktop or a the coordinating background for your iPhone!

The Christmas Bah-humbugs: Fake It Till You Make It

Christmas, next to my birthday, is my favorite holiday. (You knew my birthday was a national holiday...Right?)

Well, this year, I've lost my jingle.

Don't get me wrong. I've had some true, Big God Blessings this year. I remember making my New Years prayer last year and saying, "Lord, just let me be a mom. If being a mom isn't what you want for me, then take this pain away." And look where I am? The most amazing baby in the world is working SO hard every day to say, "Mommy." (David says it's gas, but WE know the truth, don't we?)

 

But I just can't get in the spirit this year.

We knew grad school was going to be hard on our family, and we knew adoption brought challenges as well. We've weathered at least one devastating blow every year that we have been married, so we knew we'd come out on top. We've lost family members, all our possessions, jobs, and we've lost some naïveté as well. This year, I think we underestimated the stress of prolonged, well, stress and financial strain.

Even with that, I will tell you a secret. The secret of one of the nicest compliments anyone has ever given me, and let me tell you, I think back on it a lot during times like these.

About one week after I started working at Masco Bath, our house burned. We lost two beloved pets and damn near everything we owned. Shortly thereafter, the house was robbed of 95% of the salvageable goods, which ain't saying a lot. One of my new co-workers, Mike, was standing at my desk making small talk, asking me how I was doing. He looked me in the eye and said, "Laura, I don't know how you do it. You're here, and you're still smiling and positive. You have a great attitude."

That really touched me. You know why? Because an attitude is one of the few things you have complete control over. You can 100% choose to have a good attitude, or you can be ambivalent. His compliment meant that I, just me, had successfully wrestled my outward negativitity, which is one step closer to beating your inward negativity.

So why am I telling you this? Do I have some great secret of positivity to bestow?

Kinda.

It's called....Wait for it.... "Fake it until you make it."

That's right. Did I really feel positive when we lost everything? No way. I felt miserable, but have you ever noticed that you can sometimes force yourself into a better mood? Well, you can. Try this experiment: When you're grumpily braving the Christmas crowds at Walmart, smile at AT LEAST ten people.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

 

 

 

 

How'd that feel?

Little better, huh?

So that's what I'm doing. I'm choosing my attitude this Christmas. I'm going to be purposefully jolly. Don't get me wrong now. It's an on-going process, but I'm inviting you to choose with me.

Here's How:

-Say nice things to people. Not just, "Hey, nice Uggs/shorts combo there, Susie." Real affirmations. "Thank you for your sense of humor. I needed it."

-Be kind to yourself. Does making that sixteen story gingerbread house every year make you stressed? Don't. Just don't. What will happen if you choose not to? Will your family hate you? Doubtful. Will YOU be a nicer, less grumpy person? Probable.

-Celebrate in ways that make you happy. Christmas claymation movie marathon, anyone?

-Smile freely and frequently. Not just to the hot dude at the bank. To the homeless man on the corner as well.

-Donate to causes you support. Whether it's a handful of change to Salvation Army bell ringers or a bag of clothes to Goodwill, I guarantee you'll feel lighter. (See what I did there?)

 

 

Merry Christmas, y'all.

 

Posted with Blogsy

DIY: Fixing your purse strap for less than $10!

In my last post, I talked a little about my purse collection and how I acquire most of my bags via eBay. Most them are new, but I also like to score a great deal on gently used bags. Sometimes, all they need is a little TLC.

Today, I'm going to share a super easy tip for repairing the peeling edges of your purse strap.

 

I recently began using this New with Tags purchase from eBay, and I was super bummed to note that the sealant was coming off the strap edge in a couple places after a few days of use.

 

But never fear! Totally easy AND cheap fix.

 

eBay, people, eBay.

I get a lot of questions about where I get my handbags, and I'm going to tell you my dirty little secret.

So get some popcorn! We're about to deplete your slush funds.

My latest find, purchased at less than half the retail value. Courtesy photo: eBay.com

 

I've been collecting handbags for years, and when I say collecting...I mean researching popular styles by designers I like, coveted bags from specific lines, limited edition colors/features... It's just my thing.

Pretty early on in my collection, I realized that it's far more economical to shop online. Though I love buying a bag in a store for instant gratification, I much prefer saving money through coupons or being able to find a pre-loved bag. Consequently, I'd say that over 80% of my collection now has been purchased online at a discount.

Here are my tips for buying on auction sites:

• Don't just search for the obvious. Some of my best bag finds are by searching with a misspelled or generalized search term. For instance, if you're looking for a bag from Coach's Legacy line in Ultraviolet, try searching for: "Coach legacy purple."
• Always, ALWAYS look at the feedback score. If it's not above 99.7, I don't buy without talking to the buyer. Always read the selling feedback.
• If you aren't sure about authenticity, ask for additional photos. If the bag is by a popular designer like Michael Kors, Coach, or Louis Vuitton (especially LV), go to the Purseforum.com for authentication. MK didn't used to be a highly faked line, but it is more and more prevalent now.
• Want a leather Coach bag without a killer price? Search vintage bags such as the City, Willis, or Basic. They can be revived with a little polish, and leather bags that aren't lined can be soaked in a bath of fragrance/dye free soap like Woolite to remove old dirt! A black vintage leather bag from Coach? You can't kill it!
• If you're competing in an auction, use a service like Auction Sniper, which will allow you to set your top bid any time before the auction ends, even days! The bid won't be placed until seconds before the auction ends, giving you a far better chance at winning at a low price. The best auction bidders don't bid until super late in the game. If an auction has days to go before ending and has 23 bids, I'd walk away.

 

What are some of your favorite eBay tips?

 

Posted with Blogsy

Why Diamonds and I Broke Up

I've been thinking on this post for a long time now, especially since my social media is FLOODED with engagements.

When I was in college and newly engaged to my, now, husband, I spent a long time dreaming of the perfect diamond engagement ring. What setting did I want? What metal? Cut? How BIG would it be?

Courtesy Photo: Google Images

Back in the New York Groove

It's been awhile, friends, and I'm not going to lie...

With a new baby, adoption proceedings, work, and a husband in school and working... I just couldn't face One. More. Thing. The "thing" being this blog. Sometimes, when things get tough, even writing (a lifelong passion) is more than I can handle.

That being said, I'M BACK...Back in the New York Groove. (Oh, come on...Kiss? Anyone?)

 

On October 30th, we were finally able to finalize Riley's adoption, three months and some change after we brought him home. Since we announced it to our families and friends, we've been overwhelmed with congratulations and also with some questions, so I thought I would answer a few here:

 

1.) You had to go to court? Why? : EVERY adoption requires you to go to court. The process all starts with a lawyer and paperwork (a Termination of Parental Rights and Consent to Adoption that birth parents sign), but you have to file that paperwork with the court and eventually go before a judge. The judge basically verifies that the process was handled legally and in the best interest of the child. In our case, we had a few more steps, and court was a slightly longer process.

2.) What happens now? : Once the judge signed off, the court put in a request for a new birth certificate for Riley. It will list us as his parents, so we will have that as proof of our right to make any medical decisions for him that might be necessary throughout his childhood or enroll him in school...Stuff like that.

3.) Is it permanent? Can someone take Riley away? What about the "horror stories" on the news? : It IS permanent. Riley is part of our family forever. Nobody can take him away from us. PS: In most cases, people refer to the highly publicized Baby Veronica case. This was a special set of circumstances involving a law that only applies to children with Native American blood (and only certain tribes that enforce the law).

 

And just to round things out...Here's Cheeks on Halloween yesterday!

 

I hope that clarified things for those of you who have been wondering. Thank you all for the support you have shown our family. We love you!

 

Posted with Blogsy

What Laura Loves: Studio Design (Apple Store)

I never anticipated how difficult it would be to keep up the pace of my design business while being a WAHM. Thankfully, I've gotten into a rhythm and have been able to meet all my commitments and even accept new customers.

The only thing I miss? Creating things daily.

Here's where my new favorite app comes in.

Studio Design is a micro-design app that encourages designers to create small square works of art and share them Instagram style.

With over 500 (!) free shapes, masks, and fonts, there is no way that you WON'T be able to create something beautiful. You can create fancy text masks or even base your design off of a photo in your library. Each piece is scalable and can be set to a range of colors.

 

If the 500 piece starter pack isn't enough for you, there are add-ons like "Call of the Wild" for .99, which include hand drawn nature elements for you to manipulate and incorporate into your artwork.

Taking collaboration to a whole new level, Studio also allows you to "Remix" any designer's piece, building on their work and adding your own personal spin. You can also share to a number of other platforms such as, of course, Instagram.

 

 

 

 

At the whopping price of FREE, there's no reason NOT to try it out!

 

Studio in the App Store

 

Posted with Blogsy