Tag Archives: piercings

One Of Those Weeks

Standard
One Of Those Weeks

Oh hey! Have you ever had One Of Those Weeks where everything just feels kind of off? There was plenty of good for this past week like my girls afternoon with my mom and some excellent shifts at work. However, a situation occurred that left me in a bit of a slump and the rest of the week felt like a juggling act. I mean that metaphorically in terms of keeping myself in check to still be successful for the remainder of the week. I also mean it quite literally too…

Can anyone please tell me why when you’re already feeling low that you have to just start dropping everything in sight too? Lol, amidst all of the blahs I turned into the biggest butterfingers and it just added to all of the annoyance. Where do I even begin?! Let’s see, I dropped one of the bunny’s water dishes that spilled all over the bathroom floor, I dropped my work phone in a public bathroom, and as I put groceries into our tiny freezer an avalanche of frozen food went toppling. In honorable mention, I spilled my seltzer water dangerously close to my laptop, the bunny’s heart of romaine snack took a nosedive to the floor, and my funny bone got knocked hard against a door frame at work. There has been nothing funny about it!

While all of this was a massive pain, the worst was yet to come. Something that I have feared and hoped would never happen… My septum ring fell out on Thursday morning. *Dun dun dunnnnn* While I was in the bathroom, I noticed that my second septum ring that clicks together had come apart. I tried to fix it but my acrylics made that incredibly difficult and the ring ended up in my hands. In that moment, I went into a full on panic. Every single frustration caught up to me and this was the cherry on top. Honestly, I almost called off for the day right then and there. Nose piercings are notorious for closing quickly and if I couldn’t get the ring back in ASAFP then a trip to the piercing parlor was in order.

I tried several times to get the ring in to no avail and at that point I had to weigh my options. There were only two: Keep trying or give up. As best as I could, I tried to center myself with deep breaths and gave it one final go. Blessedly, the ring went in and Johnny was able to come in with the assist to snap it shut. Praise be to he! Between a crummy work sitch and a relentless case of the dropsies I think I would have gone into a tailspin if my septum closed up too. This actually just happened before I sat down to write this bum mood stream of consciousness. And, on the bright side, at least this unfortunate part of my week ended up a-okay!

It is five AM on Thursday morning and after all of this straight up nonsense, I am beyond ready for a break. Bring on the weekend! *Face palm*

What makes you feel better after experiencing frustration? What has annoyed you recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A Pleasant Surprise

Standard
A Pleasant Surprise

Hello!! One of my work days is almost exclusively at a client’s job site. Then, I have a few breaks during that time when I can work my other job on my computer. In the store, there is a cafe section that I like to post up at and click clack away until it’s time for my next shift. While I am at the computer, I am in my own little world and will usually put my headphones on and listen to music while I work. Normally, the cafe is almost always empty. This time around, though, I noticed an elderly man sitting at one of the tables while his wife did some shopping.

As I finished packing up my work supplies, the gentleman motioned for me to come over. I have to admit, I was thinking “oh shit” in my head. As a woman with a ton of tattoos, piercings, and vibrant hair, I don’t have a ton of luck when it comes to older people beckoning me. The comments I have received in the very recent past have run the gambit. I’ve been told that people who look like me will probably end up in jail. The classic “You’d look so much better without all of that”/”Why would you do that to yourself?”. As well as being called flat out ugly. So, yeah, I wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to see what this guy had to say to me.

After I approached and braced myself to be insulted, my new friend surprised me. He simply said, “I was just wondering how long it takes to get your hair like that”. You could have knocked me over with a feather! With a happy and huge sigh of relief, I began to tell him about my trips to the salon and the hair style that took over seven hours to complete. He told me he didn’t think he could ever sit in a salon for that long and I talked about how much I enjoy it – especially all the girl talk! He made the “chit chat” gesture with his hands and we both had a laugh. After our encounter, we said our well wishes and parted ways with a smile on each of our faces.

As I thought about my talk with this stranger, I realized that I completely misjudged him and I deeply regret that. In that moment, I was no better than the people who made it a point to let me know their mean comments without knowing anything about me. I was one hundred percent prepared to have been talked down to and, instead, we ended up sharing a laugh. The age old saying “never judge a book by its cover” is such a cliche but it really is the truth. I judged without any reason to think otherwise and my original thoughts were dead wrong. This encounter taught me to be better at keeping this cliche at the forefront of my mind and challenged me to do more than make a snap decision at a glance. I am so very glad for this reminder!

After this Pleasant Surprise, my sense of impending doom when an elderly person calls me near has certainly diminished. I have come to expect hurtful comments and everyone will always have something to say – positive or negative. However, now I will be better at approaching these conversations with a smile, come what may.

Has someone made your day recently? What is something that pleasantly surprised you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Piercing, Who Dis?

Standard
New Piercing, Who Dis?

Hello! Last weekend was full of changes and I felt nothing short of inspired after getting my hair done. So much so, that a new hairdo was simply not enough and I needed something more. I have been wanting a double septum piercing for literal years now and I decided that there was no better time than the present. Rather than thinking about wanting it for the millionth time, I finally walked the walk on top of the talk and scheduled an appointment to get it done last Saturday. I went to Lucid, which is an amazing piercing shop down the street from me. Alex, the owner, took exceptional care and gave me an end result that I am thrilled with:

image_50381313(3)image_50442753(12)

^^^ Don’t mind these terrible pictures lol you will see my new piercing soon enough in my Thanksgiving OOTDs! 🙂

I have been to Lucid several times to change out my nose jewelry, but have never been pierced by Alex before. As soon as Johnny and I walked into the store, he armed me with knowledge about the procedure of the piercing and assisted in the jewelry selection. For my original septum piercing, I chose a new close fitting hoop with black gem detailing – it is gorgeous! I still loved the shape of the horseshoe jewelry for my original piercing and chose a slightly smaller version for the piercing that Alex would be doing. Once my jewelry was chosen, he went to work on sterilizing the jewelry and piercing room. I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous because it has been over half a decade at least since I have gotten a new piercing!

After the room was prepped, it was time to get this thing over with. I definitely had some butterflies in my basket and Alex was most skilled at putting me at ease. Throughout the entire process, he talked me through every step of what he was doing as he did it. His voice was so soothing and calm and it made me feel infinitely better to hear him explain things since I couldn’t really see it. Alex swapped out my original jewelry, marked where my new piercing would go, pierced my double septum, and…

It wasn’t so bad!! Lol, it was honestly exactly how it felt when I got my septum pierced the first time and that was minimally painful. Then again, I have a really high pain tolerance so my opinion might not be the best one if you are considering something similar! After my jewelry was in, I was blown away by Alex’s expertise. He placed the new piercing perfectly and I couldn’t stop looking at myself in the mirror. This new piercing is fun and different and I can’t believe it took me this long to finally get it done!

I am loving my new look and am considering a Medusa piercing in the future. Hey, I’m not getting any younger and I know exactly where I’ll go if I get it done!

Have you gotten a new body modification recently? Do you have any plans to get one soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

You’re Never Too Old!

Standard
You’re Never Too Old!

Hello!! As you all know, I am a HUGE lover of body modifications, fun hair, and fashion. I’m twenty-eight years old and I could never picture looking or dressing any differently than I do. In fact, I truly believe that I will have my five nose piercings in for all eternity and that’s fine by me!

When I’m out and about in a killer OOTD or just bumming it while running errands, a comment that I always seem to get is: “I wish I could dress or dye my hair like that but I’m too old.” To which I will always reply: “NO YOU’RE NOT!!” As sweet of a compliment as it is, it makes me sad because I am a firm believer in age being nothing but a number – even though I sometimes internally cry over approaching the big 3-0 *face palm*.

I also think that life is too short to be anything other than yourself. And if that means getting a tattoo or piercing at fifty or dying your hair pink at ninety, then I say go for it! What is the point in denying yourself something that would make you happy? Answer: There is no point.

During a trip to the zoo a few weekends ago, I wore this outfit:

image_50417409(2)

While exploring the Akron Zoo with my sister and nieces, I ran into one of my friends and her three daughters. The two older of the three told me that they wanted to dress like me when they grow up and it warmed my cold, bitter heart. They also said that they never see adults who look like me and it’s cool.

I asked how old they thought I was because sometimes I have a hard time believing I’m an adult lol and one of them replied with “I don’t know… nineteen?” At this point, I thought my heart was going to explode and their minds were blown when I told them how old I am. I enlightened them on my philosophy about always being true to your own personal style and I think that it stuck!

No matter your age, there is nothing wrong with being the best version of yourself. If you are toying with the idea of changing your look up, then this is your sign to do it. You can thank me by telling me all about your transformation! ❤

What do you love about yourself? Do you have any plans for new hair, tattoos, etc? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Friendly Reminder: DON’T TOUCH ME!

Standard
Friendly Reminder: DON’T TOUCH ME!

Helloooo everyone! This past weekend, I had a late birthday outing with my BFF, Lea, to Sarah’s Vineyard. They were having a summer solstice event the day we happened to go and it was a blast! We enjoyed doing wine tastings and both got a big ol’ sangria to drink while we caught up with each other.

Everything was going just SWELL and it was so nice to be able to hang out Lea because it had been way too long. While we were chit chatting, I thought I felt a bug on my leg, so I turned around quickly to discover it was some woman bent down near my derriere and touching the back of my thighs. When I loudly said “can you NOT?” she replied with “I was just trying to look at your tattoos”. I told her not to touch me and she got all attitudey with “well FINE I won’t look at them” and blah, blah, blah.

It was such an off putting situation to be in and I was left feeling pretty gross. I am used to the dirty looks that I get as a heavily tattooed woman (I have over forty, I think!), but I have never been touched before by a random stranger and especially in such an inappropriate area. Honestly, I just wanted to shove the girl away from me but I kept my cool and remained calm during the situation. However, if she would have continued to bother me, then trust and believe there would have been an issue.

It is NEVER okay to touch anyone without their consent and please remember that those of us with body mods are nine times out of ten NOT OKAY with being touched whether that be on our piercings or tattoos. We are not here to be ogled at and poked and prodded like some kind of circus side show. I thought that this should be an obvious thing, but APPARENTLY NOT! Je-sus. *massive eye roll*

What is something that people bother you about in public? How do you deal with it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

(Late!) Father’s Day Story

Standard
(Late!) Father’s Day Story

Hi everyone! I want to extend the happiest of late Father’s Day greetings to all of the daddios that celebrated such a special day. I also felt so inclined to share with you my Father’s Day gift purchase for my dad as well as a story about what makes mine the best of the best from when we enjoyed a family lunch this past Saturday. First, take a look at the hilarity that I got him for his beautiful garden:

gnomegnome1gnome2gnome3

Not only does my dad have five hundred green thumbs, but he also has a fantastic collection of outdoor decor to add even more charm to his handiwork. You can only have so much of anything, though, and my dad put the kebash on anyone getting him more garden gnomes.

So, to solve the problem, I got him a surefire way to keep the gnomes at bay with the new garden statue seen above. Is it a T-Rex? Godzilla? Or something the world doesn’t even know about yet? I don’t know. BUT, this statue entitled “The Massacre” was a hit for my dad and everyone else in the family. My dad said that “only Sarah would find something like this” but I’ll give you all a hint: I got in on Amazon!

As I’ve said hundreds of times on my blog, my dad really is amazing. And, I was reminded of that when we went out to lunch at First Watch last Saturday. As we waited for our table, an older man gestured for his wife to look at me in all of my tattooed glory and she then proceeded to mean mug the ever living shit out of me. I didn’t know anything was even happening until my dad made a broad gesture and loudly exclaimed “Wow, Sarah, she’s checking you out!”

I was so tickled by this encounter because my dad HATES my tattoos. He’s constantly asking for me to stop getting them and to get laser surgery, lol. But, he hated his daughter getting treated like a member of the freak show at a carnival even more. I didn’t notice the interaction between this couple and, even if I did, I’m used to it. So, it was really touching to know that my dad is literally always looking out for me even when I don’t know it. And, although he might not agree with all of my choices, he still supports and protects me no matter what. #myhero #daddysgirl

How did you celebrate Father’s Day? How does your dad look out for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

It’s In The Bag: Cry Sanctuary Edition

Standard
It’s In The Bag: Cry Sanctuary Edition

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! As you all know, I’m a dedicated shopaholic, so it might be strange for you guys to hear that I’m not really a purse kind of girl. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lovely collection of totes and handbags in my collection, but I never actively seek out a new purse when I’m shopping. That’s what my shoe addiction is for!

Yearly, I can confidently say that I buy a maximum of two purses, which might seem staggeringly low for those who read my blog. I much prefer to switch out the bag that I’m using with another loved one in my clothing hoard with the change of the seasons or when I’m feeling frisky. Because I don’t swap out my bag very often, it leaves my purse collection feeling fresh and new and it’s fun to feel like I’m going shopping in my own closet!

Am I the number one fan of the purse? Not by a long shot. But do I know an amazing deal on a gorgeous piece when I see one? Absolutely. Take a look at my new Sanctuary brand bag and let’s discuss:

sanctuarysanctuary1sanctuary2

  • Original Price: $220
  • TJMaxx Price: $60

What instantly drew me to this beautiful purse was the piercing like gold hoops threaded into the crocheted design. Lil Red is a pierced up, punk rock princess so finding a bag that reflects that was really exciting. The craftsmanship that went into creating this Sanctuary sweetheart is so evident just by taking one glance at it. When this bag babe arrived in the mail, it also took me one glance whence it was outside of the box to decide that I loved it.

This purse was an unintentional buy. Seriously. The only reason I put it in my “shopping cart” online was to get myself to free shipping status. Then, I planned on taking it to the store to return it once it arrived. That plan was an obvious bust. *Eye roll* I should know myself better by now to realize that if an item is in the shopping cart, then there’s a 99.9999999% chance that I’m going to buy it. TBH, saying that this was an unintentional purchase makes me feel a lot better because I didn’t mean to like it as much as I did!!!

Regardless of the intentions of this purchase (Let’s be honest, it was intentional.), this bag is totally and completely perfect. It is edgy and chic with a heaping helping of glam and I am so happy to be able to add it to my purse collection. I suppose that I would buy this Sanctuary beauty again in a heartbeat. 😉

So there you have it, the latest issue of It’s In The Bag: Cry Sanctuary Edition! What is your favorite accessory? Are you a purse or shoes girl? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition

Standard
Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition

Hi everyone and TGIF! Today we’re going to ring in more Face Mask Festivities by discussing The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask. This is one of the first face masks that I ever used and it holds a special place in my heart for that reason and the fact that it eliminates my pesky nose blackheads like no other. Take a look at some pics and let’s chat about this miracle mask further:

tbstbs1tbs2tbs3

^^^ So this mask admittedly looks pretty gross in the container and on my MUG, for that matter, but gosh darn it is it effective!

With five nose piercings, my honker is a freaking battleground of blackheads that pop up like landmines around my studs. This isn’t the biggest skin care problem one can have, and I realize that, but I know that they’re there and it really bothers me. Not only does my skin care perfectionism cause me to lightweight freak out over blemishes, but I’d prefer for my pierced up nose to stay clean and clear to prevent irritation and infection.

We all know that charcoal is the “it” thing in the skin care world, especially when it comes to drawing blemishes out and giving your pores a deep clean. That’s what made this mask an obvious choice for purchasing. After ONE USE of my TBS mask, there wasn’t a single blackhead left on my nose. Saying that I was ecstatic about this is an extreme understatement. After countless cleansers and scrubs, I found something that literally eliminated the problem within ten minutes. Amazing much?

My favorite thing about this mask is its smell. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it smells minty, but when you unscrew the container lid you get an instant waft of brisk freshness. Kind of like opening a new pack of gum but without that overpowering peppermint aroma. This mask feels cool on your skin so that combined with such a crisp scent definitely makes for an invigorating experience.

Despite all of the above rave reviews, there are some things that I dislike about this mask. For one, you really have to be careful about washing this mask off quickly. If you go over the ten minute limit even just slightly, the hydration in your skin seems to slip away in double time, leaving your skin feeling brittle and looking flushed. Not fun.

And, for pettiness’ sake, this mask is a big fat pain in the BOOTASH to clean up. I prefer to wash my masks off in the shower and the chunks of charcoal in the mask simply REFUSE to go down the drain. As soon as I shut the water off, there is face mask residue coating my tub, so you have to use a towel to wipe it all off. God forbid you just leave it there (Which I’ve totes done before – #lazygirlproblems), because the mask will dry and it will be a vicious cycle of the mask getting wet and then drying every time you shower. SMH.

Although there are some annoyances with this mask, I do recommend it for those looking for an effective charcoal product. My skin always seems to thank me for using it (If I’m quick enough to wash it off!) and saying bye-bye to blackheads is a blessing in itself!

So there you have it, the newest issue of Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition! Be sure to tune in on Sunday as I wrap this mini series up. What is your favorite product from The Body Shop? What is your favorite face mask to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sarah Selfies

Standard
Sarah Selfies

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! Since the last selfies that were seen on my blog featured yours truly with a blue face mask on and a fresh face, I thought I would post some pics that I’m a little more confident with to make up for it. Take a looksee and have a fabulous day! Much love. -Sarah

mee3mee4

^^^ #bluesteel

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Standard
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

When it comes to beauty, nothing is permanent and it’s important to remember that. Girls grow up and want to emulate their favorite pop stars, TV princesses, and movie queens and, as such, we copy every out-there look. Whether it’s a spray tan as dark as hardwood or a nose ring to copy the latest DJ, experimentation is part of growing up as a young person. That need to find out who you are comes with a territory and sometimes that territory means donning blue hair with green streaks. Don’t laugh, though, the mermaid look is very much in, and you only have to look here to see it!

Sometimes, even after that experimental teen phase passes, a change is needed. There are so many ways that you can make a change to your look; clothes and makeup being just two of them. Some of the changes can come with regret, but as we’ve already said, nothing is permanent. Piercings can be removed and the holes close up. Wardrobes can be reshuffled. Hair can be dyed back to a more ordinary color. Even tattoos inked into the skin can be sorted with several visits to a tattoo removal service. Beauty isn’t always cheap, and reversing that beauty isn’t, either. However, it is available to you and you don’t have to stay looking one way or another just because of a little ink or hair dye!

When it comes to changing part of your look, it comes with a shift in your life. So many self-help books tell you not to go for a big, dramatic change when stressful situations arise, but change is the way that so many people cleanse. Strip it all back and start again with a clean palette, that sort of thing. There are so many ways that you can change your appearance and reflect a different part of your personality. For example, someone who loves the meaning of tattoos and certain designs are more likely to cover themselves in tributes to areas of their lives that they never want to forget. Of course, these can be removed down the line, but that’s why it’s said never to get a tattoo unless you are 100% sure!

changee2Pretty!!

Those who enjoy the look of piercings are different to those who like to streak their hair with frosted blonde. The change that is made with a piercing can be reversed but more often than not, is preferably permanent. You can experiment with clip on piercings before going for the real thing, so you can see what it looks like. Ears are the usual place to pierce but those who want to be more out there and different go for noses, septum, lip, and even cheeks! Making a change in your appearance is never a bad thing, but you need to be sure that you want to make a change before you go for it. Understand your reasons behind the change and make sure that you feel comfortable with it.

Change is good for the soul and sometimes after tragedy or excitement strikes, a new update to your appearance is just what the doctor ordered!

Featured Image By: Wikimedia