Empress says...

Hi. My name is Royal and I am a (window) shopaholic. I have been surfing the net for the past 3 months on a mission to find something that would stop me in my tracks. I have come across quite a few things thanks to my favourite new site ASOS . I really like the "catwalk" video they have for most of the clothing items. I have more top and bottom than the models but it is nice to see them strut down the runway. It makes me think I could do that and then some :) They even have a monthly magazine of all the hottest trends for men and women. I strongly believe this is the devil testing me and so far I have have been good until I saw this beauty: And 2 minutes later, I came across the shoes to match but they don't have them in off white *sigh*. Black it is :) There were a few other goodies that I had to leave on the favourites list. They have free shipping to the US until Monday so I may have to jump on it. Have you guessed what occasion I would want this outfit for? I'll ...

I dreamt of owning a business that will, in many ways, give back to the world. Since I consider myself a "craftster", I thought what better way to bring this idea to life by selling things I love to create. From this grand idea, Imperiale was born. This venture has caused me to seriously pull some creativity from places I choose not to mention :) It has been fun coming up with marketing ideas but now it's time to put them to the test. Word of mouth is always affective but I need something with a little more pizazz. I came across a great offer in an e-newsletter. Moo cards is offering 50 free business cards. You only have to pay shipping which for me it was only $6 (I am in New York). The pros are you can upload up to 50 images for the front of the card, and the back will display the information of your choice. The cons: Moo nicely places their advertisement at the bottom of the front which cuts off part of the image. If you want to remove it, it will cost an additional ...

I know it's been a while but for a good reason. I've been a busy bee with traveling, making jewelry and finding new do's for my natural locks. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, here goes: St. Louis Easter Weekend Being surrounded by so much love and laughter, I was inspired to get back to work and create beautiful pieces. The new items below are currently on sale in my Etsy shop . Please stop by and take a look =) In the next week, there will be so much more to come. Keep an eye out ;)

(Click on Heenara image for prices and info). Product Description Heenara Hair Wash is a natural shampoo for hair wash and hair care. Being free from synthetic chemicals, this shampoo powder is a perfect hair conditioner and tonic. Highly recommended for silky smooth hair. Heenara Hair Herbal Hair Wash advantages: - Natural shampoo and conditioner for hair - Effective hair conditioner and tonic - Removes minor eruptions over scalp - Keeps hair clean and smooth A month after purchasing Heenara, I decided to give it a try. I followed the directions (mix desired amount with water to make a thick paste) and applied it from roots to tips. I wrapped my ends into 2 buns and let it sit for 10 mins (instructions state 5 minutes but I was a little side tracked). After rinsing thoroughly and I mean THOROUGHLY (there are little grits of herbs in the powder wash), I saturated my hair with my concoction of a conditioner (alma, Nyle and olive oils, Pantene Restoration deep conditioner and raw honey)...

Finally! After long thought and debating, I decided to open an Etsy store to sell my handmade goods. The earrings in the picture above are crocheted (yes by me) with glass and gold plated beads. Click here for a closer look and prices. And of course, please pass on the good word to a friend! I have a ton of ideas and yes I keep them in an "idea" book =)I will be posting more items tomorrow, March 19th so keep an eye out for more goodies!! XOXO ~R

AAAAAHHHHHHH SUN! There's nothing like waking up to a bright sun shiny day. FBHB and I took advantage of it and went on a walk through the park and down to the pier. It officially feels like Spring and I'm loving it! On to other things...I am working hard on making pieces for my Etsy shop. I'm very excited to embark on this venture. I will be sure to post the pieces as they are created. Here's to bigger and better things!

Well, dusting to be exact. This is a term used when trimming ends. It is also known as a "seek and destroy" mission on split ends. I remember doing this while sitting in class in high school. I would take my arts & crafts scissors and snip away at my ends. Yes, I still managed to pass my classes *smile*. Nowadays, I simply trim all of my ends every two months or as needed. Since I've been using a better hair regimen, I haven't had to trim as much. However, there are still many split ends lurking around. It's time to slow them down and eventually put and end to the madness. No pun intended ;) My ends felt my wrath just yesterday when I randomly picked up shears and went to town. I like razor straight edges but I always feel like I missed a few here and there. Dusting, makes it easier for me to get to the down and dirty split ends. The kind that will work its way up to the roots if they are not maintained. I've noticed my hair looking and feeling fuller than...