New Year – Iced Tea and Top Knots

How A New Space Has Created Such Calm In My Life

Published on March 7, 2020March 7, 2020 by icedteaandtopknotsLeave a comment

“Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges.” ~Bryant McGill from the @calm app

As you all know, I just redid my bedroom and office for 2020, thanks to Wayfair! This was such a great experience and so needed not just for the physical spaces, but for my mental health.

I am someone who struggles with anxiety, it was the main reason for wanting less clutter and be more at peace. Anxiety is something you may not always notice that someone is going through because it can be very internal especially for me. I have learned what creates less anxious days, it starts with my space being calming and less stuff.

Setting up my sanctuary and creative office has helped create such calm for me in life and it feels amazing. I am more hopeful now more than ever going forward in life. It feels amazing to have my own mediation corner, my nightstand with my sage and palo Santo, a bed that gives me calming sleep and an office that opens up my creative juices.

I am excited to keep creating that calm and peace everywhere in my life and to help whoever I can create calm and peace in their lives

Here is to creating the space we each need!

~Iced Tea & Top Knots

P.S. What gives you calm in your life?

New Year, New Me, New Space with Wayfair

Published on February 29, 2020March 6, 2020 by icedteaandtopknotsLeave a comment

*This post was sponsored by Wayfair.*

“Creating a sanctuary in my bedroom as well as redoing my office space to feel more calming for 2020. Take down clutter.” ~Iced Tea & Top Knots

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

~Maya Angelou

Change can be scary, but with a new year, change can feel amazing. At the end of last year, I knew that I wanted to change the space I was living in mainly my room and my office space.

What made me want to make the change was that my space was feeling cluttered and I was not liking that. So 2020, rolled around and my resolution was clear, New Me meant New Space.

Wayfair was the perfect company to help make my space feel like the new again. They helped me create the sanctuary I wanted for my bedroom and the creative space I needed in my office. I took down the clutter and created the calm and creative I needed.

Please check out the before and afters for both spaces thanks to Wayfair and stay tuned for another piece on creating a new space next week 🙂

My Bedroom Before

My Bedroom After

My Office Before

My Office After

Let’s all create the space for what we each need!

~Iced Tea & Top Knots

P.S. Head on over to my IG, @icedteaandtopknots, to enter a $50 Wayfair Gift Card Giveaway!

*My comforter, nightstand, garment rack, desk, desk chair and office shelves are all thanks to Wayfair 🙂 If you would like the links to these items, comment below and will be happy to send them to you!

Yoga for the New Year

Published on February 2, 2018February 2, 2018 by icedteaandtopknotsLeave a comment

Hi Y’all ! I am back to posting on the regular now. I wanted to kickoff my first post of the new year with a guest post by my sister, Tracy. She is a certified yoga teacher and has gotten me into health as well as yoga. Yoga and improving my overall health has helped reduce my anxiety. Hope this article helps you on your journey and look forward to hearing from y’all.

I started practicing yoga in 2010, after an ankle injury. I was not able to run during this time, and carry out my normal routine routine. At the time I was living in Pacific Beach in San Diego, and happened to walk by a sign at CorePower Yoga that said “One Week Free Yoga”; so I decided to check it out. After that things started to just fall into place. I found myself attending class multiple days a week, and in the fall of 2013 enrolled in CorePower’s Power Yoga Teacher Training Program. I found myself seeing signs ( actual signs and moments pointing toward trying this out), and wanting a new challenge in my life. I had been in the same job for about 5 years at this point in time, and felt myself craving more. The experience of teacher training was something I could not prepare myself for, and had no idea what was to come; and I have to admit I was definetely nervous! This was something that was going to take me out of my comfort zone; from not knowing anyone, to public speaking, and becoming a student all over again.

After a 12 week journey, of long days and weekends I had completed my training. This process gave me something I will forever be grateful for. I learned to be vulnerable, open, receptive, scared, uncomfortable, nervous, insecure and take all those emotions and turn it into an insightful learning experience. It wasn’t until this past year that I left my previous job for a new one with much more flexibility, and allowed myself to accept where I was being drawn to more deeply; teaching yoga. I have gained this view of myself that has allowed me to find this voice that is more confident and positive. There is something truly life changing about learning to speak from your heart, and to do so in a way that is true to yourself; and seeing that carry over into a yoga practice that is received by your students. I have learned that there is absolutely truth to learning to love yourself. It is from there that everything you say and do comes from a more loving place. “ And the Universe said: Everything you need is within you. You are stronger than you know. You are the daylight. You are the night. The darkness you fight it within you. The light you seek is within you. You are not alone..I love you because you are love.” ~Unknown.

Benefits of Yoga:

Yoga is practice for both our mental and physical bodies. I first started yoga as a physical form of exercise. Over the years I have seen a huge difference in my flexibility and my body grow stronger in ways that were completely different than I had experienced before. More significantly though, I saw a shift in my mental state. This sense of leaving class on this “yoga high” where I would feel more relaxed yet invigorated. I started to crave this feeling so I found myself “ needing” yoga. I learned to really allow myself to let go for an hour with no cell phone and no distractions. I had been dealing with anxiety, which would turn into panic attacks from all the stress manifesting in my body. Yoga became this tool to learn how to become more connected with my body, and this idea of focusing on my breathing helped significantly. Now I am not saying that any underlying issues just disappeared; but the fact that I could take this tool of breathing off my mat to help me throughout my day was liberating.

DSCF0742

Over the years through my own personal readings, research, learning and personal experiences, I have come across the many benefits of yoga. Here are some just to name a few:

Potential to relieve stress
Decreased hyper-tension ( high blood pressure)
Decreased high cholesterol
Decreased pain for arthritis
Relieving Neck Pain
Reduced Headaches
Relieving Lower Back Pain
Used As A Method For Relief for Autoimmune Conditions, Asthman, COPD, Irritable Bowel Syndome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Decreased Diabetic Symptoms
Improvement in Symptoms of those with Multiple Scelorisis, Cancer
Improve Quality of Sleep

http://www.bgracebullock.com/single-post/2017/03/31/The-Many-Health-Benefits-of-Yoga-New-Comprehensive-Research-Review

Favorite Poses

Half Pigeon

-opens hip joint

-lengthens hip flexors

-stretches quadriceps and glutes

-can decrease sciatica pain

-can decrease lower back tightness and stiffness

Hurdlers Pose

-strengthens arms and wrists

-tones stomach and spine

-increases sense of balance

-stretches hamstrings and groin muscles

Tree Pose

-strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, spine

-stretches groin, inner thighs, chest and shoulders

-improves sense of balance

-can relieve sciatica

-reduce flat feet

Favorite Clothing

Teeki : cute, made out of water bottles; https://teeki.com

Lululemon: durable; https://shop.lululemon.com/

Alo: soft, thick www.aloyoga.com

Spiritual Gangster: cute, donate a portion of sales to charities; www.spiritualgangster.com/yoga-inspired/clothing

Time Spent with Angel Brinks

Published on January 1, 2017 by icedteaandtopknotsLeave a comment

In kicking off my interview series of women entrepreneurs in the New Year, I picked Angel Brinks because she truly is inspiring in her professional and personal life. She is a strong, talented, fashion designer, red carpet fashion corespondent and entrepreneur. She does this all while being an amazing mom, which pushes her to always do more for her family. I will definitely always be channeling her perseverance, passion and drive in my own life.

She was a pleasure, inspiration and joy to interview, get to know and find out some great tips on the great trend of street denim.

angel-brinks-at-retail-location

Here is that interview:

1.When did you know you wanted to become an entrepreneur ?

After having jobs, working for other people, I knew it was only temporary. I knew I had a talent that needed to be shared with the world. I knew it would take money and education. So I decided to major in business and minor in fashion. Ever since I was a young girl, I would watch my grandmother sew and I took a liking to it. I would start to put patches on my clothing, shred my jeans, and make something out of whatever I had. I would pretend I had my own clothing store. Growing up in the performing arts, I took a seriously liking to performance gear. My love for it all just grew. All was left to it was to master the business side of it as well as the fundamentals of making clothing.

2. What gets you to keep going in your life and business ?

I have a lot of drive and ambition. I was raised in a home where I saw my whole family get up and go to work every day. My grandfather lived till he was 80, and he went to work until his dying day. I don’t know anything different. I know I have a family to raise, and I want my children to be raised knowing they have to have drive and ambition like me. I want my children to have everything they need. I do it all for them, their education, and future.

3. Who in your life continues to inspire you ?

My children are my biggest inspiration of course. Outside of that, I would have to say women. I want to solve problems, I majored in business. Supply and demand. There is a big demand in certain things us women find no supply of. Women’s needs have to be met! I want to make it easier for women to find what they’re looking for in me, my store. I want them to feel secure, happy, confident, sexy. I am inspired by women like Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Obama, who all have been given this platform to show the world that as a woman, you can be smart, successful, hard working, and a great mother at the same time. All while with a smile on their face. I know as women we all go through so much, and regardless of that, these women hold their head high and do it with a smile. This shows strength and that’s very admirable to me. This all inspired me every day to work hard, and make it through all trial and tribulations.

4. What do you want your legacy to be ?

I definitely want to be a successful fashion designer, to leave a remarkable stamp in the industry, to have brought something different. A lot of designers don’t offer plus size in materials that I use. They don’t want to offer custom sizing, it’s too much work. They make things in bulk or with factory machines. I employ US workers, which obviously has costs at an all time high. But that’s ok. Not too many designers offer anything close to what we do, one on one designing for all sizes. In business you have to bring something different to the game to succeed and go further.

“Chic streetwear denim a super hot trend for for winter 2016/spring 2017! The look is extremely diverse and super practical. Here are a few of my denim staple must haves to have you looking your absolute best this season:

– Denim chokers – Chokers are a huge trend on their own right now and I can’t get enough of the denim ones. They are so neutral, match with everything and can totally dress your outfit up or down.I love them so much I just launched my own choker line with a ton of denim selections including looks featuring rhinestones, patchwork and fraying. Check them out here.

– Distressed and destroyed denim – This is a great way to make a casual look super edgy.

– Patchwork – Patchwork denim will turn heads as a pair of highwaisted jeans or even some knee-high boots (Nicki Minaj recently rocked a pair of my brand new patchwork boots) but because the look has so much going on, make sure you pair it with something basic and solid such as a white tee or solid color dress.

-Denim bags – I have a huge handbag collection and am notorious for always switching them out with my different outfits.Earlier this year I made myself an every day denim bag that I used a few days out the week since it went with practically everything and I was constantly getting stopped everywhere I went about the bag so I decided to start offering them on my site AngelBrinks.com and now I can barely keep them in stock. Bonus points if your denim bag has fringe which I can’t get enough of!

angel-brinks-during-design-process

Be sure to follow Angel on Instagram for amazing inspiration in fashion, but in life: @angelbrinks and don’t forget to let us know how you style your street denim this season by using #KLMFashionStyle #AngelBrinks.

Thank you and Happy New Year!