Grateful Memories

I took a bit of a break for the holiday and I will admit- I had a few posts on autopilot ready to roll since way before Christmas. But the timed posts timed out and you were left with a couple weeks of no-shows on my part. I'm sorry about that. A good friend of mine asked me, when she read about my busy schedule, "What is the purpose in it and what is your goal?" And it made me stop and ask my self that very same question. Why do I do this?

I want to leave something behind- impact the world in some positive way and I'll admit, I still haven't figured out just yet how that will happen. Still sometimes I feel like we impact our world in the greatest ways through the littlest things.

I lost a friend last week: a dear coworker who sits next to me passed away. She had a quiet spirit, but I'll remember her smile. It's important to remember one another. People should be remembered. Maybe that's part of the reason why I do this too.

But also, I write because I am thankful that I can write, no matter how few or many of you are reading this- even if it's only me reading back my own words. At some point these things do matter, and these tiny things can build up to be something big in the long run. In the big picture one brush stroke at a time is what is needed to create a masterpiece. I don't claim to be a master of anything, nor do I claim that this is a masterpiece. But life is a great and glorious masterpiece. And I am grateful to be alive.

Peggy, this one is for you. Thank you for sharing your life. I am grateful to have known you.

What are you grateful for?

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Shhhh: No more Fat Talk!

Guilt as charged. I've done this. Have you?

Let's commit to stopping the "fat talk" once and for all. 

Be beautiful. Be comfortable. Be you.

Thanks, Upworthy!

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Inspiration: It's All In Your Mind

put something in by jennifer featuring Carrie Saxl necklaces

▲ ★•´¯`✦►• lived and dreamed • ◄✦´¯`•★▲ by anasvetlucavoinstyle featuring an eyeshadow

Integration I by spacesailor featuring wall art

Untitled 805 by ceca-66 featuring a stationery

Thanks Jennifer, Anasvetlucavoinstyle, Spacesailor, and Ceca-66!

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Inspiration: Bookworm Babe

Bookworm by musicfriend1 featuring oversized wall art

I've got the spirit, but lose the feeling by vampirkaninchen featuring apple iphone headphones

Mind Readers at Sea, the power of mind over water by kikilea on Polyvore 

FYI: Unfortunately, this is not a real book!

Happy Heart - Contest by necyluv on Polyvore

Confession: I am a little bit of a nerd! So I love these bookworm themed Polyvore boards. I hope you enjoy them too!

Thanks to necyluv, kikilea, vampirkaninchen, musicfriend1!

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Twenty-Somethings Lifestyle Inspiration: ★ Tonight Is For The Holes Healing In These Hearts ★

★ tonight is for the holes healing in these hearts ★ by closetoinfinity featuring a dot shirt

Marc by Marc Jacobs dot shirt
$74 - mirabella.jp

Shorts
svpply.com

Converse sneaker
hottopic.com

Home decor
jaysonhome.com



Your twenties are the time when everyone is trying to find themselves. There's college then deciding on your career and those first few years in your twenties are all about studying, staying up late, and learning about real life.

Thanks to closetoinfinity!

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Color Inspiration: Sea Blue & White

I found these color boards on Polyvore and fell in love. It's interesting to see what colors are trending on this site. These two boards were created by two different people, and yet they follow a similar color story with a cheerful, youthful, and happy theme.

► ..So just turn your face, until I can't see you anymore. Turn your face until I can't see you anymore. Walk away, until you're not standing at my door. Turn your face, walk away, & stay. Turn your face.. ◄ by pigeon15 on Polyvore

-Girl the music sounds so good when your moving- by stfuzayn featuring Clips hair accessories

Clips hair accessory
mydivascloset.com

Sheet Music 12 x 12 Paper
scrapyourtrip.com

Kim Vervuurt Little Things
inprnt.com

What are your thoughts about this color scheme?

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Artist Spotlight: Greta Corens

Our newest artist spotlight is an accomplished fashion designer turned fine art water colorist, Greta Corens. 

"Roses In A Bunch" By Greta Corens

"Iris Joan Sutherland" By Greta Corens

Corens is as equally passionate and artistic in her way of life as she is in her way of speaking. She titles her pieces in the same emotive words of which her paintings represent- a colorful, glowing vocabulary of excitement balanced by a kind of soft romance with a decidedly European influence. Her work currently focuses on still lives, graphite portraits, and sepia tone nude figure paintings, but her most exquisite work by far is that of her watercolor floral depictions.

"Botanicals: Iris Rhapsody" By Greta Corens

 "Iris La Forza Del Destino" By Greta Corens

 "Iris Donatello" By Greta Corens

"Rosa di Jaques Brel" By Greta Corens

Corens' work has an ethereal quality. Her skills in floral painting can range from the depth of the velvety opacity of a rose petal to the evocative nature of beautiful x-rays with the translucence of sunlight shining through the petals of an iris, illuminating veins and features often difficult to portray in her chosen medium of water color. 

"Minuetto di Rose"  By Greta Corens

"Bouquet Romantique" By Greta Corens

Ms. Corens will be an associate member of the American Watercolor Society for 2014. She received second prize at a juried show in the Bendheim Gallery in Greenwich, CT with her piece, "Bouquet Romantique" and is currently available for gallery showcases.

You can view her website or contact her here and read her artist statement below:

GRETA CORENS New York

"Red Rose Of Longing"  By Greta Corens

"She was a sought after fashion designer in New York 

and she has taught the principles of design in various

Westchester, NY institutes. Her still life paintings in 

watercolors and oils are influenced by baroque Dutch 

Golden Age Flower paintings. She studied Architecture and 

Design at St. Lucas Institute of Architecture in Brussels

and Art at the Antwerp Royal Art Academy in Belgium. As 

President of the prestigious Reilly League of Artists, NY 

she has held master classes."

Greta Corens is also a continuing contributor to the Mudpie Fashion, Trends, and Culture Linkedin Group of which I am a moderator. Please join us in discussion here, or there. 

Contact me if you are an artist or know an artist that should be featured.

**UPDATE: Please check out the September 2013 Artist Showdown: Resto Vs. Corens here for rules and how to vote.**

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Live Freely

I ate a doughnut this week. I'll admit it. And I enjoyed it. I say this as a joke, only because it seems as though us ladies tend to beat ourselves up when we do something we enjoy- no matter what it is, we get upset with ourselves for doing it. But I think that is just silly. If you want to have a doughnut, have a doughnut. But stick with it. What I mean is, if you decide you want something sweet and you give in to having it, don't beat yourself up for it, because that negates all the enjoyment of having it in the first place. This is true for any guilty pleasure. Make a decision. Enjoy your life regardless. Live freely. 

Happy Sunday!

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Be Strong

Life doesn't always go exactly as planned... things sometimes go wrong. When they do (and at some point they inevitably will), don't beat yourself up. It won't help. Just know, you're not the only one who has felt that way and you are not alone. Be strong. Things will get better. You'll get through it and you'll be stronger because of it. Just have patience. Wait and see.

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Believe in yourself!

Sometimes all it takes is for someone else to remind you to believe in yourself. I believe in you! Believe in yourself!

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SELENA MARIE

~ Feel Pretty ~

Sometimes us girls beat ourselves up over little things. We don't like our teeth or our tummies, or this or that. Whatever it is that you don't like about yourself, I challenge you to look into the mirror and embrace yourself. Your flaws make you unique. Your uniqueness makes you beautiful. When you feel beautiful, you exude beauty. I hope you feel inspired, encouraged, and beautiful. 

~Feel Pretty & Have a Happy Friday! ~

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SELENA MARIE

Stay Sweet!

It can be easy to forget to hold onto the good and to enjoy the moments when life is truly sweet. 

Be sweet. Stay sweet. Life is sweet.

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

You Are A Gem!

When you are feeling a little down, brighten up and don't forget to smile and sparkle. 

You are a gem! You are special! You are important! 

Have a happy evening!

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Reach Out and Connect

Today was the day we celebrated one of my coworkers, miss Terry Rodriguez, one of my dear friends and mentors, a truly inspiring woman in the fashion industry and in my life. After working for our company for five years, she is heading back to New York to be with her family at the end of the week. Our team went out for drinks and appetizers after work today as a going away party. With the sun setting off in the distance, casting golden beams of light that echoed over our hair and sparkled in our eyes, we sat out on the patio and went around the group (a large group), each saying one teary-eyed thing about Terry, one story that we remember about her, that shining memory of the impact she left by being in our lives. This is my story.

Terry is an apparel quality control manager, and she is what I consider a true leader. She is the kind of person people willingly and happily follow. She is a person of true influence, regardless of title. So many of my coworkers will agree that Terry is a connector- she connects people. When I think about that, I can't help but say, "What an amazing skill! What a talent to have!" She has something others don't necessarily have, something about her that I would like to have about me too. I'd like to say we are all born with talents and skills, but some things are more than talents because we do them with our hearts. And that's how Terry is with everything- with work and with the people. The reason she is so good at connecting people is because she does it on purpose. She is not afraid of speaking up. And she truly cares.

When you meet someone who has a talent for connecting with people, for caring- that is someone who you will never forget. 

That is someone who leaves an impact on your life, who just by being themselves makes you look in the mirror and want to be a better person, and is willing to help you get there.

Terry, you will be dearly missed by our whole team and I wish you the best of luck in your life. It has been an honor to know you and to learn from you. I  know our paths will cross again. Thank you for being an amazing mentor and a beautiful, inspiring soul.

Terry always says, "Reach out and connect." This one is for you, Terry. 

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

You are capable of more than you ever could imagine!

Drawn with Sketchbook Pro

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SELENA MARIE

The Roses

"You can complain because roses have thorns or you can rejoice because thorns have roses." Zig Zigler

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XOXO,

SELENA MARIE

Happy Independence Day!

 

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XOXO,

Selena Marie

 

Dreams, Mantras, and Positive Personal Impact

 

For the longest time, I have kept a small notebook with me to write down my thoughts. Whenever something inspirational comes to mind, I write it down. It's sort of an inspiration bank. I deposit my thoughts and positivity to save up for a rainy day when I am down on my luck, or not feeling as wise or as happy as I'd like to be. It's those times when I reach deeper to remind myself of who I am, to remind myself of the inner strength I sometimes forget exists inside of me.

I am not going to lie- there are days when I just don't feel like being positive. We all have those dark and gloomy days when nothing turns out like we planned, when the world just seems to be crashing down around us like a symphony of tragedy. I found that I can either wallow in that puddle of sadness when it happens or I can use it to fuel my passions and my dreams. Pain can be a catalyst for something beautiful.

This is my mantra. Whenever I'm not sure what to do, when I am scared of change, or when I find out something that disappoints me, I remind myself of this. It helps me to see the bigger picture- my purpose in life as a single person on this tiny planet in this vast universe- I am but a spec in a sea of stars. There's a saying that it only takes a single drop to make a tidal wave. I want to be that tiny drop that can transform tears into laughter, heartbreak into happiness. I want to help people believe in their dreams and achieve them.

"I want to live in a world where hope isn't met with fear, victory isn't met with defeat, a world where truth exists, somewhere beyond we will see."

 Now it's your turn to go out and be that drop. What will your mantra be?

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XOXO,

Selena Marie

Believe In Your Dreams!

Thistle and Queen Anne's Lace facing West just before dusk. Photography: Me- Selena Marie

I am very excited to announce my personal style blog launch!

I came up with the idea for this blog about people who are connected by some tiny thread across the globe. A diverse group around the world makes up the people I am proud to call my friends, mis amigos, meus amigos, mes amis, els meus amics, moi przyjaciele and, well, you get the idea! It's amazing what technology can do to connect us across seemingly impossible distances!

Connected Across the Globe

I am lucky to have several guest bloggers and featured friends from around the world lined up to contribute, including several posts by Brazilian metal singer/songwriter,Raquel Schuler of Hydria !

That's me, in a field in Arkansas for an impromptu photo shoot Photography: Kristin V. Necklace: Forever 21

So how do you know me?

You may know me in real life or from my Linkedin discussion board moderation, MPDClick Trend Journal guest contributor posts, or my other blog, Saving With Selena whose theme, though near and dear to my heart, severely limited my choices of blog topics. At Saving With Selena I focus on tips for simple ways to save money and be sustainable with a secondary life hacks/re-purposing theme.

Here I can firmly plant my head in a cloud of beautiful things.

 We all love to dream, right?

Photography and editing by me, Selena Marie <3

This blog will utilize my dreamier, artistic skills and will hopefully give me a chance to interview people I admire. I am hoping this blog will inspire me to get my feet wet again in photography - something I miss very much.

Capturing someone's essence with a camera has a way of reaching beyond personal barriers to show inner and outer beauty.

Sequin tank by Wren, tucked into elastic waistband pleated skirt byVivienne Tam. Photography: Kristin V.

My greatest passion is people (it's cheesy, I know, but it's true). I strive to make a connection with at least one person every day. This blog will give me another avenue to help people in my own way through positive imagery and written content.   I hope this blog becomes a resource for anyone who is looking for inspiration, style tips, or just an escape to something beautiful.

You are important to me- you, the kindred spirit across the globe who reads my posts, the person I met on a discussion board, the friends who support my dreams, the stranger I've never met, the ones who keep in touch via the magic of technology. Thank you for believing in me. I believe in you too! I am looking forward to sharing all of our dreams and hopefully a few pretty photos along the way. ;)

As my friends in Brazil say, "Beijos!"

XOXO,

Selena Marie

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All images in this post are protected under Creative Commons. You may use them for non-commercial use, with a link back to this page for credit. Thanks.