Perfectly happy with being imperfect.

"I am interested in imperfections, quirkiness, insanity, unpredictability. That's what we really pay attention to anyway. We don't talk about planes flying; we talk about them crashing"

I am an incredibly flawed, very weird human being. I laugh at boobie and fart jokes and I get an odd pleasure out of seeing people trip, especially if they're on some contraption with wheels. I cannot pronounce the words, "napkin" or "massage" correctly, and I have tons of great ideas that never actually turn into anything. I have a birth mark on my shoulder that looks like an intense rug burn, and I have probably never ever worn matching socks because I always seem to lose one. Every Christmas I get into trouble with my dad for making inappropriate sugar cookies, but I risk the consequence every year because I know it makes my mom and sister laugh. Speaking of the holidays and gift giving, if I actually get you one, I procrastinate to the very last minute to do so and run around like a mad woman stressing myself out to find you the perfect gift, but I never do it differently. Last year, I was kicked off my kickball team and asked to cheer on the sidelines because of my athleticism, or lack there of. I dance like a weirdo alone in my house as well as out on the town, and I fall flat on my face at least once a week, maybe that's why I get pleasure out of seeing people do the same. I say things like 'wiener' and 'butthole' regularly to make people giggle, and have a zero percent filter rate so i'll probably embarrass you at some point. I sleep horizontal on my mattress, will kick you during the night, and I can't fall asleep unless the TV is on because silence scares me at night. One of my default shows is Cops, and I have seen every episode of Friends at least four times. Often, it will take me 30 minutes to figure out what to order at a restaurant, and I may even change my mind after doing so. I have stained at least half of my wardrobe with food, and I will definitely be the one to knock a glass of red wine over onto your new rug, (that literally just happened). I should be in better shape, and was recently told that I needed to 'tighten up' to continue taking professional photos, but I have a sweet tooth that could actually murder the tooth fairy. I constantly try and remember to pray, and unfortunately only do about half of the time. I rarely find a book that interests me enough to finish, and small politics talk tends to bore me.  I forgive too easily, I get hurt often, and I build up walls so high that it will be difficult for someone to actually knock them down. I am not well spoken, I would not consider myself poised, I am far from perfect, I am flawed. 

I may not be elegant or perfectly articulate, and I may never be able to wear white without putting a new stain on it, but I am goofily odd, forgiving and loving, and confidant in who I am and who I am not. I am flawed, I am broken, and I am worthy of being who I am without regret. 

 Take your flaws and own them. Love your quirks and weird tendencies that you make you unique. What's fascinating about the world we live in is everyone is an individual. We all have things we excel at, and others that are foreign to us or maybe we aren't so good at. But, by accepting our imperfections, we should be able to do the same in others.
I hope you find that you are beautiful, you are worthy, and you are sure as hell good enough. And if you already know that, or when you do learn it,  my hope is that we will all help instill it into other women and each other as well. With that being said, I am not suggesting to be friends or commit to people that go against your non-negotiables or are unhealthy for your life, or that if there are behaviors or things that bother you about yourself, not to work on them- I am simply encouraging you to take a step back and give yourself, as well as others, a bit more grace. By doing that, I feel it will eventually lead to a deeper and more authentic understanding of absolute love.

“I don't know. Just because someone's pretty doesn't mean she's decent. Or vice versa. I'm not into appearances. I like flaws, I think they make things interesting.” -The Truth About Forever

There's no need to be perfect in inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections. 

"... imperfection is beauty, madness is genius. And it is better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. And when it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I am already better than them" -Marilyn Monroe



XX,
Kathryn Lane
www.babehairbootcamp.blogger.com

I'm glossy

Unite- Lazer Straight

I'M BACK SISTERS!!!! 

I wanted to give you guys a product of the week, but this is actually like a product of the year. As you may or may not know, I have psycho, lion, mind of its own, curly, frizzy, thick hair. When someone else does it, it can look pretty awesome (not to toot my own horn but, honk honk). But, when I do it, which is obviously 99% of the time, it's seriously a science project. I was at my girl, Shandi Nichelle's salon, getting my hair & eyebrows dyed (seriously, dying the brows will change your life), and because I am one of her best friend's and we of course had one too many conversations about boys and were running late, I was going to blow dry my own hair. I don't know about y'all, but normally after I blow dry my hair, I look like this. 

However,  on this special day, Shandi casually tossed me a product by Unite, called 'Lazer Straight' and it seriously rocked my world. Lazer Straight is a serum that you put on pre-blow dry and it's suppose to help relax your hair, protect it from heat, and make it shine like heaven. I, of course, have been trying to find the cure for my asshole hair for years now. I have used everything from Kerastase to John Frieda to Argon Oil, and NONE of them hold a candle (which like, what does that even mean?) to this bad boy. 

After using this serum, my hair blow-dried (blew dry? whatever) straight. Like no frizz! And not weird Avril Lavigne straight, i'm talking soft, pretty, maybe I don't even have to curl/straighten it straight. 

This serum also cut my blow dry time in HALF. For me, this is a huge deal because it literally takes me a good 45 to get this mane somewhat under control. 

I read the reviews online, and it's not just me who is pleased with this product... it's all the rave. It's in all of the big magazines, beauty blogs, and celebrities are obsessed with it too! Not only is it $22 on Overstock, (link above), it's a God-send, life-savor,  Kumbaya my Lord, BF4L beauty product. 

Once again, thank you Shandi for introducing me to one of my favorite beauty products. My wallet, my time, and my ridiculously frizzy hair is forever grateful. 

Have a lovely week beauties!

XX,

Kathryn Lane 

Christmas Gift Guide for Her 2014

Holiday shopping can be stressful, wait, I mean, it is totally stressful, and if you're like me, you like to wait to the last minute to find any and everyone a gift. Between tying things up at the office before vacation, Christmas parties where you drink too much eggnog and end up embarrassing yourself, and stuffing your face with cookies to justify your holiday weight, putting off buying presents is understandable at this time of year. That is why I have collaborated a list of some of the best, hottest, and most affordable gifts around for HER for you guys to enjoy. You will find the store's links are correlated with each gift item for convenience!

Gift: BaubleBar 'Classic Everyday Bracelet Set'

Great For: The fashionista, or maybe someone who needs help with the fashionista if you know what I mean.  First of all, I love that Bauble Bar is being sold at Nordstroms this season, because Nordstroms is easy and has ridiculous customer service making the holidays as painless as possible, plus free shipping, (you will notice a lot of my wish list items are from Nordys)! They come in a few different styles, but my personal favorite is gold. Also, ridiculously affordable. 

Price: $58.00 -- holler.

Gift: Kate Spade Boxed Socks

Great for: Stocking stuffers, coworkers, girlfriends. Everyone obvy needs socks, and these are so adorable that it would actually be wrong to not give as a gift to someone. They come in a few different variety packs and are so cute, they don't even need to be wrapped.

 Price: $30.00 for 3 pairs

Gift: Jo Malone Cologne

Great for: Mom, mother in law, female boss, someone who smells bad? This perfume is so amazing, and although the bottles are small, they are super potent and therefore last a while. They come in a variety because you are suppose to mix them together to create your own scent. It is a heavenly package that has been flying off the shelves this season.

Price: $135 for five scents

Gift: Fresh Face Mask Essentials

Great for: Any human being alive, people with skin. This line is probably, no definitely,  my favorite skincare line. It is so gentle, and so beautifully made with only the finest ingredients. I have had a few of these masks and they smell amazing, and put your spirit and skin into a state of bliss! If you get this from me- don't be surprised if one of the jars is gone and hidden in my stocking as well.

Price: $120 for 3 jars

Gift: Lulu Lemon Wild Tank

Great for: Someone who works out, someone who needs to work out, any female alive. Trust me, if she has the XX chromosome, she'll want lulu. This tank is adorable for working out, and cute enough to wear out running errands. Plus, it's one of their less expensive tanks so you look like you spent over $100, and you didn't (cue- mwaha laugh) Tip: Buy a size bigger than you think, Lulu tends to run small.

Price: $64.00

Gift: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit

Great for: Stocking stuffer, little sister, anyone who likes make up, anyone is pale. All the fad recently has been contouring the face. This is a perfect new kit that even the best makeup artists use. The colors are great for literally any skin tone, and it's Anastasia, who is the queen of the make up world, well, at least one of them.

Price: $40.00

Gift: Gleaming Isla Anthropologie Candle

Great for: Coworkers, stocking stuffers, moms, yourself. Oh, hello adorable pineapple candle that smells wonderful and would look cute anywhere for the spring. This is a great and easy gift that everyone is sure to love, plus, it doubles as a pineapple, like, um precious.

Price: $24-$36 depending on size

Gift: Anthropologie Recipe Box

Great for: The cook, moms (because all moms cook). This is a totally affordable gift that is cute and absolutely useful. If she likes to be in the kitchen, she will love being able to store her favorite recipes in this little handy recipe box, and it comes with recipe cards as well for convenience. Easy shmeazy!
Price: $58.00

Gift: Anthropologie Tack Storage Wine Rack

Great for: The drinker, the wine connoisseur. I love wine, but at this age, there is no way I can keep more than 5 bottles at a time. Partially because I cannot afford to be buying that much wine, and partially because I will drink it if I have it. I would love this as a gift (hint hint) to hang in my kitchen and show off my favorite grapes!
Price: $98.00










Gift: Anthropologie Pearled Treble Ring

Great for: The classy broad, the girlfriend. This is beautiful and timeless and is totally affordable for pearls and real gold. This will make any girl perfectly happy and forget about that one time you accidentally forgot to call her for a week.
Price: $218.00











Gift: Fitbit Exercise Bracelet

Great for: The girl who loves being in shape. Not only does this bracelet have amazing technology, it has a style that is so simple and cute, you can literally wear it everyday without being called a butch. The Fitbit counts your activity, calories burned, as well as how many hours you get of sleep! Tory Burch made an adorable cuff that can slip over it to make it a bit more fashionable friendly as well.
Price: $100.00











Gift: Sony SRSX5 Portable Speaker

Great for: Anyone that wants to jam in their jammies. I am personally asking for this for Christmas because it has gotten amazing reviews, and is so cute and tiny! Plus, who doesn't love music while getting ready, cleaning, and sobbing their eyes out with a glass of chardonnay in the bathtub, (just kidding, sort of). This is a for sure win without having to break the bank. The one I like is red, but they also come in a few additional colors as well.
Price: $160.00

Alright my precious little snow angels, I hope you enjoyed my holiday gift guide and you have the most wonderful Christmas!
Remember kindness is contagious, so do something lovely for someone this season for no reason :)







XX,
Kathryn Lane
For more of Kathryn Lane's writing, go to www.babehair.blogspot.com

Sometimes we are taken into troubled waters not to drown, but to be cleansed.

We all go through difficult times in our lives. Times where our hearts are broken, our souls are shaken, and our spirit seems to be hiding cowardly behind our child-like self that desperately just wants to run off and hide in hopes that it will all go away. There are moments where we are so deep in stirred waters, we don't know how the hell we will catch our breath and survive. Life is going to try us. It is going to test us beyond our core, to see if we can handle it, if our faith shakes, if we throw in the towel and give up. And it is only up to us to figure out how to stand so deep-rooted in the ground during the flood, that nothing or no one can ever make our spirit completely break.
This past week was one of the more tough weeks I have had in my life. It started off freshly ending another relationship with a guy who I thought was someone he was not. We'll call this guy, 'Joe'. Joe was brilliant. He was in the medical field, good looking, smart, witty, and kind. He listened to all my stories, laughed at my jokes, asked all of the right questions, took me to the most fun restaurants in town, but from day one- I had a weird hesitation with fully letting my walls down with him. I knew he was stressed about being his profession, working too hard, and just moving to a brand new city where he knew only a handful of people. All of these things seemed completely relevant and normal to me, until I realized there were many more demons that he was struggling with. I started to feel as though it was really affecting our relationship and I was beginning to be taken somewhat advantage of. It unfortunately got to the point to where I had to end things because of the bit of darkness I began to see, and because of his actions, or lack there of. We dated only for a short period of time, maybe four months, I stuck by him because of how stressed he was, and because we cared about each other, but nevertheless ending things still sucked. Feeling so disappointed, and let down by another relationship of unfulfilled promises- I started the week out feeling a bit blue.
Tuesday morning before sales meeting, I felt a sudden pain in my right side. If you know me, you know that I have intense energy, anxiety, and can be, how you say, a bit of a hypochondriac. This pain was a dull pain that ached throughout the day, and that evening progressed to sharp unbearable pains to where I knew I was not just freaking out, something was wrong. I met my best friend at the ER, and numerous blood tests and CT scans later--surprise! I had appendicitis. I was being admitted to have emergency surgery, which I had never been under anesthesia before, was terrified, ill, and was feeling very broken. The next day, (because I had a dbag doctor that made me wait 12+ hours to get the operation), I was being prepped for surgery. I was scared, I was hurting, all while still being upset that this guy, Joe, who I had stuck by throughout his difficult times, times where he bitched and complained and was sad, and stabbing my eyeballs out would literally have been more enjoyable, was absolutely no where to be found. No calls, one text after I got out of surgery saying, "yay" (can't make this stuff up people), and no stop-bys to see me. It was disappointing, it was sad, but I found myself feeling suddenly that it was blissfully eye-opening. Not only did I wake up from the surgery with zero complications, I woke up with my friends and family by my side; holding my hand, wiping my tears, listening to me freak out on anesthesia and throw ice at people (hey, I can't help the way my body reacts to it), and assist me heal. I woke up to dozens of flowers, candies, cookies, missed calls and texts....and after all was said and done, I realized, I woke up to love. Real love. Unconditional, non-judgmental, there for you even during the hard shit love. From people who want to be in my life, who deserve to be in my life, who I need in my life.
The whole point of this is, I woke up from my surgery not only a little wacko, I woke up with a different attitude. An attitude of gratitude, if you will. I woke up thinking, life is too short to fight for people who don't want to be there in the first place, because there are SO many awesome people who do. True colors come out in people when something traumatic happens. You find out people's strength and weaknesses, their real feelings for you, their compassion and kindness, and you really get to see their raw character.  I may not have seen the best in Joe while this occurred, but it was completely omitted by all of the other amazing people I have in my life who did give a damn about what was going on with me. Sometimes, paper perfect people end up being the most broken. And unfortunately, that's just what I found out during this.
Sometimes, God takes something really messy, that we can see no shape or form or good to, and creates something ridiculously beautiful, something that we could have never imagined, something life changing. Since my surgery, my anxiety has been so minimal (which is a huge deal), and I have remembered the important things in life, as well as important people. It has been such a blessing, that I am actually incredibly thankful for my crappy week. The next time you think the world is ending, your appendix is rupturing, and you are oh so alone; you might wake up the next day, throw some ice at your recovery nurses, feel ridiculously loved, and be a healed person.

You belong somewhere you feel free- Tom Petty

 

Only in darkness can you see the stars

  

Our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we've touched.

XX,

Kathryn Lane

For more writing, go to www.babehairbootcamp.blogspot.com