How To Build Yourself Up During This Time of Covid 19

Hi Guys....so we're all house bound and have gone into panic mode. I'f you're like me then you're not in panic mode and you're simply taking things in stride. We need to take this seriously but it also means a change in lifestyle for a little while (hopefully). We now have to find creative ways to deal with our kids, for those who have their children with them; we also now have to deal with our spouses who may have to do their work from home and we also have our work to do from home as well as entertain the family.

Luckily my kids are big, they're millennials so I don't have anything to do for them, except caution them about who they mix with and making sure we have house rules that deal with the comings and goings and how we keep the house clean and sanitised. That is the most difficult because you now have to be disinfecting a lot more and you have to be constantly conscious of what you touch and where you've touched so that your hands are always sanitised.

This to me is an opportunity to do some introspection and plan out what you will have to do when this is over because there will be, in my mind, a lot of changes to not only who and what companies do but also how people will live their lives. There will be changes and although most people say they like change....most do not. I took this opportunity to develop a self improvement course for those who would like to start planning out what changes they will need to make not only with themselves but with how they pursue their lives. The course is free and I wanted to coach people during this period when we have nothing else to do.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COURSE

I'm see the positives in how things are right now in the world.....not the deaths (that is totally heartbreaking) but that as a people we are being forced by mother nature to take stock of our lives, of the things we take for granted, of the earth we take for granted and its making us aware of our vulnerabilities so that hopefully man will stop doing some of the harmful things that we do to this planet.

Podcast: Covid 19: The Creativity Factor

Hi Guys….we’re going through something really different but life is about change, it’s the only constant in this world we live in. listen to how I see this situation and what it means to me.

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Covid 19-The Creativity Factor https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Covid-19-The-Creativity-Factor-ebkp97

CoronaVirus: The Time Is now, Use It Wisely

Hi Guys....soooo with all of this Covid 19 situation most of us, if you're like me, are now home bound. No none of my family members have the virus but we as a family decided to curb going out too much to at least decrease the possibility of getting it at this point. But this means that as a world wide community we have to find ways to entertain ourselves and stay busy.

That's why I'm taking this opportunity to complete some of the things I've always wanted to but because of my job, I never get the time to, such as create an Online Course. Paint, plan out my Online Art Business and relax. So with the Online Course, I've been doing my research and as my area of expertise is Personal Development, I'm designing an Online Course in Personal Development and I'll bring it out soon. So what are you going to do during this period of quarantine? While you are house bound what are some of things you can think of to. Are you going to try painting, writing a book or ebook, plan out some other things you've wanted to do, learn to do tai chi via youtube?....What's the activity you're getting an opportunity to start?

So right now people are panicking and following the USA and stocking up on toilet paper and such, why that I have no idea. I did my normal groceries with a few extras so that I can freeze veggies to cook when needed and I bought medication for if and when anyone in the family gets the fever or sore throat. As a friend who lives in the UK said, simply deal with it when it happens, stay indoors so you don't spread it or catch it and rest and monitor your temperature if you do start to show symptoms, so that the fever doesn't get bad. If it does then call your health services, but don't panic and don't go rushing to crowded places...like groceries, pharmacies etc. to go catch it for sure.

Spend the time on something worthwhile and fun, that will need a lot of time to complete and that will help pass the time quickly because that's what we need. There is only so much you can do to revent this from happening and it is inevitable that everyone will catch it at some point, so relax, ride it out and stay calm.

Let me know what are your plans and how things are progressing where you are. In Trinidad it's fairly normal for now except for the occasional panic buying and some companies have already instructed staff to work from home and some schools have closed, at least for the week. We only have 2 cases so far, no deaths.

I'll update you more as the days pass and I may or may not post on Thursday. I'm thinking to do my blog only once a week, as I'm getting very busy with my Business Coaching here, but I will definitely keep posting but once a week instead. And as I mentioned look out for my Free Mini Personal Development Course, that i'll be bringing out soon. your feedback will be welcomed as coaching one on one and developing something for Online is different for me, but i would really like to share what I do for my clients here with anyone who needs help internationally.

Well that's all for now I'll hopefully check you guys again one of the other days this week, depending on what is happening here. All to best to you and stay safe and stay away from the crowds. Avoid infection.

Why Self Improvement Despite Covid 19?

Hi guys....yes it's crazy out there but we need to keep going and that's why I'm saying to you that one way I help my clients redirect their fears, anger, disappointments or whatever emotion they're experiencing that's causing them to very unhappy....is to do something that you've needed to do for years. So during this period where we are all home bound, the positive of every negative is that we are now getting the chance to work on or do those things we always wanted to try, like...exercise (do it indoors), write a book or blog post (research on youtube, google or Pinterest ho w to do this, develop a plan for our future (make a plan for when this is over especially if you may not have the same type of life as you had before. You have to organise and plan what you're going to do to maybe deal with a lack of finances or you may have to look for a new job or you may have masses of work to catch up with if you're not working from home presently.

This is why my post is all about doing something towards improving yourself. I'll explain what Self Improvement is all about and as a Development coach I've even gone as far as designing a Mini Self Improvement course for you for free. Yes its FREE and I want you all to use this opportunity to make some changes but to do that you need to know where you are now and where you want to be in the future after all of this has passed. Let's get started with understanding Self Improvement:

Why Self Improvement?

The Importance of Self Improvement

It is important because you the individual thinks it is important. Normally because you want more from life, or you know you need to keep developing yourself instinctively or you were told you needed to or there would be grave consequences for your future. Whatever the reason, if a person feels there is something they need to improve, and want to improve, self-improvement will be important.

The importance of self-improvement is determined by each individual and their wanting to improve or not, but people/situations can seek to impose the importance of self-improvement on other people, irrespective of wants and needs of those people. In that case, it is up to each individual in receipt of such external impositions to choose whether to comply or not. An individual can accept and take on the importance of self-improvement from other people or they can make their own decision about it being important for them or not. There will be consequences for the individual either way, and the individual has to accept the consequences of their choice.

FREE MINI SELF IMPROVEMENT COUSRE

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Definition: Self improvement is the act of making yourself better than you are right now. It does not matter how small the acts are, but as long as they steer you to become a better you; that is improving yourself. It has to do with what do you want to become? As opposed to success, self improvement is required in order to attain the Success that you want, whatever that maybe. Success can be measured, however, self development cannot be measure in any unit. It is simply invaluable and intangible.

Becoming a better version of you is like an endless journey. There is no one day you will say that you are at your best. While you will be excellent in some areas there is always that one area where you can use some improvement. Self improvement is for everyone. 

The importance of self-improvement often goes unnoticed. We are either conveniently brushing our shortcomings under the carpet, refusing to face them or are just happy being ignorant. Truth is – you cannot run away from yourself. The farther you run, the deeper a grave you dig because there will come a time when all those unresolved emotions will surface, leaving you overwhelmed.

So, what should you do? Start with consciously becoming more self-aware, observing your thoughts, emotions and responses and deciding to make self-improvement an integral part of your life.

Just the way learning should never stop, the same applies for self-improvement. So what are some of the steps towards Self Improvement? Check these:

1. Increase Self-Awareness

We spend so much time getting to know other people and solve their issues. We need to spend some of that time knowing ourselves, if we do things would have been so much more different.

The first step of self-improvement requires you to become more self-aware and get to know yourself better. So you need to ask yourself the right questions to help you get the right answers towards the right direction.

Self-awareness is an ongoing journey , you have different experiences and challenges which shows you sides of yourself that you either knew about or didn't know you had. So, in order to be on the path of self-improvement, it is important to understand yourself.

2. Enhance Strengths

Self-improvement lets you identify your personal strengths and knowing your strengths is important for every sphere of your life.

It gives you a better understanding of what you are seeking and where you are likely to excel. It helps you know what you want and then be able to set goals and execute them . After all, you can only achieve what you want, when you KNOW what you want.

3. Overcome Weaknesses

FREE MINI SELF IMPROVEMENT COURSE FOR YOU

Identifying strengths is an important aspect of self-improvement, so is coming to terms with your areas for improvement. Don’t be ashamed of them, we all have strengths and weaknesses that shape our personality. It is these imperfections that make us who we are and helps us become who we are.

Self Improvement is about looking beyond those weaknesses that are stopping you from achieving greatness. Accept your weaknesses, identify where their source and be determined to overcome them.

4. Step out of Comfort Zone

It feels good to move away from your comfort zone, because staying safe denotes stagnancy and where there is stagnancy, you can never find growth.

Choosing to work on improving yourself requires you to step out of your comfort zone. It lets you face your fears, try new things, take risks and challenge yourself. There will be times when you will discover a new side of your personality but there will also be times when you will fail. Don’t let those failures keep you down, use then to spur you to try another way.

5. Improve Mental Health

One of the biggest importance of self-improvement is the positive impact it has on mental health. When you work on yourself, you get to know yourself better which lets you deal with your thoughts and emotions more effectively. You begin to understand why you are experiencing certain emotions and learn how to tackle them with time.

6. Better Decision Making

We are required to make decisions at every step in our lives and every decision has a repercussion. Moreover, it is not about making decisions as much as it is about being confident about the decision taken.

You need a level of clarity, self-awareness and confidence which is a direct result of self-improvement, to be able to make great decisions. When you know what you want to achieve out of a situation and set the goals accordingly, you are able to make better, informed decisions.

7. Sense of Purpose

Deciding to walk the path of self-improvement and personal development gives your life purpose and meaning. Why is that important, you ask? It’s because it helps you stay focused on your life goals, makes you feel alive and keeps you motivated. It improves mental and physical well-being by keeping you on the right track.

With a purpose you learn to accept all the challenges that come along the way because you have your eyes set on what really matters – the ‘Bigger Life Picture’.

FREE MINI SELF IMPROVEMENT COURSE

8. Instill A Learning Attitude

People who are invested in their continuous self-improvement come with an extremely positive attitude towards learning. It shows that they are aware of their what they need to changing and they are open to receiving feedback in order to improve.

Instead of being ignorant and escaping from their problems, they learn from their mistakes to grow and succeed. This is a wonderful quality to have as having a learning attitude is instrumental in achieving success.

9. Cultivate Self-love

Last but not the least, self-improvement cultivates self worth, self love and self understanding . By seeing yourself grow with every passing day, you build on your confidence and self-esteem.

Many might debate that if you love yourself why must you want to change but that’s not true. Self-improvement is not changing yourself out of frustration. It is more about focusing on what matters to you and overcoming any mental hurdles that might be stopping you from reaching your full potential.

So in conclusion, there are also some other benefits to self improvement. What are the key areas engaging in self Improvement or personal development helps us to improve? - soft skills such as:

• Being a good listener

• Having more empathy towards others

• Becoming more efficient

• Learning to feel more confident

• Becoming more focused and organized

• Setting goals – personal and professional – for ourselves.

Somebody who is struggling with the self-improvement process may wonder if it is worth it. They may wonder if they are wasting all of the emotional energy that it takes to successfully use self-development techniques. The answers to these this questions is that yes, it is absolutely worth it, and no it is not a waste of emotional energy. A high level of self-development can make a huge difference when it comes to obtaining success on the job and in other areas of life. Here are just a few reasons this is the case.



References:

• LifeHack.org

• Pickthebrain.com



Squarespace vs. Wordpress - 2020 Review

Hi guys,…how is everyone? Great? Very good to hear that. I’m doing this post because one of my followers mentioned that she was a beginner on Wordpress so I mentioned that I found Squarespace is much easier to use but she didn’t know what Squarespace was. I told her I would do a post on it so she can find out more. So I did the post in February 2019 and as we're in February 2020 I decided to give an update based on what i've experienced to date with both platforms.

I'll leave some of the general info for those of you not familiar with either platform, then I'll get into my comments.

So what is Squarespace?

Squarespace is a website builder designed to help creatives build their own websites and showcase their work, no matter their technical ability.

Without any coding knowledge, you can put together your own beautiful website in a matter of hours. All you need to do is create an account, choose a template, and then edit it to create a totally unique and professional looking website.

Squarespace doesn't offer hundreds of templates like some of its rivals (there are just over 60, compared with more than 500 from Wix), but Squarespace goes for quality over quantity. ... Squarespace has made sure its small but perfectly-formed collection covers a good range of industries.

What is the cost?

Squarespace Pricing and Packages. Although Squarespace does not offer you afree plan, they do have a 14-day risk-free trial for you to thoroughly test out their website builder before you make your decision. ... So the ongoing cost forSquarespace ranges from $144 per year (Personal plan) to $480 per year (Advanced plan).

Squarespace is fairly new compared to WordPress, so there is still room for it to grow and improve. Squarespace can be a good choice for small sites on a budget that need limited functionality and ease of use when writing posts. Apart from that, WordPress outperforms Squarespace when it comes to functionality and SEO.

I started with Wordpress but Wordpress is limiting when you want to do more with your site than simply write blogs. If you want to start expanding what you can do with your site, like set up a shop, or send out a mass email, or even simple things like put in a button anywhere, or put in a product for sale anywhere, or set up a new page where a password is required to get in or link to a mailing platform or any other type of platform…all these things can be very easily done with Squarespace whereas with Wordpress you have to buy a plug-in to be able to do some simple things and it’s not user friendly for me.

I’ve always found Wordpress a bit frustrating to do some simple things and the cost starts to stack up when you have to get some plug-ins to do some simple things. They have a variety of themes/templates that you can change easily. They also have a guide for everything and there are tons of Youtubers who can help you on any aspect of squarespace, not that you will need it as their help area is the best.



Who are Squarespace and Wordpress aimed at?

It’s probably fair to say that Squarespace’s core audience is comprised of users without web development skills. The key idea behind Squarespace is that anyone can use the platform to make their own website, without needing to code at all.

This leads to a ‘walled garden’ approach, where everything is very tightly locked down in order to:

• create a user-friendly interface

• avoid scenarios where Squarespace users manage to ‘break’ an aspect of their site

• preserve the quality of the templates.

Like Squarespace, Wordpress can also cater for users without web development skills — it is certainly possible to create and maintain a Wordpress site without resorting to coding.

However in many cases, more configuration of Wordpress is needed before you can publish a website; and setting up a Wordpress site involves a steeper learning curve.

Due to its open-source nature, Wordpress is also geared towards another audience: users who wish to use the platform to create an extensively-customised website with significantly more functionality that is available from Squarespace.

Interface / ease-of-use

The Squarespace drag and drop interface is extremely intuitive; and its style editor makes it pretty straightforward to change basic template design elements - font colours, heading sizes and so on.

You just point at the design elements you want to change, and click some controls to change them. (Frustratingly, the extent to which you can tweak a template's design very much depends on the template you pick, however).

Once a Wordpress site is set up, it's by no means difficult to maintain either. Depending on what hosting provider you plump for, setup and configuration can be a bit fiddly, but once you’re up and running you’ll find that the Wordpress content management system (CMS) is easy-to-use and very responsive.

The main difference between the Squarespace and Wordpress approaches to content management is to do with on-page editing.

With Squarespace, you can just go to the page you’d like to tweak and click on a bit of content to edit it: you’ll then see your edits in context on the page, as you make them.

In Wordpress you have to edit the page in the back end and preview / publish it before you see your changes.

But as with much else in Wordpress, if you're prepared to put a little bit of time and research into configuration, it's possible to tweak things to suit your workflow: there are quite a lot of front end ‘visual editor’ plugins / tools available that you can make use of to add a more 'Squarespacey' approach to content management.

On balance its said that most website editing newbies will feel more at home more quickly with Squarespace, but the Wordpress CMS is extremely usable too.

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Squarespace vs Wordpress: the conclusions

Most developers and webmasters would be comfortable in saying that Wordpress is a vastly more powerful and flexible tool than Squarespace, and I’d agree with them.

However, that’s not to say that Wordpress is the right choice for all users.

I would argue that in many ways Squarespace meets the needs of individuals and small businesses better than Wordpress, because

(1) it’s easier to set up a Squarespace site than a Wordpress one and
(2) once your site is set up you don’t have to worry about maintenance or security issues — other than remembering to update your site with interesting content periodically, and staying on top of basic SEO techniques, using Squarespace is a sort of ‘set and forget’ scenario.

Squarespace is a great solution for the likes of photographers, bands and small business owners, who just want a simple website quickly and with a minimum of fuss (and down the line, if your needs do become more sophisticated, you could consider hiring a Squarespace developer to enhance your site through custom coding).

However, if you have advanced e-commerce or blogging requirements, or envisage a scenario where you are operating a business in multiple locations, most would be inclined to go with Wordpress - for the simple reason that they can pretty much build anything with it and make use of a vast number of plugins and themes.

Wordpress is also a much more scalable solution, thanks to the multilingual and multisite options that are available. A Squarespace site is fine for a business that knows it's only ever going to operate in one location and in one language - but if your plan is to grow that business and open premises in a variety of locations, then Wordpress is an option that is much better suited for the long-term.

If you are going down the Wordpress route, its suggested that rather than trying to use it on the cheap - by doing everything yourself - it makes more sense to work with an experienced developer or agency, and to keep them involved in maintaining your site on an ongoing basis.

Not only will this give you a more polished, bespoke website, you’ll also get more peace of mind, as you won’t have to worry about security or maintenance. You will need to budget properly for this, but if you work with the right individual or team you’ll get a good product.

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One way of deciding on Squarespace vs Wordpress for a website build is by asking yourself 3 questions:

(1) "Do I have a large budget?"
(2) "Do I have time?"
(3) "Do I have complex requirements for my site?"

If your budget is tight, you could consider building a Squarespace site yourself, or by contrast, if you are not particularly limited by budget, then go with Wordpress.

If you are short on time and technical skills, and absolutely intent on building your website yourself, I'd be inclined to plump for Squarespace over Wordpress.

And finally if you have complex requirements for your site you will probably need to use Wordpress, as it's a significantly more flexible platform from a functionality point of view.

Below is a summary of some of the key reasons why you might use either Squarespace or Wordpress over the other.

Reasons to use Squarespace over Wordpress

• Squarespace is easier to set up and use than Wordpress — you shouldn’t face much of a learning curve.

• A lot of features which you have to source separately in Wordpress using plugins are available ‘out of the box’ if you’re using Squarespace — e-commerce, data capture forms, themes etc.

• Hosting and domain names are included with the product (note that domain names are available on annual plans only); with Wordpress, you have to sort these out separately.

• With Squarespace you don’t have to worry about the technical aspects of maintaining your site; if you use Wordpress, you need to keep on top of this or your site will become vulnerable to being hacked.

• Squarespace is largely responsible for the security of your website — if you use Wordpress, security depends on how diligent you are in updating your software and theme.

• 24/7 support is available for Squarespace (email and live chat). By contrast, whether or not you can avail of support for a Wordpress site depends largely on whether you have commissioned a developer or agency to provide it.

• Squarespace is arguably a better option than Wordpress for users who require an elegant but simple website delivered quickly.

• The new email campaigns functionality, which allows you to create and send e-newsletters from within the Squarespace environment, may appeal to some users.

Reasons to use Wordpress over Squarespace

• You can build any type of site with Wordpress; it’s a much more flexible platform than Squarespace.

• A significantly wider range of templates is available in Wordpress than in Squarespace.

• Wordpress comes with a more sophisticated content management system which, unlike Squarespace, facilitates content versioning.

• You can use Wordpress to create sites with deep levels of navigation — this is not really the case with Squarespace (without custom coding anyway),

• A vast range of plugins — paid-for and free — is available to help you add functionality to your Wordpress website. Although you can add functionality to Squarespace sites via widgets and custom code blocks, you can’t use click-to-install plugins.

• You have a much broader range of options when it comes to e-commerce in Squarespace than in Wordpress.

• Data capture options are more extensive in Wordpress than in Squarespace (so long as the correct forms plugin is used).

• Wordpress sites can be optimised for search engines much more easily and comprehensively than Squarespace ones.

• You can add rich snippets much more easily to Wordpress sites.

• On a Wordpress site, you have more control over your content — with Squarespace, you’ll have to adhere to an ‘acceptable use’ policy and you may have trouble exporting some of your site content (especially where e-commerce-related content is concerned).

• Wordpress is a much better option than Squarespace for creating multilingual or ‘multisite’ projects.

MY 2020 REVIEW COMMENTS:

Everything i share above I still hold to for both platforms but what I would like to add is that although It's been easier for me to handle my Squarespace site and Wordpress still frustrates me I've found that I really like the email notifications I get from Wordpress every time someone follows me and I'm able to see their comments so much easier and faster. I'm still to figure out why I don't get any follower notifications or be able to see comments, unless I'm just not getting any, which would be strange.

With a sale I get a notification from my Squarespace site but I' don't know how many followers I have and that frustrates me. I also get a better analysis of my site from Wordpress versus Squarespace. I feel s if the SEO with Wordpress is more far reaching or better than Squarepsaces. So I'm not sure If I missing some setting in my Squarespace site or if that's how it is. I'll figure it out sometime. So in conclusion both sites have their advantages and disadvantages its all about what you're willing to accept. I love them both but Wordpress is more far reaching but the learning curve is steeper. So all the best with your decision and which ever you choose you will be fine.



Reference:

• Squarespave vs. Wordpress (2019) - which is the bet website builder? By Chris Singleton

Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago: Jouvert & More Jouvert

Hi Guys....so i went jouvert and I had a ball, my legs are like mush now but at least I was able to get some rest as no one goes to work on Ash Wednesday and as I have my own Business I am definitely not going anywhere. Jouvert was on Carnival Monday morning, we got up at 2am got ready in out costumes and headed out to the meeting point which is The Oval. The Oval also happens to be where most of the top Cricket matches are played, but that's an aside.When we arrived we parked then you head straight for the drinks truck as with any jouvert band your fee includes breakfast, drinks and bathroom amenities (we usually have a portable bathroom truck on the road with us). We got our drinks...a rum and coke for me and my husband got scotch and coconut water. We then waited around for our friends, if you're hungry there are individuals selling corn soup and doubles. 2 great staples in any Trinidad lime. I didn't get any as my fee included breakfast later when we returned from the dancing through the streets.

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Then the trucks start moving out followed by every single person all wearing the same cooky outfit. See the video below. The theme for our jouvert band which is called Duck Crew was Cat in a Hat, so we wore red and white striped socks and hats and tees with the duck crew mascot. Fun and funny. As we left, and it was sooooo early in the morning it was dark and all the flickering lights came from our top cat in a hat hats. Too cute.

So that was me at the beginning...I forgot to mention that while we wait to leave we go get rubbed down with paint. Jouvert is al about being messy, some bands use cocoa to mess you up, some paint, some mud, some powder, some powder and paint....it doesn't matter what is used but each band prides themselves on being the best at whatever medium they use to mess you up.

Once we're on the road then i tend to stick close to the music truck so I can hear and dance to the music an we follow the trucks as they head to the Savannah Stage where we normally cross the carnival Stage and jump like we've never jumped before. Of course there is also a lot of "wining" and gyrating and doing whatever dance move you feel drawn to do. It is just a time to let go of all stresses, feel free to just enjoy yourself with great people, dance all through the streets and simply have loads of fun. Mant people have freinds who come to Trinidad just to experience our Carnival because it's unlike any anywhere els....take it from me....it's very different.

Now this band is bbbbbiiiigggg, I mean it wrapps around the corner and just goes on. See here.

As fas as you could look you're seeing red striped hats...lol and i'm short so I couldn't give you a great overhead view and it's dark because it was so dam earlyyyyy!!!! let me see if I can give you a better view when it's gotten a little brighter. We tend to parade and dance through the streets from 3:45 am to 9:00am and when we get back to our starting point at the Oval that's when we GET BREAKFAST!!!! because after frolicking through the streets for hours one builds up a major appetite...actually I tend not to be too hungry..anyway look at another video.

So we're back at the starting point and this is what we look like as everyone starts going to the different tents to get their breakfast which is part of what you get in the cost of being in the band. compared to many Trinis I haven't been playing jouvert for very long...this year is my sixth or seventh year...there are people who've been playing since they were 6years old in bands like the blue devils and black bats. It's even a tradition with some families that every year the family plays and they pass it down from generation to generation.

As I mentioned I've played with basically 2 bands...Cocoa Devils and now the Duck Crew. Why? because both bands are very well organised, there is a lot of security so no unknowns can enter or come between the masqueraders and bother us, and they are well organised for food, transport, security, bathroom facilities and more. These were some of my former Jouvert times:

2016 Cocoa Devils, 2017 Duck Crew, 2018 Duck Crew 2019 Rest, 2020 Duck Crew

Here is an view of the band and see the last video below to see us getting breakfast.

I apologise in advance for how the video turns, I guess I lay down from tiredness.... lol

So Guys....that's all for now...I beat! I'll check you all next week. I may put all these videos together and make one for youtube. You can always check there if you're not seeing the vidoes well here....my channel is Gafra's Smart Art.Bye guys...luv yuh !!!

It's Carnival Time Again In Trinidad & Tobago

Hi Guys....as I mentioned in another post, it's Carnival here in sweet T&T, that means lots of Fetes, Steelband Competitions, Soca Competitions and much more. All offices are having Carnival parties, all schools are having their own jump ups, with the kids in costumes. There are old mass competition, and Calypso Competitions happening everywhere. Trinidad becomes a buzz of activities and NO!!!, we don't stop our Carnival for anything... not even the Coronavirus. The Government has put certain restrictions in place and so far we don't have the virus here and to some extent Trinis don't worry about that. There are few who do but most don't. Some indicated that we should shut down or cancel Carnival....not happening. I've been to 2 fetes so far. I have one more to go to next week then I'm playing jouvert. Can't wait!!!!.... the costume for jouvert this year is soooo cute....it's the cat in a hat.... how funny is that. So that means I'm not putting any paint on mu outfit this year. For those of you new to Carnival here in Trinidad, jouvert is where we dress in shorts and tees, then mess up ourselves with either paint, mud, chocolate or other things and we parade and jump up through the streets to the loud sound of music that is transported on extremely large trunks. It's a Carnival jump up. Fun too bad and very exhilarating.I've included a short video on what was happening at the last fete I attended so you get an idea of what I mean by crazy fun and you're looking at one of our favourite performers Nadia. I love her voice. We have quite a few performers who sing live at these fetes and this is just a glimpse into what a fete is like in Trinidad at Carnival time. EN JOY!!

Status....What is It All About?

Hi everyone....I chose this topic because this weekend I wondered about peoples behaviour when they are around certain people from a certain status or level of society compared to when they are around plain folk or people who aren't from the upper stratus of the society. What is status? it is used to refer to a person's social standing or rank.

What does it mean? the position of an individual in relation to another or others, especially in regard to social or professional standing. state or condition of affairs. What are the different types of statuses? Social status refers to a position one holds in a society. ...

There are three types of social statuses. Achieved status is earned based on merit; ascribed status is given to us by virtue of birth; and master status is the social status we view as the most important. What are status symbols: Status symbols also indicate the cultural values of a society or a subculture. For example, in a commercial society, having money or wealth and things that can be bought by wealth, such as cars, houses, or fine clothing, are considered status symbols.

GET ITEMS WITH ORIGINAL ART

In sociology, the term status refers to a person's rank or position in a particular context. Associated with a status are various expectations and, in some cases, privileges called roles. In some countries our status is divided based on our social classes, such as:

Many countries follow these same categories and others follow it based on religion, ethnicity etc. Why do we want to hob knob with people who society deems as upper class or of an ascribed status? We all want to belong its a main precept as indicated by Maslow hierarchy of needs.

The hierarchy indicates that we strive to satisfy the lower base needs like hunger, shelter, then we move towards satisfying higher needs such as security snd safety. As these are sated we want now want better, stronger, more advantageous relationships and once these are made then we look to build our self esteem or move to the pinnacle of self, that is self actualisation. I go through this to show that we move from one level to the next once one has been satisfied, or sometimes we are going after two or even three levels at the same time.

GET UNIQUE TEES @ BIT.LY/GAFRAUNIQUETEES

There are people who grow up in an environment where your status is a major thing and they do whatever is necessary to get ahead to reach that point. I see people eveyday who ho to kengths to ensure they are mixing with people of the right class or status to ensure they "make it" in life. I don't want to be like that and hopefully i'm not. Everyone is fifferent and have different beliefs and attitudes, I respond to them depending on how I view them and their behaviour, but dometimes its hard not to lump people together in one category. What about you?

Amazon Review - Episode 2, Part 1

Hi Guys....I had an epiphany. I guess I was watching one of the usual Youtube videos that I'm always watching and they started talking about the things we buy on Amazon and that most of us get all of out stuff on Amazon or online and sometimes we don't know if what we're getting is good or not. Yes we can read the reviews and those help but you still aren't sure. So I decided to do my own Episode of reviews on the products I've bought through Amazon so if you were considering getting any of these you can get a better idea of how good the item is. I'll do it in categories....and no I'll also be posting other normal posts in between the Review Episodes. I'll also put direct links to the products in case you want to see them on Amazon.

The Format of the Comments/Reviews:

I've bought lots of things and some of them have been really crappy and some I still use to this day. Unlike most countries sending back items for us here in Trinidad is a little more difficult and costly, so we tend to just accept the loss and dump the product as a mistake. So the categories I'm sharing here is: 1. Clothing & Shoes 2. Home & Garden - Episode 2, Part 1

So, lets get started....

RAINFOREST 18-pack Outdoor Garden Solar Power Landscape Path Lights - Stainless Steel - GET THEM HERE - I rank this a 6

• Installs easily in the ground; no wiring required

• -Light turns on/off automatically at dusk until down

• -white LEDs shine for up to 8 hours

• -Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries included

• -Diameter: 2 1/8" Height: 14.25"

• Price USD $25.50

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

These garden solar lights were nice!!!!! They worked well and had the garden looking very nice. They lasted about 1 year then started to fade a bit and finally some went off totally. It was a shame as they really made the garden look nice. I also liked that you got so many in one box. See them here: From 1 to 10 - I give this a 6 rating.

Heartland America Coach Style Solar Lights 2 Pack - GET THEM HERE - I rank this a 5

• White LED that casts a warm, welcoming glow.

• The on-board solar panel harnesses the sun's energy and stores it in a rechargeable battery for use at night.

• Features clear lens, durable black post and ground spike.

• 6.5" x 6.5" x 58"H (with spike).

• Price: CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

These lights look nice with their street lantern type style. I had them in different positions in my garden. They didn't last long. They are solar but the lanterns started getting water inside of the lamp itself and they wouldn't stay straight when I stuck them in the ground. They tended to slant to the side but i sill liked them and i still kept them in my garden as they looked nice. I still have them in my garden to this day but they no longer light up, so they are basically decorative now. See them here: From 1-10 - I give this a 5 rating. One that is better and I am sure will last longer but in fact looks better is this lantern below:

Upgrade Solar Powered 72" Triple-Head Street Vintage Outdoor Garden Solar Lamp Post Light Lawn - SEE IT HERE

Details:

• Triple Solar Heads

• Battery: Pre-installed 2 Rechargeable AA, 3.2V/800 mAh Ni-Cd

• Solar Panel: 4V 80MHA 4PCS

• Sensor: Automatic sensor activates at dusk

• On/Off Switch: Yes

• Price: USD $74.98



Perky-Pet 135TF “Perky’s Finest” 16 oz Plastic Top Fill Hummingbird Feeder - GET IT HERE - I rank this a 5 rating

I visited a house called Yerette which is for tourists and locals. They encourage hummingbirds by using at least 30 hummingbird feeders, scattered all around the house. They explain all about hummingbirds and what they are about, especially since Trinidad is the land of the hummingbird and our local name is Yerette which means hummingbird. Trinidad has quite a few breeds of hummingbirds at least 27 -30 types. From that visit I was so enthralled by the hummingbirds that I went out and bought at least eight (8) hummingbird feeders. I went a bit crazy but the effect was wonderful. The garden was filled with hummingbirds all over, it was s nice but keeping these feeders filled took a lot of work, because you have to make the syrup yourself.

• Details:

• Pour nectar directly into the wide mouth top with top fill technology

• Built in ant moat keeps ants away

• 4 soft flower feeding ports with perches

• Holds 16 oz of nectar

• Price: USD $10.27

First Nature 993091-546 16 oz. Hummingbird Flower Feeder

by First Nature

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

The feeders worked well for about at least a year before they started getting water inside or leaking or the ants would get all over them and inside them so they have to be cleaned.. See it here: From 1-10, I give this a 5

JayJay Women Loose Fit Tie Dye Print Maxi Long Dress with Pocket - SEE IT HERE - Ranked 7.5

• Soft and Stretchy Fabric: 95%RAYON 5%SPANDEX

• Designed by USA

• Elastic closure

• Lightweight cosy stylish casual maxi long dress.

• *This dress is PLUS SIZE DESIGN. If you don't want it loose or big, select one or two SIZE DOWN. *The size chart is attached to the last image.

• Point: Short Sleeve, Casual Basic Style, V crisscross neck, Tie Dye Print, 2 Sides Pockets. Elastic Waist Make You Look Slim yet Loose Fit and Comforty.

• Fashion Mix:Short Leather Jacket/Sweater Chain/Boots/High-Heel/Belt

• Suitable Occasion: Casual/Home Dress/Party/Work/Holiday Style

• Price: CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

LILBETTER Women V-Neck Polka Dot Print Spaghetti Strap Boho Long Maxi Dresses - SEE IT HERE - I rank these an 8

• Material: 95% Rayon,5% Spandex,Comfortable and breathable.

• Attention: 1)The front length is shorter than the back, 2)The seam of this maxi dress is in the front,3)The polka dots in the seam is random, some are no close matching. Please kindly look the details in the last image before you place the order.

• Feature: Sundress,Polka dots,V-Neck,Sleeveless,Adjustable spaghetti strap,Sling,full-Length,Long beach maxi dress,Boho style,Cover-Ups for swimwear,Swing dress, Casual wear,Two handy side pockets, Great for Summer/Cover-Ups/Beach/Sundress/Night Out/Casual/Party/Holiday/Office/Daily etc.

• Fashion collocation: Beach Hat/Sweater Chain/Jeans Jacket/Knitwear/ with sandals or beach flip-flips as well.

• Price: USD$17.99

MY COMMENT/REVIEW

I love both of these dresses, they are both very loose, comfortable, cool and you can wear them at any event based on what you or how you accessorise. I still have them both and wear them often. See it here and here

Fabuxry Women's Purse Strap Shoulder Bags Nylon Casual Handbags Cross Body Bag Army Green - SEE IT HERE - I rank this an 8.5

This bag has lasted me since 2016 and I still have it. It's strong, nice looking and just the best bag I've ever had. It.

MY COMMENT/REVIEW

A great bag and they have different colours and designs that ranges from a price of USD $17.00 TO $30.00

Alpine Swiss Cortland 15.6" Laptop Bag Organizer Briefcase Black - SEE IT HERE - I rank it as an 8

Details:

• Ballistic Poly

• TSA APPROVED PERSONAL ITEM - The Cortland laptop briefcase measures: 17" X 13" X 5" and is divided into two main sections. TSA approved as a personal item or a carry-on to bring in flight, fits under seats as well. Weighs 2 lbs 6 oz.

• LAPTOP & TABLET SLEEVE - Features a protective laptop sleeve in main gusset that holds 15.6" laptop and measures 16" L X 10" H X 2" W . Also includes a padded tablet sleeve to securely carry all of your tech essentials.

• SMART ORGANIZATION - Front zippered compartment with organizational pockets for pens, keys, cell phone, and other items. Back gusset section includes accordion file dividers. Full length back outside zipper pocket.

• PRACTICAL & DURABLE QUALITY - Convenient back trolley strap to slide briefcase over luggage handle for easy travel. Detachable padded shoulder strap with adjustable reinforced straps and carrying handles to comfortably carry your belongings. Two protective rubber feet at the bottom of briefcase prevent fast wear and tear from the floor.

• Price USD$34.99

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

Another business bag that i use now and I use everyday. It is strong, durable, holds a lot. It holds my binders, laptop, pens, markers handouts etc. Love this bag. See it here: I Rank this a 9

Under Armour Undeniable Duffle 2.0 Gym Bag - SEE IT HERE - I rank this an 8

Details:

• 100% Polyester

• Imported

• Polyester lining

• Zipper closure

• 30" shoulder drop

• Hand Wash

• 10" high

• Price: USD $44.52

COMMENTS/REVIEWS

I got this Gym bag for my son and he is still using it today. i liked the size as it's not extremely large and it's not small. It's a nice medium sized gym bag that has some nice pockets and it looks really good.

Auxo Women Boho Maxi Dress Floral Sundress Printed V Neck Strappy Long Dresses Cover up 5 L - SEE IT HERE - I rank this as an 8.5

I loved this dress. I wore it only once though because it is very slim and it makes it difficult to walk normally. Plus I put on some weight so the dress started to fit a bit tightly so I had to s;it the side seam about24 inches close to my knee so I can walk properly. But I gave the dress to my daughter after I made the adjustments and I must say it looked exceptional on her. She looked soooo good i was jealous because It should have looked that good on me. AH WELL!!!! And this is CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE but there are others that are just as nice.

OK, I'm leaving some room for the other items in the other Episodes 2, 3 and the other. See you then. Please know that this post does have affiliate links and i will get a small commission if you should purchase an item but this helps with my expenses to continue my site and I thank you in advance.

Later guys. Sorry men...that there isn't much here for you unless you're looking to buy something for the lady in your life.

Teespring and Placeit.net

Hi Guys....I had a great weekend and a great week. This weekend I did a lot of online work and I recently discovered a site where you can place your designs on different mock ups ...for tees, phone cases, in art frames etc. I fell in love!! The best part was you can also create videos for your different social media platforms. Now if I didn't mention before I've recently gotten into designing and selling T shirts online. It's another creative outlet. So lets take count of all the different creative outlets I'm involved in? hm hm hm hm

1. Wall Art - Listing Abstracts and Watercolours on my 3 websites

2. Printable Planners

3. Art Prints

4. Youtube Demo Videos

5. Blogging

6. Video Creation

7. Selling Tees Online

8. Selling Products Online

YEP...I've gone overboard...but at least I'm having fun and I'm letting out my creative energy. Plus, I love learning new things and this was really new to me but extremely fun to do and quite useful for my Art Websites, Instagram, LinkedIn, and my Coaching Business. Because through this platform I was able to create some amazing Intros for my Businesses, my Youtube Channel videos and mock ups for my art and my Tees. Check out one of the videos I created using Placeit.net and you wouldn't believe how easy this was to do. They have everything set up and you simply choose colours, templates, etc. Judge for yourself.

My Gafra's Print Valley Store for Sports and Unique TeesWasn't that great?!! It looks like a professional created it!!! What do you think, leave me a comment .....I'm so excited and proud of myself. When you create something you never thought you could even think to make, you feel exceptionally excited, proud and it builds a level of confidence you didn't know you had. You should all try it!

So what did you think?..... OK! Back to the topic at hand. Let me step back a bit and explain how this came about. I was listening to a Youtuber called Greg Gottfried and he talks about how he made money via Print on Demand because he lost his job suddenly and in looking for a way to make ends meet, and make some money without depending on the corporate world as he didn't want what happened to him to happen again, he discovered certain Print on Demand Platforms. With these different Print on Demand platforms he started to make a lot of money at the age of 23years. He still makes his money that way as well as via other online businesses. In one of his videos he introduced us to the platform Placeit.net. TADA!!!!! This is the site where you can create videos like the one above and much, much more.

I got so excited about it, as it also helps you come up with designs for your Tees to place on Teespring the platform where you can sell Tees based on a niche you love. So with your tee shirt platform you list the different designs on tees and they market them, ship them, in fact they take care of everything once the customer buys and you get a commission on every tee purchased. They actually show you the amount you can make on each tee when you list in the price you want that tee to cost. I want my tee to be very affordable so They're all $19.99 USD and I know the quality is good because I ordered 2 for myself. The Placeit.net platform is where you can make some of your designs as well as do mock ups to let them look more professional. So Placeit.net allows you to:

1. Make designs for your tees,

2. It helps you present them on mock ups,

3. It helps you develop Intros for your videos or

4. Videos for your social media platforms whether it's Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or even Youtube.

   
   
   I've used it for all or both of my businesses. It does cost a fee of $14USD/month, but you can simply keep it for the month and create as many videos, designs etc for your different medias then cancel the subscription. That's what I intend to do as I don't really need the platform for a lot of months, only until I have the relevant videos that I need. But the way I'm having so much fun with this platform, I don't think I'll just keep it for one month. I think I'll keep it until I think I no longer need it. It has allowed me to make some major videos for my Coaching Business - Rebitltd.com.

   I've saved quite a lot by not having to hire someone to create my Intros as well as my Instagram videos. If any of you have read my blog post on Squarespace? I just want you to know that I don't talk about something that I don't use, this site, plus my other sites - gafra.org and rebitltd.com were both created by me on Squarespace. It's extremely easy and I enjoyed every minute. The same goes for Placeit.net and I also had a conversation with my brother who is a videographer. That's his business. He said yes, people like him are being put out of business by these platforms because it is cutting out the middleman and allowing a person to do things themselves, similar to self publishing and many other do it yourself platforms. That's the way of the Internet and all things Online.

   So if you're interested in setting up a Tee shirt store? In my investigations there are quite a few platforms that allow you to do this, one or two of them I think I've mentioned before but recently I've started on some new ones - only 3. I was originally on Redbubble and I've been on Redbubble for about 3 years but I haven't made any sales. I was on Printful, and I liked the variety of products they have available for you to place your design, but then I thought it was free and recently I've been seeing a bill coming from them so I closed that account. don't get me wrong, if I had the funds I would keep some of these sites but you need to be picky about what you spend on these days. So the free platforms I have recently signed onto are the ones in bold, the others I've tried or still registered, or not:

   • Teespring

   • Redbubble (still with them)

   • Teechip

   • Zazzle

   • Society6

   • Merch on Amazon

     GET YOUR TEE FOR CHRISTMAS HERE

Teespring - OK Let me explain that list. I recently started on Teespring and that is pretty easy to use, it's free but you have to choose a niche and stick to designs that fit that niche then design and post at least one hundred tees on the storefront.

Redbubble - As I mentioned, I've been on this platform since 2017 and no sales to date. not sure why as i list it on all my sites but nothing yet. I do like the products it has for you to place your designs on but it does take up a little of your time.

Teechip - This is new to me as well but also very simple and easy to use. It is also free but I can't say how the sales will be yet. Time will tell.

Zazzle - very similar to Redbubble but easier to use but just as good. I've recent not listed t on my sites as there i haven't made any sales to date as well and I've been on that site since 2017 as well.Society6 - I left this platform as the requirements for the designs gave me trouble and I couldn't get it on many of their items and I started getting annoyed and their mark up was too high so the product to the customers would be very high and I didn't want that so I closed that account.

Merch on Amazon - This is new but you have to apply and wait for approval and they have an entire application form to complete and they tend to reject you quite a few times. I' haven't applied as their are account info they need and because I live in the Caribbean I have to take the time to get the account info and i haven't had time yet. Plus as I mentioned you will probably have to apply quite a few times before you get approved. but they are very good where sales are concerned as they are Amazon's Print on Demand, so there is a lot of access to the Amazon customers.

If you want more info on any of these platforms that I've mentioned let me know and I'll do the research and give you as much info as I can find.

Check you guys on Thursday.

Regards,Gafra

How To Use Placeit.net - A Video Tutorial

Hi Guys....I was gushing about a platform I just learned about called placeit.net and I wanted to share all that i learned and I was really excited. Not sure if everyone understood my instructions, so I'm still super pumped about Placelt.net so I've done a video tutorial so you can see from the computer screen itself what you need to do. Hope you enjoy and if you did let me know and send me your comments about anything else you might like me to tell you about. Register for Placeit.net here. Please know that this post does have affiliate links and i will get a small commission if you should purchase an item but this helps with my expenses to continue my site and I thank you in advance.

PLACEIT.NET TUTORIAL - SEE IT HERE

REGISTER FOR PLACEIT.NET HERE

An Intro Video and A Video for Artists

Hi guys....just wanted to show off the new video I created in Placeit.net and to also let you artist or prospective artist that I have a Youtube channel ad I wanted to share some of them here.

Placeit.net Video

MY YOUTUBE VIDEOS FOR ARTISTS

#1

#2

#3

Hope you enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed making them. Leave you comments or even better go on Youtube and click "LIke" button or subscribe. That will allow me to be seen more so I can help a lot of other potential artists. Thanks a bunch guys.

Amazon Reviews - Episode 1, Part 2

Hi Guys....so I'm on Part 2 of the Amazon review of the items I've bought and how they worked out for me. This post is part 2 based on the clothing and shoes that I've purchased online. Sorry men, this is mainly about women's clothes so you might want to skip this blog post. I'm talking about the menswear I've bought in part 3 of these reviews. The last item I spoke about was this :

In 2017, Another Maxi Dress....I'm looking for comfort in my life...

LILBETTER Women V-Neck Polka Dot Print Spaghetti Strap Boho Long Maxi Dresses - GET IT HERE - Rank - 9

• Material:95% Rayon,5% Spandex,Comfortable and breathable.

• Attention:1)The front length is shorter than the back, 2)The seam of this maxi dress is in the front,3)The polka dots in the seam is random, some are no close matching. Please kindly look the details in the last image before you place the order.

• Feature:Sundress,Polka dots,V-Neck,Sleeveless,Adjustable spaghetti strap,Sling,full-Length,Long beach maxi dress

• Price USD$22.99

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

I love this dress, I wore it just 2 days ago and it's still in the same condition and quality as the first day I bought it. Easy to wear, comfortable, great style and stitching, colour hasn't faded, it irons well and you don't even have to do that if you hang it right after drying it. A Great maxi dress, so mush so that my daughter saw it and i had to order one for her but this time a red. And we inter borrow ever so often. Love this. See it here: Rank 9

Then my mom indicated that she was attending a wedding, we went to the Mall and we bought her a wrap dress. She loaned me the dress and my daughter also borrowed it. A year or two later no one can find the dress so I had to order a similar one for my mom again because once again she had a wedding to attend.

Clothink Convertible Warp Maxi Dress Multi Way Wear Party Wedding Bridesmaid Long Dresses - GET IT HERE - Rank 7.9

• Wrap closure

• High stretchable material, soft and comfy fabric

• Transformer infinity full length dress

• You can wear it as halter dress, tube dress, spaghetti strap dress, off shoulder dress and so on. This is convertible wrap maxi dress that can be worn in more than 24 different ways.

• It is stretchy material, so you can adjust the tightness with bandage to improve comfort

• Price USD $24.99

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

The fabric quality on this dress was very soft and nice. It appears to be a one size fits all and the length was perfect. My mother loved it and you can do almost 100 different wraps with this one dress. I borrowed it as well and it looked really good. See it here. Rank 7.9

If you checked my first Amazon Review post, you would have realised that I seem to like the retro, 60s look. Thus my next outfit was a retro 60's dress. I loved the style but was the end result?

Destinas Women's Vintage Style Retro 1940s Shirtwaist Flared Tea Dress - CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

Details:

• Material: Cotton,Polyester,Spandex

• Wear for Party,Prom,Holiday,Wedding

• Post Every Working Day from Monday to Saturday

• Hand washing only at Low Temperature

MY COMMENT/REVIEWS

The dress looked nice, just like the pics and the material quality was very good but something was off with the fit on me. It simply didn't look good on me and that is the risk you take when you buy online. A style might look great on the model but not so good on you. SURPRISE!!!! I am checking out another styled retro dress , what do you think about this one ladies...and gentlemen???

MUXXN Women's Retro 1950s Style Short Sleeve Formal Mermaid Dress - SEE IT HERE

• Rayon 65% Cotton 30% Spandex 5%

• Imported

• Concealed Zipper closure

• Pinup 1950s Mermaid Style,Tie Neck and Button Decoration,Ruched Sleeve

• Comfy Little Stretchy Fabric

• Concealed zipper at back,Belt Waist,Knee Length Fishtail Dress

• Great for Formal,Evening Party,Prom,Business Office and Special Occasion

• PLS read the size chart in the product description on the following carefully,not the ones by Amazon on the side of the item that you click

• Price USD $32-35.00

This looks awesome..... I can't rank or say anything about it but, we'll see.

Now for the first piece of footwear. I have to say I don't or I haven't bought a lot of footwear online because the one time I did from a site called Shopaholic....all the shoes didn't fit quite right and it took buy 4-5 pairs for me to realise that there was something wrong with the way these shoes were manufactured so I stopped and never bought anything again from that site.

I bought this sandal because I saw it liked in a store in Trinidad, but the price seemed too high and when I checked it out online it was way more affordable, so I bought it and I am wearing it right now. I bought it in 2017.

Crocs Women's Isabella T-Strap Sandal - SEE IT HERE - Rank 8.5

Details:

• Soft TPU translucent straps

• Resin sole

• MORE REFINED, MORE FEMININE, MORE FUN: The Crocs Isabella sandals for women are a fresh take on the huarache; Even with a minimal design and airy feel, you'll still get the same Crocs comfort

• SLEEK STYLE:

• PRACTICAL DESIGN:

• ICONIC COMFORT:

• WOMEN'S FLIP-FLOP SANDALS: The Isabella women's flip-flops combine a minimal design with a sophisticated style that stands out; The bright colors are sure to add a pop to any wardrobe

MY COMMENTS/REVIEWS

These sandals do everything the details say. They are extremely comfortable, long lasting, they look nice in every casual event. Soft, great fit, nice colour choices....just an all round great sandal and a friend of mine who also bought couldn't agree more. See it here. Rank 8.5

After these purchases, I started buying dresses online and I really got some great dresses that everyone asks where i got them and even my daughters who don't normally like my clothes, now, they are borrowing or want me to oder for them. These are the dresses:

ROOSEY Women's Floral Printed 3/4 Sleeve Wrap V-Neck A Line Dress with Belt - GET IT HERE - USD$18.99 - Rank 8

Details:

• 95% cotton 5% spandex

• Pull On closure

• Material: 95%Cotton 5%Spandex. Printed style, soft material, comfortable to wear.

• Style: Womens Dresses Casual Floral Print 3/4 Sleeve Fit and Flare Swing A Line Wrap Dress with Belt

• Feature: 3/4 Sleeve, V Neckline, Floral Printed, Knee Length, Wrapped Waist Belt, V Neckline, Swing Wrap Aline Dress

• Occasion: Suitable for spring, summer, fall, and great for daily wear, office wear, party, vocation, club or other occasions

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

This dress looks exactly as it does in the photo and it is a delightful dress. Very comfortable, flows nicely, great fit and it looked great on me. Loved the feel, soft material and it washes very well. I eventually gave it to my daughter because she borrowed it, without me knowing and stretched the top as her bustline is much more than mine so I gave her the dress to keep. It's s type of jersey material which is stretchy but still of good quality, so don't worry. See it here. I rank this an 8.

Cnokzol Women Long Sleeve Polka Printed Tunic Dress Casual Button Down Midi Dress with Pocket - GET IT HERE - USD$9.99 - 8

Details:

• 95% Cotton,5% Polyester.

• Button closure

• Features:Long Sleeve,Button for Decorate,Polka Printed,Casual Loose Style,Scoop Neck,Elastic Waist,Cute Midi Dress with Pockets.

• Casual Long Sleeve Tunic Dress Button Down Pleated Midi Dress perfect foe Women,Ladies,Juniors and Teen Girls.

• Occasion:Great for Dating,Shopping,Vacation,Party,Club,School,Office,Casual and Daily Wear.

• Material:Lightweight but not see through,high quality with great stretch,well made and skin touch.Super soft and comfortable.

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

Again I thought this dress when it arrived looked odd but when I tried it on it fit well and I was surprised how nicely it fell and it was very comfortable. Another dress I've been complemented on. I chose the navy blue and i wear it to business sessions easily. The only aspect I noticed is that after a while the pocket sags but it still doesn't affect the overall style of the dress. Very cool and I love it. See it here. I rank this an 8. next....



Vivicastle Women's USA Printed V-Neck 3/4 Sleeve Faux Wrap Waist Tie Midi Dress - USD $19.95 - Rank 7.5

Detalis:

• Tie closure

• Designed, Produced And Exclusive Sold by VIVICASTLE

• Occasion:Casual/Beach/Party/Work/Wedding and More for women dress.

• Please make sure the seller is VIVICASTLE. Other sellers are using CHEAP MATERIAL and LOW QUALITY so make sure to check before purchasing.

• Hand or Machine Wash Cold Water.

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

I bought this dress as gift for my daughter. I didn't wear it myself but I saw how it looked and flowed on her and it is a very nice dress. The pattern didn't suit me but it looked great on my daughter and the material quality was very good. See it Here. I rank this a 7.5



ANDUUNI Womens Summer Sleeveless Casual Swing Tunic Tops Loose Pockets Tank Dress Blouses for Beach - USD $15.99 - Rank 9

Details:

• Women's Pocket Sleeveless Blouse Fashion T-shirt Swing Dress Casual Long Tank Tops for lady,juniors,teens,summer,spring

• Summer dresses for women with pocket,A line midi dress,flower dress,crew neck sleeveless swing tunic shirt dress,flowy tunic dress above the knee length

• Bohemian Printed Shirt Dress,scoop neck,sleeveless,flower pattern with two side pockets,tunic dress,above the knee,a line sundress for juniors

• Cotton sleeveess dresses for leggins,swing hem, loose bottom,casual loose tank top,unique style makes you more beautiful,elegant and stylish

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

I LOOOVVVE this dress.OK so you realise that I seem to love all the dresses that i've bought...and yes that is the case with most of them. I've been very fortunate...or maybe I just have good taste.... just kidding but I really haven't had any issues with any of the dresses like this or with the wrap dresses that 've bought. This one is my favourite, I love the pattern, the colour, the lightness, the ease and comfort, the side pockets etc. An d for work I wear it with a jacket in one of the colours in the design and I'm good to go. I cant' go wrong. See it here. This I rank a 9.

WLLW Women Bohemian Short Sleeve V Neck Floral Print Peplum Shirt Top Blouse Tee - USD $15.99 - Rank 8

Details:

• Hand Wash

• Material: 97%Polyester + 3%Spandex

• Features: Short Sleeve, V Neck, Floral Print, Peplum, Pullover, Casual Style, Regular Fit

• Please check the size chart carefully with your body measurement and then choose your size

• Do not blench, hand wash separately in cold water and dry clean

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

Couldn't ask for a more exact product. Wonderful quality top. Exact patter, fit, cut, look and it's my best and most worn top. Bought it in 2018 and still using it almost every week It washes extremely well and has turned or become discoloured, Flows nicely and fits exactly the way I want.Well sewn, no ripping, no loose hems, nothing. Still loos as good as the first day I bought it. Love it and the material is excellent. See it here. I rank this an 8.

Please know that this post does have affiliate links and i will get a small commission if you should purchase an item but this helps with my expenses to continue my site and I thank you in advance.



So guys.... i'm almost finished with my reviews for clothing, I just have some men's clothing to talk about then that's it. So stay tuned for part 3. Hope these reviews were helpful, if so let me know if not still let me know and I'll stop. Later.

Doing 2 Artisan Markets and What I Learned

Hi Guys....I did 2 markets this weekend and in observing others and myself I learend a few things about how a situation can change at the blink of an eye and I wanted to share this with you.

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Doing 2 Artisan Markets and What I Learned  https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Doing-2-Artisan-Markets-and-What-I-Learned-e9dtu1

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2020

Hi guys....wanted to share a short blurb to welcome in 2020.

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Happy 2020 https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Happy-2020-ea0u52

Amazon Reviews - Episode 1, Part 1

Hi Guys....I had an epiphany. I guess I was watching one of the usual Youtube videos that I'm always watching and they started talking about the things we buy on Amazon and that most of us get all of out stuff on Amazon or online and sometimes we don't know if what we're getting is good or not. Yes we can read the reviews and those help but you still aren't sure. So I decided to do my own Episode of reviews on the products I've bought through Amazon so if you were considering getting any of these you can get a better idea of how good the item is. I'll do it in categories....and no I'll also be posting other normal posts in between the Review Episodes. I'll also put direct links to the products in case you want to see them on Amazon. Men I'm putting the list first so you can either read on or this just might not be for you unless you're interested in buying something for the wife or girlfriend.The Items are:

• Riding Breeches

• Riding boots

• Maxi Dress

• Office Dress

• Retro Bathing Suit

• Lace off shoulder top

• Dockers Sweater for men

• Poka Dot Maxi Dress

The Format of the Comments/Reviews:

I've bought lots of things and some of them have been really crappy and some I still use to this day. Unlike most countries sending back items for us here in Trinidad is a little more difficult and costly, so we tend to just accept the loss and dump the product as a mistake. That has happened to me with shoes, clothes and other items that look one way on the pics but when it arrives you're like..." goodness this things is wayyyyy smaller than I thought"...kinda reaction. So the categories I was considering were:

• Clothing & Shoes - Episode 1

• Home & Garden - Episode 2

• Art Supplies & Stationery - Episode 3

• Beauty & Jewellery - Episode 4

• Books & Tapes - Episode 5

Now how will this flow? I'll show the product, with it's link, place its details then below share what I think about the item/product, that is, the good and the bad aspects from my perspective. Then if you were considering getting something similar, at least you have my feedback, if you don't trust the reviews in Amazon, because I've been fooled by reviews as well.

OH!! and I haven't forgotten you with the short story from my client. I "buffed him last week because he hasn't delivered it and it's past due. These writers.... hmmmm!!

So, lets get started.... Surprisingly the first piece of clothing I bought on Amazon was a pair of Breeches because I had just started doing Horse Back Riding lessons with Trinidad's Police Canine & Mounted Branch. The Police Mounted Branch has a program that teaches the public all about taking care of a horse, riding, and more and I had just joined that program in April 2013 and I wanted to have all the proper gear so I went online to buy my breeches.

Ladies Tuff Rider Ribb Knee Patch Breech Black 24R (10013-33)

GET THEM HERE - I rank this a 9

• polyester-blend

• Stay cool and dry with the knit "Ribb" fabric

• 92% polyester, and 8% spandex for outstanding comfort

• Washable UltraGripp imitation leather knee patch

• Fabulous for hot weather riding

• Outstanding quality at great price

• Price USD $53.10

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

These breeches were the BEST!!!!! No, understand me when I say that, while learning to ride I started off wearing jeans and anyone who rides knows you use the thighs and other delicate parts allot. These breeches were comfortable, stretchy, easy to put on, didn't shear, very durable, washed extremely well, kept that dark black without fading and I still have them to this day and I have no plans to give them away, even though I don't ride anymore. They were so good some of the other riders asked me to order for them which I did at no extra cost to them...of course. They stood up to the 2 and half years of riding and falling off (sometimes). Of course to go with the breeches I needed some Boots. See them here: From 1 to 10 - I give this a 9 rating.

Journee Collection Women's Regular Sized and Wide Calfed Ankle-strap Buckle Knee High Riding Boots' - GET THEM HERE - I rank this a 7.5

• Faux leather

• Imported

• Synthetic sole

• Shaft measures approximately 14 from arch

• Platform measures approximately .50"

• HIGH-QUALITY BOOTS: Every women’s shoe in our collection of boots at Journee Collection is created with the finest materials available. 

• Price USD $69.99

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

These boots were nice, getting into them was a little weird and little difficult but once your foot was inside it was a good fit. It was comfortable, no squeezed toes and I need the small heel for riding. It held up nicely during my riding gig. It was tested by water, mud, being stepped by a horse and more. It stood up well. When I stopped riding I because i didn't really use it it, the faux leather started to peel so I had to get rid of it. But it lasted at least 4 years. But it was a really fancy looking boots so I got a lot of comments. See them here: From 1-10 - I give this a 7.5 rating

The boots I bought in 2013, 2 years later is when I bought my first maxi dress and an office dress.

Women's Long Sleeve Full Length Ball Gown Beach Casual Loose Maxi Dress Gray S 2 - Ranking 5 - GET IT HERE

This dress is no longer available right now and it was an alright dress, but my only issues were: it was extremely long so I had to cut it but other than that if fit OK, it was comfortable but it seemed a bit larger in size than I though a medium would be so I gave this away. Price USD $23.99

Amoin Women's Vintage Polka Dot Print Dresses - Ranking 3

the Amoin dress was the worst thing ever. It didn't look the way it does in the photo, the quality was bad, it didn't fit properly, in fact it was weirdly made to go over you head which made it very difficult to get your hands into the sleeves while trying to get the rest of you body into it. Poorly made. But I guess you get what you pay for this cost USD$11.23. NEVER again!!!

Next came the bathing suit as we were planning to take a drive down to one of the hotels by the beach and I wanted to be comfortable and that is when I sw this online:

zeraca Retro Halter Push up High Waisted Bikini Carnival Swimsuit - GET IT HERE - Ranking 8

• Main Fabric: 86%polyester/14%elastane , Lining: 100% Polyetser

• Hand wash cold separately, only non-chlorine bleach when needed, do not iron,do not dry clean,do not wring or twist line dry , for best results, rinse and line dry immediately after use

• Molded push-up padding bikini top featuring a knot detail at front and adjustable ties at back and neck

• Romovable Enhancement Padding, underwire

• High Waist Bikini Bottom with Ruched Sides with Support provides Moderate coverage

• Fully Lined for top and bottom

• Model Bust 34in Underbust 28.5in, Cup B, Waist 26in, Hip 37in, Which Suit for Size S

• Price USD $26.65

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

I love this bathing suit. As we age, we women want to look cute but we need to hide certain areas and this bathing suit does exactly that but in a very retro way. The high waist bottoms is so comfortable and just fits well. The bikini top is also adjustable for those of us who don't carry allot...sorry guys... What got my attention was the ruching because I tend to buy wrap dresses that ruched because the hide bulges especially if the material is patterned and they fall better. So this bottoms does that very well. Love this suit. I still have this in my drawer and its the only one I wear when I go to the beach, in my beautiful Tropical Island of Trinidad. See it here: From 1-10, I give this a 8

I then started the real zest for shopping online after realising that i got good quality clothes online.My next purchase was n off the shoulder top. Which is no longer available but I'm putting a similar top that i have my eyes on.

PattyBoutik Women's Lace Smocked Off Shoulder Top - Ranked 7.5

So I chose this and bought it. It looked exactly like the photo but the quality of the stitching wasn't the best. It was still a very nice top but the other issue for me was it didn't look good on me. In fact the style didn't suit me and the top ended up in my drawer for a few years until i gave it to charity. I bought it in 2015 and at that time it cost USD $29.99. I rank this a 7.5

This is the top I'm eyeing now.

Sarin Mathews Womens Lace Off The Shoulder Tops 3/4 Sleeve Casual Summer Loose Blouses Shirts - GET IT HERE

• MATERIAL - High quality lace fabric, the lace is soft and not itchy or stiff. The lace is very elegant and has an inner lining, which is perfect in all season.

• This blouse is very feminine and well made. You don’t have to continuously pull it down on your shoulders it stays in place.

• It can be dressed up for a night out or just a causal day out kind of shirt. It’s so comfortable and stays put. It covers your butt and looks absolutely amazing.

MY COMMENT/REVIEW

I can't rank or say anything about this lace top until I buy it which might be soon, after all it is Christmas. The price is right at USD $19.99 so we will see. Maybe I can get someone in the family to buy it for me. See it here.

I finally bought something for my husband. Wanted to surprise him with a gift for Christmas so in 2015 I got him this:

Dockers Men's Fair Isle Chest Stripe Zip Mock-Neck Holiday Ski Sweater - GET IT HERE - Rank 7.5

Yes I know we don't ski here, but we do have air conditioning that can be quite cold.....

so this Dockers Men's Ski Sweater, again as I bought it so long ago, its no longer available but in looking around the sweater below is what seems to have replaced the one i bought years ago. How style has been simplified....see below

Dockers Men'sQuarter Zip Soft Acrylic Sweater - SEE IT HERE

MY COMMENT/REVIEW

Boy things go out and don't come back so I can't say anything about the new style. I can say that the one I bought, the quality was great, the fit was great and we still have that sweater today. I rank it a 7'5. This new design...sorry I don't know yet.

In 2017, Another Maxi Dress....I'm looking for comfort in my life...

LILBETTER Women V-Neck Polka Dot Print Spaghetti Strap Boho Long Maxi Dresses - GET IT HERE - Rank - 9

• Material:95% Rayon,5% Spandex,Comfortable and breathable.

• Attention:1)The front length is shorter than the back, 2)The seam of this maxi dress is in the front,3)The polka dots in the seam is random, some are no close matching. Please kindly look the details in the last image before you place the order.

• Feature:Sundress,Polka dots,V-Neck,Sleeveless,Adjustable spaghetti strap,Sling,full-Length,Long beach maxi dress

• Price USD$22.99

MY COMMENTS/REVIEW

I love this dress, I wore it just 2 days ago and it's still in the same condition and quality as the first day I bought it. Easy to wear, comfortable, great style and stitching, colour hasn't faded, it irons well and you don't even have to do that if you hang it right after drying it. A Great maxi dress, so mush so that my daughter saw it and i had to order one for her but this time a red. And we inter borrow ever so often. Love this. See it here: Rank 9

Please know that this post does have affiliate links and i will get a small commission if you should purchase an item but this helps with my expenses to continue my site and I thank you in advance.

OK I'm leaving some room for the other clothing and shoes in Part 2. See you then.

Later guys. Sorry men...that there isn't much here for you unless you're looking to buy something for the lady in your life.

How to Use Placeit.net

Hi guys....I recently mentioned in a former post that I've started doing T shirts and in creating those I started selling them on Teespring, Redbubble, Teechip and I'm trying to get unto Merch by Amazon. but the greatest part of all of this was my discovery of the platform called Placeit.net. I'm so in love with this platform that I introduced it to my son who is a craze on social media here in Trinidad. It's how he gets his clients. He is a millennial coach and thats the best way to reach them. But he was paying to get his intro videos done and when initially showed him placeit.net he kinda brushed me off, but later he asked to use it and now he sees the value of being able to easily create your own intro at a very low cost. So I decided to do this post explaining how to use Placeit.net, and so eeeeasy it is.

So let's get started. There is a cost to this platform but as I said before, book it for a moth, make as many videos or mock ups as you can based on your plan then you can always cancel your registration.

Step One - Register on Placeit.net

Step 2 - Choose the first payment plan of $14/month. You get unlimited designs, mock ups, videos etc and even logos.

Step 3 - Designing a tee

If you want to design a tee, then type in the niche in the search area, eg. cats. An array of designs will come up, choose one and click on it. This is what you will see.

Step 4 - Make changes.

Now change things around. You can change the words, the type of fonts, the actual picture or even the colour. Start changing the words. Here I added the words "Sleepy Cat" at the top and - "Don't you dere wake me!!"

You do this by clicking on "Add Another Text" write what you want and click on the text itself to move it to where you want it on the design.

Make sure to choose a transparent background, by clicking on the background colour on the top right. It was lilac but I chose the transparent, so when you place it on your tee it looks good and doesn't have a white box around it.

Step 5 - Download Design

Once the design is the way you want it then its time to download it by clicking the download button. Give it a few minutes then it comes up for you to save it in a file on your desktop.

Download it, give it a name then save it in a file to use later. Its just that easy.

PLACEIT.NET - Making an Intro

Step 1 - Chose what video you want to make

We're making an intro so choose Intro templates

Step 2 - cChoose the Template

Once you've chosen the template from the vast array. it will open the template and then once again you can change things around, like the colour, the font, the words etc.

Step 3 - Start Making the Changes

You can add your logo, choose you brand colours, change the wording of the main text and even add additional slides to you video.

I chose this template, I duplicated it and added my 2 business logos for my Podcast intro. Lets see how it looks.

So this is what it can do for you. Isn't that just the Bawm!!! People check this platform out, you know i tend to go crazy for the different creative mediums and this is one I really like. Placeit.net is my new go to for videos, mock ups and Instagram posts. I have to mention that I had to search all over for mock ups for my art before and they were very cumbersome to use and I never had the ability to make them so versatile like a video. Technology is just exploding and we really have to enjoy the ride

Check you guys next time and don't forget to check out Placeit.net

Disrespecting Other People's Time

Hi guys...I went through minor surgery a week ago and while I was home recuperating, I kinda didn't get an opportunity to write a post but since I didn't lose my voice as I thought I would I did this Podcast which I'm sharing with you, its about a situation that happened to me recently. I'll be up and about in full vigor, don't worry.

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Disrespecting Other People's Time https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Disrespecting-Other-Peoples-Time-e985d7