Fixer Upper

Stuart and I have recently found an obsession in HGTV home makeover shows, but one in particular has us tuned in every Thursday night.

Fixer Upper is a home improvement show where Chip and Joanna Gaines help clients find the perfect home for them starting at the house hunting process, then renovation and then revealing the home to it’s newest owners. Joanna’s knack for design inspired her to start a local boutique and a blog that captured the attention of HGTV. Before they knew it, the couple landed themselves a series highlighting the renovation and realty aspect of their business.  You can tune into HGTV’s show, Fixer Upper, to watch Chip and Joanna take clients through the process of finding the right home, renovating the imperfections, and revealing the home as it was always meant to be.After searching for a house of our own since the beginning of May, we are now considering a fixer upper ourselves. Stu had always kept the idea open, but Im so ready to get out of our tiny apartment that I was just looking for those move in ready homes. Since my mom flips houses as a living, she has always encouraged us to go with the fixer upper route. Now after watching the first season of Fixer Upper, I am board! The way that this team takes an old broken down house and turns it into a new, renovated, and classic home is priceless. I love Joanna’s style of decorating which she describes as simple and classic, farm inspired, industrial and unexpected.  I now have so many ideas of things I would like in our own house one day! You can check out their website here: magnoliahomes.net

I soooo want to make our own dining room table now. After seeing a few tables they had refinished and refurbished on the show, I now want one too! This picture is similar to what I am looking for, but this looks like they took a table, antiqued it and then nailed some old wood on top. I’m sure it’s more complicated than that!

After using these doors at our wedding, I would love to turn them into head boards for our bed! But since Stu and I obviously only need one, looks like a guest bedroom may be getting one too! I think I would like to have the wood quote hanging somewhere in our house as well! That wood was from an old fence my dad tore down from his house shortly before out wedding :) Mom actually took down the doors from an old family owned house and refinished them to look the way they do. 

I love looking at peoples DIY ideas with pallets and here are a couple that I’d like to incorporate in our bathroom and kids room!

Lastly, I have become super interested in redoing an old dresser. After searching through pictures on the Southern Revivals Blog, I know I can do it too. I would love to have something like this sitting in our den or hallway! And I love the idea of cutting the legs off and using it as a seat! 

Lilly Monograms

I've been playing with some Lilly Pulitzer prints today and made monogram prints for myself some of my girls :) Girls, y'all can click on them and save them as your computers or phones! 

15,000 views!

I've been playing around today and switching some things up on my blog! I figured 15,000 views meant the blog was up to a revamp. Instead of calling it Life As We Know It... I decided to change the name to Classy, Sassy & Southern.  I love all things Lilly Pulitzer, so I changed the Lilly print to the South Carolina picture and put my new title on top :)  

Now I may just go check out Swoozie's new collection of Lilly items while I'm our running errands this afternoon! Never heard of Swoozie's? It's kind of my dream store that I'd love to own one day! Check out their website below! 

www.swoozies.com 

R + F Story - Lindsey Griffin

 Most people have experienced, at some point in their lives, the dread of going to work on Monday morning. Whether it’s because you hate your job, or you just need a change, sometimes the weekend just goes by much too fast. When you’re young, it is expected that you will work a few terrible jobs or internships before you find your place in the world, and it is rare to be a college student and already have a rewarding career. 

Lindsey Griffin is thankful that she found, at the very young age of nineteen, a career as a Rodan + Fields Independent Consultant that she describes as the perfect combination of business and purpose. Four years ago, Lindsey was a college student working two part-time jobs. She felt very uncertain about the future, unsure of what her degree in finance was going to do for her later in life. When she discovered the Rodan + Fields business opportunity, she jumped at the chance to build a business for herself and joined without hesitation. “I was studying finance at the time so I understood the potential, but I had no idea then how much it would impact my life.”

Lindsey graduated with her degree in finance a year and a half ago, and now at twenty-three has no college debt, since her Rodan + Fields earnings allowed her to pay her tuition as she made her way through school. As a newlywed who has earned a six-figure income through her Rodan + Fields business, she can enjoy her twenties by traveling with her husband, spending as much time as she wants with family and friends, and supporting her business partners. Not many people have this kind of freedom at such a young age, and it is rare in this economy for a twenty-three year old to be able to be her own boss, be debt-free, earn six figures, and control her own time. “This business has changed my life, and I am so blessed to have been given this opportunity. I have been able to avoid the whole nine to five world, and I love that I don’t have to dread going to an office every morning. I love everything about this business and what it has done for me and what I see it do for other people all the time.”

 “It’s important to keep reaching out to people, building strong relationships, and just have fun doing it along the way.”

Part of what keeps things fun, and adds a spark of motivation, are the incentive programs the compensation plan offers. She was excited to earn a Lexus through the Road to RFx Car Incentive Program, and earn a trip to Napa when she reached Level V. After those significant achievements, she felt further motivated to make sure her fellow business partners achieved what they want to get out of this.

“The cool thing about this is that you can do whatever you want with it. You can create exactly the kind of success you desire to have depending on what you’re willing to put into it.”

It’s wonderful to be young and not have to worry about your financial future. Lindsey is grateful to have found Rodan + Fields at an early stage in her life, and feels a great sense of freedom and gratitude.

What makes Rodan + Fields a unique business model, according to Lindsey, is that you have mentors right from the beginning who are there to help you succeed. "We have a motto that we are in business for ourselves, but not by ourselves."

She feels a strong connection to everyone on her team, and as a bonus, her own family members have since joined her in the business. She credits a large part of her success over the past four years to their support, especially her husband, who has encouraged her from the beginning. Feeling connected to people is a large part of not only enjoying working a Rodan + Fields business, but it is also the key to success. 

“It’s important to keep reaching out to people, building strong relationships, and just have fun doing it along the way.” Part of what keeps things fun, and adds a spark of motivation, are the incentive programs the compensation plan offers. She was excited to earn a Lexus through the Road to RFx Car Incentive Program, and earn a trip to Napa when she reached Level V. After those significant achievements, she felt further motivated to make sure her fellow business partners achieved what they want to get out of this. 
“The cool thing about this is that you can do whatever you want with it. You can create exactly the kind of success you desire to have depending on what you’re willing to put into it.”

It’s wonderful to be young and not have to worry about your financial future. Lindsey is grateful to have found Rodan + Fields at an early stage in her life, and feels a great sense of freedom and gratitude.

"Being young, it would have been so easy to let this opportunity pass me by or to give up, but I had to take a chance on myself and on this business- Fortunately, that one decision continues to pay off."

She credits much of her success to her business partners, and says she wouldn't be were she is today without their support. Now that she has already gained so much both financially and personally, she looks forward to continuing to encourage others as they get the most out of this business, at any age. 

"I feel like I have already been so blessed by my business, I wouldn't as for more. Ill be happy as long as I continue to move forward, and watch others created the lives they want for themselves as they discoverer this amazing opportunity." 


If you would like more information on Rodan+Fields business or products, you can message me with questions, or check out my website at www.jyarborough.myrandf.com 

R&F Story - Jonathan & JoDee Watkins

I love hearing Rodan & Fields success stories all in hopes that I will have my own one day. Last night I had the opportunity to hear a couple speak of their incredible 16 month journey in the company. This sweet couple, who just happen to be Clemson fans, joined the company in April of last year. Since then, they have both retired from their jobs! JoDee was a nurse and Jonathan was a policeman. 

These two ordinary people now inspire others to create and live out their own dreams by sharing their own family's story. 

They have two children of their own and two of which they adopted, but love all equally and unconditionally. God is now leading Jonathan and JoDee to start a camp for special needs children. Their first daughter was born with Williams disease, which is similar to downs syndrome. 

Here is JoDee's story :) 

" A friend of mine who I had known for 25 years posted a picture of some skincare that she had been using. After washing my face with shampoo for years, I realized I needed something more, so I gave her a call to find out what Rodan+Fields was all about. After catching up and talking about your families, she started talking about how R+F had changed her life. She told me about all the bills she was able to pay after just being in the business for 4 months. She told me that you didn't have to keep inventory or deliver products... people just go to your website and order and you make the commission. She told me that there were less than 35,000 consultants compared to Avon's 6 million and Mary Kay's 3.6 million. She told me that these were the same doctors who created Proactive and that they plan to take over the anti-aging market like they did the acne market. I laughed because I honestly didn't have interest in the business and I just wanted to buy something to get rid of the brown spots all over my face. But after hearing everything she said, it just made sense to join. 
After just one month selling and using the products, I had seen a huge difference in my skin and after two months, I stopped using foundation. My husband and I realized the power of this company and decided to make it our goal to retire him from the Fairfax County Police Department. After loosing my mother at 54 and brother at 19, we knew that life was short and we wanted to spend it together... with our kids... forever. After only 9 months with Rodan+Fields, we retired Jonathan and  were making 5 figures monthly! We earned our FREE LEXUS, all expenses paid trips to Napa and Hawaii, a team of 300+, and now get to be at home with our family 24/7. 
There are no words to describe how God has blessed our family. I saw the vision and all that this company had to offer. I believed Wendi and I'm glad I did. And now our lives are forever changed. Believe me.. and change your life. "

-JoDee Watkins

If you would like more information on Rodan+Fields business or products, you can message me with questions, or check out my website at www.jyarborough.myrandf.com 

Ashley & Austin Jackson

Ash and I grew up close enough to be sisters, but God made us cousins. We lived next door to each other, which meant we shared everything from toys to clothes. Right after her 17th birthday, she started to date Austin Jackson. They got engaged December of 2011 and tied the knot on July 4th this year! I stood beside her as she excitedly said I Do :) Here are some pictures from their special day!

I helped get the flower girl ready by doing her hair! 

Kristen and I played bartender while everyone got pictures before the ceremony.