Remember me? It feels like it's been forever since I've posted here (but it's only been about a week lol).  January was a weird month for me.  I usually feel pretty invigorated at the start of a new year, but this year that wasn't the case.  I was tired, uninspired and stressed.  I was doubtful and overwhelmed.  And now, I'm feeling a little better, so I thought I'd update you all on what's been going on...[one_half padding="5px 5px 5px 5px"][/one_half][one_half_last padding="5px 5px 5px 5px"]Now that I've gotten all my tax related documents, I need to buckle down and do my taxes.  I also need to get serious about making (and sticking to) a budget for CVTD Beauty.  I have such big dreams for my business, but I know that it'll take more than dreaming to get shit done.  I need to put my money where my mouth is and make strategic investments in this business.The trouble is figuring out where my money should go.  Should I hire an assistant to handle social media and dealing with brands that I carry? Should I hire a social media agency instead? Should I figure out how to make Instagram ads work for me? Spend more money creating content (like YouTube videos and blog posts) highlighting CVTD Beauty?? HELP! Seriously, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one!P.S. Sign up here to stay up to date on what's going on with CVTD Beauty.  I'm always adding new goodies to the shop and have some exciting partnerships coming this year![xyz-ihs snippet="cvtd"][/one_half_last]

---

  To keep from getting too stressed about my business, I've been doing some serious browsing.  I haven't made any major purchases, but I've really been drawn to suits.  This Zara one has been in my cart for about a week and I can't stop thinking about it.  I'm usually in jeans and a sweater but I'm kinda feeling like it's time to add some more sophisticated pieces to my closet.

---

[one_half padding="5px 5px 5px 5px"] [/one_half][one_half_last padding="5px 5px 5px 5px"]  I'm off to New York this weekend and while I always love NYC, I'm  dreading the cold weather.  I gave away my long down coat when I moved back to California almost 4 years ago because it was super worn out and I knew I wouldn't need it.  And even though I've visited pretty frequently over the years, I made sure to stay away during the dead of winter.  Now I'm looking at my closet to see how many sweaters I can layer to survive this trip.  Or do I need to break down and buy a jacket?[/one_half_last]

Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working. - Pablo Picasso

Last, here's a quote that I'm going to try to keep in mind this month. Sometimes I get worn out and frustrated with trying to create fresh, useful + unique content.  I think the thing to remember is to keep at it.  If I'm not feeling up to shooting a video, I can look for new and interesting fonts.  If I'm not up to editing images, I can flip through magazines for ideas on layouts.  Even small things count, right?And along that vein, I'll have another #PerfectPalettes post up this week as well as a few posts next week (and maybe even a video if I'm feeling wild). Hope February is off to an amazing start, and happy Black History Month too!!