secrets of a stylist: my QuaranTina.
Sometimes life goes as planned and sometimes it throws us a curveball.
I was so excited to finally host a little get together here for Mother's Day and was forced to cancel. I was stuck at my house with Covid (thankfully with the dogs!) and feeling like crap.
Covid itself hasn't been too bad but the case of anxiety that has gone along with it has been brutal. It's amazing what our minds let us believe and control how we feel. I have never felt so alone but so connected at the same time. I am definitely a people person, a touchy feely person and need human contact!
My Calm app has been a life saver. Are you familiar with Calm? I started using it a couple of years ago. I use it to quiet my mind, when I'm having a panic attack or am overly anxious. I also use it to fall asleep to almost every night...oh, Matthew McConaughey...your sweet dreamy voice can put me to sleep anytime! Check it out! If you have Kaiser Health Insurance, they pay for it. You can sign up for a free trial too. But, I think it's worth every penny.
Day one of testing positive, I got a card in the mail from my friend Kathy- just a note to say hi and to tell me she loved me. She had read my blog post about my good mail day and wanted to give me another one! How sweet is that? Randomly, another magazine I styled landed on the same day as her card...I call that kismet. And a good mail day.
Loved styling this issue of Knits magazine! Gorgeous textures and fun sets!
Day two of my QuaranTina, Jeff dropped off homemade chicken noodle soup, Gatorade, Ginger Ale, a magazine, and some scratch tickets. So thankful for him!
Such a fun little care package! Unfortunately, I did not win on the scratchers... :(
On day three (after testing positive but 5 days after first sign of symptoms), Jeff came over to do a test run for a shoot I was suppose to be on the following day. I found an assistant to cover for me but needed to get a sample shirt ready for her to recreate on set. We had to be able to easily rip a polo off of a guy to reveal another one underneath.
This is our first run at it! SOUND UP!
The remaining days have all blurred together and I had a hard time remembering which day was what. I had a bunch of friends/family reach out to me to check on me with phone calls, texts, and cards! Some sent me yummy treats! I didn't even know these services existed and can't wait to send them to someone in the future! My friend Kim texted me and asked: Wild Rice, Basil, or Vegetable Soup? I thought it was a funny question, I chuckled and answered, "wild rice". A few days later this magical package arrived...
Spoonful of Comfort. It was the BEST gluten free soup EVER! The soup, the rolls, and the cookies were all gluten free and DELICIOUS! They have many packages to choose from! Highly recommended!
Then, I got a text from another friend, Steph, that said: "Tina!!!!, I’m sending you a Sugarwish! Click the link to see your gift!" So I did. It took me to the Sugarwish website where I was informed that my friends had bought me a bunch of yummy treats- all I had to do was pick them out! A few days later this magical package arrived...
Such fun packaging...I'm a sucker for that! And what a fun gift, no matter the occasion!
Who doesn't love to receive a little treat in the mail? Talk about a good mail day!
On my first day of QuaranTina, I was super anxious about having Covid and freaking out a little. My mom told me to watch a movie or read a book to get my mind off of it. I had just received a shoe rack in the mail that I was going to use for pillow storage. So, I put it together and set it up in my spare bedroom closet!
stylist tip: Look for storage in unexpected ways! In the process of putting my closet back together after the wood floors were installed, I pulled all the pillows down I had thrown on top of a bunch of baskets in my closet. I set them on my shoe rack to hold them while moving them and got an idea! Why not use a shoe rack to hold my pillows? They are in multiple closets and just piled up all willy nilly.
15 pillows stored this way! I didn't use the top shelf because of the bar in my closet but saved it in case I find a better place to use this pillow rack!
stylist secret: I would not do well on those reality shows where you're dropped off in the middle of nowhere and have to survive ALL BY YOURSELF. No thank you. Naked and Afraid is my worst nightmare. Clothed and Alone is also not a good fit for me. :) A few years ago, I was on a shoot for Beaver Creek resort and was taken to the top of the mountain in a snow cat with a bunch of other people. I was left at this yurt to watch all the gear BY MYSELF. It was cold and there was no heat. Within one hour, I had put all my extra layers on and had eaten ALL my snacks. I'm would not do well in the wild.
I am very thankful that I am surrounded by generous, loving people who take very good care of me. I am also very thankful that I contracted it at the time I did- with pretty mild symptoms. Multiple people on the set I was on contracted Covid too. As much as it sucked to have it, I was thankful to be going through it with other women! It was so nice to touch base every day with them and to check in to see how each other was feeling. To the women who rode this ride with me (you know who you are)...thank you! I hope we all are back to normal in no time!
To the people who lost loved ones to Covid, my heart breaks for you. Sending you all the loves, today and always.
If you suffer from anxiety too and ever need a friend to talk to, please reach out to me. You are not alone no matter how alone you feel. Check in with your friends and family when you think about them - you have no idea how far a text, call or note goes.
Thanks for reading! Until next time...cheers! xo tina