my three months results with nerium: the vehicle to our dreams

over the past two posts i have taken you on a journey from self-sabotage to freedom
a process of renewal and self-discovery
now i conclude with that unexpected spark which ignited this transformation
Nerium

Nerium will be my vehicle to not only provide for the basic needs of our family but to achieve our dreams
and i will bring along as many family and friends who want to come
it may not be for you
but take just a few brief minutes and look at two things
decide for yourself
and let me know what you think

first
my results

after 3 months i have seen incredible results

reduction in the appearance of redness, pore size, and fine lines

increase in hydration and softness
go ahead, blow up the photo
take a good look

second

this short video 'Reflect Your Youth' about the Nerium AD 24 Hour Experience

give us a year and we'll give you 10 back

want to know more
visit my website at www.mikeandbriana.nerium.com
comment below, drop me a Facebook message or email me at mikeandbriana6 at gmail dot com

how i got my groove back

self-sabotage and barbed wire fences is where i left off in my last post
that is not the end of the story
my dreams that i shared with you of having a sustainable blog are still in full force
mike and i have been working behind the scenes on this for over a year
our new name, our new goals, and our new design and content being drafted and refined
and i look forward to sharing them with you
but what came into my world just three months ago has been something that has forced me to address those self-sabotaging thoughts and barbed wire fences i had been filling my mind with
convincing myself that i was not good enough, experienced enough, worthy enough to be able to provide for my family
being successful was just not in the cards for me
just look at our past struggles and the destiny of our future would be told
financial struggle was something that would always be around
especially if it was me that was leading the way in providing for the family

ugh. those thoughts are awful
heavy and paralyzing
anyone would believe those thoughts if they were the only ones they had told themselves
thankfully they were not the only thoughts occupying my mind nor were they words that i heard from those who care about me most
briana, you can do this
briana, you have been blessed with abilities that can benefit others
briana, you have a husband to take care of and children to provide for
briana, your future is as bright as your faith

in my mind i entertained both streams of thoughts
and unfortunately i couldn’t quiet the negative ones long enough to believe the positive ones
three months ago i packed my bags and flew out to las vegas with skepticism as my carry on
that weekend i learned that i had liquid hope in my possession
and joined a company whose goal is to make people better

to read more about my weekend read here, here and here

this real opportunity has been an unexpected answer to my prayers to be able to help provide for my family
i have shared it with many of you over the past few months
and most importantly have learned how many of you are praying for our family
i threw myself into sharing this breakthrough product and dream building opportunity with you
but all along in my mind the doubts rang loudly
not doubts in the product
for it is the real deal backed by over a decade of science and substantiated by real results
not doubts in the opportunity
for i personally know people who have earned their I-pad, Lexus, and real money through this incredible opportunity
not doubts in the principles of the company
for i have met and heard stories of people whose self-confidence and faith have been raised and lives have been changed through the founding goal of Nerium
to make people better

my doubts lied in me
my ability to be successful
i have all the reason to fight for success
my family is depending on me
its real
the need is there

the reality of me needing to play an increasingly significant role as a provider for our family has solidified to the level of necessary

this need is what has propelled me out into the workplace

and it is a spark for action if i’ve ever felt one

but it was not enough

having a worldclass product, real opportunity, principle founded company, and a compelling need to be successful was just not enough

i had to believe that

i, briana marie, stay at home mother of 4, possessor of passion, faith, confidence, and drive

could be successful with what i have been given

after three months i wondered why i hadn’t been as successful as i was hoping 

and it wasn’t until after the transformation happened that i realized why

everyday i had prayed for success in building my business

i was doing all the right activities 

and was receiving tremendous help from others who were working with me each day to build my confidence and belief in myself

and i was listening

but only partially believing

i thought that if i listened to their words long enough, i would begin to believe them

the weekend before last will be the weekend i forever remember 

as a turning point in my life

i had set a business goal for myself, one that i wanted to achieve by saturday night

i set out to make that goal a reality

doing all the recommended activities

as i began my day a passion burned within my soul to be successful at this

to be able to ease the burdens of my husband

to feel the clutches of financial stress release the paralyzing weight around my ankles

to be able to provide the basic needs for my family but also giving me permission to bust through those barbed wire doors to let my dreams free

to help provide a life of discovery and learning for my children

to be able to have the means of helping others in their dark nights

i decided to fast, a full day’s fast

knowing i needed to feel as much of God’s spirit and enabling power as i could that day

i knelt in prayer with my children surrounding me

i poured out my heart to my Heavenly Father

thanking Him for this noble man that i had married

for my patient children who have been supporting me in this

for this opportunity He had placed in my path

i pled with Him to help me to meet my goal that day

i shared my heart in wanting to be able to alleviate the burdens of my husband and to be able to provide for my children and help them discover and pursue their talents

my desire to be able to give to others

to be able to do simple things for others like buy them groceries, simple gifts of appreciation, and give to their causes that their hearts connect with

those things people had done for us

i poured out my heart

i rose to my feet and went to work

during the morning and mid-day the grumblings of my stomach were audible

but as my day went on fasting seemed to get easier

in those final hours of prayer and fasting something simple and profound happened

i felt close to God and felt Him speak to my heart in a way i had not experienced since the passing of my daddy

the love i felt from Him was palpable 

and i felt Him speaking to me

briana, you can do this

briana, you have abilities I have blessed you with that you can help others

briana, as long as you come unto Me first I will pour into you and you will be able provide for your family 

and yes briana, you can dream again

i finally felt as if the dark, hard shell of despair and fear that had been covering me

break apart and fall to the ground

i felt free for the first time in nearly a year, no years

i felt like me again, something i didn’t know could happen again after all that i had experienced this year

the light of real hope, real faith, and real confidence

i was new

born once again through the love and mercy of my God

it was bigger than any business goal than i had set for myself

i didn’t need to fear anymore

He would walk beside me in whatever endeavor it might be

He would enlarge my capabilities to achieve whatever may come to help my family, others, and myself

but in order to achieve any business goal, i first had to believe that i could do it

and boy do i believe now

i will succeed 

and i will bring along as many of my family and friends who want to come along with me

this is real

its right for me, could it be right for you

i don’t know

but if you’d like to find out

know that i’ll help you

tomorrow i will leave you with some concluding thoughts

thank you for your continued prayers and support for our family

have you experienced a transformation in your life?  how did it happen?  how did it effect you?

self-sabotage and barbed wire: fighting the battle within

sometimes life just keeps handing you surprises
and sometimes its you, yourself that is the surprise
these past few months, and particularly this last week, have been transforming in the way i look at myself and my place in the world
my eyes have been opened
and my heart has changed
it is a beautiful feeling

over the past four years since Mike's diagnosis i have experienced
anger, resentment, fear, hopelessness, denial, apathy, depression
my heart has broken
my dreams shaken
my world crumbled
but i also have experienced
unconditional love, joy, gratitude, unshakable faith, hope, compassion, peace
my life being lifted by the goodness of others and by God
i've seen my husband in a new light
the light of a true man
i've seen myself in a new light
the light of a driven woman

after my daddy died i was granted the gift of peace
a spirit of endurance and resolve that i could do hard things if i depended on the Lord
what a boost that was in my daily living in learning to live without daddy
as this year has progressed my ability to cope with difficult things has wavered
difficult things just kept coming my way
my ability to handle these situations has waned not because my belief in God has faltered
but my belief in myself
i know God works miracles, i have seen them first hand time and time again
i have even seen them within myself
granted they have come whilst dealing with tremendously difficult things
but they have come in areas i am comfortable and familiar with
my faith in God and his ability to bring me through these difficulties
this is something i am confident in
this is something i have experienced before
this is something i have come to expect

the wavering of my ability to cope with these new difficulties
lies in my doubt in something else
not God
but myself
me and my ability to be more
be more in an area that i am uncomfortable in
success in the workplace
with me as a provider for our family

as things have become increasingly difficult in our life due to mike's health and other circumstances
the reality of me needing to play an increasingly significant role as a provider for our family has solidified to the level of necessary
answers to prayers have been coming in forms i never would have imagined
people have come into my life
people have stayed in my life
tools have been brought to my world
what hasn't been there was me
well not completely anyway
i have been working so hard to convince myself that i can be successful in this new role
that i, me, briana marie, stay at home mother of 4, inexperienced, little ole me, 
can provide for our family and renew hope in our dreams and build new ones
all the while that voice in the back of my head has been self-sabotaging my laborious outer and inner efforts
my belief has been waning and waffling
this internal battle between confidence and doubt has been mentally and emotionally exhausting

i needed to break down that wall i have been building around my heart and my dreams
protecting them from the next blow to my family that i have somehow adjusted to expecting
not in a negative 'something bad must be coming' way
just in a broad defensive stance, stand your ground, and 'be ready for it' way
i built a wall around my dreams and put a no trespassing sign and barbed wire fence around it
to keep myself out
it would be easier that way i thought
just don't dream
don't i dare dream again
don't i dare even get close to it
i can be happy and live with what we've already been given
which is indeed a rich life
but don't i dare dream for more


but i wanted to unlock those gates to my dreams
i wanted to give myself, mike, and my children things to hope for, work towards, believe in the possibility of
but before any dreams could be achieved, the basics must be addressed
those necessities of sustaining our family needed to be taken care 
and now i am playing a larger part in providing those necessities
and not much will be achieved without that elusive self-belief that i could be successful in this
what would naturally follow would be to allow myself to dream once more
but would it hurt more to allow myself to dream again or to continue to shut myself off from the prospect never tasting their sweetness
but what if having confidence to succeed could not only allow myself the means to provide those basics for my family, but also give me permission to bust through those barbed wire doors to let my dreams free

i am here today to tell you that it happened
that necessary transformation that is propelling me into the workplace with confidence
with achieving success and accomplishing my dreams in the forefront of my mind
that story alone merits its own post
in which i will share how i have overcome this internal battle

to which i say...to be continued...

to read more about our journey with MS click here
or my daddy's battle with cancer click here

what internal battles have you fought? have you ever experienced self-sabotaging thoughts? how did you overcome them?

fresh and innovative wedding services 'round up'

the allure of love has carried us through nearly two weeks of wedding inspired posts
i am concluding our lovefest with a roundup of some unique companies breathing freshness and innovation into planning your wedding

Cloud Parade
Recycle Your Wedding
Peacock Social
Sandra Nicole

Cloud Parade
the first marketplace to shop for and design your own radical wedding
it makes designing your own wedding a walk in the clouds
start by selecting colors, categories, or styles using custom filters
or browse a particular cloud parade shop or
cloud, another bride's collection of items
all pulled from various cloud parade shops
from there you can modify to create your own cloud
or like what you see? just purchase the entire cloud
creating your own perfect wedding just the way your envisioned
watch this short little introductory video and see its delicious look
and how it can help you bring your own style of wedding to life

 


Recycle Your Wedding
a free service that gives future brides and past brides
a place to buy and sell gently used wedding decor, gowns, paper goods, and more
with a user friendly interface
you can browse locally by selecting on your country or state and area
or by category, price, condition, or color
they have a handy comparison tool that allows you to select your favorite listings to quickly compare prices
if you don't see what you want, create a posting in the 'wanted' section and send it out there for all to see worldwide

***

***

shabby chic bouquet: sola, dried and paper flowers

Peacock Social
Stephanie and Tor Saharopulos are a husband and wife boutique DJ collective
they bring a level of comfort to any occasion, from private settings to the most public of dance parties
their goal is to keep costs humble and good times plentiful
with a stylish milieu of sounds specifically designed for you
they are based out of LA but will travel
here are a few reviews from some ecstatic clients:
"peacock social is both artist and dj"
"artistic, thoughtful process"
"the invisible guardians of style"
"they worked closely with me to determine the tone of the event. the result was elegant, but interesting and unique...they were integral to keeping my wedding from being cookie cutter and keeping my wedding fun."
check out Stephanie's blog fit for any music addict
i love how their 'spinning love beats' blog feature which recaps their weddings with their playlists for each section of the event
i'm in love with their logo and setup they just did recently for a bridal fair
pure dj savoir faire

Sandra Nicole
services that were once reserved solely for celebrities and high society
are now available to each and every bride
no matter her budget
Sandra Nicole offers a a one of a kind experience that is propelling their company in the Southern Califronia wedding industry
once brides have selected their gown, they meet with Sandra Nicole for a complete style consultation to determine their entire look head to foot
after determining their hairstyle
brides can select from custom made, in house designed veils headpieces, earring, necklaces, and garters
customization even available on down to the shoes
Sandra Buczek and her daughter Nicole are the founders and head personal bridal stylists
Sandra says that it is nearly impossible for a bride to drag her dream wedding dress from store to store, looking for those perfect accessories to highlight it
with their styling consultations, brides try on their gown and play dress up
trying on accessory after accessory until she finds or even custom designs those perfect pieces
that have her exclaiming 'that's it!' just like she would for her dress

Sandra Nicole has been featured on the cover of many bridal magazines as well as on popular wedding blogs such as Green Shoes Weddings, Ruffled, and Style Me Pretty
i am head over heels for their accessories featured in this Great Gatsby inspired shoot

for a sneak peak into Sandra Nicole's styling process watch this introductory video below



have you found a company who provides an unique and fresh service for brides?  share it with us in a comment.

winner of the jenna lou designs giveaway

as wedding week {and a half} here on Sweet Dreams are Made of These
is nearing the end  
i am happy to have given you all an opportunity to look closer at 
Jenna Lou Designs

and what they can offer you whether it be for your wedding, special event, or just everyday use

a big thanks to jenna for providing this giveaway
of a 7" custom clutch 

having 323 entries from you all made me feel so proud to be apart of this community here

thank you all for your continued support

and a big shout out to all of you who decided you liked what you saw here 

at Sweet Dreams are Made of These and decided to follow me here on my blog or on Instagram

i hope to hear lots from my new readers

please come back and visit soon and often

without further ado

drumroll please...

karen from sew stitichin cute, i have emailed you, 

so look for the message of congratulations coming your way

hope your clutch will arrive just in time for that spectacular summer event i'm sure you've got planned

thank you again to everyone who participated

and expressed such enthusiasm for the varying gorgeous designs by Jenna Lou

i especially enjoyed hearing from those of you who already own a Jenna Lou original 

and how much you love and use it everyday

be sure to take advantage of the wedding season sale in which

jenna lou designs is offering you to
save 10% on all bridal orders
with code: SAVE10

what else would you like to see featured on our giveaways here on Sweet Dreams are Made of These?

interview with florist and event designer: petals and lace

today i have the privilege of introducing you to the fabulously talented designer behind 
petals and lace floral and event design
kelly fiorito
who will share this us today some of this summer’s bridal floral trends
as well as some pieces of advice on topics such as selecting a wedding style and venue 
we also will find out a little more about how she got started as an independent florist

a love for flowers is in my blood
earlier in my life i shared with you here that i owned my own floral business
a rose is a rose
and even have shared a tutorial for a backyard date night corsage here
my grandmother did flowers 
my mother knows every name of every garden flower there is
and my aunt has a thriving floral business

yes, kelly fiorito is my aunt kelly
i am so honored and proud to share her vision and floral artistry with you today
her creations are simply breathtaking and her ability to transform a bride’s ideas into reality is pure magic

Q: At what point did you fall in love with your job as a florist and designer?

A: I’ve always loved working with flowers.  My mom had a floral business when I was young and I helped her at home and worked with her doing weddings.  In high school I did greenery, cleaned flowers, and stripped roses at a local floral shop.  Since then I’ve done flowers on and off for friends.  I later worked at a large floral company but knew I’d much rather do original work than 80 of the same corsage.  Petals and Lace began five years ago when my friend asked me to do their wedding in La Jolla.  I didn’t know then that I would be raising my grandson.  One day I had my 4 year old grandson with me and he said, ‘There are succulents over there, do you want to get some?’  I realized then that I had become my mom who had always carried clippers wherever she went.  

Q: What are the main trends for brides this summer for flowers and decor?

A:  Vintage rustic has definitely been the most requested style this summer.  Adding lace and prints including stripes and chevron as well.   For bouquets, a monochromatic color palette of champagne, blush, and ivories.  Soft yellows and greys as well.  Yellow and corals are also coming in this year.  

Personalizing a reception to reflect the hobbies and lifestyle of the couple has also been a major trend.  Book lovers incorporating old books, candlesticks, teacups, and pearls.  One couple loved astronomy and so they had telescopes at night at the reception.  

Receptions are also including things to do instead of just sit around:  games of horseshoes, bacci ball, and even dance instructors.

Couples are also making the wedding not just about that day.  Instead of having just a 4-5 hour wedding and reception, there are after-hours receptions where the guests go to a new location with a fire pit, s’mores bar, coffee bar, or even food trucks.  Guests spend the night and then have breakfast together in the morning.  More venues are allowing couples to rent the venue for the whole weekend where the wedding party and guests can stay.  Since so many people travel far distances, it makes it a nice, whole weekend thing.

Memory tables and momentos are also becoming more popular, remembering those special family members with table displays with photos and their belongings.  One bride created a special place setting at the table and boutonneire for her beloved grandfather.  I wrapped a photo of my daughter in law’s mother around her bouquet.

Q:  What are your top recommendations for a bride who is trying to decide on a style or theme for her wedding decor and flowers?

A:  Make it personal.  Make it individual to you.  Make it different.  If its something that you love and you want to do, then do it.  Its about you the individual couple.  Anything goes nowadays: taco bars, ice cream bars.  If you are an art lover, have your reception at a gallery.  Get your inspiration for anywhere.  So many brides are limiting their choices of what to do for their wedding to just what the see on Pinterest, which right now seems to be so much of the same.  Don’t be afraid to use color everywhere else, if you are afraid to use it in your own bouquet.  There are so many gorgeous flowers.  If there is a flower that you love, but its so expensive, just do it in your own bouquet. 

***

Q: What finally lit the fire under your feet to help transform a wedding venue?

A: I have been wanting to do this for years.  The opportunity fell in my lap when my son Bryan had his rehearsal dinner at Lazy H Ranch.  The owner wanted to transform his property but didn’t have any idea where to start.  My business partner Sandra and I met with him and showed him a vision of what we could help him achieve, a tranquil place where bride’s style could be showcased at this all outdoor venue.  Whispering Meadows was born.

{see photos of Whispering Meadows on my post about their launch bridal fair here}

Q:  What advice you would give a bride who is looking for a venue for a wedding?

A: Find somewhere that when you walk onto the venue you can say it takes my breath away.  That by the feeling you get when your first step onto the venue that you can imagine your wedding there.  Think about your guest, your older guests, and the ease of getting to it and staying nearby.  Be sure that the venue is flexible to your needs and does not charge extra for every little thing nor have time constraints that are super strict.

Q: You also started a rental portion of your business.  What sorts of items could a bride rent from you?

A: Most of what you see in our photos comes from our rentals.  Chandeliers, containers, mirrors, candlesticks, wood tree trunks, settee for sweetheart tables, signs, old books, table setting, linens, chalkboard items, parasols, the list goes on. 

{Be sure to check out Petals and Lace’s Rental Gallery to see the full line of rentals here}

Q: After all the work is done, at what moment does it make it all worth it?

A: When I hear from my bride that she is satisfied with her wedding, hearing her exclamation, ‘oh i love my bouquet!!‘  When the bride appreciates it and it is more than what they expected.  I received a letter from one of my brides who told me that her wedding looked like it belonged in a garden and how when she walked in she was in tears because she couldn’t believe it could look like that, that it was more than she had dreamed. 

***

Do you have a question you would like to ask our resident florist and event designer?  Leave it here in the comments and I'm sure she'd be happy to respond.

Do you live in Southern California and would be interested in a free consultation with Petals and Lace?  Be sure to leave your information here and they will be sure to get back with you. 

*all sources of photos are cited or are from Petals and Lace home site or Facebook page

the other side of how we met

it was the summer of 1997

and third eye blind and matchbox 20 were king

email was just becoming the premier way of communicating

it was still a thrill to see one pop up in your inbox
i received an email from one of my college friends suggesting we become counselors to the incoming freshman
for me it was an easy decision

the last weekend in august
i remember standing in a parking lot waiting for a shuttle that would transport my new group of 17 {we later named roadkill something or other} up the gorgeous aspen lined provo canyon to aspen grove
where we would be ‘training’ on how to be counselors
needless to say it was a three day funfest

i remember being on that shuttle with this curly haired, short guy who didn’t say much
he wore razor blade frogskin oakleys, that were outdated even for 1997
{you know the kind that you could switch out the nose piece, arms, and frames with rad colors}
frayed cut off jean shorts and a beat up t-shirt
his style made quite the impression

upon arriving there we gathered around in a circle and each group member got a chance to introduce themselves
on someone else's turn this curly haired guy made some smart comment about this other guys major selection
i remember thinking, 'this guy thinks he's real funny'
little did i know that not only does this guy think he's funny, but he would make me laugh every day
and even after 15 years of marriage i would still not know if his dry humor and smart comments to me are serious or in jest

the next three days were full of fun and frivolity
water games, team olympics, trust activities, late nights of mingling, mixed with a little bit of training
i remember the first occasion i had to actually sit down and talk to mike in a small group
i learned of his ambition to graduate early and head to law school
and of his mission to hong kong and study of the chinese language
he had a confidence and direction that was very appealing
having dated a few guys who were insecure with who they were and what they wanted
it was certainly not love at first sight
but love at first real conversation
i was twitter-pated from day one

from that moment on i tried to create every opportunity to be next to him
each time we met in a large groups of hundreds of counselors in training or in our small group or at the cafeteria
i saved a spot right next to me
hoping he would sit there
and often he did
somehow i made my way next to him
i laughed at every joke or funny line
{later realizing that most of his lines came from tv shows like seinfeld or movies starring jim carrey or chris farley}
and hung on every word he said
for it had to have been important and oh so deep

and after those dreamy three days i didn't want to let him go
i wanted to continue to be right next to him
so of course on that bus ride back down provo canyon
i did what any other twitter-pated girl would do
i pretended to fall asleep on his shoulder
i felt safe there next to him
with a pounding in my heart that i didn't want to go away

this was the beginning of a whirlwind love
with the fire of love flamed by poems, flowers, dances, and all sorts of other romantic gestures
that i fell deeply for

after 15 years, this man has never ceased to treat me like his queen
never criticizing, always lifting me
with his positive outlook and strength that i continue to lean on each and every day

to read mike's side of how we met click here
to see photos of our life over the years i posted on our 14th wedding anniversary click here