A Grateful Heart is a Magnet for Miracles

Hello my sweet friends! We are approaching the season for thankfulness and gratitude! I just wanted to take a minute to share how grateful I am for my company, Vantel Pearls and for all of my Carolina Moon Pearl Crew!

Some of my best friends, who I know would be there for anything that I need, I would never have met had it not been for Vantel Pearls! This company has allowed me to meet so many unique people - people that I never would have been able to meet and now call friends! Vantel Pearls has allowed me to provide "extras" for my family that my teacher salary just did not allow for.

My people, my tribe, my crew - thank you would NEVER be enough for all of you! You have my back, your unending support for me and my family is overwhelming and will bring me to tears at the thought.

Our precious pearls that we shuck these oysters to discover were each created by God, our Father, just as He created each of us.  We are unique, different, beautiful, and created in perfection, just as these amazing pearls we open are!  I'm so thankful for a Father that loves, even through our imperfections and irritants, just as we love these pearls!

What are you grateful for?  Share with us below!

Ohhhhhh Y'all, Mama LOVES a Challenge!

Our TEAM has been challenged, and you know Mama accepted the Challenge!! My leader, Miss Peggy, has challenged her team to see who can have the MOST qualified parties this month!

What does that mean for Carolina Moon Pearl Girl and her crew?  It means that we need to party, party, PARTY!  Woohoo We can SO DO THIS!!  If you would like to order and help Alison WIN the challenge, you can go to www.carolinamoonpearlgirl.com and click on one of the party links that is there, to browse our catalog.  When you see something that you love, you can place your order and join us on Facebook LIVE to open your oyster and reveal your pearl.  If you are not on Facebook, you can comment here, and we will send you a recorded video of your oyster being opened and your pearl being discovered.

I'm looking for ideas for giveaways, if YOU help me win this challenge!  Comment below what you would like to see as a big September giveaway, if we WIN the challenge!

You Get a Pearl, You Get a Pearl, Everyone Gets a Pearl!

 

Did someone say specials?!?! Wait, WHAT? Yes! Look at all of these beautiful jewelry settings - some are retired items that Vantel Pearls is bringing back for a limited time and some are settings from our current catalog at sale prices! Woohoo These items are ONLY available while supplies last and the sale prices will end on September 30th!  Don't delay - order today here.

These would make gorgeous settings for YOU or as a unique Christmas gift for your mom, sister, mother-in-law, friend, etc. You place your order, and then hop on one of our LIVE Facebook parties to choose your oyster to open and reveal your one of a kind, genuine pearl.  Then, your pearl is hand-set into the piece you select by our certified jewelers at Home Office, and your jewelry is then shipped directly to you!  How cool is that?!?!

Fall is Coming...

Look at the colors in this Pearl Sunsets Bracelet! How would you use it to accessorize this fall?  What outfits would you wear it with?  Comment below, and share pictures if you have them!

4 Tips for Making Your Jewelry Work for You

1. Your jewelry should be versatile.

When looking to add jewelry to my collection, I'm looking at pieces that will give me more bang for my buck.  I don't have the means to buy a different piece of jewelry for every outfit that I own and wear, so I need pieces of jewelry that can be worn in different ways and with different outfits.  Can this necklace be worn at different lengths?  Can this ring be stacked with another one? Can this bracelet also be worn as a necklace or vice versa?  Can these earrings be worn with earring enhancers or cuffs, or can the colors be changed?

2. Your jewelry should compliment your outfit and your body features.

Your jewelry should not overpower YOU! Jewelry should draw the eye, but not take the focus off of who we are and our natural beauty!  Layering necklaces can add much style to an outfit, as long as it doesn't become "too busy".  Also, pay careful attention to the length of necklaces that you wear.  We don't want to appear as if we don't have a neck.  

3. Your jewelry should be fun!

Oh how I love how jewelry can offer dimension! It can show off our personalities, and who we are!  Do you like bright colors?  Add pops of color to a more simple outfit with a fun necklace or fun bracelets!  Do you like sparkle like I do?  Rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets with diamonds/CZs or other gemstones are for YOU!  Do you prefer the more simple things in life?  Find dainty pendants on smaller, less chunky chains that you love - maybe hearts, arrows, anchors, or one single pearl. Let your jewelry be a window to your soul - let it show just who you are and what you love!

4. Your jewelry should match the occasion!

You likely wouldn't wear the same necklace to a football game that you would wear to a wedding. Similarly, you likely wouldn't wear big, chunky, colorful earrings to prom unless your dress is big and bold.  Be mindful of how your jewelry matches the occasion - is an event more casual or formal?  Your jewelry should follow suit.    

Direction

Is your life moving in the direction that you envisioned it would?  If not, what's holding you back from the life you dreamed of?

 If your life is all that you dreamed it would be, how did you achieve those dreams?  What specific actions did you take to ensure that your dreams would come true?break

We all have dreams! Sometimes along the way, we forget about our dreams or maybe we just put them on the back burner for awhile.  It's okay to take a break when needed, because let's face it - life is stressful or too much at times.  The important thing is that we refocus and regroup and get back to working hard to achieve our dreams! What can we do today to help us achieve our goals tomorrow and reach the life we have dreamed for ourselves?  I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas!

Hope

Hope. It's a simple four letter word, but boy is it important to have.  Hope. Do you have hope?  I have hope in Jesus.  My life is far from perfect, believe me, but I have hope.  No matter what this crazy thing called life throws at us, I know that Jesus will carry us through! He died on a cross for us, my friends! So that me and YOU could spend eternity with him in Heaven! Don't miss out on this biggest gift we have ever received. It's free, in fact, there's no work that you can do to get there.  You just have to believe that God sent His only son to die on the cross so that we may be forgiven.  I'd love to talk with you more, about how you can have this hope, too.

I love these Ribbon of Hope Bangle Bracelets because they remind me that we have hope.  No matter the trial that we may be currently walking through, we hold onto hope.  Our current situation is not final, no matter what it is.  We purchased a Silver Ribbon of Hope Bangle Bracelet for Craig's mom for Mother's Day last year, as a reminder to her that she would BEAT Liver Cancer.  She did, in fact, beat this horrible disease this year on Memorial Day.  She is now healed, and perfect, and living with Jesus.

Vantel Pearls makes a donation for each one of these bracelets that is purchased.  Another one of the things I love about our company! Every time a Silver Ribbon of Hope Bracelet is purchased, Vantel Pearls makes a $2 donation for Cancer Research.  Every time a Pink Ribbon of Hope Bracelet is purchased, Vantel Pearls makes a $2 donation for Breast Cancer Research.  Every time a Purple Ribbon of Hope Bracelet is purchased, Vantel Pearls makes a $2 donation to Domestic Violence Agencies, to support the victims of Domestic Violence.

Be Inspired by the Inspirations Collection

Blessed.  We are all blessed more than we could imagine! Don't misunderstand, my friends - blessed doesn't mean that we will never face struggles.  It means that even when struggles come, we have faith and hope that things will improve. Most of us have a support system that loves us and would help us with any need that may arise!

I think about this a lot as I think back to what my family has been through the beginning of 2018.  My husband, Craig, suffers from type II Diabetes.  Last August, he noticed a sore on his right foot that wouldn't heal.  His mom, who was a retired nurse, came to visit.  She looked at the sore and knew that Craig needed to be seen by a doctor.  His general practitioner, after seeing him, referred him to the Wound Center.  This began his twice a week visits to this Wound Center to have the sore cleaned and the dressing changed. Dr. Hilsman decided that Drew would do better with his foot casted, and it did work pretty well for Craig.  He also has a bone deformity in both feet called Charco Foot, and so this boot allowed him to walk and getting around as he had been before

Around October, Dr. Hilsman had Craig speak with Dr. LePage a surgeon who specializes in amputations because they just didn't see his foot healing to where he would be able to have use of it before he developed the diabetic ulcer.  Craig put off the decision to amputate, saying that he wouldn't do anything until after Christmas.  In January, he was encouraged again to talk with the surgeon and again he put off the surgery.  All this time, the doctors and staff at the Wound Center were very fearful that Craig would develop sepsis due to the infection from his foot getting in his blood stream, but they continued to clean and treat the spot of the infection twice every week.

In March, Mikayla and I went to New York City with her high school chorus.  We had an amazing time, making memories to last a lifetime.  We are so grateful that Craig did not become septic while we were so far away from him.  We are blessed.

The Sunday at the end of our Spring Break, Craig was not feeling well.  When the kids and I went to school on Monday, he went for his first appointment of the week at the Wound Center.  While there, it was determined that he needed to be admitted to the hospital with infection.  He was admitted into the heart center at our local hospital.  I left school to be with him, and when I got to the hospital, I could tell that he was very sick and not just suffering from the stomach virus that so many had over Spring Break.  When Dr. LePage's nurse, Ali, came in to talk with us on Tuesday afternoon, Craig and I made the decision that he would go through with the amputation.  She explained just how sick Craig really was, and that without the amputation, he could die.  I told Craig in that moment that if I was ever to be the one to have to make this decision - as Ali explained that had Craig not had a doctor's appointment on Monday, we would have likely found him unresponsive on the floor when we arrived home from school - he would be waking up with one less foot.  I think he needed to hear me say that to know that he was going to be okay, no matter what.

Craig and I both were surprised to hear her say they had an availability for surgery that Thursday afternoon.  So, Craig was admitted into the hospital on Monday, April 9th and on Thursday, April 12th he had a below the knee amputation BKA on his right leg.  Y'all we have been SO very blessed through all of this.  Our family and friends are absolutely incredible and there wasn't one thing we had a need for that wasn't met.  The day after Craig's surgery, less than 24 hours later, he was up "walking" - hopping with a walker - with a physical therapist.  I was just amazed - that's the only way I know to describe it.  God worked a miracle in Craig's life, and it was incredibly amazing to be right there watching it all.  On Tuesday, April 17th - Craig's birthday - Craig was moved to a local inpatient rehabilitation center where he received intense physical therapy and occupational therapy daily.  He spent nine days in this rehabilitation institute and then we brought him home on Thursday, April 26th.  Drew and Mikayla had worked with Mimi and Papa to make him some welcome home posters and they had gotten some balloons.  Our friends, Matt and Kelly Phillips had bought the lumber and had arranged for Jeremy Johnson and his partner to build a ramp to code so that we could get Craig into our house.

When I tell you we are blessed, we are blessed, my friends! God has provided us with everything we have needed along this journey.  We had friends and family providing food for us during this time, so that I didn't have to worry about cooking and I could spend every bit of my time focused on Craig and getting him better!  We had family and friends praying for us and for that I will be forever grateful! We are blessed!

On Memorial Day, we lost Craig's mom to liver cancer.  She had battled so incredibly hard for the past three years.  We were so sad that we would no longer have Nana here on this Earth with us, but we know we will see her again one day.  Again, we were blessed by family and friends who prayed for us, provided for us, and helped us through this difficult time.  We still miss her, and with the holidays coming up, we know it will be hard.  With God and our incredible support system, we will make it through.

We are blessed, y'all, all of us! We've all faced some huge struggles in our lives - some struggles are harder than others, but they are still struggles nonetheless.  When those hard times come, focus on the Lord, lean on your support system, and remember I am blessed - this won't last forever.

Ray of Light

I strive to always be a ray of light in this world, who for so many, can have times of darkness.  It's not always easy, because there are times where we all have struggles.  It's hard to let our beacon shine when we are struggling, too.  A simple smile, however, can go such a long way.  No matter the day I'm having, when someone smiles at me I automatically feel better.  I can be that same light for others. We never know what other people are walking through, what troubles they are facing, but we can always offer a smile.  It can change the complete trajectory of a person's day. Smiles are free to give, but so, so valuable to receive!

Life is not always easy, but it is always changing.  We all have to walk through valleys, but the good news? We don't have to stay there!  Life is always changing. If you are struggling, please remember you won't always be, and I hope someone offers you a smile as a ray of light!  If things are going well for you, prepare my friend, because life never stays the same.  Offer a smile or a kind word to others, when you can! That way, hopefully, someone will offer us the same grace when things are not going well our way!

Give a Loving Embrace

Oh one of my favorite things to do with my children is to snuggle - just hold them while we watch our favorite movie or show, or while we read, or while we talk.  As they are getting older, I find that these are the times I'm missing the most. We just don't snuggle anymore - sure we watch TV together, talk, sing, and even still read, but we aren't snuggled together like we did when they were smaller.

Now that I have teenagers, I have to wonder if the days of snuggling with my kids are long gone and that makes me sad, very sad.

I know that my kids love me and I know that they know that I love them.  In fact, we still give hugs and kisses, as we are an affectionate bunch, and we always say "I love you!"  My most favorite thing to say to Drew these days is "I need a proper hug" from the movie The Blindside. 

This ring reminds me of those loving embraces I give and receive from my family - Craig, our kids, my mom and dad, sister and brother.  Notice how the pearl seems to be receiving "a proper hug" from the CZ hearts?  Simply stunning, and such a wonderful reminder for us all! May we all continue to give those we love a hug whenever we can! 

Perfect Pair

Look at this pair, y'all!! It is not a "matching set" in our catalog, but when put together they are gorgeous!! These are our Crystal Halo Studs and our Sugar Cube Necklace paired together.  How stunning is this? Where could you see yourself wearing this #PerfectPair?  I'm thinking it would be such an elegant combination to wear to a Summer Wedding - oh if you are the bride, how gorgeous!  Or what about to your office Christmas Party? The possibilities are endless.

The Sugar Cube Necklace is available as a Hostess Half Priced Item, so if you are interested in scoring this beauty for only $49, let's talk about you hosting a party with me! I can come to your home, or we can party via Facebook LIVE - no snacks, no house cleaning, and you and your guests can party in your pjs.  Those Halo Studs are available for only $39 and they come in your choice of four colors. 

Girl, You Look like a Million Bucks

What is it that makes you feel confident?  Is it a comfy shirt or a pair of pants that best accentuates your curves?  Is it a dress, that whenever you wear it people compliment you?  Is it a new hairstyle?  Or maybe it's some new makeup or maybe you've just changed the way you apply it?

For me, anytime I feel slim, I feel confident.  Maybe that's because all of my life I've been a big girl.  So, no matter what I wear, if it makes me feel slim I seem to have more confidence in myself.

I don't have these earrings, YET, but when I do get a pair - with white or pink pearls, I believe - and I put them in my earlobes, I imagine that confidence will just radiate from me!  They are gorgeous and long - which I envision to have a slimming effect.  They are so sparkly, I just imagine that I will look like a million bucks.

What do you think?  Showstopping or not?

You Make a Difference!

The bracelets in our new Vantel Pearls catalog are my favorites - like I want every. single. one!  As a mama and a teacher, this one speaks specifically to me when it says "You Make a Difference". But friends, I don't make a difference just because I"m a mama and a teacher. We all make a difference in this world.

No matter what your titles are, sister, YOU make a difference! Some make a difference by lending an ear when a friend is in need.  Some make a difference as a caregiver for a family member or even strangers.  Some make a difference in the area of beauty and fashion - my mama is a hair dresser and the only person that I trust to work on my hair.  She always knows just what to do to help me feel beautiful!

I like to think that I help women feel beautiful in some small way, too.  Since I've started wearing Vantel Pearls jewelry, I don't feel like I am ready to leave the house until I have just the right pieces on each day.  There's just something about it that gives me a confidence that I can, in fact, face the world and make a difference. 

We have other bracelets with messages on them, too. There's one that says "Make Your Dreams Come True", one says "All I Have is Today", and even another says "See the Possibilities". 

Which one of these encouraging bracelets speaks to you?

Opportunity Awaits

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you had just a little more money (or a good bit more) at the end of the month?  Would you pay off debt? Maybe take a vacation?  Take care of some home improvement needs or buy a new car?

Maybe you have a different idea - maybe you are looking to supplement your current income to provide more for your family?  Or maybe, just maybe you are looking to stay home and raise your babies?

If you have ever thought about earning more money - no matter the reasons - now is the time for us to talk!  I am going to have the opportunity to add to my rock star team with Vantel Pearls on Tuesday, July 31st, but spots are limited and they WILL fill up quick.  This company has grown so fast in the past two years that recruiting new consultants has been limited.  We are the largest home party pearl company in America, with our Home Office located in Mansfield, MA.  As consultants, we get to open oysters to discover genuine, fresh water, cultured pearls for our customers.  These oyster openings and pearls are free to our customers when they purchase a setting from our catalog.  You can view all of our amazing pieces at www.vantelpearls.com/alisonmeeks.  We then ship the pearls to our Home Office where our certified jewelers hand set each pearl into the selected setting and ship the finished piece directly to our customers.

I won't promise you this is easy, but what I will promise you is this: if you are willing to put in the work, you can be successful at owning your own business!  We have a supportive team, with weekly live webinars that are recorded in case you are unable to jump on while live.  Our company provides a training manual and biweekly live webinars that are also recorded.  I will be right there with you every step of the way to guide you and offer support, but you must be willing to do the work that it takes to grow a business.  Be thinking - who are your pearls - those friends and family members that you can count on to support you in this endeavor? Reach out to each of them, personally, to get a verbal commitment of this support.  Who is willing to host a party with you and invite your friends?  Who might not want to host a party for free jewelry, but who would purchase from your other parties?  It will take networking, but the rewards are so grand!  With a small investment, you can earn thousands or more!

I've been a consultant with this incredible company for a year and a half.  My initial "why" for joining this company was simple: I wanted to supplement my teaching income to provide more for our family.  My husband is diabetic and was having some health issues and our children were teenagers, with one who was getting ready to drive.  I knew that he would need a "new to him" vehicle to drive and we were going to need some "extra money".  I also loved watching LIVE pearl parties on Facebook and thought "I could so do that!"  I've never been a part of any other direct selling company - oh sure, I've participated in and even hosted parties for other direct selling companies, but I've never felt like I could be successful enough to join.  I am not a salesperson, nor have I ever considered myself as such.  This experience of discovering your own one-of-a-kind pearl sales itself!

Through my work as a consultant with Vantel Pearls, I was able to provide our son with a truck to drive!  I met that goal and our family needs changed, so my "why" changed.  I wanted to provide our kids and family with gifts for Christmas without acquiring debt.  We were able to do that this year, and I can't tell you how good it felt not having to worry about money!  At the start of 2018, my "why" changed again! Our home is almost 30 years old, and we needed to make some improvements around here.  The window in our bedroom was rotting (it would get wet with the rain, but it never gets any sun), and the flooring throughout the house needed replacing.  We have been able to replace flooring and the rotten window, and we never would have had the means to do that without Vantel Pearls.

Since joining this company, my husband has become disabled and is no longer working.  In April of this year, he had a BKA (Below Knee Amputation) of his right leg/foot.  Vantel Pearls allowed me to pay for our out of pocket costs for him to receive inpatient Rehabilitation care after this surgery. While in rehab, he received daily physical therapy and occupational therapy. We never would have been able to pay this entire out of pocket costs without the extra I have earned with Vantel Pearls.  For that, I will always be grateful!

Now that I am the only one in our household who is working - aside from our son who is working part time while in high school - it is even more crucial that I have my supplemental Vantel Pearls income! My "why" has changed again - our daughter will be turning 15 this year and she will soon need a "new to her" car to drive.  My van that I was driving was 12 years old and it had a lot of needs, too.  I was able to go and get myself a new car, without putting us in a bind that would prevent us from getting her something reliable to drive as well.

Soon, my "why" for joining and staying with this company will change again.  This year we will have a sophomore and a junior in high school - so college is quickly approaching for our kids.  It is my goal that they will be able to graduate college and enter the workforce with as little debt as possible.  This will be my "why" over the next 8 - 10 years.

Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the people - my Pearl Family!! These are friends and family members - some I never would have met without this opportunity - who have supported me like no other.  Remember the surgery and the hospital stay that we endured this year with my husband?  These people were some of our strongest supporters and prayer warriors.  I can count on them for anything!

What is your "WHY?"  How can Vantel Pearls change your life?  It has absolutely changed mine, and it can change yours as well!  If you are interested in learning more, let's talk! You can reach out to me by message on Facebook at Carolina Moon Pearl Girl or by email at alison.meeks4@gmail.com.  I will be glad to answer any questions you may have!

She Believed She Could...

This. This is my favorite necklace in the current catalog.  Don't get me wrong, there are several that I love, but this one is my favorite! The message that this one carries can be applied to so many aspects of my life.  One one side of this necklace it says "She believed she could", and there are a couple of CZ accents.  When you turn the charm over, it says "and she did." and there are more CZ accents. 

This message is a great reminder for me and my daughter (and my husband and son, too, if we change the "she" to "he") that our only limitations is our belief in ourselves.  If we believe that we can accomplish something, we certainly CAN!

I believe that I can lose this extra weight that I've been carrying for far too long, and that I can eat healthy and exercise more, and therefore I WILL do those things! I believe that I can adequately prepare my new group of kinders that I will meet in August this year, and therefore I WILL do that!  I believe that I can achieve excellence in all areas of my life, and therefore I WILL! 

What are some things that you believe you can do, and therefore you WILL do them? How does this special piece of jewelry speak to you and yours?