Queen Size Magazine July 2016 Issue

ARTICLE TITLE | BY AUTHOR

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JULY 2016 ISSUE

MAKING QUEEN SIZE MOVES

SHEMA LYONS

THE BUILDING OF THE

MY CLOSET VAULT EMPIRE

COPING WITH BEING AN EMOTIONAL EATER RECYCLING OLD JEWELRY

BY MEESHA ANN

6 GORGEOUS TRENDS FOR SUMMER

BY CRYSTAL CARMEN

PAGEANT VS MODELING

BY NATALIE DAWN

ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT HYDRATHERMA NATURALS

FEATUREDMODELS NICOLE FRANTZ HEAVENLEE HUNTER WWW.QUEENSIZEMAGAZINE.COM| JULY 2016 ISSUE

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ARTICLE TITLE | BY AUTHOR MAKING QUEEN SIZE MOVES

FROM THE EDITOR Tawana Blassingame Founder & Editor in Chief Photography | PDrew Photography

Welcome to the July 2016 issue of Queen Size Magazine. Summer is finally here and it is time to start complaining that it is too hot; yes I am one of those people. Lol. We are a little more than halfway through the year and occasionally I challenge our readers to reflect on how far they have come; not just in life but this year. Before the next year rolls in and you set new goals, how far are you in reaching the ones you set for this year?

I cannot put out an issue without saying thank you to my team that helps me each month; I have a great team and I am so thankful for them. A lot of work goes into what we do. We don’t repost news from other media sites; they are all written by us. Thank you Team.

For this issue I would like to thank My Closet Vault and Hydratherma Naturals for entrusting us with your brand. Congratulations to our featured models Nicole Frantz and Heavenlee Hunter.

To our readers, I hope we provided you with another issue that is informative in your individual journeys. If there is a topic that you would like to see covered please feel free to reach out to us and let us know. queensizemagazine@gmail.com

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MAKING QUEEN SIZE MOVES

MASTHEAD TAWANA BLASSINGAME CEO/Editor In Chief PHILIP DREW Executive Director NATALIE DAWN Assistant Editor CRYSTAL CARMEN Beauty Editor SHIRLEY BEALE Assistant Editor CARRIECE JEFFERSON Assistant Editor DUANE JONES Director of Photography for N. Carolina DOUG SWAIM Director of Photography for the DMV area KENDALL REED Photographer DIONNE REEVES-GRUBBS Model Recruitment Manager

PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY MODEL | SHEMA LYONS MUA | TIFFANY WATERS all outfits, accessories and shoes on pages 22-30 can be found at www. myclosetvault.com

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CONTENTS FEATURED STORY

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SHEMA LYONS - MY CLOSET VAULT

HEALTH AND FITNESS

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COPING WITH BEING AN EMOTIONAL EATER

FEATUREDMODELS

JULY 2016 ISSUE

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By TAWANA BLASSINGAME

08 TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION

By SHIRLEY BEALE

BEAUTY&FASHION

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RECYCLING OLD JEWELRY

By MEESHA ANN

6 GORGEOUS TRENDS FOR SUMMER

By CRYSTAL CARMEN

FASHION TRENDS THAT KEEP TRENDING

By QSM

BUSINESS

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HYDRATHERMA NATURALS

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PAGEANT VS. MODELING

By LORRIE MCKNIGHT

By NATALIE DAWN

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

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COPING WITH BEING Most of us suffer from being an emotional eater and either won’t admit it or don’t know it. The first step is not to admit you have a problem, but to recognize it as a problem let’s start by understanding what an emotional eater is. This is when you turn to food as a way to comfort you when you are stressed, bored, depressed, worried or even in celebration of something good. As illogical as all of that sounds, it is the truth. A large number of Americans suffer from being emotional eaters. I say struggle because it plays a big part in why most people cannot stick to diets and/or lose weight.

I recently met a young lady that shared her story about being an emotional eater. At one point in her life she was very active. She played basketball, baseball, volleyball and she loved to swim. She used to be an MMA fighter and currently sits at a purple belt in martial arts. After the death of her aunt and the pressure of school overwhelmed her, she began eating more than usual. According to her, when she was eating it took her mind off of anything else she had going on at the time. The behavior became habitual for her; before she knew it the pounds had snuck up on her. It wasn’t until she became overweight that she understood what her problem really and truly was; she was an emotional eater. Her being able to recognize the issue made it easier for her to cope with it and she is on the road to getting back into the sports and activities that she once loved doing so much.

Again, this is not surprising at all. If you sit and think about it, most of everything we do is surrounded by food. Food seems to be the focal point of everything good and bad. When someone gets married there is a smorgasbord of food for all to enjoy. When someone dies there is usually a gathering (also known as a repass) with a buffet of different food. Birthday celebrations are usually partying and then dinner. Dates usually end up being a movie and dinner, a long walk on the beach and dinner, a night on Broadway and

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dinner. If you happen to get lucky on the date it usually ends of being breakfast in bed as a thank you for such a wonderful evening. Eating is always the common denominator for everything; it just seems to be the thing to do for us.

Recognizing if you are an emotional eater is the first step 1.

Eating Makes you Happy – If you get happy when you are about to eat or when you eat.

2.

You seek comfort in food - When you are feeling down, you seek out “comfort food”. Eating junk foods like ice cream, chips, cakes and cookies give you some comfort; like it becomes your friend to console you.

3.

Even when you are full you still thinking about food – You brain is already conditioned to seek out food when you are feeling emotional (good or bad emotions). Therefore it doesn’t matter if you have eaten already or if you are full, you are still looking for your next fix. Why? Because you are not necessarily feeding your stomach; you are feeding your emotions.

4.

Food is your first choice of fun – When you are planning a night out with the girls or your significant other, what or where you are going to eat is the first thing you think about; entertainment gets planned around that.

5.

Emotional eating makes you more emotional – If you are feeling guilty after you stuffed yourself then chances are you weren’t eating because you were hungry.

COPING WITH BEING AN EMOTIONAL EATER | BY TAWANA BLASSINGAME

AN EMOTIONAL EATER After you have learned what an emotional eater is, and you recognize that you are one the next thing to do is to find alternatives to food.

Find something else that makes you have or that will help you to relieve some stress.

The first thing you should do before you eat anything is to ask yourself if you are really hungry. If the answer is yes then eat and drink water with your food as not to overeat. If you are actually not hungry then find something else to do.

Here are some suggestions 1.

Have sex – It will make you and your mate feel good. This is great for both happy and sad emotions.

Just don’t hurt anybody.

2.

Exercise - this usually makes me feel so much better. I am not an avid exerciser but when I am angry I really put a lot of energy into it.

3.

Buy a punching bag and take it out on the bag – This is a GREAT stress reliever. For some added pleasure place a picture of whomever or whatever you are angry about and have a field day punching away.

4.

Take up Yoga or Meditation – GREAT mind cleanser; once you are done you are able to think with a clear mind. I suggest finding people who specialize in these areas because there is a science to both.

5.

Just VENT – Find someplace private and just vent, cry, scream, and/or cuss; just let it out.

6.

Find a hobby or two – This way going out to eat isn’t always your first choice. Eat before you go out so you can just focus on having fun.

7.

Find someone that you can confide in – This may or may not be a friend or family member. If you just need someone to listen then go for it. But if you need sound return advice then make sure the person you seek out is able to give that to you.

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

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QUEEN SIZE MAGAZINE PRESENTS

“To Answer Your Question”

By SHIRLEY BEALE

FREAKY GRANDPARENTS Question: My job sent me on training for two months out of state. I stayed with my grandparents even though the job offered to put me up in a hotel, Grandma said no, stay with them so I stayed with them for the entire time. I was HORRIFIED at what I saw. They are in their late 70s and are FREAKY. It gets poppin’ in that room. Grandma calling Gramps, “Big Poppa” and him calling her Vanilla Cream. I am sick!!!! I never imagined they would be doing this at this age. I don’t think they knew that I heard them but they got their groove on like they are my age.

When we were at the breakfast table, she was smiling and humming and he was sitting there reading the paper. Then they tried to make small talk. I just wanted to leave but she insisted on me eating breakfast. He even slapped her on her butt when she got up to clear the table.

I don’t know why I assumed they were “done” with this part of their life but is this normal? It’s no telling what goes on when I’m not here.

SHIRLEY’S RESPONSE: Well Bless Their Souls. It is not uncommon for people in their late 70s and older “getting their groove on”, as you say. With the advancements in the medical field, people are living longer and living healthier lives. Whether your grandparents continued sex life is attributed to good living or if they have the aid of the colored “pill”, they are doing what we are suppose to do: Live life to the fullest and enjoy each day. If their nights of riding the “Love Train” bother you that much, I would suggest getting a pair of headphones and letting music lull you to sleep. I don’t suggest you leave and stay at the hotel. They invited you to stay and in their late 70s, you should try and spend as much time with them as you can.

Also, I would suggest that you pray and ask God that you be blessed with a long enjoyable sex life with someone that last as long or longer as your grandparents.

Instead of being freaked out by them, talk to them. Ask them what the secret to a long and happy life is. Find out the tips of what to do and what not to do. If we all had that ingredient, there would be more happy and healthy relationships in existence today.

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WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO DATE: Question: Hi Shirley. My husband and I have been separated for over a year. Someone at work asked me out and we set a date over the weekend to go to the movies. A co-worker said I was wrong. What do you think?

SHIRLEY’S RESPONSE: If you and your husband are definitely not getting back together, I can understand you wanting to move on but there are many factors that should be considered. Is the “someone” at work asking you to go out as a friend or something else? Are you and your husband emotionally done or is this a “marital time out”?

When you start something new, you MUST BE DONE with the old. You can’t just think you are done. You must know you are done. The co-worker who said you are wrong may be looking out for your best interest. Hypothetically, let’s say you and the person from work go out, have a great time, feelings begin to grow, you spend more time together, then you start looking forward to spending time together. All of a sudden, something happens and you and the husband realize that you are not done. What happens now? Someone is going to be hurt. Too many scenarios that won’t end up happily ever after. I recommend you not go out with anyone unless it’s in a group. You have to protect your heart and be careful not to involve someone else into the equation. If you need to go out, go with some girlfriends or treat yourself. This is a delicate time for you and those closest to you. Your decisions on what you do is very important. However, if you are definitely sure it’s over between you and your husband, file papers, get divorced, make sure your are emotionally done in addition to legally being done and then entertain dating and/or new relationships.

DO ALL MEN CHEAT? Question: Why does it seem that all men cheat? Where do I find the men who won’t cheat?

SHIRLEY’S RESPONSE: I don’t believe all men cheat and as far as where to find the ones who don’t cheat, I have no idea. However the first thing I would suggest is not to go looking for the men who won’t cheat. There are men who cheat and there are women who cheat. You can’t lump

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION | SHIRLEY BEALE

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everyone into a group. Wait for the right person to come to you.

Don’t sit around waiting, get up and live your life and that person will come to you where you are. You won’t have to go chasing, exploring, looking, etc. That person will find YOU. What is the expression, “Keep calm and just wait”?

SHOULD THE NEW WIFE AKA FORMER SIDE CHICK COME TO GRADUATION Question: My daughter is graduating. Happy occasion, right?

Wrong. Well, the graduating part is good but it’s the celebration dinner that is the problem. Her dad wants to bring his new wife to the dinner. I told him that is inappropriate and he said if she can’t come, he won’t come. I said “fine. We can do without the both of you”. I know him not being there will hurt our daughter but why does he insist on bringing her. She barely knows my daughter and doesn’t need to be there. My significant other will be there but he has been in her life for over 4 years and has helped me financially with her. I have not told my daughter what he said but I still think she has no place to be there particularly since she is the chick he was with before we split up.

SHIRLEY’S RESPONSE: The focus should be on your daughter’s graduation, not on who your ex husband is bringing.

Talk to your daughter. Do not tell her what her father said. Just get her thoughts on him bringing his new wife. If she is ok with it, I suggest you suck it up, be nice and cordial to him and his wife, enjoy being there with your significant other and enjoy the celebration. This will be a memorable occasion for all involved.

Bringing drama is something that everyone will regret and all will remember. The chapter with you and your ex has passed. You both have moved on. If you concentrate on the preciousness of life and being happy with who you are with, then you are victorious. Something as small as your ex husband turning the side chick into the wife and forcing her into this occasion should take no space in your mind nor in your thoughts. Congratulations to your daughter on an awesome accomplishment.

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NICOLE FRANTZ

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MODEL | NICOLE FRANTZ

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PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY

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BEAUTY AND FASHION

by Meesha Ann

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PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY

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RECYCLING OLD JEWELRY

BEAUTY AND FASHION

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The Ring I am not sure how many of you have this problem, but I am constantly losing a pair of my earrings. To add to my level of disappointment, it’s always an earring that I love. Right? If you have that problem I have a solution for you. In situations like these I just simply turn my earring into a ring!! That’s right – A Ring!

Step 1: On the back of the earring break the stem off Step 2: Get a Ring Band. Ideally you would want to use a broken one you had before. If not, you can get these at Michael’s, Amazon or even EBay. Step 3: Glue the earring and the ring band together.

There you have it. Simple as 1-2-3! Your brand new Ring

The Shade Couple years ago I bought this very delicate but charming necklace. It had pearls and tiny pink roses going around it. I was totally in love with it. Unfortunately the chain popped and all the parts went flying across the room. What a disaster it was to pick of those pearls and roses?? Rather than throwing away those parts and decided to revamp the look of my plain black shade. To achieve this I just simple glued a few of those tiny pink roses on each corner of the glasses.

There you have it. Simple as 1-2-3! Your brand new Shades

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RECYCLING OLD JEWELRY| MEESHA ANN

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Bag it Por Favor

I bought this really cute tote bag from Forever21, but it didn’t really have any personality to it. I like to add my own style to my attire. Add a little twist, be bold and be different. I took this really old chandelier earring I had and broke it apart. I then glued it all over the top portion of this bag. Remember that delicate but charming necklace I mentioned before? Well I took a few of those pearls and glued it over some of the letters.

There you have it, POR FAVOR!

PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY

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BEAUTY AND FASHION

BEHIND THE GLAM

By CRYSTAL CARMEN

Fresh fun color, this season we were able to see colored mascara make a comeback which is totally fun and pares well with the more toned down makeup trends. I can totally get into beautiful blue lashes! Katy Perry was definitely pulling out all stops with cerulean blue lashes this season. If you want to make sure to add this fun pop of color to your makeup routine, here’s how.

Use a neutral shade on your lids.

Pink Stiletto Cosmetics Bronzed is perfect, add a bit of light brown in the crease, and pile on 2-3 coat of blue or purple mascara. In the real world blue lashes may not work for the workplace, but they’re definitely something to try for a night out on Town.

Gorgeous Beauty Trends for Summer

Let’s talk about the top five beauty trends that I’m totally on board with this year

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The second beauty trend that’s making a total come back for summer makes me smile. Anybody who knows me knows that I absolutely adore glossy lips. The great part is that you can take it all the way with the full coverage formula or you can try on a tinted lip oil which is really hot right now for those of you who love Swank Lip Whip or swing and our newest color correlation.

6 GORGEOUS BEAUTY TRENDS FOR SUMMER | CRYSTAL CARMEN

Another technique that I totally adore is the barely there contour while everybody’s contouring their face and making to be part of the stripe club, I am ready for this fresh look. I still love a killer contour but I absolutely adore the slightly contoured finish. I recently wore this look to work and I really love the way that it came out so. Here is how you can wear this look: Apply your foundation, and apply your contour but be sure that you’re contouring with either a lighter shade than typically use. One shade darker than your existing shade should work well.

If you’d rather not try something new you can make sure that you blend your existing Contour shade down to it’s just barely noticeable. Finish with an Illuminating powder like Pretty Powder in Pearls or Goddess and you’ll have truly remarkable skin with enough contours and glow to turn heads.

This is skincare trend that I love and It’s is all about face masks. I think it’s really important to use masks to clarify and help prevent a buildup of sebum in your pores and it really helps keep your skin looking vibrant and super clean. This added benefit is that can be effective at preventing acne because acne is often triggered by the overload of sebum and dirt. If you reduced the amount of dirt and sebum them it’s safe to assume that there will likely be a reduction. Everyone’s skin is different, so be sure to monitor how your skin reacts. Always follow a face mask and cleansing with a moisturizer. I love to use a mask about once per week but you can increase it if you are having a breakout.

While this look hasn’t hit the runway, it is my own personal trend called the Boyfriend Brow. While the super sleek and sculpted brow has been taking over Instagram and beauty blogs everywhere, I’m really loving and embracing the truly natural looking brow. What is a boyfriend brow and how do I get one? You still want to create a little bit of form. So you will closely but lightly line beneath your brow. You only want to use light hairlike strokes to fill in about three quarters of the brow and allow the rest to kind of fan out. If you don’t actually have much brow hairs on your eyebrow that’s no problem. What you want to do is draw very very thin and sparse looking strands brush all the hair up with a spoolie brush and use a clear brow gel or mascara to tame the hair. Then be sure to use a concealer that is your exact skin tone or very close.

Only define the bottom of the brow. Lastly, use the spoolies and blend out the front until you can barely see the definite shape. The results should be beautiful, full, but not overdone Boyfriend Brows.

Natural teeth whitening. I thought this one was small but worth mentioning. Smashed strawberries mixed with baking soda make an absolutely beautiful quick whitening brush for your teeth. Store the mixture in a labeled food container or zip bag. Stir it into a paste and just brush as normal for at least 2-3 minutes. I love this because white teeth make every lip color look better.

I hope you enjoyed these fabulous 6 beauty trends, thanks for reading. If you have any questions or you have a great topic you’d like me to cover in my beauty session email me at beautystudiopa@gmail.com WWW.QUEENSIZEMAGAZINE.COM| JULY 2016 ISSUE

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HEAVENLEE HUNTER

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HEAVENLEE HUNTER| MODEL

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PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY

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MY CLOSET VAULT | BY QSM

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Shema Lyons, CEO is the fearless and ambitious owner of My Closet Vault. Shema raises the bar when it comes to an entrepreneurial spirit and expresses tons of passion for the business.

Our merchandise is hand selected to keep our clients trendy and fashionable at all times. New shipments arrive weekly, and are uploaded immediately to our online store.”

Building and sustaining an empire is hard work, but she is always up for the challenge.

Myclosetvault.com was founded in 2015, creating an online shopping experience for women of all sizes. After spending over 15 years in retail management, Shema understands what consumers want and need. My Closet vault offers apparel and accessories. The brand consists of an array of emerging new designers.

“Our buyers search all over the continent to provide our clients with the most current fashion.”

Myclosetvault.com is your #1 source for the latest women’s fashion.

Shema interacts with hundreds of stores around the world on a monthly basis to bring the finest fashions to the showroom located right outside of Philadelphia, Pa. Shema energetically and creatively works with her team through discussions and managerial processes to strengthen the business.

Shema is a family oriented individual who enjoys spending time with her daughter, family, and friends. She also finds joy in helping others and donating to local charities.

“It is our goal to bring women all over the best, online shopping experience ever. We offer personal styling in our showroom, as well as shopping parties keeping friends connected.

PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY MUA | TIFFANY WATERS MODEL (STANDING) | SAMIA LYONS

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QSM: Allow me to first and foremost congratulate you on taking that leap of faith. As a business owner myself, I know that is not an easy decision to make.

What made you step out on your own and open up your showroom?

Shema: Thank you so much. When I was let go from my retail management position in 2012, I had just purchased my first home and didn’t know what I was going to do. After interviewing with a few retailers I knew I had to start my own business. I was either over qualified or the salary was too low. So I starting selling me and my daughter’s clothes on e-bay and I’ve been self employed since.

QSM: How many hours a day do you work?

Shema: I couldn’t even tell you, I wake up throughout the night thinking about my business what I can do to grow and be better.

QSM: How do you go about building a successful customer base?

Shema: It’s all about customer service, being able to engage with my customers is the key.

QSM: How do you find your employees? I imagine it must be hard to find people who will just as passionate about your business as you are.

Shema: I don’t have employees, I have entrepreneurs. If you don’t have a plan to become your own boss, you can’t work with me. I need to be motivated just like the next person, if we can’t feed off each other, and help one another why spend so much time together.

QSM: WOW! Great answer! What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?

Shema: My top three skills are: closing the sale, spotting new trends, and dealing with failure.

QSM: You also host shopping parties; can you tell us more about that?

Shema: Yes I have these awesome shopping parties at my beautiful showroom. We provide you and your guests a night of catching up, shopping, with

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BUSINESS

wine and light appetizers. We also offer other small businesses to participate in our shopping parties.

QSM: What was your motivation behind starting these shopping parties?

Shema: I wanted to give the everyday busy woman a place where she can come relax and let her hair down. Life moves so fast, you rarely get a chance to sit down with friends, let alone shop with piece of mind.

QSM: What sizes do you carry in your store and online?

Shema: My sizes start at a Small up to a 5X. QSM: What are the benefits from shopping in the showroom vs online?

Shema: Shopping in the showroom gives you that one on one personal attention. You can schedule a personal stylist and have the showroom to yourself.

Online shopping is a convenience; however we do offer personal styling for our online customers as well.

QSM: What is it that motivates you on the toughest of days?

Shema: My family motivates me.

QSM: What advice can you offer to people who are looking to start up their own business?

Shema: I would say don’t give up, stay motivated and positive. Take advantage of business seminars, invest in yourself, pay attention, read, listen, and again invest in yourself I can’t stress that enough.

QSM: How can people support My Closet Vault?

Shema: We love referrals, follow us on all social media @myclosetvault, and leave reviews when you purchase online.

QSM: Any final thoughts?

Shema: I want to say thank you to you and your staff, and I look forward to working with you guys.

PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY MODEL | SHEMA LYONS MUA | TIFFANY WATERS

MY CLOSET VAULT | BY QSM

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BUSINESS

PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY MUA | TIFFANY WATERS MODEL | NATIA JENKINS

MY CLOSET VAULT | BY QSM

PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY MUA | TIFFANY WATERS MODEL | CAROLINA HERNANDEZ

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BEAUTY AND FASHION

PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY MODELS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT | CAROLINA HERNANDEZ, NATIA JENKINS, SAMIA LYONS, SHEMA LYONS, JEMIMA BUCHANAN, KEISHA JACKSON, TONYA WARE-ASHBY MUA | TIFFANY WATERS

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ARTICLE TITLE | BY AUTHOR

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LOCATED AT 421 CENTRAL AVENUE CHELTENHAM, PA 19012

S E RV I C ES AVA I L A B L E OnLInE BOutIquE PERSOnAL In-Store ShoppIng A S S I S tA n C E S h o p p I n g pa r t I e S buSIneSS meetIng S PA C E

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PHOTOGRAPHY | PHILIP DREW, PDREW PHOTOGRAPY MODEL | SHEMA LYONS MUA | TIFFANY WATERS

ARTICLE TITLE | BY AUTHOR

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FASHION TRENDS THAT KEEP TRENDING

BLAZERS

I like fashion just as much as the next person, but let’s face it; I do not want to have to buy a whole new wardrobe every time fashion trends change. That’s why I like to be sure that no matter what; I keep those basic items that never seem to go out of style in my closet. Now remember that I also said that I do like fashion so I am still out there making it rain in these stores when they release a new trend; ok who am I kidding? I am more like making it drizzle.

Judgment free zone please. But of course I am not rich so I play it smart; I buy new and mix them up with my old.

This is about styles that just never seem to go out of style so let me just stick to the topic here; you know us writers just love to ramble.

We can have a discussion about a piece of gum and by the end of that discussion you know what time of day it is, the temperature, which way the wind is blowing, how many people were in your immediate vicinity, and everything else under the sun. Oops, ok ok back to the clothes.

Here are some style favorites that just don’t go out of style. These are items to have when you are doing those photo shoots to help build your portfolios because you are usually advised to stay away from dated clothing; not dated as in old, but dated as in it is attached to a certain trend that may or may not currently be in style when you are showing these images to potential clients.

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Let’s take the infamous blazers.

These are great to have because they are great for the office and also great when you are trying to dress up an outfit.

FASHION TRENDS THAT KEEP TRENDING| QSM

TRENCH COATS

BLACK PUMPS

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THE ALL PURPOSE BLACK DRESS

FITTED JEANS

Since I mentioned shoes let’s talk about the cute black pump that has been around forever and is probable never going anywhere. Me myself, I have more black pumps that all colors combined; they are just that versatile.

When in doubt just get a black pump.

The Trench Coat dates back to the mid 1800’s. You can wear these things anywhere; to the corner store with jeans or to church in your Sunday best.

Speaking of Jeans; every girls needs her a pair of fitted jeans. Throw on some sneakers, boots or a cute pair of heels and you can step out anywhere.

Just like the black pump, every girl needs to have like 100 black dresses. Ok maybe that’s just me; but a black dress will carry you just about anywhere except an all white part because that might just be a bit awkward.

Whenever you can’t figure out what to wear, or what color to wear, you can’t go wrong with a black dress. Especially the all purpose dress that can be worn to work or to the after work party. I challenge you to check your closet and tell me how many black dresses you have; GO!

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BUSINESS

CEO Saleemah Cartwright and CFO Willie Cartwright

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HYDRATHERMA NATURALS | LORRIE MCKNIGHT On the journey through life we have everyday task to keep our lives together. It may deal with our home, work, family or other things we have to keep ourselves on point. We are constantly trying to find things to make ourselves feel good and look good. Appearances are one of the key things in life that we all need to keep up on whether it our hair, face, whatever we wear, or our whole physique.

Today I’m going to take you on an adventure to have better hair. You might be saying my hair is just fine. So let me ask you this. Is your hair growing? Does it receive moisture daily? Can you manage it with no problems? The most common type of hair damage among African Americans is: 1.

Mechanical(styling tools,combs,brushes)

2.

Chemical(relaxer/perm, color, bleaching

3.

Neglect(not prioritizing hair regimen by washing and moisturizing)

4.

Heat (Curling iron, flat iron and blow dryer).

To eliminate the stress, you can eliminate some of the causes by reducing the heat and chemical process in our routine. To help you do that there is a company to help you on the road to healthy hair.

Hydratherma Naturals is a company located in Lawrenceville, Ga. This company was created out of the passion of CEO Saleemah Cartwright and CFO Willie Cartwright. This husband and wife duo used created skills to promote a product line to promote healthy hair. Saleemah used her background as a former cosmetologist/beautician and Register Nurse and Willies Corporate Background in Finance to birth this company. The mission of Hydratherma Naturals is to ease the stress of having difficult hair and developed a line to help balance and moisturize.

Hydratherma Naturals targets to please everyone. But the most popular audiences are clients who are between the ages of 25-60; both male and female who experience having Kinky Hair and have trouble retaining moisture. To create such a successful product line, Saleemah used her background in Organic Chemistry to determine what ingredients were needed for each one of her products. She uses different oils to retain moisture and proteins to stop breakage.

Hydratherma Naturals sees their business in the future thriving to greater heights. They would like to see their products in boutiques, retail stores and individual businesses nationwide. They currently have products in establishments across the US, Caribbean, Africa, Nigeria, Canada and the United Kingdom.

They currently have a membership special going on for anyone who wants to try their product line. You can go to Hydrathermanaturals.com for more information on the company and the products. They can also be found on Face book, Twitter, You Tube, Instagram and Tumbler. And for those who don’t have access to a computer you can reach them at 716-465-9443.

WRITTEN BY LORRIE MCKNIGHT

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BUSINESS

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PAGEANT VS MODELING WHERE DO YOU FIT IN? As a model there are so many different avenues that you can take to expand your career; taking on other talents such as acting, singing, dancing or even something as simple as becoming a part of pageantry.

Every field is not for everybody but it is a great opportunity to learn where YOU may fit in.

Personally I decided on doing pageantry, not knowing all of the money and time that would be invested. My decision was based on “doing something different.” I felt pageantry would take me to different levels on my career path and teach me some “etiquette.” It was definitely something different.

As a model you may constantly change clothes, you meet other models, network with designers and travel. As a pageant sister, you create a bond with a group of ladies evaluate you end up working with them often over a period of months.

Dressing in evening wear is probably the highlight of the whole pageant experience.(In the perspective of someone who prefers modeling.)

Models may be responsible for promotion, runway, interviewing, and taking great photos. In pageantry you are responsible for raising money, promotion, interviewing, talent, swimwear, evening wear, business wear, a speech, question and answer also known as Q&A and smiling through the whole process. There is definitely more involved in pageantry.

The reward of being crowned is an amazing experience though.

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PAGAENT VS. MODELING| NATALIE DAWN

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Every model experience is different, every pageant experience is different

”

I learned that pageantry is a lot of money! Modeling can be costly as well but in pageantry you are responsible for sponsorship fees and other fees to become a part of the experience which can easily add up to hundreds of dollars. Models are taught to smize or look serious most times. Models main goal is to be walking hangar, to sell the items or promote items on behalf of a designer, hair, make up artist, or stylist. Pageantry is about smiling, winning over the judges and raising the most amount of money.

Every model experience is different, every pageant experience is different as well based on the organization chosen, they are both experiences to remember, learn from and enjoy. Modeling is not for everybody, pageantry is not for everybody. Find something you love to do and put your all into it.

Neither journey is easy, neither journey is cheap ( if you are serious about it) but it’s worth it if you are able to take away something from the experiences. My pageant experience was a one time deal. I realized there are to many politics involved for my liking but to each it’s own….

PHOTOGRAPHY | RICK JONES, RJONES PHOTOGRAPHY MUA | NATALIE DAWN

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