Respect My Vote

I’ve been a little inspired of late. I unexpectedly launched an Etsy Shop as a side hustle to sell some T-Shirt designs and other items that I have come up with along with my boys. It’s been a nice creative outlet and I am no graphic designer, but if you have an idea, there are programs out there to help you get your words out…literally, which is why I’m writing this post.

Respect My Vote Unisex Jersey Tee with blue lettering and red check mark vote design

Respect My Vote. It sounds like an easy enough concept, right? I’ve never really though of my right to vote being “disrespected,” but sadly, in today’s current political and social climates, I do feel like my vote is a bit threatened. So, I put it on a shirt.

First, I do believe in the power of voting and having your voice heard. Both of my parents were immigrants to the U.S. and they took voting seriously, I recall election days as a young girl, waiting in long lines in my neighborhood so that they could vote. I always thought it was an interesting process to go into someone’s house in my neighborhood (polling place), where there would be a steady stream of people patiently waiting their turn to submit their ballot. All that to say, the act of voting was a big deal for my parents and the house I grew up in, so I take advantage of my right to vote.

Second, all this talk about mail in ballots and voter fraud, totally rubs me the wrong way! I have been voting absentee, which essentially is a form of mail-in voting and until this year, I have never questioned if my ballot was going to get hijacked on the way to being counted at an Election’s Office. I use the right ink for the bubbles, I seal it, sign it and put the right amount of postage or drop in the ballot box near me. I have great faith in the U.S. Postal Service and their ability to get my mail and packages delivered on time and in one piece. Is the the Postal Service perfect? No, but I tend to prefer the USPS over UPS or Fed-Ex…just saying! I respect the hard work the mail carriers and sorters put in, and I trust them to deliver my vote, if additional funding, mail sorting machines and blue post office boxes are taken away, and I have seen photos that suggest this…I find that disrespectful. Never in my life would I have ever thought that would be a thing.

Thirdly, tensions are high, we all know that. People are on polar extremes fighting and arguing for beliefs along party lines. Life is completely uncertain in a pandemic and unemployment, mental health issues creeping up on all of us and here in California, my world is literally on fire. The upcoming Election Day should be the one thing in our control. We have the opportunity to vote, we can choose who we want to vote for, and we should be able to vote using whatever method we feel safe doing so…and the way I choose to submit my vote, needs to be RESPECTED! I’m not going to tell you who to vote for or what to believe in, but I can tell you registering to vote is the right thing to do, it’s part of your civic duty and it’s one ( meaningful) way to enact real change in your community.

Respect My Vote T-Shirt Design

This is why, I was inspired and motivated to create the “Respect My Vote” T-Shirt. I plan to wear mine as we count down to November 3, 2020, and if you want to support me and order an election day shirt of your own, head over to my Shop 53 Weeks Etsy Shop! To see all my shirt designs click here. Also, you can use promo code SHOP20 until the end of August to save 20%. BTW, shirts are available Unisex or a Women’s Jersey Tee, if you prefer something more fitted. There are also two subtle design differences, one has the lettering in all blue with a red vote box check mark, and the other has blue and red lettering with the red vote check mark. But if you do anything, make sure you’re registered to vote.

Respect My Vote Ladies Tee with blue + red lettering and red check mark design

Mask Season

Like it or not, masks are here to stay. In what has become the season’s most “essential” fashion accessory, you really shouldn’t leave home without it…and even better if you can just STAY HOME! Whether you like it or not, we are in a pandemic. Medical grade masks (N95) are in short supply, and while other masks (i.e. disposable, homemade, etc…) may not provide absolute protection, they are better than nothing.

The CDC began recommending that we all wear masks when we go out in public, IF we have to go out in public for groceries or other essentials. Fortunately, my Mom made masks for my household so we have them just in case, but really, let’s be honest, my kids are not taking trips to the store with me or their Dad. So, for the foreseeable future, they won’t be donning the face-wear, as long as we can keep them at home.

It’s pretty crazy to think that this is the new normal, that even when this coronavirus aka COVID-19, gets under control, masks will be an everyday accessory. When you leave the house you’ll ask yourself, do I have my keys, wallet, phone…MASK!?! And as scary or mind-blowing as it may sound, sporting as mask can literally be a matter of life and death for some people. Not only must we wash hands, social distance and practice other safety measures to protect ourselves, we have to wear the mask, so we can do our part to save others! REAL TALK!

Alright, I’ll get off my soapbox now. I am no expert, but I will default to listening to the experts, health and medical professionals who are way more knowledgeable than me on the topic of virus protection and pandemics. I am not going to take any chances, and while for some of us it may seem like common sense, there are lots of questions out there about how to properly wear a mask or how to effectively clean it… and did you know children 2 and under don’t need masks, because it can pose other problems (breathing), for the little ones.

Check out this interview I did on FB with Dr. Eudene Harry, as she breaks it down and “unmasks” the answers to these frequently asked MASK questions. The best thing you can do for you and your loved ones right now is to stay informed and have the information to make good decisions. Stay healthy!

Start a Side Hustle

Right now may be the best time for you to start up a side hustle. Maybe you’ve had an idea for a brand or merch, but aren’t sure where to start, or just needed an extra push to get going…well, there’ no time like the present. Many of us are being faced with job loss, lost income or feeling the need to supplement our funds, so why keep putting it off when you can make something happen right now, from the comfort of your home!?!?

Enter Printful. I spoke to Ilza Folkmane from Printful and she broke it down, on just how easy it is to get started with their platform, and the best part…it’s free to sign up! You can create designs with their interface and and determine which products you want to hustle on the side. The y handle the production and ship it out for you, so it;s not like you have to stockpile a bunch of stuff at your house either.

What really intrigued me about Printful is the ease of use, no cost to begin and all the tools they offer for people to start putting their passion to print. I mean, you never know, you could start it on the side as a part time gig, and if it may just end up being a full time hustle!

Women’s Month Product Roundup

Long time no blog! Well, I’m hoping to be posting a little more regularly on here since we are all pretty much having to “shelter in place” to do our part to stop help prevent the spread of COVID-19. For me, that means “working from home,” not doing my regularly scheduled live weekday lifestyle show, but I figured I can still do lifestyle-ish videos and content. So expect more to come.

In the meantime, I recorded a Women’s Month (March) Product Roundup with some of my Aubrey Approved favorites!

The theme behind these products is that they were either made by women and/or designed exclusively for women! Below is the rundown of the items if you want a closer look!

Beauty Kitchen – beautykitchen.net
Radiate Wellness – radiatewellnessproducts.com
Peggy Li – peggyli.com
KATLA – KATLA.com
Skin Dipp – skinndipp.com
Pattern Curly Hair Care – patternbeauty.com
MARA Face Oil – themarabeauty.com
Strand Boards – strandboards.com
Posh Mommy – poshmommyjewelry.com

I’m Rockin with Rocksbox

In my line of work, appearance plays a big part. If I’m going to be on TV, or make an appearance, heck, for many of us media-types we always feels the need to be “ready to go” and be “on” at a moment’s notice. That being said, one thing I’ve never been is a great accessorizer. I tend to stick with simple and safe, hoop earring, simple bracelet in gold or silver and my same staple, go-to rings. However, I do admire great jewelry and would love to sport them with style.

Enter Rocksbox. Rocksbox is a great subscription service that provides you with a stylist who will select and send you fantastic jewelry to accessorize with, based on your choices in a simple survey. You can also select items into your wish list. Then once you receive your set, you can start to feel a bit more put together with their great selection of jewelry. There is no time limit on how long you can use the items. Just use and return when you’re ready for your next set..and you also have the option to purchase the piece you would like to keep.

So, let me share with you my first Rocksbox!!! My 2-year old toddler couldn’t resist helping me open it…that’s probably the best part, getting a package in the mail and not knowing exactly what’s inside is too fun. I guess that’s why the kids love those surprise egg videos so much. At any rate, I caught the moment on my iPhone if you want to see the big reveal.

Inside I had a brillant blue pair of stud earrings, a sexy statement necklace and a delicate, trendy tube bracelet.

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First up I wore the Loren Hope Sophia studs in seafoam. These were just so pretty on my ears. I wore them with a few different looks, but they worked nice to jazz up a daytime outfit, or compliment a more dressy style. The color definitely popped!

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I paired the Perry Street Addision necklace with a business suit look to add some “bling.” It worked beautifully and added that touch of style to a suited up look.

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Finally, I wore the Gorjana Bali Tubed Curve bracelet. I wouldn’t have selected this for myself, but since I had it, why not rock it?!?! It was a simple, subtle accessory to add to my outfit that day, a delicate and feminine statement on my wrist.

Alright, so if you want to try Rocksbox FREE …all you need to do is visit Rocksbox.com and enter my code aubreyaquinotvxoxo …then you can have all this fun waiting for you too!!!

 

Wedding Bells in Sin City

I just spent an extended weekend in Las Vegas for my younger sister Adrienne’s neon-themed wedding – she the older of my 2 younger sisters! We weren’t on the strip, but in DTLV (downtown Las Vegas) and it was filled with fun festivities, true to the style of the couple we were there to celebrate. We stayed at the Downtown Grand Hotel which is a block off from Fremont Street, recently remodeled and very comfortable (and reasonably priced). We did head over to “the strip” for one night of table and bottle service partying, but everything else was within walking distance to the hotel, which was really nice. From the Container Park to Gold Spike, The Neon Museum and her post-ceremony venues of Le Thai and Commonwealth, it was the perfect wedding weekend. Many congratulations to my sister and new brother in law, may their marriage be blessed and filled with endless love.

Check out some of my favorite photos from our Sin City festivities…

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ACHI Magazine Cover Girl

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I was lucky enough to be asked by the great folks at ACHI Magazine to be their “cover girl” for the Jan- Mar issue (they are a quarterly). We did a day long photo shoot and I was styled in many gorgeous outfits, with great jewelry and we can’t forget I got pampered by with beautiful makeup and hair! The digital edition of the fashion magazine will be online if you want to see more pictures from the photo shoot. I’ll leave you with a couple other snaps below!

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ACHI Magazine Cover Shoot – Sneak Peek

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I recently did a photo shoot for ACHI Magazine. I was very flattered that they wanted to capture this mug for their fashion magazine…and not only that, but I’ll be on the cover of their January issue! The magazine is published quarterly online…

ACHI “Strength in Sisterhood” is a Fashion and Life Style Magazine focusing on women’s interests. ACHI Magazine is “For Women That Want It All.”

On January 31, 2015 at the First Annual ACHI Magazine NFDC they will unveil the January-March issue, featuring me!

Click play below to watch a quick behind the scenes look at my shoot!