What I've Been Up To- No, I didn't get kidnapped by Bigfoot

As most of you know, I'm part of a paranormal team that has recently launched a cryptid branch. Well, The Carolina Society for Paranormal Research and Investigation and The Carolina Cryptid Crew have been keeping me on my feet. Paralina is doing a good job of picking up any slack they leave. I love this team!


We have had our hands full with planning events, doing the events, and making sure they run smoothly.


The Carolina Cryptid Crew is still in full swing and going like a whirlwind. We have a meet and greet this coming Saturday in Seneca- y'all should definitely come out.


If you've been wondering why I do all this. Why I am so passionate about it and why I am determined to see the team succeed- Then read this book. This is our story. This is a true story, sometimes hard to believe, but true. This is the power that drives me. Written by Melissa D. George and Brandon Hudgens. Prologue by Dennis Carroll. Introduction by me. 



As always, there is always something going on with us and I would like some input from you all. Would you like to hear more about my paranormal adventures and this rock star life?

January Organizing With #TheDocSafe

As you all know, one of my all time favorite tools is DocSafe. I have enjoyed working with Joshua, the co-creator, so when he agreed to write a guest post for The Palmetto Queen, I was ecstatic. Thank you Joshua!

January is a great time of the year – everyone gets a fresh start to tackle New Year’s Resolutions. Do you remember thinking last year at this time that you’d like to find a new job or spend more time with family family? Hopefully you were able to keep those Resolutions! Here’s a new one for 2014 – getting your important papers organized with The DocSafe.

Why would I want to do that, you ask? Spending countless hours searching for little Johnny’s birth certificate so that he can play Little League this year can be stressful and time consuming. Plus, fires and other natural disasters can put you in a vulnerable position. When a natural disaster or other catastrophe strikes, your possessions and documents may be lost or destroyed.

With The DocSafe, you simply scan your important paper documents or obtain electronic versions from your lawyer, accountant, or other professionals who assist you. Then, you upload them to our servers, placing them in handy categories such Estate Planning, Real Estate, and Tax Returns. Once the documents are online, you and your loved can access them from any Internet-connected device. You can also share your information with others if you choose, so they’ll also have access to the files.
How do you get started?
The first step is to sign up. You can opt for a monthly or yearly plan or start out with the 14-day free trial. Simply check the box that asks if you have a promo code, then enter FREE TRIAL.
Next, you’ll create a user name and password, which means only you can access your account—unless you choose to share the information with someone who might need access to your documents. Finally, you will enter your payment information.

Creating your Profile


Once you have activated your membership, you will complete a personal profile, which includes:
  • Marital status
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Other contact information
Uploading Your Documents

This is the key part of the process. My Doc Organizer provides categories for the most commonly protected types of information, such as:
  • Medical documents
  • Insurance
  • Retirement planning
  • Estate planning
  • Military-related documents and benefits

To upload paper documents, scan and store them on your computer. You can also upload information you have already stored as computer files, such as financial data from your accountant and Last Wills for your attorney. Then, the uploading process is as easy as attaching a file to an email:
  • Click on “Choose file’ in whichever category you want to use to store the file (such as Estate Planning)
  • Locate the file in the window that pops up
  • Click on “Open”
  • Then click on “Upload”
  • Open the document to check that it uploaded properly


Simply repeat those few easy steps for each document you want to upload.

As you can see, The DocSafe is quick and easy to use. State-of-the-art encryption technology keeps all your information safe. If you have not signed up for a membership yet, try our free 14-day trial.

The DocSafe has generously offered 4 lifetime memberships to their fantastic service. How do you enter? Well, right here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This post was originally published here

A New Year, A New Plan: #OrganizeMe

For me, a new year always means that it is time to refresh. This year I am taking a different approach. Instead of setting a new resolution that is going to be forgotten about in just a couple of months (weeks, or days), I am simply revisiting all areas of my life, reorganizing, and seeing what I can improve. When my big birthday (THIRTY!!!) gets here in June, then I will think about a new resolution.

I learned a valuable lesson last year- don't start a big organizing project right after Christmas or the New Year. Instead, take a little bit of time and think about what areas you want to tackle first and make a tentative order you want things completed. For instance, this year I'm starting with my personal space for a complete organizational overhaul. I thought- if I'm not organized, my family isn't going to be either.

Part of organizing my personal space includes phase one of organizing The Palmetto Queen.



I have rethought where this blog is going and what I want to accomplish. So, The Palmetto Queen is getting some changes starting with the #organizeme series. This series will stretch out over a couple of months and focus on getting mom organized. We will visit organizing yourself- not your home, not your family, not your office. JUST YOU. This includes purse, planner, projects, etc. There are some great posts planned, here is a start:


  • Complete planner organization
  • Organizing tasks
  • Planning time
  • On the go- purse/ diaper bag/ etc
  • Resolutions
  • Project planning
  • Paperwork
Each post will include a free printable, a giveaway, and a challenge- I hope you participate using #organizeme. 

After this series is over, organizing is going to remain a huge part of The Palmetto Queen. There will still be some family and mom posts, as well as some just for mom posts. I am also starting Southern Charm Sundays back up, but with a little twist - you'll see soon. 

Organizing is something I am passionate about. I organize when I'm stressed and if I'm not organized I stress. It is a huge part of who I am and I am going to start focusing more on that! 

I hope you join in on the series and complete the challenges. I'm leaving you with some links for free printables that you may find useful in your journey!





Here is a handy dandy resource that if you are anything like me you will absolutely have to have. 


Your Challenge is to decide what your organizing goals are and to either gather your planner supplies or to start thinking about what you want in a planner- remember that everyone is different so there is no wrong answer. Feel free to share on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest (Remember: #organizeme)

Have FUN!!!

Confession: I Have a Wild Side

Disclaimer: I received a product in exchange for a review. I was not asked to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Confession: I have a wild side... with my hair at least. These days I tend to dress more conservatively (and kind of plain) I like to spruce things up with jewelry, huge bags, and crazy shoes. I wear black a lot, so I thought it would be fun to have a hot pink strip in my hark hair. I had no idea how this would look. Luckily Denyce at MyLuxury1st shot me an email because she had a product she wanted me to try!!!


It looks like real hair! Why, because it is real hair! I got to try out the Remy hair in BPINK. My hair is really thick, yet it blended in just right since I just wanted a streak. If you have thin hair, it will work for you too because the hair itself is not as thick as mine. (Mine is a lot of hair and very thick hairs). I received 2 of these strips. In the future, I might try out two, but I like the look of one. 


The extension was easier than I thought it would be to attach- without the use of glues- and it stayed in perfectly. I even slept in it. The combs attached to the hair extension ensure a great hold!


The extensions are 19 inches long which is perfect for my hair, but if yours is short, you can cut them. The best thing is that you can treat them just like the hair that grows on your head. You can wash them, dye them, curl them, straighten them, anything. Just be sure to remember that like your hair, you must treat them well. Heat protect them, condition them, and treat them with care. 

What I love the most about MyLuxury1st was working with Denyce. She is the owner of this new business and she works hard. She cares about her customers and is passionate about what she does. She took the time to explain hair extensions to me and help me find what product would be best for me. She has even emailed me to make sure I didn't have any questions. Denyce thank you for being such a pleasure to work with. You will have my business in the future and I will send everyone your way!!! 




Top 3 Coffee Makers of 2014

Have you made any New Years resolutions this year? I’d take a gamble you will need a good amount of caffeine to stay on track with what ever you’ve decided to change. This means you are going to need a quality machine to produce said caffeine, in heavy amounts if you are anything like us.

There are some really high-end coffee makers on the market these days. They make great coffee quickly and look pretty damn awesome in your kitchen too. I have picked out my favorite 3 single-serve coffee makers.

You could try:

3 – Gaggia Baby Press - $379



Right at the top end of the market. This coffee machine comes with a steamer as well. With the right know-how you can make beautiful cappuccinos and lattes. Its slick and modern design will look great in most kitchens. Buying and grinding beans is a bit of a hassle, one that many modern coffee drinkers simply don’t have time for. So perhaps you could try…





2 – Aeropress - $26.17

The super-convenient choice. This product has snowballed recently gaining favor in many circles. It is simple as A, B, C. Heat kettle, dump grounds, hot water and press. Simple. But unfortunately that is all you get: simplicity. No fancy moacha-frapa-ccino coffee for you. Add some cream and maybe a bit of sugar, but that’s all.

1 – DeLonghi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo Coffee Maker – $44.99

The perfect marriage of convenience and taste. This coffee machine takes the speed of the Aeropress and filters it through a heap of delicious granules. The brewing process is as simple as popping a capsule in the machine and flicking the on switch. Hey presto, you have the perfect Espresso, Cappuccino or even Hot Chocolate. They come in both grey or black and can fit in to nearly any kitchen.


And so there we have it. The jury has decided. The award for coffee maker of 2014 has to go to Nescafe’s Dolce Gusto. The convenience of use combined with the quality of taste come together to make a near perfect coffee machine. You can check out the full range of Nescafe coffee machines here.

Samantha Thomas is an Account Manager at Make It Rain, a Digital Marketing Agency based in London and Los Angeles. When not at work she enjoys being outdoors, yoga and playing with her dog. Connect with her on Google+

Disclaimer

The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto®. For the most up to date information on single serve coffee makers, specialty coffee pods, and offers by NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® company, please visit the website at: www.dolce-gusto.us

Gorgeous Sleek Hair with Naturally Mediterranean

Disclaimer: I received a product in exchange for my review. I was not asked to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. 


This is an old picture of me. As I have mentioned before, my hair is a constant source of stress for me. It is now very long- down to my waist. It is extremely curly, coarse, dry, and frizzy. I have a difficult time finding products that work just right for my hair without weighing it down and pulling the curl out (even though its heavy enough too)

Thanks to Naturally Mediterranean, I have found an amazing oil that keeps it from frizzing, keeps it moisturized, emphasizes the curl, and doesn't weigh it down. 


The Naturally Mediterranean Magic Oil is by far the best oil I have used- and I have used a lot. The pump is great too, I don't end up with half of the bottle coming out trying to pour it. 


This amazing oil works for hair, skin, and nails. It is 90% organic, with the rest deriving from nature. Just one drop lasts all day! It is non-greasy and absorbs amazingly well!

This product came at just the right time- when I was going to be in the public eye a lot and I didn't need to worry about how my hair looked. Thanks Naturally Mediterranean!


Look at that gorgeous head of hair!

The Best Gift Any Independent Business Women Can Receive

Many business women will have experienced the following scenario within their careers, specifically; entrepreneurial ladies who might have their own mobile stylist business, pet grooming service or cosmetics delivery and then wish they could accept card payments to provide convenience and another source of income rather than just cash every time.
Merchant services is the name given to a broad category of financial services that are meant for use by businesses. It enables a business to accept a transaction payment through service channel by using credit and debit cards, gift cards, loyalty program and electronic benefit transfers like phone top-ups. These services are a great solution for women’s businesses that process bulk transactions. Merchant services even allow you to accept multiple forms of payments, including face-to-face with a mobile PDQ machine(picture below), online orders and phone/mail orders. You can also enjoy accepting credit card payments as these services Accept Card Payments literally anywhere if you have a iPhone or Wi-Fi connection.


Get Yourself Equipped To Compete With Your Male Competitor’s!
PDQ Machines are used in processing the financial transactions of an individual’s credit card or debit card. The transaction gets done quickly while ensuring at the same time that the payment is secure by automatically checking the customer details and the status of their account. There are three widely used applications which are mobile, portable and countertop. For those women conduct business on the road whilst dodgy a busy schedule to pick the kids up from school, you can get complete flexibility with a mobile terminal which acts in the same way as a cell phone. The PDQ machines also accept cards and provide best services to the customers. Not only that, these are very secure, completely risk free and hassle free too.
Flexible And Easy Mode To Accept Card Payments
In this post I wanted to educate women that a special kind of bank account is required for one of these mobile devices, a merchant account is a bank account that allows businesses to accept payments by debit and credit card. To have this account a positive credit rating is a must. This account can be opened by completing an online application and then submitting it successfully. Merchant account helps you in accepting credit card at your business.

As more and more customers are now choosing to make their purchases on the internet or by phones, fax and mail orders, women need to stay ahead of the curve and understand the options which work best for businesses. Hence a merchant account helps you to grow your business. With such an account you can enjoy the flexibility of accepting payments anywhere and anytime, even if you have your hands full! 

Get some Bling with Jewelry.com

Disclaimer: I received a product in exchange for my review. I was not asked to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

As I have mentioned before, I love all things shiny, glittery, and sparkly. Something about bling just makes me smile. So, when I was asked to review a product from Jewelry.com, I knew this opportunity was for me!


I got so many compliments while wearing this ring! It is really beautiful all over!





It is a pretty good sized ring, here it is compared to one of my wedding bands. 

One of my favorite things about the Diamond Rings from Jewelry.com is that you know exactly what you are getting. All of the information is right on the page with the piece. 


I will definitely order jewelry from them in the future, they have something for every price range! 

Show Off Your Family With Easy Canvas Prints and #Giveaway

Disclosure: I received a product in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Since our little princess was born we only had one family picture taken until Christmas, I wanted to show off my beautiful family. 

Easy Canvas Prints came to the rescue! They made me a beautiful canvas so show off the George Clan. 

This photo is not the best because of the bright sunlight and all the white that day, but Easy Canvas Prints made it beautiful. I will treasure it for years to come. 


I just adore this picture of my family. I went through the design process, uploaded my chosen photo, and even chose the color for the canvas wrap. Guess what color I chose. 


Customer Service and the Easy Canvas Print Design team are amazing. After I finished the design process, I received an email letting me know that the photo I chose was not the ideal quality and gave me the option to upload a new one or to use the one I originally uploaded. Of course, I chose to upload a different one. The one I ended up using still isn't the best quality, but the folks at EasyCanvasPrints.com did a fantastic job- it looks phenomenal! I am extremely satisfied with the print quality, the wrap quality, shipping, and every other aspect of working with The Easy Canvas Print team. 



The canvas I received is 8x10". I will definitely purchase more as we have more photos made. 

If you are interested in this amazing company, visit their sister sites, BuildASign.com and AlliedShirts.com to see all the beauty they offer. 

Do you want to win your own 8"x10" wrapped canvas from Easy Canvas Prints? 
Its easy. Comment on this post and let me know what your favorite feature is and a winner will be randomly selected Friday, January 24th.


Organized Yourself First #OrganizeMe

Guess what time it is... Its time for my annual "Living The Organized Life" series. However, this year is a bit different. This year, we are spreading the series out over a couple months with 1-2 posts a week.

This event coincides with a revamping of The Palmetto Queen. It is going to be a surprise, just know that there will be a lot more organizing posts and goodies here at The Palmetto Queen.

Friday starts the posts for #organizeme. Every week will have something special. There will be how to posts, challenges, reviews, free printables, and great giveaways. To follow along, use the #organizeme. Stay tuned for some fun and be prepared to get YOU organized. If YOU aren't organized, no one else in your home will be. Go team MOM!!!