Meet Jaleesa McCreary

Tell us your name and how you define beauty.

I’m Jaleesa and I define beauty as confident humility. When someone owns who they are and the good design God has for their life, while also believing that they can learn from and grow from anyone they meet...that’s beautiful.

Tell us 3 things that have inspired you recently.

1) I went to a Sigur Ros concert and it was so beautiful and engaging! Definitely inspired me as a creative.

2) natural light - can that inspire? It just opens me up!

3) my roommate - she sees something she wants to do and does it well! She opened a leather business and she is amazing to me.

What is the best thing happening in your life right now?

That God keeps giving me opportunities to serve His church. I get to lead worship in many places for all types of people. It’s a great honor and blows my mind when He moves!

What thing in your life is the hardest for you to see beauty in and why?

Personality is a tough one for me. Sometimes I look around and think that to be feminine is to be soft-spoken, compliant, and weak. I’m not those things....I’m bold, opinionated, and sassy. I fight to believe God had a very intentional design when He did those things in me, and I want to honor Him for it.

How do you fight to see beauty in your life?

Sharing my fears and insecurities with trusted girlfriends helps me fight to see beauty! They remind me of the truest things about myself! And because they are all different from me, I see different expressions of beauty.

What are some daily rituals that make you feel beautiful?

1) Healthy meals make me feel fueled and refreshed. 

2) Washing my face makes me feel ready for the day. 

3) Prayer! It connects me to the Lord.

What is your favorite accessory and why? (earrings, watch, purse, etc.)

My denim jacket!!! It was a surprise find, and I had been wanting one FOREVER! I just feel really good about it!

Tell us about one of your favorite adventures.

I once had a girls day in London with my friend Liz! It will always be one of my favorite memories! We went to an art museum, ate amazing food, laughed A LOT, wore red lipstick, and walked in the rain. Seriously, one of the BEST DAYS EVER!!!

What advice would you give your younger self?

BE KIND! I spent a lot of years being unkind to people because I felt threatened and unworthy. You don’t gain confidence or love living that way. Love people, respect their experiences, and BE KIND!

Meet Kim Truss from Drawing Room Designs

Hi, my name is Kim Truss and I define beauty by as texture.  God gives each person abilities and different characteristics which make them unique. For me, it's as simple as their sense of humor, the way a person smiles, their quirkiness, talents, and imperfections. People's unique qualities give them texture!

3 things that have inspired me lately:

1. People that have been successful in small businesses 
2. Studying the life of Paul
3. Finding a new piece of furniture

The best thing happening in my life right is that I get to be creative and run a small business that I love and spend a tone of time with my three kids that are growing up way too fast. It's so fun watching their personalities grow.

The thing that is hardest for me to see "beautiful" right now?  Self promotion of my talents and gifts doesn't feel right. I know and feel confident in my abilities and gifting but it also feels like I'm making much of myself and being vulnerable in front of people I don't know.  

I fight to see beauty through abiding in God's word and the people in my life.

Daily rituals that make me feel beautiful? For me my daily rituals that make me feel beautiful are: a bath, a clean house, wearing a cute outfit (even if it's workout clothes), earrings, when I curl my hair with a wand (which I highly recommend trying), exercising, and eating healthy.

My favorite accessory is earrings and/or a necklace because honestly I don't wear makeup a lot. Earrings or a necklace make be feel more girly even when it's a hat day.

One of my favorite adventures was attending my 20 year class reunion 2 years ago.  We stayed in Clarksdale, MS where I grew up.  Clarksdale is in the heart of the Mississippi Delta and known to be the birthplace of the blues.  Our class rented out The Hopson Plantation. This location is a historical landmark in the delta that has expanded and begun renting little shacks with a common area restaurant/bar in the Plantation. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your perspective, they don't call it the Hopson Plantation, that would be far too fancy. The place we stayed is called, "The Shack Up In" - no need to rub your eyes or re-read that name, you read it correctly.  If you're curious you should check this place out online to see what I'm talking about. You don't stay their for comfort or even the fact that it's kinda cute and rustic, you stay there for the history and experience the delta brings. What made it so great was the laughter that brought me to tears, from hanging out with some really fun people and seeing friends "really change" after 20 years compared to our 10 year reunion (which wasn't much different). Reality is that we are all on equal planes, no longer identified by what group you were associated with.  It was a sweet adventure, down memory lane with a lifelong friend and our husbands, who died laughing, while we relived those days, taking pictures in front of our school as if we were still equipped for cheerleading pyramids.

I would tell my younger self to embrace who you are and not to compare yourself to others. Don't be a worry wart.

Meet Jana Cofield from Waterloo Style

Hello Waterloo Style family! I have not officially introduced myself. My name is Jana Cofield and I am having so much fun designing beautiful, versatile, handmade, with-a-touch-of-funk products for you! Tiffany and I have known each other for many years and have spent lots of late nights making leather earrings for fun! I was so excited when she asked me to partner with her in creating beautiful leather products for Waterloo Style. We know this all would not have happened without you guys being such great customers and helping spread the word! Thank you for being a huge part of Waterloo Style!! We are excited to get to know you more and live some adventures in beautiful together! I guess, if we are going to be friends, I’d love to let you know a little about me.

I have been married to Justin for almost 15 years. We love working in the yard, talking over a cup of coffee, 80s country music, thrift store shopping and doing anything outside! We have four kids. Jaxon is 11 and can have fun wherever he is, whoever he is with. Annie is 7 and you can usually find her wearing sparkly boots with a purse and a babydoll. Lyla is 3 and will make a new friend at the playground in 60 seconds flat. Jude is 2 and is all boy with lots of snuggles! These five are my greatest adventure! God has used them to teach me what “adventures in beautiful” really means. Some of our adventures have been really fun and others quite messy and refining. God had a hand-picked story for us that involved secondary infertility, uncovering deep insecurities, adoption through fostercare, struggling with how God felt about me and what to do when He didn’t seem to ever answer my prayers, and choosing to love those God gave us to love in the midst of all our own heartache. God has slowly, but surely changed the narrative in my head to know the TRUTH! That He makes everything beautiful in its time (Ecc. 3:11).

He’s opened my eyes and heart to behold the wonder of His creative, intentional hand in each of our stories. As women we know the struggles we can have to not compare our bodies, our lives, our husbands, our kids, our house, our career, our...you name it! At Waterloo Style, we want to cheer you guys on to see beautiful in yourself and in others...and that we would call that out in each other. It is a messy, humble, courageous adventure to NOT listen to what the world is telling me is beautiful, but to listen to truth. Whether it is how I feel physically or how I see people and circumstances in my life. I have a choice to make. I can give in to the trash-talk in my head, or I can choose to see BEAUTIFUL! I hope that as you wear Waterloo earrings, you are reminded of YOUR beauty and you take the courageous adventure to see BEAUTIFUL in your own life!

We would love for you to join us as you live your own adventures in beautiful. Where are you struggling the most to see beautiful...in yourself, others, circumstances?