Kara Kennedy, Author at Inspired Southerner

Alabama Entrepreneur giving away 300 book bags to students

July 3, 2019 By Kara Kennedy

Inspired Southerner TC Counseling — Tammy Cauthen is making a difference in Birmingham.

Tammy Cauthen, entrepreneur and owner of TC Counseling, has a passion for transforming individuals and families by helping them make the necessary changes to enhance their quality of life. To help families start the new school year right, TC Counseling is giving away 300 book bags to students during their first-ever back-to-school Carnival on July 13.

Giving Back to the Community

Tammy recognized that some students in the Birmingham, Alabama area may not have the supplies necessary to start off the new school year on the right foot, so she came up with the idea to ensure students are prepared for their classes when the bell rings on Aug. 8.

Unfortunately, some parents can’t afford the basic supplies for their kids to go back to school which presents an undue burden on them. It also can take a toll on their children.

“We want to take the pressure off of parents, so we’re hosting this Back-to-School carnival on July 13 so families who may need a little help can get a running start into the new year,” said Tammy Cauthen, owner of TC Counseling. “We want every child to be prepared so that they can focus on and feel enthusiastic about learning.”

Inspired Southerner — TC Counseling is hosting first-ever back-to-school carnival

Back to School Carnival

This fun back-to-school carnival will be held at the Shields Conference Center at W.C. Patton Park in downtown Birmingham from 12-4 pm. It will feature carnival rides, a gaming truck with Laser Tag, XBOX, Playstation Nintendo and other video games, food, educational and safety programming.

In addition, and the best part of all, families will leave with brand-new school supplies and book bags. Parents who want a book bag must register at noon the day of the event to be eligible.

Company Mission

The mission of TC Counseling is to make an impact on the community by engaging with individuals and families through community outreach. The company also partners with other Birmingham-area companies to host events. For this event, in particular, she is seeking donations of supplies or money from those who may want to donate to the event or companies who may want to partner with TC Counseling.

“I hope to make this an annual event to celebrate families before they start the new school year,” Tammy added.

If you would like to make a donation or more information about the Back-to-School Carnival visit TC Counseling’s website or call (205) 601-6195.

In addition to the back-to-school event, TC Counseling hosts an annual luncheon for Jefferson County social workers.

Alabama singer-songwriter Alvin Garrett celebrates the release of his new album ‘This Hill’ on June 7

June 3, 2019 By Kara Kennedy

Escape to this tiny home eco-retreat on 85 acres in North Central Alabama

May 12, 2019 By Kara Kennedy

Case Rock Cabin Inspired Southerner — Glenn and Rachel Evans built their sustainable tiny home on 85 acres on their farm.

Nestled in the woods on the banks of the Locust Fork River north of Birmingham, Alabama, Glenn and Rachel Evans have put their love of the environment and sustainability into everyday practice with their Case Rock Cabin a modern tiny home they built earlier this year as an eco-retreat on their farm in Blount County.

Glenn and Rachel built their tiny home as an eco-retreat on the back-side of their 85-acre farm, a mile and a quarter off of the nearest paved road. The cabin is only accessible by an ATV or four-wheel drive vehicle. Glenn, an electrical engineer, built it himself by hauling materials on top of a Polaris down steep terrain.

“We designed the home together,” said Rachel Evans, an artist and an Alabama teacher who home schools her children. “We wanted the project to be an example and a teachable moment for our children about environmental sustainability.”

Tiny home design

The home was designed with a modern, industrial aesthetic look and feel. It was built out of reclaimed and recycled materials with solar panels, a back-up generator, a water tank, a wood heater and a composting toilet.

Going off-grid

After they built it, Rachel and Glenn listed their tiny-home retreat on AirBnB. It’s an off-grid experience for those who want to get away from it all and unplug. When you arrive at this eco-retreat you will park your car, the hosts will check you in and you will then be driven to the cabin by UTV. Once you’re dropped off, it will be up to you to figure out how to get back and forth to your car or the main house. If the hosts are available, they will give you a ride to your car. The hosts also will schedule a checkout and pick up time for you at the end of your stay.

The perfect place to unplug

It has no wifi or TV and cell phone reception is spotty. But don’t fret, there is radio communication in case of an emergency. You’ll also have access to a blue-tooth speaker to play your tunes or podcasts. Once you arrive, you’ll be taught how to use the cabin’s electrical system, water system, and composting toilet. For back-up, there are YouTube videos available to show you as well. One special note is that there is no refrigerator so you’ll have to bring a cooler and ice, or you can purchase ice on site.

A dog friendly retreat

Bring your dog to Case Rock! Glenn and Rachel even provide pet bowls, old towels and pooper scooper bags; all you have to do is bring your dog’s crate, toys and food.

Case Rock sleeps six and has a composting toilet

The cabin sleeps six with two bedrooms, three beds and one bath. It’s stocked with breakfast foods including fresh eggs from Case Rock’s chickens. There is a one burner propane stove, an Instant Pot and gas grill for cooking; however, there is no oven. Shower outside in a shower heated by a propane instant hot water heater. For cooler days and nights there is a wood stove inside and for warmer days there are DC attic fans.

Guests staying at Case Rock also can bring their boats or tubes to use on Locust Fork River. There is only biking and hiking on the trails around the cabin. Guests are not allowed to drive or use motorized vehicles on these trails.

CaseRock Inspired Southerner — Guests can try their hand at fly fishing on the river.

Enjoy fly fishing or the white water rapids on the river

The river is relatively is located at the upper eastern end of the Warrior River Basin. The river is one of three major tributaries of the Black Warrior River that stretches across Blount, Etowah and Marshall counties. The area is very scenic and popular because of its white water and the area is great for hiking. Canoers and kayakers from all over the Southeast flock to the area during the spring and summer to try out the river’s world-class rapids. As far as Case Rock’s availability, Rachel and Glenn say it’s booked all of May and most of June.

Book now on AirBnB

“There are projects ongoing at our farm and we complete them together as a family,” said Rachel. “We love animals, traveling and camping. We meet so many interesting people when we travel. Case Rock is a way for us to combine everything we love about our farm and share it with the world in hopes of teaching people about the environment, sustainability and how to “unplug,” if only for a moment.”

You can follow the story of Case Rock Cabin on Instagram @caserockcabin or book your stay on AirBnB.

Alabama makeup artist turns childhood dream into a rewarding career

February 7, 2019 By Kara Kennedy

Aware Cosmetics, Inspired Southerner — Jestina Howard is founder of Aware Cosmetics and a well-sought after makeup artist.

In elementary school Jestina Howard used to do her classmates’ makeup in the bathroom in exchange for snacks. It was pretty lucrative for her, exchanging snacks for doing makeup, until she got in trouble for it. Later when she was in her 20s this childhood business led to a professional career as a makeup artist. That’s when she was invited to do makeup for a photoshoot.

“My friend asked me to do the makeup for the models for a magazine photoshoot,” said Jestina Howard, Founder of Aware Cosmetics and Makeup Services. “After that shoot, I was referred to others to do makeup for companies throughout the Southeast.”

Jestina created her own makeup line after a client suggested it to her. “When a client mentioned that I should develop my own line, a light bulb went off. I started researching how to make it happen,” she added. Now she has a full line of makeup she uses on her clients to enhance their look.

Celebrity Makeup

Prior to creating Aware Cosmetics, Jestina worked as a full time makeup artist for M.A.C. Cosmetics after they launched at Parisian at the Riverchase Galleria in Birmingham, Alabama. She also was the staff makeup artist and manager of Deborah Stone Day Spa in the Collonnade.

She has had many opportunities during her career to do makeup for dignitaries, models, celebrities and corporate power players. Her portfolio includes doing makeup for SpikeTV, Nike and The Food Network.

She also has done makeup for CBS Sports anchors and Richard Petty during a Talladega race. A few of her other famous clients include: Coach Nick Saban, baseball great Willie Mays, actress America Fererra, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, musician NeYo, fashion designer Sigrid Olsen, model Emme and actress Nicole Ari Parker.

Inspired Southerner Aware Cosmetics — Jestina donates a portion of her sales to the American Lung Association.

Working Creatively

Now she not only spends time doing makeup, but also taps into other creative passions in fashion and event planning. Exploring other passions makes her feel fulfilled. She also volunteers her time by serving on several boards within the Birmingham community.

One of those events is on Sunday, Feb. 10 where Aware Cosmetics is sponsoring Glow App’s New Year New Year Makeup Lesson event at Innovation Depot. This app helps supports achieving excellence through beauty. Jestina also is sponsoring the You Can Get the Business event that focuses on the makeup industry on March 3 at Birmingham’s Creed Co-Working Space.

“To me beauty and fashion go hand-in-hand. As a makeup artist, working in fashion allows me to have an impact on the latest beauty trends, locally,” she added.

Aware Cosmetics has a wide-range of foundation, eyeshadow, blush and lip color options available. Jestina’s favorite product is the Runway Lip Glosses because of their staying power.

Aware Cosmetics Inspired Southerner red lipstick. — One trend for spring is red lips and minimal makeup.

2019 Makeup and Color Trends

According to Jestina, effortless glamour will replace the heavy looks seen on Instagram. Other makeup trends include smoky eyes, red lips, berry stained lips, coral eyes, cheeks and lips. Another big trend will be polished skin with bold pops of color and neutral tones in tans and taupes.

Inspired Southerner Aware Cosmetics invest in good makeup — Investing in good makeup will give you a richer pigment with more staying power.

Why Invest in Good Makeup?

Jestina states that investing in a good set of brushes is key to having a flawless look. A good brush set will last 10 years if stored properly. She also recommends investing in a more expensive makeup line also will give your more pigment and staying power.

Life’s Inspiration

Jestina gets color inspiration from flowers that bloom in the spring and from leaves that change colors in the fall. Artists use many colors creating their artwork Jestina finds inspiration in Italian, Dutch, African, Native American and Asian contemporary art.

Another passion she has, is advocating to bring awareness about lung disease for the American Lung Association in Alabama. In fact, she donates a portion of her cosmetic sales every year to the organization.

“I have family members who suffer from lung disease and asthma,” she said. “That’s why I give a percentage of my annual sales to the American Lung Association for education and research.”

All photos are by Kassady Gibson, Focus Creative. Special thanks to Ellen Hart for modeling.

Partner Content

Nashville: Opryland’s A Country Christmas a tradition for 35 years

December 20, 2018 By Kara Kennedy

Opryland’s A Country Christmas has been wowing audiences for 35 years and this year’s event is bigger and better than ever with the addition of an indoor/outdoor water attraction.

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