shila cleveland | Earth & Ether

To Capture a Honey Bee

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We stay swarming, so, watch out, you might get stung…

“So tell me Slim what you wanna do
When you know I’m in love wit you
Every time that I turn around
Look for you but you can’t be found
Fly free baby fine wit me
I’m in love wit a bumble bee
Ooh Slim, boy you killing me
But you so sweet to me”

Join the Queen Team- let your natural beauty show. No fillers, no filters, no make-up, no pretending, no adjustments, Just You.

This is who I am. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am Shila Iris

The Nile River Flows Through Me

He is the River Nile
The soil around him is fer tile
he is steady planting seeds
and watering them with my juices
his trees bear the fruit of me
on the branches I rest majestically
I call out to Pharaoh,
my divine King
when he’s in between
things are Exactly what they seem
His greatness creates streams,
that run through me
becoming rivers
flowing around my canals
and ravines
his Ebony mysteries,
prophetic history
prepares me for storms,
and extremes
When the floods come,
I am safe
surrounded by the aura of his grace
Protected by his Strength
I am goddess queen to this god
he studies the sun, the moon
and the stars
making calculated moves
he lives the truth and
bequeaths it to me
I live in his pyramid
Kushite to Meroë
temple to tomb
downriver to Timbuktu
across the Sahara
honorably,
we stand in our own reflections
wanting less, needing nothing
but the presence of the person in the moment
respect
Long Live the King in Me!

Queen OSiRis

FaLL LoOk BoOK PaGe 2… wear what you got

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This Autumn I am focusing on wearing what is already in my closet. I won’t be purchasing much of anything. I gained some weight and had to let some things go. However, I had enough stretchy clothing to carry me for a while. My motto is no CONSUMERISM. Thank you Lauryn Hill for solidifying my decision! She gets deeper than fashion in her hot new track.

Today’s Look: The Lavender Sweater Dress

FROM HEAD TO TOE:

Stretchy fabric used for head wrapping from JoAnn’s.
Lavender dress from Venus. I was quite disappointed when I first bought this dress because I ordered the smallest size they had and it was too big! However, I gained 5 lbs and now I can fit it! It was on sale for $19 last year. I really like it now! Venus has nice dresses for women who have curves. I normally would buy from the sale and clearance sections. This dress has to be hand washed.
The black and gray multicolored sweater is from TJMaxx. It was $25 which is more than what I would normally pay, but I needed a sweater. I have worn this for 3 years and I hand wash it as well.
The stockings are gray from Target for $4.
The shoes are by Aldo. They were expensive because of the leather. It’s called the Fornilli.
Sterling silver earrings from a guy who came into the beauty salon selling jewelry! $10. Sterling silver rings from thrift stores, Passport to Peru, and City Buddha.

Final Note: Sweater dresses are one of my favorite items of clothing so when I saw this one for just $19, I jumped on it! They can get pretty pricey, but I’ll stay in the under $30 range. It’s difficult for me to pay over $25 for any article of clothing that is not mud cloth or Kente cloth. I normally buy them at the end of the season for more than 80% off. I’ve gotten them from Dots, H&M, Dillards, and online, all for under $20. This dress is made with viscose and is very thin and a bit see-through. Wearing with stockings is a must. You may even have to wear a slip.

The Kush Queen for African Essence

P.S. Have you been reading? Don’t slip. Queens must read. This is the first fiction book I’ve read in years and I’m liking it. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King.