DiY: MAKiNG A STATEMENT {about SOBRIETY and a} NECKLACE

I like making statements. It's like my thang. I can't help it. I enjoy speaking my mind. And let's NEVER forget we have the RIGHT to speak our minds.  #JeSuisCharlie … and i don't plan on NOT speaking my mind anytime soon. But sometimes I like to make silent statements. Those often can speak the loudest. Plus, it always fun to use my art & style to express myself.  

And what better way to express yourself then in a Statement Necklace? HASHTAG DUH. I was recently inspired to get back on my craft DiY game and make a statement about Sobriety. And i am PRETTY proud of this piece. Like PROUD on SO many levels. #GetOnMyLevel

                   

This EXACTLY the kind of statement i like to make when i walk in the room. 

"Who is #THATGiRL?" … haven't we been over this before? 

It's Amber … MFing LANE …

                

"First Year Sobriety: All that Changes is EVERYTHiNG" by: Guy Kettlehack

"The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure: The Holistic Approach To Total Recovery"

I'm SO OBSESSED  with my new Julia 'Lady J' Gerard Tee shirt paired perfectly with new DiY necklace.

Tee shirts are like my second favorite way to make statements, or whatever. 

And I very much encourage anyone who has ever had a problem with drinking, thinks they may have a problem or are just looking for a WAY BETTER way of life I encourage you to look into a new form of HAPPiNESS called SOBRiETY!!!

And BiG THANK YOU to ALL my sober mentors out there like Russell Brand & Bradley Cooper!! 

Talk about some #BADASS MFing people on #TeamSober … #JustSayin

Happy Tuesday Y'all!!

and CHEERS to HEALTH!!

Colgate Optic White Beauty Bar 2015

I am a pretty excited person. Seriously, I get overly excited about the silliest things. Which works out nicely since I live in a town and work in an industry that applauds and celebrates enthusiasm. Coincidently, this time of year it when accolades and awards are granted to those who channel their enthusiasm and energy i to their artistic work. 

The buzz that surrounds Award Season in Hollywood is infectious. And since I'm on that Sober Tip, I''ll take any good-clean energetic buzz that rolls my way. So when I was invited to the Chateau Marmot to kick off Golden Globes weekend at the Colgate #OpticWhite Beauty Bar, I could barely contain my excitement. No, seriously. 

Guests invited to the Colgate Optic bar were treated to manicures, massages, and makeup applications by Priv (beauty on Demand App) ; infused water by Rove; vegan milkshakes by Naturade; popsicles and champagne with frozen fruit pops by Chloe’s Fruit; gifting and pop-up shop by LA-based clothing line, 35mm; and, gifting by jewelry brand, Tuleste. 

Um. Hella fun basically. 

Isn't Jennie garth the cutest ??!!

I had an amazing time enjoying myself at the Beauty Bar mingling with so many of my favorites and it was also such an honor to have my hair done by Celebrity Stylist Josue Perez.

                                 

Josue also styled my FAVES Christina Milian and Cheryl Burke's coifs in preparation for a weekend full of celebrating, elbow rubbing and excitement. 

 Jose kills it with the Rowenta Beauty Tools.

Cheryl is a fellow Bay Lady like me. She's the SWEETEST!

                                       And me in the chair of honor. Sometime my excitement looks like nervosness. haha.

Josue and I were on that goofy wave. 

Seriously wavy. 

I couldn't imagine a better way to kick off the 2015 Award Season and the 2015 year in general.

Thank you again  

to Colgate Optic White Jen Betts and Pivotal PR for having me.

      PHOTO CREDIT: ALEX WYMAN // AP/INVISION

Style Icon: I Swear She's Destined For the Screen

Before her name was getting dropped in Billboard 100 songs like Mark Ronson's 'Uptown Funk' & Vance's 'Riptide' the iconic Michelle Pfeiffer has throwing game DOWN. 

One of my responsibilities of an actress is to learn from the greats and Michelle Pfeiffer's career choices have always been ones I've enjoyed. She's just so sweet, lovely & BADASS. Her role as Elvira in Scarface is DEFINITELY an enviable character to rock out. I could watch that movie over & over, and obviously I'm not alone on that feeling. 

Not to mention Elvira's wardrobe for that role was AMAZING.

Michelle like can't help but be hot. I mean like smoking (which coincidentally she does a lot of in Scarface). 

  "Lesson number two: Don't get high on your own supply."

-Elvira Hancock

"Can't you stop saying fuck all the time?"

-Elvira Hancock 

 "Don't call me "Baby". I'm not your "Baby"."

-Elvira Hancock

 "Nothing exceeds like excess. You should know that, Tony."

-Elvira Hancock

 "What makes you so much better than me? What do you do? Kill people? Deal your drugs? Real contribution to human history Tony! What makes you think you can be a father? You don't even know how to be a good husband!"

-Elvira Hancock

 Of course I had to wear my love for Michelle & Elvira on my "sleeve" … I am SERiOUSLY obessed with my Married to the Mob Elvira leggings. A must for any Scarface fanatic. 

Happy Thursday Y'all!! 

Free The Nipple & Your Demons …

"Yeah it's been a ride man. I guess i had to go to that place, to get to this one. Now, some of you, might still be in that place. If you're trying to get out, just follow me. I'll get you there." -Eminem #NotAfriad

Well 2014 was a hell of a year. I embarked on many new journeys in 2014. Like enrolling in James Franco's Studio 4 Acting School and getting my SAG card.   But first and foremost my 2014 started with my 2013 decsion to get sober. The end of 2013 was a rough one for me & i was at my absolute worst. I had exhausted my party efforts to a point where i was on a path to self destruction. It was either sober up or wait for something terrible to happen. 

A drunken arrest & passing out on Melrose (only to be picked up by an ambulance) were not enough to slow my roll. When it finally dawned on me that i needed to get sober, i started looking at my options. Rehab, AA and all alternative methods. And while i did attend some meetings, i, for the most part looked in side myself to find the strength and mostly courage to turn down (for what, i'd prefer my dream instead) alcohol.

It was a daily choice, sometimes an hourly and by-the-minute choice. Champagne, man i miss that ishh. Drunken sessions with my ladies? Miss those too. And man, liquid courage, that was my fuel. How to do you expect me to party with Drake when i still got all my inhibitions??  It's MFing Hard to lose that shxxt & act like I'm not shy as fxxck when you're sober. 

Nights were hard, but i still hit the Hollywood club scene likka a TMZ socialite. Sugar Free Red Bull or Mr. Pinks complete withha straw in tow. I was #ThatGirl. The sober girl at the club onna Tuesday… "who is she???" Amber MFing Lane, that's who. 

Mornings were rough for the first three months. Um, do hangovers ever stop? I was onna perma-one for days until my system began to clear out. But once my system cleared i started to see that my endless sorrow, depression and guilt over my actions from the night before began to fade. It was likka a black cloud had magically lifted. One I NEVER thought would pass. It was like those demons of mine finally stopped bothering me.

I learned a lot about myself this past year, that for sure. Pretty sure i got to know a part of me that i had been drowning in alcohol for the past 15 years, and she's actually pretty badass and one hard ass fxxking worker. And yeah maybe it still takes me awhile to warm up, but my confidence (as evidenced in my acting and dedication to work) is back and better then ever.

I've always been an outsider, and sure due to society (and what it constitutes as "doing something") Sobriety makes me even more of an outsider, but i'm cool with that cuz i'm cool with myself now. And that's what matters. I'm not trying to impress or making anyone happy but myself (I mean I like making my parents happy & proud but sometimes even they don't totally "get me").  and #NEWSFLASH … drinking is NOT an activity, and i'll be the first to say that you have a problem with alcohol if drinking to "do-something" is your go-to (daily, weekly) hobby. 

Eminem served as my unofficial sponsor during my sobriety journey. He was always a click away for me day & night. Whenever i needed words of wisdom from someone who's gone down this path of overcoming their demons before, i turned to Em.

And James Franco was my guiding light, giving me an outlet to pour all the energy i used to pour in partying & socializing. I instead poured all that time, energy & pain into art, like i had never been able to before. THANK YOU JAMES FRANCO. 

in honor of my two boundary-pushing  mentors who pushed me through 2014, i look forward to year of pushing boundaries even further. I plan on getting to those places i DREAM of, and would NEVER be able to reach with a glass of champagne in my hand. 

SO i encourage you to go out and push yourself outside your comfort zone this 2015. Make a change for the better. Free yourself from your own demons (#FreeTheDemons #DontFeedTheDemons). And soar higher then you have ever been before. 

Happy New Year and THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE & SUPPORT in 2014!!! Here's to a kick-ass Boundary pushing, #DreamDoin TWENTY FIFTIETH !!!! 

" i love to do something the censors won't pass. " - Marilyn Monroe

 … 

i'm coming at 'cha 2015. 

Get ready.