Cara Brookins was left emotionally broken when her second abusive marriage ended. She got well by building her own house, which she did after seeing YouTube videos on how to do it.
The mother of four started looking for a new house in 2007 after being forced to sell the Bryant, Arkansas, home she and her soon-to-be ex shared. At the moment, though, anything the computer programmer analyst could afford was too tiny. Brookins too felt obliged to take action to bring her family back together. She admits, “But I had no idea what that should be.”
Brookins, therefore, came up with the idea to build her own house from the ground up. According to Brookins, 45, “If anyone was in our situation, they wouldn’t do this.” “No one else viewed it this way, and now that I think about it, I understand it sounds crazy.”
One acre of property cost Brookins $20,000, and she obtained a building credit for about $150,000. She then started watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to do things like run a gas line, build a wall, lay a foundation, and install plumbing.
Her children, ages 2 to 17, helped her throughout the nine-month construction of the 3,500-square-foot home. At the time, Drew, who was 15 years old, helped Brookins make the preparations. Jada, who was 11 at the time, transported water from a neighbor’s pond using buckets because there was no running water on the property. She then combined the water with 80-pound sacks of concrete to create the mortar for the foundation.
It felt impossible the entire time, according to Brookins, who worked when the kids were in school. After school, Brookins drove her family to the five-mile-away construction site where she worked late into the night on the new house.
YouTube videos previously were vague and provided numerous solutions to a task. Brookins employed a part-time firefighter with building experience for $25 per hour to help with some of the more challenging tasks. She remembers, “He was a step ahead of us in knowledge.”
On March 31, 2009, Brookins and her kids moved into the five-bedroom home. She gave it the name Inkwell Manor in recognition of her desire to become a writer.
In the years afterwards, Brookins has written numerous middle grade and young adult books. She has also written a biography titled Rise: How a House Built a Family, which will be released on January 24.
Building the house helped Brookins emerge from her depression. We were ashamed that our best option was to construct our own shelter, Brookins adds. “We weren’t really proud of it,” In the end, it proved to be the best thing I could have done for myself.
She says, “You can do anything you set your mind to if I, a 110 pound computer programmer, can build a complete house.” Choose one goal and stay with it. Find the big thing you want to do, move slowly in that direction, and take those who also need healing with you. That has a lot of influence.
GEORGE CLOONEY’S WIFE AMAL WOWS IN BACKLESS GOWN – FANS CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT HER NEW LOOK
Amal Clooney looked stunning at the 81st Venice Film Festival, wearing a beautiful soft yellow backless corset gown.
As a human rights lawyer, Amal was there to support her husband, George Clooney, at the premiere of his new film, “Wolfs.” She turned heads with her elegant style on the red carpet.
Amal Clooney wowed at the Venice Film Festival in a sleeveless Versace gown. The gown featured detailed lace work, a low scooped back, and delicate thin straps, making it both elegant and stunning.
The gown highlighted Amal Clooney’s waist and flowed into a dramatic ruffled skirt with a short train. She styled her hair in loose waves, parted to the side, and wore elegant pearl drop earrings.
Embracing George, 63, the couple beamed at each other, their eyes locked in a loving gaze as they posed for photos at the event. George Clooney, who looked dapper, opted for a timeless black suit and bowtie.
Embracing each other, George, 63, and Amal beamed with love as they posed for photos. George looked dapper in a classic black suit and bowtie.
Amal’s appearance at the Venice Film Festival got a lot of attention online. Many people praised her look, with comments like, “Amal’s hair is stunning \” and “Amal is literally perfect.”Some fans admired her style, saying things like, “Amal Clooney has been slaying during the Venice Film Festival very look is perfect! Very classy.” Another complimented her beauty with, “Amal is absolutely gorgeous,” and “Amal Clooney gets more beautiful every day .”
However, not all comments were positive. Some criticized her hair, with remarks like, “Who did the hair extensions?! 
Horrible hairdresser,” and noted that she looked different with lighter hair, saying, “Amal looks so different with lighter hair.”
There were also comments comparing her look to Medusa, with one user saying, “Amal Clooney favors Medusa.”
Glam expert Dimitris Giannetos shared how he styled Amal Clooney for the Venice Film Festival. He aimed for a classic Italian look, inspired by Sophia Loren. Dimitris used Garnier Fructis Hair Filler Serum to make Amal’s hair glossy and voluminous, and L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss in Honey Blonde for a caramel highlight on her face. He described the look as a “big bouncy blowout and shimmery bronzy makeup.”
At the festival, Amal and George Clooney spent time with Brad Pitt and his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon. They enjoyed dinner together and later posed on the red carpet for the premiere of “Wolfs.”
Before the festival, Amal and George were seen arriving in Venice. Amal wore a bright yellow minidress with a tiered skirt, a wide-brimmed straw hat, and espadrilles. She was smiling and holding George’s hand.
While Amal’s red carpet looks are usually praised, some fans felt that her white crochet dress from August 26, 2024, wasn’t her best look.
Amal Clooney wore a crochet dress from Chanel’s Resort 2023 collection for their outing. The dress, designed by Virginie Viard, has both open and closed stitching panels and is covered in silver sequins for a touch of glam.
This Chanel dress was part of Look 61 in the Cruise 2022/23 fashion show. On the runway, it was shown with a crystal-embellished handbag, a sparkly black jacket, a necklace, and strappy heels.
Amal styled the dress differently by skipping the jacket and adding large silver earrings and metallic silver heels. George Clooney complemented her look in a beige suit jacket and formal pants.
When Amal Clooney wore her crochet dress in Italy, people shared their opinions online. Many critics focused on the dress’s pockets. Some called the dress “silly” for a serious lawyer and said the pockets were unattractive.
One person commented that the dress looked like it had been attacked by a tablecloth, while another thought it was a mix of cozy and fancy styles.
On the positive side, a few fans liked the dress’s pockets, and some found the style confusing but still beautiful.
Despite the mixed reactions, the crochet dress has become a major trend for summer 2024. Many fashion brands are inspired by bohemian styles, like crochet, that have a ’70s vibe.
Designers today are updating crochet dresses with modern touches, like sleek shapes and new patterns, making them a must-have for any wardrobe.
While some people commented on Amal Clooney’s dress, others focused on how she and her husband, George Clooney, looked together. Some comments noted the age difference between them, with one person saying George looked old next to Amal.
A Facebook user even mentioned that Amal looked like George’s daughter. Another comment criticized the idea of them being the most glamorous couple.
Despite the mixed reviews, some fans defended them, praising Amal’s style and George’s appearance.
Leave a Reply