Kellea Tibbs.

WRITER + SPEAKER + TEACHER


Hello and welcome to my site. My name is Kellea Tibbs and I am  a freelance writer, specializing in poetry and nonfiction, with experience as a blogger and content creator. I host a blog and podcast called "the 40 and over project", that focuses on what I like to call, “modern day adulting”, and what life is like for the “40 and over” crowd, including issues like politics, dating, race, social justice, women's rights, and self care and wellness. I also love revisiting old school milestones in pop culture that I know members of Generation X can relate to. Also, using my event planner background, I educate on the "Life Events" that we encounter as we get older that include milestone birthdays, anniversaries, photo organization and family history management, as well as how to plan a funeral. 

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, my background includes a 20+ year career in Higher Education and Event Planning. As a creative, I have been writing since middle school, and as a poet, over the years, I  have participated in writing competitions, poetry slams, writing poetry blogs, and writing workshops. Somewhat of a late bloomer, much like the late and iconic writer Toni Morrison, it’s only been since recently, I've been in my 40s, that I have decided to pursue publishing my work, to share with the world. Also, most recently, I have embarked upon a career in public school education, as an educator. I also love all things planning and planners, including stickers, washi tape, and photo memory keeping.


See ways to connect, see upcoming events, and projects I'm working on here, and be sure to check out the links on the rest of my site!


Follow me on Instagram:  www.instagram.com/ivywriter



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NaPoWriMo 4/4/22. Poem: Sadness by the march thirty one poetry

Join me as I recite poems from my April Poems Collection, all written in the month of April over various years. I'll keep you posted on the drop date for the full collection. And as always, thank you for listening. I'm launching a series of Throwback poems, pieces I wrote that I want to revisit with you. Listen to The Hip Hop Blues, written in 2019 in response to the new movement in hip hop music. And don't forget to subscribe to my podcast and my blog. See link in bio. Today is February 4th.
black girl cooking •

Chicken Piccata. Love it!

I’m so excited. I finally got a chance to make chicken piccata! It was delicious! This is a great summer meal. Lovin the lemons! And I think the thin chicken fillets are my new favorite chicken to cook with! And I’ve always been a fan of capers! Only 3 WW #SmartPoints per serving. #blackgirlcooking #cookingandeating #blackfoodie #blackfoodiebloggers #foodphotos #hashtagcookbook #weekendcooking #healthyeating #healthycooking #sometimesketo #KetoFriendly #SundaySupper #SundayDinner
the cooking and eating project •

90s Flashback. 2020 Weight Loss Goals

Disclaimer: I apologize ahead of time for the 90s throwback flashbacks. LOL. During the holidays, I was reminiscing over family photos of me during my college years, in my 20s. I don’t know what weight I was but I know I wore about a size 8/10 or 10/12. I always joke saying I would like to get back down to my “college fighting weight”, but really I feel like that was when I was my cutest. So in 2020, as I navigate my mid-40s, what I believe to be my 2nd cutest era, I vow to strive to get my body
the cook(book)ing school •

#cookbookreview : 300 best taco recipes by Kelley Cleary Coffeen

It’s summer! That’s taco season (and good taco seasoning!) Tacos are one of my favorite go-to meals. Enjoy this repost of a vintage cook(book)ing school review. 300 Best Taco Recipes: From Tantalizing Tacos to Authentic Tortillas, Sauces, Cocktails and Salsas by Kelley Cleary Coffeen You can official cease and desist with all trips to Taco Bell. This cookbook is a taco lovers dream and probably much healthier. One of my favorite recipes is a fish tacos recipe with a delicious jalepeno, mayonna
the 40 and over project •

Back To School Shopping. Old School Edition

As parents prep to send kids back to school (or not) during this pandemic, I thought I would share some memories I think some of you might appreciate. Back to school shopping back in the 1980s, was an annual event, that involved parents taking their kids to local popular department stores to get the best deals on clothes, shoes, and school supplies for their growing boys and girls for the new school year. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and shopping local, was a thing, long before it was a thing.
the 40 and over project •

A 50th Commemoration. May 4th, 1970

If you are my age, 47, and if you especially attended Kent State University, you for sure, know the date, May 4th, 1970. That’s the date that four students at Kent State, were shot and killed during protests over the Vietnam War. As a student at Kent State University, every year, the university provides a retrospective of that day. If May 4th fell on a weekday, like today, classes would be postponed at 12 noon so that students could participate in educational remembrance events and activities wi
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GUEST INTERVIEW: #4 Not Like My Parents' Life!

Kellea Tibbs, is a 47 year-old, single woman living in KY. Kellea compares and contrasts her life to her parents (who have been married for over 60 years). Kellea gives humor to the highs and lows of dating in your 40's, her frustration about women judging each other, and chimes in on her anxiety about nursing homes! Ms. Tibbs gives a unique perspective about girl power - even when society spins the narrative that being childfree and single is not the most popular lane. Kellea is the host of sev
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Quarantine Like A Rockstar by the 40 and over project • A podcast on

In the 90s we had TV shows like Martin, Living Single, Girlfriends, and Friends that focused on friendships. They all had strong friend groups. Over the years I've developed some great relationships with people. College? Work experiences? Different parts of the country? Different backgrounds? How have strong friendships shaped your life? Have your friendships been long lasting? When we are young we experience breakups, etc. As we grow older, in our 40s, we experience marriages, divorces, child b
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The Childfree Teacher by the 40 and over project • A podcast on

In the 90s we had TV shows like Martin, Living Single, Girlfriends, and Friends that focused on friendships. They all had strong friend groups. Over the years I've developed some great relationships with people. College? Work experiences? Different parts of the country? Different backgrounds? How have strong friendships shaped your life? Have your friendships been long lasting? When we are young we experience breakups, etc. As we grow older, in our 40s, we experience marriages, divorces, child b
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New Jack City at 30 by the 40 and over project • A podcast on

In the 90s we had TV shows like Martin, Living Single, Girlfriends, and Friends that focused on friendships. They all had strong friend groups. Over the years I've developed some great relationships with people. College? Work experiences? Different parts of the country? Different backgrounds? How have strong friendships shaped your life? Have your friendships been long lasting? When we are young we experience breakups, etc. As we grow older, in our 40s, we experience marriages, divorces, child b
the 40 and over project •

#LetsDiscuss: A Relationship With Reading

In recent years we’ve seen reading and books take many forms, from the likes of a company, Amazon, selling books online to reading books on electronic devices to listening to books via audio apps, reading, thankfully, is still a thing! I, for one, have let my love for reading, fall by the wayside over the last few years, however, for 2021, I am vowing to read more. My favorite reading material today includes multicultural literature, poetry, cookbooks, and magazines. But when I was younger, I ha
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My Queen Is Black. The Bridgerton Phenomenon. by the 40 and over project • A podcast on

In the 90s we had TV shows like Martin, Living Single, Girlfriends, and Friends that focused on friendships. They all had strong friend groups. Over the years I've developed some great relationships with people. College? Work experiences? Different parts of the country? Different backgrounds? How have strong friendships shaped your life? Have your friendships been long lasting? When we are young we experience breakups, etc. As we grow older, in our 40s, we experience marriages, divorces, child b
the 40 and over project •

MLK Day: Change Is Necessary

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – MLK Where do I begin? In the words of Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On?”, is all I can come up with. Today is the day we commemorate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He stood for Nonviolence, Unity, Equality, and Love. Dr. King was all about Change and it came with some Controversy. Change is NEVER easy, for anyone. However, in t
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