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4.23.2015

W E A R | in my backyard





 D E T A I L S || top:anthropologie | denim & duster:urban | boots:nordstrom 

Okay, long story, but my computer crashed (like dead) about 3 months ago, and with it it took all of my photos, documents, music and basically any other digital thing I had of value. Insert crying panic emoji. Elisha was able to help me recover a few things, but I realized that I had a few photos still on my camera; they would just need to be re-edited, so all was not lost! So, I found this style shoot I did while visiting my parents in San Antonio, and I figured I'd share! Yes, I have bangs in these, and they are finally starting to grow out of the awkward "we don't know what we are" phase, so praise God! 

Today I'm headed out to a fun conference with some women from my church. I'm excited to have a time to recharge and refocus. I got to catch up with a friend this last week who I hadn't seen in two years. It's always great when you can pick up right where you left off without skipping a beat, isn't it?! While we were talking I was reminded of how wonderful it is to have friends who speak life into you, call you out and inspire you to keep dreaming big. I love the people God has placed in my life and I'm realizing how important it is to feed into those relationships and foster the good things I've been given. I'm finding myself in a place of reprioritizing and like a new season is kicking in, and I'm excited to see what's next!

xo. mel

4.21.2015

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT :: actually, I can

There are two types of people: ones who accept no's and ones who accept challenges. 

I really wouldn't classify myself as one who is naturally confident. In fact, for the majority of my life I steered away from spotlight, attention or anything that required me to be seen. I shared a post a few years back about insecurity and my long and irritating battle with it. I've come a long way from that point. But, like many women across the world, I deal with bouts of insecurity, lack of confidence. and comparison.

There's a statement that was instilled in me from a fairly young age that I still carry with me today: do everything with excellence. If you're going to do something, don't do it half-hearted - you're just wasting your time then. If you're going to go for something, then by all means, go for it! Give it every ounce of your attention, your energy, your time, your heart... give it everything. 

I decided to write this post because I remembered a moment. It was a defining moment. It made me realize what I was made of; that in fact I wasn't weak, I wasn't easily swayed by the opinions of others, as I had thought I was for many years. On the contrary, I was actually the kind of person who rose to challenges, who fought back, who took words of negativity and turned them into fuel. I don't know if you've ever had one of these moments, and quite honestly you may not even realize that you have. I didn't realize this moment was what it was, until years later.

I was sitting with a group of friends, mentors, leaders, people whose opinion mattered more to me than my opinion of myself. I was asked the question of what I wanted to do with my life. At the ripe age of 18, you can imagine the emotional turmoil I felt within as I stumbled to come up with an answer that was fitting. I had dreamt of being many things, but somewhere deep down, I knew there was something, a gift, however small and inconsequential it felt at the time, and so I shared it - "I want to be a worship leader". To be honest, I had only learned 2 years prior to that conversation, that that was in fact a real position, but they didn't need to know that. I said it and I remember feeling hot all over, like I was developing hives as I waited for a response. Instead of being met with encouraging remarks, the way people do out of kindness and consideration, I was told something that I'll never forget - "I don't see that for you."

Those words echoed in my heart for what felt like a decade. Even as I write these words I can still feel a pang. I remember feeling like a balloon was being filled in my throat, as if at any moment I might stop breathing. Filled with hurt, anger, frustration and confusion, I sat in silence. The voice continued with encouragement to seek different areas of interest. I began to convince myself over those next few weeks that they were right, that the feeling I once felt, must've been wrong, because if others couldn't see it, how could it happen.

A year later I would go to school. There I would study music, find myself struggling to balance life, ministry, part time job, extracurriculars and a full school load. I would sit at a piano weeping and praying explicitly to God in a way that I know only my loving Father could understand. Because as my fingers would stroke the piano keys, with every wrong note, I would hear those words "I don't see that for you." And it became natural to go through each of those questions - "Should I have listened? What if they were right? What if I'm wasting my time? What if I'm not good enough? What if I never get better?" And with that I would place my fingers back on the keys... and begin again. 

I am actually quite grateful for the person that said those words to me. Although you may find that confusing, you see, it was that voice that pushed, that nagged, that irritated the heck out of me, but ultimately helped shape me into the woman I am today. Because not only did it challenge me to become the worship leader I knew I could be, but exactly the woman I knew God wanted me to be.

I say this all to encourage you. To remind you that not everyone will see what you see, feel how you feel, or understand what you are truly capable of. Some people mean well, some people have good intentions, but some people have no clue what they're talking about. Let's just be real. So take every word with a grain of salt. Understand that there is strength inside of you that has yet to be seen. You have the ability to do whatever God has told you, to achieve the wildest of dreams, to be exactly who you think you should be. 

So don't be the kind of person that loses heart over a no, but takes that no and turns it into a "I told you so!" Boom. Prove em all wrong.


xo. mel

fyi, you can buy this print in the shop!

4.16.2015

HOME SWEET APARTMENT FT. TINY PRINTS

I know the struggles of living in an apartment: smaller space, unable to do renovations, and not enough freedom to make changes or updates... It can be difficult to really make your apartment feel like a home, but after several years of living in an apartment space, I have a few tips that might help make your apartment feel more like home. 

1. Get Cozy | Blankets are the perfect way to feel cozy in a home! I don't know about you, but a good, warm blanket can instantly make me feel more relaxed. If your husband is anything like mine, then your space is probably kept at a pretty cool temperature, so a blanket might be just what you need. Not only are they practical, but they make great decoration. We have a white (faux) fur blanket that we got from Pottery Barn as a wedding gift. I love love this blanket! I think it looks great on our simple grey couch, and Gretchen loves to cuddle on it during the day.

2. Create a Signature Scent | Growing up, my home always smelt like cinnamon; this was my mom's signature scent. So now, no matter where I am, if I smell cinnamon, I am instantly "home" and comfortable. Find a scent that makes you feel comfortable, that makes you feel happy or joyful, and fill your home with it! Elisha and I love our Volcano candles from Anthropologie, which we used in our wedding. I also really love vanilla scents and have a few varieties in our bedroom.

3. Personalize Your Decor | Nothing will help make your space feel more like yours, than a little personalization. I got this Happy Home Pillow and this Vibrant Diamond Wave Pillow from Tiny Prints, and I love the little touch of personalization that they add to our home. It also really focuses our home on family and that makes it so much more special!

4. Share Memories | It's obvious that I'm a huge fan of photos, but with instagram and Facebook storing all of our photos, we can easily forget to actually print some out! I love being able to display important photos of special moments and loved ones. One of my favorite pieces is this canvas print of me and Elisha from our engagement photos (this was also the cover of our wedding invitation!).  

5. Utilize Your Space - As I mentioned before, apartments don't always have the most space, so it's important that you make the most of what you have. I wouldn't say that our style is fully minimalistic, but we do like to keep our "stuff" to a minimum. I like investing in pieces that I know we will treasure and keep for years. It's easy to get swept up in trends, but be true to yourself and find pieces that define your style and help to shape your home's personality.

















Other ideas not previously mentioned: plants, pets, unique finds, thrifted pieces, warm lighting, handmade items, and storage. These are a few other things I have focused on. Just remember to have fun with it! Your home may not be featured in a magazine, it may not look like everyone else's, but if you feel happy, rested and "at home" when you're there, that's all that matters! 

I love seeing how other people style their homes. If you all do a home tour, I would love to take a peek! Leave a link below so we can all visit! 

xo. mel

4.14.2015

Rocksbox

I recently partnered with Rocksbox and I received my first subscription box yesterday! I am really happy with the selection that was sent to me. If you're not familiar, you can read more about how it works here. Essentially, you take a questionnaire so that your stylist can get an idea of your personal style and jewelry preferences, then they curate a monthly box for you. Once you receive the box, you can essentially borrow the pieces for a month, send em back for a different selection, or buy the ones they sent you! I don't wear jewelry often, but when I do, I either like something very minimal, or a really great statement piece! I requested only silver pieces and focused on necklaces. You can see what they sent me below.








As a special gift to you, Rocksbox is offering a one month free subscription! All you have to do is enter the code "pientheskyxoxo" when you checkout. If you're not completely sold, try it out and see how you like it! I'm excited to wear these pieces and can't wait to see what they'll send me next! If you have any questions, leave em below! 

xo. melisa


4.13.2015

A YEAR OF GRATITUDE :: PT2



Lately I've been spending a lot of time thinking about the people that God has placed in my life. While some have only been in my life for a few months, others I have known for years. As I get older I understand more, the importance of recognizing seasons in my life. I believe there are seasonal friends - those who you need in your life for a specific moment, but aren't necessarily there for the long haul. Then there are those who become family, who stick with you through thick and thin, who know every bit about you and love you all the same. I realize that both groups should be honored and appreciated to the fullest. A simple thank you can go such a long way. An encouraging word can be bring life, to an otherwise dead situation. A reminder of appreciation can bring hope to someone's heart. You have the power to make a difference in someone's life, with your thoughts, with your words, and with your actions. Here's to making sure the people in our lives know that they are valued!
 
xo. mel
 
FOOTNOTE :: you can read more about my year of gratitude here. I would love to here how this experience has been for you so far; feel free to leave a comment below or email me with your stories!