a word of encouragement

It's kind of liberating not having to be in control; the weight of of how things will turn out, is no longer on your shoulders. The best part is knowing that the control is in someone's hands that are far more capable than your own. I don't know about you but I can be a bit of a perfectionist, in that I think I know best and I rarely seek help from others; I didn't say it was a good thing. I'm working on this flaw. Especially in such a stressful time in my life right now, having just graduated and taking the next steps in my new life; it's a bit unnerving. 

In the last few months I've experienced moments of confusion, uncertainty and unrest, terrible feelings that I do everything within me to avoid; that's why I'm such a perfectionist. I believe that's why I seem to find myself in these situations all too often, and they always end the same way: I stress, I give up on myself, put my trust in God and He pulls through. Yep, He's never let me down, not even once. I don't ever set out to purposefully make a plan without Him, but I do it on a daily basis. All of this is to say, that if you find yourself in an uncertain situation, trust Him and let the calm take away all your worries and fears. When God is in control, there is only victory in the end. That's a promise.

xo.

Melisa

Bits + Pieces

I've been in a crafting frenzy as of late. As I mentioned before, I have many many friends who are preggers, which means lots of showers and lots of baby crafts. I've thoroughly enjoyed making little treasures for these soon coming babies. Here's a peek at a usual day around here.

Also other crafting, new show watching, & decorating; life is good indeed. Also, here is the lovely winner of the 63 Strings Giveaway! Hooray! Please email me with your shipping info. Thanks so much for all who participated!

I'm currently feeling a little cruddy (womp womp), so I'm going to drink some tea, curl up under some blankets and enjoy some sleepy time. Night friends!

xo.

Melisa

Hi Winners

Thanks so much for all who participated in this month's sponsor spot giveaway. I decided to go ahead and give a medium spot as well, you're welcome^_^ If you're a lucky winner, please contact me via email and send me your button. Thanks so much to all who entered!! I wish you could all sponsor!

I spent the day making cute little treasures for some soon coming babies! I'll be attending five showers in the next month and a half, whoa baby! cheesy, forgive me. I'll share what I made soon... Now, I'm catching up on shows and getting ready for a date night with the Mr. Hooray for a good Friday! Hope your weekend is off to a lovely start!

xo.

Melisa

Letter DIY

Here's another round of DIY! I decided it would be fun to liven up my room a bit and I came across this simple DIY and thought I'd share. This is an extremely easy, not terribly time consuming project that can be completed in a day.

What you'll need: Letters (can be found at Hobby Lobby), paint, paintbrush, a yard of fabric (for three letters), hot glue gun/sticks

Step 1 // Paint

Take your letters and lay them out on a surface that can get dirty. Paint your letters with three coats, as most of the paint soaks into the cardboard material. I chose a shade slightly lighter than my fabric to really make it pop.

Step 2 // Cut

Take your fabric and cut out long strips approx. 1 and half inches wide. Then cut the strips into smaller rectangles. You'll cut up all of the fabric for three letters, so you'll have lots of little squares.

Step 3 // Pinch

For this next part you'll want to plug in your hot glue gun. Take your rectangle and fold it like an accordian then dab a little glue in the middle and fold it together. It'll create a cross between a fan and a fortune cookie^_^ Lay them to the side to dry.

Step 4 // Glue

Once you have pinched all of your fabric and they've dried, then you will stick them onto your letters! There's really no specific way of dong this, have fun with it!

All done! It really isn't difficult at all. These three probably took me a few hours, but I was catching up on my favorite shows so it was fine with me! And now I have something pretty on my walls. Hope you have fun!

xo. melisa

63 Strings Giveaway

The lovely ladies at 63 strings are offering a lovely giveaway to Pie N' the Sky readers. You can enter to win a "nuts and bolts bracelet" AND one of their "roses supposes headwraps"! Both are terrible pretty! To enter, you must be a Pie N' the Sky follower; then leave a comment below with your name and email. I will announce the winner on Monday, the 30th!

If you simply cannot wait, hop on over to their shop and get 10% off when you use the code "PIENSKY"; they have some pretty pretty things! And in case you'd like another giveaway, enter here for a free sponsor spot on Pie N' the Sky!

xo.

Melisa

Girl Talk // The Simple Girl

I was first introduced to Kinsey on A Beautiful Mess when she first began doing the sweetest, most inspiring DIY's! I was so happy when I found her blog and truly enjoy reading it on a daily basis. I think she is sweet and simple, and absolutely beautiful. She is a talented photographer and a true inspiration. I know you all will love her!

What is your job title?

Photographer and DIY contributor for Red Velvet Art.

What do you love about yourself?

I love that I am able to live a beautiful life, not by my own doing by any means, and that makes it all the more wonderful. I am truly blessed to share this journey with some of the most admirable people I know to exist. 

Who is your role model?

The every day heroes that dedicate their lives to helping others and have a genuine love for everyone they encounter. To me, that's truly a life worth living. 

What inspires you?

I'm constantly inspired by the hidden beauty all around us. If we truly just took the time to notice each day, we would realize we encounter inspiration at its best on a daily basis. There is something magical about the way light bounces off of objects, sound echoes off the walls, and colors blend so perfectly. I guess it's the photographer in me, but seeing that still shot of beauty captured is not only inspiring, but irreplaceable. 

What are five words that describe you?

In no particular order: adventurous, diligent, spontaneous, thoughtful, and empathetic.

What is your biggest insecurity?

I would have to say that all of my insecurities combined are a result of the same controversy; fear of failure. I try to remind myself when doubt creeps in, that to fail is but another stepping stone to success. 

If you could be anyone for a day?

I have a slight obsession with Zooey Deschanel, so I would have to go with her. The thought of someone being so  adorable, witty, beautiful, and comical should make me desperately jealous. But on the contrary, it makes me love her all the more. If not Zooey, I'd say an it is an even tie between my fictional obsessions, Rory, from Gilmore Girls, and the ever so adorable Claire, from Elizabethtown.

Thanks so much for chatting with us Kinsey! If you ladies would like to get to know Kinsey a bit better, or are in need of some fabulous DIY ideas, hop on over to her blog, or A Beautiful Mess, where she is a contributor. 

xo.

Melisa

a word of encouragement

The other day the Mr shared a very inspiring sermon on becoming the kind of person that God can use. His first point was that we should be the kind of people who are willing to go where few are willing to go. It really struck my heart. I think it's easy to talk a big game, saying we're totally open to new challenges and we'll go wherever God calls us to go, but actually doing it is a completely different story. I know I'm going to do big things with my life, not because I'm awesome or deserving, by any means, but because I'm willing. It's scary to be wiling, but honestly there's no other place I'd rather be then exactly where God is calling me to. 

Do you ever feel like you're different? Like people just don't get you? Yeah, me too. Honestly, sometimes it's better to be rare then like every other gem. Everyone is special, but sometimes you're meant to shine a little brighter. All this to say, don't be afraid to shine. Don't be afraid to be who you are. Don't be afraid to go to the next level, whatever that may mean for you. Go where few are willing to go. Be a leader and don't look back. Be fearless and bold and courageous, because you are a fully capable woman, capable of doing infinitely incredible things for the good of this world.

xo.

Melisa

Floral Hanger DIY

I really like having an organized room, especially my closet. I wish I could splurge on fancy wooden hangers, but alas I have to settle for white plastic ones (womp womp). I thought it would be fun to jazz them up and make them a bit prettier. Here's a fun and super easy diy on freshening up your closet!

supplies: fabric, hangers (without hooks), double sided tape (or regular tape) & scissors

1. Cut your fabric into thin strips, about one inch wide. You'll tape down your first section and begin wrapping your fabric around the hanger. 

2. When you reach the end of your fabric strip, tape it down and tape another fabric where you left off. This is where the double sided tape is real handy.

3. Voila! You're done! It really is that easy. I did three of these in just 15 mins while watching my favorite tv show. And now my closet is oh so pretty!

xo.

Melisa

sponsor spot giveaway

I'm really happy February is nearing because that means I get to welcome a whole new set of sponsors! I just love meeting new friends and getting to work alongside such talented young women. This past month has been exceptional for Pie N' the Sky. We have grown, we have started fresh new features and in just less than two weeks I will be announcing some big news that will changing PS in a lovely way! February will be such a special month! In honor of this big news, I am running a special deal! You can now not only purchase single month sponsorship, but also snag TWO months of sponsorship for a new low price. I just love deals! For more info hop on over here. Make you purchases here.

As if that weren't exciting enough, I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY! I'll be giving away one Large Sponsor Spot for the month of February to one lucky winner! To enter, you must be a gfc follower, then just leave a comment with your name and a kind word. Easy peasy.

For an additional entry you can tweet about this giveaway; feel free to use this one:
"@melisashell is hosting a giveaway for one large sponsor spot on @pienthesky! Go join in on the fun! http://pienthesky.blogspot.com/2012/01/sponsor-spot-giveaway.html"

I'll announce the winners on Friday, the 27th! Have a swell weekend! Hope you win^_^

xo.

Melisa