PS About shop portfolio

2.29.2012

Girl Talk // The Thrifter


I'd like to introduce you to Amy Morby, the lovely writer of A is for Ampersand; I'm so happy she's here to join us! Amy just finished up a lovely month of Self - Love on her blog that I simply loved, and in case you missed it, she did a little wrap up here. Amy also currently works for Blowfish, who we all know has just lovely shoes, which if you didn't know that, then you need to hop on over and take a look (AFTER you read this ^_^) Now, enjoy!

What is your job title?
I am a former graphic designer, a freelance writer, blogger, full-time cat lady, music connoisseur, and voracious thrifter. I work from home for Blowfish and do all kinds of other freelance on the side.


What do you love about yourself?
I went through a long period of hating myself and the way I looked, but once I got over it, I learned to not care what anyone else thought. I started wearing crazy thrifted dresses because I and only I liked them, and that's all that mattered to me. I started wearing a lot of thrifted sweaters that most people gawked at and crazy vintage gold shoes that made my coworkers question my sanity. But none of it matters because it's all about loving yourself and rolling with it.

I love that I went through that journey of self-hate so I could end up in a lifelong journey of self love. I think that the most important thing a woman can do for herself is find her own self love. If you are 100% you, the rest falls into place.


Who is your role model?
My heart completely belongs to Tina Fey. She is extremely witty, wildly hilarious, and basically just my favorite human being on the planet. Maybe you guys are expecting a deeper answer than that, but I feel like Tina embodies everything I ever wanted to be, which is mostly just a writer for McSweeneys or The Onion. :) But seriously, though--she completely took over a mostly male-dominated business and made it rain. I love her.

What Inspires You?
Music is my only true love. I start every day of my life with music, I work all 8 hours of my day with music, and I usually end the day falling asleep to music. I am a hardcore vinyl enthusiast and can always be found with headphones on. The bands that mostly inspire me lately? Here We Go Magic, Radiohead, Tame Impala, Deerhunter. They are all the loves of my life.

I also find a whirlwind of inspiration from thrifting. Obviously thrifting sparks my wild style side, but thrifting also inspires my deign style. I know--very strange. But the vintage patterns and vibes I find thrifting always give me ideas for my designs. Plus, I find thrifting quite therapeutic, which is always inspiring. There's nothing like the high that comes from a fantastic thrift find, you know? So whenever that happens, I always try to channel it back into my work.

What are 5 words that describe you?
Introverted, quirky, musical, opinionated, stubborn

What is your biggest insecurity?
Like most women, I have about a bajillion insecurities. It's so easy to get caught up in society's definition of what it means to be a woman. If I had to choose one, it would be my shy personality. I've always greatly admired women who have an air of confidence, and I wish I could channel that in myself. But, I do think all of us women owe it to ourselves to fight these insecurities on a daily basis and redefine what it means to be a strong, confident woman.


If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be?
Defintely Jenny Lewis. I mean, come on. Look at that red hair! And her style! I've idolized Jenny Lewis since I was 14. I'll never get over my massive girl crush on her.

Thanks so much for sharing with us Amy! Everything was just so nicely said; I love hearing from such genuine girls like yourself! 

If y'all would like to visit with Amy a bit more, you can hop on over to her blog or read up on some of her tweets! Have a lovely afternoon!


xo.
Melisa

2.27.2012

DIY // painted jars

I've seen these painted jars pop up several times. I think they're really pretty and a fun spin on the ever classic Mason Jar. With my upcoming craft event, I want to make sure I have a pretty booth and have since begun getting my display ready. I thought these jars would be a nice addition. It's super easy and as always, extra pretty! So here's what you'll need to do...

 Supplies: jars + paint



Step one // Pour paint directly into jar. Begin moving jar around so that the paint begins to cover the bottom of the jar.


Step two // Pour more paint in; this time aiming towards the side so it can run down along the sides to the bottom.

Step three // In order to get the paint to cover the top of the jar, flip the jar upside down on a a piece of paper or bag. The excess paint will run out and all of your jar should get covered. After about an hour, flip it back over and let dry! I left mine overnight and it dried right up.



Hope you enjoy your pretty new jars! If you decide to do this diy, I would love to see! Post a link in the comments below.



xo.
Melisa

2.24.2012

Become a Sponsor

Pie N' the Sky is now currently accepting new sponsors for the month of March! If you'd like more info on stats, you can go here and if you'd like to make your purchase, hop on over here. Also, I've decided to extend the two month special offer! You can pick yours up here. Look forward to working with you!!



xo.
Melisa

bits + pieces











Yesterday was a day filled with lots... and LOTS of crafting! I may have mentioned it, but I'm going to have my very first booth at a craft festival called Walk The Light. I'm so excited and I've been tediously working away to have tons of new pretties to share. I'm also hoping to do an online shop update. I'll keep y'all posted. I'll be offering so many new items; I can't wait to share! Happy Friday!



xo.
Melisa

2.22.2012

Girl Talk // The Beauty Queen


I'm so excited to introduce you to the oh so sweet Britanny Toll! She is just a doll; former Miss New Mexico and just as humble as can be. I love to read her daily musings over at Happy Brittany and I know that you will just love her!


What is your job title?
My professional job title is Manager of Teacher Leadership Development with the non-profit teaching corps Teach For America. After my two year commitment as a Teach For America corps member in New Mexico, teaching pre-kindergarten, I decided to move forward with the impact I was making in my classroom and join the Teacher Leadership Development team of Teach For America. I now support 24 first & second year teachers who have committed to teaching for 2 years in Oklahoma in an effort to close the achievement gap and reform the education system. Most of the teachers I support teach pre-kindergarten as well. I am continuing my work & deepening my understanding of the realm of early childhood education and the impact of a strong educational start in a child’s life. My personal job title is Happy Brittany on happybrittany.com. I love the art of expanding my optimistic attitude through my blog and showcasing various self-improvement activities and actions in hopes of inspiring or connecting with others.


What do you love about yourself?
What I love about myself is that I am a collective character of all of the amazing people I have come to know in my life. I’ve been fortuned with incredible friends, family members, co-workers, beauty queens and children in my life. All of these individuals have influenced me in countless ways and have molded me into the character that I am now & continue to evolve into. I not only learn from each of them and their experiences but have increased my confidence for who I am through their genuine support and appreciation of my quirks & personality. I really cannot take responsibility for who I have become; I owe it to so many others. 


Who is your role model?
My role model… I’ve had the great fortune of having many people to look up to in my life. When I think of who I am now and where I’ve come from I recognize that the greatest influence on my life has been from my very own mother. While I consider myself very independent and free-spirited I know that I learned to be this way from her and the empowerment she gave me to pursue the life of my choice. Through our lives together she has taught me many lessons about life, happiness and the impact of our choices. What I have admired most about her is her ability to love at such a deep and unconditional level. Along with that I cannot go without saying that she has impeccable fashion sense and organization skills- two traits I am fortunate to have adopted from her as well. 

What inspires you?
When I think of what inspires me I am compelled by the potential to end educational inequity in our country. I am inspired by the individuals who work at the forefront of educational reform every day to ensure that every child receives the exceptional education they deserve and nothing less. I am inspired by people who believe in the potential of every individual and who strive to help others shine through complete selflessness. I believe with every sparkle in my body that if we can close the achievement gap then we can ultimately end poverty.

What are five words that describe you?
creative, optimistic, affectionate, talkative, clever


What is your biggest insecurity?
My biggest insecurity is how I am perceived. On the outside it may be easy for others to generalize my ambitions and intelligence, but on the inside I am so much more than what meets the eye. I hate being misunderstood and become insecure if I feel someone has misperceived me by appearance or insignificant actions. I would never want my commitment to my work or my aspirations to be compromised based on my exterior.



If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be?
If I could be anyone for a day I would want to be Alice during her adventures in Wonderland. I have always connected with the character of Alice… perhaps it’s her love for books & cats, maybe it’s her blue dress & blonde hair combination (which parallels my evening gown presentation at Miss USA), but certainly it’s her dreamy heart & curious mind that I connect with most. I also identify with the naïve spirit she demonstrates through the characters and situations she encounters in Wonderland. Given our similarities I would love to take her place for a day in Wonderland, assuming I would still have my friends, family, and work to come home to at the end of the day.

Thanks so much for chatting with us Brittany!! You're just the sweetest! I hope you all have a lovely day and if you want to get to know Brittany a little better, go visit here!


xo.
Melisa

2.19.2012

oh you know...


Sometimes I don't feel like writing out the perfect post. Sometimes I just want to write how I think... So for your viewing pleasure, this is what my thoughts sound like...

* I really can't wait to see the Hunger Games movie!!!!
* I really need to finish the third book. I know what you're thinking, weren't you reading those like two months ago?? Does it take you that long to read?! The answer is no, I could've finished it long ago, but alas I have chosen not to. I think I've shared this before, but I don't want to say goodbye to the story or the characters quite yet. Once I finish the book it's all over and they will cease to exist to me. womp womp. Or at least til the movies come out.
* I got tickets to Fort Worth Opera in May from the Mr! He is the best.
* I really can't believe we've been dating for seven years. Sometimes I forget that that's not normal.
* I really like the song "Somebody That I Used to Know" (it's playing)
* I have a prospective job and I reeeeeallyyyyy hope it works out. It was kind of made for me.
* I signed up for my very first craft fair!! I'll have a booth at the Walk the Light Festival in Cedar Hill, TX on March 24th -- in case you're in the area... drop by!
* I've been dreaming up booth designs all day long. I cannot stop.
* Why does it always have to rain on the days when I want to be most productive??
* Why is winter juuust now hitting Texas??
* I feel really lucky to have found a church that truly cares about people.
* I think my boyfriend is so talented. I wish I could say it everyday, but people get annoyed by that stuff.
* I'm happy with my life. Inspite of imperfections, it's so much cooler that I thought it would be.
* I don't like the Pinterest-pandemic.
* I have not pinned in a very very long time.
* I don't like creating something and having someone ask me if I got the idea from Pinterest. No I did not, it came from my very own brain.
* That probably sounded mean. I like people being inspired; I just like when people have their own ideas too^_^
* I've been so inspired as of late.
* I want to redesign the blog. Are you all tired of how much I change things here?? sorries.
* I have to get ready for our youth small group now. Have a sweet Sunday friends!!



xo.
Melisa

2.16.2012

a word of encouragement


The last few months I've been challenged to trust God in a very unique way, not only for the situations in my life, but of the situations in the lives of those closest to me. The biggest question I am always faced with when talking with those who don't believe in God is, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" It's true, sometimes bad things do happen to incredible people, people who in my opinion deserve nothing but good and wonderful things. While I know the answer isn't a favored one, and sometimes you just want to throw up your hands and say, it's not fair, you have to know that God isn't making anything happen, he's simply allowing it. "Well, why is He allowing it?", you may ask. The answer is simple and something I've learned time and time again and it's something we can glean from His word; in our weakness, He is made strong. Through these situations that literally take the life out of us, we are stronger everyday that we wake up, stronger every time we choose not to give up, stronger every single moment that we overcome. The truth is, that no situation is too big. God has made us overcomers, people capable of enduring and persevering through more than we ever thought imaginable. Be not overcome by your situation, but overcome your situation.

I think of every circumstance I've ever faced, every obstacle I've overcome, every mountain I've climbed and every valley I've fearfully walked through and somehow, I'm still amazed that I made it through all of it and am who I am today. Put me through those first situations years ago knowing what I know now, it would be a breeze. Why? Because I had to go through it to know; to know just how strong I really am, to know just how big my God really is, and to trust that there is a plan and there is always a victory waiting for us.

I don't know what giants you may find yourself up against, I don't know if you're going through a valley or feeling broken, unwanted or empty; I do know that there is a purpose, however confusing it may feel, God is with you, there is still fight in you, this situation can only get the best of you if you let it. Otherwise, it can be one of those life changing events where you turned and looked at yourself and found a strength that you didn't even know was there. 

If you have a need, something you feel too insecure to share with those you know, leave a comment below, or email me; I want to pray for you. I want you to know that you're not alone and there will be no judgement here. I hope this helped somebody feel a strength rise up within them, that they didn't feel before. Have a sweet day!


xo.
Melisa

Recipe // Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Adrienne here, from Oh Happy Day! I've recently re-became a carnivore by putting chicken and turkey back into my diet. For my first home cooked meal, I found the most tasty sounding dish to make--spinach stuffed chicken breast. My critics were my mr and his buddy, and I must say, they were impressed. And for someone who hasn't eaten meat in four years, I blown away with this recipe. So much flavor in every bite! Bon Apatite!








Love and light.
Adrienne

2.15.2012

bits + pieces



















Yesterday was wonderful. I woke up to a text that said knock knock; I went downstairs and opened the door to find a beautiful of bouquet of eight roses, seven for the years we've been together and one for this next year:) My Mr is sweet! (he also offered me the other 4 if I wanted them, ha!) We're actually not celebrating til Friday, but we did go out to dinner. I spent most of the day wrapping up packages to ship out, reading and enjoying the fresh aroma of flowers in my room. How was your day of love??


xo.
Melisa