good reads

I love when I come across a great read and even more, I love sharing them! Here's a little roundup of some of my most recent favorite posts! Enjoy!

T I P S  +  A D V I C E 

Things I've Learned Working For Yourself :: Jenny Highsmith

On Working From Home :: A Beautiful Mess

Advice For Bloggers / Sponsorship :: Story of My Life

Fear of Doing It Wrong :: Door Sixteen

50 Post Ideas For the Rough Days :: The House That Lars Built

5 Tips For Making Your Basic Photography More Interesting :: Moorea Seal

D O  I T  Y O U R S E L F

Sustainable Living / Making Soap :: Sea Field & Tribe

Mother's Day Bouquet :: Her Library Adventures

Sea Salt Spray :: Sincerely Kinsey 

Summer Fringe Shawl :: Telling Oceans

Batik Dye Wall Hanging :: Kelli Murray

Necklace diy :: Yesterday's Sweetheart

Spring Inspired Tote Makeover :: Sincerely Kinsey

R E C I P E S

Homemade Ketchup :: Bleubird 

Avocado Coconut Ice Cream :: Design*Sponge

Homemade Pop Tart :: A Beautiful Mess

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

 I've had a long time love affair with mustard, and although the name may not sound so appealing, the color is perfection. I love that it's a color that can transform into any season and how well it seems to compliment every shade. in case you're obsessed with all things mustard too, you can check out my pinterest board here and peruse to your heart's content

xo melisa

#runforboston

In reflecting on yesterday's events which took place in Boston, my heart was grieved for those directly affected. I felt all too familiar feelings of when I heard news of the 9/11 attack and realized that although this was not at the same level, this attack would forever change our lives. 

When I think of acts of hate or violence, my initial thought is "humanity sucks". And while that may be true of some, or most, at times, one thing (and only this one thing) that I love about tragedy is that it strengthens us and unifies those who are affected by it. There is so much pride I have for my country, but in moments when I feel we are vulnerable and weak, I find myself even more confident in our ability to come together and be stronger than we ever were. 

After hearing the news yesterday, I thought, "What can I do? How can I show that I care? How can I somehow carry some of the burden , of the pain inflicted on my people?". I thought of sending out a tweet, something like "Deeply saddened by the events of today and my prayers are with Boston." or changing my facebook photo with a thoughtful phrase of some sort. I knew that although, however heartfelt my intentions were, those acts would not change the people around me and honestly would have little affect on myself. I wanted to feel the weight of this tragedy and not just for that day, but have it mark my life in some way. I knew I needed to do more.

So, I've chosen to run. I'm not usually a runner and in fact I rarely enjoy it. But, I thought what better way to honor pain, then to feel a little pain myself - obviously in a much different capacity. In honor of those who are no longer able to run, I will run. The Mr. and I have committed to a goal of one mile a day, for a total of 179 miles - one mile for each person who has fallen victim to this cruel act.

I know this may seem silly to some and you may think, "What is this going to accomplish?" and to that I would say, "probably nothing for you, but it'll change my life.". It will help me to get my eyes off of myself and onto others, hopefully sending a positive encouragement to whomever may read this. And honestly, doing something, is better than doing nothing. 

I believe we should all feel the weight of this attack on our people and our country. My way is simply to sacrifice my time and energy to run on their behalf. It may not affect the world, but it'll allow the event to affect my world.

Boston, we see you, we love you, and we're lifting you up.

xo. m

color crush

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

lately I've been pretty obsessed with gold. growing up I always felt like gold was so "old", so I only wore silver cause it meant I was still young. also, I was a weird kid, in case we haven't discussed that before. SO, I now am fully in love with gold and no, I am not old. in case you're obsessed with all things gold too, you can check out my pinterest board here and peruse to your heart's content.

stay golden. melisa

pinspiration

1/2/3/4/5/6

"The best is yet to come"

Today I am inspired by patience. There is a silent strength that lies in those who wait on the Lord. In those who put their hope in the unseen and await the promise of tomorrow with eagerness and a steady heart. It's in this concept of patience that proves we are not alone and there is indeed a God who is on our side. Take heart.

SHE IS

                                                                   

To be free from Melisa Holguin on Vimeo.

I'm learning the difficulties of not merely surviving, but thriving in this world

And that becoming anything worth becoming, must take every ounce of your being

You must desire the dream with your whole heart, because you see

You stand not alone with your dreams, for there are few who do not have at least one

But it's those who grasp them with dear life that meet their reality

The true dreamer knows to wait while the weak at heart will soon give up

Forge ahead and do not be afraid for the winds will beat you down, but you, 

The relentless, will carry on.

Be not afraid of failure and know the minute you want to give up is not what matters most

It's the minute after that determines your destiny.


xo. melisa

A DOSE OF PINSPIRATION

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

"Don't worry about things that don't worry about you"

Today I am inspired by the beautiful world around me, by the ups and the downs, the twirls and the whirls. By the beginnings, the middles and the ends. By the unknown and the perfectly known. By the unexpected, but even more by the expected, because it's in the normal that we find a beauty that only belongs to us.

xo. melisa

pinteresting

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I opened up a pinterest account about 3 years ago, but usually just paroused for enjoyment and never actually pinned anything. Mostly because I hated being asked the question, "oh, did you get that from Pinterest?" whenever I would create something. My answer was always a resounding no. I hated that my creativity was now being second guessed because of this site. I loved the inspiration it provided, but felt like it squelched my own personal creativity. I also didn't care for the fact that so many great ideas were being "stolen" because there was no proper linking - so I never really took part in it.

Well, over these past few months I've come around to the idea more. If done correctly, Pinterest can be a really great tool for inspiration and let's just say, I'm on board now. Being inspired by ideas is completely different than taking ideas, and as long as you know the difference, then pin away!

As of late, I've been pinning up a storm. Sometimes during my day I have a free hour and I go a little pinterest crazy! I love creating my little space now and I find it to be quite the stress reliever. I'm such an organizer, so I think it's the best that I can keep all of my things in one place. SO, all of this to say, I have a Pinterest, and now I use it. a lot. 

Pinterest, you win.

If you'd like to follow, click here to see more.

xo. melisa


PS: if you haven't already, you NEED to sign up for the Jellywell Art Giveaway!! You want one of these personal illustrations, I promise!

SHE IS // one

She Is. is my new project.

It is simple really. and truly, honestly, it's mostly for me.

It's something I'd like to share with you, but it's main purpose is for growth.

Perhaps it will spur on the same desire in you.

This is an exercise that I have committed myself to in order to change. examine. become.

and grow deeper in the unknown areas of my life.

I want to center my life back on what matters most and in order to shift my way of thinking

I have created this feature, or series of sorts, to make a memory of this moment in my life.

So one day when I look back, I can see exactly who I was at this age in time.

I hope you'll enjoy the journey, but if you're not into it, that's fine too. 

 

 

outfit details: dress - h&m, poncho - francesca's, boots - nurture, tights - target, socks - here, necklace - pie n' the sky, ring - thrifted

I think dreaming is for the brave

For those who are unafraid

With dreaming comes hope

And with hope, a promise 

There are fewer things that mean more to me

Than the hope of trusting in the unseen

The unseen is dangerous to most

But it's there I find my rest

To become someone worth becoming

Is all I want to be

+++

a peek at our sponsors

1 // in love with this bag from Angela & Roi. it's perfection.  2 // love love love the photos shared in this post on natural beauty.  3 // completely thrilled to be supporting minna may on her adventure of starting a letterpress studio.  4 // these pistachio and chocolate chip cookies look way too yummy.  5 // this fall, all i want to eat everyday is s'mores. this recipe will be done.  6 // kinsey always has the best diy's; this lovely gypsy crown was no exception.  8 // i just love going to the farmer's market! these shots were great.  9 // cactuses always remind me of home. i love these.  10 // i really enjoyed this post Melissa shared on what real photography is.   11 // this feather pillow is so pretty. i need to make some new pillows.  12 // these underwater photos are perfect.  13 // i'm just smitten with Jenny's new art prints. i need one.  14 // completely inspired by this lovely collage by White Chalk Arrow. i love nesting.  15 // this memory book is just about the sweetest thing i've seen this week.  16 // i always love seeing peeks at people's places; loved the fall decor.  17 // i just love Lindsay's new blog, i am her. i've always admired her honesty and take on life.

I love my sponsors! They're just best in all the land. I do hope you will go stop by and say hi to them; they truly have so much to offer!

xo. melisa

le booth

Pie N' the Sky was recently at an event in support of a non profit organization called Bridges Safehouse, close to where I now live. Adrienne came down for a visit and as always, we had so much fun! I love being able to share in something that means so much to me, with my sister. 

Since it wasn't a huge event, we decided to keep everything pretty low maintenance and easy to pack up. I snapped a few detail shots, as I love details. I've gone through and shared with you all the diy's, on how to essentially make my booth, so in case you missed em, you can find them here, here & here. 

xo. melisa


footnote: the winner of the Angela & Roi purse has been emailed! Thank you all for participating. There will be another giveaway this week!

twl // camera

THE WONDER LIST

1, 2, 3, 4,

the dreamiest lens // I love the concept of this lens, incorporating the fun playfulness of the Diana toy camera with the power of a real camera. I've only heard wonderful things about this lens and I think the price is pretty spot on.

the prettiest camera strap I ever did see // one of my sweet readers shared this site with me and I've been smitten ever since. I'm saving up my pennies now because I must must have one of these beauties!

the perfect camera bag // this bag is absolute perfection. I love the leather, the color, the practicality of it and the fact that it doesn't even look like a camera bag! This will definitely be going on my wish list!

the best actions in town // I have been crazy about these actions for quite some time. While I currently only have a few, I'd love to get my hands on a full collection.

And that's my wonder list of camera goodies! I hope you like this feature because I plan on making it a habit! I'll feature different themes every time. Any theme you'd like to see me focus on? I'm thinking home decor for sure! 

xo. Melisa

a word of encouragement

Yes, we are called to excellence, but perfection is unattainable. The sooner we can grasp that, the more life we will gain from our days. I spent more than a few years trying and searching for "my place". It was rarely at the front of the line, leading triumphantly, and fortunately enough it wasn't in the back with those straggling along just trying to get by, I was (and for the most part still am) a happy medium between the two. I wanted to be seen in the eyes of my peers as one who had it all "together". Needless to say it was a facade that I would never live up to. I always envisioned a better version of myself out there in the world and I wanted so desperately to be her. 

Looking back on who I once was and who I am today, I struggle with the thought that though I have grown, matured, and ultimately become different, I am and forever will be me. Though one may say I am a new and improved version of my awkward self, I like to think that this girl I am today was in there all along, I just didn't know then what I know now. My confidence stems from lessons learned, individuals who have spoken life into me, and circumstances that only time could have brought to me. You see, I was always who I am today, I just didn't know it then.

I take great joy in this. In fact I find that it gives me a courage to face the days to come with strength and confidence, knowing that deep within me lies a much wiser me, one who has lost and won, who has seen great victories and terrible losses, who has overcome and been beaten, who has stood and has fallen, who knows far beyond what I know now... that girl is me. She is who I wish I could be today, but who gives me hope in tomorrow, knowing that one day I will be her in my entirety. 

We spend our whole lives striving to be the best versions of ourselves, when indeed we are the exact versions we were created to be. Indeed we are our best. God did not create us as less than His best. Life is merely our journey to become who we once were. Through life, mistakes, hardships, temptations, losses, sickness, heartaches and beyond, we have furthered ourselves from our once perfect selves and have thus begun the race to become that which was lost. The beautiful thing is that Jesus fills that gap for us. That which was lost is found, and though we remain imperfect, we gain something far greater, a life with God. I am fatally flawed, but I worship one who is perfect in all ways. There I said it. I know this post is a little heavy and especially if your beliefs don't line up with mine, but whether you believe in God or not, the truth is this; you are important and you matter. You are not perfect, but gosh you are pretty great. You are loved and you are not alone. You can do more than you think you can and one day you will look back on today and wonder why you worried so much. One day you will look and see that you are indeed much wiser, much further, and much stronger than you ever thought you'd be. And what a glorious day that will be.

xo.

Melisa

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

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

a word of encouragement

I want to be me and I want that to be enough. Have you ever looked at a girl and thought, "I bet her life is amazing. She's pretty, sweet, and everyone loves her. I wish I could be more like her"? Of course you have! Why? Because it's in our nature to want to be better, but often times we confuse being better with being different. We were never intended to be different in the sense of losing our true selves, but merely changing the faults we may have in order to maintain a healthier self image of ourselves.

I often question who I am. I catch myself more often than not, trying to see myself the way others see me and because of that perception, I attempt to alter who I am to make myself seem more appealing. For instance, when I'm in a crowd, I usually don't talk a lot right off the bat, I like to be engaged and observe people, so to others I may appear shy or even stuck up, so I try and change to become more outgoing so that people will see my true colors immediately. 

I don't always want people to see who I am right away. I know this may sound strange, but for me, it's a privilege when people open up to me. It's a privilege to know who they truly are and not some facade that they put up for others to see. It's a privilege to know the heart of a person; why they say what they say or do what they do, to truly understand them as a human being. I don't want to give that away all willy nilly! I want people to have to work for my friendship, wow that sounds weird! I only mean that if someone wants to get to know me then they should try and get to know me. I don't want to throw myself, so to speak, at them to try and convince them that I am the kind of person who they should be friends with. I have a very small circle of true friends. I have acquaintances and friends, but true bosom buddies if you will, are hard to come by. 

I'm not closed off to friendships, by any means! I love making new friends, I love getting to know people and I value all friendships that I have. However, there are only a select few that have the privilege of seeing me at my worst and thus deserving to see me at my best. True friendships are not only lasting, but ever enduring. Knowing who I am, where I've been, who I once was and who I hope to be, these are all things that take time and trust to share. Does that make me a closed off person?? Maybe. I know I've struggled with being more open and this little blog has truly helped me grow in this area. The fact that I'm even sharing this... 

So what is the purpose of this anyway? Are you like me or do you find yourself always shining, as the center of attention. Do you feel like you sometimes have to change who you are, simply to gain approval from those around you? A friend accepts you for who you are. I'm pretty sure that's on a hallmark card, but I like it. I like who I am, even though I'm not the chattiest with strangers, or take a while to warm up to, I have a genuine love for people and I value the friends that God has placed in my life. Take time to say thank you to your friends, for loving you inspite of who you are, and remember that you never have to live up to anyone's expectations but your own.

xo.

Melisa

a word of encouragement

I see now, what I never could understand when I was a child; how easy it is to give up on your dreams. When you're thrown into the real world, when bills and work become priority and a dream is just that, a dream. I hate that I had to come to this realization, but it's all apart of growing up I guess. It's as if we become adults and feel this need to separate ourselves from our childlike selves, that somehow that way of thinking is holding us back from success.
I'm choosing to hold onto the good of childhood and apply the childlike perspective to my adult self. I don't want to become cold or far removed from dream and whimsy; I want to thrive on those very things. I want my life to mean something. I want my 10 year old self to look at my life and not be able to wait to grow up to do what I'm doing, to be who I've become. 

I know it's not easy and I know sometimes we have to sacrifice, but I've set out to accomplish a goal and if you know me at all, I do what I mean to do. I don't stumble upon my accomplishments, I work so very hard to achieve them. I want the dream and I refuse to settle for anything less. God has set a fire down within my soul and I won't be satisfied until I've reached the top of the mountain, until I've claimed the victory in my life. I don't want to settle for mediocrity. I want the dream and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

You can accomplish anything and everything you set your heart to. Why would God create such a passion for something within you, if He meant only for you to constantly be in want of it. Do what He's called you to do and don't let go of your dream. When people try and tell you you can't, tell them they must not know your God because He is entirely capable. When people try and rip it from your hands, hold onto it with dear life. Don't let go, don't give up, endure, persevere and you can do anything.

xo.

Melisa

Girl Talk // The Soft Spoken

Today we get to have a chat with the lovely Meredith of One Sheepish Girl. Meredith is just the sweetest gal and oh so terribly talented! I absolutely adore her work and I think you will all really enjoy reading more about her!

What is your job title?

At the moment I am a college senior, knitter, and blogger!

What do you love about yourself?

If you asked me this question a few years ago, I would have had no response. I went through a time in my life where I loved nothing about myself. I dealt with insecurities and doubts in a big way. Thankfully, I discovered knitting, blogging, and slowly developed a “voice” and sense of self. I still struggle with my insecurities, but I definitely feel better about myself today. I love that I love different things than people my age. I like Jane Austen, drinking tea, and curling up with a good book or movie more than anything.

Who is your role model?

My role model is definitely my mom. Without a doubt she is the person I look up to the most. She has supported my creativity ever since I could roll a glob of Play-Doh into a worm. I am so appreciative of her wisdom and kind spirit. I just love her so much!

What inspires you?

I am inspired by bright colors mixed with classic styles. I really love sweaters and cardigans, a pretty basic fashion staple, but I tend to navigate toward fun patterns and colors making them more unique. A skirt with a basic shape covered in pink triangles is something that would definitely catch my eye! I guess I’m a little bit like what inspires me. I’m classic, dare I say “granny”, because I love Frank Sinatra and knitting at home, but I’m also a bit colorful in the ways I dress and live my life.

What are five words that describe you?

Reserved, Kind, Bibliophile, Determined, and Sheepish ;-)

What is your biggest insecurity?

Unfortunately, my biggest insecurity is worrying about what other people think. I worry about what others think of my clothes, knitting, blog posts…pretty much everything. Sometimes it becomes extremely consuming. Eventually I realize that living my life based on other people’s opinions is a complete waste of time, but I still have moments of weakness that I need to work through.

If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be?

Do fictional people count? I would love to be Mrs. Darcy aka Elizabeth Bennett for a day. Married to Mr. Darcy…yeah…I could handle that. ;-)

Shop // Blog // Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest

Thanks so much for sharing Meredith! If y'all would like to get to know Meredith more, feel free to follow one of the links listed above. 

xo.

Melisa