She twirled round and round

 
 
 

   

Photo credit: Andi Perullo de Ledesma

Ladies, have you ever felt like a princess? Have you ever put on an outfit that just made you feel "royal"? I can't remember any times in the past were I can say I felt that way until I put on this little blue dress. Lace, pockets and tulle...all the things that make me swoon and beyond giddy.

A company called eShakti contacted me about doing a product review for them and after looking over their website, I saw that they made custom clothing to fit your body type, so I was immediately drawn in and wanted to see how well they did. I picked out this dress for a number of reasons. I wanted something that was dressy enough to wear to a wedding (it's wedding season and I've got a lot to attend!) and something that I didn't already have in my closet.

This dress was it.

The neat thing about eShakti is that they aren't expensive, they don't have to stock any sizes--meaning they don't have to warehouse any of the merchandise, and every item they sell online is ordered custom fit to YOU! And that's a fact. After giving my height, weight and other measurements, I clicked order and patiently waited for my dress to arrive. Once the package reached my doorstep, I tore the box open to find a beautiful baby blue number waiting for me to try on. 

Once I had it on I was amazed at how well it fit me! The only thing I would change is the length of the skirt section. I'm on the shorter side and the skirt section stopped a little below my knees so I would have liked it to be either floor length or an inch or two shorter.

If your looking for custom fit clothing, and like pieces that might be a little "retro", then I would say check out eShakti. Although there aren't a ton of items that I would personally pick to wear for myself on a daily basis, they do have a number of things that I would TOTALLY step out of my comfort zone to try! Remember ladies, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! This cream and gold beaded fit and flare dress and this side button top may be my next orders ;)   

Here is a special discount code exclusively created for my readers to get 10% OFF when shopping at eShakti – valid from 04/28/2014 through 05/28/2014! Discount code is 'ssmes'.

Savannah, GA: Part 2

If you missed part 1, you can read the post here!

In love with the cobblestone roads on River Street.

3! Three is Will and I's "number". It's the day of our dating anniversary (May 3rd). It's a number that represents our current "family" size (Miller the pup, Will and I). We live on the 3rd floor in our complex. And three represents the number of stones in the first and second piece of jewelry that Will gave me. Just some fun facts for you this morning ;)

Meet Florence Martus. She is one of my favorite statues in Savannah and is the lighthouse keeper's sister who waved to ships in Savannah's port for more than 44 years. She stands as a symbol of Savannah's gracious hospitality and charm.

This house...In Isle of Hope...On Bluff Drive. I have found my dream vacation home y'all. From the freshly cut grass, views of the waterway, neighbors riding around on golf carts, and white picket fences to the large Spanish moss trees and wrap around porches...I AM IN LOVE.

Last week I blogged about Will and I's trip to Savannah and told you all about the rain, the Southern hospitality and our time exploring Broughton Street and the City Market. If you missed that post you can read it here. Today is dedicated to River Street and "rolling with the punches". And for those who know me well already know that I am a planner! So for me to just give up the planning and go with the flow can be hard to do but in Savannah, it seemed easier. Maybe it was the fact that everything we saw seemed to have a story behind it so I didn't mind stopping to check things out or put down the list for awhile.

 For those of you who have never been to Savannah, I highly recommend you checking out River Street. Here you will find anything and everything from cute little shops, yummy restaurants and bars, to lovely views of ships passing by and even has a website dedicated just to it!

And there you have it! Stay tuned for more on Savannah with a post dedicated to shopping and restaurants :) Hope you all have a great Tuesday and don't forget to enter the giveaway mentioned in yesterday's post! Crossing my fingers for all those who entered!

Good for the Soul Spring Giveaway

Happy Monday, bloggers! I hope everyone had a delightful weekend :) Mine was spent mostly outdoors because the weather was so beautiful. And to top off the weekend, Saturday I spent a few hours with two lovely ladies, Stephanie from The Lady Olive and Andi who is one heck of a photographer and blogs over at My Beautiful Adventures for a photo shoot that I can't wait to share with you! 

Sunday after church, Will and I met my dad at Mac's Speed Shop for some good ole' BBQ and quality time catching up! My dad rode in from Greensboro and I am so glad he did. This man has a heart of gold and a great sense of humor :) So as you can see, it was a weekend well spent!

To make everyone's Monday morning a little fun, I have a surprise in-store. Drum roll please...a Shauna Niequist Giveaway! For those of you who have not heard of Shauna she is an outstanding author and one of my favorites! Shauna is someone who inspires me to grow closer to the Lord, and someone I hope to meet in person one of these days. My sweet friend Rachel is hosting this giveaway (her first one) and I couldn't be more excited to take part in it :)

And without the help of some lovely blog friends, this giveaway would not be possible! Meet everyone and go check out their blogs! They each are so wonderful and some of my favorite bloggers...so go show them some love when you have the chance.

So what all will the winner receive? THREE of my personal favorite books, a $25 gift card to Starbucks and a very adorable print by ohmydeer. For a description of each of the books, you can read more about each one here, here and here.

Oh Simple Thoughts // The Weatherills Say I Do // Lisa Loves John // Beautiful Things // Wear Flowers in your Hair // The Ashcraft Bunch // Hope Collective // Simply Sweet Melissa

The winner of the giveaway will be announced Monday, May 5th. All entries will be verified, so make sure to play fair! :) Good Luck!

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5 on Friday

Happy Friday, everyone!! Last night Will and I went to a Charlotte Knights baseball game with his Company at the new BB&T Ballpark and we had a BALL! Get it? From the $3 domestic drafts (insert Thirsty Thursday) that Will thoroughly enjoyed, to the views of the Skyline and the weather that was a perfect 72 degrees, I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the day.

Without further ado, it's time for 5 on Friday! I hope you enjoy my post and hope you have a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to catch up next week!

TOO BE OR NOT TO BE...?
A blonde that is. My roots are starting to show and give it a couple more weeks and I'll be making an appointment to get my hair done and have been thinking a lot recently about going back brown. Yes? No? What do you think? I love being blonde but that means keeping up with it, which means more money I've gotta spend and right now I just don't want to have to manage that...but what looks better? I really can't decide!

Lightest Blonde Hair

Lighter Brown Hair

Natural Hair Color

LAUGHTER IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL
Imagine two precious old ladies, who don't know each other, and have never flown on a plane. Have that image painted in your head? Okay good. Now get this...A company called Vondafone First connects people with technology to empower them to do amazing things for the first time. So take that information and watch this video that will not only make you laugh but will make you smile and above all, make your day!

PUMP UP THE JAMS, PUMP IT UP
One of my best friends Caitlin who blogs over at Southern Curls & Pearls recently did a post on her workout routine and it was to good not to share! When it comes to being motivated, Caitlin helps me in more ways then she knows. Every week, we try to get together to not only catch up, but go walking (when the weather permits) and enjoy homemade healthy smoothies together; a new Monday night tradition of ours. It certainly is true...when you have someone who is able to hold you accountable and root for you along the way, you are more likely to stick with a new, more then you would if doing it all on your own. So if your in need of some workout motivation, go check out Caitlin's blog post to see what she does that is so fun and easy to stick with!

5,4,3,2,1...ACTION!
Thanks to Carly over at The College Prepster for introducing me to a new movie I can't wait to watch called Phoebe in Wonderland. Carly did a post over a week ago on her favorite movies and I must say that she has extraordinary taste! Among her list were also Crazy, Stupid, Love and Mona Lisa Smile which both happen to be two of my all time favorites. What are some of your go-to movies to watch? I'd love to add more to my list of one's to see if you have any suggestions!

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I WISH I MAY, I WISH I MIGHT...

Have a backyard like this, in my sight. I mean, it's pretty perfect to me. I can totally see myself spending many afternoon and nights curled up on one of those cozy chairs with a glass of wine and a good book in hand. Until then, I'll just be dreaming about this...

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Savannah, GA: Part 1

Happy Thursday, friends! Sorry I haven't blogged since last week! After returning from Savannah I had A LOT to catch up on (both at work and at home) so I took some time to focus on what had to get done. But I've been very excited about telling you all about my trip and decided to do it through different posts! Obviously today will be Part 1, then I plan on sharing Part 2, a post on Savannah shopping, followed by places to eat and lastly and one of my favorites, my first Airbnb experience.

So first, let me just make a few things known...Savannah is full of beauty, history and charm. And how can one not stop and stare at all of the Spanish moss trees that literally surround you? They are spooky and mesmerizing at the same time and make for some great backdrops in photos. As soon as we arrived in Savannah it started to rain, and it didn't stop until we left. Okay, it cleared up for a few hours on Saturday afternoon but that was it. The weather was far from perfect, and I didn't get to bring my camera out, but I did try to capture some photos on my cell phone to share!

Even though the rain got in the way of taking outfit photos and being able to spend more time outside exploring, we were able to stroll through downtown Savannah, Broughton Street and The City Market on the first full day there. And one thing that was new to me was the "To Go" cup. It really is what it sounds like. Basically you are able to get a beverage of choice, say the GA Peach Sangria, and have it poured in a plastic cup so that you can take it with you when you leave! It has to be in a plastic cup though.

And so, Savannah is a city full of all things Southern, hospitality and is very pedestrian-friendly. No matter what you want to do or where you want to go, there is always something for you to do. It's very similar to Charleston, SC but different in it's own ways. It's a city I wouldn't mind escaping away to every once and a while when I got the chance!

Next week, be on the lookout for my Part 2 post! I can't wait to share other experiences I had with Will on River Street, more exploring, getting caught in the rain and much more!

Savannah Here I Come!

As you're reading this, I'm probably zipping up my weekend bag and getting ready to get on the road for Will and I's Easter getaway in SAVANNAH!! Ahhh, let me tell you...it feels so good to finally be on vacation, even if it's a short one! I can't wait to check out all the places that y'all recommended and will be sure to come back with lot's of photos to show, stories to share and much more. I'll document on Instagram (@mscheek)  while i'm gone don't you worry ;) 

Oh and don't go thinking that I plan to leave you here all alone while i'm gone. One very sweet bloggy friend of mine Katie so graciously said she would take care of my blog for me today, and I know it's (and you guys) are in good hands! K is one of the loveliest and sweetest girls I've met through blogging and I am so excited for here to share her heart with you all! I highly recommend going to check out her blog once  you are done reading this post so you can get to know her better!

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Hello Simply Sweet Melissa readers! It is such a joy to be taking over today! I have loved getting to know precious Melissa; we have a very similar blog style so it was such a joy to get connected and become blog friends! And of course I was beyond pumped when she asked me to write a guest post! My name is Rachel and I blog over at Oh Simple Thoughts. I don't know about you, but as a blogger there always seems to be so much pressure on me to stay inspired. I am always searching for ideas for my next "big post"...and it seems never ending sometimes. For me, the pressure of it all often leaves me so far from feeling inspired. So today I wanted to share with you some methods I turn to when I am running low on inspiration.

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1. GET FRESH AIR - I find that if I just go for a walk, step outside on our porch, or even just open a window in our apartment, I immediately find myself feeling refreshed. When I am refreshed and feel the sunshine on my skin, I've found that my creative juices quickly begin to replenish themselves. So go for a run, roll down your windows, do whatever makes you happy, but get some fresh air...there is just nothing quite like it!

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2. GO CAMPING - I find that being outside for a weekend, or even just 24 hours can do wonders for my entire soul. When my husband and I spend time out in the woods, I find myself in awe of the Lord, and eager to write out the overflow of my joy and wonder of all He has made. So step away for a weekend if you find yourself burnt out. Retreat from the world and rest and recharge. Look at the flowers, mountains, rivers, trees...and just be amazed, inspired by all the Lord has made.

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3. READ, READ, READ - Grab a book, and lose yourself in another world. This is such an easy way for me to trigger inspiration. I love to read, and so combine this with numbers 1 and 2 and I can almost guarantee you that I will be inspired and rested. I truly believe that reading is therapy for the mind and the soul. Whether you are reading a biography, or something like the Harry Potter series, reading makes the world just stand still. It brings me pure and simple joy.

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4. DRESS UP - I am not going to ever tell anyone to go drop tons of money to help your mood...I do not believe that is wise. BUT, I do think that dressing in clothes that make you feel beautiful and comfortable will lead to inspiration! Throw on a pretty dress, pop on some lipstick and see how quickly your mood will go from sad to elated. Getting dressed every day opposed to sitting around in workout clothes or sweats, ALWAYS does wonders for my creative ability. So dress to inspire yourself!

5. GO TO A WEDDING - Okay maybe you think this one sounds silly...but think about it, no one leaves a wedding without being filled with joy, love, and inspiration. For those who are believers of Jesus Christ, you can go to weddings and be reminded of our love relationship with our Heavenly Bridegroom. We are able to see two people commit themselves to each other, and this just does something to our hearts. Go to a wedding, and I promise you will be filled with inspiration. 

So next time you find yourself totally resenting the need to write a blog post, or just lacking inspiration in all areas of life...start with number one. Slow down, and seek out inspiration. I hope you find these methods and suggestions as helpful as they have been for me! A big thanks again to Melissa for allowing me to guest post over here today. So thankful for you Melissa!

What inspires you the most?

Much Love, 

Rachel

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