Sail Away, my Heart. . .

Be still my heart.
These bracelets are so incredible. I just want to give you a little sneak peek of some of what Ian creates at Maritime Supply Co. 

Today's outfit is 100% thrifted and handmade. which, to me is super amazing. The top is Free People, jeggings are Pilcro, the hat was something that I finally got around to knitting, and the bracelets are from Maritime Supply Co.! 

And, just in case you were wondering, Erin was the photographer for today. She did an absolutely stunning job. Its amazing to see how good she was, made editing and playing around with these so much more exciting. She was so sweet to do this. 

The Docker

The Captain's Link

And. . .The Commander Anchor Bracelet

I think one of my favorites about these accessories is that they just express my style in a whole different way. I love stacking the three of them together, and even having the option to wear them alone, so versatile! They go with just about everything in my closet, which is absolutely lovely. Can't wait to wear them more!

Super cool! Be sure to go check out Maritime at http://maritimesupply.co for some more amazing products! 

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind". . .

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind."- C.S. Lewis
This incredible print by Aubry Bennion from Hello Maypole is just a perfect addition to my room for this time of year. I absolutely fell in love with it, she did such an amazing job hand lettering this quote. Handmade is always the way to go for me, there is just something special about it. 

As I put up this quote, I just thought about this coming year. So many hopes. So many dreams. I just feel so inspired moving forward into 2014. I just know that God is up to something super amazing (but, isn't He always?!) and it makes my heart so happy. I just can't wait to see what this year has in store for me, and for Simply Smitten. You are such a vital part of my tiny business, so thank you for following and helping it grow every single year. I don't know what I would do without you guys. 

Do you remember these little poms?! Hint hint. They were at my craft fair. I have been dying to put them up somewhere. When I would make my felt flower pillows (like the one on my bed), I would have a TON of scrap felt after cutting all of those little petals! And, I waste nothing. So this is what I did with the scraps!!! I absolutely love how they turned out. Just reminds me of all those sweet pillows that are now in the homes of lots of really cool people. 

Today was just lovely, just really lovely.

Bound.

A season of hurt. Pain. Sleepless nights. Depression. Worries. Things happening outside of my control. The last five months I have been bound. But I am writing today, free in Jesus, no longer bound to the chains of anxiety. Just purely free in Jesus. And it is so amazing. This season of life has absolutely changed my world, and I cannot wait to share part of the story with you. Because God is really cool, and I just can't not share what He is doing in my life. I know He has put this on my heart to share, and with lots and lots of nervousness, I know I can stand confident because Jesus will pour out His words through this post. 

Mornings like this are few and far between. I so wish they were every day. Cozy, coffee in hand, wrapped up in a quilt, rainy weather, and just having my time with Jesus. Most mornings are so rushed, and ones like these are so precious and valued. I was going to finish reading in Romans, but I opened up my Bible and the pages opened to Isaiah 41. In the moment I realized that THIS is what I needed to read today. God just opened up His Word, and it was simply amazing. 

"Listen to Me in silence." These were the first words in verse 1. Everyone knows how bubbly and talkative I typically am, and God just silenced me with His words. I need to learn what it means to be a woman with a quiet spirit. So I sat and listened. Later in verse 10 the words FEAR NOT jumped out to me and just froze. Time seemed to stop, and the word "fear" brought back so many painful days and nights. Since I was teeny tiny, I was afraid of the dark. Terrified that a monster really was under my bed somewhere, and I would lay paralyzed in bed with fear that he would come out and eat me. Silly, silly I know. But that "monster" has turned into so many other things I have grown older. The monster of not knowing what tomorrow looks like, or, the monster of  failure, and so many other things still lurks in the dark as I toss and turn at night, not even knowing what sleep feels like anymore. I won't go into every detail, but this is what most of the last half of 2013 looked like for me.

 As I realized that I had a real struggle with anxiety, I also realized that my days were going to look a lot longer for a long time and I had a very weary journey ahead of me. A lot of things contributed to my anxiety. A situation that turned my world upside down and made me question who I was happened. My plans were dashed. My future that I had planned was absolutely slaughtered. I had everything under control, and then God came and reminded me how small, frail, and fickle I am on my own. I began a journey of discovering who God really is. I knew I was a believer, that Jesus had saved me so miraculously, but God was testing me on a level that I had never experienced. He stripped everything away from me and left me with nothing but Himself. And that was it. He was leading me through the "valley of the shadow of death," and the next part of the verse says "and I will fear no evil." But all I could see was fear. It was as if I had a bag over my head and someone was telling me to walk in a straight line. Everything felt impossible and I knew I had failed. Big time. So I chose to let the anxiety flood my body. Take me captive. And I was bound.

The journey has not been easy, that is most definitely for sure. But words like I read this morning were of such comfort, I can't help but just get really excited when I read them. Because in the past few months, a lot has happened. Forgiveness. Faith. and Freedom. These three words can pretty much sum up the last couple of weeks for me. I remember sitting in the parking lot of the Fresh Market, just crying my eyes out because that is where and when God chose to free me. He freed me from bitterness, anger, doubt, unforgiveness, and anxiety all in one sitting. It was one of the most remarkable situations I've ever experienced. All because I chose to open up His Word on my lunch break in a parking lot. Like, say what?!? Yeah. He is so awesome like that. His Word is so powerful.

"Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand." Isaiah 41:10

This verse reminded me of my freedom this morning. Such hope, such sweet promises seep out of these couple of words. He has freed me by His grace. I am no longer bound. He has made beauty out of my ashes. To the praise of His glory.

Knowing that I have been called, carried, chosen, and redeemed changes the whole dynamic of everyday for me. There is so much rejoicing that results from knowing who we are in Jesus. I am finally realizing what it means to have my identity rooted fully in Jesus. I have so much more to learn and grow in, I feel like I've only scratched the surface. Jesus, take me deeper. 

This picture is so powerful for me. I am no longer bound. But the struggle hasn't just vanished into thin air. It is still very real. Very present at times. But it is all about what I do with the struggle. I can choose to take it on, or to simply offer it up to Jesus. Knowing that I am not in control, that He is, and that He will take care of and provide for me. It is just so amazing to know that we have a God that big. A God who knows our tomorrows. And who knows how to turn our ashes into beauty. I can now be free. Free in Jesus. I can dream dreams bigger than me. I can hope in Someone who will always be constant, always be sure, and who will never ever leave me or fail me. I can live with the realization that I have been Redeemed. This is what sets the captive free: Jesus, only Jesus. 

Little Gold Obsessions. . .

This week has been VERY full with Fashion Shack. Which, I don't mind at all. I absolutely love working there. Especially when I have the time to. This week, we got in over 50 pieces of Vera Bradley! But, it's the really good kind of Vera Bradley. Not just the purses, but the wallets and more organizational kind of products. It was perfect because so many people ask us if we have the zipper key rings, and now we have more than we can count! And they are all brand new and discounted, yay. So today I had the job of promoting it! This (above) is what I came up with. It was super fun to randomly create and design. I just used most of the products we got in to spell out the word VERA. I was super happy with how it turned out. 

Ha. I have been through about 5 of these over the last 4 years that I have been driving. I was SO happy we got some more in, I needed a new one! It helps you keep your license and keys together. . . Which was so helpful to me because I am very, very prone to losing one or the other. 

Someone also dropped off a TON of amazing, gorgeous brand new jewelry. I am just gold obsessed, and there were so many beautiful pieces that came in! Love the colors and variety. My goodness. Working at a thrift store is just simply the best. 

This one was probably my most favorite.

Happy Weekend everybody!!!! xoxo

Take Me to Sea. . .

The sea is a place full of wonder and inspiration. It seems as if it never ends as it hits the horizon, and with the cool air blowing through my hair, I finally realized what it meant to rest. I did not realize how much this year had caught up with me, and I needed this therapy more than anything. Just looking out over the water, the sweet waves, never ending skies, it calmed my heart and I finally realized that Jesus was teaching me how to rest. This is how my adventure began this December. My family had the amazing opportunity to embark on a cruise ship that would travel to the island of Coco Cay and Nassau, Bahamas. It was such a sweet time to spend time with my family, and I loved every single minute of it. Monday was the day we set sail, and it was definitely interesting. I found out what it meant to have sea legs, and the boat was making me feel a little unbalanced. We all got to rest, unpack and get ready for an incredible week. 

Tuesday was our first excursion: Coco Cay. Coco Cay was my absolute favorite, it is a private island with oceans blue and so clear. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. We found some shells, fish, and little crabs, and laid out in the sun for hours. It was so perfect, my heart is definitely at the beach, and it was absolutely gorgeous. I could have adventured around the island for hours, I was just absolutely smitten. 

Erin was the little explorer. I swear she isn't ever afraid of anything. She went parasailing and snorkeling, she just loves being out in the water. It was fun to watch her find bitty crabs at the bottom of the ocean. She kept them for forever. If they would've let her take them home, she most certainly would have. I enjoyed watching her daring heart just fall in love with what was under the sea. 

I spent most of my time closer to shore. I swam out a little past those rocks in the picture, but not much deeper. I so wish I wasn't so afraid of sharks and big fish with teeth, but unfortunately I am. Maybe one day I will conquer my fears and swim far, far out into the deep blue water. For now I was just ok to discover the little invisible fish minnows swimming around my feet. I will have to say, it was quite magical. There is nothing like being in the clear blue, salty ocean. I could have stayed on this island for days.

Lauren was also adventurous. We had so much fun finding bitty, unique shells. She even found a shark tooth that had washed up onto shore. We both laid out in the sun for a while, but then we decided to explore the island. We walked around for a while and found some amazing hammocks up in the palm trees, so we rested there for a while. It was so relaxing to just lay out in the sun and rest. She was so much fun to explore with! 

SO many little treasures.

Even the bittiest of shells stole my heart. 

This absolutely took my breath away. 

My sweet, sweet parents. I love them both to pieces.

Sweet memories were made that day in Coco Cay. This picture makes me smile because we took it right before it started to down pour. The rain was so rough that our boat actually ended up having issues attaching to the cruise ship. We ended up being on this tiny boat in the very rocky waves for about an hour and a half. Thank goodness for motion sickness meds! I may not have made it with out them :)

Haha, this is what happens when your boat director tells you that you might not make it back on the cruise ship for a while. We all just looked at each other in a panic. Hahaha! It was definitely the scariest part of the trip for everyone, the waves were so high, I thought someone might fall off the boat. But we all ended up being safe, and were finally able to quickly enter the cruise ship after a good little wait. 

Day 3 was spent in the Bahamas in the city of Nassau. On Wednesday morning, I awoke to a city so bright and colorful, I was immediately ecstatic about the adventures for that day. The colors are what inspired me most. It seemed so cheerful, and hearing the loud celebrations on New Years day were exciting. They had put together a parade at about 1 a.m. and did not stop until 2 p.m. that afternoon. The culture and people of this island were like nothing I had ever seen before. They helped ring in the new year with celebrations throughout the entire island.

For whatever reason, this was my very most favorite ship. I think I was just obsessed with the color blocking and rusting bars. It just made me want to go learn how to fish, it seemed so happy atop the crystal blue ocean. 

Sunrise.

Color was everywhere. I am still not sure as to what those squares are, maybe they are storage units, but I was so in love with how each of them was paired with different colors. The colors made the entrance of the city seem so exciting. 

And here is our cruise ship, Enchantment of the Seas. It was just lovely. 

These conch shells and starfish were for sale at the corner of one of the streets. I didn't get one, but there are times where I wish I had. They were just so colorful and perfect. I can honestly say, I have never seen a conch shell or starfish that large! It was so incredible. 

The parade was so incredible. Everyone had on such elaborate costumes and decorations to celebrate another year. It was amazing to see another culture like this. It was a little crazy, but so much fun to watch.

Mom and I spent the morning shopping and discovering parts of the city. It was definitely an interesting experience, but I am so thankful we got to spend sweet time together in the streets of Nassau. 

I am not sure why this is my most favorite moment captured, but I think I just loved the progression and movement of the color blue.

This is a little snapshot of the straw market. Nassau has one of the largest straw markets in the Caribbean. Let me tell you, it is no joke. Never have I ever felt so overwhelmed about shopping. There had to have been about 75-100 more "booths" just like the one above. They all are filled all the way up to the ceiling, and each artisan will try and barter with you about any object you look at or touch. It was extremely overwhelming, but it was amazing to see how much these people were capable of making. The little wooden safari animals and soapstone elephants were so charming. 

Here is a man working on hand carving some little animals for his shop. The poverty of this city absolutely broke my heart. I wanted to just help them all and tell them all about Jesus. Poverty didn't stop these people from working hard to make a living. It was inspiring to see them put so much heart into what they were making and selling. 

Here are some of the hand-carved wooden creations.

The day at Nassau came to an end, and I got to spend the rest of the day with these two. After this trip, I feel like we bonded so much more as sisters. I learned a lot about both Lauren and Erin that I didn't know before, and it was such sweet time that I will never be able to forget. I love these girls so much. 

On day 4, instead of snorkeling, Mom and I got to go get a manicure up at the spa. It was so relaxing and wonderful. The spa had a wall of windows that overlooked the sea as we were traveling, and just watching the waves and getting my nails painted was just perfection. It was so fun to spend time with mom. This was our last day on the ship, and we enjoyed every last second of the cruise that we had. 

I didn't get many pictures of the food (now I wish I had!), but here is one of the yummy desserts we got to eat one night. The food on this trip was hands down the best I have ever had. It was SO incredible, and I loved getting fresh fruits, veggies, and seafood every night. The staff was so sweet as well. Our servers were DonDon, Alexsander, and Robin. They were all from different countries, 46 different ones total. I loved this cultural experience, it made the trip so interesting and unique. 

On the last day of the cruise, we all got to lay outside in the sun and tan. It was about 90* out, and it was weird thinking that it was December and it was so hot. These little pineapple drinks made everything so much better. It was perfect to end the day with sunnies, blue skies, and strawberry smoothies in a pineapple. 

This picture I just had to save for last. Meet Panda. This guy took care of room service and just kept the trip so happy. He always, always, always had a huge smile on his face and would make sure that we had everything that we needed. He was just the best. I mean, when three girls share a room for almost a week, there is always a guarantee of a mess of hair accessories, bobby pins, curling irons, and nail polish. He had to put up with a lot, bless him. And he always did it with a smile. This trip wouldn't have been the same without him and the other staff on the cruise. It truly left this vacation unforgettable.
I am so sorry this was quite long, but I just HAD to tell you about all of the exciting places and things we got to experience this past week. I was simply smitten, over and over and over again.