Linh from A Beautiful RAWR: Living on Purpose

Happy Monday!  I'm excited to continue with our Living on Purpose series as I introduce a dear friend of mine, Linh, from A Beautiful RAWR.  Linh is a loving mama and wife and just launched her business, which you can check out here!  And!  And!  Lucky us!  Linh is offering all Gratefully Inspired readers 20% off with the code PURPOSE!  Code will run for a week so once you read her heartfelt words, go shop!  Before I spill all the beans I'll let her take over...

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Hi, friends! My name is Linh and I own A Beautiful RAWR, a faith-based online shop catered to creating modest comfortable apparel to inspire, support, inspire, and remind every woman of this simple message:  I can do ALL things through Him who strengthens me" - Phil 4:13. RAWR stands for Real Amazing Woman Representing and we are the modern day SUPERWOMEN of society. We are the mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters of our time.  We represent love, strength, beauty, courage, faith, and grit.

2014 was a year full of highs and lows for our family.  My mother, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013, relapsed from her chemotherapy just 6 short months later and this took a heavy toll on our family. Shortly after, I quit my corporate job so I could stay home with Marli AND spend more time with my mother.  Turns out, this would be one of the BEST decisions we made!  Day in and day out, I watched as my mother battled this terrible disease and it was nothing short of amazing to see how strong she was. Her will power and faith in God never wavered.  When others crumbled around her, she reassured them (including me) that there was nothing to fear.  To this very day, she is still fighting the battle and it is truly a remarkable sight to witness the greatness of God’s miracles.

In between hospital visits, caring for Marli, and fulfilling my role as a wife, I did a LOT of praying. I prayed for strength, courage, reassurance, help, and clarity.  I asked God to show me how to be a great role model to Marli, a brave and supportive daughter to my mother, a loving wife to my husband, and above all, a PURPOSEFUL Christian woman.  I wanted to live a more meaningful life through a passionate career where I would be able to give back and make a difference in the world.  And that’s when He allowed me to chase my dreams, open my online shop, and begin living with PURPOSE.

My online shop has one goal – to create a PURPOSEFUL brand to remind amazing women that we can overcome and achieve any obstacle we encounter because we are strong and capable of so much. Whether it’s a personal goal (such as losing weight, starting a family, beating an illness) or a professional one (owning your own business, getting promoted, changing careers), I want you to know that you are A BEAUTIFUL RAWR.

***Visit THE SHOP  today and enjoy 20% off your entire order with the code ‘PURPOSE’ at checkout.  Promo will run for a week!***

A proceed of all sales are donated to LLS (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) or Pediatric Cancer Research. (Simply notate your preference in the notes/message section at checkout.)

Sales are final and promo ends in one week.

Dream Big. Believe in Yourself. Shine Bright. Never Lose Faith. And Never Give Up. 

Thank you so much for supporting the message behind the brand.

Find Linh Here:

Blog  /  Shop  /  Instagram

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November Link Party + Life Lately

just hanging in my christmas PJ's and my daddy's hat

sissies

Hey yall!  Happy Monday!  I've been taking some time off from link-ups lately because things have been quite busy around here.  But I'm super excited about this one today with these fabulous ladies.  For today's link-up we are talking about frugal tips for the holidays.  I try really hard every year to be smart when it comes to holiday shopping.  Key word here: try.  I'm sure my hubby would vouch that I am not always successful at this, but I'm a work in progress ok?  This year, I'm really trying to be smart, though.  I absolutely love giving gifts.  I love the process of carefully selecting something that a loved one will adore, wrapping it so neatly and then watching them unwrap it.  It makes my heart sing.  But thoughtful, meaningful gifts don't have to cost a lot of money.  I've learned that over the years and this year here are three ways I'm going to be frugal!

1. Ebates.  Ok this is the best thing ever.  A friend told me about it and I had yet to give it a whirl until last week. You sign up with Ebates and when you shop online (basically ANYWHERE you can think of: Amazon, Sephora, JCrew, Target, Walmart, Gap, Piperlime, Belk, I mean the list is in the thousands), you go through Ebates to get to the site.  You shop as normal, check out and boom.  You get CASH BACK!  It's amazing.  You literally get a percent cash back for every purchase you make.  They can mail you a check or transfer it through your PayPal account.  To sign up go here.  It's amazing yall, and there's really no reason not to!

2. Planning.  I know this is a no brainer, but Matt and I really try to plan out our Christmas shopping so we don't end up buying everything in the same month/week.  That helps with budget as well.  If you haven't started planning yet, start today.  Make a list of all the people you will be buying for.  Then write some ideas down next to each name (and even a budget amount if you want!).  It helps, trust me.

3.  Remember that your loved ones love you more than the gift.  Ultimately Christmas is about Jesus, being with family and spending time with one another.  Don't let the hustle and bustle of the holidays drive you to forget that.  While your loved one may absolutely adore that gift you got them, I can bet you they love having you with them even more.  And if you can't physically "be" with all those you love most this year, schedule a special Skype session or face time with them.  That's what matters.  Not the present under the tree.

Have any frugal tips you want to share?  Link-up below!  And don't forget to check out all the other amazing posts.  **I'll be sharing my Holiday Gift Guides for everyone in the family starting next week so make sure to come back!

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up with Elizabeth, Tara, Britt, Sarah, Denise, Katie, Keri, and Becky for our Monthly Link Party

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XOve Baby Q & A // PROMO CODE!

So remember that adorable company that sells baby blankets and onesies I introduced y'all to a few weeks back?  And told y'all how about not only do they sell the softest things imaginable but they also give back for every purchase?!?!  Well the owners, Donnie and Bethany, are here to share a little bit more about themselves.  So read below and check out their shop here.  Also you can use the promo code LABORDAY14 for 14% off of your entire purchase through the weekend!  

Happy Shopping!

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Names: Donnie & Bethany  (Owners)

Hometown:

D: Wilmington, NC

B: Durham, NC

Current Town:

B: We love calling Wilmington home!

How did you two love birds meet?

B: We had both recently graduated from UNCW but our paths had (somehow) never crossed.  Donnie randomly moved into an apartment on Wrightsville Beach with some of my closest guy friends from Durham. We met at one of their beach cookouts and became friends over the summer.  I wasn’t looking for the love of my life at the time, but when I met Donnie that ALL changed!  I was quickly smitten and the rest is history.

3 words that your family would use to describe you:

D: Kind-hearted, focused, and passionate (answered by Bethany J)

B: HUGE heart, beautiful inside & out, nurturing (answered by Donnie J)

Boy or girl, what are your guesses? 

D: Sweet little girl so I can go and buy that tutu I saw on our first baby shopping trip.

B: I go back and forth every day!  Definitely thinking boy more than girl.  I can’t wait until I hear those words on delivery day!

What is one thing you are most excited about becoming a parent?

D: All the baby laughs! This baby is sure to fill our home with lots of laughter.

B: The feeling of being a mommy. The thing I’m most excited about doing is rocking my babe to sleep and just savoring that moment.

What is one prayer/hope you have for Baby B?

D: There is nothing I could want more than a healthy happy baby.

B: That they’re like their daddy!

How did XOve Baby come to life?

D: It has always been a desire of mine and Bethany’s to do more and help others. We are passionate about knowing that everything happens for a reason and knew the perfect opportunity was right in front of us when we dreamed up XOve Baby.

With her experience working as a Nanny and true love for babies, combined with my passion for business, we knew we wanted to make our job helping children.

Unfortunately, not every child is brought into this world under perfect conditions, and this is all out of their control. It is for these reasons that we feel strongly about helping children feel a sense of comfort through our products.

Where is the name from?

B: I moved away for work for 6 months right when Donnie and I got engaged.  Between planning a wedding and the distance, we covered a lot of texts and emails.  Our exchanges either always ended with a ‘love you’ or a ‘XO’.  Eventually that evolved into XOve.  It embodies what we had always envisioned our company being about. 

Why give back?

B: Giving back wasn’t an afterthought for us; it was one of our first thoughts.  It’s what we wanted to build a company around.  At the end of the day, if we’re not doing something to really help others- why do it?

What inspires you and fires you up?

D: Knowing that with every new day comes an opportunity to meet new people, influence the lives of others, and learn something we didn’t know the day before.

When you aren’t filling orders and giving to those in need what are you doing?

D: Bethany and I are both currently working full-time jobs outside of XOve Baby so that does take up most of our “free time”. However, I do enjoy to play golf, surf, swim in the pool, or hang out in Starbucks with my iPad and a nice tall coffee in hand!

B: Getting ready for Baby B and living up our 2-person family status while we can!  We’ve been trying to fit in impromptu dates- whether it’s jumping in the car for a day getaway, a dinner out, or just going to the beach without having to pack the whole house! We’re trying to do things now that we may not be able to do for a while.

What is one goal for XOve Baby?

D: One goal for our company is to build a community around what we do for others through the business. The quality of the products that we make for each and every baby is very important to us, but the support and influence of each new member of our community is priceless.

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I mean their hearts... love them.  And love their mission and purpose!  Yall support this sweet company and go shop!  Remember to use the promo code LABORDAY14 through the weekend!

XOve Baby

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$25 Gift card GIVEAWAY ** The Mint Julep Boutique

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am so excited for this giveaway today!  Like I said yesterday, The Mint Julep Boutique has become one of my newest go-to shopping sites.  Enter the giveaway above and don't forget to comment telling me how you would spend your $25! Winner will be announced a week from today!  

Some things I am loving:

this comfy/cute top

this long gray tank

these green skinnies

this adorable black dress (love the neckline!)

SHOP

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The Mint Julep Review // Fashion Post

Jumpsuit  //  Sunglasses  //  Wedges (Old ShoeMint)  //  Earrings (Old JewelMint but love these)  //  Bracelet (Old JCrew but love this one)  //  Long Necklace (Old but love this one on sale!)

I am in love with this jumpsuit.  It has become my-go to for running around with Georgia and an easy-transition into date night with Matt.  I love that I can brighten it up with some funky jewels or through a jean jacket over top of it this fall.  The Mint Julep has been one of my newest addictions.  Not only do they have a massive selection of fun and versatile pieces, but they are affordable!  And yall know I don't love spending too much moola on clothes because, well, babies make messes ya know.  I'm been eyeing this cardi and am pretty sure this tank needs to be a staple in my closet.  And guess what?  Tomorrow we are giving away a $25 giftcard to The Mint Julep Boutique so come back and sign up yall!  Winner will be announced a week from Wednesday!

The Mint Julep Boutique

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Q & A WITH GYPSY GIRL

Happy Friday!  I'm excited that the lovely ladies of Gyspy Girl are here for a little Q & A Sesh!  Y'all probably remember them from this post when I fell in love with their online shop.  Y'all check them out and remember to use the code GRATEFUL at checkout for 20% off your order!

Names: Melissa & Brooks (Owners)

Hometown:

M: Jacksonville, NC          

B: Chinquapin, NC

Current Town:

M: Jacksonville, NC

B: Wallace, NC

3 words that your family would use to describe you:

M: smart, independent, headstrong

B: fearless, strong-willed, giving

Your style in a few words: 

M: Simple and comfortable. I love pieces that can be changed with the addition of accessories, like jewelry or a scarf.

B: Versatile. I’m a style chameleon! I can go dressy for church, casually chic and bohemian on the weekends. I really love dressing for every occasion.

How did Gypsy Girl come to life?

M: Brooks and I are your typical “9 to 5” gals (though, who works those hours anymore? haha) working for the federal government. We are really grateful for our jobs, but the down side is we spend a lot of time behind a computer and processing lots of paperwork. We both have formal educations in Business Management and always wanted to start a business together, but we needed to find something that we could do while still maintaining our “day jobs.”

B: We spent our lunch breaks perusing shops and boutiques online, looking for great deals on the latest trends. More often than not though, the shopping interface was cumbersome and not as user friendly as it could be. And that’s when we thought, “we can do this!” An e-business was the perfect fit for us, because it enables us to have no overhead (a tremendous bonus for our customers, because we can literally pass the savings on to them).

M: We launched in November 2013.

Where is the name from?

B: I really loved the quote about the Gypsy Spirit which is this:  Someone who possesses a gypsy spirit is a person always in need of change and/or adventure. A gypsy spirit seeks the next best thing in any life situation. They can be very passionate and often inspired by different ideas, attitudes and experiences. Their sense of identity isn’t always sure of what they want out of life, but they are determined to find it.  So we wanted to incorporate the “gypsy” into our boutique name because it reminds us to always be open to what life throws at you.

M: Yes, expect the unexpected! And of course it just naturally rolls off the tongue, too! LOL

Your favorite piece on the site right now:

M: Curvy Peach Tank. It’s so cute with jeans or shorts, too!

B: Peacock dress. I love how you can wear just about any color cardigan to change up the look. It’s a very flattering dress, too.

What inspires you and fires you up?

M: I get inspired by people who take chances.

B: Jesus.

A day in the life:

M: Wake up at 6:30 am, get kids ready for day care/preschool and at work by 8. After work, it’s playtime with my toddlers, dinner, bath, movie time snuggles, and bed. I stay up way too late because the time I have between kids going to sleep and me going to sleep is sacred! It’s really the only time I have to spend on my own and with my hubby.

B: Alarm goes off at 4 am. Get ready for work. I have to stop by Starbucks. Every. Single. Day. I’m at work by 6 am. After my day job, I’m off to fulfill my “pastor’s wife duties,” in some way or another. We usually have a church activity, event, or meeting every night of the week. I’m usually in my pj’s by 11 pm each night.

When you aren’t filling orders and posting fabulous clothes on the Gypsy Girl Website what are you doing?

M:This is going to sound sad, but in my free time, I do things like steam mop the floors, shampoo the carpets in the house, and do laundry! I don’t really mind it though, because I feel so. much. better. when I have a clean house.  I like tending to my flower garden, too.

B: In my free time (ha!), I love to go fishing & kayaking. And of course, loving on my sweet babies, Jalen (a yellow lab) and Healer (a chocolate lab).

Favorite verse or quote:

M: Behind every successful woman is herself.

B: 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

What is one goal for Gypsy Girl?

M: Have fun.

B: To make people feel beautiful! And to encourage people to go outside their style comfort zone, try new things and discover their gypsy spirit.

In ten years you will be:

M: Taking a break! My kiddos will be 13 and 12, so hopefully I’ll be able to watch a movie from start to finish or maybe even blow dry my hair all the way through!

B: Preaching.

If you could pack your bags tonight and travel anywhere tomorrow where would you go?

M: I’m a Disney geek, so DISNEY WORLD!

B: Jamaica.

How can you not love these two sweet souls?!?!?!  Now that you know the heart of this shop, y'all go have fun and shop!  And remember to use the code GRATEFUL at checkout for 20% off!!

SHOP

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Gypsy Girl Boutique // and a promo code!

LOOK ONE

dress : beach dress here!

boots:  old steve madden  /  similar

LOOK TWO & THREE

elephant t-shirt : found here!  (and only $10!!)

lace shorts:  old arc & co  /  similar

pink shorts:  old jcrew  / similar

sandals : ann taylor here (on sale!)

boots: old steve madden  /  similar

I am so excited to introduce y'all to one of my new favorite online obsessions – Gypsy Girl Boutique.  First of all, they are out of Jacksonville, NC which is literally a hop skip and a jump from me here in Wilmington.  I have a special place in my heart for local businesses so when I discovered these girls were from NC, I had to check out their shop!  And I’m so glad I did.  I love when I find a shop that has pieces I can take from day to night while also not breaking the bank.  And then discovering that the owners have hearts of gold?!?  Double bonus! 

Gypsy girl was founded by two best friends, Melissa (who shares my alma mater – GO PACK!) and Brooks.  Both share a love for fashion and style while also respecting a budget, if ya know what I mean.  Brooks is also a youth minister and regularly goes to Jamaica with her husband for mission trips!  When I heard that, well I kinda got all teary-eyed.  Jamaica is totally where my hubby and I fell in loveeeee on a mission trip so long ago (you can read more about that here) and I love that Brooks, her hubby and their church are still serving those people and that community.  Her husband, Sam, even founded a youth ministry dedicated to missions in Jamaica called Walk The Line Ministries.  Anyway, the connections I have with these girls are insane.  Did I mention that Melissa used to babysit one of my best friends?!?!  We were meant to be friends - Brooks, Melissa and I! - and I’m certain they are changing this world in other ways than fashion J  You can read more about their stories HERE.

Hey!  But I am so very glad they started this online boutique because these girls know fashion!  I received this dress last week and basically haven’t taken it off.  I’ve worn it out and about running errands with G and then out for a date night a few nights later.  It’s so comfortable and if I had to sum up my style in one piece it would be this dress.  I also love my new tee.  I’ve worn it with shorts during the day and even wore it to yoga (ok fine!  I didn’t actually go to yoga, but I did dress like I was going to yoga so that counts for something right?).  It’s tissue thin which is perfect for the summer heat.  I’m also dying over this dress and this one.  I love how Gypsy Girl has something for everyone.  I’m also going to need this comfy-looking top to pair with my cutoffs for the remainder of the summer, and there is something oh-so-cool about this top.   Yep, I'm gonna need that too. 

So anyway!  Go check them out and because my readers are so wonderful use the code GRATEFUL at checkout to receive 20% off!  Hurry Hurry!!  What are your favorite pieces from their shop? 

SHOP  //  FACEBOOK

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mother's day gift guide 2014

This being my first mother's day, I'm a bit emosh.  OK, super emotional.  I can't believe I get to be a mom.  I feel so blessed and grateful each day.  And then there's my mama.  While words nor gifts cannot fully express the gratitude and respect that I feel towards her, I love shopping for her.  My mama never buys anything for herself - or does anything for herself for that matter.  It's always about everyone else.  So I love Mother's Day and use it as a chance to spoil my mama.  And here are some things I may do that with...  

mother's day gift guide by deniselopatka featuring Kate Spade

print
lip set
silhouette print
mug
beach bag
candle
watch
tray
card
floppy hat
champagne flutes

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