Summer glimpses

As some of you may or may not know, I spent my summer at an intensive missions program called Harvest School in Mozambique.  I studies along 350 students from all over the world and 250 more Mozambican students who were in another school with the same ministry taught in Portuguese. Our school represented 41 different nations and it was so incredible to study alongside people with all kinds of different stories and backgrounds. 

I have been home eight weeks now and have been thinking back to this summer.  It feels like a dream.  In the midst of my three months in Mozambique, time felt like it was at a standstill.  Upon my return home though, it felt like time went by in the blink of an eye.  Almost dreamlike.

Over the next few months I will share more of my time in Mozambique with you.  As I unpack it in my brain (we learned so much I have been told from former students it will take 2 years to process), I will share it with you.  For now enjoy these snapshots a friend of mine captured that highlights our daily life.

   

photos by Fatima Boatwright

Summer glimpses

Wedding Preview

So I recently tied the knot with the man of my dreams.  For so long I jokingly referred to my future husband (when I was single) as "the faceless man at the end of the aisle."  Silly I know, but I literally would dream up Pinterest-inspired wedding details and when I would imagine a man standing there it would be as if you cut out a face in a magazine spread. There that dream-guy would be standing, faceless. 

Well I must admit, all that dreaming was fun, but it was pretty nice to finally meet David two years ago, get engaged to him six months ago, and start dreaming up this day. It took place a little over a month ago with none other than an actual man with an actual face that was better than I could have ever imagined, standing at the end of the aisle.  

Here are a few snaps from the day.  I plan on getting back to frequent blogging, ya know..not that I'm not swamped with planning the biggest day of my life thus far!  So happy to share these photos and looking forward to the full album in a few weeks!

Wedding Preview

Sneak Peek!

Here is a shot from our engagement pictures!

I am sorry for my long absence on here! More photos (and words) to come!

xo, Kelsey Belle

Sneak Peek!

Happie Creations

Ohhhh hey! 

Yesterday, I finally launched what I have been working on for weeks now.

Drum roll please....

I have started a little wedding invitation shop that goes by the name of Happie Creations.   I was determined to make my own wedding invitations & in the process realized how much I enjoyed it!  It was so fun to exercise my creativity in this way and I thought it may be a little endeavor I could hold on to for quite a while.  Here are a few photos of invitation sets I have created, but please do browse my shop and favorite some items to spread the word!

Photos taken by the very talented Sam Pierce.

xo, Kelsey Belle

Happie Creations

Life Lately

I have been enjoying wedding planning so, so much!  It is quite fun, and not too stressful.   That is, if you can make decisions and remember its about the marriage, not just a big day!  I am so excited to get to share this with David and for him to participate in all the fun details.  I try to make it pretty stress free for him and narrow it down to some choices and then present him with a few good options.  We decide together and BOOM, the magic happens.

Compromise is a good thing too.  Our latest compromise was that he got to do the scanning while registering for gifts and I pretty much got to pick whatever I wanted....good compromise, right?

If you are in the season of wedding planning, here are a few links I have found to be helpful:::

Books: 

Keep Your Love On, For Women Only, For Men Only

[i fully believe in understanding each other 

and how you can best love each other]

Communication Tools:

5 Love Languages

Which one are you?

I am primarily 

quality time, physical, touch & words of affirmation.

But I like them all.

Trust me on this one....this will help you understand your partner

and love them the way THEY feel loved.

Planning Checklist:

Who needs a book when you have 

The Knot App

Budgeting Tools:
Budget Spreadsheet

This thing is stellar.
I found it on a wedding website
and it has been SO helpful.
I sadly, cannot remember where it is from
so if you recognize it please let me know.

Decor:

Save On Crafts -my most recent discovery

full of any decor idea you can think of.
I found some super cute milk bottles &
honey jars here.

Blog:
If you look on A Beautiful Mess

and search wedding, you will
drool over both sisters weddings
and rockin' DIY ideas.

xo,
Kelsey Belle

Life Lately

Little Things I love

As you can probably see, I may have taken a little break from blogging lately.  It wasn't intentional but even with all of the free time I have the days go by so fast!  It seems I have endless reading to accomplish before summer begins to prepare for the missions school I will be heading to, not to mention planning a wedding! 

Today I would love to share with you some things I have been enjoying lately:::

read:::

This Little Heart Blog 

[Oh how inspiring & transparent my dear friend Kendall is!]

wear:::

Have you ever heard of Swell?  This surfer chic website always 

is offering a 40% off sale items.

watch:::

How I Met Your Mother, for the first time. I know, i'm sooo behind.

eat:::

Honey Pop courtesy of my bestie Elise

[melt 1/3 honey & 1/3 cup butter over popped popcorn & bake at 350 for 13 min]

captivated by:::

Heidi Baker's most recent book Birthing The Miraculous

full of testimonies from the mission field.

xo, Kelsey Belle

Also, be sure to check out a giveaway with my prints at This Little Heart Blog.

Little Things I love

Can I Just Share This Again?

I have posted this before, quite a while back, but as I listen to it again I feel it to be a much needed reminder.  If you are feeling "stuck" creatively then this is for you.  Honestly, sometimes I don't feel much like writing on here.  Life happens, and quite truthfully a lot of amazing-ness is going on in my life, yet I feel I have nothing to write about.  Or even when I do, I feel this block going on.  I have been working on another creative outlet recently, which hopefully I will soon debut on here.  But for now I will leave you with this!

Love you guys!

Kelsey Belle

Can I Just Share This Again?