Pumpkin Spice + Black & Grace + Lace Link Up

Happy Monday, you guys! I hope your weekend was amazing! Let's get right into this post.

This outfit. Y'all, it is so comfy, yet so cute. It screams fall and actually could be worn for Halloween. I wore it on Saturday, and it felt like I was wearing pj's. I want to wear it everyday. Okay, maybe not that much, but pretty close. It's that great.

After all that gushing, I'll finally let y'all see the actual outfit. Ha!

Outfit details: 

TOP: Old Navy {exact, similar}

PANTS: Target {similar, similar}

BRACELET: Boho Betty {use the code MYBOWSANDCLOTHES for 20% off!}

BOOTS: Kohl's {similar, similar}

HAT: c/o PopSugar Must Have Box {similar, similar}

I love the color contrast of this outfit. The black and pumpkin spice colors just look SO GOOD together.

Also, how adorable is this bracelet?! I love the simplistic and classy look. You can use the coupon MYBOWSANDCLOTHES for 20% off your order!

Shop this post below!

See where I link up here.

Now onto the link up!

1. I loved what Rachel shared about 8 things that she has learned to accept. I identify with so many of them and appreciate her transparency. Also, she has a few ways to getting discounted LipSense!

2. Kim from Champagneista linked up this adorable outfit and some tips for wearing fall clothes in the South. I live in the South as well, so this post was especially great for me.

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows & Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media.

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This link up has no theme, so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have to right to delete your link if it is inappropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions, and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

High Five for Friday | Paint + Prints

Happy Friday! We made it to the weekend! I hope you had a great week! Let's get to the five high points of my week:

1. The prompt for Five Minute Friday is mail:

I love it when the mail comes and I have a package or a letter. It seems that know one actually sends mail anymore, so when I get something, I know it's special. It kind of makes me feel special.

What if we made people feel that special. Let's be so kind and so nice that they would feel so good by how we invite them in, by how we love them.

One way that we can do just that is by actually sending people letters and packages. Let's start sending thank you notes, miss you notes, just because notes again. Because they make people feel special.

2. On Friday, I cleaned out and organized my bedroom. I usually don't like organizing, but I actually loved it. It felt super nice to give everything a fresh clean out and to re-organize a few things. Also, on Saturday, I repainted my bedroom to a dark grey color. It was bright green, so it's a super nice change. Haha!

Painting the walls is just the first phase of redecorating my bedroom. I want to still get new bedding and paint some of the furniture. My color scheme is grey, white, and turquoise with just a little bit of pink.

3. The weather has been simply lovely lately! The windows have been open and it has been breezy and cool outside. It finally feels like fall! Yay! How is the weather for you?

4. On Tuesday, I received some gorgeous prints from Made With Some Heart! I love them! There are so many different humorous and inspirational prints to choose from. Also, they are super inexpensive + I have a coupon code that anyone can use! The code is SARAH40 and it is for 40% off your order!

Go follow them on Instagram too! I was so inspired by their "just do your best" post!

5. Once again, I will share a couple of my outfits from the week:

 Wednesday, I wore this...

And Thursday, I wore this...

ICYMI, I posted two posts this week:

Favorite Fall Outfits from Last Year & Grace + Lace Link Up

On Grace and Perfection

How was your week?

See where I link up here.

On Grace and Perfection

I know I'm not the only one. I know others struggle with this too. Struggle with perfection and grace. I love and am all for God's grace. I am so thankful for it and I love that He lavishly bestows it upon me. But a lot of times, I don't accept it. I go through my day knowing in my head that grace is mine, but not truly knowing it in my heart and not giving grace to myself. 

I walk to the piano and don't try to play a new song for fear that I won't get it right the first time. I don't try, that way I won't have to go through failing. Oh, you do that, too? Good. Now we know we are not alone. 

I have always prided myself in being a hard worker. I have always said that I work super hard at everything I do. And sometimes I do. But when I think I might fail or make a mistake, I don't take that risk. I work just hard enough to get it done, but not my best so I don't accidentally mess up.

I always want to do what's right. Constantly, always, forever, never making a mistake. That's great and all. We should try to be the best Christian that we can be. However, sometimes, I get a little carried away. I tend to hold myself to a standard of perfection, not grace. When I make a mistake or fail at something, I get super upset. 

But Jesus. But Jesus calls me back and reminds me of His marvelous patience and grace for me, no matter what. He reminds me that I am not perfect, and I never will be. I am human. And humans make mistakes. We fail. We are bound to mess up sometimes. Instead of killing myself because I am always striving to be perfect in every area of my life all the time, I need to remember that God gives grace abundantly. And I need to do the same for myself.

He is always patient and gracious with us. He never holds us to a standard of perfection, Then why do we? Why do we think that we have to be perfect all the time? Because the enemy tells us that we won't measure up, that we aren't good enough, if we aren't perfect all the time. But that's not true. Jesus died for us while we were still in our sin. The Message version of Romans 5:6-8 says, 

"Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him."

Did you get that? While we were of no use whatever to Him. When we were--and are--imperfect.

I think that a lot of times we, as women, only share the highlight reels of our lives. We just Instagram the best picture, the best parts. We don't let people know that we locked our keys in the car, or whatever you call imperfect. 

I am going to give a challenge. I am going to challenge us--you and myself--to post a messy picture. To talk about the real stuff, the unedited vulnerable stuff. The stuff that might make others feel better about their mess and mistakes. Let's all hold ourselves to a standard of grace, and extend that grace to our sisters as well. 

Linking up here.

Favorite Fall Outfits from Last Year & Grace + Lace Link Up

Happy Monday! I hope y'all had an amazing weekend! We survived Hurricane Matthew! Praise God! Luckily, we only got some rain and wind, and our power was out for a few hours, but nothing too bad. Please remember to be in prayer for those who were affected by the storm. 

Since it has been super rainy, I haven't been able to take outfit photos. However, I wore some super great Fall outfits last year, so I thought I would share them with you today. Also, a new link up is live, so don't forget to link up at the bottom of the post!

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

Which one is your favorite?

See where I link up here.

1. Brooke from The Vine Press shared an awesome post about letting the Bible speak for itself. At times, I can be guilty of the exact things that she mentioned. Go check it out!

2. Meg from No Small Life linked up a lovely post sharing six ways to paint pumpkins instaed of carving them. Her tips are so great! Loved her pumpkins!

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows & Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media.

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This link up has no theme, so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have to right to delete your link if it is inappropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions, and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

High Five for Friday | Cooler Weather

Happy Friday, y'all! Can we all just give ourselves a high five for making it to the weekend? It took a lot to get here. Let's just celebrate!

1. The prompt for Five Minute Friday today is test:

God is a transformer. It's just who He is. He takes things into His loving hands and makes them new.

Trials and tests may seem burdensome, hard, and scary. But, God uses them for our good and His glory. James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

You see, God takes what seems like the test of your life, and He uses it to make you more like the person that He has created you to be.

2. Last Friday, my family and I headed out for a weekend vacation to Kings Mountain State Park in South Carolina. It was super relaxing and I got a good bit of stuff done which is always great! It was kind of cold there, and I loved it! Here are a few pictures:

 

3. On Tuesday, a few of my friends and family members went to a local park. It was so gorgeous! I can't wait to go back when all the leaves have changed. Also it was #NationalTacoDay on Taco Tuesday! So obviously, I had a taco.

4. I loved my outfits on both Wednesday and Thursday, so I thought that I would show them to you guys. Also, because I was going with a red theme on Wednesday, I wore my Smith and Cult lip gloss and loved it so much! And, I wore my Boho Betty bracelet for the first time! {use code MYBOWSANDCLOTHES for 20% off!}

5. On Thursday, it was actually kind of cool outside, so of course, I had to drink some Orange Spice tea!

ICYMI: I posted twice this week...

4 Fabulous Colors for Fall & Grace + Lace Link Up

Currently | October

This weekend, I plan to organize my bedroom. Wish me luck! Haha! Also, let's remember to be in prayer for those affected by Hurricane Matthew!

Have a lovely weekend!

See where I link up here.

Currently | October

Happy Wednesday! I am joining Anne and Jacqui for Currently. Today, I am sharing what I have been cheers-ing, organizing, dreaming, buying, and listening.

CHEERS-ING

I am cheers-ing for fall! Fall is my favorite season and I love fall fashion. Lately, it's been a bit cooler and I could not be more excited! Wearing sweaters, sipping hot tea, and watching the leaves fall is where I am happiest. Who else is loving fall?

ORGANIZING

I haven't really been organizing anything, but I do feel the need to purge my bedroom and closet. I have just been accumulating things, and there really isn't much space left. I always love a clean room, but I don't always love actually cleaning. ;)

DREAMING

I've been dreaming of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas. Who isn't, right?! I love all the food and shopping involved in each of the holiday's (if you can count Black Friday as a holiday.) All of the family get-together's and parties are so amazing, and I love the holiday cheer. 

BUYING

Over the weekend, I bought an adorable bracelet from Boho Betty. Boho Betty is an online bracelet boutique. They have so many options to choose from and they are all extremely adorable! And, I have a coupon code for you guys! The coupon code is for 20% off your order! The code is: MYBOWSANDCLOTHES.

 Also, on Monday, I ordered a dress from Elegantees! Elegantees is a company that employs Nepali women and they make the most beautiful, high quality clothing! I already have their Kilee tunic, and I just ordered their Amelia crocheted hem dress. Both of these are actually on a super great sale right now and you can use the coupon code "bowsandclothes" for 10% off!

LISTENING

I have just recently gotten into listening to podcasts thanks to Katie. (thank you, girl!). I love listening to Heather McFadyen's God Centered Mom podcast, and Molly Stillman's Business with Purpose podcast. They are both so great! I learn so much and they each have a bit of humor which is always acceptable. ;)

What have you been up to?

See where I link up here.

4 Fabulous Colors for Fall & Grace + Lace Link Up

I shared this post over on A World of Dresses and thought I'd share it with you guys too! Also, don't forget to link up!

Who's ready for fall?! I know I am! Today, I am sharing with y'all four colors that are simply amazing for fall.

1. Pumpkin Spice

This is a beautiful dark orange color that I have affectionately named Pumpkin Spice because frankly, I don't know what to call it. It is a gorgeous dark orange, brownish color. Whatever you call it, it is amazing and I know I will be wearing it non-stop this coming season.

*note: each of the pieces in all of the product widgets are shoppable and do contain affiliate links.

2. Olive

Last year, I purchased a military jacket, and I literally wore it every single day. I love it! Olive is a super big color for fall this year. I have seen so many pieces in the color olive green. Olive goes with seriously every color and I am so in love with it.

3. Burgundy/Maroon

This color was super big for fall last year, and it has come back strong again this season. I love this color and it looks good with every skin tone. It's rich and dark and fantastic!

4. Mustard

I have never been a big fan of yellow, and I don't think it looks very good on me, however, I actually like mustard, and it doesn't look half bad on me. Mustard is the perfect fall transition color because it is slightly bright, but also really fall-ish.

What color for fall are you going to wear? Which of these is your favorite?

See where I link up here.


Now onto the link up!

1. Abby from Life in the Fash Lane shared how to style military jackets and some awesome military jacket options. I love mine so much!



2. Joi from In My Joi shared a gorgeous outfit with an adorable maroon off the shoulder top. I absolutely love it!

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows & Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media.

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This link up has no theme, so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have to right to delete your link if it is inappropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions, and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up