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Morgan ma Belle | A Model Blog


The cold didn't keep us inside this weekend! Between a family dinner with one of our New York cousins and a church service that took too long to leave because we couldn't stop talking about all the craziness that is this week it feels like we barely saw the inside of our apartment. Because we were avoiding cabin fever, we took a drive through downtown Kansas City to 4 well-known murals all of which would be easy to get to from Main Street using the KC Streetcar.

We did these in a loop, starting and ending in the River Market. But the order doesn't matter!

Stop 1. 1720 Main St


Get ready for a hike up five flights of stairs and a lot of wind when you reach the top! This mural on top of the Barkley parking garage gets plenty of foot traffic (B and I had to wait for a pair of girls to finish up their photoshoot before I could take a few photos). Park on the street and then walk through the garage.



Stop 2. 3945 Main St




Nestled safely next to a parking lot, this Luv Midtown mural was easy to get to, park, and jump out for a few quick shots. Look for the Blind Tiger Bar (now closed) and you're nearly there!


Stop 3. Union Hill


This one took some searching, but if you look for Cafe Europa, you'll find this right around the corner. Again, parking was pretty easy around this bit of green space and we even took a drive through the historic Union Cemetary a few blocks away.

Stop 4. 1919 Baltimore

This famous KC mural once said "I'm so in Love" beneath the Kansas City and was the spot for newly married or engaged couples to snap some photos. It was, however, painted over last August by the original artist when the amount of traffic it received was deemed dangerous to pedestrians and drivers alike. You can read that news story here.

BONUS! If you're feeling adventurous, seek out 2616 Guinotte Ave in the East Bottoms. You'll also find the Local Pig and Urban Provisions in very close proximity.

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A positive pregnancy test!

When I first started drafting this post, I envisioned writing something very different. Something happier, and more exciting, and full of life. I haven't written since mid-January because we've been keeping a big exciting secret! And now that it's common knowledge, I've debated putting something so intensely personal online for the world to find. I have to remember that my situation and my life is not for me but for Him, the one who gave me life and a purpose.

A week ago, B and I were flying home to surprise our families with both our presence...


 and some much-anticipated news - which went over really well (see below video).



And then after all the festivities, we had one more surprise that no one was expecting. A week ago, I miscarried.

What was and is horribly sad and unexpected would have been 1000X worse if we had been 800 miles away from my mom and not been surrounded by family. So we're thankful that in God's wisdom and timing we were home with family. There haven't been any huge medical complications and we're coping as well as we can under the circumstances. We're sad, and questioning our decisions, and taking one day at a time as we turn to each other for comfort.

But I want to rise ABOVE these circumstances. If you have gone through anything similar, I want to hear your stories. If you have any praise/worship songs that have gotten you through tough times, I want those recommendations. Most of all, I don't want miscarriage to be a horrible shameful secret.

Facts About Miscarriage

Did you know that 15%-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage in the first trimester? That's 1 in 5 women that will go through this. If miscarriage is so common, why does no one talk about it? I have received so much support from my female family members that endured and overcame miscarriages but had never talked about them before. If you have experienced a miscarriage or a stillbirth (or God forbid both) PLEASE reach out to me. PLEASE talk about it. There is healing and comfort in community.

Do I Blame Myself for My Miscarriage?

I've been struggling with the "Why Me?" and "What are B and I supposed to be learning from this horrible and sad experience?" and I think this is it. I don't want to be alone going through this, and I don't want others to feel alone. I want to be a resource for other women who are looking for someone to talk to. It's so easy to shut others out and grieve privately, but that is not what Christ wants for us. We are designed to live in community.  B and I are striving to be intentional in relationships that are real and messy and seek to honor God, even when all we want to do is shut the world out and be sad with each other. If we lack joy, it is because we lack faith.

Verses & Music That Are Seeing Me Through

"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." ~ James 1:2-3 

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ~ Romans 8:18

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. ~ Philemon 1:12

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. ~ Matthew 5:4

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:5


Please enjoy this playlist I've put together from recommendations from some amazing ladies that are members of The Sassy Club and River Market Community Church.



Thank you all so much for your love, support, and prayers. Leave your comments below if you would like prayer, have additions to my playlist, or you want to share your story.
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This was a long week, so take advantage of those two days you get all to yourself and get to work on some super cute springy DIYs!

  1. Floral Hoop Wreath by These Lovely Acres
  2. Personalized Photo Ring Dish by A Beautiful Mess
  3. Heart Tree by Money Hip Mamas
  4. Tassel Blanket by Paper & Stitch 
  5. Lightbulb Terrarium by Clad & Cloth

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If you've spent any time on my blog before, you'll know that I have a second blog. Yes, I'm crazy and decided I could keep up with two entirely different websites. I keep fun recipes and kitchen tips over on the Newlywed Pantry, the blog I write with my sister, to keep Morgan ma Belle more focused on what's going on in my life.


Over MLK weekend, I put together a cute shopping list you can print out and put on your fridge to make sure you never run out of those important kitchen staples. My mom used something just like this when I was growing up with six brothers and sisters to plan our meals for the week and organize the grocery shopping on a budget.

Head on over to the Newlywed Pantry to download the print-friendly PDF.



Read the original post & download the printable PDF here!
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 We're officially moved into our new apartment! Yes, this is the one that we moved into over our second anniversary weekend with some help from some wonderful church family & friends. And no, we haven't been living out of boxes for a month. BUT we have just this three-day weekend added a coffee table to our collection of hodge-podge furniture and begun to hang artwork and photographs on the walls.

I'm pulling some of this post from a blog post I wrote two years ago for the Plaza Lecea Event Center titled Creating a Wedding Vignette. Many of the same rules I wrote about there, such as The Rule of 3 and Asymmetry vs Symmetry apply to bookshelves too.

It's important to have shelves that you like the look of even when they're empty. For instance, the shelf in these photos is one of two that I repainted two years ago that lived in our dining room in our first apartment. They used to be a plain orange-y wood color that just looked dated & boring. So I did a two-tone makeover with light grey on the inside and white on the shelves & outside.

The first thing B likes to do is sort all of the books into their genres: history, reference, and fiction are his most popular and he likes each to have their own shelf. My books are a little more colorful and more space is devoted to well-read childhood favorites like a Wrinkle in Time and my Anne of Green Gables collection. But I do also like to sort mine and make sure that series stay together. In this apartment, we decided to do his and hers shelves, so I got to arrange mine exactly how I wanted to.

Now, when you have an array of colorful books that are all different shapes and sizes, it can be difficult to keep them looking neat and organized. That's why my second step is to try to sort my books by size, either ascending or descending across the shelf. This makes it easy for the eye to "flow" over the shelf and find exactly what I'm looking for.

I also try to take a step back and look at the bookshelf as a whole.  I don't have all of my books upright, some I stack and stagger. And I don't only have books on the shelf but include framed photos and vases of flowers. It's important when styling things other than books that you keep it from looking too crowded with knick-knacks.  In a recent blog post on the Nester, she states that "Tidy People Don't Overdecorate." Since we're trying to keep this apartment as tidy and uncluttered as possible, it's necessary that even our storage areas - like the bookshelves - don't look get cluttered.

How do you style your shelves? Any tips that I missed? Let me know in the comments!

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Goals, not resolutions. I've never been one to make resolutions, and this year will be no different. What I did do differently this year was create a vision board at a workshop led by Shannon Oleen for Underground Social KC that shows what I'd like to focus on this year. My word for this year, I've decided, is "intentionality."

So what do all of the pictures on my vision board represent? There's some travel inspiration shots, some motivation to speak up because I tend to chicken out in social settings where I don't know anyone, the wine glasses because I'd love to host friends more often, the books because I've always been a voracious reader but I haven't been very good recently at reading any new books, and the front door because we may be looking to purchase a house by the end of the year.

A few things didn't make it onto my vision board, like finally mastering Spanish and resolving (there it is, pretty close to "resolution") to keep our tiny apartment tidy at all times.

What are your 2018 goals?
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Enjoy these free downloadable images for social media use!

iPhone Wallpaper
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Yoro Creations jewelry flatlay for Morgan
Hands down my FAVORITE runway experience! It's amazing how the people that are behind the scenes of such an event can make a huge impact on the overall experience.

First, Yolanda Newson of Yoro Creations (Facebook) is an amazing jewelry designer & stylist. She exudes light and respect, wanted each of her models to feel comfortable and confident as we presented her visions, and was such a joy to be around during a moment that was both exciting and stressful for her. It was an honor to walk for her on the KCFW runway.

Secondly, the hair and makeup team from Bellus Academy Kansas did a great job taking Yoro's vision from paper to our faces. Shoutout to Mikayla Sagstetter (instagram) for working through the "in the sun, out of the sun, in the sun, out of the sun" we endured as she attempted to tone match foundation to my always pale face and making me look like a freakin' space queen on the runway.

clothing by Barbara Bultman to style w/ Yoro CreationsAnd lastly, the models themselves. I have never before walked with such a talented, professional, and friendly group of models. Ciara Barton and Dieynaba Diop (Facebook) provided some friendly last-minute coaching that calmed everyone's nerves. Grey Erin Renee (Instagram) kept us entertained & on our toes. Heather Reimann Slusher (Facebook) came with an entire tote of artsy activities to keep herself and others from falling prey to boredom. All of us came in with different levels of experience and expectations of runways & backstage, and yet we spent more time talking to each other and hanging out than we did on our phones - which was SO refreshing!

(And I have to plug this here: Ciara Barton has started her own business coaching runway models and I am thrilled for her! I also plan to register for one of her upcoming clinics. If you are an aspiring model or just want to refresh your walk, here are the links you need.)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachtherunway/
Instagram: @coachtherunway
Email: coachtherunway@gmail.com


And just a few more photos to wrap up this post!




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This Friday we're heading to our first Christmas party of the season at a couple friends' apartment a few blocks away and it's a White Elephant party - meaning bring a silly gift under $20 and prepare for shenanigans!

I had a lot of fun looking up the different gift ideas - and there are a lot! - so I've compiled my 5 favorites here.


1. For the friend who has no filter and is proud of it:   Cards Against Humanity Expansion Pack




2. For the friend that is - or thinks he is - the Ultimate Grill Master: Grill Seargent BBQ Apron



3. For the friend who has everything else: 100 Bill Toilet Paper




4. For the friend that always hosts: Burger Coasters


5. For you, because you forgot you had to buy a present: Lotto Tickets!

Did I miss your favorite white elephant gift? Do you have any suggestions? How about a funny story from your last white elephant party? Let me know in the comments!
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It's the beginning of December, which means IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS! December also happens to be a very busy month for B and I.

Our anniversary is on the 6th, we're moving on the 8th, we have two Christmas parties just this weekend to attend, a variety of church & work & volunteer events in the following weeks, and we're leaving for Texas on the 21st to spend the end of the month with our families in the Lone Star State. This will be our third Christmas together and we still haven't ever decorated for the holiday!

Not that I can really complain about having too much to do this month. We are blessed to have jobs we enjoy, friends we consider family, and the means to travel where and when we want to.



So to add something to my December to-do list I have decided to participate in Blogmas! And, true to form, I'm already 4 days behind.... Stay tuned for my first Blogmas post: White Elephant Party.



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Rehearsals, successful.
Coordinating with designers, no problem.
Backstage day-of - I was so nervous!

Imagine walking into Union Station, around the pipe & drape and the check-in table, and then seeing this.

 
This red carpet & runway was nothing like the Grand Hall setup in the spring. I snapped a few photos and then headed backstage for hair and makeup.

On Tuesday, the show was Chiefs Style Lounge. I walked for Natasha Shangari wearing her line Shangari and jewelry by Cydney Ross. Hair for all the girls was slick braids with a cute cross-over in the back and makeup involved gold freckles - which I loved.

Hair and makeup didn't take long at all so I had hours to kill waiting for showtime. I had taken my laptop & charger expecting I'd be able to get some work done, but there wasn't any wi-fi so that was extremely frustrating. But there's an upside! I actually had to talk to other people - models, designers, hair stylists, mua, you name it.

Another fun upside - In the 5 hours we waited backstage before showtime we had a photoshoot. The two photos below are my favorite from the behind-the-scenes action.



Photographer: Chase, instagram

 

Photographer: Ryan Swartzlander, website

 

Photographer: Jason Atherton, instagram, galleries
Photographer: Tou Yang, website

All smiles at the end of the night as we took a pose on the red carpet!


Thank you, Natasha! I loved walking for you at Kansas City Fashion Week!

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The most obvious #1 tip is practice, practice, practice. But that isn't very good advice if you don't know what to practice.  So I'm going to move this tip the bottom of my list. The first thing I did was network.

NETWORK

If you don't already have photos, you'll have an empty portfolio. Which means you need to network with photographers first.

TFS Groups

So how to meet photographers in a world where photographers already have their clientele and their own networks? My answer: Facebook Groups. There is likely a TFS (Trade-For-Shoot) or TFP (Trade-For-Prints) group in your area that you can request to join. Use those TFS opportunities wisely; you're trading your likeness and time for some photos that the photographer most likely will retain rights to. These can be awesome collaborations as long as you are smart about it and do your research. Everyone is a stranger at this point, but perform background checks to the best of your abilities. I reached out to models via Facebook messages that had worked with any photographer I wanted to shoot with to ask about their experiences.

Once you've properly vetted, be a good collaboration partner. Show up early or at least on time. Plan ahead what type of shoot you're doing so you know what to wear, if you're responsible for your own hair and makeup or not, and how long you'll be able to shoot. Be respectful of each other's space and time.

When photographers agree to do a trade shoot, they are foregoing a paying project. Discuss reasonable turn-around time of edited photos, if they'll be a hard disc or available to download, and the stipulations for sharing on social media and in portfolios - crediting the photographer, not applying your own edits, not removing a watermark, etc. Keep in mind that your free TFS photos may not be the priority in a photographer's editing queue if they have a paying client that's waiting so be patient!

When we first moved to Kansas City, I joined a TFS Facebook group that led me to meet Steve Gibson of Steve Gibson Photography. We spent a spring Sunday afternoon shooting in downtown KCMO and captured some awesome urban shots for my portfolio and some double-exposure shots for his own.



Those photos led to more exposure & work with other local photographers, like Elizabeth Golden of eGolden Moments (check out our wedding style shoot and our sunflower shoot!), but not before my connection with Steve Gibson landed me a personal invitation to the meet and greet kick-off of Kansas City Fashion Council.


Events

At the KC Fashion Council Kick-off I met designer Rachel Pollak, who showcased a collection at the S/S'18 show at Union Station, fashion photographer Danny Bourne, and organizers of Kansas City Fashion Week that I then connected with on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Meeting & following up with those KCFW organizers opened up an opportunity for me to volunteer at the F/W'17 show at the Grand Hall earlier this year.

And volunteering at a previous KCFW event meant that my resume stood out when I went to the casting call for the S/S'18 show.

All that to say that's how the doors opened that put me on the model roster for the S/S'18 show and I was selected to walk for Yolanda Newson of Yoro Creations and Natasha Shangari of Shangari at the Kansas City Fashion Week's S/S'18 Show at Union Station in October.

BE RESPECTFUL

This is the BIGGEST thing for me.

When you model, it's not about you. It's about what you're wearing, how you're makeup is done. Your job is to be a canvas for an artist. Sometimes that means you don't like how you look! Sometimes you won't like what you're wearing, or how your makeup is done, or the product they used in your hair. Get over it! Do your job, do it well, and you might just become the go-to model for a designer.

Earn a reputation as a model who is punctual, respectful, helpful, and kind. Skills can be taught and practiced, but your attitude is what will get you jobs.

PRACTICE

I told you this would be at the bottom of the list! It's basically a 'duh' bit of advice. You should practice your runway walk. You should work with photographers and friends with cameras and mirrors to learn your face and your angles. Just looking at my first shoot with a fashion photographer I can see a huge difference in my comfort level & posing from then to now (this is the shoot I'm referring to.)



If you like this kind of post, please let me know! And if you have any questions about modeling in general or Kansas City Fashion Week specifically drop those in the comments and I'll do my best to address them.


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About Me


Meet the model behind the photos you'll see here on Morgan ma Belle, a Lifestyle Model Blog! I'm an Austin, TX runway and fashion model sharing stories, choosing joy, and modeling Christ from the runway.

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