WORK FEATURED: McCombs Magazine

I had the pleasure of capturing these two aspiring doctors who also happen to be getting their MBAs at The McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas in Austin. It was an interesting day because we were fortunate enough to have access to their lab on campus… which, on the other side of this room directly behind where I was standing, was full of cadavers. Yikes! This girl definitely wasn’t prepared for that, but I put it in the back of my mind and got to work… luckily, they were all in bags and not visible, but still!

Definitely one of the most interesting offices I’ve had. You can read the article here.

COME WITH ME TO THAILAND!

This one is for the ladies… Have you ever wanted to go to Thailand, but felt intimidated at the idea of going to a foreign country on your own? Well, today is your lucky day because I’m going to Thailand this Fall and would LOVE for you to join me!

That’s right, I’m inviting you to join me along with other magical ladies on October 31 - November 14 for a two week long excursion to Thailand planned by the fabulous tourism company, Seeking Sacred Journeys! I have already been on two other trips with this company and know without a doubt that this will be one of the best trips you’ve ever experienced. Who goes on this trip? Some of the most fantastic women I’ve had the pleasure of meeting… as young as early 20s and as old as 80+. The diversity of the women on these trips is one of my favorite parts… to share wisdom, energy and curiosity… to learn from each other… and to see we all have something to offer and share, no matter our age.

Something extra exciting about this trip is that I am also going to be the group’s personal photographer. You’ll be sure to get beautiful photos of your trip taken from the perspective of organic, candid images in temples and stunning landscapes. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to book a photo session with me during the second part of the trip!

Watch the video below to learn more about what’s in store and to find out how you can save $500 on your trip when you book with my special promo code!! And, at the bottom of this post, you’ll see a little extra perk you’ll get from me if you book your portrait session with me at the time of booking your trip!

THAILAND ITINERARY

Want to see what this trip is all about? Click this link to see the full itinerary and learn all about what’s in store for us!

PROMO CODE

Use my promo code: MELISSAVIP when you book your spot, and you’ll save $500 immediately!
BOOK HERE: https://www.seekingsacredjourneys.com/thailand-2025

PHOTO BOOKING BONUS

And, if you book with my promo code AND book a photo session along with your booking, I’ll throw in some awesome perks for your session!

• If you book the Embodiment package, I’ll throw in three extra images to your delivered collection.

• If you book the Goddess package, you’ll get three additional images delivered and a $100 credit towards an album order.

• If you book the Empowered package, you’ll receive five additional images and a $200 credit towards an album order.

If you follow along on my Instagram account, you've probably noticed I love to travel. I try to take an international trip at least once a year (if not more). 

A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFO

In 2023 I went to Bali for two weeks with Seeking Sacred Journeys (SSJ). They are an international tourism company who focuses on luxury travel for women who are spiritually curious. I had never heard of them before, but took a chance and it paid off in a few major ways! One, it was one of the best trips I've ever been on.  Two, I made so many amazing, life long friends. And, three, they invited me to start working with them!! My first official job with them was in March this year.  We went to an island off the coast of Panama to spend a week lounging on the beach, exploring the jungle and connecting to ourselves… I was there to capture the whole thing and I offered private photo sessions to any woman who was interested. That was such a success that they have now invited me to come along to Thailand as well! And, the best part… you can come with me!! 

I can’t emphasize this enough, Rebecca Baldwin (the owner of SSJ) is truly gifted at creating memorable travel experiences where you get to focus on both the outward and inner experiences… be pampered, explore exciting locations, eat quality food, celebrate being a woman, learn more about yourself and your connection to God/The Universe, relax on beaches, have a beautiful cocktail, practice yoga and breath work, build beautiful friendships, and so much more.

My Favorite Black Friday Sales!

COOP PILLOW

This pillow changed my life. No joke. It’s memory foam, but what’s better is it’s shredded foam - so you can add or take away as much as you need. Also, if it starts to get too flat, a quick turn in the dryer brings it back to life! I have purchased three of these because I love them SO much!

SLIP PILLOWCASES + HAIR TIES

The perfect pillowcase to put on that COOP pillow… These pillowcases are super soft and are great for keeping your skin and hair in tip top shape! “OVER 95% OF USERS AGREED SLEEP CREASES, SLEEP LINES AND SLEEP WRINKLES WERE FEWER AND LESS NOTICEABLE” That’s what the website says… and I am living proof that I can vouch for it! Also, my three year old niece asks for my “soft pillow” every time she stays at my house. So, there’s that.

LUXOME SHEETS

These are literally the BEST sheets I’ve ever experienced. Not only are they incredibly soft, but they are also naturally cooling because they’re made of bamboo and magic. I have them on my guest room beds and every time someone stays with me, they immediately buy a set for themselves. So, do yourself a favor and buy yours NOW because they NEVER GO ON SALE!! Literally… this is the only sale they do every year.

EIGHT SLEEP

Now… you may be asking yourself, are ALL of your recommeded sales dealing with sleeping, Melissa??? And, the answer is no… however, they are first because sleep is one of my favorite hobbies and something I do VERY well. And, I am sure it’s because of all these things. One of my newest favorite things is EIGHT SLEEP. It’s a climate controlled mattress cover that is pure unicorn magic. You can separately control each side so if you happen to have a co-captain in your bed, you don’t have to sweat through their warmer preferences or shiver all night long if they like a frigid bed.

Also, this system has one of my favorite features… a vibrating alarm clock!!! I HATE waking up to sounds… music or obnoxious sirens. No thanks! With Sleep Eight, I am woken every morning by a gentle vibration that gets increasingly stronger until I wake and tap the side of the bed twice to turn it off. No joke.. it’s amazing. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this thing. I know it’s super expensive… but when you think about the fact that you spend 30% of your life in bed, it’s kind of worth it… right?

MICRODERMA MITT

If you need to exfoliate your body or face, this is the tool for you. My esthetician recommended it to me YEARS ago and I’ve been a loyal customer ever since. After you wash and rinse, you’ll use these cute little mitts all over and watch the dead skin roll off your body. It makes your skin feel incredibly smooth and prevents those little bumps from popping up on your arms and back of your legs. Genius!

Their sale goes through November 20th. Use code BLACKFRIDAY35 at checkout!

MONOS LUGGAGE

This is my all-time favorite luggage! I have three of their hard cases, the Metro Duffel and the Metro Weekender. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stopped in the airport (mostly in Europe) by other women asking me where I got my bags. They are extremely sturdy and attractive… what more could you want?!

Check their site for the current discounts offered!

---

FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS…

PORTRAIT MASTERS

Save up to 75% on photography courses! This is an excellent resource for learning all about photography… from posing and lighting to running the business and editing, there are a TON of courses available to pick from!

Use code: MAXSAVINGS

17HATS

This is my go-to CRM! I’ve used ShootQ, Dubsado, and HoneyBook and this one is by far my favorite… especially if you do Mini Sessions! It has the most complete mini session booking process I’ve found. It’s definitely complex and takes time to set up, but once it’s done it makes your life so much easier!

Save 50% on a one year membership for new and existing members through November 29th!

RECIPE: BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS

butternut squash
sweet potatoes (2-3)
one white or sweet onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1qt. chicken broth (or more to cover potatoes and squash)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. thyme
s+p to taste (I like a lot of black pepper!)
1c. whipping cream or coconut milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop onions and mince garlic.

2. Put a spoonful of coconut oil into the dutch over and turn on heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté.

3. Add in herbs and spices and stir in. Continue to cook until onions are soft.

4. Cube squash and sweet potatoes into small pieces to cook faster and evenly.

5. Add to dutch oven and sauté. Best to get a bit of browning to the dutch oven for excellent flavors.

6. Pour a small bit of broth into the dutch oven to simmer and scrape the sides where onions and squash have browned. Stir until mixed and simmer for a bit.

7. Pour in the remaining broth and rise to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook until soft.

8. Once potatoes and squash are cooked through, puree everything together. Add in cream (or coconut cream if you’re dairy free) and stir/blend together. Taste for salt/pepper levels.

Best to serve with a grilled sourdough turkey and cheese sandwich. Add roasted/salted pumpkin seeds to the soup for a little crunch.

DISCLAIMER: Please note my recipes are not exact… I cook things by feeling and taste, so feel free to make adjustments as needed. My feelings won’t be hurt.