Mix & Mingle: Simply Be Box

One of our favorite things about running Magnolia Mamas is all of the amazing companies we get introduced to. We love supporting other women and moms who are going out on a limb, following their callings and creating some amazing things.  Because of that we started our Mix and Mingle series...to share with you some fun small businesses and the people behind the amazing products we come across. 

It's been a while since we've had a post in this series, but when I got introduced to Ellen Cooper by a mutual friend I knew this post was meant to happen! Ellen is the founder of Simply Be Box. Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box just for teen girls (middle and high school ages) and we absolutely LOVE what Ellen has created.  I'll share a little more about the box and all the goodies in a sec, but first let's get to know Ellen. 

 

1. Tell us a little about yourself. 

I'm an Atlanta native, grew up in East Cobb, graduated from Walton High School and went to Ole Miss. Been married to James since 2003 and we have two teenage daughters, Ella and Hannah. I worked in a corporate career for 15 years and left in 2013 to spend more time with our girls, get more involved in the community and at church. At 40 years old, God called me to seminary which was never in my plan, but turned out to be a life transforming experience. I've always felt called to pour into girls and have had many opportunities to do that over the years with my own daughters, their friends and through bible studies and small groups. 

2. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

I'd probably eat and drink my way through Italy. 

3. What's the funniest/most embarrassing thing that has happened to you as a mom? 

When my girls were younger, we had that first nerve racking birds & bees discussion. In an attempt to be real and open with them I held nothing back, used all the real words and for some reason felt the need to go into specifics about the egg and sperm...you know all the details. Feeling relieved and quite proud of myself to have successfully made it through that conversation, my husband walked in and said, "so the girls tell me you lay eggs?" I have never laughed so hard...mom fail! 

4. What inspired you to start Simply Be Box? 

During quarantine, we kept seeing commercials for the big subscription box brand so my daughter and I decided to order one. It was so fun, we both loved receiving it in the mail. It got me thinking how nice it would be if there was a subscription box specifically geared toward teen girls filled with things they'd love, that was positive and could be a vehicle to share the gospel and encourage them. I did some research and couldn't find anything so I decided to start it myself. Since graduating from seminary in 2019, I'd been praying for God to reveal what was next and for a while it was unclear, but as 2021 rolled around it started to become clear that this was it. The box full of goodies may get the girl's attention, but I'm really after their heart, to help them know how much they are loved by God and to be who God created them to be. 

Now that you've gotten to know a little more about Ellen and how Simply Be came to be, it's time for the really fun part. Taking a peek inside the fall box!  

My girls were thrilled to open up theirs and see all of the goodies it is filled with.  

What's in each box?

Each Simply Be Box has a theme focused around one of their "Be Attitudes." 

Be You, Be Brave, Be a Light, Be a Friend. 

It is filled with items that are on-trend and that the girls love, but also items that are positive and uplifting...something all our teen girls need in this day and age. 

Each box includes something to READ, DO, USE, DISPLAY, WEAR & EAT. 

 How often do they come? 

The neat thing about Simple Be is that you can choose to get a one-time box, a seasonal subscription or an annual subscription. We think these would be fun gifts for the teen girls in your life!  You could do a one time gift or a subscription, but this is something positive and really different than anything out there that we have seen!

Book Club

Y'all know our love of books and a good book club. Can you even believe that Simply Be has it's own?! The READ in each box is a faith-based book, devotional, or bible study focused on that box's theme.  The girls are invited to participated in a 4-6 week virtual book club via Zoom to discuss the book, implement what they are learning and to just be encouraged. 

Simply Be Book Club is a subscriber exclusive, offered to those who sign up for an Annual or Seasonal Subscription. 

Discount Code 

Ellen was kind enough to share a discount code with us for our followers to get $10 off any purchase of an annual subscription, seasonal subscription or a one-time box. 

Use code: MM1021 through the end of this month! 

Learn more about Simple Be Box

Website // Facebook // Instagram 

Come spend the day with us on:

| Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter |

Mix & Mingle: Southeast Swimwear

To say we are excited about today's blog post would be a major understatement. Swimsuit season is upon us and it's a season we all simultaneously cheer for and dread. We spend the majority of our year in weather warm enough for swimming, and live in swimsuits and flip flops for most of that. However, we wouldn't go as far as to say we love wearing our swimsuits. 

Motherhood and the lack of free time has taken its toll on many of the parts that become on display the minute we take off our swim cover-ups. You know the ones we're talking about. The ones below our necks and above our feet. Those parts. 

Thanks to the good makers of Spanx, the jeggings trend, and the invention of the push-up bra we are able to conceal some of our bodily imperfections with great ease most of the time. But then comes judgment day. It's usually occurs somewhere between Easter and the first week of May. The day you need to swim suit shop.

But what if that task wasn't something to dread? What if when that day came each year, you were excited? Thrilled? Dare we even go as far as to say looking forward to it?

What if when looking in the mirror while swim suit shopping you thought, "I look amazing!" rather than, "Ugh!!! Look at my love handles/stomach/thighs/chest/back/arms!" ? 

That's why we are excited about today. Because today we are sharing how that can happen!

Today we are going to introduce you to Gail. Gail is a magical swimsuit fairy godmother who wants you to throw out all that unnecessary self-hate during swimsuit shopping (because really it is unnecessary), and learn to embrace, and - here's the kicker - love how you look in your swimwear.  

Gail and her team of fellow fairies at Southeast Swimwear reach deep down into their magical beach bags to pull out all the tricks to make sure you leave their presence feeling like the swimsuit super model that you were always meant to be. 

Correction: are.

Gail is the owner of Southeast Swimwear located in Woodstock, GA. We were introduced to Gail and her store via friends who went in feeling a little dismal about the thought of having to get a new swimsuit, and came out saying, "It was the most enjoyable swimsuit shopping experience I've ever had in my life!". 

The minute we stepped into Southeast Swimwear we could see why. Gail and her team are beyond helpful and extremely enthusiastic about each and every person who comes through their doors. They know they have their work cut out for them, and that most people dread looking in the mirror at themselves in a swimsuit. Even if you don't make a purchase they want you to leave their store feeling beautiful and understand that your body is unique and amazing. They want you to feel like in their hands they've shown you how to enhance what you like, and make you love what you see reflecting back at you.

Gail opened Southeast Swimwear with the goal of being able to give women the chance to enjoy swimsuit shopping again. She saw that most stores only catered to a select group of women and body types, and decided women deserve more! She wanted to offer great quality swimsuits to women of all shapes and sizes. 

And ladies, she has delivered! She and her team are swimsuit experts! She puts her entire heart into her business and it shows. Speaking with Gail you can't help to feel inspired by her commitment, her positive outlook, and her drive to champion women and their image of themselves. 

She and her team are also super fun. And you know we love a good time. 

Before we give you a little tour of Southeast Swimwear, and all the amazing items Gail carries in store we had a little fun and asked her a few questions...

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Rice Krispy treats!!!! And coffee, does that count as food?!

What are the top 5 things in your beach bag? 

Sunglasses, hat, plenty of sunscreen, my phone(mostly for pics) water, I am pretty boring! It is really about having my daughter and sometimes daughters with me, and just being together in a happy place!

What is your favorite beach read?  Or favorite genre to read at the beach? 

Always a murder mystery for me!

What is one message you would like everyone who comes in your store to leave with? 

To not refer to themselves in any negative way, feel confident. As women, our bodies have been through a lot, and your kids just want you in the pool with them! When ladies "hate" themselves, it truly is heartbreaking for us as well. 

What is your favorite thing about working with your family and friends? 

We can laugh together (we do lot of that) and because it is a small business, I try to give all holidays off for them to be with their families.

(We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Gail's daughter Madison works in store with her, and also owns a super cute bridal shop. Bridals by Madison is located just a few doors down from Southeast Swimwear, and we can only imagine how beautiful and loved every bride feels walking in and out of those doors.)

Now let's mingle around Southeast Swimwear! 

WHAT'S IN STORE

Southeast Swimwear plays host to many of the top swimwear brands for women - Sunset Separates, Tara Grinna, Fantasie, and so many more!  

Everything you will find in her store are brands you will not find at the mall.  We love that she has different stuff and the quality of everything is amazing! 

They also carry a ton of cute accessories like beach hats, totes, bags, jewelry and flip-flops.  Seriously everything you need for a day at the pool, beach, or lake.

And we can't forget about the coverups.  She has some of the cutest coverups we have seen and so many darling styles! 

HOW IT WORKS

So this part is really what sets her Southeast Swimwear apart from all the other places.  You don't walk in and just start picking out things you want to try.  It's more of a personalized shopping experience and trust us...you'll be better off if you let the experts do their thing!

We walked around the store, talked about our sizing, what we liked, didn't like, and what our goals for a swimsuit were. 

Gail grabbed a bunch of different things in a variety of styles for us to start with just to get an idea of what would look good on our bodies and what we would feel comfortable in. 

After putting different pieces on she would evaluate how it fit, bring us other options, and listen to what we liked and didn't like to help find the perfect suit for us! 

OUR TRY ON EXPERIENCE

We loved most of what we tried on, but not everything was perfect. You have to trust the process and know that even if you don't think it is something you would normally pick out, just to give it a try because that might be something you end up loving or it will tell Gail and her team more about you sizing and likes/dislikes. 

There were some things we liked, some that were OK, and some that we loved the instant we put on. One fun thing is that Southeast Swimwear have a wide selection of options in each pattern. If you don't like something about one piece you have on, but love the pattern, they can bring you a different option. Even a small tweak can make a huge difference in fit.

We also loved seeing the different ways that items could be worn. So many of their pieces could be worn multiple ways to give you different looks (and different tan lines!). 

What we loved most is that the Southeast Swimwear team instantly made us feel comfortable, listened to us, gave us lots of different options and were honest with us. 

If something didn't look good, they admitted it and worked to make adjustments so we would look and feel our best. 

We really can't say enough great things about them.  You'll be amazed by the huge selection of suits for every single body size and will leave feeling excited about summer and swimsuit season! 

If you go, be sure to tell them we sent you and say hi to them for us!  

If you have an questions at all feel free to message them on Facebook (they respond extremely fast!), and if you aren't local, but are interested in a suit or product you saw, send them a message. They have ways to be able to ensure you are shipped a correct fitting swimsuit.

To learn more about Southeast Swimwear: 

| Website | Instagram | Facebook |

Come spend the day with us on:

| Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter |

Mix & Mingle: Say It Southern

Oh boy, do we have a treat for y'all today!  We were interviewed for a podcast.  We'll let that sink in just a bit.  A podcast!!!!  It was so much fun and we loved meeting some new friends and couldn't wait to introduce them to you.  It's been a while since we've had a Mix & Mingle here on the blog and felt like one was way overdue!

Mix & Mingle is all about giving you a sneak peek at some of our favorite boutiques, restaurants, brands and businesses, but with a twist! Who better to learn all of  the details than with the owners themselves!

Today we are introducing y'all to the lovely ladies that created and host the podcast, Say It Southern!

Courtney and Sarah are two modern moms bringing us the hearts and stories of the people creating the best of the south.  Say It Southern is a place to join real, warm conversation as if you were sitting beside them on the back porch. They explore the intersection of womanhood, work and creativity with honesty and grace. They want their listeners to feel inspired, encouraged, and educated by their guests living and celebrating the South!

First up we wanted to get to know Sarah and Courtney a bit more! 

SARAH 

What inspired you to start "Say It Southern"? 

I am turning 40 this year and as a mom to three girls I have given so much of myself to being just that.  I felt it was time for me to do something I am passionate about.  I want my girls to see me following a dream, setting goals & working hard to make the dream a reality.  I have always believed you can do ANYTHING if you work hard.  I love talk radio & once I discovered podcasts I knew this was it!!  I love all things Southern and believe a podcast is the best way to share the stories, places, food and people of the South. 

What is the most interesting thing you've learned about creating a podcast? Or the whole world of podcasts now that you've got both feet in? 

I was worried about finding content for the show since we want to keep it southern, however, once we started I have quickly learned that the guests are endless!!  There are so many people from all over the South doing amazing things.  I also feel like the region has become much smaller. Our guests have become our friends, creating a community of Southerners that support each other. 

Who would be your dream guest? The one person (or group) you would love to interview?  

Sarah Blakey, the founder of Spanx. 

Favorite place to vacation in the South?

This is SO tough….I grew up going to Wrightsville Beach, NC and this is still my favorite beach.  I love everything about New Orleans.  The food, the music, architecture, shopping & history are just a few of things I find to be good for your soul. 

You're only allowed to wear one article of clothing for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Spanx leggings! 

What is the funniest or most embarrassing thing that's happened to you as a mom so far? 

I was on an airplane for the first time with my first born.  She was about six months old so riding in my lap.  I knew she had a wet diaper because I kept feeling the warmth but also knew I had on the deluxe diapers because this was my first born and only the best will do…right??  Well, once it was time to get off the plane I quickly realized that this super diaper was NOT leak proof…..and worst of all….it looked like I had peed in my pants because she leaked all over my lap…I was mortified. 

COURTNEY 

What is the most interesting thing you've learned about creating a podcast? Or the whole world of podcasts now that you've got both feet in? 

I love finding the guests and creating the content. Its crazy how organic the guests and the growth has been. Every person that we have reached out to to be involved has said yes. And how amazing it to to find these curators of the Modern Southern Culture and let them tell their story? Honestly we could do a podcast daily on the cool people that we have found out about through this process of guest selection. we have a BIG list of fabulous people coming up!!!

Who would be your dream guest? The one person (or group) you would love to interview?  

Reese. She's kind of the poster child for modern southern women, right? Author, Actress, Activist, Entrepreneur and Mom..... yep, that about covers it! 

Favorite place to vacation in the South? (With kids? Without kids?) 

There are so many great places! We love Charleston for the architecture, charm and food.... but my boys love fishing and crab hunting on the beaches of 30A. 

You're only allowed to wear one article of clothing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

TWO WORDS: YOGA.PANTS.

What is the funniest or most embarrassing thing that's happened to you as a mom so far?  

Graham had character day at his school and we got busy making his costume. (Granted it was out of Dad's old t-shirt and a belt I had from the 80's but nonetheless..) He was so proud when the day finally came to wear the costume. We got up extra early to make sure every detail was just perfect. We rolled though that carpool line and I sent him into Kindergarten, my head held high. Around 10:00 AM I got a text from his teacher that said, "Graham looks precious and his costume is fabulous.  Can you make sure he wears it again next Wednesday for Character Day?" Y'allllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Aren't they the cutest?  When they reached out to ask if we would be interested in being a part of their podcast we said YES!!!  We chatted with them for what only felt like a minute and before we knew it we were all laughing together like old friends. They are the sweetest and so funny!  Plus, we love supporting other women trying to hustle and be great moms, so we felt like it was a perfect fit! 

We were able to chat about all sorts of things including our hobby blog turned influencer business, motherhood, and how we juggle it all.  

You can listen to it HERE.  

We are episode #17!  We've had fun listening to some of their other episodes and have learned a lot and laughed a bunch!  

They have Say It Southern tank tops that are so cute!  You can DM them on Instagram to purchase for only $25.  

We would definitely recommend checking them out on Instagram. Their stories are hilarious and here's a little something we learned...Sarah was the winner of The Bachelor.  She shares some fun behind the scenes info that we loved learning during the last season and Courtney keeps us laughing.  These ladies are both the real deal, down to earth and we just wished they lived next door to us because we know we'd all be the best of friends!  

To learn more about Say It Southern: 

Website || Instagram || Facebook || Podcast

Come spend the day with us on:

| Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter |