So About What I Said - Melissa Blake Blog

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Welcoming Cozy Season with the FabFitFun Fall Box

Ahhh, can you feel it, friends?? The air is getting crisper, the leaves are changing colors and I feel this irresistible urge to bring out my classic oversized sweatshirts!! Yes, we’re saying goodbye to summer and hello to fall. But it’s not all bad because the FabFitFun Fall Box is here to help us have the ultimate Cozy Season…

To some, the fall months are all about bonfires and football games and haunted houses; in other words, they like to get outside and fully experience everything the season has to offer. Well, as we all know, I’m on Team Homebody, which means that I love to experience the comforts of this time of year — you guessed it — indoors!!

So it’s those little home comforts that I had in mind as I chose the goodies for my fall box — what was going to keep me all warm and toasty while also bringing me lots of smiles and joy??

FabFitFun is known for its seasonal subscription box of full-size fashion, beauty, fitness and lifestyle goodies and one of the things that I love is that the brand is all about female empowerment; in fact, many of the products in the box are from female-founded companies.

Each season, FabFitFun partners with a charity to give back and the charity for fall is especially appropriate. Schools have been hit hard during the pandemic and many schools in underprivileged communities have had to cut back or eliminate their arts programs entirely. Thankfully, Art in Action believes that art is a fundamental right that all students deserve. Art in Action provides high-quality K-8 curriculums to approximately 85,000 students nationwide, so I’m really happy they’ll get to do even more good work with the help of FabFitFun.

It’s hard to believe that this is my FOURTH time partnering with FabFitFun; I’m still thinking about how much I enjoyed our summer garden party — where does the time go?!?!?

I really enjoyed customizing my box and I got to choose all my favorite things!! And, depending on what you customize, each box has up to a $300 value and members pay only $49.99 each season — be sure to check out the end of this post for a special discount code to receive $10 off your first box!

Now, how do I define cozy, you ask?? It all has to do with calm and comfort, of course! As the weather gets colder and colder, I tend to pile on the layers and this blanket is super soft and warm; plus, I’m loving that green color — the perfect fall shade, if you ask me!! I envision lots of TV binge-watching in my future all snuggled under this blanket; my mom and I just might end up fighting over it too!!

And of course we’ll need some snacks during all that binge-watching, so this cheese board, little lunch tote and cup will certainly come in handy!! Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the answer is sharp cheddar cheese. Always. You can’t go wrong with sharp cheddar cheese!

I also chose this hat and when we opened the box, my mom said “Oh, my grandpa always wore a hat like that!” What are the odds?? I’ll think of him every time I wear it! Plus, speaking of family, my mom and I love playing games, so this fun food and drink trivia game will come in handy!! We already played it a little on the patio and I lost — until next time, though!!

Are you excited for fall, friends?? How will you be staying cozy all season long? If you’re looking to upgrade your cozy factor, head over to FabFitFun and use code MELISSABLAKE for $10 off your first box — available in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.

I look forward to seeing what’s on YOUR cozy list or in your FabFitFun Fall Box!!!

(This post is sponsored by FabFitFun, though all opinions are mine. Thanks so much for continuing to support So About What I Said’s wonderful sponsors!)

Friday, June 4, 2021

My Summer Garden Party with FabFitFun

If you’ve read this blog long enough, then you know that I’m ridiculously in love with summertime!! I love everything about it and simply can’t get enough — those longer (and warmer!) days, sunshine and blue skies for miles and the kind of green grass that makes you feel as though you’ve just stepped into a painting! And of course, the summer months are all about relaxing and for me, that means sitting on our patio enjoying all that nice weather, which is why I was so excited to kick off the summer last weekend with a garden party!! Thanks to the FabFitFun summer box, I had all the essentials for fun and good times…

FabFitFun is known for its seasonal subscription box full of fashion, beauty, fitness and lifestyle goodies and the brand is all about female empowerment; in fact, many of the products in the box are from female-founded companies.

Each season, FabFitFun also partners with a charity and this season’s charity is one that’s close to my heart. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 500,000 wishes worldwide to children with critical illnesses. I was one of those kids and have such wonderful memories of my trip to Disney World when I was 13, so it’s so great to see FabFitFun working with them!

And to help grant more kids’ wishes, FabFitFun will donate $10 to Make-A-Wish for every box sold from my code — see the end of this post for more details.

This is my third time partnering with FabFitFun (remember my chic spring hat?) and what I really love is that you can customize you box so it’s a true reflection of all the things you love!

“We believe that everyone is worthy of celebrating themselves just as they are” is one of their guiding principles and I fully agree! I mean, what’s better than celebrating you in all your wondrous glory?

So, what about that garden party I mentioned at the beginning of this post? Well, I customized my summer box with everything I’d need — and by everything, I really mean all the essentials for the best snack tray!! I love my snacks, so lounging on the patio actually eating said snacks sounded like a recipe for the perfect afternoon — pun intended! My favorite summer snacks are definitely chips and salsa, so these festive bowls came in handy; since I’m not a big fan of guacamole, I put some delicious and spicy cheese dip in that bowl. Also, how cute are the tiny wooden spoons?? They definitely help you get the optimal cheese dip to salsa ratio, but really, you can never have too much of either one, right??

I also love how this tumbler kept my lemonade ice cold because it’s not officially summer until you’ve had your first sips of this tart drink!!

And speaking of lemonade, this lemon-inspired tray brought everything together — and so we didn’t have to make multiple trips back and forth to the kitchen! We were able to take our tasty treats outside all at once!!

We also used this bright pink cloth bag to take a few games outside to play after we ate!

Editor’s note: I say “we” because my mom was also in attendance, but she didn’t want to be in any of the photos! But rest assured that she did enjoy the snacks!

Wow! What a fun and relaxing afternoon!! If you’re looking to throw your own garden party this summer, I’ve got you covered! Head over to FabFitFun and use code MELISSABLAKE for $10 off your first box — available in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.

What’s your favorite summer snack, friends?? I’d love to hear!! xoxo

(This post is sponsored by FabFitFun, though all opinions are mine. Thanks so much for continuing to support So About What I Said’s wonderful sponsors!)

Friday, March 19, 2021

Saying Hello to Spring with FabFitFun

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been counting down the days until spring since, oh, early December — can you tell I’m not a big fan of the winter snow and cold?? Well, guess what?? Spring is almost here and I couldn’t be more excited about it!! More sunshine, warmer weather, colorful flowers and…a new box from FabFitFun!!!

FabFitFun, known for its seasonal subscription box, is all about “delivering happiness and well-being to everyone, everywhere” and it’s the ultimate in cheery vibes delivered right to your door!! I’m so excited to partner with them again — you might remember when I shared their comforting winter box — and one of the things I really love about the brand is that you get to customize your box and choose all the products you’ll love — everything from beauty to fashion to wellness to home and even tech.

So, what does my curated box look like? Like I said, spring has me going straight for the cheery vibes and going outside to soak up the sun (thanks for all those reminders about getting fresh air, mom), so I wanted products that would help me do just that! Take a look…

For those cheery vibes…

It’s no secret that my mom and I love playing games, though we haven’t been playing as many lately! So I’m thinking this tray will help remind us to just sit down and RELAX. If we keep all our favorite games in there, it should catch our eye every time we go past it, right?? Oh, I think so!!

For those strolls around the neighborhood…

As the days get warmer, I’m looking forward to spending lots of time outside!! I’m pretty much a hermit during the winter, but it’s so refreshing to feel the sun on your face when spring (finally!) arrives!! And for those days when I’m in need of a little shade on my strolls, this hat will definitely come in handy! How cool is that spring-y flower design?

And to match that flower pattern? These pretty flower barrettes because nothing says spring like blooming flowers and pretty gardens!! I was a huge fan of barrettes when I was a kid, so this fashion staple really takes me back!

Of course, I love everything rose gold and this watch is a beauty — loving the simple, classic and sleek design, aren’t you??

As you can tell from my mini photo shoot, it was so nice to be outside again and I’m excited about more spring days ahead!!

Since spring is about all things growth and renewal, both the brand’s seasonal theme and charity partner reflect that very sentiment. The theme, aptly titled “Grow Forth,” encourages you to nurture yourself and to “create the space you need to grow. It’s your time to blossom.”

FabFitFun is also helping to nurture the environment too!! Each season, they partner with a charity to give back and this spring, that charity is One Tree Planted, an organization that is dedicated to planting trees to restore nature and biodiversity. For every $1 donated, one tree will be planted in one of three projects for California, National Forests in the United States and the Pacific Northwest.

If you’re looking to add a little “spring” to your life, I’ve got you covered! Head over to FabFitFun and use code MELISSABLAKE for $10 off your first box — available in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.

I can’t wait to see your box, friends!! xoxo

(This post is sponsored by FabFitFun, though all opinions are mine. Thanks so much for continuing to support So About What I Said’s wonderful sponsors!)

Monday, March 15, 2021

My Father’s Suicide: 18 Years Ago

I know I say this every year, but time really is a weird thing! It’s the only thing I know that can feel both long and short at the same time — years somehow never feel like just years in the literal sense, which is something I’m continually grappling with in an effort to. So when I think about how last week marked 18 years since my father died from suicide, my mind still can’t comprehend how much time that feels like because it actually feels like a long time and like it just happened yesterday.

I’ve thought a lot about the passing of time and how you experience that time after a loved one dies from suicide; maybe I’ve even spent too much time thinking about it sometimes? All I know is that maybe time feels weird because a part of you never really left the moment your loved one died. Although I’m physically here in 2021, there’s still a part of me that never left March 10th, 2003. There’s still a part of me that’s the scared, frightened 21-year-old who doesn’t know how she’ll go on living without her father and just can’t believe that any of this is real.

It’s sort of like living in two parallel universes and something tells me that it will always be that way. But maybe that’s not necessarily a bad thing? Maybe it’s not so bad to “walk between” these two worlds, to have one foot in the past and one in the present — it’s a way to link the two perhaps? At the very least, I can’t help but feel like it’s a way to keep my dad with me, which is all I’ve ever wanted since the day he died.

And speaking of keeping him with me, something interesting happened last week. I’m usually not one to believe in signs, but last night, a drawing of my dad and me fell down! This beautiful illustration was given to me by the talented artist Brooke Costello and I love it because it feels like a part of my dad is still with me whenever I look at it.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this: If you’re somehow looking down on us, Dad, I hope you’re proud of the people we’ve become!! We miss you every day and wish you were here with us…

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

My Essay on HealthyWomen: “Melissa Blake Is Disabled and Proud of It”

My first piece of 2021 came out this week!! I wrote about four disability truths I want you to know for HealthyWomen — a publication I’ve never written for before!! Consider this your perfect primer on disabled people. And that headline says it all: “Melissa Blake Is Disabled and Proud of It”

I’ve written a lot about disability misconceptions before and sometimes, I really wish I didn’t have to in the first place, you know? Half the time, I feel like a broken record because I’m just repeating myself. Over and over and over.

And over.

As you can imagine, it’s just incredibly frustrating because some people still don’t get it. Why, I wonder?? Why don’t they listen to us, the disabled people who — surprise, surprise — know exactly what we’re talking about?? After all, disability is something we live with day in and day out; I mean, we’re the experts here!

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, in which I reveal four truths I wish everyone knew about the disability community…

When I was young, I found myself internalizing a lot of these messages, especially as a teenager. I felt unworthy and constantly compared myself to my non-disabled peers. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown more self-confident in my disabled body. And that new sense of confidence — and, yes, pride! — have helped me become an activist, pushing back against ableism and all those harmful, outdated narratives about what it’s like to live with a disability.
Being disabled is part of my identity and always will be. Speaking up about ableism is one of the greatest joys of my life; my hope for a brighter, less ableist future is the reason I continue to be so visible and vocal, especially on social media — to educate, to stomp out ableism and, yes, to clap back at ignorant internet trolls. Maybe someday, we’ll live in a world where I’m not seen as “other” and “less than.”

Listen to us!! That’s what disabled people need right now. I feel like we’re so often dismissed by society, underestimated by society and just generally left out. But we have a voice and so much ableism could be eliminated if people would just LISTEN to us!

Here’s the thing about me: I’ll never stop speaking out. My voice matters and disabled people demand to be heard, seen and accepted just as we are! Because remember…

“Melissa Blake Is Disabled and Proud of It”

You can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so I see your tweet and we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo