Lifestyle / Style

FLORAL BOUQUETS WITH KEDS

04.23.18

Thanks to Zappos for sponsoring this post!

This year I made it a priority to spend more time on my passions — photography, our small business, blogging and floral arrangements to name a few. I am by no means an expert in any of these professions, but each passion brings so much joy to my life that it only makes sense to focus more of my time on each (especially with a whole new decade of life right around the corner). When the folks over at Keds and Zappos reached out about their latest campaign, focused on what it means to be a woman in this day and age, it felt like such a natural fit! I’ve actually been rocking Keds since the early days, and have very fond memories of one of the greatest and most influential women I know wearing them for as long as I can remember — my amazing grandmother.

Keds have been designed and created for women since 1916 — that’s over 100 years of supporting strong, confident and empowered women in everything they do. Lately, I’ve been rocking my classic Keds Champion CVOs while working on my passion projects for the year — more photography, more time focused on our small business, more blogging (working on it!) and of course — more florals. Keds is an urban, style-driven brand that is perfect for all occasions and outfits, which makes them so easy to incorporate into my everyday wears, no matter the occasion.

It’s true that I’ve loved flowers since I was a little girl — in fact, one of my favorite photos of my mom and I was taken in a beautiful rose garden when I was just months old — I guess you could say my mom wanted to start my passion for florals early. I’m by no means a professional, but I’ve loved helped creating floral arrangements for our home and get-togethers over the years. I find myself being super inspired by the seasons, color palettes and most importantly — incredible women who are taking the floral industry by storm. A few of my favorites include locally based The Petal Theory and California’s own Thistle and Honey (who does incredible work with Alicia of CITNB often). I’m hoping that one day I might be able to learned from these incredible ladies — floral workshops anybody?!

Along with this iconic style, Zappos also offers fast, free shipping on a wide range of styles, a 365-day return policy and world class customer service — a concept that fits perfectly into my busy lifestyle and those of other modern ladies!

With spring now in full bloom (and peeks of summer starting to shine through here in Phoenix), I’ve found myself drawn to bright hues with touches of white. Our bougainvilleas are currently showing off and are bringing so much color to our outdoor space. I may have snipped a few small branches to add into my bouquets, along with these tiny, wild yellow flowers that pop-up all around our yard this time of year.

Getting to partner with Keds on this campaign feels so, so special, as so many amazing women in my life have also rocked these iconic shoes. Keds is committed to empowering women to be who they want to be and go where they want to go, which you know is something I am ALL about! I would love to hear what kind of connections you have to the Keds brand and what kind of passions you’ve been exploring more this year? I hope everyone has an amazing week!

-Chelsea

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Lifestyle

OUR ANNUAL PUPPY PHOTO BOOTH PHOTO

04.12.18

Oh hey there! I’m so sorry for the crickets around here, but April has turned out to be quite a busy month! This past weekend we headed to Southern Arizona to spend time with family and take our annual photobooth pictures with the pups. I have three, maybe four sets of these from the past few years and I couldn’t love them more — the pups have gotten bigger and we’ve gotten a little older, but I’ll never tire of seeing all of our faces smooshed together in this old school photo booth!

Anyways, I just wanted to stop in to share these darling photos and say hello! I’ll be back very soon and I hope everyone is having an amazing week!

Chels xo

Decor / Lifestyle

AROUND OUR HOME — 18

03.31.18

March was a whirlwind of a month!  The first few days of the month went by so quickly as we prepped for and sold at the Phoenix Flea spring market! The market was super successful and we had a great day meeting so many amazing local folks and seeing lots of fellow makers all in one space. Aside from Phoenix Flea, we spent the month visiting with family who was in town for a couple of weeks, attending a spring training game, worked a lot (me), made a lot (Scott) and started to prep for the exciting months ahead — April = Junk In The Trunk Vintage Market, May = Trip to NYC and my 30th! Anyways, ready for a few peeks into our home during the month of March? Without further ado —

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Style

FOR THE LOVE OF STYLE — 03 // MY FAVORITE NECK SCARVES

03.27.18

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of neck scarves! I’ve been rocking these bright and fun accessories for a few years now and seem to have an ever-growing collection. My first (aside from my younger years of rocking classic red bandannas) was a hand-dyed pink silk scarf from the gals at 3,191 Miles Apart (back when they had a shop). Nowadays I mostly rock cotton and silk scarves from my favorite shops, but I’m also a fan of higher-end scarves — ya know, for those really special occasions. Anyway you look at it, though — a scarf draws the eyes up and often brings a pop of color to an every day outfit — the perfect accessory, if you ask me!

In case you’re on the hunt for a few new scarves of your own for the spring season, or just feel like browsing — here’s a few of my favorite shops to browse + buy scarves from —

I would love to hear if you have any neck scarfs? Or fav places to shop scarves? I’m always on the hunt for unique ones that will bring a bit of life and color to my otherwise minimal-style wardrobe! Anyways, I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start and I’ll be back soon!

-Chelsea xo

Lifestyle

FEELING LIGHT AND BRIGHT

03.18.18

Well hello there! You may notice that things look a bit different around here — a little more bright, a little more refined! This update has been a work in progress for quite some time now, so I am incredibly happy to be sharing it with you all now! There are still a few kinks and bugs here and there that I’m working through as the days go on (woos of moving *almost* nine years worth of content!), but I am so, so thrilled with the new space and hope that it brings so much inspiration, joy and a sense of community within the blogosphere in the coming days, months and years.

None of this would have been possible without the amazing individuals that helped bring my vision to life —

Natalie of Blogzilla Studio who was incredibly patience with me, offered a wealth of knowledge, helped in preparing the ol’ blog for it’s big move and then actually bringing the space to to life! She has continued to answer all of my questions and offered amazing advice in the days leading up to and post transfer, and I truly couldn’t recommend her services enough! Thank you SO, SO much, Natalie!

Alex Leiphart of Alex & Co. who brought my vision of a more updated and refined look and feel to my website and overall online presence. Alex is a local, Phoenix-based designer who is incredibly talented and was wonderful to work with throughout the whole process! He has designed some amazing branding + interactive pieces for some of my favorite local brands and restaurants, so working with him felt like a natural fit. I also heard there’s word of him working with our dear friends over at PHX Flea — so stay tuned! 😉

Kels and Michael Photography who took my dream of an easy and breezy film photography shoot in our home and made it reality! This was our second shoot with Kelsey and Mike (you can see our first one here!), and we truly couldn’t have loved shooting with them more. They have this way of making you feel completely at ease and I feel so grateful we were able to capture these photos to share who we are and where we’re at in our life today. There will be lots more photos to come — but until then, this photo sums up Scott and I currently — ages 29 and 29, in our home during the winter of 2017-2018. What a wild ride it has been to get to this place, and I just know that there is so many more amazing days and adventures to come.

And there you have it, our incredible team who made this refined refresh happen here at Chelsea Bird! Before I go, a huge thank you is also in order to my amazing husband for encouraging me endlessly along the way. I started this blog in June of 2009 as a way to keep in contact with him during my summer away, and to this day he is my biggest supporter! Love you, JSG!

I’ll be back soon, but until then — here’s to a fresh and inspiring space!

-Chelsea xo

Beauty / Lifestyle

BEAUTY & SKINCARE — 01 // MY FAVORITE FACE MASKS

03.07.18

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found more joy and time wanting to spend on my skincare routine. Among my favorite part of my routine — masks! I’ve found the process relaxing and tend to find myself making a hot cup of tea and throwing on a face mask before I get ready to hit the hay. I do this once or twice a week, and always find my skin feeling refreshed and more clear then when I started. I, admittedly, have pretty even skin and usually only get breakouts when I’m sweating a lot in the summer or during my time of month, but do really enjoy helping to clear out and brighten my skin however I can. I also have sensitive and combination skin, but have found a few products that work best for me over the years [along with a few duds, of course — but we won’t talk about those ;)]

Anyways, In case you’re on the hunt for a new face mask or two, or just feel like browsing — here’s a few of my favorite face masks —

I would love to hear what your favorite face mask are, and what your morning and evening skincare routine looks like! Do you like to do your face masks in the evening or in the morning? I’m more of an evening gal, but if there’s time — I could easily be persuaded to slow down a bit and put on a face mask during the early hours! Be back soon, friends! Happy Tuesday!

-Chelsea xo

Lifestyle / Outfits

WHAT TO WEAR TO A FARMERS MARKET

03.05.18

One of Scott and I’s favorite weekend activities is going to our local farmer’s market! Every Saturday we tend to sleep in a little past our normal wake-up time (we — errr, I — am an early riser, haha) and then throw on an easy outfit and head to our local farmer’s market around 10am. Scott and I are big fans of local product, in fact — this spring season we signed up for our first CSA box with Steadfast Farms. Even though we now get our veggie + fruit box bi-monthly, we still love to do a little veggie shopping, coffee drinking and acai bowl eating every Saturday morning, espeically in the spirngtime when the weather in Phoenix is SO nice!

One of the outfits I find myself sporting often to the farmers market is this combo of denim overalls, a breezy top and pair of mules that I can slip on as we’re heading out the door. Looking back, it seems a bit funny to rock a very farmer-esque style outfit to the market, but I like to think that I dress up my overalls just enough so that I stand out in the crowds — although, I would LOVE to have a booth at the farmers market one day! Scott and I have been talking about signing up next season with our small business, but we will see!

A good pair of sunglasses, a woven basket and even a sun hat would make the perfect accessories to your farmers market ensemble. By the time we got around to snapping these photos, I had already put away our goodies from our trip to the market this day, but you can see me rocking my fav woven bag + our giant carrots poking out here!

Aside from rocking my usual weekend ensemble, I’ve also been sporting this Sezane Farrow bag almost every day for the past two months! It has held its shape so beautifully, and it seriously fits everything! Sezane recently added new color to its line-up of this bag and I’ve now got my eye on a blush colored one! I swear, Sezane can do no wrong!

Outfit Details —  

                    Sezane Top (similar!), Madewell OverallsSezane Farrow Bag, Madewell Harper Mules

I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start! Scott and I got up bright and early to take him to have his wisdom teeth removed — poor guy! I’m currently waiting for him to finish up and then its back home to rest for the day! If you could, please send good vibes his way!

-Chelsea xo

Uncategorized

ONTO THE WEEKEND — 20

03.04.18

Happy Sunday and hello March! The past week has felt like a whirlwind, but I’m excited that the start of spring is nearly here. Scott and I had a busy weekend selling at the spring Phoenix Flea, and now we’re gearing up for a 6:15am wisdom teeth removal surgery for Scott — poor guy! I had mine out 5’ish years ago and Scott took care of me afterward (I was a mess!), so it’s only fair that I care for him in return. Our fridge is stocked with soft foods and we’re ready for a slow week of resting and healing (for Scott, of course). We’re off now to dinner to celebrate Scott’s mom’s birthday, but until I return — here’s a few links + thoughts that came across my mind/caught my eye this past week:

— The Anna Edit has been of my favorite vloggers/bloggers for years and year, and this post on her best wardrobe investments was calling my name!

— I’m on the hunt for a new style of denim to wear this spring and loved reading CITNB’s post on her recent denim purchases!

— Our small biz, Citizen Home Decor, had an amazing day at the spring Phoenix Flea! Thank you SO much to everyone who came out!

— As someone who is constantly re-organizing/re-styling our home, I love reading this post from Kate La Vie on tips for styling your space!

— We’re headed to NYC in May for my 30th and would love any and all tips you may have — hotels, restaurants, shops, coffee — send them our way, pretty please!

— After a busy weekend, I treated myself to this beauty from Sezane! Excited to add it to my spring wardrobe. 🙂

And in case you missed it on CB these past few weeks:

Five tips and tricks for healthy + happy plants!

— Favorite shops to browse + buy hats from!

A few thoughts on blogging in 2018!

Five tips for making your bedroom comfy and cozy!

My favorite coffee tables books and a peek into how I styled them!

Hope ya’ll are having a warm and restful Sunday. I’ll be back soon!

-Chels xo

Lifestyle

HOUSEPLANTS 101 – 5 TIPS AND TRICKS FOR HAPPY PLANTS

02.28.18

Out of all the bits and pieces, paintings and trinkets in our home, the items I get questions about the most are our houseplants! I shared a full post on where to purchase, how to care for and how to decorate with plants back in June of last year, and while I still fully stand behind my recommendations –I’ve been wanting to create a mini version! Think Spark Notes for plant care, haha!

Here are my 5 tips and tricks for happy plants —

1. Do your research! Purchase plants that are easiest to care for in your climate! // Throughout the past few years I’ve really honed in on the plants that are the easiest to care for in our space — snake plants, zz plants, monstera and even fiddle fig leafs! While everyone’s home and climate is a bit different, it’s important to have plants that are able to thrive in your space. A quick google search and a chat with your local nursery owner will help you to quickly pinpoint those perfect plants before you even make your first purchase.

2. Set yourself up for a success! Purchase yourself a healthy plant! // We’ve purchased from all different places – local nurseries, major retailers, floral shops, etc., and what we’ve learned through this process is that it’s not about where you buy your plants from, it’s about how well they’ve been cared for beforehand. Keep you eyes peeled for wilting limbs, yellow leaves and the overall condition of the plant. Set yourself up for success by purchasing a plant that is in good shape (unless you’re a magical plant lady/gent that can bring plants back to life — then by all means, take care of those in need).

3. Pick the perfect pot! // Picking your plants new space is half the fun of bringing home your leafy friend! I’m all for unique planters, but also want to make sure the pot is good for the actual plant. Terra cotta pots are always a fan favorite, as they’re porous and allow air and water to pass through the walls (while keeping your plant + water inside the pot, of course). Picking pots with a base for drainage is always suggested, but above all else — be sure to choose a pot that allows for growth!

4. Find the perfect spot! // Next to the window? Up high? Down low? Each plant varies in how much sunlight they need, but I’ve done my best to place each plant in our home in a space where they receive either direct or indirect sunlight (and for the random few that don’t – I move them around throughout the week). It may take awhile to find the perfect place, but don’t be afraid to move around your plants until they’re looking their most happy and healthy!

5. Keep a weekly watering routine! // Keeping and sticking to a watering routine is one of the best things you can do for your plants! We water all of our plants once a week on Sundays — we usually throw on some music or a YouTube video and get to work on our blooming brood! Oh, and don’t forget to feed your plants while you’re at it! We buy plant food from Dig It locally, but you can purchase these nutrition filled packs at your local nurseries, major retailers and more.

And there you have it – five tips and tricks for happy plants! As I mentioned in my last plant focused post, I’m by no means an expert — but have a feeling that you might be able to learn a thing or two from my successes and failures in houseplant care! I would love to hear your own tips and ticks for plant care, funny stories and even your failures! We’re all just trying to figure out these fickle fellas — one watering day at a time!

-Chels

Lifestyle / Outfits

FEBRUARY IN THE DESERT + A FEW THOUGHTS ON BLOGGING IN 2018

02.26.18

Have you ever had one of those months that seem to go by faster then you ever intended? Between work, our small business and a few bits and pieces I’ve been working on for this little ol’ blog of mine — the month seemed to disappear before I had time to realize it. With that said, though, this month was a productive one — new products for Citizen HD, a photoshoot with one of our favorite couples/photographers in our home and more cleaning sprees then I can count (clearing out all of our cupboards one by one). With March right around the corner, though, I’m focusing on spending more time being creative and a little extra on self-care (something I’ve realizing more and more how much I enjoy as I get older). Do any of these plans fall into anyone else’s March itinerary? If so, let me know what you’re working on + what you’ll be focusing on doing more for yourself (more quiet time, pedicures, face masks, workign out, drinking more water, etc.)

Lately I’ve been taking notes + snapping photos to remind me of all the things I want to share around here this year. Is there something I’ve touched on or haven’t shared before that you would be curious to read about? I’ve learned that sharing my everyday style is still something (most) folks who hang around here want to see — which makes me so happy to hear, but I’ve really enjoyed sharing more thoughts on home + tips on decor, entertaining and more. I’ve been finding so much inspiration in blogs that I’ve been reading for years, lately, as I think we’re all in that transitional place of sharing what we’ve always loved + new pieces, styles and thoughts that are filling our everyday lives as we naturally shift what we do + enjoy in our late twenties/early thirties. Call me crazy, but I am SO into blogs lately — Instagram may be king when it comes to social platforms, but blogs will never die. There’s too much value in that OG community that we’ve worked so hard to create + sustain through every social platform that came our way. Let me know if you feel the same!

Outfit Details —  

                    Shop Clay Armando Hat, Toad & Co Sweater (similar!), Madewell Cardigan,                        Madewell 9’inch High-Rise Skinny Jeans , Free People Royale FlatsSezane Farrow Bag

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend and is ready to take on the new week + month ahead. Scott and I will be selling at Phoenix Flea this Saturday, so if you’re local — don’t forget to come on down and see us at Heritage Square!

-Chelsea xo