There’s a sweet spot in the middle of spring when everything in Phoenix goes into full bloom! Those days seem to go by so fast, but this year I was determined to get a few photos in before all the blooms faded away. Down our street, we have the most gorgeous oleanders that bloom bright and full every spring. I’m sure they’ve been here for years and years, but I like to think that whomever planted them had a sense of humor, and a love for color — pink, white, red, white, pink, red — basically any other color combination you can imagine between these rows of florals!
With the temps continuously rising – 100, 105, 110+ degrees, I’ve been searching my closet for every piece that would offer some kind of coolness during the day. However, ya’ll know that I’m a fan of layers, so I couldn’t help layering a few pieces from summer’s past — this denim vest from Madewell and my beloved Phoenix General X Hackwith Design Dress (here’s this summer’s version)!
While summer is nearly here, I’m still trying to savor these late spring days while we still can! Last night it was 98 degrees outside while we were on our evening walk, and while that may sound super hot — with a slight breeze it felt just warm and perfect. But seriously, though — only a true desert rat would say that, haha! Anyways, I am looking forward to the summer months — all the iced coffee and matcha (Peixoto Coffee seriously makes the best!), lots of light denim + strappy sandals, and a big trip that Scott and I have literally been dreaming of since we were teenagers! Any guesses as to where we’re going? xo
I hope ya’ll are having a wonderful week! Can’t believe it’s already half way over! Any plans for the weekend yet? Scott and I will be selling at Pineapple Triangle in downtown Phoenix at The Duce from 10am-4pm! Let us know if we’ll be seeing you there! Talk soon, friends!
If you’ve peeked at my Instagram or caught a glimpse into our home here in the past, you probably know that Scott and I love a good houseplant! It’s funny, because I always considered myself to have a bit of a black thumb – growing up, my mom was always the gardener in our family and knew how to keep just about anything alive. I always felt like it was kind of her thing, so I mostly stood back, admired and occasionally overwatered her plants on chore day. Once I got a bit older and had a small space of my own to fill with succulents of all types, I learned that I was still a chronic overwater-er and knew how a to kill a desert plant quicker than anyone in the area (well, I assumed – that is).
Learning my lesson more times than I care to admit, I decided to swear off houseplants until I was a bit older (with the hope that my overwatering tendencies had subsided) and had a space that was more light-filled than the previous. Flash forward a few years down the road and here we are — living in the home that we had always hoped for with the plants that I knew I always wanted – surviving and thriving how I had always thought they would! Ready to learn from this self-proclaimed black thumb? Here’s what I’ve got —
Favorite Places To Buy Plants From –
Looking around our home, I see plants that we picked up from all different places – major retailers, local nurseries, mom and pop shops — we’ve shopped them all and I’m here to tell you that it’s not about where you buy your plants from, it’s about how well they’ve been cared for and how well you care for them once you bring them home. With that said, here’s a few of my favorite places to buy plants from –
Most of our larger plants (fiddle leaf figs, monstera, snake plants, rubber tree, etc.) were purchased at The Home Depot or Ikea — all for moderate prices and in need of a re-pot once taken home. Many of our smaller plants and succulents were purchased either at a local nursery, farmer’s market or boutique flower shop. The pothos plant above was the very first plant that I bought after we purchased our home! It came from the local farmer’s market and was just a wee tyke back then! Today, it’s one of my favorite (and oldest) plants!
Favorite + Easy To Care For Houseplants –
With so many different types of houseplants, it’s easy to get carried away (I know first hand, haha), but throughout the past year I feel like I’ve really honed in on the plants that are the easiest to care for (and those that aren’t, but that’s another story). While everyone’s home + climate is a bit different, here are the plants that have really done well for us –
– Monstera (ours has grown SO much since we first brought it home)
– Pathos (our farmer’s market gem)
– Rubber Plant (pretty + low maintenance, just be careful not to shock it with hot temps – whoops)
– Fiddle Fig Leaf (this one may be up for debate, but ours is thriving)
– Elephant Bush (great for indoor + outdoors)
– ZZ Plant (grows like wildfire!)
Care + Watering Routine –
Each plant varies in how much sunlight + water they need, but I’ve done my best to place each plant in our home in space where they receive either direct or indirect sunlight (and for the random few that don’t – I move them around throughout the week). In terms of watering, I’m down to watering one day a week (Sunday), and try not to overwater the succulents – while also making sure the fiddle fig and monstera get just enough water for the week. A good rule of thumb is if the leaves of the plant start to turn yellow, then you’re watering too much – and on the other hand, if the leaves are turning brown – then you’re not giving it enough water. Oh, and don’t forget to feed your plants! We buy plant food from Dig It locally, but you can find that stuff just about anywhere!
Favorite Ways To Display Houseplants –
Picking your plants new home is half the fun of bringing home your leafy friend! I’m all for unique planters, like the West Elm cat piece above – but I’m also all about a traditional terra cotta pot (there’s nothing more classic than that!). I’ve been known to collect pots and planters when we go out of town or when I find them on super sale! Depending on the type and size of the plant, I love to mix and match pots and saucers, with the occasional macramé hanger thrown in for good measure. Here’s a list of my my favorites shops to buy pots + planters from –
And there you have it – a houseplants guide from a self-proclaimed black thumb! 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! Now, it’s your turn to share — I would love to hear your tips + ticks for plant care, funny stories and even your failures — because ya know, we’re all just trying to keep those fickle plant babies alive, haha! Be back soon, friends!
Happy Saturday, friends! I hope ya’ll are doing well today! Scott and I are taking it easy this weekend after our recent California getaway. So far today we’ve picked-up around the house, took a trip to our local Costco and Home Depot, and now we’re settling in for an evening of house projects! It’s sure to be a pretty low-key weekend around here! Aside from all of that, here’s a few links from around the web that I think you might like —
— I LOVED this post by my sweet friend, Mara! As a someone in their late 20’s, I’ve realized even more that skincare has definitely taken a front seat in my life over the past few years — and I’m completley better off because of it! Leave a comment if ya feel me!
And just like that — the first day of June is officially here! I know I tend to say this this every month, but I swear – this year is just zooming on by! June first brings a day full of warm weather (100+ degree temps), lots of iced coffee (finally — my favorite drink is seasonally appropriate everywhere else, haha) and a bouquet of the prettiest peonies I’ve ever seen – in bigs thank to my sweet guy who surprised me with them yesterday! While I know June will hold lots of adventures of it own, I wanted to share a recent day trip that Scott and I took to Superior, Arizona to visit the Boyce Thompson Arboretum! It was a super sunny and warm day, but that didn’t stop us from adventuring around this beauty place!
The arboretum itself is the largest and oldest botanical garden in the state of Arizona, and is also one of the oldest botanical institutions west of the Mississippi. It was founded in 1924 as a desert plant research facility and “living museum.” It’s also located beneath Picketpost Mountain, a volcanic remnant. Today, it’s a pretty popular destination for getting out of the city, taking in a little greenery and a place to go on a nice desert walk. They also have a super pretty cactarium (like the one at Moorten’s in Palm Springs!) that I could literally spend hours in!
Scott’s rad t-shirt felt completely appropriate for our desert outing! It’s actually made by a local company — Keep It Wild! If you’re local, you can always find their stuff at Frances — but in case you’re not, you can find them online!
I promise to give ya a peek into the actual cactarium soon, but the outside of the building was just so pretty and light-filled! This spot actually seems to be pretty popular with the local photogs, so you know — I just had to join in on the fun! 😉 On a side note, this summer hat from Cuyana has been such a staple in my wardrobe lately! It’s the perfect size + fit, lightweight, breezy and goes with just about everything! I’ve heard that it’s been going fast, so I would suggest getting your hands on it now if ya can! xo
What does the month of June hold for you? Any travels, trips to the beach or plans to road trip across the desert? Scott and I are excited for our next market (Pineapple Triangle on June 10th), along with some time to just rest, relax and prepare for our next big trip later on this summer (promise to share where we’re headed to soon)! Happy June, friends!
Hello, friends! I hope ya’ll are doing well and that you had a wonderful long weekend! Scott and I got back from our California getaway yesterday and I’m already dreaming of our next beach vacation. We’ve both come to realize that the best thing about getting out of town is that a few days away leaves us feeling so refreshed and inspired — in big thanks this time to a change of scenery, some serious tune time during our drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and some major beachy vibes that were prevalent everywhere we went! Today, I’m thrilled to be partnering with the sweet folks at got2b to share how this weekend’s rockin’ tunes and ocean waves inspired my new favorite hairstyle — these rockin’, volume-filled waves!
My hair is fine and naturally very straight — no volume or curls to be found here, folks! But with the help of got2b’s Volumaniac Hairspray and a curling wand, I was able to make my rockin’, beachy wave dreams come true! I started by curling my hair in sections — curling one section in and the next out to give my waves more dimension. After finishing both sides and curling the front sections of my hair away from my face, I gave my hair a good spray with the got2b’s Volumaniac Hairspray and proceeded to flip all of my hair over my head to give it a proper shake-out — allowing the waves to break-up a bit more and create even more volume for this straight-hair gal!
Once I flipped my hair back over my head, I smoothed my waves a bit, defined a curls with my fingers and decided to give the front of my hair an extra spray to really keep everything in place.
And there you have it — (im)perfectly, volume-filled waves for any beachy, music-loving gal who is looking to add a little volume and express themselves in more way than one! I can’t wait to rock this look during our next beach getaway, or even at an upcoming concert (we just bought tickets to see Death Cab for Cutie in September and I’m SO excited)! I’ve also heard that the ocean does wonders for wavy locks, and know how much fun it is to wave your hair around at shows (in your own space, of course — haha).
If you’re in need of a few more volume-giving products, be sure to also check out got2b’s Volumaniac Root Booster and the Volumaniac Mousse! Miranda of Slashed Beauty recently shared a volume-filled tutorial using the root booster to give her hair an extra boost — will be trying this style out ASAP!
I hope ya’ll enjoyed this tutorial! Let me know if you would like to see more of these in the near future — I’m thinking the Volumaniac Hairspray would work wonders on a fun braid — milkmaid or fishtail style! Anyways, don’t forget to check out all of the products on the got2b website for some major hair-spiration! Be back soon, friends!
-Chelsea xo
Thank you so much to got2b for sponsoring this post!
Hello! I hope ya’ll are having a lovely, long holiday weekend! I just wanted to pop-in quickly to see how you guys are doing and share a snap from our weekend trip to sunny California! Scott and I decided to trade the desert for the beach for a few days with hopes of beach hangs, cooler weather and time with two of our besties! We ate a lot of tacos and guacamole, explored a few different beaches, listened to the sound of the waves crashing around and explored the ins and outs of Balboa Park on the most beautiful, sunny day! I promise to share all about our trip soon, but for now — check out my Instagram for a few more peeks of our travels (oh, and I hope you were following along on Insta Stories — I shared all about how we ate our way through Encinitas, Del Mar and San Diego — haha).
I’ll be back soon friends, but here’s to a great rest of the holiday weekend!
How have I not shared these photos yet? Back in March, our sweet friend Dawn (who we met in Portland this past January) came to town for a wedding and stayed with us for a few days. On a rather warm, early spring evening she snapped these photo of Scott and I in one of our favorite places — the Salt River! I’m obsessed with the orange glow, and how Dawn captured our love of the desert, adventure and each other.
I know I’ve shared these words before, but don’t ever underestimate the power and joy of having photos taken with your loved ones — whether that be your spouse, family of four, parents, grandparents or furry friends. It’s surely true what they say — a photo is worth a thousand words! Have fun with them and don’t forget that dancing under the moonlight is never a bad idea! 😉
I hope ya’ll have a wonderful day! Here’s to love, my friends — and photos, lots of photos!
Me-oh-my — you’re seeing me with my hair up! I honestly wear my hair up all of the time (well, at home or during our evening walks at least), but never on the blog! Why? Well, I don’t actually have a good answer for that, haha! I’m just so used to wear it down with my everyday looks, but thought I would rock something a little different this time around. I was feeling a bit Parisian this day, and thought the top knot complemented my look (if I do say so myself, haha). Anyways, with the temps rising (it was 108 today), wearing my hair up feels like a must! And with no breaks to be seen until October, I’m sure you’ll see me rocking my hair up way more often (if not here, on Instagram Stories at least!).
With the end of May right around the corner, I’m doing my best to prep for a long, hot summer! Living in Arizona my whole life, I’ve always known that once June hits – summer is here and it’s time to start either hiding indoors or getting out of town as often as possible. Well, since we can’t do the latter every weekend — I’m trying to plan a few fun activities that we can do together while beating the summer heat! On the list so far — concerts at our favorite indoor venue, coffee shop hopping (iced coffees all around) and indoor pop-up shops for Citizen Home Decor! I’m sure I’ll be adding to this list as summer inches closer and closer, but here’s to remembering that it’s only heat and there’s still so much to do in Phoenix! Well, that and — cooler temps in California are only a short drive away! 😉
Citrus season is about over here in the desert, but you’ll still find the occasional orange, lemon, grapefruit or even lime peaking through the neighborhood trees. I grew up not too far from an orange grove, so I’ve always loved citrus season and seeing the trees in full bloom — chock full of yummy fruit just waiting to be picked. Scott and I have tried our hand at growing our own citrus, but alas — it’s harder than it appears! We still have an orange tree that’s been holding on for dear life the past few months — here’s to hoping it makes it threw another summer and gives us some fruit next citrus season!
How has your week been so far? Yesterday we celebrated our sweet niece’s fourth birthday, and tonight we made a strawberry salsa for a little competition tomorrow! It’s been a pretty low-key week thus far, but I have a hunch that the rest of the week may be a bit nutty — we will see! Hope ya’ll have a great one, and talk soon, friends!
How is it already May? I totally missed out on sharing our month of April, but I’m stoked be back to sharing these little monthly updates + photos from around our home! Just like April, May has been a bit of a whirlwind! We kicked off the beginning of the month with my 29th birthday! May has always held that feeling of newness for me, so it felt good to start a fresh month and a new year of life all at the same time! I had a great time celebrating with family and friends, and even wrote a whole post on 28 thoughts from my 28th year (if you’re in need of a fun read)! It’s still a bit crazy to think that I’m in the final year of my 20’s – but alas, I’ve been feeling like a real grown up lately (seeing the dermatologist and making adult decisions can do that to a gal, haha).
Anyways, since around my birthday we’ve been taking weekend trips up north, celebrating the birth of a new niece (I was honored to take photos of her 15 minutes after she was born and it was AMAZING), and continue to work and grow Citizen HD with my sweet love! We had a pop-up shop a few weeks back at an open house and it was super fun! We’ll be at Pineapple Triangle on June 10th, so if you’re local — be sure to stop by!
Ready for a few peeks into our home during the month of May? Here they are —
— I spy with my little eye an awfully sleepy kitty! This is by far Peter’s favorite place to lounge and where he usually can be found in the daylight hours (he much prefers to roam around and play in the evenings, haha). I’m also loving all of the little beloved trinkets you can see in this photo — candles, baskets, ceramic dishes — just a few of my favorite things, haha!
— A view that I don’t often share around here! If you were to sit on our couch and look to your right, this is what you would see — our tiny dining area, our pantry/side of our fridge, and the view down our hallway. Some days it sure feels extra cozy in here, but we’re just so thankful that it’s all ours!
— Have you heard the good news? I’m featured in the May/June issue of Luxe Magazine (Arizona addition)! I’m absolutely honored that the sweet folks over at Luxe think my photos are Insta Crush worthy, and am stoked to be featured in such a rad magazine! If you’re in Arizona, keep an eye out for me at your favorite bookstore or local market! 😉
How was your May? Are you feel the pre-summer heat in your hometown? June is set to be a fun one, and I’m really excited to see everything it will hold!
Hope you’re having a lovely week, friends! Can you believe that June is almost here? And summer? Wasn’t it just fall?
Summer is on its way and that means wedding season is almost here! Around this time four years ago, Scott and I were in the beginning stages of planning our own wedding and I remember how exciting everything felt – from picking the flowers, to finding the perfect dress to wear for my bridal festivities — it was all so surreal! These days, the hunt is still on for the most perfect dress – but this time it’s to wear to a dear friend’s upcoming summer wedding. This is where the sweet folk at Zappos and Adrianna Papell come into the picture, as we’ve teamed up to share two looks – one for a wedding guest and one for a bride-to-be (because you gotta wear white as much as you can before the big day)!
I spotted the Cameron Textured Woven Shift Dress by Adrianna Papell on the Zappos website and knew that it would be the perfect dress for a celebratory bride-to-be. The lace top is by far my favorite part, but I equally love how much this dress just makes me feel like a bride-to-be (even when when our wedding was 3+ years ago – where has the time gone)! I’ve paired it with Penny wedges from Adrianna Papell for a fun, summery look! Plus, black and white is a classic combo – especially for a bride!
Now, let’s talk wedding guest wears! This off the shoulder, short sleeve fit and flare number by Adrianna Papell is on the top of my list to wear to this summer’s wedding! I love the breeziness of the fabric, the cold shoulder detail and the fun floral print! Paired with my Penny wedges and a nude lipstick, I’m feeling all set for a summer wedding!
If you’re also on the lookout for the perfect dress to wear to an upcoming wedding, or maybe even looking for the ultimate bride-to-be look to wear to all of your bridal festivities, be sure and check out all of the Adrianna Papell dresses on the Zappos website! I just know that you’re bound to find a gem or two among all of their beautiful styles! Oh, and don’t forget – if you’re a Zappos Rewards member you’re eligible for free expedited shipping and returns! Sounds like a win, win to me! Be back soon, friends, and I hope you have a great weekend!
