Almost 100 degrees in March? Woof! Phoenix really is SO hot right now! All puns aside, though, Scott and I did our best to beat the heat this weekend and have a little fun! On Friday, we found ourselves at the coolest old motel (will share more, but see a sneak peek here!) and then followed up the evening with a dinner date + a little shopping! On Saturday, we played it easy and did some work around the house before heading out to see Death Cab For Cutie. The show was wonderful and Ben Gibbard didn’t disappoint (although, he didn’t play my favorite tune — Photobooth). And today? Well, we’ve been taking it easy, working on a few projects, checking out the new local REI and getting prepped for another busy week! How was your weekend? What are you looking forward to this upcoming week? PS If you’re interested in the fun pendant above, Scott just listed them in our shop! Happy Sunday, friends!
It’s not secret — I love me a good throw pillow! Since moving into our home (almost a year ago!), I’ve acquired quite the pillow collection! Different tones, textures and sizes fill my not-so-small stash, and I’ve found simple pleasure in switching them around and out for the different seasons. Pillows seem to have this way of easily changing up the mood of any space, and are my favorite way to quickly refresh any spot in our home! In case you’ve ever wondered about my not-so-healthy pillow obsession, heres a few of my favs (mudcloth included!) —
And just for good measure, here’s a few of my favorite pillow shops —
Raise your hand if you’re a pillow addict like me? Do you like to switch and swap around your pillows to create a fresh space? Favorite shop to buy pillows from?
What a weekend! Scott and I spent the last few days playing tour guide to our dear friend Dawn (who kindly snapped the most amazing photos of us — promise to share more soon), along with celebrating the birth of one of our closest friends and fulfilling teenage dreams of finally see American Football in concert! To say it was a whirlwind would be an understatement, but it surely was a great one! How was your weekend, friends? What has you most excited about this week?
The weekend is here and Scott and I are SO excited for a very full couple of days — birthday celebrations, concerts and a photo session with the one and only Dawn Photo! Aside from that, I’ve been wanting to start a “weekend links” type of series for awhile now, so today I figured I would just go for it! Without further ado —
— It’s official, you can now find Citizen Home Decor’sArizona coasters at the Tuft & Needle Scottsdale showroom! Scott and I are over the moon excited to work with some an amazing local company, and it feels super special to see our handmade pieces in such a beautiful and rad store!
— Our sweet friends over at Alice & Ames launched their 2017 spring collection today and every piece is so darling! If you have a little girl or just a sweet one in your life — they need one of these darling dresses!
— Are we friends on Pinterest yet? I’ve been pinning a ton lately and getting so excited for the spring season – so many cactus and floral photos have been filling my feed!
— After reading Nicole’s New Orleans Travel Guide, my urge to visit this mysterious city is at an all-time high! Have you visited NOLA before? Any favorite places or spaces I should know about?
— You guys, the hype is real with the Madewell Skinny Overalls! I purchased them last week and have worn them multiple times since! Promise to share more about them soon, but trust me when I say the hype is very real!
If you’ve been reading my blog, following along with my Instagram Stories or really just have known me for any amount of time, you probably know how much music means to me. Growing up, I was the little girl who carried around a cassette player (yes, one of those dinosaur contraptions) and proudly let anyone and everyone know that I was listening to Barry White (I have my mom to thank for that one, ha!). In elementary school, I was obsessed with CDs and picked out my very first one at the bold age of seven. Can you guess what it was? Alanis Morisettee’s Jagged Little Pill, which, looking back — was probably a bit too old for me, but thanks to an alt-rock obsessed mother and two older cousins who were listening to the same, it seemed pretty harmless at the time.
In junior high and high school, my love and passion for music only continued and I could rarely be found without a pair of bulky headphones, a CD player, and later on – an original, pink iPod mini that I played into the ground. Between 2003 and 2006, I went to concerts almost every week, a tradition that I would continue on when I met the sweetest, piano playing boy at a local show in September of 2006 (can you guess who?). Music has always played a very big role in my life (in both of Scott and I’s lives for that matter, although his journey is very different than mine — maybe I should have him share sometime!), and is one that continues to grow and change as I’ve gotten older. And although I didn’t get into records until later on in life, I always knew they were very special (I have my dad’s passed down collection of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Beach Boys and other classic records to thank for that).
So here there are, a few of Scott and I’s favorite records from our personal collection:
Is This It by The Strokes// This record opened my eyes and ears to a music style that I desperately needed at the time. Radio pop had been taking over my life and this album was refreshing, fun and led me into a lifelong obsession with Julian Casablancas and The Strokes. And while Room On Fire will always be my favorite album by them, there’s just something so special about Is This It!
Give Up by The Postal Service// We played this record during the best day of our life thus far (our wedding day!), and for that — it’ll forever be a favorite of ours. I remember listening to this in high school for the first time, and feeling completely obsessed with its romantic lyrics and poppy melodies. Years later, we finally were able to hear this sung live (just weeks before we got engaged), and less than a year later I walked down the aisle to Such Great Heights (the Iron & Wine version, of course). Truth be told, I don’t think we’ll ever hear this album and not think of our wedding day!
Brother, Sister by MewithoutYou // Scott here – MewithoutYou is one of my all time favorite bands! One of their concerts was one of the first shows I went to in high school, and I remember feeling instantly mesmerized by their energy and unique style. I’ve seen them about ten times since then, but it never gets old. Brother, Sister was a very influential record for me, and was released during a very important time in my life (the day before I met Chelsea, to be exact)!
Set Yourself On Fire by Stars // Another high school throwback that shaped my taste in music for years to come! I used to play Your Ex-Lover is Dead on repeat back in the day, and still know every lyric from this album by heart! A few favorites include Ageless Beauty, The First Five Times and Reunion!
Deja Entendu by Brand New – Deja Entendu was the record that impacted my musical preferences the most during my high school days. I remember the first time I heard The Quite Things That No One Ever Knows, and how I felt the immediate urge to listening to everything that Brand New had ever put out. Today, my obsession with Jesse Lacey is alive and well, and I still find myself listening to this record regularly.
And there they are! Five records that we both love and have shaped our lives in some way or another throughout the years. To me, knowing someone’s musical tastes is like seeing a peek into their soul — different corners that you may not have expected, but somehow all make sense in the grand scheme of things. Do you have a record or two that you just love? Do you prefer listening to records, or find yourself turning on Spotify more often than not? While I love the convenience of listening to any and every song in a moments notice, there will always be something so special about putting a record on and just letting it spin!
Thanks for reading and be back soon, friends! -Chelsea xo
Another beautiful weekend in the desert has come and went! Scott and I spent the majority of it prepping and working at the spring Phoenix Flea event, which was super fun and went by so quickly! On Sunday, we did get to catch up on a few extra ZZZ’s, though, and took some time to chill out after a few weeks of prep! The weather has been SO beautiful lately, and since we know it won’t last for long — we’re taking every opportunity we can to eat al fresco, go for little walks around the neighborhood and spend time outside in this beautiful desert we call home!
Back to Phoenix Flea — this was our first time sell at the spring event, which we had signed up for well before Scott’s hand injury occurred. After it all happened, we knew it would be harder to get ready for the big event — but we ended up getting a lot of help from Scott’s dad, and truly just did the best we could with the time we had to prep. Ultimately, we had a lot of inventory (more than we expected we would get), and had a really wonderful time seeing lots of local friends, meeting a few sweet readers and getting to see our handmade pieces walk out the door with their new owners (sounds a bit silly, but it’s seriously SO rad to see someone purchase a piece that you put so much time and love into!). If you’re local and missed this event, I promise to keep you posted on the next one we’re at!
With the temperatures rising and rising, I’ve had my eyes and heart set on more spring tones and clothes the past few weeks. I’m just about ready to put away my heavy sweaters and coats (let’s be real, though — I haven’t really needed them for awhile now), and I’m looking forward to pulling out more of my dresses, sandals and sleeveless tops.
After a slow morning yesterday, Scott and I headed to mall for a bit so I could scope out a few new items for Spring — I haven’t been shopping since before our trip to Portland, so everything felt fresh and a bit more inspiring now that a new season is about to roll around. I ended up picking out a new dress, a pair of overalls (that I’m SUPER excited about!) and fun bag that I’m excited to style up and share with you guys! This spring is going to be a really good season when it comes to fashion — I can just feel it!
And now we’re off for another busy and productive week! We have lots of birthday celebrations, a sweet friend coming into town and two shows to attend (American Football and Owen)! Happy Monday, friends! xo
Hey, hey! Phoenix Flea is almost here and Scott and I are thrilled to have Citizen Home Decor participating again this spring! We can’t wait to see all of you locals there this Saturday, March 4th in downtown Phoenix at Heritage Square Park from 10am to 5pm! There is a $5 cash admission, but you can also purchase your tickets ahead of time online! Come see us, pick up an ornament or two (it’s never too early!) and shop 100+ local vendors on what’s to be a beautiful afternoon! Let us know if we’ll be seeing you there! 🙂
We’re less than four hours away from the month of March and I’m sitting here just thinking where exactly has this last month gone? Wow — February was certainly a whirlwind! Scott and I spent a good majority of the month going through the trials and tribulations that came along with his hand injury, and subsequent surgery to repair a much needed nerve (they’re all needed, really — but this one in particular is very important!). In February, we focused a lot on rest and doing anything and everything we could to get Scott into a good place with his hand. Great news, though — he’s doing awesome and definitely on the mend! I promise to share a longer update soon, but really — we honestly can’t thank you guys enough for all of the love and well wishes you sent our way. Thank you, thank you!
Anyways, the tail-end of this month has been all about prep for Phoenix Flea (see you Saturday, local folks!) and beginning to prepare for a busy month of fun shows, family time and maybe even a bit of travel!
Ready for a few peeks into our home during the month of February? Here they are —
— It’s true, I love switching up things on the mantle above our couch! I’ve noticed that even just the smallest of tweaks (an air plant here, a few vintage milk glass vases there) really changes the space up and makes the area feel new and fresh again. For reals, though, ask Scott — re-arranging this space has definitely become an obsession of mine, haha!
— Just about every season I feel the itch to update our bedding + pillow set-up in our bedroom! Lately, I’ve been loving our pillow combo (a mix of vintage mudcloth pillows from Maewoven and a few new cozy ones from West Elm) but I do have my eye on a new set of bedding from Parachute Home to really refresh this space for the coming warmer months! PS My sweet friend, Robyn, makes the most beautiful macrame wall hangings (she made the one above our bed!) and I can’t wait to pick up a bigger piece from her this weekend at Phoenix Flea!
– Our Kitty, Boots, was grabbing this particular Monday morning by the hor — err, handles! Haha — get it! 😉 I picked up this sweet seagrass basket from my friend Hilary’s shop, The Hill Shed, a few months ago and ever since bringing it into our home our kitties have been obsessed with it. It seems to make for the perfect nap spot, or just a place to hide from me when they want to be a bit naughty!
How was your February? Can you believe spring is almost here? It has been awfully warm in Phoenix lately, but I’m not quite sure that I’m ready for those hot, hot temps just yet!
Hope you’re having a wonderful week, friends! Here’s to a fresh, new month!
I have a confession to make — I have a bit of a succulent and cactus obsession! Even though I live in the desert and find myself surrounded by them in nature on the daily, I still love shopping for the perfect cactus or succulent to bring into our home! After visiting Portland and checking out all of their amazing greenhouses (seriously — Portland is filled with them!), I now feel more determined than ever to visit all the darling nurseries we have here in our very own city!
After visiting out friends over at UrbAna in Phoenix, Scott and I decided to check out a nearby garden shop, Berridge Nursery, before heading back to our side of town. This place is seriously huge and sells so many different kinds of plants, but of course — I was most interested in the succulent section! At wandering around the nursery for a bit and running into an old friend, we decided to pick up a few new plants to add to our growing indoor collection, and a couple to help fill out our small cactus garden we’ve been working on in our front yard (which is a major work in progress, but I love the color and life it’s bringing to the front of our home!).
The ponytail palm and string of pearls ended up coming home with us that day, along with two tall elephant bushes for our front yard. All of the employees here are super helpful and knowledgable in plant care, and were great in making suggestions for what would work best in our space. If you’re local to the area, I would definitely suggest stopping by Berridge Nursery one afternoon — don’t be mad if you come home with ALL of the succulents, though! They have some seriously cute ones!
Scott and I are gearing up for a super busy week — lots of prep for Phoenix Flea this week, but we’re so excited and can’t wait for Saturday! We’re also going to see The Shins on Friday night, which is seriously a dream come true — we’ve waited so long to see them live! What is your week shaping up to look like? Can you believe that March is almost here! Where has the beginning of this year gone? Weren’t we just in Portland! 😉 Here’s to an amazing week, friends!
“What we love most about our home is…how much it feels like us – from our favorite photos, handmade art and a fridge full of iced coffee.”
When Scott and I were working on the write-up portion of our Design*Sponge feature last August, the question of what we love most about our home felt like a daunting one. Do we share how thankful we are to have just have a space of our very own? Do we share that this space was something we dreamed of and prepared for, for many years before? Or do we share just the simple pleasures that we find in owning our own home? Well, I guess you can see that we chose the latter, but in all honesty — we love so much more than just the fridge full of iced coffee, the favorite photos and handmade art — we love that this tiny space is all ours and continues to be an incredible blessing in our life.
It’s a space to keep us safe from the harsh Arizona heat (the air conditioner was terrible in our old place). It’s a space that has allowed Scott and I’s creativity to grow (hello, expansion of Citizen HD and my passion for home decor). It’s a space where we’ve been able to grow our tiny family of kittens (three sassy cats and going strong), and one day — one of our very own.
In the end, we’re just so thankful to be able to call this little space our home! And in case you haven’t read our story yet, you can read about our decision and a bit about the process here — so crazy to think that I shared this almost a year ago! I also have so many more photos to share from our shoot with Rennai Hoefer that didn’t quite make it into our Design*Sponge feature — promise to share those really soon! Hope ya’ll have a wonderful weekend!
