Outfits

THE WINTER SOLSTICE

12.22.16

Christmas week is here! I had all intentions of putting this post up early in the week, but the days have seem to be going by way too fast! Scott and I have been spending our evenings finishing up our holiday baking, wrapping gifts for our loved ones and getting into the Christmas spirit with a little pre-holiday celebration with two of our closest friends (which ended in a blush-worthy game of Cards Against Humanity, might I add — haha). With one full day to go before Christmas Eve, I think we’ve done pretty well for ourselves this year — presents wrapped, cookies baked and our fridge is stocked full with everything we need to make for Christmas morning brunch (a tradition around here). We’ll just call it a Christmas miracle, ok! 😉

Now that the shortest day of the year has finally come and gone, I’m really looking forward to longer days and more hours with the sun! I know that winter has just begun, and it may be awhile until we see the affects of longer days — but I’m happy to know that they’re on their way. I’ve also been really thankful for these cool and rainy days we’ve been having around here lately — makes it feel like it’s actually time for Christmas and not just a warm spring day here in the desert. Since I know our cold days are limited, I’ve been doing my best to wear my warmest sweaters and jackets while I can! This snowflake inspired sweater was a Black Friday purchase and one of my favorite purchases of the season. Pairing it with red lips and a red purse made the outfit feel so festive! Red has always been a color that I’ve felt drawn to (I like how it pops with my bright hair), and I’ll gladly being wearing it throughout the rest of the season. Do you have a color that makes you feel like you? Or one that you just naturally gravitate toward? It might sound silly, but my Dad’s is blue — always and forever. And now I’m seeing Scott pick up his trend! It’s actually pretty cute! 🙂

What do your Christmas plans look like this year? Every year they look a bit the same around here (which I’m totally ok with!), but I’m always looking for a new tradition to add into our routine. This holiday season is our first in our very own place, which has been magical and a very humbling experience in its own. I’ve done my best to add a bit of cheer to every nook and cranny, whether it be with a pop of red, tiny woodland animals with scarves on them (a favorite Target purchase from year’s past) or a fresh pine garland — our home is feeling mighty Christmassy, warm and bright! So I guess you could say this year’s new tradition is decorating our own home, together. AWH! Now you’ve got me all teary eyed, haha!

Vince Camuto Hat (similiar!)                                                                                           
Loft Fringed Snowflake Sweater 
Weekender Watch c/o Timex
Madewell High-Rise Skinny Jeans                                                                                                         Piper Leather Crossbody c/o Fossil                                                                                                       Madewell Billie Boots

Ok, friends, I’m out for a bit but hope to be back here soon! If you’re in need of another read, my sweet friend Sarah just posted her first #TiredLadyStyle blog post and I’m in LOVE with her realness! Plus, this lady is such a gem and a true friend that I’m so grateful to have in my life! So give her post a read! Happy Thursday!

-Chelsea xo

Outfits

AMONG THE COTTON FIELDS

12.15.16

Hello! Well, we’re half-way into December and this is the first outfit I’ve shared all month! How did this happen? Well, in honesty — these short days are kicking my butt and we just haven’t seemed to be able to squeeze in any photos lately! I have been sharing lots over on Instagram, though — including photos from our recent handmade markets (where we’ve been spending most of our free time lately). Anyways, busy-ness aside — it feels good to be back sharing an outfit and an evening that I particularly loved back in November. 

It’s funny, but this cotton field has been calling my name for years. Every October, we drive by this big open field as we make our way to the local pumpkin for some autumn fun. This year, I told Scott that I just couldn’t let this pretty scenery pass us by anymore, and that we had to check it out for ourselves before it was picked and gone until next season. One evening, we drove down this old dusty road in hope that we would make it here in time before the sun fully set. Needless to say, we made it just in time!

These pretty little cotton buds get me every time — each beautiful in their own unique way. 

This heavy-weight linen dress has been on heavy rotation in my closet lately. I posted about my crush on Pyne & Smith awhile ago (handmade, mostly linen dresses), and shortly after purchased my very first piece from them. This dress is made of their winter-weight linen and is perfect to wear on its own on a warmer day here in the desert, but is also great for layering up with black tights and a cozy sweater. I already have my eye on a few other of their dresses for this winter and the coming warmer seasons, but for now — I’m just loving on this handmade dress.

So how has your December been? Cool and calm? Crazy and a bit frantic? I think I’m somewhere in-between. This holiday market season was by far our busiest (and most successful!), but now that we’ve wrapped up our last market — I’m already dreaming of our next. Scott and I have been dreaming up new products, and I’m really excited to see where 2017 takes our small business! It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost four years since Citizen Home Decor first started! 

This guy has been working all sorts of crazy hours and days lately, but its been amazing to see him love and enjoy everything that he’s putting his time into and watching our business grow! This year also marks our 11th Christmas together, and while I’m feeling a bit behind getting into the holiday spirit (we haven’t even started our holiday baking yet!), I’m really excited to take in every bit of the holidays over the next 10 days (what?!)! 

Outfit Details:                                                                                       
Pyne & Smith Linen Dress
Gigi Pip Claire 2                                                                                                                        Madewell Billie Boots 

Ok, friends — I’m out for the day! But I want to know — how has your holiday been so far? Do you have a favorite Christmas cookie recipe? Finished all of your shopping yet? Favorite Christmas song?

-Chelsea xo

Lifestyle

10 WINTER ACTIVITIES TO DO IN COLORADO

12.12.16

With the holiday season in full force, I’ve been dreaming of a wintry getaway! Colorado is one of my favorite places to experience the snow and take in all that winter has to offer, and while it’s been a handful of years since I’ve watched the snow fall around the Rockies, I still love hearing about all the fun activities they have going on during the season! Curious? Here are 10 winter activities to do in the Colorado Front Range (along with a few photos from my trip to the area back in the summertime) — 

Boulder: Ugly sweaters and the best elf costume contest? Count me in for evening at the Eldora Mountain Resort! Looking for something fun for the whole family? St. Nicks on the Bricks is perfect for all ages, and I hear Santa will be there too! 😉 

Estes Park: Even when I’m traveling, I do my best to shop local! From now until the 30th, you can shop local at the Festive Fridays in Estes Park! Looking to do a little more shopping or just see some amazing local art? The Annual Holiday Art Show at Earthwood Galleries has you covered! 

Loveland: The city of Loveland is exceptionally beautiful, so why not spend a little time outside (even in the wintertime!). The 2nd Annual Christmas Walk in the Woods begins this weekend and would be the perfect event to bundle up and experience a wintry wonderland with family and friends. If the great outdoors aren’t really your thing, or you just want to stay out of the cold, Santa’s Workshop at Centerra would be the perfect option for you! 

Greeley: When I was in Greeley this past summer, I heard nothing but great things about the Colorado Model Railroad Museum that’s located in their charming town. During the holiday season, their calendar is jammed pack with festive events to celebrate the holiday season — Nights Trains with Santa, Christmas Eve at the museum and a New Year’s Eve celebration! See their full line-up here

Fort Collins: I’m all about traditions when it comes to the holidays, and FC’s Garden of Lights is a Northern Colorado tradition that is sure not to be missed! The garden is decked out in thousands of lights, and is filled with live music, entertainment, warm drinks and more! If something inside is more your jam, having tea at the beautiful Avery House would do the trick! 

Longmont: I’ve never visited Longmont during the wintertime, but I can only image how beautiful it would be! They currently have a full calendar of events for the winter months, but if snowboarding, live music and craft breweries are your thing, then you should definitely check out the Left Hand Brewing Company’s Hops + Handrails event later this season! 

Do you have any plans to head to Colorado this winter? If so, what towns/cities will you be headed to? My folks will be visiting later this season and Scott and I are thinking about joining them we can see the snow fall and get some good use out of our winter coats, haha! Be sure to check out my first and second post on my trip to the Colorado Front Range for more stories, photos and suggestions on where to eat, play and stay in the CFR! I’ll be back again soon, but until then I hope ya’ll are having a great Monday!

-Chelsea xo

A huge thank you is in order to the Colorado Front Range for having me and for sponsoring this post!

Lifestyle

HOLIDAY WREATH PARTY WITH WELCH’S

12.08.16

The holidays are here and I love nothing more than getting together all of our friends and family for an evening of fun! Over the years, we’ve done Christmas cookie parties, gingerbread house making parties, and even the occasional bonfire on a particularly cold evening in the desert. This year, though, I thought it would be fun to have a little holiday wreath decorating party! The kind folks over at Welch’s recently challenged us to share how we plan on bringing the sparkle this holiday season, and with a delicious and festive drink to share with everyone — it was an easy challenge to take on! Here’s a few tips and tricks for throwing your on holiday wreath making party —

Gather your supplies and set your table! Since we decided to use store-bought wreaths to avoid the mess and  have blanket canvas ready to go, we gathered a few bits and bobs that would take our wreaths to the next level. We gathered pine cones from our backyard, sticks of holiday berries from our local grocery store, popcorn, whole cranberries, and a few pieces of our own holiday decor that would make our wreath that much more personal. 

To bring a little sparkle and sweetness into our party, we poured a few glasses of Welch’s Non-Alcoholic Sparkling to get in the holiday spirit. Growing up, we always had their white grape juice in our home for special occasions, a tradition that we plan on carrying into our family celebrations. Welch’s Non-Alcoholic Sparkling also makes a great hostess gift, and is something we often bring with us to parties — because everyone loves a sparkling drink, especially during the holidays!

Now that we have our supplies and a delicious drink, it’s time to decorate our wreath! Like I mentioned, to save time and be a little more mess-free, we opted for a pre-made pine wreath that was under $20 from our local grocery store. It came with a few pine cones and fake berries already attached, so we decided to go with the theme and continue our decorating with similar items. One of my biggest tips I have when it comes to decorating is to always “fluff” out your wreath before your start attaching your bits and pieces. I like to make sure nothing looks squished and gently pull apart the branches so it looks more full and lush.  

Once you feel happy with your base, it’s time to start decorating! We started with a few of Scott’s handmade ornaments that are special to us, like this shape of Arizona with a big heart right in the middle.

We also added in a handmade banner that a close friend hand-lettered our last name onto, and then another one of Scott’s cactus ornaments to even more represent our home in the desert.  

We added in a few pine cones next to round out the few that came with the wreath. We found these in our backyard, but I know they carry them at craft stores this time of year if you’re on the hunt for them.

A Swedish Dala Horse to represent my heritage was the last piece we added on! I’ve been loving the Scandinavian holiday vibes that have been floating around Pinterest lately, so I thought it would be fun to bring a little of that into our own home and pay homage to my ancestors. To me, it’s all about those little details that make your wreath unique and truly you. Don’t forget that strung berries and popcorn are always a nice festive touch, along with a giant a red bow or even battery powered LED lights to bring a little sparkle and shine to your wreath during the evening time. 

And that’s it! Super easy and fun, and a perfect way to spend time with and host your friends and family this holiday season! I would love to know you’ve done a wreath decorating party in the past, or if you have a special memory tied to Welch’s Non-Alcoholic Sparkling juices! I’m sure this will be the first of many wreath parties in our home, and I look forward to sharing this tradition for years to come. 

Thank you so much to Welch’s for sponsoring this post!

Lifestyle

OH, CHRISTMAS TREE

12.06.16

Wow, where did the weekend go? With two craft fairs on the calendar from Friday to Sunday, Monday seemed to be here before we knew it! And while most evenings Scott and I crashed early after wrapping up the market for the day, we did take a few minutes to finish decorating our tree! We like them tall, skinny and full of ornaments and lights around here — if you couldn’t already tell, haha! Less is more is definitely not my motto when it comes to Christmas decorations, and the rest of our house is feeling just as cozy! A lot of our ornaments are from handmade makers, so I thought I would share a few sources in case you’re still in need of your 2016 ornament —

Her Name Is Mud makes the most beautiful, handmade ceramic ornaments! We have her Arizona shaped ornament hanging on our tree, along with a few of her “ugly sweaters” that are just too cute for words! 

– Picking up an ornament from Katie Sterbenz with the year on it is a must! Our 2015 ornament is on a tiny wood slice, and this years’ is made out of copper! 

– Proud wife moment — my husband makes the sweetest, wooden ornaments and I love filling our tree with them! You can see his wooden Arizona state shape ornament, along with a black prickly pear cactus from here! 

Anyways, the list can go on and on! I love picking up a new ornament (or two, or three) every year to add to our growing collection. Anyone else feel the same? Do you have a favorite new ornament this year? Please share links if you have them!

-Chelsea xo 

Lifestyle

THE MOST FESTIVE NIGHT OF THE YEAR

12.02.16

Happy December, friends! First off, Scott and I wanted to send out a HUGE thank you for all of your kind words regarding our Design*Sponge home tour feature! We couldn’t feel more grateful for the opportunity to share our small space, and really appreciate all of your love and support. Aside from that, I just wanted to quickly share that tonight is the most festive night of the year here in Phoenix — Crafeteria 2016 is here! Scott and I have been attending Frances Crafeteria for years now, and have been selling there with Citizen Home Decor for the past four years. We love our Frances family and truly enjoy getting to celebrate the holidays with our Phoenix community! If you’re in the area, I would definitely make your way to down to Frances tonight for all of the fun (50+ local vendors, live music, food trucks, etc!). Here’s to an amazing weekend, friends!

-Chelsea xo

Lifestyle

OUR HOME ON DESIGN*SPONGE

12.01.16

Scott and I are extremely honored to have our home featured on Design*Sponge today! We couldn’t be more grateful for Sofia Tuovinen who saw beauty in our tiny space and graciously worked with us to feature our home. Rennai Hoefer of Ten 22 Studio did an incredible job of capturing our place exactly how we see it — light, airy and a perfect mixture of the two of us.

Read all about why we chose our small space, our design process, and the bits and pieces that fill our home right here

-Chelsea & Scott xoxo

Outfits

COLD NOVEMBER

12.01.16

This past weekend, Phoenix finally experienced its first cold snap of the season! Mid 50’s during the day, and 30’s at night is a (chilly) dream come true for this desert rat. I’ve not so secretly been dying to bring out all of my hats, scarves and sweaters for weeks now, so I’m welcoming this cold weather with open arms! This flannel buffalo button-up is a favorite from last season, and its already been getting some good wear these past few days. I may have also picked a few new cozy pieces during all of the sales over the holiday weekend, and now my autumn/winter is feeling refreshed and ready to be out in full force! 

So far, this week has been pretty nutty! Scott and I have been in full-on work mode for the two markets we have this weekend, but we’ve been trying our best to squeeze in dinner together and get our Christmas decorating done. We put up and decorated our tree last night, and now our living room is feeling extra cozy. Neither of us have ever been “real” tree kind of people (which is so funny, considering we both love house plants), but this year I decided it would be nice to bring that fresh pine smell in with some tree clippings and pine garland that now can be found in every room in our house. Now, if only I can keep our kitties away from all of the decorations — they enjoy playing/destroying them way too much, haha! 

Ok, I’m calling this one short and quick tonight! I have a million and one things I want to accomplish, all mostly boring things like clean the dishes, paint my nails and run a load of laundry. Boring, I know — but I’m ready to head into December with a clean house and a clear mind! I have something really exciting to share tomorrow too, so until then — be back soon, friends! xo

Gigi Pip Quincey Hat                                                                                          
Madewell Ex-Boyfriend Flannel Shirt
Madewell High-Rise Skinny Jeans                                                                                                   Halogen Boots (similar)

Lifestyle

AROUND OUR HOME — 05

11.30.16

November, November — my have you gone by way too fast! Much like October, November has seemed to come and go faster than I could say Thanksgivin… — just kidding! Really, though, autumn 2016 will be going down in my book as the shortest season ever! 

We started the very beginning of the month by celebrating my mom’s birthday and getting back into the swing of things after our Palm Springs Getaway (promise to share more on that soon). We went to see one of our very favorite bands, Copeland, in a tiny old venue that holds special meaning to us. We attended a private, acoustic pre-show and I asked them to play our song — Coffee, and they did. I had chills down my spine and tears down my cheeks as they sang it just for us. That moment, I swear, will live with me forever. The second half of the month held craft fair prep for our small business, Citizen Home Decor, and a fun pop-up shop in downtown Mesa with a few of our friends. We celebrated Thanksgiving at home with our family and lots of pumpkin pie, and followed up the holiday weekend by selling on Small Business Saturday at Phoenix Flea! Now we’re getting ready for our next two markets (this Friday-Sunday in Phoenix (Crafeteria) and Tempe (Tempe Arts Festival)), and trying to get in as much holiday cheer as we can.

Aside from all the celebrations, here are a few things that I’ve been loving this month —

— Our newest ornaments are looking mighty cute on our tree [and on our table — 😉 ]! If you’re interesting in having them in your home this Christmas, you can find all three right here

— I’ve been working on giving our bedroom an autumn/winter update! Cozy throws and a new set of pillows having been doing the trick! I also just purchased a giant, dark indigo pillow from Mae Woven during their Black Sunday sale and I’m loving how it looks on our bed with two simple pillows behind it. 

– I’ve been a fan of the duo behind 3,191 Miles Apart for nearly a decade now, and I’ve been loving their latest book — A Year Between Friends. This would make a great Christmas present, and is chock full with beautiful photography, recipes, DIYs and more. 

How was your November? Are you ready for the holiday season? Have you gotten a Christmas tree yet? Tell me you’re watching the new season of Fixer Upper tonight! 😉

-Chelsea xo

Lifestyle

CITIZEN HD + A LITTLE DISCOUNT

11.28.16

Happy Cyber Monday! I wanted to quickly pop in here to say that as a small token of Scott and I’s  gratitude for all of your love and support with our handmade shop, Citizen Home Decor, we’re offering 25% off your entire order with the code happyholidays until midnight tonight! Grab your favorite state ornament, a black cactus and maybe even a green saguaro or two for your Christmas tree! We couldn’t do this without you, so thank you, thank you! 

With all of our love,

Chelsea and Scott xo