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FIVE YEAR BLOGIVERSARY

06.25.14






On June 11, Tea Talk turned FIVE! WOW! Five years ago I started this blog as a way to show my then boyfriend, now husband, what I was doing and seeing while away in Colorado for the summer. I really only intended for him to see it, but as time went on that summer I realized that there was a whole community of amazing bloggers out there who loved sharing bits of their life like I did. After the summer came to a close, I continued to blog about my own daily life, college, my love for downtown Phoenix, coffee and later on my daily outfits. 

My blog has truly seen me through the best of days, and the worst of days, and I couldn’t be more thankful to have this space to write, create, learn and grow in. However, I couldn’t have done this without the support of Scott, who has been there with me from day one. He has always encouraged me to write, create and most importantly, have fun. My blog wouldn’t be what it is today without him, and I’ll forever be thankful for his love, support, photography skills, and always making me smile and laugh through this crazy journey.

Tea Talk also would not be what it is today without all of you, whether you’ve been reading for years or just a day, thank you for all of your kindness, love and support. I’m truly grateful for you all. I’ve met so many amazing people and had so many wonderful opportunities because of Tea Talk, and for this, I’ll forever be thankful for this space I like to call home.

Thank you all of inspiring me and keeping me motivated these past five years. Here’s to many, many more years to come!

Love,
Chelsea xo
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OUR WEDDING RECEPTION HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

06.25.14
Tonight I wanted to share our wedding reception highlight video with ya’ll! I know I’ve been a bit slow to share all of the details of our big day, but I promise, they’re coming! Our videographer, Lars of Romantic Wedding Videos, did an amazing job of capturing all of the special, sweet, and silly moments from our reception, and honestly, we couldn’t be more thankful to have had him capture our special day! We love Lars and his beautiful wife, Caitlin (who caught my bouquet!). 
Ok, now please excuse while I go and watch this 100 times more and have a good cry because our wedding was so beautiful and perfect and I’m married to the man of my dreams! 
Enjoy!
-Chels (& Scott too) xo 
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BLUE SKIES, GREEN EYES

06.20.14





Outfit details:
Blouse: Loft
Necklace: Etsy
Purse: Madewell Transport Tote
American Eagle leggings
Blowfish Shoes sandals
I might be standing in my favorite go-to place in these pictures, but right now I’m typing away in a cozy breakfast nook in West Valley City, Utah. We’ve been here since Tuesday, and so far we’ve seen a ton of rain, the streets of downtown Salt Lake City, and spent time laying in the grass on a warm and sunny day. There’s six of us and two dogs staying in a small place, so at night we’ve all been piling in and sleeping on the comfiest spot we can find. It doesn’t seem so fun when I wake up with a crick in my neck from laying funny on the couch all night, but these are the days I know I’ll look back on and say remember when. You know those ordinary but incredibly memorable days, right? I knew you would! 
Anyways, yesterday we accidentally took a giant tour of SLC and it’s surrounding cities after a wrong turn and no where to turn back around. I’m so used to living on a grid where it’s super easy to get turned back around, but here, with all of it’s twists and turns, you could spend an hour trying to get back to where you were. Oh well! I did enjoy the drive, though, and got to take in a little more of SLC than I usually do. I’ve seriously been ooing and awing over all of the grass and trees here (ask Scott), and have taken every chance I’ve had to kick my shoes off and walk around in the soft grass. It may sound silly, but to someone from Phoenix whose grass is currently crispy from the sun, this is a totally luxury! 
Happy first day of Summer, friends! Let’s make this one count and enjoy every pool day, snow cone break and picnic we can!
-Chelsea xo
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WHAT’S GOOD, SLC?

06.18.14




Yesterday morning Scott, myself and his two brothers caught a 6am flight to Salt Late City to visit my parents. Scott and I’s morning started very early at a perky 3:15am! I couldn’t have been asleep for more than four hours (I stayed up late editing photos and being a procrastinator), and at at the first site of light my eyes began burning – ouch! After we got moving, though, we were dressed, sipping on coffee and heading out the door by 4am.

 Our quick flight went smoothly and I may have gotten a short nap in before we landed in a very cold and rainy SLC. Unfortunately, none of us were prepared for such chilly temperatures, so we later dug through my folks’ clothes and found raincoats and hats that would suit us all. We spent the rest of the morning relaxing, playing with the pups, and enjoying the cooler weather.

Later in the afternoon, we took a drive out to downtown SLC to check out some shops, coffee shops, and take a little walk in the rain. On our walk we found this neat St. Pepper-esque mural, right across from The Rose Establishment where we stopped for coffee. SLC is a pretty neat place, and I’m excited to be here taking a little break from the heat and spending time with family!

 Do you have any favorite restaurants/shops/coffee shops/parks in SLC?
-Chelsea xo

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CITIZEN HOME DECOR LOVE

06.15.14

Many of you may or may not know that my husband, Scott, is a super talented guy. From painting to woodworking, to landscaping, font design and more, he’s got a wonderfully creative and design-minded eye. Well, did you know that he has his own business, Citizen Home Decor, where he sells his handmade wooden plaques, coasters, bunting and more? I know I’ve mentioned this here before (like when he launched last August!), but I wanted to share a few links again because Citizen HD has become such a fun and fulfilling part of our life. Over the past ten months, we’ve truly enjoyed working together on this (him-designing and creating, me-wifely support and sometimes social media), and I would love for you to take a peek at Citizen Home Decor’s Etsy shop. Scott loves working on custom orders, so if you have something special you would like to have made, please don’t hesitate to send a message his way. The darling Texas plaque above was a recent custom order that he made and I love how it turned out! 
You can find Citizen Home Decor on Etsy, Instagram, and Twitter!
Also, if you have a Citizen HD piece in your home, please be sure and share/tag us!
-Chelsea (& Scott!) xo
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EASY, BREEZY

06.12.14





Outfit details:
Free People Trapeze Slip
Handmade necklace: c/o A Lovely, Little Shop 
Madewell Transport Tote
Crowne Vintage sandals via DSW
It’s no secret I love a good black dress! When I asked for this Free People Trapeze Slip for Christmas last year both my husband and my mom were slightly shocked – you want a see-through slip? Well, yes. I do! I knew that while this piece is a bit out of my usual comfort zones, I figured it would be fun to layer it with other pieces to make it more me. In the winter I wore it with tights and long cardigans, and now I’m wearing it over a black cami and a black mini skirt. Scott and I were going on a little date to our favorite fish and chips joint, and this breezy number kept me cool during our walk around downtown Gilbert afterward. In other news, Scott and I have been super busy this week with work, have gall blatter scans taken (me! will keep you updated!), and getting ready for our trip up to Salt Lake City next week. We also restocked our Nespresso pod stash and have been drinking fancy coffees galore (no shame!). 
Only 8 more days until it’s officially summer – let’s do this!

-Chelsea xo

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#BCSummerRoadTrip + Enter to Win 6 Pairs of BC Shoes!

06.10.14

Today I’m teaming up with BC Footwear for their BC Summer Roadtrip! I’m one of 8 bloggers in 8 different cities who are sharing their favorite local spots in their hometown, as well as hosting an amazing giveaway where one lucky winner will win SIX pairs of BC Shoes and an awesome Summer Survival Kit. Many of you know that I have a huge passion for Phoenix, so I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to show off my city! Scott and I recently spent a few hours roaming around Phoenix and my Deal With It sandals were super comfy and definitely helped me to match the scenery — this amazing mural by local artist Andy Brown. I also couldn’t help but pull out some of my Southwest inspired vintage and handmade jewelry for the occasion! What can I say, I’m true to my roots!





Madewell top, Handmade necklace, Kate Spade purse, AE leggings, vintage ring,

Eat //

La Grande Orange Grocery — A grocery, pizzeria, and coffee bar all wrapped up into one! Their avocado pizza is amazing, and their green chili mac and cheese is a must-have. Don’t forget to have some gelato for dessert too!

Matts Big Breakfast – A famous diner-style breakfast and lunch joint that specializes in classic dishes and a cozy atmosphere. There is usually a long wait to get in, but I promise it’s totally worth it!

Coffee //

Royal Coffee Bar – A local coffee bar and roastery that is expanding like crazy right now. Their coffee is amazing, and their newest location is inside of an old historic carriage house (so neat!).

Lola Coffee – Local Coffee is bar far my favorite coffee shop in Phoenix. Their iced coffee is the best in the city, and their pastries are always unique and delicious. Lola never disappoints!

Shop //

Frances Vintage – My favorite local shop for unique gifts, clothes, and home decor! The owner and staff are incredibly helpful and kind, and they carry my husband’s handmade wooden state plaques and coasters (Citizen Home Decor)!

Cleo & Clementine – The most amazing indie bridal boutique in Phoenix! The ladies who work here are incredibly talented and create the most beautiful and unique bridal gowns, party dresses and handmade accessories.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below! On June 27th the BC Footwear team will be compiling all of the winners and choosing one who will win all six pairs of shoes + a Summer Survival Kit (I got one too and it’s chock full of awesome goodies!). Good luck! xo *US residents only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I’M A DREAMER

06.06.14






Outfit details:
Urban Outfitters vest
American Eagle t-shirt
Nordstrom Rack skirt
Crown Vintage sandals via DSW

Happy Friday, friends! I woke up early this morning for a doctor’s appointment, and then treated myself to a vegan pumpkin + blueberry mini loaf and an iced coffee. I sat outside on the patio and it felt so good to soak up the cool breeze and dream, draw, and jot down notes about what I want to do this summer. I’ve been feeling so inspired lately, and dreaming about how I can help to expand Scott’s online shop, Citizen Home Decor, over the next few months. I really want to create my own pieces and sell things alongside him – wouldn’t that be fun? I’m still in the inspiration stage, so we’ll see where this takes me! If you have any ideas or thoughts on products you would like to see Scott and I make and sell, please let me know!

So I hear it’s National Donut Day? Well, I never pass up a good excuse to have a donut so I think I’ll be partaking later today. Scott’s almost home and we’re going out for a lunch date – no clue where to yet! I also kind of want to go see The Fault in Our Stars today, but I’m hearing mixed reviews about it. I know I would cry like a baby watching it, but does it have a good plot line? I guess we’ll see! We went to the movies last night and saw X-Men, and I can already tell that this is going to yet again be the summer of movies — the best way to beat the heat on a hot summer day, right?

What are your weekend plans?
-Chelsea xo

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SEEING GREEN

06.05.14






Outfit details:
Blouse: TJ Maxx
Crystal neckalce (old): c/o Mariebee
Rose ring: vintage
Jeans: American Eagle
Booties: Jeffrey Campbell
Knee high by the 4th of July – that’s how fast they say corn should grow. Well, I think our neighbor’s cornfield didn’t get the memo because come Independence Day it’s going to be towering over me! I’m not complaining, though, this cornfield is mighty pretty look at when the sun is setting on these immensely hot pre-summer days. Anyways, its been a pretty busy week around here, but I’ve definitely been taking the time to relax and indulge in a few treats (my recent obsession with Whole Foods’ macaroons is almost out of control). Last night, Scott and I hung out with four of our closest friends until almost midnight munching on snacks and telling old dating stories and laughing at the past. It’s pretty neat because all of us (three couples) have all been married within the last year, so we get to talk about newlywed life and share stories from our first year of marriage. It’s seriously so nice to have someone else that understands that you’re still getting used to your husband leaving his dirty socks around everywhere and can laugh at your funny lingo and gestures that you’ve made up together. Not gonna lie, marriage is pure bliss!
Today is going to be another busy day, but for now sipping on iced coffee (it’s so hot outside) and trying to ignore the mass amounts of laundry we have to do today (real life, ya’ll). I’m out for now,but I’ll be back with another post soon – promise!
What are you up to today?
-Chelsea xo
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PALETA DATE

06.02.14







Outfit details:
Madewell top
Vintage & Jcrew bracelets
AE jeans
Madewell Transport Tote
Madewell sandals
Happy June! While it may not be officially summer yet, it sure feels like it in Phoenix. Scott and I have been doing our best to beat the heat by spending time in the pool, watching movies inside with the air conditioner on as high as it will go, and going on paleta dates at our favorite local shop – Paletas Betty. Since 2010, this handmade and small batch paletas shop has been serving up unique and flavorful fruit pops and auguitas. I’m personally a big fan of their non-dairy pops, and Scott usually goes for their more creamy flavors. This time around we got pineapple and nuez (cream + pecans), but next time I’m hoping they have this amazing melon and mint paleta that is seriously to die for.
This weekend went by way too fast, but we did see the movie Chef (loved it), went swimming, and had dinner twice with two of our best friends. Today I’m taking it slow and thinking about making a whole french press of iced coffee (yum!), and then taking myself on a little day date (shopping + mall walking is my favorite). 
How was your weekend?
-Chelsea xo
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