Coming soon!
Welcome Home!
12.10.13
Welcome to my new layout! I’m so excited to finally be sharing with you something that I’ve been working toward for months now. The idea to polish up my design/layout has been stirring in my mind for well over a year now, and it feels so good to finally be sharing what I’ve been dreaming of. I loved my old design, in fact, one of my favorite bloggers designed it for me way back when – Tieka of Selective Potential – but with all of the changes life has brought over the past year (engagement, graduation, starting my career, planning a wedding!), it just felt like the right time for a fresh look and to bid ado to my beloved blog design:
I enlisted the help of the very talented Maiedae team to help make my design dreams come true. They were amazing to work with, and listened to every concern and question that I had a along the way. They helped merged my vision of a clean design with the familiarity of the Tea Talk design that I’ve known and loved over the years. I switched to a two column layout, made my photo section slightly bigger, and cleaned up key elements (navigation, header, social buttons, etc.).
Thank you for your patience, as my blog was down the past few hours in order to make this magic happen. Also, thank you SO much to Savannah and the Maiedae team for a design that it so me and is exactly what I was looking for. I hope you enjoy the new look, and here’s to an amazing December!
-Chelsea xo
WRAPPING UP AUTUMN
12.09.13We officially have 12 days left of fall and I can hardly believe it. This fall has brought wedding plans galore, finding joy in pumpkin spice americanos, and lots of moments spent exploring the beauty that is The Orchard. This fall was mild at the most, but I still enjoyed bundling up on those days when the temperature dipped down and left us with a cool breeze.
This fall I found comfort in my favorite light layers, midi and ankle boots, and a rose gold watch. Since starting to post my outfits way back in 2010, I’ve enjoyed looking back on the years and seeing how my style has changed (or hasn’t in many ways). From then to now, I’m still into lots of layers, boots, and jewelry, but this fall I’ve felt a little more refined and office ready. While some of my daily office wears haven’t made it to my blog, I feel confident in saying that my new surroundings definitely keep me wanting to polish up my style. There’s nothing wrong with that, right? Right!
Winter brings upon a very special time of year, and this year’s chilly season holds a time in my life that I’ll cherish for years to come. Now are the days where we get to say, “We’re getting married next month,” and we get to practice calling each other “husband” and “wife.” This winter is going to be one for the books, and I can’t wait to be his wife.
To top off the fall season, Scott and I had a perfect weekend together working on wedding plans, Christmas shopping, going out for breakfast and brunch, eating dinner at home, and watching Christmas movies on ABC Family. Scott hasn’t had a weekend off where he wasn’t working somewhere else in over a year, so these past two days were well deserved and extremely appreciated. I’ve caught myself swooning over him so many times this weekend, especially when he was trying on wedding bands. Sigh!
Outfit details:
Jacket: Target
Top: c/o DownEast Basics
Jeans: Levi’s
Watch: Fossil
Bracelets: Vintage & Jcrew
Boots: Steve Madden
Tomorrow something big is coming to the blog! I’ve been waiting for this for months now, and I can’t wait to finally share it all with you! Promise to keep you all updated — it’s going to be fresh, clean, and amazing! Any guesses?
-Chelsea xo
The Phoenix Flea
12.09.13Last weekend Scott and I sold at our first ever craft fair, The Phoenix Flea. Being the inaugural year, and our first time selling other than wholesale, Scott and I went into the two day craft fair with wide expectations and hopes for the best weekend. Well, we ended up having a nice Friday and even better Saturday selling our handmade goods, seeing friends, and living the craft fair life.
Scott’s booth, for his Citizen Home Decor, was a work of love and lots of fun to put together. We sold ornaments, wall plaques (two sizes), coasters, and chalkboard bunting. The ornaments were a huge hit and we sold out mid-day Saturday (we had 100 ornaments with us!).
Scott and I had great time chatting with all of the craft fair goers, and spending two whole days together (a blessing when you have opposite schedules). We bundled up like it was going to snow on Friday, but slowly as the day went on, off the layers came (I did keep the super cozy socks and ski hat on, though!).
The Phoenix Flea was held in the gazebo of Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix, a historic district that dates back to 1895. It’s seriously one of the most well preserved and beautiful areas in Phoenix, so spending two whole days there wasn’t hard at all. It’s also a very popular place to take family photos, so oftentimes I was dodging photography sessions as I took a few moments to walk around and enjoy my coffee.
On the second day of the flea our pal Perry, aka The Coffee Chop, and his lovely girlfriend, Kiley, set up their mobile coffee cart right next to our booth. Perry and Kiley were kind enough to keep us well caffeinated and we’re the best company for a fun day at the flea. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have three, maybe four lattes that day!
Saturday also brought the most delicious breakfast from Cartel Coffee Lab. Scott and his mom made the trek to their downtown location from Heritage Square to get us breakfast to go. I would give this mixture of eggs, potatoes, toast, and an a pancake an A+! Can’t forget Perry’s latte either!
We had a quite a few sweet friends stop by to support us during the flea. Katherine came down with family and I couldn’t be more happy that she stopped by. Can’t wait to see her again at my bridal shower next weekend!
Scott and I were also excited to support our neighboring vendors, and ended up leaving with four awesome prints. My favorite of the bunch has to be this “Death before Decaf” print from The Letter House!
Like I said…we had A LOT of delicious coffee this weekend! Overall, The Phoenix Flea was a big hit and we can’t wait for their next event!
Have you been to any craft fairs lately? How was your weekend?
-Chelsea xo
Crafeteria 2013
12.06.13
Today’s the day! The 8th Annual Crafeteria is here! This year Scott and I have a super sweet booth and will be selling his Citizen Home Decor pieces – ornaments, plaques, coasters, and a few clocks! We’ll be there from 6-10pm in the Frances Vintage parking lot (Medlock Plaza – 10 W. Camelback Phoenix, AZ 85013) and we hope that all of you local folks can make it out! Please stop by, say hi, and pick up a few goodies for you and your loved ones! We can’t wait to see you there!
-Chelsea xo
Fading Fields
12.05.13On the first day of December I went out without a sweater and sipped on an iced coffee. Today, it’s 40 degrees out and I wouldn’t dream of going outside without being bundled up! I know 40 degrees may seem like nothing to some of you who live in colder states, but for this desert rat, it’s cold!
This week feels like it has flown by! While Scott has been prepping for Crafeteria, aka “The Best Indie Craft Festival in Phoenix,” according to The New Times, I’ve been working toward sprucing things up on this old blog of mine and checking wedding errands off of my to-do list. Scott and I have been attending Crafeteria for a good four or five years now, and every year it’s better than the next. The handmade items are always amazing, the food is great (Short Leash Hot Dogs!), and the Christmas atmosphere also puts me in the best mood! We usually have a big reunion with all of our friends too, running into a familiar faces at every booth. This will be the first year that Scott and I will be selling at Crafeteria, and we’re both really excited for our booth and to see all of our friends in one place! Will we be seeing you there? Friday, December 6th (tomorrow) from 6pm to 10pm at the Medlock Plaza – 10 W. Cameblack Phoenix, AZ 85013.
To top off a busy and exciting week, Scott and I also finished putting together our wedding invites last night (!!!). and today we’re mailing them off! We’ve also been slowing working on our Christmas decorations, and tonight we’re putting up our tree. Even though this is our 8th Christmas together, this year feels extra special. Come next Christmas, we’ll have been married for almost an entire year! Crazy to think about! I’m thinking that now is the time to start a new Christmas tradition, something special we can take with us into our married life. Ever year we have an advent calendar, we go to Crafeteria, we make fudge and sugar cookies, and last year we went ice skating at an outdoor ice skating rink in downtown Phoenix for the first time. Do you have any Christmas traditions?
I’m so excited to bundle up tonight with a mug of hot coco and decorate our tree! Christmas is only 20 days away and I’m ready to dive into the Christmas spirit! Last night we watched a really cheesey holiday movie about a woman sold Christmas trees on a street corner in New York City and met the love of her life while wearing a silly holiday get up. Tonight just might call for another cheesy movie, or maybe even a cult classic – Love, Actually anybody?
Outfit details:
Heaband: BP at Nordstrom’s
Necklace: Etsy
Top: Last Chance
Bracelets: Kate Spade & Jcrew
Watch: Fossil
Jeans: Levi’s
Boots: c/o Blowfish Shoes
What’s your favorite holiday movie? Do you have an advent calendar this year?
-Chelsea xo
Arizona Autumn
12.04.13Today has been a blessing in disguise. I’ve been feeling quite crummy for the past week or so, so I made a doctor’s appointment to try and kick this cold. Well, a positive appointment, a yummy iced coffee, and an afternoon spent working from home really turned my day around and put me in a great mood! Don’t you love when things turn around unexpectedly? The gorgeous fall weather didn’t hurt either — it’s hard to believe that the season is quickly coming to an end. I feel like Phoenix is just now getting the fall memo. Come on, PHX!
A few Saturdays back, Scott and I had breakfast date at The Coffee Shop in Gilbert. Scott usually works Saturday mornings (and Sunday mornings too), so getting to have breakfast together felt extra special. We sat outside on the patio, sipped our coffees, and filled our bellies with delicious food — The Coffee Shop makes a mean breakfast sandwich! After we finished up we took a walk around the Agritopia community garden. I was in awh of all of the fall colors we saw on our walk – red and yellow grape leaves galore! We may be a little late to the game, but boy are we making up for it now.
Other than basking in this glorious weather before a cold front settles in later this week, Scott and I have been busy working on our wedding invites and getting ready for Crafeteria this Friday. Scott has been working in his workshop nonstop, and I’ve been working, getting my wedding dress fitted (!!!), and stuffing our invites. I still can’t believe our wedding day is less than two months away! My bridal shower is also in less than two weeks and I can’t wait to celebrate with my favorite ladies. My invites are so beautiful and I’m already feeling so spoiled. Ok, ok, I’ll stop gushing now! 😉
Outfit details:
Scarf: Target
Cardigan: Target
Top: Jcpenney
Purse Coach
Jeans: Gap
Boots: DSW
How has your week been so far? Anything unexpectedly brighten your day today?
Will we be seeing you at Crafeteria?
-Chelsea xo
Sunset Reflections
12.02.13
December, December – I can hardly believe you’re here! November went by in a snap, and I woke up yesterday morning thinking I still had one day left to savor November, but alas, December is here. November was yet again another busy month – wedding planning, working, Thanksgiving, and working our first craft fair in downtown Phoenix. I’m a bit sad to see the month go, but December holds so much happiness and promise of great days. Now, if only the weather would stay cool and chilly so I could bundle up more!
Scott and I had a busy weekend between spending time with our families, giving thanks, shopping a teeny, tiny bit, and spending two full days in downtown Phoenix at the Phoenix Flea. I plan on doing a full post to share our booth and a few thoughts, but for now, I’ll just say that we had a nice time and sold out of all of our Arizona ornaments! We also stayed well caffeinated the second day of the flea because our friend Perry set up his coffee cart right next to our booth – cue multiple lattes + cute latte photos! Perry and his sweet girlfriend, Kiley, made the best drinks and we’re so excited that they’re going to be at Crafeteria with us! We look forward to Crafeteria every year and we’re so excited to be selling this year along with so many amazing local artists!
Outfit Details:
Hat: Target
Cardigan: Last Chance
Jeans: Gap
Bag: c/o Emilie M.
Moccs: Minnetonka Moccasins
Our sunsets have been killing it lately – something about that late fall light. I debated about posting these photos since the color is a bit off, but I just couldn’t let this amazing sunset glow go. Happy December, sweet friends! Here’s to a magical month!
-Chelsea xo
The Last of the Pumpkins
11.27.13
While digging through some recent photos, I found these gems that I forgot to post from our trip to Schnepf Farms back in October. Seeing that Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I’m sure most of us will be in full-on Christmas mode come the 29th, today feels like my last chance to share these before they feel out of date (but, ya know, autumn is here to say until December 20th!). Going to Schnepf Farms is a tradition that we’ve held strong to for years now – the pumpkins, the corn fields, and the yummy food is something we look forward to all year long!
This year the pumpkin patch did not disappoint, and we had the best homemade brick oven pizza ever! When the sun started to set, we sat by a campfire and roasted a marshmallow or two, picked out our tiny pumpkin, and took the back roads home. Going to the pumpkin patch is something I’ll always cherish during the fall, and I’m thankful that I have such a sweet guy to share these memories with year and after.
Tomorrow we’re headed to the Phoenix car show with my folks, having dinner at my cousin’s, stopping by Scott’s mom, and then heading out to Scott’s grandparents house for dessert! This is our first year where we’re sticking together the whole day, and I couldn’t be more excited. Since we’re going to be busy this weekend at the Phoenix Flea, I’m hoping to do a little shopping either super late on Thursday, or super early on Friday. Even though it seems completely crazy, I kind of love going out early (or super late) to shop the deals – Target is always my number one stop!
Outfit details:
Button-Up: Levi’s
Bag: Madewell
Jeans: Levi’s
Bracelets: Jcrew & Handmade
Moccs: Minnetonka Moccasins
Are you sad to see the fall vibes go? What are you doing for the holiday? Any plans for shopping this weekend?
Happy Thanksgiving, sweet friends!
-Chelsea xo
Engagement Photos: Part II
11.26.13
Today I wanted to share a few more of our engagement photos, taken by our sweet friend, Sarah of Arrow and Apple. For our photos, we decided we would stick with one location for time sake, and also to keep the photos cohesive and more in the moment – opposed to running around from location to location. We also both stuck with one outfit – I did, however, have a scarf and cardigan that I threw on and off for a few of the photos (and I’m so happy that I did). We also did this for time sake, as well, and to not feel rushed during our session. In the end, we both feel completely happy with our decisions, and couldn’t have asked for a better engagement photo session – running around the pistachio orchard together, making oogly eyes at one another, and kissing left and right.
Yes, my legs ARE that pale – but I think the camera did accentuate them a bit! 😉
These golden hour photos make my heart burst with joy! We thought we had miss these special few moments when this amazing glow hits the orchard, but miraculous the glow returned from behind a cloud and we got to have our moment in the warm, glowing light.
Thank you, Sarah, for capturing our happiness and everlasting love in these photos. We’ll forever be grateful to have these to look back on and remember our time as a young, engaged couple!
*Photos by Arrow & Apple