This Friday and Saturday (Small Business Saturday!), November 29th and 30th, my sweet fiance, aka Citizen Home Decor, will be selling his handmade wooden plaques, coasters, and ornaments at the Phoenix Flea – a community event created to showcase local artists/entrepreneurs, and to raise support for Phoenix area nonprofits and charities. This year the flea will be benefitting the 100 Club of Arizona.
We’ll be selling both day from 10am to 6pm at Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix, so please stop by, say hello, and pick up a goodie or two for you and your loved ones! It’s also going to be 70 degrees and sunny, so it’ll be perfect weather to kick off your holiday (local!) shopping.
Will we be seeing you there?
-Chelsea xo
PS If you stop by and bring us a hot coffee, we’ll love you forever!
I spotted Elsie and Emma’s “Top 10 Reasons Why Midwest is Best,” and thought it would be fun to put together my own version for the Southwest (ya’ll know I’m a big fan of my homestate and surrounding area!).
Without further ado:
1. Our sunsets are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen!
2. Our winter’s are perfect!
3. We have an amazing coffee culture!
4. To much disblief, we do have all four seasons!
5. The art scene is alive and well here!
6. Great food is in abundance – pizza, mexican food, home style, etc!
7. We have a vortex!
8. One of the best Christmas songs of all time was written here – White Christmas.
9. We have one of the seven natural wonders of the world right in our backyard.
10. Our communities are warm and inviting – seriously, Phoenix is the best!
What would be your Top 10 Reasons Why ____ is Best?
-Chelsea xo
November in Arizona is strange time – some days will be sunny, warm, and not so fall like, and other days will be grey, chilly, and feel like the epitomy of fall (especially when you take a walk through an old neighborhood that still has trees that change with the seaons). The past few days we’ve gone back and forth – sunny and dreary, dreary and sunny (and today with full on thunderstorms and rain) – but I’m not complaining. Any excuse to kept bundled up in sweaters and scarves is good in my book!
This past grey and cold Tuesday showed us the birth of a dear friends’ beautiful baby girl, and the magic that lies within a full moon. Scott also put up our Christmas lights a little early (and maybe a mini gold tree!), and we spent some time hashing out more wedding details. We’ve been so busy that I had almost completely forgot that next week is Thanksgiving until a colleague reminded me of our holiday schedule (black friday off! yes!). This month has truly gone by too fast!
Next Friday and Saturday, November 29th and 30th, Scott, aka fiance, aka Citizen Home Decor, will be selling his hanmade wooden plaques, coasters, and ornaments at the Phoenix Flea – a community event created to showcase local artists/entrepreneurs, and to raise support for Phoenix area nonprofits and charities. We’ll be selling from 10am to 6pm both days, so please stop by, say hello, and pick up a goodie or two for you and your loved ones!
The weekend is only hours away and I’m daydreaming about going to see Catching Fire (hopefully tonight!). Today is also my pup Piper’s first birthday! I can’t believe she’s already one!
What are you up to this weekend?
Are you feeling the dreary, rainy day vibes today too?
-Chelsea xo
On a cool day at the end of October, our dear friend and wedding photographer, Sarah of Arrow & Apple, took our engagement photos in a pistachio orchard near our home. The last time she took our photos, we spent the afternoon wandering around downtown Phoenix. This time around, we knew we wanted something a little different, so we stuck close to home in a beautiful place that we both love. Sarah and her husband, Josh, kept us completely at ease – passing jokes back and forth and truly making the whole experience a dream. We’re both absolutely thrilled with our engagement photos, and will cherish them for years to come.
On a side note, Scott woke me up around 5:30 a.m. today to tell me that Sarah is in labor! We’re SO excited to meet Miss Imogen Rhodes, and we’re sending all of our love, well wishes, and positive vibes there way.
Toward the middle of November I always get an itch to listen to an old favorite – Bon Iver, in particual Blood Bank off of his Blook Bank EP. Something about this song sings to my heart and hits me at my core – and while it’s beautiful all year round, it sounds even more amazing when it’s chilly outside and everything around you is quiet and still. Do you have one of those songs that just hits you at the heart? It may sound silly, but there are certain songs that I look forward to listening during different parts of the year – Blood Bank being one.
Lately, my evenings have not only been filled with seasonly appropriate music (and I’m not talking Christmas music just yet!), and focusing every spare moment I have on our wedding. I know a spoke to this a little bit last week, but truthfully, we’re knee deep in planning and our days are full – so full to the point that 9pm sounds like an acceptable bedtime (and it usually is when I fall asleep on the couch mid-sentence – woops!). With that said, I know have been a little quiet around here lately, and I wanted to let you all know that I truly appreciate all of your encouragement during this very exciting, and very busy time in our life. Scott and I feel so blessed to have so many people excited for our big day! We’re down to a little more than two months, and we couldn’t be more thrilled!
On a side note, here’s a short list of things that have been making my days extra special lately:
1. Gingerbread Americanos at Starbucks! Heyooo!
2. Essie’s After School Boy Blazer polish – digging the dark nails lately.
3. Boom Chicka Pop sea salt popcorn – this stuff is SO good and is the perfect lunch treat.
4. Lucky & In Love – my dear friend Katherine’s wedding planning and design company. Katherine is helping us with our big day, and let me tell you, she is one talented lady!
Outfit details:
Hat: Urban Outfitters
Blouse: old online boutique
Scarf: Target
Bracelet: Gift
Jeans: Levi’s Booties: c/o Blowfish Shoes
I’m off to pick up a gingerbread americano and get a little walk in – it’s beautiful outside!
What music have you really been into lately? What has been making your days extra special?
-Chelsea xo
Today we have an awesome giveaway from Cutlure Flock Clothing! They are offering one lucky Tea Talk reader their choice their choice of an item from their shop. *excluding the hibernation crewneck sweatshirts.
Today is one of those days were I just feel like writing for writing’s sake. My mind has been feeling clouded with so many things that are currently on my plate, so the thought of just sitting down and releasing some of my energy into a simple blog post sounded just right.
To be honest, this week has been full on crazy mode – to the point where I find myself exhausted when I wake up. On the upside, though, this week has also been kind of wonderful – securing plans to visit our wedding venue again, my bridesmaids getting their dresses, working on our invites, getting completely excited to attend two very dear friends’ wedding, and taking in every inch of this cold weather (finally) that I can. Scott has also been working on some of our wedding decorations, and every day he leaves me feeling more and more amazed at what he can create from just seeing a photo.
On Saturday, we’re having our second walk through with our venue, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally have a feeling of how our tables/seating/dance areas will be. My amazing bridesmaid, Courtney, has also been texting me about getting my bridal shower planned out – her and my cousin, Odessa, are hosting it together and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Ok, back to sipping on my gingerbread americano (first red cup of the season!) and listening to my afternoon playlist!
As I typed out today’s title, I couldn’t help but sing to myself any and every Early November song that popped into my head. Their music had a huge influence on me during my high school and early college years, and this time of year I always get sentimental about their music. Their band has come and gone, and even come back again, but nothing will ever compare to their early years, and the warm, nostalgic feeling that I get when I listen to their music this time of year. Did you ever listen to them when you were younger? Do you have a favorite song? I want to hear you sad always does it for me. Teen angst + the thought of living in New England and having basement shows = The Early November in a nut shell (for me, at least!).
Lately, my days have been jammed packed with work, wedding planning, and snapping photos whenever I can. Now that the sun goes down before I get home, my schedule feels a bit out of wack. I’m working out the kinks, though, and getting my daily life organized (hello, new routine of packing meals at 10:30pm, taking late night showers, and making the fullest of the hours I do have at home with Scott). I’ve never been a great planner (and for some reason people always find that surprising), but lately I’ve been making a more conscious effort to be better at making plans, sticking to a timeline, and checking more things off of my to-do list! For example, finally sending off the last bit of our Save The Date cards, working on our wedding registry, and editing/posting here more consistently. Check, check, check! *PS +100 bonus points if you know they song that I’m referencing above – I know that I didn’t give you much to work with there, but I have a feeling a few of you might know my musical tastes & can catch it!
Now that Halloween is over, I’m still trying to soak in as much of that fall feeling that I can before the holidays sneak up on us. At work, I’ve been working on holiday projects since August, so I’ve been desperately trying to hold off those warm and cozy feelings for months now. Today, Scott made it even more difficult by sending me a picture of the most darling puppy Christmas outfits that he bought for our pups from the dollar section at Target – oh, they’re gonna look cute! Not to mention, every time I go to Starbucks I desperately want a gingerbread americano! Ok, ok – simmer down, Chelsea! We’ve still got a few more weeks to fully enjoy the fall vibes that this beauitful city has been giving off lately!
Outfit details:
Hat: c/o Jcpenney
Dress: Threadsence
Boots: Steve Madden
I’m off to enjoy the rest of my very large iced coffee that I got this morning (see my coffee induced tweets from this morning here), and read a few blogs before getting back to work.
What are you excited for during this early November?
What does your daily routine look like?
-Chelsea xo
Have you ever looked at your closet and wished that you could swap out a few items that you just don’t get much wear out of for something new-to-you? I have a feeling that I’m not alone when I say this thought crosses my mind at least one a week! Well, this is where Swapdom, a new online swap community, comes into play!
The concept is simple: You list like-new items, and then swap for new-to-you items that catch your fancy! The sweet folks at Swapdom take care of all of the behind the scenes details with your swap, and you don’t have to do a thing! And the best part – it’s free! The only thing you do pay for is the shipping of the item that you receive, but if you upload three items, you get free shipping on your first swap. This is only for a limited number of people, though, so the sooner you sign up, the better chance you have of getting free shipping + a totally rockin’ item!
Another great feature that Swapdom offers is the option to have a swap involving multiple people. Say you really like a sweater that Piper has, she likes a dress that Ellen has, and Ellen really likes the shoes you have. Swapdom organizes all of this for you – you just pick the item that you most fancy, and then choose your item that you’re willing to exchange. That’s it! Super simply and super fun for everyone involved!
Swapdom is still in beta mode, but if you’re interested in getting a sneak peek and signing up early, I have a special link for Tea Talk readers to bypass the waiting list. Just click here to sign up! I would love to hear your thoughts on the website, and if you have something you think that I might like from your items. I’m listing the four items above, and can’t wait to get swapping!
I’ve been really looking to revamp my winter wardrobe, so I’m really excited to have this space to swap for some new-to-me items! I just know that this going to be a lot of fun, and I hope that you’ll all sign up, check out my profile (here), and get swapping!
Happy Halloween! I hope everyone is having a very spooky day so far, full of tricks, treats, and scary stories galore! For years now I’ve been inspired by Selective Potential’s haunted outfit posts, so I thought today I would share one of my own (and even an outfit that is very Tieka inspired!).
Even though Arizona as a state is barely 100 years old, we’re rich in history – haunted history! Phoenix and the East Valley is full of haunted hot spots that have plagued residents for years. In Mesa, there is a little boy that has been sighted walking across 8th Ave. and Extenstion Rd. – back and forth – never making it home. In Chandler, the high school’s “Old Main” building is reportedly haunted by an old man that just doesn’t want to leav – spooking janitorial staff and students alike with his whispers and active apparitions. And in Tempe, Casey Moore’s is well know for its haunted second floor – the home of a jealous lover who was murdered after an evening gone bad. The woman, who is has black hair and light eyes, tends to express herself whenever a romantic couples dines in her space – throwing forks and whispering obsceneties left and right.
The ghostly woman isn’t alone in her haunting! The staff of Casey Moore’s has also reported seeing William and Mary Moeur, the couple who built the house in 1910, still dancing together in their forever home. Another glowing orb, yet to be named, has also been spotted peeking out this window – maybe looking for their long lost lover, or their next prey.
The restaurant is also very popular with the local college crowd, and is usually packed on weekend nights – which happens to fall under the witching hour! The staff who comes in after a busy evening often finds that the tables, chairs, and place settings that they had laid out the night
before moved and rearranged. There has also been reports of paintings inside the restaurant crashing down to the floor, and the lights above them swinging around on their own accord. While I’ve never seen any of these ghostly sightings myself, I have full confidence that Casey’s is definitely haunted. Maybe tonight is the perfect night for a ghostly evening on the town – complete with yummy eats and haunted tricks (and treats)? Maybe! MUHAHAH!
Since Scott and I dressed up last Saturday, I’m not too sure we’ll be doing anything this evening – other than taking the pups on a walk in their costumes and crossing our fingers that we get some trick or treaters!
Outfit details:
Scarf: Forever 21
Jeans vest: UO
Cardigan: Target
Dress: Madewell
Tights: We Love Colors
Boots: Vince Camuto
I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween! If you’re hanging at home tonight, I would LOVE to read about some of your spooky stories from your local haunts – cemetries, haunted restaurants, abandoned mansions – the creepier the better!
