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Vest Diaries

09.17.13

While digging through my closet, searching for fall goodies that I had stashed away, I pulled out this – my old, and very well loved denim vest. I purchased it in the fall of 2006 while shopping with a friend at Urban Outfitters (she bought the same one!), and I just can’t seem to let it go. The other day I told Scott that I was on the search for a new denim vest this fall and he asked me why. While I thought an updated version might be nice, I didn’t have a solid reason. His thought- denim lasts forever! I do kind of love how it has seen me through so many years and stages of life, and I foresee it only getting better with time (that’s what they say about jean, right?).

I wore this out for a date night last Friday in downtown Phoenix. Some sweet friends of ours opened up a brick and mortar shop for their food truck, Short Leash Hot Dogs, and we were well overdue to come in and have the full experience. Close to their shop is an old, abandoned building that they recently started restoring, and ever since I was in Journalism school I’ve wanted to take pictures in front of it (as it was always closed off). I’m really excited to see what the plans are for this massive building in the future. Roosevelt Rd. really feels like it’s coming alive again, and I’m happy that I’ve been able to witness its transition over the past eight or so years.

On Wednesday of last week Scott and I were invited by Johnny Earle of Johnny Cupcakes to attend his lecture at the Phoenix Art Museum. Scott and I have been fan of Johnny’s work for years, so it was extra special to receive a very kind note from him inviting us to attend. Even though we don’t have a Johnny Cupcakes store here in Phoenix, I have a feeling that Johnny and his team has a special place in their hearts for our desert city. This time around they even made Arizona themed t-shirts (first time ever!), and also the neatest posters for the event (think scorpions!).

Scott picked up their cactus cupcake t-shirt, which is numbered 133 out of 250. Johnny Cupcakes is known for running limited edition t-shirts, so it made it even harder to past this one up. We also got a poster that Johnny was kind enough to sign. During the lecture I also took tons of notes. Johnny made so many good points, and we both definitely left feeling extra inspired and ready to work even harder on what we’re passionate about (this space for me, woodworking and growing his business for Scott).
 

Outfit details:
Vest: UO circa 2006
Top: Last Chance
Jeans: Gap
Greece Sandals: c/o Blowfish Shoes

Today I’ve been reminiscing over classic 90’s and early 2000’s television shows and movies with my coworkers (hello, Halloween Town!), and also obsessing over The Maine radio station on Pandora (perfect upbeat music for this busy day).  I also just booked my next wedding dress appointment for later this week and I’m really excited to spend this time with my mom. Is our wedding really four months from tomorrow? WOW!

Do you have an item of clothing that you’ve had for years and still love so much? What are you up to today?
-Chelsea xo

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Summer to Fall

09.14.13

Happy Saturday! I didn’t mean to disappear for two days there, but my days were jam-packed with meeting Johnny Earle of Johnny Cupcakes and checking out the new Short Leash Hot Dogs location + my regular work load and Flickr being down (boo!). I’m back, though, and ready to dive into all of the fun photos Scott and I have been taking lately. With fall only 8 days away, I’ve been feeling extra inspired and obsessing over the soon-to-be season – from my coffee drinks of choice (hot americano with two pumps of pumpkin spice), to my outfit choices, and even sneaking into my treats of choice (hello, candy corn m&ms). Fall, I’m ready for you!

Over the past few days my outfits have been rather simple, and a mix of my favorite fall and summer pieces. I picked up this cozy cardigan from Madewell last fall, and was gifted these cherry red sandals from Madewell for my birthday this year. They’re definitely two of my favorite items in my wardrobe, so pairing them felt like a natural choice. This summer I also rocked a top knot much more often. I’ve been thinking about doing a “top knot how-to” post! Would anyone be interested in seeing my simple method?

Outfit details:
Cardigan: Madewell
Top: Madewell
Bag: Madewell
Jeans: Levi’s
Sandals: Madewell

So far, today has been an a-ok day! I spent about two hours wandering around my local shopping plaza sipping on an iced coffee, checking out Old Navy because I’ve heard so many good things about their recent styles lately, and scoping out Ross (I never find anything there, but today I sure did!). Scott and I plan on working on a few blog tutorials this afternoon, and then possibly off to a movie tonight.

What’s your weekend looking like? What kind of tutorials would you like to see on Tea Talk?
-Chelsea xo

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Our Train Tracks

09.11.13

Train tracks have always kind of been my thing. I grew up near a set of train tracks, and took comfort in hearing the train’s horn late at night. Train tracks have also been a staple in this blog of mine, always posing as the perfect spot for a set of outfit photos (see favorites here, here and here), and nowadays I have my very own set of train tracks right next to my parent’s property (or The Orchard, as they like to call it). Technically the tracks are not owned by my folks, but I plan on claiming them nonetheless. My parents spent eight long months working on purchasing their now property (having land surveys done, working on piles upon piles of paperwork, and having the well checked), and on my 25th birthday they officially signed the paperwork and got their keys to their house and their giant property. Even though I’m getting older and about to start a new, and very exciting chapter in life (wifey life est. January 2014!), it’s nice know that this special place will always feel like home.

On Saturday Scott and I drove out to the property, hoping to beat the sunset before we could snap a few photos. This is the time of year where the light is getting tricky, and every day the sun seems to set earlier, and earlier. During the work week it’s getting even harder to take outfit photos, as we usually only have an hour or so time window to take photos in before it’s dark. For now, we’re making it work and I’m loving all of the warm light that surrounds us on the evenings we do get got during that coveted golden hour.

Scott and I were invited to attend the Johnny Cupcakes lecture today at the Phoenix Art Museum. We’ve both been fans of Johnny’s for years (seeing him back in 2009?, and then checking out his Coffin Tour pop up shop last October), so we’re excited to listen to his talk on “how to start or grow a unique biz with little to no start up money.”We’ll be heading there straight after work and meeting up with Josh and Sarah, and also hopefully some of you! Let me know if you’ll be attending the Phoenix lecture, or another one of his lectures in your town! xo

Outfit details:
Hat: Target
Dress: Levi’s
Necklace: from Mariebee years ago
Tote: Madewell
Flats: Madewell

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Wildly Simple

09.10.13

Last Saturday I hosted an event at the Scottsdale Madewell.  They just launched their new and improved denim line, and their fall collection was just release, so it was a perfect time to celebrate and I was just thrilled to be a part of this exciting time! A few days before the event I came into the store and tried out all of the new denim while my friend Josh shared all of the ins and outs of the new styles. I also picked out three looks from the new collections that I would wear in a heart beat! Swoon, I seriously love everything in this store.

For the event I rocked a felt hat that felt very Madewell-esque, along with a top from the fall collection, their Transport tote, an old favorite necklace, their new Skinny Skinny Ankle-Zip jeans, and my trusty Holepunch Sidewalk Skimmer flats.

Madewell was super generous in letting me pick out the sips and sweets for the event, so we hired my favorite barista, The Coffee Chop, and got macarons from Essence Bakery. The iced coffee was a huge hit, and the macarons were so good and slightly addicting! My favorite flavors had to be the pumpkin, salted caramel, and pistachio!

Between the two hours that the event was held, we had an awesome amount of sweet blog readers, friends, and curious shoppers stop in. It was so awesome to see so many familiar faces and to feel so loved and supported during this event. We also had a BIG surprise that happened about half way through and it left the room buzzin!

Perry was the best barista and certainly kept my glass full of iced coffee the entire time! Perry is not only an amazing barista and an awesome friend, but he is also our official wedding barista and will be slinging drinks at our wedding in January!

Sarah, the cutest preggo lady I know, and her husband, Josh, stopped in and hung out for awhile. I tried my best to feel their baby, Miss Imogene, kick but all of the excitement must have lulled her asleep. One of these days I’m going to feel her kick – I just know it!

And our big surpise was my bestie Courtney surprising us all from California. Back in July she moved to the San Diego area to pursue her dreams and I couldn’t be more proud of her! It was SO awesome to have her surprise all of our friends (I may have been in on the surprise, but at very short notice – like while I was already at the event when I found out the big news), and I’m so happy to have her home this week!

A big thank you goes out to Madewell and the Scottsdale team for letting me host this event, and for making it such a success! I had the best time and now I’m even more excited for their new denim and fall line! Ok, I’m off to work and I plan on having an extra productive and caffeinated day (because those two go hand in hand, right?).

What’s on your agenda today? Do you like attending local events?
-Chelsea xo

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Campfire Cozy

09.09.13

Our weekend in Fort Tuthill County Park re-kickstarted my sense of adventure. We were surrounded by the most beautiful woods, and I wanted to spend as much time exploring as we could. Around every twist and turn there seemed to be another view that just took my breathe away, and the jacket weather didn’t hurt either. As much as I am an adventure seeker, Scott was the one who lead our way and landed us on this beautiful hill slope. The wildflowers in this area were absolutely beautiful, and the view just something out of a movie (think Twilight ;])

Besides spending time exploring the woods, Scott and I spent a little time in Flagstaff – mostly to check out this neat coffee shop called Cultured and stop in at Target. The evening we stopped by Cultured there was a nice crispness in the air and it felt like a perfect night for hot coffee (my first in a long time).

Lately I’ve been putting a lot of thought into what I want to focus on during this season on the blog. I’ve had plans to kickstart a few series, but just haven’t had time to move forward with them. Why is this? Well, with starting my full-time job this summer, which is creative based, I’ve felt a bit drained and unsure of how to balance my time, creativity levels, and overall focus. However, lately I’ve really been feeling refreshed and ready to turn more of my focus back to this space (not that I ever left, I just let my busy schedule get the best of me). I’ve always admired ladies who work full-time and blog full-time – like Tieka, Julie, and Signe. These ladies sure have inspired me lately, and have really left me in a place of excitement for what’s to come.

Can you believe this guy is going to be my husband in just over four months? We’ve been doing some major wedding planning lately and we’re both so excited for our big day! We have our date, our colors, our venue, our photographer, and more! I’ve been racking my brain for a good way to start sharing these details, and looking to a few other ladies who have shared their big day on their blogs. I’ve been reading Elise’s blog for years and love how she blogged about her wedding process and post-wedding day.  I’m also obsessed with Signe’s wedding and love the sweetness that can be found in her posts. To me, the sweetness of the planning process is definitely worth noting.

Outfit details:
Jacket: Nordstroms Rack
Sweater: Banana Republic
Top: Lucky Brand
Necklace: Handmade
Jeans: Levi’s
Shoes: Converse

And it’s Monday, but  I have a delicious iced coffee and a new lipstick that I picked out during Sarah and I’s girly date yesterday! This week I really want to work on a few fun blog posts, and get organized (a much overdue task!).

What are your plans for the week? How do you balance out your time between must-dos and want-tos?
-Chelsea xo

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Field of Yellow

09.08.13

This time last weekend Scott I were exploring Fort Tuthill County Park, located right outside of Flagstaff, Ariz. We drove up Thursday evening after I got out of work, and stayed until Monday afternoon (just in time to hit the traffic on the way home – doh!). My parents were up there for the weekend as well, so it was extra nice to spend some time with them and my pups. The weather was in all sense glorious, especially coming from the hot, humid weather we were having in Phoenix. The first night we were there I busted out a jacket, which was not entirely necessary, but definitely appropriate for this cool weather deprived Desert Rat.

Over the past few years my mom has made it a tradition that we stop in at New Frontiers, a natural market that carries the most delicious pastries, cheeses, breads, and basically every natural snack you can think of (I even buy my favorite facial toner there!). So Thursday evening we spent some time wandering around New Frontiers, where we ended up getting up some goodies for the long weekend. By the time we got back to our campsite all I wanted to do was snuggle my pups and watch Bravo!

Throughout the weekend we spent a good amount of time exploring the nearby woods, almost getting turned around in a giant field of flowers, and taking in the rain and much appreciated cooler weather. It felt so good to have a real fall weekend up north, as it won’t really feel like fall in Phoenix until at least October. However, this hasn’t stopped me from starting to plan our fall adventures and get excited about the season. The end of this month also marks 7 years since Scott and I first met, and next month will be our 7 year anniversary and last anniversary as a non-married couple! Eck! We’ve been making lots of strides with planning our January wedding and I can’t wait to start sharing more details and my thoughts on the planning process here.

Outfit details:
Sweater: Last Chance
Necklace: Locally made/gifted from my mother
Jeans: Levi’s
Shoes: Converse (from the 11th grade!)

Even though I just complained above about our hot, hot heat we’ve been having in Phoenix lately, today it is raining and dreary outside and I couldn’t be more excited! I’m sipping on hot coffee and getting ready for my makeup shopping date I have with Sarah later.

What are you up to today? Would you like to read about our wedding details?
-Chelsea xo

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Bien Fait

09.06.13

It happened – I experienced the new Madewell denim line in all of its glory Tuesday night. My good friend Josh, the mastermind behind GROWop Boutique in downtown Phoenix, gave me the full run down of the new denim styles and encouraged me try on each and every pair. From the beginning I had my eye on the skinny skinny ankle-zip jeans in the pool wash. Josh told me that this pair was the crowd favorite and that with the zippers they could be styled so many different ways (Josh has a great eye for style and is forever inspiring me).

After about an hour of trying on the new styles, chatting with Josh and Scott, and eyeing all of the other pieces in the new collection, I finally decided that the skinny skinny ankle-zip jeans were coming home with me, along with the sweetest, flowy tee that says bien fait – which loosely translates to “made well” in french (it states well done, if I’m correct). Paired with my favorite punch hole flats and my trusty Transport tote, I felt like a walking Madewell ad – which is totally fine in my book. Wear what you love, right? Speaking of favorite outfits, have I mentioned that I’m featured in Glamour Magazine’s Special Edition – 1,001 Best-Ever Fall Dos & Don’ts! AH! I seriously feel SO honored! They reached out to me earlier in the summer asking for my height and saying that they would be reprinting my photo that was featured in their March 2013 issue for this special edition. A sweet reader said she spotted me in the magazine today, so I immediately had to ask Scott if he could pick up a couple of copies for me today. If you get your hands on the magazine (we got ours at Barnes & Noble, but I also spotted it at CVS), you can find me on page 79!

Putting my Madewell obsession aside for a moment, my week has been busy, busy and tomorrow I’m super excited to have a fun potluck breakfast in the morning at my work, which will include me bringing in the most delicious homemade scones that Scott whipped up while I was at work today (he’s seriously THE best). I’ll also be sharing a silly baby picture of me with my my whole team (wish I could have found some older ones, like junior high and early high school – now those would have been funny), and probably indulging in one too many treats and cups of coffee. It’s going to be a great morning!

Outfit details:
Pure Red Matte Lipstick: c/o NYX Cosmetics
Blouse: Madewell
Bracelets: Various
Denim: c/o Madewell
Bag: Madewell
Flats: Madewell

Don’t forget that this Saturday, September 7th, I’m hosting a denim event at the Scottsdale Madewell from noon to 2pm. Stop by to check out the new denim and fall lines, sip on coffee and eat yummy macarons, and also shop with a special discount (hint, hint – it’s a good one!). Oh, and taking a silly photo with me is mandatory! ;]

Have you checked out the new Madewell denim line yet? What are you up to this weekend?
-Chelsea xo

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Chasing September

09.04.13

Happy September! I’ve been waiting for this month all year long and I’m so happy that I can finally indulge in my fall addiction and not be scolded for it (even if it is still in the 100’s here, I’m going to enjoy the heck out of the start of fall). September has always meant getting back into the groove of school, sipping on PSLs, dreaming up my fall wardrobe, searching high and low for the perfect cardigan, and having a surge of inspiration and a feeling of refreshment toward this blog own mine (a feeling I’ve yet again experienced and a challenge that I’m ready to take on). While this September is a little different, with not going back to school and working full time, I still have the itch to work on my fall wardrobe, sip on cool weather drinks, continue my hunt for the perfect cardigan, and work harder on this blog of mine – which will include a new blog design! September really is a magical month and I’m ready to indulge in all of the fall goodness that I can in this hot, hot city of mine.

My sweet friend Adrianna sent me this darling fox scarf a few weeks back and I’ve been itching to wear it. I adore the print, and also love how versatile it is – you could wear it around your neck, in your hair, or tied to your favorite bag (loved how Kristine styled it up on the Le Mode website). Adrianna and I have been friends for years now (we actually met through my blog!) and I feel like she’s my style sole sister. Every time I see her she’s decked out in bracelets and is carrying the cutest the bag I’ve ever seen. Her great taste has transferred over to her online shop, which is currently stocked with so many cute accessories, and I can bet that some new fall pieces will be coming in very soon.

NYX Cosmetics sent me some of their amazing makeup a few months back and I’ve been dreaming of makeup tutorials/beauty posts to feature here. Are there any kind of beauty related posts that you would like to see? Let me know in the comments below!

Outfit details:
Lipstick: Indie Flick c/o NYX Cosmetics
Cardigan: Last Chance
Chasing The Fox Scarf: c/o Shop Le Mode
Top: Ann Taylor
Bracelets: Kate Spade + random
Jeans: Levi’s
Cricket wedges: c/o Blowfish Shoes

Last night I spent some time at my local Madewell (Scottsdale location) getting ready for the denim event that I’m hosting this Saturday, September 7th from noon to 2pm. I pulled a rack of my favorite fall styles to feature the day of, and planned out where our barista, Perry of The Coffee Chop, will be slinging drinks. I am SO excited for this event and hope to see many of you local gals and gents there! Come for denim, coffee, tasty macarons from Essence Bakery, and a special discount (hint, hint – it’s a good one!). Everyone is welcome so please don’t feel shy and stop by!

-Chelsea xo

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August Blogging 101 Workshop

08.31.13

Two Saturdays ago I co-hosted a Blogging 101 Workshop at the Frances studio space. I taught alongside Carrie Wheeler, of the Cracking Good blog, and who also happens to be my former Journalism teacher, to a group of lovely ladies who all brought unique perspectives of the blogosphere.

As our attendees started to trickle in, we all shared our blogging stories and how we got to where we are in the blogosphere today. I really loved hearing each attendees unique story and what they would like to learn more about. At the heart of it, blogs are very personal, and I truly felt honored to hear each story of how their blogs became to be.

After introductions, we started to go through the blogging worksheet that Carrie had put together. We talked about topics we wanted to cover, possible blog names, who we hoped our audience would be, sample posts ideas, and more. Even though each attendee was in a different place with their blog, it was nice to be able to go over these basic topics together. From here, our discussion move toward more personal questions and how each blogger could move forward from where they are now, from committing to one solid idea, to incorporating multiple interests, to integrating their blog with their online shop or business – everyone had their own thoughts and ideas to share.

We finished the workshop off with a Prezi presentation I created that went over the topics we had discussed once more, and additional information and insight that I’ve gathered over the years that I’ve been blogging (which if you count Livejournal and Xanga, then I proudly have 10+ years of experience under my belt).

I’m incredibly thankful to our attendees, all of who brought great questions and all positively added to the conversation, as well as to my co-host Carrie, and to Frances for asking us to host this workshop. Thank you ladies (and gents), you really made this an awesome experience and I hope to be able to host another blogging workshop in the future!

If you would be interested in attending a blogging workshop with me in the future, please let me know in the comments. Also, as I know that many of my sweet readers are not locally based, so would you be interested in an blogging e-course? Let me know!

Also, I want to give a big shout out Sara of Frances for making this workshop happen, and also to Scott for taking photos of the workshop and forever being my greatest support! I love you both!
-Chelsea xo

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Stormy Weather

08.29.13

Last night when what looked like to be a giant storm was beginning to roll, I asked Scott if he was up for taking outfit photos next to Tempe Town Lake (he’s always up for adventures, and I’m forever thankful). So we made our way down to the lake as quickly as we could before the sun had completely set. We watched the giant sun set within seconds while making our way over the bridge, and just hoped that enough light would stick around so we could get a few shots in. The view from our favorite spot was breathtaking, and for a moment I took everything in – the splashing water, the amazing sunset, the twinkling of the city lights in the background, my sweet Fiancé, and the thought that I love that I have a space to share moments like this with you all. I’ve said it in the past and I’ll say it again, I’m continuously thankful for this online community and the joy that you all bring to my daily life. I can only hope that I do the same for you.

While I thought we were standing in the calm before the storm, the night only got better. After the winds subsided, the same ones that I thought had a good chance of pushing me into the lake (they were strong and I may have been standing too close to the edge), Scott and I took a drive down to Scottsdale to get our first pumpkin spice latte of the season – YES, they’re back! I’m almost positive that only a few stores in the area have them for sale right now (even though most, if not all of them, already have the syrups in their backrooms), but I just read an article that says if you whisper “PSL 10” to the barista, they just might grant your wish and make all of your pumpkin spice dreams come true! 😉

If you’re not ready yet for pumpkin spice and fall digs just yet, then I suggest taking a ride out to your local lake, river, or ocean and taking in a gorgeous sunset this weekend. Even though I’m a fall super fan, I do love a good late summer sunset on the water. Think of it as your last hurrah before summer ends and fall official starts – don’t forget to take pictures!

Outfit details:
Dress: c/o Lulus
Bracelets: Lucky Brand
Carolines: c/o Blowfish Shoes – On super sale right now!

How do you plan to spend your last few weeks of summer? Any weekend trips or big plans? I would love to take in a ball game, and munch on a giant, salted pretzel (those go hand in hand, but you get the picture).

-Chelsea xo

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