hey, mom!

my mom is cool. she's probably cooler than your mom (just saying). so in honor of mother's day, here are my top ten favorite things about my mom:

10. she's stylish. (she used to wear mom clothes, but then she got smart and now she's super cute.)

 9. she forgives me when i'm mean to her. 

 8. she makes home a great place to be for me and whoever i bring home with me. moving out into my own home was harder than it should have been, thanks to her hospitality.

7. she's supportive of my brother and i and makes sure we know we're her #1 priority, even now that we're grown. she's always there when i need her. 

6. she shops with me and waits patiently while i take 4 hours to look at everything/deliberate my purchases. i'm a very slow shopper. 

5. she takes cool trips with me.

4. she listens to me and never tells me i'm being irrational when i complain (most of the time i am being irrational).
3. she's very generous, even now that i'm an independent adult.
2. she likes to watch gilmore girls and cheesy movies with me while wearing pj's and eating japanese takeout. (we're very good at the whole staying-in bit.)
1. she is my best friend!

happy mother's day mom - i love you! 

in a waverly world...

i love waverly's 2009 ad campaign, particularly the taxis. if only taxis were really this lovely. i think nyc should consider this, don't you?

i don't generally gravitate toward any of waverly's looks but these ads feature some patterns about which i could actually get excited...

images via waverly/iconix brand group

jamaican me crazy, mon

i would personally never choose a short wedding dress. nor do i have a desire for a beach wedding. but i think this bride is just completely adorable. her dress is cute, her shoes are cute, and her hairpiece is waaay cute. you can see the rest of the jamaican wedding (including the bride's other dress - a whole new look) here.

p.s. the bride and the groom are named valery and chauncey. chauncey! can i be friends with these people, please?

images by cappy hotchkiss via snippet and ink

posen = pricey

so i've always liked zac posen's designs - he's classy and fashion-forward and i love his respect for a good dress. and i know he's a big deal - but i'm fairly annoyed at the pricey-ness of his new target line. there are three dresses in particular i love - the one above on selma blair and the two below, all of which are priced between $70 and $80. seriously? this is target, zac. i go there because i can afford to shop there. i like that i can buy lots of things before my total is that much. i really don't think that zac's name on a dress changes the fact that it still came from target and i think target shouldn't get so carried away with their fabulous designer partnerships that they stop being target. i'm pretty sure anywhere that sells milk and bananas along with their clothes, or can be preceded with the word "super" to describe such stores is not allowed to charge that much for a dress. no matter who designed it. 

                                                    

                                                    

images: 1.ap via stylelist.com 2/3. zac posen for target lookbook 

hi, i'm not dead.

um so how long has it been since i posted? weeks? it's a good thing i have a day job. unfortunately, i haven't found myself very inspired lately.
to be honest, i have nothing of merit to share today, either. except this citi bank sign, which makes me very happy.

spring steals

i'm stocking up on some new spring/summer stuff - my seasonal wardrobe is seriously lacking some basics. i've cleaned out my closet and now i need to replace a few of the older/ill fitting items of which i've disposed. i've been looking for a cute straw clutch for a long time and came across two in the same day a couple of weeks ago. and at some very fantastic prices, i might add! i'm in love!

bow clutch: 5.99 @ rugged warehouse
yellow clutch: vintage (and i'm pretty sure never used), 2.00 @ local consignment store

joy

this has been my favorite quote for a while, but i don't think i've ever shared it here. i think this embodies, in a general sense, the life to which we've all been called:

"this is the true joy of life — being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one;…being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining the world will not devote itself to making you happy. i am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as i live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever i can. i want to be thoroughly used up when i die, for the harder i work, the more i live."

- george bernard shaw

image via flickr

spring cleaning

i consider myself a fairly organized person. i believe in alphabetizing whatever i can. i like uniformity. all of my clothes hang with their similar counterparts in the same direction in my closet. i know where everything on my computers (at work and at home) are. i even have spiffy ikea drawer organizers in several of my more cluttered drawers. but despite my best efforts, i still have too much stuff and i end up with embarassingly messy pockets of random things stuffed in drawers and corners. it doesn't help that my house is barely 600 square feet and has only one very narrow closet. (i have to walk sideways just to fit.) it also doesn't help that i have a sentimental gene that finds it difficult to throw things away - no matter how little i use them - just because they were part of my life at a certain time or given to me by someone i love. i must admit that i still have every stuffed animal i've ever owned in my parents' attic because i just can't bear to part with them. i watch those oprah shows about hoarding and am horrified, but in some ways we all hold on to things we don't need. i watched the blind side last night (finally) and was reminded just how little some people have. christ calls us to simple living and when i look at my closet and its contents i know i haven't quite mastered that yet.
i am inspired to slowly (but surely) organize my tiny house and its contents. i dream of matching file folders, dresser drawers that close easily and aren't stuffed full, shoes stored in matching plastic boxes, and shelves/closets/drawers full of only what i actually eat/wear/use. maybe someday my house will look like these photos...

(okay, my closet will probably never be this awesome. unless i marry big and move in to carrie's penthouse.)

my spring cleaning efforts this weekend haven't really extended beyond a few cluttered drawers. hopefully, however, as spring continues i can slowly but surely continue the effort and maintain enough room for liam and i to live comfortably.

need some inspiration? i'm loving benita larsson's blog. click on the organizing tab for some especially fabulous before and afters! additionally, check out her top ten organizing tips on apartment therapy.

images: 1.liveearth.org 2.apartment therapy 3-5.chez larsson

happy weekend!

oh my goodness. how long has it been since i posted? like, forever. and i have no excuse. except that i started reading the twilight books. and they're a lot better than i anticipated (note: the movies are dreadful). and i've been spending (wasting) my spare time reading about bella and edward. oh geez. i'm that girl.
this weekend i'm celebrating my last saturday of freedom (i'll be spending saturdays starting next week working) with some spring cleaning and yard sale-ing. in the meantime, enjoy some links from around the web:

i'm completely obsessed with these bowls. i want to fill them with lemons and fill my kitchen shelves with them.

the yummiest vegan cookies. i modified the recipie with an extra banana and a teaspoon of cinnamon. and then i ate half the batch. try them - they're delicious!

possibly the most stunning wedding photo ever.

i love that this is finally catching on. i will certainly be participating in the trend when training for this. want to join me? anyone?

very cool coffee table book #1 and #2. i couldn't resist and bought them both recently (way below cover price, i might add).

i would like a permanent supply of viktor & rolf's debut perfume, flowerbomb. it smells like the good ol' marc jacobs fragrance might have some competition.

have a lovely weekend!

image via http://www.youaremyfave.com

cheap thrill

two weeks ago, a great thing happened in kannapolis. i woke with the sun and joined a loooong line stretching through the entire plaza early saturday morning in anticipation of the grand opening of mighty dollar. unlike other "everything's a dollar" stores, none of the products in mighty dollar were originally meant to be sold for $1. think of it like big lots or tjmaxx, but cheaper. all of the products are closeouts from other places and there are some fabulous things there. my two visits so far, i've seen:

- nine west and $48 perry ellis sunglasses (original tags still attached)
- krylon spray paint
- family size boxes of toy story cheese-its
- fair trade bangle bracelets made by women in india ($10 originally - tags still attached)
- sunsilk hair products
- super cute leather passport covers
- great flower vases/crocks from 1-800-flowers
- hardcover brand name cookbooks
- full-size and mini party lanterns in varying colors/shapes/sizes
- tons of different scrapbook paper packs (these are at least $5 each at michael's)
- cute cute giant coffee mugs (my favorite size of coffee mugs)

obviously, i'm going to become a regular here. above are some of the super duper things i got during my last visit. jealous? don't be - come visit me and we can go shopping, or check out some of the other locations in the area.

image via tumblr

hello, spring!

happy first day of spring! it couldn't be more beautiful outside today and i couldn't be happier about the change of season!
enjoy the weekend!

image via theclotheshorse

food coma

i'm just going to come out and say it: i lovelovelove pancakes. in fact, they rank right up there with pizza and cake as some of my very favorite-could-eat-them-every-day foods (healthy, i know). i love making pancakes on lazy mornings and look forward to cooking them every weekend for my kids some day.  i'm personally a huge fan of trader joe's multigrain mix for the do-it-yourself version, and i'm also partial to cracker barrel's delicious fruity ones. but the best of the best come once a year at our local boys and girls' club pancake day fundraiser.
i've grown up going to this event, and practically everybody in the area takes some time out of their day and six dollars out of their pocket to attend.  i can guarantee that no matter when i go, i'll always run in to a handful of people i know. it's nothing fancy - giant plate-size pancakes served hot off the griddle by well-known men in the community and eaten at long tables with plastic silverware in the boys' club gymnasium, but it's one of my very favorite days of the year and a great event for a great organization. i love that while concord's population has exploded over the past ten years, certain traditions remain the same, and it still feels like a small town sometimes. (even though i did wait in line for 45 minutes for my pancakes tonight.) today i enjoyed pancakes for both lunch and dinner and can now officially say that i need to "lie down and be very still" (blair's words, not mine) while all those carbs and sugar digest.  i'm pretty sure, however, it was worth every last calorie.

image via http://www.nevermadesensetothem.tumblr.com

we're so gossip girl

two weeks ago, blair and i got the chance to attend the lore emelio premiere fashion show in southend charlotte. i met lore last year at a gallery crawl in north davidson and i was completely enamored with her cool hats, jewelry and hairpieces. now she is moving in to clothing design and i can probably say attending this show was one of the coolest things i've ever done in the city. it'd be fun to act like i do awesome things like sit in the second row at local designers' fashion shows all the time, but i don't and it was cool. 

the evening started with delicious free prosecco (yessssss) and goody bags on our seats...

lore studied at unc-chapel hill and the parsons school of design and thinks that charlotte is becoming the fashion center of the south. you can follow her here, on her website. maybe i'll see you at the next show!

 

this guy was cracking me up. i hope you enjoy his blue steel as much as i did. and his bowtie, made by lore. 

one of the spring looks! you can see more on her website. 

not only did we have a blast and get an exclusive invite to the after party at the super-cool new nightclub butter (very chic) but we even made the paper in the scene and heard section. we're so big city. (haha) all-in-all, it was a fabulous night that only cost me the valet tip. love it! 

photos 5/6 by daniel coston via the charlotte observer 

j'aime le petit déjeuner

it always seems to happen when i'm visiting new cities -  i stumble upon amazing breakfast places, and my time in DC was no different. several blocks from my hotel, in georgetown, i hit le pain quotidien for breakfast mainly because the name was french and it looked delicious from the street. i couldn't have been more right - apparently the restaurant is a large international chain but has a great philosophy. they use all organic ingredients, cultivate relationships with local farmers, use reclaimed wood and environmentally friendly materials in construction, and each location even has a "communal table" - a long table in the middle of the restaurant designed to bring people together. i snapped a few shots while enjoying my delicious organic latte (which was served in a bowl, comme les français) and pastry early saturday morning - enjoy!

the communal table - made from reclaimed wood and probably at least fifteen feet long. it was beautiful!

sunday edition #5

hello! i've been having the most magnificent weekend! my house is spread with spring decor (most that still hasn't found a home, yet) and while it's probably still a little too chilly, i've got the windows open and am enjoying the fresh air! as the spring brings with it energy and life and excitement, so does our life in christ. i'm reminded of that each year as the trees and flowers start blooming that i, too, am a new creation in my savior and i find joy and beauty in that promise. one of my favorite hymns (which we sang at church today) characterizes this perfectly and i thought i'd share it with you. happy sunday!

joyful joyful we adore thee

god of glory, lord of love

hearts unfold like flow'rs before thee

opening to the sun above

melt the clouds of sin and sadness,drive the dark of doubt away

giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day

all thy works with joy surround thee

earth and heaven reflect thy rays

stars and angels sing around thee

center of unbroken praise

field and forest, vale and mountain; flowery meadow, flashing sea

chanting bird and flowing fountain, call us to rejoice in thee

thou art giving and forgiving

ever blessing, ever blest

wellspring of the joy of living

ocean depth and happy rest

thou our father, christ our brother, all who live in love are thine

teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine

mortals join the mighty chorus

which the morning stars began

father love is reigning o'er us

brother love binds man to man

ever singing march we onward, victors in the midst of strife

joyful music lifts us sunward, in the triumph song of life 

- h.v. dyke

image via sassandcraft.blogspot.com 

hello delicious weekend!

it might be a little rainy tonight, but here are some reasons why this weekend already has been and will be just fabulous:

friday:
1. shopped at hobby lobby for springtime home goods (i'm getting crafty - we'll see how it goes)
2. ate japanese takeout on the living room floor with my parents while watching jeopardy and wheel
3. first thunderstorm of the season! yessss.
4. i hate valentines day dvd and two unread martha stewart spring magazines

saturday:
1. grand opening of mighty dollar (aka the greatest dollar store on the planet) party
2. inevitable trip to starbucks following early morning shopping extravaganza
3. packing up winter clothes/decor and bringing on the spring!
4. uptown date with blair to see nc dance theatre/jean pierre bonnefoux's cinderella at the new knight theater (we've got second row seats!)

sunday:
1. more craftiness and decorating
2. young life leader/committee bunco night

dude, i'm so excited. hope your weekend is amazing as well!

image via tumblr

the one where i tell you about dc - a post by lacey

**note from chelsea** once, lacey sent me a blog post about her trip to dc in october and i posted it in march. not on purpose, it just kind of happened. this is probably why lacey hasn't posted anything new since then and probably why i don't deserve to be her friend. so tell her you want her to keep posting about her super cool life/job/house in raleigh, please, because i want her back, too!

home again! two weekends ago i made a trip to dc to visit my bestie bec and craft it up at a big arts and crafts fair. we had a ball to say the least. instead of blab on and on about it, i thought i show you some choice photos from our weekend and commentate on them. take a look!

this is the "make something awesome" table. it was covered in scrap cloth and instructions to make pumpkin pincushions and other such things.

this is basically how i felt about the craft fair. 

this was my favorite booth. they made everything out of old maps-journals, note card and envelope sets, magnets, etc. 

this was about 1/4 of all the booths at the fair. i think i want to invest in my own booth next year! of course, crafting wasn't all we got into...

we revived our lagging caffeine levels at tryst, a very relaxed bar/coffee shop/restaurant in adams morgan...

dined at hotspot busboys and poets...

and danced the night away after dinner.

the trip was short, but it was a wonderful mini-vacation. i'm saving up my pennies so i can make the trip again soon!

until next week, (or march...)

lacey

a snowy series

as you may have noticed if you've read my blog over time, i have a serious obsession with tree branches in winter. i decorate with them. i take too many pictures of them. i steal them off the side of the road when my my neighbors cut down trees and put the branches out on the curb to be picked up. i just think they're gorgeous in a very minimalist way. i even went a little crazy this winter and glittered up a giant bunch of them in a vase with silver and pink glitter.
anyway, in a last little salute to winter, here are a few shots i snapped during our last big snow a couple of weeks back. if you think branches are pretty bare in the winter, try them covered in snow. i woke up early on saturday morning, put my rubber boots on with my pj's and a big sweater, and walked down my street enjoying the beauty.

hip hip hooray!

i would be a terrible friend/sister if i didn't tell you...

1. that my best friend lacey turned the big 2-5 this weekend. she is amazingly cool and beautiful and thoughtful i'm so lucky to be her friend!! happy birthday love! 

2. that my smarty-pants little brother found out this week he was accepted (one of only fourteen applicants that they take each year) in to the prestigious yale school of architecture graduate program. not only is he super-creative, super-cute and super-smart, but he's super hard-working and loves what he does. he deserves this incredible honor and i am so proud of him!


images: 1. motleycrew.blogspot.com 2. yale school of architecture