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

capitol hill is calling me!

happy sunday! forgive my absence this week - it's been a very busy but wonderful one!
at the end of last year, i was given the opportunity (and a scholarship) to attend the annual "habitat on the hill" conference in washington, dc and this past week i joined about three hundred other habitat staff members from around the country in our nation's capital to advocate for affordable housing policy among our elected leaders.  i assumed i would have fun and have worked often locally on advocacy issues, but i had no idea how much i would:
a.) fall in love with the city of washington, dc
b.) feel completely passionate about the policies for which we were advocating
c.) absolutely love talking with senators, congressmen, and their staff
and
d.) learn about the political process and the importance of advocacy in our legal system.

i found myself completely in love with the city (and i've always been a little overwhelmed by big cities...fun to visit, but not to live) and what i was able to do there. better yet, i found that advocacy in this realm was a great fit for my professional strengths and was surprised that meeting with my elected officials at their offices on the Hill was not scary, but completely enjoyable and necessary. i was able to meet directly with our congressman larry kissell and with north carolina senator kay hagan and was encouraged that despite corruption and the "politics" of that society, and even despite certain differences among our elected leaders and their constituents, there are still many who care about our country's future and seek to do their jobs well.
while i was there, i began to realize that working in government relations and advocacy may just be where god is calling me in the future. i have never wanted to just pick-up and move to a city, but i must say washington, dc has found a very special place in my heart. i feel that i would fit there in many different ways and have begun praying that god will reveal whether his plans for me include work there in the future.
so, if you're more interested in what i was doing while i was there, head over to habitat cabarrus' facebook page and watch my video blogs, read my accounts of each day on the discussion tab, and check out the photos. and if you realize the importance of advocating for those who need a "hand up" in our society and want to join the effort, go here and sign up to become an advocate with habitat yourself. you'll receive emails every month informing you on easy ways you can help your elected leaders understand the importance of affordable housing for all.

more to come this week on how much i loved dc, including a little blogging about the cute cute neighborhood of georgetown!

snow and ice are nice

during the past week, i've been wondering what exactly i did with my time prior to the opening ceremonies of the vancouver olympics. i just love them. i love the hype, the competition, the stories. in general, i'm a usa fan, but i mostly pull for the cinderella story and can rejoice with any win as they are all products of more hard work, skill, and determination than i'll ever possess.
i've remained glued to the television and am particularly enjoying all skiing and snowboard events (especially the really crazy ones) and figure skating. i cry when people win. i gasp when people fall. television just doesn't get much better. what's your favorite event?

spring fashion fever!

today i finally sat down to flip though my new spring jcrew catalog, which requires a decent allotment of time and good lighting. for those of you that know me, i rarely actually purchase anything from jcrew (unless you count the warehouse sales) because i don't have a money tree in my yard, but i love the styling and generally try to repeat the looks with more affordable pieces. combined with my trip to the mall with blair and lacey this weekend, i’ve decided that I love love love the look this year for spring. overall, the colors (pale pastels and earthtones, yes please) and styles (very feminine and flowy with some cute menswear mixed in) are making me really excited for warmer weather and spring fever. here are my top five favorite trends so far:

1. the cropped pant

so here's the thing: i'm tall and my legs are too long for normal pants. what's more, i'm a super big fan of high heels, so the "long" pants in stores are often not even long enough. and for spring/summer, i don’t like pedal pusher/bermuda shorts (because really, on who are they flattering? anyone?). enter the pixie/minnie/skimmer pant. not only is this length totally flattering and sophisticated on lots of people (jcrew is calling them the pixies the "magic pant" because they look that good on everyone) but it's totally trendy right now. additionally, i’m loving the trouser version of this length. pictured here is the élan trouser. they're supposed to hit an inch or two above your ankle bone and can be dressed up or dressed down. while we’re on the subject, you’d be better off wearing this length with heels or booties. flats aren’t making your legs look any longer.

2. embellished tees/tanks

these were everywhere this weekend and jcrew has quite a few as well. from flowers to appliqués to sequins to ruffles, they’re all kosher. here’s what i like about these: you can make your own with little to no sewing ability. i think i’m going to attempt this at some point and blog about it, but really all it takes is a cheap basic tee or tank (rugged warehouse usually sells gap ones for about $3), some fabric or sequins you like, a bead or two if you prefer, and some good ol’ hand sewing skills. done and done. the one pictured above isn’t even done neatly – the messiness of it makes it cool. and these tees are as cute with jeans/shorts as they are with a pencil skirt under a blazer.

note: i feel like ruffles should maybe have a category of their own, being as how they're seriously everywhere, but that messes up the whole "top five" thing. technically, ruffles are an embellishment, so i'm lumping them here. assume that ruffles in any capacity are cool by me.

3. layers of sweet, girly jewelry

i’m totally down with ribbons/pearls/diamonds/flowers/bows/etc. on my jewelry and jcrew/anthro/banana have been rocking my world lately. (again, most of my jewelry purchases are not made at these places, just inspired by them. try forever 21 – their stuff looks the same and usually costs less than $10.) my style is very girly anyway, so i’m extremely attracted to this look. i’m very glad that this trend is hanging on for one more season and i can keep wearing my flower headbands and clipping flowers and feathers in my hair/on my necklaces.

4. chunky shoes

i may have been unsure at first, but i’ve decided that the whole chunky/architectural booties and shoes are really awesome. they make your legs look crazy long (as long as you choose one that doesn’t hit above your ankle bone. ew.) and they look awesome with the aforementioned cropped pant lengths. i am definitely going to get a neutral and a grey pair for spring and i’m super psyched about wearing them with springy dresses, pants, and maybe even some baggy shorts? this shoe look didn’t make lucky mag’s spring shoe list but i can’t say i always love lucky’s suggestions anyway. (side note: in case you haven't burned your pair from the seventh grade, high-heeled clogs did make lucky's list.) while i can’t afford them, i am completely, 100% in love with the chunky jcrew pair pictured here. like i-can’t-stop-thinking-about-them, can’t-eat, can’t-sleep in-love. it’s a good thing i have moral issues with spending $265 on a pair of shoes, or my savings account would be taking a huge hit.

(p.s. this pair from forever 21? they're going to be my next payday present to myself.)

5. stripes and bitty polka dots

chic, classic, and incredibly french, i feel like i’ve been seeing both of these looks everywhere. blair bought a super cute rufflely (see? they're everywhere.) striped top at ann taylor loft this weekend (for $17, i might add), and i’m thinking i’m going to have to find a similar one. both of these say “hello spring, i look super crisp and pulled-together” without too much work, and i’m endorsing them both, maybe just not together? today i did wear a polka dot silk top with tiny pin-striped pants, and the model in the photo above seems to be pulling it off quite nicely, so maybe it’s possible. but, in the words of my fave mad tv character bon qui qui, " but don't get crazy".

disclaimer: i don’t really pay attention to couture fashion because i find myself getting too overwhelmed by it all, so i have no idea if these are trends that alexander mcqueen and loeffler randall are suggesting for spring (most likely no). i’m sort of of the opinion that most things that fit your style stay in style (minus maybe stirrup pants and spice-girl platform shoes) regardless of the ever-changing trends; and these are just a few updates i’ll be adding to my spring wardrobe. lucky magazine is suggesting loud neons, anorak jackets, and paneled leggings as well, so more power to you if you feel like dressing like an edgy fashionista. i’m going to stick with the ready-to-wear looks and leave the crazy stuff to the pros.

images: 1.dealio.com 2-5:jcrew.com, 6.anntaylorloft.com

make a statement

i don't know about you, but i'm really loving the whole obsession with typography and words in decorating right now. there are so many cool pieces out there whether pillows, wall hangings, linens, etc. that have neat words, phrases, or in some cases single letters/numbers on them. this weekend, i bought two adorable little crocks at anthropologie with 78 (my address) on them.

i am especially a fan of statement signs lately, which are generally larger wall hangings with a certain phrase or saying on them. i think they bring a lot of character to a room and can say a lot about the room's occupants. they are also very versatile - depending on the phrase/color, they can be used in virtually any spot.

here are some fun examples:

apartment therapy recently posted diy instructions on how to make one of these cool signs yourself and it's as easy as a trip to the craft store to buy some vinyl letters and spray paint. they suggested doing it on plywood, i would prefer canvas, but i'm pretty certain you could make it work on anything; even the wall itself. the post's comments also have a ton of suggestions for fun quotes to use. there are so many options: poetry, movie quotes, song lyrics, etc. i'm contemplating doing one for my living room, but i haven't landed on the perfect phrase yet. what would yours say?

**i feel that i should mention it is 1:36 on a monday and i am sitting in my pjs and a big sweater posting this. it's rainy and disgusting outside and i'm loving life/days off. please don't judge me for being so lazy.**

images: 1.domino magazine 2.nothingrelevant.files.wordpress.com 3. and 4.apartment therapy 5.redletterwords on etsy.com

happy valentine's day!

"who, being loved, is poor?"

- oscar wilde

image via weheartit.com

indoor/outdoor wedding ceremony/happy weekend!

i told you i had wedding fever...how cool is this ceremony site? (click on the photo to see the collage a little larger) i love the mix of outdoor/indoor elements and i think the yellow dresser/altar is so incredibly cool. i sometimes think it would be neat to do something this alternative, but then i think i couldn't give up getting married in a church. opinions?

speaking of weddings, i'm headed to shelby this weekend for a fabulous engagement party thrown by blair and a few of our friends for hef and ct. they're so fun and i'm so excited! happy weekend!

photos by stephanie fay via style me pretty

ring-a-ding-BLING

so guess what!? i'm going to be a bridesmaid! my friend sarah's bf jason popped the question on christmas, and sarah officially popped the bridesmaid question to lacey and me a couple of weeks ago over pf changs. (note: i will probably say yes to almost anything if you ask me over pf changs.) while i don't get to wear a big white dress and have everyone's attention on me, i get to wear a green or blue dress and celebrate my friends sarah and jason. i'd say that's pretty great as well. this is my first time being a bridesmaid and i'm super duper excited.

i went to the bridal showcase last weekend with sarah and it was fab-u-lous! while my taste for weddings is a little different than some of the vendors that were there, (i'm really not a fan of wedding clichés. if you know me at all, you probably have heard me talk about this and for that, i apologize.) but it was still really fun to get fun wedding/shower ideas and free samples.

speaking of which, i shamelessly accepted every free food sample that was offered (which probably adds up to about three full-size cakes.) i was feeling pretty gross when i left. overall, i had lots of fun exploring with sarah, her moh katie, sarah’s mom, and jason (who was totally a trooper and tagged along with us)!

our free photo shoot with shutter booth...

there was an entire photobooth strip of these, but i'll spare you the rest.

weddings and the city booth, featuring elements from carolina bride cover girl lindsey regan thorne's wedding at the mint. you can see her wedding photos here.

new york bride and groom, which just expanded their shop in charlotte, showing off some delicious dresses.

my friends stephen and cj torrence of torrence photography's very cool booth (they had all these old cameras on display in the case.)

you should also check out my friend lindsey lee's booth photos. i didn't snap any shots because i was too busy chatting, but it was like a mini anthropologie store. so cute.

delicious free samples. i ate like a fat kid and was not the least bit ashamed.

cuppycakes from the blushing bake shop, which just opened in ballantyne village. how pretty are these?

more blushing cupcakes... almost too pretty to eat (but not quite)

why, yes, i would love a piece of the almond cake...and the chocolate...and the vanilla. this booth gave out full-size pieces and therefore was one of my favorites. laura's bakery in matthews, however, won the best cake of the day award. and i definitely did my research.

i'm liking this this table for a fancy schmancy beach wedding. i love the blue/gold tablecloth.

a little over-the-top, but also a little fabulous.

i've got wedding fever at this point and am so excited to help sarah plan her big day and throw her an amazing shower and bachelorette with lacey and katie. stay tuned, as i'll for sure be keeping you posted!