I HEART Thursdays - Etsy Love

It has sure been a while since an I <3 Thursdays post. I have seriously missed doing these and I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of my blogging schedule. I'm also missing the Two Things Tuesdays and looking ahead at showing some DIY and craftiness. Sometimes I feel as though I should get a bit more directional on this blog. I love fashion, I love food, I love my kids, I love where I live, I love travel and I love decorating. That makes it pretty difficult to streamline into a blog...instead it reads more like a stream of consciousness of what's in my head at the moment. Of course it would be nice to be super directional and say this is a fashion blog or decorating blog or whatever. But then I tell myself, this is mine to do with it as I please.


There. That's my rant for the day. Lack of sleep has made me crazy. I can't wait for my honey to come home. I can't seem to get to sleep until well past midnight when he's away working. I have spent the last week spooning my iPad and streaming Arrested Development starting from the pilot. Top that with nightly visits from feverish little people and its all added up to some serious luggage under my eyes. Tonight I am vowing to get to bed early; or at least as soon as I've cleaned the house, met the girls for dinner, played softball and picked up my man from the airport. Whew!! A busy evening, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Life is worth living to the fullest.

That said...its on to the actual posting of my <3 picks for today.

I love Etsy. Who doesn't?

A simple search of "hearts" turned up all sorts of crush worthy goodies

refashioned.etsy.com

 

 

 

 heavymetallaundry.etsy.com

 

 

 theolivebird.etsy.com 

 

 

  nubambu.etsy.com 

 

 

allencompanyinc.etsy.com

 

 lovecalifornia.etsy.com

 

 PrinceDesignUK.etsy.com

Now head on over and get yourself some Etsy Love!!

XO,

Chelsea

I HEART Thursdays - sort of

Rough patches - we all have 'em.

I'm feeling particularly uninspired today.

So I put on a super bright outfit.

 

And went in search of something pretty for my eyes.

Something delicious for the eyes and tummy

(source: weheartit)

An amazing magazine cover from one of my favorites artists, Andrew Bannecker

 (ps: if you live anywhere this magazine is circulated, pick it up!! This cover could be worth serious bucks someday)

Katie over at Color Me Katie's images always bring a smile to my face

Ahhhhh. The days already looking brighter.

XO,

Chelsea

I HEART Thursdays - In The Kitchen

Few things please me as much as stepping into our kitchen and whipping up something delicious. Admittedly, that something is usually something sweet. I prefer my food healthy and my sweets SWEET. Its my own little way of justification. If I eat pretty healthy most of the time, then I can hoard the elaborate desserts!! Case in point: I made these delicious little morsels last night, Halfway Cookies.

 (image source: the kitchn)

Intrigued?? Check out the recipe over at The Kitchn. Mine didn't turn out exactly as I had planned, but I refuse to give up. It just means I will have to make them again to master them ;)

I definitely find cooking therapeutic. There is something soothing about coming home after a hectic day and creating something to feed my loved ones. Weeknight cooking is a bit less...creative, with hungry faces staring up at me. But I do usually manage to carve out some time over the weekend to channel my inner Julia Child.

Spending all this time in the kitchen has me craving cute and useful gadgets and tools to outfit my space.

I'd have to start by donning this sweet apron. 

Wouldn't want to mess up my duds. 

 

With these amazingly adorable bowls I'm sure to bake up something sweet.

I'll gather up all my ingredients and be sure to have these around for good measure.

I'll keep a close eye on things 

and be sure not to flip out

(source: spatula and coffee scoop below)

 

But I might get parched midway

 and have to go for a tall glass cooled down with some super cute ice cubes,

 

or perhaps I'd prefer a frothy, hot cappuccino

to help wash down the goodies

(image source: flickr)

What's your favorite thing to whip up in the kitchen?

XO,

Chelsea

i HEART Thursdays - Earth

Happy Thursday and Happy Earth Day to everyone!

Today's HEART roundup theme was a pretty obvious choice. Our Earth is pretty awesome and it wasn't hard to find some great images out there that not only showcase how beautiful Earth is, but also how many talented people are in this world we live in. Is it any wonder that HEART and EARTH have the same letters??

Without getting too soapbox-y, I just want to say that I am amazed and horrified by all the anti climate change propaganda out there floating around. Trying to deny that climate change is happening just seems crazy to me. Working in Renewable Energy I read tons of articles day in and day out about the people that are behind all these scare campaigns and its heartbreaking to think that they are denying the scientific evidence just to continue making billions. I'm far from perfect when it comes to saving the Earth but I know that if I make small adjustments, it does make a difference.

There. That's my rant. Now go enjoy some pretty pictures.

What are you doing to show the Earth some love today?

XO,

Chelsea

i HEART Thursdays - all made up

Yippee! Its Thursday again!!
I was super productive over last weekend and I really think that has led me to have such an easy week.
I'm looking forward to watching the sunset at the beach tonight with my sweetie and wrapping up the work week tomorrow. Sort of. I'm actually working at the awesome Consilience Tasting Room on Saturday. But its super hard to call that work. Its more like throwing a party and getting paid for it!!

On to today's heart post.
Well, I still have yet to see Alice in Wonderland, which just breaks my heart.
The movie has certainly inspired a lot of Queen of Hearts looks all over the place, and I'm loving the personalized takes floating around out there. I love makeup. So much that I even got my Esthetician license so I could play with makeup all day. I don't practice anymore, but I still love to ogle over the makeup counters and I could seriously spend all day in a Sephora. Sadly, its mainly just window shopping since I don't really wear much makeup in my day-to-day life. Maybe I was a drag queen in a past life?

Here's a little smattering of all the "made-up" hearts kissing their way across people's faces these days

 

(sources: weheartit and flickr)

What movie were you dying to see, but missed in the theater?

XO,

Chelsea

i HEART Thursdays - I love balloons

Oh joy. Its already Thursday again! My honey is on the train home. I've got a sweet little boy to gather, meet Carl at the train station and the three of us are off for a date night adventure of dinner and How to Train Your Dragon in 3D. Not sure how I'll survive dinner out while on day 4 of my detox - but I'm determined. Super excited to see Dragon - especially with my Nordic sweetie.

Today's <3 post is a random mashup of pretty balloon hearts. Just because :) 

What's your favorite day of the week??

XO,

Chelsea

i HEART Thursdays - furniture needs love too

So, first things first. I am a liar, liar pants on fire. I said I was going to join in Kassi's two things post this week, but I didn't. Too many photos to edit and moving back and forth between computers just didn't allow for it.

But I did want to post my new favorite thing around my house and get some advice! So here goes...

A few weeks back I saw an adorable kitchen in all orange (a recurring favorite color in our home) and I just died. The chair mixed in so well with the rest of the furnishings so seamlessly with its updated bright, lacquered persimmon shade. Cute, right? It was. You'll have to just believe me because like the blond that I am, I forgot to keep the picture. Duh. I did, however, put it in the ole memory bank with the thought that someday, far from now I might come across a chair like that. Fast forward about a week (maybe less) during a sadly unsuccessful stop at my fave thrifting spot - and voila - the chair. Absolutely perfect in all its chippy white glory. And 4 bucks. The chair of course came with me and presented itself at our lovely dining table. Harper immediately fell in love with it and even Carl didn't mind too much that it was the second furniture item I had drug home that week.

So, here in lies the dilemma. To paint or not to paint - that is the question!?

I love how the shabby chic white is a nice contrast to the darker, midcentury Drexel dining set. But I have that image of the shiny lacquered orange one in my head and I know that's a fabulous option too! What to do. Carl likes the white just as is, but I'm not a fan of the flaking white paint everywhere. Ideas? Advice? I'd love to hear what anyone thinks...


And speaking of furniture, here's a sweet little roundup of heart furniture. Usually when one thinks of furniture and heart, country kitsch comes to mind. I found quite a few awesome options that I would actually rock in my own home:

part Art, part seating, 100% adorable

a heartfelt nod to the Womb Chair

the sweetest little girl's fairytale vanity

i'd give this chair a pop-life makeover with neon lacquer and plush white velvet

sweet Parisian cafe chairs

adorable furniture love print

What are you loving this Thursday??

XO,

Chelsea