Where To Start

I have TONS of pictures from the last couple of weeks that I still have to edit and post. This includes my brothers' farewell, their open house, and my cute cute nieces and nephew {that Jack is a riot}.

Stuart is visiting until tomorrow night so maybe once we have him on the plane.

TTFN!

My Future Child?

My Aunt Lorie texted me yesterday and said this girl looks like me. So I had to look her up. I don't see it! But then she clarified and said she could be mine and Ryan's little girl. So funny! Both her daughters said the same thing {without prompting from Aunt Lorie} so I guess it's true.

Anyways, her picture is from here {and all the photos from this post are as well}

While you're on her site, look at the AMAZING fonts you can get, for FREE! My friend Becka {I'd link but it's private} used them and was able to write her entire blog post with them. I tried but couldn't get it to work - which would explain the multiple posts yesterday that got deleted. They were tests.

Anyways, does she look like she could be mine?

Easter already?

Remember my easter cookies last year?

Well look at these darlings.

They're from Elenis and I want them. Well, I want to make them or something like it.

Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe

And the equally great hot fudge sauce. Email me if the image isn't enlarging for you - I can email it over.

This isn't the one I made for craft day - this one is better. Tara made this originally for Christmas a few years ago and I LOVED it.

Caramel Sauce Recipe

This is too delicious not to share.

And I'm in love with my recipe card!

Onesies are a pain in the arse

but oh my gosh, they are so cute and tiny that they might just be worth the hours of frustration. {yes hours - they took way too long, but now I know}


These were actually a request {exciting!} for a girl in my ward's coworker's baby shower. I hope she loves them.

I think I'll stick to making bibs, though...or maybe just need a bit more practice.

It's a Major Award!

Yes, I won it!

I commented on Chronicle Books's Blog and they liked what I had to say - so my major award! was an advanced copy of Dorm Decor. Look at all these GREAT projects from it!

Lucky, lucky me.

Springing {upward}

I started my seedlings on March 7th and already see the vegetables of my labor. There are a few that haven't peeked out of the soil yet {the fiery-spirited peppers} but never fear - their germination period is 10-21 days - it's not too late for them!

The skyward creepers are sweet peas.

The abundant sprouts are allysum, bound for my front flowerbed/walkway.

Lights Up!

Ryan was a sweetpea and tried his hand at hanging my other lamp I'd bought on eBay. After it sat around for 6 months gathering dust, we figured it was about time we did something with it - whether that be sell it or use it. I chose 'use it.'

Here's the before:

And the after:


Me likey.

My March Craft

This is for Hillary for her birthday {which, yes, I realize was in January - "homemade with love" means "you're getting it late"}

This is attempt numero uno. I ran out of cream wool (the circles) so I thought I'd make it coordinate with her room better by adding a row of green {which I didn't have to match her other pillows} or a row of brown - which I did.

I'll post later on attempt numero dos when it is actually attempted.

March Craft Day

I love having these girls over. The last couple of craft days have been so much fun. Here's a quick peek of the busyness.

And the promised caramel and chocolate fondue--leftovers.

The chocolate doesn't look so great in this jar, but it was mm...mmmm...good. And the caramel sauce was even better! Want the recipes? Let me know and I'll post them!

P.S.

For tomorrow's craft day we'll be having some deliciously terrible-for-you snacks.

Chocolate and caramel fondue!

See you here.

I know I'm cutting out this kind of stuff but...

Look how absolutely delicious!

You can find the recipe for Samoas and other Girl Scout cookies here.

MMMM...I'll have to save up some calories for these puppies.

images via Baking Bites

No More Forwards {please?}

I think I've gotten 7 email forwards in the last 2 weeks about Big Love. As a Latter-Day Saint, yes, it's frustrating. But as it's been said time and again, there's no such thing as bad publicity. We're furthering the curiosities of others outside our faith to watch the episode everyone is screaming about.

I got my favorite forward today from an old roommate and I'm so glad I read this one. It included a link to the Church's Newsroom and their public statement which I've included here. It's long, so I won't post it in its entirety, but this section struck a chord with me:

"If the Church allowed critics and opponents to choose the ground on which its
battles are fought, it would risk being distracted from the focus and mission it
has pursued successfully for nearly 180 years. Instead, the Church itself will
determine its own course as it continues to preach the restored gospel of Jesus
Christ throughout the world."

I don't want to tell people to ignore it. It's something that cuts deep to many of us, but the statement made by Church officials really makes more sense, doesn't it?

My {New} Blog

If you dare, you can read my fat blog here. As you can see, my first attempts {oh how depressing it is to see them from way back in 2007 - obviously I wasn't serious then...okay, I was, but now I'm seriously serious.} didn't really pan out too well, but I have a more definitive goal this go-round {for those of you who don't know - it's to get knocked up ;) } and I have more drive. I went through my closets and boxes of stuff as I was unpacking them {uh...last month} and would gasp when I found a once-loved shirt that I used to rock out. I have TONS of really cute clothes. I just need my body to fit back into them and all will be well with the world de Chelsea.

So join me for the next 6 months+ and we'll see how fit I can get.

image via LAC

Matte Stephens Giveaway

Matte Stephens giveaway here. Look how fun these prints are! If you like the vintage/trendy Parisian look, go enter for yourself. I especially love the middle one.

it's been a long day

Ever have one of those days? The weather was unbearable: not too hot, not too cold, but MUGGY. Oh my gosh, Welcome to Kansas, Chelsea.

I had good intentions all day - wake up before 9, go to the gym, shower, paint the other half of the bedroom, clean the downstairs, etc., but not a bit of that happened. Well, lie. I showered.

We ended up going to Costco. For some reason I keep having this feeling that I need to get a month's supply of food and, more importantly, toilet paper. Call me crazy, because I just might be, but it was the forethought of my week: Go to Costco, get TP and tampons.

$90 later and we left with toilet paper, canned air {who the hell pays for air in a can!?}, tampax, and indigestion {from the Polish Dog combo - which you HAVE to get when you go to Costco...have to}.

Then on the way home we stopped to wash the car {you fellow Lawrencians are probably thinking, you dummies, it's pouring! but ha! it's in the garage} and to get the oil changed and ask about a pesky leak the other car was having. Nice car dude says, 'Bring it in tonight and I'll get a look at it and have the oil changed,' and stayed open late for us.

That 'I'll get a look at it' turned into almost $800. shoot me now! you stupid Rodeo!? We JUST had you fixed! Yes, I know that was a year and a half ago but we pumped you full of money. We may as well have reupholstered you with dollar bills. bugger. buggerbuggerbugger.

Now I'm trying to get into the right frame and peace of mind to finish {or start} tomorrow's Relief Society lesson. I hope everyone is awesome and contributes lots of feedback, as usual.

On a brighter note, it's pouring. Not just any ole pouring, but a good old fashioned rain-thunder-lightning-HAIL storm. And the smell! I love the scents of rain. Had I known today's weather was a forerunner to this intoxicating rain-smellfest, I might have been a little less crabby with my equally crabby sweetheart.

Tomorrow's a new day. I hope it's just as rainy.

Around Town {part deux}

While most of the prime shopping in Lawrence is downtown on Massachusetts, there are many hidden treasures just a stone's throw away.

Let's take Antiques Plus! for example.

They are located at 642A Locust Street. It's right across the river so it's often overlooked, but it shouldn't be!



I like to go in and browse and see if there's a hidden treasure. And you can tell by the pictures you have to really hunt and dig - this place is filled to the brim and often spills out onto the front sidewalk and grass.

I love these chickens and the whole set up here. They have done a great job creating little troves with coordinating merchandise.




Then just a crosswalk away we have Locust Street Marketplace. I purchased my craft table from here last October. They're more of a gently used and second-hand furniture and goods store, but they have good prices, too. I LOVE the silhouettes of the children playing {top} and they're only asking $15 for it. Not too shabby. I'd probably paint the frame black and distress it, though, but that's just my taste. It would look great in any color or left as is.


The neatest part about this area is the whole facade for 642 Locust. Upstairs has been renovated into 5 different apartments. I wish I knew someone who lived there so I could see inside! Wouldn't it be so neat to live above a little shop like this?

Making Me Smile

To watch in HQ, use the arrow in the video on the right side and hit HQ - it's much clearer!

You can search for more on YouTube and see how perfectly orchestrated this was. I have the biggest grin on my face after watching it.

It's here!

It's here.

And look how gorgeous the packaging is.

Fab Finds

I'm on this huge nostalgia kick right now. I already love old items but add in the element of things I had growing up and I'm unstoppable.


Saturday morning I braved the weather and found this beaut for $10. It's in better condition than the one my mom is hoarding. {take that, childhood-toy keeper}. It's missing the magnetic alphabet and a few of its pupils, but the ones still with it are old old school - they're wooden!

I'm really impressed that the sticker is mostly intact and there is only slight water damage on one side of the school - leaky school pipes, maybe?

Then I ALSO got to sift through 4 boxes of old printing type - a somewhat trendy find, if I do say so myself. The best part? 4/$1. I managed to find CHELSEA & RYAN and LOVE. One of these days I'm going to invest in some thick cotton paper and print something artsy, then I'll probably put it all in a shadow box frame. And the bowl they're in was another steal.


Finally, these old pictures and a Christmas card. I got the card because I love the Santa so much and I'll probably repurpose it {or a copy of it} for a holiday down the road.

Not sure on the age of the girl picture, but the boy is dated with the photographers name and 1916 written in pencil. Picture perfect.