love, chelsea lauren

sunday sounds

2012-01-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Matt Pond PA is one of my favorite bands of all time. And this song always seems perfect when winter rolls around...I'm pretty sure you'll recognize it from that Starbucks commercial introducing the red cups for the year. ;)

Snow Day by matt pond PA on Grooveshark

beating the sickly blues.

2012-01-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

photo

I rang in the new year by getting sick. I have this knack (we'll call it a super power) for getting sick on fun holidays...it goes all the way back to one of my very first Easters; having to just look at the basket full of candy because I felt too sick to eat any of it. Great, right?

Anyway, I did get to go out and enjoy myself for New Year's Eve, but I promptly returned home directly after midnight (like some sort of Cinderella or something) and I immediately became sneezy, feverish, and miserable.

While sitting around for a few days not getting any real work done, I've compiled a list of things that have helped me feel better when I can't do anything else:

+ movies. lots and lots of movies. preferably with the common theme of paul rudd, or my boyfriend joeseph gordon-levitt.
+ cupcakes. when you don't feel sick to your stomach, why not eat cupcakes? also, I've decided that calories don't count when you're sick.
+ chicken noodle soup. and not the kind that you have to make yourself. bundle up and go to panera (or even to target!) and buy yourself some really good soup. or get your very nice friend/boyfriend/etc. to bring you some
+ a million naps. definitely a million. no more, no less.
+ comfy sweats. mine are emblazoned with the logo of the college i work at. they also are size giant, which means they are EXTRA comfy but also EXTRA unacceptable to wear out of the house. this is OK; i promise they'll help you feel better than skin tight adorable yoga pants.
+ a pet. and if you're like me and don't have one, googling photos of baby animals is 2nd best.

What helps you when you're feeling sick?

rachel bilson in c magazine

2012-01-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Can we all just talk about how gorgeous Rachel Bilson looks in this shoot for C Magazine? I love the flowy gowns, the muted colors, and the over all romantic feel.

She's one of my style icons. Who are your yours?

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

It always helps to start fresh in the new year. To help me start fresh with a clearer vintage closet, and to help you start fresh with some pretty new clothes and jewelry, I'm having a sale on everything in my Etsy.

Take 35% off all clothing with code "35off"

Take 20% off everything else (jewelry, cameras) with code "20off"

notes:
+if you use a code for an item it does not apply to, I will cancel the sale and contact you
+please send me a message if you are thinking about buying clothing AND jewelry/a camera and I will adjust the shipping prices for you.
+items will be shipped within 10 business days, as stated in my policies

There are LOTS of pretty vintage dresses, fun jewelry, and cameras. Happy shopping!

click here to visit the rewritten shop.

new year, new things.

2012-01-02T15:05:00.000-05:00

I'm not really one for making resolutions.

However, there are a few things I'd like to do with my 2012.

+ take more photos (especially film).
+ meet new people and make new friends.
+ try selling jewelry at a craft fair.
+ (re) decorate my apartment.
+ try new recipes & a healthier way of eating.

What are you trying in 2012?

honesty time: on being a real friend -- to everyone.

2011-12-30T18:56:00.001-05:00

This last week has been crazy full of ups and downs. I am genuinely very happy, but have found myself in some sad situations lately that have caused me to think and reflect a lot on what it means to actually be friends--and what it takes to actually have and keep friends. Not to mention what happens when you lose touch with some of those friends.

Not too long ago, I was standing outside of my job on what I thought was a really cold day, and someone I barely know at work referred to me as a "freezebaby." First of all, who says that? Second of all, this was something that someone who used to be my best friend (and boyfriend!) used to say to me all the time and I thought he invented the word himself. OK, so this one little word makes me think about all the fun times we had and all the times that each of us had been a best friend to each other and it made me cry in approximately two seconds. I cried at work because of one stupid made up word that an almost-stranger said to me in a casual conversation. But it got me thinking -- if someone really, truly is your best friend and really loves you, does it even matter if you've gotten into a humongous fight or have grown apart and made a few new friends? I don't think so. If there are genuine, good qualities that you both respect in each other, then isn't it possible to be friends even after the demise of a relationship? I think so.

Another thing that got me recently was a conversation with someone about our "favorite ages." -- you know, your very best year in your life (and you're not allowed to pick the current year! that's no fun. that can be your future favorite.). Mine was 19, and when the person I was talking to asked my why, I realized it was almost solely dependent on the aforementioned best friend/boyfriend and another friend who I had just recently met, but almost instantly because very close with. I haven't talked to this second friend much post-graduation for various reasons--there was never any fight or getting upset, but we still ended up growing apart. When I thought about that, I thought about how stupid it was that I didn't still talk to someone who was/could still be one of my best friends.

When you grow up, real friends are very hard to come across. It is so difficult to find people who truly care and really honestly want to hear how your day was, and genuinely want to seek you out to spend time. And the more I think about it, the more I realize it's so lame to let these people go because you might feel a little bit awkward around them now, or you're still holding a grudge for that time they weren't there for you (when they've provided plenty of other examples of being a good friend), or you're afraid of how they might react to you reaching out to them.

So, in the spirit of being friends, I decided to make an effort with each of the aforementioned people, among a few others. Don't get me wrong, I didn't type out a heartfelt letter or call them crying or anything drastic--instead, I started out with very small steps -- a tag in a Facebook status, a quick email saying "happy birthday" ... and it mostly worked. I got a text and an invitation a few days later from one friend. And okay, I'm still working on the other.

And maybe we'll never be friends again. Maybe we will avoid each other forever and try to change the topic when each other's name comes up in conversation, or keep ourselves so busy with other people that we don't have time to miss each other. But it doesn't hurt to try, right? Sometimes it takes us being the bigger person. And if these people were ever really friends, they'll realize it sooner or later.

Have you ever reconnected with an old friend? Tell me about it!

sunday sounds + january ad space

2011-12-18T16:24:00.001-05:00

I really like sharing the music I'm listening to, so I thought I would post about one of my favorites this week!

Of Monsters and Men is a six-piece indie/folk group from Iceland...You might like them if you're into Sigur Ros, Mumford & Sons, or Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.

Little Talks by Of Monsters And Men on Grooveshark

Let me know what you think of them!

Also,

If anyone wants to swap ad space for January, please send me an email (lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com)...I like supporting blogs, etsy shops, and bands! Just email me with a 300x80 button (this is a new size!) and let me know what size you need! xoxoxo

DONE!

2011-12-17T13:42:00.001-05:00

my best friend took this photo...my hair doesn't look like this anymore, but i still love the picture!

Finally, I am done with this semester. I can't even believe it -- I only have two semesters of classes left, then I start my professional internship as a counselor -- I'll actually have a license from the state, and insurance and whatnot. SUCH A GROWN UP THING!

I've spent the last week rushing to write papers, finish finals, and get everything turned in (not to mention working 25 hours a week and trying to maintain a real life), but I finally got everything turned in! I don't think I've ever been happier at the end of any semester, ever. That even counts the semester I graduated from undergrad!

I'm looking forward to having a month off to relax a little bit and catch up with everyone. I'm working a lot this weekend, but I'm planning on spending tomorrow cleaning my apartment and wrapping Christmas presents and getting everything organized.

Speaking of organizing and cleaning, I recently went through my vintage closet and added lots of new items to my etsy shop -- many underneath a $15 sale section! if you're in the market for pretty vintage dresses on sale, go check it out! You can still take 10% off your order with the code "UPDATE" at checkout.

Happy weekend! What have you been up to this past week?

give colorfully.

2011-12-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

How fun is this video from Kate Spade? This is what the holidays should look like, in my book.

wish list

2011-12-14T17:16:00.000-05:00

So, I haven't had internet at my apartment for about a week now...and it's not looking like it will be back for another week or so. I've been spending LOTS of time at the library and coffee shops (luckily there are so many within walking distance of my apartment!), but needless to say, it's been keeping me away from blogging and commenting as much as I would like.

Anyway, I've been working on a wish list for Christmas, and I thought it would be fun to share some of it --- I think most of the items really have one thing in common -- SPARKLE!

Sparkly dresses, sparkly jewelry, sparkly shoes. And an iPad. Sounds perfect, right?! This is kinda my dream list...my real wish list includes new gloves, practical flats, and pretty things for my apartment.

What's on your wish list this holiday?

want to swap christmas cards?

2011-12-05T19:30:00.000-05:00

I love being pen pals. Does anyone want to swap Christmas cards?

I think we have *just* enough time to be able to send cards and have them get places in time! If you want to swap cards (they don't HAVE to be Christmas...I have some "happy holiday" ones too....), please send me an email with your name and address to lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com.

If we're swapping and you are mailing me a card, you can send it here:

chelsea lauren

po box 9349

columbus, OH 43209

**If we have already been pen pals, you will already have a card on its way to you in just a few days! :) :) :)

YAY!

Do you send out Christmas cards?

pretty lights.

2011-12-01T19:06:00.001-05:00

After much debate, I finally decided on buying a Christmas tree to put in my little apartment. You see, I don't have any Christmas festivities planned at my apartment (I go home for that), and I wasn't really sure if I NEEDED a tree or not. However, my family and friends were overwhelmingly appalled that I wasn't sure if I wanted a tree! I thought about it and thought about it, and finally decided to compromise -- so I got a little tree. I'll post real photos of it soon, but for now, I'm having fun playing with the lights:

Bonus points to you if you can name all the shapes in these 4 photos... especially the 3rd one, but if you know me, that's easy. HA!

Have you put up your holiday decorations yet?

extended sale.

2011-11-30T19:05:00.001-05:00

Just stopping by to let everyone know that I just restocked the shop with pretty jewelry and vintage dresses and sweaters. Since I just added a bunch of new items, I'm extending the sale until next Monday, December 5!

Go visit the shop and take 20% off your order with code "HOLIDAY."

YAY!

honesty time: doing what you're good at.

2011-11-27T21:28:00.001-05:00

I haven't been blogging a lot lately because I haven't been so sure of the direction I want to go in. My life has been so caught up in the small details (and big ones!) that I haven't had a lot of time to focus on my blog and make it into what I want it to be. As I was thinking about this tonight, I had to really think about what exactly it was that I wanted for this little space.

My blog has turned into a way for me to connect with new people from all over the world. I've made some really good friends, and have loved so many things about it. However, I've been feeling some pressure to "keep up" and to produce content that is consistent with many of the blogs that I enjoy, even if that content is not quite my forte. I don't want to do that anymore.

So, what is it exactly that I want this space to be? I've been thinking it over for weeks now, and I think I've finally come to my conclusion. I want this space to be:

a place to share my photography -- I don't do nearly enough of this, and I think it's because in the past, I haven't gotten a huge response to my photo posts...that really shouldn't matter, should it? If it's what I love, and it's one of my talents, I want to share it.
a place to share my crafting and love for vintage -- I've come to the realization that I need to craft in order to maintain my sanity. If I don't work on a creative project for a couple days, I find myself getting cranky and unhappy. Even if I'm buried in grad school work or actual work, I have to take that time to make things or else everything feels out of balance.
a place to share my love of fashion. For various reasons, I don't really share enough about this either.
a place to share my daily life - a lot of times, I feel like my days are mundane and not worth sharing the little details of, but I realized that my favorite blogs are the ones who share little bits and pieces of their personal lives, not the ones filled with DIYs or recipes or professional things all the time.
along the lines of connecting with other people, I want to make an even better effort to respond to comments and check out new blogs. I feel like so many bloggers fall into the trap of being in a particular "circle" and rarely take the time to branch out and "meet" new people... what's the fun in that? I like to meet everyone!

So, there it is. My goal for this blog is to share what's important to me and to make connections based on that; not worrying about what topics would get the most comments or how many people read each post. In case you haven't noticed, I gave my blog a little makeover to support this transition -- bigger photo space and less distracting nonsense on the sidebars. I love it, and I hope you do, too!

Have you ever taken time to think about your identity as a blogger?

black friday, small business saturday, shopping sunday, cyber monday.

2011-11-25T22:27:00.000-05:00

so, i've been a little behind on everything, but i wanted to stop in and give you guys a little special coupon code for all your shopping this weekend!

I'm going to be uploading lots of new pieces over the next few days, so head over to the shop and use code HOLIDAY to take 20% off your order! Happy shopping!

PS- hope you all had the best holiday!

PPS- am working on a blog redesign this weekend, so please bear with me if photos are crazy sizes or things are disappearing...it will be done soon!

what i've been up to

2011-11-20T15:31:00.000-05:00

I've been a busy little lady this week!

I haven't been feeling well this week, so whenever I haven't been working, in class, or avoiding people who only want to talk about Twilight, I've been trying to catch up on sleep and take care of myself. Still though, I've been fairly productive and I'm really excited about it.

I got my hair cut... it's weird to not have super long hair anymore, but after a while, everyone needs a change. I really like it!

I've been working on uploading LOTS of new items in the shop, including the cutest tribal print cardigan ever.

What have you been up to this week? Please catch me up on your lives...I'm so out of the loop! :)

show & tell - camera collection!

2011-11-10T20:04:00.001-05:00

I've had a few people ask me to share my camera collection...here it is! Minus my beloved 35mm Holga and another pola. It's clear that this is borderline hoarder status, so you'll be finding some of these in the shop over the next few weeks (hint, hint: starting tomorrow).

One of my favorite things about vintage cameras is that they're so unpredictable! Even if they're just regular old 35mm cameras, each one has its own little unique qualities when you go to develop the film and print the photos.

Do you collect anything?

hair help!

2011-11-08T22:34:00.000-05:00

help! i'm getting a pretty major hair cut soon, but i can't decide which color to choose! i love my current red, but also love my natural dark brown for winter.

What do you think?

THANK YOU.

2011-11-07T11:10:00.000-05:00

It seems as if some thank yous are in order!

First of all, the biggest thank you of all to everyone who read, commented, or asked to share my post on being an introvert. I'm so glad there are people out there who can relate, and I hope that anyone who is an actual introvert realizes that it's not something that you can just get over, or something that is wrong with you.

A second thank you goes to anyone who has checked out, said nice words about, or purchased something from my new etsy shop! I have a batch of vintage cameras still in their boxes and a TON of dresses coming soon. The response has been so positive, and I am grateful.

That reminds me, if you want to swap ad buttons, please send me an email at lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com! I've already missed the mark for a November swap, but we can swap for the rest of the month, until the holidays or whatever works for you! If we've already swapped and you want to keep our buttons up, send me an email to let me know that, too!

The third thank you is to everyone who has sent me a pen pal letter! I've gotten a few, and I am so excited to write back, but I have been SWAMPED lately. I am hoping to write back in the next week and a half or so. If you still want to be pen pals but haven't written yet, just send me a letter!:

chelsea lauren
po box 9349
columbus, OH 43209
USA!

Anyway, thanks to everyone for stopping by. I love all of the friends I have met through blogging and hope to meet many, many more people! If we haven't met just yet, please feel free to introduce yourself in the comments and make sure I have a way to find your blog! I know a lot of people say this, but seriously, let's be friends! Send me an email or find me on twitter or something! XO

ribbon image from pugly pixel

pretty words and pretty sounds

2011-11-06T18:27:00.000-05:00

Just when I feel like I'm accomplishing a lot and have my life together, I get a reminder that someone only 2 years older than me is creating beautiful things like this.

I don't mean that in a bad or sad way, just that feelings like that are good motivators to keep going; to work hard and keep creating beautiful things in this world. It's been a while since someone's creative work just blew me away like this, but this album is simply perfect.

Listen to the song, it's amazing.

What music have you been loving lately?

honesty time: on being an introvert.

2011-11-06T00:58:00.000-04:00

I am twenty-three years old. When most people think of twenty-three year olds, they think of social butterflies--people who are happy to go out on the weekends and meet tons of new people; who thrive on going to parties and expanding their social circle.

That is not me.

I've never really had an easy time making friends -- I was never able to explain why, but I hated being surrounded by people I didn't know, I hated making "small talk" and forced niceties, and I hated the feeling I got when I didn't know what to expect going into a situation. What was worst about this whole situation is that I started to hate myself for not being like everyone else -- for lacking that charm that most girls seemed to have naturally. I managed to get by in school because I kept similar friends throughout my years there, but as you can imagine, this was a NIGHTMARE when I started college. The first year of college is basically a frenzy to meet and make friends with as many people as you can, and I just knew that it was going to be difficult for me.

What I learned later, is that I am, by nature, an introvert. And that's OK. A lot of people assume that introverts are terribly shy and lacking social skills, but that's not the case. Most people are extroverts and thrive on the energy from others--they are happiest when surrounded by people. Introverts are exactly the opposite -- we get most of our energy and motivation from ourselves.

This makes life really hard sometimes, but the older I get, here are the things I've learned:

Being an introvert does not mean that I'm shy -- I am more than happy to meet new people and carry on conversations. The difference is that I MUCH prefer to meet people one on one, or in small groups. Large groups or crowded places really, really overwhelm me and cause me a lot of anxiety. I feel so great after a night out with a small group, but I feel literally sick to my stomach entering a room with a lot of people.

I need time by myself to recharge -- while going out and being around people energizes most people, it physically drains me. While I can go out and have fun at a bar or club, I usually spend next day by myself, taking time to relax and work on projects for myself.

Say yes to things outside your comfort zone, but don't feel bad about saying no if you know you will be miserable -- I have had such good times going to parties and events that I felt really nervous about. Things that I expected to be nerveracking turned out to be great experiences. However, there have been some times when, for example, a party I was invited to was full of people I knew I would feel awkward running in to. I felt bad about not going, but I know that it wouldn't have turned out well.

Explaining these things to people help -- since most people haven't been through it, it helps to explain things. most of my friends have been super understanding when I tell them about these things. I definitely have run into a few instances where people have been a little bit rude or condescending about it, but in general, it's been fine.

If you have friends who are introverts:
-Don't take it personally if they decline social invitations. It doesn't mean they don't want to hang out with you. It just means they aren't comfortable hanging out in that situation.
-Make time to spend with them one on one. It's the best way of getting to know an introvert.
-Introduce them to people you think they might click with - sometimes meeting people is really difficult, and having that bridge makes things a little easier. DON'T make it obvious, or force it though, because that makes things 100x worse.

If you are an introvert yourself:
-Try saying yes to new things. You might end up having a better time than you thought!
-Make more of an effort to meet new people. Try talking to that nice girl at the coffee shop or that guy that says hi at the concert. They might end up being a new friend!
-Get involved in groups that make it easier to meet people.

After all of my nervousness about my first year of college, I ended up meeting some of my very best friends there. I went out, I had fun, and I got involved in lots of different things that allowed me to meet lots of different people and I had the best time. It can be done. :)

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

real pictures, fall colors

2011-11-04T17:51:00.001-04:00

I just looked at my blog and got a little depressed because pretty much all I saw were Instagram photos. Not to hate on Instagram (love it), but sometimes there's nothing better than some crisp, unedited photos from a real camera. I immediately grabbed my camera and went on a walk to capture some of the pretty colors of autumn:

I met this littlesquirrelfriend on the walk. He was a tiny bit camera shy.

Have you been enjoying the colors of fall?

PS- I would love it if you checked out the post below and comment with your ideas! <3

gift ideas

2011-11-03T21:46:00.000-04:00

It's barely November, and I'm already thinking about gifts.

Not so much receiving them (although if anyone wants to send me a Kindle or sparkly TOMS, I wouldn't be even a little bit mad...), but MAKING them.

I'm hoping to share a series of gift-able DIYs over the next two months, but I need your help!

What kinds of crafty DIYs would you like to see?

I'll consider almost any idea, but please know that my skillz* mostly lie in making wearables and home decor kind of stuff......

Also, if you have ideas and would like to guest post a holiday DIY, please send me an email at lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com!

*some words are just better ending in Zs. skillZ being the most important.

update day!

2011-10-29T16:27:00.000-04:00

I am spending this afternoon updating my new etsy shop. I have lots and lots of things to list over the next few days, including some adorable vintage cameras and home decor.

Here are some sneak peeks:

I'm so excited about these pieces because they are some of my favorites! My favorite item is probably a 1970's kodak "instant photo" bag....AKA a bag that will fit your polaroid AND has a "print pouch" for you to quickly put your prints in while they are exposing. So awesome!

I would love it if you headed over and checked everything out. I will be updating throughout the weekend, so please keep checking back.

You can take 10% off everything with code "UPDATE"

What's your favorite item?

apartment peeks :)

2011-10-28T21:02:00.001-04:00

I moved into my apartment this spring and I've been so busy that it's taken me this long to really settle in. My space is constantly changing, but I thought it would be fun to share a few peeks with you! What are your favorite parts of your home??

fall beauty essentials!

2011-10-20T20:36:00.000-04:00

Fall always feels so new to me -- I always get excited about fall fashion and fall foods, and not to mention, new fall makeup looks! I thought it would be fun to share my 4 favorite autumn beauty products with you!

e.l.f. cream eyeliner -- i have this eyeliner in black, brown, and dark purple. it's the perfect texture, and it comes with the perfect size little brush for applying it! and, umm, it's $3. go buy some now! it lasts all day!

burt's bees tinted lip balm - this is the perfect balm that gives the prettiest sheer color. i have this in tiger lily and pink blossom as well, but the one pictured here, rose, is my absolute favorite!

clinique eye shadow in lucky penny - i love this shade because it's super shimmery and easy to wear every day. it looks cute by itself during the day, and great with darker colors for evening.

essie polish in case study - the perfect fall color!

What are your fall favorites? I love trying new products!

weekend treasures!

2011-10-18T22:57:00.000-04:00

Just a few photos from vintage shopping last weekend! It was seriously typewriter city; they were everywhere! Columbus has some of the best vintage shopping of anywhere I've been!

Do you like vintage shopping?

ps - the winner of the uPrinting giveaway is Kate -- congrats, I will be in touch!

(not so) important:

2011-10-13T18:00:00.000-04:00

You should probably know that I have a tumblr now. I was really against it for a long time (HATEHATEHATE improperly credited sources), but its fun factor got the best of me.

http://chelsealauren.tumblr.com/

please check it out and follow me if you wish!

you can also find me on twitter, flickr, and pinterest. toooooo many things!

If you have a tumblr, leave me a link in the comments!

life makeover: getting over the "blahs."

2011-10-13T15:05:00.001-04:00

Everybody has them. Those horrible, terrible, no good, very bad days. The past couple weeks have been full of ups and downs for me, and I've been feeling very blah, so I put together a little list of cures to these awful kinds of days!

Play tourist in your own city. Wear your best outfit, grab your camera, and go to all those places that you've driven by a million times. Go to that place you've been meaning to go, but haven't had the time. This is something I just did recently -- and took that photo up there at the top! How pretty are those birds that someone attached to their fire escape?!
Build a blanket fort, fill it with a million pillows, and bring your laptop inside for a movie night.
Find a reason to strike up a conversation with that person you've always thought was interesting.
Treat yourself to a spa night at home - do a DIY mani/pedi, take a bubble bath, use the most decadent lotion you own, wear a fluffy robe.
Take a yoga or pilates class. If you've already taken classes, take 30 minutes out of your day to do a routine. (I think it's really important to take a class first so you can get the postures exactly right! Otherwise it can be counterproductive!)
Go out for frozen yogurt!

Wear something with glitter or sequins. Instant happy!
Do something creative that feels new to you. Try painting, try printing one of your photos poster-size, try sewing something or writing a poem.
Find someone who loves you and tell them everything. Rant, rant, rant, then turn it around and find things to laugh about. Laugh about the ridiculousness of it all.
Try something brave. Submit that article to magazines, post that song you recorded on youtube, try to sell your crafts in that shop you've been dreaming about. Do something that scares you. If it doesn't work out, you're no worse off than you were before.
Put on your prettiest outfit, and take photos of it.
Go somewhere on your own. Take a weekend trip by yourself, drive to a new city and see new things. If that makes you nervous, start small--take a trip by yourself in your own town. Try a new park or a new neighborhood full of shops! Be safe, of course.

What do you do when you're feeling blah?

how would you wear it? vol. 2

2011-10-12T20:54:00.001-04:00

Yet another pair of heels that I'm not sure exactly how to wear. I bought these Poetic Licence heels a few months ago and although I love them, I haven't worn them out yet because it seems like no outfit that I put together works well enough with them. So I thought, why not ask a few hundred of my friends? ;)

They are a dusty pink / darker mauve, and the pink color is almost a nude. I love their detail!

If you were going to wear these, what would you wear them with? Help!

PS- don't forget to enter the giveaway in the post below!

giveaway time! personalized stickers!

2011-10-05T23:09:00.003-04:00

You guys have heard of Uprinting, right? They're one of those printing companies that makes all kinds of fun things, including stickers, which they can personalize for your shop, your blog, or personal use! And today, they are offering one lucky reader:

250 custom stickers!

2" x 3.5"

70lb Label Matte, Front Only Printing, 4 Business Days Turnaround

Want to win? Here's how!

Required: leave a comment telling me what you'd use the stickers for, and include your email address!!!

Additional Entries:

1. Follow my blog on bloglovin'
2. Follow me on twitter
3. tweet about the giveaway-- you can use this: "win personalized stickers from @Uprinting over on @Chelsea_Lauren's blog!"
4. Follow UPrinting on twitter
5. Follow UPrinting on facebook

Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

This giveaway will close on October 16, and the winner will be chosen at random and announced on October 17!

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by uPrinting. I will not receive monetary compensation, but will receive a set of stickers for hosting! You must be a US resident 18+ to win.

october diy: glitter clutch

2011-10-02T03:01:00.000-04:00

My life has basically been a tornado lately; between school, work, and everything else I have going on, I've been feeling like I'm off my game. Does anyone else ever feel like that? I tend to get cranky if I go for a while without working on a project for myself, so when I had a couple free hours this afternoon, I gathered up some of my craft supplies and put together this little DIY glitter clutch (remember I told you that my goal for 23 is to put as much sparkle into my daily life as possible? i wasn't kidding!).

you will need:

a clutch or other handbag
painter's tape
glitter bond (mine is tulip brand, found at hobby lobby for $2.99)
lots and lots of glitter! (ke$ha would be proud)
newspaper

Step 1: lay out some newspaper on the floor or on a table (this DIY gets messy!) Get your clutch or handbag ready. I got this one at Hobby Lobby (it's made out of recycled materials!) a long time ago and found it in a closet this weekend. I recommend using one you already have but don't carry a lot, or finding one at a thrift store, but it's up to you.

Step 2: tape the areas that you do NOT want glitter on. Alternatively, you could use a stencil if you want. I taped mine into a chevron-type pattern.

Step 3: Put the glitter bond onto the parts of the design you want glitter on. This kind comes with a makeup-type sponge that I applied the glitter bond to, then patted it onto the clutch. Make sense?

Step 4: Here's the fun part! Sprinkle the glitter onto the design however you want. Except, when I did this, it was not-so-fun because the lid came off of one of my glitter vials and spilled everywhere! Someone was surely playing a crafty practical joke on me. Rude! Anyway, that little mishap messed up one of my stripes, but I think the world will still go on and life will be OK. Don't worry. Once all the glitter is spread out where you want it, shake off all the excess and lay flat to dry.

Step 5: Wait about 15 minutes and then pull the tape off in the direction that the tape is going. (AKA, if your tape is diagonal, pull it diagonally. If the tape is horizontal, pull it horizontally!). I would pull the tape off before the glitter bond dries because the glitter bond occasionally gets underneath the painter's tape and I wouldn't want it to dry that way. Pulling the tape off after 15 minutes still leaves clean-edged stripes.

Step 6: Let the clutch dry according to the instructions on the glitter bond. Mine says 2 hours. When it's dry, the glitter will be adhered to the clutch, and won't come off easily (undoubtedly some WILL come off, but no more than if you buy a pair of glittery shoes or some other glittery clothing item!) If you have any stray sparkles, roll some painters tape around your hand and use it to pick them up. Or, if you have a wool-ish, felt-ish clutch like mine, use a little vaccuum to get the rest of the sparkles. (I highly recommend this cute elephanty one.)

Enjoy your new bag!

etsy update - let's swap!

2011-09-25T12:53:00.000-04:00

My etsy shop started as a means for me to clean out my closet, while at the same time fulfilling a friend's marketing school assignment. It's turned into a place where I can share my love of (affordable!) vintage and handmade jewelry. As my own style keeps evolving and changing, I decided it's time for a little bit of a more grown up feel for the shop, and for that reason, it's moving to a different name and a different URL:

rewritten.

rewrittenvintage.etsy.com

I literally JUST started listing items in the new shop, so that will be a process over the next few days. I hope to have it stocked by Oct. 1. I would LOVE it if you checked it out over the next few days and added me to your etsy circles!

This is where you come in. I'm looking for a few different ways of promoting my shop, and I'm looking for anyone who would like to swap a sponsor space/ad button on my blog for a spot on theirs. If you would like to do a button swap, please send me an email at lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com. In exchange for placing one of my shop buttons on your blog, you will get a 180x180 button on my blog for the month of October! Sound like a good deal? Send me an email! XO.

thrift store score

2011-09-23T00:07:00.000-04:00

There's nothing better than a good thrift find. Like this pretty Anthro dress for less than $20! Woooooooo.

What's your best thrift find? You can read about mine here.

XO.

daily outfit: the photographer

2011-09-17T01:40:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day of really cool weather that we've had, and the first day that I felt like I needed to wear pants to keep warm! I am so not a jeans girl (this is my only pair!), but I did like this outfit. I just recently ordered this anorak from spotted moth and I've been waiting for a day that wasn't too hot to wear it!

I also just recently bought this awesome camera from the thrift store for 90 cents. I have so many cameras in my collection now that I try NOT to buy them, but this one was too special to pass up! I love the old leather case and the super vintagey looking knobs and buttons.

PS - can you see my new hair color? I just dyed it maybe a week ago!

jacket: spotted moth | scarf: f21 | shirt: tj maxx | jeans: h&m | flats: target

honesty time: single ladies

2011-09-14T01:47:00.003-04:00

Lately, it seems like everyone I talk to or meet is only concerned with one thing: "Are you dating anyone?" ... and they don't mean it in a flirting with me kind of way....they mean it in a "haven't you been single long enough?" kind of way. All I ever want to respond is "What is your problem with my life?!"

Now that I've graduated college, all I've encountered is pressure to find "the one" and to immediately settle down with the next boy you start dating. I just don't understand why. I've always been a long-term relationship girl, but over the last year or so, I've done my fair share of dating....really good dates, really awful ones, and every awkward moment you can imagine in-between. And you know what? I wouldn't trade it for a year even in the best relationship. I have my whole life for that. If there's ever going to be a time in my life where I get to fully enjoy being myself, it's NOW. It's in my twenties when I don't have all the responsibility and all the structure in my life just yet.

I am so very tired of comments like "a pretty girl like you shouldn't be single" or "why doesn't a girl like you have a boyfriend?" as if that's some sort of marker of social or life success. As if I have to justify that there truly isn't some horrific fact keeping me from having a boyfriend. I'm sure a lot of these people mean well, but it comes across as condescending and/or judgmental.

I am by no means a ~~love-hater~~ LUVH8R. I LOVE love. I just can't understand why, at 23 years old, people are already starting to act like I am an old maid. Some of my other Single Lady friends encounter the same exact thing. Not-Single Friends, pleasepleaseplease don't take this the wrong way (if you are taken and happy, I am genuinely so happy for you!), but we live in a world where the divorce rate is pushing 50%, and the chances of having a successful marriage are exponentially greater the later in life you get married. Why do I constantly have to be faced with "you need to get out more and meet new people" or "when are you ever going to settle down?" When am I ever going to hear "I respect your independence" or "enjoy being young!" or even just a simple "DO YOU!" ???

Fellow Single-Lady Friends, this post is for you, because you are the only ones who will really get it. Take it as a little reminder that it's OKAY to not be interested in being settled just yet; it's OKAY to be picky, and to not jump into relationships just to make you feel like a whole complete person. Because I promise you, if you don't feel like a whole complete person on your own first, there will never ever be another person who can fill that void for you (and they shouldn't be expected to!) It's OKAY to take your time and to do whatever it is that makes you happy as long as you're being responsible and safe. It's OKAY to get annoyed when your Not-Single Friends think that being a Single Lady is some sort of affliction that should be remedied ASAP. It's more than okay to take your time to be single or to spend time dating around; if it makes you happy, then it's the right thing to do. DON'T get discouraged when people who barely know you make obnoxious statements on your life, or when that new guy you meet doesn't turn out to be so incredible after all. Don't let it bother you that you have that friend that always tries to fix you up without you asking her to, because you are well aware that it's not necessary anyway.

I don't mean this to be defensive, either. As I said, I'm well aware that most people who ask these sorts of questions or are overly concerned with our lives do it out of love and genuine concern, but sometimes it's just a little too much! I get that you want me to be happy, but "happy" is not synonymous with "in a relationship."

Hopefully one day, when we transition from being Single Ladies into Not-Single-Ladies, our moms, our married friends, and that crazy lady from the grocery store who thinks she knows everything will be able to acknowledge that you are now in an AWESOME relationship and that you knew what was right for yourself all along.

lovelovelove.

Have you ever had people ask you annoying personal relationship questions? How do you respond?

List Obsessed: Things I Should Probably Be More Embarrassed About Than I Really Am. (Also, Things That My Future Husband Will Have To Love Me Through)

2011-09-12T01:32:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I had approximately 100 embarrassing moments. Story of my life, seriously. And it's caused me to really think about some of the things about me and how I should probably try a little harder to be "cooler"......but what fun is that?! Here are some of the things that I should be more embarrassed about, but am not. (Also known as, things my future boyfriend and/or husband will have to love me through):

1. I really, really like crafting. That's not nerdy at all here in blog-world, but in real life, it's almost unheard of! Give me sewing dresses and taking photos and making jewelry over a crowded party anyday.

2. The amount of time I spend talking to people about cats. Luckily, the people I talk to usually love cats too, so they get it, but occasionally I come across someone who has never had a cat and they're all "is she serious?!"

3. Some of the music that is on my iPod. My workout playlist in particular (lots of rap, lots of Nicki, lots of silly pop.) I also love 90s music and own a little more Blink 182 than I should ever admit. Other good ones? Emo Teen Music like Dashboard Confessional and Taking Back Sunday.... so whiny, so over emotional, and so good!

4. I love space. And I don't just mean in a hipster-esque "I wear space printed t-shirts and reblog space pictures on tumblr" kind of way. I know a lot about it. I took astronomy classes in college and they were seriously my favorite thing ever.

5. I pretty much exclusively watch ridiculous television. Teen Dramas? Yes, please! Silly reality shows? Love them! Storage Wars? OK!

Thinking about these things simultaneously makes me believe that I am destined to be a cat lady and also makes me think that whoever my future soul mate is out there, he must be the coolest nerd there is (and that's totally not an oxymoron.)

Have you had any embarrassing moments recently?

My 1990s Boyfriend vol. 1 - JTT

2011-09-09T21:03:00.001-04:00

You guys, today I found out something that turned my entire world upside down.

Johnathan Taylor Thomas just turned 30.

You read that right. One of my all-time 90s dreamboats turned THIRTY this week!

Remember when you would rip posters of him out of your Tiger Beat and tape them to your wall? Or when you thought his antics on Home Improvement were so charming? I mean, just look at him enjoying that ice cream sundae with his unfortunately-mulleted TV brother!

Remember when he grew up a little bit and then he looked like this?

Just look at those eyes! And the partially unbuttoned shirt! 12 year old Chelsea swooned!

Remember watching him in Man of the House or in I'll be Home for Christmas???

Also, I just recently came across this photo of a Home Improvement cast reunion that sent me on a Google frenzy!

Is JTT this short in real life?! I Googled and Googled and all I could find was this highly scientific photo that proves that he is exactly 5'5", including the hair. Oh my!

Height aside, JTT is still a 90s hottie....only now he's a 30 year old 90s hottie.

PS - I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me SUPER EXCITED to find out that our birthdays are only three days apart. Next year, we can share a birthday party! 24 & 31! Hit me up, JTT!

Does this make anyone else very concerned? Who is your favorite 1990s boyfriend?

me, A-Z!

2011-09-07T23:47:00.000-04:00

I've seen this floating around the blog world and thought it looked fun! Here are 26 things about me:

A. Age: 23
B. Bed size: Full....would LOVE to buy a queen, though.
C. Chore that you hate: DISHES. I don't have a dishwasher and I basically cry the whole time because I think it's so gross.
D. Dogs: No dogs, sadly. I want to get a corgi whenever I live in an apartment that lets me have one.
E. Essential start to your day: Sunshine! (which i don't always get in ohio)
F. Favorite color: dusty pink, mustard, teal
G. Gold or Silver: either!
H. Height: 5′ 6" .... but i like wearing heels and that makes me a super giant compared to everyone i know :(
I. Instruments you play: in school, i played clarinet and mallet percussion (nerd alert!!!!)
J. Job title: Information Center Specialist .... sounds important, right?
K. Kids: probably not. I just cannot imagine myself being a mother. I will be that super cool "aunt" to all my friends' kids though, that buys them the best clothes and takes them to the coolest places.
L. Live: Columbus, OH
M. Mother’s name: Susan
N. Nicknames: chels
O. Overnight hospital stays: none, I don't think!
P. Pet peeves: when people make a loud noise when they yawn :(((((( or when people pop balloons around me.
Q. Quote from a movie: "Did we just become best friends?!" -- I've been saying this to everyone lately! Haha.
R. Right or left handed: Right handed
S. Siblings: nada
T. Time you wake up: around 6:30 if I'm working, around 930 or 10 on the weekends (i need to catch up on all the sleep i miss!)
U. Underwear: yes?
V. Vegetable you hate: radishes!
W. What makes you run late: waking up late, forgetting things.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: teeth, leg.
Y. Yummy food that you make: i am EXCELLENT at baking brownies. i make the best smores brownies ever!
Z. Zoo animal: koalas <333 i want one as a pet so i can carry it around, hahaha.

Do you like filling out surveys? Fill this one out so I can get to know you! XO

birthday

2011-09-05T21:33:00.000-04:00

Today, I am twenty three years old.

my goal for this year is to find a way to incorporate as much glitter and as many sequins into my life as possible. sounds good, right?

that one where i talk about my favorite birthday card ever.

2011-09-04T18:17:00.000-04:00

HAHA.

help!

2011-08-29T21:18:00.000-04:00

I need help. I bought these great glitter pumps a month or so ago, and I keep coming up blank when it comes to how to wear them. I want to wear them out for my birthday festivities this weekend, but I'm not sure what to pair them with besides a little black dress (which is fine, but I haven't found any recently that I like!).

What would you pair with a pair of glittery shoes? I clearly need to be thinking outside my typical outfit box.

If you were going to build an outfit (or outfits) with these shoes, what would you choose??

surprise dresses!

2011-08-28T21:23:00.000-04:00

i got my hands on a box full of vintage dresses this weekend thanks to a lady getting rid of an incredible collection. i wasn't planning on listing anything else, but i can't keep this whole box! i'll be adding a few dresses to the shop here and there over the next few days..... including the one pictured! go check them out here!

honesty time: on finding my own voice.

2011-08-25T01:48:00.000-04:00

The last week or two has been full of ups and downs. It's just been one thing after another between work, school, and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life. If we're being 100% honest here, I've been struggling lately to find exactly where it is that I fit. I feel like I've spent a good portion of my life being everything to everyone else--I feel like I've always kind of been known as this person's girlfriend or that person's friend, or that kind of student--never just as Chelsea. It took my first year of college to really start forming my own real identity, and I still feel like I'm in that process four years later.

Lately, I've been pushed out of my comfort zone on so many levels. I've been trying to fit in at work, even though everyone I work with is at least 20 years older than me. I have been fighting to find my place at school, because although I'm studying to be a counselor, I am most interested in academic & career counseling, and apparently that isn't as noble or heroic as working with clients with severe addictions or mental disorders. I feel like I have to justify and defend my interests every single day.

I've been re-evaluating my hobbies and how I spend my free time. I'm lucky to have found so many things that I genuinely enjoy doing (blogging, photography, making jewelry, collecting vintage), and I have been trying to decide exactly how all of these things fit into my life.

Even with all of that, what's affected me most recently is being pushed out of my comfort zone socially. Most of my very close friends live really far away from me, and I've been spending more and more time with new people. It sounds silly, but this is very, very big for me. I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to social things, and I do NOT like going to parties or events where I'm meeting a lot of new people. It literally makes me feel sick to my stomach to go into a situation where I can't anticipate what will happen or who will be there. I like to meet new people, but I only really like to meet them one-on-one, and even then I get super nervous! But, in the past few weeks, I've been making a conscious effort to go out of my way to talk to and spend time with people I'm not extremely close with--partly out of necessity, partly because I know I need to get past my issues with it. And I've had fun. Don't get me wrong, it's been kind of terrifying, but I'm sort of proud of myself for making an effort!

I still don't know that I'm a lot closer to figuring exactly where it is that I fit in, but I'm happy I'm taking little steps. One of these days, I'll figure this life thing out.

How have you been pushed out of your comfort zone lately?

RU 4RL?

2011-08-23T23:22:00.002-04:00

You guys, I have a real problem.

In the past month, I have gotten not one, not two, but three separate emails more or less asking me the same silly question:

"Are you real?"

Now, I don't think I have ever heard something so silly in my whole entire life! I'm not even sure where this question came from or why someone might doubt it, but maybe this little post can clear up any confusion... ;)

I may have a silly fancy schmancy camera, but when I'm just hanging out at home, I look like this:

This is my motto:

I have a cute apartment:

And this is my favorite spot in it:

I see silly things on the news:

And I still love lisa frank and coloring books:

and these are some of the songs i've been listening to recently:

I know I've met a few of you in person (and hopefully you can affirm, that I am indeed a real person! ha!), but for those of you I haven't met, I hope this gives you a little glimpse into my everyday (real!) life! hahaha!

Do you ever get any silly questions on your blog or in emails?

daily outfit: the $2 dress

2011-08-21T17:06:00.000-04:00

I bought this dress at the thrift store because I liked the colors and the stripe pattern...When I bought it, it was a mess -- about ten sizes too big, with super long sleeves, an almost turtleneck with lace around the neck, and maxi-length. I didn't even take before photos of this dress because it needed so much work that I was sure it would be a disaster. I've always known how to do simple alterations, like hemming, but this was another thing altogether. I recently bought Mallory & Elsie's DIY Dress Up e-course, and I figured that this weekend was a good time to try some of the skills that were outlined...and the dress was $2, so even if I did make lots of mistakes, no worries about messing up a really nice dress. I'm so glad I tried, because I think it turned out great! Now I'm just sad I can't show you a before photo!

I found this field while out running errands today. I took a wrong turn on purpose to see if there were any pretty spots around. Don't you just love little adventures?

You know the best part of this dress? The skirt is perfect for twirling!

cardigan: target | dress: thrifted | necklace and headband: f21

How did you spend your weekend?

lisa frank.

2011-08-20T15:34:00.000-04:00

This just made my life.

Lisa Frank	UCBcomedy.com

Watch more comedy videos from the twisted minds of the UCB Theatre at UCBcomedy.com

Happy Saturday!

taking care of business

2011-08-16T00:04:00.000-04:00

I've been working a lot on this little blog here!!!

First things first --

I have a totally new design, thanks to the lovely Kate. If you're reading an RSS feed or in a reader, please click through to check it out and tell me what you think!

On the sidebars, I've added a form for you to subscribe via email, bloglovin, and also a new blog button for you to share on your blog if you are so inclined!

Second of all --

If you saw my pen pal post earlier and you want to be pen pals, please send me an email to let me know that you are sending something!

Third of all --

I'm working on a little blog project/series entitled "inspiration is everywhere." If you are a blogger, an artist, or a creative type, I want to see what space inspires you everyday! It can be your workspace, your favorite local spot--any place that you love and visit/use often. I've already sent a few emails out to get this project started, but if you would like to participate, please send me an email! I'm only taking a certain number of spots to start off with, so please email soon if you want to join in!

Fourth of all --

I've been thinking about what direction this little blog is going. It started out as a way to keep in touch with people who I know in real life and has turned into something else entirely. Here are some of the goals I have for this little space of mine:

- share more of my photography - this is very nerveracking for me but also very important!

- share more outfit posts/fashion inspiration - personal style is so important to me, and i want to share it!

- share some of my favorite places around my city - so many people assume that because i live in ohio, i live on a farm. NOT TRUE. my city is full of so much fashion, art, and culture and i want to help spread the word.

- share some of the projects that my talented friends are working on! - if you want me to help promote or spread the word about your blog or brand, send me an email! just make sure that it fits the audience of my blog readers!

- as always, meet new people - so stop by and say hi! i'm going to be making an effort to be a better commenter, too.

I hope you all like the changes that are happening around here!

Do you make goals for your blog? What do you think of the new look?

pretty, pretty dresses!

2011-08-14T02:28:00.001-04:00

I've been getting a few emails and questions about why my shop has been taken down and what's happening to all the dresses. The truth is, I'm a little overwhelmed by school and the rest of life right now, so I need to take it down until I have the time to spend on it.'

I'm not 100% sure I'm bringing it back yet, but in the meantime, I need to get rid of a lot of the stock to make some extra space, so I'm putting a lot of the dresses on super sale for the next few weeks. This is the last time that the vast majority of the dresses in the shop will be available, so if there's something you had your eye on, please snatch it up now! Whatever doesn't sell will be going to a vintage shop here in Columbus and will probably be marked up at least 500%!

click HERE to go shop!

**Orders placed during this sale may take up to 2 weeks to ship.

guest posting on oh, mishka.

2011-08-12T11:12:00.000-04:00

I'm guest posting at one of my favorite blogs today! Go check out my sweet summer treat recipe on Oh, Mishka!

daily outfit: in bloom

2011-08-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

cardigan & wedges - target

dress - LOFT

bangles - f21

flower pin (actually a hairclip!) - c/o cucuco

I wore this outfit last weekend on my little road trip adventure! It was my favorite because of all the bright colors! Like I posted before, I ended up meeting Allie for brunch, and then afterward I went to Medina for a few hours of work and then a few hours of exploring. I loved it! More photos to come!

Do you see the pretty little flower pin I'm wearing? It was sent to me by my adorable friend Rachel. I've been a fan of Rachel's etsy shop, cucuco, for a long time, and I already own three of her headbands! You can see one of them here and one of them here. I get compliments on my cucuco accessories each time I wear them, so I was super excited to hear that Rachel was working on new things. The pin you see in my photos is actually a sweet little hair clip that I styled in a creative way. I've basically been wearing it nonstop since receiving it.

Rachel's new accessories should be hitting her shop next week, so go check them out!!

weekend polaroids.

2011-08-10T00:11:00.000-04:00

Just a few polas from my adventures this weekend. these were taken in the square in medina, oh. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this polaroid thing!! What do you think?

honesty time: frederiCAT

2011-08-09T00:06:00.001-04:00

Losing a pet is one of the hardest things ever. Last night, in the middle of the night, my mom had to make the decision to put my favorite cat ever in the world, FrederiCAT, to sleep. He apparently had suddenly gotten sick Sunday night, and by the time my mom was able to take him to the emergency room, he was in cardiac arrest and the vet told her that even if he could be revived, he had a 20% chance of survival and even if he lived, he would be sickly and miserable for the rest of his life. The vet said he thinks that Fred maybe somehow ate something that was bad for him, as he was showing signs of poisoning. He was an indoor/outdoor cat, so he could have gotten a hold of anything, but he was only 3 years old!

Fred chose my family. He was a stray in the neighborhood, and one morning he jumped in my mom's car as she was getting ready to go to work. My mom is kind of absentminded sometimes, and she didn't notice he was there until she got to work. She had seen him as a stray in the neighborhood, and so she set him outside the car and went in to work for the day. When she came back out, Fred was sitting on the hood of her car, patiently waiting to be taken home. My mom put him back in the car, and drove back to our neighborhood. That night, she left him outside, as he was a stray, but it started raining and she kept thinking about poor little FrederiCAT outside in the rain. She brought him inside and that was that -- he was ours. We took him to the vet and bought him toys and made him a little home!

I didn't really get to spend time with him until I moved home from college, but he quickly won me over because he was always doing the silliest things (sneaking drinks out of my water glass when I wasn't looking, unrolling entire rolls of paper towels when we weren't home, just to play). FrederiCAT did not really like being held very much, but he always let me pick him up and carry him around without too much of a fight. He slept at the foot of my bed every night. I was his "person." FrederiCAT was the total opposite of a lap cat (it probably comes from him being a stray), but one of the sweetest memories I have of him was when when I was going through a breakup, and I was sitting on the couch and crying, he jumped up in my lap and laid and purred for two hours straight. Totally 100% out of character for him, but I think he could obviously tell that I was very sad and he wanted to help.

He was really the thing I missed most after moving out into my own apartment. Since I was his favorite person, my mom was going to let me take him with me, but unfortunately my apartment doesn't allow pets. Every time I visited, he would follow me around the whole night, purring. I never, ever liked cats before I had FrederiCAT, and I will miss him every single day!

Apologies if I'm a little absent in the blogosphere in the next few days. The internet is so full of cat videos, and cute bloggers with their adorable cats (which I LOVE), and it just makes me a little sad for right now.

If you've ever lost a pet, how did you get through it?

meetups!

2011-08-08T01:48:00.000-04:00

I posted a little while ago about the friendships I've formed through this little blog. Forming online friendships that turn into real life friendships is the funniest thing --- you feel like you already know so much about that person and you kind of get to bypass that awkward first-meeting feeling. This past weekend, I met up with Allie from Alexandra Rae Designs. We had brunch and then went to the Kingwood Center, which is this super fun public garden/estate place.

One of the best things about having real-life blogger friends is that they totally get it when you want to document everything with an SLR or when you really need to just stop and take photos of yourself. Hahaha. Am I right?

We had the best time! I'll be back soon with some photos from the rest of my weekend adventures.

Have you met any blog friends in real life?

glitter nails & snail mail.

2011-08-05T00:54:00.000-04:00

First of all, I think it's really important to tell you that I am currently wearing the best nail polish ever. Really, ever!

Do you see how glittery it is? It's also important for me to tell you that I am wearing these nails with a semi-leopard print dress...... probably a little bit Ke$ha, but I think I'm OK with that.

Second of all, one of my 22 things goals is to have a pen pal! I'm already going to be sending things back and forth with the lovely Stephanie, but I lovelovelove writing letters and putting together little packages! If you want to be pen pals, send me something and I'll send something back!

here's my address!

chelsea lauren
p.o. box 9349
columbus, oh, 43209

Let's be penpals!
let me know if you're thinking about sending something so i'll know to check my box! XO

instagram love

2011-08-03T01:51:00.000-04:00

I never get around to posting as many photos as I'd like -- I've just been so busy lately that taking, editing, uploading, and posting photos seems like too much work. That's where Instagram comes in! Here are a few photos from the past few weeks:

clockwise from top left: 1. glitter! 2. getting ready to go out for a coffeeshop date. 3. new lenses for my camera! more about those later! 4. nutella! one of the best snacks.

1. my pretty city! (everyone please note that ohio is not all small towns and farms...i don't think i've ever been on a real farm in my life, except maybe at the pumpkin patch.) 2. i made the cutest little mini cupcakes in my new babycakes maker! also, isn't that the cutest plate? 3. i'm obsessed with this building by my work. an old letterpress building! you can't see from the photo, but all the upstairs windows have lace curtains. 4. a little mouse friend! actually, this is probably a hampster, and we were BFF. don't even take me to the pet store, because i will fall in love over and over again and then cry when i can't take anything home.

I'll be back very soon with some exciting things in the works -- a new outfit post, a pen pal post, a weekend trip, a new blog look, and maybe (just maybe!!! ;) ) a fun vintage giveaway!

What have you been up to lately? Taken any good photos?

honesty time: new friends in new places

2011-07-23T10:58:00.000-04:00

My best friend and I have had this conversation in the past that "everyone is a new possibility." -- meaning that every single new person you meet has the potential to be a new friend, a new love interest, a new colleague, a mentor, etc. Lately, I've been thinking about how much this is magnified on the internet. When I started this blog, my intention was just to update about my life and keep in touch with the friends I knew in person. Somehow, somewhere along the way, people started identifying with and commenting on posts, and I started checking out other blogs, especially those of ladies that have the same interests as me.

I've never really been one to have a lot of the same interests as the people I know in person, with the exception of a select few. I've never really been the girl that's interested in going to football games or going out to bars or to parties with a bunch of people I don't know very well. I've always been more interested in crafting and fashion and adventures, and blogging has made me realize that there are so many girls out there just like me! There are literally thousands of girls who I have things in common with just waiting to be new friends!

I've met some of the most amazing girls through this blog -- girls who have identified with some of the same problems that I'm going through, girls who have been there to make me laugh, and girls who have inspired me to try new things or step outside my comfort zone. What's funny is that I've eventually found out that some of them live fairly close to me--people who live close by me who I have all kinds of things in common with, but I never would have met without this silly little blogosphere.

I don't even want to limit that to girls, either -- I've had a few guys somehow stumble across my blog and start conversations about photography or music or other things we have in common. So awesome!

I've made a lot of friends through this blog, and hope to continue making them--I've even met up with a few other bloggers in person and have a few more on the list of people I want to meet. This might be totally lame, but it honestly makes me so happy to know that there are so many people out there who are willing to share their interests, to try to help you out if you're feeling down, and to genuinely have conversations.

So if you're reading this, let's be friends. Stop by to say hi and introduce yourself! If I already know you, let's be better friends! Tell me something I don't know about you! Everyone leave me a link to your blog and twitter, too, so I can go check them out!

via

Have you made any new friends via the internet?

the usual.

2011-07-22T11:32:00.001-04:00

via

story of my life.

my style: blowfish 'nice' flats

2011-07-20T00:52:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to ordering two pairs of lovely Blowfish shoes in the super sale they're having right now! I've loved Blowfish shoes ever since my sophomore year of college, when I went to NYC for the first time and bought the cutest pair of their black floral flats. I wore them everywhere around the city during that trip!

Anyway, as a 22 (almost 23!) year old, I've been working on transitioning my wardrobe from super casual college wear to a little more sophisticated looks that I can wear to work or to go out in. One thing my closet was lacking was a classic pair of flats. Don't get me wrong, I have flats with bows and all other kinds of embellishments, but no go-to shoe that I could wear with everything. So, I was so excited to find the Nice flats -- I purchased the bronze pair!

When I buy a new item for my closet, I love envisioning what kinds of things I'm going to wear it with. In this case, I put together a little outfit that I have in mind for these sweet shoes:

I have this great brown skirt that I want to pair with a simple button down, some coral accessories (my favorite color right now!) and a fedora! My new flats should go perfectly with this outfit and I can't wait to receive them! I'll be back with an outfit post as soon as I get them and we'll see how close I can get to what I put together. :)

Do you buy things with specific outfits in mind?

create.

2011-07-18T23:44:00.000-04:00

I've been busy making some jewelry lately:

and also taking photos of buildings in space:

What have you been up to? Have you made anything fun lately? Taken any good photos? Send me links!

google+

2011-07-14T08:34:00.000-04:00

So, i finally took a second to check out google+. i don't know that i really understand it yet, but i think it has the potential to be fun! if you're on google+, add me to one of your circles!

http://gplus.to/chelseafrancis

Have you tried Google+?

summer beauty essentials!

2011-07-14T00:37:00.000-04:00

I've always had a hard time choosing beauty products because I have oily skin & it seemed like all the beauty blogs and magazines focus on girls with dry or "normal" skin (whatever that is.) So after years of trial and error, I've FINALLY settled on a beauty routine that works for me. This looks like a lot of products, but they're all used at different times and for different reasons. Here are my recommendations!

TOP ROW, L-R:

1-3: Clinique 3-Step Skin Care System -- I use the formulas for oily skin: the oily skin bar soap, the clarifying lotion #4, and the moisturizing gel. I recommend the bar soap over the liquid (it lasts 5x longer or more!). It seems counterintuitive to use moisturizer if you have oily skin, but it's seriously helps cut down on icky shiny skin.

4: Clinique Instant Pore Perfector - I use this as a primer to make my pores appear smaller and as a primer for makeup.

5: Clinique Acne Solutions Bar Soap: If my skin starts to break out, I switch over to this bar. You can also use it on your body to help clear your pores of all the sunscreen!

6: Clinique All About Eyes: Yes, I'm only 22 and I'm already using an eye gel. I'll tell you how happy I am about this in 20 years :)

Obviously, I'm a Clinique skin care fangirl!

MIDDLE ROW, L-R:

1: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen: This is the only sunscreen that doesn't make my skin feel icky.

2. Hard Candy Just Face It Foundation: This foundation is a primer, concealer, foundation, and powder all in one. Or so it says. I say it provides really good coverage without feeling heavy! I do notice that with this, I don't need to use concealer under my eyes anymore.

3. Eyes Lips Face Studio Blush - This comes in a collection of amazing colors and lasts all day. Plus, it's only $3!

4: E.L.F Waterproof Eyeliner - Lasts all day and is super easy to use. Only $1!

5. E.L.F. Eyeshadow - Also only $1!

6: Clinique High Impact Mascara - Yes, another Clinique product. My favorite mascara of all time because it looks natural, but you can build it to be more dramatic without being clumpy. Plus, it's only a tiny bit more expensive than drugstore brands, and so worth it.

BOTTOM ROW, L-R:

1. Burts Bees Lip Balm - Their new lip balm comes in pretty sheer colors and is moisturizing. I have Tiger Lily and Pink Blossom and love them!

2. Cover Girl Lip Balm - This comes in even more colors and also goes on sheer. It's super moisturizing. I think this one is my favorite because it has SPF!

** These last 3 are products I'd like to try. Let me know if you've tried them and how you like them. If I try them, I'll be sure to post reviews. **

3. Clinique Chubby Stick Lip Balm - Seriously, how cute are these?!

4. Clinique Pore Corrector

5. Maybelline Volume Express One Mascara

What are your favorite beauty products?

**Please note that none of these companies have sponsored this post in any way. These are honest reviews of things that I love and use!

22 things: polas.

2011-07-07T22:46:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I lovelovelove film photography, so I finally decided to get my hands on some polaroid film from The Impossible Project. I had never tested out any of my polas, so I was nervous that they wouldn't work! No fear; as soon as I put the film in my camera, it started up, and I ran outside to snap some photos. Let me tell you...bright sunny daylight is not the weather to be using this film in. Although I tried to snatch the film out of the camera and put it my bag as soon as possible, it just didn't work, and my first two shots came out super overexposed. They're still very pretty -- isn't that the best part of film? Happy accidents? Here are those two:

The next few got better as I got the hang of it, and now I think I'm addicted! I had so much fun shooting photos today!!!

This only represents about half of my camera collection....this may or may not be borderline hoarder. Oh well.

This crosses the "use a new type of film camera" off my 22 things list. I also want to thank Photojojo for the cutest, best service ever. I cannot recommend them enough! Also, who doesn't love a company that can use the word "shiz" on their main page?? LOVE IT. They're my camera website soulmates. xo.

disillusionment

2011-07-06T23:10:00.001-04:00

source...go buy this print...then mail it to me ;)

I've been a little absent lately, but that's because I've been very....blah? I don't know. I've been very disillusioned with my surroundings. I'm just in a restless mood....I want to have adventures! See new places! Meet new people!! Does anyone else ever get like this??? How do you remedy it?

This is what I've been up to:

* Starting summer classes. I already really dislike all of my classes, which is strange because I typically love love love school! I just want to be done. It is so much work. I also had a guy come into the office where I work today and strike up a conversation in which he told me that "No one will want you to be their Mrs. if you're too busy working on your M.S." ..... WHAT A CHARMER!

* Looking into getting a P.O. Box. One of my goals this year is to have a pen pal! Want to be pen pals??? Send me an email at lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com! I'll reply with my address as soon as I get the PO box established, haha.

* I've gotten a little too busy to keep up with my shop for the moment. I will be closing it down for an undecided amount of time not this Friday, but next, which is July 15. If there's anything you have your eye on, please snatch it up because most everything will either be sold to vintage shops in my area or put in my own closet for keeps :).

* I'm thinking of a little blog makeover...but since my wallet does not agree, I'll probably be doing it myself. We'll see how that goes! I did my last little update, and I think it went okay.

* I just ordered my first two sets of polaroid film!!! I can't wait! I have two cute polas that I can't wait to try for the first time!

What have you been up to? I miss all of you. Stop by and say HI! :)

note to self, vol. 1

2011-06-27T01:36:00.000-04:00

note to self is a little series where i take notes of things i need to keep in mind.

Dear Chelsea,

Buy your books more than five days before you start class.
Because inevitably, if you don't, your professor will send out an email telling you to have 100 pages read and to be prepared to discuss it on the first night of class.

Stop being nice to people who aren't nice to you.
Regardless of how much time you spent knowing them, regardless of how many memories and inside jokes you share, if they really cared about you at all in any way, they would make an effort.

On that note, keep being nice to people who you want to get to know better.
I know you get nervous about annoying people or appearing like you're trying too hard, but it's better to make an effort and have it not work out than to never make the effort and wonder "what if?" Also, if the people you meet are supposed to be in your life, they will respond to your efforts.

Keep creating.
Make time to paint, to take photos, to craft, to make jewelry, to decorate your apartment, because it's what you love and it's what makes you happy. There are a million other things that seem like they might be more important, but really, they're not.

What are some things that you need to keep in mind lately?
If you want to contribute with a guest post & some notes to yourself, email me at lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com

true love

2011-06-25T18:54:00.002-04:00

so this weekend, i bought a bicycle.
a sweet little mint green cruiser.
and it just might be one of my favorite purchases, ever.
i've been riding around my neighborhood all day!
now all i need is a bell and basket. :)

do you have a bike?

holy crap.

2011-06-21T16:17:00.000-04:00

holy crap.

the amount of email love i have received from my last post is the most insane and awesome thing ever.
this is why i blog. and why i love blogging.
it's so nice to know that i'm surrounded by a community of super supportive people
and i appreciate every single email i received -- working on writing back!

if you want to email me --> lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com
or we can be friends on facebook.

XOXOXOXOXO

honesty time: nostalgic weekend

2011-06-21T02:09:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I had a work assignment to help out with a training my job was providing to a business in a small town in Northeast Ohio. Because the world is so small that it never lets anyone forget, this small town just so happened to be the hometown of an ex boyfriend. I'm a city girl, and I think small towns are full of so many silly things, but after summers and winter breaks full of visits, I grew to appreciate some of the quirks and the beauty of the town. However, going back to this town a year after having broken up with my boyfriend was another story. At first, I was kind of excited to get back to it and spend some time there -- after all, this town always represented a sense of calm to me. My life was always full of so many details with work and school and being in a relationship that was long distance almost half of the year, that I would always look forward to the escape that spending the weekend far away by the lake with the person I was in love with provided. But I had only ever associated this place with that boyfriend. It was the place where I really, truly fell in love with him for so many reasons -- it was the place where I got to spend time with his family; the place where I got to meet his best friends; the place where he grew up. I never in a million years thought that I would go back after being broken up.

I was okay with going until the night before I had to go. I all of a sudden found myself being filled with anxiety at potentially running into my ex boyfriend, his friends, or his family. I realized that every single place that I knew in that town had some sort of memory associated with it. I didn't know what else to do, so I got out my art journal. These pages are kind of personal, but a very important part of my story:

I got my journal out and just started drawing. All these doodles are places that I had ingrained in my memory. Places or objects that meant something at some point.

These photos are some that I snapped during the weekend.

Going back to visit ended up being a good thing; a very healthy thing. Although these pages might not seem like it, I wasn't overcome by emotion when I visited. I felt more calm and removed from the situation. I remembered good times, not bad ones, and it made me think about why it hasn't been possible to remain friends. It obviously didn't bring back romantic feelings of any sort (it's been way too long for that), but it made me remember that this person was my best friend for over two years of my life. For those years, he knew me better than anyone else and I trusted him and confided in him more than anyone else. It's so rare to make real connections with people and to feel true love and friendship for them, and I really really hate knowing that we lost that for whatever reason. I feel like whatever the reason is, it's not big enough to completely cut someone genuine out of your life over. I made a small effort this weekend to be friendly again (an unrequited effort I have made many times, it seems like), but I guess it isn't possible. I guess sometimes, even people who are supposed to love and care about you the most, decide that it's either too painful or not worth it to continue even a friendship. This is a hard lesson for me to swallow because I am an eternal nice person chance giver. Again, though, it's not really something that makes me actively sad, just something I wish were different.

I'm closing comments on this entry because art journaling is more of a cathartic process for me than one that I want feedback on. But if you relate or it strikes a chord with you for some reason, feel free to send me an email; the button is on the sidebar.

I promise I'm not only full of nostalgia, either. I really did have a nice time on my visit, and my visit really did focus on work and visiting another friend while I was there. I was definitely surprised by the emotions that came back when I visited, but more surprised that I was okay with them and still able to be happy and enjoy my time. I took a lot more photos and have been journaling happy pages too! I just thought it made more sense to group the ones together that followed a theme.

Have you ever visited somewhere that brings back memories?

no worries

2011-06-16T01:46:00.001-04:00

If you follow me on twitter, you know that my planner was lost. And if you knew me in person, you would know how big of a deal this is. Without my planner, how am I supposed to know that I need to pay my cable bill or that I need to go into work early one day or that it's not okay to watch movies directed by Fred Durst on Netflix instead of taking my car in for the oil change it was scheduled for? After three whole weeks of my life being a complete and total mess (can you tell I never exaggerate?), I finally found my planner buried under a pile of DVDs I never watch and life is back to normal. Maybe sometime soon I can pencil in "brush hair" because that mess is starting to look like birds could live there. Maybe next week.

Anyone else's life revolve around your planner? How do you stay organized?

is this real life? -- that time that i accidentally crashed a wedding.

2011-06-13T23:41:00.002-04:00

this is not the wedding i crashed. more about that later. source.

Sometimes really weird things happen to me. Things that should only happen on TV shows or in movies.

Like this weekend for example. I went out to one of my favorite parks to shoot some photos, and as soon as I pulled into the small parking lot, I noticed it was unusually full. It was a Saturday and the weather was really nice, so I figured people were just out enjoying the day. This particular park has a narrow path that leads from the parking lot out into an open field, where there is a playground, woods & trails on the side, and a big mansion that is rented out for special occasions. I didn't get to take any photos, but here's a cell phone picture that I took at the park a few weeks ago:

Well, as soon as I got to the other side of the path, an usher in a tuxedo told me I was late, hurried me into a seat, and told me to put away my camera because "guest photography was strictly prohibited." I basically got pushed into a seat and as soon as I sat down, the path behind me was closed off because the ceremony was beginning. I was stuck, and at this point, getting up was rude. I was stuck watching a wedding that I wasn't invited to.

This was a big fancy schmancy wedding where no one except the professionals were allowed to take photos, and no one was allowed to be late. There apparently was a dress code that I luckily fit into with my button down and skirt. There were millions of hydrangeas and lots of old people and absolutely no cute boys to meet. I seriously could not believe this was happening to me.

Luckily, wedding ceremonies aren't that long, and I was able to sneak out before I got pushed into some sort of crazy mandatory reception! If I would have been braver, or not my myself, I probably would have tried to go just to see what it was like, but I was too afraid!

So, congrats, Charlie & Susannah. It was a really pretty wedding! HA!

Have you ever crashed a wedding?

------------------------------------------------

Also, I've added a bunch of new items to my shop this past week and I am in super need of clearing out my closets. I am completely drowning in vintage, and although I'm sure I could drown in much worse things, I need a little more space. For the next week, use this code to take 25% off your order. I've added a bunch of things in a range of sizes!

happy shopping!

daily outfit - business lady

2011-06-12T09:57:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I ventured out to a park that's close by my house to enjoy the sunshine (while coated in sunscreen, of course!). This particular park is my absolute favorite -- it has a cute old fashioned village where I took these pictures, a really fun playground with big musical instruments, and a gorgeous lake with a running/biking path around it.

I loved this outfit because it felt professional yet was still fun. I had to run into work in the morning for a quick meeting, so I wanted to be somewhat dressed up, but I also had a bunch of errands to run and friends to see and I wanted something that wouldn't be too dressy later.

This skirt is basically the best twirling skirt ever. Not so bueno on windy days though!!! Yikes!

shirt: thrifted
skirt: h&m
sunnies: target
necklace: lulu's
ring: charlotte russe
heels: louboutin

PS - don't worry. as soon as these photos were taken i slipped the 5" heels off and traded them for some flat sandals hahaha. they were good for work, not great for a muddy park!

How was your weekend?

before & after

2011-06-11T14:50:00.000-04:00

I needed a bag for my new camera, but all of the pretty choices seem to cost hundreds of dollars, which I just can't justify at this point -- so I took matters into my own hands! I thrifted this vintage luggage bag and added my own little Orla Kiely-esque pattern to it.

Now it's perfect for my cameras, lenses, and accessories!

What have you been working on lately?

weekend snapshots: sweet sunday

2011-06-06T01:33:00.000-04:00

Just stopping by to share a quick bit about my day--I had the best Sunday ever. It started off with exploring the Arts Festival with a friend, which was super fun. Afterward, we went for sushi and walked around the Short North a bit and did some vintage shopping. We weren't ready to go home just yet, so we ended up going out for dessert afterward. I love when days are unplanned and still end up being fun adventures!

How was your weekend?

daily outfit - flora & fauna

2011-06-03T22:01:00.002-04:00

The weather was perfect today, so I ventured out to one of the local parks by my house. I wore one of my favorite Modcloth dresses; the one that I'm using for my "1 Dress 10 Ways" project on my 22 Things list. I've worn it a hundred times but I think I've only blogged about it once! You can see how I wore it in the winter here.

This Modcloth dress is one of my favorites because it's comfy & soft, not to mention it has the prettiest floral print! Perfect for summer!

I layered the dress with a pink skirt and a belt, and my favorite yellow flats. I got to wear both my favorite necklace AND my favorite bracelet in the same outfit -- that top bracelet with the stone that you see in the third picture is my favorite, from the lovely Danielle of Dinosaur Toes. I make my own jewelry and have taken metalsmithing classes, so I'm SUPER picky about the handmade jewelry I buy, but I absolutely LOVE Danielle's work -- so much that I've already bought another piece! So if you've been thinking about ordering from her shop, I definitely recommend it!

dress: modcloth
tank: old navy
necklace & square bracelet: charlotte russe
stone bracelet - dinosaur toes
belt, skirt & shoes - thrifted

How was your Friday?

summer 2011 goals

2011-06-03T00:40:00.000-04:00

I know I'm working on my 22 while I'm 22 list (you can see it on the sidebar), but every time a new season starts, I can't help but plan a few little extra side goals for myself. Last summer was really rough for me post-huge breakup, and I want to make this summer 2011 the exact opposite. Here's my list:

1. visit 5 new places in my own city

2. drink more water

3. take more photos -- ever since I got my DSLR, it seems like i take LESS photos. I need to just start taking my point & shoot and a film camera in my bag everywhere, and save the DSLR for when I don't mind carrying it around.

4. meet new people -- blogger meet up, perhaps? if anyone is around columbus, let me know! (even if you're not in columbus, and you want to be friends, comment or email & say hiiiiiiii!)

5. re-dye my hair red

6. not let myself become overwhelmed with school

7. find age appropriate office appropriate work clothes.... hello, what is a 22 year old supposed to wear when she has a big girl job? all my dresses are too short and most dress clothes scream "old lady" to me!

8. consume as much froyo as possible. orange leaf is just so good. seriously, is it too much to want to have a froyo machine in my apartment?

9. create a piece of jewelry for myself

So those are my summer goals...what are yours?

one of THOSE

2011-05-30T23:15:00.000-04:00

Ever have one of those days where everything is overwhelming and the details of life seem to consume you?

I feel like I just had four of those in a row. Not that it was a BAD weekend, just one where I couldn't make enough time for anything.

I'm just drowning in clutter, in every aspect of my life, it feels like.

My apartment is dirty.

I have quite a few details to figure out before I start back to school next week.

I feel like I never have enough time for anyone, or to focus on school or work.

It feels as if I'm giving 100 different things 1% of my energy instead of putting my 100% into anything.

Does that even make sense?

Do you want to know what was good about this weekend?

Jeni's Ice Cream (rhubarb & lime cardamom & wildberry lavender ice cream...yes, please!)

I'm actually 100% caught up on my email inbox! For once! And I'm loving getting to know some of you better through emails. You can use the button on the sidebar to email me if you want to say hi :)

Watching this silly Molly Ringwald movie on Netflix.

Friends teaching me the art of planking (seriously...has anyone else ever heard of this. so weird! and hilarious! One of the best parts is working "plank" into a sentence as many times as possible and coining catch phrases like "Let's Plank That!" hahahahaha)

Anyway, I'm going to go try to catch up on some things before the week begins.

How was your Memorial Day weekend?

organization

2011-05-28T01:01:00.000-04:00

Spent an hour or so today cleaning out and organizing my closet. It's sooooo much easier to find things and pick them out now. Not to mention, I found things that I forgot I had! Can you have too many dresses? If this is possible, I think I'm close to the limit. Haha.

What does your closet look like?

Send a link if you have pictures! I love seeing different types of organization.

"ma'am, are these supposed to look crazy?"

2011-05-26T20:36:00.002-04:00

Although it's kind of normal in the blogosphere, I'm basically the only person ever in Columbus, Ohio to shoot and develop film since the invention of the digital camera. Or at least, that's what the employees act like at any establishment I go to get my photos developed and printed at. No lie, one time I asked where they kept the film and the employee responded, "Oh, you mean that old school stuff?!" hahaha. "Why yes, sir, that's EXACTLY what I mean."

Well, this time, I took film from one of my lomo cameras, and ran into even more nonsense. I go to pick up the photos, and the employee (a 16 year old girl) responds with "Ma'am, are these supposed to look crazy?" Her response made me a little nervous because 1) do i look old enough to be called ma'am? i'm 23! and 2) WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PICTURES? Anyway, they ended up coming out great, in my opinion, at least. Most of the fun of film is that you really never know what you're going to end up with. Here's what I got back:

Which one is your favorite?

Have you taken any fun photos lately?

honesty time: that one where i talk about real boys.

2011-05-24T01:04:00.000-04:00

(this is true. via beard revue)

Today I was talking to an acquaintance of mine about boys and the kind of person I would be willing to be in a relationship with. You know what this person had the nerve to say to me?

"You're too picky"

HELLO, RUDE. Seriously, who says that? What kind of person's advice is "lower your standards?" Anyway, this advice just made me think about what exactly my criteria is.

(Wouldn't it be nice if all boys met this criteria?)

So for these people who are telling me that I'm too picky and they can't figure me out, I'll just spell it out:

I want someone who will go on adventures with me, read books that school doesn't require, who will understand (and not make fun of) the fact that I like to take pictures of everything and make things, who won't be mean to me when I ask a million questions during movies, who will stay up late to talk to me, especially when I've had a bad day, someone who has ambition, someone who can make me laugh, someone who is a good listener, someone who likes good music, and someone who treats his friends and family with genuine respect.

Is that too much to ask?

OK, maybe it is. I'm sure that the next guy to come around and sweep me off my feet will probably be way different than what I expect. But it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out for a polite, genuine, talented, nice beardy boy, does it?

What's your ideal match like?

closet purge

2011-05-23T21:43:00.000-04:00

hey everyone, i'm downsizing my excessive closet & thought i would post some of the items online before i take them to consignment. there are some fancypants anthro & nordstrom dresses at great prices, as well as a few other things! check it out!

http://goodsie.com/store/rewritten

daily outfit - ivory & gold

2011-05-22T18:37:00.000-04:00

As a lady with a closet full of vintage, I'm embarrassed that I rarely find ways to incorporate it into my daily wardrobe. It's FINALLY been warm the past few weeks here in Ohio, and I've been excited to be able to wear dresses with something other than thick tights and boots! This outfit was perfect to run errands and go on a lunch date in.

Dress - Vintage, now available in my shop

Belt, necklace (not seen), and shoes, Target

Cuff Bracelet - gift

I spent my weekend enjoying the outdoors & catching up with friends. I'm loving summer already!

How was your weekend?

that one where i talk about my celebrity crushes.

2011-05-19T22:42:00.000-04:00

One of the most interesting discussions I've had on Twitter was about hearing who everyone's celebrity crushes are. I was thinking about that again tonight, and compiled a list of my favorite dreamy boys for you:

1. First off, my main man Ryan Reynolds. With his shirt ON. Because I respect him.

2. John Krasinski. Because he's dreamy in glasses, especially in Away We Go.

3. Jake Gyllenhaal. Because my celeb love transcends schizophrenic bunny hallucinations and bad movies based on video games.

4. Drake. Because he was Wheelchair Jimmy first and foremost.

5. Joseph Gordon Levitt. Because my 12 year old self was all about him in 10 Things I Hate About You. And how many guys are still hot ten years later? (honorable mention in this category goes to JT.)

Another honorable mention goes to Mr. Fitz. Because he's the only person who can pull off playing a high school teacher who dates a student and ISN'T creepy. (how is this possible? unless you watch PLL, you can't fully understand.)

Who are your celebrity crushes?

honesty time: on a sense of adventure

2011-05-16T02:08:00.000-04:00

via

Recently I've noticed a trend among my friends.

Every time my friends and I have tried to make plans, it seems like something always gets in the way, and no one is able to fully be into spending time together for some reason in another. Someone had to work that morning at 7am so they're too tired to go out. Or they need to work at 7am the next day and that means they can't be out late. No one can travel without planning months & months in advance, and no one says yes to hanging out unless you've somehow found some activity that meets the above criteria. It's like pulling teeth to plan anything.

My question is... when did we all become so boring? Since when did we need to start spending a ton of money to go out, and since when did we absolutely require a full eight hours of sleep? Why is it so difficult to make a few calls and get a group of people together? I understand that as pseudo-grown ups, we all have jobs to maintain and rent to pay and whatnot. I have those things too. But I feel like we're all still young and we are going to have so much to regret if we always play it safe. Very few people that I know delight in adventure--they all seem to prefer quiet and calm and stagnancy.

My whole life, I've wanted to plan a road trip. Or rather, NOT plan one. I just want to get in my car with some friends and go. Without too many cares and without a strict itinerary. However. I'm not sure this will ever happen. Definitely not in my current situation. I just want to see new places and meet new people and take photos and try new foods and just experience things!

One thing I love about the blog world is that it seems to be full of other ladies like me. People who take the time to appreciate the little things, who understand that experiences are more important than having the best of the best in material things, and who love adventures and having a life worth documenting. Seriously, why don't you all live closer to me?

What kinds of adventures do you want to go on?

shop update today!

2011-05-15T15:30:00.000-04:00

Today is the day of the huge update in my shop! Please be sure to stop by sometime today to see all the pretty vintage dresses, skirts, purses, and raw crystal jewelry that will be added throughout the day!

And remember, if you blog/tweet about the shop update, you can enter my giveaway! Also, if you purchase something (or if you have within the last 3 weeks), you get 3 extra entries!

Happy Sunday!

magical place.

2011-05-10T08:30:00.001-04:00

Recently I've been getting in the habit of going on nightly walks or runs. My neighborhood is gorgeous, and it seems like everything is more quiet and peaceful at night. I like going out right before the sun sets & enjoying the outdoors. I take my iPod and a small bag that I can pack a book in, and I run to my favorite spot:

This is my calm place--my little spot to destress and unwind at the end of the day. Usually, by the time I get there, no one else is there and it's the nicest way to end my day.

Where's your favorite spot?

PS - Don't forget to enter my giveaway in the post below for blogging/tweeting about my next shop update!

giveaway for my blogging ladies!

2011-05-04T00:10:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone. If you've been reading, you've been seeing my little "sneak peeks" of upcoming jewelry that i'm going to be listing in my etsy shop. I've been having so much fun not only creating jewelry, but collecting and reconstructing some vintage summer dresses as well, and i can't wait to do a shop update on May 15! (I've been posting some rings early for those of you keeping your eye out...they're getting snatched up though!)

Anyway, I REALLY want to share my work with as many people as possible, and that's where you come in! I'm hosting a little giveaway for any fellow bloggers who help spread the word about the update!

You can win a handmade raw quartz crystal necklace! The necklace is a rough quartz point in a handmade pendant attached to a brass chain.

Want to win? Here's how:

1. Blog about my shop update! It doesn't matter if it's in its own post or you mention it in something you're already planning on posting. You can use any of the photos in this post or any from my shop. Then, post the link in the comments!

Now you want a second entry?

2. Tweet about the giveaway! Just make sure you include the link to my shop (http://www.wishfulness.etsy.com) and mention me! (I'm @Chelsea_Lauren).

Pssssst... If you purchase anything from the shop before May 15 (or you have purchased something in the last two weeks), leave a comment telling me so and you will receive 3 extra entries!

And here's the shop sneak peek:

Thank you all so much for your kind words and support of what I've been working on recently! It makes me so happy! XOXOXO

the handwriting game!

2011-05-02T23:59:00.000-04:00

I've seen this game popping up all over everyone's blogs and I thought it looked so fun! Here's what you do--get a piece of paper and answer the following questions. Then scan it and put it on your blog!

1. Your name & your blog name

2. Your URL

3. Write "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."

4. Your favorite quote

5. Your favorite song, of now & of all time!

6. Your favorite artists (I chose musical artists!)

7. Something you're known for saying.

8, Tag people you want to complete this!

Have you done the handwriting game? Link me to your post!

brief absence

2011-04-28T22:28:00.002-04:00

Oh, heyyyyyyy.

I haven't been around on my blog as much this past week, and here's why:

1. I JUST FINISHED MY FIRST YEAR OF GRAD SCHOOL. Grad school finals are NO JOKE and they pretty much drained my life this past week.

2. I was busy changing up my hair. See above photo. Don't mind my face. That's just a typical "Chelsea disapproves" face. My hair is also reddish/auburn...but you can't tell in the photo.

3. I had to fit in time for Easter celebrations, like building blanket forts and pulling all nighters with friends, only to get up and go to IHOP for Easter breakfast, followed by what felt like a walk of shame to my family's house for Easter dinner.

4. I was busy listing a preview of my jewelry on etsy. One ring sold already, but one is still available!

PS - for those of you who have asked, I'm going to be listing some rings, some necklaces, and a few reconstructed dresses on May 15. That's my goal! More details/sneak peeks to follow!

5. I went on a coffee date with a completely new guy that has no connections to anyone I already know, and it was refreshing. He was in one of my classes. Super cute.

6. I've been taking photos. Kind of like this one:

And really, all of that has been keeping me pretty busy. Hopefully I'll be back soon with some fun stuff. I have lots of things to share but not so much time to write them!

What have you been up to lately?? Talk to me!

sneak peek: jewelry

2011-04-14T22:04:00.000-04:00

Just a little peek of what I've been working on lately... I'm SUPER excited about these rings!

What's your latest project?

throwback

2011-04-13T08:00:00.003-04:00

Remember the days of Myspace? When you'd post bulletins filled with angst, silly jokes, and song lyrics? (Dashboard maybe? Fall Out Boy? Simple Plan if you're feeling particularly sixteen. OK, and since we're talking about Fall Out Boy, can we talk about how dreamy the former lead singer is now? Seriously. Go look. Maybe I'll even save this for it's own separate blog for discussion.)

We all know that the best part of myspace were bulletin surveys. Admit it. You've filled out a hundred and so have all your friends. Well Stephanie posted this survey on her blog the other day, and since I'm the queen of all nostalgia, I felt like I should fill it out too. So here goes.

And just for fun, to accompany my sixteen year old-esque favorite pastime, here's an awkward photo of high school Chelsea:

HAHAHA let's not talk about it. But we can talk about that hoodie. Because it was my favorite, and I want it back. Where is it now?!?!?!

Anyway, here's the survey:

A= Available - Yes. Remember my angst about this just about a week ago? Hopefully the perfect intelligent, beardy, silly boy is right around the corner. (Literally...being neighbors with a cute boy would not be a bad deal.)

B= Best Friend - I've had the same BFF for 15 (!) years! Jill. You guys realize that means that this year is our friendship's quinceañera, right? Fancy dresses are in order.

C= Cake or pie - Hmmm. Cake if it's a good flavor. None of this plain yellow or chocolate nonsense. But pie if it's pumpkin.

D= Drink of choice - Water. Simply Raspberry Lemonade.

E= Essential item you use everyday - cell phone for sure. second place goes to the laptop.

F= Favorite color - teal! mustard! grey! rust!

G= Gummy bears or worms - worms. but not in that nasty cake that looks like mud.

H= Hometown - Columbus, OH!

I= Indulgences - Clothes/Shoes/Jewelry/Vintage anything

J= January or February - This might be the worst J question ever.I guess I'll go with January because everyone's still all happy and shiny and full of New Years Resolutions

K= Kids and Names - I am not having any babychildren anytime soon. Maybe not ever. I have some names for future dogs and cats picked out, but you can't know them until I obtain said pets.My cat's name is FrederiCAT, by the way. Or Frederick J. Cat, if you're feeling fancy. He lives with my mom, though, which makes my heart broken a little bit.

L= Life is incomplete without? - I'm with Stephanie, I'm not giving you any cheesy inspirational answer. This answer is different for everyone and I'm not sure what it is for me.

M= Marriage date - OH PROBABLY NEVER. thanks for reminding me?

N= Number of siblings - None, really. I have a cousin that is very close in age to me and he & i are like brother and sister, though.

O= Oranges or apples - Apples. Oranges give me ulcers :(

P= Phobias or Fears - I'm not even afraid of anything! Ha!

Q= Favorite Quote - This is one that's on my Facebook profile: "Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny."

--Ghandi

PS - should we be facebook friends? If I sort of know you, we should definitely be friends :) I don't even know if that link will work for you guys because of my privacy settings. If not, link me to your FB!

R= Reason to smile - I have lots of fun plans for the next few weeks! Including a pile of new jewelry supplies that are calling my name. Also, if you want some sneak peek photos of some of the jewelry I'm making and you would be kind enough to blog abut it, get at me! My email is lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com

S= Season - Spring. But real spring. Unfortunately I live in a bipolar weather state (Silly Ohio) where it can be 70 degrees one day and literally snowing the next.

T= Tag 3 or 4 people - I'm not tagging you. Take this if you want it!

U= Unknown fact about me - I share too much on my blog. I don't know what you guys don't know about me. Maybe that my embarrassing celebrity crush is Zach Galifinakis.

V= Vegetable you don't like - RADISHES :(((((((((

W= Worst habit - Procrastination. But I'm a grad student, what else am I supposed to do?

X= X-rays - Collarbone as a baby. I broke it during a nasty fall during a super premature attempt at walking, hahaha. I was ready to go! Story of my life.

Y= Your favorite food - Comfort foods like mac and cheese and mashed potatoes!

Z= Zodiac Sign - Virgo!

So now that we're all myspacey and whatnot...what's your

a/s/l?

Bahahahaha kidding. Did you fill out surveys as a teen?

PS- this is what I look like now. In five years, am I going to think this is as horribly awkward as the 16 year old Chelsea photo? Is that how life works?

lights & lanterns

2011-04-12T09:43:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, I went with some of my friends to Gallery Hop, which is a monthly event where all the little galleries and shops stay open late for people to check them out. I snapped some photos in my favorite store, which sells jewelry, lanterns, glassware, and other different treasures from Turkey. While I was taking photos, the owner of the shop gave me a Turkish good luck charm/protection stone keychain (you know...these things?) and asked if he could see the photos. I offered to email them to him, which I did, and he responded to my email with a gift certificate as a thank you! Does this count as my first paid photography job?? Hahahaha ;)

What's your favorite shop like?

sunday brunch: apple pie oatmeal

2011-04-10T16:03:00.000-04:00

In my never ending quest to find healthy food that actually tastes good, I picked up some almond milk the other day. I brought it home, tried it, and really liked it.... but then I was like, besides drinking it, what else do I do with it? Well, I thought about it, and this morning I cooked up a quick, easy, healthy brunch that I wanted to share!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup whole grain oats (not quick oats, or the packets of oatmeal!)

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1 can of apple pie filling

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar to taste

Here's what you do:

1. Cook your oats according to the directions on the canister. Use vanilla almond milk instead of regular milk or water. Today I cooked mine on the stovetop, but you could even prepare this in the microwave if you'd like.

Tip: Almond milk seems to take longer than regular milk to boil down, so it will most likely seem like you're cooking your oatmeal longer than you normally would. Just keep an eye on the consistency and take it off the stove when it looks done.

2. Once your oatmeal is done, take it off the stove and add cinnamon and brown sugar to taste. Let it stand for a few minutes while you do the next few steps.

3. Open a can of apple pie filling. I was able to find a low sugar variety, but even the regular kind with sugar is not terrible for you (only like 100 calories a serving, and we're using less than 1 serving). I found mine at Trader Joe's, but you can get yours at any grocery store.

4. Spoon out a serving of apples. However many you want to put on top of your oatmeal, really. Heat the apples on the stove or in the microwave.

5. When the apples are hot, put them on top of your oatmeal and enjoy!

So good! The vanilla almond milk helps sweeten the oatmeal without a ton of extra sugar.

This makes one serving, but you can adjust the amount of oatmeal and apples to however many people you need.

What recipes have you been loving lately?

22 things: black joe lewis

2011-04-07T12:03:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, I went with some of my friends to go see Black Joe Lewis play at the Newport. One of my 22 while I'm 22 list is to share musical artists, so here's one that I love! Black Joe Lewis is a bluesy band from Texas, and their songs are super catchy and fun (not to mention the guitarist (not pictured) is dreamy! haha). Don't mind my terrible cell phone picture, or the prominent Cincinnati Reds hat--they didn't allow real cameras inside. Here are two of my favorite songs by them:

Booty City -- How can you not dance with a song name like that? After we saw them, my friends and I tried to work the term "Booty City" into our everyday conversation as much as possible. You know, "Where are you going?" "Booty City" ... "What's going on this weekend?" "Oh nothing, I'm just going to Booty City." Hahaha.

Sugarfoot-- this is another good one :)

What music have you been into lately?

honesty time: something's missing

2011-04-05T14:26:00.000-04:00

I am, by nature, a nostalgic person. I take photos of everything; I remember songs that were playing during important moments in my life, and I have this crazy extensive knowledge of pop culture trivia that I'm convinced HAS to serve me well on on a game show at some point in my life. I'm nostalgic about the silliest things like skip its and giga pets, but never before in my life have I been nostalgic about people. Until now, that is.

It's almost been a year (!) since going through my last important breakup and it is so strange to be sitting where I am today and looking back at myself a year ago. Like I said, I've been super nostalgic lately, and I can't figure out why. A year ago, I was just about ready to graduate college, I had absolutely no idea whether or not I would be able to find a job, whether or not I was even going to grad school (let alone which school), or where I was going to live. The one thing I thought I had together--my relationship; the one person I thought I could depend on forever--came crashing down soon after. I wasn't the easiest person to be around at this time, but even through the lens of sadness and confusion, I understood that I deserved someone who would support me and care for me through anything. I didn't find those qualities within my relationship, so I had to be done with it. I didn't want to end it--if anything, that was the one thing in the world I wanted to grasp on to more than anything. I wasn't expecting to break up so suddenly, but I knew that if I was going to maintain any level of self respect, I had to. I knew I deserved better, and I thought I had better, which was the worst part.

Fast forward a year, and I've gotten all of those important life details sorted out. I've found a great job that accommodates my schedule, I've decided on a school and am doing very well, and I've have the best little apartment in the cutest neighborhood around. I've gone on plenty of dates since then and have had a few nice boys tell me they like me. And yet it's still not the same.

Something is missing, and I think it's me.

When I go on dates now, I'm not really present in the moment. It's not that I don't enjoy myself, but I just don't feel the excitement that I used to. My last important relationship lasted over two years, and I looked forward to every single date, no matter how small. I wanted to go out of my way to plan things, and I wanted to go out of my way to make the other person happy. It made me happy to plan surprises and do nice things, and now I feel like I can't imagine doing any of those kinds of things for someone else. I feel like I'm just going through motions, and it makes me ANGRY.

It's not that I haven't tried -- I've planned some magical dates and some little trips and things with new people, and although I've had a really good time, something is still missing. A little spark of excitement, perhaps. Knowing that I'm sharing an experience with someone who is super important to me. It's not there.

Maybe that's what it is. Maybe I just haven't found the right person yet to share these things with. But the truth is, I'm horrified by the idea that I might only ever have one person who is my "just right" match, and that I've already found that and lost it. Does that happen to people? I'm 22 and already being plagued by thoughts of becoming a crazy cat hoarder lady.

I don't really know what the solution is to all of this is. In the meantime, I guess I'll keep going on these silly dates and trying to meet new people. What I've really been focusing on (and what I'll continue to focus on) is myself. So expect to hear a lot about me taking photos and seeing friends and going out and making things. :) Because right now, that's what is making me happy.

Happy attracts happy, right?

And in my true nostalgic fashion, roundup of my relationship posts: 1 2 3 4 5 6

22 things: cloffistudio.

2011-04-03T22:59:00.001-04:00

One of the things on my list of 22 before I'm 22 (you can see the full list on the sidebar) is to decorate a space that I'm proud of... I think I've finally gotten this one accomplished! I've lived in my new place for about three weeks now, and I'm just now getting around to REALLY unpacking and setting things up how I want them to stay for the time that I'm living here. This is my vintage closet, office, and studio space............AKA THE CLOFFISTUDIO. ...........anyone else have a catchier name?? Hahaha. Anyway, here is the office/studio part -- the closet will need to wait for some reorganizing before I ever even THINK about posting a photo.

an overview

my inspiration wall...i'm pretty sure this will be covered with to-do lists and fabrics and jewelry really soon...but it's neat right now and that's what counts, right??

a closer look.

buttons & cameras

a file box, a framed print from diana, and another camera

What spaces have you decorated recently?

renegade handmade

2011-03-31T16:46:00.000-04:00

So I may be headed for Chicago...

Renegade Craft Fair is taking place in Chicago in September, conveniently the weekend after my birthday! I'm just going for fun (I won't have a table/booth for those of you that have asked), but I'm ALREADY looking forward to it!

Do any of you live in the Chicago area, or are you thinking about going?

I'd love to meet some of my blogger friends while I'm there! If you're going, email me (lovechelsealauren at gmail dot com) and let me know, and we can make some plans to meet up! XO.

Photo source: Renegade Flickr

weekend snapshots: sweet treats

2011-03-28T22:29:00.001-04:00

This weekend, my best friend visited & we got to go to one of my favorite ice cream places on earth -- Jeni's! Jeni's not only has the best flavors, but is also one of the most adorable shops around. I managed to snap a few photos while I was there:

trios!

my ice cream (left): meyer lemon yogurt, pear riesling sorbet, and brambleberry crisp

jill's ice cream (right): wildberry lavender, meyer lemon yogurt, and cherry lambic sorbet.

aren't the little waffle triangles adorable?

look how perfect the decor is! who knows where i can get some of those bottle lamps? or just the bottles so i can make my own!

afterward, we stopped at a little candy shoppe where i got the most delicious chocolate covered marshmallows ever!

How was your weekend??

apartment sneak peeks

2011-03-27T18:15:00.000-04:00

For the past two weeks, I've been trying to get everything settled in my apartment and make it feel more like a home, but because of my work and school schedule, I only spend about two hours a day at home and most of that time is occupied by showering and eating. You know that that amounts to? An apartment that looks like it belongs on Hoarders. Seriously, I've been expecting A&E to come knocking on my door any day now...

I got some time this morning to clean up a little bit, and I've photographed some little peeks of my apartment. Nothing is fully decorated yet, but here are some little spots that make me happy:

This may or may not be a little peek at the infamous stage. Still have a lot to do, but I have a lot of ideas!

Again, something that may potentially go in the stage...

Does anyone really need two pairs of bird salt and pepper shakers? I already had the first pair (the white ones in the back) when I found the second pair at the thrift store. I could not pass them up haha.

My desk area...

Good reads!

What are your favorite things in your home?

style with character vol. 1 - angela chase

2011-03-26T01:15:00.000-04:00

So I've been obsessed lately with watching My So Called Life on Netflix Instant. I'm getting dangerously close to running out of episodes to watch! One of the things that sticks out most to me is Angela's style. I'm obsessed with 90s pop culture, and am loving 90s style more and more every day -- flannel, floral dresses, boots, you name it; i want it. This is the first time I've ever really thought about pulling style inspiration from a character before, but I thought it would make for a fun little project.

Here's my interpretation of what Angela would wear if she were still that same angsty 15 year old today:

And because I am so in love with this show (Seriously...earlier, I googled "where is Brian Krakow now? LOL! PS- go look at photos of him...he's a man!), here's a little montage of Angela's best wisdom:

Who are your favorite stylish characters?

blooms & butterflies

2011-03-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I had the chance to go to the Franklin Park Conservatory, which is one of my favorite places on earth. It's like my quiet place--I'll go every once in a while when things are hectic and just walk around or sit down and have lunch. I went in the morning, and it was super quiet and peaceful--I was one of the only people there! I got to snap some pretty photos with my new camera, and I was happy.

My favorite part is getting to see this little guy. His name is Max and he LOVES getting his picture taken!

What were you up to this weekend?

PS- the winner of the Tell Your Story giveaway is Mercedes. I will forward your info on to Amy. Thanks for entering!