12 Days of Christmas: Holiday Cheer in the Home

'Tis the season for holiday decorating! Whether its a Ryan Gosling mural/portrait (life size) in a Santa hat or a homemade nativity set your cat made your out of pasta and pine cones, ITS ALL SO WONDERFUL! Holly and berries strung over mantles, sparkly Christmas trees with bright stars on top, Christmas bowls set out with your favorite candy, and a wreath from the local Christmas tree stand hung right on your door.. me oh my, I'm practically an arctic puffin ("Not now, arctic puffin!") but I just love decorating for Christmas. Here's what I've been able to muster up for my home sweet apartment on a dime's budget.

Wreath made from old book pages and three pom-pom holly berries! After a viewing of 'Something Borrowed' and halfway through 'Elf",covered in hot glue strings, help from a BFF, (and a Poinsettia cocktail), the wreath was finally finished! (And so worth it)! The perfect addiction to my living room along side my pom-pom garland so when I'm watching 'Love Actually' for the 1000th time I can remind myself that at least I have crafts.

Sparkles and pine cones and trees and deer, yes that's what I like to have accompany me whilst I eat my homemade spaghetti o's (when I'm being civilized and not eating them on the couch and watching Real Housewives on Bravo)!

Last year I did a snowflake making tutorial because the folding of the paper IS THE CRUCIAL PART!! And everyone deserves to make at least one paper snowflake in their life that isn't a rectangle with holes cut out of it! And with the leftover pages from the book wreath that I had, I just HAD to make a bazillion snowflakes for my little apartment so when its 50 degrees here in Tennessee, I can pretend its a giant snow storm (you just need a glass of wine and to squint your eyes a bit and shake your head and it looks exactly the same)!

Cranberry and popcorn garland!

Easily brings cheer to any place in the home instantly. Also a quick snack for my cat if one night I accidentally go visit Santa at the mall instead of coming home after work. It's like a break-in-case-of-an-emergency/great holiday decor snack for Wensley.

Can you bottle up Christmas stockings, peppermint hot chocolate, mistletoe kisses, buttoned up jackets and mittens, cookie baking and present wrapping?? Well no, not yet (the elves and I are still working on that) but this candle is as close as you can get! Served with candy cane kisses (YES THIS IS A REAL THING AND YES THEY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!) it basically creates the perfect cheery atmosphere. (Sufjan Steven's 'Come on let's boogey to the elf dance' playing in the background is optional but highly suggested!)

Even Sir Wensley has gotten into the Christmas spirit even if he didn't know it because he was too busy being paralyzed with fear with all his ho-ho-holiday cheer! He's all like 'OMG Mom is singing 'Where are you Christmas' as loud as she can again!" But its whatever, I know he believes in Santa Claus because I found his letter to him behind the couch! (He's asking for Meg Ryan and a bottle of whiskey, by the way.)

Hope your day is filled with holiday cheer!

12 Days of Christmas: Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

remember as a kid when you sat down to make paper snowflakes.. you'd cut and cut and then finally after what seemed like hours of careful cutting, making tiny triangles and diligently zig zagging your scissors, you'd get ready to open it up to see your masterpiece {and i swear sometimes i could hear the chariots of fire theme song playing} it was like a mini christmas morning, quickly ruined when you see that you've created a giant square with holes cut out every which way! and as i cursed the high heavens, my sister would weep on the floor holding her sad square piece of paper.. WHAT WERE WE DOING WRONG!? well its been a journey to get here.. here being profesh paper snowflake making skillz that is.. but i finally can make a snowflake!

all you need is paper and scissors! i love how magazines and newspaper turn out. and if you have an old christmas themed magazine its even better!

the key is all in how you fold it!

take your paper and fold it diagonal to make a square. then cut off the excess paper. you should have a triangle! then fold it again to make a mini triangle. then hold in half and overlap the paper. cut off the excess paper.

now the fun begins. go on with yo bad self and get to cutting!

VIOLA!

i even made pink and green snowflakes for the bakery i work at!

and mini teeny tiny ones for the register and tip jar {anything to draw people's attention to the tip jar... am i right?!}

buddy the elf ain't got nothing on me!

alright who am i kidding.. i stay awake at night dreaming of having the decorating skills he's got. in another life i was an elf!

hope your day is filled to the brim with holiday cheer!

chelsea and the sharpie pen.

4 cups of tea + fresh new pens + paper + big ideas = doodling it up hard core and turning them into posters!

an etsy may be in the works.
for kicks and giggles.

and hopes of spreading smiles!

p.s. for all you friends fans {shelley}, number 4 on the second to last one is dedicated to you! "HE'S HER LOBSTER!"

coloring easter eggs

one of my favorite easter traditions!

DYEING EASTER EGGS!

it's just so fun and and you get to be uber creative in what you do {or in my case just totally pretend you are 5 again and create a giant mess.}

added two blue tablets to make the blue super vibrant!

what can i say? i was all hopped up on EASTER CANDY!

wait there is a tool to help dip your eggs in??

nah, i go right in with my hands.

{my fingers may or may not be permanently dyed red, blue, green, yellow, and orange.}

oh look there is the special dipper lying useless in the background!

favorite tool of the night? clear crayon that let you draw on the egg so you can mark your territory!

lsea.. chelsea... same thing!

SPARKLY C for chocolate.

and cake.

cera, michael.

and celebration.

oh and chelsea!

such vibrant colors!

so clean and neat...obviously not mine.

{suzy i'm so jealous of your skill!}

HAPPY EASTER!

cookies and crafts.

somewhere, probably over the rainbow. there is a land where tables and floors look like this. ready at the drop of a pin to craft away. {needless to say, a little trip to joanns turned into an hour long shopping marathon for supplies. woops.}

we made what else?! GARLAND. i'm seriosuly overdoing {ODed} on the garland but i can't help it. i love it. we got little tiny canvases so that we could paint on them, and then we just hot glued it to some twine and VOILA! garland. we also used tons of glitter and beads and colors and fun things we found!

i did bliss. and i painted purple butterflies for the ends but they didn't make the picture. i used gold beads to glam it up a bit. {fergie was playing, i couldn't help it}

Memo is quite the crafter. look how wonderful her GLEE turned out. {which is funny because she totally got me hooked on the show glee. like i need another tv show guilty pleasure obsession.} but you can kind of see how much Memo loved the sparkles! my favorite is the butterfly on the first canvas. she put it right about the window into the kitchen. and i think it looks wonderful. you can tell our different styles. i was slightly jealous of Memo's more professional looking one!

no craft is complete without cookies! and these cookies are absolutely delicious. i was wanting some salty and something sweet. so i took a regular chocolate chip recipe and added pistachios. melt in your mouth. it makes me want a giant cup of lemonade, be sitting on a checkered blanket, and soaking in the sun with a good book in the park. after the first batch i decided to throw in a handful of craisons which ended up being the best decision i've ever made.

Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup pistachios
• 1 cup craisons
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

GARLAND: not just for birthday parties anymore.

so as i sadly took down my valentines garland yesterday {yes, i waited till the end of february} i realized how gloomy the space looked where it once was. it was calling out to me to fill it with something. {flowers? nah. little chicks for easter? not my style. st. patricks day banner?! nope, i've got my shamrock pin for that holiday!} i needed something that would never have to be taken down. SO i whiped out an old magazine {thank you vogue} and began cutting away! and once i started i couldn't stop! i filled my room with happy garland!! {roommate thinks i'm crazy. but i like to think i'm just brightening up my room! the more the merrier eh!?}

OH HAPPY DAYS.

and this one might be my favorite..

KEEP CALM AND MOONWALK.

when i need to de-stress, what do i do?!

DANCE! {slash attempt and fail at the moonwalk! ONE DAY MJ!}

and always a very needed reminder to

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

so when i wake up in the morning and i go to brush my teeth and realize "dang, i forgot to buy new toothpaste again..." i can look on the bright side and use my toothbrush with a little water to do the best i can with what i have. {yes that happens frequently. just substitute the toothpaste with hairspray, face wash, lotion... what can i say, i'm forgetful!}

next up i'm thinking zipadee doo dah! {gotta master those "d's"}

wishing you a HAPPY, dancing, BRIGHT day!

p.s. so yesterday is was a complete split decision on the header. so thanks for coming together with a united idea.... haha. i still can't decide.

march on.

march could quite possibly be my most favorite month. and i know what you're thinking...

"chelsea, thats because your birthday is in march." but really its not. {but really it is.} it kick offs the season of flowy dresses, popsicles, bike rides, sunglasses, picnics, fresh fruit, birds chirping, park benches, and drawing on sidewalk with chalk. i love the weather. its before the humid hottnes that summer brings. and its after the chilly coldness of winter. its the teeny tiny month a like to call spring. and its here!

i started off this month with a lovely walk accompanied by by ipod blasting my spring sprang sprung playlist thats playing the park by feist. {yes i go all out when naming my playlists}

started a new craft i am so excited about! hopefully i will be done soon so stayed tuned. {i'm pretty sure there will be scraps of paper in my room for forever.}

i had to pick up some fresh new flowers.

{yes i finally go rid of the ones i got a month ago. i hold on to them till the last petal drops. i don't know if its because i'm sentimental or broke.}

made a batch of puppy chow. just because.

{possibly the most addicting sweet snack ever.}

before you ask, no haven't eaten almost half of it. and yes i'm lying.

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla
9 cups rice chex
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Combine peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for one minute then stir to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir well. Place the 9 cups of Crispix cereal in a very large bowl. Pour the peanut butter-chocolate mixture over the cereal and toss evenly, making sure all the cereal gets a good covering. Coat with powdered sugar, tossing as you sprinkle to cover each piece well.

i sported one of my favorite dresses.

blue flowers for march.

wishing you a HAPPY MARCH!

hope your first of the month is abosultely delightful.

{picture via my trip to Europe. running through the fields in the countryside of France}

p.s. the new header {did it myself on paint!} or the balloons? what do you think. i keep changing my mind!

a few weekend highlights.

spontaneous trip to franklin for the weekend.

it was perfect in all its "lounging" glory.

{fog city.}

"i might or might not be driving on the wrong side of the road.."

crafts & cookies.

perfection.

and catching up on all my modern family episodes.

Manny: " Her name is Whitney. I met her in the online book club. We both like vampire fiction and the romance of eternal life"

baking, baking, oh and yeah more baking.

i had to go restock on flour and sugar midway.

my famous {well a few people know about them} cinnamon muffins

a lazy saturday afternoon complete with an hour of sunshine and a good book. {that may be Confessions of a Shopaholic. guilty pleasure read for sure. it's so good!}

mouth watering DELICIOUS. peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. easiest cookies i ever did make! 5 ingredients. no butter and no flour! who would have known!

mmm. so many muffins!

hope your weekend was more productive than mine! {i decided a weekend filled with crafts, baking, and reading was just what i needed -okay, wanted}. but sunday night was no fun with all my real responsibilities i had to face. that's for sure. "WHAT?! how is it 11:30PM already? so much for sleeping."}

p.s. i went out and bought me and "about me" section! click here or on the doodle of my name in the right hand column to get a glimpse into the world of chelsea.

EDIT: RECIPES to come tomorrow! sorry i'm such a teaser. ha!

SNOW, bagels, & valentine crafts GALORE

TENNESSEE GOT SNOWED IN!

{it rivaled the great snow storm of '03 where i got stuck at school for 5 hours while everyone else was sipping on hot chocolate... okay so i might still be bitter but i digress} it was the perfect opportunity for a LOST marathon in order to prepare for the season premiere on tuesday!

"see you in another life brother."

i had my LAST DAY of free bagel&schmear.

my heart broke a little. now i gotta fork up the $2.59. big bucks.

{cinnamon raisin + honey almond}

{but as you can tell they totally skimped on the cream cheese. i think they were catching on to all my free bagels... woops}

craft time with my best friend, as we watch the snow fall.

i am loving garland right now so i decided to make valentine hearts garland! so simple. all you need is paper, colorful markers, fun pink and red string.

and VIOLA. finished product.

now everytime i brush my teeth i am reminded of love and homemade goodness.

so festive.

i had so much fun making these hearts!

P.S. dear dove, i love your chocolate but next time have better "valentines promises". and remember us single gals that maybe don't have someone to "draw a lavender bath for on valentines night" okay thanks. signed, your otherwise biggest fan.