Chelsea Lately: So This Is The New Year

I really dropped the ball on blogging in December and I'm trying not to let that roll into the new year, so let's get all caught up! I have a lot of big plans for my business and this blog this year and there is no time like the present, right?

Listening: 1000 forms of fear by Sia on vinyl! Because my brother is awesome and got it for me for Christmas!

Eating: Leftovers. Yuck, I'm over having leftovers from the holidays in our fridge. Someone please come over and eat the rest of this ham.

Wanting to buy: At the moment, I'm all shopped out. Holidays do that to you!

Reading: Nothing at the moment, which is weird, but I've just been in a funk recently with getting into books. Recommend me a good one so I can get back in the grove!

Watching: The Walking Dead. I am obsessed. I said that I would never watch this show because I'm not a fan of zombies but so many friends have talked me into watching it. Around Thanksgiving I started (thanks to Family Video having seasons 1-4 on DVD) and just finished up watching the first half of season five online so I am all caught up and pumped for it to be back on TV in February. I have a total crush on Daryl Dixon (mostly because I love Norman Reedus already) he's such a badass and if he even gets killed off, I quit.

Drinking: No pop! (Or soda for those of you who are reading from somewhere other than Pittsburgh.) Eric and I gave up drinking pop and we've been doing pretty good at it since the beginning of November.

Wearing: Christmas presents! I love getting gift cards for presents. I know a lot of people hate it because they think it's a cop-out gift, but there is no greater gift to me than a shopping trip.

Losing Sleep Over: What my next step needs to be. I've been in Erie for a year now and I feel like it's time to either strive for something really great here or move again (which I actually don't feel like doing just yet). But I've been trying to leave it up to God, not stress about it and just roll with the opportunities in front of me. We'll see what happens!

Loving: Life. Even when it's not ideal.

Excited About: The possibilities that 2015 brings.

Thankful For: Memories of a sweet friend. Wishing she knew how precious she was.

What have you been up to recently?

New Blogger Tips & Intro to Blogging Greatness

As some of you know, I recently finished up teaching a course for beginning bloggers. It was a great experience for me, I met some awesome people and got them to revamp their blogs and some just start out. But I feel like in blogging, you are always learning. It's an every-growing community and as we established these blogs, I feel like I learned just as much from my students. Especially one student, Nan, who started writing a comedy blog for the 65+ crowd. She's hilarious and so insightful and I'm excited to see where her blog goes.

With that in mind, I think the November Blogathon prompts for Thursday and Friday (both of which I'm doing today) were right on point to what I've been thinking a lot about recently when it comes to blogging. So here we go!

If you could tell your novice blogger self 3 tips...

1 - Build a community.
I really just started writing this blog so my family and friends would read it and know that I was having fun and was safe while living in downtown Pittsburgh. I have had other blogs before and this one was not started to get lots of page views, it is not created to be SEO friendly, even though at the time that's all I was doing in work. But when the greater Pittsburgh community started to catch on to what I was writing and more people became followers, it started to find a bigger purpose for this space. Which was nice and I'm glad to see that a lot of those early followers continued to read even when I moved out of the city, because my content has certainly changed since then. But those followers, bloggers and non-bloggers, have really opened a lot of doors for me and while that wasn't my intention, I really appreciate it.

2 - Fellow bloggers are not your competition.
I do not like that a lot of bloggers are just in it now to monetize and a lot of "How to Start a Blog" posts are dedicated to making money off your blog right away. I feel like doing that leads to you being unauthentic and leads you to not make friends with other bloggers because you view them as your competition. That is dumb. Blogging is supposed to be about the community not the advertising dollars, and while those are nice, hating a fellow blogger in your niche is pretty lame.

3 - Allow yourself a break whenever you need it.
I hear about blogger burnout too much. If you've followed along here for a while, then you know that I believe in giving myself mini-breaks from blogging whenever I feel like it. I wish more bloggers were like that, because readers can tell when your heart isn't into it and I never want that feeling to come across to my readers. Give yourself time off if you want/need it.

Now skipping over to Friday's prompt - Introduce 3 bloggers you follow and why.

Sarah Hartley | Midwest Muse | Sincerely, Sara
Photos are the property of Sarah, Jessica, and Sara, respectively.

Sarah Hartley - Sarah has made an appearance here a couple times, and she will always be my first blogger pick. She's one of the first bloggers I really started to follow consistently and I like that she's built a community that has followed her from fashion blogger girlfriend to mommy of the cutest little boy, with the perfect husband. I like that she's become more open over time to sharing about herself and now I cannot even believe how transparent she is with her readers. She's really grown and it's been an amazing journey to watch unfold over the screen. She's got great style, a fresh sense of humor and plenty of baby pictures to show off her cute little man.

Midwest Muse - Jessica is amazing. She has the best style that I have ever seen, has the best taste in music and generally just doesn't give a shit what people think, and I LOVE it. Jessica takes a week off from blogging and doesn't really need to give an excuse as to why because her readers pick up right where she left off. She changes her hair drastically on a whim and still knows how to style it better than anyone who has had that hair for years. She's basically a unicorn living in Ohio and I cannot get enough of her and her blog. Also, her photographer boyfriend takes the most gorgeous pictures of her that her whole blog just looks like an indie magazine you need to be reading.

Sincerely, Sara - I found this Sara through reading Sarah Hartley's blog and have to say that I'm glad I did. Sara is someone I admire because she is so consistent and her blog reads like she wrote it just to you. She has clear goals about her future and her blog, she tells you upfront what she blogs about and when, and she is always producing quality content in her niche. She's making the rest of us mid-twenties bloggers look unorganized and I actually love it because she is just so good. She's also a bookworm, so always one to recommend good reads.

So, who are your favorite bloggers?

And what wisdom would you share with new bloggers?

My 2015 Blogging Goals

Firstly, I just want to give a shout out to all the veterans. This day is too often overlooked and I am not about that. I could never imagine being a solider and I greatly appreciate those who have and are serving our country and hope that they feel appreciated today and throughout the year. Regardless of where you stand in politics, you should be supportive of those who willingly suit up and fight for us, while we don't even realize what they are doing. So to those of you who are veterans, who are currently in the military or who are a family member or friend of a military member, thank you for your willingness to serve.

Moving right along with the November Blogathon, today's prompt is to talk about three blogging goals. And while I never really "set in stone" how I want my blog to grow, I think this prompt gave me just enough of a push to think about what I really want with this space, especially within the next year.

Gain engaged followers.
This is probably on a lot of blogger's goals list but it makes sense. I really like the community I've been building through this blog, through reaching out to other bloggers on my own, link-ups and becoming a more active member of the Northeast Bloggers Network. Now I just feel like I need to maximize on that community so I can add followers to my social media sites. This past year I have noticed a pretty big leap in followers and I don't feel like I tried really hard for that to happen, so let's see what trying brings to this blog, shall we?

Figure out if I need to rebrand and do it, if so.
Since moving out of Pittsburgh and then creating Marion Claire Stationery, I have felt the need to rebrand this blog to be more cohesive to everything I'm dipped into and that really just means, my name alone. I'd ideally like to (personally) find some roots in the next year, so that will determine whether or not I'd like to keep "the City" but I'm sure that in the next few years, my name will also change. So I have to figure out whether to wait until the name change or to go for it now. But I feel like the upcoming changes in my personal and professional life will tell me whether or not that rebrand is needed, it's just a process that I'd like to narrow down in the next year.

Write more here and there.
I'd really like to up my game in the next year. I started this year off with a bang and was posting really consistently, but when I started Marion Claire Stationery, I really let myself focus on other things. At the time, that was great, obviously I started a business and have made it into something worth noting during that time. However, now that Marion Claire is up and running and has her shit together, it's time to promote that girl. I want to write more on my blog and do a lot of guest posting for other blogs either for Marion Claire or just guest posts in general. I love writing and connecting with new readers, so if you want a guest post, hit me up!

What are your blogging goals for 2015?

Chels & the City Favorites

Happy Monday, friends! For the November Blogathon, today's prompt is to share your 3 favorite posts from your archives. (You'll notice that three is the theme of the week.) So here are three posts that I think are some of my best, and oddly enough, there is one from each year that my blog has been around, which was unplanned but a nice little surprise for myself.

2014 - Bad Things Happen When You Wear Sweatpants In Public
The story of an unfortunate event that I, of course, blamed on the fact that I was wearing sweatpants in public while it happened. My one and only fashion rule is to never wear sweats/pajama pants in public and I feel like the universe was getting back at me for shaming people who do. Lesson learned.

2013 - Hazard Yet Forward
A note to the Seton Hill University community after a serious tragedy. I graduated from SHU in 2011 and it will always have my heart, so this post was important for me to write and is one of my most-viewed of all time. It was one of those posts that you promote once by posting the link on Facebook and it was shared and passed on a countless number of times. I hope that means that the women involved and their families were among those views and that it helped them heal a little bit.

2012 - Cupid: as portrayed by Chelsea
I love this post. It was one of my first posts on this blog and I think I nailed it haha It's actually a really long post but I wanted it to be worth the read. I came up with date night ideas for people in the Pittsburgh area for Valentine's Day and based each idea on the Five Love Languages. Good, right? Like, you wish you were following my blog back then good. At the time, my readers were pretty much just my friends and family and I cannot tell you how many texts/calls I've received since then about people asking me to help them plan a night out or date night in the city, and they reference this post. Thanks, friends, I'm here for you!

Do you have favorite posts from your own blog?

Or a favorite from mine that's not mentioned?

Chelsea Lately: Fall Edition

I have really been awful at blogging lately and I hate to claim "busy" as an excuse, but that's all I got. I miss this community though, so I'm doing my best to prioritize and squeeze back in here. But, of course, it would help if you all knew what I've been up to since my last post. That's fair! If you're not following along with me on Instagram, get on it. It's my favorite app since becoming a smart phone user and best describes my day to day. Lots of greeting cards, lots of coffee, lots of my cat. Pretty much sums it all up. But here are some more fun things in between.

A lot of custom projects have come across my desk lately and I couldn't be more thrilled. The cards above have to be my most recent favorite though. They were made for a sweet couple and their little guy who is soon to turn one! I love this family and was honored to make these invitations for them for little Joshua's first birthday and baptism party. I like when clients have ideas and plans but also really enjoy when they give me free reign and that's what these guys did. For custom work, I always provide three different design drafts and then they pick a favorite and we make any necessary changes. So the final invitation really was a collaboration and I love how they turned out.

Besides custom work, I've been working a lot on my expanding greeting card line for Marion Claire Stationery. I recently realized eight new designs, four of which were these ones for the fall holidays. I'm almost ready to release my winter line, but want to hold off until November 1st if possible. I know that puts me behind in a typical retail sense but I really hate skipping over the fall holidays. Even though Christmas is really important, I wish we could give them all their proper amount of time.

I also recently started teaching a blogging class up here near Erie. It's really exciting to see blogging through the eyes of a newbie again. I have such a long history with blogging that I sometimes forget how exciting and interesting the whole concept is and it's fun to be able to teach a new skill to people who are all older than me. We've only had two classes so far but I've really enjoyed it so far and am thrilled to have been asked to lead this class!

And honestly besides that, I've been serving a lot of beer to people and renting out movies. I've been working so much lately and while it's good for the money, it really is tiring while trying to get my own business off the ground. There has been some good times with thrift shopping, and going to weddings too this fall so I can't say that it's been all busyness that's kept me away from blogging, but now that I'm teaching it to other people I feel like I should get back in the game!

What have you guys been up to?

That Time I Had To Give Away Concert Tickets

I was recently given tickets to the Demi Lovato, Christina Perri and MKTO concert. Unfortunately, I had to give them away due to my work schedule but since I was given them to review the night on my blog, I was sure to pass them along to a friend who would enjoy them...Isaac. He has done a guest post in the past for me and since he's the only Demi fan I think I know, he seemed like the perfect choice. Here's his hilarious account of the event...

I’ll be honest: I’m not really a big “pop diva” fan. I’m not gaga for Gaga, I don’t listen to Katy Perry, and (looks around nervously)…I really don’t care about Beyonce. But occasionally I’ll make an exception and go to a big concert. One of those exceptions is Demi Lovato (it also helps when I get tickets from a friend).

Demi recently kicked off her world tour and one of the first stops was here in Pittsburgh, where she performed at the Petersen Events Center in Oakland. Due to some bus mishaps and general unfamiliarity with the Center on my part, my friend and I missed the opening act, a group called MKTO that seemed pretty cool for the 20 seconds I got to hear them. We were then taken to our lovely seats, which faced the side of the stage. We were close to the action but all picture attempts usually ended in blurriness.

Her second opener was Christina Perri, who I know of but don’t listen to. She opened with “Jar of Hearts” (“Oh, her.” I said to myself.) and then did her more recent songs. She sounded really great and the audience loved her. Even though I still don’t think I’ll be buying her albums anytime soon, I’ll give props and will openly testify that Christina Perri sounds great live.

Also before Demi came on she had a sort of motivational speaker. I forget his name, but he was a young man who’d lost his legs and told his incredible story of not letting that stop him from accomplishing things. He kept using the lyrics from Demi’s ballad “Warrior” as a mantra and kept telling everyone in the audience that they were warriors. Looking around at the crowd of teenage/college-aged girls taking duckface selfies, I have to respectfully disagree, but I get his intent.

Seriously, everyone in that crowd was so young. Which I had expected, but still it was jarring to look around at everybody. I am 25; I felt 47. The only people there older than me were the dads that had accompanied their daughters and looked miserable for 3 hours. By the end of the night I was frantically looking for my daughter, and then I would remember I don’t have one.

Anyway Demi put on one heck of a show. She kept things simple, with four backup dancers and two backup singers accompanying her. Unlike that Miley Cyrus with her “Look at this little person! Look at this bear! Look at my tongue! So much is happening!!!” routine. She had great energy for all her “dance” numbers, including the great single “Heart Attack” and “Let It Go” from Frozen. A surprise cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was also fantastic, especially since it took place after a quick costume change (girl was looking great all night).

But as fun as her fast-paced numbers are (my friend calls them “Club Demi”), my favorites are when Demi just sat on a stool with a piano and a guitar and belted out some ballads. Whatever jokes you want to make about a former Disney Channel Star (and you can make a lot), you have to admit that this girl’s got talent and she’s a pro. Her powerful voice soared above the audience during her power ballads like “Warrior” and “Skyscraper”, which never fails to move me in some way. I can’t remember all the songs she sang (girl has four albums) but she rocked them all and the crowd loved it.

So yeah, I’ve crossed “See Demi Lovato in Concert” off the bucket list I didn’t know I had. I’m very thankful to Chelsea for passing me along her tickets. I had a fabulous time at a concert that’s much bigger than the ones I usually go to. I’ve been told my hearing will return by Monday.

What's In My Bag: Everyday

I've seen a good number of these kind of posts and have to say that I'm obsessed with them. I'm a pretty nosy person in general so seeing bloggers post about stupid stuff like what's in their purses is right up my alley. So I thought I'd share the same with you guys today. This will be a super-mini series, but I'm hoping you'll think it's fun! To start us off I did the everyday bag because it's the most essential. I usually mix up my bag every other week or so, but the contents are always the same. However, not pictured is a water bottle from Victoria's Secret. It was taking up too much room in my photos so I decided to take it out, even though I don't go anywhere without one!

As you can see, I've got plenty of reading material! I have recently canceled all of my magazine subscriptions, so I only buy them now if someone I really like is on the cover, which seems to be less and less, haha. This is the first ever issue of Vanity Fair that I've bought and it's all because of that stud, Jon Hamm. And I always have a book and the current month's Family Video release list, I feel like I always have to have it on hand. People know I work there and will ask me randomly if anything good is coming out soon, so I like to be prepared. Besides that, I feel like everything else is pretty standard; wallet, keys, phone, bobby pins and hair ties, pens and highlighters (I highlight my planner), eos lip balm (I'm obsessed!), planner, headphones, tampon case cleverly disguised as a makeup bag, a little mist, glasses case and of course my checkbook in a Steelers cover. Who doesn't have one of those?

What's in your everyday bag?

Blogger Q & A: from Jess

A blogger friend of mine, Jess, has tagged me in a Q&A post, which I love! I always like when bloggers do these kind of posts because you get to learn more about the person behind the blog, which is important. So I will continue the tag as well, for any of you interested in possibly filling this out as well, the ones I've tagged will be at the end of this post! Otherwise, grab some coffee, sit back and get to know me a little more!

01// If you could live any place in the world, where would it be?
Washington D.C. - I love every time I've been to D.C. and would love to live there.

02// What do you miss most about being a kid?
Every day dance classes. I took these for granted sometimes when I was younger and I really miss them now.

03// Who or what inspires you?
Varies Bible verses. I always see them pop up in my life seemingly in a random way and know that God has a plan.

04// Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Let's see, 34. Hopefully a successful career, married to MJ and with a couple of cute little brats.

05// Your 50th birthday party- who's invited?
Anyone who wants to be there, hello, 50 and fabulous!

06// What are your strengths?

Getting to know people on a personal level, even when just meeting them. Honestly, this is my biggest strength. I don't know what it is about me, but people seem to want to tell me all of their business even when we have just met. I've been on interviews where I learn more about the interviewers extended family then I'd ever need to know. I don't judge people by the junk in their life so I think it makes them feel comfortable to talk to me about anything.

07// What are things you want to improve on?
Patience. 

08// Places you've traveled to?
All within the U.S. and Canada but oh, the places I wish to go!

09// What is a routine you could never do without?
Honestly, waking up and brushing my teeth is the only routine I rely on, after that, my days are never the same or have any kind of routine to them. 

10// What was an act of kindness shown towards you that caught you by surprise?
Recently a customer yelled at me at Family Video because they had a re-rental fee on their account, there is literally nothing I can do to take that off, you must pay for it. She stormed off and the guy behind her just came up to the counter and said, "some people suck, brush it off." It wasn't much, but it's what I needed in that moment.

11// List some of the best times in your life in less than one minute. ready...go! (don't cheat!) 
Sundays at Gram's house, Disney World, Niagara Falls (both times), New Orleans mission trip in 2007, Seton Hill...all of it, Living in downtown Pittsburgh, Steelers game with Eric and any Pirates game I have ever been to.

And I tag: Sara, Setarra, Toni, Nicole, Danielle, Lauren,

Elizabeth, Kristin, Callie, Rachel, and Anna Belle.

Have fun, ladies!

Bloggers: Here's What I Really Think About You

Like I said yesterday, most of the posts this week were inspired by recent posts I've seen from other blogging ladies. This one, I saw on Elizabeth of Undeniably, Me. And it's about, obviously, how I really feel about certain bloggers. In this community of bloggers, you really start to favor some and get to know the ladies behind the blog more than you would think. So specific things tend to stick out about those women and I want to share this list of favorites today! Enjoy & go make some friends!

Made with Polyvore.

Comes Up With The Most Unique Ways to Have Fun: Jessica of Midwest Muse. Whether it's planning a city-wide clothing swap, attending local concerts, being a thrifting pro and showing off her looks on the runway, or hosting her own party, Jessica has got it going on. I'm always so impressed (and jealous) of her adventures! She makes Ohio actually seem cool ;)

Prettiest Smile: Sarah of Coming Unstitched. You've seen Sarah around here before and I'm sure you'd agree that this lady has got a pretty smile. I love that you can tell how genuine it is in her daily outfit posts too.

Never Fails to Leave Me Hungry: Setarra of Quaintrelle. First of all, I should mention that I feel like if Setarra and I ever met in real life, we'd be besties. We have too much in common, literally right down to when we tore our ACL's, that it's hard for me not to want to be her real-life friend. But her blog talks a lot of her travels and restaurant reviews. And she takes such gorgeous pictures of her meals and describes them in such detail that I cannot help but leave her blog drooling and heading to my refrigerator.

Most Gorgeous Home: Maddie of Maddie Richardson - A Lifestyle Blog. Every post that has a picture of her home makes me swoon. The space just looks so bright, airy, comfortable and not overly styled. Gorgeous space. Plus she shares it with a cute puppy...and hubby.

My Favorite Hair Color: Robyn of Cleverly, Yours. You have more than likely seen Robyn if you are a fan of Pinterest. I'm pretty sure that her outfits are pinned more than anything else on that site. But she also has the greatest hair ever. Super long and dark brown. All kinds of jealousy running through my veins when I visit her blog haha

Crazy Cat Lady: Elizabeth of Undeniably, Me. You know this is out of love! The girl who inspired this post and the girl who is the mommy to Khalifa's brother, Oliver. What a great name he has! My whole family approves haha Anyway, Elizabeth posts hilarious stories about Oliver and he's even guest-posted on her blog before, so there's that.

What do you really think of some bloggers? Tell me who you'd name for these!

I'm Not Here & Welcome New Friends!

Screenshot of my post on Sarah's blog.

Hello everyone! I am guest posting over on Sarah's blog, Coming Unstitched, today, while she enjoys her first few days of mommy-hood. You might already know Sarah, or remember her from when she guest posted here during my Fashion Week. Anyway, check out my post over there. I created three style boards on Polyvore for Valentine's Day, inspired by three classic romance movies, each one from a different decade. I'm pretty proud of it, so please head over there and let me know your thoughts!

As for those of you who are over here visiting from Sarah's blog, welcome!

I hope you stay a while and get to know me and begin following along with Chels & the City.
 I suggest checking out some of my latest posts and heading over to my About page to learn more about me and this little space of the Internet. Hopefully you like what you see and we can be friends!

About | Why I Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin

Seek Love: Wine Cork Art

I think that the original pin for this project was one of the first pins I ever saw on Pinterest, but just recently did I realize that the link led to nothing. So to right that wrong and use up some wine corks that I've been hoarding, here's a DIY of making art out of some simple materials! Feel free to pin this one, so you actually have the steps for later!

First things first, you need to get all of your materials. Except for the wine corks (obviously) I got all of my materials from WalMart, but I'm sure that they are readily available at any craft store as well. Also, you'll have to save up corks, there are places online that sell them as "supplies" but where's the fun in that? What you'll need: corks, paint, brushes, water cup, pater towels, newspaper, pencil, piece of wood, glue, stencil letters, and something to mix your paints in that you don't mind ruining. I also encourage you to put on your favorite Pandora station because this project does take a while. I highly discourage you allowing your curious kitten to "help" with this, though.

The first step is to paint your board. I originally thought I'd just use a canvas but, didn't think it'd be sturdy enough to hold up - use your discretion on that one. Also, if your board doesn't have a hook on the back, this is the prime time to add that on as well. Let this fully dry before going to the next step. During this time, I went out for dinner, but that's certainly not required.

Step two: Lay out the letters you want on your painted board and paint them in. Or just freehand this - I never trust myself fully to freehand everything, so I outlined my letters. Step three: you'll want to arrange the corks in the shape you'd like. I went with a heart because of the phrase that I put on it and because, Valentine's day is coming up and sometimes I pretend to like that frilly holiday haha

Once you know where you want your corks to go, either mark their places on the painted board, or leave them and work on this step as you go along. Paint just the top of the cork and glue the opposite end to the painted board. For this I used Krazy Glue because it works really well and dries fast. I also painted my heart in an ombre effect to give it some interest.

To finish off your piece of art, make any touch ups that you want and let everything dry overnight before hanging it up. If you'd like, you could also coat your whole piece in a sealer, I personally didn't want to because I don't mind getting an aged look over time.

Check out what other fabulous bloggers are pinning and doing with the H&K Style Journey link-up! 

And don't forget about the giveaway currently going on, hosted by writtenforyou!

The Times They Are A-Changin'

After taking a long break from blogging to reevaluate whether or not to stick with this or not, I've come to the conclusion that instead of giving up this space, it just needs a change. Since moving away from the city I love it has been rather hard to keep up with trying to be a "Pittsburgh-based" blogger. Which, more recently, has made me feel limited in the kind of content I should share. But today, that's changing.

At this point in my life, with the possibility of moving back to the city, but also possibly moving further away for a career opportunity, I can no longer make this blog simply about Pittsburgh. From here on out, Chels & the City will be a lifestyle or life and style or, what I like best, a "styled life" blog. What you will find here will still be adventures in the city (whatever city I may be in) but you can look forward to A LOT more fashion. Which, I don't think the bulk of my readers will be upset with hearing.

Now I understand that by making this change I open up my content areas, while also making me a small fish in a huge pond. There are millions of fashion blogs authored by twenty-something women. I get that, but there are not millions of fashion blogs by twenty-something women, who are considered plus-size. I know that there are plenty out there, trust me I follow a good bit of them, but I know that there is room for more. Especially in a world where women are still judged for being any size at all, let alone "plus" size.

And just so we have this all clear, I love my curves. I know I have "problem areas" but I honestly know very few women with more confidence than I have, across different sizes. Seriously, if you need some, just ask, I've got plenty to share. I'm hoping that this will become a space that allows women to see that having style has nothing to do with the size you're wearing. Just because you're above a certain size or not within your goal weight, that does not mean that you are unworthy of looking and feeling amazing. And while it might seem superficial, how you dress does make you feel a certain way, so why not always dress your best? I'm hoping this blog becomes a space to talk fashion, life, and still occasionally showcase fun things to do in the city, but mostly, I want this to be a place for inspiration. And while getting that inspiration through looking at outfits might seem weird, I hope you'll go on this new path with me and enjoy it. Style is not a luxury just for the rich and skinny - I'm hoping you agree with that, and if not, I hope this blog will prove it to you.

"Clothes aren't going to change the world, the women who wear them will." - Anne Klein

Cutie Pitutie Bath & Body: Review & Giveaway!

Hey, everyone! Sorry for the unannounced blogging break, I honestly didn't plan it but once I went a week without blogging, I felt the need to hold off on it for another week. But I'm back! I'll admit that it was nice to not feel the need to come up with topics or write everyday, but to be really honest, each day that passed without me blogging, I felt like I was missing something. This is certainly a little space that I am passionate about and I hope that comes across the screen to each of you too!

Body Frosting and Shea Lip Butter by Cutie Pitutie

Moving on...to make up for my break, today I'm introducing you to a great local business that is my current obsession. Cutie Pitutie Bath & Body is a fabulous small business. They are located in Charleroi, Pa (about an hour south of Pittsburgh) which is such a quaint little town, near where MJ grew up, so it holds a special little place in my heart. But why this company is being raved about today is because of the woman behind it all.

Tina, a mother of seven, started this business with a friend back in 2006, and although the friend is no longer her business partner, because of her determination and desire to create more natural skin care products, Cutie Pitutie lives on. Since some of her kids have sensitive skin, she knew how important it was to make natural products that could work for everyone. But that's not even the best part about her and Cutie Pitutie, Tina is selfless in giving to others and a portion of every product sold goes to a different charity each month.

I suggest that you look into her products, I know first hand that the Hand & Body cream will leave your skin feeling the softest it has been in a long time. It's so rich and creamy and smells amazing! So here's your chance to (literally) get your hands on some Cutie Pitutie goodies. Good Luck!

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions, as always, are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: Ashley from A Dash of Spectacular

Hope you all are enjoying this perfect, between summer and fall weather and perhaps thinking of being outside in it to enjoy it even more. Today's guest post is Ashley from A Dash of Spectacular and she's talking about biking in the 'burgh! Ashley is a Texas transplat to Pittsburgh and I really enjoy reading her blog and seeing how she enjoys discovering the city and all the new things she discovers on her adventures. Read about biking here and then check out her blog for a whole lot more!

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

Beginner Biking in Pittsburgh

Hi, y’all! This is Ashley from A Dash of Spectacular, and I’d love to chat with you readers about biking in and around this lovely city. 

• Don’t have a bike? That’s ok, we’ll get you set up. Read on.  
• Missed Bikefest 2013 in August or any other fun cycle-centric events the city puts on? No worries, it’s always prime time for bike talk. 

It’s such a great way to get some exercise and see PGH at the same time. 

I am a new cyclist {a fancy term for biker}, having just bought my first bike in May of this year.  I’d always loved riding my bike as a kid, but fell out of habit when I grew out of my ‘kid-sized bike’ around middle school.  The pink-and-white streamers on my handlebars were really cramping my style. I should have stuck with it, because I am falling back in love with cycling!  You don’t need an expensive bike to enjoy cycling – just pick something you’re comfortable with, and several spots around town have bike rentals {I’ve heard good things about Golden Bike Rentals and Bicycle Heaven}, and I hear there is going to be a Bike Share program soon.

The Happy Day. I know I’m reppin' the wrong city, but I’m biking here nonetheless!

As a novice cyclist, I’m getting to know all of the gorgeous spots to bike here in Pittsburgh.  For example, a few weekends ago I took a breezy, 10-mile ride down Beechwood Blvd., through Squirrel Hill, and back up to my apartment in Shadyside. Beechwood is super safe and lined with bike lanes. I have a few photos of this ride on my blog post from 8/22, if you need a view to convince you.  If you’re already a cyclist, I’d love to hear about some of your favorites routes! I’ll be taking notes.

If you are brave, the city itself has lots of bikes lanes.  If you’re not satisfied with the ‘beta’ bike trails on Google Maps {the little green squiggles}, Bike PGH offers maps of the aforementioned local trails to get you started, so if you see one of these:

Pick it up!! Or, you can download one here. Take some time and grab your groceries for the evening or pick up your RedBox movie while on your bike. A couple times of doing the errands by bike and you’ll be a master at PGH’s bike routes.

If you don’t want to brave the streets of PGH {potholes and all}, then a trail might be your best bet.  More well-known, paved or packed dirt routes include the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, Southside Trail, the Frick Park trails, and of course, the granddaddy of them all, the Great Allegheny Passage, which eventually leads to Washington, D.C.  It’s more than 300 miles! That one’s going on my bucket list. 

All of the trails are ready for any level cyclist, from beginner to advanced. Once you have basic knowledge of bike maintenance, tire repair and safety {all of which you can get from any of the bike shops in town}, you’ll be set for an adventure. I’ve found that you just have to get yourself out there! 

Do you have any cycling questions? I’ll add them to my ‘beginner’ list and be posting more soon over on my blog, A Dash of Spectacular. I hope to see you out biking PGH with me! 

Guest Post: Lagelle

I know you lovelies expect to see some fashion here on Fridays so I asked my blogger friend, Tye of Lagelle, who is also from the Pittsburgh area to guest post today, as to not disappoint you all! I hope you enjoy meeting her today and her outfit - she always does such a great job with remixing great unique pieces and I really enjoy her style! Happy Friday!

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

Tye in her cute, layered look, getting ready for a Pittsburgh Autumn!

Hello Chels & the City readers!  It's lovely to meet you here, I'm Tye a local Stylist and blogger for Lagelle living in our great city of Pittsburgh! Thank you to Chelsea for allowing me to guest blog post for her while she's getting acclimated to her new job, I know we all wish her the best on her new position.  

I'm getting excited about Fall and being able to layer up with scarves and sweaters.  I scored the scarf I'm wearing in this post on Ebay, well it was a score because I wanted this scarf and it was sold out company wide at Madewell but it wasn't the best of prices. I pride myself on being frugal but now and then I'll treat myself to something I really want.

Chelsea asked me to answer two questions one being: Why I blog?  Initially I blogged to market my Lagelle accessories but it was becoming a chore until I decided I was going to have fun and be consistent no matter what.  I've learned that having a great blog takes a lot of work and consistency.  I continue to give my best and grow as I go along.

Photos provided by Tye.

The other question is: What is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh?  Well everyone that knows me knows that I'm obsessed with vintage and what better place to pick for some vintage goodness than our fabulous thrift stores.  Pittsburgh has the best thrifting hands down.  I love finding vintage gems, it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack but when I do I'm overjoyed!  I need to write a book about my pickings & findings (seriously).  I've found some unbelievable treasures throughout the years and for a fraction of the retail price. Often items are not even used, that's awesome!

It was great chatting with all of you today. You can checkout my personal style blog and connect with me here. Bye for now! - Thank you, Tye, for guest posting today and I hope all of you have a great, relaxing and, of course, fashionable, weekend!

Guest Post: DuffyDossier

A recent Pittsburgh blogging friend of mine, Alex of DuffyDossier is today's featured guest post as I still get settled into my new job - I'm excited to have her here today to give all of you the ins and outs of great vintage shopping in the 'burgh. Trust me, this girl knows her stuff! Hope you enjoy her post!

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

DuffyDossier is Pittsburgh born and raised.

The lovely Miss Alex of DuffyDossier - photo provided by Alex.

Here we go, gals. It’s time to talk about the nitty gritty of Pittsburgh Resale Shops. DuffyDossier is going to get down and dirty with all the epic details. I’ll give you an inside look into which Pittsburgh resale shops to frequent and which ones to stay far away, (and on the other side of the street) from. We’ll cover which shop owners know their way around resale, and which ones don’t. And of course, this post will talk about the tremendous Pittsburgh vintage selection.

Since taking on the responsibility of ‘Miss Vintage Pittsburgh’, I’ve had my fair share of resale/consignment/vintage shopping experiences here in the ‘Burgh. My first rendezvous at a resale shop began one year ago when I stumbled upon The Clothes Horse on Beverly Road.

Miss Judy sitting behind her glass counter full of jewels greeted me with a smile and personal introduction! Immediately, I admitted to her that I’d never been to a resale shop before, and that I was in need of some assistance.

Judy began by showing me around her shop and then she gave me the ins-and-outs of consignment. She explained how she gets her clothes, how often she gets them, her regular consignment junkies, how she prices items, their self life … etc.

Without that initial understanding of the ‘whats, who's, whys, and hows’ of consignment shopping I may never have been able to grasp what it takes to actually be a great resale shop. Since Judy’s consignment finishing school 101, I’ve been able to critique every resale shop in Pittsburgh on this side of the Mon River.

The Pittsburgh South Side

We all know and love the South Side of Pittsburgh, home to many boozy & woozy college kids after hours, but a GREAT location for consignment, and in particular, vintage shopping! 

Stores you NEED to try out in the South Side:

Luxx, Clothing and Hair Salon. First of all, GFs, this shop is both a hair saloon and vintage reseller … can you say #chictodeath? Second of all, the chic in charge knows how to put on a shoe display. Luxx is by far the best consignment shop for vintage shoes! The shoes in this shop are colorful, diverse, name-brand, and mod. The selection Luxx has going on right now is comparative to Steve Madden and Vince Camuot’s 2013 shoe lines.   

The Pittsburgh South Hills

Since I myself, am a PGH south hills resident, I know my way around consigning town. Here are a few shops that are a must-see!

TheSavvy Fox of Mt. Lebanon. And, boy …is she savvy! The shop recently moved its doors to a new location on Greentree road and also has another location in Peters Township. I was able to find some splendid work attire. Profesh & appropriate styles from Asos, various Macy’s brands, and Calvin Klien …just to name a few!

GladRaggs Boutique of Upper Saint Clair. This little shop used to be an old car garage, so it gets drafty in the winter! So, bring your duck-down coat and prepare because you’ll want to stop in no matter the weather. They boast a petite selection worth all your shivers!

Shady Side, Pittsburgh

Shady side has more than just the shops on Walnut Street! It’s one of my favorite little neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.

EonsFashion Antique. Down a ways, on Elmsworth Avenue, Eons Fashion antique is stacked with Vintage. (I’m not kidding, they have hat boxes piled so high they reach the ceiling) Eons appropriately dubs themselves, ‘fashion antique’ store for good reason. The entire store boasts clothing from all vintage eras, 90s and beyond. Their selection is stitched to perfection and made the way clothes used to be made  …with careful, nimble fingers.

And now, a little bit about me, Alex Duffy of DuffyDossier. Since agreeing to write for Chelsea’s ‘Chels and the City’ Pittsburgh blog, I had to start asking myself the hard-hitting questions, why do I blog? And, what is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh?

Why do I blog? Hmm… that’s a question with many answers! Since I know you don’t have all day, I will sum it up in a few words… I blog because I am creative. It took me 23 years to realize the depth of my creativity and all of my friends telling me I possessed style. So, I got to thinking, ‘Alex, what can you do that encompasses both your creativity and your style?’ The answer: blog, blog and more blogging! …blogging is always the answer.

What is my favorite thing about Pittsburgh? Pittsburgh people. I travel a lot in my free time. Hoping around from place to place, you begin to realize how valuable a genuine smile and a happy ‘hello!’ from strangers. The people Pittsburgh has are what makes Pittsburgh a happy home for me and my family.

Be sure to check out Alex of DuffyDossier on Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram as well!