frolic!

February 03, 2014

the best of valentine's day!

Happy February! I love this month because it's an excuse to be sappy, plant sweet peas, and buy primroses. And most exciting, move on from the January doldrums! Below are a few of my favorite all-time Valentine's Day posts here on Frolic!

My favorite party I ever threw. I Heart You, complete with a confession wall.

Thoughts about love (and the prettiest flower shop in Berlin).

A super clever gift for Valentine's Day.

Watercolor Valentine (free download!)

Tuberose. Mmmmm!

12 Things I Love About You

Violets, violets, all the time!

Make your own Valentine's Day flowers!

Romantic valentines from Bright Star!

A valentine from E.B. White.

The Bulgarian Rose Festival!

Front lawn, daffodil heart!

Behind the Scenes with My Life in Sourdough.

Sweet pea bouquet.

Heart cheese.

Sweet Valentine's inspiration.

Adorable.

The easiest place cards (or valentines!).

A scented bouquet.

A girl and her flower stand.

Dotted flower wraps.

Happy Valentine's Day! I love all my Frolic! readers!

Photography: Lisa Warninger. Model: Skye Velten. Wardrobe Styling: Megan of Summerland. Hair and Makeup: Madeline Roosevelt. Sets: Chelsea Fuss. All clothing available at Summerland. Big thanks to The Ace for the location.

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January 31, 2014

have a lovely weekend!

Hooray! January is nearly over! I always pledge to have a positive attitude about this month but it's always quite awful. So happy to be moving on to February and the hope of springtime! Here are a couple of random links of what's been on my mind this week accompanied by photos of one of my favorite Swedish nurseries, because it's nice to look at plants in the winter!

As a follow-up to this post, I wanted to share, Fairphone! Someday when I do need to replace my phone, I'd love to support what this company is doing, which is trying to change the electronics industry from the inside out. I love their transparency about how their phones are manufactured. After reading this NY Times article, I was quite dismayed. So happy to see there are people out their trying to make a difference and I'd love to support them.

I had a lovely visit from Leela Cyd this week for a little kitchen photo shoot. Check out her adorable blog, all about tea. Her love for India shines through in so many of her posts. I can't wait to make my own chai!

Anything caught your attention or inspired you this week? I'd love to hear!

Have a fantastic weekend!

-Chelsea

P.S. Today is the last chance to snag some Frolic! advertising at 25% off (It ends up being 50% off if you buy a bulk order!) Details here.

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January 30, 2014

class schedule for 2014!

I am teaching a few classes this year, so I thought I'd round them up all in one post! I get lots of emails asking about in-person and online classes, so here you go:

- My ongoing, online, flower arranging class, Flower Arranging 101, currently has sessions open for February, March, and April. This class is available to everyone around the world! You need to provide your own flowers, clippers, and to have a camera you can upload photos with (a camera phone is fine). There are also a few other supplies that are outlined in each chapter. For info on sourcing your own flowers, read my posts on that here and here.

- I am teaching a flower masterclass in Seattle at Aran's gorgeous studio near Pike Place Market on May 17th. This course covers the basics of working with fresh flowers. You'll make a wild garden arrangement and a little hand-tied bouquet. Flowers, tools, and lunch included. We'll take a field trip to Pike Place, where I'll teach you about how to choose flowers to get that effortless, just-picked-from-the-garden feel with your arrangements. More info here.

- On Tuesday, February 11th, I am holding a special mini flower arranging session at Maven Collective, in the evening. This is a great opportunity to get an introduction to flower arranging. I'll cover the basics of working with fresh flowers and we'll be making garden-style, hand-tied bouquets in a sweet packaging for you to gift to a friend, loved one, or yourself! Sign up here.

Oh and the styling class with Aran Goyoaga is sold out. I'll keep you posted if I add any more styling classes to the schedule.

Feel free to email me with any questions you might have as well!

Thanks!

Chelsea

Photos by the lovely Samantha Shorey from our Summer School course.

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winter tip: grounding!

Excuse the foot-gazing photo, but it's actually appropriate here. A few months ago, my friend Lisa, got me hooked on grounding, which is just what it sounds like! Removing your shoes, and connecting to the bare earth! Read all about the theory and benefits on this website.

Now I have a ritual! Every morning, I go out to the garden, find a mossy little bank, and sit or stand with bare feet for about 20 minutes while I drink my tea. If I am having a bad day, I ground twice. I always feel a warm, positive energy through my body and it leaves me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated! Sometimes I add Swan Arms just for fun. Thank you, Lisa!! It's really helped me get through these gloomy winter days, though I plan to continue this ritual all year round. Anyone else tried grounding?

P.S. Obviously, don't go freezing your toes off, if you actually have real winters with snow!

Photo: Chelsea Fuss.

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January 29, 2014

january flowers

I love having scented flowers around the house this time of year, along with lots of candles. The Mathias Paris candles look sweet and have some of my favorite scents.

I always keep my paperwhites right by a window and water just above where the roots are coming in, if you water too high, the bulb will rot! When they flop over too far, I cut them for bouquets. Mmmmmm! I love the smell!

P.S. I hope you enjoy the mini makeover here! Our re-design is so close to being completed, but in the meantime, I've added a temporary new banner to freshen things up for the new year. Thanks to Abby Galloway for the sweet hand-written logo.

Photos: Chelsea Fuss.

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January 28, 2014

winter tip: wear bright socks

I feel like we are on the homestretch of winter here in the Northwest. I know we have mild winters and the last couple of years have been oddly sunny and dry, but the short days and darkness are still tough for me. I've been making a conscious effort this year to do little things to lighten my moods. A few months ago, I splurged on some colorful French socks at Una. Wearing bright socks makes me happy! It's tough to be grumpy when you are wearing flowers, polka dots, or stripes on your feet!

Here are more tips on surviving winter. Soon, I'll be sharing even more ideas on how to combat winter!

Photos: Bonne Maison.