A Different Thanksgiving

[Insert comment here about how I haven't blogged in a while.] At least I'm not the only one. I hope everyone who celebrates the holiday had a wonderful Thanksgiving and made new, special memories with family and friends!

As most of you know, this was the first Thanksgiving without my mom. Going to bed the night before and waking up Thursday morning were definitely a little rough on the heart, which made it a different Thanksgiving. I'm grateful I had family nearby to lean on who were also feeling those same pains.

That morning, my dad and I drove to the cemetery to visit my mom's grave. Her headstone had finally been installed so it was the first time I got to see it. Boy, is it beautiful. There's not one other headstone in the cemetery like it. My dad sure did a wonderful job picking it out and working with the designer. I'm sure my mom is proud :)

Then, we headed over to Maryland where one of my brothers and his wife live to spend the remainder of Thanksgiving. My nephew was in town from grad school so it was great to catch up with him and talk to everyone about my moving plans! I enjoyed copious amounts of stuffing [My favorite. What's yours?] and pumpkin pie! As always with that bunch, we were all rolling on the floor laughing and watching the Redskins game. 

If you don't know by now, my mom's side of the family were born and raised Redskins fans and my two brothers do not take that lightly [although I have fizzled off within the past few years.] So, the Redskins vs. Cowboys game was obviously a big deal. Go Redskins ;)

I'm sad that my other brother and his little family were not able to be with us this year but I look forward to coming home for Christmas to watch my 2-year-old niece Aubrey tear through her presents :) 

While a good portion of the holiday weekend was filled with packing and organizing [the movers arrive TOMORROW!] I also enjoyed time relaxing with family and friends I don't get to see as often as I wish. It made me so grateful for the love and support of those dearest to my heart. I put shopping aside this weekend and focused on one of the most important things to me - LOVE. It's been quite a year and I couldn't have done it without them.

If you are in the shopping mood, check out one of my favorite

online stores, Outfit Additions, for up to 40% off today!

You can also receive FREE SHIPPING on any U.S. order from

my shop After Sunset! Use code THANKFUL at check out :)

What To Do With Your Nail Polish

Remember the days when you had two or three different nail polish colors? Those days are long gone! I don't know about you but I have a tough time keeping track of my nail polishes. You know it's bad when you're standing at the latest Essie display at Ulta and have this inner dialogue take place: 

"Shoot. Do I already have a taupe like this? Or is it more of a beige? Maybe I should get it anyway? Or should I just get the teal to be safe?"

Yup. I know I'm not alone. It's quite the debacle. But what's even worse than deciding what new color to get is figuring out how to organize that ish. For years, my nail polishes have all made friends with each other in a gallon size Zip-loc bag. I am super grateful that this bag has not given out yet because that would result in a lot of broken glass and one very colorful Chelsea. [Knock on wood!]

So, with my cross-country move right around the corner [like, next Tuesday] I'm thinking of new ways to organize my belongings because gosh knows I have a LOT of belongings. Here are some nail polish organization ideas:

1. This girl has more nail polish than I could imagine. I'm liking the idea of organized storage within a small set of drawers. Keep it all together and keep it contained.

2. I am loving the way these polishes are organized. You can open the drawer and easily see each color without digging through. Bam!

3 and 4 - Vintage suitcases are a great way to store small items - nail polish, clutches, sandals, etc. Although, I wouldn't recommend transporting them like you would a normal suitcase...

5 and 6 - Vases and various glass cases are cute and definitely decor-friendly. However, I also want something that is practical. Not only would a vase not be ideal for a cross-country move, but I don't love the idea of digging through a jar to get to what I want. Not to mention how noisy that would be. Cute idea, just not for me.

7 - Trays are a cute way to display nail polishes. Again, I'm not sure how practical this would be for me.

8 - Over-the-door storage. Take a jewelry organizer to store your nail polishes and hang it either over the door or in your closet. Just make sure the hanger is sturdy enough to carry the weight of the polishes. 

9. Stackable Tupperware - This option is definitely looking good. It's easy to access and sturdy enough whether I want to shove it under my bed or in a closet.

10. Office Organizers - Target seems to be the best place to find cute, divided organizers that are used anywhere from your office to your kitchen. I think this is a great option to keep nail polishes tidy either on a shelf or on your dresser.

So, what do you suggest? Which option should I go with?

Do you have any other ideas?

How do you store your nail polishes?

Of course, I'll let you know which option I go with, complete with pictures :)

Oh, and if you haven't already - shop my closet here!

Shop My Closet

I'm moving. I can't take everything with me. Therefore, I'm giving you all the opportunity to shop my closet :)

Below are a few of the items I'm saying "goodbye" to. They are either gently worn or never worn [you know how that goes!] If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or email me. Shipping is $4.00 for all U.S. customers and all sales are final. 

To start shopping, visit Sunset Closet here :)

There are several other items in the actual shop. Oh, and I'm also selling my king-size pillowtop mattress in case any of my DC friends are in need of one :)

The process of moving has been exhausting as I'm sure many of you can relate with. My dad has tons of boxes and bins full of stuff I've held onto since childhood so a great deal of my time has been spent going through everything. At times, it has caused me to get a little emotional and reminiscent and other times, I can't stop laughing. I mean, check this out:

A. Yes, I really did hang on to all of these boyband books/magazines.
B. This is only a small portion of my boyband stash.
C. I have seen all of these beautiful faces in person and even met one of the groups ;)

Also, I found this sweet love letter from my boyfriend back in high school. Back when things were all about romance and butterflies... and The Ring. I am pretty sure this is the only love letter that references the scariest movie ever.

And then I found baggies full of notes [mostly from him] and literally read through every single one. I wish I could show you how many notes from middle school were written starting with, "Wuz ^? N/M/H" and were written in gel pen. Luckily, they got better as time progressed. 

My next project is to do re-organization research. It's difficult to take what you have, go through what you no longer want, and then re-organize everything for a place you don't live in yet! I am looking for new organization products and techniques for nail polish, make-up, shoes, jewelry making supplies, etc that will work for transport as well as the new place! Blog posts to come :)

Also, if you missed it - be sure to enter the Blue Bird Bride giveaway and score some fun jewelry!

Reminded of the Detours

Some days, you're going about with your normal life
Finding your new "normalcy" again
Getting into the groove of the life that's been re-routed time and time again.

And you're reminded of the detours;

The reasons life is no longer what it used to be.

Last night, I picked up Missy's ashes from the vet
Nearly two weeks after she left this world
And when I found out it was time to pick them up...
     My world shook just a little.
          It was as though my body stood still while another version of it kept walking onward
               To continue on with what was next.
                    Picking up her ashes.

I wasn't the same for the remainder of the night.
I felt cranky. Moody. Irritated. Annoyed. Frustrated.

It's like my body just rejected the pain.
And turned it into another emotion.

It's like I heard the "I'm sorry for your loss" phrase one more time and, boom.
My heart was done.
Done dealing with it.

To be honest, I don't know where this post goes from here.
I'm not sure I have a conclusion.
For now, I'll just keep cuddling Stella even more than I used to [like above]
And I'll be grateful that I'm part of a community where posting pictures of you & your pet is totally normal ;)
I'll also probably watch Pretty Little Liars
     to take my mind away from the detours until my heart gets back on track.

Speaking of Pretty Little Liars, who watched The Vampire Diaries last night?
    [I realize they are un-related]
       Oh.My.Gosh. Happy Friday and thanks for all your love & support this year!

Blue Bird Bride Giveaway

I have an awesome treat for you today! If you know me, you know that I am a sucker for Etsy. I could spend all day perusing the shops on there, whether it be for home decor, eclectic vintage clothing, or jewelry... ohhh, jewelry. Etsy makes my day.

Then, I "met" Diane and was introduced to her shop, Blue Bird Bride. Take my love for jewelry and love for weddings and combine them and you get one happy Chelsea! Blue Bird Bride has all the cute, trendy, couture jewelry you and I both love! You can wear it yourself, buy it as a gift, or... give it to your bridesmaids if you're a bride-to-be. [Okay, or even if you're like me and plan your wedding in advance. Far in advance!]

Here's a peak at what Blue Bird Bride has to offer:

And today, Life is a Sunset readers can win a $20 shop credit to Blue Bird Bride! Which means your options are unlimited! You can use that shop credit to shop for your bridal party, buy a gift for your mom for the holidays, or, hey... treat yourself to something nice! ;)

If you can't wait and want to buy something now, Diane has been sweet enough to offer my readers a 15% off discount by entering FALL2012 at checkout!

She has a couple great deals going on right now - like the Buy Three Get One Free deal as well as  a Buy Two Get One Free deal and several clearance items!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

San Diego Trip | Part One

Now that I've made my big announcement, I'm sure you're dying to see what else I was up to on my trip/what my new city looks like through my eyes. Lucky for you, I decided to share :) Except, not all the details. If you want my new address to send me house warming cards/gifts, you'll have to ask ;) Just kidding...

Without further ado, let's recap, shall we?

Southwest should seriously hire me, yes? I am totally their number one cheerleader and now photographer. This is what 6am flights out of DC look like as you fly West. Helloooo, sunrise! And then you land in Denver where it is a Winter Wonderland and temps are below 30 degrees and you literally shiver your way back onto the plane. Remember when we talked about the dreaded walk onto the plane here?

But the flight out from Denver is always one of my top U.S. favorites because of the Rockies.

The Rockies and the Grand Canyon are beautiful to fly over. They always make me grateful to live in such a diverse and breathtaking country. The Wild West takes my breath away.

Note: always sit on the wing.

Finally, I landed in sweet Sun Diego around breakfast time [Pacific Time. It was past lunch time for this Atlantic Time girl!] Then it was off to find my rental car and begin the fun that was House Hunters: San Diego!

Yes, that would be house number one and 1/4 of house number one's backyard/resort. The landlord and I talked a great deal about San Diego weather and coyotes. That's right - coyotes. This would not be the only time, either...

Then, it was time to check in to the hotel [where I'd always stayed when I'd visit my brother] and feed this poor East Coast girl's growling stomach. In-N-Out it was. Tough decision.

Let me just say it now - when I'm on vacation, there's generally no holding back. I don't count calories. If I want to eat In-N-Out twice, I will. If I want a shake, you got it. Ice cream in the middle of the day from the vending machine? That might have happened. No shame. The starving that occurred on the flights out and back home made up for it ;)

After In-N-Out, I went back to the hotel to crash for an hour before my last apartment hunting appointment of the day. This apartment was in a different neighborhood, a little further North from the first. I ended up LOVING the apartment but didn't love the street it was on and it was toward the top of my price range. PLUS all utilities. Meh. It ranked #2, with the apartment earlier that day ranking at #3 and the final apartment [that I hadn't seen yet] already at #1. I just had a good feeling...

[Does this remind you of an episode of House Hunters yet? Will she choose the house with the large backyard? The updated but pricey unit just North of downtown? Or the...]

I have a fun treat for you tomorrow and then we'll get back to the remainder of my Sun Diego trip [and a little SoCal get-together I had with fellow blogger friends!] later!

A few of you have some specifics questions about my move and the process I've gone through. Feel free to email me and we can chat!

In addition, since I'm an experienced cross-country mover, I figured I'll blog throughout the process with any tips and advice I have for those of you who want to be gutsy too ;)

I've Waited So Long to Say This

Finally, after years and years of saving, planning, and dreaming, I am moving to California.

This isn't the start of a new chapter.

It's the beginning of a new book.

You know that one dream you've always dreamt? The one thing your soul longs for? California has been that dream for me. It's the place where I feel home and complete and since the first time I visited California years ago, my heart has never truly left.

So, starting in the beginning of December, I will be calling San Diego home.

As many of you know, the past year and a half of my life has been the most trying time yet. With the loss of my mother especially, I know life is just too short to put anything that really matters off. My heart kept pulling toward something big. Something huge. Something I've been waiting for. I knew the time was now to make my wildest dream come true.

During this time of healing, I have put a lot of focus into truly finding out the woman I am meant to be in this life. I've stumbled, I've fallen, I've made mistakes... and every time I did, I learned a lesson. I've learned what I need in this life, what I want to accomplish, the kind of people I want to surround myself with whether in person or just in spirit. I've learned what things are worth it and what things just aren't. But at the end of the day, I learned that no one else can make my dreams come true but me. It is my job to get up every day and do whatever it takes to work toward the things that are deepest and truest in my heart.  

My trip to San Diego at the end of October, was spent searching for the right place to live and taking time to take it all in. After years of thinking about the right place for me in SD, and more serious searching online the past several months, I made a few appointments and checked out different places. I found the most perfect place for me at this point in life and couldn't be more excited to call it home soon.

After signing the lease and having the keys placed in my hand, I took some time to get accustomed to the new Southern California neighborhood I'll be living in.

This is the dream I've been waiting for. The dream I've been pushing for and have never given up on or stopped talking about. I've had people left and right give me reason after reason why I shouldn't go or wouldn't make it or would have to put it off until later in life. Well, look at me now. I am making this dream a reality.

On one hand, I believe things fall into place when the time is right. However, I also believe that nothing will ever be perfect. You have to want it badly enough. You have to be willing to take a huge leap of faith. You have to work for it and no matter what, never, ever give up on that dream. I am beyond excited for this new book of my life to begin. Each page will be fresh, full of potential and new California adventure.

I'm still at the point where it's all so surreal. It's all slowly starting to hit me that it's finally happening yet it still seems like just a dream. I hope you all will follow along on my new journey, as I wrap up the last chapter of one book and open up a new one.

Here's to San Diego...