makeup monday: the art of the red lip

about three years ago i walked out with my lips painted red for the first time.
apart of me was kind of embarrassed to have such a bold lip,
but the other part of me felt like a real woman.
ever since then i have been a complete addict when it comes to red lipstick.

i am constantly asked which lipstick i wear.
so i wanted to share a few of my favorites that are always in my makeup bag.


1. revlon color burst lip butter: candy apple

this is my favorite lipstick. kaitlin can attest to this but i have literally about four tubes of this
on hand all the time. you can find it in my car.. anywhere and everywhere, i have it.
its the perfect shade of red. for a redhead i find that a super bold red looks almost maroon,
so i tend to go for more of the orange-y red hues. the great thing about this lipstick is that
it's not matte. i love a good matte finish but on the daily i like my lips to have a little gloss..
plus if your like me and you want to give your man a smooch, this kind of lip wear is an
easy wipe off on your sleeve kinda thang.

2. revlon colorburst lip butter: juicy papaya 

when i am feeling flirty i wear this pretty pink lipstick. its so light it gives you a touch of pink.
i love that its not bold at all. when beach weather comes, i like to wear this with a little mascara
and my beach hat.

3. revolon colorburst matte balm: standout remarquable

when i was in seattle kaitlin kept on busting out this super sexy maroon lipstick.
i had never worn a color that bold before. but there is something about a bold lip
that brings confidence to a lady! so i went to rite aid and found a color similar to hers,
painted it on my lips.. and i felt like a new woman.
the great thing about this is that it stays on ALL DAY. so you can sip coffee,
eat a sandwich, and not have to worry about reapplying.

4. revlon colorburst lacquer balm: tease seductrice

i am not going to lie, i love this one because it could be sisters with the candy apple red that
i love so much. its a nice oragne-y red color, and it keeps my lips moisturized all day!

5. loreal color riches: fiery viel

i dread the day when i run out of this one. i have had this one for a few years and it's lasted
me so long because you don't have to wear a lot of it.
this bad boy is straight up orange. i love to mix it with other colors!

6. revlon : fire & ice

kaitlin and i  did a lipstick swap while i was in town. this one she gave me is one of the
original red's of the revlon line. you can't go truer red than this one. i love it!
i feel so classic wearing color.


i hope this helped if you are on the hunt for the perfect red for you. or if you are a makeup
hoarder like kaitlin and i, give you more idea's of what lipstick you should try!


happy makeup monday!

x's + o's,

chelsea diane 

saturday city guide: oddfellows

oddfellows bar & cafe is located in the capital hill neighborhood of seattle, wa. if you're from seattle, or have visited, you have most likely been here more times than you can count. this restaurant has tons of character, wonderful natural lighting, and is the perfect brunch and coffee spot in the morning and a cozy bar at nighttime with some of the best "fancy comfort food" i've ever had. i always bring every out-of-town guest here; it's just a place you have to experience!



when it's warm or sunny enough, it's nice to sit outside in the morning hours when the sun is still shining on the eastside entrance, or in the shade in the afternoons and evenings. a window seat inside is always perfect though.



i stopped in with bethany the other morning for brunch starting off with our own pots of tea. i had lavender earl gray.

i ate the steelcut oatmeal with brown sugar, golden raisins and peaches...

and she had the brioche french toast with rhubarb.

the food is awesome because they use ingredients that are in season at that time. every time i have the oatmeal or french toast, it comes topped with different fruits and the lunch & dinners menu are always changing depending on the seasons.

and one of the best parts of this place in the summertime is the cool back patio...


depending on the day and time, it can be incredibly busy or a quiet place to work. i will do a second part to this post sharing the 'bar' version of this cool spot and share the yummy drinks and crazy tasty food with you!

oddfellows is beyond charming and a place anyone and everyone can enjoy.
if you're in the seattle area make sure you stop by and check it out!

address // 
1525 10th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
phone //
(206) 325-0807
hours //
8am - 12am daily


x's + o's
kaitlin elaine

follow friday: @floralmountains

name // sarah thomas

age // nineteen

location // springfield, missouri

occupation // barista at mama jean’s natural market

unfortunately i have not had the pleasure of meeting this beauty in real life, but i feel like i know her already. i've followed sarah for as long as i can remember now, and i am continually inspired by her eye for the beauty around her and seemingly optimistic outlook on life. it was so wonderful learning a bit more about this spirited young lady and her blossoming love story through this q+a! i hope someday for a real life friendship full of thrifting and frolicking with this lovely girl!

1 // what inspires your daily life? 

I am inspired by so much and so many! I’m blessed to be surrounded with incredibly talented and creative friends in my community and through social media. I also follow many blogs and am an active “pinner”; these things always keep me motivated and influence me. I am inspired by photographers, designers, artists, farmers, florists, cooks, bakers, furniture makers; really anyone creating beautiful things.

2 // what are your 3 favorite clothing items you can't live without?

My gray high-waisted Levi’s, my favorite pair of taupe booties, and my wide-brimmed hats. 

3 // you & your fiancé Nathan are beyond adorable! what’s your story?

I can’t help but smile and giggle a bit when someone asks us ‘our story’. We actually met at a gas station! It was freezing and I pulled up to the gas pump and began going through the motions. I was having a great bit of difficulty getting my gas cap off; it seemed to have been frozen on. I looked over and saw (the very handsome) Nathan pumping gas and nervously asked for his assistance. He smiled and agreed to help and rescued the damsel in distress and then joked, “Do you need me to stay and help you get it back on?” as I blushed, embarrassed, and replied, “No, thank you, I think I will be able to manage.” He then drove away in his little black car and, as cliché as it sounds… I thought I had been shot by cupid. We ended up having mutual friends and over time it developed into a Facebook chat, a follow on twitter and instagram, and finally a coffee date. We spent that following summer getting to know each other and easily became best friends.

4 // what do you love most about him?

Nathan’s my favorite person. He’s got such a passionate and fun-loving spirit. I love his excitement for life and admire his ability to dream and his determination to create. He’s my biggest inspiration and my best friend, oh and he’s the weirdest person I know.

5 // we're obsessed with your magical Oregon coast proposal [good job Nathan!] can you tell us anything about the wedding so far? 

We’re so excited!! Our wedding is basically going to be a big ol’ get together and summer barbeque! We’re having our ceremony and reception on Nate’s parents’ farmland and smoking up a big ol’ pig. We just want people to come celebrate with us, eat, and be merry. There will be lots of flowers (of course), pie (of course), and bonfires.

6 // have you always lived in Missouri? 

Yes, I was born and raised just outside of Springfield’s city limits. I’ve been brought up with cows and my granny’s vegetable garden that’s just a couple gates away from my house. Growing up, there was a on of playing in the woods and fields with my siblings, and borrowing my brothers’ overalls.

& where else do you see yourself spending your life? 

Nathan and I are completely in love with the West Coast. We most definitely desire to spend some of our lives much nearer to mountains and the ocean. We do absolutely love our hometown, but are excited to go experience more!

7 // if you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

Hmm, I think I would be some sort of songbird, liberated, unconfined, and elegant. Or a puppy… because, I mean c’mon!!! (insert heart-eyes emoji here)

8 // is there a specific person, dead or alive, who you look up to or admire?

I feel like I have a lot of role models in my life and admire so many creatives out there! But, in particularly & most greatly, I admire my parents. They’re the most selfless and loving individuals, I know. They’re so giving, pure, and hard working. They’re so dedicated to caring and serving our family and friends, specifically my mother; her love amazes me, I don’t tell her that enough.

9 // what songs or bands are you listening to lately?

Recently, I’ve been listening to the band Alt-J and Wild Ones (always), at home I put on a favorite record (Peter, Paul, & Mary or Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros), and in the car I listen to 99.9 KBFL “The Music of Your Life”, which consists of a wide mix of instrumentals, jazzy solos, and fifties through seventies classics. 

10 // where could we find you on the weekend or your day off?

If it’s a nice day, I’d wake up early to find some sort of tasty route into town for pastries and coffee, taking Margaux (my pup) on a walk in midtown Springfield, most likely, carrying out a checklist of some sort, and finding time in between goals to stop at a thrift store or meet a friend…ending my day with Thai food,a redbox, and snuggles with Nathan. :) 

i seriously cannot get over these two!!!

follow...

her instagram // @floralmountains

her blog // floralmountains

her twitter //  @floralmountains
her pinterest // floralmountains

x's + o's
kaitlin elaine


[all photos credited to: sarah, nathan stracke, & sincerely, kinsey]

OOTD: spring fever

the past few days i have been hiding inside from the cold sharp wind.
listening to records, and sipping on coffee.
i am so ready for the warm weather to stick around.

tomorrow i start my 3 day juice cleanse with suja juices! i have never done a juice cleanse before
so i am really nervous! wish me luck!

x's + o's,
chelsea diane