Horton Nation

We're back with another episode!!

I Love The Shopping from Horton Nation on Vimeo.

welcome to the jungle

I've watched a few movies recently featuring my #1 style icon, Brigitte Bardot, and have taken into consideration some of my favorite outfits of hers. In both the movies, editorial photos and candids, Brigitte was always one step ahead of the rest while resting on one note, always: comfort. How did she constantly look so chic while wearing such comfortable casual wear? Her clothes were tailored to fit perfectly. By mixing classic pieces with bold patterns and a fits-just-right feel, Brigitte can teach us so much about how to do just that in our own wardrobes.
My take on a Brigitte Bardot weekend look: Vintage faux fur leopard coat, one of my favorites that I NEVER wear... so glad i decided to pull it out of the closet. It's a trend-appropriate pattern, but in the vintage cut of a 1960's peacoat. Paired with some black cigarette jeans I cuffed twice and some ankle booties, it calms the boldness of the leopard print fur. I added a campy seersucker blue and white checked shirt, tucked into the denim for a classic preppy look. Finally, I threw on some black sunglasses and hit the town. I felt the simplicity of the look achieved the 1960's vibe, while the contrasting patterns of the leopard and the blue and white checkered blouse gave the extra edge that Brigitte would have worn.
Next time you're looking for that great weekend ensemble, I'd suggest you take a que from Brigitte and focus on tailored pieces with flare. Happy Monday to you all! I can't wait for what's in store this week. Love love, Chelsea

Trend.Spotting

I love all things 70's bohemian right now and in Portland I'm seeing it everywhere. I've created a little shopping list of things that are must haves in the upcoming season if you've got a flare for rock n' roll:

The higher the wedge, the better! Don't forget to stock up on silver and brass rings, cuffs and head jewelry. Gimme some of that rockstar attitude and a sweet little bohemian edge and I'm all over it! What are you trend spotting?

{{P.S. Happy Birthday to my beautiful mother. My biggest supporter and a huge source of all my creative inspiration. I love you so much. xxoo }}

Apricot + Cranberry Muffin DIY

I've been quite hooked on apricots lately. The following recipe is one of the best muffin recipes I've ever tried and the results are delicious. Follow the simple directions and enjoy a batch of your own:

• 
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup canned, drained cranberries
  
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper muffin cups. Place chopped apricots into a small bowl, and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand for 5 minutes.
   
2. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, buttermilk and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended. It is okay for the batter to have some lumps. Drain water from apricots, and mix along with cranberries into the batter. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake for 16 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan over a wire rack.

Figure 8

I've been loving the 70's vintage fashion in this town. Everywhere you look you can't escape it. Over the weekend I did some thrifting myself, and hit up a couple amazing vintage shops. I was able to score an incredible vintage leather bomber jacket. It's so very Members Only-eque with a touch of Charlie's Angels. I'm also on the hunt for a pair of high-waisted bell bottom jeans.. but that's a whole other story. I took a walk down on the East Esplanade, and enjoyed the Portland waterfront for a bit this weekend. It was the first sunny day in the two weeks I've lived here so I made sure to soak it in. My my, is this city gorgeous. Here's what I wore:

{vintage wilson's leather bomber jacket, vintage YMCA summer camp t-shirt, cheesecloth over sized scarf, free people stretch denim jeans, BDG scrunch boots, vintage purse}

Currently loving: Army/Navy surplus stores, strawberries, black coffee, vintage coffee mugs, gold leaf, foreign films, the 70's, blush, wire lampshades and street fashion blogs.

Sweet Sunday Playlist

Meet the Sponsors - January 2011

I'm excited to say that this month, I've been sponsored by some incredibly sweet and talented people. I'm even being sponsored by a husband and wife duo! Read on about the wonderful people who make it possible for Seablanket to post free tutorials and beauty advice!!
The Darling Breezy Riggs of Harvest Beads is a Portland local (Married to Evol Twin's Loric)!! Her my handmade glass lampwork beads are truly little works of art. Her Etsy is chalk full of unique designs and bead-of-the-month specials. Breezy also has a darling blog called "Breezy Go Lucky." She's a darling woman, you'll be happy to know her. See more of Breezy's beautiful work here: SHOP // BLOG
Meet Kam of Campfire Chic. A girl with a heart of gold who shares her passion of the outdoors with her boyfriend of 4 years. Together, they enjoy everything from camping, hiking and kayaking to stand up paddleboarding, and geocaching. Kam has the most darling needlepoint artwork up for sale on her Etsy... you'll love it! She's also offering a special offer to all Seablanket readers!! A coupon code at her Etsy (enter: CAMP10 at checkout) for 10% off your entire order!! See more of Kam and her adventures here: BLOG // ETSY // TWITTER
Meet Moorea, who hails from the wet + wonderful Seattle, WA. A woodsy girl with a love for fashion who really does it all: jewelry, design blogs & illustrate for Freckled Nest, makes music, and sometimes works as an artist assistant to some major Seattle based artists. She keep her fingers very busy! See more of Moorea and her incredible skill-set here: ETSY // PORTFOLIO // BLOG
Evol Twin Printing's Loric Riggs is Breezy's (of Harvest Beads, see above) husband! Evol Twin is a ma + pa Portland-based screen printing company, who's environmentally conscious printing methods is something to be appreciated! Aside from using organic soy compounds and being a go-to print shop for anyone who needs custom work, Loric + Breezy also has a line of boutique apparel t-shirts (you may even recognize the models)! Check out Loric's work and call them if you have any Screening needs: SHOP // GALLERY // WEBSITE
Meet Maria of Little Tree Vintage. This sweet thing has a knack for any and all things vintage/thrifted and breathes new life into them. Her honest love and appreciation for all things used shows just a little of her sugar-lined personality. She also just started posting outfits on her blog, and she has the cutest style. Please go introduce yourself and learn more about her efforts, here: ETSY // BLOG // TWITTER

---♥♥♥---

Let's not forget my darling friends, who are always supportive and helpful and downright amazing people. A big thank you to: Chelsea, Liz, Abby, Chantilly, Vivs, Miss James, Elsie, Katie, and my designer Kevin.

Sponsor SB!

If you have a small business or blog and would like to sponsor Seablanket, now's your chance! You can purchase ad space on my Etsy, now, just click HERE...

-----♥♥♥-----

SB has become a daily read for thousands of crafters, style trend spotters, music noobs and creative people alike and it's growing fast. It's is the perfect place to promote your own creativity!
If you're interested in hits//specs, email me at chelseablanket(at)gmail.com for more information.

Ad sizes accepted:
ideal size 160 x 160pix
any square ad can be used to fit

Charmed, I'm Sure DIY

I’ve been toting these little charms around for months and finally figured out what to do with them. I kept them to keep them close to me, and figured what a better way to do so then to wear them them near my heart.
This diy charm necklace is the easiest and most darling way to keep little tokens nearby at all times, not to mention it’s so cute! You’ll need a drill with a little drill-bit, or a nail and hammer. Wire and wire cutters, along with a chain or ribbon and any tokens or charms that are dear to you. Drill a hole through each of your charms so that you may string wire through them. Arrange your charms in a stacked manner, so that the smallest charm is on the very bottom and the largest is at the very top.
String wire through them all, but make sure they are able to move and pivot with movement. Round out your wire after stringing your charms and attach to your chain necklace.
Perfect way to keep all sentimental items near and dear, or to gift to a friend. Enjoy

Nautical Antiques

I’m trying to get used to the rain here in Portland. Sure, I am an Oregonian and have been most of my life. Heck - I’ve even lived in Portland before, but boy does it RAIN here. It’s been wonderful sloshing around in my rain boots and enjoying all rainy day pleasures.
I survived my first week in the city. Thankfully, I’ve had lots of people introduce themselves and make me feel quite at home in my new city. I’m mostly settled in and I’ve got some of the sweetest companions to keep me company at home. I can already see lifelong friendships building. I feel very alive and bright and excited to be where I’m at in life. The last few years I feel like I’ve been playing catch-up, but at last, I am living in the present and it feels incredible.You may notice that my posts have been light the last few weeks. I am blaming it on my lack of internet connection set up at my house (coming this week, fingers crossed), my move, and the true reality that I’m much more active here. I hope to make each post more important and worthwhile to make up for not posting daily.

This week I’ll be posting my first handmade item up on my Etsy. I have only a select number and range of sizes so they’ll be first come first serve. I’m so excited to share them with you!
I thought nothing would be more appropriate than a little sailor-inspired ensemble to enjoy my rainy sunday in. My outfit is made up of a GAP boy’s denim jacket, passed down to me by my sister yearrrrs ago, an Old Navy striped sailor tunic, fun little high-water pants from H&M, pom pom toed ballerina flats, and an oatmeal colored beanie I purchased at the Army / Navy Surplus store this weekend. Not to mention, Pinback’s album Nautical Antiques has been my true love the last three days. If you’ve never heard it, fix that... asap.
Tune in tomorrow for a lovely diy. Hope you have a beautiful day.
-Chelsea

Sweet Sunday Playlist

Sundays are fun days!

Inked. Final Product

My sleeve is all healed and complete. I loved documenting the process on my blog and wanted to present the final product in all it's glory. After 5 sessions and countless hours of pondering the design... here she is:Look at Mr. Nicola Tesla, looking all mysterious..I love his little mustache!

My feather is one of my favorite parts....the goldenrod and purple tones compliment one another so beautifully!
My little Indian girl and fawn both get freckles when I stand in the sun...it makes me smile. As I've said before, I really love large bodies of water, and had to include some wooden waves as part of my piece.
I'm so happy I committed to getting a full sleeve. It's not altered how I dress or if I wear patterns or not, if anything it's been a killer accessory to all my outfits. If you're thinking of getting a large piece, I would tell you that it's not a life or career altering choice. I can cover it easily and no one would know, unless I want them too!

Tattoo by: Jerry Ware, Atlas Tattoo Studio, Portland, Oregon USA

Day 1 - What I Wore

I'm home, I'm home! My move went so swimmingly...I mean, as good as it possibly could. I've been experiencing an overwhelming joy since landing in this fair city and I'm excited to let it flourish as I settle in and learn it inside and out.
My house is adorable, and has the prettiest wood floors and glass doorknobs. My new work office is great, and I'm very pleased with the weather...mildly sunny and a crisp 36 degrees! I'm overwhelmed with all the changes, but I can assure you, you'd all love this city so much. Tweetup/Blog meetup should be scheduled soon! It's worth seeing firsthand.
{What I Wore: Vince Camuto Booties, J. Crew Tights, Painter's Touch Pencil Skirt from Anthropologie, Handmade Tunic Blouse, and my favorite vintage leather + cotton belt and Samsonite Travel Bag.}
There's already a Winter Weather Advisory out for Wednesday that says Portland will be getting 10" of fresh snow. I am crossing my fingers! I'd love to have a little snow day (or three)! I am looking forward to sharing the week's activities with you each Sunday in addition to the Sweet Sunday Playlists. Get excited, Seablanket is here to stay! Xxoo Chelsea