Tippy Tuesday

If this isn't the look of guilt, I don't know what is.

Artfully Yours....or Mine

I'm sure you've heard about all of these cute little painting studios popping up where you can spend an hour or two painting a particular painting.  Some of them you can even bring in adult beverages!  There's one in Louisville called Sips n' Strokes.  Doesn't that name just scream a good time?  Get your minds outta the gutter!  Anywho, there's a new studio that opened up here in Richmond called Artfully Yours.  I don't think they actually advertise that you can bring beverages but we didn't need to because we spent 2 hours at Casa Fiesta before going to class.  Holla!....or should I say Hola!

It was super fun and I definitely want to go back!  Here's my masterpiece. 

I had a problem with my leaves....I kept making them to where they looked like they were flipping the bird! (Subconscience talking?) First, it was the one on the bottom left and I tweaked it so that it didn't look so crude.  Then I'll be darn if I didn't do it again on the very top one!  I decided to just leave it.  I mean, don't true painters paint what they feel?  That must have been what I was feeling so why cover up my true emotions.  Plus, it's kinda funny.

And here we both are with our paintings.   

We definitely plan on coming back!  Perhaps to the paint your pet class.....

As if Tippy needs any more shrines in my house!

Tippy Tuesday

Yesterday, I was sitting at my vanity putting my makeup on when I saw this going on behind me in the reflection of the mirror.

A couple of things to note:
1) Yes, that is Justin Bieber playing in the background.
2) Watch til the very end because the best part begins at the :24 mark.

It's here!! It's here!!

What's here, you ask?  Only the book written by my very favorite blog in the whole wide world Young House Love, that I pre-ordered on July 1st!  It's the same blog that I talked about here.

I received an email last week that it would actually arrive today but the UPS man (or was it Fed-Ex?) decided that Christmas should come early for me so he delivered it on Saturday!  Unfortunately (and ironically), I couldn't dive into it right then because I was getting dressed to drive 2 hours to Cincinnati to take a trip to IKEA.  Why is it ironic?  Well, IKEA is "their jam" and also Cincy was the very first stop on their first ever book tour....because this is their first ever book.  Sadly, I didn't get to make it to their book tour stop because I had already planned a little weekend girls' trip to Myrtle Beach.  I was sad that I couldn't be a part of their first stop on their book tour but I'm hoping I can catch them somewhere else even though all of their other stops aren't exactly close.  I think they're in the process of scheduling one in Atlanta so you can bet your britches that I'm gonna drive the 6 hours down there to see them! 

Before I get into my love affair with this book, let's back up to last week.  I stopped in Barnes & Noble to say hi to a friend that works there and thought that maybe I would just walk by the Interior Design section and just SEE if they already had it in stock.  I strolled by and look what I saw!

I was torn.  Should I "cheat" on my exclusive copy and look at one of these other books?  I didn't know what to do.  So I casually picked one up and my breaths were getting very short and shallow.....then I got light-headed because of my lack of oxygen.  I have to say that I've never reacted this way over a book.  A book, people.  A book!  So I rubbed my hand over the cover.  Turned it over and rubbed my hand on the back.  Should I open it?  I didn't know what to do.  I took a deep breath (still feeling light-headed) and opened the cover.  

Ahhh!  This may just look like a meaningless pattern to you but it's not.  They designed it themselves based on a little heart logo of theirs and turned it into a pattern that screams Young House Love!  When I saw saw this pattern, I knew this was fo' real.  I basically just slowly fanned the pages out so I wasn't technically cheating on my copy.  I was just getting a preview.  I mean, anytime Justin Timberlake comes out with a new movie, I know I'm gonna spend my money and check out his fine self.  Just because I watch the preview on TV and rewind it over and over again doesn't mean I'm not gonna enjoy every single second of the full-length movie.  

After my little rendezvous with the book, I put it back on the shelf and then hoped that all those people around me didn't actually see what had just happened with me and this book.  It was a private moment.  

Back to my copy!  I got home late Saturday night, slept in til about 9 but when I got up, it was on like donkey kong.  Before I even had my breakfast, I set up shop on the couch.  Stretched out on the couch with blanket....check.  Book....check.  Post-its to flag projects I want to do....check.  Tippy pouting because this book is going to more attention than her today.....check!

I seriously wanted to read every. single. word. of this book.  I even read this page....the page that nobody reads.  I'm tellin' ya.....I was serious about this book.  Oh, did I mention that I've never pre-ordered a book in my life?....And I ordered this one 4 months in advance.  

One page into the book and Tippy had the mentality of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Soooooo.....how big of a loser would I be if I told you about 6-7 hours later, I read all 336 pages.....all 10 chapters....all 243 ways to paint, craft, update & show my home some love.  The only thing I didn't read was the 10 pages of resources because I knew I could easily refer to those pages if I needed to know where something in their book came from.  Thank God for that extra hour we gained yesterday because that allowed me more time to park my butt on the couch and only get up to pee and eat.  Right before I was about to start reading chapter 5 about organizing, I realized it was 1:28pm and I should probably go brush my teeth for the first time today.  I'm not kidding.  I had this day completely blocked off for Young House Love.  I didn't even take the time to play with my new stuff I got at IKEA the day before....actually, it's still in the car. 

So my opinion of the book?  It's great.  It's cute.  They're cute.  I love how their sense of humor is all over it.  It was exciting.  It had great ideas.  Leave your house right now and go buy it....or just get on your computer and order it.  Actually....scratch that.  You'll have to wait for it to be delivered.  Go.  Right now.  Get it.  Oh, and check out their blog when you get back. www.younghouselove.com.  (Like they actually need my help in getting followers....Ha!)  But I'm not doing it for them.  I'm doing it for you.  You're life (and home) will be better.  Promise.

Update: Look who commented below!  Ahhhhhhh!!!!! 

Another update:  One of the photos I posted above made it in today's Young House Love post! This is the greatest day of my life!

Tippy Tuesday

 Happy Howl-o-ween from Tippy!  

(AKA: Glitzy the Pig)

Cooking Challenge...Pinterest Style: Nacho Jack-o-Lantern Cheese Ball

I'm back with another Cooking Challenge!  This time, it was for my sister-in-law's 3rd annual murder mystery birthday party.  When I saw the recipe, I was all over it like Kristen Stewart on her director.  It's basically like a Doritos Locos Taco from Taco Bell.  Sidenote: How fun is it to say "Doritos Locos Tacos" in a Spanish accent?  Just try it.  Fun, huh?  

Via Cooking Channel

So yes, that outer layer is crushed Doritos.  Click here for the full recipe.  It was super easy!

And if you're interested in how mine turned out....here she is!

In true Shari-fashion, I left out an ingredient.  Not kidding.  After I formed the cheese ball in a pretty pumpkin shape and I was cleaning up my mess, I saw the jar of salsa hiding under a Wal-Mart bag.  It was just 2 tablespoons of salsa so I wasn't about to reshape my pretty ball for 2 tablespoons of salsa.  Now...if I had left out the jalapenos, oh heck yes, I would tear that thing up faster than you can say Speedy Gonzales.

Using my rating scale:

1 - Dear recipe, RIP. Laters, Shari

2 - I'll cook it again....if I'm cooking for someone I don't like.

3 - Eh, if I already have the ingredients, I may whip it up.

4 - I like you, but I'm not in love with you.

5 - Get in my belly! 

I give the Nacho Jack-o-Lantern Cheese Ball a.......4

It had a great taste to it but I think it would be even better if it had salsa added to it.  It was a little hard but then again, I think it would have been softer if I added the salsa.  

 

My Dream Coffee Table(s)

I have been so excited about telling you all about this post but I'm just now getting a chance to write it.  For....oh....18 months or so, I've been without a coffee table ever since I turned my coffee table into my TV stand.  Since then, I've been looking and looking for a new coffee table.  I didn't know if I wanted an ottoman or an actual table.  What I did know was that I wanted something that was easy to move in case I wanted to move it out of the way to work out in my living room.  Ok, ok....so maybe it wouldn't be moved that much since I haven't worked out in my living room in months....but just in case I got a wild hair.

For about a year and half, I've been eying this table from CB2.  But I was thinking about taking 2 of these tables and placing them about 12 inches apart and making that my coffee table.  Well, the bad news is....one of these tables cost $149.  So if I bought 2, I was looking at $300!  Ouch.

One Saturday, I had some bags to take to Goodwill so I dropped them off and thought Well, I'll just check out the furniture section but I'm sure they won't have anything cool since I always seem to miss out on the cool stuff.

I turned the corner and holy moly guacamole! 

No, your eyes are not playin' tricks on you.  Trust me, I thought someone was tryin' to play a trick on me too.  This is legit.  Kinda like Coach Mitchell at UK's Big Blue Madness.  If you didn't see it, google it!  You won't be sorry.

I'm sure you're just dying to know how much I paid for them.

Yep. 5 dolla and 50 cents....Holla!  So for the pair, I paid a whoppin' 11 bucks plus tax.  Big difference from $300!  When I saw the price on these babies, I couldn't waddle myself with a table under each arm fast enough through those tiny clothes aisles. 

They were covered in dust, cob webs and definitely needed a good cleaning.  My plan was to wash them down and spray paint then with Krylon's Looking Glass spray paint to give it that look of the table from CB2.  Well, I washed them down real good with ammonia and even started sanding one of the tables.  Then life got in the way....and when I say life, I mean TV shows so I didn't get a chance to spray them.  

They sat outside for about a week and when it was about to start raining, I brought them inside.  They were kinda in the way so instead of keeping them in right in the middle of the hallway, I thought I would put them where they actually belong.  And come to find out, I actually liked them just the way they were.  Gold and all!  

I think Tippy even liked them.

The main reason I was going to refinish them was because of the corners.  This is probably to worst one but you really can't tell unless you're right up on it.  

I've been on the market for a new rug....one that actually fits the room and fits under the sofa and loveseat but I think the gold really works well with the rug I have right now.  So until I get a new rug, I think I may leave the tables gold for now.  And if I decide to keep them gold for the long haul, then maybe I'll give them a fresh coat of gold paint to freshen them up.

Wouldn't you know!  The other day, I came across this picture on one of my blogs.  This room was designed by the man.  The myth. The design legend. The one and only Nate Berkus.  The picture is kinda cut off but there are two gold tables......just like I have! 

Via Elle Decor

Maybe I'll embrace my gold cube tables and not change them to silver. I mean, if Nate Berkus is including them in his designs, then why shouldn't I? 

On a side note....have you noticed that you get a better sense of what a room looks like when you take a picture of it?  I know it sounds crazy, but I really didn't see what my living room looked like until I looked at these pictures and it's made me appreciate my living room much more....especially since I got these tables which helped finished it off.  I'm really digging all of the different patterns, textures and finishes I've put into my living room.  It just makes it feel....cozy and ecclectic. As Nate Berkus says, you want a room to look like things have been collected over time and not like you walked into a furniture store and bought everything in the room display. Now the other side of the room is a different story.  I still need to do some tweaking but for now, I'm liking the side of the room where I spent so much quality time with Tippy and my remote control.  :)