Monthly Archives: November 2012

11.15.12

For anyone new on the block, we do a little collection of our favorite things in the middle of every month.

Here is what my manfriend has discovered and loved during sweet November.

 1.  So they sucked me in by telling me that someone hits it big.  It is that little explorer in all of us that makes me want to sell everything and drag Christina to Alaska.  Until I can convince her that she can befriend that furniture builder blogger (geesshh he is talking about Ana White y’all…the disrespect…sorry Ana) then I will just have to pull for Parker.

2.  We actually just bought this Sigma 10-20mm lens and in the two weeks we have had it, I think I’ve used it everyday.  It has given us so much more freedom with it’s super wide lens so that we can include more in our pictures.  Christina says, “she is thankful not to have to stand so far away”.

3.  I actually just found hootsuite.com through John and Sherry’s blogiversary post.  It manages all of your social media in one place so that you don’t miss a tweet or mention.  One of those things that once you have it you think, “how did I ever survive with out this?”

4.  Thanks to my girlfriend draggin me up to Chicago at all hours of the night for this trip, I have found a new store.  West Elm put on such a great event for the Young House Love Book Tour.  The people were awesome but the real showstopper was all the cool stuff.  The products they sell are “pretty” enough for ladies to fawn over them and “cool” enough for guys to actually like.  As opposed to a lot of floral towels we almost came home with from other stores, West Elm had a lot of really awesome things that I would have gladly taken home.  Like this fox ornament.

5.  I know I am jumping on a rather old bandwagon, but I finally got on Twitter.  This is for all of my friends that think it is silly, it is like an all-of-your-favorite-things news station.  If you like sports, then it can be all sports updates.  Gamers can find out when there are new releases.  I can find the sweet corals and deals on lights.  You follow who you want so it is all things that interest you.  Pretty great concept if you ask me.

6.  Oh man, I saw a commercial for an Orange Julius and it is all I can think about lately.  Christina said she is finding a homemade recipe on Pinterest and I can’t wait.  Orange Julius’ for everyone.

1.  Tis the season….for bringing your famous dish.  So I say do it with syle.  These adorable casserole warmers are so cute and if you are a really good friend I think they make an awesome hostess gift.

2.  I can not get enough of all things peppermint.  Peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint candy canes, peppermint bark.  I love it all, it really gets me in the holiday spirit.  Yes, I am already putting on the pressure to get our tree and lights up.  On top of being oh so tasty, I think this packaging from Williams Sonoma is super vintage and sweet.

3.  I know most people love summer, but I love pretty coats.  So by default I have to like the colder months.  This lovely mustard coat is a steal and I imagine all the possibilities of jazzing it up with scarfs and mittens.  Imagine throwing this on with boots, you don’t even have to brush your hair because you already look fashionable.

4.  Like I said, tis the season.  You will inevitably have leftovers.  Instead of giving out your good Tupperware and hoping for it back, or wrapping leftovers in foil…why not give them to your guests in these cute little containers by Think Garnish.

5.  You knew this would make the list, right?  I am emersed right this very minute in the words and projects of the Petersiks.  Go get a copy, you won’t regret it.

What are your November needs?  Do you love you some riding boots?  Can’t get enough of that pumpkin candle?  I love hearing about new stuff so lay it on me.

Written by Christina and Tim
11.14.12

Remember when I said you would be seeing some ch-ch-ch-changes around these parts?

I am not sure if you have noticed….but…. Who remembers coming home from school and cheering on the girl who got picked on in high school who is oh-so-hot now in her skimpy leather jumpsuit.  That was my jam…of the peach variety.

So I called in the faithful Jenny to do a switcheroo on my little ol’ blog.  And by Jenny I mean Photoshop and Redbull.  I mean if we learned anything from those makeovers it’s that they are hard work, amirite?

There will still be some changes and tweaking, lots of it actually.
But what do you think so far?

Written by Christina and Tim
11.13.12

So you may remember that Tim suckered me into buying a shark egg.

We’ve been watching our little baby grow day by day, but there is a problem.
He is not growing.

Then magically this happened.

Our shark egg cloned itself right before our eyes.

If you are buying that then I have a really cool sandbox to sell you.

Here is what really happened….Tim gave me the puppy eyes until I let him buy another one.
He said that he needed two so that he can compare them.
Like a science experiment.  He is smart like that.

His thorough research has shown that…our original egg was probably a dud.

We are going to keep the first egg – affectionately named Chihuahua by the lovely Sandy – in the tank just in case, but odds are looking about as good as the Rams season.  We are going all in on baby shark number two….who still needs a name y’all.

Maybe when we get some real movement we will post a video to pull at your heart strings….everyone loves babies right?

Written by Christina and Tim
11.12.12

Meanwhile in Illinois....

Posted by Christina // 7 Replies

During our short jaunt up to Chicago for the YHL book tour we decided to stop by this little store we have heard about a time or two.

Yea you heard right, we had never been to Ikea…but we fixed that right up.

Even though we had been up for way too many hours, and I had gone all giddy crazy meeting the Petersik’s we still made room for some Swedish lovin.

We gave ourselves a $100 budget and only an hour to shop.
Hey, we are broke and had to get home before the energy drink wore off.

Most people would think that was crazy, and it was.

Holy speed shopping.

Every single person we told that we were going to Ikea said that we absolutely must get the Swedish meatballs.  And ice cream, definitely ice cream.

They were tasty indeed.
Do they cater for Christmas?  To St. Louis?

I of course loved all the pretty, Tim was shocked and thrilled with the prices.
So in short, we had more fun than a toddler on a teeter-totter.

We did make our time limit and got back on the road by 4p.m. to make the long trek home.  The budget on the other hand, we blew by a measley $18.

We bought simple white dishes and lots of white frames so we can get crackin on that living room frame wall.  I can not wait to show you all.

I know we said we want to add more flava and color in our lives, but we figure those are staples and can be spiced up with lots of colorful napkins and art.  Am I right?

Now where can I start a petition to get Ikea in the Lou?

Written by Christina and Tim
11.11.12

Three years ago I ran across a blog.
Three years ago I don’t think I knew what a blog was.

I stalked John and Sherry Petersik’s wedding and home renovations for days….and those days then turned into everyday for three years.

I have followed their ups and downs and admired their ceramic animal collection from afar for a creepily long time.

So once the creators of Young House Love announced their book release, I prayed and prayed some more that they would visit somewhere within a ten hour driving radius.  I don’t like limits but I felt like 20 hours of driving might be pushing it if I wanted someone to come with me.
Then they said the magic words….Chicago.

Game over.

Then of course the nervous list making began.

So here’s the part where most people will think we’re crazy….we left on Friday night at eleven o’clock at night.  On three hours of sleep.  And drove six hours to Chitown.

I obviously don’t have any road-trippin pictures like I did here since it was night time.
But once we got there….well picture frenzy commence.

I called West Elm to make sure that we could get in since I was unable to RSVP when they announced the tour.  The girl was so sweet and told me to make sure I got there super early because some people might camp out, hence my boytoy’s loving text from yours truly.  We got there at 5:30 am and there was not a soul around.  And nothing was open.

I decided to set up camp since it wasn’t too cold and I needed to save my pep for meeting Sherry & John.

It didn’t stay lonely for long.
We met the most AMAZING people in line and we had a blast passing the seven hours of wait time. 

It was so nice to meet all of you, and everyone else that came to meet the crazy girl who showed up at 5am.
The Petersiks really do have the best fans.

West Elm was seriously amazing.
The store was gorgeous.
The people were fantastic.
Joanie and Jeromy, holy amazing.

I also found out, St. Louis is getting a West Elm next year.
I am going to start saving now.

The whole event was surreal, and sweet.

By the time this photo was taken of me enjoying my sweets, we had been there for a little over eight hours.
The line was wrapping around the building, and it was pouring.
Dedication….we got it.

It was so worth the wait.

It was one of the coolest days I have had in a long time.  John and Sherry are exactly how you would expect them to be….amazing.

So fun and happy, and the best part was all their fans are the same way.

I also ran into Nicole Balch from Making It Lovely, who also is a co-teacher in the e-course I took with Holly Becker of decor8. After I met Sherry & John I got to leave them a little note in their blank book that they bring to all the signings.  Talk about pressure, even my girl Roo has written in this book.

If you all really want to see me geeking out, just watch this video that Tim caught.

He is such a good man…I figured I owed him a little somethin somethin for you know staying awake for 26 hours, driving me to Chicago, feeding me chocolate when I wanted to crash, capturing the magic, and wiping my tears when we got outside and I realized that I just met Sherry and John.  Seriously, that happened.
 
Soooo…as promised.
Amendment:  As I was writing this post….this happened.
 
I am not going to deny getting up and doing the cabbage patch as soon as I read this….then I may have cried.
My life is seriously complete.
 
I have to send a HUGE, wet, sloppy kiss to @westelm and @younghouselove for hosting such an amazing shindig. 
 
It really was the best.

Written by Christina and Tim