Coffee Dates // May

Welcome to the May Coffee Date! I hope you'll enjoy the fun things we have to share with you today!

Obsessing over...

Annie Sloan chalkpaint.

Ya'll. If you're into DIY projects, this stuff is where it's at! Based in the United Kingdom, the Annie Sloan company specializes in chalkpaint but also sells other home decor and craft products including furniture waxes, fabrics, and even home fragrances. If you pull up her website, some of the quotations are downright funny but also quite true. For example and my personal favorite: "Annie Sloan paint was invented by angels to make everything fun." While this quotation may be somewhat hyperbolic, the wonders of this paint deserves such lofty praise. 

Why you ask? Because it requires no prep work. Yes. You read that right. NO PREP WORK, ladies and gentlemen. This means no sanding prior to applying paint. This wonderful time-saver not only cuts down on project time but also prevents sawdust mess. This is especially great if you're an at-home crafter like myself, with very little yard space within which to do your DIYs. In case you're wondering, this is the paint we use to do our furniture renovations at the shop. I highly, highly recommend it. 

My personal favorite chalkpaint colors? French Linen, Provence, Paris Grey, and Coco. If you have any chalkpaint or DIY related questions, please feel free to contact me! 

A life update...

Before and since running the Rugged Maniac 5K obstacle race, Mark and I have been getting more and more into physical fitness. Since January, we have done a series of fitness programs designed to whip you in shape for summer. Mark regularly subscribes to the magazine Muscle and Fitness and we have really benefited from the workout programs included in its pages. We've done the eight week Rock Hard Challenge and most recently the Summer Shred program. Since beginning this fitness regime in late January, I've noticed a definite change in my overall fitness and physique. My legs and arms are becoming more toned and-- drumroll, please--I've lost 6 pounds! While I know that six pounds isn't tremendous on the grand scale, I personally am quite proud of it. This is undoubtedly the most motivated I've ever been to stay in shape, and I hope that I'll be successful in continuing it!

Check this out...

1. If you could see what your significant other would look like at age 90, would you want to? This video of this engaged couple "meeting" each other at various ages (50, 70, and 90) is so touching and funny. 

2. This article about marriage was so eye-opening and sweet. The writer shares some interesting points on communication and mutual respect. 

3. My sweet friend Steffani shared her adoption story this week. Warning: you may need tissues. But if you're in the mood for a sweet story, this is it! Plus, their daughter's nickname "Super Nova" is just too stinkin' cute. 

4. This week, I ordered a few eyeglasses frames for free "at-home tryon" from Warby Parker. They sell sunglasses and eyeglasses. I'm so excited to try them out! 

5. I hear that this company is like a Netflix for books. I haven't tried it out yet, but am very intrigued.