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Coffee Talk 01.26.20 ☕️

Well, we survived our first week with C as a licensed driver. She’s in that super helpful honeymoon period where she will jump up at the mere mention of any want or need and offer to run out and get it.

Need milk and eggs? Sure! I’ll go.

Want to go to Chick-fil-A, R? Sure, I’ll take you!

Want your car washed, Mom? I’ll do it!

Need gas? I’ll go get it for you!

It 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 awesome.

I know it won’t last forever, but I’m taking advantage of it while I can.

In other news, my kitchen is coming along…

Kitchen Update

Our new fridge and dishwasher were installed this week, but the wall ovens are sitting in a box in the garage until the carpenter comes on Tuesday. He will probably need to cut out a little more space in the cabinetry to accommodate the new one, and I’m crossing my fingers that it fits without interfering with the fridge, which is right next to it.

As it is, we had to pull the fridge out an inch or so because it was hitting the corner of the existing oven when we opened the right door all the way. All that to say, I’m holding my breath until Tuesday when we see if the two appliances can play nicely together.

I absolutely LOVE my new refrigerator, though. Here’s a little before and after for you.

Not only does it look nice in my kitchen, it’s so light and bright inside, and I can see things so much better. I’m really enjoying the French door style with the lower freezer, and my new dishwasher is a dream as well.

The microwave and drink fridge are sitting in my garage beside the wall ovens because they can’t be installed until we get the lower cabinet replaced where the desk currently lives.

Here’s what I’m talking about, if you missed it when I mentioned it before…

We are removing the desk and putting in a drink fridge (on the right) and a pull-out microwave (on the left) and a set of drawers in the middle.

I’m also going to have the carpenter install this wine rack in that open space under the upper middle cabinet, which will get the wine off the counter.

I got almost everything else ordered and scheduled this week.

We can pick up our new lower cabinet on February 17, we have a contractor lined up to come the next day to install it, the countertops are scheduled for installation two days after that, and the painters start the cabinets the following Monday!

We picked cabinet paint colors this week as well — Ben Moore Chantilly Lace on the perimeter cabinets and Sherwin Williams Iron Ore on the island. And I’m currently trying to decide on a tile for our backsplash and new cabinet hardware, but otherwise, we’re pretty much set.

There are a lot of moving parts, but it’s all coming together.

Microblading Before & Afters

In other (totally unrelated) news, I had my eyebrows microbladed on Tuesday.

It’s been something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, and I finally decided to go for it. I asked around and consulted with a couple of people before deciding to go to Colleen at Color Theory Cosmetic Tattoo, for any locals who are interested.

If you’re not familiar with microblading, it’s basically a form of eyebrow tattooing. It’s semi-permanent, meaning it will fade over time and need to be touched up every few years.

Unlike traditional tattooing, microblading artists apply each hairstroke with a handheld microblade that produces a very fine line that resembles real hair. The strokes blend in with your existing eyebrow hair for what you hope will be a natural look. If you want more info, read the Microblading Q&A on Colleen’s website.

I never plucked my eyebrows to be this thin, but over the years, they’ve gotten thinner and thinner, and I was at the point where I was recreating my eyebrows every morning with eyebrow pencil. It was getting very time consuming and frustrating, so this seemed like a great solution.

Here’s me with a full face of makeup and no eyebrow pencil… Compare that to the Coffee Talk image at the top of the page, where I’ve penciled them in.

The thing is, you really have to find someone who gets you and what you want. Any good salon will provide a free consultation, and they will use a pencil to draw on your eyebrows to show you how they will shape them.

The first person I consulted with was going to make my eyebrows a lot thicker than they are, and she also wanted to bring one side up higher to match the other, and even suggested I pluck out some of my own eyebrows so they wouldn’t distract from the new shape.

That made me very nervous, so I decided to “shop around” a bit before committing.

When I found Colleen, I knew I was in good hands. She assured me she could make my brows look very natural, and then we could always go darker and add more density at the touch-up appointment if I wanted that. (It is common procedure to go back after 6 weeks and get a touch-up, as the color lightens up a lot once it heals.)

That all sounded good to me, so I made the appointment.

While they look great the day of the procedure, there is a period of about 4 weeks where they are healing, and you have to baby them a bit.

They actually got darker on days 2 and 3 after the procedure, and now they’re lightening up again. I’ve been warned that they will almost seem to disappear for a while, around weeks 2 or 3, and then they’ll come back as your skin regenerates.

Then you go back for your touchup after 6 weeks, and go through the whole process again!

So yeah, it’s a bit of an inconvenience, but I’m already loving not having to pencil my brows in every day. It easily shaves 3-5 minutes off my makeup routine. #nojoke

I bet you’re curious to see a before and after, aren’t you???

Here are a few pictures taken the day of the procedure. This is my right eyebrow, my thicker one.

And here’s my left eyebrow, the renegade. This is one I struggle with so much when I’m penciling them in.

Sorry I’m looking right at the camera in that top one. It’s a little freakish!!!

My left one is still thinner than the right, and while I don’t necessarily want them to match exactly (because no one really has identical eyebrows) I do plan to ask Colleen to make that one a little fuller towards the top.

You can see if you look closely that there are some strokes up above that brow, and I think she’s planning to fill in and make those look thicker at the follow-up appointment.

She has a better picture of that brow here on her Instagram, if you’re really curious. You can also see the blue dots she drew on to outline the shape she wanted to fill in.

So yeah, all in all, I am thrilled. I feel like I definitely found the right person for me, and I can’t wait to see how they look after my next appointment.

Finally, as if this post isn’t long enough, I have to tell you about my adventures last night!

Phil Phillips in Concert

I’m a huge American Idol fan, and I’ve watched just about every season from start to finish. Phil Phillips is one of my top 5 all-time favorite AI contestants, and Paul got us tickets to his show in Philly last night as part of my Christmas present!

He was performing in at City Winery — a small, intimate venue where you can dine while listening to your favorite artists up close and personal.

City Winery is located right by the Fashion District — which is really just a mall, I guess.

It’s not like the NYC Fashion District, but the sign was pretty cool, and Paul insisted that I should have a picture. He’s such a good Instagram Husband. 😂

I also stopped a guy inside City Winery and asked him to get a picture of the two of us. Yes, that is an entire wall of wine.

Paul got us tickets that included a meet & greet before the show, and we were seated right up front, within a few feet of Phil and his sidekick, a super talented guitarist whose name, unfortunately, I can’t remember, even though Phil gave him several shout-outs through the night.

That table of people you see there… we were right next to them.

It was pretty awesome!

Food and drinks were served in between the meet & greet and the concert, and we were seated across from two women, who we ended up chatting with quite a bit. It was a really fun time. Phil is such a talented musician, and it was so cool to see him perform that close.

Here’s my blurry meet & greet picture. I felt kind of silly, but I wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity!

And in case you were wondering, Phil really does seem like a genuinely nice guy.

We got home just in time to catch the 4th quarter of the Sixers vs. Lakers, and happily we won! So that was the perfect way to end the night.

I’m dragging a bit this morning, but I can take a nap this afternoon, so it’s all good!

With that, I’m off to get ready for church. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Join The Conversation

27 Responses

  1. I am so jealous that you got to meet Philip Phillips!!!!! Loved watching your IG stories last night. He is one of my faves from AI too. 

  2. What a fun night out! Good for you. Your eyebrows look terrific! Thanks for sharing. Your kitchen is coming along. It will look fantastic when all done. Have a blessed Sunday.

  3. What a great Coffee Talk!  The new fridge is so nice and very similar to ours.  I too, love the french doors, freezer on the bottom, and interior lights so that I can see in there.  And I will say that keeping Homebright streak free stainless steel cleaner & polish helps keep it looking good!  It comes in a spray can and I use a microfiber cloth with it.  I know you are enjoying having Caroline willing and able to run some errands for you.  You lucky dog on being that close to Philip Phillips!  While we have seen him in concert, it was out in a big field in Albany, GA, and we were no where close to him or any of the other artists.  I follow him on Instagram so I knew about the concert.  I have always thought of him as a very down to earth and genuine guy.  And yes, he is super talented!  And the location is awesome!  Great picture of you and Paul!  Enjoy your nap this afternoon.

  4. I remember Phil on AI. I liked him alot. I remember his mentor wanted him to dress up more but he stuck to his guns. Sounds like a fun night. A great memory. Cant wait to see your finished kitchen. Sounds fabulous. Enjoy your Sunday.

  5. I’m enjoying hearing about your kitchen renovation. Thank you for sharing. We’ll be renovating a house in the fall when we size down and it needs an entire new kitchen so it’s fun to hear about what you’re doing. Your eyebrows look great, Jo-Lynne! I had my lips tatooed about 5 years ago and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself! Worth every cent. My lips had become nearly skin-toned and I looked so washed out without lipstick. Now I wear lip balm almost exclusively. How often will your eyebrows need to be touched up? My lips lasted 4 years before I had them touched up.

  6. Can you tell us more about the aftercare of getting your microblading? Can you shower and get them wet? Do they develop scabs? Really curious about what goes on after the procedure is done. 

    1. You have to be careful, some say not to ever get them wet, but my instructions are to rinse 3x a day with lukewarm water, pat dry with a clean cotton round, and apply A&D ointment. The A&D is to keep them moist so they don’t come off one big scab. You want it to flake off naturally. So far, I don’t really see scabs, but they itch like the dickens! LOL!

  7. I did the same thing in my last kitchen – turning an old desk area into a space for a wine fridge and more cabinets. And my new house has a microwave drawer – just be aware…some are not very deep – I can’t even warm up a travel mug because it’s too tall.

  8. Your kitchen is going to look gorgeous!! I can’t wait to see the photos once it’s completed!!!!
    Thanks for sharing your experience with your eyebrows! They are looking good already!!! 
    I am glad you are having a fantastic weekend!!!

  9. How fun that you got to see and meet Phillip Phillips!  Loved your Instagram post.  He was one of our favorites on American Idol as well.  My husband, daughter and I went to see Lee DeWyze not long after he won AI, at a small venue in Portland, and he did a  free meet and greet in the lobby. We got our picture with him.  He was very nice and down to earth.  They are both two of our top favorites.  Enjoy your new appliances, and your new eyebrows!  You are having lots of fun!

  10. Love your blog and your eyebrows look amazing! Side note: you pluck a chicken and tweeze your eyebrows😂also our eyebrows are sisters not twins! Good call on not matching them, it may have looked a little odd! Keep up your positive message!😍

  11. I’m glad you didn’t go for the  super thick eyebrows we’re seeing all over Instagram. You’ve obviously put your care in the hands of a professional. Thank you for sharing this procedure with us. I had asked my aesthetician about micro blading. I’d still need to have my own dyed,  as they are blonde, and any strays waxed. Good to know!  
    I loved it when my kids got their license. Like Caroline, they offered to run errands, drove the younger ones to activities, and even became our Duty Driver when we went out. Win/win! 
    Enjoy your Sunday! 

  12. Your eyebrow look AWESOME! My brows are a bit more sparse than yours but I am probably 15 years older than you. My brows have progressively worsened over the years.  If you don’t mind , I am going to use your before and after pics to show the consultant I am going to? I like that yours are not overdone and look Very Real. 
    Thanks for sharing.

    1. Sure thing, feel free to share! And anywhere you go, check out their Instagram. Most have one, and it is a good way to see their work on a variety of skin/hair color combos.

  13. First off your date night outfit looks great as do your eyebrows.. we had a date night last night just supper out but still too cold for a leather jacket so black puffer it was.. it’s was a nice mild day but by night it was cooling off and damp. Today we’ve got the wind and rain but hey sun for the week 🤗. You’ll love your fridge. I really like our double French doors with the bottom freezer… and yeah funny how the newer fridges are so bright.. love it!! Can’t wait to see your final pics. I remember my first outing with the car at 16. I offered to go pick up the pizza we ordered for supper woo hoo!! Now at 52 I’d like to have a car pick me up to run my errands lol.. my how times change. 

  14. Sounds like a great week.. your microblading is the only one I’ve seen that I think looks good.  It looks fantastic. Usually, it seems that the eyebrows are so fake and drawn looking. 
    Sounds like a fun night with your husband. What a great gift!

  15. Last Jan. we got three new appliances and I can so relate to the process. Even though we measured our openings and ordered the right sizes the refrig and double oven didn’t fit into the holes :(. So they sat in the floor, in the way, for like a week until we got someone to cut the cupboards down some. It made me nervous watching.  We also went from a side by side to the French door style with the freezer underneath. I’m sooo glad we did. I love how much bigger my refrig feels and my freezer. I can actually find things in my freezer. :). I’m so glad that ordeal is done. Looking forward to seeing your painted cabinets and the finished product. I’m still amazed how fast you get things done. I’d still be thinking about it. It’s not my thing as I know nothing about decorating so I put it off. Would love to have the gifting to do it. 

    1. This is why I hired a designer. I would never be able to siphon thru all the info and make decisions in any decent amount of time without help. She only brings me a few choices, and I don’t get overwhelmed, and I’m confident it will all work together.

  16. Thank you for being so real to your readers. A kitchen redo always feels like “The Domino Effect”, huh!! 

  17. It was nice to see the photos of your microblading.
    I had no idea what microblading was, so, a learning experience for me. Does it hurt?
    My brows have turned white (I color them) otherwise they are invisible .

    Lucky me, got my first grey hair at age 16!

    1. The pain isn’t anything significant. A few of the strokes hurt more than others, but overall, it wasn’t bad at all. I’m far more scared of botox or fillers. I hate needles.

  18. Oh my Goodness! How I would have loved to meet Phil Phillips. He was my absolute favorite on AI. That’s why I Love your blog. You get to have fun and experience new things. It’s wonderful!! So glad your kitchen is coming along good. I hope soon Every thing will be done. Also your eyebrows look really good. I love the color of your eyes also. My son and granddaughters eyes are just like yours. Beautiful!! Hope your day was Great! Have a Great Week!!
    …….Linda W.❤💚💙💜💛😊

  19. I am so jealous you got to meet Philip Philips. I enjoyed him so much on American Idol a few years back. He seemed so authentic and down to earth. Loved his voice.I’ll have to see where else he’s playing since I don’t live too far from you.  The venue also looked perfect!

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