Women to Women

~women be shop'n~

I have always dreamed of a place that I could go to find out where
all the cool stuff is located in my area!
A place that is at the touch of my fingers that would tell me where to find great gifts, fun gardening things, ideas to make me look
younger & thinner, yummy food items, cool restaurants,
unusual home decor, unique furniture.........
Oh, the list goes on.

But I haven't found that place yet!!!
So......
I am going to tell you about anything I find or
anything someone else finds.

I will label them "Places to Check Out."
So if you scroll down this blog and look under "Sorted Stuff"
you will find "Places to check out."

Today is your Lucky Day because I am going to post my first
place to check out.

The Fox Valley Antique Show
Sat. March 13th 10-6
Sun. March 14th 10-4
Kane County Fair Grounds
St. Charles, IL

Thank you Aunt Kathy for the heads up.

She also recommends
Scentimental Gardens
Another fun shop in the area!

Click on either name and get more info.

So my friends that's where I will be this weekend!
I hope if you are in the area you get a chance to
check these places out also!

Happy Weekend to You!!

Springtime Blues.....

I am not talking about feeling blue I am talking about
decorating with the color blue.

My new spring decorating magazines are all about Blue!!
And for once I am really trendy. Who Hoo!

By that I mean I have a lot of blue going on in my home right now.
But, as you know by the next season a new color will be all the rage
and my blue stuff will be dated.

To that I say so what!!

Do what you love. Go with colors that make you happy.
Regardless of what is trendy.
The same colors come back around time and time again.
And ever so often you will catch a trend just as I have this season.

That said, check out the cool blue rooms!!

Since I have some blue going on right now I was really checking
out my magazines for inspiration.
Then I came across this picture and I saw something I loved in it.

I loved this.
A cluster of beautiful blue and white pots!!

Check out my arrow!
(I did it on Photo Shop.)

So I put together all my blue vases and balls.
Some of this I already had. The rest I found at
Home Goods, Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Pier One.
(I saved the receipts just in case I had to much.)

Then I arranged it in my space.
It's a alcove in my hallway.

And...yuck!

It looked funky in a bad way. To much space at the top.
So back to the store to fill up the space.

I found some fun flower stems and these round cardboard boxes with lids.
I painted the boxes the color of the inside of my alcove.

Then I played around with it till I was happy with it.

My walls are actually darker then the pictures show.
They are a couple shades lighter than the inside of the alcove.

Alcoves are not my most favorite architectural feature in a home.
But I am starting to like them a little more now!!

Happy Blue Spring to You!!

Bathroom Chairs?

Do chairs belong in bathrooms?
I love them!
And if you are lucky enough to have room in your bathroom for one,
then I say go for it!

I especially like a chair with some upholstery on it.

I feel like I break the rules when I put an
upholstered piece of furniture in a bathroom.

After all there is all kinds of water being splashed around in there!

And there's toothpaste and hairspray and all kinds of stuff in a bathroom.
Yikes!!

But how wonderful to have a soft place to sit and put on lotions,
paint your toe nails or put on your slippers. Hmm....

So what do you think?

Chair?

Or no chair?

I think these chairs are wonderful.
Couldn't you just picture one of these in your bathroom?

Inspiration!!

Dinner Anyone?

Do you want to knock you husbands socks off?
This simple recipe might just do that.

After watching the movie "Julie and Julia", I couldn't get
"Beef Bourguignon" out of my head.
I thought, what is this dish with the funny French name.
Don't get me wrong I do eat out and I do love food but...
this I had never heard of before.

And.... if you haven't seen this movie - rent it.
I loved it. I loved the French kitchens and all the copper pots and pans.
It will make you laugh!

I am also old enough that I actually knew who Julia Child's was.
The crazy TV chef who talked with a shrill high pitched voice.
Who cooked amazing French food for all to see.

I will also admit that ever since I started cooking in my own kitchen,
I have pretended to be a TV chef.
I put on a fun apron and walk my fake TV audience through what ever recipe I am making (even if it's just macaroni and cheese).

I only do this when I am cooking alone.
So...let this be our little secret.

Then I came across this cookbook by
Mindy Banicki from Rockford, IL.
I ordered it online for $5.00 .
Check the cookbook out HERE.

Low and behold, she has a healthy version of Beef Bourguignon.
I grabbed my apron and began to entertain my
imaginary TV audience!

I made it on Wed. and served it on Thursday.
{The flavor deepens if you let it sit in the fridge over night}
I threw together some garlic mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.
Yum!!

After this meal my husband thinks I am the best cook in the world!

I think I am Cindy - Imaginary TV Chef!

~Beef Bourguignon~

2 1/4 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 2-inch cubes

8 oz. Canadian bacon, finely diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 c. red wine; Cabernet or red Zinfandel
1 1/2 c. low-fat beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 tsp. dries thyme
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour 1 Tbsp. butter
2 jars button mushrooms, rinsed & drained(or small whole)
1 pkg. (8oz.) frozen pearl onions
Coarse salt and pepper
Chopped fresh parsley(I used my own parsley from my herb garden!)

Dry beef with paper towel. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil (I used a little more olive oil here and there) to heavy bottomed nonstick Dutch oven and place over medium heat. Add beef and saute until lightly browned about 5 min. Remove beef from pan and season with salt and pepper.

Add Canadian bacon to pan and saute over medium for 10 min. until bacon is golden brown. Remove from pan and add to beef.

Add red wine, beef broth, garlic, tomato paste, and thyme to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Mix flour and (melted)butter to form a paste. When wine mixture is ready whisk paste mixture in to it. Cook for about 1 min. till thickened.
Return beef cubes & Canadian bacon to Dutch oven. cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.

Add mushrooms and pearl onions and simmer for another 15 min.

Now remember this is a comfort food.
I think it would make a great holiday dinner.
Maybe even Easter?

As Julia would say...
~Bon Appetit~

Nosey!

I am!!
About other people's homes.

I love to go for walks at night around my neighborhood so that
I can casually look in people's windows!
Is that wrong?..... Oh come on, we all do it!

But this time I didn't even need to break a sweat.
My husbands aunt emailed me the photo's of the bathroom
she just finished remodeling.
It's wonderful!

I have always admired Aunt Kathy's sense of style.
She has such original ideas.
It looks so fresh and inviting, that I almost feel myself relaxing in that
beautiful claw foot tub.

Hope you feel inspired.
I think I might need to go for a walk tonight and see what's out there!
How about you?

Thanks Aunt Kathy!

Tea, Anyone?

We went to the big city this weekend.

Chicago!!
Our main reason for the trip was to visit with my husbands mother.
She had surgery and was at Northwestern hospital.
She is doing great and we were happy to sit and visit!

We stayed at The W Hotel on Lakeshore Drive.
The hotel is a very contemporary hotel.
Not really my favorite decor but it was actually fun
to check out all the funky furnishings.

The next 3 photos are the lobby of the hotel.
Comfy seating?...... Not!

This was The Wave restaurant.
The restaurant over looks Lake Michigan.
The food was excellent.

And here are a few shots of the rooms.
I've decided that modern is not always about comfort.

For me, the best part of the hotel stay was my morning tea!
I am not a coffee drinker. So tea is my caffeine of choice.
I had the most amazing Earl Grey tea in the morning
and a wonderful green tea before bedtime.

"Tea Forte" is the brand and the hotel served it in these
really cool clear glass cups and saucers.
The cups, saucers and teapots are also made by Tea Forte.

I felt pretty cool sipping my tea!
And the flavor of the tea is so wonderful.
I love, love, Loved it!

And...get a load of these pyramid shaped tea bags with the little leaf on top.

And the best part of all is I found it online HERE.
The prices are higher than what I buy at the supermarket
but less expensive than at Starbucks.

I think I will save my new tea for times when I need to pamper myself.
Or...I'm thinking it would make a great gift for someone
who loves tea as much as I do.

So relax and have a "spot of tea" today.

Jackpot!

Ever heard of April Cornell?
Over the years I had come across her things.
They are very colorful! Very French!
She designs fabrics for home furnishings and clothing.
She is from Montreal Canada. That's why the French influence.

Click HERE to check her out.

About a years ago I came across these great kitchen towels.
A set included one striped and one floral towel. I bought 2 sets.
They became my inspiration
for my kitchen/gathering room area of the home we just moved in to.
Loved Them!
(Did I mention that I found them at TJMaxx for a great price!)

And the search began.
I wanted more of this floral pattern.
So I looked every where I went.
I looked on line, only to find a short apron.
It looked like this pattern was discontinued:-(

But... after a year of keeping my eyes peeled.
I hit the jackpot!!

I found a whole slue of April Cornell in my pattern, at TJMaxx, ten minutes from my house. I did a happy dance, right there in the store.

Napkins, place mats, a round tablecloth,
pot holders, oven mitts and even a totebag!
I probably over did it, but I find other uses for napkins and pot holders!
(A napkin to line my onion basket or to put on the bottom of a tray,
a potholder looks great under a Yankee Candle and so on.)
And after all the price was right!

Oh Happy Day!