Office Chair Sneak Peek

I have two chairs in the office (I promise pictures coming at some point) that need a good coat of paint and new cushions. I had not put too much thought into it until last week when sending several items to the upholstery shop and I figured why not add these to the list. So, on a whim, I decided bright pink and whimsical was the way to go.

Rarely do I make decisions that quickly for myself so we will see how I feel down the road. I think I will like them. I knew for this office I wanted some feminine touches that I would not use in my house. This setup from High Point has not left my mind. Those boards are still high on my personal to-do list (you know, right after an ENTIRE nursery).

More pink office inspiration...
Okay the last one might not be an office but I still come back to it whenever I am having a pink moment.

Le Frenchman

The Frenchman has a reputation, an aura, a je-ne-sais-quoi that you can spot a mile off.   His character is complex, at times arrogant but often incredibly charming.   Interested in the world around him, ready to talk on any subject, quick to erupt if you pick the right subject, yet equally happy to be calm, tender and romantic.

A little French boy is taught to be charming from the cradle on.  He  learns how to please, taught to find pleasure in making a woman happy (starting with his mother).  Being charming and polite is just part of good manners here.   

Paying a compliment is a pleasure - both to give and to receive.  French women aren't particularly hung up on feminism, there's no danger of a French girl finding it sexist to be told how attractive she's looking.  Equally many men like to help their wives choose their wardrobe, a shared pleasure in the beautiful and elegant final effect.

Physical contact is part of everyday life here.  Schoolchildren kiss on the cheek or shake hands, and adults continue  though their life.   When a Frenchman meets a woman for the first time, he'll look her in the eyes, the contact will be direct.   Their first physical touch may be a handshake, a light kiss on the cheek or sometimes still a kiss to the hand.

If I had to choose a few key words to describe a Frenchman they may well be

romantic

charmer

individualistic

passionate

elegant
volatile
elegant

But I'm seeing this from the standpoint of someone married to a Frenchman, well OK a Corsican, someone who lives here.  ..... So I'm interested .... what is your image of a Frenchman?  Which nationality carries the most romantic image in your mind?  Is it the accent that does it for you, the gallic nose, the dress sense?  Stuck in a lift for a day, who'd you choose to be with?!!   Dangerous questions I know, but fun, .......   I'm looking forward to your answers

Frenchman in order of appearance  Guillaume Canuet, Vincent Cassel, Alain Delon and Mathieur Kasovitz.

The Nursery: Narrowing Down Paint

Week 32, I think we might be getting somewhere. Ha. Ceiling is in limbo but walls are down to final few choices...

Strawberry Picking and Cinnamon Strawberry Muffins { Recipe }

Last week it was finally strawberry season here in Illinois!  My husband was out of town for the week on a fishing trip with his dad, so the girls and I decided to head to our local strawberry farm to pick some fresh berries.

At the farm they give each child their own small basket and then they give each adult a larger basket.  It's not a fancy place, but it was just the perfect place for this mama and two little ladies.

The girls were very busy picking their berries.  Savannah stayed very focused and picked a ton.  Matilda, however, eventually decided it was best just to eat all the berries she was picking that way her basket would be empty and she could wear it as a hat.

We ended up with a huge basket of berries.  Both the girls started just filling up mama's basket and we filled it to the brim!

Once we had all our berries picked, it was time to head home and figure out what to do with all these gorgeous little red berries.

Cinnamon Strawberry Muffins

Makes 18-24 muffins

So we had picked all of these berries and I knew we needed to make something with them because, especially with my husband being away, there was no way we were going to eat this whole basket.  I thought about strawberry scones and strawberry cake, but settled on strawberry muffins.  I added some cinnamon to make these a little different than your average muffin and oh.my.goodness - they are delicious.

If you have any berries lying around, give this recipe a try.  It's heavy on the cinnamon and heavy on the sugar - two of my favorite things.  And the tops get super-crunchy and delicious.  You're going to love it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, melted
1 1/4 cup milk
2 eggs

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Prep your strawberries by taking the tops off and cutting them in half.  Some of our berries were pretty tiny so I just left those whole.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, except for the sugar.  In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine.  Toss your strawberries with the sugar.

Add strawberry/sugar mixture to the muffin mixture and fold in gently to combine.

Spray two muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray (you could also use muffin liners, if you prefer).  Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup and fill each muffin tin just about to the top.

Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean.

Allow muffins to cool and then remove from pan.  If you do not plan to eat your muffins that day, I suggest freezing them.  Strawberries tend to make baked goods kind of soggy if they sit too long.

Place them in a freezer bag and lay them flat in your freezer for the initial freeze.  You can pull the muffins out one at a time when you are ready to eat them, microwave for about 45 seconds and they literally taste like you just pulled them out of the oven.  This is also a great technique if you have guests coming for a visit and you want to bake prior to their arrival or for a quick breakfast before work or school.

We only have one of these muffins left and looking at this picture is making me think, I need to walk immediately into the kitchen and pull it out of the freezer.  YUM!

a summer day in Paris

Spent most of yesterday in Paris, in all of  my favourite haunts, making the most of the sales with my fun loving daughter - Boy!  Can that girl shop! I swear that if shopping were an olympic discipline she'd be a gold medallist !

Though you might like a few shots of la belle capitale.  Paris was spectacularly beautiful under bright blue skies yesterday, not that I had that much time to sit back and admire, this shopping is a full time job!

And for those of you planning to visit gai Paris over the summer I just have four words to say to you:

Guerlain pop-up store

It's on the Champs Elysées, the design is divine and it will only last until the end of the year.  I loved it!

No photos were allowed inside, and their official pictures don't do justice so you just have to take my word.

Console Table

If you have read our blog for awhile you'll know that our living room is a sloooow process. But it's kind of a fun process. :) The pillows I got even have moved to the kitchen, so I'm starting fresh with a new fabric pallet. (Yes, I'm nuts, I'll explain that later) But I've been staring at the big white wall. Art must go here.

 But  I do feel as though something needs to ground it.... Like a console table. A floating piece of art in the middle of such a big wall makes me uncomfortable. (That is the best word I can describe the feeling I have) I really do think something needs to ground it. But the living room isn't huge, and so a console table that is narrow, is the best option.

So here are my finds. Most of them are from Crate and Barrel, I found that they have done a great job of doing console tables. (And let's not forget CB2!)

1. CB2 $299 2. Crate and Barrel $599  3. Urban Barn $599 4.CB2 $299 5. Crate and Barrel $699 6. Crate and Barrel $599

My heart aches for Number 5. I think the detailing of the open shelf is kind of interesting.  But of course, it is the most expensive. I also really quite like #1, as it seems longer than the rest - and the lengh is quite important. As well as lengh, This console table must be very narrow, and it must be very light - a heavy wood one will not go well, as the room will start to feel cluttered.
I have to do a spreadsheet and see which ones are the most narrow, and the longest, and we'll go from there.

Morning Snack- Light Bright

I just bought a new computer and I am far from figuring out how to use it. I wanted to post something else but navigating the pictures is taking longer than expected so I will leave you with this one for now. I am sure I have already used it on here before but I don't remember it (not that that means anything these days) so it is new to me....