Randolph Street Market Festival – Join Me!

September 24, 2015

Hi guys! I’ve got exciting news to share with you! (And 10 helpful tips on flea market shopping at the very bottom of this post.) I’ve been selected as one of Chicago’s top editors and designers to award blue ribbons for best in show at The Randolph Street Market Festival. Come on out and join me, Saturday, September 26, 2015, at this European-style, indoor-outdoor urban antique market to shop amazing furnishings, vintage clothing and jewelry, home decor and more. Known as the “mecca of cool” and “the best hot spot for antiquing”, The Randolph Street Market Festival was just named 1 of the 9 Flea Markets You Must Visit Before You Die by Better Homes and Garden Magazine.

So what are the blue ribbons for? Well, I pick my favorite items at the flea and you buy them. Over 40 different charities receive some of the proceeds. My charity of choice is The Jackson Chance Foundation. This charity was founded by my dear friends Carrie and Terry Meghie after they lost their son Jackson Chance. You can read his story here.

Canary Lane Booth

MORE AFTER THE JUMP… & don’t forget about my 10 Expert Flea Market Shopping Tips at the bottom of this post.

Visiting Unison Home Store in Chicago – Part 2

August 20, 2015

Dear Emily,

You’ll be happy to know I’ve finally received some pillow help from the gals at Unison. I stopped into the store for a visit and pillow lesson last week and just to make sure I had mastered the art of mixing and matching, they were kind enough to stop over to the house. I also might have bribed them with good coffee. I know kitten, I really needed some hand holding on this one. Maybe you called them and gave them a heads up. If you did, for that I thank you. So wipe those tears from your sweet cheeks and turn that frown upside down because my pillows have been styled in a perfect palette and pattern family. Hip hip hooray! Pull up a seat, sit that cutie patootie down, and check out what the Unison girls had up their sleeve.

Photo by Laura Rose Davis from Everyday Charming

MORE AFTER THE JUMP…

Dear John Hughes

March 13, 2015

Dear John Hughes,

You’ll never know how much of an influence your movies were on me in my teen years. I was a child of the 80s. I longed to be Molly Ringwald. Date Andrew McCarthy. Kiss Jake Ryan. Save Ferris. Give a diamond earring to Judd Nelson. I cut my hair short. Dyed it red. Was somewhat of an outsider. Had an air of cool punk rock. I listened to alternative music and wanted to drive a Carmen Ghia and live in Chicago. I even went so far as to drag my mother and sister to Wax Trax.

Since those days, I’ve grown up. Got a job. Have longer hair. Drive an SUV. Had babies. But looking back, I can see how those movies molded me into who I am today. Just between us, I had every single word memorized to Sixteen Candles, Pretty In Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful and The Breakfast Club. I recorded them to Memorex a VHS tape when they aired on TV and paused the recording thru all the commercials. The swear words were edited, but that is probably why my parents let my sister and I watch them every single day after school. Over and over again.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP…

Champagne Smash Cocktail Recipe

December 30, 2014

Hey, hey you guys! Have you missed me? I just wanted to pop in really quick from vacation to let you know about this amazing signature cocktail for New Year’s Eve! Cocktail parties are super fun, but to make it a bit fancier, I like to have a little sumthin’ sumthin’ special up my sleeve. Something my guests will remember. With New Year’s Eve being tomorrow, I decided to share one of my favorites with you my little lovelies! Really quick, the Champagne Smash cocktail recipe.

If you’ve been here before, you know I like to indulge in a cocktail or two (okay, maybe three or four on occasion, who am I kidding). But, if you’re new and just happened to land here today by pure luck, be sure to check out The Indie Wild Mule, the classic Wisconsin Old-Fashioned and of course The Poor Liza if you’re throwing The Wildwood Speakeasy New Year’s Bash! Yes, I will definitely be sipping on a Poor Liza tomorrow night, but that baby packs a punch and it doesn’t include champagne…which is kinda what I’m craving right now, and this sucka has bubbly perfection for a special occasion (eh-hem like midnight).

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Surprise, It’s Your Birthday!

October 24, 2014

Well, not really. My birthday is actually a couple weeks away, but last weekend The Boy pull one over on me. Which I have to be honest with you…is not an easy task. I can sense anything unusual happening in the house like a hipster without his beard and beanie. I knew something was up because I asked him if I could go to the Kinfolk Weekend Retreat at Camp Wandawega. Oh sure, of course, have fun…wait, what weekend are we talkin’ about here? October 17-18. Suddenly a look of panic crossed his face, and he says, “That’s opening weekend for duck hunting.” Ummm, ok…hunt Sunday rather than Saturday. Problem solved. I pushed a tiny bit more…I really wanted to go! He finally said, “Don’t ask questions and DO NOT get upset. You can go any other day except October 18.” Well darn! And quite mysterious.

Friday he tells me to pack an overnight bag for Saturday night. Are we going to Paris? Are we? Are we? Are we? Ya, NO! BUT, we ARE going out. Ummm, ok. What about our children??? You do remember we have children, right? Covered. Apparently grandma and grandpa were coming down. SWEET! Where we going? Can’t tell ya that. Well darn!

Saturday morning I was told to be ready at 1PM, and we promptly left at 2:15PM sharp…it’s how I roll. I also asked how I should dress. Normally I’m a t-shirt and jeans kinda gal, but if we’re going out on the town, I need to play the part. I’m instructed skirt over jeans. Right on, something cute is in order.

Traffic into the city was pretty horrendous, but we finally made it to Destination #1. The Thompson Hotel Chicago. We had stayed here a couple months prior for for a wedding. Let me tell you, this place rocks. Super swank and funky as all get out. The staff, oh so sweet. And they pipe in the most amazing smell to the lobby. Seriously, I want my entire house and body to smell like this. It’s like the best candle and perfume wrapped with in bow. If someone at The Thompson is reading this, please, I’m begging you…please tell me the scent. I must have it.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

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