Tag Archives: Kansas City

(french) deals and donuts

For those of you who are “Kansas City friends”… You are probably aware of the fact that I have a booth out at Trendz Market.  Well, I have to let you in on some breaking news.  This week (thru next Tuesday), I have the “item of the week” (big gasp; then silence…)  Yes.  It’s true.  While you are sitting here reading my blog post, you could be up at Trendz saving 20% on anything french…!  Oooo la la, my friends.  (Click on my Facebook page if you want a “sneak peek” at some of the featured items!  For store hours and info, click on “shop with me at Trendz” link at the top of my blog site)  OK.  Maybe you are not here in Kansas City, or you are a new reader of my blog, and therefore have no idea what Trendz is…  No worries.  Simply click on the links at the top of this blog page…”who is creations by cathy” and “shop with me at trendz”.  That should get you up-to-date.  So now you’re sad.  You wish that you lived here so that you could stop by Trendz and check it out.  I’m sorry.  I do, however, have two bits of good news that might cheer you up a bit.

Number one; I am working on getting a little shopping page together so that I can share some of my Creations goodies with all of my friends, near or far. It will be the “shop now” link at the top of this blog site.  I will keep you posted.

And reason number two (the more delicious of the two); I found this yummy looking recipe at Camille Styles blog site.  (Thank you, Camille!)  Indulge and enjoy…

Baked French Breakfast Donuts

Adapted from Cooks.com

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat donut pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg; mix well.
  3. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk.
  4. Fill donut tins half full. Bake 15-20 minutes. Take out of pan immediately and swirl tops into melted butter, then sugar and cinnamon mixture. Makes 6-7 big donuts.

*Note:  These work just as well in a muffin tin, too!

live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

this little piggy went to market…

I always wanted to be a buyer.

I went to college and majored in Fashion Merchandising with an (almost) minor in business.  I pictured myself working for some well known chain of classy stores, traveling throughout the United States to various markets; wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of my crazy, exciting, cutting-edge career… OK.  So maybe that’s not exactly how it all worked out.  Upon graduating, I spent the next eight years in retail management; aside from the two (glorious) years that we lived in London.  It was then that I entered into the career of a lifetime…(literally).  The job was simply titled – “Mom”.  The years to follow were, and continue to be, the best of my life.  Nothing prepared me for the sheer magnitude of motherhood.  Being the oldest of seven kids sure helped – but I had no idea how much I would really love being a mom to my two kids.  It was, in all sincerity, the career of my dreams.

Kids have this terrible habit, however, of growing up.  When my twins turned 12, I started my own little home business called “Creations (by cathy) so that I would have something for myself, especially when the (dreaded) moment came for them to leave for college.  (In retrospect… one of the smartest things that I have ever done!)  Back in 2002, we still had a Market in Kansas City.  I can still remember the thrill and excitement of “going to market” for the very first time!!!  I think that I probably just sat in my car and squealed like a little piglet before I went in.  I was just SO excited!!  That market has been gone for quite a while now, and I have had the opportunity to attend Market in Denver, Chicago (twice), Atlanta, and now, Dallas.  Arrived  in Dallas yesterday afternoon so that I could spend the evening chit-chatting over sushi with a niece who is currently living here in Dallas. We laughed and talked and wined and dined.  Solved all the world’s problems… and then some (love ya, sweetie!)

The Dallas Market (click link) opened this AM – so when the wake-up call wrestled me out of a deep, dark sleep at about 6:45… I stumbled to the shower (Via the coffeemaker.  Regular.) and began my day.  Over the next 12 hours I would sit down exactly three times.  Five minutes for breakfast and 10 minutes on the shuttle bus to Market and back.  “Lunch” is defined as “food that the Reps often put out to entice you to stay in their showrooms”.  It is free, it may (or may not) be something that sounds good and it does not involve sitting.  Yep.  This is what I love.  It’s that crazy hustle, bustle “thrill of the hunt” feeling that I dreamed of right after college.  (There was just an ever-so-slight “delay of game” getting here.)  And the hunt is even more exciting and challenging this time around.  I am truly “starting over” at this Market in a fresh, new direction – shabby chic, feminine,”cottagey”… and often with a French accent!  Everything that I love!!  Woo-Hoo!!  I am truly like a little kid going to Disney World!  Today was wonderful.  Now it’s time for a little “beauty rest”.  Still have another 2 1/2 days in “The Magic Kingdom”, and I certainly don’t want to have dark circles under my eyes if I run into Minnie Mouse!

the big day…

So it’s almost here; my Grand Re-opening at Trendz Market.  Can I just say that I am really excited…?!  I’ve been checking off all of the last minute”to-do stuff”… hanging my new sign, putting the crystals on the last chandelier, figuring out the food, stuffing the “indulgence” bags with goodies… The anticipation is just killing me!  So, if you are here in Kansas City, I do hope that you will be able to stop by – even for a minute.  I have taken the big leap to follow my true passion, and it will be so fun to show everyone what that really looks like!  Nibble on some munchies and have a glass of wine.

It will be so good to see you…!