The Perfect Wedding

I am thrilled to share that the design of my life is changing.  I am officially engaged to be married!  This is a most exciting time, as I have been blessed with a wonderful man who will, in a few short months, be my husband.  So if you will indulge me, I foresee aspects of wedding planning popping up here and there in my future columns.  For today, I would like to share some thoughts on how we view “the perfect wedding.”

For me, “the perfect wedding” is far less about “the big day” and so much more about the life that leads up to it.  Yes, the little girl fairytales of the dress, the cake, and the flowers are memorable elements along the way to developing our creativity and imagination.  And I would not trade my memories of how I viewed being a bride dating back to even my kindergarten days.  Those were some of the earliest starts to my love of design and creating.  As I look at my little nieces now, I wonder how what their little eyes will be taking in during the months to come will start to shape their picture of their walk down the aisle one day.  And yet, my hope is that what we convey as a family shines more light on Who designed the path that is leading up to my walk down the aisle to my future husband.

My perfect wedding will be possible because we serve a Risen Savior Who has loved me so much that He has had a plan for my life that has been diligently carried out since before I was born.  So many things have come together in His perfect timing to get to this day.  That doesn’t mean I was always patient, or that I always knew exactly where I was headed.  However, my trust was, and is, and will continue to be in that the Lord’s design for my life is what is perfect.  His plans, His vision, His timing – those are beautiful things to follow after. 

Here in the Valley just like everywhere else in our nation, we have young people pursuing an education without quite knowing what steps beyond that will be possible.  We have families spreading themselves thin and seeing that their finances are not carrying them as far as they have in the past.  We have marriages that are struggling under the weight of expectations not reached.  We have youth so focused on today that the consequences for tomorrow are not acknowledged.  And yet, we have hope.  We have the opportunity to hand our lives over to a Heavenly Father Who loves us more than we can fathom.  We have the privilege of letting the Master Designer unfold a path in front of us and walk with us along the way.

A decade ago, I could not see how I would arrive at this chapter in life.  But I knew it was coming.  I will be working behind the scenes to ensure that the little girl fairytale elements come to life on our wedding day.  Yet, as a couple, we will know that our perfect wedding really is wrapped up in the moment we stand before our family and friends and vow before Christ that He chose us for each other, and that we will choose to love one another as only our Creator could have designed.     

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 23rd.          

 

Krystal Krenek and Tyler Stenseng

       

Investing in Your Curb Appeal

“Curb appeal” encompasses how well the state of your home’s exterior is showcased for all passersby to see.  There are many elements to consider on the checklist of maximizing your curb appeal and showing off your home’s best side. 

 A manicured lawn is always going to go over better than an overgrown mess lacking attention and consistent maintenance.  A lawnmower and an edger go a long way, as does some proper landscaping.  Simple landscaping can give the front view of a home quite a boost, including hedges or bushes to soften the front line of a home and beds that include flowering plants or xeriscaping with drought-tolerant vegetation for low maintenance ease. 

The front door is the main focal point, so drawing positive attention to it makes a nice statement.  A couple of coats of paint in a bold shade like yellow, teal, or red can be a surprising welcome.  If your home has shutters, a fresh paint job can also freshen up the exterior.  Black shutters on a gray home are dressy, and other neutral-shaded homes can rightly be accented with everything from white shutters to shades of blue or chocolate.  Matching trim paint to shutters highlights the architectural details of a home’s shape and provides a cohesive look all the way around. 

Outdoor lighting lets your home shine after the sun goes down.  Sconce lighting fixtures mounted on each side of the front door do double duty for appearance and safety.  Lighting your front porch area can also be accomplished through can lighting installed in the ceiling over the porch or “up” lights lining the front perimeter between your home and hedges.  If you have a front walkway, it can be outlined with freestanding, solar powered stake lights or have two decorative pole lights at the end of your sidewalk by the curb. 

The little accents can go a long way as well.  An attractive mailbox, modern house numbers, a wide welcome mat, large potted plants or topiaries flanking the front door, and decorative outdoor pillows in Adirondack chairs or a porch swing can all come together to tell the neighborhood that your home is cared for in and out, and you have style to spare.  Eye-catching curb appeal says a lot about the value of your property as well as how you value the warm and welcoming place you call home, stylish home.        

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 16th.       

 

 

The Big News . . .

How Good Are Your Greens?

September is a transitional time here in the Valley.  If you stick to the rule about “no white after Labor Day,” you’re ready to put away the things of summer and usher in the things of fall.  However, it does not feel quite like pumpkins-and-fall-leaves time just yet.  But I am ready to change out the summer tablescape for something I would like to call “pre-fall.”

“Eat your greens; they’re good for you” – we’ve heard that advice forever.  Greens are good; they can be used on the table for more than just eating, too.  I feel there are several greens that are more season-neutral and can help fill in the gap when sand and shells are on their way out and acorns and gourds are yet to come.

Palm fronds are large and can make a simple and bold statement simultaneously when wrapped inside of a few tall glass cylinder vases.  They can be incorporated into a dining table centerpiece or used like pillars on a sofa table.  Moss, which comes in several varieties like reindeer, Spanish, sheet, and sphagnum, can line vases, cake stands, and trays and be a stylish base for a variety of decorations.  Light green hydrangeas and peony buds make versatile foliage that can mound over short vases and be attractive arrangements in a grouping or as a single piece. 

Boxwood is a trending greenery style that is found in preserved decorative pieces and wreaths that can accent shelving décor, tables, and entry doors.  Grasses come in a slew of varieties, both natural and faux, and can be potted and used as a scattered centerpiece or individual accent pieces of décor.  A green that does double duty – both for eating and decorating - is green apples.  Fill bowls or glass cylinder vases to set out on the kitchen island or counter or on a buffet or foyer table.  Artichokes and pears are other filler options for the same simple decoration. 

So oranges, reds, yellows, and browns – the shades of fall – are too cool-weather for our area just yet.  But greens are good to go at any time.  They can take you from post-Labor Day to pumpkin weather without breaking a sweat.  

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 9th.

 

 

                             

Labor Day Weekend: Say Goodbye to Summer

Labor Day weekend is considered to be the final bow of summer.  As we await a more traditional feeling of fall here in South Texas, we also say goodbye to the annual three month stretch so centered on sun, water, and relaxing.  Here are some thoughts on giving summer a proper sendoff:

1.  Spend part of your long weekend engaged in an activity that has been the go-to pastime this season: at the beach, in the pool, in the backyard.  Whether you’re building sand castles, making laps, or grilling to perfection, enjoy your summer favorite before new options take its place in the months to come.

2.  Fire up the grill for some sizzling hamburgers or hotdogs and serve with sweet potato fries and all the trimmings.  It is a holiday weekend after all.

3.  Set up a lemonade bar along with your charcoal choices tomorrow.  Offer a few varieties of fruity syrups as optional mix-ins to dress up your pucker-up thirst quencher.

4.  Make your own popsicles with juice and fruit pieces in a popsicle mold or with paper cups, foil, and craft popsicle sticks.  Make a matching batch or a different variety to suit every taste.

5.  Check out some local sales’ selections for seasonal decorations, paper goods, and accessories you would be willing to put away now and pull out next June.

6.  Add summer produce staples to your grocery list to savor their flavors before their prime harvest windows close, like watermelon, peaches, strawberries, and the like.   

7.  Host a build-your-own bar that dishes up banana splits, ice cream sundaes, or floats in place of dinner one night.  The kids would be happy to skip straight to dessert.

8.  Camp out in the backyard just for the evening and tell ghost stories, roast marshmallows, look at the stars, and other campy activities that elicit summer memories.

9.  Start saving money now for the holidays – gifts, travel, and family events.  Putting aside some disposal income now will reserve it for special occasions just around the corner.  

10.  Get ahead and start making some to-lists for fall: projects around the house, decorating ideas for October, Christmas card photo concepts, and so forth.  The full swing of fall will be here before you know it, so choose to be prepared.      

Saying “so long” to summer is bittersweet as we reflect on the hot weather fun we’ve had while looking forward to savoring the fall season.  Marking this sentiment is fitting this anticipated Labor Day weekend that turns the page on another satisfactory summer. 

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 2nd.