Craft Projects for October

With the start of October just around the corner, this is a great time to work on craft projects for the season that can be a part of your décor until Thanksgiving.  Whether you’re going it alone or bringing the kids in to participate, too, get some supplies ready for a crafty good time.

Buying a craft store swag of fall leaves can work on its own, but you are limited to the one long piece unless you start taking it apart.  Pull the leaves from the plastic center and opt for a variety of uses.  Tie string, raffia, or ribbon strands in varying lengths to the ends of individual leaves and hang them in a window or doorway using push pins or clip rings as a disconnected banner.  String them together for a thin garland to hang on the mantle, on a door, or on a buffet or hutch.  Tuck little clusters of leaves under other centerpiece items like vases and pumpkins for a connected, fuller look.  Fill cylinder vases with leaves and wrap a wide section of ribbon around the outside, tying the ends in a knot.       

Make your own front door wreath by starting with a foam circle if you intend to cover the entire surface or a dried natural wreath to add accents onto.  Use a hot glue gun to add feathers, leaves, artificial mum blooms, acorns, burlap, other fabric strips, or mini gourds, pumpkins, or dried corn. 

Paint pumpkins with craft paint or spray paint for a front door display.  Paint them solid or use painters’ tape, string, or freehand skills to make your own design; look at online examples for a creative boost.  Rest them on cake stands or turntables covered with newspaper for the best coverage.  You could use stencils to paint your house numbers or lettering for a monogram or saying.  Pinecones and acorns could also be spray painted and used as a bowl or vase filler. 

Find fitting wall decals online and give them more longevity than one season applied to a wall by applying them to a plain wrapped canvas, a mirror, the glass of a frame you fill with craft paper, or a serving plate you rest on a stand or hang on the wall.  You could also buy decal lettering and apply to a set of canisters or glass vases and spell out anything you wish.  Decorate the outside of glass cylinder vases for a centerpiece using a hot glue gun and twigs, cinnamon sticks, fabric strips, ribbon, burlap, or contact paper.

Put your thinking cap on, find inspiration online, and utilize items you already have mixed with craft store goodies to treat your home to some new seasonal accessories.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 29th.

  

Cupcake Nation

I’ll be honest; I cannot make a pretty cake to save my life.  No amount of leveling and frosting adjustment can churn out a slice I’d be proud to serve to others.  However, my cupcakes are a different story.  With their widespread popularity, cupcakes are a delicious mix of classic and trending and are a great dessert, special treat, and party go-to.  There are, however, some tricks to turning these treats into more boutique than boo-hoo.

There’s nothing wrong with a shortcut-taking box of cake mix and tub of frosting.  The flavors seem nearly limitless, and they really are finger-licking good.  The trick is to ensure you have the right cake-to-frosting ratio.  The next time you add a box of cake mix to your shopping cart, add two tubs of frosting.  I have decided that a 1:1 ratio is just not enough, and it leaves me short the closer I come to frosting the end of the 24 cupcakes.  Why scrimp and save when you can allow one tub to frost 12 cupcakes instead of 24? 

You can additionally think outside the box and mix mixes.  Want to serve pink lemonade cupcakes at a baby shower?  Mix one box of strawberry and one box of lemon mix before adding any wet ingredients.  If you do not intent to then bake 48 cupcakes at once, spoon out half of your blended cake mix into an airtight container and store for another day.  You can come up with any number of custom combinations all your own.  You can also mix tubs of frosting to match your new combination by stirring them gently together, or you can buy one of each of two selections and have 12 frosted one way and 12 frosted in another flavor. 

When it comes to the mixing bowl, you can add a touch of homemade flavor to your next batch by adding a splash of pure vanilla extract.  Some think substituting milk for the water requested on the box instructions can make for fluffier cupcakes.  When you start filling your cups in the muffin pans, decide if paper or foil cups is the way to go for this batch.  Paper cups come in a variety of styles and colors, and foil cups are hardier and – side note - also make great holders for single serve portions of a variety of side dishes.  To spread out your batter evenly and aim for the most uniform cupcakes in size, use an ice cream scoop, melon baller, or measuring cup to ladle the batter into each cup instead of a regular spoon.  You can better apportion out even levels.  Make sure to not overfill; 2/3 full is a good rule of thumb. 

After the cupcakes are baked and completely cooled on a rack, don’t get out the knife to start frosting; use a homemade piping bag instead for a more professional look.  Use either quart or gallon plastic baggies, depending on the quantity you’re using of one frosting flavor.   Snip off one corner tip, starting small, as you can always go bigger but not smaller.  Push a piping bag decorative tip through the hole, ensuring you’ve got a good, snug fit.  To hold the decorative tip in place, tape it to the corner of the baggie on the outside.   When filing your piping bag, fold the baggie edges over the outside, exposing the bottom of the bag more readily and keeping the zipper top clean and clear.  Use a spatula to put the entire tub or tubs of frosting inside, roll the edges up, press out the air, and seal securely.  Always keep your frosting moving toward the bottom of the bag to avoid air bubbles that can disrupt your piping style.  And don’t beat or whip store bought frosting; it may make your quantity “grow” a little, but it’s made my cake levels slide before. Trust me; it’s not a pretty sight.          

Since you have plenty of frosting, take your time piling it high to your desired look.  Leave a little cupcake showing between the cup edge and the frosting; it’s neater when you pick them up out of your storage container.  I like to make a slow spiral that outlines the top, fills in the center, and then mounts in a little dollop or spike on top.  Finish them off with decorative sugars, sprinkles, sugar pearls, or candy pieces.  Get creative if you have a theme going.  Those pink lemonade cupcakes mentioned above are adorable with a candy lemon wedge and short piece of plastic straw perched on top. 

However you top them, turn everyday cupcakes into homemade masterpieces worthy of show!   

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 22nd.

7 Fun Fall Party Concepts

We are entering my favorite time of year, full of pumpkins and pots of soup, spice candles and cozy blankets, holiday dishes and special gatherings.  If your idea of a social season revolves around more of the indoors than out, you’re in luck.  Here are 7 party concepts you could try this season.

Comfort Food Potluck – Put together an easy weeknight gathering by dividing the work load.  Invite a group of friends to bring and share one of their favorite dishes at a comfort food potluck.  You provide a buffet table setting and enjoy the chatting over samplings of gooey mac ‘n cheese, lasagna, pot roast and mashed potatoes, and family recipe casseroles.  

Apples and Appetizers – Invite some friends over for a night of apples and appetizers when you set up hot candy and caramel apple dipping stations and provide other bite sized treats.  Dip apples and roll them in a selection of nuts, sprinkles, and pretzel pieces, plus an optional chocolate drizzle.  While they set, snack on small portions of sweet and salty appetizers.  Wrap up guests’ creations to go in plastic sandwich baggies and ribbon.

Pumpkin Painting – A series of craft paints, sponge brushes, stencils, decorative tape, and craft paper strips and decoupage glue sets a nice scene for a pumpkin painting gallery.  Invite your group to bring a pumpkin and decorate it in their own style, making it perfect for their front door display.  No carving needed, which helps your artwork last longer.  

The Exchange – Set up an exchange party catering to the girls, the kids, or a family group.  Usually popular with cookies, exchange parties can also be held so that recipes, prepared food dishes, kitchen accessories, fall decorations, or another creative item can change hands.  Guests bring an item or boxed serving ready for exchange.  Swapping is just half the fun.  

Cookies and Cupcakes – Perfect for a younger crowd, a cookie and cupcake party can be tailored for mixing or just decorating.  Provide a base cookie dough and let the kids add their own mix-ins from a buffet of choices like nuts, chocolate chunks, and dried cranberries.  Let the grownups handle the use of the oven.  Or have baked cookies and cupcakes ready to go and offer icing choices and tiny toppings like candy corn, gummies, and seasonal selections of mainstream candy for edible masterpieces.    

Big Game Buffet – A Sunday afternoon is a great time to invite the gang over for a football game with an emphasis on the big game buffet.  Mix game day staples with fall themed bites to enjoy things like football cake pops, homemade caramel popcorn, sweet potato boats, and a pumpkin cream cheese dip. 

Sip ‘n Cider – a Sip ‘n See is an opportunity to introduce a newborn baby in a baby shower setting.  A Sip ‘n Cider can be all about a kids-free girls’ night in while the flavored apple cider keeps on pouring.  Create a coffee bar style cider selection with different flavors of cider and syrups (look online for options).  Coffee mugs, stir sticks, and pretty fall cocktail napkins can complement the juicy conversation.      

These party concepts can get you started on being the host everyone wants an invite from this fall.  A fun theme, yummy food, and a home with a welcoming front door can usher in a good time being had by all. 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 15th.

Jot It All Down

Staying organized through the busy fall season can keep you on top of things and help you feel prepared and – dare I say – ahead of the game.  To help you keep things in check, focus on the ways notes, lists, and labels can maintain your cool as you jot it all down.

Grocery Lists – Streamline your system for keeping track of the family grocery list by using a custom pad with tear away sheets or making your own chart on the computer and printing copies to circle or highlight items.  Keep the list in the same spot, add needed items throughout the week, and shop on a schedule.

Labels – In the pantry and closets and on shelves and in cubbies are likely a slew of bins, boxes, canisters, and other containers holding your life’s contents.  Do a whole-house label makeover to tag and mark what holds everything from cleaning supplies to office accessories to toys to spices to photo prints to fashion accessories.  Easy find, easy put away. 

The Planner – Actually fill in the squares that mark each day of the week in a portable planner to keep track of both the events and the everyday tasks.  Having a big-picture visual of a week at a glance helps you compartmentalize your time and keep on schedule.

To-Do Lists – Make separate lists for home projects, things to buy, tasks to complete, and goals to aim for.  Write them down, refer back, and mark off your progress.

Specialty Lists – Whether you’re taking a trip, heading up a committee, planning date nights, or always digging for weeknight dinners and school lunch ideas, make lists that help you plan details in advance, work out steps in a large project, or allow you to reference information you pre-researched for speed and ease when you need it.

Archives – When you attend a concert, take a vacation, or host a party in your home, write down quick notes about the details: dates, times, locations, guests, memories, and funny quotes to go along with the photos you take.  When you sit down to work on an album down the road, pull out your notebook, and you’ll be happy to have the specifics in writing that you may or may not recall at the time.

The Bucket List – Though crass in its title, a bucket list doesn’t have to be relegated to things you want to accomplish before you kick the, well, you get it.  Start bucket lists for things you want to accomplish/start/finish/experience in a season, a school year, during the holidays, in a home renovation, a personal makeover, or any category of your choice. 

Holiday Lists – Start now to pull together fall and Christmas decorating ideas, plan for gift giving, update your Christmas card address list, and even look into new menu ideas.  Planning can enhance your enthusiasm as you wait for that special time of the year.

Some spiral notebooks, notepads, folders, labels, markers, and pens can help you sift, sort, and chronicle your thoughts and ideas right into a well thought out plan of action for everything that could possibly come your way. 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 8th.

           

Easy-Going Labor Day Dinner

The official summer send-off is tomorrow, and you can wish it well on its way with a not-so-labor-intensive Labor Day dinner for family and friends.  You can hold a simple gathering with a few bags of groceries and an easy plan to execute on your day off.

Instead of the traditional burgers off the grill, try your hand at serving mini sliders instead.  Little buns (sliced and toasted dinner rolls), your favorite condiments, sliced dill pickles, small lettuce pieces, Roma tomato slices, a little bacon, and melted cheese all go wonderfully with mini beef patties, chicken tenders, or pulled pork.  Set up a tray with your compiled mini masterpieces, using wooden grilling skewers to hold them together.  For a side dish, make a recipe of macaroni and cheese and scoop into foil cupcake liners for buffet-ready portions.  Or slice up a few sweet potatoes, coating the sticks in olive oil before baking on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and serve your oven “fries” with roasted garlic mayo.    

While your oven, grill, or skillet is at work, put together laidback appetizers perfectly portioned for each person.  Use short clear plastic cups or glass juice glasses for a popular layered dip.  Stack refried beans, sour cream, salsa, diced avocados, sliced black olives, grated cheese, cilantro, and squirt of lime juice in each and serve with salted tortilla chips.  With every person having his own, you prepare just the right amount, and the layered look gives you more showmanship appeal than when one big dish is served and devoured.  Use the same type of cups with a layer of Ranch dressing in the bottom to offer a mini selection of carrot and celery sticks, along with some red, green, and/or yellow pepper slices and cherry tomatoes.

Get crafty with drinks and dessert in one when you dish up large glasses or mugs of vanilla ice cream floating in frothy root beer.  Insert cute straws and offer refills until every thirst is quenched and sweet tooth is satisfied.  Keeping it simple with a single drink menu item ensures you don’t have to have a slew of ingredients on hand or end up with a bunch of unused leftovers. 

Kicking back on a typical work day is a rewarding way to spend a holiday Monday.  Whether it’s just family or you invite a few friends over, spend your Labor Day relaxing and enjoying while keeping your kitchen prep short and sweet, just like your easy-going Labor Day dinner.      

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 1st.