Date Nights on a Dime

Whether you’re single or married, date nights are fun things to add to your calendar. But going out can make you shell out more than the budget allows. Instead of banishing restaurant dinners for two, tweak your approach to ensure you work in some date nights on a dime.

Going to the movies can really add up with ticket prices and snacks.  To catch those flicks without all the special effects and need for enhanced theater sound, rent a one night romantic comedy for less than $2, pop popcorn at home and add your own toppings, indulge in some grocery store candy, and cozy up on your own couch at home.

Professional sporting events off and away are fetching mega bucks per seat, and that doesn’t include your travel expenses for the big game.  Look into your area options with high school teams and local pros in sports like hockey and boxing for reasonable ticket prices and an entertaining show.  Support Valley athletes, and enjoy a sporty night out.  Keep an eye out for other community events like plays and festivals for budget friendly ticket prices as well.

Get out and about by checking out a farmer’s market, market days, street fair, or even a series of Saturday morning garage sales.  A daytime outing can be spent shopping and looking at local vendors’ wares or for a yard sale steal to makeover for a weekend project. 

Pack a picnic lunch and drive down to the Island for an afternoon on the beach.  Beachgoers come from all over the nation to the spot on the map we have right here at home.  Collect shells, build a sandcastle, and wile away the day relaxing before you enjoy a gorgeous sunset over the bay. 

Put on some running shoes, carry a couple bottles of water, and head to a city park or jogging path and work up a sweat with a walk or run for two.  If you’re feeling adventurous, train in tandem for a race or other athletic competition.

Go back to feeling like a kid and show off some skills at a skating rink or bowling alley. Take a long walk through the zoo and chat about your favorite animals.  Feel studious by walking through a local museum of art or area history, discussing interesting topics along the way. 

Instead of going out for coffee, brew your own at home, dress it up with syrups and whipped topping, or simmer some hot cocoa and top with plenty of marshmallows.  Fill a couple of to-go mugs and take a drive just the two of you.  Later in the season, spend time driving around looking at Christmas lights and yard decorations after dark.     

Choose a new recipe together, shop for a few groceries, and try your hand at spending some time in the kitchen for two.  Spending the time in preparation together can be as delicious as sharing a specially prepared meal. 

A date night doesn’t have to be pricey or fancy (or even at night) to be a great time spent happily together.  Get creative and think inside the budget for fun without breaking the bank.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 27th.

Sweet November

Where has 2013 gone?  We’re barely in the double digits of weeks left before the clock strikes 2014.  And with just under two weeks left before we hit November, there is a lot that can be done now to make that transition feel all the more productive.

If you will be passing out candy from your home on the 31st, there is still time to order a sweet treat compliment to go with those bite sized morsels of sugary goodness.  I just received my package of Christian themed bracelets that will go out to trick-or-treaters.  If there is a good cause you support or uplifting message you would like to share with your community, be thinking now about how you could incorporate that, like giving out stickers, bookmarks, or other small items area kids would enjoy.

If you are planning to attend any seasonal events, look into your ticket options now.  Check out local venues that host entertainment opportunities like plays, sports, concerts, and exhibitions across the Valley.  You might be surprised at the fun and creative options you can discover locally.  On November the 7^th, I know I will be at the Harlingen Cultural Arts Center at Dining by Design, which supports the American Cancer Society, for a stunning exhibition of beautiful tablescapes.

Now is also a good time to make some decisions about a family Christmas card if you haven’t already.  If you’ll be stamping some holiday cheer to share, be perusing your digital photo files or setting up a shoot with a trusted camera handler to get your best angle in print.  There is a vast array of card ideas out there, including fill-in-your-picture-and-names templates with online design and print companies that will send a stylish finished product right to your door.  Don’t rush the job at the last holiday minute; leave yourself plenty of time to stuff, seal, stamp, and address.

What are the plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year?  If your family operates on a rotational basis between home and in-laws, check in with your feasting table companions to get the scoop or make sure everyone is on board with the plan already in place.  You could incorporate an easy online invitation like an Evite®, which allows people to RSVP electronically so you can gather a good headcount.  If you’re feeling crafty, you would have ample time to work on place cards for your (or your mom’s) table setting, or make some sprucing changes to the guest space, like new sheets or a festive hand towel set, if you will be hosting company.      

There’s no time like the present to work on Christmas presents.  If you’re like me, a week-of shopping trip does not put you in the Christmas spirit.  They say it’s the thought that counts, and putting some advanced thought into special gifts is a good way to go.  Take advantage of online deals and free shipping offers to spread your holiday expenses over a few billing cycles.  Stock up on wrapping paper and accessories and prep your Santa’s workshop space.  You may prefer wrapping a gift here and there to a gift wrap marathon in December. 

Utilize the time you have left before the holiday rush to plan, prepare, shop, and save to make sure you can enjoy a truly sweet November.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 20th.   

Playing Dress Up

Sometimes the simplest little additions can take something from plain to dressed up.  Whether you intend to do a little dressing up at the end of this month or not, here are some ways to jazz up some things at home now.

Accessorize an upholstered side chair by folding a throw blanket into a long column about half the width of the seat and cleanly drape it centered over the back of the chair, across the seat, and down the front, and then top it off with a slim lumbar pillow where the back and seat cushions meet.  If your couch has one throw pillow on each end, add another in a complementary print to either side, and then throw off the visual balance by adding a third smaller embellished pillow to just one of the ends. 

When you have the dining room table covered with a tablecloth, accent the top by using two table runners or two other matching tablecloths folded in narrow sections, and run them across the width of the table, dividing it into thirds.  To add extra layers to each table setting for a nice dinner, stack it high with the tablecloth, a placemat, and a charger below each plate, and top that with a folded napkin.  You can also go oversized with place cards for a holiday meal by adding each guest’s name to the front of blank folding note cards or printing each on long strips of cardstock.

Instead of a large glass or ceramic bowl or wooden or metal serving tray sitting empty or stored away, top them off and set them out for display.  Use fresh fruit, glass ornaments, greens, dried naturals, stones, or pillar candles, figurines, small book stacks, or champagne flutes, always creating a scene where you place them.  Follow the same idea to dress up your coffee table, kitchen island, foyer table, buffet, or side table. 

Fill a basket or bin with short log segments and set beside a seating area.  Add a folded quilt across the end of the bed.  Use sections of green moss or spindly branch pieces to fill in around decorations or picture frames on the mantel or a shelf.  Place a small round tray, water carafe, and glass on a guestroom nightstand.  Fill a clear glass canister with unwrapped bars of soap and add to the bathroom counter. 

A little something extra can be a sweet touch in any room.  Which reminds me, add a can of apricot nectar to a pitcher of orange juice, and enjoy a delicious dressed up glass at your breakfast table.                    

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 13th.

As Easy As One, Two, Three

Like options?  They can be as easy as one, two, three.

Hang something new on the wall: 1) framed chalkboard for family notes, 2) decorative framed pegboard spray painted one color to hold jewelry on pins, or 3) a short row of pretty wooden hangers over a desk to use the clothes clips for papers instead.

Wrap a gift a new way: 1) in a folding map, 2) in fabric by the yard, securing folds with tied ribbon, or 3) in newsprint or sheet music.

Use glass new ways: 1) mason jars as candle holders or ice cream dishes, 2) as a gift set of drinking glasses you customize with a chalkboard paint design, or 3) a series of clear bottles and jars holding photographs in place of frames.

What else to stick on a paper towel holder: 1) a roll of trash bags, 2) a stack of craft ribbon rolls, or 3) kids’ art paper or butcher paper rolls.

Alternative uses for drawer pulls: 1) necklace pegs, 2) coat racks, or 3) umbrella rests.

Other uses for a decorative box: 1) charging station for all your electronic devices, with some cutting required, 2) holder for art supplies, or 3) tray for bathroom toiletries.

What else you can do with contact paper: 1) line the back of bookcase shelves, 2) wrap decorative strips around a canister set, or 3) add sections to drawer fronts.

Uses for an old wooden ladder: 1) mounted to the wall as a book shelf, 2) as a towel rack, or 3) or hung in a laundry room for a clothes rack.

Fun vase fillers: 1) hard candy, 2) bars of soap, or 3) wine corks.

Uses for square glass vases: 1) to hold your salad bar contents, 2) as a recipe card box, or 3) to hold makeup brushes on the bathroom counter.

Alternate purposes for a wine rack: 1) to hold magazines and catalogs, 2) to stand on its side and use as a chord caddy, or 3) to hold rolled towels in the bathroom.

A clothes line can double as: 1) a place to pin photos, invitations, or cards, 2) a magazine line, or 3) a kids’ artwork gallery.

A pillowcase can also be used: 1) to hold sheet sets together in a linen closet, 2) as a travel dirty clothes bag, or 3) to reupholster a dining chair cushion.

Monogram: 1) baskets for custom storage, 2) wall hooks in the bathroom for each person, or 3) a custom wall decal for over the bed or in the entryway.

An old fashioned suitcase can hold: 1) divided years of archive documents, 2) manicure and pedicure supplies, or 3) mini toiletries for overnight guests.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 6th.