Ring in the New Year

The countdown begins to 2015, and you still have time to be the home family and friends gather in to watch those seconds tick down to midnight.  A New Year’s Eve party can be simple and casual or glitzy and glam while being festive either way.  Do you want to ring in the New Year as the ultimate holiday hostess?  Send out the call, and get prepping. 

Holiday-specific and colorful paper goods make picking a theme and having ready-made décor on display pretty easy.  For New Year’s, some of the most popular options are black and white and combinations of gold, silver, and champagne.  A party, craft, or supply store is likely stocking those aisle end caps with both dinner and dessert plates, dinner and cocktail napkins, paper hats, and noisemakers that clearly convey a New Year’s Eve party theme.  Take your pick, and your theme is established.  You can also buy some of the plates and napkins marked with New Year’s and beef up your stock with solid colors of each that coordinate. 

If you start your party later in the evening, like 9 pm, you’re not hosting a six hour long event that would require dinner and snacks later on as well.  With many parties winding down after midnight (or the ball drop for the sleepy), you’d be perfectly set with a nice spread of appetizers and finger foods.  Can you get creative and fancy with dressy little nibbles?  Sure.  But it’s not required to have a great party.  Classics are often favorites: pigs in a blanket with dipping sauces, meatballs on toothpicks, chips and crackers with a variety of dips, a veggie tray, and cookies and brownies will all be gobbled up.  You can make it quite simple for your set-up when you turn to the frozen section of a warehouse club store and plate up eggrolls, potato skins, wings, mini quiche, and just about anything in a little phyllo dough cup like you made them yourself.

Keep your beverage service uncomplicated by choosing a signature drink or punch that can be offered in a punch bowl or series of carafes kept chilled in the fridge.  Frozen and fruity bases topped off with ginger ale or lemon lime soda are quick and easily replenished.  Have your champagne and sparkling cider ready to serve just prior to the ball drop or midnight.

 A little party atmosphere is set with good music in the background and tabletops with lit candles for some sparkle.  Use your hats, noisemakers, and bulletin board number cutouts to add some flair around your serving area, coupled with shiny tinsel and votives. 

Special touches like round sugar cookies decorated to look like clocks, groupings of balloons, and milk and cookies for the kids at the big finish can all go a long way to create a memorable, celebratory night surrounded by the people you will be happily sharing 2015 with.  Have a safe and Happy New Year!     

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 28th.

                         

Checkin' It Twice: The Christmas List

Here we have arrived at the week of Christmas.  It has likely been a holiday whirlwind since Thanksgiving with gift buying, decorating, wrapping, party attending, travel planning, baking, and hosting galore.  So take a deep breath, grab that to-do list, and decide to go ahead and check it twice.

Ideally, these tasks are all complete:

You’ve bought gifts for everyone you intended to.  You’ve wrapped or shipped every one of them.  You baked the goodies you wanted to share with a select few and delivered them.  You’ve mailed your Christmas cards.  If you’re preparing Christmas dinner, you have your menu planned and your grocery list ready.  If you’re hosting family in your home, you are wrapping up your preparations in anticipation of their arrival.  If you’re traveling, you have your flight or driving plans made and your luggage at the ready.  You’ve accomplished everything necessary to finish up the kids’ school days before the break. 

Is it any wonder we make it through such a bustling season with so much on our plates?  But the best news is that all of these things – the parties, the gift giving, the time spent with family – is all meant to point us back to the reason for this season.  We’re joyful and celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus.  When we get bogged down by trying to accomplish a seemingly insurmountable list, we have to stop and remember why it’s all worth it and what it should all stand for.  We give because we’ve been given the ultimate gift.  We share because we have an abundance that overflows to our loved ones.  We relish Christmas because it means we have a hope greater than any to-do list task could offer. 

So as we enter this week of Christmas, let’s give ourselves a little gift each day to help the true meaning of Christmas stand out above the rest.  Today, give yourself the gift of reflection.  Remember your best Christmas memories of years past.  Share stories, look at old pictures, or just take some time in thought to remember what has made this time of year special and memorable for you.  Tomorrow, focus on the gift of thankfulness.  One of the fastest ways to banish an overwhelmed outlook is to count your blessings and dwell on the things you’re most thankful for now and all throughout the year.  Tuesday, give yourself the gift of quiet.  Maybe you can only garner a few minutes, but deliberately remove yourself from the commotion and relish a little renewing silence.  Wednesday, give yourself the gift of breathing – you know, that thing we do naturally in short spurts when things are hectic.  Instead, take some intentional deep, slow breaths.  It will be Christmas Eve, time to wind down, making sure you’re enjoying that slide into Christmas Day. 

I wish you a genuinely Merry Christmas as we stop to acknowledge Christ’s birth.  After all, that is the ultimate top to any Christmas list.  Merry Christmas!       

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 21st.

   

Gifting Goodies

“Nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.”  We’ve all heard that old adage, and it rings especially true at Christmas time.  When you want to give a heartfelt gift or a sweet token this time of year, something from your own kitchen is a very thoughtful way to go.

Choose both classic and new recipes that roll around about once a year and are quite sought after.  Make things that easily translate to large batches to give to multiple co-workers, teachers, or friends.  Great go-to choices include both sweet and salty cereal mix varieties, decorated Christmas cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, and just about anything using baking chocolate. 

Dress up otherwise neutral recipes with holiday flair by incorporating red and green candy or food coloring, lightly tinting white icing an icy shade of blue and adding sparkly sugar sprinkles, topping off with crushed peppermint candy or red and green maraschino cherries, and using seasonal cookie cutters on not just cookies but brownies, bars, and crispy rice treats as well.  You can also make your gift theme easily seen in your packaging.  Use Christmas style takeout food containers, and add a custom gift tag to your treat.  Gift a holiday platter or serving plate under a tea ring, coffee cake, or cheese roll and neatly tie it up in cellophane and a ribbon.  Use a grouping of individual treat bags to offer small portions of a variety of your homemade goodies.

Sometimes a delicious gift just has to be started.  Use Mason jars to layer the dry ingredients of a favorite or family recipe for cookies, brownies, cake, or hot cocoa and include a pretty recipe card that details how to proceed from there.  Smaller glass jars would also be fitting for spiced cider mixes, hot chocolate, or little doses of Christmas candy.  These gifts have more shelf life and can be enjoyed by the recipient even after the holidays have gone. 

Take what you’re known for when hosting in your own home, and come up with giftable varieties to share.  If your cheese ball is in high demand at party time, make smaller versions to give with cute baggies of crackers.  If your famous cake always delights, make cupcakes to offer in a commercial cupcake box or plastic container the way a bakery would sell a half dozen or dozen.   

It is more than the thought that counts when the gift is homemade with love and Christmas cheer.  And the end result, sweet or savory, will be the perfect exchange between friends this holiday season.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 14th.

Instant Centerpiece Ideas

Without having to totally stock up on all new elaborate or pre-made pieces from a craft or décor store, you can have a wow-worthy centerpiece for your Christmas dining table with some simple elements that come together in an instant centerpiece.

Starting with a collection of glass vases, both square and cylinder and of varying heights, is a great concept starter.  They work for any holiday or season, you build your inventory over time, and new decorations inside give the same bases a whole new look again and again.  You can arrange a neat line or a staggered pattern of glass vases down the center of the table.  If you’ll be using chargers or placemats, arrange these first, which will give you a perimeter to work within for decorating the middle of the table. 

Fitting Christmas fillers include pinecones, which can even be purchased by the inexpensive lot online from landowners up north.  You can gather spindly branches outdoors or bundle together groupings from the craft store and use them to fill vases to various heights.  Empty boxes of candy canes into vases for a tasty treat and a classic red and white pattern down your table’s center.  Use loose ornaments not added to the tree in stacks for a colorful, shiny display. 

Instead of a garland running down the center, cut or pull apart the individual stems from a faux garland and use them as vase filler.  If you’re quite the baker, mix seasonal cookie cutters, spatulas, and whisks in vases for a blend of metal and wood with pops of color.  As the holiday cards roll in, fit the best photos and designs to the inside of cylinder vases and add a battery operated candle to each center for a lighted display over dinner.  The same concept can be repeated with strips of wrapping paper and gift wrap ribbon.  Take some of those small boxes you keep just in case and wrap them up like Christmas gifts.  Ring, watch, pen, and other jewelry boxes make great sizes to stack and stagger. 

For a more perishable, shorter-term, but oh-so-cute vase filler, use gum drops to fill short vases or add a layer as a base for a pillar candle in taller vases.  For a holiday party or dinner, turn your centerpiece into your appetizer or dessert display, filling vases and trays with sweet treat mixes that use cereal, chocolate bark pieces with nuts or pretzel bits mixed in, fudge squares, Christmas cookies, gingerbread men, or individually wrapped popcorn balls.    

Quick and easy elements can come together to keep your table in style this Christmas season with creative touches and instant charm.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 7th.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

What a holiday weekend!  By now, the guests have gone, along with the leftovers, and you’re wilting into an easy chair like Steve Martin at the end of “Father of the Bride,” surveying the post-Thanksgiving scenery.  Now if you have my family tradition, Friday was not about shopping; it was about decorating for Christmas.  I love making that fast turnaround from one major holiday to the next, like bidding fall a farewell and welcoming in winter.  But if you need a little inspiration before venturing into the attic for your décor, here are some popular themes that will be gracing Christmas trees and tables this year that may prompt you to do a little revamping with your current inventory.

Bright colors are again a hot pick, grouping any combination of hot pink, turquoise, purple, lime green, and a shiny metallic like silver or a matte gun metal gray.  Straying from the traditional, bright shades add whimsy to your winter wonderland and a youthful spirit without being kids-only.

Monochromatic is another popular way to go, choosing one color and carrying it throughout in ornaments and ribbon and maybe even gift wrapping.  This is also great when you choose a shade of decorations you currently own, add to it with new pieces, and simply store your other colors for another year.

Two-tone adds one more layer to a monochromatic look for a double whammy.  Red and green, red and gold, red and lime, red and robin’s egg blue, purple and peacock, peacock and lime, and two contrasting shades of one color all make for contemporary, eye-catching tree and table displays.  This can also play into what you already have by selecting two shades, beefing up your inventory, and keeping the rest in storage.

Metallics, either all golds or all silvers or a mix of both, plus tones of bronze, champagne, gun metal, and ivory all come together for dressy, upscale Christmas trees perfect for a fancy New Year’s Eve party right along with an all-pajama Christmas morning.  For metallic table décor, you can play up your nice cake stands for height and feature fancier chargers, dishes, and napkin rings to carry out the theme.

White can be a standout all on its own when featured as a solo shade.  Clean and crisp, it adds wintery life to a tree framed in warm lights.  This can be carried easily onto your dining table with simple candlesticks, white dishes, and modern ceramic serveware.       

However you choose to dress your tree, make it something you “flock” to when the day winds down and you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful focal point in all its splendor.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 30th.

    

A Very Happy Thanksgiving from the Stensengs . . .

All About Thanksgiving: It's Turkey Time

The final countdown!  We’re arrived at Thanksgiving week, and the preparations are really in high gear now.  To stay on top of your host home to-do list, here are some suggestions:

1) Map out your week, planning the preparatory steps for each day.  Make notes.  Make lists.  Mark up your planner, a notepad, or your phone’s calendar chart.  Decide what you need to accomplish from Sunday to Thursday, broken down and divided, to ensure the turkey sees the table right on time.    

2) Clean out before buying your groceries.  A crumbly bag of stale chips? An expired tub of sour cream?  A freezer-burned, unidentifiable piece of what could be . . . meat?  Don’t let food items in your fridge, freezer, and pantry that will never meet a mouth again take up your storage space and cram the good stuff wherever it will fit.  Do a clean out, looking at dates and for practical usability, so when the good holiday groceries come home, they’ll have welcome – and ample – space right up front.

3) Buy your groceries.  Plan for time, and don’t be in an after school or work rush, which can cause you to overlook important ingredients.  Why rush back for missed items?  Use that master list you perfected last week, give it a good look again to make sure you’ve checked all your boxes, and head home loaded down and confident you’re ready to cook.

4) Set your table in advance.  Now that you’re all decorated and ready, set the table with the plates, silverware, and glasses you will use for your feast.  It keeps them out of circulation (and the dishwasher), and it keeps this step from being a last minute throw-together.  Set aside your dessert plates, too, and any serving pieces you don’t intend to use prior to Thursday.

5) Make your oven chart.  Whether you have one or two, the timing of what goes in, what comes out when, at what temperature, and what needs to rest before serving is a delicate dance that needs a pen-to-paper approach.  Write out a well thought out plan and follow it closely.  

6) Spread out your prep work.  The whole meal need not come together Thursday morning starting in the wee hours.  Some dishes can be prepped if not baked in advanced to spread out the workload and the strain on your kitchen space and supplies.  Make pies the day before.  Compile side dishes ahead of time that are ready to heat through while the turkey rests.  Consider the use of a slow cooker or warmer.  Determine how you can stretch your workload over time to keep the prep just as enjoyable as the dining.

7) Have fun!  Enjoy this time together with family and friends.  Do your best, but remember that perfection is not the goal here; spending a wonderful, memorable Thanksgiving together is.  From our family to yours, have a very blessed, grateful, and Happy Thanksgiving!

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

       

All About Thanksgiving: This Week's Prep Plan

Just a week and a half to go before turkey day!  As you’re in full-on preparation mode, here is a checklist to help ensure you’re covering all your bases.

1) Finalize your guest list.  Hopefully by now you know who will be joining you around your table.  This contributes to your seating plan, your menu, and your supply and food quantities. Extend invitations as needed. 

2) Establish your menu.  Is this going to be a banquet meal put on by one, or is the list of dishes going to be divvied up?  Ensure everyone involved knows their specific roles.

3) Work on your grocery list.  List your dishes and their needed ingredients and quantities to make your organized master grocery list.  Decide when you’ll do your shopping, accounting for your cold, frozen, and pantry storage space. 

4) Make your turkey plan.  When you know how many you’ll be serving, you can find the right ratio to choose the weight of your turkey.  When do you plan to buy it?  Do you need to place an order with your grocery store’s meat department to ensure you’ll have what you want?  Will your turkey be spending days in the freezer prior to thawing for days in the fridge, or heading straight to the refrigerator?  These are all questions to consider if you’re in charge of the main dish.

5) Stock up on takeaway containers.  Whether you’ll be filling your own fridge with all the delicious leftovers or sending some out the door with your guests, have an appropriate supply of plastic containers or even paper boxes, clear bins, or Chinese takeout containers from a party supply store.

6) Prep your guest space.  If family will be staying with you, work ahead of time to make their stay comfortable.  Plan a sleeping arrangement, organize sheets and extra blankets and pillows, and perhaps gather the air mattress and make sure it’s in working order.  Check your stock of guest towels, and supply the guest bathroom with fresh toiletries. 

7) If you’re a Black Friday shopper, you can also get ahead of the cart-wheeling game by planning out your early morning shopping plan.  Check circulars and favorite store websites to map out a route that gets you the best deals at the best times.

Don’t put off until tomorrow (or next week!) what you can do today.  Spreading out the holiday to-do lists gives you more time to get the jobs done right the first time with less stress and little rush.

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

All About Thanksgiving: Dress Up Your Table

We’re counting down, with Thanksgiving less than 3 weeks away.  If your family will be hosting this year, you can get ahead of the holiday preparation rush by focusing on dressing up your table in advance.

As loved ones anticipate gathering around your table, give them more than a delicious meal to feast on by offering a few treats for the eyes as well.  Step 1: will you be going with a tablecloth, placemats, chargers, or a mixture?  Choose your base(s) to build upon, perhaps even getting out the iron in advance to press your linens.  If you feel some element (or fresh style) is missing from your stock at home, take advantage of any fall sales and promotions to gain some new pieces for your table spread.

Step 2: what will you be serving on?  Are your everyday plates lovely and welcome at holidays, too, or is there special China to retrieve from your storage space?  When you’re not in a big flap would be a key time to gather, count, and wash any special plates or serving pieces.  Also, is your stainless ready to go, or could the fancy silver use a good polish?  If need be, put some elbow grease into polishing your silver with convenient wipes. 

Step 3: how do you intend to jazz up your place settings?  Do you have cloth napkins and napkin rings that will be fitting with your look?  It couldn’t hurt to give those linens a good ironing as well.  Ensure you have enough matching (or alternating) pieces to set the table for your guests.  Though you may or may not have your exact guest list at this point, think about a cute place card idea if you’d like to map out your seating and arrange guests for optimal comfort and conversation.  Mini chalkboards, gift tags tied to the napkin ring or other decor, folded note cards, and glass or ceramic pieces that can handle a dry erase or chalkboard marker are all viable options to use to mark each person’s place at the table.

Step 4: what’s your space plan?  Are you likely to keep it all to the dining table, or do you need to be factoring in a kids’ table or overflow guests at a side or connected card (or longer) table?  This will need to be taken into consideration for your linens, place settings, and chairs.  If you need to plan on doing any rearranging, borrowing, or buying to make it happen, jot yourself some notes now.

Step 5: what will your centerpiece be?  If your table is currently set for fall, you’re good to go.  If you like to serve the dishes family style right from the table, you don’t need much running down the center, as platters will take their places.  If you want to add something just for the dinner, you can consider an elegant stagger of pillar and votive candles, or something simple and contemporary like a chalkboard paper runner and chalk at each place setting for during-dinner décor.

Plan ahead to make the most of your Thanksgiving feast with a table dressed just for the occasion.

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

        

A to Z of Decorative Accessories, Part 2

. . . And the list continues:

Nail head trim is an upscale touch to the outline of furniture pieces and accents alike.  Available in a variety of metallic finishes, nail head trim can take a piece from plain Jane to Jack of all trades.

Owls and other birds continue to be prominent in wall art and accent pillows, often in silhouette form.

Photos are a way for you to turn your experiences into your art.  Having photos printed as 5x7s, 8x10s, or even larger for framing, or changing the style by going with black and white or another photo finish, can turn something seemingly ordinary into something pretty extraordinary for your walls or frame-ready surfaces.

 Quotes make great wall decals that can be bought in-store or customized with an online company.  And they make fitting prints for framing, like applicable quote themes added to an entryway, laundry room, or dining area.

Rocks are a classic filler for vases, bowls, and trays.  Black river rocks and multicolored pebbles can each be a great base for what you intend to build upon them with, whether flower stems, branches, soap bars, or buffet serveware.

Silhouettes of people, animals, skylines, and household items are seen printed on pillows and in framed wall art.  They are also easy DIY projects to make, print, and frame yourself.

Trays do double duty by doing something and looking good while doing it.  Wrangle the remote controls on the coffee table, have the most used office supplies at hand, or group your morning coffee must-haves on a pretty, functional tray.

Utensils get to move beyond the kitchen drawer when they’re oversized and hanging on the kitchen wall, being clustered together in a silhouette art piece, or painted and mounted in a glass-free frame.

Vases can be made out of many things, like milk bottles, olive oil bottles, and Mason jars.  Pulling a few varieties together and spray painting them makes them a cohesive collection ready to run down the center of a tablescape. 

Wallpaper doesn’t have to remind you of the past when it’s used boldly on one accent wall or as the background for a bookcase or cubby system.  Wallpaper can also get horizontal when it lines drawers in a dresser or open shelves.

EXpressions (and we’re going to have to stretch for X) are very popular now in framed wall art.  Sayings and wording and lettering can be found in countless styles and varieties all ready to group together on a wall and really make a statement.

Yarn and knitting are cropping up wrapping around pillar candles and hooks while also cozying up the couch with cable knit throw pillows. 

Zebra print can be made more grown up when it is used on a large scale item like an area rug in muted shades like gray and blue-gray.  And it can simply be a bold statement as the original.    

And those are our decorative accessories, from A all the way to Z!

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

    

A to Z of Decorative Accessories, Part 1

Here is a laundry list of what you could be using to accessorize your home, starting with A:

Apples, both real and faux, make a nice year round filler for both bowls and clear glass vases. 

Books are great situated in staggered stacks on a shelving system or grouped by similar spine color to make a pyramid base for a decorative piece on top.

Chevron is still a go-to bold graphic print perfect for drapery panels, bedding, and throw pillows, along with framed wall art and wrap-around canvas prints.

Dishes can fan out beyond the kitchen and can turn a platter into an office tray and a serving bowl into an entryway item stash.  Also, keeping a formal dining table set with linens and plates add more dimension and lived-in staging to a less-utilized room.

End Tables are the links between larger furniture seating and can be eye-catching all on their own when they are unique pieces like drums and pedestals that house nice, organized décor collections.   

Fabrics are important layers to give rooms depth and texture while adding a warm, welcoming feeling.  Throw blankets and square and lumbar pillows give a simple couch and loveseat a cozy appeal.  And an end-of-the-bed blanket and multiple throw pillows dress up a bed and give it its snuggle factor.

Graphic prints go hand-in-hand with those fabrics, as well as with wall art.  Stripes, herringbone, quatrefoil, and scalloped patterns are popular prints for rugs, comforters, window panels, pillows, and framed prints for hanging.

Hostess elements add a welcoming tone to the home.  Luxurious hand soaps, rich candle fragrances, stacks of appetizer plates, monogrammed coasters, and fresh flowers all speak volumes about inviting you in to stop and stay awhile.

Inspiration is also a key thing to use when decorating.  What we see in magazines, online, on store shelves, and in the homes of others can inspire us to create newness and change in our own spaces.  It can be the simplest ideas that spark creativity in our craftiness.

Jars remain popular to serve drinks out of, anchor a hand bouquet of flowers, serve individual portions of cold salads or pudding, and hold pens, pencils, markers, and scissors in an office space.  Form and function meet in laidback glass jars.          

Keys, the oversized antique and scroll kind, are seen in framed prints, wall collages, and as added elements to a grouping on a coffee or foyer table.

Lamps add lighting in just the right spots and anchor end and sofa tables.  They can help convey a room’s theme, whether fun and funky or upscale and classic.

Mirrors are a staple of wall space, as they incorporate light and reflection and can open up a narrow area or room.  Large portrait mirrors and collections of smaller pieces both work well.

. . . And you will see the second half of the alphabet next Sunday!     

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 26th.

         

Fall Themed Parties

The fall season is a time of year that we love to get together.  Whether you’re the known hostess in the group or you’re new to looking for ideas to get a gathering started, kicking a party off with a fitting theme is a great place to start.

“Fall in Love” can be a theme on its own that you can take in multiple directions.  It would make a cute heading on an invitation for a dinner party for couples.  Or if you have some singles in your circle, you could play matchmaker and host a mixer to generate some first meetings.  Or it could simply be a nod to your love of the season when you center a party around what you love most about fall. 

Tailgating indoors or out falls right in line with all the football games currently entertaining fans.  Invite your chosen spectators to feast on game day favorites like chili, layered dip and chips, wings, and brownies while you’re all gathered around the big screen.  Keep it simple with paper goods and iced drinks and forgo the formality for tailgating fun.

A Harvest Day theme could include a hosted meal of seasonal staples that focus on fresh fare dishes like corn, varieties of squash, baked bread, and other garden goodies.  Or it could be an organized potluck that brings friends together to share their signature casseroles, veggies, and main dishes.  

A Campfire themed party can bring a little summer into the fall when you roast marshmallows over a backyard fire pit alongside a tray of graham crackers and chocolate bars for s’mores.  Roast some hotdogs, and serve popcorn in slim paper bags with glass bottled sodas.  Get the conversation headed in the direction of fireside stories, with maybe even a little scariness after dark.

Invite guests to an Autumn Apples dessert party and get them involved when they dip their own candy or caramel apples and add extra taste and texture with nuts, sprinkles, or a chocolate drizzle.  You could serve apple pie with ice cream or apples and toffee dip.  Serve hot apple cider in small cored out apples with cinnamon sticks for garnish. 

 Use a fun theme as a good excuse to invite friends and family over and spend some time together this season before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season warms up.  Whether it’s around the table, the fire, or the TV, time with good company is time well spent.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 19th.

Scents of the Season

I love the sound of “breathing in the crisp fall air,” but I get that we don’t really have the opportunity to actually do it.  I choose to block out the hot air of our great outdoors and create my own fall atmosphere inside.  All I need is good scents. 

One great way to add some fall essence to your space is by burning scented candles.  I love the small Mason jar candles and three wick glass jar candles that come in a lengthy list of delicious fragrances like “Pumpkin Caramel Latte,” “Sea Salt & Maple Popcorn,” and “Pumpkin Pecan Waffles.”  Lighting one of these might help you skip dessert, they’re so sweet.  There are also many varieties that focus on leaves, woods, apples, cinnamon, and other crisp options.  Candles are long lasting and create scents that waft from the original room, really offering a treat for the senses. 

Wall plug-ins are another way to diffuse fall fragrances in your home.  They can be found in many different varieties and offer discrete scent dispersal from any outlet.  Oil burners offer a similar service and come in both plug-in and tealight candle options.  You fill the top portion with scented oil or a wax disc or square that melts and burns with the heat of a light bulb or small flame.  The aroma can cover quite a lot of square footage, really maximizing your scent distribution.

Room sprays are a hands-on way to add a quick spritz of seasonal scent to the air.  Keep a bottle in a drawer near your front entryway or under the kitchen sink for a fast mist when you’re expecting company or before you serve dinner.  Potpourri is a classic, and today it gets a bit of a modern twist when dried naturals, shells, nuts, and wooden pieces are combined in scented sets that can be poured into a decorative bowl and put on display.  When the strength of the scent dissipates, you can pour the set into a plastic storage bag, spray with a seasonal room spray, quickly zip it closed, and shake vigorously to add a fresh coating.  Add it back to your bowl, and it’s like brand new potpourri again.

I’m also a fan of updating all the soaps around the house for each season.  I stock up on hand soaps for the kitchen and each bathroom sink, as well as new shower gel in a few fall varieties.  Each time you turn on a faucet, you get a little dose of good-smelling yumminess.              

That fall feel doesn’t have to originate outside; it can be created indoors with sweet aromas and spicy sprays that envelop you in the scents of the season.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 12th.

20 Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

October is here, and pumpkins are the name of the decorating game this month.  Want to get creative with your design this year?  Here are 20 ways to decorate a pumpkin!

It might be hard to knock paint off the top of my pretty-pumpkin list.  Annually, I do love to wrap a pumpkin in strips of painters’ tape and spray paint the exposed areas for countless print and pattern options.  Cover a pumpkin in chalkboard paint for a design that can be changed with a swipe of a damp cloth.  These real pumpkins make great front door or table centerpiece displays.  For a more whole-family friendly version, cover the kitchen table in newsprint and let the kids paint with finger paints to create unique little works of art.  

Want less mess?  Opt for strips of ribbon.   Stripes, a chevron pattern, and a herringbone pattern can all be neatly achieved with sections of ribbon cut and held in place with thumb tacks.  For a designer accent look, just use the thumb tacks to create a design or outline the curves the way nailhead trim accentuates furniture pieces.  Use craft glue and a stash of buttons, beads, sequins, or gems to spell out a pumpkin message or create a festive design.  Use of mix of school glue and water to create a glue wash, coat a pumpkin while over the sink, and cover it with glitter or confetti while it is wet.   Your end result will be a sparkly finished product. 

Pumpkin carving is given a modern twist when a pumpkin center is cored out, and the carving gets crafty.  Drill uniform holes to resemble a Broadway light bulb message, and light the inside with a battery operated candle illuminate your lettering.  Remove the insides of a few mini pumpkins and use them as small succulent planters.

Other no-carve options include affixing house numbers to a pumpkin with their hardware for a front porch display.  Wrap a message or a series of words or names around using scrapbooking or mailbox-style letter stickers.  I’ve seen pumpkins playing dress-up, with felt shapes creating the look of masks, wings, or spider legs.  Make faces using stick-on googly eyes.  Have a run in a pair of textured tights?  Squeeze a pumpkin in a foot, pull it tight around, and cut and tie off at the top for a sheer patterned look.     

This is just the stem of the pumpkin when it comes to all the ways you can get creative and crafty to decorate the seasonal staple that is pumpkin décor! What will you design? 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 5th.

                      

Get Your Snuggle On

September 22^nd was the official start of autumn and the day my fall decorations hit the dining table.  (Thank you, Hubby, for getting into the attic for those.)  Down south, you can’t wait for a change in the leaves or the temperature to kick start the next season.  Me?  I’m ready to get my snuggle on.

Some of the simplest, cozy-creating changes you can make around your home revolve around fabrics.  In the living room, you can add cable knit, velvet, and wool throw pillows to your sofa and chairs for added seasonal texture and cuddle-worthy accents.  Drape a yarn, wool, acrylic, or chenille throw blanket over the arm of the couch or across the seat and over the back of a side chair.  The same goes for the bedrooms; switch out the accent pillows and blanket at the foot of the bed while keeping the stay-cool sheets for a new look and snuggle-up feel.  In the kitchen, let tea towels in fun prints and fall colors do double duty by being your working kitchen towels and display linens over the edge of the sink or dishwasher handle.  In a guest bathroom, you don’t need a whole new set of towels for an update; just switch out your everyday hand towel for one in an autumn palette and match it with a new display bath towel over the towel bar.  Easy as pumpkin pie.

If this is one time of year you really dress up and set the table, pull out linens that match the feel you’re going for in your placemats, napkins, and table runner.  Textured and embellished with beading, buttons, or other accents, they can add to your inviting look.  If you use chargers, consider trading out the slick finishes for a warm burlap look that offers a nice, neutral base for your dinner plates and cloth napkins. 

If you have some sewing craftiness about you, you can switch out a room’s drapery panels for a few months and have a totally custom look without the store-bought investment.  I highly recommend the use of ring clips (also called clip rings) that slide on a drapery rod and have a pincher clip that holds fabric securely.  With that set-up as your hardware, you can change fabric out literally with a pinch.  Take fabric by the yard in a print or pattern that suits you for the season, measure twice and cut once, hem the edge, and hang it up.  You have exhaustive selections in craft and linen stores and online at places like Fabric.com.  You can pick a panel for every season and carry your theme from the floor to the ceiling, as I do love ceiling height drapes and their stylish effect.

If you enjoy creating that fall-ready feel at home, find ways to cozy up to your home and wrap it in warmth to get your snuggle on.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 28th.

The Hostess Tool Bag

What do we need in order to host with the best laid plans and top shelf execution so guests walk away feeling like they’ve just attended a gathering worth getting together for?  Let’s peek in a hostess tool bag to learn some tricks of the trade . . .

A Plan – Every good hostess starts with a good plan.  An event, a theme, a date shared with plenty of notice, lists of to-dos and to-buys, and a timeline to get it all accomplished are all things a hostess incorporates into her master plan. 

An Invitation – Some are formal, some are casual; some arrive with a stamp, and some arrive in an inbox.  However it’s shared, a good hostess makes a point to extend an invitation so guests are welcomed and prepared for what they can expect.

New Menu Items – The old favorites are still delicious, but working new menu items into her spread is a token move to try new things and share what she’s deemed great enough to repeat.  That’s often how new recipes start making the rounds.

The Right Tools – If a recipe calls for a steamer basket or a roasting pan, a candy thermometer or a springform, she’s got it.  If it’s worth making, it’s worth making right.  To keep things efficient in the kitchen, having things on hand like multiple sets of measuring cups and good quality silicone spatulas and spoons is no surprise.

 Fitting Serveware – We all know the iconic image of the turkey being served on that big platter to a table filled with enthusiastic recipients.  A hostess worth her weight in salt will also have serveware on hand that fits her menu.  That could include anything along the lines of mini appetizer plates, tiny spoons and forks for a selection of small bites, little dishes for sides of ketchup or ranch like you’d get in a restaurant, good tongs or pie servers, or theme items like popcorn boxes or cupcake containers.

The Goods – We’re talking about the paper goods, that is.  When the setting is right, you’ll find a stack of paper or plastic plates that go with the theme, and dinner and cocktail napkins ready for pick-up on the serving line.  These are easy items to stock up on in colors, prints, and patterns you like that will come in handy for a future shindig. 

Sounds and Scents – Nothing helps set the mood for a party like the tunes and the smell of what’s cookin’.  The perfect party playlist or tuning in to the right music channel on TV can be a nice background for the conversations taking place.  And letting the oven and stovetop do the talking for what’s on the menu, or creating her own scent environment by baking some vanilla in a pan can call them to the kitchen.  Lighting scented candles that are available for any season and feel can do wonders for creating that welcoming environment from the moment the doorbell rings.

The Personal Touches – Every hostess has her own style, and that is usually evident in the little personal touches guests find.  Custom place cards, flavored syrups for drinks or coffee, the garnish on serving pieces or drink rims, little signs spread throughout a buffet line, handmade favors to-go, or countless other special extras all add up to a hostess who wants you to know you’re not only invited, you’re welcome to enjoy the fruits of her labor and the tricks in her tool bag.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 21st.        

Be In the Know for What's Trending Now

What’s “in” and being seen more and more in home décor magazines and television shows, on store shelves, and in Pinterest boards?  Let’s make sure we’re all in the know . . .

Metallics are gaining in popularity for wall art centered on shiny lettering and sayings.  They’re stacking up on couches with formal and embellished throw pillows that go beyond linens and other fabrics.  Figurines and vases are branching out beyond glass and taking on a more showy appearance as well.  Mirrors and frames are also being encircled with metallic finishes as an alternative to wooded and painted surfaces. 

Yarn is becoming hip again, with decorations, shapely vases, and wall hooks being wrapped tightly in both monochromatic and varying shades.  Wall lettering and monograms can be found wrapped in yarn to create a textured surface and unique design.  Front door wreaths are being wrapped in yarn and embellished with seasonal décor for a welcoming entrance. 

Vintage lighting is very popular, shining down on kitchen counters and over dining tables with Edison style bulbs on display within minimal or metal light fixtures in industrial styles.  Lampshades are taking a back seat to glowing light bulbs that like to see and be seen.

Naturals – both colors and materials – continue to create soothing, upscale palettes for homes.  Paint colors paired with fabrics, rugs, and furniture in muted tones blend nicely together and offer a symbiotic backdrop whether you want to add in pops of color or not.  Additionally, wood finishes that look more natural without all the additional staining are fitting for tables and chairs, candelabras and pillar candle holders, serving trays and bowls, small side tables and ottomans, and other decorative accents. 

Wording is proving itself to be stand-alone décor.  Single monograms, kids’ names, and family names in wall lettering and signs have been popular for some time.  Turning labeling into home décor and using words and sayings for both wall art and wall decals is more current and is certainly trending.  For framed wall decorations, you may just find as many with wording as you do with pictures and graphics alone when scanning the aisles of a home décor store. 

We may not be filling our homes constantly with what’s happening right now, but it’s nice to know the trends when we want a little something new or something special for gift giving.  And who doesn’t like to be in the know when it comes to what’s trending now?  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 14th.

    

Seasonal Start-up

Labor Day has come and gone, and we move ahead with thoughts of fall in the foreground.  This is my favorite season, the gateway to the holidays, and I like to enjoy it in ways that northern dwellers do.  We may not have the vast temperature dips or the same changing of the leaves, but I embrace fall nonetheless.  And here is how you can be getting ready. . .

This is a great transitional time for home projects with school in session, regular routines in the rotation, and potential holiday company in the months to come.  If you have a project in mind, now could be the right time to get the ball rolling in time to roll out the welcome mat for more family in late November.  Are you looking to install some new lighting fixtures or flooring?  Change out an element in your home like a backsplash, countertop, or sink?  Paint a room, or a few?  Find the right subcontractor (or your own DIY skills) for the job, and hit the local home improvement store.

If you like to add fall decorations in your usual mix, capitalize on the store shelves and catalogs that currently display what’s new and available.  If you’re ordering something, give it time to arrive before you intent to set your fall table or hang new seasonal wreaths on the front door.  One popular printed pumpkin I ordered won’t be shipping until early October, but at least I’ve secured one.  Now is also a great time to start stocking up on wonderful fall scents in themed candles, room sprays, and hand soaps so they’ll be on hand when a cooler breeze is more prevalent than a heat wave. 

For those who love to shop end-of-season sales, you have plenty of options to choose from as stores make way for new fall merchandise.  Think ahead to guest room updates you’ll enjoy providing months from now and nab some bargains in bedding, towels, or bathroom rugs.  Would you like to see some new pieces hanging in the dining room before your next feast?  Peruse racks of wall art for some additions at a steal.  Prior to holiday baking, could you use some new dish towels, pot holders, or silicone tools?  It can be little changes that make for festive finds. 

September is a fitting time to look up new fall weather recipes, dust off the slow cooker, learn how to cook a butternut squash, ask Mom for that great stew recipe, and find a new cider mix that hopefully sips as great as it smells.  You can also be testing seasonal side dish options that could be worthy of the next potluck dinner or family gathering. 

As you put away the things of summer and begin to prepare for the changes of fall, plan to welcome it with a warm and inviting seasonal start-up.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 7th.