You Can't Go Wrong With . . .

Some of you early birds are scratching gift purchases off your Christmas list left and right, and some will wait a little closer to the 25^th of December.  But we all find ourselves in the same boat at one point or another: what to get for the special people in our lives.  Everyone has different tastes, and our knowledge of our gift recipients’ likes varies.  It’s nice to have a go-to list of things that can express our joy of sharing during the holiday season without feeling like the gift you give will go unused.  Here is one such classic list, just short, simple, and sweet:

White Dishes – Timeless, easy, and beautiful on any table, white dishes are a staple for the dining table.  Whether they are for your mom, aunt, or the hostess in your circle of friends, white dishes are pretty fool-proof in the gift giving department.  Dinner plates, salad plates, cereal bowls, small appetizer plates, and serving platters and bowls can be used for any number of occasions right along with everyday meals.  Wrap them up, and watch her mouth water when it’s present opening time.

Framed Mirrors – Picking out wall art for someone else may lead you to a hit or a miss.  Go with that concept without the specifics of selecting a design.  Choose a medium size or a few smaller framed mirrors to gift instead.  Stick to a classic frame in a metallic, wood, or neutral painted finish.  Let your recipients reflect their own décor style back at them in the shiny surfaces.

Serving Trays – Clear acrylic or melamine rectangles, as well as stainless steel rounds, make great materials for a pretty serving tray.  They may accent someone’s bar area for glasses, foyer table for mail, coffee table for magazines, or holiday buffet for appetizers, and they are impartial enough to mix with any number of personal styles. 

Glass – Your sister may love a new vase for her centerpiece, the socialite in your group may appreciate a set of champagne flutes, or grandma may enjoy an aromatic candle in a glass cylinder.  Glass is another timeless material that comes in a countless array of forms and makes a gift you can tailor multiple ways to personalize for any nametag under your tree.

Gift Cards – Impersonal?  I say no.  You’re giving the gift of selection, and that can be made incredibly personal by the card you choose.  Give a gift card to a store we don’t have locally to give someone something special with more variety and an opportunity to shop online or while on a trip.  Or give a credit card gift card, essentially a pre-paid debit card, that could be used at any store that accepts that kind of plastic.  You can tailor your choice – a book store card to the reader, a kitchen store card to the cook, a coffee gift card to the latte sipper – or you can offer up a general opportunity to shop-and-swipe.

Put a little thought into how you can turn gifts that could fit just about anyone into presents that both excite when they’re opened and get put to great use because they’re loved.  Aren’t you a smart Santa?        

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 10th.

  

Fall-Ready Weekday Lunches

Whether you’re weeks into the school year and getting repetitive with lunchbox content, brown bagging the same old meals to work, or wanting to shake up your plate at home, look into simply doable recipes online for these fall-ready weekday lunches.

Capitalize on seasonal produce at your local grocery store to set this season’s midday meals apart.  Veggies like eggplant, butternut squash, asparagus, zucchini, and sweet potatoes make great side dishes and soups.  Both eggplant and sweet potatoes can be sliced into French fry strips, dipped in flour then egg then grated parmesan cheese, and baked in the oven on a rack on a half sheet pan until crispy.  Mix mayo with roasted garlic for a delicious dipping sauce, and you have a healthier alternative to the typical fries.  Roast any of these vegetables with some onion until brown and softened, blend them with seasonings, a little olive oil, plain yogurt, and chicken stock until smooth, and heat through for a rich and filling soup.    

A sandwich is a sandwich . . . unless you make it more!  Trade in typical bread slices for ciabatta rolls instead.  Spread some of that garlic mayo or pesto sauce in lieu of the usual condiments.  Switch roasted turkey breast for ham.  Dress up your cheese choice with some Asiago or Romano in place of sandwich ready slices.  For a wrap with substance, use a wheat or spinach tortilla, and fill it with the browned meat of your choice or layers of roasted veggies.  Pile on some shredded coleslaw mixed in oil and vinegar, and top it off with sliced grape tomatoes, cilantro, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.       

For a tangy salad at home, mix olive oil and lemon juice in a mixing bowl with salt and pepper and thinly sliced purple onion.  Dice avocado and add in, topped with a pile of torn pieces of your favorite lettuce or greens.  (I love butter lettuce!)  Toss it all together to fully coat, and enjoy with some brown rice crackers. 

To take your typical tomato sauce up a seasonal notch, add roasted vegetables like squash and zucchini into the saucepan with your canned sauce and blend with an immersion blender until smooth, or put it all into a blender or Cuisinart to smooth before heating in a saucepan.  Dollop the hearty sauce onto spaghetti or penne, making each an easy to-go main dish.  To switch up your pasta, try “veggie pasta,” which really does taste good, or even bake a spaghetti squash and use the stringy insides in place of noodles.

Branch out and try new things.  Be willing to pick up new produce and explore new recipes to find fresh ways to satisfy your taste buds at lunchtime.     

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 3rd.

    

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.

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.

    

Create a Little Ambience

Enlist your senses to help you create a little ambiance in your home, whether it’s the dinner table you sit down to, the couch you snuggle up on, or the bedroom you retire to at night.  Set the scene for peace, relaxation, and a warm feeling of home amid hectic schedules and jam-packed days.

Sight is a strong element in an ambiance of calm and comfort.  Candlelight is a given for creating a mood of both soothing relaxation and playful romance.  Lighting some taper candles may seem a little formal for the everyday, so find some three wick candles in glass cylinder jars in colors and fragrances you like.  One lit in the middle of the breakfast nook table for a weeknight dinner or on the coffee table while you watch TV in the evenings adds a pleasant scent and a nice glow.  Additionally, installing dimmers on often used light switches can give you the flexibility to have both bright and low lighting in the same area.  I love dimmers for the lighting fixtures over the dinner table, in under-cabinet mount lighting, and over bathroom vanities. 

Smell is also a key ingredient to generate the atmosphere you desire.  Just like a batch of warm cookies baking can enliven a kitchen, great scents are both welcoming and warming.  Alongside a hot bath, soothing candle fragrances like vanilla, lavender, and honey set the sudsy mood.  Many candles, room sprays, and oil diffusers come in scents that resemble perfumes and colognes that add a clean, high end touch to any room and make for a great addition to an entryway.  To wake up the senses, consider fragrances like peppermint, apple, and lemon.  To raise the bar on your nightly turndown service, mist your bedding with sleepy scents made for linens.  I even found an amazing French bread scented candle l like to accompany Italian dinners at home; it makes the kitchen smell like the crusty bread was baked right there.  Seasonal fragrances of candles, burning oils, and room sprays are perfect in the fall and winter, making any room smell like apple pie, cinnamon, fall leaves, pine, gingerbread, or your favorite holiday version.    

Sound sets the tone for the vibe you want to create in any setting.  The background music you play can swing any direction, from classic to jazz to instrumental to dance.  CDs, iPod playlists, and radio stations on your TV are all easy accompaniments, whether you’re having people over for dinner, are cooking in the kitchen, doing household chores, or relaxing on the back porch.  I love the soundtracks set to many movies and figure why can’t we have “a soundtrack to our lives” for both special occasions and the everyday moments?     

Whether you’re invigorating an evening gathering, settling in for a relaxing night at home, or somewhere in between, let sight, smell, and sound help you produce the ambiance you know will be just right each and every time.  

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 25th.

Do-It-In-a-Weekend Projects

For those with kids at home, time is about to feel more structured with busy weeks and calendar squares full of jotted notes about each day’s to-dos.  But as we transition into the fall, a hectic schedule won’t keep you from wanting to work on projects around the home just as carefree as you could during the long summer days.  The key is knowing how to pull it off, and that can be accomplished if you spread them over a few weekends.

Make a want-to-do list with a whole season to finish them all in mind.  This will take the pressure off to hurry up and allow you to enjoy little home upgrades.  Consider what you would like to have done before the holidays versus what could wait for after.  Spread your list out over the weekends to come, making notes in your planner for shopping for supplies and blocking off some DIY time. 

What are some good weekend home projects?  Here’s a list to look over:

1)  Upgrade the front door.  Enhance the backdrop for your future display of pumpkins with a new coat of paint in a look-at-me color on the door, spruce up the door jam with a fresh coat, add a pretty welcome mat, install new house numbers in a visible spot, and add some seasonal potted plants to soften the entry.

2)  Rework your entryway.  Make sure where you enter is not a dumping ground for backpacks, shoes, sports equipment, and jackets (one can hope).  Consider installing a wall unit with cubbies or locker-style openings to organize those items always going in and out.  Boot trays, hooks, an umbrella bin (again, one can hope), and a place to sit for shoes all come in handy when added to your system.

3)  Paint a room.  If you can stand to have all the furniture pushed to the center of a room for a day or so, you can change the whole look of a room with a couple of gallons of paint and a roller.

4)  Organize the bathroom cabinets.  When speedy, overlapping morning routines are showing your bathroom organization’s weaknesses, change that by taking the time to organize the cabinets, drawers, and shelves.  Throw out old and unused products, streamline each person’s products in separate drawers or bins, and make sure your stored towels are easy access, right along with cleaning products and extra essentials.

5)  Mark something you skipped off the spring cleaning list.  Didn’t get it all scratched off on your lofty spring cleaning list?  No problem.  But you don’t have to wait for March to roll around again.  Take your pick – clean all the ceiling fans, wash all the household blankets, shampoo the rugs, vacuum the drapes with the cleaning attachments, or so forth.  Dirt, be gone.

6)  Detail the car.  You can do it – pull out the bucket, sponge, and hose, and roll that vacuum cleaner right to the nearest outlet.  Give the family vehicle a good washing outside, a good vacuum and wipe down inside, and add a new scent.  You’re likely spending a lot of time in that car.  Do it cleanly.

7)  Makeover an item.  A pint of paint, some contact paper, a can of spray paint, a few yards of fabric, and other crafty accessories can totally makeover a bookcase, end table, bench, cabinet, or chair.  Give an existing piece a new look in the next season.

Your own list could entail home projects all your own for a few months that can make a big difference, one little weekend project at a time.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 18th.

            

Custom and Crafty

You can get just about anything these days customized, personalized, and completely fit for your style and desired look when you delve into online shops.  They go beyond the big box stores and department stores to offer products you can handpick from creative designers who are both operating their own storefronts somewhere as well as those working out of their homes.  If you have something less mainstream in mind, just see what all you can find online.

Websites like Etsy.com provide an online marketplace for custom shopping.  From home décor to clothing to jewelry to wedding accessories, designers are selling products in their online Etsy shops they are making themselves.  You can search by any number of things, from item type to colors and styles and pull up pages and pages of goods to choose from. 

Etsy designers are great sources for sewing projects, especially if you are not crafty at that skill yourself.  Can’t find throw pillows in a store to suit your fancy?  Someone is sewing them somewhere, and they will ship you what you want right to your door.  Want to give a baby shower gift personalized for the recipient’s nursery style?  You can find outfits not sold in stores as well as wall art you haven’t seen before.  Working on a wedding, shower, or other big event?  You can find neat products and work with the designer through email to custom design the item you want.  The purses I gave to my bridesmaids to carry down the aisle came from an Etsy designer, and I selected all of the components.  The beaded sash I wore on my wedding day was handmade by an Etsy designer, and the vintage buttons added to part of my wardrobe came from an Etsy shop all the way from Ireland.

Zazzle.com is my source for all things of the paper goods variety and more.  Invitations, stamps, stationery, and a slew of other products like t-shirts, mugs, office supplies, canvas art, pillows, and so forth can be customized and bought without leaving your home.  Again, there are a ton of products in the galleries to choose from and customize if you like, or you can start from scratch using Zazzle’s easy software and work on your own designs to both buy and sell.  I create invitations and custom stamp designs in Publisher and then upload my finished products into my gallery or order for both personal and professional use.  For your next shower or party, you have options you can fully personalize for a look that’s all your own from what you mail out to what guests see when they arrive, all without struggling with printing on your own.

It’s fun to shop in person, we all know that.  But it’s also a real treat to find something new, different, and even something you had a hand in designing without ever leaving your computer.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 11th.

Sharpen Those Pencils

Summer has flown by, and the school bells will be ringing again right around the corner.  As you soak up what remains of this sultry season, finish it off in style while looking to and preparing for the months ahead.

If your family took any trips since May that now have your camera’s memory card chalk full, take the time now to turn those images into memories well kept.  It’s a good idea to transfer the files from the camera to the computer, and then on to a backup system like an external hard drive. The more often you do this, the less likely you are to lose your photos due to camera loss or a computer crash. 

Plus, while the details are fresher in your mind, work on a photo book now using online book making software to have a professional book of your vacation or summer memories printed.  I know the difference between a book I work on shortly after the images were taken versus a book I try to pull together much later, and the difference is in the details: captions, dates, and a storyline come to you much more easily the sooner you get to it.

As school supplies are topping the shopping list, add a few more items that can take you to the front of the class.  Now is a good time to plan for another year of school keepsakes by buying file boxes, project cases, or archive boxes to hold artwork, papers, and awards.  Utilize the sales on back-to-school supplies to restock your home office with the essentials.  And if you are really on the ball, buy additional school supply type items to hold for church donation projects at Christmas time.

Look into plastic storage containers for summer gear to keep your garage shelves or attic space tidier as you eventually put away pool and other outdoor toys.  Consider items you might need to get or replace to transition into the school year setting more easily, like a gentle alarm clock, study desk lamp, new printer ink, or a family wall calendar or organizer pin board.

The staples of each cycling season come and come again, and it’s always nice to be prepared as well as excited by the renewal.  It makes me think of a movie line I have always loved, spoken by Tom Hanks’ character, Joe Fox, in “You’ve Got Mail” – “Don’t you love New York in the fall?  It makes me wanna’ buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”   

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 4th.