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.

A Royal Residence

In honor of the new addition to the Royal Family across the pond, let’s give a stately nod to some regal touches to add to make our own castles feel a little more majestic.  No jeweled crown is required to put an imperial spin on the space we live in.

When you think high-class, you can easily think high-end.  But there are plenty of options short of the lofty price tags.  Take classic furniture pieces with European roots like armchairs, buffets, armoires, and bureaus, which can all be found in second hand stores and other options other than retail outlets. You can take the “good bones” of old pieces, as they say, and give them a makeover to the extent you desire.  Sanding, painting or staining, recovering, and reupholstering can all go a long way to giving an older piece new life with real appeal.

If the proof is in the pudding, then the design is in the details.  Decorative accents can go a long way to giving an individual piece or an entire room a look and feel of quality and upscale style.  Think button tufts, nailhead trim, turned wood furniture legs, rolled arms, extensive carvings, and other dressy finishes.  Playing up these accents and clustering decorative furniture together can provide a more pronounced impression for the grouping.

Up the ante with more formal decorative pieces in little touches throughout your home.  Hang a Venetian style mirror over a foyer table or dining room buffet in place of more casual canvas art.  Use a polished tray to hold remotes, magazines, candles, or coasters on a coffee table in lieu of a woven basket.  Display China pieces or pretty ceramics in open or glass kitchen cabinetry or shelving.  Embrace more decorative finishes over contemporary clean lines.    

You also cannot go wrong with the more stereotypical approach in your decorations if that suits your space.  A chandelier style lighting fixture over your dining table is automatically going to give the room a more formal feel.  A portrait mirror with a decorative metallic trim is going to look more elegant that a wood framed one of the same size.  Forego a drum shade for a scallop, bell, or empire shape for your lamp instead.  Accent pillows with silhouette prints like candelabras, chandeliers, and crowns are all cheeky show pieces that state you enjoy a little grandeur.

You may not sip tea with your pinky up in the air, but if stately style suits you, show it off with luxury and lavishness fit for the palace you call your place of residence.      

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

     

What Lies Beneath

Flooring is a big design choice for your home. It literally covers a lot of ground and makes quite the visual impact.  If you moved into a home with someone else’s design selections in place, you may be wishing for a change.  With some budgeting and some creativity, you can make it happen.

Hardwood flooring comes at a high price, but wood laminate flooring can provide you with a similar look and texture for less.  Laminate works well for any room of the house, but if you would love the look and want to really keep the cost down, consider smaller areas only like bathrooms, walk-in closets, and hallways. 

If you have tile or laminate in a large space like the living room but would like to create a cozy and inviting, anchored seating area, you have an option beyond an area rug.  I love rugs, but with their set dimensions, you can feel limited on size and shapes.  Just recently, I ventured into carpet floor tiles to replace a rug in our high traffic laundry room and garage entry.  You can buy individual carpet tiles online you attach to each other with peel-and-stick adhesion.  Because the carpet tiles can be cut to fit wall-to-wall, you can cover less desirable hard flooring with a style you handpick.  Or you can create a custom size area rug or hallway runner that fits perfectly amid your seating areas, furniture groupings, and walkways.  You have the option to blend individual pieces, offered in a variety of solids, stripes, gradients, and graphic prints, to create a custom design.

Another flooring technique we will be seeing more of, as it has certainly hit others areas already, is seeing flooring material being carried right up the wall. Using subway style tiling and wood pieces as a wall finish in bathrooms and kitchens in particular is a popular technique on home design television.

With a fresh take on what lies beneath, you might just kiss the ground you walk on.             

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

             

Beat the Heat: Summer's Indoor Projects

We know it’s going to be another scorcher out there.  Amid the climbing temperatures, stifling humidity, and scorching sun, looking for things to do indoors sounds like a pretty good plan.  If a few random projects could make your summer more productive, try these on for size:

Organize a Closet – Yes, I started with a biggie, but turning boredom into bustling results could be well worth it.  Try on clothes for fit, make piles to donate or sell, hang your clothing up by color, give your folded laundry and shoes new order, and arrange accessories to be easily seen and retrieved.  A pretty closet can be a thing of real beauty. 

Sort Your Stacks – Go through DVDs, CDs, and books, arranging your keepers by category - or alphabetical order if you’re feeling scholastic – and making a stack for donation or resale at a local shop.  You may find a great summer read that’s been stashed away or get motivated to organize a group movie night.

Paint Something – New hooks for entryway storage, picture frames for a cohesive gallery look, or a wrapped canvas ready for a movable wall decal can all be quick and easy afternoon projects with just a brush and some acrylic paint. 

Tend a Garden . . . in the Kitchen – Some small pots, pea gravel, and kitchen herbs can bring a little of the outdoors in and provide fresh additions to your summer meals.  Enjoy basil, rosemary, thyme, or another favorite variety, all while watering right at the kitchen sink. 

Take Pictures – Capturing a great outdoor scene is customary.  Why not turn the lens around and focus on things inside, like taking a snapshot of your life today.  Get artistic with a dressy pair of shoes, a stack of recipe books, a keepsake piece of furniture, or the lamp that shines down on your bedside table.  

Beef Up Your Cold Storage – If you’d like to enjoy that delicious field corn or family summer dish a little longer, make extra batches for freezing and eating later.  If you’re already working in the kitchen, you might as well make it count twice. 

Go, Go Gadgets – Wrangle all of your chords together and make them user friendly, perhaps tying individuals in tight bundles and labeling or color coding them.  Sync your music player.  Charge all of your electronic devices to start fresh.  Organize your remote controls in trays where they are used.        

Turn on the Tube – I admit I can watch the same reruns over and over again in my favorite TV series.  But this is a great time of year to tune into, we’ll say, more productive television, and watch cooking shows to find a new recipe to try, home makeover shows to inspire a DIY project, and travel shows for a little future vacation inspiration.

The beach is a great getaway.  But if you had something a little cooler in mind, beat the heat and make your air conditioned time count with projects fit for the great indoors. 

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

Going Old School Summer

There is nothing like a throwback to simple summers past to round up a little seasonal fun for the boredom bunch hanging around your home.  If the kids could use something less electronic to fill their day, rely on go-to activities with some old school flair.  You remember, don’t you?   

Sidewalk chalk can keep them entertained outside for some time.  Use the driveway or patio as an oversized canvas for a creative display.  Fill the cups in a muffin tin with water based paints they could use in their masterpiece as well.  One water hose and some drying time, and there’s a fresh slate to work with all over again.   

Blowing bubbles has gotten fancier over the years with better solution and more complicated plastic wands.  Stock up on some bottles, introduce a fan, and watch the fun fly.  Additionally, anything water related is a great time passer at home.  Soaker guns can offer a little cool-off backyard competition, as can an ice chest full of carefully filled and tied water balloons.  Bring a little bit of the beach to your place by using bags of playground sand to build your own dune.  Traditional plastic buckets, shovels, and molds will give them a taste of being oceanside.   

For the youngest in the bunch, craft projects can keep them entertained indoors.  The bird feeder made with toilet paper rolls, string, peanut butter, and bird seed is a classic.  A craft store beading aisle is chalk full of supplies for making necklaces and bracelets by hand.  Scrapbooking paper, brads, tape, and colored straws can become pinwheels.  And crosscut sections of vegetables like potatoes, okra, and celery make surprising stamps for ink pad art on cup towels.   

What’s an old school summer without fitting snacks?  S’mores are the quintessential build-your-own treat with a toasty outdoor twist.  The build-your-own set up also is perfect for ice cream sundaes, hot dogs, burgers, and taco salads.  For a sweet afternoon snack, make your own popsicles, mixing juices and diced fruit in paper cups with craft sticks to freeze in the centers.  

It doesn’t have to be bright, shiny, and new to be a summer ton of fun.  Kids today may or may not have experienced some of these time-honored activities.  This is a chance to make sure they can add to their memory bank the simple things you used to enjoy in summers gone by.     

 

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

 

 

Red, White, and Beautiful

The 4^th of July is one of those special holidays where you’re feeling patriotic and celebratory, so why not throw in creative as well?  There is still time to pull off a get together before next weekend with flair, pizzazz, and plenty of 4^th of July festiveness. 

This is the one day in which red, white, and blue shines even more brightly than the others.  The tri-color grouping is an easy theme to play off of in what you decorate with and what you eat for an evening party for family and friends.  Party and craft stores have aisles designated just for them this time of year: flags, paper lanterns and fans, banners, streamers, and the like are quick picks.  If you want to add some DIY projects in the mix, take three large mason jars and spray paint the insides in each of the three shades.  Use them to hold your utensils in rolled napkins for your buffet line.  Fill just the bottom of some clear glass vases with Red Hots^® candy or blue rock candy or jellybeans, place a votive candle in each, and use the set as a staggered centerpiece on your table.  Mix sets of red, white, blue, and US flag paper plates, napkins, cups, and striped drinking straws for easy serving and cleanup.    

To go along with your all-American hotdogs, hamburgers, or barbeque, show your true colors with the sweets.  Mix crispy rice cereal, peanuts, and red and blue M&Ms^® with melted and drizzled white chocolate and serve in cute Chinese takeout containers.  For a pretty fruit tray, dip strawberries 2/3 of the way into melted white chocolate, and then immediately dip the lower 1/3 into blue cupcake sprinkles.  Make a layered cake or even cupcakes with batter you tint with food coloring and alternate the three colors, and stick (safe and adult-monitored) sparklers in place of candles you light before serving.  If ice cream is going to be your hot weather go-to, dip the tops of sugar cones in melted white chocolate and then into assorted red and blue sprinkles or decorative sugar and let them dry before scooping.  For a fancy blue punch, mix equal parts Sprite^® and white cranberry juice with packets of blue Kool-Aid^® until you have the shade of blue you want.  Serve in mason jars over ice with paper straws.   

Make your family’s 4^th of July red, white, and beautiful with a little creativity and a lot of patriotic love for the independence we celebrate.  Happy 4^th of July!   

 

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

 

 

       

Color Up Your Kitchen

The kitchen is filled with cabinets, counters, and appliances, which are all long-term, high-dollar fixtures in your home.  Changing out any one element would easily rack up quite a bill and work up quite a sweat.  If you wish your kitchen would take on a new look, play with smaller, simpler elements of color to bring pops of shade and a burst of new life.  

In lieu of the extensive project of painting your cabinets, give them an updated look by removing your cabinet hardware and drawer pulls, sticking them into a large sheet of cardboard, and spray painting them in a modern metallic finish like brushed nickel or chrome.  If you have a painted wall surface showing between your upper and lower cabinets, paint just that area an interesting shade as a solid backsplash. 

Play up any open shelving or glass cabinet doors by displaying brightly colored dishes and utensils in that space.  Stack a set of colored plates, ice cream bowls, or nesting bowls where they can be seen.  Store a series of Italian soda bottles here instead of in the pantry.  If you have a few ceramic pitchers or decorative glass pieces in different shades, group them together into an eye-catching collection. 

Bring bright serving bowls out, along with a colorful colander, to hold fruit or vegetables on the countertop.  Take a dated set of canisters and give them a spray paint makeover in a glossy finish.  Fill a displayed utensil holder with spoons, spatulas, whisks, and other silicone kitchen tools in bright shades like pink, yellow, and aqua, or in primary colors like red or green.  If you have a bright solid or striped glass cutting board, rest it against the backsplash between countertop appliances or canisters.

Fill two or three small ceramic pots with a little layer of pea gravel, followed by potting soil, and top them off with some countertop herbs like basil, thyme, and rosemary.  You add greenery to your space that can be plucked and added to dishes while you cook.  If you have open wall space, frame bright prints or attractive food magazine pages in matching frames for easy custom artwork. 

You can spruce up the look and perception of your kitchen as the hoppin’ hub of the household with some vibrant shades in little doses her and there.  You don’t have to go over budget to makeover this popular room with stylish and bright pieces you will use again and again.      

 

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

 

 

          

What Your Dad Taught You

We can see Dad’s influence in a variety of things we still do around the house.  As we honor him on Father’s Day, let’s recount some ways our fathers’ words and actions are still resonating today.

Turn the lights out when you leave a room; why not save a little energy where you can?  •  Put the remote back in its spot when you’re done, because we all hate the hunt next time.  •  Have a stocked toolbox to meet those little around-the-house needs like fixing a squeaky hinge or a leaky faucet.  •  Take pride in a manicured lawn, complete only after mowing, weed eating, trimming, and planting to the best of your hardworking ability.   • Come to the dinner table, appreciative of the plate in front of you.  And sit up straight.  And go back for seconds without persuasion.  •  Secure your daily drop spot for your keys, wallet, glasses, loose change, and the like [hopefully contained in something stylish].  •  Take pride in a neat collection of neck ties or an orderly sock drawer.  •  Sort the mail in the same spot everyday, pulling out the important items right off the bat.  •  Have “your spot,” whether in the recliner or a certain section of the sofa, that is always reserved as your place to kick back and put your feet up.  •  Be known for a signature dish prepared out on the grill or barbeque pit that gets rave reviews and repeat requests.  •  Amid all the go-go-go, slow down to enjoy a hot cup of coffee or a favorite slice of pie.  •  Be on time, which to you could mean always allowing for time to be a few minutes early.  •  You drive like you mean it.  Which could illicit a few gasps or door handle grabs by your passengers on occasion.  •  Offer sound advice, a listening ear, and  an opinion others tend to seek both personally and professionally.   

Happy Father’s Day to the men who have taught us, provided for us, protected us, and opened the door to the opportunities before us today!   

 

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

 

                               With Dad   

                               Krystal Stenseng • Steve Krenek

 

Congratulations to the 2013 Royal Algodon Court and the Don and Dona named last night!

Vacating for Vacation

To truly vacate the everyday and fully enjoy your vacation time away, prepping beforehand and keeping your real goals in mind during will help set you up to make a clean getaway.

Some might feel a rush from the hurried, night-before-at-midnight packing spree.  I disagree.  Packing as much as you can in advance helps ensure you don’t forget anything and you’re not getting your trip off to a breathless start.  If you’re a list maker, write or type out the number and types of each clothing item you’ll need, plus all the extras.  Before items go in the suitcase (neatly!), lay everything out – shoes, jewelry, accessories, and so forth.  Picturing each outfit fully loaded helps easily forgotten pieces make the trip.  Also, planning in advance for what you want to wear helps eliminate those last-night loads of laundry, for specific pieces were already pulled and not available for you to wear in the days prior to your departure.  Lay all the applicable toiletries out on the bathroom counter the evening before, and add each item to your cosmetic bag or dopp kit after you use it for the last time at home. 

Pack the “extra” bag; whether riding in the car or flying on a plane, prep snacks, reading material, music, and electronics with all the right chords and chargers.  Think about food and magazines while at the grocery store the last time before you leave and avoid the higher prices at convenience stores and airports.  If you will be gone for more than a couple of nights, make all the arrangements to have your home checked on, the mail picked up, and the lawn taken care of if need be.  

Prep for comfort.  Look up the weather patterns – or swings – to expect, and plan your shoes and layers accordingly.  Going to a hot spot but might want a jacket on a chilly plane?  Going to a cold spot but need your flip flops to accompany your swimsuit for the hot tub?  

While you’re away, take photos with purpose.  Will you be running a slideshow for family when you return?  Then perhaps don’t take 15 shots of essentially the same thing.  Will you be putting together a photo book you build online and have printed?  Capture the little things that will help tell your story, like signs that welcome you to a city, state, or resort; a well-crafted food dish; or the attractive room where you stay.

A real key in vacationing is focusing on getting away.  That means phone calls and emails that fill your time at home need to be kept to a minimum, and be confident the world will continue to turn at the office without you in it.  Let your mind get away with the rest of you, and enjoy the sights, the meals, the entertainment, and the deeper rest you truly intend to soak up this summer vacation.  

 

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