Your Holiday Style

As the Holidays are upon us it makes us each step back look around and decide what we are going to do for decorations during this time of year, Some will have a tree and some will have candles we all will do something that will be different from the rest of the Year.
Growing up I was raised by a mother who has a great decorating sense, She takes pride in her home. She worked very hard to teach all of her Children how to take something unconventional and turn it into something amazing. It may have been a Sheet that covered a couch or a dust ruffle that turned in to a valance, no matter what the item started as you could guarantee it was going to be great when she was done with it.
Christmas was a very special time around our house it meant lots of lights and crystal ornaments and garlands on the staircase everything always looked like you had taken it out of a magazine, but mom always had a special tree for the kids too, this tree included the ornaments that we had made and bubble lights that were fun to watch, because it was such a big deal around our house it quickly became special to each of us kids also my parents included us in the traditions.
Now that I am grown up I have discoverd a very distinct style of my own Edd always calls my tree a Macy's tree I just think that it is an Angie tree, you will probably never find a traditional Red and Green tree in my home but you might find Granny smith apple green Ting Ting coming out of it, the joke about me at the flowers shop is everything is better with ting. It is one of those things that is sparkly and fun and adds alot with out spending much money.
Finding your own style is so important, it makes your home yours not everyone like amethyst and Lime green with silver accents but I don't really like red, so there has to be a something for everyone.
The first tree I ever had of my own was when I live in Wyoming we had pulled the old nasty fake tree out of a shed it didn't even have a base, we were so poor we couldn't afford anything but my mom had given me 3 boxes of ornaments the were nothing special just purple and green balls, I don't remember I f I bought the one string of lights that we put on it or if I had been given them but I remember trying to make it look even with only one string so I only put them on the front of the tree. I do remember splurging and spending two dollars on tulle to use like ribbon and stuffing it into the tree to cover up the missing branches You talk about the sad tree this was definitely a sad tree but I remember how proud I was because It was my first Christmas tree in my own house, I even threw a Christmas Party so that everyone could come see my decorations.
I realized that year that I had found my style it is simple but elegant and it has evolved over the years and my ornaments have change from cheap Christmas ball to some very special ones, thanks to my mom and sisters who have gifted them to me.
I guess the point of this rambling is don't let any circumstances stop you for making you own space special, not just around the holidays but throughout the year also. Find what you like and use resources that you have maybe you like hand painted ornaments find a friend who know a little about them and have a ornament painting party. Take control and make your space special and you.

those who can't "Wed" "Plan" part two

I have been thinking about Weddings a lot lately as I have been talking to many Brides about their big day, and I have come to the conclusion that many Brides and Grooms have a lot of great ideas but no knowledge of how to make them become one great event.
You don't want you Wedding to end up like one that I was at a while back, where the bride loved two totally different color schemes and so the wedding ceremony was one set of colors I believe navy blue and hot pink and reception was Peach and Teal, now this wedding all happened in one location but it looked like they really messed up on the decorations for the reception. I know that this is an extreme example but it give you an idea of why it is so important to keep your ideas in check.
If you meet with your wedding planner or your florist and you tell them your thoughts and they encourage you to bring it back to reality, listen to them, they do this all the time and they are the ones who have seen the major flops. Even if it means not having crazy aunt Sally make feather boas for all you guest, her feelings will only be hurt for a little bit if you tell her no.
One of the first things that you should do when planning a wedding is to sit down with the major parties involved i.e. your parents his parents ect. at this meeting find out who is covering what and what each party is comfortable with. Remember especially when it comes to budget be responsible, it is not fair for you to ask your parents to go into debt over your big day, remember they have already supported you to this point. I also would encourage you not to take out loans to cover the wedding, you do not need to start a marriage with the pressure of a huge debt hanging over you.
There are many things that you can do to cut cost, I am not saying be cheap but think about things before you go and spend money, talk to people you know see if you have any connections that could help you save a little, make a list of things that are most important to you and then prioritize the money so that you don't get to the end and have four hundred extra napkins with your name printed on them.
When you start planning try to be respectful of those who are helping you, if you don't like and idea they through out that is ok, but be gentle of how you tall them so that you are not mistaken as one of the dreaded BRIDEZILLA'S. you don't want what your friends and family remembers about your wedding is how stressful it was, make it fun and appreciate those who are walking this road with you.

As the Holidays approach we are all more likely to entertain, I love when fall sets in the air and I can light my candles and enjoy a blanket and a good book, but this also sets the perfect backdrop for a special dinner with Family and friends,
In the summer we are more likely to entertain on paper plates but as soon as the weather changes it gives us a chance to pull out the dishes ( you know the one I am talking about), put some linens down and place a nice roast or chicken in the oven.
When I am having people over I like to be ready ahead of time so I have worked on things that can be done in advanced but still are amazing at the time of service. A great Menu for entertaining especially if you can't be there to babysit it all day is Pot Roast, you don't have to blow the budget on the meat a nice chuck or round roast works great. just make sure that you use herbs and seasonings so that the flavors are well Incorporated into the meat, don't be afraid of garlic or red wine when making a roast. If I am doing a roast I may do the traditional roasted veggies with the meat or I might choose to roast them separate, I also like to do twice baked potatoes with roast, it is an easy way to make sure that your portions are correct, If I don't want to go to the work of twice bakes I also have been know to turn my twice bakes into a casserole, this works great if you are serving it buffet style.
Like I have said before don't make it to complicated do what you know, there are many ways to make the dinner special just by adding one or two extra touches. So if your theme is fall go to the fabric store and by 45 inches of a fall print fabric and a roll of iron on fabric tape, bring it home and using only your iron fold the edges under 1/2 and inch place the tape in the fold and you now have a table square
for your party. Now you can go much more elaborate than this if you know how to sew. If you have a serger they make great rolled edges and if you are feeling really ambitious get two fabric and layer them on your table.
Now for the dishes you know the ones. Use them your grandmother didn't go to the expense of buying them for you so that they could sit in your China cabinet for the next twenty years, I know that you are afraid they might get broken but, they are special and it is a great way to make your guest feel special also. If you don't have a special set of dishes use the everyday ones and just play on them so that it looks different.
If you are like me most of your dinner parties are going to include Children, this can be fun and exciting for both parents and kids. Make a special area for the kids if all you have is a coffee table set it so that it is fun and make them feel like they are also part of the party. It is also great to have a plan for the kids maybe it is a special movie shown in the family room so that you and the other adult guest can have some time to visit.

Feeding the "Army"

I know that few of you have families quite like mine but some do. So here is some help for when you think it may be overwhelming.
Last week our family went to the ocean, so before leaving we planned out meals and figured what food would be liked by most and what could be taken to cut cost. So as we were loading the car I looked the amount of food and thought there is no way that we are going to consume so much food, but we got it all loaded and headed on our trip. This trip was a little different than most we were not just cooking for our family but for two other family units also.
We arrived at the condo and of course it is time already to start dinner, I had prepared two pans of lasagna ahead of time and planned on green salad and corn to go with it. I have found that the best way to handle big crowds for meals is to be prepared. If you are going to have lasagna make it up a day or two in advance (don't bake it) so that the day that you need it you are not dealing with the stress or the mess.
I am very much an A type personality, I don't handle the fly by the seat of my pants very well, I like to have list and plans and at least a general idea of how things will work. My family is not so organized and I have even been referred to as the drill Sargent, but for a week thirty people were fed healthy good food and seemed to enjoy most of it. I had a lot of help and I have used the strength of those around me.
Sometimes you have to step out of you comfort zone to make those around you feel a little more comfortable. If you know your strengths and weaknesses ask those involved to handle one of the areas that you are not as comfortable in. Don't be afraid to include people they usually want to feel helpful and needed. don't try to do it all because you will crash and burn.
There are not a lot of times that you are feeding as many as I do, but just having another family of four over can become overwhelming if you are not prepared. Stay withing you comfort zone, if you want it to be extra special, pick one thing that will give it a special I really worked hard on this touch.
Entertaining is always easier when done in the comfort of your own home but don't stress if you have to step out of the comfort and onto a Colman stove, just prepare ahead of time and it will be great.

Entertaining in a moment

Be prepared for anything. When we think of having a dinner party our minds automatically go to the list and the chores, planning and shopping and yes for most events this is what happens, but what about the dinner that is spur of the moment because you get a phone call and someone you have not seen in forever is coming through unexpectedly, or you husband calls on his way home from a meeting and says honey, so and so are come over to visit and have dessert.
These are the stressful ones to handle. They catch us off guard and sometimes you look around and think, he knew I had been sorting through stuff and the house is a mess what is he thinking. Just remember there is always a room with a door and you can put it where it goes at a different time, the house does not have to be perfect pick it up and grab the bag of cookies out of the cabinet, if you are a planner you have a Ziploc bag of cookie dough balls in the freezer and you can just pull out a dozen and bake them fresh, put on a pot of coffee or tea and and remember to smile, it is about the fellowship with others and not the frazzled mess that you found yourself in twenty minutes ago.
The cookie dough in the freezer is a simple way to always be prepared. The next time you make cookies just take your scoop and place balls on a cookie sheet pop them in the freezer till firm then move them to a freezer bag or container, the next time you need fresh baked cookies, just pull out as many as you need pop them in the oven and they are great every time.
Most of the unplanned events become our favorites, when you are able to just sit down visit and share. Entertaining is all about the people involved, yes they may remember what you served but for the most part all that will be taken away is the fellowship that was shared, so take a deep breath, go put some cookie dough in the freezer, and be ok with the spur of the moment.

Strawberry Festival

Nine years ago I moved into my little house on third street, I had no idea at the time that the Strawberry festival came right in front of my house. My family has a very long standing history with the festival as my Grandma Byers is the longest living Festival Queen and My sister Tricia was queen and I was princess, so the first June we were in the house my family asked if they could come and watch the parade, I thought that sounded like a good idea so I said sure why not, I think I made lasagna and everyone brought the rest, I had to work so it was a welcome to my home have a party and I will get there at sometime.
So nine years later this event has grown into a grand BBQ with as many as 120 people on any given year. Each year I try to do something to make it special and different we have had a Bobby crocker cook off and had all the guys bring their BBQ and wow did they get into it, we had some amazing meat. I made beef and Chicken skewers this year.
I love this event because it is the one day of the year that I get to host a great party at my house, I love to call it the event of the year the food is always great if I might say so myself and I try to make it a little more than just a BBQ in the front yard.
I have taken fabric that has Strawberries on it and made table squares and then we always try to have some kind of centerpiece for each table, this works a dual purpose as table cloths tend to blow away if they are not held down, and it is a fun accent for the party. I have used my chaffing dishes for the hot food and it gives the appearance of and upscale event, now remember that this is not what it started out as, it was a few friends and family small but fun.
When I was getting ready this year for the festival there was a lot going on and Edd encouraged me to keep it simple he said why don't we just grill hamburgers and hot dogs, my answer was because I do catering I can't just grill a burger. I know that my friend would not have cared and I have served burgers and dogs at the parade party in the past but after nine years I am competing with myself to make it better each year.
Now there are a few things that I have not changed since the first year we still serve fresh strawberry shortcake to everyone at the party, I believe that it takes about thirty pounds of strawberries to do this. I have a great sister and aunt who has always help with this part of the event along with others.
I never thought that I would be the host of this kind of annual event but it is one of the things I look forward to every year, people start asking me in April when is the party, it is always the third week of June but the buzz starts much earlier.
My goal in sharing this is not to show how I can have a great event each year but to encourage you to take ownership of something, maybe it will be the annual Memorial day bash, or the local volleyball day out, it may just be a planned trip to the park or beach, but pick something it doesn't have to be huge start small I did. You will feel a sense of accomplishment just by sharing your life with others.
My most comfortable place is in the kitchen I am not the one who loves to be in public and be given the praise, at any given event I am being drug out of the kitchen by my hair, but to see the joy on every ones face is so worth all the effort I might put into the event. Have fun, be creative. Paper plates are great and ball jars with a candle make a wonderful centerpiece.

Entertaining for the simple Girl

You don't have to be a Martha Stuart to be able to entertain for fun. We all make it so difficult and we give up. So here it is I have done my share of entertaining in my life and some have been great successes and some have been total flops. We have had a lot of great laughs over the burnt brie or the potato slop, but we have also enjoyed many evenings relaxing in the calm of the perfectly executed meal.
It isn't really that much harder to cook for ten or twenty than it is to cook for two. don't let the number go to your head.
Planning the meal or food is usually the best place to start and this may include a theme of an ethnic region just remember to keep it simple. If you are not much of a home cook then take help from the store, don't try to do it all yourself, there is no reason to make spinach dip from scratch when you can buy it cheaper in the deli of any supermarket and it taste great. If you are doing Apetizers pick four, don't try to do ten, everyone will think it is amazing even if you keep it simple. Start with things you know, don't try to Chinese the first night. Mexican is always safe and easy, or just do your favorite soup in the crock pot make some biscuits and everyone will love it.
Also a big part of entertaining is the first impression of the house, so if you burn something that is ok, just make sure that you air things out so that the first thing your guest smells is not their burnt dinner. A five dollar flower bouquet cut low and put in your own vase goes along way to say I spent time on this dinner and wanted it to be extra special. If it is summertime pick flowers from your own garden and eat outside if possible, Using tea lights and holders is also another great way to set the mood, whether it is winter and you want the feeling to be warm and cozy or it is summer and you are outside and you want to enhance the starlight candles are a great cheep option.
Have fun get a few friends together and enjoy time spent together.