How to Decorate Series :: Ideas for the DIYer

I came upon this great series hosted by Home Stories A to Z.

I've already checked out a few of the posts, but there are plenty to go through and they cover different, relevant topics. Two of them deal with Salon Walls, and they use a method just like the one we chose which you can read about here, here, and here.

Happy Monday!

icj,
~j

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Eight Great Spruce-Up-Your-Room Ideas

I came upon this great post over at Decor8 blog. And since we're pretty much doing every single one of these suggestions with our living room, I'm happy to pass on the fun.

8 Ideas to Spruce Up Your Space

We're taking care of car stuff this morning--a good hour+ in the car with a 15 month old and rush hour traffic. Total recipe for success, wouldn't you say? But we're glad we have 2 cars that work pretty well, that are mostly-and-all paid off.

Remember to enter the giveaway over at ohsweetjoy!!!

icj,

~j

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making it home :: the weekly routine, a day for each thing

Housework seems overwhelming, especially for first-timers like me. I had no idea where to begin, how to keep it going. I felt like there was always more to be done and no energy with which to do it. So where does a person begin? If my end goal is to make our home homey and approachable, a sanctuary as well as a place of great movement and life, how do I do that and still keep it clean and ordered enough that people can pop over without reducing me a sheepish, Sorry my place is so messy, again.

Wow. So obvious and yet so completely foreign to a modern gal like me. First off, I didn't even know what the major housekeeping chores were, and I would never have thought to assign them to one day of the week. I definitely thought everything in the house could/should/would be done any day or every day of the week.

But this system makes SO much sense.

Let's look at laundry for a sec. What was my old method? Do a load whenever I could swing it. That meant doing about one load a day on average. So I felt I was in constant laundry mode and yet whenever Hawk needed a white undershirt for work, they were never ready. How does that happen? Can you relate?

Ms. Mendelson suggests that laundering be done one day of the week, possibly two, with a different and specific focus for each of the days. Traditionally laundry was done on Mondays because the work was so difficult that people appreciated having the weekend to rest up for it. If more items needed laundering, a separate day was set aside for that activity.

I wash all our clothes (including underoos and socks) on Mondays (about 4-5 color-separated loads) and towels and sheets on Thursdays (about 2 loads). I find that the doing the major stuff on Monday works for me, and here's why I lurve it:

• It starts the week out with something I can actually accomplish
• I'm ready to jump in after a weekend (and week) away from it
• I know we'll have clean clothes the whole week!
• Mondays rarely see playdates, meetings, etc., so I have the time

By the time Thursday arrives I don't mind throwing in two loads of towels and sheets (one dark, one light). And if for some reason it's just too crazy of a week, I skip it. YUP, I skip it. We have enough sheets and towels that we could manage. We're a relatively clean family (I hope).

Okay, so now what are the weekly housekeeping chores?

Suggested Weekly Housekeeping Chores

Change bed linens 1-2 times weekly

Vacuum rugs, floors, upholstered furniture, and lampshades

Wash all washable floors

Dust all dustable surfaces

Wipe fingerprints and smears from places like mirrors, doorknobs, etc.

Wash entire bathroom, including floor

Wash all combs & brushes

Clean entire kitchen including fridge, backsplashes, and floors

Clean air-conditioners and humidifiers

Wash out and sanitize garbage cans

Okay, before you freak, take a breath. The author is constantly reminding her readers that she includes everything but that we are to discern what is appropriate and plausible in our own homes. 

So mine looks like this after tweaking it five times over the past four months:

A couple of things to notice that I figured out through trial and error:

• Monday & Thursday are basically the same
• Tuesdays are terrible marketing days for me because our stores restock on Wednesdays, so Tuesdays are really slim-pickings. Plus, Wednesday is closer to the weekend, so I can plan according to our outings more accurately.
• I don't change out AND wash towels and linens on the same day. This is HUGE. I have at least one extra set of linens for each bed (4 for Ace's crib) and 2 different colored sets of towels. We only go through 2 towels a week per person, so it's totally manageable. It makes me keep fresh stock in our linen closet, but it also means that I'm not scrambling to replace towels and linens by first washing and drying them.
• Friday is fun
• Saturday is a natural mini-cleaning day because Hawk is home to help
• Sunday we really do need to just rest and relax. We usually spend time with neighbors, friends, or family, so it's a big deal to not have any other responsibilities.

Okay, that's a lot to ingest. Are you still with me? I hope so, because here's a little thank you from my heart to your home. We're offering a little giveaway during the month of March having to do with this series, so stay tuned!

icj,
~j

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our top 5 baby books :: for parents

I could go on and on about how helpful these books were in our preparation for our first child and throughout the first few weeks and months after birth. But I'm going to hold back this time. Suffice it to say that I dealt with the following challenges and these materials really helped us get through them and move beyond them:
water breaking; 
pushing contractions for 8 hours; 
natural childbirth; 
mastitis; 
low milk supply; 
rough baby sleep habits; 
food allergies; 
total sudden milk loss when we became pregnant with Obie; 
cow's milk intolerance (after having been on formula for 4 months!)
and more.

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way :: Essential for us both the first time. We're already rereading it for the second. The pictures are funny and awkward, so at the least you'll have a good laugh while you learn. Better than any class we took.

Breastfeeding Made Simple, 1st or 2nd edition :: my favorite. made use of everything. period.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding :: best reference and resource for all things babes & boobies; accompanied by fantastic online and phone care

The Lull-a-baby Sleep Plan :: We didn't agree with everything she said about what not to do, but her general principles seem right on target. We're going to try to implement them with Obie.

The Baby Book :: A great general guide to the first 12 months. For us, it was better than the "What to Expect" series.

We hope you can make use of one of them.

Happy Monday!

icj,
~j

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how to throw an almost-perfect dinner party for 10: part II...i wish we had

So yesterday, we posted about how we prepared our house, menu, and "atmosphere" for the dinner party. Now, let's go over a few of our mistakes...

The Menu:
Jen planned things out pretty well--based on previous experience. But she didn't anticipate that while it only took 25 minutes to cook the Near East Rice Pilaf (found it!), it would take 50-60 minutes to cook two boxes together. 


Mistake #1: So the steaks were ready---perfect, even---at 7:30, but because the rice was still going, we tented the steaks to let them cook a wee bit longer and let them cool a bit. 


And cool they did. And cook they did. By the time the rice was done and we'd eaten our salads, the steaks were, shall we say, this color:

sherwin williams

One long look of gray, with a touch of pink inside. Of course, our guests told us it was "perfect," "brilliant," and "like Mr. B's," but that is due more to their generosity than the actual appearance of the steak.


And as for that salad, mistake #2: Even if you like salad without much on it, put something besides dressing on it! Even though I (jen) like plain greens with a little dressing, for a dinner party, I should have added some cheese, toasted almonds, cranberries, something! Instead of presenting something simple, we looked boring.


Here's a tip: If you find yourself explaining the way you present something, as I did, then you missed something, and you're really just apologizing for what you know you should have done.  


Then, there was the wine...We didn't have enough. Hawk had to run out and grab a couple extra bottles. Could have been worse, but he saved it. And at the very least, we were able to enjoy a bottle of this:

cigarzin

I really like this wine. Thanks to Dr. Hawk for making us look so good!


Lastly, mistake #3: We should have provided dessert. Even a little sherbet or something. Anything! Granted, the last time I served this, we wouldn't have had room, but with ten people...serve dessert! 

alitaylor 

There were more than a few "ugh" moments, but we made it through because we were learning with the company of gracious friends. We offer you these little tidbits to spare you the same gaufaw-time...


Good luck to you!


icj,
~j

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how to throw an almost-perfect dinner party for 10: part I, being prepared for...

The Art of Hosting a Dinner Party for Ten..
Almost-perfect is our operative phrase for this little blogging session. 

I'm going to walk you through our first "real" dinner party---ever---and what we did well and what we need to work on. I find this sort of information invaluable for those of you starting out in your first marriage, house, etc. 


"The Ten" invited to the aforementioned dinner party included 4 couples who have taken great care and love to mentor Hawk and I in the art of hosting. While I wouldn't say this is necessarily a lost art, I do think my generation has little experience in hosting them and only a dip more experience as guests.


What defines a "dinner party" vs. "friends over for dinner?"
In our reflection, we find the primary difference to be about the intent: what do we intend for our guests? The answer defines the difference between the two types of dinner. 


When throwing a dinner party, we want our guests to have an experience. By this, we mean that from the moment they walk in the door to the moment they leave, our guests should feel that they were hosted, that is, a) that their hosts prepared the space for them, b) prepared a menu (versus "food"), c) prepared the bar, and d) prepared entertainment.


These preparations differ from "friends over for dinner" in that the latter requires little forethought, little preparation. Sure, the counter may be scrubbed, floors swept, and great food served, but when a friend comes over for dinner in this way, it is as if they are in their own home.


A dinner party requires that guests receive an experience of being prepared for, attended to at every moment, and enjoyed despite any mishaps.


Today, we will explain how we prepared for our guests.


First, the Menu.
Jen chose the menu three days prior to the dinner. She went for a combination of foods that are both tasty and on the gourmet side, and also were repeats. Here is the menu:
Pancetta-wrapped Filet Mignon with Sun-dried Tomato & Goat Cheese
Rice Pilaf
Boston & Romaine Salad with Raspberry-Kick Vinaigrette
Momma Shedd's Homemade Toffee (what is possibly left after our Christmas feast!)
Two bottles of red wine, one higher-quality, one lesser
Twelve-pack of beer for non-wine drinkers
Soda, regular & diet

Here's what made this menu wise:
Jen has made the steaks before, and they were incredible! All the ingredients are readily available at the local market. The rice pilaf was a brilliant box mix (I'm out, so when I remember what it is, I'll post it if you want to know), so no pressure there. The salad was simple--just lettuce and homemade dressing. The dressing is a very simple and tangy recipe Jen altered. Since we had the rice, dressing ingredients, and twelve-pack ready, our total bill for 10 guests including 10 cuts of 8 oz. filets came to just shy of $75.00!


Here's what made this menu stupid:
Ugh. That's a later post. I promise. All the dreadful details will be brought into the light.


Second, the space.
Hawk had to work late, complete mandolin lessons, and coach the evenings prior to the party, so that meant that Jen had to get a few things done ahead of time (see the checklist below). Remember, the hosts must be ready to receive guests. No running upstairs to shower or do hair. The party was Wednesday, so on Monday night, she scrubbed all the hardwood floors throughout the living and dining rooms. Really scrubbed. Washed as many dishes as needed to be washed, and picked up anything that was laying around and shouldn't be. Not true, complete cleaning, just enough to make it easier the day-of.


Jen scrubbed the kitchen sink (yes, before preparing dinner!), the powder room sink, around any other obvious bathroom areas, and the top of the wine bar.


Here's a good checklist for housecleaning in preparation for a dinner party:
KEY: No one will notice what IS clean, but they'll take fierce mental notes on what isn't.
1. Scrub floors. Nothing is worse than muck on the floor. It's the first thing people notice as they think, "should I take off my shoes?" and then look down toward their shoes.
2. Dust all flat surfaces Never underestimate it! We are not good dusters. Meaning, we've dusted twice in 5 months. Oops. But a quick once-over of all the flat top areas in any room in which we'll receive guests really makes a difference. No one will notice if it is, but they'll feel like everything else is a little dirty if it isn't.
3. Wipe down mirrors. Humans can't help but check themselves out when they walk by a mirror. A good host makes sure they notice themselves rather than foggy dust.
4. Double-check the toilet paper, towels, and soap. I had to reload both tp and soap in our powder room. It was used quite a bit that evening, so I'm glad I had the forethought to do this. 
5. Sweep under and around the dining table. I hadn't even realized that there was just---stuff---under there. 
6. Fill the ice-trays. Makes sense, right?
7. Re-clean any spotted wine or water glasses. This one has caught me off guard in the past. Our wine glasses used to dry with a cloudy rim. I've since remedied this problem, so now I'm more attentive to what isn't done correctly.


Third, the tone.
Hawk is the musical one in the family---by leaps and bounds, but I have a good sense of relaxing music. Not always good tailgate music, but a girl can't be perfect all the time.

madeleine peyroux

So with a new itunes giftcard, Jen downloaded some Madeleine Peyroux. She's fantastic. We had some Punch Brothers & Chris Thile waiting for when things got going. We made sure all the music was ready so we could enjoy it as we prepared and ensure that nothing was off kilter.

Fourth, the host.

Knowing that Hawk would arrive 15 minutes before our guests, that meant showering, hair, make-up, etc. had to be completed at least 2 hours before guests arrive. Jen's hair takes forever to dry, and she never blow-dries it because she'll look like someone in high school in the 90's (c'mon, you know exactly what we mean). This meant that Jen scheduled off from work beginning at 4:00pm, went in to work early that day, and made sure to leave the house as clean as possible so that most of the time could be spent on the food prep. By the time Hawk arrived, most of the work was completed. We are lucky to work so well together in these instances; Hawk came home and jumped right into setting the rest of the table items, filling water jubs, the decanter, ice trays, etc. Then, he made sure to be ready to greet guests when they rang the bell, take their coats, and offer them something refreshing to drink. 

{devote}Nonetheless, we had a 3-minute fight. 3-minutes in part because in 6 minutes, our guests arrived. Being under a bit of stress of course placed stress on our marriage, even for those brief moments, but those moments can build into bigger matters later. So we paused in the midst of our preparations and did a quick check of why we were both irritated, talked it out, settled it (each choosing to relax our stringent requirements), and give a little kiss before returning to our duties. Had we not paused to settle things, our friends would surely have sensed something between us, and we would have been tempted to treat each other with less love and dignity. Pausing to settle the matter and to both apologize meant that we were free to enjoy and be enjoyed.

Fifth, the guest list.

This is an often overlooked but essential ingredient to a memorable and pleasant dinner party. We have attended a few over the years in which the mixture of people didn't truly provide opportunity for conversational ease. Things felt forced. If the mix isn't thought out, guests might feel like hosts themselves, having to entertain the person next to them instead of enjoy the person next to them. For this party, we were lucky; 3 of the couples are good friends and have hosted us at least once in the same way. The fourth couple is acquainted with two of the three (sounds like a riddle) but hasn't known everyone as long.

So there's our short list of preparation. Short in that is was easily accomplished and spread out over three days.

Check back tomorrow for Part II

icj,

~j & Hawk

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Afternoon October Sun & Funeral Favors

note: photo not really of our home

Despite the wicked weather, the sun literally and figuratively broke out last weekend! 


We hosted our first of two-in-one-day houswarmings a week ago Saturday. I highly recommend this idea! We knew that there was a block party in August, just a week before we closed, but we couldn't make it to the festivities. I can't stand passing people on the street or living next to them and not knowing their name---after all, the friendly neighborhoods are one of the greatest catalysts for our WFB move. And since we'd only met 3 homes (all those directly next to us), we thought we'd skip the waiting and awkward "Who is that person?  Ohhhh, that's our neighbor" thing, and just invite them over.


From 2-5pm, we hosted a little housewarming for neighbors only--just our block. That came to 22 homes! I dropped off invitations in their mailboxes 7-10 days before (though I highly suggest doing so 14-21 days ahead) and included: "Children & costumes welcome" so that our family-filled neighbors would bring those little ones by. 


Remember that post about regrets? Well, I'm sad to say that only 5 photos were taken of the day. Ugh, regrets... Nonetheless, they're evidence of something. Four of the photos will appear tomorrow, so I'll leave you with this chocolatey shot of our young neighbor:

Isn't he brilliant?


icj
~j

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