Deborah's Design & Decorating Blog

Fireplace Tips

Deborah — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:07:53 +0000

It’s cold out there and our fireplaces become key to winter comfort. We open the flue, turn on the gas and light a match. That’s all there’s to it, right? Maybe not. Read on for useful info on how to get the most burn for your buck:

http://www.eartheasy.com/blog/2010/01/wood-heating-tips/

Time to Design

Deborah — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:00:37 +0000

It’s 01 10 10 – pretty cool in many ways on this frigid January day.

Are you resolving to keep your resolutions? Good for you! Why not begin by considering your immediate surroundings, your personal environment aesthetic.

eggs on heart tray

You are surrounded by what you’ve built in your life. Your collections, purchases, heirlooms, and furnishings. How does it feel when you walk into each room? Would you like it to be different or improved? Change can be exciting and scary at the same time. Think about your personal environment today and the aesthetic therein. Is it all you want it to be?

Wrap Rap

Deborah — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:27:02 +0000

“Recycled brown Kraft paper (which can be found in big rolls at your local craft, office supply or dollar store) is a great anytime gift wrap. Tie with twine and embellish with a pinecone and evergreen clippings from your backyard for gift wrap that’s easy on the environment and your wallet.”

This cool idea is from HGTV where you can find more great wrap ideas. Enjoy!

Wreath as a Centerpiece

Deborah — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:46:43 +0000

Instead of hanging a wreath on your door, use it as the base of a centerpiece for your Christmas table. Use simple decorations to coordinate it with your home decor or tablesetting theme.

Find a large tray or platter, or cut a piece of heavy plastic to place under the wreath. This will make it much easier to move the wreath centerpiece to change the tablecloth or rearrange the place settings. You’ll be protecting the finish on your table at the same time.

Materials for Christmas Wreath Centerpiece

fresh pine wreath
decorations
bow

Follow these simple steps to make your wreath centerpiece:

Place the wreath down on the table, tray, or platter.
Decorate the wreath by sticking ornaments, pinecones, or floral picks into the wreath.
Arrange ribbons or garlands around the wreath.
Place one or several colorful bows around the wreath for added color.

Special tips for fine-tuning:

Use decorations that have wires attached. They can easily be stuck into the greens of the wreath.
When arranging the decorations on the wreath, be careful not to scratch your wood table.
For a different look, place several large pillar candles into the center of the wreath.
Pile large pine cones neatly into the center of the wreath.
Form a pyramid of colorful Christmas balls in the center of the wreath.

You’ll see how simple it is to create this beautiful and traditional Christmas Wreath Centerpiece. (from interiordec.about.com)

yummmm for the holidays

Deborah — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:33:54 +0000

I am on a homemade presents kick this year, part of an effort to be more personal and to save myself the stress of shopping. In my recent newsletter I printed recipes for hot fudge and caramel sauces to give as gifts. Here is another delectable food gift sure to please:

CRANBERRY-PEAR BARS WITH ORANGE FROSTING

Click here for the recipe

I love bhg.com and find great ideas on all things home: decorating, cooking, baking, etc. Try it – you’ll have fun browsing. Have a great day – it’s snowing in Chicago!!

Kitchen on a Roll

Deborah — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:30:04 +0000

A kitchen I visited recently was decorated nicely and had loads of open space between walls of cabinets. The owner and I talked about a rolling worktable and in sourcing I found a great site to explore kitchen islands. New technology is bringing these workhorses well into the 21st century with Rubika’s newest design by Lodovico:

Quoting their site: “A sink is tucked beneath the prep surface, plate racks are hidden in a pull-out drawer, and a cooktop is concealed under the table top. Little spaces appear here and there in mysterious fashion, like some enchanted box a magician might use to cut up an assistant and rearrange her parts. If Rubika does work, surely cooks will need to change their paradigm of what constitutes a kitchen, but we should all pay attention to Rubika’s underlying idea that less is more.”

Cool Quote

Deborah — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:36:35 +0000

I read this morning the quote I’ve seen before but had forgotten:

Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.

What a cool way to start the day. I wish you many breathtaking moments today.

If you want to give yourself many such moments, visit a national park. Here are some photos I took at Yellowstone National Park:

view from the top of Avalanche Peak

Comfort Food

Deborah — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:48:57 +0000

Such a beautiful day to create a beautiful Sunday dinner. Fall comfort food is on the menu, with breaded pork chops, baked buttercup squash (I far prefer it over the more common butternut), and freshly baked whole wheat bread. What are you making in the kitchen today?

breaded pork chops

3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 pork chops

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Italian-Breaded-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Remove garlic, reserving for other uses.
Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side.
Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F

Pumpkin Fever

Deborah — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:47:14 +0000

pumpkins

Driving up to a pumpkin stand in the fall is a ritual for many of us who live in the midwest. Last weekend it was our turn to discover Wiesner’s in Winneconne, Wisconsin. We bought pumpkins, squash, and Indian corn. If you have forgotten how good fresh squash can be, I recommend trying buttercup (NOT butternut). Cut one in half, place in oven at 350, bake 1 hour, slather with butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Heavenly!

Winneconne WI farm

Tablescapes Gone Whimsical

Deborah — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:41:56 +0000

Ultimate expo

The above is from Tuesday where I displayed my tablescapes for the Ultimate Ladies’ Day Out at the Park Ridge Country Club. I am happy to remind you that the holidays are just around the corner and my table settings and holiday decorating are a great stress-reliever for you and your family.

From the Thanksgiving setting:

Thanksgiving table