by Staff Reports
Often, the touches that make our homes memorable and welcoming come from our hobbies. Decorating, painting, cooking, photography, special collections, art, sewing or gardening — all these turn our residence into a real home.
Share Your Passion
Almost everything discussed below can be entered in the Yavapai County Fair for some serious bragging opportunities. Did you know it has categories for collections? Pull out those matchbox cars or Uncle Joe’s baseball cards. Cook up your best pie or cookies or even a green bean casserole. Show off the gigantic zucchini from your garden. Are your zinnias wowing the entire neighborhood? Now they can be shared with the whole county.
“We either have a category already or will create a category for your items,” says Rosie Darby, General Manager of the Yavapai County Fair. “Everyone from Yavapai County is eligible to participate and enter items in the fair.”
The Yavapai County Fair takes place Sept. 5-8. Go to YavapaiFair.com for more information.
Decorating and Painting
When it comes to decorating and paint color, do you know what you like, but aren’t sure how to get there? No worries. First thing to remember, nothing is permanent. If you try a paint color but decide you don’t like it, you can always repaint with a fresh color. If it seems too overpowering, paint one wall in the color you’ve chosen and go with a more neutral color for the remaining walls in the room. It’s your palette, so find something you love.
Designers often use the 60-30-10 rule:
- 60% of the room should be the dominant color (think walls and floor)
- 30% of the room is set aside for the secondary color, which adds contrast to the room (perhaps area rugs, bedding or upholstery)
- • 10% is the accent color — meant to pop with color or interest (throw pillows, bedding, artwork)
One idea is to start with a color scheme taken from a favorite item such as a picture you plan to hang on the wall or throw pillows you plan to place on your couch or in your bedroom.
Collections and Art
Maybe the worst thing we can do with our favorite collections, such as spoons or stamps, is to keep them hidden away and forgotten in a drawer. Most collections can be displayed in attractive cases, which also help to protect and preserve the items. Artwork can be hung on the wall or set upon easels for viewing.
Once you have your collections ready, then experiment a bit to find pleasing display arrangements. Mix and match — perhaps that flag with a grouping of photos of family members who served in the military. Or your collection of stamps can be placed alongside photos of your trip to Europe. Be creative.
Cooking
There’s nothing like walking into a home and breathing in the smell of freshly cooked meals or treats. In our busy lifestyles, it’s not often we have time to make a grand meal, homemade bread or cookies, so when possible make that effort extra special with a lovely presentation.
Tip: If you make food look fun, your kids might be more willing to eat it. Win-win!
- Here are some food presentation tips:
- Choose the right plate size and color.
- Plate with a clock in mind: Protein between 3-9; Carbs from 9-12; veggies from 12-3.
- Serve odd amounts of small foods. For example, if you’re serving Brussel sprouts, serve seven instead of six.
- Don’t overcrowd the plate.
- Look for color and contrast.
- Use the sauces to enhance the ingredients, don’t just dump it on.
- Use cookie cutters to cut fruits into shapes like stars and moons.
Tip: Search for “Food Presentation” on Google and Pinterest to find great ideas!
Gardening
There’s nothing like a picture-perfect yard to welcome people to your front door. If your hobby is gardening, you’re in the best community ever. Whether you’re a pro or wannabe gardener, you have access to knowledgeable local resources within an easy drive. We have yet to see Ken Lain of Watters Garden Center ever stumped by a gardening question, for example. But, even if that happens, he’ll know where to go to find the answer. Watters also offers weekly garden classes valuable for the novice and expert alike.
