Gardening | Landscaping |

July 14, 2017 nwdenvercoloradoliving

Think of the backyard party as the dinner party’s easygoing little sibling. Not sure if you’ll have eight people or 18? No problem — just ask folks to bring something extra to throw on the grill. Hate cleaning house just to have people over? Now you don’t have to! Of course, for all its laid-back charm, a backyard barbecue still requires some forethought. Here’s an outdoor party prep countdown that will help you check things off in advance, so you can feel more relaxed on party day.

One Month Before

Check your schedule. It’s easy to let the summer slip by without getting to all the things you wanted to do — so if hosting more backyard gatherings is on your summer list, make plans before the grilling season gets rolling. Look over the next few months on your calendar, decide when you might like to host, and mark it down.Clean and maintain the grill. Both charcoal and gas grills can use a good deep cleaning at the start of grilling season to keep them in top condition. For gas grill safety, it’s also important to inspect the fuel line for cracks and to make sure burner holes aren’t clogged with grease.

Assess the outdoor furniture. Wish you could seat a few more friends around the fire pit? Craving a more comfy outdoor lounge zone? Items ordered online can take weeks to ship (and local deals can get snapped up fast), so if you’re looking to add to or replace your outdoor furniture, set a budget and start shopping sooner rather than later.For a large or formal gathering, invite guests now. If it’s an important occasion — like graduation or a milestone birthday — be sure to give guests a heads-up about a month in advance so that they can mark it on the calendar.

Stock up on backyard party essentials. We reach for the same go-to items at nearly every backyard party, so make things easier on yourself and pull together a party kit in advance. Store these items in the same place so that you know just where to find the cooler and bug repellant wipes on party day.

Fuel for grill (propane tank or charcoal)
Skewers
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Reusable outdoor dinnerware
Lightweight platters for transporting food
Cooler or ice bucket
Bug repellent towelettes
Sunscreen
String lights or lanterns
Wireless outdoor speakers
Umbrellas or shade sails

Three Weeks BeforeDecide on the menu and create a shopping list. Whether you’re going for classic burgers and hot dogs or a vegan veggie-centric menu, your head will feel clearer if you get the plan on paper (or on your phone) in advance. List the dishes and sides you plan to cook, and then create a master shopping list — bonus points for dividing the list into sections for perishable and nonperishable items.

Decide on outdoor games and activities. Want to roast marshmallows over your fire pit, rent a bouncy house for the kiddos or play boules on the lawn? Figure out what (if any) activities you’d like to have during your party, and pick up or reserve necessary supplies.

Two Weeks BeforeOrganize friends’ contributions if it’s a potluck. Collaborate with your guests to make sure each type of dish (main, side, salad, dessert) is represented, and be prepared to offer specific ideas or direction if asked. Folks are more likely to step up to help if you make things as simple and clear as possible.

Shop for nonperishable items and do a little kitchen prep. Pick up wine, beer, condiments and pantry staples, and store them out of the way until party day. If you have any recipes on your party list that can be made ahead and frozen, do it now and you’ll thank yourself later. Even something as quick as making a batch of simple syrup to store in the fridge for homemade lemonade can ease your party prep workload later on.

Week of PartyGet a final head count. Check in with guests who haven’t RSVP’d, and confirm what everyone is bringing if it’s a potluck.

Tidy up the guest bathroom. One great thing about entertaining in the backyard is that you don’t have to stress about getting the indoors looking guest-perfect, with one exception: the bathroom. Carve out time to tidy up the powder room, stock it with extra toilet paper and hand towels, and top off the soap.

Decide on the music. Pick your playlist or streaming channel to strike the right mood (or opt to go music-free). If you have a new outdoor sound system, be sure to test it out before the party so that you’re clear on how everything works.

Clean out the fridge. You’re going to need more space than you think for all those party dishes and chilling beverages, so make some room before you hit the market.

Shop for perishable ingredients and make a few dishes in advance. Pick up perishable goods, including fresh fruits, veggies, cheeses and meats, up to two days before the party, but wait until the day before (or morning of) to buy fresh seafood. Look over your menu and pick out a few recipes that can be prepared (or partially prepped) in advance.

Day of PartyChill the drinks. Make sure the cold beverages make it into the fridge about four hours before party time to chill; transfer them to an ice-filled cooler (if using) about 20 minutes before guests are due to arrive.

Cue up the party playlist. Turning on the music will help get you in the mood while you finish prepping for the party — and if early birds arrive, it will feel festive, even if everything isn’t ready.

Set up an outdoor cleanup station. You’ll want to have a garbage can and a recycling bin available in the party area, plus a dishpan for transporting reusable dishes and platters to the kitchen for cleanup.

Organize the grill staging area. Get out your serving platters, tongs, grill brush and any other tools you like to have on hand while you cook.

Set up a self-serve food table. Help guests help themselves by setting out the necessities:

Dishes
Flatware
Napkins
Cups
A basket with bug repellant wipes and sunscreen
A bucket of ice with tongs
Serving spoons

Finish preparing the food. The thing that makes barbecues less stressful than a capital-D Dinner Party is that your guests actually expect most of the cooking to happen after they arrive — so don’t stress if you’d hoped to have more done before the first guests show up. Pour some icy cold beverages and chat while you grill.

Kick back and savor your well-deserved relaxation time. Don’t be afraid to hand over the grilling tongs to someone else — and if people ask if they can help carry dirty dishes to the kitchen, say yes!

March 8, 2017 nwdenvercoloradoliving

See how readers are engaging in crafts and hobbies, whether it’s weaving, winter gardening or fairy-home building!

Winter is the season to be a homebody, whether due to frigid weather, shorter days or simply the natural rhythm of the season. Recently we asked readers to show us their winter hobbies at home, and the spaces where they do them. See some of their responses below. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to pick up a new skill, or revive one you haven’t turned to in a while.

Readers Show Us Their Winter Hobbies at Home

1. Sunroom Garden

Who: Beth Cody
Where: Kalona, Iowa
Hobby: Winter gardeningLast summer Beth Cody had her front porch enclosed, turning it into a sunroom. This winter she’s using the space for her hobby of winter gardening; she trims back and tidies her plants here. Not every aspect of winter gardening happens in the sunroom — Cody fills her watering can and washes plants in the bathtub, and she pots her plants on a workbench in the basement. “But neither of these is nearly as charming or photogenic a spot as the sunroom itself,” Cody writes.

Here is a photo that illustrates Cody’s favorite way to use the sunroom: “snoozing in the sunshine on a winter’s day (cats always know the best places for naps!),” she writes.

Readers Show Us Where They Create at Home in Winter

2. Winter Weaver

Who: Lynn Benefiel
Where: Northville, Michigan
Hobbies: Weaving, spinning, knitting

Lynn Benefiel and her husband downsized last year to a condo, making sure to choose a new home that had good studio space for Benefiel’s textile projects, two looms and three spinning wheels. “I’m a fiber artist involved in weaving, spinning and knitting,” Benefiel says. She makes table linens, upholstery, material for throw pillows, hand towels and wall hangings. “The bookshelves hold baskets of supplies and books. My father built my loom, and the tool bench under the window was his tool chest that he built as a teen.” Benefiel made the blue-and-brown linens pictured here; her studio is shown above.

3. Sewing Spot

Who: Angela D
Where: Utah County, Utah
Hobby: Quilting

Angela D carved out crafting space in a very small bedroom in the basement of her 1937 home. “I finally mounted a shelf to the wall so I’d have a clear desk surface for quilting,” she writes. She stores her colorful threads, ruler and tools vertically as well, leaving space for crafting. She makes quilts here, as well as home decor items and the occasional costume or garment, often with Netflix on in the background. The room doubles as a guest room.

4. Creative Haven

Who: Mary Pat Dubois
Where: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Hobbies: Painting and weavingMary Pat Dubois lives in a three-story townhome with a storage room on the ground floor, and since she’s purged enough that she doesn’t need it for storage, she converted the room into her creative space. “I surround myself with things that inspire my creativity, and I put on my music and close the door,” she says. She keeps her loom in the room (a portion of it can be seen in the bottom left of the photo above), though on nice days she can fold it up and take it to the backyard deck so she can work out in the sun.Dubois paints in watercolors and acrylics, and has also done some collage work. But her primary focus is weaving. She recently retired early and has taken up weaving again; she plans to sell her woven work online. The wall hanging pictured here is her work.

5. Drawing Studio

Who: Arlene Steinberg
Where: Sarasota, Florida
Studio use: Drawing; Steinberg is a professional artist

“This was my studio before we sold the house,” Arlene Steinberg writes. “I also had an easel that sat to the left of my chair, but this was staged without the easel.” Steinberg is building a new house, which will include a studio with lots of shelving, French doors to a balcony and room to spread out. “I’m a full-time still life artist who works in colored pencils,” she says.

Here is one of Steinberg’s drawings, Gossip Column.

6. Encaustic Garage

Who: Donna Horn
Where: Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada
Studio use: Donna is a professional full-time artist; this is her workspace

“This is my studio, our garage, where I primarily work with encaustics (beeswax and resin with pigments) on birch panel,” Horn writes. “I’ll be replacing the garage door with French doors and solid walls in order to have more display space and make it warmer in the winter.”

This is one of Horn’s encaustic pieces.

7. Sewing Space

Who: Gabrielle Chilton
Where: Rancho Cucamonga, California
Hobby: Creating clothing and home decor

When one of Gabrielle Chilton’s sons moved out, she converted his upstairs bedroom into her sewing room. She sews clothing and home decor items, knits and crochets blankets, and reupholsters used furniture. She has also taught sewing classes in this room. She does use the older sewing machine, pictured at the bottom right of this photo, for some projects. “I find the old machines work better for sewing through [the] thickness of fabrics like denim or upholstery,” she says.

Here is a blanket that Chilton created. “I am a maker,” she says. “I would rather when possible make than buy.”

8. Office in Bed

Who: Sharon Harris
Where: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Hobbies: Genealogy, digital scrapbooking, blogging

“I’m disabled and spend a lot of time in bed,” Sharon Harris writes, noting that her bed is adjustable. Harris’ husband made her a rolling desk. “I work on the computer doing genealogy, digital scrapbooking, blogging. So this desk has been wonderful.”

Harris’ husband also included a slide-out mouse shelf with the desk. Harris can sit with her dogs and work for hours on her projects here.

9. Fairy House Creation

Who: Kim Wilcox
Where: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Hobby: Creating fairy houses

Kim Wilcox put together this craft space last year, and this is where she works on miniature fairy houses, her hobby. The homes are very heavy, made of solid wood and stone.

The photo below shows a scene from one of Wilcox’s woodland fairy houses.

This photo shows Castlerock, one of Wilcox’s completed homes.

10. Scrapbook Central

Who: Joanne Hawley
Hobby: Scrapbooking

Joanne Hawley turned the basement of her century-old home into her scrapbooking studio. The desk seen here used to belong to her daughter, who is now 34. Hawley’s brother built the long table to the right of the desk. It stood in her kitchen until she remodeled that room three years ago.

“My winter project is sorting through 20 years of pictures and doing some beginners scrapbooking. I now have lots of workspace,” Hawley writes.

11. Sea and Air

Who: Emily Hoschouer
Where: Medina, Ohio
Artwork: Painting on the walls

Sometimes the only canvas a creative person needs for fun hobbies are a home’s blank walls. “I did the basement toy room a couple of winters ago, and now that my daughter is old enough to pick her own room theme, I’m about to start galloping horses on her walls,” Emily Hoschouer writes.

Hoschouer is a professional artist. She also gives piano lessons.

The undersea scenes are in the basement.

Hoschouer painted these fighter jets in her son’s bedroom.

12. Sewing Room

Who: Flourishingpalms
Where: The Villages, Florida
Hobbies: Quilting and sewing

Flourishingpalms outfitted a guest room in her home with everything she needs for quilting and sewing. “I have two sewing machines permanently set up — one for sewing and piecing, the other for quilting — with two flexible tables (varnished hollow-core doors) set upon four adjustable-height Ikea sawhorses,” she writes. She uses the door-tables for ironing, cutting fabric and basting quilts. She added UV film to the south-facing bay window to protect her projects from the Florida sun.

Flourishingpalms stores her fabric in a cabinet. “I spend lots of happy hours in this room!” she writes.

13. Craft Room

Who: Cdve
Where: Darien, Connecticut
Hobbies: All types of craft projects

Houzzer cdve converted a walk-in closet into her craft storage and sewing room. “I am a utilitarian sewer (that means mending or creating home accessories), I love to do all matter of craft projects …, photography and small home improvement projects like simple carpentry work,” she writes.

Cdve built the shelves pictured here herself. She has been running a craft group for adults out of her home.

Here is one of cdve’s string pendants.

Recently, she has started making paper flowers.

14. Living Room Knitter

Who: Lookylou2
Hobby: Knitting

We don’t all have dedicated spaces we can carve out for winter hobbies, but a dual-purpose space can be just as satisfying. “I downsized last year and live in a 760-square-foot condo — still struggling with storage!” lookylou2 writes. “My hobby is knitting for myself and family, and my craft room is basically my living room…with hand-knit striped socks on the needles at the moment.”

15. Jewelry Studio

Who: Janet Kofoed
Craft: Making jewelry

“I’m a jeweler, and my studio is a tiny room on the second floor that was once, I think, a nursery. It’s about 90 square feet, and I have all my benches and equipment shoehorned into it. The saving grace of the space is a small adjoining deck, a good place for product photography or contemplation,” Janet Kofoed writes.

Here are her tools.

And here is one of her creations.

16. Quilting Bee

Who: Diane Shopteau
Where: Rochester, Minnesota
Hobby: Sewing

Diane Shopteau has a two-bedroom condo and uses the second bedroom as her sewing and craft room. She makes wall hangings, quilts, table runners, clothing and home decor. Shopteau also knits and crochets, and has used these skills to make sweaters, scarves and toys.

Here is one of Shopteau’s wall hangings.