Mischer News

Halloween is a fun American tradition, unfortunately, big box stores have over commercialized it along with every other holiday. Make this year’s Halloween a homemade one, that will create memories for years to come. The basics are pumpkins, costumes, candy and crafts.

Pumpkins are the staple of Halloween. Carving them, toasting their seeds in the oven, and getting to gross out the kids with “pumpkin guts”. Instead of using pre-made templates have the whole family participate in creating a few original ones. While the grown ups and older children carve and gut the pumpkins, have the little ones sort through the guts and separate out the seeds. It’s a fun and gross task they will love. Rinse the seeds, then salt and toast them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 325 for 25 minutes for tasty treat.

The next ghoulishly great aspect of Halloween are the costumes from a walking pumpkin, a spider princess, or an adorable spring chicken.... the homemade possibilities are endless. For the adults the fun also continues here, a simple mustache on a stick or an elaborate monster costume. How-to’s and costume patterns can be found in craft stores or online .

Once the basics of pumpkins and costumes are under way the detailed fun of crafts and candy can begin! Let the wee ones decorate their trick or treat bags with reflective tape turned into hauntingly fun shapes like spider webs and ghosts. Have the older children make “candy people” to pass out to trick-or-treaters or party guests. A simple decoration is paper mice cut out and placed around the house for a creepy feel.

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It’s no secret that many Houstonians LOVE to eat and can quite literally “taste” the delicious fare they often see in cookbooks and on the cooking channels.

Now, thanks to Williams-Sonoma, area foodies can learn to cook many of these exciting new recipes – at the same time, begin or add to a bestseller cookbook collection.

The centrally located Highland Village Williams-Sonoma store invites you to join them each month for a monthly Cookbook Club class led by gifted culinary experts. Each month, their unique 1½ to 2 hour cooking class will showcase prepared recipes, tips and techniques from a popular cookbook. The August 31, 2011 Cookbook Club will offer:

BOOK: JAMIE OLIVER'S MEALS IN MINUTES BY JAMIE OLIVER “If you love food and have hungry mouths to feed when you get home after a long day, then allow Jamie to introduce you to a revolutionary way of cooking. In Meals in Minutes he'll show you how to make a complete meal in the time you'd normally spend on one dish.”

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Although I have never been known as a Green Thumb, when my 5 year old asked if we could have our own garden, I felt a parental - and eco – obligation to make it happen. As we talked about all the things we might like to grow, I had a flashback to my childhood and filling buckets with berries that grew wild on our back fence. We had so much fun picking then and could devour a whole bowl in one sitting at our picnic table.

So, I did a little research, and was happy to find out that blackberries are pretty easy to grow in our Southern region. Before we bought them, I did a little more reading to see what they would require and here is what I found:

• Blackberries are not so picky about their soil, but their roots cannot tolerate sitting in water, so make sure they are in an area with good drainage.
• They need stability, so plant them in an area with a little protection from high winds, like against a fence or near a wall that shelters them from the weather.
• Choose a variety that doesn’t have stickers to keep little gardeners fingers safe.
• To get the best harvest, avoid trimming or fertilizing. They grow easily in the wild because they like to trail freely. The only thing they will need is occasional watering with our hot, hot summers.

According to my little guy, all plants need to grow is Dirt, Water and Love (aka singing them a song). And, I love that we actually found something we can grow together that fit those simple parameters. The first time you look out your kitchen window and find your child “loving” their vines, you will have created an unforgettable memory!

In the words of Home Depot, the home improvement superstore, summer is the time for “More Saving. More Doing.”

There is no better time to get started on money saving home improvement projects than summer. The harshness of the cold, wet winter months has past and with a little elbow grease and smart spending, you home can sprout new life (and even new value) with these home improvement ideas:

Start with a whole home energy audit to check air conditioning units, insulation, air ducts, windows and doors, a service often offered at no cost to you by your local energy provider. If the auditor determines that it is time for a new heating and cooling system, make sure and select one that is approved by ENERGY STAR and promotes energy efficiency.

Select appliances that are both energy efficient and the right size for your needs. Buying an energy-efficient dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave and oven can save you up to 50% on your electric bills according to the Department of Energy (DOE). Also, cut back on hundreds of gallons of wasted water simply by adding aerators to your faucets.

Choose your landscape wisely and crate an aesthetically pleasing and money saving yard. Strategically planted trees and shrubs can add a windbreak and shade, reducing wear and tear and energy costs.

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We have all heard to use white baking flower to put out a kitchen fire or Dawn dishwashing soap to remove a grease stain from your favorite blouse, but did you know that many common pantry staples can be used to tackle tough clean-up jobs throughout the home?

Here are just a few simple tips sure to dazzle your friends and family:

Use White Vinegar to Shine Your Wood Floors

A wise contractor once told me that if you want a good clean shine on your wood floors, mix 9 parts warm water to one part white vinegar – an inexpensive and nonabrasive trick he had learned from his elderly grandmother whose floors were always spic n’ span. I tested the potion, and have used it ever since!

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A spare room in your home can easily be made into a space to entertain. With the growing popularity of media rooms and home gyms, making the call to transform an unused home office or formal dining is made even easier thanks to the floor plans used in the majority of today’s suburban homes.

Home theaters are no longer a luxury found only in celebrity cribs, and with so many new compact electronics on the market it takes very little work to turn a bedroom or unused space/room into a cozy cinematic viewing area.

For a seamless look, a contractor can remove sections of drywall and conceal all of the surround sound and component wires. You may even want to consider having the contractor place soundproofing inside the walls before replacing the drywall. This will allow people in other parts of the home to continue enjoying peace and quite and at the same time boost the audio experience of the home theater.

Not ready to tear down your walls for the love of George Lucas? Most home electronics stores offer products to help consolidate and camouflage wires, or you can opt to hide wires along the corners of the floor or under the carpet.

If a large scale conversion is not in your budget, there is certainly nothing wrong with a fresh coat of paint, a sectional, ottoman, and a flat screen TV.

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In a buyer's market it can really pay to make necessary improvements before listing your home for sale. Even small projects can impress potential buyers, but be purposeful in your focus.

For around $100, you can install new cabinet knobs and drawer pulls in a wide range of styles for an instant update. Consider choosing classic styles that will appeal to a wide range of potential buyers.

Let the light shine by adding a variety of lighting such as under-cabinet fixtures, pendants over the island or recessed LED lights, or you can install a sleek new sink and faucet – either way you can make a big impact for about $1,000.

Although you may be attached to your avocado appliances, today’s buyers likely won’t appreciate the nostalgia. Buyers want new cook-tops, range and/or dishwashers all in matching stainless finishes. Although the $3,000 to $5,000 investment might seem steep, it will be worth the splurge when it comes to negotiating the sale.

Kitchens can make or break a sale, so carefully consider these home improvements that can work for almost any budget.

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It’s springtime in Texas and the smell of BBQ is in the air. This can mean only one thing: the backyard parties have begun! Follow these ten backyard party tips and your next alfresco get-together is sure to be a blast!

1. Clean up your party space. Make sure the grass is mowed, de-weed the flower beds and rake or blow away any debris. Put away any tools and toys you don’t plan on using with your guests.
2. Make sure not to overlook spaces inside the house where guests may be, including the entryway, kitchen and guest bathroom.
3. Decorate with greenery and flowers from your own yard to add interest to your tables and serving areas.
4. Set up plenty of seating for your guests before they arrive, creating conversation areas around your yard and allowing guests to spread out. If you're short on chairs, spread blankets on the grass for the kids; they will think it’s a picnic planned especially for them.
5. Choose music that is both fun and pleasant, crazy loud music could be too taste specific to entertain all your guests.
6. Think of your guests when choosing the menu. If kids are part of the plan, make sure the food is not too spicy or hard to eat while balancing a plate on their lap. Everyone loves a theme party, so visit cooking websites like MarthaStewart.com for fun recipes and party ideas.
7. Always be open to the idea of a potluck party. It lightens the host's load and can also be a fun way to try new things.
8. Invite your favorite neighbors and employ them to help with pre-party preparation. Make it fun by starting the music early, sampling some food and mixing cocktails.
9. Prepare as many foods in advance as possible. On the day of the party, you'll be glad you got a head start. Not only will the flavors be enhanced, but you will have more time to relax and enjoy your guests as they arrive.
10. Don’t forget to have easy-to-find trash disposal locations around the party. By having at least two large trash cans, you will spend less time in the garage and more time with your guests.

If you don’t already have a backyard party on the calendar, pen one in and start planning!

March is definitely “in like a lion” with warm winds signaling a refreshing change of seasons, but the harsh winter months may have been hard on our homes' exteriors.

Although it’s not quite time to redo the flower beds or make dramatic landscape changes, you can definitely bring a little life back to your home this weekend by freshening up the porch and entryway.

One way to stay on top of your home’s esthetic appeal, and protect your investment, is to look at it from the curb, as if you are a stranger considering it for purchase. Perform cosmetic repairs first, which will protect your monetary investment and then focus on adding a little something special to the home’s curb appeal.

Next, flank the front door with large, matching planters filled with easy to maintain greenery such as large foxtail ferns. Then you can plant a colorful seasonal flower around the base where it can easily be changed as necessary.

Finally, put a fresh coat of pain or wood polish/stain on the front door and pressure wash the brick or breezeway. A clean entry, free of spider webs and dead bugs is much more inviting for your summer guests!

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The most important job for homeowners this month is to prevent water damage and leaks from frozen pipes at home. Here are a few tips to keep things flowing smoothly:

• If you'll be gone for any period of time during freezing weather, even if it’s just overnight, employ a friend or neighbor to check on your house for  evidence of broken or leaking pipes and show them how to shut off the water.
• Keep temperatures inside your house at 55 degrees Fahrenheit or above, night and day, even when you're gone.
• Install small, battery-powered individual leak alarms, also called flood alarms, under the refrigerator, kitchen and bathroom drain pipes, dishwasher and laundry appliances and behind toilets.
• Check to make sure your sump pump is operating properly and if it has a battery backup, test it frequently.

Make sure to give special attention to pipes — indoors and out — that are exposed to the cold, including pipes in outside walls, garden hoses and sprinkler lines, swimming pool pipes and pipes in unheated attics, basements and garages.

With the proper proactive measures, you can prevent almost any unwanted water leak!