CasaSugar

Open House: What Are Your Thanksgiving Plans?

CasaSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:30:39 -0800

This Thursday, friends and family will gather to socialize, give thanks, and stuff themselves silly. Whether you're hosting or putting in a guest appearance, there's always a lot of preparation and work that goes into every Thanksgiving gathering.

This year my husband and I are driving from Berkeley to Whidbey Island, off the coast of Washington, to stay with his family. We're driving because we're also traveling with our two dogs (I know, it's going to be quite the road trip). Once there, we'll help prepare the Thanksgiving meal, take lots of walks in the foggy forest and on the shore, and, I'm sure, play many, many rounds of Scrabble with my mom-in-law.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting to visit with so many loved ones, and to contribute to a meal, and an experience, that would be impossible without many hands. Tell me: what are your Thanksgiving plans, and what are your favorite parts of the holiday?

Source: Flicker User Lane & Anne

Open House: How Do You Dress Your Thanksgiving Table?

CasaSugar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:30:04 -0800

When it comes to the Thanksgiving table, how you dress it is often as important to the hostess as what food sits upon it. Over the years, I've seen family members fuss over table settings, switching out placemats, rethinking china sets, and shifting floral arrangements.

I admit that I'm known to fuss over my Thanksgiving table as well. The first year that my hubby and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family, I stayed up late into the night sewing a dozen napkins, pressing tablecloths, and arranging flowers. In the end though, it was all worth it. Not only did the food turn out wonderfully, but the table looked spectacular as well. Plus, as far as I'm concerned, deciding on color schemes and flower arrangements is all part of the fun.

So tell me, how do you dress your Thanksgiving table? Do you keep things casual? Is your feast a buffet-style affair? Or do you get formal with placecards and calligraphied names? Tell me all about it in the comments!

Source: Flickr User thedabble

Open House: What Was Your Most Successful DIY?

CasaSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:30:31 -0800

For crafters and DIYers, a few failures are par for the course. That's part of the reason why successful DIY projects are such a coup. I've had my share of successes and failures, and I'm currently in the middle of one of my more ambitious projects ever. I find myself fretting over it, since I'm not sure if it's going to completely work out yet, and there are still several steps to complete.

One of my favorite DIY projects was refurbishing a wood and canvas canoe with my father. It was a project that took a long time to complete, but the end result was absolutely amazing. I loved paddling around the lake in the canoe, knowing that we'd made that moment possible thanks to our hard work.

This table, shown above, was also a collaboration between a parent and grown child. You can read more about it here. But before you do, tell me a little about your most successful DIY project. Was it quick and easy? Or did it take lots of love, elbow grease, and patience?

Source: Flickr User Sporkist

Open House: How Are You Celebrating Halloween?

CasaSugar — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:30:51 -0700

Whether you've been planning your costume or party for months, or are stuck for last-minute ideas, you should definitely get out there and celebrate tonight! At my house, we'll be waiting on trick-or-treaters (or trying to) and then heading to a friend's party in San Francisco for the evening. I still haven't decided on a costume, but I'm sure I can whip something up at the last minute.

So, what are your plans this evening? Are you taking your kids around for trick-or-treating? Attending a huge costume ball? Heading to a haunted house? Tell me all about it in the comments. Oh, and if you need some low-commitment, last-minute celebration ideas, check out these!

Source: Flickr User peasap

Open House: Have You Ever Lived in a Haunted House?

CasaSugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:30:43 -0700

Back in college, I lived in a creaky, spooky Victorian with three housemates. One February night, when all three of my housemates were out of town, I heard creaking on the stairs outside my bedroom. The creaking wasn't random - it sounded like footsteps. As the creaks ascended each stair, I held my breath, wondering if there was an intruder. When I finally summoned my courage, I peeked my head outside the door. No one was there, and there was no sign of entry. My housemates later told me that they'd heard similar footsteps when they were home alone.

Now, I'm not saying that the house was haunted, but it was a spooky experience all the same. I don't know if I necessarily believe in ghosts, but I certainly don't rule out their existence entirely.

Tell me, have you ever lived in a haunted house? Do you know anyone who has? What's the spookiest story you've heard about a haunted home?

Source: Flickr User traceyp3031

Open House: What's Your Home's Pet Policy?

CasaSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:30:02 -0700

My husband and I share our house with two dogs, which means a lot more vacuuming and dusting than nonpet people experience in their homes. We try to keep things tidier by keeping the pups off of furniture. However, they have full run of the house, hang out in every room, and even keep us company while we're cooking in the kitchen.

Since they have good manners, I don't mind having them underfoot, but I know that some families keep their dogs relegated to certain areas of the house or even crate them for much of the time that they're home.

So tell me, do you have dogs, cats, or other indoor pets? Do you let them up on your sofa or bed? What's your house's pet policy?

Source: Flickr User Emery_Way

Open House: Least Favorite Fall Chores

CasaSugar — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:30:04 -0700

Once the season turns, it's time to compile, and check off, all of those necessary Fall chores. From sweeping out gutters to raking up leaves, there's no end to the tasks that need attending to. My least favorite Fall chore is actually scheduling appointments with handymen and carpenters.

I don't have a problem with doing chores myself; it's the time spent waiting for service professionals, and taking time off of work to let people in and out of the house, that's difficult for me to manage. Plenty of my friends dread the Fall cleanup though, and often hire neighborhood kids to rake their leaves or clean around their homes. What's your least favorite Fall chore?

Source: Flickr User Sugarfrizz

Open House: Are You Throwing Any Fall Parties?

CasaSugar — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 05:30:04 -0700

Every October, I love to invite a few friends over for a pumpkin carving party. It's a great excuse to reconnect with friends, and who can resist the fun of carving images and faces into a pumpkin?

Another friend of mine, who's an amateur mixologist, loves to throw a Halloween-themed cocktail party right around Halloween. From Trick-or-Tinis to Eyeball Highballs, my friend has the spooky drink menu covered.

What type of Fall parties do you like to host? Pumpkin carving parties? Popcorn ball-making get-togethers? Costume crafting nights? Tell me all about it in the comments!

Source: Flickr User indigoprime

Open House: How Do You Decorate For Fall?

CasaSugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:30:16 -0700

I love Indian corn wreaths. When I was a kid, I remember visiting my grandmother in the Autumn and marveling at the dried cobs of Indian corn she'd grown in her garden. The kernels were all so fantastically colored.

Grandma would often simply secure the husks together with twine and hang them on her front door, and they imbued the entire home with a great autumnal feel.

Have you started decorating for Fall yet? How do you usually decorate? Do you put scarecrows out on the lawn? Pumpkins on your front step? Do you change the colors of bedding or throw pillows to reflect the season? Tell me all about it in the comments!

Oh, and if you're on the hunt for a gorgeous Autumn wreath, check out Oregon Wreath, which is where this one came from.

Open House: What Are Your Friends' or Family Members' Weirdest Cleaning Habits?

CasaSugar — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:30:09 -0700

The other Saturday, when the hubz and I were cleaning the house, he turned to me and yelled over the vacuum, "Do you ever vacuum the sofa?"

"Yes, of course," I yelled back. At this point, he picked up the vacuum and ran it over the sofa.

I had to laugh, even as I wondered what the weight of the vacuum was doing to the upholstery. "No, you weirdo! With the hose attachment!"

"What's that?" he asked, completely baffled. After a quick instructional, he was well versed in the art of using the vacuum's hose attachment.

My husband's not the only person I know with some funny cleaning habits. A friend of mine uses socks that have lost their pairs as her cleaning rags, which is definitely an eco way to go. She also says that putting her hand inside the sock actually helps her to tackle more surface area in less time.

So tell me, what are your friends' or family members' oddest cleaning habits?