Thanksgiving Preparation

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love to cook and I love everything about the meal. My menu is fairly traditional. I use recipes that have been in my family for years and I don’t deviate too much from the standards. For the record, I make my stuffing with bread versus cornbread.

Getting ready to cook is always the hardest. Over the years I have developed a few simple tips that make the getting started part easier. I have my menu typed up and saved on my computer. The list also includes all the ingredients needed to make each one of the recipes. In 5 minutes I can quickly scan the list and determine which items I need to purchase (I have a built-in grocery list too!).

If you haven’t purchased your items, this evening would be the perfect time to get this out of the way. You don’t want to wait until Wednesday. It will be a mob scene and you may not be able to find what you need. If you don’t have time to shop yourself, perhaps delegate this to a visiting relative or a student home from college. It will give them something to do and will save you a ton of time. A turkey can take a few days to defrost and you want to do this in the refrigerator, which is another reason you want to do your shopping sooner rather than later.

 On Wednesday, you can make a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up your fresh vegetables, flowers, bread and any other last minute items. You can smile because all the big stuff has been purchased and at home.

Set your table in advance. This is one task that you can get out of the way and will prevent last minute panic attacks when you realize that you don’t have enough wine or water glasses for everyone. Better to know this today. The added bonus is that you get to enjoy your table setting for a few days. This year we are having 12 for dinner, so I am off to buy some additional folding chairs.

If you are looking for new recipes, I suggest going to www.myrecipes.com . They have several Thanksgiving menus and kitchen tested recipes to pick from. This is a great resource if you are making Thanksgiving dinner for the first time or looking for new recipes to try. They have a recipe for an apple pie with a cornmeal crust that sounds interesting that I will try this year.

Finally, knock off as many of the items in advance. The stuffing, cranberry sauce, pies and casseroles can all be made in advance. Thursday morning, stuff the turkey, pop it in the oven and enjoy the rest of the day. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Perfect Cosmetic Bag

Today, I am going to write about something very important to me..the launch of my new Vemayca cosmetic bag with a removable Soft Pearl Liner.  It has been an amazing journey, from idea to developing an actual product to launching a website.  Like many inventors, frustration drove me to invent something better.  In my case, I was frustrated because the inside of my favorite cosmetic bag was so difficult to keep clean.  I spent too much time scrubbing the lining to no avail. I had more important things to do with my time and thought to myself that there had to be a better way.  This led me to the idea for the removable Soft Pearl Liner.  When the inside of your cosmetic bag gets dirty, simple replace the Soft Pearl Liner and you are good to go in a snap.

The Vemayca bag was designed to be used with or without the Soft Pearl Liner, providing ultimate flexibility. The uses are endless. Consider some of the ways that a Vemayca bag can be used to keep your “life beautifully organized”

Beauty Essentials and Cosmetics

Cameras, Cell Phones, Electronic Cords and Attachments

Medication and Medical Supplies

Sunglasses, Sunscreen and Swimsuits

Business Cards, Calculators, Pencils and Pens

There are other organizational tips on my website at www.vemayca.com.

Thanksgiving Gravy Boat

I know, Halloween isn’t even here yet and I am already thinking about Thanksgiving.  This is the perfect time to think about Thanksgiving and specifically about the pieces that you will need to serve the Thanksgiving meal.   It is hard for me to pick my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal.  I love it all, the turkey, stuffing, side dishes and definitely the homemade pies.  I also love gravy!  Until this year, I have ever owned a gravy boat.  Every year when I think about it (right before the gravy is done and I am looking for something to serve it in) it is too late.   This year was going to be different.  I went out and purchased my very first gravy boat.  I am thrilled (I know that sounds strange).

 They were in abundant supple at Crate and Barrel with a couple of different styles to pick from. I purchased a simple white piece with a matching serving plate underneath.  Target also has a really great basic gravy boat that costs less than $10.00.  Now is the time to get these, as I suspect, if you wait too long, they will no longer be available.  In fact this is the perfect week to think about your Thanksgiving table and serving pieces and get those purchased.  I for one will be happily using my new gravy boat!

Make-up Essentials

Make-up Essentials

I read an article from a beauty expert recently and she named the five make-up items that she could not live without. This got me thinking about my list of make-up must haves.  I am no beauty expert, but I do love make-up.  Here is my list including which brand I prefer (at the moment). 

 Maybelline Mascara.  What can I say, it works and it is inexpensive.  I still can’t figure out why some women insist on paying over $6.00 for a tube of mascara, especially since mascara needs to be replaced so often.  My eyes are my best feature so mascara is at the top of my list.

Trish McEvoy Plumper Lip Gloss in Deep Rose.  I do splurge on lip gloss and right now Trish’s lip gloss is a favorite. The Deep Rose gloss has little gold flecks that add the right amount of sparkle to your lips. It is not sticky and plumps up lips.  When you get to be of a certain age it is all about sparkle and plumping.

bare Minerals Powder Foundation.  There are two reasons why I love this product.  First, I travel a lot and this is one less liquid that I need to worry about.  Second, this powder makes my skin look amazing and it lasts all day. 

bare Minerals Powder Blush. I love this blush for the same reasons that I love bare Minerals powder foundation.     

Benefit Tinted Moisturizer-You Rebel (They have great product names). This product combines color with a moisturizer and a sunscreen.  On those days where you want to take the minimalistic approach, this is the moisturizer for you. 

I am going to include a bonus pick.  Garnier Nutritioniste Detoxifying Wet Cleaning Towelettes.  These are indispensable given my busy schedule and the amount of time I spend away from home. The packaging states that it instantly removes make-up, even mascara, leaving skin deeply clean and pure.  It works for me.

Organizing with Baskets

Pottery Barn has a new catalog out called, Decorating with Baskets.   This got me thinking about all the baskets that I use around my house to keep organized.  This post will be devoted to Organizing with Baskets!

 Bedroom Closet: Baskets are a great tool to help keep closets organized and looking neat.  I purchased my closet baskets in the most unlikely of places, Babies R Us.  They have a great selection of baskets in pretty and feminine colors.  Baskets hold a variety of items that you want to keep close at hand yet hidden away.  My baskets store my hats, headbands, small purses, and collection of camisoles.  

 Bedroom: The bedroom is the one room that should be your sanctuary and therefore it should be clutter free and inviting. A few carefully placed baskets just might be the solution to creating a relaxing environment.  For example, if your nightstand has a bottom shelf, consider a basket to store medications, magazines and books. This one change will make a huge difference.

 Linen Closet:  Many years ago, I discovered the best way to keep a linen closet organized is to store sheets by room in baskets.  This makes finding sheets so much easier and all the pieces are in one neat basket. 

Home Office: Keeping a home office is a huge challenge for a lot of people, including me.  Often space is limited and paper seems to multiple overnight (even as hard as we try to go paperless).  All my incoming mail is placed in a large orange basket that was given to me as a gift.  All the items stay in the basket until I am able to handle it by either: filing it, acting upon it or simply tossing it out.  Baskets are also perfect for keeping electronic cords organized and hidden from view.

 Guest Bathroom:  My mother gave me a beautiful basket from the island of Maderia.  It is an odd shape and not very big.  I rolled up a few washcloths and placed them in the basket and displayed them on the bathroom counter.  Whenever I see the basket I think of my mother, and my guests appreciate having the washcloths so handy.

Other quick organizing solutions for small baskets: entry way to store keys and mail, living room to store your remote controller, bathroom to store makeup, and in the kitchen to store your cookbooks.  You get the picture.  

Some final thoughts…garage sales are a great place to find interesting and inexpensive baskets.  Not the right color?  No problem, simply paint them to match your room.  Old baskets can be relegated to the garage for improving storage there.  My husband uses an old basket to store his collection of hammers.

Facebook Convert

I finally joined Facebook!  My daughter joined several years ago when it was still mainly for students.  She has been urging me to join.  I did resist for the longest time.  You probably have used the same excuses: Facebook is for kids, who has the time, I don’t want my personal life out there for all to see, etc… A growing number of my friends were on Facebook.  And I am not talking about twenty year olds, many are mature women, and many are grandmothers.  I started feeling like a dinosaur.  Everyday, I received invitations to join their Facebook networks and everyday, I deleted these requests.  If I wanted to talk to them, my cell phone and email worked just fine, thank you.   Then, it seemed like every new friend I made ended our first conversation with “Facebook me”.   I now felt like I was really missing out, so I set up a Facebook account.

Getting started was easy (and it helped to have my daughter explain the ins and outs of wall posts, security and privacy settings).  Within a few days I have reconnected with several family members and former colleagues at American Airlines.   My sister-in-law who is an active Facebook user, recently reconnected with a childhood friend.  They had not seen each other since they were ten years old back in Ohio.  How cool is that!

How does this relate to organization?  Based on the newsfeed function on Facebook, I can quickly keep up with all my friends and family and their daily activities, illnesses, birthdays, wedding anniversaries, job promotions, travel adventures and pregnancies.  I love the fact that I can get a picture out to everyone at a moment’s notice or update them on the latest events in the Mayo household.  I thought it would be time consuming, to participate in yet another social network, but I quickly discovered that it is a huge time saver.  Admittedly, it can be addicting and you can spend countless hours on posting information, loading photos and emailing your friends.  But that has not been my experience so far.

Flight Delays

This year we decided to go to Rhode Island to spend the 4^th of July with my dad.  It was painful leaving Seattle because the weather was so perfect.  To make matters worse, it was forecasted to be cloudy and raining in New England.  They haven’t been having the best of summers so far. 

 Everything was going according to the plan, until we got to the airport and discovered that the trans-continental flight was delayed due to weather in Boston.  The flight was scheduled to depart at 8:50 and at first it was delayed 10 minutes.  As experienced flyer and former airline employee, most 10 minutes delays really mean 30 minutes or longer.  As we got continual updates, the prospects for a relaxing and early dinner with my dad faded.  It was going to be a long day.    

Advance planning and good organization can save the day.  There are many things that can be accomplished.  Read, call friends, update calendars, or get caught up on emails.  Most airports now have good airport shopping and restaurants.  At some airports you can even get a quick manicure , pedicure or haircut.  My favorite thing to do is to write personal notes to my friends and family.  Hand-written notes are quickly becoming a lost art which is unfortunate.  Who doesn’t like to get mail?   

 I have a confession.  I just had a birthday and had several thank you notes to write, but I forgot to pack my thank you notes.  I missed the opportunity to get these done.  They will go out, but later than I would have liked.  After this trip I plan on keeping blank note cards pre-packed in my luggage.

Travel Outfit

A few weeks ago, my sister- in- law was on her way to the airport.  She was going to Mexico and I commented on how nice she looked.  I was reminded that I was the one that suggested that she wear a dress on her trip.  Many of us will be heading out to the airport for summer vacations, so I thought it was a good time to review a few lessons that I learned during my many years of traveling.

Getting through security can be really easy if you keep a few things in mind.  Make sure your pockets are empty before approaching security.  Put all your items away in your carry on bags or purse.  Wear comfortable shoes that can be easily slipped on and off.  Wear socks, please!  Some airports, such as Seattle and Dallas, don’t have carpeting in the security area.  This is also no time to be wearing every piece of jewelry you own or belts with metal buckles or decorations.  You will be required to take off sweaters and jackets. 

Now back to why I recommended the dress.  It has more to do with the airplane than going through security.  I have discovered that many times when using airplane bathrooms the floor is wet.  No doubt you can now easily figure out why I don’t wear pants on my trips and recommended that my sister- in -law wear a dress.  Of course, shorts and capri pants work to solve the same issue.

Father’s Day Brunch

Father’s Day is Sunday.  This year I have decided that what my husband really needs most is some quiet down time with his family.  So instead of going out to lunch or dinner and struggling with what to buy him, I am planning a brunch. The gift he needs most is time with the kids and just being able to put his feet up.  Lucky for me, he is on a business trip right now, so I have had time this week to put my plan into place.  I cleaned the house earlier this week so that I don’t have to mess with it this weekend.  Later today, I will be mowing the lawn (this should be an experience since I have never mowed a lawn before).  I just hope I can start the mower!   With the house stuff all be taken care of,   I can focus on making the weekend a relaxing one. 

 I love brunch and I especially like brunch for Father’s Day because getting everything made is easy and all of it can be completed the night before.  The main item on the menu is my cheese and egg casserole.  For those of you that wish to try it I have included the recipe here. 

 Brunch Egg Casserole

 3 cups seasoned croutons

15 large eggs

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon ground pepper

¾ teaspoon onion powder

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 and ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

 Place croutons in a 13 X 9 inch pan coated with cooking spray.

Whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients and stir in cheese.

Cover and chill 8 hours.

Bake Father’s Day at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until set. 

 This recipe is simple, yet delicious. Don’t be afraid to change the recipe to suit your own needs.  Sometimes, I don’t use the croutons.  You can make this casserole your own by adding bacon, sausage (cooked and drained) or both.  

 In addition to the egg casserole, I will serve a fresh fruit salad, cinnamon rolls, and bagels and cream cheese.  It is a celebration so we will definitely have mimosas and/or bloody marys!  

 Happy Father’s Day!

College Checklist

It didn’t seem that hard, but packing for college does take some planning and thought.  Admittedly when it came time to move my daughter into her dorm freshman year, I was ill prepared.  Once we arrived at the school, we made so many trips to the store to pick up items that we had forgotten or simply had not even thought of.  Given this experience, as soon as I got home I developed this checklist  for future years (I was optimistic that she would make it through school) and to share it with my friends and family who had kids going off to college.  Keep in mind that every school is different and the amenities they provide are different.   Also, this list is geared more toward females than males (you will get it when you read the list).    

 Personal Items                   

• Blow Dryer
• Cosmetics
• Deodorant
• Flat Iron
• Floss
• Hair Clips
• Hair Ties
• Hair Conditioner
• Hair Shampoo
• Hand Sanitizer
• Heating Pad
• Lint Brush
• Nail Clippers
• Nail Polish Remover
• Nail Polish
• Face Wipes
• Razor
• Razor Blades
• Scissors
• Soap
• Soap Container
• Sunscreen
• Feminine Products
• Tissue
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush

 Medical

• Vitamins
• Aspirin (or other pain relief)
• Band-aids
• Bug Repellant
• Cough Drops
• First Aid Creme
• Mucus Relief
• Tums
• Prescription Drugs (and extra  doctor’s prescription)
• Insurance Card

 Storage

•  Hangers
• Belt Organizer
• Drawer Liners
• Hanging Shoe Organizer
• Laundry Bag
• Plastic Storage Bins (large and small)
• Canvas baskets for storage/organization
• Bulletin board/magnetic board

Office Supplies

• Calculator
• Easers
• Printer
• Printer Paper
• Extra Ink Cartridge
• Pens/Pencils
• White Correction Liquid
• Stapler/Staples
• Tape
• Ruler
• Laptop Computer
• Extension Cord/Surge Protector
• Desk Lamp
• Rubber Bands
• Batteries
• Large Scissor
• Staple Remover
• Thumb Tacks
• Double Sided Tape (to hang pictures/artwork)
• Pencil Cup
• Office chair-optional (chairs are provided but hard)
• Calendar Book (monthly collegiate version)
• Highlighters
• Calculator
• Three Hole Punch
• Paper Clips
• Glue Stick
• Reinforcement Tabs
• Binders
• Note Book Paper (college ruled)
• File Folders
• Small Trash Can

 Bedding/Bath

•  Twin sheets (2 sets)
• Blanket and/or Comforter
• Pillow Shams
• Body Pillow
• Shower Caddy
• Bath Towels (4 minimum)
• Face Clothes
• Feather Bed (college mattresses are hard)
• Rug (coordinate with roommate)
• Full Size Mirror  

 Miscellaneous

•  Small Fan (would definitely recommend)
• Microwave Oven (coordinate with roommate)
• Small Refrigerator (coordinate with roommate)
• Art work for walls
• Personal Photos
• TV (coordinate with roommate)
• Umbrella
• Flip Flops (for shower)
• Flashlight
• Small Tool Kit (hammer/screwdriver etc)

 Household

• Dish Detergent
• Dusting Cloth
• Paper Towels
• Laundry Detergent
• Plastic/Paper Plates and Cups
• Garbage Bags
• Small Garbage Bags
• Spoons/Forks/Knives
• Sponges
• Windex wipes
• Food containers to store and heat meals in the dorm

Most kids are now just getting out of school, so I know it seems a bit early to be talking about going back to school.  Trust me on this and start gathering all your items early.  The selections are best now and it takes a lot longer than you think to get everything organized and packed.  Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.