Vicki's family portrait: Vicki's Father is between her and Sloan

I have always loved Father’s Day because it makes me stop and think about how lucky I am to have the great dad I have.  This year I will make extra sure, he knows how much he is appreciated.  I lost my Mom a few weeks ago.  It has been hard on all of us because she was a great person, very creative and well liked and loved by so many.  No matter how sad we are, it can never compare to the loss that my dad is experiencing.  He and my mom have been married for 54 years.  He was a 29-year-old bachelor when he met my mom.  She was a widow with two small children.  He was smitten immediately by all three of us and signed on to be the greatest dad ever.  He taught school during the day and evening classes.  During the summer, he ran his own home improvement business.  This is where I learned how to swing a hammer and grout a bathroom.  He also taught my brothers and I the importance of family so when things got tough we knew how to come together to support one another.  As we all gathered at my dad’s last month to practice what he had taught us we were proud to lend our support to him.

We have some fun ideas and do it yourself gift ideas that you or your kids can create for the special men in your lives but the best gift any of us can give is our love, loyalty and time.  Here is to all the men that love their families.  May you have a wonderful day and not end up with another tie.

One gift you cannot go wrong with is cookies! Here is the recipe to create your own customized football cookies:

Ingredients

• Soft homemade or store bought cookies
• Frosting
• Food coloring
• M&M’s Minis
• Black decorator gel
• Black licorice

Instructions

1. For each individual cookie, first, spread a thin layer of frosting on a cookie. Cut a square from a second cookie to create a helmet shape and set it atop the first.
2. Coat the helmet with frosting tinted the color of your family’s favorite team, then add eyes (M&M’s Minis with black decorators’ gel dots), black string licorice can be used for the facemask, and two more M&M’s Minis for the helmet’s ear holes.

Another fun gift idea for Father’s day that you can make from home is a homemade craft.  A great example of this is to make an apron for grilling!  Here are the instructions on how to do it:

Materials:

• White canvas apron, in Dad’s size, available at craft stores
• Masking tape
• Fabric paints of different colors
• Paintbrushes

Instructions

1. Prewash the apron. Mark off the areas that you want to paint.
2. Kids can sketch out ideas on paper beforehand or go straight to canvas. Themes might include food on the grill, family self-portraits, or Dad’s favorite things. Remove the tape and set the paint according to the manufacturer’s directions

Do not forget the father’s day card! Here are some great websites with homemade father’s day cards and other craft ideas. There are many different creative approaches to making cards at home for your Dad. Just pick out the card that best fits your Dad’s hobbies and you will be all set for the Father’s Day Celebration!

http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/284-father-s-day-cards

http://familyfun.go.com/fathers-day/

With the summer months approaching, it is always nice to entertain guests with delicious food on the grill and entertainment. If you want to save some money and still enjoy a great meal, you can do this from home.  Here are some great recipes for grilling and ways to keep your guests entertained while enjoying the sunny outdoors!

• Poppy seed hot dog buns
• All beef frankfurter with natural casing
• Yellow mustard
• Green sweet pickle relish
• Chopped raw onion
• Chopped red tomato
• Pickled Serrano “sport” peppers
• Kosher pickle spear
• Celery salt
• No Ketchup necessary!

Simply grill the hot dogs to your tastes then embellish with the portions of condiments desired!

• Fresh ears of corn with husks
• Butter
• Kosher Sea Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Dried Parsley
• Black Pepper
• Cold Water

Remove top layer of husks, let ears of corn soak in water 15 minutes, melt butter and combine seasonings, evenly distribute butter and seasoning mixture to each ear of corn and grill to desired taste!

• 1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
• 1 Lemon cut into wedges
• 1 Orange cut into wedges
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Shot brandy
• 2 Cups ginger ale or club soda

Click here for official corn hole rules.

Learn how to build your own corn hole!

I am getting excited about this spring weather!  This seems to be the longest winter I have experienced since I moved to North Carolina 15 years ago. I know I can hear all of you in the mid-west and northern states saying, “She doesn’t know what winter is all about.”  Well as a Texas gal that moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1969 until 1994, I have first hand knowledge of how cold it can get and while we are much warmer here in the Carolinas it has been a long, wet winter for everyone.

This weekend I pulled out a planter I have not used since last summer. Vietri’s  pistachio- colored planter is great for indoor and outdoor use. Its elegant and rustic look make it the perfect accent for any kind of décor.  I decided I was going to use it inside my house for now.  Most planters, when placed properly, can be used in and outside the house, depending on the look you are going for.  This would make for a great party ice bucket for wine and beverages as well.

I began by wiping the planter down with a damp rag.  Luckily, it had not accumulated a lot of grime since the summer.  I decided to use silk flowers instead of fresh, because I didn’t want the mess and expense of having to change out fresh flowers every few days.  Plus, I did not want the hassle of cleaning the planter. This planter happens to be a hand made Italian terracotta.  Because it is terracotta, you should not leave it outside during cold weather.  The terracotta will soak up moisture.  When the temperature drops below freezing the pot will crack.

Cover the top of the planter with silk flowers.

In addition to your planter, you will also need enough silk flowers to completely cover the top of the planter. I chose to use bunches of silk flowers instead of single stems. This is a much more affordable way to get a lot of flowers without spending a fortune. I paid $4.99 per bunch at Garden Ridge.  I purchased five bunches; if you over buy, you can always return what you do not use.  I cut each bunch of flowers apart to create single stem flowers.

Chicken wire is a great material to anchor the flowers in the container.  You could use floral foam or antique floral frogs, but I prefer chicken wire.  The wire is affordable and available at your home improvement center and you can use it repeatedly.

Start by placing the flowers in a row around the edge of your container.  Then repeat this process by adding a second row, a third row and then fill-in any open spaces at the top of the arrangement.

Silk flowers are a great accent piece for almost any room in your home.  They are easy to maintain and will not perish. This is a great home décor piece to help bring the appearance of the outdoors, inside to your own home.  Celebrate! Spring has finally arrived.

I would love for you to send me your ideas for celebrating the spring and summer season! Email me at FYHmedia@cutterstv.com

You can now follow us on Facebook at our For Your Home page.  We have just loaded some photos from last season and pose the question to our viewers–”What specific areas would you like more information about?”  Please look us up when you have a moment.

We have been working really hard to keep up with our viewers and get as much information about the show and home decorating/ gardening as we can onto the site. Please be sure to stop by the message boards and posts any comment or questions you have for us!

We are sailing smoothly into the 2010 year and are very excited about things to come!

Vicki has been making her rounds at the Atlanta Gift Show and is in Vegas for the International Builders Show.  She even snapped a few shots of some really lovely items that will be HUGE this year.  She wanted to share these great finds with all the viewers so they can get inspired, like she has, so here are her comments from the road:

Aqua just won’t go away.  That’s okay with me because I just love this color.  The “color of the year is Turquoise”  just a deeper version of aqua.  For walls and linens I am seeing this pale aqua everywhere.

Nature inspired accessories are everywhere.  My favorite was the use of “Sea Fans” as shown above.  They are delicate fan shaped pieces of dried sea weed.  I asked about ordering some and found out that they are no longer available from this vendor because they are too delicate to ship.  So if you know where I can order them please let me know!!

Anything French was hot, hot, hot.  Now I’m not talking about the Paris memorabilia that we saw on the market place a few years ago.  I am talking about authentic French styled furniture and that shabby chic Parisian look.  The furniture features exposed wooden frames.  The wood is finished in a light gray or pickled finish.  The upholstery fabrics are all natural linens in pale neutral colors.  I could have swooped up dozens of these pieces for my own home.  Love it!

Turquoise: The official home décor color of 2010 looked fabulous on this bed from Bella Notte Linens.  This company is so great.  They will die your bedding any color you like.  They had dozens from which to choose or they can even do custom colors.  Gone were all the layers and layers of satin, heavy embellished pillows and heavy comforters.  Think soft, inviting fabrics and you would have the look I saw over and over again.  The more formal bedding displays featured fresh ironed linen duvet covers.  Trust me don’t purchase linen unless you want to be ironing every day or if you can adjust your style to just accepting the “lived-in” look.

Want to update your style without buying new furniture?  I’ve got just the solution.  New pillows.  Market was filled with beautiful linen pillows featuring embroidered images inspired by nature.  No silk pillows to be found.  Hopefully we are finally out of that phase.  The linen pillows came in all shapes, colors and styles.  Most striking were the ones that featured dressmaker details like small pleats and tucks.  I also loved the mother of pearl and torturous shell buttons some of the designers were using.

What were the most popular motifs?

Crowns

Anything with birds, nests and eggs

Horse heads (a little too Godfather for me but I saw a lot of them)

Religious symbols, such as crosses and icons

That’s it for now.  More next time for the International Builders’ show in Las Vegas.

Vicki

From Clay to Yea!

Vicki helps turn an overwhelmed single mother’s backyard disaster into a play area for her two young children.  This makeover includes maintenance-free turf grass and fencing plus a swing set and an organic children’s garden.

• Getting Started-Tiffani is a single mom with a wasteland for a backyard.  She has tried for the past couple years to grow grass and make a proper play area for her children but has had no luck. She desperately wants a place for her children to feel safe and her young son Chase to be able to explore his love for horticulture.
• Fence-Vicki and Jon Osborne, Allison Sunbelt Fence Company, discuss the process of installing our wonderful, made from recycled materials fence donated to the makeover from Trex.
• Lawn-Our homeowner Tiffani has a grass allergy so we had to come up with a perfect no fuss solution for her backyard. Another awesome recycled material was used for the artificial lawn which was provided by Forever Lawn.  David Trotter and Vicki discussed the different options and advantages when going faux.
• Swing Set- Our friend George Ashley from Carolina Backyard Adventures picked out the perfect swing set for this family.
• Court Tiles- Versacourt was kind enough to donate these easy to install play tiles. Vicki helped install them right over the concrete to make it a more suitable area for Tiffani’s children to play, not to mention they are simple to clean.
• Garden- Billy Styles, of Organic Plant Health, and Vicki team up to give Chase the organic garden of his dreams.
• Gardening Tips- Vicki shows us a simple and fast way to plant your flowers in containers.
• Finishing Touches- Vicki and Tiffani layout beautiful outdoor furniture set from Whitecraft to finishing out her new and improved backyard.

Special thanks to Barnhardt Landscaping to putting in the labor to make this fantasy backyard a reality!

A European Twist

Vicki introduces the FYH viewer to the romance of European design with the help of international designer and friend Leo Dowell.  Leo gives the grand tour of a French château inspired mansion. Vicki shares great ideas on how to add a European touch to any home.

Leo Dowell, of Leo Dowell Interiors, and Vicki show us the neighborhood that houses the magnificent Treillage.  They then move into the house and discuss the many factors that make this French inspired chateau into a home.

Tip: Hang a quilt or a heavy piece of fabric to give your home a European inspired look. Age a mirror you already have or find a vintage piece and hang it in the middle of your fabric for a perfect French look! Be sure to use a vintage looking fabric and mirror so they don’t contrast.

Tip: Adding a rug or another decorative piece with a modern flair can add a touch of humor to a seriously decorated home and make guests feel more comfortable in that space.

For more information on how to get a sophisticated French look or the products seen in this episode visit Leo Dowell Interiors

Tip: Kate Houston, of Clark Hall Doors helps Vicki make her entranceway look more French while adding a great amount of curb appeal to her home.

Vicki renovates her kitchen to create a more functional space with a traditional style.

The Kitchen:

• Ryan Boger with Schneider Stone shows us the Carrera Marble Countertops which ages beautifully and compliments the existing cabinets. Marble does scratch and stain easier than other countertops such as granite, so it needs to be sealed once a year. The first place you will notice it will be need resealing is around the sink where the surface gets the most moisture and it will begin to appear darker.
• Dale Bullock with Klutz Cabinets assists rebuilding the new peninsula and rebuilding the new wall cabinet.
• To repair the existing cabinets which had chipping paint, Bob Nulf a faux finisher, first chips off the loose paint. Then the cabinet is sanded down and repainted with a latex based low VOC primer, then a sealer, and then finished off with a glaze (exterior rated).
• Sealants by Surface Shields provide great protection for these flooring.
• New style silver knobs by Amerock are used for cabinet doors and handles are used for the cabinet drawers. Knob placement should be consistent, some suggestions are placing them 3”- 3 ¼” above bottom of the cabinet door, in the middle, or just keep then consistent with the lines of a panel detail of the door face.
• All materials such as old countertops and hardware will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
• Luke Miller our general contractor for plumbing and electric relocates electrical outlets in the kitchen to make them easily accessible with the new design.
• Beautiful Ashbury lantern pendant lighting with platinum trim by Progress Lighting is added above the peninsula to add better lighting for this work area.

TIP!

A new Stainless steel energy star rated Refrigerator from Queen City Appliances can save a lot of energy and money. If your refrigerator was bought before 2001 it can cost as much as $140 a year to operate. Replacing it with an average sized energy star refrigerator bought after 2001 is only about $43 a year. Most efficient refrigerators have the freezer on top the least efficient are the side-by-side.

Victory Junction, a special camp for kids with serious health issues needs the FYH makeover team.  Vicki and her volunteers build and decorate a counselor’s lounge area just in time for this summer’s campers.  To the rescue is racing all-star Kurt Busch and a local team of architects.

Vicki visits with Patti Petty and they talk about Adam Petty’s vision for Victory Junction. Stephen Overcash, of Overcash Demmitt Architects, was a key player in the design for Victory Junction.  The whole crew from Overcash Demmitt Architects came out that day to help with the lounge room makeover.

Vicki meets with some of the very special people that help run Victory Junction.

• Corrugated Tin Wall Cover- designed and constructed by Overcash Demmit Arichets,materials donated by Carports.
• Refreshment Center- with the help of Heritage Stone, Innovative Stone and Brandon Fitzmoris of Walker Woodworking we installed a 10 foot row of cabinets  and countertop.  We kept the cabinets a simple black with silver hardware to keep the industrial and flashy look going throughout the lounge. Abigail Blanks of Heritage Stone of Vicki discuss the black granite countertop that was used to pull the entire look together.
• DIY Projects-
• Coffee table- Tim Moore of  Overcash Demmitt Architects and Vicki work together to make a coffee table that will not only enhance the décor of the room but it will increase seating and storage. The coffee table will also have rolling castors installed on the bottom to make it very mobile.
• Bulletin Board- Stephen Overcash and friends from Overcash Demmitt Architects put together a for the counselors to post flyers, schedules, ect during the camp season.  A decorative fabric was used to enhance the look of the bulletin board.
• Furniture and Appliances

The rest of the lounge space is decorated by Vicki and the wonderful volunteers

Refrigerator and Microwave- Queen City Appliances

Tire tracks Rug- Shaw

Red Leather Sectional and Recliner- Aspen Home

2 leather benches- Adesso Home

1 Pod Arch Lamp- Adesso Home

2 Spindle Table Lamps- Adesso Home

4 bars stools and Desk n Dine tables- Riverside Furniture

Artistic Wall hangings- Photofiddle (BE SURE TO VISIT THEIR SITE TO CHCK OUT HOW TO PERSONALIZE YOUR ART INEXPESIVLEY!)

Kurt Busch stops by to help install the Sharp television and adjustable arm generously donated by Zobo.

Thanks to Sammy Phillips Electric for doing all of the electrical work on this job!

Vicki shows us how to start from scratch when building your own custom home. This includes the initial steps for finding the builder right for you and a suitable location.

Build for the Cure Custom Home:

• Eric Johnson with ES Johnson Builders helps get the project started to build a custom home. The step by step process begins with finding a passionate and reputable builder that listens to the needs client. Next is finding a location that is suitable for the client that considers topography, jurisdictions and other factors.
• Trisha Johnson is a residential designer that works with the builder and interior design to find the best space planning solutions based on how the clients lives and will function in the space.
• Reggie Ray with Georgia Pacific constructs the subfloors with a factory applied water-repellant coating on the face and side of plywood. This coating repels water during construction. Plywood subfloors keep the floors from becoming squeaky.
• To make your attic space more energy efficient use a radiant barrier with a craft back laminated to the roof sheathing. This can cool the attic by 30°.
• Pre fabricated materials cute down on building costs.
• Tim Kennedy with Icynene helps install insulation that is the next generation of high performance insulation that is renewable. It is a spray foam insulation and air barrier that uses high yield castor oil. This innovative type of insulation reduces fossil resources and green house generation. Saving 60% energy on heating and 40% energy on cooling.For more information about Iycnene’s LD-R-50™ renewable spray foam used on the Build for the Cure House, Click Here.
• Carolina Foam Solutions is your authorized Icynene dealer in North and South Carolina. Steve Kodad helps design a space that incorporates Feng Shui attributes. A comfortable space can be created by avoiding sharp corners, using circular rugs to pull and distribute energy and placing plants strategically throughout the space.
• Springfield community is the location of Build for the Cure House.