Das Haus June/July 2016

DasHaus June/July 2016

Welcome home Family prepares room for a new bundle of joy.

CONTENTS

Food for thought....4 Avoid making deadly mistakes when canning.

At home6

Tie the room together..10 Rugs are more than just floor covering.

Family prepares nursery as they get ready for newborn.

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Handcrafted....14 Make unique signs for your home.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Linda Beech is a family and consumer science agent with K-State Research and Extension in Ellis County.

Beware

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

of deadly canning mistakes

H

4 DAS HAUS June/July 2016

ome canning is making a big comeback. Extension specialists at Kansas State University are seeing a resurgence of interest in home food preservation techniques. But today´s home canners are breaking the old-fashioned stereotypes.

The fastest-growing population of new home canners are ages 20 to 40 who live in suburban areas. Those who preserve food at home often get the foods from their own gardens or at local farmers markets. Preserving foods is a hobby for some, while others view it as a way to cut down on grocery costs or take advantage of fresh, local foods for their families.

I am a canning enthusiast and I love to help people learn to preserve food properly and safely. However, I

am surprised at the number of errors I encounter when teaching or judging food preservation — from new and experienced home canners alike.

One of the biggest mistakes is the assumption that a sealed jar lid is the only goal — that as long as the jar is sealed, the food inside is safely preserved, no matter how the food was handled or processed.

That assumption can be wrong — maybe dead wrong.

“Just because the lid seals doesn´t mean it’s safe.” It’s a phrase I repeat numerous times when talking about home canning.

A jar lid seals when oxygen inside the jar is driven off with heat and a vacuum seal is formed.

>>>>>>>>>

This creates the ideal environment for the growth of the deadly Clostridium botulinum bacteria which grows only in the absence of oxygen. The food must be heat-treated to temperatures hot enough and long enough during canning to kill botulism bacteria spores or otherwise the sealed jar might become a dangerous food safety hazard.

The only methods recommended for canning foods at home are boiling water bath canning for high-acid foods and pressure canning for low-acid foods. Following tested, research-based instructions from reliable, up-to-date resources is vital to ensure that the foods are processed properly for safety. Old-fashioned methods like open kettle canning or unusual techniques like canning in the oven, sun or dishwasher might set a seal, but remember- just because the lid seals there is no guarantee the food inside will be safe without adequate heat processing.

Likewise, using untested canning information from online recipe-sharing websites or outdated books might be a recipe for disaster. It takes precise scientific testing to determine the right amount of time and heat needed for each food to reach adequate processing temperatures.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to update food preservation recommendations, so K-State Research and Extension experts advise outdated information published prior to 1994 should no longer be used.

The latest science-based canning guidelines also recommend adjusting processing time and/or pressure for altitude- usually more time and higher pressure settings for higher elevations. Kansas altitudes range from below 1,000 feet to just over 4,000 feet, so knowing your altitude is critical for making required adjustments.

Most Ellis County locations are at approximately 2,000 feet in elevation, requiring pressure canning at 11 or 12 pounds pressure instead of 10, and adding time to boiling water bath canning methods (follow specific canning guidelines for each food.) Not adjusting for altitude will

lead to under-processed food, which can allow for growth of the botulism bacteria. Once again, just because the lid seals doesn´t mean the food is safe without proper processing for your altitude.

Canning is an enjoyable kitchen activity, but it is one based more in science than in art. Tested canning recipes must be followed exactly for the product to be safe. Canning time is not a time for personal creativity! It is unsafe to make up or modify canning recipes by changing ingredients, processing times or even canning jar sizes. Salsa is a perfect example- did you know there are no research-tested guidelines for canning salsa in quart jars? And yet, I usually see several quarts of salsa at county fairs where I judge. And talk about recipe creativitysalsa is a prime example of a canned product that people love to change to suit their family tastes or available ingredients. Don´t be tempted to tinker with a standard salsa canning recipe or use an untested one from the internet

or shared by a friend. Remember my mantra — just because the lid seals, there´s no guarantee that a modified recipe will be safe.

Government and university sources are a good place to start looking for trustworthy food preservation information. The K-State Research and Extension Rapid Response Center has an excellent collection of up-to-date, research-based food preservation resources available online at www. rrc.k-state.edu/preservation.

Home-canned foods are a yearround treat. Canning can stretch the grocery budget while making use of fresh, local food. But, if home canned foods are not handled properly, serious foodborne illness can turn a treat into tragedy. Use up-to-date canning procedures from reliable, research-based sources and follow instructions exactly for best results.

Because — repeat after me — just because the lid seals doesn´t mean it´s safe.

AT HOME

Shannon and Darrell Christen are waiting to be surprised.

Welcome

home S

hannon and Darrell Christen are out earlier this year they will be adding to old hands at DIY projects, but their family in September. when they married Nevertheless, they are Story by Juno Ogle in 2014, they didn’t looking forward to the little quite expect to be taking on Photos by Jolie Green bundle of joy. Shannon, the their current one. former manager of the nowEach has a child — ages 13 and 20 closed Claire’s at Big Creek Crossing in — from previous marriages. They found Hays, had some down time after the

6 DAS HAUS June/July 2016

store closed following a flooding incident at the shopping center. She put the time to good use.

A spare bedroom in their Hays home has been transformed into the nursery, its yellow walls complementing the gray chevron pattern and teal and purple colors Shannon chose.

They have chosen not to know the gender of the baby before it is born, but even if they knew, Shannon said she would have stayed away from the traditional gendered colors.

“I didn’t want the pink and blue,” she said. “I knew the colors I wanted. I originally started with these three pieces,” she said, pointing out a plaque and figures of a giraffe and elephant.

>>>>>>>>>

The plaque has a gray chevron pattern with a teal cartoon giraffe and reads “I love you in the morning/And in the Afternoon/I love you in the Evening and/ Underneath the Moon.”

Finding matching decorations and the accessories she wanted has been fairly easy at places like Hobby Lobby, Michael’s and even local thrift and discount stores.

A serendipitous turn led to repurposing a shelf unit Darrell had built years ago.

Shannon has stopped at Russell’s Shopko to use the restroom — as pregnant women often need to do — when she found some collapsible storage bins.

“I was walking in the store and took a wrong turn down an aisle and found these.

I saw they were the chevron and in that color,” she said.

The shelf unit will now be a dresser in the nursery.

A classic rocking chair found at a

friend’s garage sale sits in the corner, draped with a blanket made by another friend. A bassinet was found in the ARC of the Plains thrift store, and a ceramic shoe decoration was found at Grapevine Ceramic’s booth at the Poppy Patch Craft and Gift Fair in April at the American Legion.

And there are the handmade items and DIY projects, too, including a doily made by Darrell’s mother.

Shannon and her sister made a banner with craft paper in her chosen colors that spells out “Christen” under a metallic “Dream” logo.

Even the leftover paper from that project was put to use.

“I told my sister, let’s not waste the paper. At first we were going to make a flower because the shapes were all pointed. And then she said, ‘Why don’t we do a patchwork and then frame it?’ ”

>>>>>>>>>

“I didn’t want the pink and blue. I knew the colors I wanted.”

Shannon Christen

They pieced the scraps of paper together, and Shannon gave it a quilted look on a sewing machine.

The piece was framed in a vintage-look frame from Hobby Lobby.

The projects stretched Shannon’s usual style.

“I liked the different shapes. I’m usually a very — everything is very matchy-matchy. And so for this, it was out of my box to do the different shapes. But once I got started, it was very cool. Even if it didn’t really match it’s OK,” she said.

A storage cabinet that was in the room was cleaned out and, with the addition of a dowel, was turned into an armoire. It already has a tiny purple Kansas State University T-shirt hanging inside.

The crib is yet to arrive, but she expects that to be in place soon.

And even if it doesn’t match, that will be OK, Shannon said.

“I think that will finish it off,” she said.

Nursery safety checklist The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends these safety guidelines when buying new or secondhand nursery products. More safety tips can be found at www.cpsc.gov.

Cribs • Slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart; none should be missing, loose or cracked • Mattress fits snugly — no more than two fingers’ width between the edge of the mattress and crib side.

• Mattress support is securely attached to the headboard and footboard • Corner posts are no higher than 1/16 of an inch • Drop-side latches cannot be easily released • All screws, bolts and other hardware are present and tight Bassinets and cradles • Has a sturdy bottom and wide base for stability and smooth surfaces with no protruding staples or hardware • Legs have strong, effective locks to prevent folding • Mattress is firm and fits snugly Changing Tables • Table has safety straps to prevent falls • Drawers or shelves are easily accessible without leaving the baby unattended

Tying the room together Rugs can play a big role in your home

Tribune News Service Rugs can add a sense of coziness while protecting the floor and hiding imperfections.

Rugs can warm an area, anchor a space, muffle noises

10 DAS HAUS June/July 2016

By ALYSHA WITWICKI Tribune News Service When it comes to decorating your home, furniture is always top of mind. Paint colors and decor ideas, like gallery walls, are a close second.

But one thing that can transform your whole space is a rug.

“Rugs really help anchor a space and group things together,” said Becky Grinwald, an interior designer at Peabody’s Interiors in Brown Deer, Wis. With open-concept layouts so popular now, she said, it’s hard to create individual spaces if you have one large great room that includes your living room, dining room and kitchen.

“Rugs add a sense of coziness, texture and warmth. It makes your space more inviting,” Grinwald says.

This is especially relevant given how popular hardwood floors have become.

Other reasons to buy a rug? They protect your flooring, cover any imperfections in your flooring and help muffle sound.

As for where to put rugs, you can say the floor is the limit.

Although living rooms and bedrooms are a given, rugs can work beautifully in dining rooms to anchor a table and chairs. Circular rugs are perfect for a foyer or entryway. Even kitchens can benefit from a bit of rug magic.

“Wood cabinets with wood floors is too much,” said Jessica Forston, owner of Fringe Interior Design in Whitefish Bay, Wis. “A runner is great for a kitchen because it breaks up the materials. Something like an indoor/outdoor rug is perfect because it holds up well in a high-traffic area, and it’s easy to clean.”

Although a rug on hardwood flooring is a match made in designer heaven, you should also think about rugs for your carpeted rooms. Layering a rug over carpeting can be visually interesting if the textures are done right, explains Forston. The important thing to remember is to maintain contrast. You want the rug to feel and look different from your carpet — which can be achieved easily because there are so many materials to choose from.

For the adventurous, layering

rugs is also an option. Fringe Interior Design has many examples of this in their showroom. You can place one rug on an angle while the other has a more traditional placement. Just make sure to use patterns and colors that complement one another. At Fringe, Forston pointed out an animal hide rug over a chevron rug that looked modern and fresh.

Style and size matter When you’re redecorating a space from scratch, buying a rug first is smart because you can build off the colors into every aspect of the room.

But if you’re inspired by a piece of art, for example, that informs the rest of your room, buying a rug last can tie all your existing colors together.

“From a style perspective, customers really want something contemporary,” Forston said. “Muted rugs with tribal or ikat patterns are really popular.”

As for color trends, rugs are following suit with paint colors — it’s all about gray, said Teri Hayden-Kalis, an accessories buyer at Steinhafels.

“Light gray and charcoal colors are extremely popular right now,” she said. “And blues have started to come on really strong, too, whether it’s navy, medium blue or baby blue.

“If you start with a color and style, then you can decide on materials and how big the rug should be,” she said.

At Steinhafels, customers who special order have more than 2,000 rug options to pick from, depending on what color, style, material and size they need with prices that range from $99 to $2,000.

When choosing a rug, one of the biggest mistakes people make is picking the wrong size. Often, people pick rugs that are too small for their space.

“If the rug isn’t connecting any of the pieces (of furniture), it’s probably the wrong size,” Grinwald said.

“For example, a 5-foot, 8-inch rug in a 12-by-14-foot room will look disconnected because it doesn’t touch anything. Scale is very important.”

Although all your furniture doesn’t need to sit completely on a rug, it’s helpful if the furniture is at least partially sitting on it.

Although it’s less common, your

rug also can be too large for your room. A good rule is that you should at least see a 12- to 18-inch border of flooring around the room.

Types of rugs What determines the price of a rug is the material. The most standard is wool, which can either be Indian wool (which is shorter, dryer and less expensive) or New Zealand wool (which is longer, softer and more expensive).

At Fringe Interior Design, Forston said an 8-by-10-foot rug made out of Indian wool will range from $500 to $2,000, and a New Zealand wool rug will range from $2,000 to $5,000.

Something like a machine-made polyester or nylon rug is great for busy families because you can spotclean it easily. It’s also cheaper at $200 to $1,500 for an 8-by-10-foot rug. Another option is an indoor/ outdoor rug, otherwise known as a polypropylene rug.

This is a great option for kitchens or indoor patios; it will run anywhere from $200 to $1,200.

Other popular varieties are hand-knotted, hand-tufted and handhooked rugs. Hand-knotted is created when a person takes a piece of fiber or yarn and knots every single piece, providing tons of beautiful detailing.

These rugs can last many years and they take a long time to make.

A hand-tufted rug is made without tying individual knots (they’re made with a tool called a tufting gun). It takes a fraction of time to make this vs. a hand-knotted rug, which makes tufting a much cheaper option.

A hand-hooked rug has a sprayed acrylic backing (almost like a little

square grid), and the maker will hook each piece of fiber in the backing.

Other options include: animal hides, leathers, sisal, bamboo, silk and silk blends.

Maintaining investment With the proper care, certain rugs can last decades (something like a hand-knotted Persian or oriental rug lasts generations, but they can also cost $25,000 or more).

Step one is buying a rug pad.

This protects not only the backing of the rug, but your floors as well (they also provide some nice cushioning).

These pads, typically made of felt, also keep the rug even and prevents slipping. When a rug is being placed on carpet, it’s still worth it to invest in a pad.

One thing that Forston warns clients of is using those waffley (usually beige) rug grips that you can cut to size.

Although they’re much cheaper, they can waffle hardwood floors. Not using a rug pad at all can also waffle or scratch floors — not to mention wear out the rug. Rug pads are a little harder to find but worth the search.

The best method for cleaning your rug depends on how the rug is made, so contact the manufacturer or talk to the store associate or interior designer from wherever you purchased the rug.

When vacuuming your rug, use the wood setting or an attachment.

Using a vacuum with a beater bar on a regular setting can wear holes in your rug. Also, if there are loose fibers on your rug, you can snip or pull them off without doing any damage to the rug.

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Berry Berry Quite Contrary Kayla Berry is a stay-at-home mom who enjoys creating, decorating and re-purposing old furniture and decor.

Hand-crafted

SIGNS E

12 DAS HAUS June/July 2016

ver wonder what to do with that space above your windows? If you have high ceilings, you probably have a lot of dead space above your windows that you don’t really know what to do with.

That was the case in our living room and I wanted to add something above the window to dress it up a little bit.

I painted an “Antiques” sign for above the window. There are many ways to make handmade signs. Just look on Pinterest and you can find lots and lots of ideas. My favorite way is to print out your letters from just a regular printer. I like this better than buying a stencil because your font and size options of letters are endless — you’re not just stuck with one. Lay them out on your board, and trace over them with a fine tip pen. This will create a faint indentation onto your board so you are able to paint in-between the lines. Let the paint dry for at least one day. If you want a distressed look just take some sand paper and scuff

up your sign a little bit. And you have yourself a hand-made sign.

We hung ours above a window and it instantly makes it a focal point in the room. Instead of hanging our curtains below the sign, we hung them above.

This creates more height and makes the room and window seem even taller than it is.

For more ideas on window treatments visit my blog: berryberryquitecontrary.wordpress.com or my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ berryberryquitecontrary.

Right or left?

Politics play a role in redecorating your home

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14 DAS HAUS June/July 2016

Home remodeling politics

f you’re voting Democrat this fall, you’re more likely than your Republican-voting counterparts to spend the extra money to hire a professional for your home projects.

Political affiliations have a tendency to directly affect attitudes and decision-making regarding home repair and improvement projects, according to the findings of a recent HomeAdvisor survey. But with improving labor and real estate markets — and an upcoming presidential election — how does partisan thinking factor into home improvement?

As it turns out, home improvement spending crosses political lines. According to HomeAdvisor’s 2016 True Cost Report, all homeowners — Democrats and Republicans alike — are focusing on remodeling, routine maintenance and repair, and energy and security projects.

In fact, in the last 12 months the number of homeowners who reported completion of two home maintenance and repair projects increased nearly 12 percent. Additionally, many homeowners said they expect to increase spending on major home improvement projects in 2016.

So what’s with the bi-partisan

boom?

“We attribute this rise to the shrinking housing inventories and increasing home prices, which provide equity for homeowners to boost the enjoyment and monetary values of their existing properties,” said Leah Ingram, HomeAdvisor’s cost adviser.

While Republicans and Democrats are both spending money to improve their homes, it’s how they’re spending it that’s different.

According to the survey, Republican homeowners are nearly 20 percent more likely than Democrat homeowners to complete home projects when they think it will be too expensive to hire a professional. Further, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to hire professionals and perform project-related research — and they’re also willing to pay 1.5 times as much as Republicans on home maintenance and repair projects.

Republicans and Democrats may differ politically, but due to an upswing in the U.S. labor and real estate markets, it’s a fact that bi-partisan home improvement spending is on the rise.

For more information, visit homeadvisor.com.

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