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LivingShopping Music Home Travel Law Health Medical

6th Annual Wedding Issue

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2010 LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM 3LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM JULY-AUGUST 20102

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8 LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2010

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TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS

38 BEGIN YOUR PLANNING

12 CHECK OUT THE LATEST IN LOCAL FASHION

2010

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

18 DIVE IN TO OUR 2010 WEDDING SECTION

Fashion2010 Fall Fashion 12Day to Night 14

WeddingOld/New/Borrowed/Blue 20Wedding Emergency Kit 22Get the Bridal Portraits of Your Dreams 24Bits and Pieces From Our Readers 26Feature Weddings 28Wedding Videography 34

Life & StyleSignature Sips 37Books for Wedding-Planning Bliss 38Consider Counseling 40Organizing Your Fairytale Wedding 42Get Out of the Bubble 44

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Home & GardenCreating a Car Lovers Haven 48Dumpster Diving 49September and October Plants 50Eat, Pray, Love 51

ProfessionalA Genie in a Bottle 54Cindy Writes with a Quill, I Write with a Hammer 56Barbarians at the Gate 58Celebrating Women Luncheon 59

MedicalN.E.W. is the New You 62The Fight Against Female Cancers 64Blending Families 66The Basics of Ophthalmology 68Competition in the Martial Arts 70

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2010 LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM 9

Volume 6 Issue 5

Cindy Camp Publisher

Jennifer KempArt Director

Kate McClendonExecutive Editor

Deborah TilsonJennifer Thornhill

Advertising

Meagan CampOnline Editor

Contributing WritersMelinda Hines

Diane Johnson CollardMelinda KocianJacob A. Hale

Mark SingletonDr. Katherine Donaldson, Psy. D.

Cindy Burch

Special Thanks toMarie Q Photography

Ellis County Living Magazine is published bi-monthly

by Ellis County Living Publications, Inc. using only environmentally friendly ink.

Copyright 2010, Ellis County Living PublicationsAll rights reserved.

For advertising information, please contact Ellis County Living Magazine at 972.935.0938

or [email protected].

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! www.facebook.com/EllisCountyLiving

twitter.com/ECLiving

Jennifer is a Waxahachie native and the proudest member of the Fight-ing Texas Aggie Class of 2005. She has relocated back to Ellis County after years directing marketing initiatives in the family business. Jennifer has created several digital advertising programs for the magazines partner company, ECL Media Group and she is now managing maga-zine ad sales for Waxahachie and Ennis as well. Jennifers hobbies in-clude traveling, photography, and spending time with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Contact her at [email protected].

Jennifer is the art director for Ellis County Living Magazine. A graduate of the University of Texas, she has a love for all things Longhorn! She has a perfectionist work ethic and works around the clock to make sure the magazine maintains its high design standard. While ad design and page design are two very different worlds, her charming and positive nature keeps the two sides of magazine production working well together. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

LivingELLIS COUNTY

M A G A Z I N E

Guarantee youll receive Ellis County Living Magazine by subscribing today!Go to www.living-magazine.com and click on subscriptions.

No portion of Ellis County Living Magazine shall be reprinted in any other publication without permission.

The views expressed herein should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult your physician.

Staff photos by Marie Q PhotographyCover photo provided by Amy Karp Photography www.amykarp.com

Deborah is working in advertising, focusing on Cedar Hill, Red Oak, Ovilla, Midlothian and corporate accounts in the Metroplex. Her pas-sion for relationship building and selling a quality product has led her to a career with Living Magazine. When not working at the magazine, Deborah works as a professional organizer. She loves football and is an avid Redskins fan. She enjoys spending time with her family and supporting her daughter, Kelsey, in her many activities. Contact her at [email protected].

Kate is the editor of Living Magazine. She grew up in Waxahachie and graduated from Baylor University in 2006 as a journalism major and studio art minor. Kate loves all aspects of the writing and editing pro-cess and has writing experience for multiple mediums. In her spare time, Kate enjoys being with her friends, family and two dogs. If you have any story ideas, comments, questions or concerns, send her an e-mail at [email protected].

Weddings are in the air with the upcoming Waxa-hachie Civic Centers Bridal Extravaganza happen-ing in October. Its a fun day full of ideas from local vendors. Its the seventh annual event and Living Magazine is pleased to be a part of it. Congratula-tions to all of the upcoming brides and grooms.

The fall fashions are coming out full of color and in some wonderful styles. My favorite time of putting the magazine together is the week we go out shopping. We look over our choices and come up with some trends to share with our readers. If youre attending a wedding, going back to college or wanting to refresh your working wardrobe, get inspired by our fashion pages.

And be sure to check out the Around Town page for all the great upcoming events in the area. See you there!

-Cindy Camp, publisher

We are proud members of the Waxahachie, Ennis, Midlothian, Red Oak, DeSoto and

Cedar Hill Chambers of Commerce.


AROUND TOWN

For all local events and updates on what is happening in our area, visit www.living-magazine.com/blog.

Do you have an event that you want everyone to know about? Send an e-mail to:

[email protected]

WAXAHACHIEwww.waxahachiechamber.com

ART EXHIBITBeginning Sept. 18, the Ellis County Art Association will feature a new ex-hibit entitled Fall, Gracefully. To kick off the exhibit, a wine and cheese re-ception will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 18 at the Anderson Gal-lery, located in the lower level of the El-lis County Art Association Art Center at 501 W. Main Street. For more infor-mation, visit www.elliscountyart.net.

CHAMBER AUCTION The 2010 Waxahachie Annual Chamber Auction will be held at the Waxahachie Civic Center on Oct. 2. Come out to eat dinner, bid on items and see the nalists of the Waxahachies Got Talent competi-tion perform. Tickets are $50 per person; RSVP by Sept. 24 by calling 972.937.2390.

TEXAS COUNTRY REPORTER FESTIVAL Come out on Oct. 23 to the 15th Annual Texas Country Reporter Festival on the square. Join Bob Phillips and a diverse group of art-ists, craftsmen and chefs who have been featured on his show. There will be a parade, food and games for the kids. Dont miss this great event!

BOWL FOR KIDS SAKEShow off your bowling skills and show your support by participating in the annual Big Brothers Big Sis-ters Bowl for Kids Sake fundraiser on Oct. 23 at Hilltop Lanes. Visit www.bowlforkidssake.org for more information.

BRIDAL EXTRAVAGANZAJoin us for everything wedding related at the annual bridal extravaganza at the Waxahachie Civic Center on Oct. 31 from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.

LIONS CLUBIf you want to join the Lions Club but cant make it to the noon meetings, youre in luck. A new chapter, The Waxahachie Sunset Lions Club, meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. at The Dish in the Rogers Hotel. Call 817.673.0356 for more information.

MIDLOTHIANwww.midlothianchamber.org

LORDS ACRE FESTIVALPut on by the First United Methodist Church of Midlothian, the Lords Ace Festival will take place on Oct. 2 at the First United Methodist Church. Come out at 9 a.m. to enjoy auctions, crafts, childrens activities and a turkey dinner. For more information, visit www.fumc-midlothian.org.

FALL FESTIVALThe annual Fall Festival will be held on Oct. 16 at the Multi-Purpose Stadium from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come out to enjoy food, games, vendors and more!

RED OAKwww.redoakareachamber.org

FOUNDERS DAYOn Sept. 11, the annual Founders Day festival will kick off, beginning with a parade at 9 a.m. Events, including a 5K race, games, food and entertain-ment, will take place all day long. Visit the Red Oak Chamber website for more information.

Editors Note :Happy wedding season everyone! Were excited to bring you this is-sue, which is chock full of wedding goodness. We received so many beautiful photo submissions from some great photographers in and around Ellis County. Im disap-pointed that we couldnt use all the photos we received and feature everyone, but , if youre looking for a great local photographer, rest assured that youll have plenty of options from which to choose.

We had fun pretending like we had a wedding to attend and shopping for great wedding attire in the local stores. If youre looking for a dress to wear that will go from a day wedding to a night wedding, turn to page 14. If you just want a great out- t, turn to page 12. Weve got your wedding-season wear covered.

If youre a local bride, you wont want to miss the Bridal Extravagan-za on Oct. 31 at the Waxahachie Civic Center. For just $3, you can see all the best in local vendors and enter to win a gift certi cate valued at $500 to the Waxahachie Civic Center.

Though it still feels like summer, the holidays are right around the corner. Well be gearing up for the cold weather and getting our November-December issue ready in no time!

Happy reading!


F 2010 FALL FASHION

GRAY DRESS BY MM COUTURE AT BRIARPATCH,

$84.95 SILVER STUD CUFF BY RODEO ROYALTY

AT THE DOVES NEST, $25 PURSE BY LIZ CLAIBORNE

AT JC PENNEY, $60 HEELS BY MADDEN

GIRL AT BELK, $39.99

FUCHSIA TANK BY NEW DIRECTIONS AT BELK, $44 EARRINGS BY TARGET AT

TARGET, $9.99 CLUTCH BY NEW DIRECTIONS AT

BELK, $35 BLACK SKIRT BY WORTHINGTON AT JC

PENNEY, $25 HEELS BY MOSSIMO

AT TARGET, $24.99

JULY-AUGUST 2010 LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM 13

2010 FALL FASHION

NECKLACE BY ERICA LYONS AT BELK, $45

GRAY BELTED DRESS BY B. WEAR TOO! AT JC PEN-

NEY, $50 BLACK BEADED BRACELET BY TARGET AT

TARGET, $9.99 BLACK RUFFLE BOOTIE BY

MADDEN GIRL AT BELK, $49

DRESS BY JONATHAN MARTIN AT BELK, $86

PURSE BY MAD BY DE-SIGN AT BUFFALO CREEK COWGIRLS, $84.99 BELT

BY NINE WEST AT BELK, $32 RING AT THE DOVES

NEST, $16.95 HEELS BY MOSSIMO AT

TARGET, $29.99


F

If you have two events to go to in one day, why spend the time and money changing your out t? Start with one versatile dress and go from day to night in a ash.

DAY TO NIGHTversatile dress and go from

MAKE THE SAME DRESS NIGHTTIME WORTHY BY ADDING A LARGE FLORAL NECKLACE FROM BRIAR-PATCH, $15.95, A GRAY CLUTCH BY RODEO ROY-ALTY AT THE DOVES NEST, $40, AND SNAKESKIN HEELS BY WORTHINGTON AT JC PENNEY, $65.

RESS HY BY FLORAL RIAR-

RAY ROY-S NEST,

TAKE THIS SIMPLE BLACK DRESS BY WORTHINGTON AT JC PENNEY, $50, AND DRESS IT DOWN WITH A SCARF BY CEJON AT BELK, $34, MULTI-STRAND BRACELET BY TARGET AT TARGET, $17.99, SHINY PURSE BY MERONA AT TARGET, $24.99, AND RHINESTONE FLIP FLOPSBY DECREE AT JC PENNEY, $45.

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DRESS IT UP BY PUTTING ON A MAROON RUFFLE CARDIGAN BY MADISON AT BELK, $58, AN OVER-SIZED BLACK BELT BY MERONA AT TARGET, $16.99, A GOLD BRACELET BY TARGET AT TARGET, $12.99, A LARGE BLACK PURSE BY MOSSIMO AT TARGET, $24.99, AND A PAIR OF BLACK STRAPPY HEELS BY MAD-DEN GIRL AT BELK, $39.99.

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WWEDDING SECTION

Wedding season is upon us! In this wedding issue youll nd tips to help you have the best bridal portraits, all you need to know about wedding videog-raphy, what you should pack in your bridal emergency kit and much more.

The brides in the three featured weddings this year all had unique challeng-es to overcome during their wedding-planning process. Those challenges led to increased stress during an already-stressful process, but each bride overcame the obstacles and had a beautiful wedding. Read all about them starting on page 28.

If youre a soon-to-be bride, make sure you head out to the Waxahachie Bridal Extravaganza to nd all the latest and greatest in wedding fashion, photography and vendors. Be there Oct. 31 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Waxahachie Civic Center.

In Th is Section:Old/New/Borrowed/Blue 20by Kate McClendon and Facebook fans Wedding Emergency Kit 22by Kate McClendon

Get the Bridal Portraits of Your Dreams 24by Charlotte and Ashley Hensley

Bits and Pieces From Our Readers 26

Feature Weddings 28by Teresa Choat

Wedding Videography 34by Rick and Charlotte Orr

18 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2010LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM

The honour of your presence is requested as we bring together the latest in bridal fashions & information from surrounding communities on

this very special day.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2010Waxahachie Civic Center

Noon-5pm Admission $3 per person

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Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Many brides have heard of the tradition of wearing something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue in their wedding. But what is the custom all about? Its an old Victorian tradition that is meant to bring good luck to the brideif she carries all of the tokens, her marriage will be happy. The something old represents continuity with the brides past and her family. The new thing symbolizes optimism and hope for the new married life ahead. The borrowed thing is usually from a friend or family member with a happy marriageher luck is supposed to rub off on the bride. This also represents the brides ability to depend on her friends and family. The color blue has been tied to weddings for many years and is said to represent love, modesty, delity and purity. If the bride wants to go even further with the tradition, shes also supposed to carry a sixpence in her shoe, though, these days, a dime or penny are often substituted. Here are some of the old, new, borrowed and blue things our Facebook fans chose for their weddings.

OldThe embroidered handkerchief from my sons wedding. - Leslie Hill

I carried in my bridal bouquet the handkerchief that my grandfather (who died before I was born) gave to my grandmother when they were courting. - Sherrie Jan Howard Davis

My something old was my grandfathers high school class ring. I pinned it to my dress. - Er-icka Stacks Allen

My great grandmothers embroidered hand-kerchief. - Elizabeth Nelson Tull

NewMy wedding dress was my something new. - Ericka Stacks Allen

My something new was my wedding dress and my bright pink heels! - Brooke Higgin-botham Balance

My dress and my jewelry. - Melissa Presnall Brown

PHOTO BY AMY KARP PHOTOGRAPHY

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BlueMy great-grandmothers sapphire bracelet. - Ashley Johnson

When we rst started dating, a baby blue pom-pom fell off my ankle sock and my boyfriend found it and saved it. On our wedding day, he gave it to me in a card and told me he had been carrying it in his pocket. - Kelly Kovar

We eloped, so my borrowed navy suit was my blue. - Ginny Costa Phillips

A blue poker chip! - Karen Moore Allen

A touch of blue ribbon in my garter. - Leslie Kuykendall

My grandmothers blue sapphire ring. - Kirsten Hartley

BorrowedMy grandmothers diamond earrings that my grandpa gave her on their 50th wedding anniversary. - Elizabeth Crump Winn

My great-grandmothers lace handkerchief. - Elizabeth Nelson Tull

A sixpence for my shoe. - Debra Babb Wolf

My great-grandmothers wedding rings. - Kirsten Hartley

A handkerchief from my maid of honors dadjust for fun. - Sasha Herrin

I borrowed my sisters tiara that she wore in her wedding. - Melany Williams Esberger

A jeweled clip that my best friend of 23 years used in her wedding. - AmyLynn Dodd

I borrowed my moms diamond tennis bracelet! - April Wilson Crabtree

A handkerchief from my great grandmother and a broach from my mother in law. Both items were worked into my oral arrangement. -Traci Wages-Berry

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PHOTO BY AMY KARP PHOTOGRAPHY

WEDDING EMERGENCY KIT

Its mere minutes before you walk down the aisle and all the brides-maids dresses are full of static. Theres a stray thread hanging from your dress. And, heaven forbid, your gorgeous updo is starting to fall.

DONT PANIC.

Being the calm, cool, collected and well-prepared bride that you are, you made sure to create a wedding-day emergency kit for problems just like this.

In addition to static-cling spray, a mini sewing kit and bobby pins, your kit contains the items nec-essary to tackle any last-minute issues ranging from unexpected forehead shininess to slightly less-than-perfect breath.

Make sure nothing is left to chance and pack your crucial wedding-day emergency kit a few days before the wedding. Or, if you have a trustworthy maid of honor or bridesmaid, ask them to handle it for you. Youll be able to relax and enjoy the big day knowing that everything is there for you just in case something goes wrong. But weddings al-ways go off without a hitch, right?

BY KATE MCCLENDON


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DECIDE ON A LOOK AND A PHOTOGRAPHERTraditional bridal portraits shot in a studio are as old fashioned as your mothers dress. Todays brides choose locations that represent their own personal vision and often re ect a look that will be echoed at the wedding.

The location can be a place that has sentimental meaning, your reception site, gardens, whether formal city gardens or backyards, architectural sites that include staircases or interesting details, and even city streets for a more urban look. Trust your photographers suggestions if you dont have an immediate concept or if he or she tells you something might not translate into the pictures you have in mind.

Most photographers include a bridal portrait session as one of their wedding coverage pack-ages. Many will also be happy to hear your ideas and try to incorporate these into your session. Trust their suggestion for time of day for best results. Your bridal portraits will probably take between one and two hours.

PREPARE IN ADVANCEYour portraits should be taken a month to six weeks before your wedding. That means your dress with the alterations, your shoes and veil all need to be ready by then. In a crunch if your dress comes in late, most photographers can rush the process, but allowing more time re-duces the stress.

Personal grooming should be done several days beforehand. You dont want a fresh burn or any self-tanner rubbing off on your dress. Do how-ever try to even out tan lines, especially if you are wearing a strapless gown. You should also schedule facials, brow waxing or hair coloring several days before pictures to avoid redness, irritation or an unfortunate oops.

Plan ahead with your hairdresser and use your photo session to test the look and hold of your wedding day hairstyle. Allow 30 minutes more than you think your hairstyling will take to be safe.

Buy the right undergarments. This is not the time to tuck in straps or sport hot pink undies that might show through in the bright light. Spanx can make you appear 10 pounds slimmer and smooth love handles or tummy pooch. Many

wedding dresses can be tted with built in bras, but adhesive bras can also help ll out a bodice or take the place of a strapless.

THE NIGHT BEFOREGo ahead and shave your legs because a little leg with a wedding dress is sexy. A pair of ip- ops or comfy slip-ons will keep you from scuf ng your wedding shoes while walking, but de nitely have your wedding shoes to highlight in a couple of pictures.

Make a comprehensive list of everything you need to take with you, including your shoes, your accessories and your makeup. Dont forget bobby pins, hairspray and tissue. Plan to bring at least one person to look after you, but not an en-tire entourage, and then appoint someone to do the check off in the morning. This will save you from getting to the session and then remember-ing that special bracelet you planned to wear. A small rolling case can help your assistant keep up with all of your gear.

THE DAY OF YOUR PORTRAITSMakeup should be slightly exaggerated but not overly so. Skip deep red lipstick and smoky eyes unless you are going for a really dramatic look. Powder will set a nice nish and help your look last longer. Wear eyeliner, blush and a lightly tinted lipstick even if you usually dont. A lip stain will last longer, but bring a gloss to put over it to avoid a dried-out look. Waterproof mascara prevents smudging whether your tears are from emotion or the wind. To keep your makeup looking fresh all day, a product like Urban De-cays All-Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray available from Ulta can be a good invest-ment.

If there is not a dedicated location to change once you get to the portrait site, wear clothes that are easy to shimmy out of after you slip your dress on over them. Be sure whoever comes with you knows how to fasten your dress back. Bring a button hook if you have lots of tiny buttons.

Expect to get the underside of your dress a little dirty even with a drop cloth to stand on. Your photographer will probably provide this. Ask if your bridal shop includes a free cleaning after your portraits. You can spot clean yourself de-

pending on the fabric using soda water, and a hairdryer set on low will help with wrinkles. But ultimately, no one will see the underside of your dress, so try not to be too worried.

POSINGA good photographer will guide you through posing, but it never hurts to know a little before-hand. Almost everyone looks better from a little bit of an angle, so stand with your left shoulder (to show the ring) toward the photographer. Straighten your neck and slightly drop your front shoulder. Soften your hands so that your ngers are together without being stiff. No Barbie hands. Point your toes if your feet are showing.

If you dont remember anything else, sucking in your tummy and popping out your chest will make you feel and look great. Dont forget to show your ring and smile your true smile. Most importantly, relax, breathe and enjoy being a model for a day.

Charlotte and Ashley Hensley are a mother/daughter photography team who specialize in wedding and portrait photography in the south-west Dallas and Ellis County areas. Visit their website at www.charlottehensleyphotography.com or send an e-mail to [email protected].

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GET THE BRIDAL PORTRAITS OF YOUR DREAMS BY CHARLOTTE & ASHLEY HENSLEYHENSLEY PHOTOGRAPHY


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TOGR

APHY


WWhat Went Wrong at Your Wedding?Our photographer was 45 minutes late! My mom was try-ing to keep it from me so that I wouldnt freak out, but the phone rang at the church and I picked it up. Well, it was the photographer calling to tell the bride that he was running late! The wedding started at 7:45 instead of 7, but 13 years later we are happy as can be! - Jena Young Caddell

Our wedding coordinator forgot to send the ring bearer and ower girl down the aisle. Then, our preacher forgot to let us say our vows and light the unity candle. And in the middle of us kissing, he fell off the stage for all to see and our photographer caught the shot! Nearly two years later we can laugh but at the time it was disappointing. - Gina Matthews

It wasnt my wedding but I was maid of honor at my friends wedding and managed to foul things up. First, I dropped the grooms ring, it rolled down the steps and landed at the grooms fathers feet. While the bride was walking up the aisle, I got the fathers attention, he picked up the ring then proceeded to hand it to the last groomsman who handed up the line to the best man. When the time came for me to hand the ring to the preacher, I pretended to do it but whispered that the best man had it. He said, Oh Im so sorry!

Second, after the bride and groom turned to face the con-gregation and the preacher pronounced them man and wife, I uffed her train like a good little maid of honor does and stepped out of the way. I noticed things felt a little warm and I looked over my shoulder to see that I was standing too close to the candelabra. I snuffed the ame out with my sleeve. Thankfully it didnt catch my hair on re with all the

hairspray in it! - Caryn Spaniel

My grandmother got lost trying to nd the con-vention center. My dad held up the wedding for at least 30 minutes while he was on the phone trying to tell her how to get there! Its funny now, but I was sooo nervous and just ready to get it started! - Jennifer Day Tywater

How Did He Propose?Travis took out a full-page ad in the newspaper. I didnt even no-tice my name that was ve inches tall across the page because I was so interested in the wedding announcements on the other side of the page. It was awesome. That was almost eight years ago and two kids later. - Stacy Johnson

We went to a company Christmas party at La Cantera in San Antonio and he had the room set up when we got there. I opened the door to balloons everywhere ( oor, ceiling) and an empty open ring box on the bed with a note that said, Our hap-pily ever after is in one of these balloons. I had to pop balloons until I found my ring and there were plastic decoys in all of the balloons. Everyone was waiting down in the bar of the hotel to congratulate us. - Sasha Herrin

We were hanging Christmas lights at my parents house and he asked, Are you doing anything later on? And I said that I did not know, and he said, Well do you want to go and get married? - Traci Wages-Berry

Popular Color Trends:This years color trends continue to be a mix of greens and creams. Accents can be other shades of greens, chocolate or black. The other popular color combination has been orange or corals with pops of bright accents such as hot pinks, purples and limes. Each color scheme can incorpo-rate traditional, natural or contemporary concepts.

-Teresa Choat

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Leigh Herrin and Ted Wilson were engaged on January 25, 2009, and beginning their last semester at Southwestern University. They were making plans for their graduations and planning a wedding for December 19, 2009. Leigh had applied for physician assistant programs at various graduate schools. By May an acceptance had not yet come.

Leigh started reapplying to PA schools. Wedding planning was progressing; save the dates were sent out. Five days later she received the call that would affect everything. The University of Texas-Pan American offered her a seat in the new class that would begin in August. The excitement, confusion and stress set in. If she accepted their offer, it would be an extremely challenging rst semester while planning a wedding nine hours away from home. Her nal exams would be Friday, December 18, the day before the wedding. With all this weighing on her, the university had given her two hours to make her decision.

With overwhelming support from Ted and her parents, she accepted the offer. She immediately called me and we discussed changing the date to New Years Eve. With the cooperation of First United Methodist ChurchMidlothian, the Midlothian Conference Center, Marie Q, Villa Flora, The Doves Nest, My Invitation Lady, Professional DJ and Cretias, we were all able to make Leigh and Teds event happen.

After the fact, Leigh thinks moving the wedding date to New Years Eve ending up being the

Leigh Herrin and Ted Wilson

best decision they made. Leigh stated that although it was stressful, she wouldnt change a thing. She and Ted are happy with the decision for her to begin graduate school, and were both delighted with every detail of the wedding. But, most importantly to her, they had fun, their guests had fun and their marriage is very happy.

Vendor List:WEDDING PLANNER: Teresa Choate

CEREMONY VENUE: First United Methodist ChurchMidlothian

RECEPTION VENUE: Midlothian Conference Center

FLORIST: Villa FloraCATERER: The Doves Nest

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marie Q PhotographyMUSIC: Hector Solis Professional DJ

BAKERY: Cretias


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Katie Hensley has suffered from extremely painful headaches since eighth grade. She had tried a series of medications and procedures, from medicinal Botox to neurostimulator. They eventually found out her C1 vertebrae was fused to her skull. If she wasnt extremely careful, she could break her neck.

After high school Katie began a career as a hair stylist. She was recently engaged to Jake Mensch, whom she says, was willing to take along all of my medical baggage. The migraines continued on a daily basis and were much more severe and she was running out of options.

The wedding planning was in progressvendors selected, event design determined and budget set. Katie then found out she was a candidate for nerve decompression surgery in Houston. The surgery was successful and Katie returned to work and planning continued. However, the continuous overhead motion with her arms affected her. She would have to quit her career path and sole source of income.

Planning then became stressful for her and we had to restructure her budget. She had planned on using her parents contributions for dcor and dcor was Katies priority.

We redesigned the wedding dcor to fit within the new budget. Katie stated, You can make it simply beautiful; my wedding planner, parents and husband helped me realize this and make mine and Jakes wedding absolutely gorgeous. She was very thankful for her parents and Jake being there every step of the way.

It has been a long 10 years of suffering with migraines for Katie. Katie told me she had never expected people to notice the struggles she endured or the pain she was in, or for her story to be written to share with others, because there are so many people with worse struggles than her own. The headaches are now slowly going away. To quote Katie, true beauty comes from within and the simplest of things can be the most beautiful. People really do watch how you react to challenges that happen to us.

Katie Hensley and Jake Mensch

Vendor List:WEDDING PLANNER: Teresa Choat

CEREMONY AND RECEPTION VENUE: Loma Linda Events

FLORIST: Villa FloraCATERER: Appeteasers

MUSIC: Gus Garza Your DJBAKERY: Peggy Collier

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Richardson, Star Images


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Megan Plunketts challenges have been all about the nding the date, making the date and being able to keep the date.

We knew the date setting would be challenging with Corporal Dillows commitments with the United States Marines. During Kyles six years in active duty, he has only been able to spend two holidays with Megan. So the challenge began. Megan began looking for local venues and the only date available at the Midlothian Con-ference Center for both ceremony and reception was June 5. We began planning.

Her brothers graduation and sisters due date ended up being on the same day. She was exible and decided to push the date back to July. Kyle was scheduled for Marine Corp. training in July, but could not get the exact dates. Again, Megan was very accommo-dating and exible. She decided to push the wedding date back even further to January 2011. However for this date, there would not be a hon-eymoon because Megan would be

attending Texas Womens Dental Hy-gienist School.

Training dates ended up being sched-uled for June, so July or August once again became an option. Megan and Kyle decided to go a different route with a beach wedding in August in Alabama, and an October reception at the MCC. All was setbeach homes booked, the ceremony planned, the dcor planned and a gorgeous beach dress ordered. We were all ready for the day to arrive. Then the oil spill happened. No one could predict how much damage would happen to the beach. With one weeks discussion and debate, they decided to make yet an-other change.

Megan began calling venues again. The only summer date left for the MCC was August 7 and the Central Presbyterian Church in Waxahachie was available. So, within eight weeks, we redesigned and re-planned ev-erything, including the dress. Now that Megan was having a church cer-emony, the beach dress would not be appropriate. Megan ordered a new

gown and had it rushed. She also had to nd a place to live in Denton while Kyle was gone for two weeks.

Megan and Kyle credit their families and listening to each other to get them through. Megan says the hardest part had to be making decisions so quickly over such a short period of time.

I am so blessed to be a part of these events and give a special thanks to Mrs. Ted Wilson, Mrs. Jake Mensch and Mrs. Kyle Dillow for sharing their experiences with all of us. To read the full stories of each wedding, visit www.teresastopics.blogspot.com.

-Teresa Choat

Megan Plunkett and Kyle Dillow

VENDOR LISTWEDDING PLANNER: Teresa Choate

CEREMONY VENUE: Central Presbyterian ChurchCEREMONY MUSIC: Randy Avery

FLORIST: Villa FloraSWORD DETAIL: Marine Corp.RECEPTION VENUE: Midlothian

Conference CenterBAKERY AND CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN:

Victorian RosePHOTOGRAPHER: Andrea Calvery,

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People have always made pho-tography a top priority when it comes to wedding planning, and rightfully so. After all, these are memories that should be pre-served for a lifetime. But with that in mind, brides and grooms-to-be now see videography as a great way to capture the full extent of those memories. Simply put, it lets newlyweds share their experience in ways that could not be done otherwise.

To better illustrate the point, con-sider this: married couples have daily reminders of the wedding from pictures displayed in their homes, but only those people who pair photography with videogra-phy have the chance to relive key moments of their special dayto actually hear I do, to feel the emo-tions of the ceremony and to watch the entire rst dance with crystal-clear picture and sound.

And just as people rarely trust am-ateurs to photograph weddings, they also wisely enlist the services of professional videographers. Any vendors who are seriously consid-ered need to rate highly in terms of experience, exibility and service. The ultimate goal, after all, is to get the best possible product for the individual and to have it done in a way that enhances the whole wedding process. The best advice, then, is to gauge a videographers expertise and creativity by asking as many relevant questions of them as possible.

There are many variables that fac-tor into the production of a wed-ding video, and rst-time custom-ers may not be aware of all the available options as they enter into discussions. Be sure to inquire about any differences that exist between wedding packages, in-cluding what kind of audio and video equipment is used and how many copies of the product will be supplied.

An especially notable component of any video package is the amount of time a videographer plans to spend lming on location. Any ar-rangement agreed upon should state the number of hours that a videographer will spend at the site, including any pre-ceremony foot-age of the bride and groom. Those moments can be particularly inti-mate and emotional, so remember to take that into account.

The bottom line is that a good vid-eographer will work with clients to make them feel comfortable, explain the process fully and do

whatever is necessary to produce the wedding video theyve always imagined. There is added incentive for these professionals to achieve success, because unlike the work of others, theirs will surely be eval-uated for years to come by people with the highest degree of interest.

Brides often attest that their wed-ding days are surprisingly hectic and fast-pacedso much so that many crucial memories would usually escape them, if not for vid-eos to reanimate the action. Thats what its really all about. Because while photographs are precious and convenient keepsakes, lifes special moments shouldnt always stand still.

Rick and Charlotte Orr are the owners of VS Production Services. The Video Station has been pro-viding production services for Ellis County residents as well as clients both in and out of Texas for more than 20 years. Contact them at 972.937.7150.

There are many variables that fac-h d f d h d

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Were continuing the wedding theme into this section. Well tell you just how to create a signature cocktail for your wedding and the best books to read to help you plan. Youll also learn about the bene ts of premarital counseling and what you need to organize your dream wedding.

In addition to some of the wedding information, youll learn about one of the local non-pro t organizations dedicated to helping parents network and raise a healthy family. To nd out which bands were most excited to hear at the Austin City Limits festival in October, check out our blog at www.living-magazine.com.

In Th is Section:Signature Sips 38by Kate McClendon

Books for Wedding-Planning Bliss 37by Kate McClendon

Consider Counseling 40by Darlene Hardy

Organizing Your Fairytale Wedding 42by Melinda Hines Get Out of the Bubble 44by Kate McClendon



L+S

APPLE PIE2 apple slices1/2 oz. agave nectar1 pinch Apple Pie Spice (store-bought in the spice section)1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice1 1/2 oz. apple vodka Thinly sliced red apple, for garnish

1. Muddle apple slices in agave, spice, and lemon juice.2. Add ice and vodka and shake well.3. Strain over ice in an old-fashioned glass.4. Garnish with thinly sliced red apple. Recipe courtesy of theknot.com.

CRANBERRY KISS3/4 oz. rum2 oz. Collins mix2 oz. cranberry juice1 wedge lemon

1. Add rum, Collins mix and cranberry juice to ice- lled highball glass and stir.

2. Garnish with lemon wedge. Recipe courtesy of delish.com.

LAURENS LEMONADE1 can frozen pink lemonadeClub sodaLemons, cut like pinwheelsLimes, cut like pinwheelsVodka (to taste)Fresh mint, for garnish

1. Make pink lemonade according to package instruc-tions, except substitute club soda for water.

2. Fill glasses with ice.3. Place one lemon and one lime pinwheel in each glass.4. Add one shot of vodka to each glass.5. Fill with pink lemonade.6. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Recipe courtesy of theknot.com.

BY KATE MCCLENDON DO A LITTLE EXTRA Consider printing the recipe on custom coasters.

Have the name and ingredients listed on a sign or menu at the bar area.

Get creative with stir sticksprint personalized ags to attach to the ends.

If you want to serve more than simply wine and beer at your wedding, con-sider adding in a signature cocktail. This will be one additional drink that supports your theme and colors, and wont break the bank by making you have a full bar.

If theres a cocktail you and your sweetie always order, try serving that as your signature drink with a clever name or garnish to tie into your wedding theme, colors, location, hon-eymoon destination, meeting spot or your name.

You can also spend some time creating your own recipe or nd a recipe you like and tweak it to make it your own.

If youre creating your own, simple avor combinations work best. Dont go adding each liquor and syrup you can get your hands on. Instead choose one to two liquors with one to two additional avors, like fruit juice, add a garnish and call it quits.

To get started, choose a color that complements your wed-ding colors. For a blue drink, maybe choose Curacao. For green, try Midori. Next, pick a liquor base, like gin, rum, te-quila, whiskey, brandy or vodka. Then pick a cocktail typefrozen, shaken, stirred, etc. Once those fundamentals are in place, build upon the cocktail with some additional avors, garnish and name your drink.

Keep in mind how quickly and easily the cocktail can be made. You dont want to pick something that causes the per-son manning the bar to spend ve minutes preparing. If pos-sible, create a drink that can be prepared in large batches, then simply ladled into a glass and garnished.

Make sure to have options for your non-alcohol drinkers. Have tea, water and possibly lemonade or cider, depending on the time of year, available. If you love your signature cock-tail so much, and you think others will too, try creating the cocktail without the alcohol for a mocktail. This may require

quite a bit of experimentation to get the right avors but it will be worth it.

Try to keep your drink simple so as to appeal to a large crowd, but know that not everyone will like or want to drink your signature cocktail. Some people just arent cock-tail people and thats why the beer, wine and Champagne are there. Make something thats special to you and your anc. It is your day after all.

SIGNATURE SIPS

WHATS IN A NAMEHere are a few name ideas for your signature cocktail:

Marital Bliss Happily Ever After The Aisle Love in the Fall/Spring/

Winter/Summer Matrimonial Margarita/

Martini The Knot Pucker Up Love Potion


L+S

Books for Wedding-Planning Bliss

The DIY Bride

Crafty CountdownBy Khris CochranThe Taunton Press

If youre a bride trying to save money by doing a few things yourself, you must get this book. Youll learn how to create wed-ding projects from save-the-dates to invitations, ower bas-kets to ring pillows and bridal hairpins to boutonnieres. There are also so many ideas for fa-vors, youll have trouble trying to choose (my favorite is the cup-cake in a jar). Each project tells you when to start working on it in relation to your wedding date (six weeks before, four months before), who you should include in the project (bridesmaids, hus-band-to-be, family members) or whether you should do it alone, and what it costs to DIY as op-posed to purchasing. Cochran also gives you a list of what items youll need to complete the project in addition to a detailed explanation of what each tool is and how to use it. Even if youre a beginner DIY-er, this book will have you completing seemingly elaborate projects in no time!

Offbeat Bride: Creative Alterna-tives for Independent Brides

By Ariel Meadow StallingsSeal Press

Ariel Meadow Stallings, creator of the popular blog by the same name, didnt want the typical cookie-cutter wedding, so she set out to do things a little differently. In this book, the second edition, she recounts her own wedding and in-cludes advice and ideas from other offbeat brides. Shell show you the unconventional way to deal with all aspects of the weddingfrom get-ting engaged, creating a budget and dealing with the wedding par-ty to deciding what to wear, plan-ning the entertainment and how to answer the age-old question, hows married life? She also talks you through how to deal with fam-ily members who dont understand why youre going a non-traditional route. If your wedding will be on the more offbeat side, this book is for you. Even if just a small part of your wedding is a little outside of the typical wedding box, youre sure to find help and ideas in this book.

The Ultimate Wedding Planner & Organizer, 2nd Edition

By Elizabeth LluchWS Publishing

Though many books boast that they cover it all, this book really delivers. The book is actually a three-ring bind-er so you can add or take away pages based on your needs. It also includes a tote bag, zippered pockets, a three-hole punch and dividers with pockets for extra storage. The paper is your standard white, copier-style paper so you can write notes and ll in charts without worrying about smudges, smears and messiness. In it youll nd a detailed checklist based on time be-fore the wedding (like Teresa Choats in the last issue, which you can nd online at www.living-magazine.com); ceremony site, bakery, photographer and caterer comparison charts; popu-lar ower descriptions and a detailed budget checklist and chart so you can gure out a pretty good budget esti-mate. Theres even an opening page for writing special memories, like the proposal and family members reac-tions. If you have a general idea of what you want your wedding to be, this book will gure out the rest and wont leave your hands until you say I do.

BY KATE MCCLENDON, staff book-a-holic

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The venue has been secured. Youve signed the contract with the caterer, the orist and the photographer. The honey-moon destination is reserved and the dress of your dreams has been hung expectantly in your closet. Check. Check. Check. Over and over each detail is scrutinized, all in the pursuit of the perfect ceremony. But wait. The title of the book by Florence Littauer so wisely states, After Every Wed-ding Comes a Marriage. Jason Boyett with Focus on the Family has said, There is a reason romantic movies end, rather than begin with a wedding. Thats be-cause thats where the hard stuff begins. Even so, in the greatly evolved American culture of 2010, people ages 25-34 still see marriage as the model living arrange-ment. With the current failure rate of 40 percent for rst marriages and 60 percent for second marriages, take a leap in your imagination and visualize how those statis-tics might change, if every couple planning their wedding were to exert equal time, effort and resources in preparing for their lives together after the ceremony. Premarital counseling, provided by a li-censed professional, is perhaps the best gift you can give one another. Shopping for the right therapist is as important and sometimes as dif cult as nding that perfect dress. The following information will perhaps assist you in navigating the malaise. Competent counselors have particular theories they subscribe to. To the layper-son, it might appear there are as many the-ories as there are stars in the sky. You can nd out a lot about a therapist by perusing his or her website, calling for information and speaking with other couples you know who have navigated premarital counseling successfully. When you make your initial

call, it is helpful to have a list of questions prepared. Ask the therapist about his or her experience in premarital counseling. Ask what theories he or she subscribes to and what your treatment plan might look like (although later it will be modi ed to meet your particular goals). Notice if he or she talks down to you or explains his or her techniques or theories in easy-to-understand language. Inquire about the types of assessments used, the cost of the sessions and if the assessments will require additional payment. The way you handle communication and con ict will be a great predictor of the success of your marriage. In a marriage relationship where con ict is present, one will often pursue and one will withdraw. This one communication trait in itself can cause unprecedented pain in a marriage. The good news is that new, healthier ways of processing con ict can be taught during the premarital counseling sessions.

John Gottman, who has spent three de-cades researching the marital relationship, is considered by most to be the foremost authority on marriage. He states that a happy marriage is based on deep friend-ship, mutual respect and an intimate knowledge of each others quirks, likes and dislikes. Perhaps surprisingly, Dr. Gottman does not see frequent ghting as a sign of a bad marriage. Con ict is normal as long as there is no abuse and both the husband and the wife ght fair. Having a strong friendship and engaging in activities that keep the anger down during arguments keep con ict from spiraling out of control. These skills can all be learned and honed during counseling.

Occasionally a couple will show up in the counseling of ce and both come from strong, emotionally healthy families where

con ict in each family of origin was mod-eled in similarly healthy ways. Dr. Gole-man, author of the 1995 best seller, Emo-tional Intelligence, ranks emotional health as an 80-percent indicator of success in life, including success and happiness in relationships. If you are an emotionally mature couple, four to eight sessions of pastoral counseling utilizing the pastors relationship expertise and/or implemen-tation of a program such as Prepare and Enrich may be all you need to jump-start your future together. Dr. Harville Hendrix, co-founder of Imago Therapy, believes that we are attracted to those with whom we believe on a subcon-scious level we will be able to work out our unresolved childhood issues. According to his theory, romance is the great anesthesia. Once the romantic high begins to wear off, the deep, underlying issues begin to surface. This can be a good thing because as you both become what your spouse needs, you grow into a better and more complete person. What a beautiful picture.

Sound confusing? It doesnt have to be. Do your homework. Look around and ask around. You may even try a couple of counselors and one or both of you will feel that the therapist is just not a good t. Dont give up. Just keep looking. The wedding will be wonderful but the mar-riage can be even better. And for family and friends who are looking for just the right wedding gift to present to the happy couple, have you thought of premarital counseling?

Darlene Hardy is a certi ed anger resolu-tion therapist, trauma and loss consultant supervisor, personality trainer, Theophos-tic counselor and EMDR I located at Midlothian Bible Church. To contact Dar-lene, call 214.577.9828.

BY DARLENE HARDY

Consider Counseling

L+S


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209 S. Hwy 77 Waxahachie

972.937.8860

1:00 p.m. Opening Ceremonies John & Sally Strickland, M.C. portrayed by Ryan & Charity Mullican1:30 p.m. Robin Cole-Jett, Director of Education Museum of the American Railroad2:00 p.m. Robert L. Haynes, Curator Plano Interurban Museum2:30 p.m. Johnnie J. Myers, Author Texas Electric Railway3:00 p.m. Rail in Waxahachie: Today & Tomorrow Clyde Melick, Waxahachie City Planner4:00 p.m. Melodrama: Dirty Work at the Crossroads Waxahachie Community Theatre7:00-9:00 p.m. The Levee Singers

CHAUTAUQUA 2010

ALL-DAY TICKET: ADULT - $15 IN ADVANCE, $20 AT DOOR STUDENT (UNDER 18) - $2 CHILD AFTERNOON ACTIVITY PASS $5* *WITH PURCHASE OF ADULT & STUDENT ADMISSION

Advance tickets at Glenns Warehouse Carpets, 972-937-8848, 301 N. College Street in WaxahachieBUY TICKETS ONLINE AT WWW.DISCOVERCULTURE.ORG

ASSEMBLY DAY ACTIVITIES9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Tours: Strickland Home, Train Depot1:00-5:00 p.m. Childrens Activities in Getzendaner Park Bounce Houses & Trackless Train Rides Built For Fun www.builtforfun.com1:00-3:00 p.m. Plein Air Painters Original Art Show & Sale1:00-5:00 p.m. Rail History Memorabilia Garden Trains Scale Model Train Exhibit5:00-7:00 p.m. Dinner in the Diner

Saturday, September 25, 2010Getzendaner Park & Historic Waxahachie

All Aboard!


ORGANIZING YOUR 1Fairytale WeddingWhat girl doesnt love a wedding? But one of the quickest ways to turn that dream into a nightmare is not planning well. Make that fairytale day come true by following the tips below.

Planning a wedding can sometimes feel like a second job and getting and staying organized will determine if its a job you love! The rst thing is to buy an organizer. Make it prettyafter all, you will be looking at it for months to come, but be sure its useful and able to contain all those documents, papers, brochures, magazine articles and pictures as well as samples of fabric or color swatches. A three-ring binder is perfect, with at least 20 dividers and Ziplock sections for all those small pieces. Pick a wedding color and slip a picture of you and the groom into the front pocket to make it extra special.

Once you have your organizer its time to organize it. Be sure to include contracts and keep receipts in Zip-lock baggies attached to rings. By preference, you will need sections including but not limited to:

Premarital counseling Journal Important contacts Calendar and checklist

Budget Registries Inspiration clips and pictures Rings and license The dress and the grooms and

attendants attire Announcements and invitations Bridal luncheon/showers/parties Guest and gift list with places

to check off for thank you notes sent

Gift ideas for attendants, of ci-ant, accompanists and so on

Rehearsal and rehearsal dinner Ceremony/vows Flowers/decorations Photos, video and music Reception and catering Transportation and lodging for

you and guests before wedding Honeymoon The future: budget for real life,

residency information and so on

You also may want to get notebooks for your maid of honor and/or brides-maids and the best man. Put informa-tion such as dates, times, locations and duties. This will keep everyone organized as well, and minimize the chance of someone missing a tting date or rehearsal time.

Dont be afraid to ask for help. Plan-ning a wedding can be one of the

most overwhelming tasks you will ever encounter. Wedding coordi-nators can be expensive but many couples feel they are worth the cost as they can be invaluable in putting together your ideal day, and can of-ten save you money. Dont forget to ask your friends how they did it and, more importantly, the mistakes they made and what they learned from them. Also, free online or printable checklists are especially helpful. The most important of these forms is the overall wedding checklist, which will help you stay on top of all of your im-portant to-dos.

Finally, enjoy everything about this engagement period, from telling your loved ones to celebrating with all the parties. Most importantly, dont get so wrapped up in the planning that you neglect your partner. Make sure you journal all your emotions and talk about them with each other. Give each other lots of extra attention when you dont actually talk about the wedding but concentrate instead on your future marriage. We spend so much time planning the wedding and sometimes we need to spend a little more time planning the marriagelook back at my 99 Questions to Ask Before You Say I Do article se-ries at www.living-magazine.com.

Melinda Hines is a wife, mom, author, speaker, teacher and proud Waxahachie resident. Her book, Operation Mom: Winning the Mommy Wars, is available on her website, www.melindahines.net, and at Hastings and

Amazon.com. To get Melindas daily devotional, send her an e-mail at [email protected].

BY MELINDA HINES

L+S


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Are you tired of only speaking in baby talk? Or feeling like youre the only one dealing with temper tantrums and potty training? Well, youre not alone.

Ellis County Early Childhood PTA is a community-wide non-pro t organiza-tion that has been serving Ellis County and local parents for more than 15 years. Their mission statement says they are dedicated to improving the lives of young children and parents through education, community service and so-cial interaction.

Dawn Divinia, vice president and fund-raising coordinator put it this way: Some of our goals for the program are just to create well-rounded kids and do the best job that we can possibly do, because theres nothing easy about be-ing a parent, she said. We want to do the best we can with our kids and try to make them good human beings when theyre older.

Members of ECECPTA enjoy monthly meetings, weekly playgroups, monthly Moms Nights Out, monthly newslet-ters and support for families. In addition to the bene ts for parents, during each meeting children get to enjoy activities, like crafts and recreation, and meet other local kids.

The program follows the school year, so meetings are held once a month from September through May. Meetings are bene cial to the parents because they get to network, meet other parents and listen to informative speakers discuss things from healthy family relationships to child safety during the holidays.

I cannot stress enough the importance of the socialization. Youre in such a bubble when you are home with your kids and I just appreciate having adults

to talk to, especially people that are in your same situation, Kim Garlitz, membership chair, said about the meet-ings and members. They understand the frustrations with potty training and t throwing and uncooperativeness. I hardly ever come away from a meeting where I dont learn something I can take back and incorporate into how I raise my child.

Dawn agreed. Especially for the stay-at-home moms its very hard to meet people and nd stuff to do with people who have your same kind of inter-ests, which are little bitty children running around wreaking havoc.

Both women said the program has helped them meet other parents and create lifelong friendships. As you get older and you get in a routine with family and this and that, your blinders go on and its hard to meet people, Dawn said. But not with ECECPTA. The meetings, out-ings, fundraisers and community out-reach have created bonds between all its members.

Helping the community is also a big part of what ECECPTA is all about. Each month the members choose a charity to help out at their meeting and bring something that the group they picked for that month is in need of. They also do a toy drive and sing at nursing homes during Christmas. All of this teaches the participating children the importance of community outreach.

I think its important for your kids to see you volunteer and do things for the community, Kim said. Being involved in community service has already taught Dawns children how to give back. [My son] has started telling me what toys I can take to give to other kids that dont have toys.

ECECPTA is for anyone who cares for children, whether theyre the mother, father or grandparent, and children

age ve or under. If youre interested in joining, the rst meeting of the 2010-2011 school year will be held on Sept. 8 at First United Methodist Church in Waxahachie at 10 a.m. Make sure to get there early to ll out membership forms.

Looking back, I cant imagine raising a child here without building up all the relationships and the networking and the socialization for [my daughter], which is really why I joined. But I didnt realize a side bene t is getting to meet great friends, Kim said. I think others would bene t from having such a great resource at their disposal.

Get Out of the Bubble BY KATE MCCLENDON

ECECPTA parents and children participating in a recent July 4th parade.

L+S


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H&GHOME & GARDEN

As the weather starts to cool down ( nally!) and fall begins, take the time to enjoy your backyard a few more times before the cold weather begins.

In this issue, Diane Johnson Collard recounts a design challenge that had her going back in time to the 1940s. Melinda Kocian will show you exactly what plants you need for the fall weather, and Michele Hamp-ton will show you how she made over a sad-looking chair and how you can do it, too.

In Th is Section:Creating a Car Lovers Haven 48by Diane Johnson

Dumpster Diving 49by Michele Hampton

September and October Plants 50by Melinda Kocian

Eat, Pray, Love 51by Deborah Tilson


H&G

In the 30 years that I have worked in the design and construction business, I thought I had done just about everything. But, just when you think you have done it all, you get the opportunity to do something totally different. That is what I love about this business.

I have actually redesigned several exterior buildings in my career. I cant say that they were the most exciting jobs, but some were actu-ally pretty interesting and certainly served their purpose well.

I have converted a carport into a pool cabana, built and designed a greenhouse and storage buildings and transformed an attached lean-to into a useable room, but I have never converted a shed into a fantasy, until now.

When my clients, Lora Jane and Arlyn Camp-bell told me that they needed to reface their old green shed, I agreed completely. Their lovely home sits on a small acreage that looks like a park, but the view from the back windows was lacking that perfectly landscaped charm. The rst thing you would see was an ugly green shed and another larger unattractive out building. The previous homeowner obviously did a poor job of planning the building placement, but it was what it was.

The Campbells collect and restore vintage cars. After completing the remodeling of the home, I was hired to help with the design and conversion of the larger building into a hand-some garage for their car collection. Once that building was on its way to a total face lift, things were looking much better, but the

green shed stood out like a neon light.

One day, as we were walking around the grounds inspecting all of the other projects, we started discussing the green shed. Jokingly, I said, Maybe you need a gas station for your cars. Lets turn this building into a 1930s lling station. Little did I know that was just down Arlyn Campbells alley. He had already ordered an old gas pump, so Lora Jane got on eBay and started looking for signs. I started researching options for redesigning the front of the building.

In searching for elevation ideas, I had to keep in mind the slanted shed roof that existed on the original green building. The front of the building was perfectly at, so adding a port with columns and redesigning the entrance area was an easy x. Getting the roof line to look natural was a little more complicated, but it all came together like a charm.

I knew that I would need to add windows and a service door to the station front, so I started looking in antique stores for just the right sizes and shapes. After searching for a while I remem-bered that I had some old doors and windows in my original barn. There, in my own backyard, I found vintage wood windows and a wood en-trance door that t the bill perfectly.

McKeever Construction was great on this proj-ect. Allen McKeever got the vision and was ca-pable of understanding exactly what I wanted the nished project to be. He started tearing out the original doorways and framing in the new ones.

Carriage doors were added, not only for easy

access, but to make the lling station look like it had a working repair garage. Every detail had to be perfect.

Every day was more fun than the last. It was like building a doll house. Each addition, one by one, transformed that old green shed into a perfect replica of a 1930s Mobil lling station.

The big day nally came. The signs were up. The lights were installed. Now the Mobil gas pump had arrived. The nal piece to the puzzle was added and the station was complete.

What a delight it is to look out the back windows or see the lovely view from the back porch. A perfect, adorable lling station facade that hides an ordinary old storage shed. Or does it? Well, most of it is storage

Now, Arlyn has decided that he wants a little of- ce in the station. Just a small 12 x 12 space to use as a cigar smokers hideaway. Hmmmm. We will see where this leads. You never know what new project is on the horizon, but next time I will tell you about the vintage car garage. You will love it.

DIANE JOHNSON COLLARD has been decorating Ellis County for more than 20 years. Contact Diane Johnson Interiors at 972.935.8899 or [email protected].

CREATING A CAR LOVERS HAVEN

BEFORE

We all remember our rst home. Most of us were on a tight budget and working with discarded things from our parents. My father-in-law, being semi-retired loves to nd treasures in the rough on his morning walks.

This chair was sitting in someones yard with a sign saying, Free, take me. With a little labor and very little cash, it can be quite a nd. We spent less than $150 on refurbishing this charming chair.

1. Remove old fabric, nails and tacks2. Clean and lightly sand the wood frame3. Paint the chair frame4. Recover and add trim5. Enjoy!

For more tips on decorating or staging your home, come see

us at Check It Out!

SUPPLIES NEEDED:1 CAN OF SPRAY PAINT

SANDPAPER1 1/2 YARDS OF FABRIC

3 YARDS OF TRIM

SUPPLIESDIVINGDumpster

BY MICHELE HAMPTON

BEFOREAFTER

Michele Hampton is a creative de-signer at Check It Out, located at 212 S. Rogers in Waxahachie. To contact

Michele, call 972.938.2403.



OCTO

BER Fall Garden

Squash, zucchini, peas, tomatoes, greens, beets, spinach, lettuces, broccoli, cabbage and peppers are growing in the garden below. Whether carrying over spring tomato plants into fall or by planting typical fall crops for the Ellis County area, nothing could be more gratifying than the bounty of homegrown vegetables. They can be canned for use throughout the winter months in recipes such as stews, soups and casseroles. The color, avor and nutritional value of homegrown vegetables are incomparable. Using EarthKind techniques, such as drip irrigation and good soil preparation will help create a sustainable garden.

PLANTING AND SOWING Plant cool-season annuals: pansies, violas, dianthus,

snapdragons, ornamental kale, cabbage, poppies and Swiss chard.

In well-prepared beds, plant leeks, elephant garlic, garlic, shallots and onions (from bulbs or sets).

Daffodils can be planted now. Some good varieties for this area are Unsurpassable, Ice Follies, Carlton, Thalia and Mount Hood.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING Turn the compost pile, add a cup or two of regular lawn

fertilizer and keep moist. Remove annuals that have completed their life cycle. Leave

seed pods of those you want to reseed for next year such as Castor bean, larkspur, cone ower and cosmos.

THIS AND THAT Chill tulip and hyacinth bulbs in the refrigerator until mid to late

December before planting. The lower part of the refrigerator is best. Do not leave bulbs in airtight plastic bags and avoid storing them with fruit.

There is still time to divide and reset such perennials as phlox, violets, hollyhocks, irises, daylilies and Shasta daisies.

GARDEN WATCH To prevent potential insect and disease next year, remove

and toss all dead vegetable plants in the garden.

TIPS FOR OCTOBER

When possible, use hardscapes and pavers that are eco-friendly and permeable to allow rainwater to in ltrate and storm water to be ltered to reduce pollutants.

Passion ower (Passi ora incarnate)They begin blooming in July and continue until frost. The vines can easily grow up to 15 feet in a season so you can grow it on a fence or trellis. The Gulf Fritillary butter y and its larvae are especially attracted to the passion ower and feed upon the plant. Butter ies are often present in large numbers and if you watch closely you may witness the life cycle of the butter y!

PLANTING AND SOWING Time to dig, divide and replant spring-blooming perennials

such as iris, daylilies, cone owers, gaillardia, violets, liriope and ajuga. Amend the planting bed with compost and replant. Give away any divided plants not needed.

Plant trees, shrubs and perennials from containers. Fall planting will allow them to establish roots before hot and dry weather arrives next year.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING Root-prune trees and shrubs to be transplanted this winter. Fertilize lawns with a high-nitrogen food and apply a pre-

emergent to prevent germination of winter and spring weeds.

THIS AND THAT Prepare beds for spring owering bulbs to be planted in

October and November. Raise the planting area for good drainage.

GARDEN WATCH Spray roses for blackspot and mildew, which can be extremely

troublesome in September and October. Apply herbicide containing MSMA to eliminate perennial

grassy weeds such as dallisgrass in Bermuda grass. Read and heed label instructions.

Applications of pre-emergent weed killers must be made early this month, before seeds begin to germinate. Depending on which weeds you are targeting, it may be necessary to apply two different products; one for broad-leafed winter annuals such as henbit, dandelions and chickweed, and one for grassy winter weeds such as Rescuegrass and annual blue grass.

SEPT

EMBE

R

TIPS FOR SEPTEMBERDiversity in the landscape can actually promote healthy plants and less disease by encouraging bene cial organisms. Most pests target a certain species or family of plants, and when there isnt enough food to support a population, the pest does not survive.

BY MELINDA KOCIAN of Ellis County Master Gardeners

PHOTO BY PAM DANIEL

PHOTO BY MELINDA KOCIAN

H&G


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I went and saw this fabulous movie the day it came out and I was really inspired by a certain line in the movie. The main character is standing in front of a storage building after leaving her husband and she states, My whole life ts in a 12x12 building. For some that may seem frightening, but to me it sounded freeing. What if we could free half of our living space, what could that do for us, for our family?

Many of the things in my house are not serving a purpose in my life today. It is just stuff. It is stuff I do not need, use or love. Many of the things I have held on to were for all the wrong reasons.

Here is a great example: I recently sat gazing upon my books in my of ce, which are all nice and neat on bookshelves. I decided to use my own organizing principles on this issue and I began to ask myself why I was saving all the ones that I had already read.

In case I want to read them again For my daughter when she is older For future reference

What I realized is that none of these were really true. I was sav-ing most of these books for purely ego and self-esteem reasons. They were like a tribute to all the knowledge that I had acquired over the years. Just in case I forgot that I am an avid reader or if someone wanted to question my reading capabilities, I could always go into my of ce and have proof of who I am and what I have done.

Once I got to the heart of the matter and realized wh

sept-oct 2010

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