Picture Your Clutter Gone!

Picture Your Clutter Gone!

In Catherine Ponders book, The Prosperity Secrets of the Ages, she says, "Psychologists tell us that the picturing power of the mind is one of man's strongest powers for success. They say that any picture firmly held in mind is bound to come forth as a result."She goes on to tell us "…that you should picture what you WANT instead of what you do NOT want because what you constantly picture you will get!" Imagine that! You could be making your life or clutter worse because you are "seeing it" as chaotic and cluttered.Do you believe that? I SURE DO!Mental pictures, picture power, creative visualization, imaging - whatever you refer to as the practice of "…vividly picturing, in your conscious mind, a desired goal or objective, and holding that image until it sinks into your unconscious mind, where it releases great, untapped energies" (Norman Vincent Peale) is VERY powerful. I know VERY successful people, including myself that have practiced imaging to get the life we wanted.Why don't you give it a try right now? Take two minutes and picture yourself taking control over your clutter and life.Close your eyes, get quiet, take some deep belly breaths, and…Picture yourself becoming more active and taking action against your clutter, going through the piles, the stacks, the boxes, closets, drawers, cabinets, and anywhere you see clutter!Become calm and quiet, and see yourself rising up from your seat or bed.See yourself starting to sort through "Fill In the Blank."Feel the items in your hands. Examine each item you touch with your eyes, brain, and heart.Feel the feelings that are whelming up inside you. Let them in. Is it a sigh of relief that you are finally starting to get organized? Is it scary? Is it overwhelming? Is it Tiring? Is it frustrating? That's okay; stand up to your feelings. Ride with those bad or good feelings - like you're floating on your back in a rocking ocean. Ride the small and large waves up and down. Lie there and float with the rhythm - your rhythm- soon it will calm and you'll be okay - just go with the feelings until you are calm once again.Now see the clutter sorted, put away, and gone. See that you were successful. (If you saw someone assisting you, in which you needed to pay, picture the right and perfect person coming to you, and the money needed coming to you also. Hold this picture in your mind and see how you feel now.Are you: relieved, happy, proud, or exhausted? Feel it and enjoy the feelings.Sit for another minute. Take another DEEP belly breath. Slowly open your eyes and REALLY start to take the actions you just pictured.Now I know many of you might be thinking this is crazy or off the wall. I also know many have excuses for their clutter - why things are the way they are - or their fear of letting go. I know many get attached to not just their "things" but also their attitudes and their picture of the world, as they see it. I know many don't take any action, nor never will, as they sit and watch stuff pile up around them.I know many don't have the know how to get organized. Many just don't have any organizing skills; just don't have a clue as to what to keep or not. Some need permission, to be held accountable by a friend or mentor, or take a class or get some coaching. Some need motivated or a good friend. There is certainly nothing wrong with not having or wanting and needing any of the above; however if you don't make the choice to take some kind of action against your clutter I guarantee you you will have bigger problems and more severe clutter problems in the coming years. And it's never too late if you start right now.Continue to practice your imaging throughout the days and weeks ahead. It takes little effort, but you must work on your picturing power everyday until your action kicks in.Make a commitment to yourself TODAY. Start TODAY! Stand up and chose to take whatever action you need. Dr. Peale, author of Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life, tells us that whatever our minds can conceive and believe, and your heart desires, you can achieve.For those of you that read the Bible, you can even read in Mark 11:24 that Jesus says, "What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them."So why not try, practice, and work at picturing your clutter gone - what have you got to lose except some clutter?

Halloween Happenings

Halloween Happenings

Jack-O-Lanterns, black cats, ghosts, goblins, and a full moon - all add up to a lot of fun and enjoyment for family, friends, and neighbors. Safety-of course should be "preached" well before Halloween as well as safety precautions to insure that little ones and "scary monsters" enjoy themselves but are safe and sound. Reflective tape on shoes, jackets, the back and front of costumes, and on treat bags is one way of keeping safe when the day turns into night. Also, "going together" is more fun than going alone. Little children should be shown that make-believe is part of this Holiday, and they should not be given a "scare." Having a home/school/or town party? Decorations are fun and let the kids help. It's always nice to pack away something this year that a child makes, and watch their eyes light up when you unpack it a year later and use it again - they made it - and their pride will show. Even teen-agers (but they may not show it) enjoy a little "remembering" when old items are pulled out. Pick a theme for your Holiday Get-together. It could be a Monster Bash, a Ghostly Encounter, or a Pumpkin Extravaganza. If you are inviting a wide range of ages - consider "no-win" games for the younger set and hand out those prizes freely. Older children enjoy a little friendly competition and adults should have a combination of both. Pumpkins, yarn-tied ghosts just hanging around, or a bit of dry ice in a home-made cauldron (safely away from little fingers and curious adutls) will go a long-way with effect. Prizes and treats could be stickers, pencils, erasers, notebooks, coloring or puzzle books, glow-in-the-dark anything (necklaces, bracelets, etc.) and other items that are a great substitute for way too much candy and sweets. But sweets are a part of the Halloween Bash so here's a few suggestions: Start your morning out with pumpkin pancakes: A Jack-O-Lantern pan helps but you could improvise. 2 cups biscuit mix, 2 tbs. light brown sugar, packed, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1-1/2 cups (12 ozs.) undiluted evaporated milk, 1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin, 2 tbs. vegetable oil, and 2 eggs Place your pan in oven and preheat it (450). In bowl, combine biscuit mix, sugar, cinnamon, evaporated milk, pumpkin,oil and eggs. Whisk until smooth. Spray your heated pan with non-stick spray. Pour 2 cups of batter in the pan. Return to oven and bake 8 mins. or until top is dry and edges are brown. Cut butter pats in triangles for eyes, nose, and happy teeth. Or use your favorite pancake mix, prepare in a frying pan or griddle and decorate. Place a small stem on the top. Serve with sausage links, orange juice, and a lot of giggles. *****************************Whatever food items you prepare for the day should be given appropriate names, of course. Your family can feast on Boo Salad, Ghoul Hands (a clear plastic glove with a candy corn placed in the fingertips for a nail, and filled with popcorn, tied on the top with orange or black yarn), Scary cupcakes, Witches' Brew, Bewitching ice cream sundaes, and Marshmallow or Mashed Potato Ghosts. Serving cheeseburgers: cut out triangles for eyes, nose and make a silly grin in the cheese just before serving. A Jack-O-Lantern burger instantly. Gummy worms can crawl out from under plates and hang leisurely on cups. ******************************Jiggly Pumpkins: Use a pumpkin cookie cutter: 2 pkgs. (6 ozs. each) orange-flavored gelatin, 2-1/2 cups boiling water, 1 cup cold milk, 1 pkg. (3.4 ozs.) instant vanilla pudding mix, candy corn, and black licorice. Dissolve the gelatin in water, set aside for 30 mins. Whisk milk and pudding mix until smooth, about a minute or two. Pour into an oiled pan and chill until set. Using your pumpkin cookie cutter, cut into shapes and decorate. ***Menu Ideas: Hot turkey sandwich Ghostly white potatoes and gravy Pineapple witches' brew **Halloween Macaroni and Cheese Monster teeth (green peas) Graveyard surprise (chocolate pudding with whipped cream ghosts swirled on top)*************************Candied apples: 12 apples 3 cups sugar 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 2/3 cup water 1 tsp. lemon juice 15 cloves 1-2 tsp. red food coloring Place sticks in apples. Combine sugar, cream of tartar, water, lemon juice and cloves in pan. Stir over heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the food coloring. Boil, without stirring to hard-crack stage. Remove from heat; remove cloves. Twist apples in syrup and place on buttered cookie sheet to dry. **************************Mashed Potato Ghosts: 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 3/4 cup milk, heated 2 tbs. butter 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese 2 tbs. freshly chopped parsley or dill Place potatoes in pot and add enough water to cover. Cook 15 mins. or until very tender. Drain and mash, adding in the hot milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cheddar and parsley. To make a ghost: Create your ghost shapes on waxed paper or foil. Cut out your shape to use as a guide. Use 1/2 to 1 cup mashed potatoes for each ghost. Place the stencil on top of the mashed potatoes, cut around shape, and remove excess. Use olives for eyes and mouth or raisins, if you prefer. To reheat: place ghosts on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 6-7 mins. loosely covered with foil. ***********************Witches' Brew: 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup hot water 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/3tsp. salt 3-1/2 cups milk dash of vanilla dash of cloves cinnamon sticks Combine cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in pan; add the 1/2 cup hot water slowly. Heat to boiling, stirring and cook 2 mins. Add milk; but do not boil. Remove from heat, add vanilla and cloves. Beat with mixer until frothy and serve in mugs with cinnamon stick. ***********************Have some old sheets - taking a black marker, draw eyes and a mouth. Hang on a broomstick and place on patios and porches. Change the light bulbs in your lamps to green or orange for Halloween night. If you have "door" duty on Halloween night, join in the fun - dress up, play some Halloween tapes in the background, and open the door slowly and at first, just let your hand reach around - of course, check to see if little ones are knocking, then greet them with a smile and a treat. Use colored plates, cups, and cupcake paper cups for treats or for a meal. Getting into the "spirit" of the day, is just as much fun as visiting that Pumpkin Patch and waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive. Have fun and ENJOY!

You're Having A Party!

Fall - a fantastic season with the Holiday Party Season just nipping at its heels! What makes a good party and how do hosts/hostesses get through the anxiety, worry, and how do they take care of all those details and bring it all to a successful conclusion? A few tips for some really great parties. As a caterer, there are many tips, tricks, and so-called survival techniques. Here are a few: The first thing you do when you would like to have a party is decide on the occasion or theme-is it an anniversary, a birthday, a Halloween costume party, or an After Raking the Leaves get-together for family and neighbors? Then decide on how many guests to invite. This will greatly affect your table arrangements, menu, etc. More importantly, you must take into account the space you have available to comfortably entertain (even small spaces can be used effectively,), and your budget. With regard to theme, once that is chosen your menu becomes easier. The food should directly relate to the event. A Trimming the Tree party could have fantastic cocoa beverages, while your Hawaiian Luau would make this very inappropriate. A buffet is easier than a sit-down dinner, but space becomes critical. If guests are asked to serve themselves, then they must have somewhere to place their plates, sit, converse, and enjoy themselves. Invitations follow your initial planning. A printed invitation is a more thoughtful way, then a mere telephone call. The written version contains all the essential inforamtion, so there are no mis-dates, time, or destination, especially if the party will not be at your home. A simple schedule for you is next. Write down all the details - the decorations, menu, and amenities. This insures that the "non" immediates are handled in advance and the "immediates" such as fresh flowers, fresh produce, etc. are all last-minute items. Do as much as you comfortably can ahead of time. Make-ahead foods are great and give you a lot more time on the last minute food items. Use foods you are comfortable with, but with a twist. In other words, an event is not a good time to try a new, never-used recipe. It will only add to the anxiety and stress. Also consider food garnishments and touches. Use food to decorate food! If artificial items are used, they will need to be removed by your guests. Also, have and utilize a party log. In other words, write down your exact party plans, the guest list, menu, etc. in a notebook. Write down what went very well and what didn't. Which guest did not interact very well with others, etc. This will give you valuable insight into future parties. Also this allows you to invite guests that are compatible so that no one is uncomfortable. Also you avoid duplicating menu plans, decorations, etc. When the day of the party arrives, stay calm. Use your schedule and cross out all items as they get done. Have everything ready (except for hot-from-the-oven items) in place and do a once-over about an hour before the guests begin to arrive. Then dress-up, relax and make sure you enjoy the party as much as you would like your guests to. Nothing is more tense at an event, then a host/hostess that is jittery, upset, and obviously stressed out. Visit and personally greet each and every arrival and look after the extra details that mean so much to your guests. Extra towels, napkins, temperature adjustments for too warm or too cold, name cards on the table (double-faced for comfortable conversations), and easily handled food. If accidents occur, such as spilled beverages or dropped food, discreetly do immediate clean-up, but save the real clean-up for after the guests leave. This will save embarrassment and frustration on the perpetrator. Your reputation will soar as a successful host/hostess with just a few of these tips. ENJOY!