Estimating food and drink needs for your occasion will depend on many things including the reason for the gathering, time of day, whether your guests will be working up an appetite (or thirst) prior to or during the event, the age range of your guests, the weather and more. An ice skating party for several families will require different refreshments than those for an adult brunch.

Stocking up on non perishable staples will mean fewer last minute trips to the store just before a party. Buying a little more than your estimated needs may be a safe bet, but over buying may lead to waste. There's no magic way to know exactly how much you will need but knowing your guests tastes, appetites, and the party particulars in mind will help.

The following are general guidelines for planning and shopping for a typical drinks and hors d'oeuvres party.

Beverages: 2 drinks per hour for the first two hours, 1 ½ per hour thereafter

Wine or champagne 750ml bottle = 5-6 drinks

Ice: ¼ to ½ lb. per person (in addition to ice needed for chilling drinks)

Glasses: 1-2 per person per hour

Snacks (nuts, chips, pretzels): 2-4 oz per person

Hors d'oeuvres: plan on 4-8 per person per hour depending on portion size

Last month I wrote about a common problem-having an abundance of photos that can become difficult to manage. Do any of the following sound familiar?

You have children or grandchildren and they are adorable. So both you and your parents take lots of photos. How do you display them?

You travel and have wonderful scenic shots that would look great on your wall-but how do you frame and group them?

You have, or someone in your family has, received recognition in someway that deserves to be recognized, but how?

You receive yearly family photos in holiday cards from friends and family. You keep them or maybe display them but the collection keeps growing and growing. What to do?

How to display photos depends on the content, the size, and the intent. Do you want to tell a story, showcase an event, feature family members or create a family tree in photos? Do you want to surround yourself with pictures of family and friends who may be far away? Do you want to honor someone?

When you determine why you have the photos you can begin sorting and selecting those that best fit your purpose. Make piles of those that most appeal to you, those that you like but don't fit your project and those you have but don't really need. Let's concentrate on the first group.

Once you have your group of pictures, look at the how well they relate to each other. Are some in color and some in black and white? What are the unifying elements? Would some of the photos look better if they were larger or smaller? Would some look better cropped or maybe in black and white? (Both of these can minimize distracting details or colors that don't blend well with your decor.)

Select frames that will compliment both the photos and the decor of the room. The frames don't have to be identical, but should look harmonious as a group.

If you will be hanging the photos on a wall, mark out the space you have for display with some blue painter's tape on the floor or on a table. Make a trial layout moving the individual photos around until you have found the best balance. Using paper templates of each of the pieces, place them on the wall and make adjustments as needed. Then taking each framed photo, mark where the hangers will go and attach each to the wall.

Table top, shelf and piano displays can be more effective when combined with objects. The pictures may suggest the things that will add interest to the grouping. Varying the levels and the sizes of the photos is important. Again, the choice of frames will make a big difference in the over-all display.

For more on how to display and accessorize with photos, attend my free Redesign Party this month on November 12th from 7-9.

Learn the secrets of turning a random assortment of objects and photos into arrangements that highlight any room. You will also see how to incorporate the feel of fall into holiday decorations for any color palette. Call or click on the link below to request more information on attending this month's Redesign Party.

Last month we showed how a new homeowner's predicament with her open plan dining room was solved using the new Bella and Birch dry paint faux finish product just below the chair rail for some subtle color and texture. We showed the application and now we can show the results. (If you missed last month's article, click on the link below to go to our archived newsletters.)

Here is the dining room before. The homeowner had placed the four botanicals on the wall in a classic arrangement and was happy with the effect, but wanted to do more.

Applying the Bella and Birch to the lower wall immediately added warmth and definition that the space needed. Finishing touches such as showcasing the homeowner's china pieces and adding seasonal color to the dining room table completed this makeover.

If you are thinking about updating or upgrading the look of or the spaces in your home, check out the Wells Fargo home improvement project calculator link below. It can help you determine what the effect will have on the value of your home.

Nothing can dampen the holiday spirit like spills, stains and broken glass during a party. Accidents happen so prepare an Entertainment Emergency Kit in advance. Microfiber cloths, stain eliminators, carpet and floor cleaners or wipes, a lint roller for taking carpet fuzz off of clothing, adhesive bandages and antiseptic wipes for cuts from picking up broken glass and possibly a hand vac to get up small debris are some of the things that may be come in handy or be necessary.

Put all of these in a decorative container or basket that can be on the spot, literally, in seconds. Your guests will be relieved and impressed by your fore thought and you will be relieved of the anxiety of preventing stains and injuries.

I don't make gravy very often, but I do make sauces and try to make extra to pass with a dinner entree or dessert. (Hot chocolate desert sauce anyone?) Keeping sauces warm can be a problem unless you have a sauce boat with a warming device.

Most of these are either very formal or very casual, take up a bit of room on a table or need to be plugged in. The simple sauce boat pictured can transition from formal to casual table settings and doesn't draw attention to itself. It works by using hot water in a hidden reservoir to keep sauces warm.

Click on the link below to read more, or do your own online search to see other similar helpers.

Fall is here and the leaves are turning all kinds of beautiful colors. This assortment of die-cut paper leaves from Paper Source includes Japanese dotted washi and all natural, earth friendly lokta papers. The pack contains 36 leaves in four large leaf shapes in 9 different papers and colors, all for $7.50. Leaf sizes are approximately 3" - 4", perfect for serving sweets such as individual fall fruit tarts or mini pumpkin pies, or savories such as small tea sandwiches or mini quiches.

With a Sharpie pen, write a short message along the edge of the leaf shape and place it on a serving platter, cake stand or on individual desert plates. Place the sweets and savories on top of each leaf. It's a quick and simple way to make your food presentation more festive.

In the spirit of Halloween, no pun intended, I am including this link to the web site, ManageMyHome.com. In the article, Cures for a Haunted House, it discusses common noises and problems in a home that can haunt you until they are fixed properly. Its witty but practical advice seemed appropriate for last minute "ghost busting".