mycastle_october2012

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5208 Corinthian Bay – Willow Bend Lakes

Unbelievable opportunity to stylize a fabulousfloorplan that features custom millwork andmoldings & huge rooms. Paradise back yardoffers wrap around verandas, and waterfallpool & spa on approx. .63 acre greenbelt lot.5 / 4.1 / 3 Car Garage / 4 Fireplaces / 2 WetBars / Gameroom / Study

$899,000

$2,500,000

18167 Frankford Lakes – Frankford LakesOne of the largest floorplans in Plano gated com-munity. 3 balconies with lake and fountain views.Scraped hardwood floors, crown moldings, plan-tation shutters. Seller to leave washer & dryer &TV’s! 3 / 3 / 2 Car / Gameroom

$365,000

2011201020092008

2007200620052004

972.733.5277

PauletteTHE

Greene

Doing the right thing, creates the right results.

4736 Druid Hills Drive - Heritage GreenCustom builder’s personal residence, the finishout is superb with handscraped hardwoods,designer lighting, custom cabinetry, & more!Treetop views from the sparkling pool, hugepatios & balcony off gameroom. Butler’s pantrywith wine refrigerator & ice maker. 5 / 4 / 3 Car

$575,000

paulettegreene.com

“One of the Best Realtors/Power Brokers in Dallas” 5108 Longwood – Fairways of Gleneagles

Southern charm in this updated Plano home ondouble cul-de-sac lot! Extensive hardwoodfloors; charming breakfast patio plus a largeshady yard with gated drive, pool, spa and yard!Master with adjacent full study! 5 / 3 / 2 car /study / gameroom / pool / spa / dog run

$570,000

4604 Tour 18 – Flower MoundFabulous drive up to this 2 acre homesite locatedon golf course! Paradise outdoor living includesmultilevel waterfall pool with slide, spa, outdoorcabana with fireplace and grill! Master with his &her custom closet system! Treetop views of golfcourse from gameroom! 5 / 5.2 / 4 Car / Study /Gameroom / Media Room

$975,000

6401 Ladbrook Court - Kings RidgeCorner lot with a spacious floorplan that offersroom to entertain! Gourmet kitchen has gascooktop, Austin stone alcove, granite & hugepantry. Handscraped hardwoods, decorativelighting, plantation shutters, study, oversizedgameroom, & media with huge wetbar. 5 / 4.1 /3 Car

$483,400

8201 Stone River – Chapel CreekHard to find creek lot home with amazing roomcount and amenities! Casita plan offers privatecourtyard with fireplace; total hardwoods exceptfor gameroom & media room; pool, spa, outdoorcooking center and still a large yard! 5 / 4.1 / 3Car / Gameroom / Media /4 Fireplaces / Pool /Spa

$975,000

1505 Foard – Creekside at StonebriarFormer model home with impeccable finish out!Beamed and groin vaulted ceilings, iron details,bi-level media room, covered veranda & balconywith greenbelt view! 3 / 3.1 / 2 Car / Study /Gameroom / Media Room

$549,000

606 Naples – Twin CreeksUnobstructed views of Twin Creeks Golf Coursefairways! Sparkling Pool, Spa and generous patioareas for entertaining. “Ready to Go” MediaRoom plus pool table size gameroom with bal-cony! Chef’s delight kitchen with gas cooktop andhuge island! 4 / 3.3 / Study / Gameroom / Media/ 2 Car Garage

$650,000

5769 Foard – Creekside at StonebriarFabulous price on this custom Cambridge home!3 Living Areas, gourmet kitchen with all the “IWants”, extensive hardwood flooring downstairs,all bedrooms with bath access 3 / 2.1 / 2 Car /Gameroom

$424,900

1607 Byrn – Twin CreeksPanoramic golf course views from most rooms!Located on 11th Tee Box! European inspireddesign with elegant trim and finishout! Privatestudy with built-ins. Oversized kitchen with all the‘I Wants”! Master suite with cozy fireplace andbreathtaking views! Gorgeous landscaping plushuge, extended patios and verandas offering golfcourse views! 4 / 4.1 / Study / Gameroom /Unfinished Bonus Room / 3 car

$899,500

5405 Grasmere - Kingsborough In Old Shepard Pl.Former Builder personal residence with all theperks! 3 Living Areas including oversized game-room! 3 Fireplaces! Saltwater pool & spa fea-tures outdoor shower! Radiant Barrier & Tanklesswater system ! Private cul-de-sac street!4 / 4.2 / Study / Gameroom / 3 Car / Pool & Spa

$750,000


ON THE COVER

Picking the perfectpumpkin doesn’t have to be

hard. Follow our simpletips to ensure success.

See Page 11.

COVER PHOTO COURTESY

METROCREATIVEGRAPHICS.COM

CONTACT US

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MyCastle Frisco is published monthly byStar Community Newspapers, 624 KronaDr Ste 170, Plano, TX 75074-8304.

The entire contents of My Castle FriscoCopyright 2012 by Star CommunityNewspapers. No portion may be repro-duced in whole or in part by any meanswithout the express written permission ofStar Community Newspapers. Additionalcopies are available for purchase by con-tacting customer service at 972-424-9504.

OCTOBER 2012MYCASTLEMAGAZINE.COM4

Compost piles are nothing new. Thousands of NorthTexans routinely combine grass clippings and oldvegetables, resulting in highly nutritious compost thatadds to home gardens.

What has always been excluded is table scraps suchas chicken bones and dairy products. These types of

products are not typically compostable. That is, un-less the homeowner is employing a relatively newcompost procedure known as the “bokashi pot.”

“The bokashi process was developed by a Japanesescientist not all that long ago,” said Jan Eppard, aPlano resident who regularly espouses the benefits of

PLANO WOMAN PREACHES BENEFITSOF FEEDING YOUR GARDEN

COMPOSTINGjapanese

KELSEY KRUZICH / STAFF PHOTOS


OCTOBER 2012MYCASTLEMAGAZINE.COM 5

composting. “It is a way to ferment the foodso it can subsequently be composted. The coolpart is you can do every type of food. You cando meat, bones, cheese, dairy, oils and wine.That is very different that what you can do inyour regular compost pile.”

Composting items such as turkey carcassesand expired yogurt may seem complicated,but all it takes is two buckets, a package ofspecial bran flakes and two weeks, said TanisRoelofs, a Plano resident who attended aclass taught by Eppard several years ago.

“You drill holes in the bottom of one of thebuckets and then place it inside the otherbucket so there is about an inch gap be-tween them,” Roelofs said. “You put thetable scraps in the bucket, and then coverthem with the bran flakes. You do this eachtime you put in food and when it is full, youseal it up and let it stay closed for twoweeks.”

The bran flakes, which could double as apopular breakfast cereal, serve as a host forthe microorganisms that do the hard work.Eppard said the combination of microorgan-isms, as well as molasses to provide nutrients,allows the food scraps to be turned into acompostable mix.

Roelofs said she keeps her bokashi pot outsidedue to the smell, but Eppard said hers is keptin her kitchen without problems. Regardless ofwhere the pot is kept, the key is to keep a tightlid on the pot and to encourage anaerobic bac-teria to flourish, Eppard said. This is easilydone by pressing a piece of newspaper downtightly on top of the food/bran mix, keeping asmuch oxygen away as possible.

After two weeks of fermentation, the mix canbe added to an existing compost pile to con-tinue its transformation into a nutrient-richsoil additive. If added to an existing pile, thepile will need to be turned over so the

bokashi mixture will be near the bottom.If this seems like too much work, Eppard saidthere is an easy solution.

“You can store the mixture in your bio-digesteruntil you are ready to use it,” she said. “All youneed is a six-gallon metal trash can with lidand holes covering the bottom inch or so. Youneed to bury that in the ground about fourinches so the holes are under the soil. You addthe bokashi mixture to the pot and the earth-worms and other organisms are able to feed offof that.”

Adding soil and bran flakes to the mixture willencourage fermentation, Eppard said. Keepinga tight lid will keep out dogs and raccoons,while also allowing the microorganisms to dotheir best work.

“The worms are getting their nice food, andtherefore the area around the bucket is greatlyenhanced. The vegetables you have plantedaround it grow by leaps and bounds,” Eppardsaid. “It is amazing how much nutrition thatadds to the soil.”

The bran flakes needed for a successful bokashipot can be purchased from various Internetsites. However, for those gardeners who like toshop closer to home, Eppard produces her ownbran flakes and sells them through her sitewww.jansbran.com.

n billCONRAD, [email protected]


Did you know that buying a home can requirenew vocabulary? As part of your home buyingresearch, learning these real estate-relatedterms will make you an educated buyer andput you in a more powerful position to pur-chase your first home.

appraisalWhen you purchase a home, your lender willrequire a property appraisal. Lenders are notlikely to loan you $300,000 for a home that isonly worth $150,000. An appraisal assists themortgage lender in assessing the actual valueof the property and looks at the condition ofthe house, its location and comparable salesin the same area. As a buyer, you’re usually

responsible for covering the cost.

The appraisal is done prior to closing on a prop-erty. Don’t confuse your appraisal at this stagewith the annual appraisals that determine howmuch you will pay in property taxes. Those aredone by the local appraisal district.

surveyA survey is not the same as an appraisal. Asurvey verifies the home’s boundaries – whereyour land begins and ends. The surveyor de-termines whether the house is within theproperty borders, whether there are anyneighbors encroaching upon the property, andif any easements on the property may affectlegal title. Easements include sewer man-holes, drainage ditches, and utility lines.Knowing where the easements are locatedwill also help you if you are considering fu-ture home improvements.

If you have plans to build a deck or any otheraddition, you should know how far it is fromeasements. There are stringent regulationsthat determine how far decks or even swim-ming pools can be from certain easements, oreven the lot line.

Surveys have grown in popularity because manytitle insurers require one before issuing a titleinsurance policy. The survey acts as a map, de-termining precisely the property limits of eachneighbor’s home. The last thing that the insur-ance company wants is a land dispute.

title insuranceTitle insurance is just as important as themany other types of insurance you probablyhave. If there are any problems associatedwith your property’s title, this insurance planprotects against loss.

If you are purchasing an older home, the title

is likely to have changed hands quite a bitand the land that it sits on, perhaps evenmore. What do you think would happen if astranger showed up at your door one day anddemanded that you get off his land? You’dprobably tell him to get lost, but he may re-ally have a case. Maybe somewhere down theline a signature was forged or the seller failedto sign in the appropriate box. That couldmean trouble for both you and the lender.

Title insurance covers the injured party, which inthis case would be the lender. The policy protectsthe lender up to the amount of the mortgage, butit doesn’t protect your equity in the property. Toprotect your equity, you would need a supple-mental policy called an owner’s title policy,which covers the full value of the home.

Here in Texas, it won’t do you any good toshop around for a competitive title insurancepolicy. The state of Texas sets the rates fortitle insurance.

Learn more fromyour RealtorThese are just a few terms that you shouldknow before diving into the home buyingprocess. You’ll encounter a lot of real estateindustry-specific language and abbreviations.But it doesn’t have to feel intimidating. YourRealtor can guide you along the way.

Don’t be shy about asking questions, andlearn as much as you can during the process.You will feel much more comfortable aboutbuying that first home if you have a basicknowledge of the terminology and advice froman expert.

For more tips on buying or selling property inNorth Texas, visit LoneStarHomes.com.

n Collin County Association of Realtors


LIC #TACLB00026696E

* Timely registration required for 10 year parts limited warranty. Limited warranty period is 5 year s for parts if not registered within 90 days of installation. Jurisdictions where warranty benefits cannot be conditioned on registration will re ceive the registered limited warranty periods. Please see warranty certificate for further details and restrictions. ‡SEER stands for Seas onal Energy Efficiency Ratio and HSPF stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. Many models are ENERGY STAR ® qualified. Ask your contractor for details or visit www.energystar.gov.

*The ICP Visa® credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Financial National Bank, an Equal Housing Lender . Special terms apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit at participating merchants. Regular minimum monthly payments are required during the promotional 18 month period. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date at the APR for Purchases if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period. For newly opened accounts, the APR for Pu rchases is 27.99%. This APR may vary with the market based on the U.S. Prime Rate and is given as of 9/1/2011. If you are charged in terest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. If you use the card for cash advances, the cash advance fee i s 5.00% of the amount of the cash advance, but not less than $10.00.

Offer ends Oct. 31, 2012

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Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period

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l e t ’ s t a l k

c ha lkInviting arches, worn brick paths and a green utopia hint at a French romance a world away. Rustic chairsand iron décor bear semblance to a surprising cottage,etched into the fabric of Historic McKinney.

CHRIS BEATTIE / STAFF PHOTOS


Karla Ritchey’s home beckons of creativesecrets, but there’s only one: Chalk Paint.

“You don’t have to sand, strip or prime any-thing,” said Ritchey, a teacher of 29 yearswho retired to become North Texas’ distribu-tor of the England-born paint. “That’s thebeauty of it.”

Since she discovered inventor Annie Sloan’sproduct a few years ago, the beauty abounds.Used on walls, shutters, furniture, floors –anything, really – the water-based, quick-dry-ing Chalk Paint decorative paint has “takenthe United States by storm,” Ritchey said.

The paint has also made its way to DFW be-cause of her. About two years ago, nearly twodecades after Sloan put Chalk Paint on theEnglish market, Ritchey became one of thefirst 12 distributors, or stockists, in the U.S.There are now more than 200.

But first came the workshops, whichRitchey still teaches every month in McK-inney. She attended Annie Sloan School,training for distributors, and her classesoutside the classroom commenced.

Her days as home economics Teacher of theYear in Garland and Van Alstyne are over,but the educating continues.

“This was a way I could sell a wonderfulhome décor product and keep teaching,”she said. “It all just kind of went hand inhand.”

Indeed, all in two months. She and husbandSteve married March 25 of last year, then amonth later started Lady Butterbug, a work-shop-sales combo business featuring Sloan’squick-finish paint and wax products.

Workshop participants learn to apply it to

their home and garden elements, like urns,iron fencing and statues. Ritchey gives thema notebook of Chalk Paint possibilities.

However, herhome’s cot-tage-like sur-roundingsprove notewor-thy enough.

“I wanted tobring theChalk Paintinto my gardenso I couldshow cus-tomers that it’sfor furniture,but can also beused outside,”she said.


ANNIESLOAN.COM


The product’s wonder didn’t fall on deafears or dry brushes with Ritchey, who saidshe’s been refinishing furniture since shewas 12. With Chalk Paint, projects that typ-ically take five or six coats are done in oneor two.

It can be applied to interior and exteriorsurfaces and furnishings, even fabric, hasvery low VOC (volatile organic compound)content, and has little to no odor. It’s goodfor old and new appeal.

“It’s very fast and very easy,” she said.“You just start slapping it on, and it givesyou a very vintage look. It can really makeit look like a 100-year-old piece of furniturewhen it’s not.”

Ritchey’s garden – a habitat of colorfulplants and walkways – looks like the workof so many years, but it took just five. Shebought the adjacent house, built in 1952,

from the previous owners, the Houstons, aprominent McKinney family.

Overgrown trees, rocks and dirt awaited.She spent her days teaching and nights gar-dening, often “until I fell into my bed,” shesaid, and the landscape became a beautifulescape, one at which passers-by and gardenmagazines now marvel.Giant piles of porch stone turned to step-ping paths, 1,600 buried bricks were un-covered, and Ritchey did most of it.

“Once I get onto a project,I’m kind of a maniac,” shesaid.

Her other constant projectcenters on Chalk Paint,which is sold at FriscoMercantile, My FavoriteRoom in downtown McK-inney and Uptown Coun-

try Home in Dallas. It’s soon to be at PlaidPeacock in Roanoke.

Ritchey is the DFW/North Texas stockist ofChalk Paint, one whose business title willsoon be trademarked. Her daughter calledher a butterfly who “flits around from proj-ect to project,” and her husband calls her“Bug,” hence Lady Butterbug.

And while buzz seems to surround her ownhome (featured in the February/March 2013issue of Flea Market Garden Magazine),

Ritchey keeps it onher favorite product.

She has surroundedher backyard green-house with ChalkPaint-finished tables,chairs and a fire-place mantle. She re-cently used just afourth of a cup of thepaint to finish a rus-tic, European-styleglider.

“For maybe $150,you can totally redoyour kitchen cabi-nets and have a com-pletely differentlook,” she said of thepaint. “It adheres toalmost anything.”

Other benefits of her outside Chalk Paintdécor are birdbaths, shutters, a propellerand the front door. Driving by, one nearlyfeels out of place.

Among flat grass yards and edged land-scapes, there’s no hiding the Ritchey cottage.

And its secret is out.

“Usually the desired effect is kind of ashabby European look,” Ritchey said. “De-pending on how you handle the paint andthe wax, you can get almost any look youwant.”

For the shops’ addresses, store hours andRitchey’s workshop schedule, visit ladybut-terbug.com.

n chrisBEATTIE, [email protected]


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Jenny Moots of Calloway’s Nursery in McKin-ney offers tips on finding and taking care ofyour natural fall décor.

Determine your need – thinkabout size, shape and color.Each year, Calloway’s regu-

larly stocks about 15 varieties that run thegamut from short and fat, tall and thin, red,pink, white, green and, of course, orange.

Make sure it’s firm, but carve-able. If it’s toosoft, it won’t last long. Gourds can last amonth or more if they haven’t been carved.Moots said once a pumpkin has beencarved, its lifespan can last as long asthree to four days.

If you’re carving,there are tons of

stencils available –from scary patterns to movie characters.Freehand carvings are naturally anotherchoice in the classic jack-o-lantern style. To stay clear of real candles, pick up a bat-tery-operated flickering light, available at

most retail stores. They are the safest option,and you can leave them “burning” all night.

The surfaces of many varieties are also con-ducive to painting. Inexpensive poster paintswork fine, just make sure the surface is freeof dirt. Painting a pumpkin design will giveyour gourd a lot more mileage and gives moreroom for error; if you make a mistake, justwipe it off and start over.

If the jack-o-lantern isn’t your style, you candress your pumpkin up like a centerpiecethat can be used indoors or out. Moots said

Calloway’s is offering decorating seminars onSaturdays. The seminars show how to use rib-bon and sprays to add to the natural beauty ofthe pumpkin. The cost is $24.99 and coversall materials.

Another optionis to cut the top

off around thestem and gut the pumpkin like you would

if you were carving. Fill it with fresh or silkflowers and turn your pumpkin into a sea-sonal planter.

Moots said in order to get along life from your pumpkin,treat it gently. Don’t carry itby the stem and try to avoidscratching and bruising thesurface. Keeping it dry willalso avoid premature rot.

n lizMCGATHEY, lmcgathey@

starlocalnews.com

pumpkin

pickingthe perfect

pick it

decorate it

take care of it



There are rumors that the Great Pumpkinspends a lot of time at the Big Orange Pump-kin Farm in Celina. Though the rumors havenever been confirmed, it looks like the kindof place where an itinerant squash would feelright at home.

The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm has juststarted its 16th season as an active farm opento the public through Nov. 6.

The farm is owned by Rick Kimbrell. He, hiswife Melissa, and their blended family of sixchildren live and work on the farm.

Kimbrell started the farm because he alwaysfelt that it would be a great way to give chil-dren a hands-on experience with farm-relatedactivities.

“This is very much a family business,” Kim-brell said. “You don't have to worry aboutyour children out here. It's a real workingfarm. We want to keep it a farm. Alot of kids have never seen pump-kins on the vine or played in a haymaze.”

The hay maze is formed by bales ofhay and is designed for romping.

The $8 admission cost includes asmall pumpkin, feed for the animals

and a hayride.

Two hayrides happenevery 16 minutes. Thehayride takes passengersall over grounds andlasts about 20 minutes.

Children can also go ona ride in a small motor-ized train.

Children and adults enjoy feeding the goatsand sheep there on the farm. There is also anumber of friendly dogs and cats on theplace. There are also a few longhorn steer.

Melissa manages the business and overseesthe many events that take place there. Shesaid there are about four weddings a month atthe Big Orange Pumpkin Farm all year long.The place is also the scene of many schooldances, club banquets, corporate events and

birthday andanniversarycelebrations.

The pumpkinproprietresssaid she lovesseeing familiesand schoolclasses visit.

Melissa said children have a great time run-ning through the hay maze, climbing amongthe pumpkins, feeding and petting the animals.

“Visiting the Big Orange Pumpkin Farm ischeaper than the movies and more entertain-ing,” she said.

Children under 2 are admitted free. Groups of20 or more can visit the farm for $7 per personif they book in advance. Concessions are avail-able for visitors that do not have time to pack apicnic lunch.

The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm is located at5518 C.R. 126 in Celina. Hours are Mondaythrough Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdaysfrom 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Sundays fromnoon until 6 p.m. For directions and informa-tion call 972-381-4995, 214-326-2706 or visitbigorangepumpkinfarm.com.

n pennyRATHBUN, [email protected]

getawayAUTUMNTHE PERFECT

Big Orange Pumpkin Farm

PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA KIMBRELL

PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA KIMBRELL

PENNY RATHBUN / STAFF PHOTO

PENNY RATHBUN / STAFF PHOTO


Who remembers the days when parents madetheir children’s Halloween costumes? Thesedays, dressing up for Halloween can be assimple as pulling a pre-packaged characteroff the shelf and hoping it fits right. However,that’s not the childhood tradition McKinneyresident Sherry Fletcher said she remembers.

“Our mother was our mentor; she made ourcostumes and we were something differentevery year,” she said. “I remember when wewere kids, our parents always made our cos-tumes for us and I thought how fun that wouldbe to do the same thing. I’d rather put some-thing together myself and use my own creativ-ity.”

Fletcher has been a costume fashionista andvintage recycler for 20 years and has the styleand collection all her own to prove it. Tuckedaway in an upstairs booth at the Antique Co.Mall on the square in McKinney is a treasuretrove of all things retro. It is just one of themany places one can find lightly used, au-thentic garb and accessories from yesteryear.

“It’s the thrill of the hunt – it’s my adven-ture,” Fletcher said.

Dubbed the Pink Flamingo, Fletcher’s racksare adorned with the perfect pieces to moldand accentuate virtually the most creativecostume for those who dread fighting the mobat specialty stores the weekend before Hal-loween. Western wear, petticoats, saddle ox-

fords, silk robes, roller skates, canteens, eye-glasses, boas and berets, the Pink Flamingois a classic example of how creating a Hal-loween costume can be as fun as wearing it.

A manufacturing sales rep by day, Fletchertravels to thrift stores, estate sales and an-tique malls throughout the U.S. in search ofvintage apparel. Having a weakness for clas-


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sic costume jew-elry that stemsfrom the trinketspassed on fromher mother andgrandmotherthrough the years,Fletcher saideach item shebrings back mustbe special in itsown right.Whether it’s astethoscope

bought in Amarillo or a find from one of herfavorite shops in Memphis called Flashback(“to me that says it all,” she mused), onething she said the Pink Flamingo is not agarage sale.

“That’s the fun ofit, instead of com-ing out of a papersack or a box andthere’s six otherpeople just likeyou there [youhave somethingoriginal]. It’s notreal,” Fletchersaid. “I think that’swhat makes thedifference and thehunt so much fun.”

If you start early, Fletcher said, you can takemore time envisioning what you want yourcostume to be. The key is to take your time,shop around and take advantage of the varietyof area thrift stores and vintage shops. Theextra effort will leave partygoers and trick-or-treaters with a look they will appreciate morebecause it’s all their own, she said.

“You might even change the direction of yourthought and go into something else becauseyou’ve seen more pieces to go with that cos-tume,” Fletcher said. “Ithink that’s more fun in-stead of going out andbuying something brandnew.”

While specialty storesmay provide conven-ience, they lack in qual-ity and affordability,Fletcher said. Home-made costumes are alsofavored among manyHalloween enthusiastsfor their versatility sincemany acces-sories andclothing can,depending onthe character,be reused ineveryday dress

or for other party functions.

However, don’t think a unique costume has tobe pulled together – even vintage can come ina box. Last week, Fletcher sold a Mr. PotatoHead costume to some lucky trick-or-treater,who will be sure to stand out on Oct 31.

“It must have been from the 50s, it was socute,” Fletcher said.

n kelleyCHAMBERS, [email protected]



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n 75033 n 75034 n 75035

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