Family Lifestylist®

Happy Holidays from The Lifestylist® Brands. Here's hoping that your holidays is shiny and bright!

Help! The holidays are right around the corner, and I know I've got holidays items stashed from last year that I don't want to buy again.
Getting and keeping organized is not one of the things I'm best at, but as a Lifestylist®  I'm always trying out new products and ideas to help me stay focused and de-cluttered. And I found one that is so brilliant I can't believe someone hadn't thought of it before - On Hand™ by ODL.
With houses getting smaller and square footage being at a premium, ODL came up with a great way to go vertical and use an area that you already have in your home -doors. On Hand™ fits into a flush door and can be used in a solid core or specially braced hollow core door. It makes use of both sides of the door - one side gains valuable storage space and the other side become a display and communication area. Everything is adjustable and can be customized for your lifestyle.
I love this product because I am able to get smaller items out of the "mystery drawers" and put them in a place where I can actually find them. It's the ultimate way to organize spices, my canning supplies, and all of those kitchen gadgets I can't live without.
The drawers and cabinets in my bathroom always become a black hole as well - On Hand™ made it easy to find all of my girly stuff that I have to keep buying because I don't know where it went, bath products and even makeup.
In the utility room it became the pet organizer where I was able to hang leashes, collars, treats and there other goodies where they were easy to find and keep together.
The other side become a message center where you can write to do lists or phone messages on the glass with a erasable marker, and put soccer and bulky trash schedules behind the glass to keep up with everyone's schedules. I'm thinking it might also be the perfect place to display all of the Christmas cards we get this year as well.
I'm in love with this product, and I can't stop thinking about all of the fun ways I could incorporate this into The Home Idea Factory. My clients are loving it as well, and Reidman Development will be one of the first builders to offer it to their customers in their new Hammocks at Canandaigua.
This is a brand new product, but can find more information on the ODL website or feel free to contact us at: answers@lifestylist.com and we'll be happy to help you find a place that you can purchase this in your area.

It's a great time to be a resident of Dallas, TX especially if you are a business owner. Not only is the cost of living 8% less than most United States cities, but we also have a mayor that appreciates the arts and the value they can bring to a city and it's residents.

The Business Council For The Arts recently presented their 2012 Obelisk Awards to a wonderful group of businesses and individuals that help the arts flourish in the North Texas area, and it was wonderful to see companies such as Capital One NorthPark Center, Half Price Books and others there to support this amazing organization.

Being a Lifestylist® is all about supporting the arts, and we were thrilled to be there to share this great event with you.

Change can be a very scary thing, but when a company like SE Homes of TX - a division of Clayton Homes - can change people's perception of manufacturing housing it's exciting!
The recent home show that they had at their Ft. Worth, TX location shows why SE Homes of TX has emerged as a leader in design and lifestyle. All of the 5 Lifestylist® Designed homes were very well received, but the one that stole the show was definitely The Monarch. I've shared photos of this home with consumers living in very high end site built homes and with custom builders and developers, and none of them can believe that this is a factory built home.
I've never seen this floorplan before. It is perfectly in tune with today's home buyer and the lifestyle they are hoping to achieve. It's open, the master suite is in a separate part of the home and has access to the very cool patio that is enclosed on 3 sides and ships as part of the home.
The "pet parlor" has also been a hit - this space in the utility room featured a pet shower with hand held showerhead, and a feeding drawer that can be closed when not in use.
I'm excited about this positive direction for our industry, and think you will be as well. For more information, visit the SE Homes of TX website or email Ryan Blackburn at: ryan.blackburn@sehomes.com

There's nothing we love more than a positive story about factory built housing, and BobVila.com has a wonderful article about the history of factory built housing.  Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber was honored to be interviewed and quoted in the story, and what is really exciting is that the author of the story - Jane Dagmi - was so intrigued about what this form of housing offers she's continuing to learn more and visit communities on her own. I'm looking forward to more of her stories in the future.
One of the things that has always been a detriment to our industry was the perception the press has, so having writers not only like our homes but also want to know more is a step in the right direction.
Be sure to also take a look at the timeline that Jane did -it's one of the best I've seen.

Summer is definitely here, and it's heating up in Texas. I turn into a really lazy cook when it gets so hot, and we do the Lifestylist® version of a salad bar many evenings.

Everything gets prepped - even the kids help plate their favorite ingredients -then we put everything on the island and people make their own salads as big or small as they choose.

I've stopped buying the bagged lettuce and greens because they are expensive and taste like chemicals to me. With the OXO Salad Spinner you can easily use heads of lettuce, spin them and even serve them in the bowl of the spinner. The kids love to help, and it's fast and easy for me.

To win won of these great products from OXO, go to the Lifestylist® Food blog and enter. there are 7 different ways you can get additional entries, and winner will be announced on May 11th.

It's time for Savor Dallas again! This annual celebration of food and wine takes place March 30-31,2012. Take a look at some of the wonderful photos taken by Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography and see why you need to join the Lifestylist® team at this wonderful event.

There is nothing this Lifestylist® loves more than when a community comes together, and this weekend was a wonderful example of that. Dallas celebrated the opening of The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge - a beautiful example of functional art by having a weekend of activities including art exhibits, car shows, fun runs and parades. It also introduced visitors to some of the newest residents of West Dallas - The Workroom and Trinity Groves.
The Parade of Giants featured 15 giant puppets that were made by local groups and artisans and represented people who played a part in the history of the area. Many of the people who worked on the puppets were related to the people represented by the puppets, and it was really fun to hear stories about how these people had played a part in shaping the community and themselves.
Bridge-O-Rama is an event that I hope will continue - it was well managed and was truly an event for the people.

Daisy loves the Lifestylist® philosophy of Life Celebrating Style.  She is also open to any excuse to wear her favorite hats and attract attention.  Mardi Gras Greetings from Daisy the diva dog and the Lifestylist® family!

It's hard to believe that this is the 28th year that the USA Film Festival has been holding it's KidFilm festival.The largest children's film and video festival in the US hosts bus loads of school kids from local schools and teaches them about film making and important social topics that are covered in the films. Then there is a weekend of programming that is open to the public where special guests come in and share their crafts with the audience.
This year Peter Brown - celebrated author and illustrator of books that appeal to the kid in all of us attended. Not only did he introduce 2 films that were made of his books,but he also gave everyone in the audience a copy of "You Will Be My Friend". We all read the book together, then Peter autographed them for the kids. As a Family Lifestylist®, it is always so rewarding to be a part of opportunities like this where families can enjoy quality programming and we can all learn together.

Having the opportunity to volunteer at amazing events such as this are the reason I love being on the board for The USA Film Festival. It's a group I've been involved with for years, and seeing families being able to enjoy quality events like this one make it very rewarding.
If you live in the Dallas area you should look into becoming a member of this amazing organization. They have special screenings many with guests in attendance all year long, and being a member gives you the chance to get tickets to many of these sold out events before the general public. For more information give them a call at: 214-821-3456.

Seth Godin is my guru. He is so no nonsense but funny at times, intellectual but down to earth, and what I really love about him is that he can get a point across faster than anyone else I know. His Purple Cow book started me on a new road to being more involved in marketing and social media so I'm forever grateful. When I worked on the Purple Cow House Campaign with Patriot Homes I made sure to get permission from Mr. Godin, and we credited him for the phrase (and gave out his Purple Cow Book).

Today I got a great post from him titled "Simple Thoughts About Fair Use". So timely, and as always so well written. In this new blogging, social world I'm always stunned to see how many people are using other people's photography, ads, brands, and stories without permission. This article is a must read for anyone who is even thinking about posting on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog and using someones text or images.

I'm fortunate enough to have access to a very talented photographer - Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography. The images you see in my blogs, on my Lifestylist Design Facebook page and on my website have been shot specifically for my use. I do that so I'm not using other people's work and having copyright infringements.

Lifestylist® is a term that I successfully trademarked in 2002 - my registration number is 2583235. I'm very proud of this because I thought I had a good idea and made the extra effort do "do the right thing" and spend the time, effort, and money to trademark it. You would be amazed at how much time I've had to spend since them protecting my mark because people haven't bothered to do their homework and see that it's trademarked before they use it in their own businesses.

Before you decide that you have discovered the next great phrase, or "borrow" a photo from someone else be sure to read Seth's post. Wondering where to learn more about these topics? The US Patent and Trademark Office has a great site, and it is also where you can search trademark registrations and applications.

Being a Lifestylist® is a responsibility, and one that I do not take lightly. That is why something I I feel very strongly about is animal rescue, and I practice what I preach.

Animal Rescue Corps is an amazing group of individuals that have dedicated their lives to stop the suffering of animals. The group will be having their first anniversary on Jan. 11th.

The animals that you see the faces of above are all rescue animals that make up part of the Lifestylist® Family. I can't imagine my life without them. Please become part of the Animal Rescue Corps Angels group and make a difference in the lives of suffering animals.

We all have our own version of what the American Dream is - for many that includes owning your own home.
My dream was to have my own Home Idea Factory - a place where this Lifestylist® could live and work, would have the character that would let me "practice what I preach" and have some room to garden. I was also hoping to have enough space to continue to help with the animal rescue groups I've joined. All of my dreams came true, and now I have a space that will never be "done", but always evolving.
My father told my mother when they got married that some day he would buy her a place on a lake, and he did! Their Hideway Lake home has been the place that many of our family holidays, wedding, and birthdays have taken place, and it is full of wonderful memories.
There are people who are looking for an affordable place with a yard to raise their families, use as a second home or retire to and land lease communities can be a great solution for these people. Land lease communities are those where factory built housing are placed in communities where homeowners lease the land the homes are placed on in a community - many times with amenities such as pools, clubhouses, and tennis courts. I have always believed this is the perfect solution for affordable housing because it can be so cost effective, and I've been wanting to be a part of this solution hands on.
The time has come! Lifestylist® Design has been asked to re-brand and enhance the lifestyle options of two communities in Florida - Parkwood in Port Orange, FL and Countryside Village in Tampa. I can't wait to get started - these communities are a great example of how affordable the American Dream can be. Be sure to get our updates on the progress at Parkwood and Countryside Village Facebook pages.

One of my favorite beauty stores is Lush Cosmetics. I discovered them years ago in England and Canada, and I'm thrilled they now have a store in NorthPark Center here in Dallas. They specialize in natural products, including Henna which is the secret of how I stay a natural redhead ;)
They are wonderful about bringing animal cruelty to light and promoting sustainable environmental practices and the humane treatment of animals. This summer they have been focusing on Shark Finning, and have partnered with Shark Savers to protect sharks from extinction.
To support this cause they have produced "Shark Fin Soap" - a refreshing blend of lime, lavender and seaweed. Stop in to your local Lush store and buy this great way to cool down this summer and support a great cause. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Shark Savers.

Animal Rescue Corps has been busy in Tennessee this week saving over 120 animals from a life of squalor and sadness.  Devoted volunteers have been working night and day to give these animals a better life, and the outpouring of love and compassion from the people of Tennessee as well as others from all over the country has been amazing.
One of these amazing volunteers is Rachel McAuley. She and her severely handicapped daughter run their own non-profit with horses, and Rachel has spent several days at the ARC shelter helping out with this rescue. Rachel decided to do a "Letters to the Puppy Mill Dogs" event, and her daughter Mary who is 9 years old shared the following:
Hello Puppy Dogs,
My name is Mary and I have Special Needs just like you have Special Needs. I can't walk because I am in a wheelchair and your past has kept you from walking due to cages, but don't worry because your little paws are about to hit the ground. I can't talk like you, but I can express myself with my eyes, sounds, and body language just like you. You have special needs that includes someone taking care of you all day with the respect that you deserve. I wear diapers and you use potty pads. I like the couch and you will like the top of a couch someday or a lap to lay on or a pillow to lay above your owners head. I like to be recognized, just like you want to be recognized. I love my parents arms and you are getting that feeling right now being in someone's arms. Isn't it nice, warm, and a safe feeling? Don't worry my friends because you are going to get to experience this world that includes grass, playgrounds, children, and the roam of a house.
Make sure puppy dogs, that you Thank Animal Rescue Corps for coming to get each and everyone of you and the volunteers that are snuggling you up, by not biting when they put their hand in the cage to care for you.
You are Special!  Sleep Tight and Hang Tight because your world is about to be full of colors.
"God is always on your side, after all He created you."
Trust Me,
Mary McAuley (9 years old)
My mom can type my heart!
If this doesn't make you love and appreciate everything you have and cherish what an amazing role model Mary is to all of us...
Please help support Animal Rescue Corps and the amazing work they are doing. My very own special 9 yr. old Jr. Lifestylist® Jenna made her birthday party a fundraiser for Animal Rescue Corps - if she can help you can as well!
This Lifestylist® is trying to do her part by opening a store on eBay, and at least 10% of all of our sales will be donated to Animal Rescue Corps. All of these haunting photos were taken by the talented and compassionate Kristina Bowman.
Please join us in making a difference!