Sheila O'Mara

Join Sheila O'Mara, of Staged SO Right, and Ginny Whitt, of Whitt's End Home and Garden, for a

Staging Demonstration:

"Spice Up Your Sofa"

October 26th at 6:30 pm

Whitt's End Home and Garden,

Cool Springs Center, Ring Road

Elizabethtown

Are you trying to update your decor for holiday entertaining? Check out this FREE class and discover some fabulous, low cost ways to achieve several "looks" with what you already own. One sofa = several looks with just the addition and subtraction of a few decorative items.

Enjoy wonderful refreshments!

(Those drinks and snack items can also be purchased at Whitt's End - get more great ideas for your holiday entertaining.)

Door prizes will be given and fabulous fall discounts on staging services booked that evening!

Don't miss the fun! Make sure to bring a friend!

Call Ginny at 270-735-1445 or Sheila at 270-300-6045 with any questions or directions!

Can't wait to see you there!

The Holidays are coming! The Holidays are coming! Are you in panic mode? Last year about this time, you may have discussed making changes to your décor for the holidays, but decided to wait until after they were over. You weren't doing any heavy entertaining so it could wait.

This year is a whole new ball game. You are hosting Thanksgiving this year and you still haven't made those updates you talked about last year. Don't fret, there is still time to update without breaking the bank.

First of all don't start any major renovations until after the New Year. Big renovations can often take unexpected twists and turns and in the end cost more then you budget for. With that in mind, start out with a few smaller, achievable goals.

As you have heard many times in this column, paint is the cheapest way to get major impact for minor money. Think your furniture looks worn out? Change the backdrop and the furniture will look different too. You don't even have to paint the entire room - maybe just paint an accent wall and BAM! The room instantly changes. Are your tables or painted furnishings looking worn? Update and unify them with a coat of paint.

You may want to purchase new furniture. If you do, purchase as neutral as your taste will allow with upholstered furnishings. This will enable you to achieve many different looks with wall color, flooring, window treatments, art and accessories. I am redecorating my living room and I am so grateful that the chocolate brown leather coordinates with blue and gold and green ... get the picture? I purchased a great base and can change out the look of that room for very little money.

If new furnishings are in your future, keep them in scale with the size of the room. Furnishings always look smaller in the showroom then they will in your house. If you feel you must have that 90 inch sofa that is 45 inches deep, try not to buy the matching chair or loveseat. Find some smaller occasional chairs to complete the grouping.

If you aren't purchasing new furniture, slipcovers can be your friend. I am amazed at the different styles there are currently. You can also make them yourself or have them made by one of the many talented seamstresses in town. The investment in slipcovers is significantly less than purchasing new furniture and you can change them out seasonally!

Speaking of seasonal décor, changing out accessories will give a room a whole new mood and look. Add fall leaves to picture frames or scented pinecones to the vase that was filled with your beach treasures from the summer. Pull out your warmer bedding, window treatments, area rugs and pillows and you won't recognize your house.

Once those changes are made, pull all of the accessories that you haven't changed out and put them in one room. See what you can pull together and put it in a new place. You will be amazed at the treasurers you discover right in your own home. If you have a bunch of mismatched items, unify them with paint! Repurposing what you already have will work wonders when you want to achieve an updated look for little expense.

If this advice seems a little overwhelming, stop by Whitt's End Home and Garden on Monday, October 26 at 6:30pm. I will be offering a FREE class, called Spice Up your Sofa. See how I take one sofa and by changing out area rugs, pillows, and accessories, change the whole look.

I will also be offering another FREE class at Whitt's End on November 17^th, at 10:30am, called Stage Your Table. Discover some fabulous low cost ways to decorate your holiday table!

I am looking forward to showing you some great Seasonal Staging!

As seen in The News Enterprise, October 23, authored by Sheila O'Mara of Staged SO Right

On September 24 I attended a "Get Motivated" Seminar in Louisville. It was a great day and I heard from huge giants from all different industries who had found tremendous success. Greats like Rudy Guilliani, Colin Powell, Laura Bush, Tamara Lowe, James Smith, Phil Town, Bob Kittell, Robert Schuller, Zig Ziglar, Terry Bradshaw and Rick Pitino! They all left me with little nuggets of inspiration that I wrote into a poem to share with my Networking for Women group. I thought I would share the poem with my AR friends to see if you can pull out any tidbits of motivation to apply to your own lives! It is a little long - but there were a lot of speakers. Hang on til the end if you can - I saved the best for last! Enjoy!

The Giants in the Room

by: Sheila O'Mara

There were 17,000 people waiting to be inspired, adrenaline was pumping, no one was tired.

The day began with Robert Shuller to start, Many words of wisdom did he impart.

Eliminate "impossible" from your vocabulary, it shouldn't be a part of your personal dictionary.

His daughter, an amputee, provided awesome motivation, She obviously was moved by her dad's inspiration.

He said, "do not think about what you have lost, Think of what you have left.", whatever the cost.

Rick Pitino was next to speak on that day. Greatness is about impacting others in a positive way.

Have a work ethic that is second to none, Set goals for yourself before the day is done.

Gathering feedback is vital to see, How to be the best person that you can be.

Rick also talked about the darkness of doubt, It is fine as long as you don't rule possibilities out.

Rudy Guiliani of New York City fame, Was showered with confetti as the called him by name.

Six leadership traits he wanted to share, and said it was vital for leaders to care.

Possessing strong beliefs and optimism were named number one and two,

Three defined courage as being fearful and still doing what you have to do.

Number four on the list was relentless preparation, So you can be ready for any type of situation.

Team work is vital to show what a leader can do, It is always about them, not about you.

Leaders won't happen without good communication, Teach them and love them and they'll be filled with elation.

Next was Phil Town, a financial geru, a Vietnam Vet who wanted us to know what he knew.

He taught the principles needed to be wise, For investment returns that are big in size.

He believed in the concept of "teach a man to fish", He gave free classes to 5 single moms that came attached with this wish:

That they teach their children the concepts he would share, So the kids would learn financial independence without worry or care.

Tamara Lowe, the co-founder of this seminar of motivation, Shared with us her personal situation.

A troubled childhood with addiction and drug dealing, She told her story with so much feeling.

It became her desire to change the world, That was also her challenge to us as her talk unfurled.

The key to success involves Motivational DNA, find what motivates people each and every day.

Discovering a person's drives, needs and awards, Will lead to success as the ultimate reward.

She was a lady for whom I gained tremendous respect, All royalties from her book went to place I didn't expect.

Not to her personal account the money would go, But to 36 children's charities the proceeds would flow.

She advised: Letting the past be the past is what you should do, Today and the future should be the focus for you.

Rapping her way into everyone's heart, She spoke of divine inspiration of which she takes part.

Terry Bradshaw spoke next, suffering from the flu, highpoints to share were really just two.

He starts his day when his feet hit the floor, Thanking the Lord for all of his blessings and more.

The next step in his day was to put on a smile, The best fashion accessory whatever your style.

A smile can change the whole outlook on things, Like when a man kneels down and offers a ring.

Something good should happen everyday, And a positive outlook should lead your way.

Zig Ziglar was next with his daughter in tow, To explain to us what we needed to know.

She narrated clips and interviewed her dad, A motivational giant this world ever did have.

He leads a life with the advantage of the home court, A family at home to share love and support.

Love, honor and respect leave little room for fury, and has led him to lead a life without worry.

The next speaker that spoke offended a few, those not sure what to make of his interesting views.

James Smith is known by real estate acclaim, But that isn't the only thing that fills him with passion and flame.

He wanted to teach us the principles of real estate success, But also to serve each other he did confess.

"This is major!" for sure so listen close, Give kindness away in the largest dose.

He taught his children to be a success, not just with money but to serve those with less.

Laura Bush was next and was as elegant as ever, giving an update on their lives in Texas together.

Then Colin Powell entered the arena with pride, saying leaders should take care of those who come along for the ride.

A leader gives followers the tools they need to succeed, and giving them a sense of purpose will complete the deed.

At last Bob Kittell ended the day, increase you memory was what he had to say.

He taught us tricks about memorization and the importance of getting a good education.

All in all the day was filled with great stories and song, but there was one lesson that kept coming along.

It was a shock to some to hear the one reason, that most of these giants felt success for a season.

It wasn't perseverance, determination or drive, fearlessness or excitement for being alive.

It was God and his Son that they held in acclaim, for helping them to attain their fame.

That bothered some and maybe you too, but the correlation is strong no matter what you do.

These motivators contribute their success to the Lord, and the importance of giving back can't be ignored.

It was a day attendees wouldn't easily forget, and it just goes to show you, your best hasn't come yet.

I am down in Florida on vacation this week. I haven't been in a truly tropical locale since we lived in Hawaii many moons ago. There are many things that I miss from Hawaii, but hadn't given one thing a second thought until arriving in Florida - GECKOS!

They really are so very cute. They can be unnerving at times when they dart out in front of you while walking or suddenly seeing something dash across the ceiling overhead. I know that they are harmless and are actually much more afraid of me than I am of them, but they can be startling nonetheless.

When we lived in Hawaii, I remember cleaning up plenty of gecko tails - what they shed when they are afraid. I also picked up my share of gecko "droppings" that seemed to be everywhere. The pay off though is the low bug count whenever the geckos were around. For that reason alone I loved them!

It has been fun to watch my daughter's reaction to the geckos too! She and her grandfather go out gecko watching for fun in the afternoon. What a fun way to spend time with someone! I hear her squeals of delight when she spots another one or when one sccots quickly across the path in front of her.

All of these geckos have brought back some fun memories from our time in Hawaii. It has been fun to get reaquainted with the little guys. If you have not seen a gecko in person - they really are as cute as the commercial.

Fall officially arrived last Tuesday. There are several signs that the season is here, but having a shorter day was very noticeable when I went for an evening walk last week.

All summer if I struck out about 8 pm, the sky was still blazing with the sun. The other night, it was dark and afforded me a glimpse at the neighborhood during twilight hours. A whole new world opened up. I now realize why "twilight" pictures are so effective when trying to sell a house. Lights blazing from the inside and highlighted landscaping made an awesome statement.

Aside from the importance of twilight pictures for home selling, there were a few other staging items I noticed while walking in the dark.

First item was the importance of outdoor lighting in your landscaping. The homes that had solar or electric lights strategically placed throughout their landscaping were far more appealing than those that did not. Now is a great time to add those to your current landscaping by taking advantage of after season clearance sales. Adding curb appeal is rarely a negative thing.

Secondly I noticed much more about a home's interior during twilight. Having a house lit from the inside allowed for a real glimpse into how people are living everyday. I felt almost like a peeping tom, but could hardly help it when there were no window coverings for privacy on windows. Many homeowners have fantastic windows that allow for plenty of light and fabulous views and do not want to cover them with blinds or sheers. I am all for that because as a permanent architectural feature, I want the windows to be showcased ... BUT please consider that the spectacular view that you are enjoying out, someone may also enjoy looking in. That does not mean windows need to be closed up tight like Fort Knox each evening, but be aware of what people are able to see while you are at home with lights on at night.

The third observation and perhaps the most alarming was how much CLUTTER people live with in their daily lives. I saw piles of paperwork on the countertops or stacks of books and magazines on coffee tables. Some kitchens were piled high with dishes and culinary tools that covered most flat surfaces. Let's not forget the entryways that had backpacks and jackets piled high with various shoes dotting the floor.

As a whole people need to declutter and not just people selling their homes. Think about how much smoother the daily grind would be if everything needed was in its place. There are so many ways to conquer the clutter bugs in your home. Start with the three piles I have talked about before. Keep - Sell - Trash! Remember if you don't use it or haven't needed it in more than a year, get it out circulation. This at least gives you a starting point. There are several professionals out there that can help you sort and you can always ask a friend! Sometimes people are too emotionally attached to their "stuff" and need unbiased assistance.

If you don't think your home is cluttered, it may not be. A good test is to stand outside your home with windows uncovered and lights blazing and observe. If it is a well ordered home and decorated to suit your style and needs then AMEN! If you see some problem areas, or feel stress building at just the thought of completing this exercise, then take note and take action!

Ushering in the Fall season is a great time to take a fresh look at how you are living, how your home feels and looks and how your living environment lends to your personal success and achievement each day. Try the twilight exercise and take action to allow the clutter "fall" away from your daily living. The season may be much more enjoyable if you do.

As seen in The News Enterprise, October 3, 2009, authored by Sheila O'Mara owner of Staged SO Right