Sheila O'Mara

I just had to share this recipe with you! It is divine and I usually make it for our annual luau, but had this craving for it today. Can't wait to take a bite - it is super rich - have a glass of milk handy!

Charlotte's Kahlua Cake:

1 box of Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate cake mix (I have never been able to find this, I use Devil's Food)

3/4 cup of oil

1 pint of Sour Cream

4 eggs

1 small pkg of instant chocolate pudding

1/3 c Kahlua

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

powdered sugar or chocolate frosting

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour in greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 - 60 minutes. Cool ten miutes and remove from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate frosting.

Courtesy of Sandy Barth, from Cook To Glory, Fort Drum Officers' Wives' Club Cookbook

Have you ever walked into a furniture showroom and loved everything you see? Forget the measurements you took, you want that oversized, overstuffed sofa that just envelopes you when you sit down. What about those killer tables that look great in the warehouse, but once you get them home realize they are way too big for your space? What about the patterned uphostery pieces that are so cool right now, but will be outdated in a few years?

If you have ever had dilemmas like these, you need to visit Corvin's Furniture 5284 Dixie Highway in Elizabethtown this Saturday! Corvin's is having a dynamic sale on most of their inventory - (I just saw the new shipments and they are awesome!)! Staged SO Right's Sheila O'Mara will be on hand at 10:30 am and 2 pm to help you choose furniture that will work for your home. She will perform a live demo on furniture placement and scale for the furniture for your home. She will answer questions and tour through the store to talk about different areas in your home and what type of furniture will work best for certain areas.

Linda Lindsey of Bling & Fling will also be on hand to sell SpringHaven Scarves and Jewelry. A portion of the proceeds of all scarf and jewlery sales will go to benefit the Staging project that Staged SO Right has planned for the SpringHaven renovation this summer.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity. Take advantage of the fabulous staging info, the opportunity to support a wonderful community service project AND the huge sale that Corvin's will be having this Saturday, May 16th. Looking forward to seeing you!

It's On The House!!

Free VA Seminar with $8000 Tax Credit Info

Learn about the home buying and selling process from the professionals!

Great great information on home buying and selling with VA Home Loans!

Join us on:

May 9th, 10 - 12pm

American Legion

206 W. Broadway Street

Bardstown, Ky 40004

Presentations offered by:

Janette Smith and Sanela B, Realtors with Coldwell Banker McMahan Co.

Birgit Stubblefield, Loan Officer, Century Mortgage

Sheila O'Mara, Home stager with Staged SO Right

Credit Repair Specialist

Door prizes and refreshments will be provided!

Don't miss out on the opportunity to meet the leadership within the American Legion for our local posts! Russ Marlowe will be on hand to answer all of your VA questions!

VA loans have a reputation for being confusing, difficult and drawn out. Get the facts and take advantage of your benefits! Join us for a wonderful opportunity to get your questions answered by those who know!!

Have you ever been part of something that was so much better than you expected it to be? This happened to me this past weekend. My friend Linda Lindsey, another small business owner in Elizabethtown, and I co-sponsored a charity fashion show called Sassy Fashion Cents this past Sunday. I am still on a natural high from the events of that day.

SpringHaven, inc., our local domestic violence program and shelter was the recipient of our charity show and is something that Linda and I feel particularly called to be a part of. We have both supported the shelter in the past, but never quite like this. This was over-the-top fun and has blossomed into something we never anticipated.

SpringHaven unfortunately is going through an expansion this summer. They currently house up to 18 children and five adults in five bedrooms, two bathrooms with one bath tub. The dining room can really only fit one family at a time and is dark and depressing. The expansion will build 6 new bedrooms with shared bathrooms and bathtubs. The old bedrooms will become the dining room and the current dining room will become a "moms only" living area. (The kids already have a beautiful play area from a previous expansion project.) When I heard about this expansion, I knew I wanted to be a part of it, so I volunteered to stage the new spaces. My plan is to get the community involved and together create a great living space for these families. That one desire has blossomed into something I never imagined. The fashion show was just the first in several fundraisers that will be held.

The fashion show was fun and positive and uplifting. It was certainly a celebration of life and all of the treasures it can hold. Everything for this show was donated - the community response to this was amazing. Given the economic climate of our area, I thought for sure that we would have a problem furnishing all of the refreshments, door prizes, etc. I couldn't have been more wrong. As soon as we walked into businesses or talked to people about what we were doing, they were on board. Not one person that we approached said no and more often than not the response was totally positive. Linda and I have been so blessed to experience first hand the generosity of our community and the total pride that comes with knowing and living with great people. I am embarrassed to admit that I got so much more out of this experience then could give.

We had twenty models that came from all walks of life - some were celebrating that they were survivors, some had experienced loss, some were fresh and new and just starting out. The show was about hope more than anything else. All of the clothes were provided for by local consignment shops - we tried to tell the story of looking good for less, hence Sassy Fashion Cents. The hair and make up services were provided for by two local salons. We had a free venue and free stage decorations from Whitt's End: Home and Garden. Three Radio stations did free interviews and PSAs. We had over twenty door prizes that were all donated. All of the food and drinks were donated. Two different photographers took pictures for us. The music before the show by the pianist was a donation and the DJ services were free as well. To top it all off when we arrived to set up on Sunday morning, there was a wedding the night before at the Brown-Pusey House and they left the floral arrangements - they were the same colors that we were decorating with. How amazing is that? Even the programs for the show were done for free and in full color. More than all of that though - we had a great turn out!

Linda shares my vision for the shelter and wants to help in any way she can. She has a company called Bling & Fling and she sells accessories that get you noticed. Aside from the fashion show, Linda has developed a line of scarves and jewelry that have either the SpringHaven logo monogrammed on it or a tulip charm, the tulip being part of the SpringHaven logo. A portion of all proceeds will go to the renovation project. We sold them that day with great success. We sell them at everything we do and have a few store owners that have agreed to sell them for us. Linda has already sold over forty scarves in a little less than a month. How cool is that!

I know this has turned out to be long winded - but the part that has fascinated me is the response from the community. Before people walked out the door, they wanted to know when we were going to do the next one. Next year's show is already in the works and will be even bigger and better. There are a host of small business owners that want to contribute and we can't wait! It is so awesome to be a part of something that people want to also be a part of. Linda and I have been so very blessed which makes me feel guilty in a way because that wasn't the intention. The intention was to bless others - especially those families that need to reside at SpringHaven. The money that we raised was sorely needed the day we brought it to the shelter. The water heater had died that night and the repair people were trying to fix it. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

I would recommend community service to everyone. It is such a pleasure to help out and like I said earlier the benefits far outwieghed any of the drawbacks. I have met amazing people and have seen goodness and hope where there wasn't before! What a blessing I have been given.

Everyday I see homeowners lose THOUSANDS of dollars. In these economic times, it breaks my heart because it is needless for the most part.

What am I talking about? Whenever someone invests money there is a return on that investment, also known as ROI. Home Staging is really no different, we professionals call it ROSI, or Return on Staging Investment. This occurs when the value of your home increases because of the investment in Staging Dollars put into the house.

Most people cannot afford to throw money away needlessly. A popular view is that Home Staging is a luxury and something that isn't worth investing in. I disagree on both counts. Home Staging is affordable and can fit every budget. It is also something that you can afford and should invest in. Allow me to illustrate.

Let's say a house is up for sale for $100,000. The homeowner decided not to pay $100 for home staging services and decides to see what happens instead. The home sits for three months and a 10% reduction in price takes place over that time period. The realtor suggests again the investment in Home Staging might be worth a try. The homeowners agree and the Stager conducts a consultation for $100. Another $400 in minor repairs and updates, plenty of decluttering and the house is show ready in two weeks. The realtor takes new pictures for the internet because 87% of homes are viewed first online. The house gets increased traffic. An offer is made for 3% below asking price and the homeowner accepts the offer. The home sells for 13% below original asking price or $13,000 less than original asking price. The homeowner spent $500 total in staging dollars and spent two weeks of time making changes to the home, which then resulted in a sale. What would have happened if that investment in Staging had been made from the onset? The homeowner would have had $12,500 extra in their pocket, two and half months earlier. Do you see how not investing a minimal amount of time and money into Home Staging is costing people thousands of dollars?

In today's economy, Staging is the way to go if you need or want to sell your house. Good Home Stagers are going to work within the confines of your budget and use as much of what you already have as possible. Home Staging isn't about spending lots of money making your home into something it is not. The changes that a Stager recommends are based upon research that will provide the greatest return. Changes aren't based upon the personal style choices of the Stager, but rather what the market dictates for the style of the home. The goal of every Stager is to get the house sold for the maximum amount of money in the shortest time possible.

The investment in Home Staging is wise whenever someone is selling a home, but especially when trying to do without a realtor's assistance. When trying to sell "For Sale By Owner", a professional's advice is crucial. Having a fresh set of eyes walk through and point out how to highlight the architectural features of a home as well as how to neutralize and declutter is critical. Spending a small amount of money in Home Staging in order to make more money is a rather wise investment in the long run.

If you are selling your home, Staged SO Right will be offering FREE classes highlighting staging tips that will help get your home sold faster and for more money. The first will be held at Corvin's Furniture, 5284 N. Dixie Highway, on May 16, 2009 at 10:30 am and 2 pm. Stop by to get some great ideas about furniture arrangement and style when selling your home. There will also be an accessories class at Whitt's End: Home and Garden, in Cool Springs Plaza, on May 28 at 6:30 pm. Find out how the accessories you choose can make maximum impact for a profitable home sale!

As seen in The News Enterprise, April 24, 2009.