All About Decorating

Pelmets and Soft Cornices made of chipboard

We just finished a 2-Day workshop with Donna Skufis in Peoria, AZ.  The workshop on Saturday was about making soft cornices and pelmets with chipboard, we use many of the techniques taught by Joanna Braxton combined with Donna's techniques using Sealah Tape in place of glue.

Chipboard: A type of paperboard generally made from reclaimed paper stock (definition in ASTM D996); the term generally used in the US.  Larger sizes can be found at your local upholstery supply business.

Sealah Tape:  A double sided industrial strength machine washable adhesive tape.

Pelmet:  A pelmet is a framework placed above a window, used to conceal curtain fixtures. These can be used decoratively (to hide the curtain rod) and also help insulate the window by preventing convection currents[1]. It is similar in appearance to a valance, which performs the same function but is made of fabric. A pelmet can be made of plywood or chipboard, and may be painted, or fabric covered.

Order your Pelmet Making DVD Today!

Learn how to quickly and easily create a pelmet from start to finish using Joanna's chipboard method.

Passing on the Golden Rule of Linking

Well Summer is here and it's hot in Arizona and the bugs are going to get lively real soon.  Of course Scorpions are right at home in Arizona foot hills, they are even right at home in some of the most expensive homes in northern Scottsdale.  The right address doesn't mean much to a scorpion, they actually have areas in Arizona that they prefer more than others. 

So much for the bugs! Let me tell you how I met a new Pest Control MAN last night! No we weren't night crawling for scorpions!  We were listening to a  Free SEO Training teleseminar with Arnie Kuenn, the founder and CEO of Vertical Measures, which is a well known and highly respected link building and SEO firm here in Phoenix.

The Free seminars are hosted by Roy Reyer from SEO Training SW, he has hosted several great teleseminars the past few weeks.

Back to the Golden Rule of Business, link up with friends and link back to help them grow their business.  If you would like to know more about the bugs in your area the Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog is a great resource.

We have so many linking opportunities, If you like to network the next time your at a networking function pass out your cards with linking information and ask for linking info from those around you.  You will be surprise with the great results.

Bulwark Pest Control services Mesa, AZ and many other states.

Lifestyles of Your Pets Contest - Voting Starts April 8th-15, 2010

 Grand Prize Gift Basket from Goober Pet Direct!   Silk Photo Pillow with your pets photos.

2nd Place Custom Collar from The Decorating Diva Pam Damour and a Pet Photo Pillow

3rd Place a Photo Pillow with your pets photo and a $30 value Online Photo Pillow Class

Welcome to the Lifestyles of pampered pets!  You can vote on the pet by leaving a comment on this post or by sending a email to Claudia at homefashionsu@gmail.com.   Vote by the entry number.  Voting starts April 8th and ends at midnight April 15th.  One vote per person or email address.

 

 # 1-   Move Over! You're hogging the bed by Alina

#2 Rufus before and after with the new slipcover by Tina

# 3.  Eric loves to stretch out after a hard day of racing around the house by Lynn

# 4. Rusty love to lounge around on his masters bed by Suzanne

#5 Tillman the Pup! yep I've got the ball by Julie

 

# 6  Keno the Golden Doodle, loves the kids bed by Kearsten

# 7.  Coco is a couch girl! Love the soft down pillows by Ian

  

As you can see these pets are hard to get in one photo, but check out their lifestyle.

Entry # 8 by Kathy

Home Decor Sewing Instructors Training

Home Decor Sewing Instructors

HDSI) program does not teach you how to sew. It provides business training - specific to the home décor sewing industry -to help current sewing instructors, educators and businesses to succeed. 

Graduates of HDSI course leave with practical knowledge and a sense of confidence to begin and expand their education portfolio. Many graduates may go on to start home-based businesses, to teach part or full-time in retail stores, or start sewing schools and sewing lounges.

What’s Included?
3 Days of Instruction 
8:00am - 5:00pm daily
Sit-down lunch each day with Group networking!
Class Manual
Attendance Certificate
Use of HDSI logo
Pre-Requisites
The only pre-requisite to participate in a Home Décor Sewing Instructor Workshop is that you already know how to sew and are interested in teaching your passion for sewing, to others. 

3 Days of Training - Only $395
The program consists of a three-day workshop to train the skills necessary to become successful at teaching "home décor sewing".
Topics
Decide What to Teach
Decide Where to Teach
Plan Successful Sewing Classes
Group Facilitator and Group Dynamics Skills
Creating Lesson Plans
Teaching Techniques
Teaching in Retail Stores
Teaching Sewing as a Business
Marketing & Advertising Presenting a Professional Image                                   Practice Teaching to Group

Home Decor Sewing Instructors

Our qualified instructors have in-depth training in Home Decor construction and textiles. They bring varied teaching skills from the high school and college level to retail store and corporate world experience. Their varied backgrounds include work in the sewing industry, managing a successful bridal sewing business, as international speakers and instructors, plus publishing sewing articles, books and DVD's.

August 8-10, 2009 in Everett, Washington  click here to register
 

September 18-20, 2009 in Peoria, Arizona click here to register

115 in Arizona - Sew Stay Inside

Another hot day!  What to sew today?  This time of year I try to sew a winter project, only to see if makes me feel cooler silly right! 

 Going to make a pot of vegetable beef soup and have another cup of fresh hot coffee. 

Winter is something we don't see much of in Arizona so we can just pretend even in the summer when it is 115 degrees outside.  Yesterday it was 105 at 9am can you believe that, Why do we really live in AZ.

The dogs don't even want to go out side!  So much about the heat, yes I hate the heat but I'm staying in the kitchen until soup is finished.

The next project of the day will be making a custom laptop cover with the new Amy Butler Pattern.  I just posted the patterns on HomeFashionsU I will take photos and let you know how it turns out.     I'm considering Sunbrella Fabrics for this laptop cover, they are so stain resistant and can hold up to anything.

Out West at the Flying E Ranch

Last week I visited the Flying E Ranch, a great Dude Ranch in Wickenburg,AZ just west of Phoenix about 40 miles give or take a cactus of so.

Breakfast is over, the horses are saddled, and your day at the Flying E Ranch begins with a ride out over rolling desert hills to check for newborn calves. At the Flying E, a dude and working cattle ranch, the casual and relaxed atmosphere is as natural as our gorgeous sunsets.

Well, it is time for the Flying E to have a new look!  Today we are getting ready to select the fabrics for the guest rooms at the Flying E.  I have a found a beautiful soft microfiber with a tooled leather look for the duvets.  The fabric is so soft and cuddly that it would keep any cowboy warm on the range. 

     

Now for the lightly shirred bedskirts, this is where we need to add a cowgirl touch! Maybe a stripe or print.  That is today's project.  

 

If you planning a trip out west stop by the Flying E Ranch and meet Ande and Steve, great people and the love showing you a good time.

Your hosts, Andrea & Steve Taylor welcome you to enjoy all the west has to offer.

With the bluest of blue skies, craggy mountains surrounding you, excellent food and the legendary hospitality of the Old West, the Flying E Ranch is the ideal place to take a step back in time.  Clean air, warm sun, good horses, breathtaking scenery and genuine cowboys as your guides will fill your hearts with memories to treasure for the rest of your life. 

 Visit the Flying E Ranch

Unchained from the Sewing Machine! Phoenix Mercury 11-4

Yes, I took the chains off and skip out to see a Phoenix Mercury Basketball game.  They are great!  Good game but it was a afternoon game and Kids Camp Day!  10,000 screaming little kids..OH What NOISE they made for their favorite Mercury team.

They are still the Mighty Mercury 11-4 this season, with 5 straight wins.  There was so much excitement and to just watch all of the kids attend a real women's basketball game.  Girls and Boys today need more role models and Women's Basketball has created new career possibilities for many young girls.  Getting girls to focus on College with scholarships for sports and on to traveling internationally playing basketball.  It is to bad that there is not equal pay in sports for women. Most of the Phoenix Mercury  play year around overseas to financially afford their dream on playing basketball. 

If you love Basketball, take the chains off and run away to a WNBA game in your area.  It's a great way to take a summer break. 

You might even take some of the neighborhood girls and have a girls game out.

Phoenix Mercury 100 - Sacramento Monarchs 81  Go Merc!

Cactus Everywhere

I would love to share a few of the beautiful cactus from my front yard.  Thank goodness no water required!

The Beaver Tail is getting ready to bloom with beautiful pink flowers, I will update the photo when it blooms.

The Cirrus Cactus has 6-8" blooms and blooms at night.  The Bats and Large black bees love this cactus.

       

8 years ago I could decorate the top of this Saguaro for Xhristmas, now look at the growth.

Spring In Arizona

While the east coast is getting hit with snow we enjoyed the warm temperature of 89 degrees today.  Yesterday I planted my summer tomatoes and bell peppers and just want to share a few photos from yard.

 
The Orange Blossoms are so sweet in the air, creating lots of sneezing.

Arizona Botantical Gardens

Enjoy a few great photos taken by Kathy Moum.  If you are interested in a home in AZ call Kathy.

Arizona Botantical Gardens Chihuly Exhibit 2009.