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Lifestylist® Goals for 2012: Re-Gifting
Jan 6th
As part of my Lifestylist® Goals for 2012, I finally started letting go of things that should have been tossed or recycled ages ago. One of the items I have a lot of is the soaps and bath products you get in hotels when you travel. With my schedule I’m in all different sizes and shapes of hotels with a vast range of complimentary items included.
Never one to waste something if I don’t have to, I always bring my own products when I travel but bring back the ones from the hotels and give them to some of my favorite charities. There are lots of shelters that desperately need these types of items for their short term residents – I knowthey are always going to good use and worth the trouble of bringing them home and sharing them.
So today was a great day – I gained a few new empty drawers and helped my community in the process!
Social Media Guidelines for 2012
Jan 1st
Happy New Year from the Lifestylist® family! I’m really excited about 2012, and the opportunities that come with it.
A lot of being a Lifestylist® is about being a trend tracker and doing research. Today I read something that was written by someone else titled “Social Media Lifestylist Guidelines for 2012″ – boy does that sound dull! The first thing that comes to mind is a big dusty manual full of rules and regulations, and that is exactly what social media (and being a Lifestylist®) is not about.
The tag line I have always used for my Lifestylist® brand is “It’s All About You”. I didn’t want the brand to be about me telling people what to do – I wanted to listen to people’s wants, needs, and dreams, and help them achieve those even when they didn’t know that’s what they were really searching for. I don’t want to dictate, I want to educate. I’ve learned that listening is so much more important than anything I will ever have to say, because sometimes if you let people express their thoughts they will find their answers.
Social media is such an exciting new frontier because it gives everyone the chance to tell their story to the universe. It’s become a great equalizer because almost anyone on any budget can get access to a computer and a free site and share their thoughts.
There’s a down side to this though as well -there’s not as much editing as we’ve seen in the past. We have to learn that even though someone may have written it, there is the possibility it might not be true. Before we share or depend on information we find we have to be sure and check the facts. As the guardian of the Lifestylist® trademark for almost 10 years now I’ve seen how many people want to tie into my brand but aren’t willing to go through the legal process to acquire a brand of their own.
So what are the real Lifestylist’s guidelines for 2012? Never call them guidelines, live your life to the fullest, listen to those around you and you can never laugh too much or have too much great food and wine!
Here’s to a boisterous 2012!
Being Thankful
Nov 24th
Happy Thanksgiving! This holiday is about food and family, but even more than that I like to use it to remind me how thankful I am for what I have, and for those around me.
For over 25 years my parents were very active doing disaster relief with The Salvation Army, and even raised the money for a state of the art canteen for the Tyler Texas location. Whenever there was a disaster or need and my parents got a call they dropped everything and hit the road. One of the most memorable phone calls I ever received was when Hurricane Katrina hit and my parents answered the call. They called me when they were outside the Super Dome not having a clue what was going on inside. For six weeks they were in the French Quarter feeding the volunteers – my Dad always joked he always wanted to have a restaurant in the French Quarter and he finally got his wish!
Whenever this Lifestylist® could I joined them on the road helping my Mom cook up to 2,000 hot meals a day and seeing first hand what mother nature can dish out. People were so sweet and hospitable, even though many had lost everything that they had. It was always hard to leave – I wanted to stay there and help rebuild.
This year I have been blessed to be involved with three amazing organizations – Shared Housing, Genesis Women’s Shelter and HomeAid/Homebuilders Care. I am always so drawn to the kids – many of them have seen things we can’t even imagine, but they always have the best manners, always say please, thank-you and give the best hugs 
It’s harder than ever to make a living, but even if you can’t make a donation to a worthwhile charity think about donating your time -you’ll be very thankful that you did.
Thermador Exceeds Homeowner Expectations In The New American Home 2011
Nov 6th
The Home Idea Factory was asked to be the Lifestylist® for The New American Home 2011, and we loved getting to see all of the new product innovations that were included in the home.Thermador provided the appliances for this beautiful home, and visitors fell in love with the steam oven, refrigeration columns and the eye catching Sapphire dishwasher. Besides it’s SBL (sexy blue light) technology, this workhorse could fit 18 stemmed wine glasses, had three drawers, and made it possible to clean everything from fine crystal to heavy, dirty pots and pans.
We did a video of the Reidman Development and @home Builders team experiencing this dishwasher, and also showed what consumers thought. What did the homeowners like the best? They said that Thermador’s customer service was the component that won their loyalty. The Thermador team was always there when they had questions, and went above and beyond to make sure that the new homeowners weer happy with their new home.
Tricks and Treats by a Lifestylist®
Oct 31st
Even though it’s been a very busy month, we made a point of catching up with one of our favorite Jr. Lifestylist’s to see what he was doing for his annual Halloween party.
Sam Davis’ parties are legendary, and this year was no exception. With over 75 kids attending this year’s bash we wanted to create fun, themed treats that he could serve outdoors. Take a look at what we came up with - Witch Hats and Krispy Pumpkin Treats.
We also worked on some tabletop ideas for the Fall holiday season that were inexpensive but would put our guests (and ourselves!) in the mood. The Lifestylist® Designed homes for SE Homes of Texas were full of ideas that visitors could do in their own homes.
While we were on the road we discovered the Great Pumpkin Patch in Clarence Center, NY – if this doesn’t get you in the mood nothing will!
Have a wonderful Halloween and be sure to “like” our videos on our Lifestylist® YouTube Channel.
Summer Savings
Aug 24th
One sure sign that summer is almost over is the sales of colorful, outdoor inspired items at the stores. A lot of the department stores start clearing this merchandise our right after the 4th of July to make room for school items, but the home decor stores tend to wait until Labor Day weekend.
One of our Lifestylist® inspired blogs is Dollar Store Decors – items that cost “less than a latte”. I was out shopping for the new model homes at Parkwood and Countryside Village, and I was amazed how many cool things that fit this criteria that were giveaway deals, and I also found some great items that I’m going to use to display my “pick-ups” from my summer travels.
World Market was full of treasures today -up to 90% off! I found this great chair and two others that were marked down to $9.95 – 90% off. They had two great outdoor dining tables that were at the same savings, but I tend to collect tables and I know I didn’t have room for them. But the chairs had such great style, I know I’ll be able to re-purpose them in a living room, or use them as seating in a guest room. I’m tempted to paint them with a metallic paint or possibly a turquoise color, have cushions made and really make them special – at under $10.00 I don’t have much to lose.
The painted table was a find at Hobby Lobby where I was able to find two matching ones at 80% off. I loved the colors and character they had, and I’m thinking about stacking them and using them as a display piece. What do you think?
Great design really doesn’t have to be expensive -it’s about buying things that mean something to you at a price you are comfortable with.
I’m also collecting glassware and baskets that I can use to display my pick up pieces – I love picking up found items when I travel as a memento instead of buying a T-Shirt or shot glass. I’ll share how to make picture frames and other ideas with these later, but I’ve got to get back to my model home shopping and taking advantage of these sales – I’ll let you know what else I find soon!
Lush Cosmetics Fights Animal Cruelty Beautifully
Aug 23rd
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.
Jr Chef Camp at the Gaylord Texan
Jul 10th
VIEW VIDEO“Staycations” seem to be a trend that continues to be popular, and when we went to the Gaylord Texan this week to observe their Jr. Chef Camp it looked like the place to be! Of course “it is always 72 degrees at The Gaylord Texan” so with it being so hot outside, it’s a great place to spend a summer weekend.
Chef Joanne Bondy and her team do an amazing job teaching kids what it’s like to work in a restaurant kitchen, and one of the teams this week learned how to make guacamole. I loved the fact their wasn’t a video game in site, and these kids were having a blast!
To learn more about Chef Bondy and the different activities that she does at the Gaylord, “like” her on Facebook or follow her tweets @joannebondy.
The Non-Logic of Delta Airlines
Jun 1st
I knew it was too good to be true – my last flight on Delta Airlines I had a great pilot who actually made me feel good about giving Delta my hard earned dollars. The honeymoon didn’t last long – less than a week later and their lack of logic rears it’s ugly head again.
My next flight is an exciting one – I’m getting to go and visit my kids and grandkids, and attend the shower for my soon to be new grandson! Fares have dropped since I booked it, and I thought I’d try to get in a little earlier so 10 days out, I tried to change my reservations. Keep in mind I’ve flown almost 1,000,000 miles and I’m part of their “elite” group.
First I went to their website and they only showed flights with crazy connections, so I called and tried to change it the old fashioned way. I won’t bore you with the details, but they informed me that it would cost me over $450.00 even though the cost of the flight had gone down! So I said that I would just buy a one way ticket which was now $114.00, but Janelle replied she would still charge me $450.00 because I would be “flying out of sequence”. I asked then why I was being penalized for paying for 2 tickets and only using one, and she said it was because there would be an empty seat, and they might have been able to sell it for over $300.00. When I said none of this was logical, she said to fly with someone else then. Did I mention this was a supervisor?
If I ran my business like this I’d be out of business. A Lifestylist® understands that it’s all about you, the customer – Your Life. Your Style. Your Way. This is why Southwest Airlines is so successful – they appreciate you and make flying logical!