The Latest, from Capital Style Staging

The Active Rain Stage, Blogging and Authenticity

2007-10-15T13:48:33Z

I've written about authenticity in the past, as I feel pretty strongly that it is correlated with personal success. While that isn't today's thrust, I just want to assure you that this isn't about $140 pants, fashion, or the like. This is about authenticity in blogging.

My eldest son is a computer geek. He laughs at me on a regular basis, which I just LOVE!

Yesterday, we happened, he and I, to have a conversation about blogging. He's impressed that his aging mother even "gets" the topic, let alone DOES it, which I ALSO LOVE!

I mentioned to him that the anonymity of blogging is much like the anonymity of acting. On "stage"/on "line" we can either be desperately authentic or desperately fantastic, but we're safe behind our disguise. I used the example of being able to convince, on a blog, the world that I am young, svelt, busty, and blue-eyed. We chuckled about that for a second. Then, he and I discovered, that in our separate blogging lives, we had each chosen to be desperately authentic; possibly a little more authentic than we allow ourselves to be in reality. This, of course, is more than a little ironic, but is just one more thing to LOVE about life, about the safety and freedom of on-line blogging, and about my relationship with this son!

At 50, I'm more than middle aged, and more than grey (don't color, don't tint, don't highlight, although I have "henna.ed" in the past). Don't do drugs, don't cheat on my husband, don't well.....lots of stuff). I've earned the right to be me, and to be the kind of me I choose. If you cut me in half, I'm pretty much the same color all the way through. Know why? Its simpler that way. What, after all, at this point in my life, have I to fear. Short of death, which cannot come to me DIRECTLY from Active Rain, I'm fairly safe here. I is iwhat I is. You can love me, hate me, shun me, or embrace me. I will always feel the impact of your view, but my self respect is not tied to that impact - at least, usually. Know what else? When you're not afraid to be you, you run your business with confidence, pride, and ultimately, with success.

So, in addition to all the things Active Rain has done for me, I love the additional boost that my "safe" authenticity has provided. When we meet one day, I hope you'll not only recognize me from my picture, but from my words. Here's to that day!

Normal person, plus anonymity, plus audience can equal crazy. If you're not careful.

AR, the National Cocktail Party, and the Green Homes

2007-10-10T10:04:23Z

Active Rain is like a national cocktail party. You can show up at any time, and something's going on. Never know who might be in the room (although you can frequently count on the "regulah's"). And, like the actual cocktail party, at the virtual party, everyone has an agenda. The nice thing is we can get to our point fairly quickly without going through 2 hours of small talk. So...

"Hi, everyone, my name is Jaynee, and I'm from Washington DC". How's everyone today?" "Great!"

"I wanted to tell you about this woman, Debra Lynn Dadd, her work in chemical-free living, her free newsletter, and the two "green homes" she has for sale in Florida". She and her husband renovated these homes using chemical-free materials, have installed a chlorine-free pool, and a sustainable kitchen garden."

"I'm thinking that Active Rainers in the Eco group, Florida groups, and Realtors would cherish this information for their clients, and could help make just the right match of home to buyer". "Wouldn't it be a terrible waste if these homes went to a "normal" buyer who might renovate them "normally", and undo all that work?" "And, what a gift it would be for the green home buyer to find these properties, after looking at an endless string of new wall to wall carpeting, VOC-soaked walls, and pesticide-ridden basements?"

"Don't you agree this is the right place to spread the word?"

"I think I'll have another glass of sparkling water; may I get you anything at all?"

"Love your shoes!"

Queen of Cheap: Client Gift that Saves Lives

2007-10-02T09:54:02Z

PREAMBLE: A client gift is a client gift; not necessary, but these days in Real Estate, somewhat expected. When we closed on our last house ($715k) we received a musical refrigerator magnet and breakfast at a diner. It was lovely.

But as much as those of us in the industry want to give gifts, how well do we really know our clients? How can we gauge what they'd really love (that is reasonable to afford)?

Lately, even with family and friends I've been providing gifts of service or gifts that are consumable. I see the same great applicability in Real Estate, and here's my idea.

SO HERE'S THE BIG THING:

For each client that purchases from you, donate $50 (or more....a percentage of the sale?) to their local fire department. In exchange, ask the chief to schedule a home visit to walk through with your new owners, discuss an escape plan, review the potential hazards of all homes, and the specific hazards of THIS, their new home.

If there are children in the household, make sure they are part of the experience. Go one step further with them to establish an off-site location to meet, should the worst occur. Escape or rescue plans for pets can also be determined.

Not many of us do this with our own families, even though we know we should. Moreover, how amazing and awe-inspiring is it, to a child, to have the fire chief, in full garb, walk through your house with you? Talking TO YOU! Just the smell of their coat and equipment is impressive. The experience is indelible, and could save their lives.

RESULT (THERE ARE NO MEDIUM THINGS AND NO SMALL THINGS IN THIS POST):

A quick, no stress, easy gift for you to give. It supports critical community services, means a great deal to the fine men and women who volunteer and risk their lives, and can save the homes and lives of your clients.

Priceless.

Just my two cents, from the Queen of Cheap...

The OLED: a TV that stagers will LOVE!

2007-10-01T09:34:26Z

One simply needs two walk through one Circuit City, or Best Buy to understand how electronics-crazy we currently are. Being a household with three children (ages 22-12), our family consumes our share. But, not until going into staging did I realize the density of this consumption. Silly Jaynee.

In and around the DC area, I have staged homes with TVs in kitchens, in formal living rooms, in every bedroom. How about a TV in a 3-year-old's room, with a PlayStation and two remotes on a swivel base, so he can play it from his bed, or from the recliner across the room. How about a TV inside a crib? I kid you not. Still haven't seen one in a bathroom, but I expect at least one of you will comment that you have.

Many here on AR have discussed this disgusting phenomenon (not just culturally, but visually), and we all know that the GIANT TVS are the elephants in the rooms. The units themselves are fairly utilitarian, but not ugly. It's all the ding dong wires and peripherals that create the monster.

Smart homeowners who are on the market will jettison some of their units; smarter homeowners will jettison all, or all but one. Some, as we all sadly know, will jettison none.

But, as time and technology march forward, these brain-numbing machines are at least getting prettier and more visually friendly. The latest one, Sony's Organic Light Emitting Diode TV is introduced soon. We must only wait until December. Hmmmm, December.....interesting timing, don't you think? This snappy little number looks as demure and sleek as a large digital picture frame. Very sexy.

So here's a glimpse of the OLED and here's a photo ------->

Of course, this model is simply another step in the continuum of consumer electronics. What is next? Tiny units that can literally fit in a coffee cup? Yes, they're in the works. Then there's my personal favorite: the flat mount screen (one in every room) framed like artwork, that will become our interactive media center for speaking to one another, watching TV, or working electronically. When not in use, they're beautiful pieces of 2-D art.

I can't wait. <sigh>

The Queen of Cheap: on Synergy, Schizophrenia, Single Sex Staging, and Success

2007-09-30T00:53:58Z

I’m stuck in a corporate career....wait; let’s start again...I’m stuck in year EIGHT of needing to maintain a corporate paycheck. Yes, that’s better; more to the point, really. So I began squirreling away tiny tidbits of money for my emotional and creative rainy day, which by the way, began to occur....like SEVEN years ago.

I’m a creative spirit in conservative skin. When I’m in a tense or rigid environment, I yearn to break free. When I’m in a relaxed, fluid environment, I seek boundaries. What’s my point? Well, as an emotional schizophrenic, I get stuck, as we all can. But when a girl is emotionally and philosophically bi-polar, it helps to have someone else in the room; just to break the tie. This costs money, but I suggest that wise and clever women know when they need help.

Synergy is the name of my game. I’m pretty doggone creative, and amazingly (I’m told) resourceful; but, not always. So when it came time for me to dip my toes in The World of Staging, I knew I needed guidance, support, new awareness, synergy (great word, that).

So when my tidbits reached $XX,XXX.00. I turned to my brother in law, a successful business pioneer, for advice on starting my own “design” (it’s a VERB .... please understand my meaning) business. I described to him my goal of starting part time, working with at least one partner, and.....

“No, Jaynee”, he says with confidence. “Part time is a hobby; full time is a business”. No part time. Wait until you can go full time before you try anything at all. “And no partner”. Partnership is for those who cannot do everything themselves. You have everything you need to do this on your own. “The business must be YOURS. No partner”.

Uh.....well.....my dreams of beauty, my dreams of laughter, my dreams of service, all begin to evaporate (like the pink smoke in I Dream of Jeannie). Nooooooooooooo, I cry! Come baaaaaack, I cry. (like Dory in Finding Nemo).

So I ignore him (like Dorothy in The Wizard of....never mind).

So I start, part time, with other women. Okay, I’m a sexist. I’ve never staged with a man. I’m PART TIME for Heaven’s sake, there has NOT BEEN THAT MUCH OPPORTUNITY. But, this staging with women thing is KEWL! There’s just something about a sisterhood, even when you’re sisters from different families. That understanding!.....That connection!....That “sommos mas que dos”!

For a gender that’s as incredibly competitive (hair color, weight, dress size, carat size, house size, yadda yadda) as we babes are, we sure do bring it together in staging!

You see, alone -at the beginning- we all reinvent the wheel. Then, as experience begins to prevail, we rely on a template; a formula. If we’re not careful, that template becomes a pattern, and that pattern becomes predictable. No good. Not in staging. New looks, new ideas, new creations, new perspectives...that’s the ticket. Look around at the NAMES of our staging businesses. Nothing stale there.

For men, in a product-related industry (my brother in law), I’m sure the advice was sound. Full time? no question. Sole proprietor? no question. [Bad grammar in this post? no question, but I’m writing for DRAMATIC EFFECT, and am prepared to take the internet consequences 19 years from now, so hush].

For creativity, for freshness, for joy.....put a bunch of us “gals” together. Stand back and be astounded at the success. Watch our clients be thrilled!

Cheers! from DC...

Jaynee

The Queen of Cheap on Tight-rope Walking, Solo Staging, and The Happy Bag

2007-09-28T09:11:22Z

For me, there's always a tightrope to walk. Unlike the professional tight rope walkers, I get better at this as I age. I'm not sure there are many 50 year old "real walkers" out there, but I could be dead wrong.

As a parent, I constantly wonder if I said too much or too little. Did I speak too soon or too late? Were my words too harsh, or too forgiving? Did I offer enough or too much? In business, did I bring enough expertise to the table, or should I have documented more? Should I have made that extra visit; that extra trip, or is my client sick of seeing me? As a consumer, do I buy ‘top of the line' hoping it will last, or mid-range with updating in mind? Sometimes I simply make my decision based on choosing which side of the argument is most comfortable when I fall.

I used to stand on the edge of the platform, suffering, as most young folk do. These days, I take a quick glance left and a quick glance right, and start dancing across. I'm still on the tight rope, still prepared to fall, but at this point I grin with the confidence that I'll bounce, and any bruises I earn in the process will heal. Nonetheless, when it comes to my clients, I still have moments of "suffering on the platform."

This is why I love staging with a partner or team. The synergy of ideas is inspirational. If the job is mine, I can reject the ideas and do it "my way", or integrate the new concepts into the room design. If the job belongs to another, I can offer my two cents, and be fine if they're accepted or rejected. This is the premise under which I work with others, and it's a winner, every time, because the final product is what the client was "sold".

My favorite staging partner is my daughter, who at age 12 has a fabulous sense of color, space and balance. But she's busy and isn't always available.

So synergy, quite frankly, is a luxury. Most often staging solo is the only method that makes sense, and being alone, I sometimes get stuck for inspiration. On those early jobs, the negative self talk would kick in and say... "You don't know what you're doing!". "You don't have a solution here". "There's no one to help you". "Look! The sky is falling".

So I built myself a Happy Bag.

The Happy Bag started as my lunch/dinner bag. It very quickly morphed into its state of "Happiness". For $7, I bought an insulated beverage cooler (that holds a 6-pack). I removed the plastic insert (recycled it), and filled it with things that can change my mood; things that make me happy.

CONTENTS OF "THE HAPPY BAG":

The practical essentials: my mini-first aid kit, Advil (aka The Stager's Friend), and anti-acids (lots of bending over....).

The uplifting elements: a ginger-scented body lotion, a little bag of unusual cookies (even when I'm in a pseudo-South Beach week), my toothbrush and a fun-flavored paste, lip balm, and a little brush.

The fun stuff: a tiny slinky, a Superball (for VACANTS ONLY), gum, fake nose and glasses.

When I hit that bump of confusion on a job (which I refer to - professionally - as a "brain fart"), I open my Happy Bag. So far, there's always been something in there to change my outlook; my moment. It was startling to realize the impact of something as simple as brushing my hair. Five minutes of Happy Therapy, and I'm back on the road to brilliance and creativity; for less than the price of hiring another stager.

So, these days, I take lunch in a brown paper bag.

Just my two cents, from

The Queen of Cheap: On Grammar, Your Reputation, and Business Income.

2007-09-23T06:13:03Z

PREAMBLE: My Mother

My mother was born in 1918, oldest daughter of a hard-working German family in Pennsylvania coal country. Money was scarce for all, even though entire families, down to the youngest of the children, contributed to their family's survival. Still, there was always time for school.

To whomever it was that taught the third grade in Sandy Township Elementary, you’re the best. The things you taught those kids stands as the best today, eighty years later. You were probably paid less than the guy who ran the gas station, but you were brilliant, and you’ve made a difference in my life, and in the life of my children, in 2007. Thankyouverymuch.

My mother went to college and became a teacher. That teacher, spoke perfect King’s English at home, and by fiat and example, required that her younger brother and sister, and later we children, mirror her example. She was gentle and soft spoken, but she was exactingly clear about right and wrong, on all levels.

BIG THING: Good Grammar

In 1965, I was probably the only 8 year old who answered the phone: “Finch Residence”. If, by any chance the caller asked for me, which, LIKE NEVER happened, I’d reply: “This is she”.

How many other kids of the KC and the Sunshine Band generation said, “This is she” ? Good grammar is in my veins, and as a child I was pushed around because of it....well, and probably some other terrible stuff I did or said.

Here, on AR, our words are our businesses, our reputation, our thoughts, our convictions, our personalities. Would you choose to stand in front of a professional photographer without combing your hair? Would you walk into a listing appointment wearing pajamas?

An incredible point, a compelling perspective, the description of a new business tool, intimate reflections on a moving experience....all gain power when presented correctly. All lose power when presented poorly.

MEDIUM SIZED THING: Spelling

My reputation as a business person, as a mother, as a volunteer, as a Stager, hinges upon the project I’ve just completed. We’re only as good as our last gig, our last committee meeting, our last event, our last interview, and our last blog. Right?

After just a few months of being an AR Blogger and reading all I have time to read, often at every opportunity, I offer the following; humbly; as if my mother were in the room.

Those posts that catch my eye are those that speak of logic, of poetry, of beauty, of business, and of rationality. Those authors to whom I instantly connect are authors of grace, dignity, intellect; and articulation. In many ways, my mother, gone mentally since 1991, and physically since 1998 IS still in the room. If she had been reading over my shoulder, this is what she would say:

their (possessive form of they)
there (in that place)
they’re (contraction of they are)
accept (a verb, meaning to receive or to admit to a group)
except (usually a preposition, meaning but or only)
who’s (contraction of who is or who has)
whose (possessive form of who)
its (possessive form of it)
it’s (contraction of it is or it has)
your (possessive form of you)
you’re (contraction of you are)
affect (usually a verb, meaning to influence)
effect (usually a noun, meaning result)
than (used in comparison)
to: (modifier)
too: (adjective referencing an excess)
then (refers to a time in the past)
were (form of the verb to be)
we’re (contraction of we are)
where (related to location or place)

TWO TINY THINGS: A lot of looseness.

“A lot” is not a term. “A lot” is the degenerative vernacular of :

- a lot, meaning a collection of items (as in an auction)

- a lot, meaning a segment or area of land (as is a building lot)

- a lot, meaning a set of circumstances (as is “your lot in life”)

Rather use (when referring to quantity): many, more than I care to imagine, tons, far too many, oodles, zillions. When referring to frequency, try using: often, frequently, commonly, many times.

Loose means

· not restrained or confined or attached

· not compact or dense in structure or arrangement; "loose gravel"

· (of a ball in sport) not in the possession or control of any player; "a loose ball"

· not tight; not closely constrained or constricted or constricting; "loose clothing";

· informal: not officially recognized or controlled; "an informal agreement

· free: not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told";

· unaffixed: not affixed; "the stamp came loose"

· (of textures) full of small openings or gaps; "an open texture"; "a loose weave"

· not fixed firmly or tightly; "the bolts became loose over time";

· idle: lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility; "idle talk"; "a loose tongue"

· not carefully arranged in a package; "a box of loose nails"

Lose means:

· fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense; "She lost her purse”

· fail to win; "We lost the battle but we won the war"

· suffer the loss of a person through death or removal; "She lost her husband in the war";

· misplace: place (something) where one cannot find it again; "I misplaced my eyeglasses"

· miss from one's possessions; lose sight of; "I've lost my glasses again!"

· allow to go out of sight; "The detective lost the man he was shadowing "

· fail to make money in a business; make a loss or fail to profit; "I lost thousands of dollars”

· fail to get or obtain; "I lost the opportunity to travel"

· miss: fail to perceive; "I missed that remark"; "She missed his point";

Conclusion: My mother’s lesson to we three girls:

You are deeply treasured by those who love you; but the world is vast and everyone is busy, struggling to accomplish their own goals. If you are to make a difference, you must be outstanding. Go forth, and be brilliant, and be YOU! My mother, born during WWI, child of the Depression, a mother during WWII, had drive and hope.

We now live in a time of peace (on our borders.....without military occupation; without curfew, without dictatorship), of affluence, and of choice. Choose to be brilliant. Choose to be outstanding. You will find personal success. From there, you will find business success.....naturally.

Choose!

Just my two cents, from

The Queen of Cheap: On Fashion, Authenticity and the $140 Pants

2007-09-18T21:42:53Z

A Channel girl, I'm not.....trust me. But I was a model in 7th grade, mostly because I was 5'9 and hadn't yet broken 100 pounds. That experience taught me to stand up straight, but it didn't last more than a few years. High school dances are tough on the posture of Amazons.

But I digress.

Being tall (on its own) doesn't solve all body image and wardrobe issues, but certainly has distinct "fashion" advantages. It is mostly that height that I attribute to my frequent compliments. Okay, I have a snazzy side too, so here's my point, because when I started writing this, I DID have one.

PREAMBLE: Be Yourself

Years ago when my husband and I moved to the small town of Lynchburg, VA to open our B&B it was important to us that we secured the business loan locally. [This ultimately hurt us, but that's a story for another day, and probably another place.] Our loan officer was a petite but round. She was the lone female in a herd of masculinity. Gentle, soft spoken, ivory skin, pale blue eyes, and bouncy blond curls. Like every other loan officer, she marched into work wearing navy and black suits with starched white shirts buttoned right up to the neck. She looked awful! At some point in the life of our loan, she married, began to wear skirts, soft dresses with linen blazers, and color. She became herself, and was ravishing. What a transformation.

It wasn't until my mid 40's that I allowed my SnazzyArtsy side to show, even at work. What a difference it made in my confidence level, outlook, and success. I highly recommend authenticity, and hope EVERYONE finds it at an earlier age than I. <Sermon concludes. Cello music swells>

BIG THING: The $140 pants
Upscale department store basics are often shockingly expensive, but not always. [Nordstroms, IMHO, provides excellent customer service, and carries quality merchandise. This is not a plug for any store in particular, but I have an exceptionally low shopping threshold, and this is one of the few places I don't hyperventilate].

Seven years ago I bought a pair of black pants; incredibly flattering, stylish, washable, light weight, yet lined. They cost me $140. I wore them at least once if not twice a week, year round, for SEVEN YEARS. They were still not out of style nor worn out, but were looking a little tired, so this summer I donated them with great regret. So what in the world is the Queen of Cheap doing in Nordstroms, buying $140 pants, you ask. Ah! Let me tell you!

Here's the math: 140 ($) divided by 7 (years) x 52 (weeks) x 1.5 (average of 1-2x/week) = $.25/"wear". Because they were washable I incurred no dry cleaning expense. They looked AMAZING on me, and lowered my stress because they were a quick morning "grab". TWENTY FIVE CENTS PER 'WEAR', people; 25 cents per wear!

MIDDLE SIZED THING: Thrift Shops (Yessss, Mildred, she's talking about THRIFT SHOPS agaaaay-un)

Women's clothing is a steal at thrift shops. Here in DC, I can score tops for $3-4, and jewelry and accessories for $1-5. Here's how the math goes for me: Run in, scan the racks, grab 6 funky.slash.snazzy tops for $3-4 each; 2 bracelets for $2 each, and 2 silk scarves for $4 each. That's $35. At least I think it is. Please note verbs "run", "scan", and "grab" because this is EXACTLY how I shop. I take them home and try them on (no dressing rooms at these places). Three of the six tops work, and the bracelets and scarves are fabulous (or you wouldn't have BOUGHT them now would you?). Three tops, two bracelets, and two scarves for $35. Put the "no go's" in a bag, throw it in your car, and donate it back the next time you shop.

TINY THING: Stir the Soup
Mix trendy with classic. Mix lasting quality with unbelievably cheap. Mix yin with yang (but then, close the door and leave the room). There's no math in this section, so you get full credit, and can skip to the next segment. Don't forget to use your #2 pencil, and fill the circle completely with the correct or best answer.

THE NEXT SECTION: Result

You swish out of the house wearing your fabulous pants, your snazzy new top with an amazing silk scarf and bracelet, looking like a million.

Here's the math on that: How much is a million? Correct. You get an "A".
Just my two cents, from The Queen of Cheap

The FINE LINE between staging and design

2007-09-16T10:48:05Z

Ask anyone in the business where it is, and they’ll draw the line for you.. The problem: the line is in the sand. Tides are high, the wind is picking up, and everything shifts....all the time. The line keeps moving.

I’ve been criticized (not harshly), corrected (at length), and, uh.....squinted at (which is by far the most hurtful) for using The D Word: DESIGN.

UPDATE TO THE ORIGINAL POST: To be clear, I have been cautioned (in training, in conversation, at group meetings, and finally on a professional conference call) not to use the word "design". Rather, I'm advised, refer to it as "staging". As you all know, I'm fairly obedient when sober, so that's what I tried to do. But for me, like all the other potty mouths out there, the D word slips out when I'm not looking.

If you knew my family, you would not be surprised that my degree is in criminal justice. Never changed my major, graduated with high marks. Never worked a day in the field, but not by choice, by economy and job freezes. Happily, that’s a good thing. If you cut me in half, I don’t bleed red, but in “rich, velvety burgundy”. When I make strawberry shortcake, and the tender biscuit is still warm in the bowl, I top it with “gently whipped cream”. I paint pears and tangerines in metallic colors and scatter them on my Thanksgiving table. It is a very good thing no one ever gave me a gun.

My point -- and I do have one -- is that my brain naturally thinks proportion, balance without symmetry, color, texture, shape, light, and emotion. I can’t help it.

I’m a stager. I go in to every manner of home, and I don’t even have to flick the “on” switch to start doing my job. The job starts to happen the second I see the driveway, and continues, often at lightening speed. I cannot take notes or pictures fast enough. My ideas...my work, feels like DESIGN. It makes me happy, and my energy levels soar; I'm in The Zone. I may be “STAGING”, but who said staging may not be artistic, dramatic, powerful? What is the fear?

Okay...if I paid tuition, sat my tushie in a classroom, and studied for four years to become degreed and/or certified, I'd be peeved if someone after three days of training, or $49.99 for an on-line certificate was claiming the same credentials. [I know I'm on thin ice here, and have no interest or intent on offending. I'm making a comparison between a weekend of work and four years of work. Please hear this...thank you.] I DO NOT CALL MYSELF AN INTERIOR DESIGNER, but am I not allowed to design? Design is a VERB!

Further, I understand that DESIGN is TO PLEASE the homeowner. I AM designing for the homeowner; it just happens to be a homeowner that neither I nor the Realtor have yet met.

So where’s your line between staging and designing?

Just asking.....from DC!

Jaynee

AND, BY THE WAY, P.S.: Why aren't all the professional, experienced (and probably Unionized) stage hands at the Kennedy Center, the Met, or the Bolshoi, all screaming at us because we use THEIR verb?

The Eight Stages of Addiction

2007-09-14T12:04:12Z

1. Introduction

At a cocktail party, you hear about Active Rain from an associate. You wonder about the stupid name, but decide to investigate; hey, looks cool.

You receive an invitation from your friend, but you're a busy professional, so you ignore it.

They send it again, so you join, and start working on your profile. You have no idea how to upload photos, and aren't sure what to write, but you want to appear brilliant to the world. You force yourself to slam out 17 pages of scintillating information beginning with early childhood experiences.

Then you start to panic.

2. Confusion

You question your masterpiece. Does it help readers connect with you as a person? Do you say too much about your amazing professional prowess? Is your phrasing powerful, or cliché? Will anyone understand what you're trying to say? Okay.....maybe you should cut out the parts about your First Communion, Girl Scout cookie sales awards, Junior High Drama Club, your six bridal showers, the Birthing Center, your mother-in-law, and Fluffy's abdominal surgery. There, that's better. You believe this is coming together, but for the life of you, you cannot find that photo of you, your son, and the mayor....

3. Overwhelm...ment?

Holy Cow, just WRITING your profile gave you 1,200 points. You join...this group.... and this group..... and this group. You think HIS writing is GREAT, and subscribe. Wow, you think SHE's cool, and add her as an Associate. Hmmmmm; what does this button do? The screen doesn't change, so it must do nothing. You push it 7 more times just in case; still nothing.

Gee...you didn't know that about mortgages. How did they get 221 comments on this blog? Here are some posts about coastal real estate...and look at this chunk here..., and here. Real Estate and religion. Real estate and children. Estate and Zucchini Bread. Real Estate and Crescent Wrenches. OMG, you'll never get through all this information.

4. Dipping your toes

Okay....this person makes a compelling point, but you disagree. Time for your first comment. You must be forceful and clear, but don't want to offend. You try being sweet; doesn't work. Okay....factual and to the point. No personality needed; you're just stating an opinion. Fine.....you post the comment.

Didn't go through.

Oh, you have to type that little blue word in the rectangle. Then you might as well check the little tiny box. Okay, not so bad, you can do this, and you got 25 points. Whoo hoo! Maybe now you have the courage to write your first POST!

5. Inability to look away (lack.a.points.a.phobia)

You break 20,000 points. To celebrate, you upgrade your keyboard to a fancy black ergonomic one.

This should help you type faster.

You're polishing up your 32nd post, which MIGHT be Tthe One". Maybe it will help if all your friends log on and comment on your new post. You quickly email each of them. EIGHTEEN MESSAGES? Man, it WORKED! Okay, you have time to answer each individual comment before you leave. Oh man! Twenty seven more?

Well Ding! Dong!, you've been FEATURED (spontaneous and awkward victory dance). Now 44 comments? Well, you can skip the Homeowners Association Meeting and answer them tonight. After all aren't Vice Presidents supposed to be able to run meetings, too? On the way home you scribble down an agenda, and drop it off at the VP's house, wishing her luck.

6. Immersion

Only 1,600 more points before you become NUMBER ONE in the COUNTY. You can TOTALLY do this TODAY. Your phone rings. It's your wife. "Honey" don't forget to pick up the kids from school". "Okay....what's that little one's name again"? Blog blog blog blog blog. Your phone rings. It's your wife. "Honey, you forgot to pick up the kids". "Oh. Sorry. What time it is? "Midnight".

7. Relaxed Competence

Now you understand how to manage this stuff. Delete, Delete, Delete, Delete, Delete. Comment, Uncheck the Box. Delete, Delete, Comment, Comment, Comment, Comment. Check point totals. Comment Comment Comment.

Feng Shui; what's that? Let me read an article or two....hmmmmm. Okay, I can knock out one more blog before the 3pm sales meeting. I'll call it "Feng Shui for Dummies". Great....perfect....it's ready, BUT it is Tuesday and on Tuesday afternoons at this time typically only 1,100 people or so are logged on. You choose to save it as a draft until tomorrow night when your calculations indicate nearly three times that number will be out "in the Rain".

8. Veteran Nonchalance

After you don your smoking jacket, buff your nails and wax your moustaches, you clear your throat, and decide to post. But first a spot of tea...

You log on.

Your new password is FABU-MAN.

You critically scan your electronic library of pre-written posts, with hyperlinks, embedded photography, and animation. Shall you submit "Attracting Affluence" "Burgeoning Business Blunders", "Contracting Challenges", "Different Designations", Effortless Elegance"?

Effortless Elegance! That's the one. Now you overlay the soundtrack you threw together yesterday...

Cheers! from DC...

Jaynee

Forgive me Rainers, for I have...

2007-09-13T08:37:50Z

FORGOTTEN! I get the limitations on posting and commenting. I get the 10 words, the 50 words, the 10/day, and the 10/week. I also get the posting to five groups only. HOWEVER...

I see posts in many more groups than five and don't understand how this happens. Not everything I have to say is worth more than a group or two, but occasionally I experience INCREDIBLE MENTAL CLARITY (please see my earlier post if you want to get that joke) that I'd like to share with a broader audience.

How, Oh Wise Ones, can this be accomplished?

I bow to you.....

....Jaynee

The Queen of Cheap: On Color with Lasting Power

2007-09-11T09:43:46Z

In our vigilance to protect business profits, we all look for the best value in inventory. For some, this means buying high quality pieces that will hold up over time, returning the greatest rental totals. For others it means "recycling" by finding deals in bargain basements, thrift stores and yard sales. These items may not last as long, but they're often "paid for" with the first job. Regardless, the look of our work is our trademark, our reputation, and our advertising all rolled into one.

(Shameless self promotion: and, by the way, here's one of mine, which included repainting these walls from sponged cobalt blue).

Some of us go neutral and classic; some of us go bold and trendy. All good stuff, because our businesses must naturally reflect who we are as stagers and designers (yes....I step to the edge of the cliff, daring to use the "D" word. Fire away at me; I can take it). But we're ALL buying, ALL the time.

In order for our inventory to have the longest possible (VISUAL) shelf life, we all would benefit from awareness of upcoming color and fashion trends. With this in mind, I share information from the upcoming MATERIAL WORLD trade show in New York. For the full story, check out the Material World website.

For Capital Style Staging, I've developed 3 basic collections: neutral/rustic/homespun....then vibrant/fun/trendy......then classical/timeless. Typically, I will blend collections to suit the home and the target market. Let it also be said that I don't have a TON of inventory.

Here are the new home fashion color palettes that launch this fall. Whether you choose to adjust your buying to trends, or to stay neutral classical....that's up to you. But this, apparently, is where the industry is going. I suggest these to you as thoughts when choosing accessories and accent paint. I am not advocating running out to buy lime green love seats and sky blue chairs.

Just my two cents, from the Queen of Cheap!

Cheers! from DC...

Queen of Cheap: Green Homes for Sale

2007-09-04T08:46:26Z

For years I've subscribed to Debra Lynn Dadd's free newsletter on healthy, green living. In this morning's issue I see she's moving! Well....let's see....do I know any Realtors in Florida or California? Might they have time to follow up on a lead? Let's see! With Debra being such a guru on green living, her homes must be the ultimate, providing such a great marketing edge for buyers!

As Jason Crouch points out in a recent post about "Everybody Knows Your Name", this is not only an information and support network, but an awesome opportunity to really connect with like minded people. So, I'm shooting this out to the AR community in general, and the Eco-friendlies in specific. Let's see if anyone can snag a piece of business, and meet a cool lady who believes in the preservation of our planet!

Additionally, for you California folk, here is an interesting niche market and networking and educational opportunity: The West Coast Green Conference and Expo. I wish I were a little closer, as it's right up my alley. Unfortunately, my alley is a few thousand interstate miles away, and I don't drive a hybrid (yet) <sheepish grin>.

Cheers, from DC!

Jaynee

Queen of Cheap: Green Staging

2007-09-01T21:45:45Z

Okay, everyone here knows about bamboo flooring, out-gassing from chemically-treated fabrics and carpet, and denim as wall insulation, or if not, there are dozens of websites dedicated to fixing that, so that’s not what this blog is about, deep intake of breath.

This is about thinking green, and making those small changes that can matter to your (and your clients’) health, your (and your clients’) pocketbook, your (and your clients’) children, and your (and your clients’….are you getting the pattern here?) planet. What’s good for you, is probably good for your kids, and is probably very good for your clients. Well, maybe not tequila, which is VERY good for you.

I’m not suggesting that you make your own paint, knit your own cleaning cloths from unraveled socks, or cut the broccoli rubber bands in thirds lengthwise to make one become three. Nor do I suggest you grow your own trees, so you can cut them down, so you can build your own furniture. If you want to know how to do those things, subscribe to The Mother Earth News. I am, however suggesting that, when toddling about your day, you can think a little differently and make different and reasonable choices. You know…..paper or plastic?

So here we go:

BIG THING: RENEWABLE MATERIALS

Educate yourself on what is TRULY renewable. You can find good alternatives at mainstream stores that make a difference. Wool carpeting (healthy, lasts forever, expensive, but Terry says the shearing is cruelly done...I don't know) vs. synthetic carpeting (available EVERYWHERE, cheap, smelly, outgasses), vs. wood flooring (easy to clean, not fun to lie on, sells houses, renewable). Eco-friendly paints vs Not So Eco-friendly. Benjamin Moore's Aura Line and Sherwin Williams' Harmony Line have both received good reviews. Standard paint lines have their good and bad points, but please tell me everyone has jettisoned oil-based paint by now? Thanks to Cindy Lin for her feedback.

As Stagers and Realtors we are in the position to CONTINUOUSLY advise clients. Choosing the green alternatives doesn’t make sense in every situation, but it does in some. Use your knowledge to help your clients and your culture.

MEDIUM SIZED THING: ACCESSORIES

If you’re BUYING NEW, many retailers offer wonderful lines of “organic décor”: jute, grass cloth, printed cotton, hemp, fabrics from recycled plastics. It’s all out there, for heaven’s sake, even at Target. Naturally (hee hee), there is an entire world of eco-friendly stores. The cost of shipping, and the break-neck turn-around of staging, however, makes this fairly impractical most of the time.

Better (for pocketbook and planet): swing by those big THRIFT STORES as you pass by. This, of course, is opportunity shopping, and should be done regularly, and with a plan. Develop your seasonal palettes and discipline your purchases, or you’ll end up with rooms full beautiful, fun stuff you can’t make work together.

While thrift stores are stocked predominantly with clothing, which has limited application in staging, here are some ideas.

Check out the crazy big dress section for interesting fabric. What might be an ugly dress from yesterday can today be a whiz bang accent pillow. Here in DC, I can buy a $4 garment that can yield as much as 3 yards of fabric. That's up to 6 pillow fronts, or 3 pillow covers. Once you brave The Evil Sewing Machine a few times, you’ll be able to whip up fun table napkins, pillow covers, and all manner of KEWL stuff in a jiffy. Really.

Tablecloths can be cut and folded to make runners, or napkins, or window swags. A good eye, a warm iron and little pack of fuseable webbing, and you’re done!

I usually only find onsies on accent towels, but armed with your seasonal palette you can be clever in blending your pieces. Eclectic is still in. Clients will believe you graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Baby clothes are charming, colorful, and cheap. I’ve used tiny Halloween costumes as décor [a green butterfly costume with pink netted wings on a pink hanger on a little girl’s wall; a flying Superman costume hanging (cup hooks, fishing wire, and safety pins) over a little boy’s bed]. Hang a few little frocks in an empty closet, or fold a pile of brightly colored shirts on a shelf. Clean baby clothes in a pretty basket make a laundry room adorable

Purchase big, soft toys to complement your bedding palettes. They’re really inexpensive, and look great tossed on beds, closet shelves, or the floor. Avoid hard toys that have sharp edges, can pinch fingers, be dropped and broken, and are not washable.

Pick up curtain pairs (remember your palette and plan), bunch them at the top with a rubber band - from broccoli if you want - and hang them at the corners of windows with 3-M hooks. Five minutes…I’m not kidding. I’ve bought four panels; tucked one around a crib mattress as a sheet, used two as swags on the bedroom windows, and the fourth on a nearby bathroom window. I always have a bag of about 8 white sheers in my car, marked FOR LINEN EMERGENCIES. They cost me no more than $4/pair.

TINY THING: CLEANING SUPPLIES

Vinegar, Baking Soda, Microfiber cloths, Dawn Dishwashing liquid, Goo Gone….ain’t nothin’ I can’t rise victoriously above in my own home, or on any staging job, with these partners. They’re cheap (yes, Brian, CHEAP), safe to use on you, your babies, your pets, and your clients’ stuff. No window cleaner or bleach for me any more. A bottle of 50% white vinegar and 50% water, in a used spray bottle, works magic on almost everything. Baking soda is the best scouring powder EVER. Dawn cuts the grease when you need that little bit of oomph, and the citrus oil in Goo Gone solves a multitude of sins, including those (adjective of your own choice) tags that Ross and Marshalls use. Don't forget about Terry Haugen's olive oil magic.

Okay, you don’t want to mix your own voo doo cleaning supplies? At least buy the green stuff. Seventh Generation can be picked up ANYWHERE, and the price point is competitive. Yvonne Root swears by Holy Cow for stainless steel appliances, kitchens, bathrooms, granite, terrazzo tile, soap scum, floors and carpets.

CONFESSIONS: in my staging kit I have my original bottle of Krud Kutter, and aerosol spray adhesive. Oh, and even though I did buy it used, and it is a manual transmission, I am driving my first SUV. Sorry; it won’t happen again.

Cheers, from DC! Jaynee

You KNOW you've been blogging too much, when...

2007-09-01T10:36:49Z

You have more saved images (for embedding) than you do real estate photos.

You spend more time on AR than you do sleeping (Adam: THIS MEANS YOU!)

The computer chair is no longer comfortable for anyone else in the family because it is now the exact shape of your derrière.

Your point total has gone up by 40,000...this month.

Next to your keyboard is a pile of Power Bar wrappers, five empty coffee cups, your cell phone, and your electric razor. And you're a woman.

Almost every time you complete a comment and scroll down to enter your graphic, you only have to type three letters before the correct word automatically populates.

Your eyes are becoming rectangular.

One of your kids asks you a question, you look at them, and start typing the answer.

You actually went on line to check the price of a catheter.

Cheers, from DC!

Jaynee....

and now these priceless additions, from Yvonne Root...

When you awaken and stumble to the computer BEFORE you hunt the caffeine.

When you awaken to discover no stumbling is necessary because your forehead is being supported by the edge of your desk.

When you awaken and discover strangers in your house and they claim to be your children. (Can't be -- the last time you looked your children were teens and these people are young adults -- though they do look somewhat familiar.)

and from Karen Dembsky...

In your dreams, you're blog commenting.

and from Susan Peters...

You move the TV into the office so you can watch HGTV and blog at the same time.

and from TLW....ROAR...

Your computer is SMOKING because you haven't turned it off in a week!

Launching The Queen of Cheap!

2007-08-31T22:28:12Z

In the 1920's, hand-me-downs were a given. In the 1970's, hand-me-downs were an embarassment. Ironically, in some of the most affluent areas of today's cash-choked society, hand-me-downs are in vogue, but for different reasons. Low impact living is all the rage.

I come from thrifty German and English "people", as my grandmother used to say. Really thrifty. During my childhood my parents were always well off, but never did shed their practical, frugal ways. I grew up, finished college, started working, and got married. A few years later we quit our lucrative jobs, sold our house in Northwest DC for twice what we'd paid for it 4 years before, moved to the country, and ran our own business. It wasn't long before necessity called me to jettison my pride and march into Goodwill for clothing and household goods. We raised three children on leftovers, saliva and air, and learned volumes. I became skilled at making a little go a long way, ultimately finding great personal joy in so doing.

Because I appreciate, admire and respect nature, I also believe in low impact living. Grew up in the wooded hills of Long Island with pet racoons, squirrels at my tea parties, walking the quiet beaches, and climbing tall trees. Our family sailed silently through the green waters of the harbor and sound, marvelling at sunsets, massive schools of silvery fish, endless breeze, and cleansing rain. Motorboats were the enemy; smokestacks from the power plant scarred the landscape. Nothing was more perfect than nature.

So I've spent my life being thrifty, and green, but not in glamorous, culturally-acceptable terms. Today, Leonardo DiCaprio's work in renewable energy, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus' clean-up efforts in Los Angeles, and Ed Begley Jr.'s show "Living with Ed" are bringing the lifestyle to the fore. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Kirstin Dunst, Alannis Morrisette, Morgan Freeman, and scores of others are spearheading their own projects. These media-central leaders have helped to make environmental awareness, conservation, sustainable design and eco-architecture popular. Brilliant designers have made them beautiful.

While I was never ashamed of a past where I made pillow covers out of thrift store skirts, created my own artwork from scraps, and fed my family "Cream of Refrigerator Soup", any public response was typically a crooked half-smile. Today I talk of these things and I'm trendy; the response is enthusiastic. I'm awesome!

Okay, I'm no expert, but I have years of making silk purses out of sows ears, and I know I'm not alone. So join me as I embark on my Queen of Cheap Series, which combines THRIFTY, with PRACTICAL, and GREEN, even (or perhaps, especially) while living in a big city like Washington DC. Off the cuff, I plan to share ideas on Green Staging, Thrifty Business Practices, Purchasing Renewables, Environmentally-friendly Products, raising "low impact" children, and anything else that piques group interest....let's see where that endless energy of fresh wind, and the cleansing Active Rain, takes us on this voyage.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I christen,

Jaynee Acevedo, Capital Style Staging

You MIGHT be an AR addict, if...

2007-08-15T20:55:13Z

It's Thursday morning. You take a phone call, and while your client is giving you an update on their listing, a bolt of pure white lightening strikes your brain with a STINKING BRILLIANT idea for a blog. No one's posted ANYTHING LIKE THIS before, so you flip over the pressed paper coaster from last month's vacation at the shore, heedless of the cup thereon, and furiously scribble notes on your INCREDIBLE MENTAL CLARITY. With a flourish, you capture the last unique concept, heedless that much of what you've written is a bit blurry from the spilled coffee. Certainly, you'll remember all salient points when you craft the final masterpiece. Only now do you realize your client has hung up on you. Now you have time to clean up the coffee.

It's Sunday morning. You broke your left ring finger skiing yesterday afternoon, and it is splinted. You blog anyway, enjoying the distinctive click/tap each E, D, and C make. Naturally the number 3 is problematic, but it's a prime number that not many people use, anyway.

It's Sunday afternoon. Your daughter, a sophomore in a magnet program, has a paper due by the end of the week and needs the computer for research. Too bad; So sad.

It's Monday evening. Your keyboard is now missing the "o" button, which fell off when you pounded it in a moment of exquisite AR passion (you are right handed, thank goodness). You blog on, "o-less", using the zero key instead.

It's Tuesday afternoon. You're finished writing the 7th offer from that awful, picky, namby-pamby buyer, knowing it will never be accepted, and you're running late for your son's soccer tournament. Oh well, traffic will be bad now, and the thing already started, so you just hop on AR to check what's new. You arrive home after Leno's monologue. Your son's team was cut after the second round, anyway.

It's Wednesday evening and you've got floor duty. While blogging, you get a call from home that your good friends and neighbors' (three doors down) house is on fire, and they're at your place. You finish your post BEFORE going home because (a) SHE'S always gotten on your nerves, (b) these things can take time, (c) you're fairly certain their house is down-wind of yours, and (d) THIS post you're crafting will be FEATURED; you can feel it in your bones. You log off and start home, but decide to log back on, just to check your points summary. Hmmmmm....you're a mere 20 points shy of 81,000. You open up to the first group on your list and comment briefly on something, hoping you've not yet exceeded 10 today. You go to your home page, hit the "Reload" button....eyes rivetted on your total, which doesn't change. To make sure the points have been captured on your total, you go back to the county page and scan to see if you broke the 81,00 mark, which should put you above that irritating Realtor with the 20-year-old picture, who's only working part time now, anyway. No wonder he has the time to blog.

It's very early Thursday morning. Your neighbors are sleeping on your floor, so you tiptoe between them and scoot over to the computer. You don't want to wake them because they might need the computer for something, like emailing family that they're still alive, or cancelling credit cards, or checking their insurance policy, or some other rot. It's early and you forgot to put your contacts in, but since you're here, you log on to see how many hits last night's STINKINGLY BRILLIANT post has received. You can see a few listings, but can read nothing. You tiptoe back through the neighbors, put your contacts in, then tiptoe back to lovingly linger over each word of response, and to check how many more hits you received. You'd like a cup of coffee, but you dare not make that much noise. Besides, the smell might wake them up.

You check your email account to see how many responses you've gotten to last night's blog, and all the other blogs you've commented on. When you're done reading them all (reading most of them twice, and responding to each so your comment total grows and grows and you stay at the top of the group), you hit the "Refresh" button to see if anything more has come in. When it hasn't. you hit the "Refresh" button again, just in case the last attempt was simply a drive-by glance and not a REAL push.

You tiptoe to the bathroom, and don't flush because, while you were in there, you had another moment of TREMENDOUS MENTAL CLARITY, and have another post to draft. Back to the computer to begin, but first, you hit "Refresh" again. Nothing. Ah well, most everyone is still sleeping now....in Alaska.

I'm not an addict: I don't wear contacts.

Relax! Its only BUSINESS....!

2007-08-15T10:20:28Z

Maybe its a sign of a self destructive nature, or maybe I'm just wound too tight. Or maybe this is the way the Universe works.

When I am busy and don't need more business, more business comes my way. When I want or need that "one cool piece of business", or "that awesome Realtor", the number's aren't always that good.

My theory is that when we're not in great need, or are confidently successful, we actually attract the business. When we really need to make some money, our desperation must come through, making us less attractive to the buyer.

Interestingly, I found this to also be true when I was dating in college. If I was reallyreallyreally interested in a guy, he wasn't so in to me. When I didn't care about attracting a specific person, relaxed and had a good time, THAT'S when I met my boyfriends!

Know what I mean?

Cheers to you all!

Jaynee

Mee Mee, Moo Moo, Yow Yow (that's a MeMe with two bonus tidbits)

2007-08-14T08:09:37Z

Karen MeMe'd me, so it's all her fault.

Five things, eh? This should be easy, because I'm new on Active Rain, and other than those who invited me, none of you know schqwatt about Jaynee Jo.

1. Born and raised on the north shore of Long Island (1957-1972). Never had a Neuw Yoak accent, nor did my friends and neighbors.

2. I have a natural ear for music, growing up in an uber-contemporary home designed by my eccentric mechanical engineer father who built his own stereo system. He wired our whole house (hexagonal, 2-storey living room with glass or cedar walls, brick barbecue in the dining room, skylight in the master bathroom) for sound (1955, eh?) which played 18 hours a day, the year 'round. In 6th grade I started playing baritone horn (or Euphonium Base Clef, for those of you who are a bit more "ohh lah lah") in the Lloyd Harbor Elementary School Band. Played through high school. The thing and its case weighed more than I did until I was a Junior. Haven't touched it since.

3. My husband is one of fourteen children. Since I'm the youngest of three girls (by eight years...my sister Marnee calmed me down when I was old enough to realize that I might be an "accident" by telling me "No! Not at all. They were just trying for a boy"), this was a bit of a cultural adjustment. I'm now 24-years part of an incredible family, with 37 nieces and nephews and 4 great-nieces and great-nephews, just on the Acevedo side. Here's one of my sweetheart sisters-in-law, Liliana Shirvanian, Realtor Extraordinaire du Haymarket, VA, who got me into Staging in the first place! Hey Lili!!! Having the family over typically involves bringing out 45-60 dinner plates. Thank goodness we hit Ridgewell's catering sale, and have china for 120.

4. I remember having contests with my sisters to see who could hold a Fizzies tablet in their mouths longest before blowing a gasket and having black cherry or root beer fuzz drip down their chins (or out the nose....EEEEEEEWW). You can still buy this stuff on line, did ya know? Wish we'd had a Kodak v705 in those days!

5. My degree from Penn State is in Criminal Justice. Loved it. Never changed my major, and graduated with a 4.0 (in my major). Never worked a day in my field, but I did get the "BS", and a well-used, insulated beer mug. I say "JO-PA", You say "TER-NO".

6. BONUS (THIS IS THE MOO MOO PART). My husband and I renovated a 34-room antebellum home (old tobacco and retail money) in Lynchburg, Virginia, turning it into a B&B. We paid $78k for it; 4 years abandoned, cut into 13 apartments (illegally), boarded up, and overgrown. We hauled, scraped, painted, plastered, built, climbed, scrubbed, stripped, refinished, sewed, polished, cooked, shopped, mowed, trimmed, baked, ironed, folded, vacuumed, cried, dusted, smiled, and hugged, and somehow managed to survive for nearly 10 years. We homeschooled our boys (our daughter was an infant when we left Lynchburg), who helped us run the business. One can only afford to run a B&B for so long (at least the way we did it).

7. BONUS...(THIS IS THE YOW YOW PART)
I work full time for a corporation, commute 40 miles a day, still have three kids living at home (they're 22, 18, and 12 now), and I volunteer in the community. What the heck am I doing trying to launch a staging business at age 50?

I'm tagging Liliana Shirvanian, Lynn Chevalier (who needs to get a stinkin' PHOTO OF HERSELF on her page, but I'm just saying) and Nicci Parrish, all of whom are AWESOME!

- -
Jaynee Acevedo
Capital Style Staging
Kensington ~ Falls Church
301.404.4892

How bad can it be?

2007-07-26T00:39:40Z

Okay, my fellow AR'ers; whaz' up with those of you who use a symbol, graphic, or other "non photo" for marketing yourself on AR and elsewhere?

I mean, really....I'm 50, with gray hair, bags under my eyes, a nose that's always bothered me, and teeth that could probably use whitening, but I possess the......gaul? pride? nerve? chutspah? peloton? (its Tour de France season and my team's one of the few that hasn't been tossed for doping, so gimme a break, eh?) to post my own picture. In fact, I posted a picture one of my kids took of me on the way to the grocery store. How's that for guts?

So, I have to ask: for those of you who use crayon sketches, watercolors, company logos, pictures of your kids, pets, or alien symbols, how bad can it be? Are you missing body parts. Are you beautiful but weren't oft-enough told? Are you struggling to drop that pesky 10# and don't want the world to know? Dark roots? Crooked smile? Wayne Newton hair? Was your collar tucked the wrong way on one side? Had you lost one earring? Ketchup on your chin? Does your mouth do that scroochy thing when you smile like my mother's did?

Come on....dish! If it's THAT bad, you don't have to SHOW us, but, hey....we're friends. At least you can TELL us what's bothering you.

Cheers!

Jaynee

Am I the only one?

2007-07-26T00:26:45Z

who just "wonders" about my fellow AR'ers who use a symbol, graphic, or other "non photo" for marketing themselves on AR and elsewhere?

So, I have to ask: for those of you who use crayon sketches, watercolors, company logos, pictures of your kids, pets, or alien symbols, how bad can it be? Are you missing body parts. Are you beautiful but weren't oft-enough told? Are you struggling to drop that pesky 10# and don't want the world to know? Dark roots? Crooked smile? Wayne Newton hair? Was your collar tucked inside your neck on one side? Does your mouth do that scroochy thing when you smile like my mother's did?

Come on....dish! If it's THAT bad, you don't have to SHOW us, but, hey....we're friends. At least you can TELL us what's bothering you.

Cheers!

Jaynee

Concerns about Senior Staging and Downsizing.....HELP!

2007-07-24T15:24:26Z

As a designer for 26 years, and a stager for one, I've found myself drawn into the "Senior Market". I've helped move my grandmother(2 broken hips), mother (alzheimers), sister's mother in law (pic's), and now clients. I have had our elderly inlaws live with us for extended periods, and love them dearly. As a loving person dedicated to the service of others, I know this takes the artificial/surface profession of "Staging" to a meaningful level. Having a creative outlet that provides a needed service is the best of all worlds for me, yet I'm concerned about two things:

1. Moving the Senior (into eldercare or residential living) that is deeply connected to their home, who would rather not move or downsize, but are "required to" by grown children. Complicating this are rooms stuffed full of things they no longer need, but aren't yet ready to jettison.

2. Being sympathetic and patient with the trauma of the distruption without becoming too involved or overly emotional, right along with them.

It used to be so much easier <sigh>

Thoughts, Oh Wise Ones?

Cheers!

Jaynee

Caught Between the Generations...Help!

2007-07-24T07:25:26Z

As a designer for 26 years, and a stager for one, I've found myself drawn into the "Senior Market". I've helped move my grandmother, mother (alzheimers), sister's mother in law (pic's), and now clients. I am a loving person, and very dedicated to the service of others, yet I'm concerned about two things:

1. Moving the Senior that is deeply connected to their home, who would rather not move or downsize, but are "required to" by grown children. Complicating this are rooms stuffed full of things they no longer need, but aren't yet ready to jettison.

2. Being sympathetic and patient with the trauma of the distruption without becoming too involved or overly emotional, right along with them.

Thoughts, Oh Wise Ones?

Cheers!

Jaynee

Are Staging consultation costs tax deductible as a marketing expense?

2007-07-24T07:09:44Z

Hey all you busy Realtors!

I recently blogged to the Staging community on this topic (http://activerain.com/blogsview/154476/Tax-Deductible-Staging), and the answers aren't clear. I was referred to IRS Tax form 523, which considers advertising expenses deductible (Worksheet 2) but I still have questions.

Do Realtors consider Staging consultation fees deductible? Costs of rental furnishings and accessories? Does this depend on your state? Capital Gains? The sellers tax situation? Costs of other repairs?

Any insight is appreciated!

Cheers!

Jaynee

Tax Deductible Staging?

2007-07-23T18:21:47Z

While I've been "doing this" for years, I've only recently become an Accredited Staging Professional through Staged Homes. So this old design dog knows her way around any spatial, color, or design challenge; with one eye duct-taped shut and a broken arm, but is just learning the ins and outs of the paperwork.

I've heard that Home Staging services are tax deductible as part of your costs of preparing a home for sale. Is this true? Is it a national standard, or something regulated variably at the state level; something crucial to doing business in the DC area.

Which expert can weigh in on this topic? Thanks in advance for what you can do.....

Cheers!

Jaynee