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    <title>Feel at Home</title>
    <link>http://activerain.com/blogs/sandigerrard</link>
    <description>ReDesign &amp; Staging Tips</description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1298780/ladybugs-</guid>
      <title>ladybugs !</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;As you know, the ladybug is part of my logo. This beautiful little bug is also well recognized as a symbol of good luck. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When I looked out my patio door yesterday, I noticed there were hundreds of ladybugs perched upon it. I realize they're probably everywhere at this time of year, but I'm going to take this as a sign ... they were sent to tell me that my business will now flourish and grow. I certainly will have more time to devote to my own marketing efforts now that my term as President of the CRDA is up, and my future involvement will be much less than the past four years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I may even have time for blogging again !&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/5/3/2/5/ar12562554852355.gif&quot; height=&quot;97&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;129&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:53:15 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1298780/ladybugs-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1209026/winners-walk-of-hope</guid>
      <title>Winners Walk of Hope</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Please help me raise funds for Ovarian Cancer.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Join thousands of people across Canada supporting the &lt;strong&gt;Winners Walk of Hope&lt;/strong&gt;, a remarkable event designed to create a sense of community for women living with ovarian cancer and their family and friends. All funds raised through this event support Ovarian Cancer Canada's mission to&amp;nbsp;support women and their families touched by ovarian cancer, educate well women and healthcare professionals and to fund ovarian cancer research. For more information on Ovarian Cancer Canada's many programs, please visit &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ovariancanada.org&quot;&gt;www.ovariancanada.org&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can donate now - it's fast and easy!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&amp;nbsp; Secure online donations can be made with your credit card and an official charitable tax receipt will be sent to you by email within five minutes. Please click on the link below to make a difference: &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2307811&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2307811&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For more information about the &lt;strong&gt;Winners Walk of Hope&lt;/strong&gt;, or to join us on Sunday September 13, 2009, please visit www.winnerswalkofhope.ca. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thank you for your generous support!&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:02:09 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1209026/winners-walk-of-hope</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1185696/garbage-pickers-</guid>
      <title>Garbage Pickers !</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;About 7 years ago, while still living in Toronto, I came face to face with a 'possum perched on my garbage can one night.&amp;nbsp; We did live fairly close to a ravine area, where skunks and raccoons were common too.&amp;nbsp; Now it seems there is a surge of the creatures in the GTA - perhaps they moved in during the recent garbage collectors' strike !&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This article appeared in The Toronto Star today - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/677592&quot;&gt;http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/677592&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;opossum&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/5/6/ar12496526765616.jpg&quot; height=&quot;310&quot; alt=&quot;opossum&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; style=&quot;vertical-align: bottom;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:45:10 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1185696/garbage-pickers-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1185662/change-is-good-</guid>
      <title>Change is Good ...</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.canadianredesignersassociation.org/&quot; title=&quot;CRDA&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Canadian ReDesigners Association&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;(CRDA) developed a NEW LOGO over the past few months, as well as&amp;nbsp;launching a new website.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;I much prefer these colours to the old one (washed out mauve).&amp;nbsp; We chose red to represent a Canadian entity and also to reflect that much needed pop of colour for real estate staging; and the grey was chosen to reflect a good &quot;neutral&quot; colour.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;CRDA logo&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/2/0/1/2/ar12496509721021.jpg&quot; height=&quot;172&quot; alt=&quot;CRDA logo&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; style=&quot;vertical-align: bottom;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:17:40 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1185662/change-is-good-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1184455/gta-housing-market-is-hot</guid>
      <title>GTA Housing Market is HOT</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Our friends south of the border may find this hard to believe and hard to swallow if their real estate situation has not yet seen an upswing in sales.&amp;nbsp; But apparently the Toronto market is HOT, as some of my Realtor colleagues will agree.&amp;nbsp; This story appeared on the front page of&amp;nbsp;The Toronto Star today.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/article/677111&quot;&gt;http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/article/677111&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I still find it incredible that this type of home (small old semi-detached) can sell for so much.&amp;nbsp; I would rather pay the same amount or less for a waterfront property out of the city.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:43:14 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1184455/gta-housing-market-is-hot</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1184434/an-update-home-renovation-tax-credit-for-canadians</guid>
      <title>An Update - Home Renovation Tax Credit for Canadians</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I thought this might be of interest to homeowners already committed to renovation projects and hoping for a tax credit next year.&amp;nbsp; Apparently this program has not yet been passed into law, although the experts say it will likely happen.&amp;nbsp; Let's hope all goes as planned.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This article appeared on the CTV news website:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090806/tax_credit_090806/20090806?hub=TopStories&quot;&gt;http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090806/tax_credit_090806/20090806?hub=TopStories&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:34:23 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1184434/an-update-home-renovation-tax-credit-for-canadians</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1127763/summer-staging-tips</guid>
      <title>Summer Staging Tips</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Well summer has officially arrived and in the GTA it's been very HOT.&amp;nbsp; I'm not complaining ... this warm weather was long overdue and much anticipated.&amp;nbsp; But no matter what the conditions, you can always hear someone commenting on the weather.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When selling your home at this time of year, you want to ensure that the inside temperature is comfortable.&amp;nbsp; Not too frosty please !&amp;nbsp; Most people will be dressed for the heat and will simply shiver indoors, causing them not to linger.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many people keep the blinds down and draperies drawn in an attempt to keep out the heat.&amp;nbsp; However, when showing your home to potential buyers, this tactic will make the home feel dark, drab and dingy.&amp;nbsp; Let the sun shine in to brighten each room.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you have a woodburning fireplace, disguise the unused opening with a decorative screen or large plant so buyers aren't staring into a gaping, soot-filled hole.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We hope that all seasonal decor has been put away by this time - don't forget those holiday cushions and the fuzzy red throw.&amp;nbsp; Summerize your decor with crisp linen and fresh flowers.&amp;nbsp; Swap the dusty pinecones for shells or rocks.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Want to create that beach house feel in your home?&amp;nbsp; READ more tips &lt;a href=&quot;http://feel-at-home.blogspot.com/2008/06/style-of-summer.html&quot; title=&quot;HERE&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:05:17 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1127763/summer-staging-tips</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1085837/i-saw-something-today-that-made-me-smile-</guid>
      <title>I saw something today that made me smile ...</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;A home owner painting his garage doors.&amp;nbsp; Big deal, you say?&amp;nbsp; Ahhh, but you should see the crazy colors on this particular street.&amp;nbsp; Thankfully, he had chosen a beautiful blue / gray shade that complemented the brick tone perfectly.&amp;nbsp; Could he have had professional help?&amp;nbsp; I'm not sure but was glad to see a normal color among the lime green and sunshine yellow and yes ... even hot pink ... of the neighboring homes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When choosing a color for garage doors, people should look to the &quot;Heritage&quot; pallett or &quot;Traditional&quot; tones rather than buying what was on sale or left over from the baby's room.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Anyway, this has long been a pet peeve of mine.&amp;nbsp; So now I got it off my chest ... and it made me smile to see that someone had some common sense.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2009 20:24:53 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1085837/i-saw-something-today-that-made-me-smile-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1085833/skilled-trades-career-exploration</guid>
      <title>Skilled Trades Career Exploration</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I was invited to speak at the &lt;strong&gt;YWCA Niagara Region&lt;/strong&gt; on May 20th (along with several other dynamic women).&amp;nbsp; The event was a &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Skilled Trades Career Exploration Information / Inspiration Session&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp; Tricia Graves, Job Developer at the YWCA pulled together a fabulous event for women in transition - searching for a new career avenue.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;My fellow speakers included friend and colleague, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.housedressingredesign.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Sandra MacLennan&lt;/a&gt;; Laura Page of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.paintedblacketc.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Painted Black&lt;/a&gt;; Marissa McTasney of &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.moxietrades.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Moxie Trades&lt;/a&gt;; Nicole LeClair a Welder / Fitter; Mary Catherine Zwambag - a &quot;Do It Herself&quot; home renovator; Karen Hatcher of Kennedy Electric and Cabling; and Linda Just who specializes in General Carpentry.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While we don't generally think of redesign and staging as a &quot;skilled trade&quot; I do carry a hefty toolbox and know how to swing a hammer :)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here is &lt;em&gt;&quot;my story&quot;&lt;/em&gt; which was well received and hopefully helped to inspire someone.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;___________________&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A FRESH NEW START - FOR YOU AND EVERY ROOM YOU SEE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Do you have the passion for a career in redesign?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I was tired of the same old routine ... tired of the commute ... and the long hours, and the unrewarding job.&amp;nbsp; I was longing for something different.&amp;nbsp; Something for me.&amp;nbsp; And then it happened &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;(in retrospect the best thing that ever happened !!)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; ... I was &quot;downsized&quot; from my job.&amp;nbsp; The timing was perfect to start fresh.&amp;nbsp; Does this sound familiar?&amp;nbsp; Has this happened to YOU?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I'd always been good at making do with what I had and was frequently re-arranging the rooms in my home.&amp;nbsp; Friends and family marvelled at the results.&amp;nbsp; And then I learned ... there is a name for this affliction ... REDESIGN.&amp;nbsp; And the best part was ... I didn't need to go back to school for 2 or 3 years to get a diploma.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It was then I learned of Val Sharp and the Canadian ReDesigners Association.&amp;nbsp; Val is the Founder and past president of CRDA.&amp;nbsp; She taught a 5 day course and would be doing so in Toronto that June (this was back in the spring of 2004).&amp;nbsp; I was so excited I called her up immediately to register.&amp;nbsp; It just felt right.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When I think back to my childhood passions - I wasn't one to play with dolls and tea sets.&amp;nbsp; I got my kicks from playing with lego - building little houses and roadways in the sandbox.&amp;nbsp; I'd spend hours and hours drawing floor plans complete with furniture and tiny details - colouring it all in neatly with my pencil crayons until my fingers were sore.&amp;nbsp; I'd be &quot;staging&quot; my bookshelves, arranging accessories ... and could tell in an instant if something had been moved from its &quot;proper place&quot;.&amp;nbsp; I'd re-arrange my bedroom often.&amp;nbsp; In fact, I think it is an inherited trait.&amp;nbsp; My mom used to move the furniture around on a regular basis - and at the age of 82 she still does !!&amp;nbsp; My dad had a different idea though - he started crafting built-in dressers, bed frames, bookshelves and window seats ... essentially nailing everything down !&amp;nbsp; Guess he got tired of walking into furniture that ended up in new and different locations.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;But using what you have in a different way can greatly improve, enhance and transform a room.&amp;nbsp; This type of service is becoming increasingly popular because people don't want to spend a lot of money on new purchases - they generally like what they have.&amp;nbsp; But their challenge lies in not being objective about their space or their possessions.&amp;nbsp; If you can create a functional AND beautiful room while incorporating a homeowner's quirky collections and eclectic possessions, this is the right path for you.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;My background in marketing helped me promote my business effectively.&amp;nbsp; I still have long hours most days but truly enjoy what I do.&amp;nbsp; Seems like I traded 9 to 5 for 24 / 7 but it suits me fine and I'm very proud of all my small successes along the way.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2009 20:18:46 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1085833/skilled-trades-career-exploration</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1075682/mosquitos-rain-it-must-be-a-long-weekend-</guid>
      <title>Mosquitos &amp; Rain ... it must be a long weekend !</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Well, the &lt;a href=&quot;http://gocanada.about.com/od/eventsandfestivals/a/victoria_day.htm&quot; title=&quot;Victoria Day&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Victoria Day&lt;/a&gt; long weekend is finally upon us.&amp;nbsp; But as usual here in Canada, the weather refuses to cooperate.&amp;nbsp; Like snow in April ... this is something we really should be used to by now.&amp;nbsp; I've noticed a bit of a trend the past few weeks ... sunny and warm mid-week, and back down to cooler temperatures, gusting wind and rain on the weekends.&amp;nbsp; We even had HAIL on May 9th !!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;But I, the eternal optomist, will pack my sunscreen, shorts and flip flops for the weekend up north.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Whatever you choose to do, have a safe &amp;amp; enjoyable time !&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 07:47:19 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1075682/mosquitos-rain-it-must-be-a-long-weekend-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1072408/hgtv-myths-and-the-realities-of-staging-your-home</guid>
      <title>HGTV Myths and the Realities of Staging Your Home</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is so true.&amp;nbsp; Many people who watch the staging shows on HGTV have been greatly misled and have come to fear &quot;the stager&quot; (see point 6).&amp;nbsp; But REALLY ... we are NOT ALL LIKE THAT&amp;nbsp; :)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;reblogging_tag&quot;&gt;Via &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://activerain.com/blogsview/1070506/hgtv-myths-and-the-realities-of-staging-your-home&quot;&gt;Ginger Foust-Home Stager Oakhurst CA Dream Interior Redesign &amp; Staging Calif (Dream Interior Redesign &amp; Staging Oakhurst CA)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;:&lt;br/&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you haven't watched HGTV's many programs regarding real estate home staging you should.&amp;nbsp; These programs include: Get It Sold, The Unsellables, The Stagers, Designed to Sell and many more.&amp;nbsp; Visit the HGTV website for additional information.&amp;nbsp; All of these programs will help you prepare your home for the real estate marketplace.&amp;nbsp; All of the professions on these programs have tips to share with you about preparing your home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are however some myths that have been perpetuated with these television programs.&amp;nbsp; We have to remember that the producers of these shows sometimes feel the need to exaggerate certain aspects of their shows and they often ignore critical costs of Home Staging.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here are some HGTV myths regarding Real Estate Home Staging:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;1)&amp;nbsp;You can purchase a house full of new furnishings for relatively little money.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2)&amp;nbsp;A finish carpenter can come into your home to build an entire entertainment unit for only the cost of&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; the materials.&amp;nbsp; The carpenter's time has no value and they will do it at no cost.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;3)&amp;nbsp;Renting furniture is inexpensive.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;4)&amp;nbsp;Renovating a kitchen or bathroom is inexpensive because the contractor and laborers are free.&amp;nbsp; You&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; only have to pay for the materials.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;bathroom before Dream Interior Redesign and Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/0/1/9/1/ar1241988619104.JPG&quot; height=&quot;223&quot; alt=&quot;before photo by Dream Interior Redesign and Home Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; width=&quot;270&quot; style=&quot;margin: 8px; float: right; border: black 2px solid;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;kitchen before Dream Interior Redesign and Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/8/8/4/6/ar124198850364881.JPG&quot; height=&quot;221&quot; alt=&quot;before photo by Dream Interior Redesign and Home Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; width=&quot;290&quot; style=&quot;margin: 8px; float: left; border: black 2px solid;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;5) Real Estate Home Staging Professionals will work for free. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;6)&amp;nbsp;Professional Home Stagers are mean and they will denigrate you and your home in the initial walk- through.&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;7)&amp;nbsp;Professional Home Stagers want you to buy all new items before they will stage your home because they cannot work with what you own.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;8)&amp;nbsp;Professional Home Staging always costs at least $2000.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here are some of the realities involved with Real Estate Home Staging:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;1)&amp;nbsp;Professional Home Stagers ARE bargain hunters.&amp;nbsp; They can tell you where to show to find the bargains and many will shop for you...but not for free.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2)&amp;nbsp;Professional Home Stagers can refer you to carpenters and other trades people that can help you accomplish any phase of the home staging process.&amp;nbsp; The trade's people establish their own price to accomplish a job.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;3) Furniture rental company's fees can be expensive.&amp;nbsp; A few companies that specialize in Home Staging have established fees that are more reasonable.&amp;nbsp; Be aware that there&amp;nbsp;may be a 3 month minimum rental contract.&amp;nbsp; Many Home Stagers carry their own inventory of artwork and accessories and sometimes even furniture to help offset these costs.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;4)&amp;nbsp;Updated kitchens and baths are very important to the home selling process however&amp;nbsp;the costs for renovating these rooms can be substantial.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Do-it-yourself sellers have an advantage but they must be&amp;nbsp;careful to&amp;nbsp;spend their dollars wisely.&amp;nbsp; Professional home stagers can help sellers understand where best to spend their renovation dollars before the process begins.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;after kitchen by Dream Interior Redesign and Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/2/3/7/3/ar124198878737329.JPG&quot; height=&quot;236&quot; alt=&quot;after kitchen by Dream Interior Redesign and Home Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; width=&quot;290&quot; style=&quot;margin: 8px; float: left; border: black 2px solid;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;after bath by Dream Interior Redesign and Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/0/5/2/1/ar124198905212507.JPG&quot; height=&quot;238&quot; alt=&quot;after bath by Dream Interior Redesign and Home Staging Kailua Kona Hawaii&quot; width=&quot;274&quot; style=&quot;margin: 8px; float: right; border: black 2px solid;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;5)&amp;nbsp;Professional Home Stagers do not work for free.&amp;nbsp;They do not&amp;nbsp;have&amp;nbsp;television sponsors and producers to pick up the cost for their&amp;nbsp;services.&amp;nbsp; As business owners there's substantial&amp;nbsp;overhead and costs to cover.&amp;nbsp; Professional Home Stagers have a business license, insurance, association memberships, storage rentals and &lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;much more.&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Professional Home Staging fees&amp;nbsp;vary according to location.&amp;nbsp; When hiring a professional home stager ask them to show you their portfolio of locally staged homes and also ask for local references.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;6) A Professional Home Stager should be truthful and honest about what needs to be done to a house to prepare it for the resale or new sale market.&amp;nbsp; Professionals&amp;nbsp;know that&amp;nbsp;selling a home can be a difficult and emotional&amp;nbsp;experience and they know how to be gentle with their recommendations.&amp;nbsp;The goal is to help the&amp;nbsp;owners SELL, not to demean them about their home or living conditions.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;7)&amp;nbsp;Most Professional&amp;nbsp;Home Stagers work with occupied homes.&amp;nbsp; They understand that they must work with the furnishings, artwork and accessories that are already in the home.&amp;nbsp; Often they will ask the seller's permission to move furnishings, put some in storage and hunt through the home for items to help with the staging process.&amp;nbsp; If the budget allows they will suggest ways to get the most bang-for-your-buck when making purchases of artwork, accessories furnishings and updating projects.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;8) The cost for Home Staging varies greatly depending upon the home location, the size of the home and the needs of the project.&amp;nbsp; DO NOT assume what it might cost.&amp;nbsp; &lt;strong&gt;Call a &lt;a href=&quot;http://Real Estate Staging Association&quot; title=&quot;RESA&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;&gt;Real Estate Home Staging Professional.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dreamredesigns.com&quot; title=&quot;Home Staging&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;&gt;Dream Interior Redesign and Staging&lt;/a&gt; services the foothill and mountain communities out of Fresno and Madera, California.&amp;nbsp; Call TODAY to discover how Professional Home Staging can help you sell your house.&amp;nbsp; 559-877-2442&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2009 06:42:15 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1072408/hgtv-myths-and-the-realities-of-staging-your-home</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1058008/redesign-as-seen-on-oprah-</guid>
      <title>REDESIGN as seen on Oprah !</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Some love her, some don't. &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;But whatever Oprah talks about creates a BUZZ&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you missed the show on April 27th, click &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20090415-tows-nate-berkus-swap-meet/3&quot;&gt;HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This episode featured the lovable designer, &lt;strong&gt;Nate Berkus&lt;/strong&gt;, and his challenge to &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;REDESIGN&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; the homes of several families &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;USING ONLY WHAT THEY HAD!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; Now, those of us in this particular design niche already know that it IS possible to make a significant and sometimes dramatic change on a limited budget.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So thank you, Oprah and Nate for bringing REDESIGN front and centre.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2009 10:18:12 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1058008/redesign-as-seen-on-oprah-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1045235/canada-s-best-green-spots</guid>
      <title>Canada's Best Green Spots</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I found this on the MSN homepage today and especially wanted to share it with my American colleagues.&amp;nbsp; Now ya'll know we really don't live in igloos surrounded by ice and snow&amp;nbsp; :)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Seriously though,&amp;nbsp;these photos are breathtaking.&amp;nbsp; Come stimulate our economy and visit this summer.&amp;nbsp; Or at least do the &quot;virtual tour&quot; HERE ...&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/spacesandplaces/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=998253&amp;amp;imageindex=1&quot;&gt;http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/spacesandplaces/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=998253&amp;amp;imageindex=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:11:32 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1045235/canada-s-best-green-spots</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1045209/happy-earth-day-</guid>
      <title>HAPPY EARTH DAY !</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;It's been 40 years since &quot;Earth Day&quot; was officially marked and recognized, but it seems that economic difficulties get in the way of greening the planet. What saddens me most is the littering of our beautiful countryside, specifically those darn coffee cups! But that's another RANT for another day.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Let's do something positive to celebrate our surroundings on this EARTH DAY. Certainly the rain will make the grass GREEN :)&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:45:46 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1045209/happy-earth-day-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1014682/another-city-a-home-stager-and-a-camera-</guid>
      <title>Another City, a Home Stager and a Camera...</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I'm re-blogging this simply because I love the stunning architectural details (courtesy of Jackson West).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div id=&quot;reblogging_tag&quot;&gt;Via &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://vancouverhomestaging.activerain.com/post/1013991/Another-City-a-Home-Stager-and-a-Camera&quot;&gt;Jackson  West (Reveal Estate Home Staging - Vancouver)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;:&lt;br/&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;big&gt;&lt;big&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;I
never knew how enjoyable photography could be until I started &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.revealestate.ca/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 96, 0);&quot;&gt;my
home staging company&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;.
Admittedly I am not the best photographer but I do have an eye for
detail, and &quot;shooting&quot; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.revealestate.ca/portfolio.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 96, 0);&quot;&gt;interiors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt; for the last 3 years has
helped me learn some camera skills. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;
&lt;br style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;During a recent
business trip to &lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(153, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;Toronto&lt;/span&gt;
I became enamored with the &lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(153, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;abundance
of historical buildings&lt;/span&gt; juxtaposed against the soaring,
modern skyline. Talk about curb appeal! I didn't have much time away
from work however I did manage to take more than 300 &lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(153, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;architectural photos&lt;/span&gt;
(mostly drive by). &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;
&lt;br style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;These are some of my
favorites. I hope you enjoy them. My apologies if they require an extra
minute to load but I think it will be worth the wait!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/big&gt;&lt;/big&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;big&gt;&lt;big&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW13.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 481px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW11.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 828px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW4.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 969px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW3.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 478px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW8.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 611px; height: 1023px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW12.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 828px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW5.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 512px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW6.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 477px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW1.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 828px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW10.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 828px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW2.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 478px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW9.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 491px; height: 848px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW7.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 668px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/TorontoJW14.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Photography by Jackson West&quot; style=&quot;width: 628px; height: 828px;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/big&gt;&lt;/big&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.revealestate.ca/index.html&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/BlogHeader2.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Reveal Estate Website&quot; style=&quot;border: 2px solid ; width: 742px; height: 105px;&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;big&gt;&lt;big&gt;Jackson West is the lead designer for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.revealestate.ca/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; style=&quot;color: rgb(153, 0, 0);&quot;&gt;Reveal
Estate Home Staging&lt;/a&gt; in Vancouver, BC. When he is not busy
staging properties, teaching or filming he can be found out and about
with his trusty Kodak in hand.&lt;br&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/big&gt;&lt;/big&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://twitter.com/JacksonLaneWest&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t4/revealestate/Twitter.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Follow me on twitter&quot; style=&quot;border: 0px solid ; width: 150px; height: 150px;&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;big&gt;&lt;big&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/big&gt;&lt;/big&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;




&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:24:26 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1014682/another-city-a-home-stager-and-a-camera-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1012885/-interior-plantscaping-</guid>
      <title>&quot;Interior Plantscaping&quot;</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&quot;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Plantscaping&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&quot; ... an interesting term not often heard, but used to describe the services of &lt;strong&gt;AikoSpring Floral Decoration&lt;/strong&gt;, based in West GTA (Ontario, Canada).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We saw some of their product on display at the International Home &amp;amp; Garden Show last month and I must say I was impressed with the look and the price.&amp;nbsp; For a unique product creatively crafted, have a look at their website - &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aikospring.com/index.jsp&quot;&gt;http://www.aikospring.com/index.jsp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Their tag line is &quot;floral art that will lift your spirit&quot;.&amp;nbsp; That alone has a nice feel to it ...&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:56:24 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1012885/-interior-plantscaping-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1012872/an-alternative-to-the-giant-dumpster</guid>
      <title>An Alternative to the Giant Dumpster</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Here's a new (new to me, anyway) company in town for junk disposal options - &lt;a href=&quot;http://uboxit.com/index.php&quot;&gt;http://uboxit.com/index.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;They are based in Concord ON, but appear to have franchises throughout North America.&amp;nbsp; I see this as a good alternative to the big ol' dumpster that often times is just too big for those &quot;cleaning house&quot; projects prior to staging / moving.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If anyone has used the service, please let me know how it worked out.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:45:05 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1012872/an-alternative-to-the-giant-dumpster</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/995374/once-upon-a-time-i-was-green</guid>
      <title>Once upon a time ... I was GREEN</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Going &lt;strong&gt;GREEN&lt;/strong&gt; is very popular these days, with everyone having a different spin on it.&amp;nbsp; Interestingly enough, when I started my business in 2004 I was very &lt;strong&gt;GREEN&lt;/strong&gt; (and I don't just mean &quot;new at it&quot;).&amp;nbsp; My website, business cards, brochures and promo cards were a lovely shade of sage &lt;strong&gt;GREEN&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp; When I look back at it now ... ugh !!&amp;nbsp; It just doesn't appeal to me anymore.&amp;nbsp; Funny how our color preferences change over time.&amp;nbsp; But of course, my &lt;strong&gt;GREEN&lt;/strong&gt; hue was very timely in that &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;REDESIGN is the ultimate recycling concept for home decor ... we simply re-use what you already have.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;RE-USE&lt;img title=&quot;recycling arrows&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/2/3/9/5/5/ar123766682355932.jpg&quot; height=&quot;118&quot; alt=&quot;recycling arrows&quot; width=&quot;118&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;REFRESH&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;RENEW&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;REJUVENATE&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;REDESIGN ... they all amount to RECYCLING&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;staging brochure&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/0/1/1/9/ar123766725891106.jpg&quot; height=&quot;635&quot; alt=&quot;staging brochure&quot; width=&quot;450&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:28:21 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/995374/once-upon-a-time-i-was-green</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/995345/asbestos-cancer-information</guid>
      <title>Asbestos &amp; Cancer information</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I was recently approached by Jesse Herman of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asbestos.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Mesothelioma Cancer Center&lt;/a&gt; in Orlando, FL to see if I was interested in sharing this important information with you.&amp;nbsp; This seems to be an issue which still arises from time to time, but is more often kept quiet.&amp;nbsp; We still need to educate ourselves as home owners and home buyers, as to the dangers of asbestos exposure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This is the full text of the article written by Joe Lederman, one of MCC's editors.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;____________&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;People of Canada are familiar with problems associated with asbestos. Highly touted for its fire, heat and versatile qualities, asbestos was used in construction applications throughout the 20&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; century. Health hazards releated to asbestos have affected millions worldwide.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Homes and buildings could still contain asbestos materials if they were built prior to 1980. &amp;nbsp;Due to the widespread use of asbestos, it is essential for those involved in real estate to take the proper measures in inspecting and removing the harmful product. If you are a potential homeowner or are seeking to remodel an older home, exposure can cause many health concerns for you and your family.&amp;nbsp; Citizens should be aware that exposure to asbestos can cause serious health concerns.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Asbestos exposure can cause a debilitating lung ailment known as &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asbestos.com/&quot;&gt;mesothelioma&lt;/a&gt;. This asbestos-related illness is one of the hardest for physicians to diagnose for a variety of reasons. The disease typically has a latency period lasting anywhere from 20 to 50 years when it has already reached its later stage of development. Its symptoms also resemble many of other less serious conditions. The amount of asbestos-related incidents throughout the world has resulted in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma-lawyer/&quot;&gt;mesothelioma lawyer&lt;/a&gt; firms advocating and protecting victim's individual rights. Many are unaware to the wrongdoings done in the contraction of diseases associated with asbestos.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The French speaking Canadian province, Quebec, is the main producer of asbestos in the country and has countered attempts at blacklisting the substance. The asbestos industry has conducted false research and propaganda in continuing the exportation of the product. Asbestos was used hundreds of thousands of products throughout the world. With the consistent growth in technology and public awareness, there are currently a number of products which replace the need for asbestos.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Residents should not disturb any suspected asbestos themselves as this makes its fibers airborne. The inspection and removal of toxic substances must be performed by licensed abatement contractors who are trained in handling dangerous materials. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/environ/asbestos-amiante-eng.php&quot;&gt;Health Canada Organization&lt;/a&gt; offers assistance and information in the prevention, disposal and removal of asbestos. They are federally responsible for helping citizens maintain and improve health at home and the work place.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Once you are asbestos free, green alternatives should be seriously considered such as cellulose, cotton Fiber and lcynene. In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Program states that the use of recycled building materials can reduce energy costs from 25 to 35 percent annually. These eco-friendly alternatives allow for a clean, healthy home, free of health damaging materials.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:53:41 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/995345/asbestos-cancer-information</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/995333/international-home-garden-show</guid>
      <title>International Home &amp; Garden Show</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I attended the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://home-show.net/homeandgardenshow/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;International Home &amp;amp; Garden Show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; in Mississauga yesterday, with my favorite redesign buddy (&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.housedressingredesign.com/Profile/tabid/292/Default.aspx&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Sandra MacLennan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;).&amp;nbsp; There was lots to see of course and we walked for miles (just from our parking spots !!).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I finally got myself a pair of pink workboots from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.moxietrades.com/&quot; title=&quot;Moxie Trades&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moxie Trades&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (thanks for the excellent discount Marissa - good to see you again).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We had a chance to chat with a real handy gal, my friend &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ihavetotalconfidence.ca/index.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;task=view&amp;amp;id=12&amp;amp;Itemid=41&quot; title=&quot;Yvonne Williams&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yvonne Williams&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thestar.blogs.com/onthehouse/2009/03/international-home-show-.html&quot; title=&quot;Vicky Sanderson&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vicky Sanderson&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; spoke at the &quot;Superhouse Reno &amp;amp; Design&quot; stage and told us all about the latest kitchen gadgets.&amp;nbsp; If you don't already know Vicky, she also writes a column in the &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Toronto Star&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I almost bought a cowhide rug, but luckily Sandra talked me out of it.&amp;nbsp; &quot;But they were half price ...&quot; I wailed pathetically.&amp;nbsp; She was less successful talking me out of the funky lounge chair for my deck.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Overall, it was a great day ...&amp;nbsp;except for the $4.00 lemonade !&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:38:59 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/995333/international-home-garden-show</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/989679/featured-in-house-keys-</guid>
      <title>Featured in &quot;House Keys&quot;</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I'm proud to say that my blog article &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When a House becomes a Home&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&quot; was featured in the March 16, 2009 issue of the &lt;strong&gt;casaGURU&lt;/strong&gt; newsletter &quot;House Keys&quot;.&amp;nbsp; If you didn't see my blog entry, you can view the article on the &lt;strong&gt;casaGURU&lt;/strong&gt; website -&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.casaguru.com/a/-/j/74624/When-a-House-Becomes-a-Home&quot;&gt;http://www.casaguru.com/a/-/j/74624/When-a-House-Becomes-a-Home&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Another article (with video clip) on the &quot;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;One Day Makeover&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&quot; can be seen here -&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.casaguru.com/a/-/j/27699/Interior-ReDesigners&quot;&gt;http://www.casaguru.com/a/-/j/27699/Interior-ReDesigners&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:48:56 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/989679/featured-in-house-keys-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/980276/something-different-</guid>
      <title>Something Different ...</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Patio season is almost here (now that's wishful thinking, isn't it?).&amp;nbsp; So if it's time to replace your old outdoor furniture these are worth considering.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Space saving, modular pieces that fit and stack together for storage.&amp;nbsp; They are constructed from woven polyethylene resin on an aluminum frame, with UV coated fabric.&amp;nbsp; What a cool idea !&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Available from &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.homeinfaturation.com&quot;&gt;www.homeinfatuation.com&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(Apologies for not showing the direct link to this particular product, but will do so as soon as I locate it.)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As seen in the March 2009 issue of HOMES magazine (page 114)&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:35:41 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/980276/something-different-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/980195/it-s-time-to-come-home-accessories</guid>
      <title>It's Time To Come Home ~ Accessories</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Another great post in Kathy's Blog series ...&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;reblogging_tag&quot;&gt;Via &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://listaginganddecorating.com/post/979383/Its-Time-To-Come-Home-Accessories&quot;&gt;Kathy Passarette, L.I. Staging/Decorating (Creative Home Expressions)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;:&lt;br/&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;clock&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/4/8/5/5/ar12368642755847.jpg&quot; height=&quot;240&quot; alt=&quot;clock&quot; width=&quot;240&quot; /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Home d&amp;eacute;cor accessories run the gamut from mirrors in an entry to those cute little knick-knacks on side tables.&amp;nbsp; &lt;strong&gt;The problem with accessories comes in when it seems more is more, rather than less is more&lt;/strong&gt;, and you can't enjoy the pieces for themselves because there is just too much stuff.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As a tip, &lt;strong&gt;when adding an accessory&lt;/strong&gt; to a room that is already accessorized, &lt;strong&gt;remove one other item&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp; You don't have to get rid of it, but store it and bring it out in six months or a year for a fresh look, or find a new home for it in another room (but remember, if you do that, you should remove one item from &lt;strong&gt;that&lt;/strong&gt; room).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;topiary&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/0/7/9/8/ar123686423389703.jpg&quot; height=&quot;240&quot; alt=&quot;topiary&quot; width=&quot;240&quot; /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Some items that fall into the accessory category are:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Florals/Greenery&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Mirrors&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Art&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Pillows&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Throws&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Vases&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Statues/figurines&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Picture frames&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Books&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Decorative bowls&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Decorative plates&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Small footstools&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Candy dishes&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Clocks&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Trays&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Plaques&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Accessories should work with the d&amp;eacute;cor that you already have going on in the room.&amp;nbsp; They also allow us to &lt;strong&gt;express our personality&lt;/strong&gt; in a room that is basically a box with furniture in it.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Accessories tend to look better visually when grouped in odd numbers; usually threes.&amp;nbsp; However, if you decorate in a traditional sense, and prefer things to be symmetrical, you will be more apt to prefer, for example, a pair of candlesticks at each end of a mantel rather than three grouped together at one end.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;vases&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/4/6/1/0/ar123686413801643.jpg&quot; height=&quot;211&quot; alt=&quot;vases&quot; width=&quot;230&quot; /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Photo courtesy of World Market&lt;/em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Accessories can also be used to &lt;strong&gt;tie in the colors or patterns used in other rooms in your home&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp; For instance, if you use red towels in your kitchen you can transfer that red to pillows in your living room, a throw in the family room and cushions in your dining room.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;pillows&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/6/4/8/7/ar123686418378464.jpg&quot; height=&quot;240&quot; alt=&quot;pillows&quot; width=&quot;240&quot; /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs&lt;/em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, the accessories you choose to use in your home &lt;strong&gt;should&lt;/strong&gt; reflect you and your family.&amp;nbsp; Items that have meaning to you, that you love, that bring back a memory are some of the things that make &lt;strong&gt;your home a home&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Copyright 2009 Kathy Passarette, Creative Home Expressions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Kathy Passarette and Creative Home Expressions are based on Long Island, New York, and offer interior decorating, home staging, interior redesign and more.&amp;nbsp; Please visit our website at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.creativehomeexpressions.com/&quot;&gt;www.creativehomeexpressions.com&lt;/a&gt; for more information on our services and fees. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:05:03 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/980195/it-s-time-to-come-home-accessories</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/974927/skinny-books</guid>
      <title>Skinny Books</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I've recently had an opportunity to preview a book in a new series called &lt;strong&gt;&quot;The Skinny On&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;em&gt;The Housing Crisis - What Every Homeowner and Homebuyer NEEDS TO KNOW, &lt;/em&gt;by Jim Randel (Rand Media Co).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It's a no-nonsense, easily read book on what caused the nation's housing crisis and what needs to be done to get out of it.&amp;nbsp; The style of the book is specifically designed for what Rand Media calls &quot;staccato learners&quot;.&amp;nbsp; It is 150 pages of illustrations aimed at educating time starved individuals.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information, you can visit:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.theskinnymedia.com&quot;&gt;www.theskinnymedia.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.JimRandel.com&quot;&gt;www.JimRandel.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:58:52 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/974927/skinny-books</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/974906/the-place-with-no-name</guid>
      <title>The Place with no Name</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;How would it feel to live in a neighborhood without a name?&amp;nbsp; One Toronto area resident has had to do just that since the Junction Triangle fell by the wayside.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Reading this article (Toronto Star, March 8 2009) made me realize just how many different neighborhoods exist within the GTA.&amp;nbsp; Some I had not even heard of ... and I grew up in Toronto, and lived there until recently.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;An interesting read ...&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/598502&quot;&gt;http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/598502&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Sandi  Gerrard, CRSS (Feel at Home * redesign * staging * training)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:43:32 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/974906/the-place-with-no-name</link>
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