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How Staging took me to "Higher" ground!

By Valerie Sagheddu

Home Stager with Apostle Art Home Staging & Design

June 02, 2011 04:15 AM

Staging takes you places!

I love the fact that being a professional Home Stager has allowed me to travel all over my region to places I didn't even know existed... all right in my own backyard!

Over the Pocono Mountains, through the valleys, down private roads, behind gated communities...the spaces, places and properties I have seen and transformed over the past 5 years have been truly incredible.

My most recent staging though, took me somewhere I would have never imagined...a space where something magnificent took place...

...A place where Heaven met Earth in the most beautiful way.

This special place was not a million dollar mansion with magestical views but rather the humble gymnasium of my kid's Catholic school. Not pretty, not new, nothing fancy...but this staging of a different kind has been one of my most rewarding for sure.

A very special young man who has graced our school for the past year with his service was ordained over the weekend and choose to have his first Mass at our school which is quite an honor...the kids absolutely adore him!! Sooooo....operation transform the gym into a church was in effect. It was simple but served as a great backdrop for an incredible event which I feel incredibly honored to have been a part of.

Not something you experience every day...Take a minute and watch the video I put together of the Ordination at the Cathedral and then his First Mass. There are some really beautiful images....

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Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Valerie- how beautiful and what an honor for you. Thank you for letting us be a part of it.

Jun 02, 2011 06:05 AM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Maureen~ Wow...one never knows what life brings. I am sure he has made an amazing offering of his life and ministry through his prayers and sufferings over the years. Priest are called in so many ways to serve. Please tell your brother I thank him for his gift of service too!!

Kathy~ A true pleasure. I am glad to share it...I just sent "Father" the video so I can't wait to hear his reaction because while they had a photographer and videographer at the Ordination, they did not at the first mass and I was happy I was able to capture some pretty amazing shots for him and his family to look back on.

Jun 02, 2011 06:23 AM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Valerie -- My goodness, I just watched the video through to the end (I was interrupted before by a phone call) and cannot believe how much Fr Gregg resembles my brother, Kevin. They look like brothers. What an amazing coincidence! You did a wonderful job with the video and I'm sure he'll treasure it for many years.

Jun 02, 2011 06:45 AM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Thank You Maureen...can you believe this is my first attempt at using movie maker and posting to You Tube!! It took me like 5 hours! Maybe you could show this to Kevin and he can "adopt" Fr. Gregg as his soul brother! :)

Jun 02, 2011 06:57 AM

Ellen Caruso

Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty - Glen Head, NY

Valerie, wonderful job full of Gods Blessings. My cousin that lives in Penn. was recently ordained a deacon, and I know how special this event must have been.

Jun 02, 2011 09:45 AM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

David~ Why Thank You my "chilly" friend. There are still bleachers hiding back there behind yard upon yard of muslin!!

Ellen~ Up and about I see...take it easy girl. I am glad you stopped by though. Actually, in the part of the video clip where they are doing the "fraternal kiss" or hug as it were. The young man, Jeff, standing with his back to the croud was being ordained a Deacon too. He is also a great guy. They had an overnight bonfire at the school a few years ago for the kids and mine will always remember playing "manhunt" with Deacon Jeff in the school. These young men have been a great influence on all the kids as they can see that these "Priest" are people just like them...very young, likeable and cool...yet with an exceptional calling!

Jun 02, 2011 10:09 AM

Joni Bailey

101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX

Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

You did a lovely job!! I love the song that you selected for the video... So pretty!

Jun 02, 2011 10:15 AM

Ellen Caruso

Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty - Glen Head, NY

Valerie, and I hear we are getting a YOUNG Priest in our church this month, and even more exciting, he was born and raised on Long Island. Glad to see youth keeping the Faith!

Jun 02, 2011 10:57 AM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Joni~ Thanks... "Be Thou my vision"...it was the opening hymn he choose for the Ordination. I was so glad to have found this version because it is very close to the sound of the choir that day...(I didn't record that.) If you listen to the words, they are so appropriate!

Ellen~ Awesome!!! Yes...they are the future!

Jun 02, 2011 11:44 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Valerie - That is an unusual staging job. Oh my, what a lot of fabric - it looks so beautiful. Loved the video, too. The white robes and the stained glass in the background looks so lovely.

Jun 02, 2011 03:38 PM

Karen Otto

Home Star Staging - Plano, TX

Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

Very cool Valerie! What an honor to be asked to do this and your transformation was just lovely!

Jun 03, 2011 01:51 AM

Michelle Molinari

FEATURE THIS... Real Estate Staging & Interior Decor - Lafayette, LA

Feature This Real, Estate Staging & Curb Appeal Concepts

Very moving, and what a fine job you did, Valerie!

Jun 03, 2011 05:06 AM

Julia Maher

Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT

Connecticut Home Stager

Well you were certainly inspired - love the use of the banners - especially the center one as a backdrop.

Jun 03, 2011 05:46 AM

Kristine Ginsberg

Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC - Short Hills, NJ

NJ Home Stager

Valerie - you did such an amazing job for such a worthy cause! Love the gold swagged material - very creative!

Jun 03, 2011 09:21 AM

Shelley Roufs

Simply Staged Homes - New Ulm, MN

Valerie - What a humble honor for you to be part of this life changing day for Father Gregg. It's a great photo of him holding the Eucaharist for the first time! We have an ordination at our Cathedral tomorrow too. Such a blessing these men are to our faith. What an awesome calling to bring God to the people and the people to God! Your video brought tears to my eyes. We've had Masses at my kids' school gym too but they never looked like this. It's beautiful!

Jun 03, 2011 01:34 PM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Sally~ Yes...a whole lot of fabric! You wouldn't even know the bleachers were back there! The robes were beautiful...everything was beautiful. I keep watching the video and getting teary eyed!!

Karen~ He called me a few months ago and asked if I would help...I had no idea how it would all turn out but it worked beautifully. He was very meticulous in his planning too and it was fun to collaborate with Him....yes, an honor!

Michelle~ Moving is an excellent word for the video. I have watched it like 20 times and I still cry!

Julia~ We "borrowed" The 2 side banners from the Church and the center one he actually picked out and ordered. That was all he was going to hang until I suggested the long gold rays coming from the center...they really helped pull it all together. I love the photo in the video of his arms streached out just like Christ's are in the center banner...so cool!!!

Kristine~ Thanks You...I was so happy to do it. The gold fabric made the whole thing! I love how it framed everything.

Jun 03, 2011 01:49 PM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Shelly~ Yea, at our school masses they usually just roll out a frame draped with white fabric to put behind the altar which works well but this was special. I am quite sure this was the first time we ever had a Priest's first Mass at our school and it just shows how awesome he is with the kids and how much they mean to him.

I spoke to Father Gregg today and he said..."You know what this did...it said.. "We are Church"... Whether we are in a cathedral, a school or a cave...WE are Church...the people are church!" "The way this event brought our whole school & community together, young and old was incredible!"

Love it!! :)

Jun 03, 2011 02:01 PM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

This brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful job you did transforming the gym and for such an important event. I'm sure it meant the world to him and his family. You should be very very proud girl!!

Jun 05, 2011 04:45 AM

Valerie Sagheddu

Apostle Art Home Staging & Design - Stroudsburg, PA

~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA

Sharon~ You too? I still cry when I watch it...so moving. I am proud and humble at the same time...is that possible...lol!!

Jun 05, 2011 01:35 PM

Joni Bailey

101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX

Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

I am just dropping by to say hello and to let you know that I am thinking if you! Blessings....

Sep 13, 2011 07:26 AM