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SEhomes of Texas opened their Fall Home Show today, and the response from retailers and landlease community owners has been fantastic. Five Lifestylist® Designed homes are being featured, each with it's own theme. The Opening Day party had a hunting theme, and guests had a wonderful time playing washers and feasting on barbeque that was cooked in a smoker resembling a gun.
These well designed homes have the features consumers are looking for including master baths with separate showers, large gourmet kitchens, split master suite plans and one home even has a media room with a refreshment area.

To get more information on the homes, contact Sales Manager Ryan Blackburn at: ryan.blackburn@sehomes.com

One sure sign that summer is almost over is the sales of colorful, outdoor inspired items at the stores. A lot of the department stores start clearing this merchandise our right after the 4th of July to make room for school items, but the home decor stores tend to wait until Labor Day weekend.
One of our Lifestylist® inspired blogs is Dollar Store Decors - items that cost less than a latte. I was out shopping for the 5 new model homes we have to install mid-September, and I was amazed how many cool things that fit this criteria that were giveaway deals, and I also found some great items that I'm going to use to display my "pick-ups" from my summer travels.
World Market was full of treasures today -up to 90% off! I found this great chair and two others that were marked down to $9.95 - 90% off. They had two great outdoor dining tables that were at the same savings, but I tend to collect tables and I know I didn't have room for them. But the chairs had such great style, I know I'll be able to re-purpose them in a living room, or use them as seating in a guest room. I'm tempted to paint them with a metallic paint or possibly a turquoise color, have cushions made and really make them special - at under $10.00 I don't have much to lose.
The painted table was a find at Hobby Lobby where I was able to find two matching ones at 80% off. I loved the colors and character they had, and I'm thinking about stacking them and using them as a display piece. What do you think?
I'm also collecting glassware and baskets that I can use to display my pick up pieces - I love picking up found items when I travel as a memento instead of buying a T-Shirt or shot glass. I'll share how to make picture frames and other ideas with these later, but I've got to get back to my model home shopping and taking advantage of these sales - I'll let you know what else I find soon!

One of this Lifestylist's favorite beauty stores is Lush Cosmetics. I discovered them years ago in England and Canada, and I'm thrilled they now have a store in NorthPark Center here in Dallas. They specialize in natural products, including Henna which is the secret of how I stay a natural redhead ;)
They are wonderful about bringing animal cruelty to light and promoting sustainable environmental practices and the humane treatment of animals. This summer they have been focusing on Shark Finning, and have partnered with Shark Savers to protect sharks from extinction.
To support this cause they have produced "Shark Fin Soap" - a refreshing blend of lime, lavender and seaweed. Stop in to your local Lush store and buy this great way to cool down this summer and support a great cause. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Shark Savers.

As a Lifestylist®, helping others enhance their life and style is what I love doing. Because of this everyone thinks I must live in a glamorous, well designed home, but I have a little secret to share with you. My motto is "your Life, Your Style, Your Way" and that applies to me as well as the people I help, but I have been told that this chair is hurting my reputation.
I bought it a long time ago and it was expensive (and is not from Ashley). I was told it was leather, but after the finish started peeling off I found that wasn't the case.  But it does have heated cushions and a massage element in it, as well as that fancy phone so I never had to get up. I tried buying a slip cover for it, but nothing could hide its sad condition. It's still "functional" but it may be time for it to go.
If you have your own furniture that may be past it's prime this is the contest for you! Ashley Furniture is having a "Who's ready for REAL furniture? contest, and the winner can receive a grand prize of a $3,500 shopping spree, and two lucky runner ups will receive a $500 gift certificate.
I hope you don't have a recliner or a room full of furniture past it's prime, but if you do, go to the Ashley Home Store Facebook page and enter. The contest runs through September 9th, and while you are waiting to see if you won be sure to check out the great news designs available at your local Ashley HomeStore.

Congratulations to Thermador and Geri Higgins for the opening of the Portfolio Flagship store in Kansas City. There will be a functioning Thermador Culinary Studio in the store and Thermador's executive chef Brad Peterson will be conducting cooking classes and demonstrations during the opening.
Geri is on the Thermador National Design Council with Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber, and we are hoping an invitation comes our way so we can see this beautiful new location in person!

VIEW VIDEO"Staycations" seem to be a trend that continues to be popular, and when we went to the Gaylord Texan this week to observe their Jr. Chef Camp it looked like the place to be! Of course "it is always 72 degrees at The Gaylord Texan" so with it being so hot outside, it's a great place to spend a summer weekend.
Chef Joanne Bondy and her team do an amazing job teaching kids what it's like to work in a restaurant kitchen, and one of the teams this week learned how to make guacamole. I loved the fact their wasn't a video game in site, and these kids were having a blast!
To learn more about Chef Bondy and the different activities that she does at the Gaylord, "like" her on Facebook or follow her tweets @joannebondy.

We all have our own version of what the American Dream is - for many that includes owning your own home.
My dream was to have my own Home Idea Factory - a place where this Lifestylist® could live and work, would have the character that would let me "practice what I preach" and have some room to garden. I was also hoping to have enough space to continue to help with the animal rescue groups I've joined. All of my dreams came true, and now I have a space that will never be "done", but always evolving.
My father told my mother when they got married that some day he would buy her a place on a lake, and he did! Their Hideway Lake home has been the place that many of our family holidays, wedding, and birthdays have taken place, and it is full of wonderful memories.
There are people who are looking for an affordable place with a yard to raise their families, use as a second home or retire to and land lease communities can be a great solution for these people. Land lease communities are those where factory built housing are placed in communities where homeowners lease the land the homes are placed on in a community - many times with amenities such as pools, clubhouses, and tennis courts. I have always believed this is the perfect solution for affordable housing because it can be so cost effective, and I've been wanting to be a part of this solution hands on.
The time has come! Lifestylist® Design has been asked to re-brand and enhance the lifestyle options of two communities in Florida - Parkwood in Port Orange, FL and Countryside Village in Tampa. I can't wait to get started - these communities are a great example of how affordable the American Dream can be. Be sure to get our updates on the progress at Parkwood and Countryside Village Facebook pages.

Nothing is more important than a good nights sleep. If we don't have the right support from the mattress, the right pillows or the right temperature in the room, sleep might not come easily.
When LifeStyling the corporate apartments for The Hammocks at Timber Banks and Southern Hills, I wanted to be sure that the they truly felt like a home away from home and the clients would enjoy their stay. I stayed in some of the apartments designed by other companies to get a feel of what worked and what didn't, and spent a lot of time speaking with residents and getting a feel for the lifestyle of each and what made them unique. Having a comfy sofa and a flat screen TV was important, but nothing was more important than the bed.
As a Lifestylist® I always take into consideration how a bed fits into a room, and Ashley Furniture now offers beautiful beds with a low foot board or platform that makes any room still feel spacious. Many companies (and consumers)use just a metal frame and no headboard with their beds, but by using a headboard, foot board and rails you create a much more stable platform for your bed which adds support to the mattress. Plus it looks so much better! Be sure to check out the new options that Ashley Homestores offer - great value and style.
An area that I won't ever compromise on is the mattresses and pillows. We use a pillowtop that offers a great nights sleep that was manufactured to our specifications by a local company, and I found pillows that I love at KMart - under $10 but they feel much more expensive.
One of my biggest surprise finds was Sears - I found a "Bed in a Bag" they offered for under $50.00 online! A Bed in a Bag includes a comforter, dust ruffle, shams, and a complete set of linens. Something to always watch out for when choosing a comforter that you will use every day is to make sure it is washable, and this set was. When they arrived I was thrilled to see that they were well made, and in beautiful, happy colors.
As I always say, great design doesn't have to be expensive, and these are great examples of that. I know I'll be adding Sears and KMart to my shopping resources now, and I'll be sure to share with you other great buys that I find.

My grand-kids life in Orlando, so they have been to all of the theme parks and other venues there more times than I want to think about. This visit I wanted to do something different, and thought we would visit some of the local spots that are more about lifestyle appreciation and less about spending a large sum of money to be entertained.
Our first stop was the Morse Museum in Winter Park. When I was in Orlando this year acting as the Lifestylist® on The New American Home, one of the neighbors told me about this amazing museum. It was breathtaking, and their collection of Tiffany glass and jewelry was unbelievable. At first the kids didn't want to go, but once we got there they loved it and we stayed for over 2 hours. My daughter joined with an annual membership so they can go back often. I'm going to talk more about this gem in a later post, but it's a must see.
My son and daughter-in-law are expecting  a new baby into this world soon, so we all decided to go down to West Palm a day before their baby shower and spend a night at the beach. We chose the Hilton at Singer Island which was right in the beach, and under $200.00. This costs much less than 4 of us going to one of the Orlando theme parks, we could take our own food and snacks, and besides food and lodging it was free!
It was great to see these Jr. Lifestylists put down their video games and enjoy nature. Jenna and I went and explored a reef at low tide, and Christian and I ventured out on the full moon lit evening to search for the sea turtles that were coming in to lay their eggs. Magical memories that none of us will forget.
The baby is expected in a month - I'm thinking there may be some more beach time in our future while we wait!

As a Lifestylist®, I am always on the go. I have opportunities coat to coast, and often get to spend evenings with friends and family experiencing their homes and their lifestyles. There is nothing I enjoy more than an evening at home - either mine, or my friends. For these special evenings I like to have recipes that are my "go-to's" that I can prepare and share.
I'm honored to be on the Design Council for Thermador Appliances, and on a recent visit to their amazing Thermador showroom in Scottsdale, AZ -they put us to work. We got to experience these appliances first hand, and prepared a fabulous dinner that we all enjoyed. My favorite item of all things that we prepared was the Creamed Spinach - who knew? Thermador shared the recipe with me, and since then it has become one of my favorite recipes to share. When I just got to spend some time with my grandkids we prepared this together and they loved it! Thank you Thermador for sharing this great, simple recipe that everyone enjoys. I'm going to return the favor and share it with you here.

Creamed Spinach
5 lbs. of fresh spinach, cleaned of stems and rinsed
1/4 cup butter
1 shallot, fine dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 C. heavy cream
shredded Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Bring a large stockpot full of water to a boil. Blanche the spinach for only 10 seconds.
Put blanched spinach in a colander and press out as much liquid as possible, then chop.
Melt the butter in a large rimmed skillet over medium heat and add the shallot and garlic. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
To that, add the drained spinach, nutmeg and heavy cream. Bring to a light simmer.
Transfer to a bowl and using an immersion blender, blend the ingredients to a uniform consistency.
Place in a heat proof serving bowl and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Place under broiler until cheese is golden brown - enjoy!

Right now it's corn season in Texas! The Dallas Farmers Market has a great selection, and even many of the grocery stores are featuring locally grown sweet corn.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this seasonal favorite is Chef Joanne Bondy's Habanero Cream Corn. Joanne is the Executive Chef at the Old Hickory restaurant at the Gaylord Texan. Part of the summer series at the Gaylord is Jr. Chef Camp, and this dish is always one of the favorites that that kids prepare.
If you can't get to the Gaylord Texan to enjoy this dish, Chef Bondy has shared the recipe here so you can try it at home.

This Lifestylist® is so fortunate to be close to a great farmers market. The Dallas Farmers Market is open 365 days a year, and I love how they make sure  you know which the local farmers and produce are.
One of my favorite farmers is Lemleys which has had a stall for as long as I can remember. If you want great tomatoes and peaches, this is definitely the place. They are so nice, and Mr. Lemley is often there on weekends sharing his knowledge.
Not only does buying from farmers help support the local economy, it also is an excellent way to save money and eat healthy. Search out your local farmers market and find out what a difference it can make in your lifestyle.

I knew it was too good to be true - my last flight on Delta Airlines I had a great pilot who actually made me feel good about giving Delta my hard earned dollars. The honeymoon didn't last long - less than a week later and their lack of logic rears it's ugly head again.
My next flight is an exciting one - I'm getting to go and visit my kids and grandkids, and attend the shower for my soon to be new grandson! Fares have dropped since I booked it, and I thought I'd try to get in a little earlier so 10 days out, I tried to change my reservations. Keep in mind I've flown almost 1,000,000 miles and I'm part of their "elite" group.
First I went to their website and they only showed flights with crazy connections, so I called and tried to change it the old fashioned way. I won't bore you with the details, but they informed me that it would cost me over $450.00 even though the cost of the flight had gone down! So I said that I would just buy a one way ticket which was now $114.00, but Janelle replied she would still charge me $450.00 because I would be "flying out of sequence". I asked then why I was being penalized for paying for 2 tickets and only using one, and she said it was because there would be an empty seat, and they might have been able to sell it for over $300.00. When I said none of this was logical, she said to fly with someone else then. Did I mention this was a supervisor?
If I ran my business like this I'd be out of business. A Lifestylist® understands that it's all about you, the customer - Your Life. Your Style. Your Way.  This is why Southwest Airlines is so successful - they appreciate you and make flying logical!

It's Memorial Day weekend, and lucky for me the Dallas Farmers Market is full of locally grown produce that offers me endless opportunities for fast, fresh meals. I've started making at least one trip there a week to stock up on what's in season.
This pasta salad is one of my favorite "go to" recipes, and can be changed by adding your favorite vegetables or what is in season. We made it a little more healthy today by using whole wheat pasta.
If you are in a lazy cook mood, try buying a cucumber tomato salad already prepared at your local deli and just add the pasta.

Perfect Pasta Salad
(1) fresh tomato, diced
(1) Avocado, sliced
(1) Cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped (dill is a great substitution if you prefer)
8 oz. pasta of your choice cooked, drained and chilled - I like rotini
3 T. Red wine vinegar
1 t. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c. Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook pasta in boiling water, drain and cool to at least room temperature. While pasta is cooling, chop and slice avocado then toss in lemon juice. Peel and slice other vegetables, then place in serving bowl. Add cooled pasta, oil and vinegar and toss, then add salt and pepper to taste.

We had great news from a new builder we are working with in Lindale, Texas - Red Baron Building. The week after we went in and LifeStaged some of their homes they had 2 sales and 4 reservations! That's quite an accomplishment for a builder in a smaller community (they are outside Tyler in East Texas) that is building something besides your traditional home.
Red Baron was started because the builder wanted to build homes that offered things he couldn't find when he was looking for a home -polished concrete floors, concrete countertops, oil rubbed bronze hardware, and a lot of attention to detail. Our job was then to show people what these homes could suit their lifestyles.
Red Baron asked us to stage these homes using what was in their warehouse - model home merchandise from a builder that went out of business, and some furniture that belonged to the builder. We then filled in with the necessary items to make these models feel like a home.
These were truly done on a shoestring budget, but we achieved the necessary results - we sold homes! If you would like to see these Lifestylist Designed Homes you can tour them this weekend in the Tyler Home Show or contact Red Baron for a personal tour.

Lifestylist.tv had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with Jim Clayton at the recent MHI Congress and Expo. Mr Clayton is the founder of Clayton Homes and author of the Book "Jim Clayton: First a Dream". In the interview, he shared with us how you can download a pdf copy of his book for free and learn how he sold his company to Warren Buffett. This is an opportunity to get priceless information from one of the best business owners in the country.
As a Lifestylist® I loved his stories in the book about living in a factory built home and why this is such a great choice.