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January:
Interiors
by Decorating Den: Do you ever watch “Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition” and find yourself insanely jealous of the family
getting their house remodeled? You conveniently forget about all of
the horrible things that happened to the family to get them on the show,
and you just wish you were in their place.
Luckily, interior decorating is no longer a luxury available only to
the upper class or whomever’s life is most compelling for TV. In
fact, Robin Nickell, owner of, and Interior Designer for Interior Decorating
Den, primarily has working middle-class families for clients.
Interiors by Decorating Den has been a hugely successful franchise in
interior decorating since 1969. It has more than 500 locations in the
U.S. and Canada, and each location is individually owned and operated.
With a backdrop like that, Nickell has a lot of freedom in what she
can do for her clients, and clients benefit the most.
“We don’t charge a design fee,” Nickell says, “and
because of that, [clients] have the benefit of using our time to get
what they need done.”
The only money Nickell and the company makes is from the products they
sell and place in your home. So Nickell takes her time during the initial
meetings to ensure clients achieve the look and feel that they desire.
“I have them take me on a tour of their home, and tell me what
they like or don’t like about what they currently have,” Nickell
said, “so I can get a feel for that.”
She will also bring samples and pictures of draperies, fabrics, lighting,
furniture, window treatments and more, and will go through these with
the clients, so she is able to get a feel for their style and budget.
“Usually people know what they like, even if they might not know
how to get there,” Nickell said.
At the next meeting, Nickell presents and finalizes the order. The presentation
includes a computer aided design of the finished project! Then, six
to eight weeks later, when everything comes in, installation occurs.
The company returns with a crew of people, whether installers, painters,
movers – whatever is needed.
“We have access to a multitude of resources,” Nickell said,
“from vendors to installers to contractors to education, you name
it. We handle the project from beginning to end.”
Interiors by Decorating Den can provide things individual interior decorators
tend to lack access to.
“We really can provide the full service.”
This January, the company is running a special called “A Passion
for Bedrooms.” Treat yourself to a sanctuary by staying home and
letting someone else do all the work. Visit Robin Nickell’s website
at www.decdens.com/robin
or call 480-620-3236 for more information.
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IRIS
Centers
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| By
Jessy McCulloch |
IRIS
Centers : We’ve all seen the commercials:
A man attempts to throw a football through a tire swing and fails. He
takes, say, Levitra. Suddenly he is throwing like he’s John Elway,
and the football spirals straight through the middle of the swing every
time.
Commercials like these have made something that used to be snickered
at and blushed about – erectile dysfunction – a common topic
of discussion. What used to be taboo no longer is. There are a lot of
options out there for men, and the general public for the most part
knows about them.
But what about for women? What medical options exist to help women feel
better about how their bodies function?
Enter IRIS Centers. IRIS stands for Intimate Rejuvenation and Innovative
Surgery. It was founded in 2006 by Karen A. Starkey, MD, when she decided
to make the transition from a traditional OB/GYN to cosmetic surgery.
“After her patients would have babies… You know, your body
changes. So they were asking, ‘Is there anything we can do?’,”
said Susan Shannon, executive director for IRIS Centers. “That’s
just how it started.”
One of their more popular procedures is Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation (LVR),
an outpatient procedure. IRIS Centers website explains that LVR will
“effectively enhance the vaginal muscle tone, strength and control.”
“Sometimes we see women who have never had children, but they want
to change something,” Shannon said. “Women getting [LVR] done
are ecstatic. They’re very happy with their decision.”
Patients meet with Dr. Starkey for a consult, and she will perform an
exam to see what kind of shape the tissues are in and how she can help.
There is a recuperating period, the length of which depends on what
level of LVR the patient has.
Another popular procedure is called Smartlipo Laser Body Sculpting.
It is less invasive than traditional liposuction, with an incision about
the size of a pinhead. Each area takes about 45 minutes and is known
as “Lunch-Hour Lipo,” because essentially clients can go back
to work right after it is done. Again, patients will meet with Dr. Starkey
for a consult first, and she will determine if they are a candidate
for this procedure.
The procedures are strictly cosmetic, so they are not covered by insurance.
The consults are free, though, so you have nothing to lose beyond the
30 to 45 minutes for the appointment.
IRIS Centers is located at the Foothills Medical Center, 4530 East Ray
Road, Suite B110 in Phoenix; telephone 480-857-7100.
To learn what other procedures IRIS Centers offers (some will have you
raising a brow and saying, “Really?!”), visit www.iriscenters.com.
Paws
at Home: “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak
a great language.”
Animal lovers and pet owners can certainly relate to this statement
by philosopher Martin Buber.
For a lot of people, their animals are more accurately described as
“family members” than as pets. No one would leave their child
with someone they did not trust, and no one should have to do that with
their pet, either.
Kim Belzner, owner of Paws at Home Pet Sitting, felt the same way. Then
an idea came to her at about two in the morning – why not let your
pets stay where they are happiest? Home.
“We have older dogs, and there’s no way I’d ever put
them in a kennel, because they’re just too old,” Belzner said.
“I felt bad just leaving them, and I thought, there’s got
to be more people like me.”
So, two and half years ago, she started Paws at Home Pet Sitting. With
her services, your pet does not have to go anywhere. She visits your
pet at your home throughout the day and is usually there for 30-45 minutes
at a time.
“Whatever the owner’s routine is with them, like their feeding
or walking or just playing with them and cleaning up after them…
basically whatever the owner does, I continue to do.”
If needed, her services can include bringing in the mail and newspaper,
watering plants, taking out the trash if it fills up while she’s
there – basic household tasks. She meets the animals before the
owners leave, and what you see is what you get: Belzner runs the company
and does the legwork by herself, so you know she will be the one taking
care of your furry friend.
And, they should be furry, not scaly.
“I only do the animals with four paws – dogs, cats, rabbits,
those sorts of things. I don’t do reptiles. Yeah, I can’t
go there,” Belzner laughs.
Whether you are going away on vacation or put in long hours at work,
Belzner can help. She is available from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m., and her
rates will include up to three animals – which is definitely a
savings over kennels when there are multiple pets.
“I do it because I don’t like [pets] going to kennels, catching
illnesses,” Belzner said. “This way they get to stay in their
home, in their own environment. It is a little more relaxing for them.”
She usually can take care of up to six households of pets in a day,
so they all get the time and attention they need.
You can see Belzner’s rates and more online at www.pawsathome.biz,
or contact her at 602-359-8389.
Payne
& Sons: When your home needs repairing or remodeling,
one of the most difficult aspects of the process is trusting a company
enough to put your home in their hands. If those hands belong to Payne
& Sons, though, you can rest easy.
“They’re very family oriented,” said Pam Colman, office
manager for the company. “They just treat everybody like their
own family.”
A good reason for that is because the company is run by a family. Family
owned and operated for more than 25 years, the company’s owner,
Steven T. Payne, and his sons play multiple roles in the company. Bradley
is VP of finance, Shaun is manager of roofing and Todd is manager of
remodeling. They also have a new addition to the family business, their
son-in-law Ira Latham, who is their remodeling technician.
Any uncertainty about what it is like to work around such a close-knit
family all of the time is cleared up by Colman.
“Actually, it’s really cool,” Colman said, a clear smile
in her voice. “I get along with them all really great.”
Colman has been working for Payne and Sons since April 2007. When asked
how she likes it, her answer (“I love it!”) is exclaimed with
no hesitation. Though she’s not a member of the Payne family, Colman
is a member of the Payne & Sons family. And this seems to be how
they treat all of their employees and clients, blood relation or not.
Payne & Sons focuses on several areas of construction. They specialize
in most types of roofing, including re-roofing services. Remodeling
is another specialty. And if you’re looking to build a custom home
from the ground up, they can help you through that process as well.
A customer whose home they repaired reviewed his experience with Payne
& Sons on the company’s website. In the review, the customer
praises their trustworthiness and their fair and honest estimates, and
gladly exclaims that he “will hire them again!”
Colman’s attitude seems to coincide with the reviewer’s: “They’re
really professional, have an excellent warranty for everything and they
take care of their customers.”
For remodeling, roofing and custom homes call 480-988-9250. Their address
is PO Box 188 in Higley.
You can also request a quote on their website, www.PayneSons.com.
So if you want to spruce up your home for the New Year, or if you just
cannot put off those repairs any longer, remember: no Payne no gain.
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Past
Spotlights:
September
Russ Lyon Realty Co.
Leap of Faith Dance
October
Earnhardt RV.
November
Treasures from the Past
Elements of Home Flooring
December
Vortex Sensory Rehabilitation
Rocky Mountain Window & Door
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