ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WORKSHOP AT TPH!

Another graduating class from our Basic Upholstery Workshop!



I am not sure everyone listened to the class outline!!!!!


I don't think this looks like a chair seat Elisa!!!!!








It is way more exciting and fun!! Elisa from Home Sweet Nest is converting an old coffee table into a luxurious end of the bed bench covered in a vintage fur!

Things are always more fun with friends!

Everyone gets a chance to use the "GUN"!

Go Claudine!

Everyone gets one on one assistance from the professional!

We had two ladies bring burlap for their chair cushions and they looked great!

Looking good Mary! Just 5 more chairs to go! Your husband will be so proud!

Thank you ladies!

Another successful evening!

MILLION DOLLAR NEIGHBOURHOOD EPISODE #4

Well, I am late again with my post, as tomorrow the next episode airs, but it has been a very busy week, much like the "WINE AND DINE" week in the Million Dollar Neighbourhood. This was a crazy week for everyone, but I will tell you a bit about my story.


This was the week that our family was put on the cooking team. Cooking is not for me but my husband Mike...another story! This was his week to kick it up a notch, as he loves to cook. So, off Mike goes to the first meeting and I stayed home thinking I was going to relax and get caught up on housework. Well, after about an hour, I wondered what I was missing and how I could participate without entering the kitchen! And so the "GIFT BAG HQ" was born!

Doesn't every good party give out "goodie bags" on the way home??? Well let me tell you I burned up the phone lines and our local community and businesses really jumped in with both feet.

I must give a HUGE shout out to LONDON DRUGS for donating not only a ladies hand bag for each "Gift Bag" but inside each purse is a make up bag just filled with wonderful goodies. The people of London Drugs just jumped on board and in record time delivered two vans full of donations for our event. I was so very touched and thankful for their generosity. Thank you!

My home was turned into a factory with my wonderful new neighbours and friends working an assembly line like you have never seen!

This sea of blue is thanks to my very good friends at the Downtown Langley Business Association, as they donated 250 reusable bags to this event! Let me tell you, these blue bags are just full of wonderful gifts, coupons, brochures and goodies and we could not have put it all together without the DLBA bags. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In the end, the value of these gift bags where more than the highly controversial ticket price to our event. I would like to thank each and every person and business who contributed. Some not only contributed to our bags but also the silent auction.

Downtown Langley Business Association - thanks Teri

London Drugs - thanks Tami

Langley Coast Hotel & Convention Center - thanks Doedy

1 Fish 2 Fish - thanks Heather

Forever Yours Lingerie- thanks Sonya

Midas Aldergrove-thanks Chris

Go Bananas

Strawberry Hills Hair Care Aldergrove

G Force Roofing

Milseans Aldergrove - thanks Rob

Barefoot Venus - thanks Deborah

Langley Tourism - thanks Deborah

We worked together to stuff 200 gift bags and let me tell you...you could not see the carpet in my living room when we were done...just a sea of blue! And how are we getting these bags to the winery you ask???? Motor home of course! :)

Well, the day came and although chilly, it was beautiful! Here you see T.J. and Mike listening to Anthony's "pep" talk...just look at these guys...what do you think they are thinking??? Looks like the same thing to me!

I was so proud of Mike and our whole team for putting together such an amazing event in such a short period of time. What people can accomplish when they work together is truly unbelievable.

Although we did not make our financial goal this week, to me this week was a GREAT SUCCESS!

During this week we also took part in a pot luck dinner. Anyone want the recipe for Shirley's Chicken...Oh so good!

One of the things I learned this week was that you don't have to go to great lengths to get together with friends and neighbours, you just have to do it!

Another part of this weeks challenge was to eat only what we had in the house, not to order coffee out and no purchasing alcohol. Well, we worked together as a family and planned meals around what we had in our pantry and freezer and saved $$$$. We made our coffee at home and lucky for me, we had a new bottle of vodka in the freezer!

NOTHING LIKE THE SOUND OF WOMEN AT WORK!

We are so excited to welcome you to The Passionate Home's first "Basic Upholstery" workshop!

We asked the ladies at our first Annie Sloan Chalk Paint workshop what other workshops they might be interested in taking and it was unanimous...everyone said upholstery!

Since we are all about making people happy...let me introduce you to Reid from Once Again Furniture & Upholstery.

It was great fun to see everyone arrive at the store with their projects and we got right down to work. Reid took us through a step by step lesson on recovering a seat cushion and he brought all the tools to get the job done with a professional look.

His fingers moved so quickly it was difficult to photograph , but let me tell you,

everyone went home with PERFECT corners!!!




It always looks easier when someone else is doing it,
but these ladies are paying attention to every detail.

Let the fun begin! Every project was at a different stage. Some had to remove staples and nails first. Some had to just cut out bulky corners and some had to remove all the old fabric. We did it all!

This stool is one of our "Before" photos...just wait and see how beautiful it turns out to be!

All the fabric was removed from this seat cushion, but the foam was in still good shape.

Another "Before" photo...

I just love to see everyone smiling and having a good time!

I think this fabric has to go, don't you?

All our ladies looked like professionals!

Just the sound of all those staplers banging away in the shop was exciting...

the sound of WOMEN AT WORK!

Step by step...

Staple by staple....

And some one on one assistance from the professional...

Things really started to take shape!

Just look how adding piping can just finish it off so beautifully!

(by the way, this is the seat cover that looked like Santa's coat)

Thank you all for coming, sharing your projects and allowing us to help you along in your creative journey! Everyone went home happy, with their completed project
and with the secret to making the perfect corner!

GREAT JOB LADIES!

MILLION DOLLAR NEIGHBOURHOOD EPISODE #3

Well, I thought I had better post about episode #3 before the MILLION DOLLAR NEIGHBOURHOOD airs the next episode tonight!

So welcome to week 3 "SKILLS & JOBS"

This week Mike and I were 'TEAM VICKI"! One of our challenges for this week was to find Vicki a job, but let us take a step back a bit and let me tell you how this worked. Out of the 100 families participating in the show, they asked the ones who were looking for work to stand in front of the group. There were about 9 people standing and the rest of us were broken into even groups to support and find work for these people. Well, let me tell you it is not easy promoting someone you have never met.

So, that brings us to our girl Vicki, an Interpersonal Relationship Specialist!! Though "Team Vicki" did not get any "air" time, in the end we were more than successful!

This was the week I volunteered to be team leader, but I give full credit to Vicki for listening, for taking suggestions, answer many questions and taking constructive criticism from a whole group of people she hardly knew. In the end Vicki gave a workshop to a large group of MDN'rs on

THE 80/20 RULE: A STRATEGY FOR PERFECTION
INFECTION AND APPROVAL SICKNESS

and it was a huge success and she left us wanting more!!

We are so proud of Vicki and so proud to now call her our friend!

Did you see me in the last episode??? This seems to be all the camera time I get...peaking through the crowd!! Do you see who is in front of me??? That is Mark. It is during this week that I first met Mark and Kyle, as they were also on Team Vicki and as I discovered during the Skills Market, Mark has a passion for Interior Design...HELLO!

Another unexpected gift from this experience is our new friendship with Mark and Kyle. Little did we know that they just live a few homes away from ours. I feel truly blessed to have met our new neighbours and are so happy for them winning the weekly $10,000!!!

If you saw the last episode you will remember Kyle yelling "PARTY AT OUR HOUSE", well true to their word, that is just where our family is headed tonight to watch episode #4

"Breaking Bread & Making Dough"!

This next episode will be interesting...it is amazing each week to watch how the production company puts together an hour show from the many hours of taping that happened. Maybe this week I will be more than just a face in the crowd????

One of the many things I learned this week was the power of "NETWORKING", the power of people coming together! When our MDN Family comes together and there is a need in the group...word spreads like wild fire. Whether it be someone needing a job, someone needing an emergency car repair, someone needing a babysitter or someone just needing to talk....GREAT THINGS HAPPENED! This experiece has brought together so many different people, with so many different personalites but together we are one "COMMUNITY" and it is a great thing!!

Even though the "SHOW" is over, our Million Dollar Neighbourhood lives on...

so please visit Vicki @ http://www.vickiaustad.com/About-Vicki-Austad.html

Tune in tonight on OWN at 5pm and 8pm

GREAT PEOPLE MEET @ ANNIE SLOAN CHALK PAINT WORKSHOP

Painting with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint should always be a pleasure!


Like minded people meet, learn and share!

Use one colour or two; distress and apply waxes to create an old world look.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can help you in your plans for the future,

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can be just for fun!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can help you transform your old furniture,

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can make your visions and dreams come true!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is bringing us together,

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is letting our creativity flow!

What will Annie Sloan Chalk Paint do for you?

Join us for our next workshop March 4th and find out!