loudoun county woman may/june 2011

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This is the May/June issue of the Loudoun County Woman.

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Page 1: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011
Page 2: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

The Women’s Journal newspaper is published bimonthly and isavailable free of charge, by subscription, display stands in approvedprivate and public establishments and authorized distributors only.

Trademark laws and U.S. copyright laws protect The Women’sJournal. No part of this paper may be reproduced without the writtenpermission of the publisher.

The Women’s Journal is not responsible for any editorial com-ment (other than its own), typographical errors from advertisementssubmitted as camera ready or any reproductions of advertisementssubmitted as camera ready.

If an advertisement does not meet our standards of acceptance,we may revise or cancel it at any time, whether or not it has been al-ready acknowledged and/or previously published. The advertiser as-sumes sole responsibility for all statements contained in submitted copyand will protect and indemnify The Women’s Journal, its owners, pub-lishers, and employees, against any and all liability, loss or expensearising out of claims for libel, unfair trade names, patents, copyrightsand proprietary rights, and all violations of the right of privacy or otherviolations resulting from the publication by this newspaper or its adver-tising copy.

Publisher shall be under no liability for failure, for any reason, toinsert an advertisement. Publisher shall not be liable by reason of error,omission and/or failure to insert any part of an advertisement. Pub-lisher will not be liable for delay or failure in performance in publica-tion and/or distribution if all or any portion of an issue is delayed orsuspended for any reason. The publisher will exercise reasonable judg-ment in these instances and will make adjustments for the advertiserwhere and when appropriate.

The Women’s Journal assumes no responsibility for unsolicitedmaterial or reproductions made by advertisers. This newspaper will bepublished by the 15th of every other month. Representations by TheWomen’s Journal, copyright 2011.™

PublisherKristina Doll

Co-PublisherDaniel Doll

Editor-in-chiefBarbara Cremedas

Graphic DesignStacy Burns

www.Designs2Sell.com

Distribution ManagerJoel Dean

PrintingEngle Printing & Publishing Company, Inc. • Lancaster, PA

The Loudoun CountyWoman

P.O. Box 12242Silver Spring, MD 20908

703-829-6624editor@loudouncountywoman.comwww.loudouncountywoman.com

U.S. Mail • Direct Drop Distributors • Subscription

Publisher’s NoteBy Kristina Doll

Dear Readers,

May is a time to be thankful not only for the beauty provided by

“Mother” Nature, but by the support and guidance given by the other

“mothers” in our lives. Sometimes they are our Moms, sometimes Grandmothers, sometimes

friends, or even strong women that we may not know, but that we admire. At the Loudoun

County Woman, we strive to continue to provide the women of Loudoun informational sup-

port and guidance through the expertise of our contributors. “Align yourself with experts, avail

yourself to knowledge.”

Featured on the Cover

is month we are highlighting thefine staff of the Dandelion Patch inLeesburg. Read more about these fineladies in our Women in Profile sectionon pages 14 and 15.

11

Join our growing list of contributors.

We offer exclusivities! Reserve your spot today.

Call 703-829-6624

or [email protected]

Establish yourself as theleading authority in yourfield. We are the newest

addition of the #1 NationallySyndicated Women’s Journal in the U.S.

PROMOTE YOURBUSINESS!

2 www.loudouncountywoman.com

11

Page 3: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

in every issueWomen in ProfilePages 14–15

Recipe FavoritesPage 24

Crossword PuzzlePage 25

Why AdvertisePage 26

TestimonialsPage 27

3www.loudouncountywoman.com

may/june 2011

contentshealth & wellnessHealthy By NaturePage 4

Capitol Vein and Laser CenterPage 5

Mountcastle Plastic SurgeryPage 6

Legacy OrthodonticsPage 7

Lans Family DentistryPage 8

website designWebsite DesignPage 9

interior designDecorating Den InteriorsPage 10

gourmet kitchensKSA KitchensPage 11

fine art photographyThe Edge PhotographyPages 12-13

women in profileLoudoun Women in ProfilePages 14-15

communityDandelion PatchPages 16-17

Soapbox SoapsPage 18

Frilly FrocksPage 19

Lyme Disease RunPage 20

Designs 2 Sell GraphicsPage 21

Plato’s ClosetPage 22

Mother’s Day QuotesPage 23

Page 4: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

4 www.loudouncountywoman.com

Health & Wellness

Now that the weather is getting nice,we’re all starting our outside projects, ex-ercising, and playing. It’s easy to getcaught up in the moment and some-times we over do. When that happenswe may experience some soreness in ourmuscle and joints. I thought we couldall benefit from a refresher in the use ofenzymes. We usually think of enzymesto help us digest our food, but they playan equally important role as an anti-in-flammatory.

e Blessing: Inflammation is oneof our body’s natural, necessary, andbeneficial functions for the healing,cleansing, and recovery of the body.Acute inflammation is responsible fordefending our body from invadingpathogens through three mechanisms.Enzymes the Fountain of Life explains,“e first is the fight against thepathogen or offender, second, after the

battle, is to clear the damaged area fromthe resulting impurities and toxins, andthird is the repair and reconstitution ofthe damaged site.” Our bodies’ “firstfight” against the pathogens is the acuteinflammatory process, and it is this veryresponse that keeps us healthy.

e Curse: Inflammation is oftencaused by an initial injury or pathogen,but diet and lifestyle are becoming wellknown culprits in piecing together thewhole story of chronic inflammation. Ifthe underlying cause of inflammation isnot dealt within a timely way, inflam-mation becomes chronic. Chronic in-flammation disrupts thecommunication between our nervous,digestive, circulatory, cardiovascular, andrespiratory systems, to name a few.Eventually, chronic inflammation canlead to damaged vessels, arteries, and tis-sues of the body. Like fire, inflammation

can turn from a small controlled burninto a wildly destructive force, and theblessing of inflammation becomes acurse.

e Process: ere are three phasesassociated with inflammation: reaction,repair, and regeneration.

Reaction: Soon after injury ortrauma to the body, the capillaries nearand around the injury site dilate, result-ing in swelling. is movement of fluidalso begins the characteristic signs ofredness and heat. e activity triggers aninflux of white blood cells, platelets andlymphocytes to the site with the purposeof cleansing the area of damaged tissue.e cells soon establish a “line of demar-cation” sealing off the wound from theinternal tissues using a sticky proteincalled fibrin. e reaction phase typi-cally lasts from a few minutes to 72hours depending on the severity of theinjury.

Repair: e subsequent process oftissue repair takes from 72 hours up to 6weeks, depending on the severity ofdamage and the individuals overallhealth. Over this period of time circula-tion is restored to the damaged areasbringing in new cells and fluid. e heatassociated with inflammation remains,keeping cellular enzyme activity at itspeak. is circulation and activity allowsfor breakdown and removal of dead tis-sues, allowing nourishing, rebuildingmaterials to enter.

Regeneration: In the regenerationphase, which can last from three weeksto many months, new cells are beingformed to fill in the formerly damagedareas. At this point inflammation de-creases and the body heals. If at anypoint during these three phases there isan interruption in vital enzyme activity,complete regeneration may not occur;this may lay the groundwork for chronicinflammation.

e Benefits of Enzymes: e ther-apeutic use of enzymes has been welldocumented to speed the healing andrecovery processes, suggesting that en-zymes support the natural inflammatoryresponse in a way that effectively short-

ens recovery time. Proteolytic enzymesbreak down proteins that have beenmarked for removal by the immune sys-tem. Plant based proteolytic enzymesconsumed orally help to speed the heal-ing process by breaking down the deadand damaged materials at the site of in-flammation. ese enzymes are able toassist with capillary repair, promote tis-sue and muscle repair, assist with bruis-ing and swelling, and alleviate jointdiscomfort. Enzymes support the bodyby speeding recovery without inhibitingessential inflammatory responses.

Enzymes are life. Almost every meta-bolic process in the body is governed byenzymes. ey are the catalysts for everychemical reaction in the body. Whereinflammation is concerned, enzymes arethe starting point of the body’s normalinflammation response. Due to theaging process, or to poor diet andlifestyle, our bodies’ ability to producethe enzymes necessary for everydayfunction decreases. As enzyme produc-tion decreases, our bodies find it harderto adequately perform all the metabolicprocesses necessary. An easy way tothink of it is like this. Your body has a fi-nite ability to produce the enzymes nec-essary to perform all its functions…apool of enzymes. If for any reason yourbody slows down the production ofthose enzymes, some of the processes inthe body will suffer. One of thoseprocesses is of course the normal inflam-mation response.

Information for this article camefrom Enzymedica, Inc.The Enzyme Ex-perts and Garden of Life distributors ofWobenzym N.

Bobbi ElliottProprietor

Healthy By Nature, Inc.305 East Market StreetLeesburg, VA 20176

[email protected]

www.healthybynatureleesburgva.com

Inflammation:The Blessing or The Curse

Page 5: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

Health & Wellness

Spider Veins, Varicose Veins, Leg Swelling…Oh My!By Garth Rosenberg, MD, FACS

More than 80 million women in the United Stateslive with spider veins or varicose veins and their asso-ciated symptoms. Some veins are merely unsightly,however, some types of veins are linked to more sig-

nificant health concerns. Spider veins and telangectiasia are tiny red and

dark purple surface veins that are feather like to inkpen line in appearance. e cause of spider veins isnot fully understood, but they seem to be moreprevalent if there is a family history or during hor-

monal variation such as pregnancy and peri-menopause. Spider veins can be unsightly and oftenage the appearance of the legs or face, but are usuallynot a medical problem. Treatments like sclerotherapy,laser, and Vein Wave are all quick and effective, withlittle discomfort and no downtime.

Varicose veins are typically larger blue veins thattend to bulge by the end of the day. ese veins are ahealth concern and should be evaluated by a vascularspecialist. e cause of varicose veins is venous insuf-ficiency (backflow in leg veins due to non-workingvein valves), which often leads to a variety of symp-toms such as: aching, heaviness, swelling, cramping,burning, restless leg syndrome, skin discoloration,and even ulceration. Varicose veins can increase therisk of developing blood clots as well. e days ofvein stripping, hospitalization, pain and remnantscars are gone! Treatments today are performed in theoffice with local anesthesia in less than 30 minutes.e gold standard treatment is VNUS Closure,which offers little discomfort, little to no down time,and no scarring. Most insurance companies recognizethe medical consequences of varicose veins and docover the cost of treatments.

Capitol Vein & Laser is the region’s recognizedleader in comprehensive vein care. Drs. GarthRosenberg and Paul McNeill are board certified inVascular Surgery and Phlebology (the medical spe-cialty of venous disorders) and have treated over10,000 patients to date with venous problems. Capi-tol Vein & Laser Center is your total vein care centerand offers customized plans for your individualneeds. Please visit our photo gallery atwww.myCVL.com to see results of treatments to legs,faces and hands.

Call us today for a free “quick-screen” appoint-ment to learn more.

Paul McNeill, MD, FACSGarth Rosenberg, MD, FACS

Vein Specialists

www.BetterLegsLoudoun.com800.942.1829

Call today and receive $100 off yourspider vein treatments in May.

BEFORE

AFTER

5www.loudouncountywoman.com

Page 6: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

Health & Wellness

6 www.loudouncountywoman.com

ast edition I discussed liposuction. is month I will discuss anew innovative non-invasive form of fat reduction. CoolSculpt-ing™ is a patented, non-invasive, clinically proven procedure toselectively reduce fat layers in problem areas using a patentedcooling technology. It is a safe procedure cleared by the FDA

that gently cools unwanted fat cells in the body to induce a natural, controlledelimination of fat cells. is reduces bulges in treated areas of the body withoutharming surrounding tissue.

It involves no needles, surgery or downtime.

� Because the CoolSculpting procedure is non-invasive, patients can resumedaily activities, including work and exercise, immediately following treatment.

It’s easy.

� CoolSculpting patients can sit or lie comfortably and read, work on theirlaptop or even nap during the procedure. e procedure is performed in a med-ical office, under the supervision of a physician specializing in cosmetic proce-dures.

It’s convenient.

� Procedures last about one to two hours, so treatmentcan easily be performed during a lunch hour or withoutmajor disruption to the day.

The results are dramatic.

� Patients can expect an average 20-25% reduction.

During the CoolSculpting procedure, a non-invasiveapplicator delivers precisely controlled cooling to the treat-ment area to specifically target underlying fat, leaving sur-face skin tissue unaffected. When fat cells are exposed tocold, a process of natural removal is triggered, which grad-ually reduces the thickness of the fat layer. e result is avisible reduction in fat bulges.

On average, each CoolSculpting procedure results in a20-25% reduction of fat in the treated areas, and patientscan start to see results as soon as three weeks followingtreatment, with the most dramatic results occurring over aperiod of two to four months in most patients.

Clinical studies involving hundreds of patients showthat, for properly selected patients, the CoolSculpting pro-cedure is an effective way to reduce fat without the pain,risk, and recovery time of surgical procedures. e result isnoticeable, natural-looking fat reduction in the treatedareas.

e CoolSculpting procedure is safe because the delivery of precise cooling af-fects only targeted fat cells, leaving adjacent tissue unharmed and intact.

e CoolSculpting procedure developed by ZELTIQ is based on sound sci-ence called Cryolipolysis™. Cryolipolysis is the result of a groundbreaking discov-ery by Drs. Dieter Manstein and R. Rox Anderson of Harvard Medical Schooland the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospitalin Boston, Massachusetts.

eir initial work, first published in the peer-reviewed professional journalLasers in Surgery and Medicine, proved that subcutaneous fat cells are naturallymore vulnerable to the effects of cold than other surrounding tissue. ese stud-ies and other research from centers of excellence confirmed that fat cells, whenexposed to precisely controlled cooling for a sustained period of time, undergo agradual reduction and cell death through a process called “induced apoptosis.”

CoolSculpting by ZELTIQ is not intended as a weight-reduction program foroverweight individuals. e best candidates for the CoolSculpting procedure arepeople near their ideal body weight who eat well and exercise regularly and havepockets of fat that have not responded to a healthy lifestyle. ey are seeking spotreduction for specific areas of fat but are not considering a surgical procedure.

“CoolSculpting patients can sit or

lie comfortably and read, work on

their laptop or even nap during

the procedure.”

Non-invasive, Natural Way to Reduce Fat

L

Page 7: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

7www.loudouncountywoman.com

Health & Wellness

“When I come in the office it feels like home to me,very friendly staff. Dr. is very detail oriented. I’ve beento other offices and theirdoctors weren’t as pre-cise. The waiting area isgreat with internet caféand coffee bar. I have al-ready referred my friendfor treatment. I highlyrecommend Legacy Or-thodontics.”

—A.L.

“Excellent people skills: friendly, professional, inform-ative. My kids are completely comfortable in the of-fice environment and so am I. Highly recommend toothers.”

—S.T.

Think the way your teeth look doesn’t really matter? Surveysays: think again.

Without saying a word, your mouth is sending messages toeveryone you meet. According to the American Association ofOrthodontists (AAO), people often make snap judgmentsabout individuals based solely on the condition of their teeth.

“is phenomenon was documented more than 25 yearsago,” says Dr. Don Joondeph, president of the American Asso-ciation of Orthodontists, referring to an eye-opening study inwhich photos of young smiling individuals were altered toshow varying orthodontic problems and then reviewed byfocus groups.

“When the focus groups looked at the altered photos theyused unflattering terms such as ‘unattractive’ and ‘aggressive’to describe the individuals,” says Dr. Joondeph. “However,when groups saw photos of the same individuals with ahealthy, beautiful smile, they were more likely to view the in-dividuals as ‘intelligent,’ ‘attractive’ and ‘a friend I'd like tohave.’”

Dr. Joondeph believes that the original study, which waspublished in 1981, is even more applicable in today’s image-obsessed world. “More than ever, young people and adultswant to be perceived as healthy, attractive and appealing totheir peers and others.”

Health—A Change for the BetterStraight, well-aligned teeth are easier to clean and main-

tain. Additionally, well-aligned teeth can help avoid suchproblems as abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, difficulty inchewing and or speaking, and excess stress on supportingbone and gum tissue. A well-positioned bite can help reduceor eliminate jaw pain and protect the jaw joint frombreakdown and damage.

Your teeth will be with you all your life. Whynot do your best to ensure they’re strong andhealthy?

Beauty—Look Good and Feel GoodA great smile can be a big plus for

you on the road of life. Orthodonticscan help bring out the best in you. Byapplying the science of gently movingteeth, an orthodontist can help elimi-nate gaps between your teeth, straightencrooked teeth, and correct problems thatcan be distracting when you’re inter-acting with others.

Everyday, your smile is there forthe world to see. What can ortho-dontics do for you?

Dr. Markus Niepraschk of Legacy Orthodontics graduated from Virginia Common-

wealth University School of Dentistry and completed an additional two-year resi-

dency program at Marquette University. He is a member of the AAO and is a Board

Certified Orthodontist. Dr. Niepraschk offers a complimentary “Growing Grins” pro-

gram that monitors early growth in young patients. Contact his office by calling

703-777-8277 or by visiting www.legacyortho.com.

What Orthodontics Can Do for You

Client Testimonials

Page 8: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

Health & Wellness

8 www.loudouncountywoman.com

Just as your child needs regular checkups with the pediatrician, regular visits with the dentist are necessary, too. Prepare your child for that �rst visit and the result may be the start of positive, lifelong dental care. When should my child �rst see a dentist, and why? �e ideal time for a child to visit the dentist is six months after the child’s �rst (primary) teeth erupt. �is time frame is a perfect opportunity for the dentist to carefully examine the development of the child’s mouth. Because dental problems often start early, the sooner the child visits the dentist, the better. To protect against problems, such as early childhood tooth decay, and prolonged thumb or paci�er-sucking, the dentist can provide or recom-mend special preventive care. Dr. Lans and his sta­ recommend bringing your child in at an earlier age to accompany you, the par-ent, into the dental chair to get a �rst hand look at the experience. Children are observers by nature and being involved would enhance their desire for future hygiene care. Parents have told us over the years that their child usually can’t wait until his or her own appointment for a cleaning, after which he or she will be treated to the prize treasure chest in our o�ce to ensure a positive experience for a beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime.How do I prepare my child and myself for the visit? Before the visit, ask the den-tist about the procedures that will take place during the �rst appointment so there are no surprises. Plan a course of ac-tion for any possible reaction your child may have. Very young children may be fussy and not sit still. Others may become very frightened and cry. Some children may not react negatively at all. Some may enjoy the appointment very much! �ere are a num-ber of children’s books about

going to the dentist. Read these books with your child before his or her visit to familiarize your child with what will happen at the dentist’s o�ce and help lessen any potential anxiety. Try to make the upcoming appointment something to look forward to. Also, be sure to bring any records of your child’s complete medical history for his or her dental �le. What will happen during the �rst visit? Often a �rst visit is simply a time to acquaint your child with the dentist and the practice. If your child feels frightened or uncomfortable, or is uncoopera-tive, you my need to reschedule the appointment. As a parent, you should try to remain patient and calm, reassuring your child that the visit is not scary or something about which to be afraid. Any anxiety on your part will be transferred to your child. Short, successive visits can build on the child’s trust in the dentist and the dental o�ce and prove invaluable if your child needs to be treated later for any dental problem. Children’s appointments should be scheduled earlier in the day, when your child is alert and re-

freshed. For children younger than age 2 or 3, the parent may need to sit in the dental chair and hold the child during examination. If all goes well, the �rst visit often lasts between 15 and 30 minutes and may include any of the follow-ing, depending on the child’s age:

• A gentle but thorough examination of the teeth, jaw, bite, gums, and oral tissues to monitor growth and development and observe any prob-lem areas • A gentle cleansing, which includes polishing teeth and removing any plaque, tartar build-up, and stains• X-rays• A demonstration on how to properly care for the mouth and teeth at home • Nutritional counseling • An assessment of the need for �uoride.

�e dentist should be able to answer any ques-tions you have and try to make you and your child feel comfortable throughout the visit. When should we schedule the next appointment? Children, like adults, should see the dentist ev-ery six months. Some dentists may schedule inter-im visits for every three months when the child’s comfort and con�dence increases or for treatment needs. At Lans Family Dentistry we enjoy providing our pa-tients with the best quality dental care possible, and we are grateful for all our patients’ kind referrals. We will always make room for your family, friends, co-workers, or anyone else who would like to experience the great things we have to o�er. Please have them give us a call at 703-729-1400.

44110 Ashburn Shopping Plaza l Suite 166 l Ashburn, VA 20147

Cosmetic Dentistry - including Veneers

Restorative Dentistry

Hygiene & Preventative Care

Dentures

Implants

Crowns & Bridges

Teeth Whitening

Orthodontics for Adults and Children

Invisalign for Adults and Teens

Children’s Dentistry

Evening & SaturdayHours

EmergenciesWelcome

Financing Available

Includes Routine Cleaning, Examination& 4 Bitewing X-rays. If necessary, full set of

X-rays only $70 additional

SAVE $155NOW $95

Reg. $250

Full Orthodontic TreatmentIncludes INVISALIGN & Retainers

(Traditional Orthodontic Treatment& Invisalign Starting at $3200)

$400 Off

New PatientsCleaning Special

for New Patients

Page 9: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

In the last issue, we spoke about your website and how it acts as the faceof your business. We provided a number of tips to make sure that your cus-tomers or potential customers have a great user experience, which will in-crease their likelihood to purchase your goods or services.

You website can help display who you are, what you do, and how you aredifferent from your competitors. In order for you, as a business owner, tohave the chance to present this information, you need to make sure that yourwebsite can be easily found.

Domain selection is the essential step in this process.ere are several key factors that you should consider when finding the

perfect domain name.

➢ First, make sure that your name can be easily spelled over the phone.Your name will be passed to a potential customer either on a business card,through an advertisement, or over the phone. e least amount of clarifica-tion needed to spell the domain name, the better. As an example, “My web-site is www.bestiphoneappsz.com, or that is “summerz” with a “z” not an “s”.

➢ Next, try to keep the domain short and memorable. ink aboutthe popular domains of today: “Google.com”, “Hulu.com”, “Yahoo.com”,“MSN.com”, “CNN.com”, “Facebook.com”. e domain should be easy forsomeone to remember so that they can refer the company name and its web-site along to friends and family.

➢ Try to eliminate complexities. Many people look for their dream do-main, but it is already taken. ey then look for other ways to express thesame domain name. For example, if the domain www.bestiphoneapps.comwas taken, many people might buy the domain www.the-best-iphone-apps.com. is complicates the spreading your company’s name because younot only have to make sure they spell the name correctly, but also put dashesin the correct places.

➢ Try other domain extensions. By far, the most popular domain ex-tension is “.com”. However, sometimes creativity can pay off by using a dif-ferent domain extension. For example, www.bestiphoneapp.is. However, becareful with using a unique domain extension because sometimes it can addconfusion for the customer. Also, “GoDaddy.com” just began selling a newdomain extension, “.co.” Many of the great domain names that you cannotget with a “.com” extension may be available with a “.co” extension. Al-though the “.co” extension does cost more per year, it is worth being able toeasily direct your customers to your website.

Now your website, following the guidelines from last issue, can sell yourgoods and services for you more efficiently and effectively.

The Art of Domain Selection

USE WEB DESIGN TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS TODAY!

903-Dan-Doll or 903-326-3655

CALL FOR A FREE PRICE QUOTEMention that the Loudoun County Woman

sent you and get a special rate!

Act now! Only limited spots are available!

Website Creation

for Your Business

[email protected]

9www.loudouncountywoman.com

Website Design

Page 10: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

10 www.loudouncountywoman.com

Interior Design

Have you heard? Wallpaper isback! When I say this to myclients some of the typical re-sponses are: “No wallpaper for us.We had to remove wallpaper inour old house and it was a terri-ble experience.” Or, “Really? I al-ways think of wallpaper as beingdated and traditional.” Well thegreat news is that wallpaper isnow an entirely new product, onethat is easily installed and re-moved, and one that can trans-form a space from boring tobeautiful in a matter of hours.

Wallpaper is a great way tomake a room say, “WOW!” etwo most popular areas in whichto use wallpaper are the mainpowder room and the diningroom. e powder room is typi-cally a smaller space, so wallpapercan make a huge visual impact byadding depth and substancewhich will make the space feellarger and more interesting. is

is a room that guests will usuallysee, so it is your chance to reallyhave fun with color, pattern andtexture. In the dining room, wall-paper can be used from floor toceiling, or just above the chairrail, if such molding exists. isroom usually calls for a largerscaled print and something witha more formal flair. In the diningroom, window treatments willusually be part of the design plan.is means that if you use abolder print on the walls, you canbalance it out with a more solid

or subtle window treatment fab-ric. It is important to considerhow all the elements of the roomwill flow together to achieve a co-hesive look.

ere are two aspects to creat-ing the “wow” factor with wallpa-per. e first trick is selecting acolor palette; it is important toconsider the kind of mood youare trying to evoke. A paper withsubtle golds or creams for exam-ple, will create a soft and elegantmood. Bolder colors such as redor orange or a bold blue willmake a stronger statement.

e second element is findingthe right pattern. e scale of thepattern is important to consider.For example, using a small scaleprint will be lost in a large diningroom, and the visual impact willbe gone. Conversely, a largerscaled pattern would not makesense in a small powder room.Something else to remember isthat the larger the pattern and thebrighter the color, the strongerthe statement.

Wallpaper can serve as a beau-tiful backdrop in just about anyroom. It can add texture, color,and depth, as well as serve as agreat alternative to paint. A lot ofhomes in this area have wonder-ful open floor plans, however,that also means a lot of paintedwalls. erefore, wallpaper in apowder room or dining room canbe such a welcomed breath offresh air. When thinking aboutdesigning a room, I always askmyself if it is a candidate for wall-paper. Now there are so many a

My design philosophy is to marry beauty and function. I enjoy helping my clientsto identify and achieve their own personal decorating style–decorating for themselves but not by themselves. I will work closely with you to determine yourlikes and dislikes and needs and desires. Then, together, we transform your spaceinto a sophisticated design plan that reflects your taste, personality and lifestyle.

Lauren Clement • Owner and Decorator • 877.583.0355

www.decdens.com/lclement • [email protected]

modern and updated prints,some that feature metallic colors,or glass beads, or even crystal ac-cents. Today’s wallpaper is notthe same as the one from yourgrandmother’s house! I just loveto use this element of interiordecorating, and I especially lovethe reaction of my clients at theend of the installation!

If you are thinking abouttransforming a room in yourhome, then let’s consider thewonderful world of wallpaper.

Wallpaper is a great way

to make a room say,

“WOW!” The two most

popular areas in which to

use wallpaper are the

main powder room and

the dining room.

The Wonderful World of Wallpaper

Page 11: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

Part 2: Saving Energy and Money

Last time we talked about remodeling with green process, so let's turn our at-tention to saving energy.

Energy efficiency is a green philosophy centering on the idea that using less en-ergy is better for the environment, is healthier for the homeowner, and savesmoney. e obvious method is incorporating energy/resource saving applianceswhose efficiency saves money while still providing the same, or better, service thanold appliances. Green Home Guide (www.GreenHomeGuide.com) has tips ondetermining the right size appliances for your home and other ways to save energyand money.

e other arena of energy efficiency is the EPA's Home Performance EnergyStar program offering whole house ratings for new and existing buildings(http://www.energystar.gov/. e goal is to improve efficiency and home comfortwhile protecting the environment. To qualify, a whole-home energy assessment isperformed by a certified Building Performance Institute (BPI) or Residential En-ergy Services Network (RESNET) third party auditor. Using tools and software toperform 2 whole-house assessments, they provide reports with thermal imagingand models that show air movement, thermal bypass, duct leakage, and combus-tion-zone requirements. e report provides a score based on HERS (Home Effi-ciency Rating System) showing energy consumption and recommendations withcost, energy savings, and return on investment calculations. e recommendationsare used to get bids fromBPI/RESNET contractors. Oncework is completed, the secondassessment is done to evaluate in-creased efficiency. Besides taxcredits and appliance rebates,many local utility companiesoffer rebates specifically for thisprogram. Even if you aren't in-terested in a HERS score, awhole-house assessment indicateswhether your home is function-ing efficiently and identifies areaswhere heat and air enter or es-cape.

Just looking to do some quickfixes and upgrades without thefull remodel? Go green and savemoney by replacing with EnergyStar rated appliances. EnergyStar recently revamped their pro-gram, and appliances producedin 2011 will have to meet thenew, tougher standards and re-view in order to get the certification. You can use LED, fluorescent light bulbs, re-place your faucets and toilets with a low-flow option, and use no-VOC paint onthe walls.

Standardized cabinets are one way to stay inside your budget, but that doesn'tmean your remodel has to look ordinary or cookie cutter! ere are many places,local and online, that offer architectural salvage, where unique pieces are just wait-ing to be incorporated into your project. Antique stores, flea markets and tag salesare other options for finding and reusing furniture, metal and wood. ese ele-ments can transform a room into a unique and more inviting space without break-ing the budget.

For the outside of your home, there is a variety of siding, bricks, pavers anddecking available that uses recycled content and is insulated, durable and efficient.ere is even roof tile (MonierLifetile Smog-Eating Tile) that breaks down nitro-gen oxide (air pollution/smog) in the air!

e remodel is done - What to do with your old carpet, flooring and cabinets?Many contractors will haul it away as part of their work. Often, this is a trip to thecounty landfill, but some contractors do resell or recycle old items, so be sure toask. If you'd rather dispose of it yourself and materials are in decent shape, considerdonating them to Habitat for Humanity's Restores (http://www.habitat.org/re-stores/). Many even have pick-up service. ere are also several recycle/recovery

businesses in Northern Virginia and some can help you achieve LEEDscredits (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for your recy-cling. Carpet Recovery (www.carpetrecovery.org) can direct you to com-panies who pick up and recycle carpet and other home items.

No matter how you choose to go green or how green you choose to go,always check federal, county, city, and Energy Star websites to find rebates.Some federal credits have changed for 2011. e Alliance to Save Energy(www.ase.org) has a list of federal tax credits and the Department of En-ergy (www.energysavers.gov) lists Virginia rebates for appliances. Manycommunities, like Purcellville, offer rebates for water conservation itemslike washing machines and toilets. Don't forget to check your utility com-panies. Dominion Power offers in-store discounts for purchasing compactfluorescent lights (CFL). For your yard, e Loudoun Soil and WaterConservation District offers tree and shrub seedlings as well as pre-assem-bled rain barrels (www.loudounsoilandwater.com).

How to get started? Read up on going green and get expert advicefrom an experienced designer and contractor. Outline your goals, targetthe updates and issues to be fixed, and set a budget.

11www.loudouncountywoman.com

Gourmet Kitchens

Think Spring – Go Green!

Carol Luke

KSA Kitchens, LLC

540-338-2613

[email protected]

www.ksakitchens.com

Some of my favorite ideas for a green kitchen:

• Lots of natural light and ventilation

• Room for recyclable storage

• Energy efficient appliances

• A cold box that keeps fruits and veggies fresh without requiring refrigeration and a table

• Counter tops or cabinets made from re-used boards or stone.

Page 12: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

12 www.loudouncountywoman.com

Fine Art Photography

Family is a key to understanding the social net-work of Loudoun County. Parents are willing to en-dure long commutes to make sure theneighborhoods and schools and after-hours eventsare of the quality they want for their children. Inaddition, Loudoun County offers a lot for seniorsthat live with their children in terms of social net-working and help with medical needs. I’ve lived inmany places and Loudoun stands out with a defin-ing identity, “e Family.” Ah, but there’s more tothe family than just the human side, pets are a keyingredient to harmony for all of us in Loudoun.You will find few families that don’t boast at leastone canine or feline member plus a number of moreexotic creatures.

Oh, and don’t forget the horses, we are knownfor our beautiful equine family members.

I love to visit homes that have not only a nicewall portrait of the children and parents but also agreat portrait of the family pet. Something classicwith a studio look and lighting is always a conversa-

tion piece. Equally outstanding are really nicely litenvironmental images taken at some of the beauti-ful locations in Loudoun. Weather and time of daycan be key to nice outdoor images. Attention tobackgrounds are,of course, essential. Once you havethe time and place creating the surrounding and at-mosphere you want it’s time to pose your subject.Every animal is different, and taking time to knowyour pet’s personality is a key to a good portrait.When you look at a picture over the fireplace youshould see that spark of personality. at’s a key to agood portrait of not only people but also pets. eportrait should resonate with you that yes, that’s“Sam,” I can see him in those eyes looking back atme and that gesture is all about him.

Pet portraiture takes time, whether in the studioor on location, the photographer needs to makesure the pet has time to explore, satisfy its curiosity,and relate to the camera. In some cases the bestimage is captured with the human member presentand with other pets just the photographer and a day

to interact works best. is is something to explorewith your photographer before the session.

Portrait presentations can not only be on photo-graphic paper, but also glycee prints, canvas wraps,modern metal prints or in a nice classic frame. isis a nice heirloom to pass onto the children. Call anexperienced pet photographer and create a memo-rable art piece with relevance to your family.

Pet Photography

Contact Don or Ines Harper at

The Edge Photography Studio,

sessions by appointment.

703.669.1000 at 312 East

Market St., Leesburg Va. 20176

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Fine Art Photography

“Every animal is different,

and taking time to know

your pet’s personality is a

key to a good portrait.

When you look at a picture

over the fireplace you

should see that spark of

personality. That’s a key to

a good portrait of not only

people but also pets.”

Page 14: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

Women in Profile

14 www.loudouncountywoman.com

Heidi KallettHeidi Kallett is the CEO and President of e Dandelion Patch, a fine stationery and

gift boutique with four locations in the DC metro area: Vienna, Reston, Georgetown andnow Leesburg! With oversight of both the day to day activities associated with running asmall (but rapidly expanding) business and all purchasing, marketing, personnel and strate-gic growth initiatives, Heidi is responsible for growing her business by over 425% since2005. Heidi is well respected in the stationery industry for her visionary thinking and posi-tive attitude. Not coincidentally, she was recently appointed to the prestigious NationalAdvisory Board of the National Stationery Show in NYC.

Prior to her current entrepreneurial life, she was charged with many of the same issuesas President of the Junior League of Northern Virginia (JLNV). In this role, Heidi was theprincipal executive officer, official spokesperson, and representative of the JLNV. She wasresponsible for the operation, achievements, and morale of the 600+ women volunteers sherepresented.

While Heidi envisions making e Dandelion Patch the area’s leading stationery re-tailer, she also strongly believes that the true definition of success includes playing a mean-ingful role in the community in which she lives. To that end, Heidi is a community rolemodel and has served/serves on many non-profit Boards, including: National Associationof Women Business Owners, ChildHelp USA, Volunteer Fairfax, Children’s Science Cen-ter of Northern Virginia, Medical Care for Children’s Partnership, Advisory Social ServicesBoard of Fairfax County, Greater Washington Boys and Girls Clubs of Fairfax County, Charity Works and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.Most recently, in large part due to her vast volunteer leadership experience in the area, Heidi was asked to serve as a Board Trustee for the Camp-bell Hoffman Foundation. She is a graduate of the Greater Washington D.C. Cares Board Training Program and a graduate of the LeadershipFairfax Class of 2006.

Heidi is often recognized for her energy, dedication and leadership, including being named “Most likely to make a difference” by the Leader-ship St. Pete Class of 1999 and as “Volunteer of the Year” by the JLNV in 2000 and again as “Woman of Vision” in 2008. She was highlighted inDC Modern Luxury Magazine as one of “Washington’s Most Dynamic Women,” followed by the Washington Business Journal honoring her withtheir prestigious “Women Who Mean Business” award as a Rising Star. In 2008, Heidi received international recognition from the Stevie Awardsfor Women as a finalist as Best Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2010, Heidi was the recipient of the Smart CEO Brava! Women’s Business Achieve-ment Award. In addition, in November 2010, Heidi was honored with the Northern Virginia Leadership Award from Leadership Fairfax.

A transplanted Texan, Heidi has a degree in marketing from Texas Tech University. She and her husband Joel, have two children: Ethan (11)and Jordan (9) who both attend e Langley School.

LOUDOUNWomen in Profile

Linda ConnollyLinda Connolly is a transplant from Gig Harbor, Washington. Upon arriving in Arlington, Vir-

ginia in 1991, she awoke to a cool, crisp, SUNNY, winter day. It was at that moment that she fellin love with the glorious blue skies of the East Coast winters. It was when she moved to Leesburg,Virginia in 2004 that she felt she had arrived “Home.” Being the first within her Lansdowne com-munity, she immediately recognized the need for a welcoming committee! “We are all transplantsfrom someplace else.”

Being an employee of a new Loudoun business allows her to focus her energies on her family,her children’s schools, and her committee of Leesburg. Every day at the Dandelion Patch she getsto celebrate new beginnings with new friendships. From engagement announcements, save thedates, wedding invitations to baby announcements, at e Dandelion Patch Linda gets to celebrateall the milestones of her new extended families. She prides herself on being apart of the welcomingcommittee at e Village at Leesburg. For fun, Linda is a Brownie Troop leader in Lansdowne, ateaching assistant at St. John the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Leesburg and an active mem-ber at the Golf Club at Lansdowne.

Page 15: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

Women in Profile

15www.loudouncountywoman.com

Susan WalkerSusan Walker is an Assistant Manager at e Dandelion Patch in the Village at Leesburg.

She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and was a neonatal intensive care nurse prior topursuing a career in retail. She enjoys cooking, exercising, traveling, and the fine arts. e proud

mother of two grown sons, she resides in Leesburg, Virginia with her husband.

Daniella DamianoDaniella is a full-time student of academics and life. She’s grown up in Loudoun County

from middle school to present day, and was raised burbling with ambition like a bubble-soapwand in a tornado. Currently achieving an Associates Degree at NOVA, she is majoring inbusiness and marketing with a creative outlet in design.

As a rapidly growing county, new people, ideas, and businesses arrive with a surge of energyand inspired vision. While exploring the Village at Leesburg one bright winter day, Danielladiscovered e Dandelion Patch, an energetic boutique and entrepreneurial gem. She was im-mediately enchanted and is thrilled to be part of the Dandelion Patch family.

Alexa MoringAlexa enjoys spending her nights working at the Dandelion Patch. Either she’s helping a customer find their favorite Trollbead or their favorite piece of Vera Bradley. Alexa likes

spending the rest of her time outside or with friends. She goes to NOVA as a part time student.She enjoys working at the Dandelion Patch because it’s a fun place to work with awesome

Loudoun ladies, and she’s learning how to write better thank you cards. Alexa especially enjoysworking with all the children that come through the store.

Samantha GallagherSamantha is the Store Manager of the Leesburg Dandelion Patch. Most importantly, she is a

mother to her 19 month old daughter and wife to her husband, Sean. During her spare time she enjoys painting, pencil drawing and spending quality time with her family and friends.

After graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in Property Management, she worked forAbercrombie & Fitch and later ended up at e Dandelion Patch. Working for e DandelionPatch since November 2008 has been a wonderful experience for her. She could not ask for a betteratmosphere to be a part of or more admirable women to work with. New to the Leesburg area, ithas been a pleasure working in e Village at Leesburg and she is excited to watch it grow.

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Community

TheGift of GratitudeBy Heidi Kallett

I am lucky enough to have a growing business and as a result, many people oftenask me about my secret to success. Although I don’t think there is exactly ONE an-swer to this question, I do think that there is ONE item that has mademore impact in my life than the others. If I told you that my investmentwas $.44 and a lovely piece of paper, would you believe me? at’s right;I’m talking about the importance of a hand-written thank you note.

e small letter of gratitude has opened doors, solidified relation-ships and closed deals for me. Even though there is never a wrong timeto write a thank you note, there are four biggies to remember—thetimes you must not forget to put a little elbow grease into a note ofthanks.

1) You’ve received a gift:Yes, any gift. When someone has taken time out of his/her day,

and most likely money out of his/her pocket, the least you can do issay thanks. Besides the general fact that it’s the right thing to do, ifyou haven’t mailed a note telling the receiverthat you are enjoying their thoughtfulness,they will always wonder if you received thatgift in the mail. Just like after you mailedthat wedding gift to Jim and Susan AND youhadn’t heard from them in several months,you wonder whether it was properly shippedvia UPS. When you run into them in the gro-cery store, or you run into their parents at arestaurant you will want to ask about the giftbut will be in that really awkward place whereyou feel it might be rude to bring it up. We’veall been there— unfortunately.

Don’t feel guilty for wondering. If Susan andJim had done what they were supposed to do,probably what their parents had taught them todo, you wouldn’t be feeling guilty. What’s wrongwith this picture? You purchased a gift FOR your friend, and yet, YOU are feelingguilty for wondering if they received the package. So don’t make your parents lookbad, and don’t make gift-givers wonder if their money went astray (via a never-re-ceived present). Miss Manners says that you have a year to write thank you notes,but I think that is simply silly. Write the note after you open the present, or at leastthe first time you use the gift (or second or third time).

And it goes without saying—your children should be writing notes too for thegifts that they receive.

2) Someone entertained you at their home:You know what it’s like to host a dinner party; craziness ensues the moment the

date is selected. From the groceries to the house cleaning, and the fresh cut flowersto the clean towels in the powder bath—hosting a party is a multi-hour investmentin an experience for someone else’s benefit. at experience, regardless of the factthat it was a dinner party, holiday soiree or summer cocktails on the patio, took timeand money and therefore deserves a lovely hand written thank you note. In fact, ifthat invitation includes an overnight stay, for let’s say a holiday weekend—then thenote better be written the first day that you are home. We could also mention thatin this case, it is usually appropriate to bring a hostess gift when arriving at thisparty—but that would be an entirely different article!

3) Someone has done a generous favor for you:is last point can present itself in a few ways. In the business world, sometimes

you get lucky enough to have a door opened because of a thoughtful introduction.You know the story; you have been trying desperately to meet Mr. CEO of thebiggest buyer of your products, but Mr. CEO’s Administrative Assistant has the gatefully closed, locked and under tight security. en a business friend, not your friendfrom elementary school that already knows that you need to meet Mr. CEO—but a

networking friend that you know by face and businesscard only, makes a quickphone call because Mr.CEO and your friend’skids go to the sameschool, play on the samesoccer team, or are in thesame Girl Scout Troop,and viola! e door is nowopen for you to make yourlargest sale and you can re-tire at an early age.

You had best write apersonal note to your friendand tell him/her that youowe them a dinner and yourfirst born child.

Another version of thesame story is when someone

goes out of their way to give you an opportunity that you proba-bly wouldn’t have had without a helping hand. In this case, aboss or mentor suggests that you would be perfect torun/lead/spear-head the latest media campaign/research/com-pany (you can fill in the blanks here). Regardless—a personal-ized note is appropriate to show your gratitude and to guaranteethat you might be considered for another favor. On the flipside, if you DON’T write a note, the opposite might happen!

is is also true for all interviews. If you are lucky enoughto have been asked to come into a company for an interview— then don’t

ruin the great first impression that I’m sure you made with your perfect suit, poisedand confident manners, and polished responses, by not sending a follow up thankyou note. You’ll be surprised at how few candidates actually send me a hand-writtennote after an interview—and I own a STATIONERY STORE! Trust me when I saythat this small amount of effort will go a very, very long way in your job search.

4) Someone has shown you tremendous kindness:Every once in a while, for no real reason, a friend will notice that I am under the

weather and will take up some slack on a committee that I am supposed to be chair-ing. A friend might say something super kind about me and my business to a re-porter that leads to an interview. Maybe a friend will “make” me go with her to a spabecause she knows that I am desperate for some relaxation. Sometimes a friend willhelp me divide and conquer when taking my kids to their many after-school activi-ties, or will check in on my parents that are home sick and when am out of town.Real kindness, with no expectation of anything in return, deserves a very specialnote too.

Heidi Kallett is the President and CEO of The Dandelion Patch, a stationery and gift boutique withfour locations in the DC region. She is a frequent speaker and author on the importance of the handwrit-ten note and has created a movement affectionately known by her friends as “the Heidi Challenge.”Those who take the plunge commit to a year-long goal of writing 52 notes (or 1 a week) to see thebeautiful benefits of gratitude.

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Community

Now occasionally I get asked questions about specifics sur-rounding a thank you note, so I thought it would be best tolist a few of the most frequently asked questions and sharea few answers:

Q: Do I really need to write a note? Can’t Iemail a word of thanks?

A: No. There is no getting around this one. Ba-sically, with today’s technology there is noguarantee that the email actually came fromyou, and not your admin, friend or parent, so itmust be hand written with your originalthoughts and your personal signature. If some-one spent time and money to pick out a gift, orwent out on a limb for you, then you can returnthe thoughtful “mojo” by sending a note ofthanks. I would be willing to bet that it takesless time to write the note than it took to buythe gift.

Q: There are so many different kinds ofnote cards. Does it matter which one I use?

A: Yes, it actually does matter. There is something called astationery wardrobe because just as there are many differentreasons to say thanks, there are different levels of formality inyour stationery. When writing for professional circumstances,

try to stick to the “less is more” philosophy. Softwhite or white quality paper, with navy, dark greenor deep red personalization—our full name, oryour full monogram works best in the business

setting. Save the flo-rescent lime greencards with the pinkheels and glitter foryour hip, and fashion-able girlfriends. Generally speak-ing, women can use either a notecard or a fold-over note—but aman should use a correspondencecard style. A reputable stationershould be able to help you find ex-actly what you need for any sta-tionery need.

Q: How long do I have to write athank you note?

A: Several manners books say thatyou have up to a year to write anote for a wedding gift. I think that

is too long of a time frame—as I mentioned before. I suggestthat a thank you note should be written within a month of thegift, action or event, but, that said—it’s never too late to saythanks. Your obligation isn’t fully fulfilled until you’ve written,

signed, sealed and mailed ahand-written thank you note.

Q: I find that it’s hard to getinto the habit of writing hand-written notes. Any tips?

A: I do have a few ideas of whatworks best for me: First, find a pen

that you really enjoy writing with. It doesn’t have to be expensive—but we all have our preferences; roller ball or ball point, fine tip ormedium, black or blue. Once you find a pen that makes you WANT towrite, invest in some quality paper and a roll of stamps, not a smallbooklet. I found that when I write a note and don’t have a stamp, itends up in my briefcase for weeks.

I realize that we can all make excuses about not having time towrite a thank you note, but given the impersonal nature oftoday’s technology, receiving a hand written note in your mailboxinstead of your electric bill is like receiving another gift wrappedin an envelope. A small token of appreciation, a small collectionof grateful words and a smile is tucked inside every sentence.Don’t cheat yourself out of the goodwill that comes from a sim-ple stamped piece of stationery.

Oprah once said, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end uphaving more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you willnever have enough.”

Q A& With Heidi Kallett

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Community

Supporting Education and Equal Opportunitiesfor Women Around the WorldWritten by Stephanie AppiahSocial Media Director, SoapBox Soaps

Globally, over 400 million children miss schooleach year because of illness. Whether it’s a coldthat keeps them from sleeping, or aflu that causes a fever, most of theseillnesses are airborne and properhand washing and sanitation couldprevent them from spreading. Whilechildren from every nation sufferfrom upper respiratory infections,children in the developing world suffergreater ramifications from just one dayof missed school. Girls suffer the most,not only missing school because of ill-ness, but also suffering from cultural bi-ases that make girls work extra hourshauling water and cleaning latrines bothat school and at home.

Sadly, schools around the developingworld often lack sanitary bathrooms andrunning water, reinforcing the unsanitaryenvironments that keep children ill and un-able to learn. is situation is especially frustrating asrates of absenteeism are higher for girls, who areoften kept home to do chores, than boys, whose edu-cation is considered a priority for parents.

What happens to girls who are kept at home?ey are missing out on educational opportunities,losing a chance to learn about skills and hygiene, andthe chance to develop life-long positive habits.

Schools are the ideal places for teachers and health-care workers to serve as role models, training chil-dren in hand washing, recognizing and reporting theearly symptoms of illness, andmaintaining a

clean environment for themselves and their peers. Keeping girls at home removes them from educa-

tional opportunities, which in turn lowers their over-all potential to operate local businesses, gain stronglinguistic and literary skills, and become active par-ticipants in their community. ey also lose thechance to become influential in the home. Childrenwho are curious and eager to learn have an easier

time adapting to and accepting new habits. Childrenwho have learned new hygiene habits at school canbe key factors in changing parents’ behaviors athome, and teaching elders about new ways to stayhealthy.

In the long run, girls’ inabilities to attendschool can lead to long term disparities in devel-oping labor markets. In 2010, the World Bankpublished a study that showed a 17 percent dif-ference in male versus female employment inAfrican labor markets. While 78.6 percent of allAfrican males were consistently finishing highschool and entering the labor market, only 61percent of women have consistently graduatedfrom high school.

What does it cost to educate a child? Aslittle as $20 a year, according to1Here...1ere, a group working to adminis-ter the tools to prepare children for collegefrom schools all over the developing world.“To educate girls is to reduce poverty,” says

former Secretary General Kofi Annan. If wecan put girls back in schools by removing the choresthat keep them at home, and provide sanitary educa-tional environments, we can attack global poverty atits source.

Sources:1. “Africa: Live! Researching and Evaluating Millennium Development Goals.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1824_africa_live/page2.shtml

2. http://www.onehereonethere.org/makes-initial-gift.asp

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Community

Frilly Frocks at Village at Leesburg is a unique boutique and con-

temporary consignment store. Frilly Frocks offers Fine Women’s,

Junior’s and Children’s Clothing, Shoes, Handbags, Jewelry and

Accessories. The staff at Frilly Frocks personally select only the

latest styles and quality designer brands. Here are a few benefits

to shopping consignment:

Value

Consignment shopping provides a greater price-to-product ratio

than any other form of retail. And, just as with any store, you

will usually find items on sale. Many consignment stores reduce

the price of items each month. It is not uncommon to find sav-

ings of 70%, 80% or even 90% off the original retail price. Con-

signment shoppers are often the best dressed, because they can

afford to be.

Service

Most consignment shops provide a warm, friendly atmosphere

that can’t be duplicated in a department store. Personal service

and attention to the needs of customers are the norm, rather than

the exception.

Selection

The variety of clothing you can find at a consignment shop far

exceeds that of any traditional retail store. Retail stores typically

carry their own name brands or a selection of brands that the

buyer believes will sell. Furthermore, they will carry what is cur-

rently “in fashion” if the colors of the season or style of clothing

do not happen to suit you, you’re out of luck. Consignment shops,

on the other hand, carry a nearly infinite variety of styles, de-

signers, colors, fabrics, etc., depending on what their consignors

bring in.

Donations

Not all items sell on the sales floor of consignment stores. After

their expiration (usually anywhere from 30 days to 3 months)

these items are donated to charities that assist the needy, most

often giving the donations to charities in the local area.

Recycling

Resale is possibly the oldest form of recycling known to man.

Dealers have been selling used merchandise since

ancient times. Today, recycling is more important than ever and

consignment shops help in this effort by recycling millions of gar-

ments every year.

Benefits of Shopping Designer

Consignment at Frilly Frocks

Rebecca Kaselow’s love for her grandchildren andshopping for beautiful children’s clothing and furnish-ings was the initial inspiration that drove her far be-yond her wildest dreams and expectations. In 2005,Rebecca opened Frilly Frocks, her first consignmentstore located in Ashburn. This past summer, FrillyFrocks moved to a beautiful new location at “The Vil-lage at Leesburg.” The larger space has allowed herto expand her children’s, ladies’ and junior’s cloth-ing, shoes, purses, jewelry and accessories inven-tory. Frilly Frocks’ mission is to provide theopportunity for families to be able to convenientlypurchase the finest quality apparel at a fraction ofthe retail cost while providing a means to earnextra money by selling their outgrown and unuseditems. Rebecca emphasizes “recycling” and also “giving” to those who are in need and donates cloth-ing and accessories to several organizations within Loudoun County. Rebecca says, “The inventory we receiveis amazing! Since we are blessed to live in Loudoun County—the richest county in the nation—you can onlyimagine the exceptional items we receive at Frilly Frocks every day!” Rebecca has many interests and is aproud member of Virginia Greyhound Adoption (VAGA). She is committed to educating the public about ex-racing greyhounds and finding these wonderful animals “loving forever homes.” Her ultimate goal is tobuild and operate a kennel for greyhounds to stay while awaiting adoption. While enjoying a shopping “ex-perience” at Frilly Frocks, you may also meet one of her greyhounds who frequents the store.

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Community

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Community

Caroline PetersonStudentHerndon High SchoolRexPlato’s Closet StoreMascot

Plato’s Closet Cost:H&M Dress $12Ingredients Jacket $10Sandals $7Total: $29

Alexandra TrahosKoussisBuyer-Plato’s Closet

Plato’s Closet Cost: Flounce Jacket $23Forever 21 Sweater $12Pant $6Anna Marino Shoes $16Necklace $10Total: $67

Cari LutkinsStudentPotomac Falls High School

Plato’s Closet Cost:Forever 21 Top $9Steve Madden Shoes $16Express Belt $3Bebe Purse $12Forever 21 Shorts $10

Total: $50

Alexa Miller

Student

Potomac Falls

High School

Plato’s Closet Cost:

Gap Blazer $14

American Eagle Shorts $8

Dollhouse Shoes $8

H&M Top $7

Belt $5

Total: $42

Ashley AkersStudentPotomac Falls High School

Plato’s Closet Cost:Forever 21 Shoes $6My Michelle Jacket $16H&M Dress $8Total: $30

�Dress Like the Stars for Less at Plato’s Closet Dulles Town Crossing

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“My mother gave lots of good advice and had a lot to

say. As you get older, you realize everything she said

was true.” –Lenny Kravitz

“When you are a mother,

you are never really alone in your

thoughts. A mother always has to

think twice, once for herself and once

for her child.” –Sophia Loren

“I attribute all my successes in life to the moral,

intellectual and physical education I received from

her.” (my mother) –George Washington

“Children are the

anchors of a

mother’s life.”

–Sophocles

“No one understands my

ills, nor the terror that fills

my breast, who does not

know the heart of a mother.”

–Marie Antoinette

“It

is n

ot

un

til

yo

u b

ec

om

e a

mo

the

r t

ha

t y

ou

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“My mother is a walking miracle.”

–Leonardo Di Caprio

“Biology is the least of what makes

someone a mother.” –Oprah Winfrey

“Mama was my greatest teacher,

a teacher of compassion, love and

fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower,

then my mother is that sweet flower of

love.” –Stevie Wonder

mother’s dayhappy

“Mothers are instinctive

philosophers.”

–Harriet Beecher Stowe

Page 24: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

24 www.loudouncountywoman.com

Community

Ingredients½ stick softened unsalted butter

8 slices thick smoked bacon–

cut crosswise into ½ inch strips

12 oz. sliced large button mushrooms

1 cup diced onion

2 tsp. chopped fresh sage

4 sliced plumb tomatoes

6 large eggs

3 cup milk

10 oz. thawed spinach–squeezed dry

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 oz. Gruyere cheese–finely diced

Finely chopped parsley

8 thick slices potato bread

Directions1) Grease large shallow 2½ qt. to 3 qt. casserole or baking dish with 1 tsp. of the butter.

2) In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp, remove and drain leaving 2 Tbl. of the drippings in skillet.

3) Add mushrooms, onions, sage to skillet and sauté 8-10 min until browned and mushroomshave released their liquid.

3) Spread this mixture over the bottom of casserole dish and scatter the spinach on top.

4) Spread the remaining 3 Tbl. of butter on one side of the bread slices and overlap them, but-tered side up covering the spinach, then arrange 3 slices tomato on each slice of bread.

5) In a large bowl whisk eggs, milk, ½ cp Parmesan cheese, and pepper until well blended,then pour the mixture over the bread. *Be sure to press the bread down to absorb the mixture.*

6) Scatter the Gruyere and remaining Parmesan over the top, then cover and refrigerateovernight.

7) Preheat oven to 350 degrees after bringing strata to room temperature and bake uncoveredfor 30 minutes.

8) Cover loosely with foil and bake another 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 20minutes then sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Breakfast Strata

Recipes for Breakfast in bed

IngredientsIngredients

½ cup butter divided

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup water

16 oz. crescent rolls (2 cans)

Directions1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In an ungreased 9x13 pan melt 5 tsp. butter in the oven, thenstir in brown sugar and water.

3) Separate each can of rolls into 2 rectangles of dough, press-ing the perforations to seal.

4) Brush the 4 rectangles with the remaining 3 tsp. butter.

5) Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle overdough.

6) Roll up each rectangle starting at the shorter side, cut into 6-8 slices then place into pan cutside down.

7) Bake 20-25 min until golden brown. Dump buns upside down onto serving tray.

Cinnamon Buns

Page 25: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

Community

25www.loudouncountywoman.com

Across3 A flowering tree found in Loudoun

5 A thorny bush

8 A “holiday” bird native to Loudoun

10 A common fish

11 Number of types of native walnut trees

14 This berried bush has several varieties

16 An injurious weed to farmers

17 Wilson’s fish

20 An endangered fox

Down1 A creeping vine with three varieties

2 Varieties of white oak in the county

4 Seneca snakeroot is also known as this snakeroot

6 A flowering mountain ground cover

7 The forests are predominately this type

9 A common type of bramble

12 An endangered wildflower

13 Loudoun is in this type of growth zone

15 A fragrant invasive plant

18 Ailanthus is also known as the tree of this

Loudoun CountyFlora and Fauna

Answers

Page 26: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

26 www.loudouncountywoman.com

Page 27: Loudoun County Woman May/June 2011

27www.loudouncountywoman.com