nov dec issue FINAL.indd - Custom Home Furnishings Academy

Editors’ Journal November/December 2006
from the associate editor
Happy Holidays
It’s hard to believe, but the holiday season is already
upon us. It’s time for food, family and possibly even
traveling. But before we can enjoy these things, we
have deadlines to meet.
The Instructors’ Corner in this issue relates to holiday
deadlines. I hope that this will help others to set
realistic deadlines and then not waiver. After all, it is
your business and you should run it the way that you
want to, not the way someone else thinks it should be
run.
I would like to welcome Mary Zellers back to the CHF
Magazine. We are very lucky to have her and I truly
appreciate her hard work. I look forward to spending a
lot of time with her, even if it is through cyber-space!
In my Window Treatment 100 class I tell my students
that there is one very important rule to follow in your
workroom. “Do what you say you will do.” If you
tell someone that they will have their treatments in a
certain amount of time, then you should do whatever
it takes to make it happen. I personally was thrilled to
see Zona Tiller’s book report this month. Believe me, it
already holds a prominent place on my wall!
We at CHF Magazine cannot thank you enough for
your patience while we worked out the kinks this year
and we promise you that we will do everything within
our power to stay on schedule next year. This remains
the premier publication for workroom professionals
and you can look forward to more fantastic columns
and articles in coming issues.
A special holiday wish for all of the wonderful people
involved in the Custom Home Furnishings Family. May
you all be blessed as much as you have blessed others.
Enjoy this issue and I’ll see you on the forum.
Connie Sikora
I'm Back
from the editor
Some of you may remember me.
I was the Managing Editor of the
SewWhat Magazine three years ago.
It is great to be back.
I was only back a few days when I was reminded of
how great it is to work with everyone in this industry.
From my experience, it seems that a requirement for
working in the Custom Home Furnishings industry is
that you are nice and that you go out of your way to
help everyone achieve their goals (sometimes at the
sacrifice of your own goals). Thank you to everyone
who has helped me put this issue together. I really
could not have done it without you.
Be sure and check out the letter from Cheryl
Strickland on page 15 to see what she has been up
to since retiring from the business. It looks like she is
having more fun than we are!
It is always a pleasure to listen when someone has
an inspiring and exciting success story. That was
definitely the case when I was talking with Lori Albitz
(page 35) about what she has been doing with her
business and how the Custom Home Furnishings
Academy has helped her achieve her goals. Lori
believes that her amazing success is a combination
of hard work and blessings handed down from God,
allowing her to be in the right place at the right
time to seize the opportunities that are given to her.
Lori’s high energy level and optimism has inspired
me to continue to accomplish all the things I would
like to accomplish in my own life. I, too, have been
especially blessed by God and I am aware of all that
has happened in my life that are His special gifts to
me.
I hope that all of you have a wonderful Christmas
and a Happy New Year. I look forward to working
with Connie and all of you this year to produce the
best magazine in the industry.
Mary Zellers
4 The Custom Home Furnishings Magazine November/December 2006