Kentucky Creative Living

I’m very excited to wel-come you to the Februaryissue of Creative Living.This month’s issue ischock-full of wonderfultopics and feature stories.

I’m particulary thrilledabout the Pet Sense topic,my favorite of all ourCreative Living topics because it’s something soclose to my heart. As a mother of two cats andone pug it has to be! If you’re not a pet owner,but are considering adding a furry friend to yourhousehold, be sure to read the feature about wel-coming a four-legged creature into your life. Ithas some really helpful tips.

Another great section this issue is our Health& Fitness. The article Powerful advice for mothers isnot only a great read for moms, but everywoman who has a young lady in her life. Theimage you have of yourself impacts every area ofyour life. It’s time to recognize your beautifulqualities, inside and out, and pass that abilityonto the next generation.

Thank you for your time and enjoy the rest ofthe issue. It’s sure to be a great read!

Editor’s noteCreativeLiving

Specialty Publications Editor

Creative Living is a monthly advertising-sponsoredmagazine published by the Specialty Publications

Department of The Community Press/TheCommunity Recorder.

Questions and comments can be sent to EditorMelissa Hayden c/o The Community Press/394Wards Corner/Loveland, OH 45140 or e-mail

[email protected].

For advertising call 578-5501.

Contact

TopicsLocal BusinessGoods • Services

Health & FitnessMind • Body • Spirit

3 9 At HomeDecor • Repairs

We Love Our PetsCare • Toys

5 14

FeaturesPPoowweerrffuull aaddvviiccee ffoorr mmootthheerrssHelp girls accept themselves through your example.

8

SSmmaalllleerr bbaatthhrroooommss lliivvee llaarrggeerrTips on how to make today’s smaller bathrooms live larger and work better.

11

NNeeww ppeett??Learn how to prepare your home for a furry friend.

16

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L O C A L B U S I N E S S

3K e n t u c k y C R E A T I V E L I V I N Gn k y. c o mT h u r s d a y F e b . 1 8 , 2 0 1 0

Jim Barrie wants toshare his love forSCUBA diving, so he's

letting everyone try it forfree.

His dive shop, TheScuba Shack, (www.TheScubaPlace.com) located inFlorence, is offering a free“Try SCUBA Experience”to anyone interested indiving.

“SCUBA diving is not asport. It's not a hobby. It'sa lifestyle! We want toexpose as many people aswe can to this excitingway of life.” Barrie said.

The Scuba Shack con-ducts free one-hour divesevery Saturday.

Barrie has owned TheScuba Shack for 11 years,and in that time has beentold by countless peoplethat they would love totry diving.

He knows that if theydo, they'll love it! So hewants to give them the

opportunity.All those who would

like to try SCUBA divingwill be geared-up and gofor a dip in The ScubaShack's indoor, heated, 10foot-deep, diver trainingpool.

The dives are led byThe Shack's certifiedinstructors.

Reservations arerequired, and can be madeby calling The ScubaShack at 859-283-1550.

The Scuba Shack alsooffers SCUBA certificationtraining.

Through comprehen-sive classroom and pooltraining, divers learnproper technique, safetymeasures, and how to usethe equipment.

Divers certified at TheScuba Shack are givenunlimited training classesat no extra charge.

The Shack also pro-vides unlimited access to

their pool and use ofSCUBA equipment forcertification students.

Once certified, a diveris ready to go on one ofthe shop's many trips todive locations in theUnited States and abroad.

In the next 14 months,The Shack will lead tripsto locations such as: St.Lucia, Hawaii, Bonaire,Cozumel, Florida, Fiji,and the Bahamas. Pricingvaries by destination.

Many trips are enjoy-able for both divers andnon-divers, so the divercan easily bring a spouseor friend. However, tripsspecifically for divers arenoted.

“There's nothing quitelike a group trip” saidBarrie. “Both divers andnon-divers come backwith a group of newfriends, having seen someof the world's most beau-tiful locations” he said.

SCUBA diving is a lifestyle

Share how your business is going GREEN in the March issue. Call 578-5501.

The Scuba Sahck is offering a free “Try SCUBA Expereince.”

L O C A L B U S I N E S S . H E A L T H

4 K e n t u c k yn k y. c o mC R E A T I V E L I V I N G T h u r s d a y F e b . 1 8 , 2 0 1 0

While most peoplethink of collegebasketball when

they hear March Madness,they should also think ofthe Little Treasures con-signment sale, the MarchMadness for moms. TheNorthern Kentucky LittleTreasures consignmentsale, to be held March 18-20, will give moms, dads,and everyone else a chanceto get name-brand clothes,toys, furniture, and otheritems at great prices. Withthe sluggish economy, thisis a chance to save hun-dreds of dollars on qualitychildren’s items.

It is also a chance tomake hundreds of dollarsby becoming a consignorat the sale. Little Treasurespays out at least 70 per-

cent of sales back to theconsignors. And unlike atmost consignment shops,the consignors set theirown prices.

This is the third yearfor the NorthernKentucky Little Treasuresconsignment sale. Theoriginal Little Treasuressale began in Louisville in2001. With more than 150consignors and more than20,000 items for sale, LittleTreasures is NorthernKentucky’s “biggest littlesale.” This sale is heldtwice a year, once in thespring and once in thefall. The spring sale fea-tures spring and summerclothing.

Volunteers who workat the sale get opportuni-ties to shop earlier than

others, giving them firstdibs on the best items.Consignors who also vol-unteer earn additionalmoney beyond the mini-mum 70 percent of theirsales.

The sale will be held atthe Madison OfficeProducts Building, locatedat 8307 U.S. Highway 42,Florence, between MallRoad and Hopeful ChurchRoad. Public sales hoursare Thursday, March 18, 9a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday,March 19, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.;and Saturday, March 20, 9a.m. to noon with thehalf-price sale (on manyitems) from 12:30 p.m. to5 p.m.

For more information,visit www.littletreasures-sale.com.

Little Treasures Consignment SaleLittle Treasures Consignment Sale takes place March 18-20.

Call 578-5501 to advertise in CCrreeaattiivveeLiving

H E A L T H & F I T N E S S


Dental HealthMonth is a time foryour dental health

professionals to reach outto the people of the com-munity, not just theirpatients, and increaseawareness on the impor-tance of oral health.

This is when they tryto teach young childrenthe importance of dailybrushing and flossing, thebenefits of healthy dietsand snacks and the effectsthat poor choices can haveon their teeth and gums.

This is also a time toteach teens about thegrowth of bacteria and itseffect on breath, cavitiesand gum disease.

It’s also a time to helpprotect the investmentsparents are making byproviding their childrenwith braces.

If teens are taughtproperly how to cleanaround braces, the teeth

do not de-mineralize orget splotchy white spotson them which are moresusceptible to developcavities in the future.

As for the adults, it isthe chance to explain thatthere are other healthproblems that can belinked to gum diseasesuch as heart disease.

This is also a good timeto let people know thatyour dental team canscreen for lumps/bumpson the head and neck andprovide oral cancerscreenings.

Most teens and adultsare unaware that peri-odontal disease, a severegum disease, can be trans-mitted by kissing, lickingpacifiers in attempts toclean them off, and shar-ing cups or straws.

Sharing these kind ofdental health tips with thepublic, Mortenson FamilyDental hopes to increase

awareness and reduce theamount of dental prob-lems in the community.

Dental Health Quiz1. Is there an odor to

your breath that is stillthere after brushing?

2. Are there any teeththat are sensitive to hotmore than cold?

3. Do your gums bleedwhen you brush or floss?

4. Can you see darkspots or shadows on orbetween teeth?

5. Was your last dentalvisit over a year ago?

Did you answer “yes”to more than one of thesequestions?

If so you may be inneed of treatment from adental care professional.

The team at MortensonFamily Dental is here tomeet those needs for youand your family.

February is National Dental Health Month

Call 578-5501 to share informationabout your summercamp in the March

CCrreeaattiivveeLLiivviinngg

Mortenson Family Dental is located at 7033 Burlington Pike, in Florence.

Every day, Dr. TaraDallmann and herGentle Dental Care

team continue to comeacross more and morefearful patients. In Dr.Dallmann’s quest to helpthe most fearful patients,she entered a year- longeducational course atMiami Valley Hospital inDayton, Ohio. This pro-gram is one of the moststringent and highlyregarded programs in thecountry for certifying den-tists in Intravenous seda-tion and the training andtesting Dr. Dallmannreceived exceeds thatrequired by the state ofKentucky. Dr Dallmannbelieves in going aboveand beyond the call ofduty when it comes to thesafety and comfort ofher patients. Because sheis trained and licensed todo both IV and oral con-scious sedation, Dr.Dallmann can choose

which method will be bestfor each individualpatient, based on theirneeds alone.

Sedation is a way forpeople that would notnormally go to the dentistto get the treatment andattention they so desper-ately need. From themoment you call the car-ing team at Gentle DentalCare, you are comforted,and your fears arerelieved. This begins atrust that develops

between Dr. TaraDallmann, her team, andyou.

Embarrassment is thefirst hurdle to overcome.Put your mind at ease,because Dr. Dallmann andher team see patients likeyou everyday. Theyunderstand how hard itwas for you to call andapplaud you for takingthe first step. Whether ithas been a year or 20years since you have seena dentist, no one will

make you feel bad.Here is what to expect

on your first visit:Depending on your chiefcomplaint, most sedationpatients come in for athorough examination.This allows Dr. Dallmannto find everything there isto know going on withyour oral health. After theexamination, which isguaranted to be painless,Dr. Dallmann will createa treatment plan just foryou. Lastly, Dr. Dallmann

and Brenda, the treatmentcoordinator, will discusswith you all of youroptions and give you rec-ommendations on how toproceed based on yourtimetable and budget.

Dr. Dallmann will thentalk to you about whichform of sedation will beright for you.

Here’s what one recentsedation patient said:

“Wow... from my firstphone call to the full 2.5hour visit, I have nothingbut good things to sayabout your practice andespecially your staff. Forsomeone who has hadnumerous bad dentalexperiences, I felt Dr.Dallmann was thoughtful,thorough and comforting.I was embarrassed byhow long it’s been since Ihad gone to the dentist,but no one looked downon me or the state of myteeth. I look forwardto getting the proceduresdone!” - M. D. FortWright

The day of yourappointment your comfortand care are

Gentle Dental Care’snumber one priority.From your heatedblanket, warm neck pil-low, and soothing spamusic, all efforts are madeto keep you comfortable.

“Everyone was great.The visit was much betterthan I expected and pain-less! I was quite embar-rassed about my lack ofdental care over the past“many” years, yet every-one made me feel at easeand non critical of mypast mistakes! Thank youall.” - J. G. Alexandria

Call Gentle Dental Caretoday and ‘Experience theDifference.’

Gentle Dental Care now offers IV, Oral Conscious Sedation

The Gentle Dental Care team.





Serving the Tri-Statearea for more than 30years, Burlington

Pharmacy Health Carehas been a lifeline andessential resource to theircustomers with disabili-ties.

A provider of top qual-ity, state-of-the-art med-ical equipment and sup-plies, BurlingtonPharmacy Health Care isone of the area’s largestsuppliers of home healthproducts and services andstrives to help people liv-ing with disabilities main-tain their independence.

“Our goal is toincrease, maintain andimprove the functionalcapabilities of people withdisabilities,” said AndyMueller, AssistiveTechnology Professionalof Burlington PharmacyHealth Care. “Whatever ittakes to get them there,we are here to help.”

Mike Clark of Erlangerconsiders himselfBurlington PharmacyHealth Care’s No. 1 fan.

Clark has multiple scle-rosis and was having ahard time finding awheelchair that suited hisneeds. After other equip-ment companies failedhim, he found BurlingtonPharmacy Health Careand they helped him findthe perfect wheelchair at agreat price.

“When I need anythingI can just call them up andthey will help; it feels likeI have a friend to callrather than just doingbusiness with a compa-ny,” said Clark. “Theyhave great products,prices and customer serv-

ice.”Burlington Pharmacy

Health Care has a trainedstaff that will help their

customers obtain theinformation and resourcesneeded to get them on theroad to living a morecomfortable and inde-pendent life with the aid

of the latest medicalequipment and suppliesoffered.

“We want people to

know that there is fund-ing available for theirneeds. A lot of our cus-tomers need help findingout how to get money fortheir equipment and we

can help look into thoseresources for them,” saidMueller.

The company worksclosely withtheir customers’doctors and fam-ily members sothat they canensure that allneeds are thor-oughly beingmet.

“We work as a teamwith physical and occupa-tional therapists, doctors,family members andinsurance companies sothat we will know all of

the goals and expectationsand then we make it allcome together,” saidMueller.

“Our customer serviceis what sets us apart – wewant to make sure ourcustomers are happy andgo above and beyond tomake their lives better.”

For more informationabout BurlingtonPharmacy Health Careand all of the ways theyare able to serve you, call586-6700. Their goal is tomake you happy!

Burlington Pharmacy Health Care: Exceeding theexpectations of individuals living with disabilities

“Our customer service is what sets us apart – we wantto make sure our customers are happy and go above

and beyond to make their lives better.”



ATotal TanCincinnati is hold-ing their annual

anniversary $1.50 tanningspecial for the entiremonth of February againthis year! Come on in any-time during the entire

month and receive $1.50tanning on all beds exceptthe ultimate beds whichare half price. Packagespecials include $7 off themonthly unlimited pack-age and $5 off the twoweeks unlimited package.

Look for the new 2010tanning lotion line comingout that includes productsfrom Australian Gold,Swedish Beauty,California Tan and BootyInc. All Booty lotion bot-tles are 50 percent off this

month as well! A TotalTan is now offering thespray-on tanning boothMystic Tan at all threeCincinnati locations aswell. They are offering anunbelievable $10 per ses-sion special during the

month of February! Go totheir Web site, www.ato-taltan.net, to learn moreabout their UV free spray-on tanning Mystic Tan.

A Total Tan offers $1.50 Tanning Special

No force exerts morepower on how girlsperceive their bod-ies and their rela-tionship with foodthan the examplesset by their ownmothers, researchand countlessexamples show.

Some of you aremothers; all of youhad one. What didyou learn aboutfood, eating andweight from your

own mother and what is your daughter learning fromyou? How and why do you eat the way you do andhow can you prevent your daughter from repeatingyour mistakes?

Eating disorder treatment specialist CarolynCostin, clinical director and founder of the MonteNido Treatment Center, says that modern culture maysend some women and girls the message to feed andnurture others, but not themselves.

“Because of the undue emphasis placed on appear-ance, females come to view their bodies as instru-ments to be used in the pursuit of approval from oth-ers and as sources of personal pride,” Costin says.“This can, however, lead to them experiencing theirbodies as a source of disapproval, failure and psycho-logical pain.”

Food may become a medium through whichfemales communicate many feelings. In her book,“Your Dieting Daughter,” Costin challenges women toask themselves, “What has food come to represent inyour life and in your messages to your own children?”

Mothers send messages every day that theirdaughters pick up on – from lessons of kindness toothers, to the tendency to judge one’s self-worth basedon physical appearance. Be aware of messages thatcan backfire, even when you have the best intentions:

• Compliments - You may do or say things thatsend the wrong message to your daughter. The focuson appearance, even when giving a compliment, canbackfire in many ways. Excessive praise for appear-ance can reinforce the notion that external qualities aremore important than internal ones, regardless of thecost it takes to maintain it.

• Food as reward and punishment – No matterhow many experts have warned against it, parents -especially mothers - often use food as a reward andpunishment. Children learn that certain foods belong

in special categories, like “good” and“bad.” This kind of thinking sets the stagefor someone to restrict, sneak eat, rebel byeating, comfort themselves with, or overlyindulge in, the forbidden “bad foods.”There are no bad foods; there are only badeating habits.

• Food as love – People learn a varietyof ways to associate food with being nur-tured, cared for and loved. Food, early onin the mother-daughter relationship, is con-nected to love - getting one means havingthe other. A girl may use food as love if shefeels, consciously or unconsciously, that sheis not getting love somewhere else. Whereemptiness exists in any way, food can maskit and be a substitute filler.

• Swallowing feelings/stuffing anger –People stuff down or swallow their feelingswith food. People who use food in this waydescribe it as having a numbing effect onthem, Costin says. Starving is also a way ofavoiding feelings. To heal people fromusing food in this way clinics like MonteNido teach their clients that all feelings areacceptable; it is their behaviors they needto learn to monitor and control.

Mothers who want to set a good exam-ple for their daughters, should considerthis, Costin says: “Is what you are doing toyourself what you would also do to yourown daughter? If you don’t want her toskip meals in order to fit in a dress, orbinge because she’s having a bad day, thenyou shouldn’t do it either.”

To learn more about eating disordersand treatment, visit www.MonteNido.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Powerful advice for mothers:

Help girls accept themselves through your example

A T H O M E


Rehab, Redesign, andRenew,” isn’t just a mar-keting line at Concrete

Concepts, it’s a reality.They rehabilitate concrete by

fixing cracks, chips, and imper-fections. They redesign your con-crete to give it a look resemblingtile, slate, stone, brick, marble, orstamped. And they renew bygiving existing concrete a newlease on life. Perfect for drive-ways, patios, pooldecks, walk-ways, basements, and counter-tops.

The reality: A more attractive,valuable home of which you canbe proud.

Their concrete resurfacingproduct, Concrete Technologies(CTi), is applied over existingconcrete and fixes imperfections.

It is color enhanced modifiedacrylic cement and comes in avariety of colors. It is twice thestrength of normal concrete, slipand skid resistant, and resistantto salt, alkaline, mold, mildew,and motor oil. It is also 40 per-cent cooler than concrete, faderesistant, and comes with a 10-year warranty.

Why ripout your existing con-crete, when you can rehab,redesign, as well as renew it.Concrete Concepts can fix minorcracks, professionally clean offyour concrete, and then installthe CTi system, at the same timegiving it a new look such asstone, brick, slate, or tile.

Concrete Concepts acceptsboth residential and commercialprojects. Their mission is to

enhance the beauty of your homeor business.

For more information on con-crete resurfacing call ConcreteConcepts of the Tri-State, locatedin Fort Thomas, at 859-816-2679,or visit them on the Web,www.concreteconceptstristate.com.

Concrete Concepts is ownedand operated by Frank Davidson.Frank resides in Fort Thomaswith his wife Jennifer and theirtwo children. They chose to moveto Fort Thomas for “its sense ofcommunity, location toCincinnati and for the reputableschool system.”

Frank, who studied aeronau-tics at Eastern KentuckyUniversity, was a flight instruc-ter in Florida before being hired

as a pilot at Air Midwest. In 2005,he was hired by Astar Air Cargo,formerly DHL Airways. Frankmade the decision to start hisown business after his position asa second officer with Astar AirCargo was eliminated after apotential merger with UPS wasannounced and DHL announcedthat they were going to reducetheir presence in the US market.He is dedicated to deliveryingsuperior workmanship accompa-nied with an unwavering com-mitment to customer service.Customers come first and theirsatisfaction is guaranteed.Concrete Concepts is fullyinsured and bonded.

Call 578-5501 to advertise in

CCrreeaattiivveeLLiivviinngg

Concrete Concepts: ‘Rehab, Redesign, Renew’

A T H O M E


For many homeown-ers, the beginning ofa new decade is

bringing fresh ideas anddesires for a new look intheir homes and they areturning to Fort MitchellInteriors to help thembring about an excitingchange.

A full service interiordesign store, Fort MitchellInteriors offers anythingand everything you needfor your designing project.

Kitchen cabinets, appli-ances, flooring, hardware,paint, wallpaper, uphol-stery – you name it andthis first-class design com-pany will have your basescovered from the begin-ning of the design projectthrough its completion.

Mary Pennington-

Wolfe is the owner andhead designer of FortMitchell Interiors and hasbeen providing excellentinterior design service toher cus-tomers for 31years.

“We arelike a pyra-mid – we cando everything under oneroof; a one stop shop,”said Wolfe.

Fort Mitchell Interior isknown for its excellentclient care and design,giving their clients exactlywhat they want andmatching their taste ofdesign.

“The client’s opinioncounts and is important. Iallow people to keep thethings they currently own

and we work with whatthey have and add to it,”said Wolfe.

In today’s competitivehousing market, it’s a

good idea to keep yourhouse fresh and up todate.

If you are consideringupdating a kitchen or bathin your home, FortMitchell Interiors carriescabinets, flooring, andappliances and has a teamof professional installersto get the job done andkeep your home lookingits best.

“I think it’s a good idea

to pick a room every yearand give it a new look,”said Wolfe.

If you know you areready for a fresh change

in your home but just notsure where to begin, callFort Mitchell Interiors anda designer can come toyour home for a designconsultation.

Whether your changeis as small as bursts ofnew color on the walls oras large as a whole housere-design, Fort MitchellInteriors will completeyour look from start tofinish.

You deserve a newlook and should enjoy liv-ing in your home.

With Fort MitchellInteriors as your designer

you only have to go oneplace to have all of yourdesign needs met.

Visit Fort MitchellInteriors today at 2514Hazelwood Drive (acrossfrom McDonald’s) or call331-5327 and take advan-tage of their New Year,New Look sale to jump-start your interior designproject.

New year, new look with Fort Mitchell Interiors

Anew year meansnew homeimprovements and

new to-do list. PreferredMaintenance, at 618-8299,can take care of it for you.

It’s never too late toseal up those drafty win-

dow and doors. Theweather might stop youon the outisde, so it’s timeto focus on the inside.Preferred Maintenancecan take care of all thoseinside jobs you need com-pleted. From kitchen tobathrooms, all phases of

plumbing, electric, tile,drywall, carpentry andpainting.

If you’re wanting anew deck or refinish anexisting deck, or wantingthe outside of your housepainted this spring, thenit’s a good time ot have it

looked at and put onschedule. The owners ofPreferred Maintenance arehomeowners who want tohelp other homeownersmaintain their property.Preferred Maintenance isa company that standsbehind “No job is too big

or small.” Don’t wait any longer.

Call 618-8299 and letPreferred Maintenancetake care of you and yourhome.

Preferred Maintenance home repairs, remodeling

You deserve a new look and should enjoy living in your home.

Share how yourbusiness is going

GREEN in the Marchissue. Call 578-5501.

A T H O M E


This is the decade of right-sizing. The economic reset triggered bythe excesses of the last decade is forcing our society to rethink itsdefinition of “enough.” One area under enormous scrutiny ishousing. How much space does it really take to house the average

American family of 2.61 peo-ple?

Our definition of“enough space” is changing,according to U.S. CensusBureau data. The year 2008saw the first annual decreasein average new-home sizesince 1994. During the inter-vening 15 years, the averagerose by 21 percent – from2,050 square feet in 1994 to apeak of 2,507 square feet in2007 – before slipping to 2,392 squarefeet in 2008. The 2008 decrease inhome size was also the largest annualdrop since 1980.

Similarly, remodelers report afalloff in the number of consumersasking for bigger kitchens and moreopulent baths. Not surprisingly, theaftermarket is also witnessing morehomeowners seeking to create moreefficient spaces with more storage,less waste and more flexibility.

Style still in demandAs builders downsize the

American dream home, consumersare saying that compromises on spacedo not automatically mean giving upconveniences. Currently, 60 percent ofnew homes have three or more bath-rooms, and while the size of eachmay not be as expansive as in yearspast, that is no reason to compromiseon style.

In fact, the trends shaping societytoday – smaller, smarter living spaces,value and efficiency over conspicuousconsumption and the need for agreener lifestyle with a smaller envi-ronmental footprint - are having aprofound impact on bath-product

manufacturers. These trends arealso making the job of creating morestylish statements in a smaller bath-room easier than ever.

“Our emphasis is on productsscaled to the new space reality,”says Gray Uhl, director of design forAmerican Standard Brands. “Welook very carefully at bathroom fix-ture scale to design collections thatfit the footprint of today’s homes.”

Maximum efficiency has becomea critical driver, according to Uhl.“A good example is creating morecounter deck space on pedestallavatories, or more storage space invanities even with a smaller foot-print. While this trend to efficiencycuts across all styles, it tends torequire fixtures, faucets and furni-ture that take simpler forms andshapes.”

Try a little planningWhether your preference is tra-

ditional, contemporary or the in-between transitional, creating styl-ish smaller bathrooms that work issimple, with a little planning. Hereare two important areas to considerin your planning:

• Storage: Vanities that offer

Shifting from a bathtub to ashower fits our lifestyle and

integrates better into the smalleroverall footprint of today’s bath.

How to make today’s smaller bathrooms live larger,

work better

ample storage space within a smaller footprint can hidehair dryers, towels, bath products and cleaning supplies,creating an uncluttered look to make a space seem larg-er. Vessel sinks that sit atop a vanity add a dramatictouch to a bath, while maximizing cabinet space and cre-ating deck storage space. If a pedestal lavatory fits yourfloor plan better, look for models with generous deckspace. Don’t forget a toilet with a flat tank top: The topof the toilet tank is valuable bathroom real estate.

• Lifestyle: As we try to do more in the same numberof hours, bathroom rituals necessarily change. Shiftingfrom a bathtub to a shower fits our lifestyle and inte-grates better into the smaller overall footprint of today’sbath. Multiple showerheads and body sprays providethe same relaxation as soaking in a tub, but in far lesstime and with significantly less cleanup. Most modernshowers also use substantially less water, which appealsto growing ecological awareness.

To learn more about products that will help create astylish, smaller bath that doesn’t compromise on per-formance, visit www.americanstandard-us.com.

Courtesy of ARAconten

As this article wasbeing written,Lasting

Impressions had storedaway the last few rem-nants of Christmas andthe showroom was beingtransformed from a sea-sonal holiday theme intobeautiful décor for year-round enjoyment of yourhome or office.

Linda, Judy, and Nancywent to market in Januaryto begin planning for abeautiful spring, featuringhot new colors anddelightful accents to bringyour home out of thosewinter blahs.

New spring merchan-dise is arriving weekly

and you’ll want to stop byfor that little “kick start”into spring decorating!

You will see beautifulboxwood topiaries andsprays, fern baskets, nests,trunks, and ivy-trimmedbowls and pitchers inbeautiful showrooms.

Have you ever seen a“mouse mirror”? You cansee one right now atLasting Impressions!

Realistic ivies entwinedwith twig leaf garlandsdraped across new springwatering cans bring a nat-ural outdoor feeling infrom the outside.

If you have greenery inyour home already, add afern spray or some type of

natural looking green tocapture the essence ofspring with very littleeffort or expense.

A new Ashton custommirror line gives you theflexibility you have need-ed to add just the rightmirror to a special space.You will be able to choosefrom many styles offrames to make a beveledmirror your own creationat a very reasonable price.

You can also expect tosee a new LastingImpressions furniture linevery soon.

Are you ready to beginthinking about doingsome redecorating aroundyour home?

An In-HomeConsultation ($90) withLinda Barbian may be justthe thing you need todevelop your plan to revi-talize a room that needs alift.

Linda will be glad toassist you with colorselection, room arrange-ment, accessories, win-dow treatments, arearugs, or whatever youneed to complete yourspace.

Linda, Judy, and Nancyare looking forward toseeing you soon at 241Grandview in Bellevue.It’s a shopping experienceyou are going to appreci-ate and enjoy!

A T H O M E


Make ‘Lasting Impressions’ on your home decorDDii rreecctt iioonnss:: Travelingsouth or north on I-471:Take Exit 5(Newport/Bellevue)Turn right onto Route 8(Fairfield Avenue)Continue to TaylorAvenue and turn rightTravel six blocks toGrandview AvenueTurn right onGrandview

Enter the warehousethrough the LastingImpressions door onthe right.

Prepare to be amazed.

When you care enough to make your home a warm, welcoming place for family and friends... you need to visit us.

So you’ve taken a cold,hard look at yourkitchen recently and

you realize that it is in des-perate need of a makeover.Maybe you are one of themany families today tryingto sell your home ormaybe you are satisfiedwith your home but thekitchen needs some updat-ing to suit your taste.You’ve come to this real-ization…so now what?

With so many choicestoday, how does a home-owner even know whereto start? Don’t be stressedor overwhelmed, help isjust a phone call or a visitaway! Excellence ByNature is a locally ownedand operated companywith an experienced staffto offer a wealth ofknowledge and ideas.“Many homeowners arepleasantly surprised byhow a few simple changescan really improve thelook and functionality oftheir current kitchen orbathroom,” says SarahCollins, Interior Designerand Operations Managerat Excellence By Nature.“Oftentimes, with newhardware on your cabi-nets, a fresh coat of painton the walls and newcountertops, a kitchen orbathroom feels refreshedand updated.”

Excellence By Natureoffers laminate, solid sur-face, tile, quartz, andgranite for countertops.Although there are somany options, granite isstill by far the most popu-lar choice for kitchencountertops. Graniteoffers a natural beautythat can’t be duplicatedby any man-made surfaceavailable on the markettoday. Its natural hues,

variation, color selectionand durability keep it atthe top of the list forkitchen countertops. It hasalso been proven thatgranite countertops willdraw more appeal whentrying to sell your home.In an on-line article titled“Granite CountertopsHelp Sell a Home” writ-ten by Bob Lipply, a topReal Estate BrokerAssociate, he states“While there’s nothingfunctionally wrong withlaminate, it’s not whatsells the home…So, myadvice just might be toinstall granite countertopsin the kitchen and baths ifyou want to sell yourhome quicker.” AtExcellence By Nature,Collins is also seeing thistrend. “We have manyhomeowners who current-ly have their homes forsale or are planning to listit soon, installing granitecountertops to help makethe home more appealingto potential homebuyers.”

During your visit toExcellence By Nature‘sshowroom, the knowl-edgeable staff can assistyou in selecting a granitecolor from their many in-stock slabs that will coor-dinate with your taste andthe style of your home. Ifgranite is not the rightchoice for your project,they will show you thewide variety of othercountertop options andassist you in choosinganother surface that willfit into your home. Beforeyour showroom visit,make a small sketch ofyour countertop area withdimensions and bring it inwith you. While you wait,a free estimate can be pro-vided for your project in amatter of minutes. Clients

are also encouraged tobring in a cabinet door ordrawer with them andany paint colors or wall-paper that will be used inthe area to coordinateselections . With thesetools, clients can visitExcellence By Nature’s

on-site slab selection,which boasts the largestselection of unusual andexotic slabs in the areawith new shipments arriv-ing weekly!

Whether you areupdating your kitchen orbathroom for resale or for

you, visit Excellence ByNature’s beautiful newlyrenovated showroomtoday and let their staffwith more than 40 yearsof combined experiencehelp you turn your drabrooms into something tosmile about.

A T H O M E


Spice up your living space with a visit to Excellence By Nature.

Spice up your kitchen with granite

W E L O V E O U R P E T S


Communication iskey to the successof any relationship

whether it’s with a personor your dog. Dogs are notborn understandingEnglish and humans donot understand canine, soone must create a com-mon language to workwith. Training helps usaccomplish this and pro-vide necessary leadershipfor our dogs.

At Northern KentuckyK9, LLC., we offer a widerange of training optionsfor owners to choose fromand we train all ages andbreeds. For dogs over 16weeks, we offer residencytraining programs, privatelessons or group obedi-

ence classes throughKenton County AnimalShelter.

Once owners reach acertain level of training,we offer follow-up group“Polishing” classes and an“On the Go!” program togive owners an easy andfun way to continuebroadening their dogs’skills in a variety of set-tings. Just like any otherskill or language, if wedon’t use it, we lose it, sopractice, practice, makespermanent because we’retraining dogs to be suc-cessful in everyday life.

We also have multipleprogram options forpuppy owners, preschoolthrough Kenton County

Animal Shelter, a PrivateConsultation and SocialParties. We’ll educateowners on how to teachtheir puppy limits theycan understand, confi-dence building, properhandling, the importanceof proper socialization,effective communicationand much more.

No one brings home adog or new puppy inhopes of creating chaosand stress in their lives.We dream of having thatwell behaved companionwe can share our day today lives with. Contactus today, we can help youreach your goals!

Communicating with your best friend

Lorie Clary and herstaff know it is hardto lose a pet. That’s

why Faithful Friends PetMemory Center is helpingpet owners in NorthernKentucky and GreaterCincinnati honor thememory of their departedbeloved pets. This pet cre-mation business takesservice to the next level byoffering not only a highstandard of care for thepet, but also for the familyin their time of loss.

Lorie, her husband,Brian, and four childrenare pet lovers. This Unionfamily also includes 3dogs and 3 cats. This lovefor pets coupled withBrian’s 20-plus years ofexperience in the deathcare industry promptedthe Clary’s to open

Faithful Friends PetMemory Center inFebruary of 2007.

“In the past three yearswe have helped morethan 800 families with the

loss of their four-legged,furry family members,”says Lorie. “Every kind ofpet from a hedgehog, rat,and bearded dragon toGreat Danes and BullMastiffs, everyone one ofthem treated with the loveand respect our pet fami-lies have come to knowand expect from us.”

Deputy Jason Keipertof the Boone CountySheriff’s Office says, “Iteased my mind knowing

that Aries was being caredfor by the staff at FaithfulFriends. I couldn’t havepossibly asked for morecaring and professionalpeople. They were all

amazing during a verydifficult time.” Ariesretired from K9 duty inDecember 2008.

Faithful Friends offersprivate cremations to theirpet families with your petready to return home inabout 24-48 hours.Faithful Friends also car-ries many types of urns,jewelry, memorial stonesand caskets in their retailstore.

Faithful Friends helps you honor the memory of a beloved pet

Every pet is treated with love and respect.



If someone asked youwhat drives your dog,would your answer be

a mini-van? If so, thenyou may need help identi-fying and understandingthe different dimensionsthat shape your dog’s per-sonality.

Much like their own-ers, each dog has manycomplex factors whichcombine to create his sig-nature personality. Thisunique blend of character-istics fuses together andforms your dog’s tem-perament. His individualtemperament then influ-ences his behaviors andhow he responds to hisenvironment.

Like a recipe whichincludes differing meas-

urements of each ingredi-ent, your dog has his ownsignature flavor. Theingredients which makeup every dog are muchthe same but the measure-ment of each is as individ-ual as Fido himself. Thesefactors are commonlycalled drives – becauseyour dog is genetically‘driven’ to execute them.

All dogs are a combi-nation of the same drivesand are pre-programmedfrom centuries of surviv-ing, working, and repro-ducing in the wild.

Even if Fido was not awild predator restassured, his ancestorswere. To ensure survival,it was critical for dogs toadapt and be adept at

hunting, mating, and rais-ing offspring.

Here is a list of com-mon drives, their manifes-tation in your companion,and problem behaviorsthat may result fromthem.

Prey, sex, defense,fight, play, and herdingare drives that all caninesmust have for survival.They allow them to live infamily groups and huntprey.

The right balance ofthese drives assures thatthere is the perfect com-panion for every house-hold.

Often, behaviors maybelong to one group oranother depending on thedog’s breed and back-

ground. For example, when

Fido chases he may do sobecause he has a highplay, prey, or herdingdrive.

Dogs with high preydrive may be more suit-able for activities such asagility, search and rescueor obedience but not ide-ally suited for therapywork. Often times, dogswith high defense driveare mistakenly diagnosedas aggressive while infact, they are simplydefending their home,self, or territory. Highdefense drive may alsoexplain the cause of nui-sance barking. When Fidojumps up on your guests,he may be displaying sex,

defense, or play drive.By identifying the root

cause of Fido’s behaviors,it becomes easier to helphim learn to control, orrelease, those drives as thecase may be.

The dog trainingexperts at CanineCompanion help ownersand pets achieve balanceand peace in their rela-tionships by bridging thegap between problemsand solutions for pet own-ers.

The key to a balancedhappy pet is to under-stand your best friend’sneeds.

For a private behaviorconsultation, call CanineCompanion at 356-6457 orvisit www.caninecompan-ionky.com

Do you know what’s driving your dog?



Linnemann PetServices has evolvedin response to the

growing demand by petowners for ways to memo-rialize their animals in adignified and cost-effectivemanner.

Linnemann has morethan 127 years of funeralexperience and the ownersare pet owners themselves.

Linnemann FamilyFuneral Home andCremation Center is thefirst funeral home inNorthern Kentucky tooffer pet cremation.

The people atLinnemann understandthat pets are part of thefamily. The premiere on-site pet crematory allowsthe funeral home to offer

cremation services to furrymembers of the family too.

Much like the humancrematory, the separatestate-of-the-art facility isoperated by certified cre-matory operators.

Services, all of whichare optional, include:

• Picking up your petfrom your veterinarian’soffice or other location

• Helping you selectthe means of disposition ofthe remains

• Assisting you inselecting a tastefullyappointed item to memori-alize your pet

• Assisting with intern-ment, if required

• Cremation, if desired • Online memorial• Interpreting any local

regulations with respect tohow and where you maylay your pet to rest

The goal at Linnemannis to give pet owners thepeace of mind that one ofthe last decisions theymade for their pet was theright one.

Linnemann is commit-ted to making end-of-lifedecisions easier for all petowners and veterinariansby providing honest, thor-ough information aboutpet cremation and main-taining an open door poli-cy at all times.

Call Linnemann PetServices at 727-1250 orvisit www.linnemannfu-neralhomes.com for moreinformation.

Remembering your pet

Anyone who’s welcomed a new pet into thehome can tell you how important it is to pre-pare for that four-legged friend. Whether it’smoving furniture to accommodate a dog cageor learning to host a puppy play-date withthe bulldog next door, becoming a pet ownercan be a definite learning process.

When getting your family and your homeready to welcome a furry friend, a few simplesteps can go a long way:

• While your new pet is getting used tohis/her surroundings, it’s a good idea to keepthem in a defined area of the house. Babygates are perfect for closing off an area inyour house and designating it as the “puppy

New pet? Learn how to prepare your home for a furry friendarea.” Having a small rugin your puppy’s play areawill not only protect yourfloors, but also protectyour dog from sliding andpotentially getting hurt.Think twice about whatfurniture is included inyour puppy area – themore excited they get, theclumsier they get.

• Keeping cleaningsupplies on hand will beyour greatest ally.

• Don’t forget to brushyour new furry friends.Brushing your pet regular-ly and frequently helps tokeep his/her coat in check,especially if they are goingthrough seasonal shed-ding. Brushing stimulatesthe skin to keep it natural-ly moisturized, which cancut back on dander. If pos-sible, brush your pet out-side to avoid spreadingpet hair in the house.

• Get down to yourpet’s level, on your hands

and knees, to see what hecould get into. Dogs lovechew toys, so don’t enticethem with a ball of wiresfrom your stereo system.Zip-tie the cords togetherso they stay neat andtucked behind furniture.Also, cord covers are agreat idea for those exten-sion cords running alongthe floor. Certain types offloor plants can be poison-ous if ingested, so be sureto move them up and outof the way.

• Pets, especially pup-pies, need to expel excessenergy by playing withothers just as much as chil-dren do. When hosting apuppy play-date, keep col-lars on both dogs. If youneed to grab one of thedogs in a hurry, you wantto be sure you have some-thing to take hold of. Also,when inviting a four-legged friend over to yourhome, have the dogs meet

outside. This way, yourpup won’t feel threatenedin his own territory.

It’s no secret that hav-ing a pet can benefit a fam-ily, but making certain thatyou and your home areprepared to welcome afour-legged friend willalso benefit you. Taking afew simple precautionsand making the effort tokeep your home pet-friendly will make thetransition easy.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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