Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Women We Love: Dana Holler

She’s got style! Cville Fashion blogger—and Charlottesville Woman magazine writer—Dana Holler has fashion style in spades. In her professional life, Holler has Cville Fashion, but is also an IT Project Manager for a company in Ruckersville. She recently got engaged and has started to plan for her wedding and honeymoon—which we’re sure will be stylerific!

“I sort of fell into Information Technology,” Holler says. “In college I had a difficult time figuring out what I wanted to major in, so my dad suggested business, as there is so much you can do with a business degree. I found out I could focus my business education on information systems and went from there.”

That’s also how she fell into fashion blogging.

“I’ve always felt drawn to fashion magazines. Reading ‘In Style’ one day, I saw an advertisement that featured different fashion bloggers from all over the country and thought ‘that might be fun to do,’” Holler says. “I love putting outfits together and figuring out what looks good on different shapes and complexions. I find myself more into the logistics of the outfit rather than trying to make it artsy or quirky. It’s a great creative outlet for me.”

Add to her professional life Zumba, as she’s just become a licensed Zumba instructor. “I work the typical eight-hour day at my office job and if I’m lucky, I might find a couple hours to work on blogging at night. It’s been a challenge lately as I just also became a licensed Zumba instructor, so much of my evenings are spent coming up with material to be able to teach a class. It seems like I never stop going!”

So, how does Holler find some balance?

“My life doesn’t always feel balanced and one could argue that I overextend myself. However, I do feel like there is some harmony coming into my life now. For years, I’ve had an office job that’s provided great stability to my life, but when I left college I really didn’t have any hobbies I could focus on. So, there was a great imbalance there.” And with all the work she noticed she really needed to start focusing on her health more.

“I believe the body is one of the most precious things you have (you only get one!), so I decided to start paying extra attention to my health,” she says. “So, to sum things up, I think my secrets to living a balanced life are stability, a focus on my personal health and a way to express myself creatively.”

Holler’s favorite quote sits on her desk—and it came from a fortune cookie. “Doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is happiness.”

What advice would Holler offer for women thinking of entering the IT field? “Not enough women are venturing into technology, and I think it’s unfortunate because they have a wealth of skills and knowledge to offer,” she says. “If you’re considering the IT field, don’t let yourself become intimidated and don’t feel like you’re in the wrong place. Often in college, I was the only female in my class, or one out of maybe two. Don’t let that deter you—we need you!”

8 Things You Might Not Know About Dana Holler…

1.  Who is your favorite author and why?  I don’t have a favorite author, but I do love the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

2.  Favorite thing about Charlottesville? There’s so much to do all the time!  I’m never bored.

3.  What is your favorite hobby/pastime? In addition to blogging and dance, I like to sew.  I’m still a beginner but always finding ways to improve.

4.  What is one of your hidden talents/skills? I can bake amazing banana bread!

5.  What is your guilty pleasure? Definitely chocolate. Lately, I’ve been pairing Chocolate Norton sauce from Keswick Vineyards on vanilla ice cream. Divine!

6.  What is your favorite movie and why? An old Audrey Hepburn movie called “Two for the Road.” It was ahead of its time for the 1960s. The way they transition between the couple’s memories throughout the movie was so clever and artistic in a way. The fashion is great, too.

7.  Where did you grow up? Right outside of Charlotte in Belmont, N.C.

8.  What is the greatest invention of your lifetime and why? I guess it would be my blog! I’m very pleased with the way it’s turned out and the fact that it’s introduced me to great people and experiences.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Charlottesville Crafter: Book Thong

By Karen May-Free

Nothing can help you through the winter months stuck inside the house quite like books. If you’re planning on reading yourself warm this winter, you’ll need something to keep your place. Why use old receipts and post it notes to tag a page when you could make yourself a stylish book thong? A book thong is essentially a string bookmark with embellishment. Here’s one I made a while back with small seashells and some beads in action:

To get started, you’ll need some beads or pendants and something to string them up with. What to use? I’m using waxed linen cord for my project, but you can also use leather cord, thin ribbon, twine, yarn or embroidery floss for a pop of color. As for beads, you can recycle an old necklace or find ones you like for this specific project.

Take your string and measure along a book that’s the size you normally use. I’m going with a standard hardback size. If you read mostly small paperbacks, yours will probably be shorter. You’ll want your cord to be about 6 inches longer than the book itself, and then fold it and cut so you have a double length.

String your pendant onto the cord, and hold the cord together so that the pendant slides to the midpoint of the cord. Make a knot in the cord above the pendant to hold it in place. Then hold the cord ends together and slide your beads down to the knot. You don’t want too many on there, just enough to be about an inch long. When the beads are on and look the way you want them to, tie another knot above them to keep them in place.

Put your thong in the book, letting the beads dangle out one end. At the other end, tie a knot where the cord emerges from the end of the pages.

Add more beads onto the cord above the new knot. Tie another knot to secure them. At this point, you can trim the excess and be finished, or you can add smaller beads onto the individual ends of the cord and then tie knots at the ends. Trim the excess cord and you’re ready to mark your place!

Happy winter reading!

Karen is a blogger and crafter who has lived in Charlottesville for 6 years after transplanting from the Shenandoah Valley. While not working or attending classes at PVCC, she blogs about her life at Precision Indecision and about crafts at CraftyKix.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Midlife Athlete: Get Moving

Editor’s Note: Midlife Athlete will publish on the second Friday of every month

By Jennifer McDonald

In the December issue of CW, I introduced myself and told you a little about how I got into running. For this first web column, I thought I’d tell you more about the training program I used to go from walking to running. When I started thinking about running, I did a lot of reading and I figured out what would work for me.

Luckily, I already had a solid exercise base as a walker and I had recently taken up cycling again, so I started running with a foundation of exercise under my belt. During walks, I’d add in short bursts of running—usually just a block or two. I’d do that a few times during the course of 3-4 miles. It wasn’t long before I started extending my distances—instead of running one block, I’d run two. Once I got used to that distance, I’d run three blocks. Within a couple of months, I was able to run a half mile, walk a short distance, run another half mile, walk again, and so on. (This is a variation of the Couch to 5K program, which a number of my friends have successfully done.) Five months after I started, I ran the Charlottesville Women’s 4-Miler.

If you have any sort of pain when you run, ease up and don’t push too hard. If the pain doesn’t go away after a day or two, don’t push so hard on your next run. If the pain still doesn’t go away after that, talk to your doctor.

I do not run every day because it is just too hard on my body. I am a big fan of cross-training—walking and cycling, for example—which gives my body a chance to rest and recover in between runs. I’m considering trying yoga and Pilates this year, and I know that swimming would be great for my overall fitness. I’ll talk more about cross training in a future column.

There are two terrific running shops right in Charlottesville where you can ask questions and get advice—Ragged Mountain Running Shop and Charlottesville Running Company. I used to feel sheepish about going in, figuring that the shops were only for “real runners” but I have only had positive experiences at both running shops. The folks at both are incredibly supportive of everyone, whether you’re a novice runner or a seasoned one.

I acknowledge that running isn’t for everyone, but don’t rule it out just because you think your size or age precludes it. You’d be surprised by what you can do. As I said in my article last month, when I started running, I weighed more than 200 pounds and certainly didn’t resemble the “typical runner.” In fact, I still don’t. But I am a runner, make no mistake about it, and just last week I did an 8-miler and had a great time.

Next month, I’ll talk a bit about running gear, from the absolute necessities (good sneakers and running bras) to slightly more frivolous stuff (GPS watches).

If you have any questions for me, feel free to leave a comment here or go to my website (below) to find my contact information.

Jennifer McDonald is a freelance writer and running enthusiast. You can find more from Jennifer at her blog Jen On The Edge and Jennifer McDonald writes.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Women We Love: Angie Brement

Angie Brement, like many of us, wears several hats: mom, wife, business owner, and employee. Brement, who lives and works in Crozet, is the national sales business planner for Kayser-Roth Corporation. She is also the owner of Angie Brement Photography.

It was her love of fashion—and numbers—that edged her into her current role with Kayser-Roth. “I started at Macy’s in New York City as an assistant buyer in cosmetics. I was there just over a year and then moved to Hecht’s Department Stores outside of Washington, D.C., where I was an assistant buyer in shoes and a buyer in Girls 7-16 apparel.”

Brement took the plunge into photography about five years ago when her oldest daughter was 1. Her youngest daughter, Josie, is 3.

“I work both jobs from home with some travel here and there. My work day starts in my home office around 8:30 and ends around 5. I wear my business planner hat during this time. I put on my photography hat on evenings and weekends. I can be found editing pictures after my children are in bed and taking pictures around 4 on Saturday or Sunday.”

Her biggest strength, Brement says, is her business background. “In photography, first and foremost, I am a business woman with photography skills.”

Finding balance is something Brement says starts with taking some “me time.”

“I think photography, for me, helps with this. It gives me an outlet and as a bonus, I earn money for it! When I started working two jobs, I cut back quite a bit with photography. I only take a limited number of sessions each month because I do want family time on the weekends, as well. I don’t do as much photography in the summer when the kids are out of school.”

Brement also takes care of herself physically. “I work out several days a week. I enjoy it and look forward to it. I recently completely the Women’s Four Miler. I am not a runner, so I wanted to challenge myself to do this! I finished in under 40 minutes.”

In her role as a planner Brement says her biggest challenge is time management—juggling all the responsibilities for two direct bosses was challenging but she’s now getting the hang of it. In her role as a photographer her biggest challenge is “a market saturated with photographers.”

“I see new photographers coming into this market weekly charging very low prices. It is my job to set myself apart from these people, as well as my professional peers,” she says. “I specialize in newborn photography, which definitely sets me apart. Newborns require more skill and patience. I love working with newborns. Although the session takes three times longer, I find the results very rewarding!”

For someone interested in working in the fashion industry, Brement says, “Being a buyer is about 30 percent fashion and 70 percent numbers (budget). If you are a creative and love fashion, go into design. If you love math, you will love buying. If you are still in college, find a great training program, most department stores have them. Also, do some part-time work in retail. This will help your resume.”

For a woman interested in photography, Brement offers this: “Take the time to learn and fine-tune your skills. Set yourself apart from the market. How will you be different? How will you stand out? Figure this out before you go into business.”

The best advice Brement received is from the musical “Pippin.”
“So many men seem destined to settle for something small
But I won’t rest until I know I have it all.
So don’t ask where I’m going
Just listen when I’m gone
Far away you’ll hear me singing softly to the dawn.”

“That quote inspired me to go out in the world and make something of myself,” she says. “It was important to me that I find myself and was able to support myself before I settled down and started a family. This, to me, is one of my biggest achievements.”

8 Things You Might Not Know About Angie Brement…

1. Who is your favorite author and why? Seriously… I can’t pick one! Favorite Books: “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt, “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffeneger, “The Thirteenth Tale” by Diane Setterfield and “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. OK, maybe I just like books that start with “The.”

2.  Favorite thing about Charlottesville? I love that there is so much to do with my friends and family each weekend. I love going to enjoy the local wineries with my friends or taking the kids to various festivals throughout the year. It is a great place to raise a family and one of the main reasons we moved here.

3.  What is your favorite hobby/pastime? Besides photography, I love reading.

4.  What is one of your hidden talents/skills? I love musical theater. I’ve seen well over 40 Broadway shows. When I moved to NYC right out of college, I secretly hoped I’d end up working in the Broadway world. That being said, I’m only a mediocre singer, but I sound fantastic in the shower!

5.  What is your guilty pleasure? White wine.

6.  What is your favorite movie and why? “Cabaret (see #4).” Plus I have a Bob Fosse obsession and that is one of his greatest works.

7.  Where did you grow up? Burlington, N.C.

8.  What is the greatest invention of your lifetime and why? The Internet … without which, I wouldn’t have either job!

Other things you may not know:

7.  I owned a retail consulting business for five years.

Monday, January 09, 2012

Simple Life: Resolution Remix

By Lisa Jones

“My life no longer resembled me.” —Elizabeth Gilbert

I’m not a big believer in New Year’s resolutions; if I once again make the oh-so-vague- resolution “to be healthy” I might scream. However, I do love the excuse to stop and take stock of my life.

It’s easy to think that life just happens. In reality, an authentic life takes some tending. If you ignore it, life has the tendency to get off track and then you wake up one morning, look around you and wonder how you got there.

I recently read about writing a Life List, an inventory of 100 things you want to accomplish with your time on earth. We rarely daydream anymore; wistful pursuits tend to get crowded out by the realities of kids, pets and laundry. This exercise connects us with the deeper wishes of our heart, and allows us to get our daily lives back on track. I wrote one for myself and found it very valuable to be reminded of what my priorities are.

Carve out some quiet time to sit and write your 100 things. Don’t think too much, don’t edit as you go, don’t let your brain take over and say that is an impossible dream or too silly to be written down. No one needs to see your list; it’s not going to be available for public critique. This is simply a chance for you to explore the desires of your soul. 

My list ranges from finding the perfect pen to staying at the Ice Hotel. What would your 100 things look like? Are they about traveling to every corner of the globe? Or about volunteering to improve your little part of the world? Is it about more quality time with your family and friends? Or about overcoming shyness and venturing into a new arena?

Whether it’s about significant accomplishments or tiny victories, writing this kind of list is a great way to get out of the daily routine and wake up to who you really want to be with this life you’ve been given. I think that’s a pretty great New Year’s resolution.

Lisa Jones is a freelance writer and a yoga fanatic with a serious travel addiction. You can find more from Lisa at her blog Just here. Just now.

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