2023 Meeting Highlights
JANUARY 2023
Fashion Show by Anthony's Apparel
Decorating Designing Women’s first Bling it on Accessory Swap.
Member Appreciation Lunch with club provided finger sandwiches, salad, coffee, tea, and water.
To participate in the swap members brought up to 5 accessories to swap. For every item you bring, you will have the opportunity to select another item. For example, if you bring 5, you will go home with 5 different accessories. An accessory is a piece of jewelry, a purse, a scarf, a shawl, a wallet, a hat, etc. All items must be clean and in good wearable/usable condition. Any items left will be donated to The Haven House.
We also held a “Pick a Prize” raffle tickets with tickets $5.00 for 6 or $10 for 15 so bring your cash. All proceeds from this raffle went to The Haven House.
We also collected donations for The Haven House.
FEBRUARY 2023
"Colors" Presented by Designer Amy Torres
Arrachme, a famous professional artist and interior design presented how art relates to interior design and how to predict interior design trends. Perfect for Villagers wanting to refresh or design their homes. We are so lucky to have her in the Villages!
The DDW team was super excited to have Arrachme, to conduct a presentation at our meeting this month!
Arrachme is an artist whose traditional visual arts education and experience span forty years and then took an unusual positive turn. Her art is as unique as her history, from teaching with a master painter and sculptor, a philosopher from the Caucasus Mountains to a client who held the title of the most powerful man in the world. In her early career, Arrachme studied and practiced as a professional interior designer, A.S.I.D. , I.D.S., used her skills, successfully brokering art for her celebrity clients.
Arrachme has been exhibited throughout the world and featured in many publications including Tatler, Southwest, Artist Network, Circle Arts Foundation, Artsy, and Artnet. In addition, she is Vice President of Outstanding Art Inc., Owner of Arrachme Art Gallery, a past Board member of The Leesburg Center For The Arts, and is an art educator with The Villages Enrichment Academy, and regularly speaks on the arts to groups.
Arrachme's firm and school were located in Tampa in the 90s. She is a past member of ASID (American Society of Interior Design) and also IIDA, (International Interior Design Association).
MARCH 2023
"Wreaths" Presented by Carrie Lenz
Ethan Allen team will be coveried -- 2024 interior design trends, proper scale and fit, rug sizing and color or the year.
Ethan Allen is the New Premier Interior Design Destination located in The Villages at 643 Kristine Way, The Villages, FL 32163. They are a team of all interior designers who offers complimentary interior design services such as house calls, in-store constultations, and design presentations. The Design Studio showcases everyting for our home needs.
They utilize 3D rendering software to recreate your exact home true to scale, size and fit.
Ethan Allen innovates with technology matched with distinctive quality. 75% of our furniture is North American made while sustainablity factors into how we make our furniture.
After the meeting they will be available to book your complimentary design session with one of their interior designers!
Ethan Allen Web site: https://www.ethanallen.com
APRIL 2023
Escapes Landscape & Nursery. Robert Fell. Owner/Designer
Escapes Landscape & Nursery, Lady Lake, Fl.. Robert Fell Jr. Owner/Designer email: ozzello_red@hotmail.com
Robert will begin with a few of the most important issues that he sees with plants, trees & landscapes for village's residents and follow up with questions. He will show a quick trick he does with a soda bottle to get roots on a cutting for most any plants or trees..
Robert Fell was raised in Leesburg from the age of 2, he began working in a citrus nursery at age 13. After high school, he began his higher education in horticulture and landscape design. He went to work in road and bridge construction to finance his horticultural endeavors. He became an engineer working many FDOT projects and is well educated in many forms of civil construction. With retirement villages popping everywhere, he left his steady job to try making a living doing what he loves. It was right in his wheelhouse to add his knowledge of construction into his progressive landscape designs. Robert is looking forward to meeting with all of us.
Door Prize - Gardenia Tree -
50/50 winners:
MAY 2023
Peddlers Wagon - Floral Arrangements Presentation by Kevin
Our Speaker from Custom Ram Design presented options to make driveways and walkways an integral part of the home and a reflection of those who live there.
Custom Ram Design started a little over 24 years ago with the desire to create a work environment to treat employees as more than just tools and to create products using creativity, color and composition in a concrete coating company. Our customers are our top priority. We advertise mostly word-of-mouth to promote the business and we are grateful for the many customers and so grateful to be part of the Villages. Carlos believes that architectural modifications are what transform a house into a home. He will be discussing options to make driveways and walkways an integral part of the home and a reflection of those who live there.
JUNE 2023
Haverty's Design a Room - Presentation by Rickie Scott
Rickie Scott, Design Consultant, from Haverty's gave a presention about furniture placement based on room layout design, according to different models in The Villages.
JULY 2023
A Hands On Workshop To Understand Color Palates
Our very own Linda Sagar and Pattie Detwiler presented a hands on workshop. This was a participation class to understanding color palates including the 60/30/10 Color rule, as well as helping you understand how the color wheel works.
The ladies at each table created their own unique color board poster using magazines, color chips, textured fabrics, scissors, glue sticks, markers & color wheel.
AUGUST 2023
Escapes Landscape & Nursery. Robert Fell. Owner/Designer
scapes Landscape & Nursey. Robert Fell, Owner/Designer was back with additional information on landscaping.
Door Prize winner - Kathy Robertson
50/50 winner - Cheryl Ellis
SEPTEMBER 2023
Bus Trip & Shopping Expedition - HSN Outlet, John's Pass, Mazzaro's Italian Market
What a fun day!! Thank-you Suzanne for an amazing Bus Trip. Everyone had the best time.
Our First Stop - Home Shopping Network Retail Outlet, Seminole, Fl
Here you’ll find familiar products from the Home Shopping Network television show from Jewelry, Apparel and more. The prices can be marked as much as 75% off the original price.
Second Stop - John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk, Maderia Beach, Fl
Quaint Fishing Village featuring more than 130 unique shops, restaurants and a waterfront boardwalk overlooking the intercoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. Enjoy shopping and a wide variety of water sports and eco tours.
Our last stop - Mazzaro’s Italian Market – Voted #1 of 703 Restaurants in St. Petersburg, Fl
From fresh roasted coffee to delicious deli selections, gourmet baked goods, handmade pastas and specialty cheeses, Mazarro’s is more than a one of a kind Italian gourmet market. It’s one of Tampa Bay’s favorite culinary destinations.
OCTOBER 2023
Escapes Martin McMurtrie - Owner of Grace Electric, Inc
Meeting Highlights:
Our speaker, Martin McMurtrie - Master Electrician & Owner of Grace Electric, Inc, had a great discussion and was very informative on electrical issues and topics including Florida License Laws as as they apply to contractors, Electrical Safety, Current Lighting Trends followed by Q&A's.
NOVEMBER 2023
Special Pop Up Event - Making Wreaths with Carrie Lenz
This was a special Pop Up Event!
This was a Hands-On Workshop. Turn out was small but we had lots of fun and make some beautiful wreaths!
See the pictures below of the amazing wreaths our ladies make!
Carrie's webpage: Flowers to Carrie on
DECEMBER 2023
Baker House Tour
This month we met at the Baker House for a Tour of this historical home.
This year's theme: "Kaleidoscope of Christmas Past"
See how the Baker House reflects the colors of a kaleidoscope with designer pieces, chandeliers, stained glass windows, & much more!
The historical house will be decorated for the holidays. The Baker House Docents will guide us through the rooms of the home and provide interesting facts and information about the house and the Baker family.
Click here for information about the --> Baker House
