Interior redesign is decorating using your existing furnishings and accessories to immediately and economically improve the look of your space. If you’re not ready to go out and buy new furniture you can use the tips and tricks you’ll learn here to give your home a “space lift.” Redesign is a practical way to use the stuff you love, and Carole Morgan of STAGERIGHT Home Staging, is here to show you new ways to use what you already own to give new life and a new look to your home!

HOEC 230-36
Wednesday • 2/20/08 • 6-8:30 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $29

Have you ever been uncomfortable eating out in a business or important social setting? Missteps in any situation calling for the right business etiquette can severely damage your reputation and even lose you that coveted new job. Tammy Kloack, a local event planner, is here to cover the basics of dining etiquette and help you avoid common etiquette pitfalls. You’ll learn the proper use of utensils, the difference between American and continental styles of dining, plus other important dining do’s and don’ts. Your class fee includes a meal where you will master the principles of dining etiquette while discussing other important elements of business etiquette and manners that will help ensure your success in the future.

WOSH 82A-55
Monday • 3/3/08 • 6:30 - 9 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $29 (includes meal)

Have you ever been called a packrat? Do you think of yourself that way? Is your significant other one? Now you can learn how to downsize and purge without guilt or regret. Get the answers to the age-old question of what to keep and what to toss. Learn an easy-to-master, hard-to-forget technique for clearing clutter and conquering chaos. Get rid of what is no longer working in your life and keep what you use and love. Leave with an action plan and the motivation to get going and stay on track! Delma Smith, owner of Organizing For You, will help you explore the phenomenon of clutter clearing by sharing the tools and techniques to get you started. Learn how you can truly make a difference in your life by getting rid of the "stuff."

WOSH 82A-37
Tuesday • 3/11/08 • 6-8 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $39

Chinese philosophy believes in “The Three Lucks”—Heaven Luck, the gifts we are born with; Man Luck, the decisions we make and the results of those decisions; and Earth Luck, which is the basis of Feng Shui (pronounced fung-shway). Literally translated, Feng Shui means “Wind and Water.” This 6,000 year old practice is the study of the influences of heaven and earth and how energy moves through your home and how it affects your health, wealth and relationships. In this 3-week series you will learn the principles of Flying Star Feng Shui and we’ll explore how to bring these principles into our everyday Western life. Learn to create harmony and balance in your environment by bringing the best energies into your home as we explore forms, directional energetic qualities, balancing yin and yang energies and the cycle of five elements. Your instructor, Janean Crapo, a Feng Shui practitioner was featured in the Battle Creek Enquirer & News and she’s ready to share her knowledge with you. Stretch conventional wisdom and learn powerful transformational tools that will change your life!

HOEC 230-37
Thutsdays • 3/6/08-3/20/08 • 6-8 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $49

Whether you're just sprucing up or want a whole new look, discover how to get the most out of your home's appearance. Explore design, color, landscape, and tips for giving your home "curb appeal." Please bring a photo of your house, shot from the street view, to the class so you can get specific tips from your instructor, Barbara Erickson, on how to improve your home's curb appeal!

WOSH 82B-35
Monday • 4/14/08 • 6-8:30 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $29

You can do it yourself and save money, and we’ll show you how to be safe and get the job done! You’ll learn the basics of what every homeowner needs to know including how to safely replace bad electrical switches or change them to dimmer switches, install outlets, and add lighting fixtures according to the National Electrical Code specifications. You’ll get hands-on experience in the proper techniques for wiring connections and the different types of circuits. Your instructor, Kevin Barnes, is electrical program instructor at the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center. Don’t get left in the dark or wait for someone else to install that dimmer switch or ceiling fan, join us and do it yourself!

TRIN 82K-35
Thursday • 4/14/08 - 4/28/08 • 6-8 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $59 (includes materials)

Is it time to spruce up your home with a few beautiful flower arrangements? But, when you’ve tried to arrange flowers in a vase before do they just look like you stuck them in there and added water? Well, after you take this workshop with floral designer, Anne Anderson, you’ll know exactly what to do to create a stunning fresh floral arrangement! Join us to gain valuable floral arranging skills you’ll be able to use again and again as you create a beautiful and long-lasting fresh floral arrangement in class that you can take home and enjoy. Your fee includes all materials and fresh flowers.

HOEC 84L-35
Wednesday • 4/15/08 • 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $39

Getting your first cat or kitten can be a huge step for a “Cat Newbie.” This new workshop will help you whether you’ve just adopted your first cat, or are just thinking about getting one, or are a professed cat lover. Join us to learn about cat personalities and cat behavior. We’ll cover everything from picky eaters and cat grooming to bringing a new kitten home or caring for an older cat. Ever wondered how to clip your cat’s nails or give them medicine? Then you won’t want to miss this fun night with Sandy Mobley, self-confessed “cat lover”, and her friendly cat, Dusty, as we explore the wonderful world of cats!

WOSH 82A-35
Wednesday • 4/16/08 • 6-8 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $25

So, how long has your house been on the market? Have you had many potential buyers, but no offers? Perhaps you need to think about staging your home to sell it! You’ve seen it on the Home & Garden channel, and we’re ready to share what works and what doesn’t in this brand new class! Join Accredited Staging Professional™, Carole Morgan of STAGERIGHT Home Staging, as you learn the tools and techniques professionals use to garner competitive offers and sell that house!

HOEC 230-35
Thursday • 4/17/08 • 6-8:30 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $39

You know it’s there…somewhere…If you have trouble finding what you need when you need it then you need to organize your paper clutter! Join Delma Smith, of Organizing For You, to learn what to do with your paper clutter, how to set up a home filing system that works for you, paper retention rules and handy tips on paper control. It’s time to develop a simple filing system and create a daily procedure to help you get control of the piles of paper that have turned your home office, or dining room table, into a fire hazard. You’ll be more productive (and happier) when all the paper is under control, and we’re here to help!

WOSH 82A-36
Wednesday • 4/23/08 • 6 - 8 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $39

Brick or stone walkways add beauty and value to your home. Avoid frustration and costly mistakes by learning to work with brickwork before you start your project. You’ll learn the differences between types and styles of bricks; determine the quantities needed for your project; learn how to install the bricks or stone, and how to clean and care for brick work. Byron Vorce from the Regional Manufacturing and Technology Center will cover all the details and give you a hands-on opportunity to develop a much greater appreciation and understanding of the details and methods involved in designing and building a brick patio or walkway.

TRIN 82K-37
Thursday • 5/1/08 • 6-9 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $39

Summer is almost here and it’s time to add a new feature to your patio or outdoor living space! There is nothing more relaxing after a hard day of work than settling down beside a gently splashing waterfall. However, it is not as soothing to think about the expense and back breaking labor it may take to install a full blown pond into your landscape; not to mention the maintenance it takes. There is an alternative! Water features do not have to be massive to have the same effects. If you have an interesting urn or basin, you’ve got what it takes to create your own low maintenance, inexpensive garden pool. Join us to learn what you need—from planning to materials to construction—to create your own unique garden water feature. Ah, can you see yourself sipping a cool beverage and enjoying the gentle splashing of water as the sun sets? You will be able to do just that after you’ve taken this class!

TRIN 82K-36
Thursday • 4/24/08 • 6 - 9 pm
Location: RMTC • Fee: $39

We’ve always known there are only 24 hours in a day; the big question is: How do you use your hours? Is there so much “stuff” in your life that you can’t see the forest for the trees? You can bring balance and peace back into your life by getting rid of all that useless stuff that has been cluttering up your life! In this new workshop we’ll explore how we can gain useful minutes and even hours each day by creating a space that is organized and truly speaks to who we are now. If you’re ready to focus on the important things in your life, if you’d like less stress in your day-to-day activities, and if you want to be more effective, efficient, and productive, then this class is for you. Join Delma Smith, professional organizer and owner of Organizing For You, to learn the key secrets of how managing your space can help you manage your time.

WOSH 82A-47
Saturday • 5/3/08 • 9-11 am
Location: RMTC • Fee: $39