CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR WORLD!

Model of the

Month:

Stephani Bakus

Shooting Star

Studios

Modeling

Agency

THE V!

VintEdge

Lake House

Soy Candles

July 2013

One of my favorite authors, speakers, and visionaries, Byron Katie says: "Love the

one you're with." When I received this drawing from an amazing 4th grader, I

stopped in my tracks. She illustrated it based on a few lines of a song I wrote called,

my Dreams. "You don't have to travel very far to see and realize how special you

are." It's absolutely beautiful! We must encourage our children to love the person in

the mirror. To do this, we must practice this ourselves. So, the next time you are

looking in the mirror, stop and gaze into your eyes and say: "I love you." My friend,

Aleta practices this all of the time. She has a passion to write, and even with her

occasional writer's block, these special conversations help her move past anything.

order this print here http://www.victorpacini.com/encourage

109 W. Main Street St. Charles, IL 60174 (630) 513

109 W. Main Street St. Charles, IL 60174 (630) 513-6300

https://www.facebook.com/OneSalonBridal?fref=ts

J U L I E M . F A R R I S

President

630.809.7901 info@jmfevents.com MarketFoxValley.com

P.O. Box 3341 St. Charles, IL 60174

JMF Events

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322 West Main Street *

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60174

(630) 457-1821

A vision comes together…

Thomas H.P. Jerusalem (Jerry) owner of

A-Moment-In-Time.com Photography

and Karla A. Sitko former owner of

Claudia’s Closet teamed up over the past

year creating THE V! and building

confidence in young ladies through

modeling. It’s every girls dream to be a

model, but where do they begin? Jerry

has been offering coached photo shoots

out of his home studio in Naperville. “It

is an amazing transformation when you

watch Jerry working with the girls, he

truly has a gift” Karla said

Karla and Jerry met last October at Ms.

Southern Illinois, Sherrie Gearheart’s

Live Out Loud Charity (LOLC) Fashion

Show, where Karla was one of the many

designers for Claudia’s Closet and Jerry

was one of the photographers. Soon

after, Jerry did a concept shoot with

Karla’s daughter Claudia and her friend

Daniela Kapusta, which was published 3 days later in VOGUE ITALIA’s

website! This made headlines in several papers in the Kane County

area. It went global! Since then the two have worked together and

decided to open a studio together to further grow their passion.

With passion, anything you dream can come true! And of course a lot of

HARD WORK!

6 girls from St. Charles have been published in VOGUE ITALA website

with GLOBAL EXPOSURE. Some of the girls have been published

more than once!

It’s very hard to break into the modeling

world. This process takes… Time…

Patience… Lots of Photo Shoots…

Participating in Runway Shows…

Endless Casting Calls… Support from

Friends and Family… Believing in

YOURSELF… Building Confidence…

Getting Tear Sheets… Being Published

Online and in Print… The list goes on!

All of this adds up to…

E X P O S U R E

How do you get this?

Sign with several agencies, work with

photographers and get in front of that

camera!

Schedule a coached photo shoot with

Jerry, get practice and then schedule a

Concept Shoot,. Magazines are always

looking for concept shoots.

Modeling & Photography

The focus at Shooting Star Studios is working with models and getting

them tear sheets! Karla and Jerry work really hard to make sure every

detail is taken care of. When a model goes on a casting call, audition, go

-see, etc, it is not only important for the model to be prepared, but they

have to be able to show their work. A client and a photographer would

rather work with an experienced model. The reason for this is that the

client spends a lot of money to get the project that they vision and the

photographer is paid to make this happen. If a model has experience,

this makes the project run smoothly. Time is Money! What models

need to keep in mind is that sometimes the shoot is all about the

MODEL and sometimes the shoot is all about the PRODUCT, they

model just makes it look good!

A good model makes this vision come to life because they can tell a

story with their eyes and body.

If you missed the Grand Opening on June 22, 2013, you can see the

video on facebook, just like their page. Ms. Sothern Illinois, Sherrie

Gearheart made an appearance and had a special guest, Rachel

Rothengass speak about suicide prevention and her story. Mayor Ray

Rogina of St. Charles had a lot of kind works to say about Karla and

Jerry. Being in the heart of Downtown St. Charles was very important to

both of them, as a child, Karla’s mother and step-father frequented to

downtown area, going for breakfast at The Manor and shopping the

antique stores. Karla always dreamed of living in this town, it just felt

right and like vacation. In 2000 Karla made this her hometown and

dreams of restoring those memories as she works with the Downtown

Partnership and downtown businesses to continue to grow and bring

more businesses and people together. St. Charles has a lot to offer

throughout the year!

Be sure to keep an eye out for the next Runway featuring the VOGUE

ITALIA website MODELS, we bring PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS

to LIFE, one MODEL at a time! These models have all been published

GLOBALLY! As each new MODEL is published, they will be added to

this one of a kind RUNWAY SHOW! The MODELS wear the clothing

they wore in each image as it was published.

Our next big RUNWAY SHOW will be: October 12, 2013

Event begins 6pm

Doors open at 5:00pm

Various vendors and food items available for purchase

before the show

Lord of Life Church 40W605 IL Rt. 38

Elburn, Illinois 60119

What models need to keep in mind is that sometimes the shoot is all about the MODEL

and sometimes the shoot is all about the PRODUCT, they model just makes it look good!

MODELS:

(from left to right:

Helen Grace

Caldwell, Carmen

Rouge, Madeline

Cole, Sara Ann

Johnson, Madison

Rae, Claudia Sitko

and Sarah Vitel

They ROCKED

the RUNWAY at

the Grand Opening

of Shooting Star

Studios, St.

Charles, IL

June 22, 2013

What models need to keep in mind is that sometimes the shoot is all about the MODEL

and sometimes the shoot is all about the PRODUCT, they model just makes it look good!

VOGUE ITALIA website published GLOBAL MODELS ...

Pictured to the far left

is Ray Rogina, Mayor

of St. Charles, IL, to

the left is Rachel

Rothengass giving a

speech about suicide

prevention and to the

right is Ms. Southern

Illinois Sherrie

Geartheart with

Published Vogue Italia

Model Claudia Sitko

and Model Sarah Vitel

Jerry, Karla and their

MODELS working hard to

open

SHOOTING STAR STUDIOS...

Pictured below: Boontiva Truong-Quang

helping us sand our hardwood floors

Pictured to the left: Model Claudia Sitko helping

with the hardwood floors

Jerry is pictured to

the right painting

and to the left

with the largest

coffee mug on

earth… none of

this could have

been completed

without BIGGBY COFFEE!

Face Your Fears Head On… Above Madison Rae facing her fear

of heights, we teach our MODELS EVERYTHING!

Pictured to

the left:

Model

Madison

Rae

getting

over her

fear of

heights.

Pictured to

the right:

Models

Claudia Sitko

and Madison

Rae painting

at the Studio

Pictured to the Left:

Thomas H.P. Jerusalem (Jerry) cutting

through the vines

Below: Of Course Jerry and Karla can

finish the hardwood floors!

Pictured below:

Mary Bell and

PJ Oeste taking

care of the

landscaping.

Pictured Above: Karla Sitko with the

runway models

Pictured below: Laurie Milbourn:

Announcer And Ms. Southern Illinois

Sherrie Gearheart

Pictured to

the left:

Alexis

Positano:

Announcer

for Vogue

Italia

website

RUNWAY

MODELS

Preparation for the Grand

Opening and Fashion

Show

Below:

Video: Cole Silver Oeste

Suzanne Positano: Director of Models

To the left:

MUA Hanna

Muehlfelt and

Model

Suzanne Beck

Hair and Make-Up

Pictured to

the left:

Thomas H.P.

Jerusalem, a

natural on the

Runway!

Pictured to

the right:

MUA Patricia

Ramirez and

Model

Sarah

Vitel

AND THE FUN BEGINS...

DESIGNERS:

P

L

A

T

O

’

S

CLOSET

C

L

A

U

D

I

A

‘

S

CLOSET

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS A HUGE

SUCCESS!

Watch out, your child or someone you

know just might be that next

shooting star!

Saying goodbye to a long time Downtown St.

Charles Businessman

Mark DeToni, you may have known him

as Mr. Marco, passed away Wednesday,

June 26, 2013 unexpectedly.

Mark DeToni was the owner of Mr.

Marco’s Jewelers, a business located at

216 W. Main St. in Downtown St. Charles.

There were tons of flowers and a white

candle burning in his front doorway for

days as our community said their

goodbyes. Mr. Marco was always

cheerful and waved good morning to us

across the street everyday. I remember

him always sweeping his doorway and on

the ladder outside fixing his clock. He was

so full of life and funny, even with his Italian voice that carried. Mr. Marco

always told you like it was, no candy coating anything. He will be missed!

According to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, DeToni was driving south

in a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban on Route 47, near the intersection of Rowe

Road, when his vehicle crossed the center of the road and went off onto the

northbound shoulder of the roadway and then back onto the roadway.

The vehicle began to roll, and DeToni was ejected, police said.

Mark aka Mr. Marco, may you rest in peace.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this somber time.

Karla A. Sitko

So, you and your fiancé are planning your wedding but alas, you have a tight budget which means smart choices need to be made. It’s exciting because shopping for a reception, food, wedding dress, shoes and accessories is great fun but can be very costly when both of you are strapped for cash. You certainly don't want to charge the wedding on a card where it takes years to pay it off. After deciding you can only spend a certain amount for your big day, the big monster looming at the start is the number you plan on inviting. That, after all impacts the location you search out. You both want your best friends attending and have at least a few bridesmaids and groomsmen for support.

You sit down and make up your guest list. Everyone from Auntie Minnie to your estranged cousin Mort pops up for an invite. After all you don't like hurting anyone's feelings and you could use the wedding gifts. You want your side of the family but what about your future spouse's family? He told you there are too many and if you invite one the others would be crushed if not invited. There is also Mom and Dad and the people important to them.

Wedding Planner

What to do. Due to the tight limitations on your budget, you've had to be pretty brutal in chopping down the guest list on both sides. Having to inform some of his and your relatives is a bit tough to do but you figure you don't normally see most of them anyway. Some live too far to drive, others don't have the money to fly in or can afford a place to stay. Mom is up in years and you and your fiancé haven't got room to store faraway relatives. There's no place to put up cousin and outcast Herman, his wife Lilly and their four brats, as well as their herd of animals they always schlep along. Maybe if you didn't tell them when you're getting married it might not be a big deal to these relatives. You never hear from them anyway unless there's a wedding or funeral and they only come to eat, expect free lodging and fight with everyone they run into. It's like having the Hatfield’s and McCoy's in the same room with other members of the family. You could promise that down the road you'll have them over for dinner and spend some quality family time. That might not go over too well but there's little choice due to the low budget you're working with. Tough choices need to be made.

There must be another way without causing civil unrest within both families, right? You have to come up with a better plan. One thing you could say is, “That since we are paying for the wedding ourselves, we’d like to invite everyone but our budget is limited and we don't want to start our marriage in debt. We’re going to try and keep the wedding small with only a few close friends and relatives. We had to limit our guest list and we hope you understand how difficult this decision was for us.”

Don't make any other excuses to anyone even relatives and friends and only explain that you have to stick to your plans. Maybe they'll be fine with it and maybe they'll understand whatever the outcome, it's still your wedding and your money you'll be spending. After all is said and done you and you partner have to make the decision. Remember, that no matter how nicely you are explaining the reasons for your decisions people will still feel disappointment when left off the guest list. I do believe if they are truly interested in your well-being and love you for the person's you both are your relatives and friends will wish you the very best in your new life and give you their bless-ings.

Often times everyone gets so caught up in the wedding plans and the grand ideas that it is easy to forget why you are getting married to begin with – to commit to the love of your life. It really isn’t about the guests, the cake or the dress. It is about the two of you. Family is important but not as much as the two of you. Many people like small intimate weddings which require a small guest list. There are also couples who skip the whole thing and elope, only to have a small party later. Focus on what is important to you, be kind to family and friends but leave Uncle Herman, Aunt Lilly, their four brats and herd of animals out if you just can’t afford to have them all.

~ Rachel ~ facebook.com/NEphotography.Vintagefineart

Come to our cook-out, every Friday and Saturday from

11am-2pm

April to

September

(weather

permitting)

300 S. 2nd Street St. Charles, IL 60174 * (630) 584-0900

http://www.dayonereliance.org/

&

So I ask that you share your story about your personal success.

How you started and one of your fondest memories, one of your

most heart-felt memories and if you would be willing to share - the

moment when you were ready to give up, and what made you push

forward, what was that inspiration? We all have these stories,

but it is not shared enough, which is why I am publishing this

magazine. If you are viewing this publication online, you can

click on any website or Facebook link and you will be directed to

that page.

Welcome to our journey… Karla

“LIKE” us on Facebook and submit your story

www.facebook.com/PositiveAttitudeMindOverMatter

I have always been about Positive Mental

Attitude, and with that, ANYONE

can OVERCOME ANYTHING! Your

MIND is a POWERFUL TOOL! I

feel that we as a team need to inspire the

next generation of success stories

waiting to happen by sharing our own!

With hard work, passion and the right

attitude, anything is possible! It's easy to

give up and hard to push forward. When

anything went wrong in my life, my mom

would say you have 5 minutes to feel

sorry for yourself and then move on,

only you can make the changes you want

to see in life. This seemed really harsh,

but as I grew, I understood it more and

more and now find myself saying the

same thing to my daughter.

Our Vision

—————————————————————————————————————————

Saying

Good-Bye

To Claudia’s

Closet,

To all our beautiful customers,

We say ado to you and you! From the day we opened the doors, it has been our pleasure to

dress you for your special occasion. Perhaps, you were the mother of the bride, mother of the groom,

or the father who needed a tux. A gala event arose and you wanted that special gown, so glad we were

around. A Christmas Party, we made... you sparkle with that gorgeous red dress. Oh, how we

remember each and ever girl, we dressed for prom, how magnificent the gown looked on you! The

mother's that cried when they saw their beautiful daughter and the reality hit, "she's all grown up and

she is not my little girl anymore". Tears of joy are the most magnificent tears in the world. One very

special girl, Gina came to our store shortly after we opened. The Doctors did not believe she would

survive after a near fatal accident, even administrated her last rights. Gina did struggle and survived.

Her mother, and aunt brought Gina to Claudia's Closet for her first prom dress. When Gina came out in

her purple and pink dress, her mother cried and said, "We didn't think Gina would survive, much less

be going to her prom!" We all cried, how very wonderful! Gina twirled around and said she would be

the most beautiful girl at the prom and would wear this dress for American Idol, where she would

perform a song from Taylor Swift. We all coached her to sing and she did! Another

wonderful memory. A father brought his daughter in from Iowa. They entered the store,

her father said; "here go with this lady, she will help you". This young lady told me that, " this

was going to be her first prom and she had no idea what size she wore, also that her mother

passed away". This young lady had never had a dress on before. Tears again, this time from the father

who's heart cried because her mother was not there to see this Gorgeous young lady. Yes, we do

remember each and every girl in her gown, the excitement, the thrill, sharing the event. Each year I

wanted to go to every prom and say "Yep, that's our dress". A great big "Thank you" for all the girls

who parted with their dearly loved prom and pageant dress, to make another girl happy. Our gratitude

is also extend the generosity of those who donated the gowns for those

who could not afford them. Thank you. For the girls who forwarded their

prom pic's and thought of us on the day of your prom, you have no idea

what that meant to us! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It was

thrilling to share Claudia's claim to fame through her modeling with you

(even if you did not want to see them). Beverly was told several times "Do

not show that pink book, Anymore". She loved bragging about her

beautiful grand daughter. We want all these great stories to continue, the

decision to sell Claudia's Closet was extremely difficult. Perhaps we

should close Claudia's Closet, maybe hire someone to manage the store,

many agonizing hours and days were spent on this decision. My Mother's

health played a huge part of our decision to sell. As many of you know,

she has been in the hospital Several times during the past year, only to

return to the Store and fake it well. Now she must relax and enjoy. We

sold Claudia's Closet to Patti Cochin, who resides in St. Charles as well.

The name of Claudia's Closet shall remain the same, as well as the phone

number. All of your consignment contracts will still be honored and

effective through the new ownership. One of Patti's Dreams was to own

her own dress shop. We have full confidence that Patti will be as

successful and love our Store as much as we did. We wish her the best of

luck now and in the future. Thank you for sharing our experiences. Karla

will remain in Downtown St. Charles as she opened a new business,

Shooting Stars Studios with Jerry A-Moment-In-Time-Photography,

working with upcoming models.

Karla and Beverly

And Hello to

the

new owner…

Patti

Coming soon...

Like is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vintEDGEmag?ref=ts&fref=ts

http://www.vintedgemag.com/

PHOTOGRAPHERS:

.we are looking for editorials and conceptual content. Some magazines lately seem to be losing focus on what editorials are.

We are not looking for 8 different looks on

6 pictures. we are looking for great, unique

work, your pictures have to tell a story. We

will feature an editorial with multiple pic-

tures and multiple looks each issue but there

are no restrictions on the number of looks.

Also we will feature individual single con-

ceptual shoots. No plain fashion style.

Also we will be featuring one photographer

and their work each issue.

Submit images to info@vintedgemag.com

submission fee: 1 image $20, 5 images $50,

up to 20 images $100

a story, some background information about

the photographer, the shoot and full credits

to people involved are required.

a release form has to be signed before work

can get published

MODELS:

want to be featured in vintEDGE magazine?

contact us

each issue we will feature at least 1 model in

our magazine. When submitting pictures

please respect photographer's copyright.

Your photographer needs to submit a signed

release form.

MUA's, DESIGNERS:

want to be featured in vintEDGE magazine?

contact us

each issue we will feature at least 1 MUA,

Stylist or Designer in our magazine. When

submitting pictures please respect photogra-

pher's copyright. Your photographer needs

to submit a signed release form.

WRITERS:

we are looking for freelance writers who

want to get their unique vintage or edgy

work published.

contact us

Interested in ADVERTISING: contact us

info@vintedgemag.com or thru FB

Growing up, I was that really awkward girl that no one wanted to be friends with. I never cared much for things that the other kids my age were into. I was an alien of my own kind. I liked sitting at recess and reading through the glossy pages of Teen Vogue by myself, while my peers were playing with their friends and listening to Disney Channel radio. Fashion wasn’t exactly a high point of our school’s curriculum as judged by the hideous frocks the girls wore to class. If you were to ask anyone who went to school with me, they would probably tell you that they never once would have thought my life would end up the way that it has.

I grew up in a rather small, unheard of town--the kind of town that when you ask someone if they’ve been there, they answer, “Huh?”. Green Oaks, Illinois is where I hail from, and I have always been in love with it due to its awkwardness that matches mine. As a kid, I was known as that girl stayed under the radar and was obsessed with i-D, Harper’s, Dazed and Confused, and Elle right out of the gate. I would go into my closet and promptly eliminate

garments that I simply thought weren’t fashionable right from the start. I never dressed to impress for one reason or another, but this process was repeated over and over just the same. This, among other things, was probably the reason that I was ruthlessly bullied during my reign at Oak Grove, a snobby Kindergarten through eighth grade school, home to Hollister wearing girl clones and rich boys. From the time I can remember, I was bullied to no end due to my height and my awkwardness. I spent countless days eating lunch in the bathroom stalls listening to girls whisper about me or laugh whenever I wore something simply “not mainstream”. I grew to accept that. “Look out, Gigantor is coming! Take cover!” was without a doubt the soundtrack to my prepubescent years. After being dubbed ‘Gigantor’ due to the fact that I was a 5’8” sixth grader in a sea full of shrimps, I came to terms with the fact that the torture probably wasn’t going to end until high school came around. My mom told me that the girls were jealous that they didn’t have my height; but I chose to see it as nothing else as a put down. Never once did I consider that I could do something with myself that put my height and thinness to good use.

Keep that previous image in your mind as we now Flash Forward to March 27th, 2011, to when I had just walked in the door from a grueling day as a high school freshman. By this point, I had come to terms with the fact that I was stuck being tall, and accepted my whopping 5’11” stature as my new normal. I remember walking in the door and being accosted by mother, who jumped in front of me and started excitedly rambling on about a model scout who had called her that morning. One thing led to another, and I was on my way to meet with the scout, and that was that.

I was ruthlessly bullied

I was a 5’8” sixth grader

Flash Forward to March 27th, 2011

MODEL OF THE MONTH…

STEPHANI BAKUS

I spent countless days eating lunch in the bathroom stalls

I never second guessed myself

After my arrival at the hotel, my love for fashion and models all just clicked and I knew I would never look back. I met with the scout in a chain hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois, where he took polaroid's of me against a white wall and chatted with me to see who I was and how I related to people. As we talked, I realized that this was certainly not a hoax. The scout explained that he had been a former model and had worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. After his career came to a close, he decided to incorporate his love of fashion and modeling into a career and become a scout, which ultimately

brought him to me. I remember sitting in that chair across from him and thinking that this was all too good to be true. Once our meeting came to a close, the scout told me that he would send my polaroid's to some of the biggest agencies around

the world, and give us a call when, or if, some of them picked me up. When I left the hotel that night, I never thought for a second that anyone would be interested in me: the small town girl that wore no makeup. The tall, lanky girl that was shy and watched Dateline with her parents on Friday nights; the girl that had the self confidence of a toad and her friendship circle consisted of one other girl by the name of Bianca who thought that Kate Moss was an anime author. In all my then fifteen years, I never thought this would happen to me, but it somehow all panned out. After about a month, I had become quite a businesswoman. Thanks to the scout’s wonderful work distributing my polaroid's, I had snagged the interest of some of the industry’s biggest agencies, such as Wilhelmina New York and Rival

Management. Zoom forward a month after that, and I had been signed with three agencies and was working frequently. I was going from shoots to shows, doing homework backstage and talking to my grandma and friends between castings just to keep up with everything going on. I had interested clients in Tokyo and New York, and was developing a name for myself rather quickly. After just one phone call and a brief meeting, I was living the life most girls would kill for; a shot that 99% of the world’s women would never be able to take, and I couldn’t be more thankful.

From the time that I had my first polaroid's taken to the first time I saw myself in a magazine, I will never, ever credit my start in this business as my doing. In my opinion, it completely found me by happenstance. I started as a model for Christ, and have continued as such throughout my entire career. Before the scout called my mom, I was a miserable teenager suffering through the trials and tribulations of high school. I truly believe that that scout was an angel in disguise; that God was looking out for me that day. My start in this business was a complete religious leap. I decided that I for sure wanted to model when I saw an ad online that said, “Models for Christ.” Once I saw that ad, I knew that was what I wanted to be. I never doubted that fact once. All I wanted to shine light on a dark industry. Once I made the decision to be a model for Christ, I was completely on board. I never second guessed myself.

The scout explained that he had been a former model and had worked with some of

the biggest names in the industry.

my love for fashion and models all just clicked and I knew I

would never look back.

I had snagged the interest of some of the industry’s biggest agencies, such as Wilhelmina New York and Rival Management.

Throughout my modeling career, there have been many memories that I will never forget. I have had the pleasure of working with some of the most amazing people I could have ever dreamed of; I have had the honor of sitting down to have conversations with people most could never even fathom meeting. When I go back and sift through those memories, the one that stands out to me most of all was as the most heartfelt and moving, was when I sat down with the head scout at Wilhelmina New York. It was a Sunday, and me, my mom, and the Wilhelmina rep were seated at a tiny table in the Hyatt Regency hotel conference room. My hands were shaking, my palms were sweaty, and I

probably looked like I had just climbed out of a carnival dunk tank. I had my pictures at hand, and had never been so nervous in my whole life. As the representative started talking, he began explaining how the new look was, “All American Girl”, and that he was looking for a new face for that look. The scout started telling me about how successful he thought that I could be, and I remember sitting there and almost starting to sob. I had never had anyone besides my parents believe in me that much before. To go from the girl that ate lunch in the bathroom in middle school; to the girl that was seated in front of an International modeling agent being told that she could be the next big thing, was more moving than anything else in the whole world. I had never felt more accepted and emotional in all of my (then) fifteen years. After we met, I got up and gave the rep the biggest, firmest handshake and most heartfelt thank you that I had ever offered. For someone who is in the fashion industry to hear words like that, is the best feeling ever. If the scout reads this article, I would like to thank him for speaking those kind words to me. Those are the words that I carry with me on days that I feel like I am not enough.

For young girls who are interested in dipping their toes in the fashion industry, I would like to say: be cautious. Modeling isn’t for everyone. In this industry, not everyone is going to like you;

not everyone is going to support you or book you for the job. People say nasty things and no one is your friend. I have been turned down many times, and I learned from every one of them. When I don’t get booked for a job, I don’t look at it as a failure. To me, it’s a learning experience. Some of the biggest superstars in our world today have been told “no” at least once in their life at an opportunity. Pop star Colbie Callait was turned down from American Idol, and has now made it to the Grammy’s. Everyone is perfect in their own way; I never thought I was until I began doing what I love. Modeling opened numerous other doors for me I otherwise would never have gotten.

Everyone is perfect in their own way; I never thought I

was until...

As a writer and assistant fashion editor for an International magazine, a singer, dancer, and growing model: never give up on your dreams. God gave me so many opportunities

already, and I am only seventeen years old. I am so thankful to everyone who has ever believed in me; so thankful to everyone I have encountered in this industry that have helped get me this far. I

can’t thank the scout that called my mom that day enough. If it weren’t for him, I would just be another high schooler stressing about her future. Never think that you are not pretty enough or good enough. Never, ever, ever let someone make you think that you can’t do something. If it hadn’t been for the boys and girls who had bullied me in middle school, I may never have had the motivation to go to meet with the scout to prove to them what I could do. Miracles come to everyone in the strangest ways; in the most miraculous forms. To anyone reading this: you are beautiful and you

are strong. Nothing is too great to accomplish, nothing is impossible. If you put yourself out there and take chances, your time in the limelight will come along. Life is too short to stand on the sidelines. If you really want to do something, don’t wait until the right moment. Don’t put off til tomorrow what opportunities have been presented to you today; they may not be there tomorrow.

~ Stephani Bakus

Don’t put off til tomorrow what opportunities have been pre-sented to you today; they may not be there tomorrow

you are

beautiful and you are strong

Oh Poor Mynah Bird

Oh the stories I could share about Pieteka would fill a book. Pieteka, a smart beaking Mynah bird had come into Minnie and Herman's life. This was quite by accident because no way would Minnie buy an animal let alone a Mynah bird that crapped the cage and spewed his rage. He was however, Minnie's favorite after she took him in. No one minded at first but soon it became obvious that this creature was a pain in the togas; in Yiddish that means pain in the butt. Pieteka would wake up and screech in a loud sound until someone removed the shawl from his cage. It was worse than an alarm clock but everyone was awake as soon as the first sound was screeched. I swear sometimes he'd sound like a howling obnoxious wolf.

Minnie adored the critter and until this day no one in the family could understand why. Maybe it was because the sound coming out of its beak was just like Minnie's voice and honestly, it even spoke in Hungarian. Minnie and Herman owned a small coffee and sandwich shop. She had no other place to keep Pieteka other than having to leave him home alone, so he accompanied her to the coffee shop every day. To look at Pieteka, he was adorable and colorful flitting around in his cage. In this case looks were deceiving because he was messy, ornery and filthy, dirty as he chose to poop in his cage all day. Minnie would scrub the cage first thing in the morning but by noon it looked like a cow swept through dropping pies making it stink so bad Herman threatened to stuff him or cook him for supper.

Minnie tried putting him in a larger cage with a smaller perch to sit on so that he'd have more room to “do his business” I suppose. It was clear that we were never ever to criticize the little monster because Pieteka was Mom’s first love. The rest of the family, Herman included, took a back seat in Minnie's life.

Now, Mynah birds can live a very long time and Pieteka lived to the ripe old age of eighteen years; but there were those around the coffee shop wishing for his early demise. Most customers actually enjoyed the little guy's crazy antics even though he could get on their nerves. Occasionally some pesky customer came in the coffee shop and demanded quick service or posted a complaint about the food

where upon Pieteka would scold them in fluent Dutch, Russian or Hungarian, depending on his mood. Customers would chuckle at his goofy actions and enjoy the speech; however, some assumed he was taught how to talk and they were insulted by it.

Pieteka was known to spit out rants to some unsuspected victim highly insulting him or her. Minnie would blush and tried to hush up the outspoken creature but it had a mind of its own and squawked and yipped as long as he could.

Everyone knew that Minnie had obviously taught this bird how to speak and it eagerly accepted all of the languages and manners she had shared. Pieteka even mimicked the sound of her voice to perfection. Sometimes he would actually use cuss words Minnie said to Herman. I remember an incident when Pastor George and his wife Alice came to visit Minnie, her only sister and brother-in-law, for a few days from Norway and it turned into a disaster. As devout Lutherans, Pastor George and Alice were very conservative people. They had lived in America for eleven years because of his ministry, but he was eventually called home to Norway. They both spoke fluent English. When one evening Pastor George's wife Alice heard some vile language behind her she fainted hitting her head on the coffee table and required nineteen stitches across her forehead. Actually, the bird had been put in the bedroom for the first couple of days because Minnie didn't want him cussing in front of her sister and brother-in-law until she explained the situation first. Pieteka was kept covered in the bedroom. After the incident and the ambulance taking Alice to the hospital, things were eventually explained. It was a good thing Alice and Herman were forgiving souls who believed that it was part of life and accidents happen. They all had a good laugh about it, including Pieteka. They all agreed to be careful how they spoke to birds. After all, you don’t want anyone saying, “A little bird told me” when that bird was a Mynah!

~ Rachel ~

Summer '71

Model: Dahlila Nunez

... Make-Up and Hair: Paty Ramirez

Photographer: Thomas H.P. Jerusalem

A-MOMENT-IN-TIME.COM Photography

— with Dahlila Nunez, Patricia Ramirez, Laura Ramirez and Vito Viola.

Top 10 in the Italian Photography Magazine CAMERARAW.IT

http://www.cameraraw.it/top10-socialfoto-32/

Get Serious, Get Published...

A model (from Middle French modèle//aew]

sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who

is employed to display, advertise and promote

commercial products (notably fashion clothing)

or to serve as a subject of works of art.

M O D E L

YOU DO NOT HAVE

TO BE 5’11” OR SIZE 0

TO BE A

Model at...

15 South 2nd Street St. Charles, IL 601074 (847) 401-0406

What’s the difference between Store bought soap and Handmade Soap? Store bought soaps is mostly

synthetic, that has harsh detergents and chemicals, animal fat (Tallow). Most manufacturers of soap extract

glycerin from soap and sell it as a by-product to other companies. If skin feels tight and itchy, there is a good

chance you are using detergent on your skin.

Handmade Soaps are made the Old Fashioned way with Natural Oils, Herbs/Botanicals, Water and Sodium

Hydroxide (Lye).

Why Lye? When you make soap using the cold process soap making method, you mix an oil or fat (which is

your acid) with Lye (which is your base) to form soap (which is a salt). This process is called saponification

which a chemical reaction between an acid and a base to form a salt. In the final product, no lye remains

because the saponification process changes the molecular structure to a new creation - Soap! (Which is about

a 6 week curing time.)

Those who suffer from skin conditions, as well as people that have sensitive skin or are hypoallergenic mostly

find immediate relief by switching to a handmade soap. Compared to a store brand bar of soap, handmade

soap is very mild and helps retain the Natural Oils in our skin.

I Encourage you to do your own research-

The Information on this page is Not Intended to Prevent, Treat, Cure or Diagnose.

Below is a list of Oils and Butters, that I will be using for Soaps and Lotion Bars and what some of

their Known Benefits are. If you have NUT Allergies Please Beware some Oils used are Tree Nut

Oils. ALSO OTHER KNOWN ALLERGIES TO TAKE PROCAUTION IS TO SOY OR

GRAPES. PLEASE BUYER BEWARE!

ALMOND OIL- is a great moisturizer, creates mild lather and rich in fatty acids, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E. Is said to relieve

inflamed, dry itchy skin, good for eczema and psoriasis. (WARNING- DO NOT USE ANY PRODUCTS CONTAINING

ALMOND OIL IF YOU HAVE NUT ALLERGIES)

APRICOT OIL- light oil rich in Vitamin A, D and E. Great for sensitive , inflamed, dry skin.

AVOCADO OIL- recommended for sensitive skin, is rich in Vitamins A, D and E. Great moisturizer for dry skin, eczema and

psoriasis.

BABASSU OIL- contains Vitamin E, a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Benefits include reduced redness and soothed

itchiness. Naturally occurring phytostrols or plant sterols help renew skin cells.

COCOA BUTTER-used to help make a harder longer lasting bar of soap. Very moisturizering soothes and softens dry itchy skin.

Cocoa Butter contains natural antioxidants is naturally rich in Vitamin E as well as a number of other vitamins and minerals. Vitamin

E helps to soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin and also provides the skin collagen which assists with wrinkles and other signs of

ageing.

COCONUT OIL- used to help make a harder longer lasting bar of soap. Has a rich creamy lather, is mild and great for Irritated

and Sensitive skin. Has Natural Vitamin E and Antioxidants, reducing Inflammation. (WARNING- DO NOT USE ANY PRODUCTS

CONTAINING COCONUT OIL IF YOU HAVE NUT ALLERGIES)--

~~~Should COCONUT be avoided by someone with a tree nut allergy?

Discuss this with your doctor. Coconut, the seed of a drupaceous fruit, has typically not been restricted in the diets of people with

tree nut allergy. However, in October of 2006, the FDA began identifying coconut as a tree nut. Ask your doctor if you need to avoid

coconut.

GRAPE SEED OIL- great for all skin types. Is mild and great for those with sensitive skin.(ALLERGEN WARNING)

HEMP SEED OIL-Hemp seed oil products contain a beneficial amount of amino acids, and vitamin E as well. It is a natural

antioxidant, and the oil doesn't stick to your skin as many oils have a tendency to do. It is rich in not only Omega-3 and Omega-6,

but also Omega-9 -- this will allow hemp seed oil to moisturize your skin and keep it healthy - and it does this without clogging your

pores. Potassium and calcium are also found in hemp seed oil products, making it even healthier for your skin.

Hemp seed oil contains ingredients that gives it unique anti-inflammatory properties that are not often found in other oils. This,

added to its antioxidant properties, allows hemp oil to detoxify and clean your skin.

JOJOBA OIL-Native Americans have long used jojoba oil to help heal sores and wounds. Jojoba oil helps promote healing of the

skin in many ways. It has antimicrobial properties, which means it actually discourages the growth of some bacterial and fungal microbes

that attack the skin. It also contains iodine, which may be where jojoba gets its ability to fight against bacterial and fungal infection. In

addition to acne, jojoba has traditionally been used to treat canker sores, cold sores, athlete’s foot, and warts.

MANGO BUTTER - Contains vitamins A, B, C, D and E, folic acid, calcium, iron and magnesium. It is known to be used as

an anti-aging ingredient, It helps rejuvenate your skin and neutralize toxins, to promote healthy skin renewal and prevent wrin-

kles. Mango Butter has a variety of wonderful qualities- it has the ability to hydrate your skin, help lighten age and sun spots, tightening

skin and healing eczema, psoriasis and other skin irritations.

NEEM OIL-Traditional remedies used as a antiseptic to fight of Bacteria. Help many skin aliments such as acne, psoriasis and

eczema. Is also known to be a bug repellant for fleas, ticks, mosquitoes. Is safe to use on your dog and cats too! (DO NOT USE IF

YOU ARE PREGNANT-NEEM IS USED AS A NATURAL/ HERBAL WAY TO INDUCE LABOR!

OLIVE OIL- Extremely mild for sensitive skin, packed with Vitamins, Minerals and Protein. Makes a very silky-bubbly soap also

has Natural Antibacterial properties.

RICE BRAN OIL-has a long and successful history in Japan as a base for soaps and skin creams. The oil is purported to reverse the

effect of aging by slowing the formation of facial wrinkles thanks to rice bran oil's rich concentration of Vitamin E and

gamma-oryzanol.

SHEA BUTTER - Contains Natural UV protection, helps heal and protect skin due to anti-inflammatory capabilities, used to heal

eczema, burns, rash's and psoriasis. (DO NOT USE IF YOU HAVE A LATEX ALLERGY. SHEA BUTTER CONTAINS A

NATURAL LATEX INGREDIENT.)

SOYBEAN OIL-It is mild, moisturizing and gives a low, creamy lather. (ALLERGEN WARNING-DO NOT USE IF YOU HAVE

SOY ALLERGIES.

Introducing A Very Exciting Summer

Special Program!

Going To My Happy Place’s

Community Karma Yoga!

For more information visit us at:

http://www.goingtomyhappyplace.com/

Events and Classes....

Proud partner with World Martial Arts Academy, USA

www.worldmartialartsusa.com

316 Anderson Blvd, Geneva, Il 60134

630-402-0033

Upcoming events...

COMMUNITY KARMA YOGA-- HELD THROUGHOUT THE

SUMMER!!!NEXT on the schedule... NO FEE,

CHARITY DONATION BASED FORMAT ......We've already

enjoyed three Community Karma Yoga classes and our fourth is scheduled for Mary

Clare's, 10:30am Yoga Level1-2 class. Mary Clare's charity of choice is Lazarus House.

In case you missed it, Community Karma Yoga works on a no fee, donation based format.

All are welcome at no charge, but if you would like to make a donation, 100% of it will go

to the teacher's Charity of Choice!! Put July 19, 10:30am on your calendar, enjoy a yoga

class and help your community at the same time! More Community Karma Yoga classes

will be held throughout the summer, with rotating teachers and their favorite charities!

Come join us!

Put these dates on your calendar!! August 1st- Women's/Teens Self

Defense August 8th- Healing Breathwork Circle September 6th- Master

Instructor Gabriel is back!!

All working Fashion models have a Mother Agency.

A mother Agency stays with the model through their career- They are the ones who scout the model, then

develop them from getting the ‘right’ snapshots/pictures to propose them to fashion agencies in NY and other

markets they are right for.

They are PATIENT. Waiting for the right moment when the model is truly ready to “introduce” her to the

right agency, they strategically plan out your career.

They are the TRUSTED manager to the model. Who helps to guide the model and listen to their ultimate

goals as a model and works just for the model to make the best choices for them.

Your NY agency doesn’t want to hear you whine and complain-Save it for your Mother Agent!

There is no such thing as freelancing as a Fashion model. There are either signed models or unsigned.

Working models or aspiring.

So, How do you get signed to a Modeling Agency in New York or any fashion city in the world if you are

an unsigned aspiring model?

Contact us at info@shootingstar-studios.comhttp://www.shootingstar-studios.com/

Or Directly (847) 401-0406

15 South 2nd Street Downtown St. Charles, IL 601074

https://www.facebook.com/Arcada.Theatre

We all like to find distractions now and then and do something entertaining to get away from it all. Most people like to escape the everyday drudgery of house cleaning, jobs, kids or just to have some “R&R” with your significant other. There are things we can do to help us over the rough daily bumps. We can play cards, have company or just relax on our own and grab a good movie. You can pick a movie that will take you away for a couple hours from the reality of life and spend a bit of time in dreamland. We do need to unclutter our minds from the day to day events that weigh us down. Caring for our loved ones and making sure there's money coming in, food on the table and that Johnny and Mary got their homework done are just a few of the demands that never seem to end. We love our families and care for them but we do need time away from the daily grind. If it takes just a movie to get away so be it. Many parents today can't afford getting away from it all by spending money on trips, so we find things close to home such as watching a movie or going to the theater. We can also tune into our favorite shows like

Dancing With the Stars or American Idol. You may prefer comedies like Modern Family or dramas like The Good Wife, but getting away for a few hours uninterrupted is good therapy for everyone. Whether it is a good clean cut movie or a scary violent movie or just a romantic action flick, it's a moment for us to put aside our troubled times and enjoy. If only for a moment.

While there are many ways to relax, an easy way is to sit down, put your feet up and take in a movie. The type of film you watch is a choice you will have to make. I prefer historic, romantic or just a good comedy with good old fashioned slapstick. Movies that make me laugh and make little or no sense are perfect so I don't have to think. Some of the old favorites are about Kings and Queens who walk around wearing tons of heavy clothing and carrying loads of jewels on their person. Imagine how rough those days were dragging around mountains of clothing. Should make us appreciate the lifestyle we now have. Imagine having to wear a mantle made of heavy garish velvet cloth loaded with a king's ransom in jewels? For the royal ladies it would be over their heavy dresses over hoops and corsets they wear underneath. One has to wonder how these people kept their bodies from emitting bad odors. Since there was no deodorant in that time period, they probably did stink to high heaven.

Imagine they must have used some chemicals perhaps from flowers peddles or a concoction of liquid they invented to spritz on their bodies. There was no tooth paste and certainly no mouth wash available. Maybe they made up some kind of minty tasting fluids they used for bad breath. Imagine a scene in the movie where the lovely lady is about to faint and her l over boy standing by catches her in his strong muscular arms. Would he be sniffing his lady in distress to make sure she doesn't have bad odors? Just my imagination running wild but this is what makes these movies so entertaining to me. It's said that using the imagination is a good thing and get away from the daily annoyance and violence touching our lives.

There are many people that find violent movies or horror stories entertaining but for me it simply adds more stress to my life. Even the sad ones that are filled with true events can simply make me cry and long for the mind numbing busy hours I spend each day running around. An escape for one may be completely different from that of another, so no matter what type of movie helps you, take some time to sit and lose yourself in the distracting world of Hollywood. For me, I will keep focusing on romance, comedy and history since just turning on the TV and watching the news is stressful. The barrage of bad news is depressing and only makes me feel like the world has gone crazy. Can you think of a time when good clean stories prevailed? So, escaping to a fun filled couple of hours doing your thing is time well spent. Don’t forget the popcorn.

~ Rachel ~

Movies and

Relaxing

Ask Amy How You Can Use The

KELLER WILLIAMS TRUCK

For FREE When You

BUY OR SELL With Her!

(630) 542-8848

www.homeswithamynelson.com

Are you aware that EVERYONE is REQUIRED to have HEALTH

INSURANCE benefits by 2014?

If you filed your Tax return you would have been required to check a box that

you were informed of this new LAW and that if your DO NOT have benefits

you will be subject to a FINE.

For more details and benefit plans contact...

217 W Main Street

St. Charles, IL 60174

(630) 584-8009

Www.ClaudiasBoutiqueCloset.com

It’s a formal affair at...

710 E. Ogden Ave #600 * Naperville, IL 60563 (630) 886-4069 / (630) 428-0074

www.ggmodelsink.com

Expires 8/15/2013. Code 104348

Expires 8/15/2013. Code 104348

Top Ten Modeling tips

1. ALWAYS be on time., not too early, NEVER late,

2. ALWAYS wear natural make up and hair, NEVER over

do it,

3. ALWAY check references,

4. SAFETY First, let someone know where you are going,

Name, address, phone number, etc. ,

5. ALWAYS have your nails and toes clean and polished,

you do not want to have a perfect picture and your nails

create an issue, this happens a lot

6. ALWAYS have your split ends trimmed, look clean and

polished,

7. ALWAYS have your facial hair trimmed and/or waxed.,

especially eye brows and above the lip,

8. NEVER do anything that you are not comfortable with,

it could have an adverse affect on your career.

9. ALWAYS Clarify terms and conditions prior to the photo

Shoot,

10.ALWAYS be proud of your work and willing to show

your family friends and agent(s).

One More Tip:

LET YOUR EYES AND FACE TELL A STORY

e are a family owned business serving the general public since 1987. We pride ourselves with the quality of our merchandise priced at a competitive level. We carefully select the craftsmanship and gems of our products to fit our store’s image. Over the years, our sales and servicing departments earned us a wide and loyal customer base which we greatly value. We invite you to visit our store and

experience our distinctive collection .

We will gladly trade in your diamond for an upgrade

Diamond Upgrade

We Buy Gold

Thinking of cashing in your gold?

Give us a chance to provide you with a quote

Products

Diamond & Color Stones

Gold

Wedding

Watches

Men’s Metal Jewelry

Repair Center

Jewelry Repair

Watch Repair

Gemstone Jewelry

Design

Wax Carving and Casting

—————————————————————————————

http://www.projectmichelangelo.org/

Rachel Gies, a local

published author

currently has these

books available for sale

at

217 W. Main Street Downtown St. Charles, IL 60174

(630) 584-8009

Ivan of Bulgaria Creating Confident Children

Life Success Coaching Pro-

gram

A fun and interactive day to

help your child create more

confidence in school, sports,

and building healthy relation-

ships.

Your child will receive: Your

VOICE Journal, workbook

pages, mp3 copies of Victor’s

songs, and an action plan for

success + 2 follow up coaching

calls.

Visit: www.VictorPacini.com/

vhdreamshop

Summer Dates and Times Lake In The Hills - July 18 - August 6, 8, 15

Ages 7-9 (9am to

10:30am) $45

Ages 10 and up (11am-

2pm) $75

August 6 (5:30PM –

8:30PM OPTION FOR

OLDER KIDS ONLY )

Visit

www.VictorPacini.com/

summerdreamshop

For more information or

to register,

CALL 847-331-8487

3 East Wilson Batavia, IL

(630) 406-0230

You Can Never Say It Enough

This one is the continuation of my "I Love You" print. Leo Buscaglia said:

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a

listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which

have the potential to turn a life around.” There is power in words. You can

never say I love you enough to children. They are like open containers that can

be filled freely

and easily. They

become what they

hear over and over

again. They

become their

habits, thoughts,

feelings, and

actions. Keep the

compliments

coming and I love

you's pouring like

cold water on a

hot summer day.

SAVE THE DATE

JANUARY 18, 2014

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

A FUNDRAISER BENEFITTING VICTIMS

OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WINGS is excited to announce that the 2014 A Night to Remember (previously known as A Night for Reneé) is scheduled for Saturday, January

18th, 2014. This very special and memorable night will be held at the Donald E. Stephens Ballroom in Rosemont. A Night to Remember is a high

energy evening that focuses on honoring the lives of extraordinary women who have been through extraordinary situations – domestic violence. The

evening includes, dinner, dancing, a brief program, entertainment, raffles and silent auctions.

Victor Pacini, created this event after the 2001 death of his sister, Reneé, as a way to remember her life and also to raise awareness of the problem of

domestic violence in our communities. WINGS Program, Inc., in conjunction with the a Night for Reneé committee, has assumed the planning and

implementation of the event.

WINGS provides a warm, safe refuge to women and their children who are experiencing domestic violence or homelessness, and proceeds from A

Night to Remember go directly to support those individuals. For more comprehensive information about WINGS you can also access their company

website at www.wingsprogram.com.

Please consider donating to A Night to Remember - ways you can help are listed below. Your charitable donation will not only provide a lively even-

ing for those gathered but it will also offer an opportunity for families seeking the help of WINGS to experience a renewed happiness and a chance at

a better life. All donations are tax-deductible as WINGS is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

Event Sponsorship, Multiple levels available:

http://www.victorpacini.com/a-night-for-renee/

Auction Items: Your donation will be used as a highly visible gift in our raffle.

Tickets: Purchase your tickets now from Victor or on line at WINGS for $40 per person. Or by calling 847-519-7820 Includes appetizer and cock-

tail hour, dinner with wine service, open bar after dinner, and entertainment. ***Four monthly Early Bird prizes will be awarded for those people

purchasing their tickets by 12/31/12!

Printing: We can always use some help with printing of materials and your monetary donation would help cover some of those costs.

WAYS TO HELP

A Night to Remember is open to the public and we welcome everyone!

A special Thank You to all of our sponsors from Shooting Star Studios!

Tag

Yourself on

The Red Carpet

at

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shooting-Star

-Studios/189293031225328?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/isiahxiongphotography?fref=ts

Submit your stories, photo’s and advertisements today

41W379 Route 64 Wasco, IL 60183

(630) 443-8000

Send us your story and your

pictures. Email them to

I.Did.It@aol.com

www.facebook.com/PositiveAttitudeMindOverMatter Prepared by MagCloud for Karla Sitko. Get more at ididitmagazine.magcloud.com.