love my job...

The shorter local news version is here:

MAKEOVER

This story may sound corny to you, but we all already know what a giant geek I am. No cool factor here.

This past weekend I had the extreme pleasure of being able to help Crystal in Coraopolis (Pittsburgh) re-do her living room. She won CSNstores Living Room Search & Rescue and over $6,000 of furnishings including angelo:HOME chairs, sofa and ottomans.

Crystal's mom, Linda, entered her in the contest. Crystal got picked because she's a young homeowner with a fixer upper trying to make everything in her house work for her. She has design dilemmas that are common for most of us. Crystal's fun, bubbly and has a really loving and caring spirit about her. She takes in friends that have nowhere to go. She cares about those close to her and those that aren't but are struggling.

What I didn't know was that the day the 2-day makeover started was the anniversary of the death of Crystal's dad. She was incredibly close to him and he helped her buy the house that she is now living in (her first) when she was 21. She is now 28. Crystal's dad was proud of how responsible his daughter was (and is) --How she was (and is) a hands-on fixer upper. He was a DIYer himself and watching his daughter transform her less than perfect home gave this career military man a sense of joy. Crystal and her brother grew up moving from State to State due to her father's career and having a place to call home and her own is incredibly important to her.

The one year anniversary of her father's passing was a difficult one. Knowing that she had something to look forward to made it a bit easier to tolerate. I don't think there was any coincidence in why Crystal got this makeover---Dad is still looking out for his little girl.

Crystal, it was a my honor and ginormous pleasure to share the weekend with you and your family and friends.

LOVE my job!

-angelo