Welcome 2012

In 2012, I want to share with you the renovation of a 125 year old New Orleans home, Urban gardening, STEM Education, and New Orleans Community issues. Since I am not from New Orleans but it is my home now, I may see things a little different than someone from here for better or worse as New Orleans rebuilds Post Katrina. Hopefully, my family and friends will join in following this blog and potentially twitter in order to enlighten and educate more people. New Orleans is a great place to live but it has perils in rebuilding post Katrina. However, Hurricane Katrina should not be blame as the sole source of New Orleans problems. Hurricane Katrina is a gift and curse. Hurricane Katrina has exposed a lot issues that the city has had for years prior, in education, crime, blight, and the economy. Hurricane Katrina has help in that it has caused a influence of Federal dollars to come in and help rebuild the community. The use of the actual money is a different story but I wlll start with things that I have seen in my 9 months in New Orleans and 2 years in the region. In that, let’s kickoff, 2012 with my first blog shortly.

Is Gentrification Color Blind in New Orleans

After purchasing a historic home in New Orleans, I have asked myself am I considered a gentrifier. Gentrication is defined by Merriam-webster as the "process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influence of middle class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residences. By no means am I rich and for those of you not familiar with New Orleans, there is not a middle class. People from New Orleans are either extremely rich or extremely poor for the most part. It is extremely difficult to buy a home in this city especially in a neighborhood that you feel comfortable and like to live because of the available ammendities.

As an aside, over 60% of the population rents in this city and a large portion of this includes highly elevated rental prices in Section 8 housing. Often, when you see the section 8 properties and their condition you feel bad as a hard working tax paying citizens especially because section 8 landlords receive a 25% markup on market values. However, this does make me want to get into property rentals so I can at least provide better housing situations especially if you are going to get a 25% markup. How can you change the mind state of a tenant when you have them living in less than desirable conditions in many cases.

Back to the main topic of gentrification because I am a young african american I may not be perceived as a gentrifier as quickly as a caucasian counterpart in New Orleans. Is this fair after reviewing the definition according to merriam-webster?

PictureOnARug.com is back!

After a hiatus of 2 years, PictureOnARug.com is back. It easier to remember than ConceptSeventeen.com and it is more catchier. This site has been made to be short, simple, and sweet. Even better it is only 1 page long. It contains lots of cool features, as eventually this will gain in popularity like ipictureweave.com. Hopefully, you notice the orchids at the top of the page of PictureOnARug.com. I really enjoy orchids and one day I hope to have a small orchid greenhouse. Please let me know how to make website for PictureOnARug.com better. Thanks.

Concept Seventeen, LLC earns MBE status

Concept Seventeen, a business based in Manning, SC, is delighted to announce it has received the coveted Minority Business Enterprise(MBE) certification from the Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council(CarolinasMSDC), an affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council(NMSDC).

“We believe that obtaining the MBE status provides more credibility to us as serious small business with strong operating procedures,” said Howard Conyers, Founder and Owner. “Our past and current clients already appreciates our excellent products and services, but the MBE status will be a signal to potential clients that we are serious when it comes to business and that we take pride in our work. Further, our existing and previous clients will recognize the MBE status, as a sign of improving our services and our commitment to excellence.”

Attaining MBE certification involves a rigorous review process through which companies undergo an investigation by an affiliate of the NSMBC to examine a company's operations, management and finances for the at least the past 2 years of a company’s existence. As part of the process, the company must provide evidence of ownership, managerial and operational procedures. Companies must also demonstrate technical knowledge and experience, with proof of past contracts, as evidence of expertise, strong business operations and management decisions. All applications are carefully reviewed and personal interviews are conducted by MBE Agents and in our case the Carolina MSBC, an affiliate of the NSMBC. After earning the MBE status, the re-certification process must be performed annually.

Concept Seventeen, LLC owns and operates www.ipictureweave.com and www.conceptseventeen.com

Unity in the Community-Durham, NC

Exposing the community of Durham, NC to picture weave is time consuming, but it can be exciting to exposed people to a new gift idea. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the expression when people see that a beautiful afghan, wall hanging, pillow, or tote bag has been jacquard woven from a photo. Note all the products are woven, not printed into 100% machine washable cotton. Concept Seventeen has been doing this for about 3 years, and so we are experts in the field who loves to be challenged on what we can do with Picture. Check us out at www.iPictureweave.com and www.PictureOnARug.com and see if you can challenge Concept Seventeen, today.

Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Show-Durham, NC

Over the past few months, Concept Seventeen have been trying to introduce to wedding professionals through the Perfect Wedding Guide to custom photo woven heirlooms. We participated in the Bridal Show on Sept. 14, 2008 to evaluate picture weave as a new potential gift to the parents of the bride and groom. One of the best ways that we have made a picture weave blanket so far, is to make a collage that describes a family "full circle" as a new member is entering the family. The collage afghan has the couple up top in a picture with pics from the bride childhood when they are small on the bottom. Similarly, another afghan is made similarly for the groom's parents, except pictures from the groom pictures are the bottom. Further, it would give a couple a new way to display their picture. Over a lifetime, one couple will have many pictures together and eventually the ones will from their significant day will be stored on a shelf in a scrapbook. How about using one of the pictures as an afghan that can last for years. Further, this could be a generational gift. The imagination is the only limit to picture weave. Check out iPictureweave.com and PictureOnARug.com to could get a better idea of what you can do.

Cullen Jones wins Olympic Gold in 4x100

I am proud of the work by the brother, Cullen Jones. Not only is he an african american, but he is an US Olympian, and now a Gold Medalist. He helped Michael Phelps in collecting 1 of 8 Olympic Golds this year in Beijing in the 4x100 relay. He is being overshadowed big time but I wanted make sure that I at least gave him some credit. Maybe when he returns, he may need an afghan woven of him and his medal at www.ipictureweave.com