Date post: | 31-Mar-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | outlook-magazine |
View: | 216 times |
Download: | 1 times |
www.edmondoutlook.com 1
2 www.edmondoutlook.com
www.edmondoutlook.com 3
4 www.edmondoutlook.com
www.edmondoutlook.com 5
6 www.edmondoutlook.com
30 Down on the FarmThe Webster family of Providence Farms shares their world of sustainable living right here in Edmond.
FEATURES
26 Fun Fall Festivities Exciting events you won’t want to miss!
28 Model Student
Opportunity knocks for Edmond North teen
33 Production Value Local filmmaker uses his creativity for fundraising
34 Dream Come True Edmond author has a series of dreams that become a book
38 My Edmond Outlook Staci Patton, Salon Owner
DEPARTMENTS
08 Arts Fame and the Fiddle
10 Sports Water You Wading For?
12 Louise Rescued
13 Shopping Fall Finds
15 Food Nothing Bundt Cakes Food Favorites
18 Business Cabinet Cures OK Christian Academy Mid America Cycle
22 Home Craftsman Style Homes
24 Style Color Me Fabulous
October 2012
To advertise, call Laura at 405-301-3926$
Cover photo by: Justin Morris Makeup/Stylist: Karen Snyder
Hair: Bernice Armstrong Model: Ellen Taylor
30 Down on the FarmThe Webster family of Providence Farms shares their world of sustainable living right here in Edmond.
30 Down on the FarmThe Webster family of Providence Farms shares their world of sustainable living right here in Edmond.
www.edmondoutlook.com 7
(Volume 8, Number 10) Edmond Outlook is a publicationof Back40 Design, Inc. © 2012 Back40 Design, Inc.
Articles and advertisements in Edmond Outlook do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Back40 Design. Back40 Design does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by Edmond Outlook does not constitute endorsement of the products, services or
information. We do not knowingly present any product or service that is fraudulent or misleading in nature. Edmond
Outlook assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.
PUBLISHERDave Miller
EDITORIAL & ADVERTISINGDIRECTOR
Krystal Harlow
EDITORErica Smith
ADVERTISING SALESLaura BeamLori Cathey
PRODUCTION DESIGNKaren Munger
PHOTOGRAPHYMarshall Hawkins
www.sundancephotographyokc.com
Sara Wheelerwww.saraephotography.com
DISTRIBUTIONThe Edmond Outlook is delivered FREE by
direct-mail to 50,000 Edmond homes.
80 East 5th St. Ste. 130 Edmond, OK 73034Office: 405-341-5599 Fax: 405-341-2020
8 www.edmondoutlook.com
Fame and the Fiddle
Some men were born with music in
their soul and an instrument in their
hand. With that birthright comes a
lifetime of plucking and stroking
strings and passing on the magic.
Music legend Byron Berline, owner of
Double Stop Fiddle Shop and Music Hall
in Guthrie, was born in Oklahoma to mu-
sic. His father played. His mother was a
pianist and his siblings all perform. At 5
years old, Berline played his first tune on
his first fiddle. “My dad played and my
whole family played music,” he said. “I
don’t ever remember not playing. I guess
I gradually took a liking to it. That’s what
kids do. All kids are drawn to music.”
That fascination and love of mu-
sic carried on throughout a multi-
decade career for the talented
fiddle player. While growing
up, he’d accompany his father
to fiddle contests, performed at PTA events and
showcased his talent at fairs and festivals. After
earning a football scholarship to the University of
Oklahoma — as well as a spot throwing the javelin
for the track team — Berline again found himself
drawn to the flirts of the fiddle. “I started up a
bluegrass band,” said Berline. “During that time, I
met a group called the Dillards, and that opened
my eyes to going further with music and making
a living at it.”
The Dillards knew talent when they saw it,
and they recruited the young Berline to record an
album with them. That led to a gig at the Newport
Folk Festival in 1965, which led to a chance meet-
ing with bluegrass great Bill Monroe. “He asked
me to perform with him,” Berline said. “I knew
how to use those opportunities when they came.
I also knew you had to be practiced up and offer
something they wanted. People used to say I was
lucky, but it’s not luck, it’s being prepared to take
those opportunities when they come.”
Although Berline doesn’t believe in luck, luck
was on his side when he was drafted in 1967 for
the Vietnam War. “I was lucky this time. A colonel
heard me play, and he had me play for a general,”
said Berline. “I was chosen for the entertainment
leg of the Army and for its track team. When I was
drafted, I got to do something I loved and enter-
tain the troops.”
And just a day before Berline was discharged
from a two-year stint with the Army, Doug Dillard
of the Dillards made a call. “He asked me what I
was doing, and I told him I was getting out of the
Army,” Berline recalls. “He said, ‘Good. I want you
to come to California and record with us.’ ”
From that point, Berline and his bride Betty
packed up and spent 26 years performing and
recording in California for a variety of bands and
bluegrass groups. Besides performing with such
notables as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Emmylou
Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Lee and
Willie Nelson, Berline also recorded movie and
commercial soundtracks, working with names like
Henry Mancini.
by Heide Brandes
“I met a group called the Dillards, and that
opened my eyes to going further.”
Dr. Kamla Knight, Chiropractor
3209 S. Broadway, Ste 217 • 285-9454All major insurances accepted • Open MWF 9-5
Motor Vehicle Accidents • Applied KinesiologyIonic Foot Detox • Hormone Saliva Testing
Neuro Emotional TechniqueNatural Hormone Replacement Therapy
Alternative & Holistic Medicine
Injuredin a car
accident?We can
help!
Become a fan on for thelatest in health and wellness news!
Knight Wellness Center
www.edmondoutlook.com 9
He scored his first major motion picture in 1975, “Stay Hungry,” and
appeared in other movies like “Basic Instinct,” “Star Trek” and “Back to the
Future III.”
When not scoring for commercial work, Berline toured the United States,
Europe, Japan, Northern Africa, China, Australia and the South Pacific. He
was inducted into Oklahoma’s Musicians Hall of Fame, named Oklahoma’s
Ambassador of Goodwill and was named the featured artist for the Violin
Society of America international convention.
Finally, after accruing a collection of instruments, Berline was ready to
settle down and open a store. “Betty and I were from Oklahoma, and her
father had left her a house in Guthrie. All our family was here and I knew I
couldn’t get a shop in California, so we decided to move back,” Berline said.
“I didn’t have to ask Betty twice. So in 1995, we moved back, and that May
we opened the shop.”
The Double Stop Fiddle Shop and Music Hall carries all stringed instru-
ments in the violin family for beginners, professionals and collectors. From
guitars, banjos and fiddles, the shop also offers repair services and lessons
for all ages. Berline also conceived and planned the Oklahoma International
Bluegrass Festival since its beginnings in 1997.
Above the shop, the Byron Berline Band holds concerts twice a month,
open to the public. “We still perform. People keep asking when I’m going to
retire. Why would I want to do that? I’ve been doing what I love for 40 to 50
years now.”
Because of his lifetime in music, the International Bluegrass Music Asso-
ciation presented Berline with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Nashville
on September 27. “My plan is to keep playing until I can’t,” he said. “Why
would I want to quit?”
Motor Vehicle Accidents • Applied KinesiologyIonic Foot Detox • Hormone Saliva Testing
Neuro Emotional TechniqueNatural Hormone Replacement Therapy
Alternative & Holistic Medicine
10 www.edmondoutlook.com
in mind as a goal. I ended up winning by one one-
hundredth of a second.”
The win was truely a Michael Phelps moment.
The Olympian edged out Milorad Cavic in the
100-meter butterfly by the same margin at the
2008 Olympics.
“You do feel a little like (Phelps),” Ally added.
“You just think if you didn’t kick or put your head
down, something so small could have made all
the difference.”
Zhenya is only 10, but he wants to be the next
Phelps. It is fitting that his signature event is the but-
terfly, one of Phelps’ best events. The homeschool
student scored his AAAA time, one of the fastest
motivational times, this past year in the 50-meter
butterfly at the 14-under Central Zones Champion-
ship in Indiana.
“I just kicked as hard as I could,” Ingram said.
“It felt pretty good to get that AAAA.”
Zhenya started swimming at age seven, and
says two of the things he likes most about being a
member of EAT is having Goddard as a coach and
hanging out with his friends. And just like most
swimmers, Ingram’s ultimate goal is to make the
Olympics one day.
Alexa is the heart of the EAT program. Born
with a disability, she got involved in the program
As Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte,
Rebecca Soni and Missy Franklin
wowed the crowd at the Olympic
Games in London this past sum-
mer, there was a group of youth watching intently.
Members of the Extreme Aquatic Team (EAT), an
Edmond-based United States Swimming competi-
tive program, watched hoping that one day that
would be them.
EAT was founded in 1998 as a USA-S com-
petitive swimming program aimed at teaching chil-
dren the sport at all skill levels. Today, EAT boasts
a resume that includes qualifiers for the Division II
Championships, Oklahoma Age Group Champi-
onship, Meet of Championships, Junior National
Championships, Central Zones Championships,
Region VIII’s and the Open Water Championships.
The USA Swimming registered organization is a
year-round sport and includes ages 5-19 while the
Extreme Masters program is for those 20 and older.
Cindy Goddard has been with the team for nine
years, serving as the head coach for the past six
years. Goddard earned Oklahoma Age Group Coach
of the Year honors 2007-2009 and has taken EAT
from a youth program to a program for both chil-
dren and adults during her tenure. When Goddard
first arrived, there were just 50 youth participants
and no adult program. Today, EAT has 130-plus reg-
istered youth members and 10-12 adults annually.
“Physically, swimming is a great aerobic sport,
and you can continue to swim your entire life,”
Goddard said. “Socially, we’re a sport where every-
one practices together and they come from different
areas. We feel like we offer a great amount of tech-
nique and endurance work starting at a young age.”
Team members come from all over the area,
attending rival schools and living in different com-
munities. Three of those athletes are Ally Robertson,
Zhenya Ingram and Alexa Halko. All three have
been a part of the program for a few years now and
each have a growing list of accomplishments.
Ally, a sophomore at Edmond North, got her
start in the Learn to Swim Competitively class. She
set a meet record this past year at the Central Zones
Senior Championship and now helps coach the
class that launched her swimming career.
“I went into the meet knowing I had trained
well all season,” Robertson said. “Before the race, I
saw the record, and just pushed it away, but had it
by Cassie Gage
“I was really awed by the people I was competing against.”
Water You Wading For?Zhenya Ingram, Ally Robertson, Alexa Halko
www.edmondoutlook.com 11
after getting involved with track and field and made the move to swimming al-
most two years ago. Halko went to the Junior National Disability Championship
in Mesa, Arizona, and won all of her events and set several records.
“I was really awed by the people I was competing against,” Alexa said. “They
were really good. I set a personal best in the freestyle.”
But what Alexa’s gotten from EAT has been much more than just wins and
records. “I had a surgery to fix my legs in the second grade,” she added. “A
friend’s mom got me involved, and I started making friends, and I’m still making
friends. At first, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to play sports, and now I’m playing
basketball, track and field and swimming.”
While tryouts continue throughout the year, the team is gearing up for its
fall/winter competition season beginning in October. There are several differ-
ent programs offered, all geared towards competitive swimming. While com-
petitive swimming is a focus, some team members are there for the health and
exercise benefits.
Each summer, the group also offers a swim lesson program for school age
children looking to learn water safety and basic swimming skills. This past sum-
mer, Goddard and the Swim America staff provided over 1,900 hours in swim-
ming lessons.
The majority of local meets are held at Oklahoma City Community College.
The team’s signature event is the EAT Turkey Meet, scheduled for November
16-18, 2012, at OCCC. For more information visit www.extremeaquatic.org.
Extreme Aquatic Team Coach Cindy Goddard
12 www.edmondoutlook.com
About the AuthorLouise Tucker Jones isan award-winning author and inspirational speaker. Author and co-author of four books, her work has been featured in numerous publications. Contact her at: [email protected] or LouiseTuckerJones.com.
by Louise Tucker Jones
Rescued
I have a friend who is so terrified of getting
stuck in an elevator that she refuses to get
on one alone, even though she has never
had such an experience. I have! Twice! The
first time was after checking into the hospital to give
birth to my youngest son. A nurse wheeled me into
the waiting car with my husband, Carl following and
pushing the proper button. The elevator whooshed
up to the floor and stopped but no doors opened.
The nurse casually remarked that they were having
problems with that elevator and she should have tak-
en a different one. Agreed! But being in early labor I
wasn’t concerned. However, my husband’s face regis-
tered panic. He was never a calm, expectant daddy.
With our first son, we ended up on a one-way street
going the wrong way en route to the hospital. Thank-
fully there was no midnight traffic. With our second
son, Carl bolted out of bed at my announcement of
needing to get to the hospital and grabbed his shirt
and cigarettes (a habit he broke) and was ready to
escort me to the car until I reminded him he might
want to grab a pair of jeans. So here we were, baby
number three and stuck in an elevator.
Suddenly the calm broke as the nurse began
banging and kicking the elevator doors. Carl acted in
kind, whacking every button on the control panel. In
minutes the doors opened and the nurse reclaimed
her composure, wheeled me into the hallway and
announced that she wasn’t really worried. Sure! As it
was, there was really no rush. I would wait 18 hours
for this last son to arrive.
Our second demise with an elevator was much
more dramatic but thankfully no baby on the way
so I had a calm and helpful husband. We attended a
concert at the old, OKC Civic Center and were pro-
ceeding down the walkway from the balcony. With
new shoes rubbing blisters on my feet, I voted to
ride. A bad choice! Inside, the young lady operat-
ing the old fashioned lift got the car moving but it
suddenly jolted to a halt. No doors whooshed open.
She tried again. Nothing. She used the antiquated
phone to call for help but no answer (no cell phones
in those days). Almost in tears, she confessed it was
her first day on the job. A teenage girl in the back
started to cry and said she was going to be sick.
“Oh, please don’t be sick!” was everyone’s senti-
ment. About half of our passengers were teenagers.
One felt the Civic Center should supply pizza when
we were rescued. Another contributed, “I sure hope
there isn’t a fire!” Okay, now I’m getting nervous and
am glad I’m in front—more air.
Carl and another gentleman removed the top
panel of the elevator and managed to see outside the
car and confirm we were stuck between floors. Time
passed and the noise outside the elevator dimin-
ished. People had gone home. Finally, after half an
hour, the Fire Department came to our rescue, forc-
ing open the steel doors of the floor above us then
putting a ladder down into the elevator through the
opening of that top panel. One by one we climbed
up the skinny steps then grabbed a fireman’s hand
who helped us “leap” from the top of the elevator
car through the open doors to a safe landing. It was
a scene right out of the movies. One I don’t wish to
repeat. I gladly took off my shoes and walked bare-
foot down the path on which Carl and I had started
before taking the detour.
Today, it still gives me pause to board an elevator
and I never do so without my cell phone. I just hope
reception can reach inside that cubicle if I ever need
help since my courageous husband, my knight in
shining armor, is no longer here to help rescue me.
“Today, it still gives me pause to board an
elevator and never without my cell phone.”
www.edmondoutlook.com 13
Diamond in the Ruff is agreat, full-service mobile petspa that comes to you! Yourfurry friend will enjoy expertcare in a climate-controlled
and kennel free environment.DiamondInTheRuffPetSpa.net
Call 471-7741 today!
Beaucoup Boutiques has all the latest looks for fall, featuring over 15 vendors with boutique clothing, decor, purses, hand-made jewelry and children’s items! Mon-Sat 10-5:30 • 111 S. Broadway in downtown Edmond • 285-7511 www.BeaucoupBoutiques.com
Barrett Jewelers has been in business for over 47 years and specializes in excellent customer service. Whether you're shopping for that perfect gift or just need a watch or chain repaired, our knowledge and expertise are unsurpassed. All jewelry work is done in-house. Stop by 3224 S. Boulevard (off 33rd) or call 340-1519.
Indulge in the local phenomenon that is Sara Sara Cupcakes. Executive chefEric Smith has perfected over 20 cupcakeflavors such as the decadent cherry cheese- cake with cream cheese frosting or blackberrymaple with maple butter cream frosting.Buy one get one FREE when you mention you follow Eric on Twitter! Open Tues-Sat 9-9 • 17 E. 5th Street in Edmond • 216-3562 www.sarasarabakery.com
Call Cut'n Loose, a Paul Mitchell Focus salon, for a great new look for fall! Enjoy
a women's cut & color for only $75 or ask about our Keratin Complex smoothing treat-ment specials. Men's and children's cuts are
just $15. Stop by our Open House, Friday, Nov. 9th 4-7p.m. for food, drinks and prizes!
Located at 708 W. 15th in Edmondbetween Kelly & Broadway. 340-HAIR
www.cutnloosesalon.net
Don’t miss the Creek Boutique: A HolidayMarket hosted by Deer Creek Prairie ValeElementary School Saturday, November 3rd from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is just $2 or FREE with this ad. For booth information, email inquiries to: [email protected] at 22522 N. Pennsylvania www.prairievale.org
Fancy! & FriendsWinter Market! With 28 years combined experience, the two sisters of Fancy Like That! are back in action for their 2nd Annual Fancy! & Friends Winter Market, November 2-3 at the Edmond History Museum. Stop by from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday to shop the amazing selection of jewelry, artwork, home decor and more. 5th & Boulevardin Edmond • www.fancylikethat.com
The holidays are right around the corner Are you ready? Lose weight with no harmful diet pills or hormones. Enjoy delicious foods designed to burn stored fat while maintaining muscle mass. The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method is quick and healthy with proven long-lasting results. Call Tina at The Balanced Life Clinic! Workshops and tastings scheduled weekly. Located at1015 Waterwood Pkwy, Ste.G • 330-6800www.TheBalancedLifeClinic.com Find us on Facebook!
The Balanced LifeWeight Loss Clinic
AFTER
14 www.edmondoutlook.com
OPENING in OCTOBER!CREATIVE KIDS LEARNING CENTER
• 150th and PENN •
Recipe:
Submitted by: Carol BrookeCarol works at Jerel Wright State Farm and
loves playing with her puppy Duke, trying new
recipe ideas from Pinterest, and spending time
with her boyfriend.
Mummy DogsIngredientsOne package of hot dogs
Two packages of Pillsbury (8 oz) crescent rolls
Yellow mustard
DirectionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees. Open the crescent rolls and separate and flatten
all of the pieces. Take a knife and slice into small strips - the thinner the bet-
ter. Next, take each hot dog and wrap the strips around them leaving a bit of
room at the top for some eyes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375
degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. After they have cooled,
use mustard to create the eyes.
To submit a recipe for consideration in future
publications, email: [email protected]
www.edmondoutlook.com 15
In the world of food lovers, everyone is
looking for the next dessert trend. There
was the rise of the cupcake, the entrap-
ments of the colorful macaroon and
currently the gourmet doughnut is king, but many
desserts remain deliciously timeless and come into
the light again and again when they get a little
reinvention. That’s how I’ve come to know the Bundt
cake as a modest, flavorful, adaptable cake with
wide appeal.
At Nothing Bundt Cakes in Oklahoma City,
they have a Bundt for every occasion whether you
have a sweet tooth for a party of one or 100. This new
fascination has been brought to Oklahoma by Marie
and Toby Hicks who, upon looking for a bakery that
inspired them, went to a little Nothing Bundt Cakes
store in South Lake, Texas, and according to Marie,
they “bought one of every flavor, sat in the car and
had a bite of everything and decided right there, this
is the way to do it.”
The couple opened the only Oklahoma branch
of Nothing Bundt Cakes in February 2012. They
Nothing Bundt Cakes!
by Kim Hickerson
make everything from scratch in-house and Marie
bakes the Bundt cakes daily and tops them with icing
prepared using fresh ingredients. Marie loves to bake
and coming from a family in Oklahoma that cooks
and bakes a lot, owning a bakery seemed “kind of a
natural progression.” After all, as Marie says, “I mean,
who doesn’t like cake?”
The cakes at Nothing Bundt Cakes are moist
and thoughtfully flavored. The Chocolate Chocolate
Chip has mini chocolate chips enveloped in a sponge
of chocolate cake. The Bundtlet I tried was an intense
two bites of chocolate that I plan on revisiting. The
lemon is the perfect combination of bright, friendly,
sweet and just a little tart. I’d have to say Marie is
the real expert and her favorite, the White Chocolate
Raspberry “knocked (her) socks off.” It has a burst of
raspberry flavor and is nicely complemented by the
cream cheese frosting. In addition to the standard fla-
vors, there is always a featured flavor of the month,
and for October it is America’s beloved Pumpkin
Spice, a perfect complement to fall festivities.
Bundtinis are bite-sized cakes that are the per-
Owner Marie Hicks
fect size for one, or possibly someone who is better
at sharing than I am. The Bundtlets are big enough
to split with your closest friends. For larger groups,
they also have 8-inch, 10-inch and tiered Bundt
cakes that can be decorated with a large variety of
toppers and designs to suit any occasion. I’ve already
had daydreams about picking up an 8-inch Pump-
kin Spice Bundt cake to share with my friends this
month. For Marie, this elementary school teacher
turned friendly neighborhood baker, “it’s just amaz-
ing to be able to help people celebrate.”
Nothing Bundt Cakes is at 2520 W. Memorial
Rd. Suite B, in Oklahoma City. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6
p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday. For orders and delivery, call 751-8066.
Let us Eat:
Kim Hickerson is a culinary-enthusiast and local food writer who enjoys exploring new restaurants, foods and recipes wherever they're happening. She writes, photographs and occasionally podcasts about her adven-tures at www.enamoredwithfood.com
16 www.edmondoutlook.com
FOODFAVORITESby Krystal Harlow
When nothing bundt the best will do, these luscious cakes spark a festive mood that makes every occasion a special event. As your seasonal to-do list grows, fall back on the quick, easy delight of a moist, handmade bundt cake lovingly prepared each day with fresh eggs, real butter and cream cheese. Perfect for a personal indulgence or a show-stopping centerpiece, each light-as-air cake is artistically draped in thick petals of cream cheese frosting. Stop in and choose from scrumptious flavors like Cinnamon Swirl, Lemon and Pumpkin Spice or order your favorite decorated in one of 40 gorgeous designs. Mix and match Bundts, Bundtlets and Bundtinis in tiered or towered creations for gifts or parties. These beauties bring nostalgic wit and charm to the table every time! Stop by 2520 W. Memorial Rd. or visit nothingbundtcakes.com.
Nothing Bundt Cakes Cimarron Casino & GrilleGrab your friends for a fun evening getaway– October is your month to howl! All month, Cimarron Casino & Grille brings you Girls Night Out each Monday and Guys Night Out each Tuesday. Ladies, enjoy $3 Margaritas plus $10 match play on your special night. Guys, you’re treated to $1.50 beer and $10 match play to rev up the excitement on Tuesdays. Open 24 hours, seven days a week, this entertainment hot spot thrills guests with state-of-the-art games, million dollar jackpots, a friendly and attentive staff and delicious dining. Kick back in the Grille and catch the latest sports on TV while you enjoy your favorite appetizers, breakfast served 24 hours, dinner items, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and five meals under $5. Located at 821 Freeman Ave., Perkins, OK. Call (405) 547-5352 or visit cimarroncasino.com.
Bring all the gourmet touches and delicious vari-ety of this legendary catering company to your family dinner this holiday. Running Wild’s superb holiday dinner packages serve 6-8 people with a whole roasted or smoked turkey as the crowning centerpiece of your festivities. Relish the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ as hungry dinner guests scoop up spoonfuls of creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, old fashioned cornbread dressing, green beans and cranberry sauce. Finished with dinner rolls and a pumpkin or pecan pie, this feast offers all the homemade tastes you crave without spending hours in the kitchen! Order early and ask about their catering menu of chef-prepared appetizers, entrées, desserts and custom menus for parties and corporate events. Professional servers and bar service available, too. Call 751-0688 or visit runningwildcatering.com.
Running Wild Catering
www.edmondoutlook.com 17
18 www.edmondoutlook.com
Owner, Don Childress
Cabinet Curesby Linda Treadway
Don Childress, owner of Cabinet Cures,
Edmond’s newest cabinet remodeling company,
opened its doors in May 2011. He now has three em-
ployees plus a designer working for him as well as a
shop and design showroom located at 129 W. First
St., in the heart of downtown Edmond.
Childress decided to start his own business and
get back to a lifelong passion of working with wood
after many years of working in the corporate world.
“I loved to work with wood as a child. I fell into cor-
porate management and sales as an adult. When a
friend pointed out this business, it stuck. I knew this
was a way to get back to where I wanted to be all
along,” he explained.
“Cabinet Cures is based on a unique system
using water-based stains and lacquers with very low
VOCs that are non-intrusive in the home. This allows
us to provide quick turnaround and high-quality,
custom finishes,” Childress explained. “We don’t just
put up new wood in the case of a reface. We put a
beautiful finish on, that is guaranteed for a decade.
Nobody else does that.”
Cabinet Cures can reshape the look of an exist-
ing cabinet. If a customer likes the shape, Cabinet
Cures can work with the existing patina of the wood
by stripping it and then giving it a beautiful, brand-
new stain and lacquer finish. Childress provides
before-and-after examples of stripped and refinished
cabinets in his design showroom.
“Our forte is not building new cabinetry. Of
course, we are willing to do some light reconfigu-
rations. We simply wish to make your old cabine-
try look like new, and even add functionality. So if
you like the footprint of your kitchen or bathroom
cabinets, we don’t want to rip them all out. We
want to make them look beautiful again,” he said
and adds, “It’s a very environmentally conscious, or
‘green’ solution.”
Any remodeling project can be a daunting pro-
cess. His designer, Ashley Lacks, is certified by the
International Interior Design Association and attend-
ed the University of Oklahoma studying environ-
mental design. Lacks helps customers sort through
the infinite number of options including 286 stain
colors, lacquers, cabinet fixtures, molds and cabinet-
facing styles. The stains are custom mixed, water-
based, and guaranteed for a decade of wear. In the
design showroom, they have approximately 70 styles
of doors on display, but there are literally hundreds
available. Together, Childress and Lacks guide cus-
tomers through cabinet door options while being
mindful of cost, often comparing similar styles for
additional savings.
Available extras include under-the-counter add-
ons like slide-out shelves, drawer boxes and hid-
den European door hinges, among others, most on
display in the showroom.
Call 285-5700 to schedule a free consultation.
For more information and recommendations, visit
www.cabinetcuresofoklahoma.com.
www.edmondoutlook.com 19
President Brandon Tatum with students Photo by Adam Herndon
Oklahoma Christian Academy recently wel-
comed a newly appointed president. Brandon Tatum
took over for Floyd Coppedge, interim president,
as of June 1. Coppedge, a well-known educator of
39 years, previously serving under former Oklaho-
ma Gov. Frank Keating for eight years as education
secretary, led the search committee responsible for
hiring Tatum. Coppedge now serves as vice presi-
dent of education for the school.
Tatum previously served as director of devel-
opment for Brentwood Christian School in Austin,
Texas which included approximately 700 students,
pre-K4 (for 4-year-olds) through grade 12.
Oklahoma Christian Academy’s current enroll-
ment is 252 with plenty of room to grow. The school
boasts a student to teacher ratio of 11:1, and aver-
ages 15 students per classroom.
Established in the fall of 1987, the first class to
graduate was in 1993. Oklahoma Christian Acad-
emy then consolidated all grades, pre-K through 12,
onto one campus in August 2001.
“The term ‘Kingdom Education’ is what
Oklahoma Christian Academy is all about and the
foundation is Christ,” said Tatum. “Our teachers
teach according to the core standard but they are
also passionate about revealing God through the
academic content. We teach core standards and
curriculum from a Christian world view using a
biblical perspective.”
Tatum adds, “I’m really excited about this being
our first year to have a pre-K3 program for 3-year-
olds. It’s a blessing to see the little ones on campus
every day and our extended care program after
school, open until 5:30 p.m., really helps our work-
ing parents.”
Well above the national average, 95 percent
of Oklahoma Christian Academy seniors pursue
college after graduation. The school often sends
students to local career tech schools and encourages
seniors to take college credit courses during the day,
mostly from the University of Central Oklahoma and
Oklahoma Christian University.
Extracurricular activities include photography,
film, art, debate, theater, choir and more. The school
offers 17 Class B sports teams for both boys and
girls. This is also the first year they’ve re-established
OK Christian Academyby Linda Treadway
a competitive cheer team. Some of their ongoing
sports teams include eight-man football, girls’ and
boys’ basketball, girls’ softball, boys’ baseball and
cross-country. Students are encouraged to participate
in one or as many activities as they would like.
Tatum espouses Oklahoma Christian Academy’s
mission statement: “To partner with parents to raise
kids to love the Lord through an academic setting.”
For more information, contact the admissions
office at 844-6478 or visit www.ocacademy.org.
Oklahoma Christian Academy is located at 1101 E
Ninth St. in Edmond.
20 www.edmondoutlook.com
(L to R) Nate Hill, Woody, Nikki & Steve Smith
With the retreating summer heat, riding
enthusiasts are hauling out their motorcycles and
ATVs to enjoy the cooler fall weather. Woody and
Nikki Smith own and operate Mid America Cycle
along with their son, Steve Smith who is a certified
Arctic Cat ATV Technician and has helped with
the family business since he was 14 years old. In
operation since 1980, Mid America Cycle moved to
its current location off I-35 and Waterloo Road from
Guthrie in 2011 in order to expand their showroom
and service space.
“We’re not the big million-dollar business
but we’re trying to keep it to where we are family-
oriented and we treat you like we’d like to be treat-
ed,” Nikki said. “That is how we’ve always tried to
run our business.”
The Smiths have hired Nate Hill, a certified Su-
zuki, Triumph Motorcycle Technician and a certified
Arctic Cat ATV Technician. “Nate has fit right into
our family. He can work on anything,” said Nikki.
The majority of their service customers include
those getting ready for hunting season and farmers
ready to gather their fall harvests. Owning an ATV
helps them get around on rougher terrain rather
than using their trucks. Others just anticipate the
cooler weather and want to get out and have some
fun. Customers can leave their motorcycles or ATVs
for servicing and just kick back, enjoy a pop and
watch some TV in Mid America Cycle’s trophy-lined
waiting area.
Woody, Steve and Nate are avid riders. Woody
raced motorcross in his younger years and Steve and
Woody both raced cars at the State Fair Speedway
in OKC for 28 years. Nikki shared, “Those are our
championship trophies lining the walls. Nate raced
motorcycles in the OCCRA series so all three guys
have had their blood mixed with racing fever.”
“Motorcycles have always been my hobby,”
Woody added. “Owning a motorcycle business has
always been my dream.” Woody takes trips as far
away as Canada and plans other trips with local
riding groups.
Nikki and Woody handle sales and general busi-
ness duties. A large showroom displays the newest
Mid America Cycleby Linda Treadway
ATVs and a selection of used motorcycles, all lined
up waiting for prospective buyers. The back wall and
sides have a variety of accessories including an array
of riding helmets.
No matter the sport, safety depends on the
appropriate size of ATV for each rider’s age, and
training is critical in preventing accidents. Every
ATV displays a federally appropriate age designation.
Nikki recommends attending a training course with
either Arctic Cat or one through the DMV. Having
certification also helps lower insurance premiums.
All ATVs are currently marked down for hunting
season. All the used motorcycles for sale are listed
on www.midamericacycleandatvs.com. For more
information, call Nikki at 282-0086.
www.edmondoutlook.com 21
22 www.edmondoutlook.com
Sprinkled amongst the predominantly
Old-World-style new homes through-
out Edmond are a handful of homes
that appear a little different. They have
an aura of nostalgia reminiscent of freshly squeezed
lemonade and home-baked cookies.
They echo the old-fashioned Arts and Crafts
homes of the 1900s through 1930s — the homes
that fill the old neighborhoods; have large, deep
porches and heavy, tapered square pillars, with low-
slung gabled roofs, wide overhangs and exposed
rafters, dormers, shake shingle siding and shutters.
The homes appearing in new housing additions
in Edmond have many of these same features and
this same style yet they have none of the problems
associated with older homes. Local builders have
begun lines of custom residences to bring back the
Craftsman style with a modern appeal.
“The concept is to build a sense of community,
where neighbors know neighbors,” said Edmond
resident Andy Crum, co-owner of Beacon Fine
Homes, one of several local builders who are offering
modern Craftsman homes. “The norm now is small
entryways and everything is private. You get home
by Dena A. Edwardsand shut your garage door behind you and shell up.”
Crum wants to change that, to redirect society’s
path from self living to community living. One
step in that direction is designing homes with large
covered front and back porches, “so when neighbors
come over to visit, they have a place to stand in the
shade and chat,” Crum said.
This atmosphere is true to the original Arts and
Crafts style, which developed as an answer to the
Industrial Revolution-embracing, mass-produced
décor of Victorian design — a design in which
machine-made products became readily affordable
to the middle class, so homeowners filled their
Victorian homes with as much furniture, fabric and
accessories as they could.
Those who began the Arts and Crafts movement
in England emphasized quality craftsmanship —
which again made furnishings expensive — in
rebellion to what they saw as a cheapening of
products. Gustav Stickley brought Arts and Crafts
style to America, with the goal of making the style
truly affordable. His solution was to use the best
of both worlds — machine-cut and hand-finished
furnishings. This married quality with affordability.
The style affected not just furniture, but architecture
and interior design as well, emphasizing natural
products and craftsmanship throughout.
Craftsman homes are generally limited in square
footage — averaging 1,400 to 2,400 square feet —
and are models of practical design and creative use
of space. The bungalow home of the early 1900s was
even smaller. They gained popularity as kit homes,
offered through mail order catalogs such as Sears.
Although mass production caused craftsmanship
and detail to be watered down, the homes were good
quality and affordable.
“(Eric Thornhill and I) started looking at smaller
house plans about seven years ago,” Crum said. “We
took a lot of pictures and really liked the Craftsman
homes — their timeless, clean look. We also realized
the layouts were different. All the square footage was
usable; no wasted space.”
The new Arts and Crafts-style homes in
Edmond uphold the Craftsman practice of creative
design. Unlike standard floor plans, these homes
have minimal hallways and lots of pocket doors
throughout, so as to not waste floor and wall space
with door swings. The living spaces are open floor
The New Old Fashion
www.edmondoutlook.com 23
plans, with the fireplace being the focal point.
“We kept the character and feel of the older homes,” said Kellie Clements,
a 2011 HGTV Design Star semifinalist who designed the Craftsman series
homes for Beacon. But other floor plan changes strayed from the traditional by
increasing the size of the kitchen and storage space, specifically in the closets. “It’s
the perfect marriage between the best of what the older houses offer and what
we offer today.”
The interior features of these reinvented homes include a variety of windows
to allow lots of natural light — most with multiple upper lights in keeping with
Arts and Crafts style — as well as wood plank flooring, and mission style light
and plumbing fixtures. Other possibilities include bench seats, exposed beams,
wainscoting, bead board inserts in the interior doors, rectilinear trim on the
woodwork and even traditional plate rails.
The interesting juxtaposition of contemporary materials, such as travertine,
granite and stainless steel appliances, alongside traditional wood and glass is what
gives potential buyers a modern home that makes them feel at home.
“My goal was when people walked through, they liked the way the home felt,
not just the way it looked,” Clements said.
The color palette — exterior as well as interior — tends toward earth tones,
blues and greens, with contrasting white or cream trim. Stained wood also works
well for the traditional Arts and Crafts look.
“(Homeowners) were braver with the color choices back then,” Clements
said. “They used a lot of color, not just white or taupe walls like we tend to do
today. People are tired of the dark dungeon look. They are spending more time at
home, because of the economy and they want homes that are bright places; fun
and still functional. There are a lot of pretty houses out there, but just because
they are pretty doesn’t mean they work.”
Call for Free Estimates!
24 www.edmondoutlook.com
Style
For years, I had been wearing the wrong colors, com-
pletely unaware that they were not flattering on me nor
did they complement my complexion, hair or eye color.
I was just a kid in the ’80s when color analysis became
popular. I vividly remember women at my local department store
armed with color swatch booklets searching for outfits within their
color palettes. At the time, my young mind thought it was a ridiculous
idea and a strangely over-the-top activity. But times have changed. After
wasting hundreds of dollars on the wrong colors, I now know the value
of purchasing items from my color group. With a downloaded color
palette on my smartphone, I shop with confidence knowing that the
right selections will make me look and feel great.
Whatever your budget, the fashion choices are endless. While
increased choices can be exciting, it can also be overwhelming, espe-
cially when it comes to choosing new items each season. The key is to
know what color group you belong to and in doing so, you will be able
to confidently and effortlessly navigate through the change of seasons
and the shopping process.
Color groups are broken down into six categories: light or dark
(hair and eyes), warm or cool (skin undertones) and clear or soft (de-
termined by a fuchsia/salmon color test). There truly is a science to this,
but if you take it one step at a time, you’ll train your eye to detect which
colors are meant for you regardless of the season or what designers say
are in style. Take it from a stylist: What is ALWAYS in style is what looks
best on you!
Anyone, regardless of hair color and complexion, can find some-
thing suitable within the colored fabrics and accessories widely avail-
able in stores, with a little expert guidance.
Color MeFabulous
by Kay Byrd
Highlighted &Strawberry Blonde
Light Hair, Light Eyes
You will radiate in neutrals such as stone, taupe
and cocoa. Granny Smith apple green, cornflower
blue, apricot and geranium red are your power
colors. Black should be avoided almost entirely
since your coloring is so delicate. If wearing black,
wear it away from your face and never with a
white top. Opt for peach, celery green or creamy
tapioca white instead. All gradients of gray, navy
and stone are your black substitutes.
Those who highlight their hair and have darker
eyebrows and those with strawberry blonde hair
will light up the room while wearing creamy but-
termilk white, golden butternut, Wagoner County
peach, a green resembling fading pasture grass and
the red from an Oklahoma’s Black Diamond water-
melon along with the neutrals of chestnut, pew-
ter and navy. If wearing black, be sure it’s never a
black/white pattern around your face. If you prefer wearing
black and white, choose one or the other, but never in the
same pattern. Keep in mind that neither color is particularly
flattering on you. Creams or rice white, deep espressos, khakis
and tans are your substitutes. When black is a must, choose
open necklines with a peek-a-boo color of pink, lavender or
salmon underneath or layer the outside of a black top with a
scarf or jacket.
Photo by: George Braswell, ESQ//PhotographyHair & Makeup: Shelly Price Katie Hall Model: Aundie
Photo by: Ashley Thomas, Adoralee Photography
Hair & Makeup: Sharon Tabb Model: Janet from KJ103FM,
Mary Lujan
www.edmondoutlook.com 25
Kay Byrd, CPC, CSC, is a certified style coach and
the president of the Oklahoma Modeling Academy.
Coach Kay can be heard at 8:30 a.m. every Thursday
on KJ103FM. www.kaybyrd.net
Dark Hair, Dark Eyes
Gray, Ash or Salt & Pepper
Brunettes, Light Eyes
The best fall colors for you are plum and raspberry along with pumpkin
orange and asparagus paired with chocolate brown and black bean.
Black on top or bottom can be worn by you at all times. Pair it with
other colors to show your personality or to send nonverbal messages
which can imply being approachable (blue), friendly (green) and femi-
nine (pink). Black is wonderful on you!
Dark mysterious brunettes with dark eyes stop
traffic in Santa Rosa plum, pomegranate, fern,
forest and pine green, scarlet or bittersweet
red, paired with espresso brown and black
angus. Black will make up a large portion of
your wardrobe. You will always look stunning
in black with or without other colors. Wear it
from head to toe if you like!
You look best in colors that call to mind the sea-
son of spring, but you can also wear taupe and all
gradients of gray such as pewter and gun metals
extremely well. You are equally gorgeous in all
shades of blue as well as baby, rose and hot pinks.
When you want to be bold, try reds like cranberry
and raspberry, or black which looks fabulous on
you at all times.
If you’re unsure of the category you fall into, I can help! ‘Like’ my
page on Facebook (Kay Byrd, Personal Development Coach) and then
message me the key word: ColorEdmond for your free color analysis.
Be sure you have a visible profile picture which shows your hair, skin
and eyes and please allow two to four weeks for results.
Warm Red Heads
You can flaunt the season in every harvest color
imaginable! Try golden mustards, rich caramels,
mahogany and cowboy coffee browns with tomato
red, rust and the orange found in yams. Apply the
same rules regarding black as with highlighted hair.
Photo by: George Braswell, ESQ//PhotographyHair & Makeup: Shelly Price Tabb Model: Victoria
Photo by: Lacy Hammack, Adoralee Photography
Hair & Makeup: Sharon Tabb Model: Amy Blackburn
Photo by: George Braswell, ESQ//Photography
Hair & Makeup: Katie Hall Model: OKC Ballet's,
Callye McCollum
Model: Nancy Teague-Horner
26 www.edmondoutlook.com
FUN FALLFESTIVITIES
26 www.edmondoutlook.com 26 www.edmondoutlook.com
www.edmondoutlook.com 27www.edmondoutlook.com 27www.edmondoutlook.com 27
28 www.edmondoutlook.com
Tackling the fashion world is no easy
feat — especially in a relatively small
market like Oklahoma. It takes a
lot of charisma, dedication, hard
work and passion to open a fashion academy, espe-
cially outside major metropolises such as New York
City, Los Angeles and Dallas. Locals Karen Snyder
and Ragan Butler, both veterans of the fashion and
entertainment worlds, took a leap of faith nearly six
months ago and opened A-List Fashion Academy in
Oklahoma City. Little did they know that their big
break would come from Edmond before they even
opened the academy’s doors.
Fifteen-year-old Ellen Taylor is a 5’10” natu-
ral blonde, blue-eyed Edmond North student who
loves to strut her stuff in all things pink and frilly. But
modeling had never really crossed her mind until her
grandmother took notice of her statuesque build and
suggested she give it a try.
Weeks away from opening, A-List Fashion Acad-
emy got their first knock on the door. “Ellen and her
grandmother actually showed up on our doorstep
while we were in the middle of redecorating,” Sny-
der said. Taylor was inexperienced with walking in
heels and A-List figured they had a long road ahead.
But she surprised them all by making her way into
print and runway in no time. “After my grandmother
got me into modeling, I just really loved it a lot,”
Taylor said.
She began by soaking up all the information
she could in A-List’s in-depth lessons on makeup,
runway, healthy eating habits and body image. “We
don’t just give them a 45-minute training session and
unleash them on the world because they don’t know
where to go or what to do,” explains Butler. “What
we do give these young girls, 14 and 15, is a positive
body image and self-confidence which puts them
hands and feet above everyone else.”
Unfortunately, there are no guarantees in the
fashion world. “No one can guarantee that people
will hire you. What we can guarantee is that these
by Lauren Wright
Model Studentgirls will come out of here trained, knowing how to
do what they want to do,” Butler said.
For Taylor, there’s no doubt that adjusting to life
in high school while balancing a modeling career has
had its challenges. For now, she makes sure all her
homework is done before she takes a job and tries
her best to eat healthy. “It takes some hard work,
that’s for sure. Staying healthy is really important to
me,” she said. She adds that having a supportive fam-
ily is really important when working in the modeling
industry and her friends think, “It’s just so cool.”
Snyder and Butler plan to attract even more fresh
faces for fashion by keeping their academy “old-
school” where the attitude of “what you see is what
you get” reigns supreme. In just six short months,
they’ve placed models in Getty Images, Dillard’s fash-
ion shows, a market show at Oklahoma State Uni-
versity and are currently working with Ford Models
in Los Angeles. Taylor looks forward to many new
doors opening for her. And the academy? They’re
looking forward to many more knocks.
To learn more, visit A-listfashionacademy.com.
Photos by: Simon Hurst, Justin MorrisMakeup/Stylist: Karen Snyder
Hair: Bernice Armstrong Model: Ellen Taylor
www.edmondoutlook.com 29
30 www.edmondoutlook.com
Jennifer, Ella, Kolten and Justice Webster
Jennifer Webster’s lifelong plans did not
include running a farm. Webster grew up
a country girl but her plan included leav-
ing the country life behind for a corporate
position in a big city.
But, such as life, circumstances change and now
the Edmond resident finds herself mother to three
children, six cows, 37 goats and dozens of chickens.
Webster and her husband, Chris, own Provi-
dence Farms in north Edmond. The couple home-
school their three children, Ella, Kolten and Justice.
On top of that, Jennifer and Chris both hold down
full-time jobs to support the family and farm venture.
Webster spends her nights working for the
Edmond Police Department as a jailer. She still has
dreams of becoming an officer, but as she puts it,
with three children and a farm, her life has taken a
little bit of a twist.
“The farm is where I feel called to be right now,”
she said. “Our farm is named Providence for a reason.
We really felt like God
led us here. If it hadn’t
been for God providing
and doing some awe-
some things, we might
not have made it.”
The Websters pride
themselves on offering
a natural experience at
their 25-acre range. The cows and goats are all grass-
fed and the chickens receive nongenetically modi-
fied grass feed from Ohio and Washington. The last
two seasons’ droughts could have done Providence
in, but faith, hope and a whole lot of love have kept
it going.
What the Websters are providing their kids is
a chance at sustainability. The couple lives by the
premise that food shouldn’t come from a box. All
three kids are involved in the upkeep of the farm,
even naming the animals. The animals may provide
the family with nutrient-dense food, but they’re also
an extension of the household.
“We try to do everything as naturally as pos-
sible,” Webster said. “I really believe that a lot of the
reason people are sick, struggling and unhealthy is
because the foods they’re eating aren’t giving their
body what they need. When your body doesn’t get
what it needs, it reacts. Our vision is to continue to
hone what we’re doing here with the grass-fed dairy
by Cassie Gage
Down on the Farm
goats and dairy cows.”
The drought has put a financial burden on
farmers all over the country, the Websters included.
Grain that was once readily available is now harder
to come by. The family is currently feeding alfalfa
hay to its stock because there’s no grass. Typically,
the stock would have access to green grass through
October. The hay comes at a cost of almost $30,000
just to get through the winter.
“It’s a lot easier to be conventional when it comes
to farming — just do what has been done the last 50
years — than it is to make a stand and go back to the
older ways of farming,” Webster said. “One hundred
years ago, farmers didn’t use pesticides or chemicals.
They didn’t have the option and they couldn’t have
afforded it even if they did.”
Webster points to small farming practices as
a way for the country to get back to healthy. The
family invites the public to come out and meet the
animals. For them, it is about teaching people that
food-sourcing animals shouldn’t be an afterthought.
There’s Squeakles the goat, Big Bess and Little
“My kids have a love for animals, a respect
for nature and a strong work ethic.”
www.edmondoutlook.com 31
Bess, the cows, and Maggie the hen. They’re all a part of the Webster
family – human or otherwise. And they’re all part of a growing
sustainability movement that got its start back in 1954 with the
publication of “Living the Good Life” by Helen and Scott Nearing.
Today, its following has grown internationally. The couple finds
inspiration and motivation from Joel Salatin, a well-known author
and holistic farmer from Virginia.
“(Joel) is a big fan of ours,” Webster said. “He’s a pioneer in the
grass-fed movement. He’s paved the way for others and has written
a lot of good books on the subject.” The movement is evident in na-
tional food store chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s and people
growing gardens in their backyards.
While the Websters hope to teach others about the advantages of
sustainable living, Jennifer is grateful to share the experience with her
children. “My kids have a love for animals, a respect for nature and a
strong work ethic,” she said. “They know that these animals depend
on them, and we depend on the animals to give us good milk and
provide for us. It’s a relationship. It’s taught them a lot – they see busi-
ness ethics, moral ethics and all those other things.”
The Websters see the farm as a means to educate and make their
community better. The family is always willing to discuss the ben-
efits of sustainability for anyone interested, and hopes that Providence
Farms is just the beginning of the return to a true organic period in
Oklahoma agriculture.
“We never want to force a sustainable lifestyle on people,”
Webster said. “We want people to come to us because they’re inter-
ested. We’re here to answer questions.” For more information visit
www.providencefarmsok.com or call 359-8359 or 240-2626.
32 www.edmondoutlook.com
www.edmondoutlook.com 33
Ten years ago, it was impossible for
the average person to make their
own movie — unless that person
was okay with cardboard sets
and laughably bad cameras, or unless they were
especially wealthy. But Edmond filmmaker Kyle
Roberts is determined to bring the movie that’s
in his head into the world, and he’s using some
innovative techniques to make that happen.
“Posthuman” is a teen movie in the spirit
of nostalgic ’80s high school flicks like “The
Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles,” except in
“Posthuman,” the teens happen to be superheroes.
“I’m a big fan of your angsty teen movies. Throw in
some superpowers and there’s no way you’re going
to go wrong with that,” relates Alex Harris, who
plays a goodhearted cheerleader who develops the
ability to stop other characters’ powers. “It’s an all-
around good story and it’s something anyone and
everyone can relate to.”
Harris, an Edmond Santa Fe graduate, found
out about the film through a casting director, audi-
tioned and got the part. “I love stories. I read about
a book a week, so if I can become a story and show
that to others, there’s nothing better,” she says.
The film is about four high school students who
evolve into something greater, but the flick, which
is about to start shooting, is proof that filmmaking
itself has evolved. Today, top-quality cameras are
more accessible, the Internet has provided an
array of opportunities for artists to find support,
and affordable software can create blockbuster-
caliber special effects. To raise the bare-minimum
$50,000 budget, Roberts has
staged two music festivals, used a
billboard, employed social media,
set a benefit banquet, appeared on
TV, commissioned a tie-in comic
book, made a page on donation
site indiegogo.com, whipped up
a variety of promotional art and
participated in a reality show in
Los Angeles. Every attempt gets
him closer to that number.
Roberts is sworn to secrecy about the reality
show, but he can say that it pits filmmakers from
across the country against each other. “I know it’s a
cash prize,” he says, and he promises, “I know I’m
going to give every dollar to ‘Posthuman’ because I
really want to see this thing made.”
He has already made a name for himself with
stop-animation shorts and music videos, and
his work is all over YouTube, but “Posthuman”
is his first attempt at a feature-length, live-action
production. The goal is a 24-day shoot, spread out
over 30 days, making the most of his young cast’s
school breaks.
Collin Place, who plays an unpredictable “cool
nerd” in the shadow of his popular older brother,
is, in real life, a freshman at Edmond Santa Fe.
“He’s got the smarts,” Place says of his character,
one who develops super strength. “He’s probably
the smartest guy in the school, including the
teachers, but he doesn’t get much respect.”
He explains that the abilities the characters
develop, like his strength, Harris’s protective abil-
ity, and other characters’ teleportation and pyroki-
nesis, have to do with what each
character needs or desires. Place’s
character tries to discover the
source of these powers, and he
and the other characters run into
some trouble.
Roberts plans to release
the film online split into about
12 episodes, but release it on
DVD as a full-length film. The
episodes will appear regularly
on posthumanmovie.com and on a tablet app,
and the next week they will appear on YouTube.
Roberts says they may have it in a few fesitvals, but
bypassing the typical indie film fesitval circuit, will
save them $10- to $15,000.
For now, Roberts plans to do all of the visual
effects himself. They shot a “test scene” months
ago to entice investors. They’ve raised just under
$20,000, and they’re inching toward their goal.
Roberts explains that they need $30,000 to shoot
the film and $20,000 for postproduction. They’ve
been in preproduction since January. So far, all of
the money has been crowd-raised or from Roberts’
own pocket. Ultimately, he says, great movies aren’t
about budgets, but creativity.
Partly, Roberts just wants to prove that
something like this can be done in Oklahoma. He
explains there are pros and cons to shooting in this
state. One of the hurdles is that if he needs special
equipment he has to have it overnighted from
another state. However, on the plus side, “The
film crews that are here are very talented and they
want to be here,” he said. Although this is his first
feature film, Roberts says about 20 people on his
crew have worked on features.
“We don’t have to wait for Hollywood to
‘green-light’ projects like this,” he says. “We can do
it right here in Oklahoma, as a family.”
Local Production Valueby Nathan Winfrey
www.edmondoutlook.com 33www.edmondoutlook.com 33
“We don't have to wait
for Hollywood to 'green-light'
projectslike this.”
Ten years ago, it was impossible for
the average person to make their
own movie — unless that person
was okay with cardboard sets
and laughably bad cameras, or unless they were
especially wealthy. But Edmond filmmaker Kyle
Roberts is determined to bring the movie that’s
in his head into the world, and he’s using some
innovative techniques to make that happen.
“Posthuman” is a teen movie in the spirit
of nostalgic ’80s high school flicks like “The
Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles,” except in
“Posthuman,” the teens happen to be superheroes.
“I’m a big fan of your angsty teen movies. Throw in
some superpowers and there’s no way you’re going
to go wrong with that,” relates Alex Harris, who
plays a goodhearted cheerleader who develops the
ability to stop other characters’ powers. “It’s an all-
around good story and it’s something anyone and
everyone can relate to.”
Harris, an Edmond Santa Fe graduate, found
out about the film through a casting director, audi-
tioned and got the part. “I love stories. I read about
a book a week, so if I can become a story and show
that to others, there’s nothing better,” she says.
The film is about four high school students who
evolve into something greater, but the flick, which
is about to start shooting, is proof that filmmaking
itself has evolved. Today, top-quality cameras are
more accessible, the Internet has provided an
array of opportunities for artists to find support,
and affordable software can create blockbuster-
caliber special effects. To raise the bare-minimum
$50,000 budget, Roberts has
staged two music festivals, used a
billboard, employed social media,
set a benefit banquet, appeared on
TV, commissioned a tie-in comic
book, made a page on donation
site indiegogo.com, whipped up
a variety of promotional art and
participated in a reality show in
Los Angeles. Every attempt gets
him closer to that number.
Roberts is sworn to secrecy about the reality
show, but he can say that it pits filmmakers from
across the country against each other. “I know it’s a
cash prize,” he says, and he promises, “I know I’m
going to give every dollar to ‘Posthuman’ because I
really want to see this thing made.”
He has already made a name for himself with
stop-animation shorts and music videos, and
his work is all over YouTube, but “Posthuman”
is his first attempt at a feature-length, live-action
production. The goal is a 24-day shoot, spread out
over 30 days, making the most of his young cast’s
school breaks.
Collin Place, who plays an unpredictable “cool
nerd” in the shadow of his popular older brother,
is, in real life, a freshman at Edmond Santa Fe.
“He’s got the smarts,” Place says of his character,
one who develops super strength. “He’s probably
the smartest guy in the school, including the
teachers, but he doesn’t get much respect.”
He explains that the abilities the characters
develop, like his strength, Harris’s protective abil-
ity, and other characters’ teleportation and pyroki-
nesis, have to do with what each
character needs or desires. Place’s
character tries to discover the
source of these powers, and he
and the other characters run into
some trouble.
Roberts plans to release
the film online split into about
12 episodes, but release it on
DVD as a full-length film. The
episodes will appear regularly
on posthumanmovie.com and on a tablet app,
and the next week they will appear on YouTube.
Roberts says they may have it in a few fesitvals, but
bypassing the typical indie film fesitval circuit, will
save them $10- to $15,000.
For now, Roberts plans to do all of the visual
effects himself. They shot a “test scene” months
ago to entice investors. They’ve raised just under
$20,000, and they’re inching toward their goal.
Roberts explains that they need $30,000 to shoot
the film and $20,000 for postproduction. They’ve
been in preproduction since January. So far, all of
the money has been crowd-raised or from Roberts’
own pocket. Ultimately, he says, great movies aren’t
about budgets, but creativity.
Partly, Roberts just wants to prove that
something like this can be done in Oklahoma. He
explains there are pros and cons to shooting in this
state. One of the hurdles is that if he needs special
equipment he has to have it overnighted from
another state. However, on the plus side, “The
film crews that are here are very talented and they
want to be here,” he said. Although this is his first
feature film, Roberts says about 20 people on his
crew have worked on features.
“We don’t have to wait for Hollywood to
‘green-light’ projects like this,” he says. “We can do
it right here in Oklahoma, as a family.”
Ten years ago, it was impossible for
the average person to make their
own movie — unless that person
was okay with cardboard sets
and laughably bad cameras, or unless they were
especially wealthy. But Edmond filmmaker Kyle
Roberts is determined to bring the movie that’s
in his head into the world, and he’s using some
innovative techniques to make that happen.
“Posthuman” is a teen movie in the spirit
of nostalgic ’80s high school flicks like “The
Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles,” except in
“Posthuman,” the teens happen to be superheroes.
“I’m a big fan of your angsty teen movies. Throw in
some superpowers and there’s no way you’re going
to go wrong with that,” relates Alex Harris, who
plays a goodhearted cheerleader who develops the
ability to stop other characters’ powers. “It’s an all-
around good story and it’s something anyone and
everyone can relate to.”
Harris, an Edmond Santa Fe graduate, found
out about the film through a casting director, audi-
tioned and got the part. “I love stories. I read about
a book a week, so if I can become a story and show
that to others, there’s nothing better,” she says.
The film is about four high school students who
evolve into something greater, but the flick, which
is about to start shooting, is proof that filmmaking
itself has evolved. Today, top-quality cameras are
more accessible, the Internet has provided an
array of opportunities for artists to find support,
and affordable software can create blockbuster-
caliber special effects. To raise the bare-minimum
$50,000 budget, Roberts has
staged two music festivals, used a
billboard, employed social media,
set a benefit banquet, appeared on
TV, commissioned a tie-in comic
book, made a page on donation
site indiegogo.com, whipped up
a variety of promotional art and
participated in a reality show in
Los Angeles. Every attempt gets
him closer to that number.
Roberts is sworn to secrecy about the reality
show, but he can say that it pits filmmakers from
across the country against each other. “I know it’s a
cash prize,” he says, and he promises, “I know I’m
going to give every dollar to ‘Posthuman’ because I
really want to see this thing made.”
He has already made a name for himself with
stop-animation shorts and music videos, and
his work is all over YouTube, but “Posthuman”
is his first attempt at a feature-length, live-action
production. The goal is a 24-day shoot, spread out
over 30 days, making the most of his young cast’s
school breaks.
Collin Place, who plays an unpredictable “cool
nerd” in the shadow of his popular older brother,
is, in real life, a freshman at Edmond Santa Fe.
“He’s got the smarts,” Place says of his character,
one who develops super strength. “He’s probably
the smartest guy in the school, including the
teachers, but he doesn’t get much respect.”
He explains that the abilities the characters
develop, like his strength, Harris’s protective abil-
ity, and other characters’ teleportation and pyroki-
nesis, have to do with what each
character needs or desires. Place’s
character tries to discover the
source of these powers, and he
and the other characters run into
some trouble.
Roberts plans to release
the film online split into about
12 episodes, but release it on
DVD as a full-length film. The
episodes will appear regularly
on posthumanmovie.com and on a tablet app,
and the next week they will appear on YouTube.
Roberts says they may have it in a few fesitvals, but
bypassing the typical indie film fesitval circuit, will
save them $10- to $15,000.
For now, Roberts plans to do all of the visual
effects himself. They shot a “test scene” months
ago to entice investors. They’ve raised just under
$20,000, and they’re inching toward their goal.
Roberts explains that they need $30,000 to shoot
the film and $20,000 for postproduction. They’ve
been in preproduction since January. So far, all of
the money has been crowd-raised or from Roberts’
own pocket. Ultimately, he says, great movies aren’t
about budgets, but creativity.
Partly, Roberts just wants to prove that
something like this can be done in Oklahoma. He
explains there are pros and cons to shooting in this
state. One of the hurdles is that if he needs special
equipment he has to have it overnighted from
another state. However, on the plus side, “The
film crews that are here are very talented and they
want to be here,” he said. Although this is his first
feature film, Roberts says about 20 people on his
crew have worked on features.
“We don’t have to wait for Hollywood to
‘green-light’ projects like this,” he says. “We can do
it right here in Oklahoma, as a family.”
34 www.edmondoutlook.com
Sometimes life takes you places you nev-
er thought you’d go. Such is the case
with Oklahoma-born-and-bred pub-
lished author, Stefne Miller, who says
the idea of writing never occurred to her until God
led her down that path in a dream.
Miller grew up an Army brat, and lived all over
the United States, from Hawaii to Georgia to Virgin-
ia. She says that life growing up was great, with par-
ents who were always present, loving and attentive.
After graduating high school in Pennsylvania in
1988, she moved back to Oklahoma, a place she al-
ways considered home, to study political science at
the University of Central Oklahoma, with a minor
in public administration. After graduating in 1994,
she had a variety of jobs, including working in chil-
dren’s ministries with her husband and being cabinet
liaison for former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating.
Even though her father had written several novels,
she says she never thought about becoming a writer.
It wasn’t until she had a series of dreams about
the characters in her debut novel, “Salvaged,” that
the idea of being a full-time writer was realized. In
an interview with Gabrielle Caroline
at ModPodge Books, Miller said that
during the first dream, she and God
had a lengthy conversation about the
“journey” the two of them had taken
together thus far. Then He asked her
if she wanted to go on a brand-new
journey with Him. When she woke
up, she knew she’d had a dream of
great importance, so she immediately
wrote down everything she could re-
member. The next night, she had a
dream about a girl standing in front of
a pickup truck, talking to a boy stand-
ing on a patio. The boy kept calling
the girl “Charlie.” Right then, two of
her characters were born.
Every night after that, she had a
dream about people who would turn out to be the
main characters in her first novel. Each morning,
she woke up and wrote down the latest installment,
adding setting and mood, and by the time the
dreams stopped two weeks later, she had the first
six chapters of the book. She just couldn’t bear to let
the story end there, so three months later “Salvaged”
was complete.
Miller has since written three other books in this
young adult series: “Rise,” “Collision” and “Brave.”
She’s also begun another series, with the first book
in that series called “Gifted.” She says that “Salvaged”
and “Rise” are Christian-inspired books. The running
theme in these two novels is faith through adversity.
In some stories, she explains, the faith message might
be emphasized, while in others it is downplayed.
“When I start writing a story, I ask myself if it is a
story that I want to tell or [if it is] a message I want
Dream Come Trueby Sarah Paige Berling
When she woke, she knew she'd had
a dream of great importance.
continued on page 36...
www.edmondoutlook.com 35
36 www.edmondoutlook.com
to tell through a story,” said Miller. “Once I decide that, it determines the level of
faith in the story itself.”
Miller’s success is growing by leaps and bounds. “Collision” has gone on to be
developed into an independent film, with screenwriter Tracey Ann-Marie Nelson
and director Paul Morrell on board. The story focuses on a Hollywood actor who
falls in love with the daughter of missionaries who live in Uganda. It’s set against
the backdrop of the 25-year war that has gone on in Northern Uganda and their
two worlds start to collide.
“Our next step is to find a producer and/or investors. The movie will be
filmed for the most part in Asheville, NC, and Gulu, Uganda,” explains Miller.
While her stories for older teenagers are inspired by Christianity, she says that
the books themselves are too secular to be popular in the Christian market, and
too Christian to be popular in the secular market, which is one of the reasons she
chose the route to publication that she did. Most authors query literary agents
or try to win contests that promise publication as the prize. And while Miller
originally tried the former, no agent took her on. Instead of letting this discour-
age her, she skipped over the literary agent altogether and went straight for the
publishing company.
“One of the things that all agents consider when choosing authors to repre-
sent is that they have a platform,” she says, “which is basically an audience that is
already built up and ready to purchase your book once it is released. I felt like I
was better served releasing the book and using it to build a platform versus trying
to build a platform without a product. I also understood that due to its content
and the fact that the story didn’t necessarily fit a specific genre, chances of finding
an agent and a publisher were small.”
So Miller took it upon herself to approach a small publishing company, Tate
Publishing. She explains that small publishers tend to be more open to new au-
thors and more willing to take chances. The downside, though, is that there is
little to no visibility. There were no advertising campaigns for her books. In order
to make up for this deficit, she’s had to be an avid self-promoter.
It worked. Last year, an agent queried her, wanting to represent her. But she
eventually turned them down because, “They wanted me to severely sanitize my
stories to better fit the guidelines suggested by Christian publishers,” she said.
However, she says it was great to have validation that she was, in fact, a writer.
Miller has this advice for new writers: “Believe in yourself and never give up.
Research the industry. Know it well so that you will understand your options.
Surround yourself with other writers. Nobody else can or will understand your
passion or what all is involved in pursuing your dream. And don’t stop writing.
As soon as you do, your mind will start flooding with doubt.”
For more information about Miller’s work visit www.stefnemiller.com or
www.cabotandkei.wordpress.com.
...continued from page 34
www.edmondoutlook.com 37
38 www.edmondoutlook.com
Name: Staci Patton, Salon Owner
What were you like as a kid growing up in Edmond?I was busy! My mom started me in dance at 3. I also got into power tumbling. But my athletic passion was BMX racing. I raced BMX (Bicycle Motocross) for 11 years. I won quite a few titlesin my age group and finished top 10 in the country most of those years. I even finished 5th in the world as a 16-year-old and 7th in the world as a Junior Elite. I had sponsors that would send me to at least 15 nationals a year, so I missed school frequently.
So you've traveled all over the country? What have been your favorite places to visit?I have! I've even been able to travel over seas a few times. A favorite would be Jackson Hole, WY. My team went white water rafting down the Snake River and camped out for a few days in our RVs. Argentina and France are neat places too. I just love to travel. How did you transition from being a BMX racer to a hair stylist?I've always had a knack for hair and nails, so after my hairstylist encouraged me to do so, I attended cosmetology school while I was a junior and senior in high school. I graduated when I was 17 and had my first career job two weeks later!
And now you own a salon?I sure do! I opened S Studio Salon eight years ago. I was only 20 and had been doing hair for two years. Recently the salon moved to a new location, which I designed with my contractor. I have so much fun as a business owner. Oklahoma is a wonderful place for it.
What do you like to do in your spare time?I enjoy healthy cooking, running and cycling. I ran my first half marathon in November of last year. I'm also a contributor on the health and fitness blog Runhers.com.
How do you stay motivated to work out and eat right? Any tips?It's a lifestyle choice. It's so much easier to keep a regular schedule of workoutsand food choices instead of having to start over and over again. I have found a boot camp I love and have been going three days a week at 6 a.m. since February 2009. As far as eating right, I don't follow diets or the next eating trend. I like to be active so I need to fuel my body to perform.
What is your favorite go-to healthy meal to make?For dinner, grilled cedar plank salmon with mixed veggies. It's quick and so easy. Depending on the mood, I'll use pesto on the salmon, other spices or a brownsugar and spice mixture that my friends swear is the best salmon they've ever had.
Do you have any children or pets?I have five chihuahua fur babies - three of themwere rescued. They are all girls and so sweet!
What are some items on your bucket list?Oh goodness...Ultimately I want to travel the world. I love culture, so no matter where I end up I want to experience what that culture has to offer. I'm passionate about learning and educating and I would love to be aneducator in my industry.
Describe a typical day in the life of Staci.Alarm: 5:15 a.m. Workout: 6-7. Feed pups, myself and get ready for work. Makepeople even more beautiful than they already are! Come home and relax in thekitchen then on my patio with my wonderful boyfriend. Usually in bed by 10 p.m.
MY EDMOND OUTLOOKby Krystal Harlowby Krystal Harlow
MY EDMOND OUTLOOKName: Staci Patton, Salon Owner
What were you like as a kid growing up in Edmond?I was busy! My mom started me in dance at 3. I also got into power tumbling. But my athletic passion was BMX racing. I raced BMX (Bicycle Motocross) for 11 years. I won quite a few titlesin my age group and finished top 10 in the country most of those years. I even finished 5th in the world as a 16-year-old and 7th in the world as a Junior Elite. I had sponsors that would send me to at least 15 nationals a year, so I missed school frequently.
So you've traveled all over the country? What have been your favorite places to visit?I have! I've even been able to travel over seas a few times. A favorite would be Jackson Hole, WY. My team went white water rafting down the Snake River and camped out for a few days in our RVs. Argentina and France are neat places too. I just love to travel. How did you transition from being a BMX racer to a hair stylist?I've always had a knack for hair and nails, so after my hairstylist encouraged me to do so, I attended cosmetology school while I was a junior and senior in high school. I graduated when I was 17 and had my first career job two weeks later!
And now you own a salon?I sure do! I opened S Studio Salon eight years ago. I was only 20 and had been doing hair for two years. Recently the salon moved to a new location, which I designed with my contractor. I have so much fun as a business owner. Oklahoma is a wonderful place for it.
What do you like to do in your spare time?I enjoy healthy cooking, running and cycling. I ran my first half marathon in November of last year. I'm also a contributor on the health and fitness blog Runhers.com.
How do you stay motivated to work out and eat right? Any tips?It's a lifestyle choice. It's so much easier to keep a regular schedule of workoutsand food choices instead of having to start over and over again. I have found a boot camp I love and have been going three days a week at 6 a.m. since February 2009. As far as eating right, I don't follow diets or the next eating trend. I like to be active so I need to fuel my body to perform.
What is your favorite go-to healthy meal to make?For dinner, grilled cedar plank salmon with mixed veggies. It's quick and so easy. Depending on the mood, I'll use pesto on the salmon, other spices or a brownsugar and spice mixture that my friends swear is the best salmon they've ever had.
Do you have any children or pets?I have five chihuahua fur babies - three of themwere rescued. They are all girls and so sweet!
What are some items on your bucket list?Oh goodness...Ultimately I want to travel the world. I love culture, so no matter where I end up I want to experience what that culture has to offer. I'm passionate about learning and educating and I would love to be aneducator in my industry.
Describe a typical day in the life of Staci.Alarm: 5:15 a.m. Workout: 6-7. Feed pups, myself and get ready for work. Makepeople even more beautiful than they already are! Come home and relax in thekitchen then on my patio with my wonderful boyfriend. Usually in bed by 10 p.m.
Name: Staci Patton, Salon Owner
What were you like as a kid growing up in Edmond?I was busy! My mom started me in dance at 3. I also got into power tumbling. But my athletic passion was BMX racing. I raced BMX (Bicycle Motocross) for 11 years. I won quite a few titlesin my age group and finished top 10 in the country most of those years. I even finished 5th in the world as a 16-year-old and 7th in the world as a Junior Elite. I had sponsors that would send me to at least 15 nationals a year, so I missed school frequently.
So you've traveled all over the country? What have been your favorite places to visit?I have! I've even been able to travel over seas a few times. A favorite would be Jackson Hole, WY. My team went white water rafting down the Snake River and camped out for a few days in our RVs. Argentina and France are neat places too. I just love to travel. How did you transition from being a BMX racer to a hair stylist?I've always had a knack for hair and nails, so after my hairstylist encouraged me to do so, I attended cosmetology school while I was a junior and senior in high school. I graduated when I was 17 and had my first career job two weeks later!
And now you own a salon?I sure do! I opened S Studio Salon eight years ago. I was only 20 and had been doing hair for two years. Recently the salon moved to a new location, which I designed with my contractor. I have so much fun as a business owner. Oklahoma is a wonderful place for it.
What do you like to do in your spare time?I enjoy healthy cooking, running and cycling. I ran my first half marathon in November of last year. I'm also a contributor on the health and fitness blog Runhers.com.
How do you stay motivated to work out and eat right? Any tips?It's a lifestyle choice. It's so much easier to keep a regular schedule of workoutsand food choices instead of having to start over and over again. I have found a boot camp I love and have been going three days a week at 6 a.m. since February 2009. As far as eating right, I don't follow diets or the next eating trend. I like to be active so I need to fuel my body to perform.
What is your favorite go-to healthy meal to make?For dinner, grilled cedar plank salmon with mixed veggies. It's quick and so easy. Depending on the mood, I'll use pesto on the salmon, other spices or a brownsugar and spice mixture that my friends swear is the best salmon they've ever had.
Do you have any children or pets?I have five chihuahua fur babies - three of themwere rescued. They are all girls and so sweet!
What are some items on your bucket list?Oh goodness...Ultimately I want to travel the world. I love culture, so no matter where I end up I want to experience what that culture has to offer. I'm passionate about learning and educating and I would love to be aneducator in my industry.
Describe a typical day in the life of Staci.Alarm: 5:15 a.m. Workout: 6-7. Feed pups, myself and get ready for work. Makepeople even more beautiful than they already are! Come home and relax in thekitchen then on my patio with my wonderful boyfriend. Usually in bed by 10 p.m.
www.edmondoutlook.com 39
40 www.edmondoutlook.com