“I feel that we’re getting a reputation as being upscale, which brings in high-quality items. But we still sell if for a really great price,” says owner Patty Ross, 51, of Boulder.

It’s because of that mix that Clutter, which opened in August at its location just south of Ninth and Pearl St. in Boulder, has clients from college students outfitting their first apartments to seniors buying pieces for their assisted-living residences.

We sat down with Ross for some tips on holiday decorating.

The great part about all of this: Clutter can be a great place to gain inspiration and load up on what you’ll need for the season.

1. Mix and match.

When setting a holiday table, bring out the good stuff and fill in the holes with consignment pieces. Display that etched glassware that’s too fancy for back yard BBQs, and serve your family favorites on vintage china — such as Clutter’s beautiful set of Franciscan china, a whopping 101 pieces, for $495. Pair that with festive linens, scented pinecones and pine foliage, your grandmother’s candlesticks and you’re set.

2. Double up.
Ross suggests having two Christmas trees: one theme tree, where you can really go all out, and one family tree with those sweet ornaments your 5-year-old brings home. Ross also suggests bucking the norm with your tree and adding decorative picks. Picks are long decorative pieces that are often added to bouquets and floral centerpieces. You can purchase picks at Clutter, online or in floral boutiques.

3. A tradition of collecting.
Ross also suggests starting a holiday collection. She and her husband have been collecting nativity scenes from their travels all over the world, which they display for the holidays. Many people collect ornaments, like Santas or angels, or ornaments by a certain artist or manufacturer. Clutter sells ornaments and might be a great place to gain insight on starting a collection of your own.

4. Inside-out.
Bring outside lights inside, and not just on your tree. It’s fun to hang oversized ornaments and wreaths throughout the house. Traditionally, Christmas was, in part, about renewing our sense of nature in the house during a time of year when little is blooming. A fresh, fragrant pine wreath will do just the trick.

5. Hostess with the most.
When it comes to getting your guests in a festive mood, Ross suggests decorating a small tree in the guestroom. She also replaces wall art with holiday-themed prints or wreaths. Adding holiday linens and other small touches with make your guest feel special.

On the Web
Visit Clutter Consignment online at www.clutterconsign.com.

— By Annie Brokaw

“I’m a purple cow. I’m different,” says Peter Seamans. “There are no other body-builder yogis out there.”

Seamans, 51, who lives primarily in Boulder, but also in California, Costa Rica and Hawaii has been a local figure in fitness and yoga for 30 years.

At 21, Seamans says he was like “John Belushi, without the fan base and paycheck.” After an epiphany at the rec center, Seamans lost 40 pounds and broke his addictions to alcohol, drugs and food. Four months later, he was working in a gym and the members began asking him to train them.

“I was training people before the term ‘personal trainer’ was coined,” he says.

Seamans has since won numerous drug-free and master’s bodybuilding championships (he’s never done steroids). He is undefeated in every competition he has ever entered, was named the National Physique Committee Trainer of the Year in 1993 and had the world’s largest following with 2,000 seats per month when Spinning first took off in the ‘90s. And that’s just scratching the surface.

Now, Seamans is back in Boulder and running his own studio, Iron Yogi, 2516 Broadway, suite 300, Boulder (www.ironyogi.com).

Seamans trains people with free weights, kettle bells, dumbbells, fit walls and Gravity Training Systems. He also teaches his own version of Vinyasa yoga, called Turbo Vinyasa, and Turbo Bar, which is a class for women that targets the butt, thighs and abs.

We wanted to learn more about this powerful “purple cow,” so we asked him five questions — plus one. We then asked the same questions of his friend and student Laura Posen, 41, of Boulder. All we can say is, Iron Yogi indeed!

1. Out of all of the people you’ve trained, who has been your favorite and why?

Peter: Deepak Chopra and Anthony Robbins were both amazing experiences. But honestly, being a guy who seems to connect more with the female population, helping women lose weight and reshape their bodies is what really makes me tick. The confidence, vitality and opportunity for self-realization that comes with such an experience are the real gifts. I am both humbled and honored to be a part such a positive life change.

Laura: Me, of course! But in all honesty, I think Peter’s favorite client would be a woman who after two years training with him, transformed her body so completely that she became a pro-figure athlete.

2. If you could have a superhero power what would it be and why?

Peter: Mind control, so I could get people to stop thinking and enter the present moment.

Laura: Peter already is a superhero with the power to transform bodies and inspire people to lead healthy lifestyles. If he could gain another super hero trait, I think it would be to heal people with touch.

3. What is your most cherished possession and why?

Peter: My white marble Quan Yin statue. Quan Yin is Chinese and literally translates to “she who hears the cries of the world.” This Buddhist goddess (no, I’m not Buddhist) reminds me daily that compassion, understanding and sensitivity are the keys to our evolution.

Laura: Peter’s most cherished possession is his good physical health because if you don’t have your health, nothing else matters in life.

4. Why do you love living in Boulder?

Peter: It’s eclectic, free-spirited and friendly. I feel both proud and fortunate to live in a community where people place such a high value on wellness and self-realization.

Laura: Peter loves living in Boulder because at any time of the day, he can visit Whole Foods and have at least 15 people he knows come up to him and say, “Hi.”

5. What is the most important thing your parents taught you?

Peter: The three A’s: adventure, affection and authenticity. Every day should be an adventure — and it is. Love is something to be felt and expressed freely. And always be yourself, no matter what others think or say.

Laura: Be comfortable with who you are as a person.

6. What is one thing we would never guess about you?

Peter: I love chocolate.

Laura: Underneath all the hard, toned muscles is a very soft, kind soul who truly cares about helping people.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Lisa Fraser, 51, of Boulder, has been a stylist for 30 years — even longer than the 20-year-old shop has been open. And she thinks she’s got one of the best jobs in the world.

“I get to make my clients look good and feel good about themselves,” she says.

Most of Pompadours’ clients are women, but men are welcome.

“All women care about their hair. It’s a very important accessory. It’s the accessory we wear everywhere,” she says.
Pompadours is an Aveda salon, meaning that they only use and sell Aveda products.

“We love the philosophy of the company,” Fraser says. “Everything is 100 percent natural.”

Fraser moved to Boulder in 1966 when the U.S. Air Force relocated her father to do Reserve Officers’ Training Corps recruiting at the University of Colorado. Fraser still lives in Boulder with her husband of 10 years, Elmar Willmes, 58.

We wanted to learn more about this passionate senior master stylist and what she does when she puts away her shears and locks up the shop. So we asked her six questions:

1. What’s your favorite item in your closet?
My black boyfriend-cut blazer. It is slightly longer and looser cut, and a classic must-have item in my wardrobe. It can dress up jeans or dress down a feminine silk dress. I can’t imagine not having a great black blazer.

2. What’s your guilty pleasure?
Real whipped cream. I have cut refined sugar and refined carbohydrates from my life, but I can still indulge in an occasional treat of a bowl full of berries buried in real whipped cream. It feels so decadent.

3. What’s your favorite way to relax?
I love it when I have a day at home to putz around the house and get caught up, work in my garden weeding and deadheading and then sit in my backyard swing with a good book. I have a sense of accomplishment from getting things done and I can sit back and relax and enjoy how nice everything looks. As simple as it sounds, it is not easy to find the time to just spend a whole day at home. A nice walk and a hot, candle-lit bubble bath at the end of the day would be the perfect relaxing day.

4. What are three things on your “bucket list?” (Things you want to do before you kick the bucket)
Only three? There are so many things I still want to do in my lifetime, it is hard to choose just three.
Travel, travel, travel! There are so many places I would love to visit. As a business owner and single parent most of my life it has been difficult to have the time and money (at the same time) to do much traveling. I would like to learn to play the piano. My father played piano and I used to love to listen to him. I would also love to take art classes and learn to paint, in particular.

5. What do you wish you knew 20 years ago?
I wish I had believed in myself more and not been so afraid to take chances. It was almost 20 years ago that I opened Pompadours. I remember being so scared, and thinking that people who opened successful businesses were not afraid. The most valuable thing I learned is that it is scary for everyone. You just can’t let the fear stop you.

6. What is something about you that we would never guess?
I married my husband while he was in jail. Have you ever wondered who those crazy women are?
This is a soap opera, but the short version is that immigration services stamped his passport with the wrong stamp, despite his indefinite business visa. I married him, and he was deported anyway.

It was a 10-year deportation, but after one and a half years, and two trips to federal court, I finally got him back in the country. This October will be our 10-year anniversary and we are finally going to have a proper wedding. He is the love of my life, and I don’t have a single regret. We’ll have quite a story to tell our grandchildren!

Know an inspirational businesswoman whom you think should be featured in Close Up? E-mail us at speakup@womensmag.com.

— By Annie Brokaw

Today Gill, 33, of Erie, is doing just that.
Gill and her father, Sam Gill, opened Bantaba World Dance and Music in 1999.

Although Bantaba closed its doors in April 2007, Jenny and Sam Gill have moved on to another exciting venture: teaching Boulder County teens about self-esteem and teamwork in the form of Rueda de Casino via their nonprofit, SalsAmigos.

Rueda de Casino is the Cuban style of salsa dancing. Done in a circle a la square dancing, but cooler —the moves of Rueda are called and participants switch partners. The classes are funded by a grant through the Boulder County Youth Opportunity Advisory Board.

The Gills teach in local high schools, either for credit or as an after-school program. What makes the Gills’ method different is that both the males and females are taught to lead and follow.

The Gills believe that this method promotes teamwork and equality of the sexes, while fostering the ability to be both a leader and follower. Sam Gill, through research, has found that learning both parts is good for brain development. It also gives undecided teens the ability to explore their sexuality in a safe place that allows them to be themselves — no body is singled out.

“Everybody gets in a circle and just dances,” Jenny Gill says.

What started in 2006 as a way to teach teens will be spreading to classes for people of all ages, from 5 to 85.

“We’ve seen the benefits in teens,” Jenny Gill says. “The brain can re-learn; it can become more juicy.”

Part of the effort to bring Rueda to all people includes a new grant proposal they’re working on.
With the money, the Gills want to train others how to teach Rueda.

They hope to host a free 10-part downloadable lecture series on their Web site that others can use to learn the Gills’ methods. The lecture series will start rolling out this summer.

“I never thought I would teach, ever,” Jenny Gill says. “Doing this and teaching with my dad has been very satisfying. We just laugh and have a great time.”

To learn more about SalsAmigos and the Gills, visit www.salsamigos.org.

— By Annie Brokaw

Valerio Ferme with his sons, Devin, age 14, in blue jacket and Mike Ferme, age 17, in black shirt. At their home in Denver.

Know someone we should feature in Men We Love? We’re talking the total package: brains, beauty and a servant’s heart. Yes, believe it or not, there are plenty of good guys out there who are multi-dimensional, and we’re always on the prowl to recognize them. E-mail nominations to speakup@womensmag.com.

We often hear about single mothers, but some how forget the men out there who are struggling through parenting alone. Valerio Ferme is not only a single dad; he’s also a parent to two adopted sons — two boys who were almost lost to the foster care system.

Ferme, 47, is an associate professor of Italian and comparative literature and the department chair for the French and Italian departments at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Born and raised in Milan, Italy, Ferme moved to the United States when he was 19.

In college, Ferme sponsored a child in a Third World country through Save the Children.

“Even as a child I was always very concerned about others,” says Ferme, who now lives in Lakewood. “I’ve had a lot given to me, so giving back is a good thing.”

Growing up in a big family — as in eight siblings — Ferme developed a strong sense of family and responsibility. From a young age, he knew he wanted to adopt. Six years ago, Ferme adopted Michael, who is now 17. Two years ago, Devon, who is now 12, joined their family. Ferme explored the option of adopting infants, but says he felt like older children might benefit more from the home and opportunities he could provide.

To get to know Ferme better — and to figure out how this amazing guy is still single — we asked him five questions, plus one. Then we asked the same questions of his long-time friend and CU colleague, Suzanne Magnanini, of Nederland.

Here’s how it played out:

1. What is the best part about being a dad?
Valerio:  Seeing children change before your eyes. In my case, I think it is pretty remarkable to see how my sons are learning about things they might never had experienced if they had remained in foster care. Also, it’s knowing that, even though they are adolescents and resent you at times for doing your job, at the end of the day, they both still need you and try to engage you in a variety of ways.
Suzanne: I’m sure Val would say that the best part about being a dad for him is watching the progress his sons have made over the years. He adopted both and they faced a number of challenges, which they have faced together as a family.

2. What’s the hardest part about being a single parent?
Valerio: Not having any breaks. Also, you have to be a really good planner, because you don’t want to forget dates, meetings, engagements that are important for the kids. Balancing work, being an engaged and loving parent, and having down-time with them are all made a little harder by taking care of them alone.
Suzanne: There is no passing the kids off to a partner when you need a break so it is very hard to find time for yourself.

3. What made you want to adopt?
Valerio: I grew up in a big family, so I have always liked children. And I was socialized early on toward caring about others. So for me adopting was just a way of giving back some of the much good luck and incredible experiences that were given to me. I wanted to share this with some children who, by no fault of their own, might never have had similar opportunities.
Suzanne: Val comes from a very big family and so he grew up surrounded by children. He also worked as a crew coach and has served as a mentor for a number of his junior colleagues (myself included). He enjoys helping people grow and find their own path, so becoming a dad seems a natural choice for him.

4. What confuses you most about women?
Valerio: (Laughs.) Is this a trick question? Women do not confuse me. I think women have a different approach to life than most men I know. I would say that sometimes I am confused by how women are confused themselves — by the gains they have made in the world, it has made them less sure about their roles in our society.
Suzanne: I’m not sure Val is so much confused by women as surprised when they don’t assert themselves as much as he thinks they should or can in a given situation.

5. What’s the most important lesson your mother ever taught you?
Valerio: Funny, this is an easy one. I always tell people that I owe my mother if I care about others and feel a duty to help make the world a better place.
She is a giver, and I think that is the best quality to have. She took care of her own sick mother for years, has worked at battered women shelters, housed Bosnian refugees during the Bosnian War (even gone to Sarajevo with an aid convoy), cared for nine children, worked with mentally unstable people and taught [hec: as a school teacher? :  ]both for money and for pleasure.
Suzanne: Probably something about being a good parent while maintaining your own identity.

6. If you could pick one goal to accomplish before you die, what would it be and why?
Valerio: I think I have accomplished my one goal: I adopted two kids and gave them a chance to make a better life for themselves. In the process, I have given new and more valuable meaning to my life. I toy with the idea of adopting one or two more. Does that count?
Suzanne: I think Val has met a lot of his goals, but he might have one more. He’s published great deal of academic writing, but he might want to one day return to his creative writing (he’s a published poet) to tell the story of his adventures as a single dad. I hope he does.

— By Annie Brokaw

Know an inspirational businesswoman whom you think should be featured in Close Up? E-mail us at speakup@womensmag.com.

Fun, affordable and different. These three words are what brought Holly Dennis and Susan Gallo together to start their business, FortyLoveTennis, in 2004.

Dennis, 54, and Gallo, 52, both of Boulder, met through the Boulder Tennis Association, with the shared desire to bring attractive and affordable clothing to the local tennis scene. Out of that dream came a line of tennis wear, spanning bold prints, polka dots and florals, giving women an option beyond the boring, standard, expensive duds.

For $28 for a skirt — almost half the price of most tennis skirts on the market — you can afford to buy multiple skirts and wear them until you’re sick of them or they’re worn out.

“That way, by the end of the season, if you want to burn it, burn it. And come back for more,” says Dennis.

All of the attire is made in Colorado by one seamstress, and Dennis and Gallo pick the fabric themselves, noting that there is a limited supply of each print.

“It’s kind of fun because if a gal buys a skirt, it’s kind of one-of-a-kind,” Dennis says.
You can also toss a skirt over a swimming suit and head off for lunch, or wear it to play with the kids.

“My business partner and I think women always look better in skirts than shorts,” Dennis says.
We couldn’t agree more.

To learn more about these two go-getters, we asked them some questions. Oh, and please remind us to steer clear of Holly when she’s feeling like a prankster.

1. What’s your favorite item in your closet? (And you can’t say FortyLove.)
Holly: My new skinny jeans from Banana Republic.
Susan: My Patagonia skorts. I have them in all the colors.

2. What are you reading right now?
Holly: “Child 44,” by Tom Rob Smith.
Susan: “You Are What You Love,” by Vaishali.

3. What’s your favorite way to relax?
Holly: Watching junk TV. I like “Desperate Housewives,” “24” or “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Susan: Lying on my big bed, talking to my kids and laughing with them.

5. What is your favorite quote?
Holly: “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” by Thomas Jefferson.
Susan: “Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it, one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world,” by Eleanor Roosevelt.

6. What do you wish you knew 20 years ago?
Holly: Getting older really does make you wiser.
Susan: I wish I’d known about the strength I have within myself that I probably had all along.

7. What drives you to do your job?
Holly: The ever-changing crazy fabrics available for our skirts.
Susan: Passion for what I am doing at that time.

8. What is your greatest achievement?
Holly: It’s corny but true: raising my kids to be decent young adults.
Susan: My children and being a firefighter on the city of Miami’s fire department.

9. What is something about you that we would never guess?
Holly: I have a wicked sense of humor and love a good practical joke.
Susan: I enjoy my privacy and alone time.

10. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
Holly: I would like to be like Elizabeth Montgomery in the TV series “Bewitched.” She did the most awesome stuff by wiggling her nose.
Susan: I’m not sure.

Where to find FortyLove
www.fortylovetennis.com

— By Annie Brokaw

Imagine combining a group touted for their “ambrosia-like harmonies” with the only female member of the Outlaws (think Waylon, Willie and Johnny).

The result: Wild Women of the West, a show at the Boulder Theater Jan. 16, a collaborative effort between musicians the Rhythm Angles and Jessi Colter.

With their contemporary, rootsy Americana sound, Boulder resident Rebecca Folsom and former Denver resident Celeste Krenz make up the duo, the Rhythm Angels. The event is also a release party for their new CD, “Girls Like Us.” Both Folsom and Krenz have successful solo careers but their work together creates something totally different.

“When you hear a good harmony, it’s transportive,” says Folsom. Joining them for this second-annual event is Jessi Colter, regarded as the first female country artist to cross over to pop with her 1975 hit “I’m Not Lisa.”

“She is the epitome of what we’re trying to put together with Wild Women of the West,” says Folsom.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 at www.bouldertheater.com. A portion of the proceeds will go to Blue Sky Bridge, a local organization to help children who are victims of sexual assault.

Tickets to the VIP party before the event are $100. All proceeds from this party will also benefit Blue Sky Bridge.

“Part of what we want to do is train them on how to talk about issues with their friends and families.”

– Maria De Cambra, program director for Latina Initiative

The Latina Initiative recently partnered with 9 to 5, National Association of Working Women, to host the fourth-annual Serious Women, Serious Issues, Serious Action conference in Denver.

The theme of this year’s conference, held Sept. 27 in Denver, was “Women of Action: Elections and the Democratic Process.”

The conference meets annually to bring together young women, low-income women and women of different ethnicities to discuss and define public policy agenda.

“The women feel empowered, they’re getting the education they might not get anywhere else,” De Cambra says.

About 80 women, from 14 to 65 years old, met to participate in panel discussions to learn about issues important to women, such as health care, education, immigration, global rights, economic rights and civil rights. The goal of the panels was to impart skills on how the participants could take action.

“It was very encouraging to see how many grassroots ladies were there. Women who were as passionate as I am about issues and creating a better today and tomorrow for themselves, their children, and their communities,” says participant Cecile Johnson. “I felt very comforted to see the level of commitment and expertise that was in the room, and that these true warriors were out there advocating for my rights.”

Johnson is the Colorado outreach director for the Center for Progressive Leadership.

To learn more about the Latina Initiative and the National Association of Working Women, check out twww.latinainitiative.org and www.9to5colorado.org.

“Community” is a huge buzzword for David Rowan.

Maybe that’s because he was born and raised in a small farming community in Iowa. From volunteer activities to career choices, community is at the heart of who Rowan is.

A strapping, athletic man, Rowan looks like your typical Boulder County marathon runner/road racer/dog lover/husband and father. But what you’ll find under that exterior is a man committed to fostering community among our youth.

This past summer, Rowan volunteered with Project YES (Youth Envisioning Social change), an after-school service-learning program for youth. He’s currently getting his teaching certificate, with a plan to continue on to get his master’s degree.

Until a year ago, Rowan had been working for Noodles and Company as an area manager. The death of a good friend, who was a music teacher, and the pending arrival of his daughter, Harper, inspired Rowan to re-evaluate his life and reminded him of his youthful aspirations to teach children to “develop good communities and lives.”

His transition has been major.

“Having Erin support me in my vision here of going from a high-paid, steady job to low-pay, and adjusting my schedule right when we had Harper reminds me how awesome she is and how important her support is,” Rowan says.

When he’s not being a part-time stay-at-home dad, student, part-time employee at Whole Foods or volunteering at Adams City High School in Commerce City, Rowan likes to relax by playing the guitar, running and writing poetry and songs.

To learn more about what’s behind this community man, we asked him six questions. Then we turned around and asked his wife of 14 years, Erin Frazier, the same six questions without him around.

Here’s what we found out:

1. If you could pick one super power to have, what would it be and why?

David: The power to heal broken hearts and lives. Because there are too many people in the world who feel hurt instead of happiness.

Erin: My guess is that he is going to want to be able to heal people. Hearts or minds (or preferably, both).

2. What’s one thing you hope to do before you die?

David: Raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. It is where my dad was born and we’ve taken a lot of trips there to hike but never to raft. Erin: More travel, because exploring new places and meeting the people in them is a real passion that we share.

3. What’s the best piece of advice you will give your daughter?

David: Find a path with heart and happiness.

Erin: Stay true to yourself.

4. What’s one misconception women have about men?

David: We are not sensitive.

Erin: That they are hard to figure out.

5. What’s one thing men just can’t understand about women?

David: To truly understand how hormones affect the whole of the female body.

Erin: I think Dave will say shoes, which just cracks me up. He has almost as many pairs as I do. How he would survive married to a real shoe fashionista I don’t know. I guess we’re both lucky he doesn’t have to find out.

6. Describe your perfect day.

David: Waking up alive and looking into the eyes of my wife and daughter. Beyond that, a beautiful beach or a lonesome backcountry campsite have that perfect-day potential.

Erin: Hmm. I think locally a perfect day would entail things like sleeping late, French toast and fun, low-key outdoor activities with the whole family. If it could the perfect day anywhere, I think the necessary ingredients would include white sand, turquoise seas and probably sticky rum drinks.

Know someone we should feature in Men We Love? We’re talking the total package: brains, beauty and a servant’s heart. Yes, believe it or not, there are plenty of good guys out there who are multi-dimensional, and we’re always on the prowl to recognize them. E-mail nominations to speakup@womensmag.com.

As a stay-at-home mom whose youngest child was starting pre-school, Sue Anderson found herself with some time on her hands. She decided to become involved in the community.

More than 35 years later, she is still a member of the League of Women Voters and the current president of the Boulder County chapter.

The league is a grassroots, non-partisan organization that works toward voter education, voter registration, advocacy and policy changes. Anderson says, “We don’t discuss politics, we’re discussing issues.”

Group members discuss ballot issues, not candidates. Once they have a majority agreement about the issue and form a position, they report back to the national league that then uses those positions to lobby for change via state and national volunteer lobby corps.

Anderson says the local league is an interesting mix of women — and men (who are allowed to join). She says she will go into a meeting thinking she’s made up her mind, only to hear another side of the issue that she never thought of.

Anderson says the best thing about being involved in the league is “getting things changed in government, like campaign finance reform. It’s nice to know you can have an impact on the community.”

It was the Boulder County league that wrote an initiative for campaign finance reform, which then became a ballot issue that passed by 66 percent.

“We wanted people to be able to run who didn’t have a lot of money,” Anderson says.

The League of Women Voters was started in 1920 during the convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, just six months before women were given the right to vote. Anderson says the purpose of the league was to prove that women could make informed decisions and not vote on emotion alone. In the 1980s, the organization opened up to men, however, the name remains the League of Women Voters because of the credibility and history of that name.