Kristin Malmquist of Restore Your Belly, LLC - Helping Moms Feel Attractive and Strong Again1/28/2020
Nearly every woman who has a baby has the goal of getting back in shape and getting rid of that stubborn “mommy pooch.” What many women (and men) don’t know is that there is a medical condition that could be preventing you from ever being free of that stubborn belly bulge, no matter how well you watch what you eat or how consistently you exercise. That something else is called diastasis recti, or abnormal abdominal separation.
Enter the remarkable power of the Tupler Technique, a specialized training system designed to treat individuals with persistent abdominal bulging resulting from diastasis recti. Kristin Malmquist, long time physical therapist and founder of Restore Your Belly, LLC is Maryland’s only trained practitioner of the Tupler Technique as of the date of this article. Starting her business in April of 2019, her mission is to help moms feel attractive, confident, and strong again, by helping them heal their diastasis recti. Her program involves a combination of wearing a splint, performing specific exercises which focus on the transverse abdominis muscle, and learning how to move properly to protect the overstretched abdominal connective tissue. “What many individuals don’t realize is that the exercises they are doing at the gym or at home to flatten their belly, such as crunches, sit ups, and planks, may actually be making their condition worse,” Kristin explains. When training with Kristin, clients can expect to see nice progress in 6 weeks, and some in as little as 3 weeks. The initial training program is 18 weeks, followed by a maintenance routine that must be followed in order to keep the reduction in abdominal girth achieved during the program.
How did Kristin come into this training approach? She herself developed diastasis recti after having her 2nd child. After dabbling a bit into the technique, she experienced positive results and was very pleased. Afterwards, she resumed her normal exercise routine, some of which included planks, crunches, and bicycle exercises for abdominal strengthening and toning. In a short time, Kristin’s symptoms returned. “I had a moderate case….about 4 finger-widths of separation.” At that point, Kristin went in full steam, got trained in the Tupler Technique, and followed the program religiously for herself for about 4 months. Now she follows a maintenance program.
After achieving and maintaining remarkable results for herself, she wanted to spread the word and help other individuals who could be suffering with the condition.
What does her process entail? Typically it starts with a phone consultation followed by 3 in-person training sessions spread out over a 6 week period. Her clients receive hands on training by her, exclusive access to program videos so that clients can perform the exercises correctly at home and throughout the day, and a special splint to wear in order to support the progress.
Who can benefit from the Tupler Technique with Kristin Malmquist? Anyone with diastasis recti. What Kristin really wants to share is that it is never too late to achieve belly reduction with diastasis recti, even if your children are now grown adults. “One of my best clients was a lady that says she felt like she had it for 14 years before working with me.” Kristin is also able to help men with belly bulge resulting from this little known condition. Her clients come from the Baltimore, MD area as well as York, PA, Silver Spring, and Rockville, MD.
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As we move through life, insurance is a crucial part of financial protection and security for ourselves and our family when unforeseen circumstances arise. With policies that can be increasingly complex, finding an insurance agent who makes your interests and values a top priority is the first step in making an informed decision on which policy to purchase. As you contemplate which agency or agent to go with, or whether or not to leave and switch to a new one, savvy consumers pick an Independent Agent, agents who work for you (the consumer) instead of an agent who only represents one company. Kind of like shopping at a shoe store that sells lots of brands vs a store with only one brand. Having someone who understands what you need to protect now may be different than your needs in the future and offers the right protection at the right time is critical for long term success. This is the value you will receive with Shane Abernathy, an Independent Insurance Agent based in Hunt Valley, MD. He has nearly 35 years of experience in the industry. How did he start? His Business Administration degree from Roanoke College in 1985 provided a solid foundation which sparked an interest in insurance. After graduating, he was employed by one of the largest insurance corporations in the US working in Operations and Sales Management for nine years. His expertise made him one of the top field sales managers in the country and he was recognized for his visionary leadership skills. In 1994 he transitioned to an agency owner and became one of the company's top agents by 2000. In addition to his agency he also founded an insurance agency management company called MSA Management Services Inc. to support other agency owners and provide them with tools to help them with administration, operations, marketing, and organizational tasks. After 25 years with the same national insurance carrier, Shane reached a point where he felt limited and captive. He could only sell the policies of one insurance company to his clients regardless of their needs. He found himself too often trying to convince them that the carrier’s policy was the best plan for them even though he knew there may be better solutions elsewhere. ‘’Consumer interaction has continually changed." Shane explains. "To be successful long term, I needed to be able to offer a wider array of products and services based on my customer’s needs." So in 2012, he opened his own agency which operates under HomeAuto.US. He provides personal insurance solutions for individual homeowners including homeowners insurance, automobile insurance, personal umbrella insurance, investment and second home insurance and services clients in over 25 states. Shane believes that listening carefully and being aware of his client’s needs comes first, more than just selling an insurance policy, his team works with each customer to assist them with making the best buying decision. Better Coverage, Better Service and Better Agency interaction combine to deliver Excellent Value for their customers. When he meets new clients, 98% of whom are homeowners, he will first understand their life situation. "We will look at your risk profile, your assets, and put together a protection profile.’’ The protection profile that we develop is based on what is best for the client. "It is not a ’one shoe fits all' solution" Shane explains. He carefully assesses the risks, considers the cost, and proposes to homeowners why a specific insurance package he custom-prepares is beneficial. "It is always better that clients personally understand how the policy will affect them in a way that is meaningful. Shane explains, it is about making the right buying decision for your family.” One story he shares is a mom of 4 kids who was sold a cheaper policy and moved her insurance and had a car accident requiring a rental car during the repair period. Yes, her policy was less expensive than her policy with HomeAuto.US . Then she learned the plan only covered a subcompact rental car, which would not work for her busy young family. She paid out of pocket for the minivan she had to rent. There went her “savings”! “If your policy does not respond the way YOU want it to when something bad happens then, regardless of cost, it was a waste of money.” says Shane. Understanding what matters most to his customers is more than just a slogan, it’s how insurance becomes a good investment in family protection. Shane makes sure his clients make sound decisions that protect them from costly surprises, and he ensures that they understand exactly how a policy will behave based on any unfortunate event that may happen. Shane is not only passionate about helping his clients but he is also driven to become a bigger part of the community. He has been supported GB Charities-a charity designed to help at-risk youth get an education for twenty years. Since 2015, he has also provided financial support and sponsored social service events for the Wounded Warrior Project, the charity founded after 9-11 that supports American Veterans. HomeAuto.US also supports the Archer Senft Special Needs Foundation ever since Archer (one of his son’s best friends) suffered a spinal injury in 2015. The growth of his agency is Shane’s vision but more than that, his success is fueled by the trust and valuable relationships that he builds. So if you are searching for the right agent to approach to help you with your financial security, look for the one that sees the profession as a fulfilling and rewarding venture and works for you, not the insurance companies, like Shane Abernathy of HomeAuto.US.
To learn more about Shane Abernathy, you can visit his profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaneabernathy online at https://www.homeauto.us/ or you can call him Toll Free: 877-487-8341 Phone: 443-430-2390 Text: 410-497-1462 Email: info@homeauto.us Do you have a great experience to share from working with Shane? Please share and comment below. Looking younger and rejuvenated is a desire of nearly every person as they age, and many opt for cosmetic interventions. According to American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), almost 18 million people underwent surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in the United States in 2018. With the rising numbers of individuals wanting to undergo cosmetic procedures, it is imperative to find a reliable specialist that can deliver safe and outstanding results. Fortunately, you have a local Maryland surgeon with over 26 years of professional experience, a long list of happy patients, professional accolades and publications, and extensive cosmetic surgery expertise to help you enhance your beauty and boost your confidence. Dr. Darab Hormozi, a nationally recognized oculofacial plastic surgeon, is dedicated to delivering dramatic and enhancing results with safe, reliable cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures. The highly rated surgeon, who has always been interested in plastic surgery ever since he was young, graduated in 1983 Cum Laude at the University of Brussels Medical School in Brussels, Belgium, and he completed his residency in surgery at the Maryland General Hospital, Baltimore and fellowship at the University of Texas. He has had multiple offices in the past and eventually, he consolidated in 1998 and settled his practice in Towson, MD with his very own surgery center attached to his office. Dr. Hormozi specializes in oculofacial surgery, which helps correct ‘’deformities and abnormalities that affect the eye area, such as the eyelids and the facial structures that are located near the eye.” Dr. Hormozi shares, “I believe that eighty percent of the looks of a person is focused on the eyes and eyelids” and he knows first hand that eyelid surgery can really rejuvenate the face. You can find him easily doing an average of 16 to 18 eyelid surgeries daily. He also performs reconstructive surgeries and treatments for patients diagnosed with eyelid cancer, skin tumors and orbital tumors as well as surgeries to correct undesired outcomes from procedures performed by other practitioners. Dr. Hormozi shares, ‘’It is my philosophy to create natural looking face because some surgeries are overly done and the concept of beauty has changed.’’ With most of his patients coming to him wanting to look younger and rejuvenated, he offers a wide variety of other interventions from face lifts, laser resurfacing procedures, to botox, fillers, and more. Additionally, he utilizes innovative medical advancements, one of them being Platelet-Rich Plasma Rejuvenation, also known as PRP. It became popular in his practice around 2018, and has commonly been used by orthopedic surgeons for years. ‘’The procedure involves taking a patient’s blood, centrifuging it, and getting a small section of plasma called platelet-rich plasma, which has the capacity to rejuvenate anything that it is injected into. We use it in combination with microneedles which involves making small traumas in the skin, and inject this underneath to help rejuvenate the area where it is injected. For example, if we inject it in the scalp for hair loss, the hair grows back,’’ Dr. Hormozi explained. This procedure takes around 45 minutes to complete, it is safe, and it is an all natural procedure as the treatment comes from the patient’s own blood. And since platelets have growth factors, it is very effective for any area needing skin rejuvenation or hair growth. Aside from dedicating his time for his patients, he also imparts his knowledge by giving lectures nationally, internationally, and to area hospitals and medical institutions including University of Maryland. What sets Dr. Hormozi apart is that he has his very own surgery center conveniently attached to his clinic so his patients from all over Maryland and other states can easily avail the procedures without the inconvenience of going to a separate location. Dr. Hormozi also emphasized that having his own surgery center allows him to take the time in doing his surgeries for optimal results and without the risk of infections that may often come with working in the hospital setting. He has a very supportive staff, a talented nurse that has been with him for years, and a physician assistant that assists him during the surgeries. His top-notch service over many years has led to an ongoing flow of word of mouth referrals from other patients not only in Maryland but also from other states across the nation. His goal is to keep the momentum going and utilize the advanced medical procedures and techniques to help his patients achieve the best results from his treatments and surgeries. He said, ‘’I'm always trying to perfect the technique…I always thrive to make it better.’’
To learn more about Dr. Hormozi and the procedures he offers, you can visit his website at https://www.drhormozi.com/
If you’re looking for a fresh start to your new year and you live in the Eldersburg and Sykesville area of Maryland, Shaddock MMA Fitness should be at the top of your list to check out. Shaddock MMA Fitness opened its doors in 2008 and is owned and operated by John Shaddock. Remember when your parents asked you, what do you want to do when you grow up? John, had a similar experience as well, except his parents asked him, “John, what are you going to do with your life? You can’t just play for a living.” In fact, play is what John really is able to do for a living, which for him, is practicing and teaching martial arts and fitness for a living while helping others transform their health, confidence and physical skill set.
We spoke with John Shaddock of Shaddock MMA Fitness and learned more about his journey. John had been in the fitness industry for 30 years, opening and managing various fitness gyms up and down the east coast throughout Vermont, New York, North Carolina, and Maryland. His start in martial arts started at age 3. He excelled in competitive highschool wrestling, which led to a decorated career in boxing, where he won titles in the Diamond Belt Boxing Championships and was a finalist in the Vermont Golden Gloves. Over many years, he has studied several martial arts disciplines including Aikido, Gaijin Ryu jiujitsu, Brazilan jiujitsu, Shorin Ryu karate, and Jeet Kune Do. When John found himself too busy to fit in exercise at his place of work, he decided to refocus on his practice of martial arts.
He came upon a martial arts studio just 5 minutes from his home, and developed what would become a strong bond and re-connection with the art and his mentor, Master Lee Epperson. After a few years of dedicated training that re-ignited John’s passion, he decided to take over the studio when Master Lee decided to move away. It was almost a natural transition. It will be be twelve years in April 2020 and John now has a close knit growing community of adult and youth members that receive the benefit of physical fitness while learning self defense and boxing inspired cross training through innovative sessions that you won’t see elsewhere.
His classes start at either 9 or 9:30 Monday through Thursday for various classes, and then they start up in the evening for classes at 5:00, 5:45, 6:30, and 7:30 Mon through Thursday. He instructs children and adults, and you’ll be pleased to know his training is a mixture of pure martial arts training classes, to training sessions like Ironbox and Fitbox that blends martial arts and boxing with the challenge and surprise of different workout stations, ever changing training and boxing props, and his impressive line up of 20 hand picked uniquely designed punching bags.
Virtual Tour Here ![]() John’s desire to see people improve and grow has expanded into the comic book arena as well. As a result of past endeavors and project, he has been selected as a featured hero in an AntiBullying comic book called Warrior Island, he was at Comic Con promoting the comic book, and this year he will be at the Martial Arts Supershow, the largest gathering of martial arts studio owners, professionals, and instructors, in Las Vegas.
If you want extra customized training, John also provides personal training for select clients. He deserves your attention because unlike much of his competition, he is an actual competitive boxer and he competed 8 years as an amateur. His line up for each session frequently changes to keep members challenged and having fun. “My goal is to get everyone in the Eldersburg/Sykesville area fit one person at a time,” he shares. Be sure to check out his site at shaddockmma.com for success stories. He is located at 6345 South Carroll Park Drive Eldersburg Maryland 21784. 443-280-0812
Lisa did not come from an easy childhood. She and her siblings were raised by her loving single mother and she came from a low-income family. When she was 13, she was diagnosed with epilepsy. Despite this life changing diagnosis, Lisa’s mother always stressed the significance of education as a way to break any hurdles in life. That moved her to continue studying despite her condition and rejections. ‘’I applied to a college in Virginia, and they said I cannot make it, that I cannot contribute anything but I used it as a motivation to prove people wrong. I entered community college in 1987 and I graduated with honors.’’ Her mother passed away from breast cancer while she was studying, and it was a very difficult time as she was very close to her, but that difficulty did not stop her. She graduated Cum Laude at Lord Fairfax Community College and Magna Cum Laude at Shenandoah University and got a job right after graduating. In August 2018, Lisa started to use her voice and experience to influence and motivate others. She has self-hosted events about motivation. She is very passionate about sharing information on different facets, most of which she personally experienced and overcame- financial strain, raising children, epilepsy, paying off student loans, applying for scholarships and grants. For those having a hard time at school for example, Lisa shares ‘’While at school I used to have financial struggles. I had most of my meals from vending machines. I went home to a cold house. I use that experience to motivate people to overcome hardships in school.’’ She also discusses topics about work like helping others make an effective resume to apply for a job. ‘’I have been asked to be a guest teacher at the Virginia State University where I help students in resume building, developing their elevator speech, and other topics.’’ It is not just motivation that she is giving, but she also wants to be a voice for people with similar conditions like hers, like her children with ADHD, and she wants to help them thrive and get a solid education. The struggles and drawbacks that she experienced did not stop her from becoming what she is today. ‘’People told me, I cannot have my own family, and that I cannot raise children, but now I am married, I built a home and I have two sons.’’ She has a full-time job, she is a motivational speaker, and there is no stopping her from influencing and inspiring other people. What she always emphasizes is ‘’You can do whatever you want to do. It is up to you to stand up and do it. You need to have the determination and fight the obstacles because those are just tests.’’ If you want to experience her motivational events and learn more about Lisa, you can visit her website at https://lisambyrd.com. You can also purchase your very own motivational T-shirt on her website.
If you were inspired and motivated by Lisa M. Byrd’s story or experienced one of her motivational speeches, please feel free to share and comment below. ![]() A passion for serving others and improving your day with kindness can have a ripple effect. That is what Beth Creager is all about. As owner and operator of The Coffee Truck LLC, Beth has one of the few gourmet mobile coffee trucks in Maryland that offers fresh gourmet brewed espresso, cappuccino, frozen specialty coffees, and drip coffee. Think full service coffee house on wheels, but with a generous dose of positivity and inspiration with every visit. Home-based in Tracy’s Landing, Beth opened her doors, ie. started her engines, with her brand new custom designed truck, in March of 2016, after having a long-time desire to open a brick and mortar coffee shop. Her dream ultimately manifested into the stepping stone of a coffee shop on wheels as she continues towards her ultimate goal. She named her truck Edna, after her loving grandmother, and she and her team serve up their specialties during the week at local business complexes and on the weekends at marinas, events and festivals throughout Anne Arundel County. “I love making a difference in people’s daily routines, and I feel like I can do that in the food industry” Beth shares. A refreshing twist is the different handwritten positive messages Beth puts up each day. She posts them for her visitors to enjoy, and to help herself and her customers stay inspired and positive. The Coffee Table truck is also available for reservation if you want to add a unique touch to special events like birthday parties, weddings , community events, employee appreciation days, and corporate events. Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram to enjoy her speciality offerings.
Check her out at https://www.thecoffeetabletruck.com/ and on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thecoffeetabletruck/ on Instagram @thecoffeetabletruck . "Quench a Thirst - Satisfy a Hunger - Start a Conversation" As specialty craft cocktail bars become more popular in busy metropolitan areas across the U.S., it is a refreshing surprise when you find a top tier kind of place in the rural town of Cambridge, MD. Blue Ruin Bar is the charming and innovative new cocktail bar that opened in downtown Cambridge, MD in August 2019. It is quickly becoming a highly sought after venue to enjoy unique and flavorful fresh from scratch cocktails that will stimulate your taste buds and open your eyes to the world of mixology. We spoke with Paul Derndorfer, head mixologist of Blue Ruin Bar to learn more about the increasingly popular cocktail bar. Paul has been in the food and beverage industry for over 20 years. His experience has taken him from through New York and Washington, DC. Ten years ago, Paul moved to Cambridge, MD, where he has family in the area. Working at local establishments, he further honed skills that he had acquired and developed over his many years as a mixologist. ![]() Happy with the new place he called home, one day Doug Kyle approached Paul about opening a bar in Cambridge, MD. The idea was something Paul had thought about pursuing for a while already. So after about 4 years of extensive research, planning, renovation, and hustle, and with a lot of support from the community of Cambridge and beyond, Blue Ruin Bar opened its doors in August 2019. It clearly was a combination of perfect timing, innovation, skill, and drive for a town that is experiencing an economic rebirth thanks to the opening of several boutiques, restaurants, and gift shops over the past few years. Paul had been envisioning what this new venue would look like. With his long time interest with the Pre-Prohibition era, he went with the Speakeasy vibe and everything that goes along with it. Expect to step back in time when you enter Blue Ruin Bar. Follow them on Facebook to find out what happens if you and you friends reserve the “Mafia Booth” for the evening. Also in the pipeline is a couples’ dinner night exclusive to 35 couples that will need password access to the restaurant, which will be blacked out and closed to the public for the special evening. With a long cue of fun and innovative events to come, expect to enjoy superior quality craft cocktails, made only with fresh locally sourced produce like basil, mint, thyme, oranges, and grapefruits. Drinks honor early- time pre-Prohibition classics such as the “Brandy Crust” Father of Sidecar and the French 75 while also including new age concoctions, fine red wine, and beer on draft and by can offerings. Another unique thing about the Blue Ruin Bar is not only the experience, but the consistency of their product. Rest assured that the “Corpse Reviver” you order on a Wednesday at 7 pm will be exactly as delicious and fresh on a busy Saturday night at 9pm. The team prides itself on precision, service, and using only the freshest and best local produce and ingredients, from freshly squeezed juices to made-from-scratch syrups. On top of that, you’ll be pleased to know you’ll get amazing craft cocktails at prices much more palatable than you’ll find in the bigger metropolitan cities. Soon you will be satisfying your hunger during your visit to Blue Ruin Bar, as Paul and his team are putting in a full service kitchen that will be ready for service around the end of March 2020. There will be seating for 83 guests total, 13 at the bar. In addition to dining hours of 4pm to 9 pm during the week and 4 pm to 10 pm on weekends, Blue Ruin Bar will be serving a 6-item menu of savory handheld bites perfect for the late night crowd looking to extend their fun and memories into the wee hours of the night. Also stay tuned for an impressive Sunday Brunch that will be sure to please.
Blue Ruin Bar is attracting attention. Customers come from Easton, St. Michael’s, Salisbury, Berlin, Ocean City and beyond, thanks to word of mouth, hosting local seasonal and holiday events, hosting guest bartending nights for local charities, and collaborating with other local businesses in Cambridge. With all their exciting plans for this year, be sure to follow them on facebook and check them out at their website www.blueruinbar.com. Visit them at 400 Race Street, Cambridge, md 21613. Phone 410-995-7559. Hours Mon- Thurs 4 pm to 12 am. Friday and Saturday 4pm to 2 am. Sunday 4 pm to 12 am. Let’s admit it-workouts can be challenging. We all want to achieve our fitness goals and one way to do that is by exercising. No matter how challenging it is, you can only be successful if you stay motivated and if you are doing it correctly. Having a certified and qualified fitness trainer and instructors to guide you along the way can be your powerful weapon. They not only help you do workouts properly but support you in every way to keep you motivated physically and mentally, go beyond your capacity and improve your overall fitness health and wellness. Rezults Fitness, owned and founded by Marcus Copeland in 2010, prides itself with highly qualified fitness trainers and instructors who dedicate their time and professional training to help you achieve your fitness goals. The lead instructor, the owner himself Marcus Copeland, is a Certified Fitness Trainer and also has certifications in sports nutrition, sports medicine, resistance program design, and women’s personal safety training. He used to work at his cousin’s martial arts school before he opened his own gym. With multiple certifications and an impressive skill set his gym was destined to thrive in its very own location. As one of the leading fitness gyms in Prince George County, Rezults Fitness offers a wide range of fitness programs to cater to your fitness needs. They offer sports training; yoga classes; FreeStyle Fitness Bootcamp and group as well as personal training among other classes. They also offer a Butterfly Fitness program which is a combination of boxing and cardio fitness. Marcus and his team are on a mission of improving not only their client’s physical well-being but also help them have a “healthier state of mind’’. According to Marcus, they have a positive relationship with their clients and their gym provides an environment where they treat each other like family. ‘’We are family-oriented and people are getting along, communicating well with each other.’’ They also promote not just their clients' fitness but also influence the wellness of the community by educating local school children, for example, on the importance of physical fitness and how to maintain it by making better health choices and lifestyle. He is glad that having his own gym allows him to manage his time and be more flexible with his clients. ‘’I have the flexibility to meet my clients needs on their schedule. Sometimes, if I have clients that miss their session, they can come and meet me on a Sunday so I do make up classes for them. The flexibility combined with the family atmosphere has helped us retain a lot of clients’’, he said. He also believes that patience and consistency are key factors to his gym’s success because at first, like any businesses, it was difficult to bring people in but he kept on patiently waiting and until he had his first client and it took off from there. Being a certified fitness trainer since 2007, Marcus also reaches out to other opportunities aside from fitness training. He does that by taking on very difficult and record-breaking challenges like competing for the Guinness Book of World records for most push-ups in an hour. “I went for it last year. The most push-ups recorded was 2,810. I did 2,825 but Guinness did not award me the title they said my arms weren’t locked out enough so I've been training to redo it again.’’ Marcus is glad about where he is now and how his gym is working out for him. The influence of social media and word of mouth from clients having a positive experience with them contributed to the gym’s growth. ‘’I have really good clients and lots of my clients have been here for a years.” For him, loving what he does has a great impact on the atmosphere of his gym . ‘’I enjoy doing my classes and the other trainers also enjoy doing their classes and that's what its about. I'm happy to be a core part of this fitness community," he said. To learn more about Marcus and his team, their exact location, programs offered, and contact information, you can visit Rezults Fitness website at http://rezultsfitnessonline.com. They are located at 9100 Edgeworth Dr, Unit A & B, Capitol Heights, MD 20743, (888) 323-9915
If you have a positive experience with Rezults Fitness gym, please feel free to share and comment down below. ![]() Locally made products are a great choice because they not only serve as unique gifts or nice souvenirs, but they also represent the rich cultural identity and the talent people have in our community. What makes handcrafted and locally made products extra special is the colorful stories behind them that often stem from personal experience, a goal, or an inspiration. Maiden Maryland is a newly opened shop on 501 Poplar Street, in Cambridge, MD that features products from and made only in Maryland. The owners, couple Tammy and Tracy Lynndee, opened the shop in March 2019 with all the handiwork they feature being made by local artists and artisans, with the store colors inspired by the Maryland flag colors. They also opened an ice cream shop next door, called "Sweets & Treats" in June 2019. They offer 44 flavors of hand dipped ice cream, hand crafted shakes and sundaes, fresh baked from scratch pies by T’s Divine Sweets, steamed hot dogs, fountain and glass bottled coke products and more. They are open all year long. The couple started the business because they wanted to be a part of the flourishing Cambridge downtown area. “I grew up here when downtown was pretty active and you came to downtown to do everything. Then when I went away to college in the 80’s and I came home, our downtown was pretty well gone. Now we're at this pivotal point where downtown is exploding and we just wanted to be a part of that,” she said. As businesses continue to prosper in the area, they hope that it continues so that the younger generation, especially children, can experience and have the things they had when they were younger. Their downtown opens a lot of opportunities, not just for businesses to invest in, but for people to do a lot of things just as they did back when Tammy was younger. Their store is a gift shop that displays a wide range of products mainly made by local artists and artisans like paintings, hand-made jewelry, furniture, pottery, artisanal soaps and much more. The store is a perfect choice if you want a unique addition to your home decor and furniture or if you want a souvenir to keep or give as a gift. The best part is the artworks are personally crafted and hand-made, so you can really appreciate the effort and inspiration that were invested in the product. ‘’We have really nice paintings, nice pieces of art and we have what we call folk art like fall art painted on oyster and crab shells, old crab bushel basket lids and driftwood,’’ Tammy said. Also exciting is the addition of their ice cream shop next door. Maiden Maryland is unique for featuring artworks from different Maryland artists. They even have artwork from kids displayed in their store and they want to showcase work from artists of different skill levels. Their family has a background with carving and furniture making, but no one really continued with those skills and so they wanted to preserve them. ‘’My grandfather was a carver but we don't have anyone in the family who remains, or who has taken on that skill to carve. Tracy's dad could make kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and furniture out of the bamboo he chopped down in his yard,’’ Tammy said. There were challenges at first when they started opening, like finding a well-suited space for their store in the area, but the couple is happy that everything is falling into place and opportunities greater than planned are opening up for them. Tammy is also grateful Tracy was able to take a break from her 25 years in law enforcement to get the shop up and running. "I can’t imagine how I would have ever done it on my own." They want their business to grow not just in terms of the customers that come in, but with respect to the number of artists that they source from. Almost 90 percent of their products are made by artists from Cambridge, with the rest being from throughout Maryland. ‘’We did a little recruiting at a Maryland arts festival and found a lot of great artists there. We are basically looking to have more diversity in what we have.’’ Maiden Maryland has become a place where artists of diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to showcase their talent and skills, and communicate with the people through their arts. Tammy and Tracy want to showcase local products to make the community feel that they are part of it.‘’ I think we really made the community feel that it's their store.’
If you want more information about Maiden Maryland, please visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MaidenMaryland/ If you have had a wonderful experience with Maiden Maryland, please feel free to share and comment down below. Pregnancy and childbirth is such a joyous moment and the excitement that is felt having a new family member coming is palpable. It can also be accompanied by a roller coaster of emotions, especially for new parents. Physical and emotional efforts are often required to have a positive and successful pregnancy and delivery. That is why many turn to support from doulas. Before getting into the scope of what doulas really do and why they are very significant, we got an opportunity to talk with Emily Pelton and Camille Nyman, co-owners of Doulas of Baltimore. Founded by Emily in 2014 after over 15 years working as a doula, the agency expanded in 2018 and Camille, together with Debbie Bailey, became co-owners and partners with Emily. Since then, they continue to be committed to provide knowledge and support to families in the Baltimore area. So what does a doula really do? They provide pregnancy support. ‘’People can hire us and we support them with information, answering questions and providing emotional support through their entire pregnancy.’’ Camille said. Doulas of Baltimore are offering multiple services to ensure that their clients get the birth experience that they desire which includes the following: Pregnancy and Birth Doula Support. This includes prenatal meetings to discuss the client’s desired birth preferences. ‘’We do an in-home prenatal with them at around 35 weeks to help them answer any last-minute questions, and solidify any birth preferences,’’ Camille said. Emily also said that these supports are important to reduce the anxiety felt by the clients, and to help them become well-prepared for what to expect. The benefit to their clients is that they become well-informed, confident, and are able to determine what level of concern they should have before deciding to call the doctor. They also accompany their clients during the entire birth process to provide them emotional support as well as physical comfort measures, which can include massage and acupressure, and suggestions and assistance with position changes. They are on call 24/7. Newborn Care and Postpartum Support. Some people can hire them for support through birth and there are those who hire them as a postpartum doula or as a newborn care specialist. ’We go into the home with the family and help ease the transition of having a new family member, and fill in the gaps of the household that needs to be taken care of, so they can be thriving during that period of time.” This includes informational and emotional support where they help the clients feel assured of what they are doing with the baby, from holding the baby, to feeding them, or anything else that comes up day to day. They also help assist the family to make sure that the whole family, and not just the baby, is well taken care of. For example, Emily said that they even help in supporting the siblings. ‘’We do either an overnight or we go to evening shifts, so that after daycare or when older siblings are at home, we can make sure that everybody's needs in the family are taken care of." Doulas of Baltimore are composed of professional doulas who help you get the support you need. All their doulas are highly trained and have a thorough understanding of the hands-on techniques which are necessary for childbirth and newborn care.. For Camille, ‘’We have worked really long and hard to develop a vetting process for the people we have on our team, for the continuing education and mentorship, and for the opportunities for growth within our team. This is important because the doula industry is not a regulated industry and this provides the clients credible and reliable doulas to enhance their birth experience. For example, their most experienced doula, Emily, who started supporting families since 2002, has helped thousands of families and her experiences are priceless especially in mentoring others. Also, due to the value of their services, and word of mouth from their clients to their clients' own doctors, obstetricians are referring their patients to them for support. ‘’We're one of the only groups of doulas who consistently get a large portion of our referrals from obstetricians. We are evidence-based, we won't interfere with the doctor-patient relationship, and that's our structure", she added. Aside from having experienced and highly trained doulas, what makes them stand out is that they’re a supported agency. Your needs are taken care of and you get back up from a group for support.‘’ We take a very unbiased, non-judgemental approach-we want to help you prepare for what you want and help you handle the way your baby comes to you. We want the clients to find their own way to do this with having the feeling of being supported along the way’’, Emily said. As an owner Emily shared the things she enjoys doing in being a doula. “I love supporting my doulas and my team and mentoring. I also was a doula trainer for a while and I love that aspect to be able to reach even more families." I may not be doing client work anymore after 16 years of being on call, but I love that I was able to support more people.‘’ Camille shared that she likes the client’s side of things. ‘’I love teaching...so I really love families coming in and being able to answer their questions and concerns, and help the weight be lifted from them so they feel more confident to do parenting.’’ Emily, Camille and Debbie have enjoyed working with each other ever since they decided to join hands. This has made it possible for them to support not just the clients, but also other doulas in the community by conducting classes and helping them develop so they get better at their craft. With the success of Doulas of Baltimore, they want to continue to expand their team and support more families in Baltimore. For more information about Doulas of Baltimore, you can visit their website at https://www.doulasofbaltimore.com If you want to share a positive experience with Doulas of Baltimore, please feel free to comment down below. |
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