House & Home Dec. 2015 by Bradford Publishing

DECEMBBER 2015 Vol. 1 Iss. 7

A Victorian Christmas “I love decorating, and I love Christmas”

Local contractors discuss ʻwinterizingʼ home

Organize room by room

Christmas Decorating Doʼs and Donʼts

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

Local contractors discuss ʻwinterizingʼ home By Diana McElfresh Special to House & Home

hough winter has been slow in arriving this year, there’s no doubt it’s on its way. As cold weather sets in for the season, local contracts suggest homeowners can keep their homes warm in a variety of ways while staying energy-efficient. According to Dana Oakes of Anderson-Shortell in Olean, N.Y., to maintain warmth while saving on energy costs, “The best thing is to make sure you’re using high-efficiency heaters and boilers. Those are your best energy savers.” Efficiency ratings can be found on the labels of big appliances, and a mark of 95.6 percent or higher is considered “high-efficiency,” Oakes said. Oakes also noted it’s important to keep windows and doors well insulated and to install new, insulated windows whenever possible. “You lose the majority of your heat out of windows and doors,” he said. Nick Shembeda of Shembeda Plumbing and Heating in Olean agreed with Oakes and added that older, one-pane windows can be insulated with a special plastic covering found at home improvement centers. The plastic can be applied to windows using a hair dryer. As for doors, Shembeda recommended purchasing adhesive threshold sealer. “You can also put draft socks in front of (the door),” Shembeda said, “which is like an insulated bean bag that keeps cold air from coming in through the cracks.” Shembeda also recommended checking basements and crawl spaces for cracks in the foundation and sealing them. “Cracks in the foundation can lead to frozen pipes,” he warned. Shembeda also suggested having heating and cooling systems checked by plumbers once a year. “Just like anything else in life, you’ve got to maintain (your heating systems),” he said. Rob Granger of Yes Foam in Olean recommended home-

owners get their air infiltration levels checked by a licensed professional before the winter really sets in. He explained that air infiltration is when outside air enters homes accidentally through doors and windows. Granger suggested buying a humidifier for winter months. “Humid, moist air holds heat,” he said.

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

Olean home brings tidings of Victorian Christmas

Deb Wuethrich/Olean Times Herald Home owner and teacher Eileen Skrobacz surrounds herself with a festive atmosphere in her Victorian home.

By Deb Wuethrich

Special to House & Home

rightly painted wooden soldiers march up the stairs and continue their trek on stained-glass window sills. Lights, greenery and shimmering garland sparkle in every room. Frank and Eileen Skrobacz’s Victorian home at 231 N. Fourth St. is a Christmas showcase, inside and out. “I love decorating, and I love Christmas,” Eileen Skrobacz said. Even when it’s not Christmas, she keeps a wall of holiday items in her front room. “I’ve done that ever since we were married,” she said. “It’s a way to keep Christmas all year.” Skrobacz also sets a creative table in her dining room, changing the theme each month. The Skrobaczs have lived in the house for 13 years and raised two daughters, Annie and Maria, there from the time the girls were in middle school. Frank Skrobacz is a buyer for

Keystone Tool and Dye in Westons Mills, and Eileen Skrobacz teaches English at Olean Intermediate Middle School. The corner house, painted cream and burgundy, was built in the 1800s by a man who owned a meat company. The current owners fell in love with the house as soon as they saw it. “It reminded us of my parents’ house on Fulton Street,” Skrobacz said. “Growing up there I was used to a big house with tall, tall ceilings, and with this house, my husband doesn’t have to duck in archways and doorways like he did in other houses we’ve lived in. He’s 6-foot-4.” Skrobacz remembers always going all-out for Christmas because her mother also loved decorating and would trim six fireplace mantels in their home. “I only have three mantels here,” she said. One in the family room is hung with stockings and trimmed with small figurines. An entryway fireplace takes visitors back to Victorian Christmas continues on page

House & Home

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

Victorian Christmas continued from page

an earlier time with its Victorian-themed decorations, including an old sled propped nearby. “Our neighbor was going to get rid of it, but I said, ‘I want it!’” Skrobacz said. Several of the decorations she made by hand, such as some wooden trees, red blocks that spell out “Christmas” and a ceramic Nativity set. Others are from years of collecting, such as the parade of snowmen that surround the house’s third mantel in a cozy front room. “Every year the day after Thanksgiving, my husband brings the totes down from the attic,” Skrobacz said. There are now at least 40 of them that have to be hauled down three flights of stairs. “We try to have it done by Sunday,” she added. She estimates the process takes “a good 30 hours,” with both working approximately 10 hours per day to get everything just right. To stay organized, Skrobacz labels every tote and Deb Wuethrich/Olean Times Herald A fireplace in the entryway is decorated with a Victorian flair.

DECEMBER 17, 2015

Deb Wuethrich/Olean Times Herald Generous window light bathes the entryway at the Skrobaczs’ Victorian home.

makes notes of which items go in which room and whether it is on a mantel, shelf or table. Her favorites include a large, white angel trimmed in gold and other pieces that belonged to her parents. It sits on a large, custom-built bookcase that also belonged to them and brings fond memories to Skrobacz. There are also stories to every ornament and decoration. When Skrobacz was a junior in high school she visited her brother, who was stationed in Germany, and brought home some delicate pieces, including a Nuremberg angel for a friend. A couple of fragile pyramid pieces are packed away, but almost everything is on display every year. “We’ve also gone to Broadway Market to get the good stacking Santas that are kind of hard to find anymore,” she said. Family and friends help add to her angel and snowman collections. They also give her snow globes. “I also go to a lot of craft shows and find things there,” Skrobacz said. “I try not to buy — but I can’t help it. I just love Christmas.”

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

Organize room by room W

hile resolving to lose weight or quit smoking are popular New Year’s resolutions, many people decide the dawn of a new year is a great time to get organized. The holiday season can interfere with one’s ability to stay organized. The arrival of new gifts, decorations decking the halls and overnight guests can make it seem like rooms have been turned upside down. But the end of the holiday season provides a great chance to sort through belongings and start organizing in earnest. Men and women who want to get organized can consult with a professional organizer or tackle the job on their own, potentially enlisting the help of others in the household. Step 1: Assess the damage. It can be difficult to get organized without first taking inventory of your home. Go through all of the rooms in the house and decide what your goals for each room are, jotting those goals down as you go. See if the rooms have more storage potential than you’re utilizing, particularly those rooms that are overrun with items. Storage can include shelves on walls, new furniture or modified closet spaces. Again, jot down your ideas so you can refer back to them later on. Step 2: Set up a sorting plan. Organizing may involve sorting through belongings and getting rid of things you no longer use. One of the easier ways to handle sorting is to purchase three different containers or make three different piles. The first one will hold items you will keep, the second includes items that can be sold or donated and the last will house items that you will discard or recycle. Separating belongings in this manner can help you stay on task and remove some of the stress from getting organized. Simply move the containers that are no longer needed from the room when you’re ready to organize the remaining belongings. Step 3: Schedule your cleaning days. It may take a couple of sessions to get certain rooms clean, so plan ahead for that. For example, you may need a day to sort and toss items, another day to prep the room with organizational enhancements and yet another to put everything back. Separating tasks into manageable sessions will help you reach smaller goals that eventually add up to your larger goal of get-

ting more organized. Plan project days when you can devote time with few, if any, distractions. You may want to ask a friend or family member to take care of your children or pets for a few hours while you are tackling your tasks. Organizing around the trash pickup schedule can help, too. This way discarded items are quickly out of sight and out of mind. Step 4: Prepare your day. Have all of your necessary equipment on hand in advance of Day 1. This eliminates having to go on the search for supplies, which can prove distracting. Make sure you are well rested and have eaten a hearty meal. Set an alarm for how long you want the organizational session to go. If you work until you reach the point of fatigue, you may not be inclined to finish on another day. Step 5: Reward yourself. Every time you finish an organizational session or goal, treat yourself to something nice, such as a dinner out or a massage. Choose something relaxing that makes you happy. Step 6: Repeat the process. When one room is organized, establish your plan for the next room. Once you see the success that comes from the first room, you can use that as motivation to do the others at your own pace. Getting organized may take some time, but it can be well worth the reward when a home is clean and everything has a place. TF15C726

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

What Is The Future of the Antiques and Collectibles Show Circuit? By Harry L. Rinker Harry L. Rinker, LLC

In late September 2015, I received an email from a friend. An announcement from Dan Darby, General Manager of U.S. Antique Shows announcing the cancelation of the March 2016 New York Pier Show was attached. Darby stated: “Dealer participation in the 2014 and 2015 March Pier Shows was less than desired, with 2015 slightly lower than the preceding year. This continues a more than 10-year trend that has seen the Pier Antique Show reduced from a 2-weekend, 3-location event to its current 2-day run at Pier 94.” The announcement suggested the March show concept was postponed, not abandoned. A 2017 March Pier show is possible. The trade is advised not to hold its collective breath. In its heyday in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the New York Pier Show, under the direction of Irene Stella and Stella Show Management, was one of America’s premier antiques and collectibles shows. At its peak, the Peer Show required three New York passenger terminals to house it. One terminal was devoted to antiques (Classic Pier), a second to collectibles (Twentieth Century Pier), and a third (American Pier) to a mix of the two. The show was an adventure, the atmosphere electric, and the selection of objects an “I have died and gone to heaven” moment. In May 2013, Irene Stella retired, sold the New York Pier Antique Show and Antiques at the Armory Show to GLM (U.S. Antique Shows), and announced the restructuring of her company. Stella Show Management Company now manages “Country Living Fair” shows in Atlanta, Columbus (OH), Nashville, and Rhinebeck (NY). These shows focus on decorating with rather than collecting antiques and collectibles. Is the cancelation of the March 2016 New York Pier Show an anomaly or symbolic of a trend marking the decline of the traditional antiques and collectibles show? Forget anomaly. The Pier show cancelation is one of several 2015 bellwethers suggesting the intermediate and long-term future for some antiques and collectibles shows does not bode well. In January 2015, Richard H. Worley, the chair of the advisory committee for the Philadelphia Antiques Show, informed dealers in an email “there will not be a Philadelphia Antiques Show in 2015.” The show was scheduled for April 11-13. He cited high Convention Center costs and the inability of the show director to expand the dealer roster and achieve other expansion goals as reasons for the cancelation. The email indicated an effort will be made to regroup for an April 2016 show. EMG (Events Management Group) canceled the 48th Virginia Beach Antiques Show scheduled for August 7 to 9, 2015. The cancelation announcement noted: “Given the cost of facility rental, increased advertising rates, the current state of the economy, and the general decline in the antique business world, we do not have enough participating dealers to be able to present the high-quality show that you [at-

tendees] have come to expect from Events Management Group…we have examined all options and have found no reasonable solution to the current situation and cannot move forward with this show now or in the future.” EMG is not making promises it is not prepared to keep. Barn Star Productions canceled its August 7, 2015, Pickers Mart Antiques Show scheduled for Concord, New Hampshire. The show was more than 20 years old. It was one of the many activities associated with Antiques Week in New Hampshire. Specialized antiques and collectibles shows show similar signs of stress. The February 7-8, 2015 Antique Sporting and Collectibles Show at the Sunnyview Exposition Center and Winnebago Fairgrounds in Oshkosh, Wisconsin was canceled. The good news is that Nona Amour acquired the show and has announced a return of the show on February 5 and 6, 2016. Many antiques and collectibles shows take place in older venue locations. A closure or renovation impacts a show. School construction postponed the 2015 White House Antiques Show held at the Hawken School in Gates Mills, Ohio. Miami Beach is planning a major renovation of its convention facility, a project that is slated to take more than a year to complete. Dealer angst as to where the show will relocate already has reached fever pitch. Many antiques and collectibles shows that have not canceled face serious challenges. Although the secondary market price for antiques and collectibles has stabilized following the impact of the 2008-2009 Great Recession, the same cannot be said for the antiques and collectibles show circuit. Many show promoters continue to struggle to match 2013 and 2014 numbers. Stabilization and turn-around is the exception, not the rule. [Author’s Aside: This is a not a sky is falling, the end is near column. Antiques and collectibles shows will not disappear. They are a viable sales venue in the trade.] The golden age of the antiques and collectibles show circuit was the 1980s and 1990s. A return to those glorious days is an ardent wish of many old-timers. It is a dream, not a reality. The 2008-2009 Great Recession, the Millennials and Generation Z, and the digital age caused change that cannot be reversed. The cited cancelations indicate that antiques and collectibles shows at all levels within the marketplace are encountering problems. The cancelations are the visible signs. Concern beneath the surface is quietly, but quickly spreading. Grumbling is becoming prevalent among promoters, dealers, and customers, especially those individuals who have been involved in the trade for more than two decades. The avoidance of the blame game is critical. Promoters complain about increasing costs involved in building rental, insurance, and advertising. Their show dealer base is aging. Dealers grouse about the increased cost of booth rental, inventory, and overhead expenses. Buyers whine about high prices, lack of merchandise, and the high cost of attending a show.

continues on next page

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

Although all these issues have merit, the key is for the three groups to accept reality and work together to find solutions. The three groups are dependent on each other. Those who argue that the antiques and collectibles show circuit has a pendulum that swings between market strength resting with the seller and the buyer are mistaken. Selling and buying antiques and collectibles is not a test of will. It is a partnership between the parties involved that, hopefully, results in a win-win-win situation for the three groups. Who in the trade is in a position to create the dialogue that will bring these three groups together? My first choice would be a consortium of antiques and collectibles trade papers. If there is no interest there, then I look to the show promoters to take the lead. Show promoters are the only group among the three that is organized. Nature abhors a vacuum. The same is true for the antiques and collectibles show business. When an antiques and collectibles show location vacuum exists, show promoters will step in and fill it. Norm Schaut, the founder of the fabled Atlantique City, is an example of the “never say die” antiques and collectibles show promoter. After selling Atlantique City to Krause and watching the show deteriorate and fail to the point where Krause could not find a buyer for it, Schaut used his entrepreneurial skills to launch an Atlantique City-style show at the Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania. Although unsuccessful, Schaut did not give up. He created the “Antique City Fun Fair,” held in Lehigh University’s Rauch Field House located in Saucon Valley, Pennsylvania. In its fourth year, it is now operated by William Thomas. In 2010, Allison Kohler of JKM Shows filled the Atlantic City, New Jersey, show void. I had the privilege of appearing at the first March show. Allison remains com-

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

mitted to the Atlantic City venue. Although attempts to establish a spring/fall show pattern were not successful, the March show, now at Harrah’s Waterfront, remains viable. I applaud Allison for her persistence and willingness to experiment. She tried to return to the Atlantic City Convention Center for an April 11-12, 2015 show. Unfortunately, the show was postponed. To end on a positive note, many of the mid-size and smaller antiques and collectibles shows have or are close to stabilizing. A strong cadre of show promoters is working hard to see that the antiques and collectibles show venue survives. There will be additional show cancelations. However, when reading a story about a show cancelation in a trade periodical, check the advertisements and reports of those shows that do take place as scheduled. Applaud and support show promoters’ efforts to launch new shows. Finally, spread the word that visiting an antiques and collectibles show is a fun adventure. Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those massproduced items from the twentieth and twenty-ﬁrst centuries. Selected letters will be answered in this column. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Photos and other material submitted cannot be returned. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5955 Mill Point Court SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. You also can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker@aol.com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. You can listen and participate in WHATCHA GOT?, Harry’s antiques and collectibles radio call-in show, on Sunday mornings between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Eastern Time. If you cannot ﬁnd it on a station in your area, WHATCHA GOT? streams live on the Internet at www.gcnlive.com.

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

NY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

PA SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Cattaraugus County

Allegany County

McKean County, Pa.

Potter County, Pa.

Allegany-Limestone Central School District 3131 Five Mile Road Allegany, NY 14706 716-375-6600

Alfred-Almond Central School District 6795 Route 21 Almond, NY 14804 607-276-2981

Bradford Area School District 150 Lorana Ave. P.O. Box 375 Bradford, Pa. 16701 | 814-362-3841

Austin Area School District 138 Costello Ave. Austin, Pa. 16720 (814) 647-8603

Cattaraugus-Little Valley Central School District 207 Rock City Street Little Valley, NY 14755 716-938-9155

Andover Central School District 31-35 Elm Street Andover, NY 14806 607-478-8491

Otto-Eldred School District 143 R.L. Sweitzer Drive Duke Center, Pa. 16729 814-817-1380

Belfast Central School District 1 King Street Belfast, NY 14711 585-365-9940

Smethport Area School District 414 S. Mechanic St. Smethport, Pa. 16749-1522 814-887-5543

Bolivar-Richburg Central School District 100 School Street Bolivar, NY 14715 585-928-2561

Kane Area School District 400 W. Hemlock Ave. Kane, Pa. 16735 814-837-9570

Ellicottville Central School District 5873 Route 219 Ellicottville, NY 14731 716-699-2368 Franklinville Central School District 31 North Main Street Franklinville, NY 14737 716-676-8029 Gowanda Central School District 10674 Prospect Street Gowanda, NY 14070 716-532-3325 Hinsdale Central School District 3701 Main Street Hinsdale, NY 14743 716-557-2227 Olean City School District 410 West Sullivan Street Olean, NY 14760 716-375-8018 Portville Central School District 500 Elm Street Portville, NY 14770 716-933-7141 Randolph Central School District 18 Main Street Randolph, NY 14772 716-358-6161 Salamanca City School District 50 Iroquois Drive Salamanca, NY 14779 716-945-2403 Southern Tier Catholic School and Archbishop Walsh Academy 208 North 24th Street Olean NY 14760 716.372.8122 West Valley Central School District 5359 School Street West Valley, NY 14171 716-942-3293 Yorkshire-Pioneer Central School District 12125 County Line Road Yorkshire, NY 14173 716-492-9304

Canaseraga Central School District 4-8 Main Street Canaseraga, NY 14822 607-545-6421 Cuba-Rushford Central School District 5476 Route 305 Cuba, NY 14727 585-968-1556 Fillmore Central School District 104 Main Street Fillmore, NY 14735 585-567-2251 Friendship Central School District 46 West Main Street Friendship, NY 14739 716-973-3534 Genesee Valley Central School District 1 Jaguar Dr Belmont, NY 14813 585-268-7900 Scio Central School District 3968 Washington Street Scio, NY 14880 585-593-5510 Wellsville Central School District 126 West State Street Wellsville, NY 14895 585-596-2170 Whitesville Central School District 692 Main Street Whitesville, NY 14897 607-356-3301

Port Allegany School District 87 Clyde Lynch Drive Port Allegany, Pa. 16743 814-642-2590

Coudersport Area School District 698 Dwight St. Coudersport, Pa. 16915 814-274-9480 Northern Potter School District 745 Northern Potter Road Ulysses, Pa. 16948 814-848-7506 Oswayo Valley Area School District 277 Oswayo St. Shinglehouse, Pa. 16748 814-597-7175

Cameron County, Pa. Cameron County School District 601 Woodland Ave. Emporium, Pa. 15834 814-486-4000

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

Christmas Decorating Doʼs and Donʼts By Josh Hatcher

Special to House & Home

s Twin Tiers residents drum up holiday cheer this December, a lack of snow certainly isn’t dampening the mood. We thought we’d give you some tongue- in- cheek decorating advice, so that you can deck your halls with some solid tips — and a few laughs. DO upgrade your lights! LEDs are becoming more affordable every year. They glow brighter and use less electricity, and the bulbs last longer than the little incandescent lights. DON’T throw out your old ones just yet. Especially if they’re still working. Go ahead and replace the strands that aren’t lighting up. But more lights means you have a better chance of being the brightest house on the block. Besides, your mother taught you not to waste perfectly good things. You really don’t want a lecture from her over Christmas dinner, right? DO check your light bulbs individually. If you have the time and want to get that half- lit strand working, go through the strand, one bulb at a time, removing each and replacing it with a new bulb. If there is only one dead light, this method should find it. Multiple dead bulbs are usually harder to find. DON’T try to remove bulbs with your teeth. This almost sounds like useless advice. The kind of statement that doesn’t really need to be said, until you actually try to remove the bulbs by hand. Inevitably, a hard- to- remove bulb will frustrate you, and you may be tempted to try to gain a little leverage by using your teeth. This is not a good idea, and it will create an immediate and striking painful sensation in your face. It may not be as painful as a police officer using a Taser on you, but it is a similar sensation. DO use inflatables! Lighted, inflatable lawn decorations are all the rage; in fact, one house on Looker Mountain Trail in Rixford has over 100 of them! They’re cute. DON’T forget to take them down. Imagine the horror of a dozen inflatable cartoon characters in Santa hats colliding with a pickup truck driving by after a wind gust. DO decorate your yard with reindeer! Reindeer are cute and a very popular holiday decoration. DON’T be surprised if your deer is shot by a hunter. You

may want to make sure your deer is covered in lights, or obviously cartoonish, to prevent an overzealous hunter from taking a shot. DO put a light-up Santa in your yard! Light-up Santa Claus decorations have been around for a long time. Some vintage decorations are actually worth a lot of money! DON’T use a seated Santa. Or else your yard will suddenly be filled with a long queue of schoolchildren waiting to sit on his lap. DO use plastic hangers for outside decorations. They are affordable and easy to use. They’re also easy to remove, which will make a big difference if you are trying to remove them in ice and snow after the holidays. They don’t damage your shingles or siding, and they help mount the lights evenly. DON’T use nails or screws to hang lights, for a few reasons. The first is that if you try to drive a nail or screw a nail in between the wires, you may nick the wire and damage the lights. The other is that if you wrap the wire around a nail, you may create another unwanted consequence. If you remember from science class, a wire carrying an electric current wrapped around a piece of metal creates an electromagnet. Considering the number of nails and wires you’ve used to hang your lights, you are dealing with multiple electromagnetic currents. This could cause an electromagnetic field to resonate with the fillings in your teeth, and you’ll start to pick up a radio signal in your head. DO set up a nativity scene through which Christians and non-Christians alike can appreciate the story of the birth of Jesus — whether you view it as myth or Gospel truth, it’s a good reminder that Christmas isn’t just about gifts, cookies and office parties. There is more to the story, and it involves peace, love and a powerful message about a baby born in a feeding trough. DON’T be THAT guy. You know — the one that gets offended when someone wishes him “Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” Nothing says “Jesus is the reason for the season” like an good, old-fashioned store boycott or a rude exchange with a stranger! Let’s let peace on Earth and good will to men be at the center of whatever holiday it is that we celebrate this season.

THE BRADFORD ERA • OLEAN TIMES HERALD • THE SALAMANCA PRESS

House & Home

DECEMBER 17, 2015