Nothing wrong with having fun while learning, and Mag’s 45-minute, high-energy presentation has always been a favourite on the home improvement convention circuit. Funny, dynamic and reassuring, Mag covers the critical essentials of confident home ownership, including a hands-on power tool demonstration, an entertaining video demonstrating core homeowner skills and an outline of the best places to jump into the upgrade game.

“My presentations are packed with shortcuts and insider information for homeowners of all skill levels,” she says. “Hopefully, it will satisfy show attendees on the practical level while bolstering their self-esteem and courage.”

Her lighthearted banter and trademark goofiness are what makes her different from the rest of the home improvement crowd. “I’m not afraid of making a goof of myself if it will help somebody. I get a lot of empathy from the audience and this in turn boosts their confidence in handling power tools and makes them say ‘hey, if she can do it, so can I’.”

Male audience predominates
She adds that half her audience are men who find her earthy, humorous way of explaining home improvement very helpful in bolstering their own confidence. “Men don’t want to be made fun at, especially when it comes to home repair things. That’s why they hesitate asking questions from professional tradesmen, but with me they have no such worry,” she says.

Mag was always destined to be a star, but her unlikely handywoman celebrity status came about in a roundabout way. She had first made her mark starring in films such as “Anne of Green Gables” and “Anne of Avonlea” and the TV series “Road to Avonlea.” During one hiatus from filming, she found herself in California where she met her husband, fellow tradesman Daniel Hunter, and the two married in 1989.

“I discovered I had this hidden talent with power tools, and I just had to overcome my initial fear and this is what I try to impart to my audience,” she says. “If I can do it, almost anyone can.”

Mag Ruffman is also a television producer, writer, actress and building contractor. She spent five seasons in a tool belt as host, creator and producer of the fix-it classic “A Repair to Remember” and the Gemini-nominated workshop series

“Anything I Can Do.” She also created and hosted the groundbreaking relationship show “Men On Women” for W Network and is a national spokesperson with Habitat for Humanity Canada.

Southern Alberta’s top design show
Ruffman is only one of several high-profile industry celebrities scheduled to attend this year’s Calgary Home + Interior Design Show that runs from September 17 to 20 at the BMO Centre in Stampede Park.

The show is fast becoming the Southern Alberta mecca for all things home improvement and interior design, attracting over 30,000 attendees every fall, who look to the show for inspiration, solutions and advice on their projects. There are more than 200 exhibitors this year displaying everything from appliances to home décor and health and fitness products.

This year’s show promises to be another jam-packed event with a stellar line-up of guests, including Cheryl Torrenueva, from HGTV’s Colin & Justin’s Home Heist & Food TVs Restaurant Makeover; Bryan Baeumler of HGTV’s Disaster DIY; local interior design guru Alykhan Velji and his Edmonton counterpart Rosalyn Lazaruk (see below); and Canada AM’s home décor expert, Karl Lohnes. And, of course, Mag.

There are also several showcase features on home improvement and design including Future Shop’s ConnectPro, where guests can learn how to connect their latest electronics in style to create the bold looks of the future using high contrasts of streamlined contours and oversized accents, translucent elements and playful colour combinations.

Mag says she is looking forward to the show and knows how enthusiastic the Calgary crowd can be. “I know a lot of people can find my empowering little pep talk useful and I’m just happy to be given the opportunity.”

She says she is currently planning a 25-city cross-country tour and is looking for a retail partner to sponsor the trip. “The idea is to visit a home that needs repairs in each city and whose owners are overwhelmed by the task and do a show based on that. We can partner with local retailers as well to hold mini-seminars at their stores and make it a media event.” CL

Rosalyn Lazaruk
‘Staycation’ – fun and style at home

Money tight? Not enough time off work? ‘Staycation’ is the ideal solution for having fun and relaxing outdoors during poor economic times. Renowned Edmonton interior designer Rosalyn Lazaruk, will divulge the best way to make the most out of your downtime and still have fun in Alberta’s (or even your own) backyard during the Calgary Home + Interior Design Show.

Rosalyn will be speaking about discovering the oft-ignored vacation spots in Alberta, where lakeside fun is readily available (including in Sylvan Lake and Waterton), as are hiking though the mountain paths along the Rockies, or biking and exploring through the Badlands of Drumheller.

“There are tons of things to do in and around the province. We just want to get people to realize the opportunities for an inexpensive way to relax, have fun and enjoy downtime with the family close to home,” she says.

There are plenty of scenic spots in Alberta that have largely flown under the tourism radar and its time they got their share of the limelight, she says. “There’s this really beautiful Japanese garden in Lethbridge, there’s the Dinosaur Trail in Drumheller, there’s Ride the Wind ranch in Rocky Mountain House where visitors can experience life as a cowboy, and then there’s the En Sante organic fruit winery in Brosseau in central Alberta, and those are just the tip of the iceberg,” Rosalyn says.

Her show will also give tips on how to bring your vacation experience home by translating it into a unique home design. “It can be as simple as putting in a tropical plant into a spot in your home that will bring in a sense of your vacation experience and create a relaxing atmosphere,” she says. Focus is on a new Canadiana design, and she will have works from different local artists and their unique design sensibilities.

Rosalyn has been working in design and decor for six years, and established her own business, Wicketblue Interiors, in 2004. She has a broad repertoire of experience both in designing personal spaces within the home, as well as in implementing intriguing space and design concepts within the commercial setting.

Through her experience as a colour consultant with Benjamin Moore, Rosalyn is adept at creating a balance of colours that inspire the senses. Insightful and infinitely resourceful, Rosalyn understands the intimate relationship of design and self-expression and is devoted to developing and implementing unique design ideas that reflect the vision and individuality of her clients. CL