IDEAS/EVENTS

Posted by rmitchell on September 15, 2025

GIVE THE GIFT OF STYLE…

With the holidays around the corner, my hot-off-the-presses Gift Certificates are perfect for anyone on your list. Available in 60, 90 or 120 minute (or longer) design consultations, they are sure to delight everyone.

Who wouldn’t love some help with how to pull together a room, where to begin a renovation project, or simply which colour to paint a room? Good for one year, the recipient of your special gift can use their certificate in whichever way suits them best and whenever suits them best.

A scarf is nice, so is a tie, but wouldn’t you rather give the gift of style?

Please call 514.756.7898 or email for details.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

(WHAT THE COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO?)

I love preparing for Thanksgiving and this year was ahead of the game (no pun intended) by purchasing all of my paper plates ahead of time. Sounds tacky but trust me - when your new home doesn’t have a dishwasher you learn to live with tacky. For this reason, I am always on the lookout for interesting paper plates that I can use during the holidays so that I don’t spend the next year cleaning up.

Yesterday, I did a trial set up of the table and called my 10 year old daughter down to admire my festive display.

” Look at the plates I found with turkeys on them!“ I exclaimed.

She took one look and said, “Those aren’t turkeys, they’re ROOSTERS.“

OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE

A few years ago I saw a roof top terrace room in a design magazine and loved the fact that the owners had put “art” outside. This summer, I decided to create my own outdoor living room complete with an indoor/outdoor carpet, art on the wall and an electric lamp (love Ikea) for ambiance. I’m already sad that I will have to pack it all up for the winter in a few weeks.

FLOWER POWER

You don’t have to spend a fortune on beautiful floral arrangements. At Loblaws, I picked up a few discounted bouquets of colourful carnations and crimson lilies (all reduced to sell but fine) and some long stemmed roses (on sale at $1 each). Next, I hit my local Dollarama and found three striking square bronze vases (4×4x4) for $2 each that I will definitely use again at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

TIP: Use scotch tape to make a grid across the vase and place the flowers in between the grid. They will stay perfectly in place and no one will see the tape.

Cost of my flowers without vases - $12.

Cost for three similar arrangements from a florist - about $75.

Cost of knowing that I created something beautiful on the cheap - priceless (although I think I might be in the wrong business).

CAKE WALK

You really don’t need to break the bank for your special occasion cakes. I inherited my love for baking from my mother (people have talked about her English trifle for decades) so I always make my own cakes. But even if you use a cake mix there are easy ways to decorate to make them look special. The same principles apply as in any decorating - colour, balance and originality.

TIP: Most of my cake decorations are picked up at Dollarama. It’s amazing what you can do with a little imagination and a buck.

Some of the flowers on these cupcakes were flower candles.

Wedding cake for my brother and his beautiful Chinese wife

Soldier cake for my son during his army phase

Party cakes for my daughter’s birthday

OPEN HOUSE - SEPT. 10, 2009

Thank you all for coming out to support me. It was a lot of fun. For those of you who couldn’t make it, maybe I’ll make this a yearly event (if I can afford the staff).

P.S. 10 bonus points if you recognized that I bought this dress because it resembled my new green logo - I know, sad but true.

A big thank you to my “belle soeur” Sonia for taking these ”belles photos!”

HOLIDAY DECORATING SERVICES

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to walk through your door and find your home decorated for the holidays and looking like something out of a magazine?

By using what you already have (or adding to your collection), I will transform your entire home with beautiful holiday *decorating features that reflect your style and budget. Traditional or original. Entire rooms or just one special feature. It’s up to you. (*artificial or real floral arrangements, wreaths, table displays, mantles, tree trimming, staircases, lights, front doors, exteriors, etc.)

Visions of sugarplums are fine for Dickens. But wouldn’t you really prefer visions of a stylish and elegant Christmas?

MY FIRST PODCAST INTERVIEW

Speaking of holiday decorating, please have a listen to my online podcast debut during which I am interviewed by radio personality, voice actor and marketing expert, David Tyler (of FMQ92 fame).

Click on the link below and scroll down to Episode Two:

http://www.davidtyler.com/podcast

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