Maggie Walt and Wine !

Thursday is our monthly, after-work mixer, we call "Maggie Hour". From 5pm – 8pm we invite you, and perhaps a friend or two from the office, to join us for a glass of wine and a little socializing with a bit of fashion and shopping. Our theme for Thursday is Office Wear & Day Wear. We'll feature some of our best ideas and specials will be announced during the evening. Please join us on Thursday. We look forward to seeing you then…
11217 Jasper Avenue(780) 482-1238

Pinks,oranges and green silks!

Silk for bedroom!

We have choosen, this is it!
Lined with blackout and some felt to give the silk some body, with small inverted pleats on the valance. You will love it ! Finally, one bedroom done!

Taupes again

All the patterns you need for easy reference to create a balanced room! And affordable!

Smoky blues

This would be a great line for a cabin or a country inspired room

Imagine these glittery sheers in a little girls room!

Taupe sheers and glitter!

Things to spend money on!

I have a love-love with round tables. I love the fact there is no 'head of the table', you can see everyone around the table. Plus, I especially love 'expandable' round tables. Imagine having a round table that seats 4-6- and magically expands to seat 8,10- or 12 and the table is still round!
Now, these tables are not cheap, they are investment pieces. Having said that we all need investment pieces in our home, future heirlooms, and you can save so much space! Space is expensive. You can have a small round table that expands in a regular 'square' room and save on floorspace.
Linens, well again, I guess the round linens get passed on down with the table, as they are not cheap either!
Judy from McElherans fine furniture sent me the above picture.
[JudyF@mcelherans.com]
http://www.mcelherans.com

(Shhhh- by the way they are having the most incredible sale on 'estate quality' furniture right now. If you have a spare dime this is the time to invest it in great quality furniture. Honest, some of the prices seem like cost to me!)
I am still begging Judy for some images of two of the tables she has in the showroom- round expandable tables.
Trust me when I get the pictures I will add them. This is one item I covet- I sooo want an expandable round table. I would save thousands- no need for a new house, special dining room, I would plop that expensive baby in my kitchen area and love the hell out of it!
My heirs can refinish it when I am done!

These are amazing glittery sheers!

A week of fabric!
check out these crazy colours. In a gauzy, glittery sheer material!

Chocolate for Charity!

Can charity ever possibly better than this? Click on to enlarge image

Shoes, chocolate, wine and women-Oh vay!

This is a link for winery, small little vineyard owned by a lovely funky woman. Ruby Tuesday Winery = the name alone is too much fun. The artwork is by Jennifer Garant. I know- you are getting tired of my shameless promotion of her.

BUT, she actually e-mailed me! I feel like I am chatting with my rock-goddess! I am just like a little kid!

Her work is truly so much fun

http://rubytuesdaywinery.com/

I have to scan and show you ladies some pictures I have of shoes--oh vay! These shoes truly would change your life!

Now off to find shoes called 'fat babies'?

Time to think about winter

This is the time every year I clean out closets and linens. (I can't believe I still have stuff!). I clean out clothes, bedding, pillows, coats and bundle them all up to give to charity.
One should have a warm coat in the winter. Especially the poor souls that for what-ever reason are down on their luck!
So, I bundle, bug friends for their items they no longer use and take them to either the Bissel Centre here in Edmonton or my friend's care centre on the west-end.
This year I will be donating to

Christian Care Centre.....
10137-150 St. 780 484-5847
......outreach ministry of Paul's' Anglican church
mission statement
"we are here listen".......".first in prayer.".....comforts, hot coffee, snacks....sometime more depending on what volunteer brings in......maybe full breakfast, homemade soup, roast turkey, then sandwiches, clothing room, fellowship, prayer.....community gathering place for all....Mon-Fri 9:30-12:00 noon.

While it is run by a church, they do not turn anyone away. Apparently there is increased need in the west-end of Edmonton for food, clothes,small kitchen goods.
Also, a growing homeless group.
Often, we do not think of those in need until the snow is falling and we see a poor soul bundled up in a doorway. Then we thank 'our god' that is not us.
Or we think of giving during the winter religious festivities- which is great!
But, I think we should think of those in need before the snow falls, so they can be better prepared.
When shopping for your new coat- think do you need your old one?
Can you spare a few dollars and drop into a second hand store and pick one up for a less fortunate soul?
Thanks
Raine

fantastic taupes blue greys and black

Cheap chic bathroom

Just a few touch ups on an existing room. The marble floors were the splurge (I am having a trend for marble floors) The vanity, sink and taps were all around $500.00 dollars, that is a steal- and look at those taps! Square and highly polished! The doors on the vanity have the little inside buttons so they do not slam shut, the hardware on the drawers is awesome! Truly incredible quality for the price! Reminds me of German or Italian production!
The mirror- Ikea. Also I hate towels bars so we used some cheap little hooks from a hardware store and kept the beadboard lined walls and painted out the wood finish with a glossy lilac. Terrific room. Problem is the first thing you see when you enter to the room is the shower curtain. We installed a nice enough one for now but are on the hunt for the perfect fabric (I found one but at $180.00 a yard we are still looking! We may end up with the pricey fabric as there is no artwork in this room and the shower curtain will be the focal point. I shall keep you in the loop and promise to get an image of it to post so you can see just how perfect it is !

Cheap Chic Bathroom

Hmmm, not the perfect colour

Affordable silk for the

shower curtain.

But another white

drape? It is washable

though

owe

Actually, I really need that expensive cotton embroderied fabric, or a nice crisp linen. The room is very high gloss already and the texture of rough cotton or linen will add interest.

Fall is in the air!

Bye Bye great days of BB'Q's! Bye Bye great chicken wings!

I love fall, it is the winter that follows fall that I am not so crazy about. Also, this year, here in Edmonton, we had an unusually long- long cold winter, no spring and a crummy summer! So, fall is just not welcome yet!

However, it is a fantastic time for the fashion crowd... new fabrics are arriving at my door everyday! Phone calls and emails from friends and business associates showing me their new lines, artwork, furniture, fabrics and hardware!

It can be very exciting, and also the FUNdraisers are starting again, the season is getting into full swing, Citadel with a spectacular line up this year!

Symphony is getting underway. Just spent most of the weekend evenings on the grass at Hawrelak park enjoying the annual Symphony under the Stars. It is one of my favorite of the summer festivals. I know I say that for almost all of them, but this is the last of the year and I have been going for so long my friend and I are just not sure but we agree it is somewhere around 10-15 years! The crowds are growing every year, and every year the weather becomes more uncertain!

Brilliant Friends

I know some of the most brilliant people!
The gentleman that made this chair- and yes he is a true gentleman as well- is a brilliant artist!
I am presently begging him to allow me to post some images of an incredible dining table he has made- but it is "just not finished yet". Artists!
For my little story on chic cheap offices, he had to show me his version of the old door turned into a desk. OMG- it is almost impossible to take an image of it because it has such a high gloss sheen to it! An old door, a very old door, the panes filled with resins, polished with little treats and surprises hidden within the various panes! I must get you an image!
Then, he is also working on a major art production that will bring a type of modern earth friendly, inter-active sculpture to the masses!
We must wait for that- trust me though I want to put my commission in already!
In the meantime- while I beg and cajole with him- the image above is a piece he made with layers of wood veneers, polish and an old metal chair!

Talk about re-purposing, re-using! This chair is so comfy, so very neat! In, addition, it was saved from a landfill! Now this is an artist that deserves some of that art grant money! His art, most of it, uses scraps of woods, vaneers, old wood furniture turned into art and saved from the land fills !

Nubbly silk texture

This is amazing! It is a blackout washable material- and has a terrific hand! Great for bedrooms, you do not need a blackout liner! Washable! Oh Vay!

Do not eat too much lettuce! Save room for your chocolate

Cafe DeVille

http://www.cafedeville.com/

101 Avenue and124 Street Edmonton

Oh I went to one of my favourite restaurants in Edmonton last week, and for the first time this 'summer' sat outside! It was already September- maybe I work too much? Anyway, I had my favorite salad- and was grouchy!

So, when the waitress asked if we would like to see the dessert tray, I said "Yes, of course" Now I normally do not eat dessert, and I said to my companion," Just to look of course."

He laughed

He had every right to!

This is one of the restaurants in Edmonton where you must eat dessert first- or at least make sure you have room for it!

The pastry chef here is incredible! I am a chocolate fiend, and I do not like/prefer white chocolate ( I eat any colour of chocolate if desperate) but this lady makes a white pear truffle that should be served in Paris! OMG!

I digress- so I my fav of all favs is chocolate mouse, so she had to tell me one of the concoctions was a dark chocolate/cherry mouse! Was I in or what?
I left a very happy girl- guess the salad just did not bring my chocolate levels up to par!

What to spend your money on

Please click on the pictures for more detail. They are multi-media- water colour with 'wool hair' glitter, silk flowers- a true colour photo (wedding girl in frame)feathers, sequins-- truly very deliteful in real life!

There is a lively debate going on- on another blog decorno.blogspot.com. About what to spend your money on. Should it be expensive soft goods (sofas) hardcase items ( wood items such as tables, chests -I believe in good hardcase goods)..... What and where should we spend our money?

Now I am big believer in spending your money on 'stuff' that will get handed down and survive the years, copper pots, art, silverware, casegoods..... and my one luxury is excellent drapery... and okay great sheets.

I love my art-- for a few reasons- most of the art I have has sentimental reason behind it.

The pieces I had commissioned from Jennifer Garant were to celebrate the friendship I had with my best friend, soul mate, twin sister- who died a few years back.

I took care of her while she died, in my house from cancer and miss her everyday. So, the artwork I had commissioned truly means a lot to me.

The piece above is called the 'Toe Nail Party' as we used to sip wine, martinis and do our feet together and chat. She was the Shania Twain girl -sexy and glam- me the girlie girl. We were the same but different.

(Link for waiters and waitresses, scroll down and you will find the dog series! Posters, so we can all enjoy some lightness in our lives!)

http://www.allposters.com/-st/Jennifer-Garant-Posters_c35823_.htm
So, spend your money where your heart is- is your heart is with art- great! If it is with terrific sound- then go for the electronics- or if you are a movie buff- great TV's (I still have the big old fashioned huge TV's in my basement- not that big on TV I guess).

Spend your money where your heart tells you it should be!

and here another great take- from a designer!
http://sketch42blog.com/2009/06/29/the-true-cost-of-interior-design/

Chocolate! Chocolate for Charity!

Okay, as anyone that knows me- or reads this blog- my not-no-secret love in life- is Chocolate!

Now, we have a socially responsible reason to induldge- Meals for Wheels FUNdraiser!

Ah, eating chocolate has never been more socially needed!

Canadian Western Bank presents the 8th annual Meals on Wheels Celebrity Auction
Friday, September 25th, 2009
At the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

Tickets- $50

For more information & tickets call
780-429-2020
http://www.mealsonwheelsedmonton.org/
Buy your tickets today – a sell-out crowd is expected!

Can you see him?

Can you see him? He reminds me of my scraggly long-haired chiWOWah. Not that they are the same breed just the little face! ONE SHOE CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE- CINDERELLA

Thanks to Jennifer Garant for this great idea!

Bisque from lobster 'bones'

I understand this may sound silly- when we are all trying to save money- but lobster bisque is fantastic. Please though, I splurged in August and held my annual Lobster party. I had left over bodies, a tail (which my son ate before I could add it to the soup) and some claws. Rather than throw all this away I froze the left-overs and just made some bisque. Re-use don't throw out!
This winter my family will be eating roasts and full chickens- then soups and stews made with the bones and left-overs! One must save money!
The recipe...... sorry I am not that great on measuring. Which brings me to the cloves- I did not realize there was no little holed cap on the spice jar and there is more cloves in this soup than there should be- and it is fantastic!
'Bones of three lobsters'
I smashed the bones, tore apart the bodies and threw them all in a big pot, one container of chicken stock, one onion, three bayleaves and too much cloves!
I kept the meat on the side
Simmered the bones and the chicken stock for half an hour- drained the stock.
1/4 cup of butter melting in pot, 1/4 cup of flour- heated until dissolved add 2 cups of milk and brought to a light boil stirring to ensure no lumps.
Then I added the reserved stock, and the meat and slowly heated for about 10 minutes.
Voila- lovely silky smooth bisque that really did not cost me anything!

Handymen/women

In these trying days everyone needs a handyman/woman at their fingertips. Okay well some of us do. I think I understand basic electrical, yes I can change out a duplex receptacle... Plumbing? I know where the shut off valve is in my house- and being a smart girl (after being told by multitudes of plumbers) I have shut off valves installed into every plumbing fixture as they are replaced. In my home anyway, sometimes clients balk at the extra dollars to have valves installed behind their toilets- in their kitchen and bathroom sinks, but at least I try to advise them! Best to have this small chore done, then if you have a leak or need a repair the entire house is not affected down the road.
I know how to install a shutoff valve- but do I do it? No... I leave that to the plumbers or the handymen.
Installing baseboards- is an art- or should be. Hanging doors (another story of that!) hanging closet doors, we all need a handyman on speed dial if you are like most of us.
I can do many different skills- but I am not good at it- and I would prefer perfect baseboards, plumbing that does not leak, and well wiring a house- that is for an electrician.
I have two excellent handymen/women-- and a few other craftsmen in my 'Rolodex' should you need one.
Email me-- trust me- they have already been through the mill doing work for me and my clients!