Christmas 2008

Some Christmas wrapping before it all got squished on the snowy trip to Ucluelet. The kids were with their dad, as we alternate years.

Christmas morning before my husband got out of bed...a quiet morning coffee, and a warm fire.

I made my own gift tags from old fabric book inserts (showing fabric repeat).

This year our gift bags were re-usable as lunch bags later. Inside were Belgian chocolates from Santa's travels.

Looks like a hairbrush would have been in order, LOL, but Santa was listening...he took a trip to the blue box store with shinny stuff and to Hudson's Bay in his sleigh! I'm so glad he reads my blog!

I am a sucker for Christmas music; old and new. The Starbucks compilations are really good, and I have collected a few over the years...their "Ornamental Holiday" has David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing "Little Dummer Boy" together...it's from a TV special a few years back, and for me is so nostalgic. The green covered "A Very Special Christmas" is still my all time favorite all time Christmas CD.

We had over 18 inches of snow in my neighbourhood...more in North Van. ...all right before and during Christmas! You notice there are no tire tracks out of my driveway on the left.

Pictures of Ucluelet Christmas, and my sister's new puppy to come.

Holiday Shin Dig with Blogger and Designer Friends

Last night I was at the home of Maria Killam of blogger fame Colour Me Happy, for an amazing holiday shin-dig that was so much fun. Lots of great design talk, and great company.

Maria's home is in North Vancouver, and the view blew me away. Her design sense has comfortably transformed a 50's bungalow into a tastefully modern day home. I loved the curved window wall with a view of ships on English Bay. She used fresh cedar from the backyard to decorate the house, and I loved her white faux ostrich skin ottoman and leather barcelona chairs.

I met Terria, who cooked up some really yummy appy's, Cara from Cantu, Jennifer (another ID) and her husband Duane, Nancy Devries and Brad Stephen (I met Nancy for the first time at Kimberly Seldon's seminar last month), and it was really nice to see Patricia Gray again.

Thanks to some gentle pillow fluffing by Terria, this picture looks great :) LOL

Maria Killam, Nancy Devries, Patricia Gray, Michelle Morelan

You can see the lights of the city and English Bay beyond... Patricia and Maria look stunning, and she helps out Patricia with the perfect wrap. I love that colour on her.

Thanks Maria!

Driving and Winter Sucks!

What a crazy weekend...on Boxing Day we drove to Ucluelet from Vancouver, in white out conditions all the way there. I ended up in a snow bank at the end of my ex's driveway (it's too steep, and I shouldn't have tried it), with a tension headache and neckpains.

But, at the end of the journey, was my mom's; where there was the smell of home cooking, decorations, and where family and friends feasted on salmon, mashed potatoes, homeade apple pie, and and we opened presents...a few days late, but it still felt the same :)

I met Bailey, my sister's new westie puppy; I'll post a pic of her later. Too adorable for words :))

I am sick of this weather...

Mirrored Armoires for Leah's Room

I've been asked where to source an armoire like the one in the rendering of Leah's bedroom (see Decorno's blog). Here are a few options.

Felicty Armoire by Thomasville

Robert Entertainment Center, Oly

Elizabeth Entertainment Center, Oly

Happy Birthday Brian!

I want to wish my wonderful, supportive, steadfast, intelligent husband a happy 43rd birthday today!

I love you because you give my heart a home :*

Wisdom

Was sent this link by a friend...enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

"Health, Peace and Sweet Content be Yours"
Shakespeare

Leah's Room

Over at Decorno, Leah has asked for help in designing a room at her parents that she has to move into for a while. You can get the whole story on Decorno's blog, and read the solutions of many talented designer/bloggers.

This is my solution, where she keeps the wall colour, and plays with one pattern, a few textured neutrals, and pieces that allow for lotsa storage, and she can bring with her later.

This solution is sans programming, floorplans etc...so be open :)

..."I Feel a Never-ending New"...

Like my sidebar profile has read for a while now, I am gushing with pride over my two sons, 21 and almost 19. They are both very talented musicians, photographers, film makers, and graphic designers in their own right.

Since the advance of recording with interfaces, microphones and computers, you can have a recording studio in your own home. Every Christmas for a while now, there has been the request from Santa for some very specific box of electronics of some sort, new steel guitar, bass amp, studio mics...well you get the idea. I yearn for those days of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the price of them.

When I listen to these recordings from last year, songs that they wrote, recorded, and played all of the instuments on, I am so thankfull for those years of school band, schleping equipment, late night trips and workshops.

These are two songs by my son Evan Mattheisen from Kubla Khan 1, their recording label, and first album. Or; go here to their my space page to hear more songs by all the "kids" on the label, including my oldest, Jes Mattheisen, who is also a very talented photographer.

Yes, I am proud.

Dream French Vacation

My dream vacation for this year is Eze, on the French Riviera. It's closest city in France is Nice, and it's neighbour is Monaco.

Paris is beautiful, but this year I want to take a train out of Paris, and into the countryside.

Rick Steve's Europe inspired this trip a few years back, and I have been thinking of it ever since.

Let's see what happens with the economy :)

Eze, on the French Riviera

Chateau Eze

Old, narrow stone streets...I've always wanted to meander through a village like this!

Le Jardin...a garden in the hills of the French Riviera...what's better than that for the afternoon?

I would stay here, in a Deluxe Room at Chateau Eze

Deluxe Room sitting area

The Bedrooms in the Suites are pretty nice too!

The view from a Suite Balcony...OMG!

Moorage Unit 304, Ucluelet

Moorage #304
storage and multi use spaces in 900 sq ft

renderings and interior design by Michelle Morelan, Interior Designer, BID

Where dining room seating is storage, kitchen cabinets stretch to the ceiling, and the DR table doubles as desk space. The stools are backless, and can be tucked away to use the bar as a buffet, allowing the space work for one person or 20.

I know the "Woods" wallpaper from Cole and Sons is overused...but for the context of the space, it really works. Not to overwhelm the space, I have used the grey tree version, and balanced it's busy-ness with white upholstered furniture, and a strong blue on the walls in the main spaces, as well as the laminated glass backsplash.

I am really into white floors recently, and have to do more research about them, but look at the way you can contrast your millwork off of the flooring; or match the two for a seamless transition. Vincente Wolf has influenced me here. I love the way he uses the design principles of form and colour...monochromatic for the most part, but with hints from him on his blog to see more colour soon.

The Moorage is really coming along; millwork is installed in most units, the penthouse clients have all the tiling done, and the show suite is still welcoming visitors on Sunday afternoons. Like all real estate, the prices have been reduced, making them quite a bargain. All have decks, some have front deck spaces, and Phase 2 will offer seasonal accommodation, in a split level layout.

architectural rendering by CI Neilsen Architects, Nanaimo

Phase 2- The Moorage, Ucluelet B.C.

Photo by Graeme Owsianski-graemephoto.com

If you would like to check out the Moorage in Ucluelet, click here. You can look at the show suite photos on my website.

Modern Furniture Package- The Moorage

Walk Through and Interior Design by Michelle Morelan, Interior Designer, BID

After a few changes...

In a beachy/blue pallete...

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad...43 years of wedded bliss! 20 of them with your had your hand on her boob Dad...seriously...

Thank goodness you didn't traumatize us too much...although there was that bout of therapy...lol

Love you both

xoxo

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa....

I've been good this year...really, I have.
If only I could find these two things under the tree :)


Hudson's Bay Signature Camel Point Blanket...8 point king size please.










Anything from the Frank Gehry Collection at Tiffany's...this Tourque pendant would be just lovely.

nesting

Did you know that the Victorians and Royalty once used pomanders to mask odors? I love these oranges covered in cloves. I haven't made them for a few years, so I pushed cloves in a few very hard skinned oranges. They do smell awesome! I love fruit and flowers at Christmas; those and a roaring fire.

Today I picked up the framing that was waiting for me at Phoenix Art Workshop; I bought the two architectural prints from 1887 at the Paris flea market, and I think they turned out great. They are done in a 1" black frame with ribbing. I like how it mimics the architecture in the prints. The other pair is of Moorish design details and veneer samples -it didn't attach well, and needs to be dry mounted again, so is not in the picture. I'll use the architectural prints in my bedroom makeover, and the smaller prints in my office; I thought they referenced my work in a suttle way.

Eco-Luxury Safari Near Tofino

The Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge caught my attention quite some time ago. It's been around 10 years now, and you may have heard about it on the news recently as the place where Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds got "hitched".

I love hospitality design, and my natural design aesthetic tuned right into this...it was the absurdity of the idea that put me into a tizzy when I came across it the first time.

They sell it as luxury eco safari, and I think that about sums it up. Executive Chef Timothy May's food is modern natural cuisine that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. I can only imagine the food compliments the environment...and look at the outdoor market and ocean available to you! One of my clients has been invited to his table, and they didn't stop smiling for days.

The rustic furniture is availble through Live Edge Designs.

From The Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge website-

"...promises discriminating travellers an ultra-luxurious eco-destination, four-star accommodations, otherworldly coastal cuisine, super natural adventure, and some of the most breathtakingly beautiful wilderness frontier left on the planet..."

I have often pondered the idea of living outside with a few luxuries...haven't you? One catch...3 days will set you back almost 7000 dollars per person. This includes your float plane ride from Vancouver, enrolment in the environmental stewardship program, meals, alcohol, a massage tent treatment of choice, and either horseback riding or fishing. Visit CWL's website here. Happy camping!

(off topic...does anyone know how to insert a paragraph line break...I don't know HTML, and am having a bugger of a time arranging entries- the entry appears to have a break, until I publish it, then one does not appear)