Colouring Contest

Get your official colouring page here!

Kids, get your crayons ready for the Happy Holidays Colouring Contest, and your chance to win a $100 Chapters gift card!

Print off the official Happy Holidays Colouring Contest page from this file as many times as you would like, and return the completed masterpiece (with entry form filled out) to Sarah McTaggart !  Have fun & good luck!

Your official colouring page >>

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I am always looking out for sensible, inexpensive pointers for my clients to help them stage their home for sale.  Patti Houston from Fluff Design and Decor, Vancouver,  makes it easy - with these top 10 pointers...

1) Hang art no more than 60 inches from the floor:

One of the biggest mistakes Houston sees over and over again is art hung way too high.  “Always err on the side of too low or your art gets lost in its own space. The centre of the image should be at eye level,” she adds. “Art should take up a sizable part of a wall relative to the scale of the furniture.”

When you hang art pieces a bit lower than you’re used to, you are creating a central point. 

If your home’s like most people’s, the art is hung in a high line circling each room. That's another big mistake. Placing pictures, paintings and prints in such formulaic locations can make them invisible.

“Art displayed creatively makes it stand out more and shows off your space,” Houston says.

2) Use oversized art for impact:

Big art makes a statement. To have real impact or to provide character in a room, hang large-scale pieces of art work.

“A piece of art can bridge architecture and decor,” adds Houston. “If you are on a budget, there are great oversized prints that you can purchase.”

3) Make sure that secondary art supports the main piece:

“The secondary pieces really should support the main piece,” says Houston. “For instance, if you have a large abstract with a floral theme, then your secondary pieces should be abstract. However, don’t be matchy-matchy, but rather coordinate the colour or style of your art scheme.”

4) Use neutral-coloured furniture and add a pop of colour with accessories and pillows:

Oatmeal and grey are two neutrals that have stood the test of time.

“These two colours are classic neutrals and go with just about any décor,” says Houston, adding that the trick is to change pillows and accessories with the seasons.

When adding accessories, consider mixing edgy, avant garde or traditional metals – such as gold, brushed nickel and silver – into your décor to take a room from dull to fabulous.

“Done properly, it’s a really cool look,” she says. “In addition, be mindful to place accessories that have a relationship with each other… say, a trilogy of candles on a pretty tray or a stack of books on one section of your coffee table and flowers on the other.” 

5) Start with the art and choose accessories to support the art:

Look at your art, figure out the predominant colour and coordinate your accessories in a “whisper of the other colours.”

6) Every property has a “kick off” point such as floors, wall colour, etc. - stage to that:

If you have deep red mahogany floors, for example, don’t add clashing orange accessories.

“You have to make sure that everything you add into the space embraces the tone of the floor or the walls.”

In one recently staged home, the owners installed high-gloss candy apple cabinetry. For that kitchen, Houston toned down the accessories, opting for cream tones.

7) Don’t overdo accessorizing – know when to stop:

“Coco Chanel once said ‘accessorize your outfit and then take one piece off’,” says Houston, adding less is always more. “It’s very easy to go from beautifully accessorized to looking like a storage room.”

8) Address focal points:

A room’s focal point is what your eyes are naturally drawn to when you walk into the room. And everything around the focal point complements it.

Many rooms have built-in focal points: a large window with a view, for example, or a fireplace. If your room doesn't have a built-in focal point, create one. For example, a bookcase, large piece of furniture or a large mirror works well.

9) Don’t compete with a view:

If your home is fortunate enough to have spectactular city, water or mountains views, let those be the focal point and decorate to that view.

10) Use greenery in every room:

Big plants, whether succulents, ferns or rosemary topiaries, add to the look and energy of a room. “If you aren’t a green thumb, there are great quality fake trees that really change the energy of the room,” she adds.

“Fresh bouquets of flowers always add a nice touch to any room.”

If you follow these 10 tips, your home will a beautiful place to live in – and as a bonus, it’ll already be staged perfectly if you ever come to sell it.

If these tips work for you...please let me know!

Want to know what's happening in Langley Township - specifically the new development planned under the proposed Brookswood/Fernridge Community Plan?

Join me in attending the public open house:

Date:               February 19, 2014

Time:               4:00pm – 8:00pm

Place:              Brookswood Secondary School (small gymnasium)

Address:         20902 – 37A Avenue

I look forward to seeing you then!

For additional info go to Langley Township website: 

http://www.tol.ca/Land-Use-and-Development/Communities-Neighbourhoods/Brookswood-Fernridge

Your home insurance is a home expense you have some degree of control over. In fact, there are ways to reduce your insurance costs by as much as 20%.
The thing to keep in mind is that insurance companies will often reward you – in the form of lower rates – when you do something to reduce the risk of damage to your property. That's why you can often get a discount when you install smoke detectors on all floors. Other discounts may be available if you get better door locks, an alarm system, upgraded wiring, and so forth.

 Contact your insurance company and ask how you can lower your insurance costs.

Sometimes just a few minor changes can save you a bundle!

Clean out the Clutter! And Support a Good Cause…One week to go!!

It's finally spring...and it's time to de-clutter.  Load up that car or truck - and bring it all over to White Rock...

Please help a close friend of mine, Marie Smith, who is working hard to organize the Annual Garage Sale with the purpose to raise funds for the Zimbabwe Gecko Society.  All funds raised will be sent to support their mission:  to enable widows and orphans in Zimbabwe to become self-supporting members of the society they live in. It aims to reduce poverty for women and orphans by providing opportunities through self-supporting projects. (For more info on the Society, visit www.zimbabwegecko.com)

How can you help?

- Please bring all your new or gently used items that you no longer need. (No electronics or large furniture please).

- Deliver them to the White Rock Baptist Church on:

Friday, May 18th, between 5 pm and 9 pm.

And don’t forget to come back and shop…!

GARAGE SALE

Saturday, May19th, 2012

8 AM - 2 PM

White Rock Baptist Church
1657 140th St. Surrey, BC

Thank you!!! On behalf of Susan and Frank Janetti, who are currently in Zimbabwe doing their amazing work.

For further information regarding the Garage Sale, please contact:

Marie Smith      - mariebeaudette@hotmail.com  (604-535-0602)