VACATIONS, ARE NOT JUST FOR RESTING

What started out as a simple, spur of the moment road trip to the Maritimes, turned out to be more than that. We added many interesting excursions onto our road trip and I couldn't help but sit back and reflect on life. One such excursion was the experience we had on a tall sail ship where we captured glimpses of seals, dolphins and whales swimming around in the open sea instead of a controlled aquarium tank. While in PEI we came upon another inspiring place; the area where author, L.M. Montgomery lived and wrote her famous story series called "Anne of Green Gables". As I walked through the tour of the farmhouse in PEI, I was reminded of my visits with my grandparents. My imagination took me away to my own childhood in Greece. As we had moved to Canada, I visited them once in awhile during summer vacations. However, I remember the old wood burning stove, the small farm animals roaming the yard and the big family gatherings around the kitchen table filled with my grandmother's smoked flavoured recipes and my grandfather's home-made wine!


Social gatherings haven't changed much over time and neither has the importance placed on the decor. What I noticed while touring the farmhouse was that the window treatments were simple, the floral wallpaper felt cozy and the furniture was well made and positioned for great conversation. It was simple, but a lot of care was put into making guests comfortable. So you see, things haven't changed much have they? Even today, when we entertain, our goal is to make sure our guests are enjoying themselves. With the autumn season and holiday celebrations approaching, we'll be gathering around the dinner table with family and friends soon. In preparation of our gatherings, sometimes small changes can make a big difference. All that may be needed is a new fresh colour on the wall, a new window treatment and a bit of sparkle with candles and accessories. Creating the right atmosphere will definitely set the tone for your guests and add to the success of your event. We can't capture time, but we can create treasured memories.

Live Life Today

This post is a bit lengthier than before, but trust me, it's worth the read...

Too often we go through life on autopilot, going through the motions and having each day pass like the one before it. That's fine, and comfortable...

Until you have gone through another year without having done anything, without having really lived life...

Until you have reached old age and look back on life with regrets...

Until you see your kids go off to college and realize that you missed their childhoods...

It's got you wondering, hasn't it? If you want to truly live life, to really experience it, to enjoy it to the fullest, instead of only living a life of existence, then you need to find ways to break free from the mold and drink from the cup of life.

What follows is just a list of ideas, obvious ones mostly that you could have thought of yourself, but that I hope are useful reminders to start living - Today.

Love Deeply - Perhaps the most important of all. Fall in love or fall in love with your partner all over again. Love family members, friends, animals and all of humanity.

Get Outside – Walk in the rain or on the beach. Hike through the woods or swim in a freezing lake. Bask in the sun or walk barefoot through grass. Get out and enjoy nature.

Savor Food - Don't just eat your food, but really enjoy it. Feel the texture, the bursts of flavours and savor every bite.

Create a Morning Ritual - Greet the day, watch the sun rise, tell yourself this day is a gift and live every moment to its fullest.

Take Chances - We often live our lives too cautiously, worried about what might go wrong. Be bold once in awhile and take some risks.

Follow Excitement - Find the things in life that excite you, and then go after them.

Find Your Passion - Similar to the above tip, this one asks you to find your calling. Make your living by doing the thing you love to do.

Travel - Sure, you want to travel some day. When you have vacation time, or when you're older. Well, what are you waiting for? Find a way to take a trip, if not this month, then sometime soon.

Rediscover What's Important - Take an hour and make a list of everything that's important to you. What you want to do in life. Make a short list of most important 4-5 things and focus your energy of these.

Eliminate Everything Else - What's going on in your life that's not on your short list? All that stuff is wasting your time and pulling your attention from what's really important. As much as possible, simplify your life by eliminating the stuff that's not on your short list, or minimizing its effects.

Exercise - Get off the couch and go for a walk, a run or even swimming, hiking or biking. Whatever you do, get active, and you'll love it and feel more alive than ever.

Be Positive - Learn to recognize the negative thoughts you have. These are the self-doubts, the criticisms of others, the complaints and the reasons you can't do something. Then stop yourself when you have these thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts.

Open Your Heart - Is your heart a closed bundle of scar tissue? Learn to open it, have it ready to receive love and to give love unconditionally.

Kiss in the Rain - Seize the moment and be romantic!

Face Your Fears - What are you most afraid of? What is holding you back? Whatever it is, recognize it, and face it, because only by facing our fears can we be free of them.

When You Suffer -- Suffer - Life isn't all about fun and games and suffering is an inevitable part of life. Learn to feel the pain intensely, and really grieve. And when you're done, be grateful and find joy in life once more.

Slow Down - Life moves along at such a rapid pace these days and it's not always healthy. Slow down and enjoy what you’re doing.

Touch Humanity - Get out and find those who live in worse conditions. Meet them, talk to them and understand them.

Volunteer - Learn compassion, and learn to help ease the suffering of others. Help the homeless, the sick, those with disabilities and those who are dying.

Play With Children - Children, more than anyone else, know how to live. They experience everything in the moment, fully. When they get hurt, they really cry. When they play, they really have fun. Learn from them and learn to be joyful like them.

Talk to Old People - There is no one wiser, more experienced, more learned, than those who have lived through life. They can tell you amazing stories, give you advice, tell you about their regrets and their joys, so you can learn from them too. They are the wisdom of our society -- take advantage of their existence while they're still around.

Learn Something New - Constantly improve yourself instead of standing still -- not because you're so imperfect now, but because it is gratifying and satisfying. You should accept yourself as you are, and learn to love who you are, but still try to improve -- if only because the process of improvement is life itself.

Find Spirituality - For some, this means finding God or Jesus, Allah or Buddha. For others, this means becoming in tune with the spirits of our ancestors, or with nature. For still others, this just means an inner energy. Whatever spirituality means for you, rediscover it, and its power.

Take Mini-Retirements - Don't leave the joy of retirement until you are too old to enjoy it while you're young. It makes working that much more worth it. Find ways to take time off every few years. Enjoy life, then go back to work and save up enough money to do it again in a couple of years.

Do Nothing - Despite the tip above that we should find excitement, there is value in doing nothing as well, as in sitting there, doing nothing. Just learning to be still in silence, to hear our inner voices and be in tune with life.

Watch Sunsets - One of the most beautiful times of day is at sunset. Make it a daily ritual, find a good spot and enjoy!

Break Out of Ruts - Do you do things the same way every day? Change it up, try something new. Approach life from a different angle. Search for new perspectives.

Laugh Till Your Belly Hurts - Laughing is one of the best ways to live. Tell jokes, watch an awesome comedy. Learn to laugh at anything, especially yourself!

Lose Control - Not only control over yourself, but control over others. It's a bad habit to try to control others and it will only lead to stress and unhappiness for yourself and those you try to control. Let others live and live for yourself.

Cry - Crying is an amazing release. Cry at sad movies. Cry at a funeral. Cry when you are hurt, or when somebody you love is hurt. It releases these emotions and allows us to cleanse ourselves.

Make an Awesome Dessert - How about warm, soft chocolate cake? Berries dipped in chocolate, or crepes with ice cream and fruit? Fresh apple pie, or homemade chocolate chip cookies?. This isn't an every day thing, but an occasional treat once in awhile. It's wonderful!

Try Something New - Ask yourself: "What new thing shall I try this week?", then be sure to do it. Seek new experiences. Give it a try, you might decide you want to keep it in your life.

Be in the Moment - Instead of thinking about things you need to do, or things that have happened to you, or worrying or planning or regretting, think about what you are doing, right now. What is around you? What smells and sounds and sights and feelings are you experiencing? Learn to do this as much as possible through meditation, but also through bringing your focus back to the present as much as you can in everything you do.

Love Spring!

I know I'm not alone when I say I love spring, but I am absolutely passionate about Spring! I love the rain, the smell of the wet earth, the colours of the new grass and leaves... I cannot find anything bad to say about Spring except it's too short. There is a newness about everything. That's what my clients tell me when we renew their decor. They feel renewed, a fresh start... did you know that a change is as good as a rest?

I feel renewed when I attend my annual business conference. My Region was voted number one in North America - that's pretty awesome. This year I went to San Diego. Made some time to sight see, shop and appreciate the city, caught up with colleagues and learned a few new things. Going green is the biggest buzz word these days - I'm all for it. Decorating green means using natural fibers in fabrics, recycling furniture and using products that are not harmful to the environment. Becoming more aware of what is considered green is good, creating awareness is a start.

Just Because

If we can only capture time.... how fast the days go by. I have been very busy building up my skills in design and technology and adding the final touches to our design space at the McLean Estate Showhouse. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out through my In Touch Newsletter. Subscription is free and you can unsubscribe at any time. Just send me an email at ssintichakis@gmail.com and I will send you the newsletter. Unfortunately, I don't know how to link here yet :(

Isn't this great, the economy is starting to turn around, the weather is getting better and we have the lazy days of summer just up ahead. What does this have to do with decorating, you ask? Well, nothing. I'm writing this blog..... just because...... I am heading off to San Diego on May 17th for the week where my colleagues and I will enjoy learning new and exciting design trends at our annual conference. This year marks our 40th Anniversary - very exciting. Looking forward for some down time, getting recharged and just enjoy the moment. Keep well.

Office - Space Saving Ideas

I read this recently and thought it was worth posting on to my blog:

Furnishing a small office is all about finding smart solutions and keeping it simple. One idea is to choose a furniture range that offers computer desks and office storage cabinets the same style and material. With a modular computer desk you can add on desk storage and side tables to create a workstation that suits your specific needs.

Prior to ordering the furniture, sketch a floor plan to scale, determine what storage solutions best fit your needs and by using the new furniture dimensions, play around with the placement.

Office storage should be positioned against or on a wall to maximize available floor space. Choose storage that can be fitted with doors to make a tidy impression and keep items free from dust.

Other ways to save space could include using open bookshelves as room dividers, fitting storage cupboards to the wall and as for technology, invest in wireless networking, smart management and electronic paper storage.

Colour and Your Environment - May be the Place to Start

I think the question I get asked the most is what colour should I paint my walls?

There are many elements in choosing a colour. Three main ones are the visual appeal, psychology of colour to consider and personal preference. Here are some questions to ask yourself: what room is the focus; who will be occupying this room; are there definite colours you dislike and can eliminate; what is the personality you want to bring out ie cozy, dramatic, soft...; what type of light is there in the room; are there any other colours that limit your choices and that have to be worked around or is it a blank canvas;

Once you have thought about these questions and have developed a goal then you can focus on narrowing down the colour scheme. It may feel a little intimidating at first, but it will get easier once you understand where it is you want the room to end up.

To Decorate or not to Decorate - What's in it for ME

You may have been looking forward to redecorating or renovating a certain area in your home this Spring, but are on the fence about it because of everything you are hearing about the world economy...etc. I completely understand. However, let me point out the benefits in proceeding as planned. Because of the times that we are living in, you can find the same products for less and probably the trades will not keep you waiting. Personally, I have found that trades are not only providing quicker service, but better service (and believe me, I deal with a lot of trades on a regular basis). Even some clients have commented on this pleasant bonus.

Another benefit is that you are upgrading your home value for future and you are also upgrading your surroundings which you will enjoy. I can only share with you what I have heard over and over again. My clients have shared with me in what a difference redecorating or renovating has made to their emotional well being. They look forward to coming home at the end of the day and spend time in their new surroundings. A fresh new look in decor or new colours make a difference to your thinking which in turn make a difference in your feelings and attitude. Re organization not only declutters your home, but your mind. I don't know about you, but that is attractive to me! You don't have to spend a lot for a fast facelift, but if you did have a bigger job, then don't forget about the Renovation Tax Rebate check out www.budget.gc.ca/2009/pamphlet-depliant/pamphlet-depliant3-eng.asp. If you have any thoughts, comments or questions, feel free to respond. I would love to hear from you.

First Blog Entry.......ta daaaaa!

Warning...new blogger. Site is a work in progress...

I am excited to be writing my first Blog ever. The gates to the tech-world have been opened. I recently prepared my first newsletter issue, called In Touch, (e-mail me at ssintichakis@gmail.com to receive a copy) of course with the help of a great program, and then just a few hours ago I started a Twitter account. Okay, this may not be a big deal for many of you, but believe me it is for me. Well that's enough of that for now. I hope to learn about blogging fast and look back at this first entry and laugh about it. My goal here is to provide informative decorating tips, fun decorating stories and perhaps answer questions. I am passionate about decorating and am excited to share my knowledge with you.

While I realize this entry is light in content (I've got to practice this), I hope you will return to see the progress. Better yet, ask me a decorating question that you've been dying to ask, but were afraid to.