December 2009 - Posts


Top 5 Friday: 2009: A Retrospective  Makeover: From Smelly Apartment to Income Property Suite Design Dilemma with Cheryl Torrenueva: Curtain Length Over Baseboard Heaters? Vacation Dreams: Tour of Half Moon Villa, Montego Bay, Jamaica Gift Giving: Post-Holidays Basket of Love Question of the Week: When Do You Take Down Your Holiday Decor? Photo Gallery: Share Your Holiday Spirit Real People Reno: People Are Doing It For Themselves  Home for the Holidays: Edmonton's Candy Cane Lane '09  Photo Gallery: Vancouver's Got Style Gift Giving: 5 Gorgeous Design Books to Choose From Question of the Week: Do You Have a Designer Christmas Tree Skirt? Store Review: Umbra Concept Store, Toronto Bargain Saturday: Wine Bottle Candle Holders Gift Giving: Funky Wall Calendars Top 5 Friday: Refreshing Holiday Craft Ideas Shoestring Makeover: I Did It, I Painted My Hardwood Floors White! Live Blogging Event Tonight: Holmes Inspection, Episode 12 Design Dilemma: Cheryl Creates the Perfect Living Room Floor Plan Hotel Room Tour: The Boutique Opus Hotel, Yaletown, Vancouver Photo Call Out: Share Your Holiday Spirit! Question of the Week: Holiday Parties - Shoes On, or Off? Gift Giving: Give Green to Grow Green Shop Review: Mikaza, Ottawa From Our Twitter: Reactions to Pantone's Colour of 2010...Turquoise! Gift Giving: 3 Picks for Hanukkah - You'll Wish You Were Celebrating!  Top 5 Friday: Christmas Trees without the Tree Part Live Blogging Event Tonight: Holmes Inspection, Episode 11 Restaurant Tour: Glow Fresh Grill and Wine Bar, Toronto Easy as Pear Centrepieces and Other Fruity Holiday Ideas Gift Giving: Bed Linens and Shams - Always Useful!  Question of the Week: Do Modern Trees Just Not Do It for You? Flickr Roundup: Take a Seat Bargain Saturday: Calendars as Art Sarah's Holiday Party Photos and Episode Online! Top 5 Friday: Household Items I Can't Live Without  Live Bloggin Event: Holmes Inspection, Ep. 10 - Tonight! Show Makeover: Dreamy Master Bedroom from Pure Design Bonus Thursday Top 5: Novelty Kitchen Gadgets  Design Dilemma with Cheryl Torrenueva: Pine Wall and Stone Hearth Be Gone! Gift Giving: Ornament Centrepiece Book Review: Dorm Decor Modern Miami Hotel Suite Tour 
 
Dec
31

Top 5 Friday: 2009: A Retrospective

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/31/2009 11:59:00 PM
From a design standpoint – graphically speaking – don’t you think the number 2010 looks better than 2009? I have a touch of Synesthesia in the brain: a sensory phenomenon that has me perceiving numbers, days of the week, and certain words as inherently
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Dec
30

Makeover: From Smelly Apartment to Income Property Suite

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/30/2009 9:00:00 AM
The main living area before and after -- taking out the built-in shelves allows room for a spot to eat. Did you watch the Income Property marathon on Tuesday? If you missed one minute of host Scott McGillivary and his strong arms renovating apartments
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Dec
30

Design Dilemma with Cheryl Torrenueva: Curtain Length Over Baseboard Heaters?

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/30/2009 8:09:00 AM
Brenda, the owner of today's Design Dilemma, has hit on a common issue: baseboard heaters and window coverings . Baseboard heaters are unsightly, and on top of it all, the divas of home heating -- don't cover them, don't paint them, don't, don't, don't.
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Dec
29

Vacation Dreams: Tour of Half Moon Villa, Montego Bay, Jamaica

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Posted by Catherine Jheon 12/29/2009 9:45:00 AM
When the weather gets cold and grey, I like to go into my memory bank and find warmth in images from past trips like this one, to beautiful Montego Bay, Jamaica. This gallery is of my stay at Half Moon Villa , part of my Appleton Jamaican Rum education
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Dec
28

Gift Giving: Post-Holidays Basket of Love

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Posted by Vanessa 12/28/2009 9:30:00 AM
As heart-warming and fun as the holidays can be, only the truly zen can claim making it through the season stress-free. So if there's a special person whose gift you have yet to deliver, consider a gift basket from Green Cricket , the Canadian online
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Dec
28

Question of the Week: When Do You Take Down Your Holiday Decor?

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/28/2009 9:00:00 AM
Last December, we asked: Is it OK to leave your holiday lights up year round? Samantha Pynn, host of Pure Design , weighed in via video with an emphatic "Absolutely not, take them down after January 6th" and by the looks of the over 50 comments we received,
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Dec
26

Photo Gallery: Share Your Holiday Spirit

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/26/2009 9:00:00 AM
The dinner is done, the gifts have been opened...it's time to veg out with some eye candy. Last year's Deck the Halls photo challenge resulted in a lot of reader photos showcasing decor ideas from across the country. This year, the pickings were a little
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Dec
24

Real People Reno: People Are Doing It For Themselves

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/24/2009 8:08:00 PM
New year's resolution: be more handy. Here are two Canadian homesteads, on opposite sides of our great land – Nelson and Toronto – that have taken matters into their own hands. DIY soldiers, really. For is DIY not the essence of a Real People Reno? From
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Dec
24

Home for the Holidays: Edmonton's Candy Cane Lane '09

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Posted by Terry 12/24/2009 9:15:00 AM
Last night, my family and I took a stroll down Candy Cane Lane in Edmonton's Crestwood community. You may remember my Candy Cane Lane post from last year , when I asked my sister who still lives in Edmonton to take some photos. Well this year I got to
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Dec
23

Photo Gallery: Vancouver's Got Style

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/23/2009 10:17:00 AM
In light of the coming winter games, CJ ( foodnetwork.ca ) and I combed through Vancouver and Victoria for some great design and food destinations to bring you on our respective blogs. While all things food are usually CJ's domain, I couldn't resist putting
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Dec
21

Gift Giving: 5 Gorgeous Design Books to Choose From

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/21/2009 12:00:00 PM
A beautiful design book is such a treat; great for inspiration in choosing styles, colours and room plans, and it's always welcome on a coffee table. I myself have quite a few of these hardcover treasures, one of my favourite things being a slow poring-over
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Dec
21

Question of the Week: Do You Have a Designer Christmas Tree Skirt?

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Posted by Vanessa 12/21/2009 9:30:00 AM
I've never given much thought to Christmas tree skirts until recently when I had to find a solution for my own petite tannenbaum. Instead of purchasing a mini tree skirt for my faux tree, I wrapped the plastic stand with a pretty scarf, but I realized
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Dec
20

Store Review: Umbra Concept Store, Toronto

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/20/2009 9:45:00 AM
I would wage a bet that many of you have an Umbra product in your home, be it a picture frame, garbage can or one of those cool crushable laundry baskets. Umbra is synonymous with modern design at an affordable price point and is sold all over the world,
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Dec
19

Bargain Saturday: Wine Bottle Candle Holders

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Posted by Jessica McLaughlin 12/19/2009 10:54:00 AM
I have a really hard time sending pretty wine bottles to the recycle bin. I just want to hang on to them for a little while, even if they just make my wine rack a little fuller for the moment. Sure, you can stick a candle in a pretty bottle and be done
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Dec
18

Gift Giving: Funky Wall Calendars

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Posted by Catherine Jheon 12/18/2009 3:30:00 PM
It’s the gift that keeps giving. Think about it. With every new month, there'll be a fresh reminder of the fabulous gift-giving you. Plus it’ll liven up any drab wall. From funky patterns to gorgeous photos, you can customize to your heart’s content.
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Dec
18

Top 5 Friday: Refreshing Holiday Craft Ideas

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/18/2009 1:54:00 PM
I'm not a big crafter per se (though I love reincarnating furniture), but I do like gawking at other peoples' creations and entertaining the thought. One thing I can no longer process without a scowl, however, is the holly+poinsettia+candle centrepieces.
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Dec
17

Shoestring Makeover: I Did It, I Painted My Hardwood Floors White!

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/17/2009 5:01:00 PM
Even though painted hardwood is all the rage these days, I've been thinking on it for quite some time. Three years to be exact -- about how long I've been bouncing around on our first floor hardwood, which had been refinished so many times it was basically
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Dec
17

Live Blogging Event Tonight: Holmes Inspection, Episode 12

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/17/2009 11:21:00 AM
Last week Mia kicked off the two-parter, "A Hole Lot of History" , featuring a trendy historical home rife with issues. Tonight at 8pm ET/PT , Part 2 : the resolution. By the looks of what happened last week, I'm afraid Mike's got his work cut out for
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Dec
16

Design Dilemma: Cheryl Creates the Perfect Living Room Floor Plan

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/16/2009 4:45:00 PM
Floor plans stump people in the best of times, not to mention when you have no foyer, no feature wall, and loads of seemingly unusable space. What to do with such a Design Dilemma? Why, write into Stylesheet blog of course! We've got an in with one of
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Dec
15

Hotel Room Tour: The Boutique Opus Hotel, Yaletown, Vancouver

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/15/2009 6:25:00 PM
The spotlight is about to turn on the pretty city on our west coast! I'm talking about the coming winter games of course, and in light of that, my fellow blogger CJ ( foodnetwork.ca ) and I organized a whirlwind tour of Vancouver and Victoria (didn't
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Dec
14

Photo Call Out: Share Your Holiday Spirit!

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/14/2009 6:57:00 PM
Judging by the answers from our When do you decorate? Question of the Week a month ago, your homes and lawns are probably decked out in holiday regalia right about now. I know my small attempt at decorating has made its yearly appearance (I live alone
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Dec
14

Question of the Week: Holiday Parties - Shoes On, or Off?

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/14/2009 4:01:00 PM
Before you dismiss this as trite, I urge you to think back to the last house party you attended. Would it not have made a difference to you if after some effort in putting yourself together, the host insisted you take your shoes off? I understand not
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Dec
14

Gift Giving: Give Green to Grow Green

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/14/2009 1:44:00 PM
Transformation of The Brickworks , Toronto Woah, that's a lot of Gs... Anywho, today: a gift that truly keeps on giving. Instead of buying, buying and more buying (and wasting tonnes of wrapping paper, gift bags, time and patience -- am I a Grinch?),
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Dec
13

Shop Review: Mikaza, Ottawa

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Posted by Guest Blogger 12/13/2009 9:08:00 AM
Husband and wife team Mihran and Katia quit their day jobs last year to devote themselves full-time to modern furniture store Mikaza Home . What started as an online boutique is now a jam-packed showroom in Ottawa ’s Bank Street South neighbourhood. Mikaza
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Dec
12

From Our Twitter: Reactions to Pantone's Colour of 2010...Turquoise!

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/12/2009 9:30:00 AM
Happy Saturday readers! It was a busy week on our Twitter feed (won't you please follow us @hgtvcanada ?) as some big design news hit the internet. Pantone , the world-renowned and widely-respected expert on colour and colour trends , announced their
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Dec
11

Gift Giving: 3 Picks for Hanukkah - You'll Wish You Were Celebrating!

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/11/2009 4:30:00 PM
Christmas is a holiday giant, but over the years Hanukkah , the eight day Jewish festival of lights, has been steadily catching up. Artists and designers are churning out more and more inventive expressions of the holiday, major retailers are setting
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Dec
11

Top 5 Friday: Christmas Trees without the Tree Part

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/11/2009 12:15:00 PM
As promised, a follow-up to this week's question of modern vs traditional Christmas trees: my top 5 picks for trendy, inventive and kooky Christmas tree alternatives, in the name of saving a few unassuming saplings. Although, I did get a stern talking-to
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Dec
10

Live Blogging Event Tonight: Holmes Inspection, Episode 11

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Posted by Mia Rodak 12/10/2009 3:13:00 PM
Hi everyone. I think I really lucked out to be joining you all tonight for Live Blogging Thursday! Tonight's episode of Holmes Inspection , on at 8pm ET/PT, is called A Hole lot of History , and it's Part 1 of 2 . I just love a 2-parter, don't you? It
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Dec
10

Restaurant Tour: Glow Fresh Grill and Wine Bar, Toronto

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Posted by Vanessa 12/10/2009 11:38:00 AM
The delicious and healthy menu at Glow Fresh Grill and Wine Bar at Toronto 's Shops at Don Mills is the creation of Rose Reisman , caterer, author and health and wellness expert. You may have sampled some of her good-for-you dishes at The Pickle Barrel
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Dec
09

Easy as Pear Centrepieces and Other Fruity Holiday Ideas

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/9/2009 1:37:00 PM
This is a bit of a find. The Pear Bureau – ambassadors of the pear – have quite the collection of holiday décor ideas available on their site . For your crafting pleasure: wreaths, garlands and centrepieces galore! Learn how to sugar and gold leaf a pear,
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Dec
07

Gift Giving: Bed Linens and Shams - Always Useful!

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/7/2009 5:26:00 PM
Above: Eddie Bauer's Lodge flannel bedding collection. This is something I'd put in the parents/kids-living-outside-of-the-home category of gift giving . It may be a bit odd to gift anything to do with the intimate world of sleep or the bedroom , to a
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Dec
07

Question of the Week: Do Modern Trees Just Not Do It for You?

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/7/2009 4:05:00 PM
Buro plywood tree (right) Or, have you branched out from the traditional and never looked back? There are so many interesting options popping up in recent years, from pink faux trees, to feathers, to eco plywood cutouts (see above), all the way back to
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Dec
06

Flickr Roundup: Take a Seat

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Posted by Camille Hemming 12/6/2009 9:12:00 AM
Other than a snug from my children, hot shower, good eats, or my first sip of wine at the end of a long week, one of the most soothing moments is resting my trunk on a nice comfy seat - couch or chair , either one will do. We thought it would be interesting
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Dec
05

Bargain Saturday: Calendars as Art

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Posted by Jessica McLaughlin 12/5/2009 3:37:00 PM
The end of the year is near and on December 1st you probably flipped over the last month of that calendar you purchased for half off on January 3rd. I always feel a little sad when I do that. We generally pick up calendars we want to see everyday for
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Dec
05

Sarah's Holiday Party Photos and Episode Online!

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/5/2009 12:06:00 PM
Discuss: Sarah Richardson can pretty much do no wrong. From her earlier work on Design Inc. to the complete reno overhaul that is Sarah's House 1 and 2 ( Sarah's House 3 is coming in 2010!) to Sarah's Cottage and her ever-present (and charming) sidekick
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Dec
04

Top 5 Friday: Household Items I Can't Live Without

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/4/2009 7:08:00 PM
Clockwise from the top; Windex Original, Laguiole corkscrew , Bionaire digital Cold-mist humidifier , Cuisinart cordless electric kettle , Kenmore Elite built-in dishwasher . In truth, I'm really not a gadget person. My husband, even less so. Once, we
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Dec
03

Live Bloggin Event: Holmes Inspection, Ep. 10 - Tonight!

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/3/2009 2:26:00 PM
I was away, and now I'm back. Back just in time to partake in what's shaping up to be a weekly hard-boiled construction powwow with a side of Damon -- It's Live Blogging Thursday! Join me as we watch Mike/Damon and the team on Holmes Inspection tonight
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Dec
03

Show Makeover: Dreamy Master Bedroom from Pure Design

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Posted by Alicia Cox 12/3/2009 1:06:00 PM
I'm a sucker for a gorgeous bedroom . It's where you rejuvenate, dream and get frisky. On this week's episode of Pure Design , host and designer Samantha Pynn turned Paula and Pete's humdrum, poorly organized master bedroom into a place of tranquility,
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Dec
02

Bonus Thursday Top 5: Novelty Kitchen Gadgets

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Posted by Erin Jackson 12/2/2009 7:30:00 PM
Don't get me wrong, I love things that make stuff easier, and despite my best intentions, I frequently exclaim "oooh, shiny!" when I see an interesting gadget, but new does not equal great, and not all gadgets are created equal. Sometimes what seemed
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Dec
02

Design Dilemma with Cheryl Torrenueva: Pine Wall and Stone Hearth Be Gone!

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/2/2009 6:58:00 PM
Our Lovely Cheryl Torrenueva ( Restaurant Makeover , Colin & Justin's Home Heist ) has been travelling lately, and still she found time for us here on Style Sheet! Time shortage and internet issues are no thing, as our style steward tackles a large
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Dec
02

Gift Giving: Ornament Centrepiece

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Posted by Nadine Sharon Anglin 12/2/2009 6:13:00 PM
Here’s a gift idea for someone who is big on festive cheer, but low on actual space in which to be festive: the Ornament Centrepiece from Crate and Barrel ($69.95 CND). No tree to assemble. No tinsel to remove from the crevices of the couch months later.
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Dec
01

Book Review: Dorm Decor

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Posted by Elana Safronsky 12/1/2009 5:05:00 PM
No, it’s not September, you’re not crazy. But it is nearing winter break, and if you missed the boat on helping your youngster set up a cozy home-away-from-home at their current school, then it’s time you should be making some plans for next semester.
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Dec
01

Modern Miami Hotel Suite Tour

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Posted by Vanessa 12/1/2009 2:23:00 PM
Another luxurious Miami hotel suite, except this time in South Beach. ( Check out my video tour of a suite in Miami's Four Seasons .) The Gansevoort South (the sister hotel of New York City's Gansevoort and the resort in the Turks and Caicos) provides
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