Grey is a colourful colour

Many many many.... well, a lifetime ago....when I was a know-it-all art student, I learned that pale grey is the best background colour to emphasize a colour in the foreground.... and in fact, most art gallery walls are painted a very pale grey to allow for maximized viewing pleasure.  I always forget to check that fact - Im too busy looking at the art.  Perhaps this proves the point !!

I see no reason why this age old trick cant be used at home, and even though many peeps balk at the idea of painting their walls grey, they are always happy with the end result.   Let's face it.... a painted wall is not a focal point !  even a feature wall is not a focal point but rather whatever resides on its surface ie fireplace, painting etc.
So here are a few of my favourites found on the internet.
And when I have finished posting this I plan to crack open my tin of Benjamin Moore's Natura colour OC 52 Gray Owl and slap it on my walls. whoopeee !

Green Christmas

 For many years now I have not bought wrapping paper.... ok - so my mom would probably say it's because I use hers, and I admit to raiding her stock for stocking stuffer wrapping... however !  for the big gifts I have been making, recycling, re-using for my wrapping purposes.  
It started out as a fun thing - mostly because there was a time when you could not purchase non-tacky christmas paper.   I know it's hard now, but back then it was IMPOSSIBLE.
Anyway, Christmas wrapping just became a fun thing to do and I spent more time and energy on wrapping my gifts than I did on purchasing them.

There are some really great ways to decorate without wasting, and here are a few great ones for my one and only Christmas blog post - that's right.   Unless Im knocked over by something so blindingly gorgeously christmas related, this is IT.

TREES:

I support buying a real tree - the plastic ones are gross and tacky, and if you are going to kid yourself into believing that they are green by virtue of the fact that they can be re-used, you better plan on hauling that nasty thing out every Christmas for the next twenty years to meet any real eco-target.  

Real trees support local farmers, create jobs, and are fun.   Why mess with that ?

It's true pesticides and crap are used when growing them, but you can get organic ones from Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, or the Brick Works - Im sure more and more will be popping up around the city.

Oh, and what happens to them when the silly season finally ends ?  they are turned into mulch and the city of Toronto uses them in our parks.   so there.  just dont use that nasty plastic tinsel crap because a)it's vulgar and b) it cant be mulched, c) it's vulgar, d) ummmm it's vulgar.

WRAPPING:
Oh the ideas are endless !!!  paper paper its everywhere, use your imagination and re-use the stuff !
I have attached some pictures of this years favourite ideas using newspaper.... the blue blobs are engineered by ironing a couple of sheets of newspaper with some crayon ends in between - genius.

As for the tree decorating - I make cookies and decorate them with silver balls and white icing.   They are totally edible so I know my tree is ready for the curb by Jan 1.    I also use some ribbons tied into bows, teeny tiny LEDs, and some smashed up old cds... this year Im going to make a bunch of paper snow flakes too.

Floating Pillow Chairs

 In my internet travels I came across these chairs that looked like pillows floating on thin modern stainless steel legs.   

Having been to a dinner party the night before where my butt fell asleep on to the uncomfortable wooden chair, I thought I want something like these cosy bum clouds for my dinner parties... I dont know about you but I like the post feed chat and cheese to last a long time.... minus the bum numb.

I dont think it would be to hard to make these - all you need is a set of chair frames sporting some sexy legs, and a structurally intact seat.    It wouldn't matter if the seat part were ugly or mismatched because you would wrap them entirely with a padded cushion.   Im not crazy about the wicker seat of this chair but this sample would be the perfect starting point.


Due to my on-going obsession with morroccan floor cushions, the mahjong sofa by Roche Bobois, and brightly patterned fabrics.... I think Im planning my next personal project... 

 








Watch this space......