One Lovely Blog Award

September 10, 2012

What a nice surprise!

This weekend the ‘One Lovely Blog Award’ was sent my way :-)

Thank you so much to Heather from grillfusion for the nomination!

If you haven’t stopped by grillfusion, you really must! I mean seriously, you have see Heather’s DIY Name Plate Sign. Looove this sign! Not to mention Heather’s road-side find Cabinet Restoration. And there’s so much more! So make sure you pop by to say, hi!

In honour of this award, I have to share 7 things about myself with you! And you know what? It’s harder than you think to come up with 7 things… I might have over-shared here, here, and here! ;-)

But here goes…

  • I love canned pears, but have never tried canning them myself, until this summer…

Canned Pears

  • I don’t like snakes, NOT. ONE. BIT! In fact, they terrify me :-| But, according to Chinese astrology I was born in the year of the snake! Seriously, how does that work?
  • I still use my pin cushion from high school, along with my Grandmother’s thimble. Both are considered vintage! Eeek!!!

Vintage Pin Cusion circa 1978

J.S. Bach

Joseph Abraham Music

  •  Have you ever heard of a wine spritzer called ‘Pretty Toes’? Not me either. But after one or two under the hot summer sun, let’s just say a recipe has been concocted. And that’s all I’m say’n!

  • I know this will probably surprise you, but texting drives me crazy. I’m just not that into it! Drives my daughter even more crazy that I’m not!

Port-to-Port Consulting

  • I work best when I’m curled up somewhere comfy. If I had my way, I’d never work at a desk… but ergonomics tell me I should!

Yoga Belly Blog

Just out of curiosity, how many of you do work like this? If not, you might want to read this article.

Thank you again, Heather for including me in the ‘One Lovely Blog Award’!

And now I am passing on this nomination to:

Cris Angsten Interiors | Edin’s House |  i Dream of Chairs | JAX Does Design | Refresh Interiors | Refreshed Designs | Restyling Home By Kelly | Satori Design for Living |  Simple Details | The Cozy Old Farmhouse | The Design Pages | West Pear Avenue

Pass it on, and nominate 15 other bloggers (or as many as you can). Don’t forget to add the blog award logo to your post and thank the person who nominated you!

Have some fun with this! :-)

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What do Sitting and Smoking Have in Common?

March 5, 2012

As a blogger…

I am sitting and working for long periods of time. Too long, in fact. I try to get up and make sure I move around, find reasons to go up and down the stairs throughout the day, pay attention to my posture, but in the end I’m still sitting for WAY.TOO.LONG. And yes, periodically go through bouts of lower back pain.

Sound familiar?

This image, shared on my friend Sarah Loewen’s facebook page, was my wake-up call.

Source: Sanders Says Blog

But it’s the caption that went with it that really snapped me to attention:

SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING

Seriously. Have you ever watched Mad Men? How can sitting be the new smoking? How does it even compare? I urge you to read the full article from My One Resolution Blog, or at least the quick recap by Sanders Says Blog. Short, but the message… not so sweet.

Blogging and Physical Fitness

It was in this moment that I stopped trying to figure the blogging and sitting vs. physical fitness, health and well-being ratio out on my own. I contacted Sarah without wasting another minute, and set up one-on-one sessions to build a fitness plan just for me. You see, Sarah is the owner of Loewen Behold, a full service fitness practice in Shawnigan Lake. Sarah has known me forever, and that includes our days in high school when sports were my life. So I trusted her to help me get my physical fitness back on the rails.

Yup, my name is Sheila, and I’m a blogger!

So why this post, and where am I going with it?

Well, I know many of you who read my blog are bloggers, too. And if you’re not a blogger, I bet many of you have a day job that requires extended periods of time spent sitting. And if you’re neither of these, I bet reading the short articles linked above will still come as a shock and surprise. I’m not kidding.

But what I’m really trying to do is bring an awareness, and present a partial solution to the greater whole.

A New Office Chair

Here’s what I just ordered for my office… the one on the lower left, but in blue – at least I hope it arrives in blue!

Source: Squidoo

The first time I ever used a stability ball for an office chair was about 6 years ago. I was a casual office assistant at the time, so this was not my permanent work station, and trust me, I wasn’t too keen to navigate the ball with a skirt on! And it was just the ball, no frame, so getting the ball to stop rolling while I tried to clamor on was yet another coordinating comedy in action. Can you picture it?

It was Sarah who told me these balls come with frames. Who knew? I had long forgotten about the ball dressed up as an office chair! And Sarah also advised that it’s good to switch up your chair throughout the day, including some time spent standing and working.

Ergonomics Matter

This all makes sense… and I think I can handle a ball in a frame!

Source: Amazon

I know it looks a little space age, and it’s not exactly the ‘pretty’ I’ve been imagining for the office, but ergonomics must factor into the equation. I’ll do what I can to give it a custom look that fits the rest of the space – you know, recover the back or something. And I do plan to swap between my current chair and this one throughout the day, so it won’t totally impose on the aesthetics of the office all of the time!

Why this chair?

Click here to read more on stability ball chairs. This is just part of the bigger plan to keep my body healthy and fit in this world of blogging.

How are you doing with your physical health? Are you sitting for way too long at a crack?

What Can You Do?

If you need a little personal support, why not get in touch with Sarah. Don’t let distance be the divide. Sarah offers one-on-one sessions via skype! Isn’t that convenient? And she’s amazing! She’ll get you started on a program that’s designed just for you!

THANKS FOR READING!

xo

PS – Don’t forget to enter the Shabby Apple giveaway!

It’s about coming home… and home is a remarkable space that tells your story! 

If you would like some help with your space contact me here.

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TAG, You’re It!

February 17, 2012

My friend Carol over at The Design Pages tagged me in a fun little question and answer game, and today I’m ‘telling all’ as I answer her questions! So kick back and enjoy ;-)  But this is only part of the fun, because I get to tag a whole new group of bloggers and pass the ‘tell all’ on to them! And just a little housekeeping before we get started…

RULES

  • You must post the rules!
  • Answer the 11 questions the tagger posted for you , and then create 11 new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
  • Tag 11 people and link them in your post.
  • Let them know you’ve tagged them.

Here we go, this is what Carol wanted to know.

1. What did you do last Friday night?

My hubby and I are catching up on Mad Men, so our Friday nights start off with a martini and appies while we watch a few episodes… 3 olives, wet and dirty! Oh, and I prefer garlic stuffed olives please!!!

Source: Mad Men / Martini

 2. What is your specialty in the kitchen?

Honestly, I’d rather prep and clean up than cook! But if I had to pick, I’d say my specialty would be appies, great salads and comfort food… I leave the extravagant meals to my hubby – he loves to cook them, I love to eat them, so we make a great team!

Source: Appies / Salad / Spaghetti / Stew

3. What is yor favourite nail polish colour?

I’m not a huge nail polish person, gasp! I love the way it looks, but it drives me crazy once it’s on. When I do decide to glam it up, I like anything in this deeper colour palette…

Source

 4. Dogs or cats?

I don’t have either, but I’m a dog person hands-down, and Labs are my favorite. We had 2 black labs when I was growing up, and a chocolate lab when my daughter was quite young.

5. What is your favourite computer or phone app?

When I’m working on my computer I use Jing a lot for my photos, and Evernote when I’m working on my Android tablet. My next phone is going to be an iPhone, so I bet I’ll have a different answer then!

6. Who inspires you the most?

This is a tough one! I’m inspired by different people for different reasons. My husband because he’s so focused, Candice Olson for her glamorous and functional designs, the Eames because they were just pure genius, Steve Jobs for all the obvious reasons, Audrey Hepburn for her flawless sense of style… but right now I think Young House Love is a pretty hefty dose of inspiration. They have no fear in tackling just about any DIY, and that gives me confidence to roll up my own sleeves and dive in, too!

7. If you and I were going to spend a weekend together what would you plan for us?

I’d love to go thrifting, antiquing, maybe even tackle a DIY project. Of course there would have to be some great food and wine thrown into the mix!

 Source: Antique Store / Wine 

8. What was the best book you read last year?

At first this question bogged me down. I read a few ‘fluff’ novels that I enjoyed, so inconsequential that I can’t even remember their titles now, but great escapes. And then I panicked thinking yikes I never read anymore! But then I realized I’m reading all the time… blogs, shelter magazines, design books, articles on line… I love to get lost in a novel, but once it’s finished I move on. And I’m ready for another one… got any you’d recommend?

Sources

 9. What’s your biggest accomplishment of 2012?

I know we’re barely into this year, but one thing is my blog. I work really hard to put out 5 posts a week, so that feels pretty big as it takes a ton of time and commitment, which I know you know! And I’ve been working on some DIY projects, so I know as I finish them they’ll be satisfying accomplishments for me. I also just participated, along with other VISSR members, in a volunteer redesign project. We made over two classrooms for Bridges for Women in Victoria, and that was very gratifying… you can see the SHAW TV clip here.

10. Do you like to dance?

I love to dance! And learning how to tango is still on my bucket list!

Source

11. Which is your favourite, must read blog?

Oh boy, that’s tough. Yours is definitely one of my favorites! I read different blogs for different reasons… I love the DIY-ers, I really like blogs that feature vintage pieces, great spaces, great photography, and I definitely have a special spot for our dlbWEST bloggers. I think it’s easier to say my favorite blogs are the ones that don’t overwhelm me with a ton of text. I appreciate the work that goes into an article, and yet I want to get to all the blogs I follow, so I like it when they’re not overly long.

TAG, YOU’RE IT!

Modern Jane

Decor Adventures

Prairie Perch

Home Bunch

The Simply Inspired Home

2 Jacs

Row House Nest

Wooden Spoon Editions

Dans le Townhouse

Inspire Me Heather

Bella Lime

YOUR QUESTIONS

  1. What’s the biggest compliment you could be given as a result of your blog?
  2. What gets you out of bed in the morning, keeps you awake at night?
  3. How do you recharge?
  4. What is your most cherished family tradition?
  5. If you could pick anything on any menu, what would it be?
  6. What’s in your closet that’s seen better days, but somehow you just can’t let it go?
  7. What’s a lasting lesson your mother (or father, grandparent, or…) taught you?
  8. Are you seeing a make-up trend that you’d rather see gone?
  9. Boots. What style is your style?
  10. If you inherited an antique piece of furniture, would you modify it in any way? Where would you draw the line?
  11. What’s hot, what’s not in decor?

Thank you Carol for including me! I loved learning more about you, and can’t wait to learn more about the others too!

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Let’s Connect!

January 23, 2012

With the news that Picnik will be closing on April 19, 2012…

Picnic closing image

From www.picnik.com

And this great post, ‘Blog Housekeeping: Subscribe & Follow Options‘ by {aka}|design, I thought it was a good idea that I do a little housekeeping myself.

Back in November 2011, Google announced they will be shutting down ‘underperforming’ services, and one of them is Google Friend Connect. This will affect those of us who are on WordPress, but if you use Blogger, you’re fine. Click here to read the full article if you missed it.

So here’s what’s up.

If you follow me on Google Friend Connect, I will have removed that option from my site by the time you read this. I’d really appreciate it if you would choose one of the following options to subscribe to SZInteriors if you haven’t already…

These are the ways you can subscribe to my blog, and all you have to do is click on them:

RSS Feed - social media icon

networked blogs - social media icon

Following me isn’t the same as subscribing to my blog, so it would be awesome if you would follow me too! Here’s where you’ll find me:

facebook social media icon

pinterest icon

With technology constantly changing, every once in a while a clean sweep of things like this are important. Thank you to {aka}|design for inspiring me to connect with you and make sure you know what’s happened to Google Friend Connect on SZInteriors!

Don’t worry, tomorrow I’ll be back with some colour and fun! :-)

It’s about coming home… If you want a remarkable space that tells your story, make sure you subscribe to my blog! And you can always contact me to see how I can help!

THANKS FOR READING!

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Want A Critique of Your Blog?

January 9, 2012

Want some feedback on your blog? As in maybe there’s a lot to like about it, and maybe there are some areas that could use improvement, but you’re just not in the ‘know’ either way!

Heather from Inspire Me Heather is hosting an ingenious ‘link up’ party. It’s for bloggers to receive critiques from other bloggers about their blog. And anything goes. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to play nice, it just means that being constructive and positive is the key. After all, with friendly feedback, a blog can not only survive, but thrive too, don’t you think?

So here’s how it works.

Go to Heather’s site, and sign up to participate. Your blog will be critiqued by two other bloggers, and you’ll be given two blogs to also critique.  And don’t worry, this is a two-way street of anonymity. Only you and Heather will be in the know about the feedback for your blog, and what you had to say about those you evaluated. I think this is a great opportunity to take another step forward, don’t you? And what a fab idea to start 2012 off just right!

So pop on over to sign up now by clicking the button below…

You only have until January 15th, but there’s only room for 100 bloggers! Nothing to lose, yet so much to be gained!

And you know what? If you’re not a blogger, or you are but not participating in ‘Project: Blogging’, I’d appreciate your feedback too! Please email your thoughts to sheila@sheilazellerinteriors. If there’s something about my blog you think could use some help, or that’s not here, but you would like to see, I’d love to hear from you. Afterall, I write for you! I would respectfully ask that you not use the comment section for this purpose.

THANKS FOR READING!

Oh, and…

It’s about coming home… If you want a remarkable space that tells your story, contact me to see how we can help!

If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe to my RSS Feed so you’ll receive each new post without missing a beat! You can also find more posts here… 

 

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Blogging Just Keeps on Giving!

January 3, 2012

From everything I’ve been reading, I know I’m not alone when I say I’m feeling so grateful and lucky for the good things that came my way in 2011. Who knew the life of a blogger could be so rich and rewarding? And I mean that in the soul sense, but there’s a lot of good luck and timing that wove its way through, too.

Like connecting with the amazing group of bloggers, Canadian Design & Lifestyle Bloggers West.

This group is dynamic and full of talented, ambitious personalities. All you have to do is read the blogs of our DLBwest members to know I’m not kidding! Do you remember the idsWEST weekend I wrote about here, and my interview with designer Kelly Deck, here? Well these opportunities wouldn’t have been possible, this fusion of social media and design…

…without the hard work of our incredible DLBwest organizers, Victoria Lambert, Nancy Marcus, Barbara Marek-Matson, and Karla Adamatsu… read more here.

And if not for blogging, I would not have even known about, let alone entered, the fabulous giveaways hosted by fellow bloggers and gifted creatives alike. Which means I would not have been the lucky winner of the giveaways I wrote about here and here. And seriously, there were a ton of jaw-dropping giveaways!

If not for the amazing world of blogging I might not have been as informed about these design books that found their way onto my wish list…

 

Source

Source

Source

And are now scratched off because my awesome hubby put them under the tree! Well, he put the first 2 under the tree, and gave me a gift card to Chapters for the last one because he wasn’t sure if I seriously wanted all 3!!! And I know I’m not the only one who got to add a few of these books to the coffee table collection!

Blogging has given me so many tips and a ton of information that’s often hard to find. Where would I be without the tutorials, the go-to’s, and the do not do’s that might not otherwise arise? Because of blogging I have taken on projects I probably wouldn’t have attempted before, like the summer and the fall Pinterest challenges!

Speaking of Pinterest, that’s a whole other world that’s a blogger’s delight! But it’s not limited to bloggers, oh no, not at all. Have you stopped by? Oh, and I heard whispers in the fall that there will be a winter challenge coming some time in January! Do you think you might join in the fun? Keep an eye on Young House Love blog, because that’s where the details will be.

Reading blogs can be a one-stop shop, and trust me, I’ve discovered a world of resources literally at my fingertips… you know, clicking across the keyboard can open some magical doors! Do you know how much information is packaged in a blog and tied up with the visuals as if they were the bow? Blogs are pretty to look at, and practical to read!

Blogging is the doorway into the hearts and homes of others. I know, because it’s your comments that touch my heart, your decorating ideas that fill my home, and your recipes that I want to try. Post after post, the inspiration to try new ideas, to get things done, the eureka moments when you learn something new, and just to share and share alike is what makes blogging the special community that it is.

What do you love about the land of blog? What would you like to see?

It’s about coming home… If you want a remarkable space that tells your story, contact me to see how we can help!

Did you enjoy this post? By subscribing to my RSS Feed you’ll receive each new post without missing a beat! And you can find more posts here… If a thought comes to mind, comments are always appreciated and I read them all. I’d love to hear from you…

THANKS FOR READING!

XO

 

 

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Guest Post at hodge:podge

November 6, 2011

Happy Sunday!

I know you don’t usually find me here today, but I stopped in because I’m super excited to be guest posting over at hodge:podge, and wanted to let you know.

Have you read Barbara’s ‘So Canadian, eh?’

That’s where you’ll find me… click here to check it out!

And be sure to check out hodge:podge while you’re there. Barbara is a DIY-er extraordinaire, and gifted when it comes to whipping up pretty much anything she sets her mind to. You should see what she creates with her sewing machine! Trust me, you’ll be inspired by the time you leave. I know I am. Barbara’s creations are as amazing and lovely as she is! Leaving a comment for Barbara while you’re there is always nice, too :-)

Thank you so much, Barbara, for interviewing me for your series. I am honoured to be included!

And an extra special thank you for being one of the masterminds behind the Canadian Design & Lifestyle Bloggers West group, which lead to the incredible IDSwest weekend where I finally got to meet you. I’m so looking forward to connecting again!

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A Story Unfolds for Bloggers, CDLB West at IDS West

October 4, 2011

I’m back from Vancouver where I attended the IDS West show this past weekend… and what a show it was! There’ll be a whole lot more coming, but this post is about the incredible planning and organizing by our amazing CDLB West group leaders, Victoria Lambert of Edin’s House, Barbara Matson of hodge:podge, Nancy Marcus of Marcus Design, and Karla Adamatsu of Kerrisdale Design Inc. They made this IDS West weekend possible for the rest of us, along with of course IKEA, our premier sponsor who was just incredible. Thank you Victoria, Barbara, Nancy, and Karla. And thank you IKEA!

Let the story unfold…

IDS West was held at the Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre. Have you ever been there?

Isn’t it unbelievable?

There is so much BC wood in the design, including these stunning chandeliers. They definitely set the tone for what lay ahead.

Our CDLB group was invited for a private tour on opening night…

And then to the opening night party too!

This is where we all met up…

To collect our Media Passes for the weekend!

I really appreciated having a Media Pass. And our remarkable organizers managed to arrange VIP seating for the presentations over the weekend too!

This is how our tour began…

A glass of complimentary champagne…

And 2 fantastic hosts!

Jason and Leonie…

Click here to read more about our tour and the opening night party!

Saturday night. Let the rest of the story unfold…

The next big event was our cocktail party at the boutique hotel, the Loden, where a number of us also opted to stay the night.

This is a glimpse of the sitting area in the suite I shared with Andrea Johnson, another member of CDLB West.

It comes complete with nailhead trim and an espresso machine at the back!

And this is a glimpse of the special guests who joined us at our cocktail party…

None other than Mark Challen, House and Home style commentator!

And…

These two amazing designers, Kelly Deck of Kelly Deck Design and Suzanne Dimma, editor of Canadian House and Home!!!

I know! Pretty incredible :-) And so were they!!!

The evening was filled with so much laughter the volume would put a football game to shame! There were lots of draws with amazing prizes, a grand draw for a $1000 IKEA gift card… and a Twitter challenge too! The prize was a sleek bathroom faucet from Delta Faucets…

Victoria Lambert Photo

Can you guess what came home with me?! Thank you so much Delta Faucets for your incredible support of CDLB West and our special evening!

And at the end of the evening we were each given a SWAG bag too!

Want to see what was in it?

Well, the Delta faucet wasn’t part of the swag bags, but I thought it should be included in the photograph too! Thank you so much to the many contributors who helped fill the swag bags with design and lifestyle delights!

And as they say, all good things must come to an end…

But for those of us who were still around the next morning, we enjoyed a nice breakfast together.

(L to R: Andrea Johnson, Myself, Karla Adamatsu, Barbara Matson, Victoria Lambert, Erika Reed Cook, Nancy Marcus)

And then some went their separate ways, while the rest of us carried on over to IDS West to take in Kelly Deck’s presentation.

This was the perfect end to an incredible 4 days!

And if you missed my interview with the incredibly talented Kelly Deck of Kelly Deck Design, you can read it here!

THANKS FOR READING!

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