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Dear Melissa,
WOW! A New Year, and this is going to be my
best ever. The eve was a quiet one, just
solo by the fireplace with a couple of good movies,
my kitties, a bottle of bubbly gifted by a friend
for the holidays, and some Eatzi’s takeout. I took
the time to appreciate last year’s accomplishments,
and establish my resolutions and achievements for
the year ahead!
Making memories and new friends is what it
is all about! I had a wonderful holiday
bash and included new and old friends alike.
Upcoming is the Burning of Your Troubles Party, a
casual potluck fest in which each invitee has a
chance to burn their troubles of yesteryear in my
chiminea outdoors, while filling their paper New
Year’s crown with wishes and dreams for the year
ahead. Then that crown is burned in the same
chiminea and becomes part of the universal energy of
intention. The results can be amazing! Last year, a
friend wished for a trip to Italy and within thirty
days had a chance at an all expense paid trip clear
out of the blue. Wish carefully but with passion!
National Home Builder’s Show in
Orlando! I am headed to Orlando January
10-14 for the show to check out the latest and
greatest in trends in home building and new products
on the market for clients and my subscribers. I have
to keep on the leading edge for you all! Never been
to Orlando so if anyone has any must sees, beyond
Disneyworld, (that will have to be another trip),
let me know.
Live well and beautifully, and check out the changes
we are making both on site and our blog additions
regularly!
MG
| Fresh Inspirations: Earthwise Living and Arts and Crafts Design |
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I am delighted to report a real up tick in the
building of Earth Friendly homes and organic design.
Most folks know this as Arts and Crafts or Mission
Style and enjoy the hallmarks of open floor plans,
built-in storage, natural materials including
hardwoods, slate, and stone, and a truly inviting
warmth. While Frank Lloyd Wright may be the
Founding Father of this movement, it has grown well
beyond the confines of his dictates.
Much of this can be attributed to Architect and
Writer Sarah Susanka and her series The Not So Big
House, published by Taunton Press. She has almost
single handedly reawakend the trend toward homes
that actually fit the family instead of space for
space’s sake. Bigger is not necessarily better.
What matters most is how it all works.
The key is to decide how you want space to function
and then design accordingly. Rather than backing a
lifestyle into a preconceived notion by a builder or
architect. It is design from the inside out and is
far more effective and successful than from the
outside in. It is also about maximizing what is
available and eliminated useless spaces like endless
hallways, deadend landings, under stair gaps and
holes, and instead creating compact spaces that feel
more open, and offer creative storage solutions (we
still have too much stuff!).
Check out the article
link here for more on Arts and
Crafts Design!
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Online
entrepreneur Melissa Galt, "The Lifestyle Diva,"
publishes “Design Destinations” a monthly ezine
with 1500+ subscribers. If you're ready to
jump-start your life, create comfortable and
personal home interiors, define your personal image
and style, plan exciting travel and adventure,
develop the career of your dreams, and pursue your
past times and passionate pursuits, learn how now at
www.melissagalt.com
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| Book Reviews |
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 Naked in Death,
J.D. Robb
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is back and fighting crime in
futuristic New York. I’m head over heels for her
Irish lover and billionaire compadre Roark,
(straight out of an Ayn Rand novel!) She is
confronted by a serial killer of prostitutes.
Prostitution is now legal, the oldest profession in
the world has new rules and new respect. An
interesting concept, and likely not too far from a
future reality. This time it not surprisingly
involves a crooked politician and his dastardly
supporters. . . and gets into some pretty grim
ground with child abuse, and resulting damage to the
resulting adults. It is a page turner, and
kept me riveted, no wandering here.
 Style by the
Aisle, Better H
& G
The subtitle on this little guide book is
Off-The-Rack Decorating for Affordable Chic,
and it really is a viable compendium of 15 design
styles for today including Tuscan Sun (though I hear
that is passé), and Bollywood (I call that Moroccan
Moderne). In addition to the easy to use directory
of styles, they include style keys in an easy visual
format and ways to make it all happen with in stock
everyday design item purchases. From Ikea’s storage
cubes, to Bed, Bath and Beyond kitchen towels, to
Pier One Imports table top finds, with a complete
source list in the back, this is a great jumping off
point for instant chic. Have fun, make it
affordable, and celebrate now!
Books
For more of Melissa's brilliant book reviews,
check out her Designer
Book Reviews Blog.
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| Movie Reviews |
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Rating system of one to five
stars
 "Casanova" -
Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, Oliver
Platt, Lena Olin
How can you miss with Heath, he is a complete
DISH!!!!!! And this does put an interesting spin on
the timeless tale of Casanova, romancer of all
women. Irons is despicably wicked and grossly
unattractive as the Royal Inquisitor, inspiring hate
in all. Oliver Platt is really sort of sadly funny
and appealing as the traditionally rich but most
unsexy fiancé to the lovely Sienna Miller. Luckily
for him, Lena Olin is captivated and he by her so it
all has a light hearted and delightful ending. This
is what hot air ballooning is all about. Make 2006
your year!
 "Walk the Line" -
Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix
Wow, talk about a dysfunctional family to be raised
in. His Father was virtually never proud of him,
never said a kind word and his talent was
extraordinary. He was in love with June Carter from
the time he was a young boy and heard her on the
radio, but didn’t get to marry her until going
through hell and back and having her by his side
through it all – a loveless marriage (yet he didn’t
cheat, at least not on the silver screen), an
intense drug addiction, an intervention, a change in
musical tastes across the nation and so much more.
The love for her is captivating and truly carried
him through. I hope this is an Oscar
pic!!
Movies
Be sure to check out the
Designer Movie Reviews Blog for even more ... I
usually include my video reviews during the
holidays, too!
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| Newsletter Signup |
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Online entrepreneur Melissa Galt, "The Lifestyle
Diva," publishes “Design Destinations” a monthly
ezine with 1500+ subscribers. If you're ready to
jump-start your life, create comfortable and
personal home interiors, define your personal image
and style, plan exciting travel and adventure,
develop the career of your dreams, and pursue your
past times and passionate pursuits, sign up now for
her free newsletter.
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| Trends: Glass in the Bath! |
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I am planning on redoing my master bath this Spring.
I did the kitchen and interior house colors when I
moved in, but the bath is still making me crazy! It
is screamingly white with 4” tile everywhere. So I
have found it, Moon Dots! They are divine, a
dichroic glass tile to accent other tile. I’ll use
12x12 on the walls and band it with glass 4x4 and
the Moon Dots. All the rage, glass in the bath.
Whether you use a Bisazza mosaic, or accent with
recycled glass tile for a tribute to the
environment, the point is to add gleam and
transparency with colors unlimited to the bath.
White is so ordinary and sterile, why not try aqua,
seafoam, sapphire, or amethyst for a soothing,
refreshing mood. Or go hot and steamy with crimson,
topaz, and fiery fuschia. By the same token there
are a host of metallic glass tiles available in
shimmering golds, gleamy bronze, silvery platinums
and more. It isn’t all about ceramic anymore! Glass
isn’t relegated to your mirrors and light fixtures,
go trendy, go classic, add glass tiles. One at a
time or mosaic a wall, now is the time to explore.
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| Audience Quips |
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“Thank you Melissa -- you are such a delight and
your Home Show presentation in Atlanta was terrific!!”
- Sylvia Esparza
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| Life Philosophies |
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“All glory comes from daring to
begin.”
- Eugene F. Ware, American Lawyer and Poet
“To dream anything that you want to dream; that is
the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that
you want to do; that is the strength of the human
will. To trust yourself to test your limits; that is
the courage to succeed.”
- Bernard Edmonds, American Writer
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