Harbourkids Family Skating Party with
Appearances from RBC Canadian Olympians
at Family Day on Toronto's Waterfront!

Meet RBC Canadian Olympian Jayna Hefford from the Gold Medal Winning Women’s Hockey Team and Para-Olympian Greg Westlake from the Men’s Sledge Hockey Team during a day of exciting activities at the HarbourKIDS Family Skating Party at Harbourfront Centre during Family Day on Toronto’s Waterfront - Monday, February 21 from 11am until 5pm!

Comedian Kristian Reimer will host the fun-filled day full of activities including swing music performed by the 18-piece All-Star Big Band, African drumming and dancing workshops, animated classics from the National Film Board of Canada, a blueprint/mapping interactivity space, a Blue Room filled with all things blue, the LEGO room and a special sock monkey workshop by Operation Sock Monkey.

Don’t miss the free Music With Bite concert, La Tête dans les Nuages (performed in French), with Annabelle Renzo on harp, which tells the story of a young girl who grows wings and discovers that the sky is a dream-like place.

Visit www.waterfrontbia.com or call Harbourfront Centre at 416-973-4000 for more information.

Countdown to Laura M. Stein's
top 10 Design Trends for 2011 cont'd

5. The Belgian Influence
Rustic finishes, natural woods, organic fabrics and rough stone, all with a European flair are featured in this trend. Part farmhouse, part villa, this look is cozy and comfortable and it’s taken us by storm. It embraces the green trend of repurposing materials, where everything old is new again, and reclaimed wood is the key ingredient. Furniture is over-sized and architectural. Colours are neutral - grey, taupe, cream, beige, and brown. Super-retailer Restoration Hardware has been responsible for bringing Belgian style to the masses. Over the past year they’ve rebranded all their stores, and if they have anything to do with it, this look will be around for a long time.

4. Casual Chic
This look is exotic, global, sleek and elegant, but it’s also comfortable and casual, high end, but livable. It’s about mixing rustic finishes with polish and new pieces with old. It’s casual furniture with ultra-sleek lines. This is the direction contemporary style is moving -softer, but still refined. It’s the ultimate in perfectly balanced juxtaposition, saying “My home is uber-stylish, but feel free to kick up your feet”.

3. Pattern
Pattern is this year’s must have and it’s showing up everywhere. Not just for accents anymore, pattern is this year’s mainstay for sofas, ceilings, walls and just about every surface. Pattern creates depth and warmth, and gives a room an incredible sense of luxuriousness. The key is to create layers of pattern on pattern, like full rooms covered in wallpaper with patterned drapery. This year’s patterns are following the feminine trend with softer lines and curves, and are coming down in scale from the past few years with smaller, more classic styling. Popular designs include florals, botanicals, bird and feather motifs, ethnic-inspired patterns like mosaics and ikats, and graphic prints like trellis patterns, chevrons and medallions.

2. Sophisticated Femininity
Last year was all about classic styling, menswear-inspired fabrics, and neutral masculine colours. This year women are taking the reins and softening lines, injecting florals, adding curves, and throwing in loads of pinks and muted purples. Inspired by women’s fashion, this hot runway style for your home remains chic by pairing it with neutrals like cream, brown, navy and gold.

1. Colour
Every year there are new trends in colour, and this year is no exception. What’s different this year is colour itself. Expect to see a lot more of it in unexpected places, like large upholstery pieces or traditional wood furniture. This year’s colours are all about pretty, and pink is the prom queen. According to the trend-setting experts at Pantone, the colour of the year is honeysuckle, this sumptuous reddish-pink with warm undertones looks fantastic with cream and gold. Other popular colours include luxurious blues like deep indigo and sapphire, soft purples of every kind, the ubiquitous grey, bright citrine, and muted shades of green.

Countdown to Laura M. Stein's
Top 10 Design Trends for 2011

As we celebrate the end of the recession, Canadian interior decorator and designer, Laura M. Stein, is celebrating the start of new trends for 2011. This years trends in home decor are all about decorating to the max, indulging your senses, and filling your home with splendor. 2011 is all about enhancing the simplicity of basic decor. Counting down from 10 to 6, here are some of Laura M. Stein's 2011 Home decor trends. For more information visit www.lauramstein.com

10. The Layered Look
Popular in fashion for years, the layered look is finally coming back to soften sleek contemporary interiors. Say goodbye to sparse, bare surfaces and hello to well-curated collections of accessories with loads of pattern, colour and texture. This look is all about the details, from carefully arranged table vignettes, to mix-and-match throw pillows, to lush pattern on pattern drapery and wallpaper.

9. Slide into the 70’s
In the last few years we’ve seen a strong 80’s influence with striking colours and strong geometrics. This year the 70’s are a billboard hit, but with an updated elegant twist. Think Hermes orange, milk chocolate brown, warm wood tones and soft, seductive curves on everything from furniture to lighting to accessories.

8. Warm Metals
While silver will always be a favourite friend, this year’s love affair is with warm-toned metals. Gold, of course, is the ultimate in luxury, while bronze has a more casual feel. Look for door hardware, light fixtures and picture frames in warm-toned metals. You’ll also find metallics painted on furniture, printed on wallpapers, even woven into fabrics.

7. Black
What comes around goes around and this year, black is the new black. It’s long been a designer trick to use a little black in every room to help anchor a space and give it presence. But this year black is taking centre stage. Add a little bit of white for crisp contrast and black feels fresh and vibrant. It’s being used with stunning results on kitchen cabinets, furniture, and even walls. Rustic or chic, glossy or matte, black creates a beautiful backdrop, a dramatic focal point or a highlighting contrast.

6. Luxury
Luxury is relative, but whatever you buy for your home this year, it must be gorgeous. From the smallest accessory to the largest piece of furniture, the lines, the colour, the texture, the finish, the craftsmanship should make you feel like royalty. So before you pull out your wallet ask yourself, “Is this fabulous?” If not, put it down and back away.

SECRET HOSIERY
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
JANUARY 19, 2011

SHERWAY GARDENS DONATES $32,746 TO SLEEPING CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD

The 2010 award-winning Santa Experience was a huge success at The Sherway Gardens and is pleased to present a cheque for $32,746 to Sleeping Children Around the World, a locally based charity. SCAW is a charity that provides bedkits for children in need, specifically in developing countries around the world.

“Since 2002, Sherway Gardens has proudly donated 100% of the proceeds from the Santa Experience to Sleeping Children Around the World,” states Elena Price, Marketing Director, Sherway Gardens. “To date, $172,115 has been raised through ticket sales for the Santa Experience, with 2010 being the most successful year.”

The Sherway Gardens' Santa expereince is an entertaining and interactive event for children, which consists of singalongs, dancing, and story reading sessions where children get to share their wishes with Santa and pose for an informal photoshoot.

“It’s such a great thing to think that a happy time such as Christmas, where our children our celebrating and having their pictures taken with Santa, can lead to many kids overseas getting bedkits,” states Dave Dryden, Chairman, Sleeping Children Around The World. “As a result of the support Sleeping Children Around The World has received from Sherway Gardens, we have been able to provide approximately 6,000 bedkits to children in countries around the world including India, Kenya, the Philippines, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Honduras and Bangladesh. We can’t thank them enough.”

Sleeping Children Around the World provides bedkits to children of any race and/or religion who will benefit the most; typically being located in underdeveloped and developing countries. No portion of a bedkit donation is spent on administration — 100% reaches a needy child. Each bedkit consists of a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, mosquito net (if applicable), clothes outfit, towel and school supplies. Bedkit contents vary from country to country depending upon local needs. Visit www.scaw.org for more information.

Feel the Warmth of Winter
with HOT PAWS!!

Winter is here, but the thought of enjoying the snowy season is leaving you feeling rather chilly. There’s no need to hibernate! Warming up to spending a day in the great outdoors is as easy as slipping into a pair of Hot Paws thermal socks.

Ultra-soft Hot Paws thermal socks will keep your toes feeling toasty when the thermometer starts to dip. And thanks to their comfortable fit, the insulating socks are a must-have for almost every winter sport. They’re the perfect fit under skates, ski boots and hiking boots. So whether you’re carving figure eights on the ice at the local rink, bombing down a mountain with your snowboard or just building a snowman with family and friends in the backyard, your feet won’t call it quits before you do.

Featuring playful colours, fun prints as well as classic styles, the Hot Paws collection has something for men, women, girls and boys. Now there’s no excuse not to get out and enjoy a little fresh air. Make Hot Paws your winter’s best friend!



The Hot Paws collection is available at department stores, mass retail stores and pharmacies across the country. Pricing for the line, which features a wide variety of colourful styles for children, men and women, begins at $6.00.

KEEP FEET DRY IN SLUSHY WEATHER
GRANGER'S FOOTWEAR WATERPROOFER

Ensure friends and family protect their shoes against the harsh winter weather with Granger’s environmentally-responsible cleaning and proofing products.

The Granger's G-Max Footwear Waterproofer protects shoes and boots while hiking through mountains of snow and slush. Waterproofing for all types of materials including full grain leather, nubuck, suede, and fabric, there is no excuse for wet feet!

With a sponge application to go deep into the fabric, the G-Max Footwear Waterproofer helps maintain the breathability of waterproof membranes, ensuring as-new performance and longer lasting gear. SRP $9.95

Select Granger’s products are available at Mountain Equipment CO-OP, Coast Mountain Sports, Le Baron, Valhalla Pure Outfitters, Campers Village, Trail Head, Sports Experts, SAIL/Baron Sports and La Cordee.

For additional retailers please visit http://www.grangers.co.uk or contact Interex Industries at 1-800-663-8613 or help@interexind.ca.