Interview

Two weeks ago, I opened a new series on Pepper Design Blog by being the first interview Morgan did with a blogger. Follow her blog if you wish to spice up your home and your party. Last Friday, she interviewed Chris of Celebrations at Home. Chris gave wonderful tips to style your place to the party theme.

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I have been so busy lately that I just realized that At Home with Kim Vallee is a nominee for the BlogLuxe Awards organized by SocialLuxe Lounge in the Most Inspiring Blog Category. You can vote once a day until July for the first round. The five finalists will be announced July 6th, 2009. The two winners will be announced July 23rd, 2009 at the Swiffer SocialLuxe Lounge.

Nominations will close on June 23. Voting will remain open until July 6. You may vote once per day, per person, for your favorite blog in each category. The 5 blogs that obtain the most votes will become a finalist.

These awards are organized for BlogHer 2009. The winners will be publicly announced at the pampering party to kick-off BlogHer ‘09. The hostesses for the SocialLuxe Lounge are Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant, Jennifer Sbranti of Hostess With The Mostess, Jane Maynard of This Week For Dinner, Marie LeBaron of Make and Takes, Ciaran Blumenfeld of Momfluential, and Beth Feldman of Role Mommy.

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A quick note to tell you that I was interviewed last week by Susan Semenak for an article she did for the main English speaking daily newspaper in Montreal, The Gazette. I shared my knowledge about moms who blog. If you are into it, read the different points of views of a group of moms who likes to blog. They did this article for Mother’s Day.

+ The mommy diaries by Susan Semenak on The Gazette

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How they did it?

Michelle Blanc, Bruno Guglielminetti and Dominic Arpin compiled their own list of 25 Web celebrities and from that they produce the top 10 list.

I am happy to report that two bloggers from our circle made the Top 10. At the 3rd position is Martine Gingras of banlieusardises.com. Martine pioneered the mom blog in Quebec. She is very good.

M-C. Turgeon is an artist, blogger, podcaster and crafter. She runs a Web design and communications  studio. She founded Creacamp, a meeting for creative women  in Montreal. M-C Turgeon writes either in French and in English on her blog. She is very active online and offline.

It did not stop there. Several bloggers from the women and mom blog circle were chosen in the top 25 lists, including me. I wish a express my warmest thanks to Michelle Blanc and Bruno Guglielminetti for giving me this honor. Women in other spheres also appear on the Top 25 lists. Slowly but surely, the Web stops to be a gentlemen club.

Upcoming Talk

I wish to remind you that I will be talking about Women and Mom Blogging and Marketing at the next PodCamp Toronto at 2:45 pm on February 21st, 2009. The topics covered are all exciting. In you are in Toronto that weekend, come to visit. It’s free.

MORE:
+ Top 25 of Michelle Blanc
+ Top 25 of Bruno Guglielminetti
+ Top 10 on Christiane Charest

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Today, I will interview Elaine Griffin, a leading New York interior designer, author and editor in a live streaming video interview. It will be a new experience to be on the other side. I will be the interviewer instead of the interviewee.

It should be interesting. A recognized tastemaker, Elaine Griffin is a contributing editor of Elle Décor. She designed the Good Works Makeovers for Oprah’s O at Home, and is ranked as one of House Beautiful’s Top 100 American Designers. Her first book will be out in Autumn 2009.

The Interview Topic

Elaine will share her design ideas to enhance the exterior of your house. You will learn how you can add curb appeal on a budget. I will ask her about the latest trends in front entryway.

The live streaming feed will be up from 12:45 to 12:55 pm EST today (February 4th, 2009). I know it is at last minute, but check if you can add it to your agenda. If you are unable to make it, I will publish the video later this week.

MORE:
+ Live Video Stream of the Interview
+ Elaine Griffin

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In the News

First, Deena Waisberg interviewed me a few months ago about women blogging. Her article is published in Reader’s Digest. Deena introduced the world of blogging through the eyes of a few Canadian bloggers.

She asked me if she could interview one of my readers. After asking permission, I referred her to Sabina DeShazo of Barefoot in the Orchard. I wish to thank both for their collaboration.

Session at PodCamp Toronto 2009

I posted my session on the wiki. It will be a follow-up to the session I did in Montreal. Last time, I did an introduction to the world of women and mom blogs. Now the scope will be an Updated Look at Women and Social Media.

The core of the session will be on what is happening in the world of women and mom marketing and blogging. We will look at the latest metrics. See how blogging and social media enhance the life and the daily activities of modern women. I will share great initiatives but I also want to hear about yours. So if you are in the Toronto area, I wish you will come.

• What: PodCamp Toronto 2009
• When: February 21 and 22, 2009 (a weekend)
• Where: Rogers Communications Centre at Ryerson University, Toronto, ON
• Cost: Free!

PodCamp Toronto is made possible by the generous contributions of our sponsors. Visit podcamptoronto.org for more information and Free Registration.

MORE:
+ The Feminine Side of Blogging in the Reader’s Digest
+ PodCamp Toronto 2009 blog

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+ I am proud of the good tips I gave on How to select your centerpieces

+ Last February, I wrote that I secretly dream of a clutter free home. Last fall, my husband and I removed the stuff we did not want or need anymore. It feels so great being in the house now.

+ I had the chance to have brunch with Béa of La Tartine Gourmande at Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge. You can watch a performance by a singing chorale from Harvard. If you did not read the good news, Béa gave birth to a cute little girl December 25.

+ I had the pleasure to stay at the Gold Floor of the Copley Plaza while we were in Boston. Fairmont Gold Supervisor Nicholas Apostolides gave us in the tour. Watch the videos to discover the well-stocked kitchen and the library room.

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When we say that the Web has no frontiers; it is true. I am so glad to report that my blog is featured in an interior design magazine from Singapore. I am on the December 2008 issue of Singapore Home & Design. I want to thank Ruth Chan for this honor.

By the way, seeing the Queen clock inspires me to find a cool red silhouette clock for the office. Inform me if you see something similar.

No More International Boundaries

On that same article, I found out about vPost, a service provided by Singapore Post. No more disappointment because your favorite online shops do not ship overseas; like it is the case for the Queen clock. The service gives you access to a US, a UK, an European or a Japanese shipping address. vPost will forward your packages to your Singapore address within a week. I wonder if and when a service like that will be available in Canada.

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A cool thing about doing TV interviews is that you discover new shows and new places. I watched last week episode before my interview and I like it.

About the TV Show

Ciao Montreal is a show hosted by young dynamic Italian women about what is going in Montreal that can interest the Italian community. The show covers lifestyle, nightlife, music, fashion, and entertainment. Natasha Gargiulo interviewed me about Halloween party ideas for grown ups.

Ciao Montreal also recorded from a different location in Montreal. This week, it was at a fabulous cooking, mixology and wine tasting school in the heart of Old Montreal called Ateliers et Saveurs. The calendar is mostly filled with workshops. The concept is to learn while having fun.

The décor of Ateliers et Saveurs also impressed me. I captured the lights to give you an idea of the place. An event was taken place. I did not photograph the rooms by respect to the attendees. Do not worry I am planning to go back at Ateliers et Saveurs. I wish to experience their workshops and tasting events.

Custom-made lighting

Lighting artist François Legault of UNIK Sculptural Lighting designed the three light fixtures I am showing you. They were designed especially for Ateliers et Saveurs.

The spiral chandelier features 260 spoons in three sizes, and 15 incandescent bulbs. In the wine tasting room, 476 spoons and 21 Champagne flutes were used to create an impressive 7 foot-long pendant lamp over the table.

The Bar wall sconces are made out of barware. A bunch of spoons hanged from a cocktail strainer. Metal stems hold three shooter glasses at the base. The Kitchen sconces are built on a similar concept than the bar sconces. But in the kitchen, three ladles and whisks drop below the 50 spoons.

I invite you to check UNIK Sculptural Lighting online to admire the entire lighting collection at Ateliers et Saveurs.

Mark October 12th, 2008 on your Calendar

The show with my interview is supposed to air October 12th, 2008 on CJNT Montreal. I will tell you more when I received the confirmation. I wish to thank the team of Ciao Montreal for this opportunity.

MORE READING:
+ Ciao Montreal
+ Ateliers et Saveurs custom-made lighting by UNIK Sculptural Lighting
+ Ateliers et Saveurs

A couple days before Apartment Therapy published a post about Organizing With Magnetic Boards, I spot the Wooden Memo board by Jette Scheib at MoMA store for a guest post I did for Style Sheet.

For the rest, our selections are pretty different.

More Magnetic Bulletin Board Options

I almost select the sisters and brothers of the Bird Shape-Up! Magnetic Bulletin Board by Three by Three: the Flower Dry-Erase Magnetic board for a little girl room and the Arrow Dry-Erase Magnetic board for a boy bedroom.

Remark the Three and Three does two models of magnetic board shaped as arrows and flowers. You can write with a dry-erase pen on one of the model.

About my guest blog on Style Sheet, my selection takes the form of a simple memo board up to an elaborate organization system. Check out the eye-catching memo board for your grocery list on Style Sheet.

SOURCING:
+ Wooden Memo board by Jette Scheib – price: members $81, others $90
+ Three by Three Shape up! Bird Magnetic Bulletin Board – price: $24 USD
+ Three by Three Shape up! Flower Magnetic Bulletin Board – price: $24 USD
+ Three by Three Shape up! Arrow Magnetic Bulletin Board – price: on sale at $18 USD at Velocity
+ Via Style Sheet

This is my daily collection of noteworthy stuff that I saw online.

They say that what goes around comes around. So I wish to return the favor to people who raved At Home with Kim Vallee today. They are days where you feel the love and I certainly did today. Some blogs are in French but it is normal since I live in Montreal.

This shares a connection with the topic of my upcoming session at PodCamp MTL on September 20, 2008 at 3 pm. It is a free unconference, so register today. And stay for the panel at 4 pm where I sit with 3 other clever girls.

I worked yesterday on the table of content of my session. I did it as I was waiting to see the surgeon for a follow-up exam. By the way, my knee recovery is going well. Within 4 to 6 months, I should be my old self again.

Anyway, today’s quick links illustrate the power of social networks as a marketing tool. If you are on Twitter or Facebook, follow me or add me as friend.

For now, let’s conclude with my daily quick links.

+ I read a captivating interview about Jennifer Sbranti of Hostess with the Mostess. If you are a blogger, you will agree with Jenn when she talked about what is most rewarding and most frustrating about blogging. My husband knows to well how bad I feel when I cannot publish more than one post a day.

I am also proud that Jenn named my blog as one of her favorites; especially since I share this honor in very good company with topnotch bloggers. I love Jenn’s work. I am a regular Hostess with the Mostess’  reader ever since she started 2 years ago.

The interview was done by Laurie Turk, the founder of Tip Junkie, a blog about promoting women and their creative ideas.

+ I followed tinkugallery on Twitter. Amrita Chandra is fascinating woman who runs a contemporary art gallery in Toronto, Canada. If you like art, I invite you to read her blog Tinku Tales. Amrita introduced me to mylifesdesign on Twitter who then introduced me to Frugal Upstate (frugalupstate on Twitter).

+ Three persons, endirectdesiles, ysengrimus and indigonat (I am impatient to see her start a new blog) gave me the honor to suggest my blog in the blog of Marie-Claude Lortie, a famous journalist at La Presse. It generated many visits.

+ I also want to thank Sabina of Barefoot In the Orchard who accepted to be interviewed as one of my readers by a journalist of Reader’s Digest. The article about women and mom blogs is set for publication in 2 to 3 months. Updated Sept. 4, 2008: Sabina supports the slow food movement. Every month, she presents the seasonal fruits and vegetables.

I have a big announcement tomorrow. Stay tuned!

I compiled a list of attractive decorative items for people on a budget. I wrote this for Style Sheet, the blog of HTGV.ca.

My guest post goes beyond the college and university students who wish to decorate their dorm. The list suits anyone who moved out of his or her parents’ house for the first time.

Because I prefer buying stuff that can stay with you for a while, I selected items that would look great in your subsequent homes.

To prove it can fit in a grown up home, the first item is an IKEA hack done by one of my girlfriends in her apartment. I want to thank the photograph Elizabeth Delage for taking the pictures.

I invite you to have a look at my finds and to share your opinions on Style Sheet.