Cupcakes Anyone?

July 26, 2010 Social Media / Television
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Who doesn’t like cupcakes? I’ve been watching a new reality series on W Network called Cupcake Girls and I’ve found it very entertaining! The show is about a couple of girl friends (best friends Lori Joyce and Heather White) who started a cupcake business in Vancouver without a business plan, and without any baking experience. Craziness! However, what they do have is marketing and branding experience, and it shows. What initially caught my eye in the show was their branding. Everything is consistent and catchy, from the sign and awning on their storefront to the interior design of the store, as well as their print and promotional materials. Everything works well together. I was just reading an article about them in the June issue of the Globe and Mail Your Business magazine, and decided to check out their website.

It’s fun just like everything else. The Cupcakes Facebook page is well utilized also. Of course, I became a fan 🙂 (They let me know that they are looking to expand in Ontario!) Their successful marketing and branding campaign has worked. Last year they spun off three franchises while maintaining their three corporate stores. Congratulations, girls! If you haven’t had a chance to check out their show, I suggest that you do – they are hilarious! See them on W network Sunday’s at 9pm. Let me know what you think!

Heather and Lori offer the Top Ten Pointers For Branding Your Business, and don’t forget to check out the CupcakesTakeTheCake blog too!

— Kathy

Focus on the Heart

July 19, 2010 Uncategorized
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I have a personal blog this week. In light of recent family events, I would like to focus on good heart health. While sometimes you do all that you can to promote a healthy lifestyle, like exercising, eating right and being positive…life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect it. This post is for my dad.

It is important at any age to promote healthy living. I recently picked up a copy of Alive magazine at my local Good Health Mart and I really enjoyed reading the articles. I actually read the entire magazine from cover to cover, which is rare for me. It is very informative, while being a light read. This month the magazine is dedicated to women and the many natural health and wellness solutions available for increased well-being. I especially enjoyed the article on the health benefits of the ten most popular fruits of the season. If you are unable to find a copy of this magazine, visit www.alive.com to view the articles online or to sign up for their newsletter.

An invaluable source for good heart health is the Heart and Stroke foundation They have interactive and easy to use Action Plans online to help you reach your goals. As the website states, with these e-tools you will be able to set and achieve goals to manage your blood pressure or achieve a healthy weight and keep track of important details such as medications and appointments. The first step is to take the assessment in order to be directed to the plan that’s right for you. The assessment is based on well-researched science. It’s free, confidential and takes about 10 minutes to complete.

I have started to follow Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet as a way of promoting good heart health, along with going to my spinning/bosu class every week, and I feel great. I recommend her book – the Eat Clean Diet Recharged! to anyone who would like to embrace a cleaner healthier body.

It’s a nice sunny day today with blue skies. The wind is picking up now – it’s a perfect day for a sail.

Other heart healthy links:

—Kathy

Journaling

July 13, 2010 Art / Design
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While I was writing my blog last week, I was thinking that it was sort of like writing in a diary. Remember those growing up? Although, the new term for this is called “journaling” – writing down your thoughts and experiences. By getting your thoughts out of your head and putting them on to paper, you gain insights you would otherwise never see. This process can enhance both your personal and professional life.

A diary is more of a descriptive list of the day’s events, and a journal is more of a reflection of the day’s events with expressed emotions. Both are “old school” in the sense that you are using pen and paper instead of a computer. “New school” is Blogging, or creating an online diary. www.blogger.com is a great site to visit if you are thinking about creating a personal online journal.

This prompted me to buy a diary at Chapters this past weekend, and I wrote my first entry already. I was flip-flopping between two different covers when choosing it, however. If you’re like me, and you like books with nice covers, www.cafepress.ca has a large selection of journals to choose from with very cool covers – whatever you fancy. They come with a wide variety of papers to choose from, as well as one-of-a-kind journaling designs. You can also look for journaling gifts and custom journals to make your writing experience more meaningful.

There are also online tools to help make your journal experience a positive one. www.journalingtools.com is a Canadian site that does this. Very interesting. My weekly Blog posts might benefit by me reading about some of these tools. We’ll see. I’m sure that some entries will be better than others!

—Kathy

It’s All About Colour

June 21, 2010 Design
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I’ve been wanting to change the colour of my fireplace for a while now. As I was flipping through the newest issue of Style at Home magazine, I saw an interesting advertisement for Sico paints called “My Project”. It actually engages the reader – there is a scrapbook folder inserted into the magazine which you can pull out and keep to help organize all your ideas for your next design project. Visit  www.styleathome/sico to view the folder. It got me thinking.

As a designer, the first place I turn to for colour is the Pantone swatch book. A couple of years ago I chose a spot colour pms #4515, which is equivalent to Benjamin Moore’s “Sombrero”. This time I’m thinking of going a little more dramatic and picking pms #404, or Benjamin Moore’s “Mortar” or “Nordic Grey”. Check out the 2010 – 2011 paint colour trends at www.benjaminmoore.com and www.sico.com.

Colour trends shift constantly, just like anything else, so it is important to keep up to speed on what’s new in colour. Sometimes I like to source www.colourlovers.com for fresh new colour combinations for print media. A good site for picking complimentary colours is  http://colorschemedesigner.com. The Pantone website www.pantone.com also has colour library updates at your disposal. All you have to do is become a member.

Designing for your home is kind of like print design – creating a harmonious and effective colour palette is important.

—Kathy

It’s FIFA World Cup Time!

June 14, 2010 Design / Television
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One of the biggest sports in the world is being celebrated over the next month in South Africa (June 11 – July 11) – FIFA World Cup! Very cool. There is so much energy surrounding the world cup that even I am drawn in to the hype! I checked out fifa.com to see the teams, matches, and updates. If you want to know anything about what’s going on at the world cup, this is website to check out for sure. I like it. It’s going to be my online resource for all things World Cup for the next month.

I downloaded the Fan Guide to read for fun, and even the graphics are colourful and energetic – check out the logo. I especially like green-haired “Zakumi”, the official Mascot for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. He engages us to learn more about South Africa and its history, people, and football traditions. My favourite team? Well, Brazil of course!

—Kathy

Health and Fitness Week

May 31, 2010 Uncategorized
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This week is Health and Fitness Week in the city of Belleville, Quinte West, and Prince Edward County. A nice lead in to this week was the Health & Fitness Expo held at the Wally Dever arena this past weekend. The nice weather did not stop people from attending the show, which was great to see! Local area businesses, government, and service groups were on hand offering invaluable information on how we all can live a more healthy and active lifestyle. Some of Engine’s clients had booths in the show. They presented lots of information on how you and your family can stay healthy and fit. Please visit their websites for further information.

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Gumball 3000

May 7, 2010 Uncategorized
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Last night I went to Toronto to see the most awesome, most expensive cars in the world at the Gumball 3000. It was last-minute, but totally worth it! I have some cool shots of some of the beautiful cars that were there. Umm…does anyone have about 50,000 US dollars …and a Porsche or a Lamborghini to loan me so that I can enter next year? Enjoy the pics!

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Celebrate Spring with Mark Cullen

March 29, 2010 Uncategorized
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Mark Cullen

Spring is finally here, and there is no better way to usher in the new season than to celebrate all that is green! Last Thursday night I went to the First Annual Prince Edward County Green Gala at Books and Company in Picton. It was a fundraising event in support of the new community park at Shire Hall. The Prince Edward Community Greenspace Project has been working tirelessly since last May to make this dream a reality….and with much support from the local community, work on the park has begun. Plans are in the works to enter the park into Communities in Bloom by June 28th. Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization focusing on the promotion and value of green spaces in urban settings. This is usually a televised event on HGTV, so it will be great to see the new park featured nationally!

Guest speakers included well known gardeners, Mark Cullen – TV personality, Author, and Owner of Cullen Gardens, and Denis Flanagan – Landscape Ontario and HGTV, as well as local speakers – Stephen Poole – Connon’s Nurseries, Scott Wentworth – Wentworth Landscape Group, and Veronica Schroder – Terra Vista Landscaping.

lime-foliage-heuchera

Along with the garden and floral displays, sample Maple Madness menus were featured, with wine tasting hosted by Black Prince Winery.

If you are interested in learning more about gardening, or if you have some questions that you would like answered, Connon’s Nurseries will be hosting a series of gardening seminars. Please check out their website connon.ca for dates and times. If they are not yet listed, the will be soon!

I am most excited to have met Mark Cullen, he was very down to earth (no pun intended!) I have watched him on tv for years, and have visited his garden center several times. I purchased one of his latest books – A Sandbox of a Different Kind – and he was kind enough to autograph it for me! Copies are available at Home Hardware Stores and Chapters locations. If you would like more information about the Community Greenspace Project please contact Pat Dubyk, Project Coordinator at [email protected].

Welcome Spring, and have fun gardening

Photography Exhibition: Fabrications (Diane Laundy)

March 3, 2010 Uncategorized
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Laundy
I don’t know about you, but I love a nice photograph. There is just something about the way the photographer has captured the essence of the subject, whether it is your best friend, the wonders of nature, or the awesome design of modern architecture.

I’d like to introduce professional photographer, Diane Laundy. Engine has worked closely with Diane, who also owns Behind the Scenes Conference Planning, over the past four years on various conference planning materials. She is having a solo photography exhibition coming up March 3 – 28th at ViewPoint Gallery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Fabrications is a series of recent photographs in which modern architecture is abstracted, re-imagined and playfully re-assembled into quilt-like patterns. Check out her work online at dianelaundy.com

We at Engine applaud her work, and we hope you do as well. Enjoy!

If you are interested in more information about Diane and her work see her Press Release.

Kathy’s Spin Class Update

December 15, 2009 Marketing
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mindfulmovements1

Well, today is my last spin class at the gym – Mindful Movements. I never thought that I would be able to keep it up, but I have!

I will admit, though that I did miss 2 classes for being sick, and two more classes for movie night (oops)…but all in all I don’t think I’ve done too badly! It actually was one of the tougher things I have done for myself recently, so I will give myself a pat on the back and a “good job Kathy – you rock”.

The instructors are very knowledgeable, and have been very supportive. They do an awesome job at motivating me that’s for sure! They definitely have made my experience a positive one. In saying that, I’ve decided to continue with the gym in January!

They are working on their new schedule at the moment, but it should be up on their website very soon, if you are interested in treating yourself to a new healthier you for the New Year. I’m looking forward to it.

2010 – Bring it on!

Take a look at the Engine Communications Facebook Fan Page today as well. We’re discussing the ‘facelift’ that Gatorade is getting in 2010 with a mini-case study by Bryna.

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