Home & BlogsHome & Blogshttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/2009-12-02T02:31:22ZSquarespaceT'is the Season -- Or T'is Not Quite Yet the Season?? -- That's Up to Each of Ushttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/tis-the-season-or-tis-not-quite-yet-the-season-thats-up-to-e.htmlChristine Eisner2009-12-02T01:55:03Z2009-12-02T01:55:03ZI treated myself to a manuicure today. I was looking forward to just enjoying the time to myself to percolate an idea or two and just allow myself to “be.” So, there I am at the manicure place, on the very first day of December — and the radio is in full-blown holiday mode. I mean carol after carol, all of the real heart-of-the-season ones, even Joy to the World and Jingle Bells!
So what’s the big deal? Afer all, it is December…. Well, something seems off. Yesterday, on Sunday — it was the end of Thanksgiving weekend … Today, it is as if we suddenly have been catapulted 4 weeks into the future, without even being asked!
Now I am not at all a grinch. In fact, I really love this time of year! We are usually are a bit nicer a bit gentler, we take 20 seconds more to look a stranger in the eye and perhaps even send a smile or greeting (in a genuine way). When we get cold-called at 7:30 in the evening, we might even take a moment to explain why that cold caller’s valuable informatin may not be all that valuable.
Personally, I’d like to see a more gentle transition. It’s bad enough that we have to search in vain for Thanksgiving-themed decorations in November. I’d like to propose that, for the first week of December, the radio stations focus on songs about the weather getting chillier, about the fact that the holiday’s are coming (like the 12 days of Christmas)…. songs that stoke the flames of anticipation, rather than make us think that 23 days have gone by and that THE DAY is upon us!
The good news, at least for me, is that there are literally WEEKS of enjoyment (and preparation time) ahead of us. There is no need to “be ready” right now. My plan is to transition graduall over these next few weeks, not only to Christmas and Hanukkah, but also to 2010. Maybe I’ll get my wreaths next week and the tree the week after… I’ll need to buy candles for the menora, but there’s time for that too and I’m not quite sure when we’ll decorate. What I do know is that it will be a gradual process that I want to enjoy, with music of my choosing.
… Meanwhile, I’ll make sure to wait a week or two before my next manicure!
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
:)
]]>8 out of 8 Amazon Top Book Reviewers Give Comfort Living 5 Starshttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/8-out-of-8-amazon-top-book-reviewers-give-comfort-living-5-s.htmlChristine Eisner2009-12-01T01:04:25Z2009-12-01T01:04:25ZBelow are a few of the top line comments from each of the reviewers. I am told that getting all 5-star reviews is really good!
***** A lovely gift for friends or yourself
***** There is a lot packed into this short, but fascinating book, but does it or will it work? YES!,
***** Whether selling your home or keeping it forever, this allows you to open the door to a peaceful and comfortable environment.
***** Title says it all…..
***** This book just oozes an aura of comfort and peace. Loved it!
***** I couldn’t resist peeking past the first “assignment”.
Meanwhile, books are available on Amazon (YES, they will arrive in time for Christmas!) and on tbe comfortlivingbychristine.com website and in a growing list of retail stores. They are making their way through “channels” to Bordes, Barnes & Nobel and other book stores, but as I am learning, it takes a bit of time during this season to work their way through the system.
My talks at Christmas House, the showhouse produced by Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine and this past weekend at Serenbe were well-received and I am looking forward to starting my Comfort Living Club in mid-January. (Think book club or garden club, but this one is focused on Comfort Living. I’ll be live streaming it, so you an join it from the comfort of your own home.) Feel free to be in touch if you’re interested in joining in!
]]>Comfort Living - Launched Last Wednesday!http://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/comfort-living-launched-last-wednesday.htmlChristine Eisner2009-11-15T16:27:09Z2009-11-15T16:27:09ZWhat a week! Comfort Living had its “coming out party” 5 days ago, on Wednesday, November 11th. Here’s a recap:
A tea and a cocktail reception were SO graciously hosted by my dear friend, A Legendary Event’s Tony Conway, at Ivy Hall, Scad’s (Savannah College of Art and Design, that is) beautifully restored Victorian mansion which is the location of their writing program. About 150 people braved the weather to attend.
Along with the book signings, I gave two brief talks (check back soon for clips) which gave guests a glimpse of what Comfort Living feels like and how it can apply to the day-to-day.
Tony, Anita Thomas (Chair of Scad’s Atlanta Advisory Council (AAC) - which I am thrilled to have joined last month!!) and Georgia Lee, Director of Ivy Hall, gave their welcomes, and Clinton Smith (Editorial Director of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles) shared some remarks and introduced me.
Guests included endorsers of the book (Steve Nygren, Charles Brewer, Helen Weeks, Clint Smith), Anita Best (manager of ADAC), Katie Walker (of WestSide Urban market), Greg and Michelle and Greg Martin owners of Kolo Collection, Betsy Riley (Exec Editor of Atlanta Magazine), Liz Lapidus, Carol Young (one of Harry Norman’s top brokers), playwright Janece Shaffer and her husband Bill Nigut,Amanda Brown-Olmstead, Judy Zaban, book designer Janice Shay and Scad AAC members Nina Cheney and Anna Pare.
Paula Wallace, Scad’s president and also an endorser of the book, was out of town and architect Bill Baker got detained by last minute Christmas House preparations — though we got to catch up the next day when Clint gave my mom and me a pre-Preview Party preview of the showhouse.
I am donating 10 percent of sales of the launch to Scad — and will do that also for my November 29th signing at serenbe and for all sales through this month at ShopScad and Scad’s bookstore.
The book is available on Amazon and at comfortlivingbychristine.com. As of December 1st, it will be available through Barnes & Noble, Borders and other bookstores. Other specialty stores will be carrying it as well.
]]>One Week to Go Until "Comfort Living" is Launched - A Guest Blog on Under30ceo.comhttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/one-week-to-go-until-comfort-living-is-launched-a-guest-blog.htmlChristine Eisner2009-11-05T15:35:15Z2009-11-05T15:35:15ZHere’s an excerpt from a guest blog that I wrote recently. To read the blog, you can visit their website.
In 2002, I started my firm, Lifestyle Design – Practical Tools for Balanced Living, with the word “balance” and a vision of wanting to help people to better. (Rest assured, my life is definitely not perfect and I continue to be one of my top clients!) What started as a single workshop series has expanded into presentations, events, private and corporate consultation as well as blogs and articles – all on my terms, and no one else’s.
Since then my vision has continued to evolve. Comfort Living – A Back-to-Basics Guide to a More Balanced Lifestyle, my first book explains that by focusing on experiences, rather than appearances, it is possible to create a way of living that offers comfort, meaning, community and joy.
Comfort Living (and The Comfort Living Journal, a companion publication) started with some thoughts that had been wandering around in my head for many years. In about 2002, I decided to focus my time and energy on a single question:
“How can life be less complicated and more rewarding?”
]]>Architecture's Role in Shaping Comfort Lifestyleshttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/architectures-role-in-shaping-comfort-lifestyles.htmlChristine Eisner2009-10-21T11:54:53Z2009-10-21T11:54:53ZThe architecture is the starting point of our homes - bricks, mortar, beams, windows, doorways, surfaces… The way these elements come together can determine whether spaces “work” — or not. Layered on that are furnishings, fabrics and textures and and, of course, personal possessions that transform a physical space into a home.
This thinking is at the core of my business and my upcoming book, Living – A Back-to-Basics Guide to a More Balanced Lifestyle, due out on November 12th. Words spoken by Winston Churchill sum it up best: “We shape our dwellings, and afterwards, our dwellings shape us.”
My clients are people who are renovating, building or living in existing living spaces. Their goal is to shape them to encourage comfort, well-being, growth and community. I have discovered the power of what I call Campfires, centers of energy that draw people in for meaningful experiences. Campfires encourage togetherness and intimacy, but more important, they are personally meaningful. Here are some comments from a client who was in the early stages of a major renovation, bordering on new construction:
“I really appreciate your help with the floor plans. In fact, we have implemented some of your ideas and it has DEFINITELY made a difference! We lowered the ceiling of the family room and put in wing walls to “separate” it from the rest of the kitchen. We also put in one door to the sunroom across from one set of French doors on the other side of the family room for a straight axis into the gardens on either side! We also removed the post in the covered porch to give a better view from the playroom and moved the fireplace to the other end. You made some terrific suggestions that have really improved the layout.”
My goal, as a professional and an author is to help people live better. I guide them as they create physical spaces and routines that resonate to them and the people who live with them. Architecture plays a key role, but there are many, many opportunities along the way to shine a brighter light on the things that matter most to you.
]]>Who is Comfort Living for??? -- An Excerpt from the Bookhttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/who-is-comfort-living-for-an-excerpt-from-the-book.htmlChristine Eisner2009-10-09T21:50:51Z2009-10-09T21:50:51ZOver the next few weeks, I will be sharing excerpts of the book in periodic “Home Delivery” e-mails. If you’d like to receive them, go to “Contact Me’ and sign up to receive them. Meanwhile, here’s one from the Introduction:
If you’re searching for your keys in the morning instead of sitting down for breakfast, this book is for you.
If you envy the cozy nooks you see in catalogs and magazines but don’t have a clue about how to create your own, this book is for you.
If you already enjoy fixing up your home with fabrics and furnishings but wonder if the look reflects who you truly are, this book is for you.
If you are not able to enjoy your “decorated” home as much as you thought you would, this book is for you.
If you simply want to make your house more of a home – a place that revives you each day – this book is definitely for you!
I think there’s some of me in each of these, life is challenging these days though I truly believe that a “good life” is within reach.
]]>Pets Are Can be Mobile Campfires, Too! - a guest blog from funkidivagirlhttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/pets-are-can-be-mobile-campfires-too-a-guest-blog-from-funki.htmlChristine Eisner2009-10-08T22:17:35Z2009-10-08T22:17:35Z
This blog describes the unique power of what I call Campfires. Pets as well as people and objects have the power to become centers of energy that draw you in for positive experiences. In this case, a person finds connection to a larger world and well-being through his dog. Thanks for letting me share this, Sherelle!
“There was a man in my neighborhood who walked his pug everyday down my street, past my window. Twice a day, at the same times, without fail, rain or shine, warm weather or cold. This man had to be at least 80 years old and the pug looked as old as the man. Both gray-haired and stout, they walked at the same pace, shuffling slowly along, the old man using a cane. The kids and I used to call each other to the window whenever they walked by, “Hey, come look; it’s the Old Man and The Pug!” We were in awe of the old man’s obvious affection for his dog and determination to exercise him each day, despite the physical exertion. We decided that they were best friends.
]]>Announcing Comfort Living: A Back-to-Basics Guide to a More Balanced Lifestyle and The Comfort Living Journalhttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/announcing-comfort-living-a-back-to-basics-guide-to-a-more-b.htmlChristine Eisner2009-10-07T15:03:54Z2009-10-07T15:03:54ZOn November 12th, these two books will be available in major book stores, on Amazon (actually, you can prepurchase them there right now!) and who-knows-where else! Every detail of these books, from the copy and design to the photography and format, has been created to inspire and support readers on an 8-week path toward a more balanced lifestyle.
(cover photo is at the top of this page)
If you want to receive news about these books, sign up for our e-communications to receive periodic e-mails with excerpts of the book and other information.
My hope is that for each reader, Comfort Living will become a personalized experience, customized to individual needs and wants. The Journal, a pocket-sized spiral companion booklet, is also available. You can pre-purchase it now on Amazon and in about a week or two, on my new website, www.comfortlivingbychristine.com.
]]>"Comfort Living" at Work - A Preview from a Real-Life Readerhttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/comfort-living-at-work-a-preview-from-a-real-life-reader.htmlChristine Eisner2009-09-19T16:55:27Z2009-09-19T16:55:27ZThis is exactly what I am trying to achieve with Comfort Living — inspire readers to have the confidence to move forward in creating a way of life that adds comfort, community, meaning and joy to each day…
I was at a charming home the other day - my reason for beng there was to drop off my almost-final version of Comfort Living to be proofed and this was the drop-off address. We talked, we walked around a bit, with me commenting on some of the wonderful spaces they’d created for themselves and their two children… and I did leave her to proof the book!
A week or so later, I returned to talk to a group of women, gathered together by Maureen, who was first introduced to me as a proofer, but became yet another person trying to create a home life that felt good and right. I was to talk about Lifestyle Design and Comfort Living - a favorite topic! Before we even sat down, we were passing through the room that had defied repeated efforts to make it work. At least that’s how she felt about it - and I could understand why. Three doors, a narrow room, relatively new paint (she didn’t like the color), dark and a furniture layout that didn’t really work for them. So, that became our point of focus for about 20 minutes… We sat down as a group, but not before reworking the furniture, talking paint (from proofing the book, she had been on a mission to reclaim that room for herself and her family — and repaint, which she finally gave herself permission to do). When I got home, I we did some back-and-forth e-mailing, including a paint color suggestions for the den. Here are some excerpts:
That same day, she e-mailed me: “Lavender (paint sample) is on the walls. Still contemplating. I moved some art around, opened the shutters, and sat happily in the room!”
The day after, a bit more: “The den looks SO good. I’ve opened the shutters and put a bird feeder outside one of the windows. We also took all the photos off the credenza and replaced them with our favorite books.”
My response: “I’m glad you opened the shutters… I know they afford privacy at night, but during the day, having them open lets so much more light and nature in. An alternative would be café curtains. They would give you privacy from the street, but the top half of the windows would still allow for daylight to enter the room…. Meanwhile, a lavender to try is Benjamin Moore Polar White #2069-70. It’s not dark, which given the room, would be a plus.”
Just a few hours later: “I just did the bedroom. I simply cannot thank you enough! Now I need to find a big, round table to put next to my bed. I may even take down the living room curtains…”
—-
Just as I was getting ready to put up this blog, I received this testimonial from her:
“Working with Christine and reading her book were revelations. She didn’t tell me how to do things and impose her design aesthetic. Instead, she offered a whole new way to think about our surroundings. We now have more life and tranquility in our home. My den, which I never liked being in, is now my favorite room. It is full of light and color. Our only purchase was a bird feeder that hangs outside a window that was used to be covered by shutters. The shutters are open, the views are lovely, and I feel so lucky to have found Christine.”
I can’t wait to hear how these changes in physical surroundings shape their lives! Maureen feel free to keep us updated by commenting here!
** By the way, if you need proofing services — for a letter, a presentation or whatever — they provide a great service. editproof: maureen@editproof.net. Thanks to Maureen, the book is now at the printer!
]]>Little Things Count: Thoughts Lead to Destinyhttp://lifestyledesign.squarespace.com/blogs/little-things-count-thoughts-lead-to-destiny.htmlChristine Eisner2009-09-07T16:02:17Z2009-09-07T16:02:17ZWhatever you call it — the power of positive (or negative) thinking, The Secret, goal setting, vision boarding…. It’s the little things that end up counting big.
A fellow parent gave this to my husband, who gave it to me. Now, I’m sharing it with you:
