Posted by bethany on Dec 3, 2009 in
Guest Writers UPDATE! MARCH 2 2010.
The “LiveSmart” program will continue!
Hello everyone.
Wow, there is a lot of confusion out there concerning the various energy grants and tax credits available to us. Thankfully, Nico teWinkle knows all about it. He’s here to clear some of it up:
ecoENERGY is Alive and Well.
When I tell people that I’m a Certified Energy Advisor doing ecoENERGY assessments, I often get the same response: “I thought they canceled that”.
It’s true that our provincial government has discontinued most grants in the “LiveSmart” program, meaning homeowners do not get quite as much grant money as before; however, LiveSmart was only part of the funding that was available – the federal government is still going strong with its ecoENERGYprogram, and people can still receive up to $5,000 back in grant money.
Now, before you dismiss that with a frown and a wave and an utterance to the effect of “yeah, but that ends soon”, let me clarify that ecoENERGY is completely separate from the Home Renovation Tax Credit program, which is available until January 31 2010.
The ecoENERGY program is good until March 2011, so anyone interested still has a year and several months to make upgrades and apply for the grants.
Just remember: you do have to get a “pre-retrofit assessment” of your home completed before you make any upgrades. In essence, somebody has to come check out your house so that the grant program has a starting point to base the grants on.
This assessment comes with a lot of great advice and includes energy modeling to help determine where your energy upgrade dollars will be most effective.
Even more grants are available through SolarBC for those intending to go to the next step by installing solar energy setups such as solar hot water heating.
So before you start those renovations, check out what grants may be available to you – you might be surprised!
For more information, visit LiveSmartBC.ca, ecoAction.gc.ca, and SolarBC.ca.
For details on grants still available, visit http://citygreen.ca/energy/ecoENERGY_grantchart.aspx
Nico teWinkel is a Certified Energy Advisor for City Green Solutions, living in the Comox Valley. Alternative energies and energy efficiency are his passion.
To book an ecoENERGY assessment, you can call City Green Solutions at 1-866-381-9995 and ask to book an appointment with Nico.
Posted by bethany on Nov 27, 2009 in
Guest Writers,
Projects + Ramblings 
Recipe Via: AllRecipes.com
www.JackieConnelly.com
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FLOR:
I’ve decided to do a group order of FLOR for anyone reading ComoxValleyDwellings.com. You may have seen the links and comments about this on the facebook page.
www.Flor.com
If you live in the Comox Valley, and want to put an order in as well, please email me. We should be able to save on the shipping costs for a larger order. Once I get an idea of the number of people who want to order, I’ll get an estimate for price of shipping. It’s a great product! I’m looking forward to using if for our loft renovation.
~b
Posted by bethany on Nov 25, 2009 in
Guest Writers Hi! You know one of the things I love most about doing this blog thing? I’ve met some amazing local people who are involved with home design. I met Kacy, a local Interior Designer, a couple of weeks ago. I was amazed at her hand renderings for interior design – definitely a serious talent here! Here she is…
~ b
“What is Wall Art?”
This is a technique that many people are unaware of. You may think of it as a type of mural/ or decal, but surprisingly it is actually an original work of art painted right on your wall.
Today most people are looking for unique, individual ways of expression when it comes to artwork. Some clients are on a budget, or cannot find that piece of artwork that will be appropriate for their space. When this happens, I like to introduce wall art. I usually take one basic color from the client’s pallet, match the existing theme, and consider the space in order to come up with a design. Then I will take that design and enlarge it onto the wall or other surface. I recommend always going with the theme at hand, if there is one. This is a great way to make your space look aesthetically pleasing and also adds a fantastic conversational piece.
Wall Art is painted directly onto your walls. It is an alternative for traditional artwork, but can still be refreshed or updated with a new coat of paint (great for kid’s spaces!). Remember Wall Art is an original piece of art and it will have the characteristics of a regular piece of art work.
Recently, my Wall Art has moved to the great outdoors. This idea has helped many boring fences come alive. Yes, fences may keep the deer from eating plants and give privacy, but lets face it… they can look quite displeasing. For exterior fences and exterior walls, this is the new way to add color, interest and balance between your interior and exterior spaces .
WALL ART: The new and upcoming trend in décor.
Make a statement today and tomorrow …
Hi!, my name is Kacy Bolton and I am an Interior designer and artist in the Comox Valley. My business is called Dali Designs. I provide design services for Interior, Exterior and Landscaping. I have been a designer for years and have incorporated my custom art pieces into many projects. I am always looking for something different when it comes to artwork.
www.DaliDesignz.com
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pssssst. I dislike adding “disclaimers” – but I’d like you to know that Kacy has not paid to be on this site. I invited her to share some info because I really think she’s a promising local interior designer. All things “sponsorship” have been put on hold until I can figure out how to do it the way I want to. When I start accepting money from advertisers, I’ll let you know.
~b
Posted by bethany on Nov 20, 2009 in
Guest Writers,
Projects + Ramblings Happy Friday!
Wow, what a week! From flooding to blizzards – we’ve experienced our share of crazy weather out here in little Comox Valley. Not the best week to be on the roads commuting to school…. I’m happy to be devoting some quality indoor time today to the cleaning of my house – with little car-time.
Here is Jackie Connelly with a recipe for cozy-morning granola:
RECIPE: from “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking” by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
VIA: TheAmateurGormet.com
WEBSITES:
www.JackieConnelly.com
www.TerraBreads.com
~
“WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS” - Local Screening this Weekend.
You may have heard about a film called “Who Does She Think She Is?” that will show here in Courtenay on Sunday at the museum. The film is a documentary exploring the challenges women face when it comes to their fulfilment. We are so often asked to choose between parenting, career or creative desires. This film explores the idea that perhaps we do not need to choose. I’m eager to see this film. I know it will inspire awakening thoughts and inspirational conversations.
The battle to balance my own ambition, crazy ideas, creativity, marriage and parenting has been a bit messy. Sometimes I feel as if I’m barley hanging in there. (Not alone in this, I’m sure). But at the same time I need to be doing this because it is WHO I AM. I can lay-low for only a short while, allowing myself a reprieve to recharge I suppose. But it doesn’t take long before the drive inside of me starts brewing up ideas and creativity in almost unmanageable quantities.
I was asked to be at this screening as an example of a local women who is doing just as the film is suggesting – refusing to choose between parenting, career or creative desire. I will be there along side some other local women whom I highly admire. This is a great honour, and quite humbling, as my journey with this lifestyle has been openly challenging (such is the nature of “blogging”).
There were limited tickets for this event, but there may be a few spaces left. For tickets, you can visit this website: http://lianne.typepad.com/womenart/
Doors open at 1:30. Film starts at 2:15.
