MattD SMDesigns

“To most people, the sky is the limit to those who love aviation, the sky is home.”

With so much uncertainty the last two years, many of us have deferred our plans to take flight. Like many, I have missed my oversea trips on the plane, and cannot wait till I am comfortable again to book a flight to one of my favourite destinations.

In the meantime, let me recommend a good book. I Am a Flight Attendant & That is My Superpower, Volume 2 has recently been published. If you are looking for a good read, a digital version is available on Amazon. The book takes you on a ride around the globe as 21 authors, who wear their wings upon their chests and how we support one another as we go through this everchanging worlds including my friend Yvonne Westover, share their stories of adventure, courage, and resiliency.

If you prefer the actual book instead of a e-version, you can pre-order the book on Yvonne’s website at ….

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

Let me know what you think of the book?

Today is Chinese New Year, marking the beginning of the new lunar year, the start of 16 days of celebrations that last till just after Valentine’s Day on February 15. The eve of New Year’s is a day of reunions and gift-giving. The first 11 days of the Chinese New Year is referred to as the Spring Festival, a festival of family activities, prayers and feasting. It is then followed by 5 days of the Lantern Festival, when lanterns are made and lit.

2022 is the year of the Tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac. People born in a year of the Tiger (1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 2010, and 2022) are predicted to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident. It is believed that wearing red will help Tigers ward off misfortune.

Happy New Year to all those who celebrate it!

#2022

With this covid situation going on, it’s hard for a business to survive. With this being said, go and support a local business to help them survive during this pandemic.

For example, one business that started during the pandemic was Barumba Play. Barumba Play is a business that sells play couches. The toys are designed with kids and parents in mind. There are many different ways to use this play couch such as a fort/house.

If you like this business, go and support this business or other local businesses.

La Befana brings sweet treats to good children twelve days after Christmas.

Today Italians celebrates “festa della befana”. This tradition dates back to the 13th century. Today, we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, when the three wise men arrived at the manger bearing gifts for baby Jesus. Legend says La Befana was a witch-like woman who refused to join the wise men on their journey to see baby Jesus. She regrets not going, then decided to gather gifts and sweet treats to bring as gifts to baby Jesus, but never found him. Instead, she leaves these sweet treats for other children.

January marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year. Ancient Romans saw it as the bridge between the past and the future. They believe the patron of the month is the Roman God Janus, the double-headed god of doors, beginnings, endings, and transitions.

As we turn the page and enter a new year, I wish all of you a new beginning full of adventure and positivity. Please share what you are looking forward to in this new year?

#2022

It’s almost Christmas. What is your favourite Christmas Traditions?

Did you know today is National Pfeffernusse Day. Have you even heard of a Pfeffernusse till now? I love sweet treats. Pfeffernusse is a German sweet treat, a German spice cookie to be exact. A little bit like a gingerbread. Pfeffernusse are fluffy cookies made with ground nuts and spices and they are usually covered in powdered sugar. Sound yummy. I can probably eat at least a dozen of them if someone bring me some.

Pfeffernusse cookies are also very popular in Denmark and the Netherlands around Christmas. It is believed to be associated with the feast of Sinterklaas, when children receive gifts from St. Nicholas. Sounds familiar?

Maybe I will try to make some pfeffernusse cookies this Christmas? Do you have a recipe for a spice cookie that you like and willing to share?

It’s almost Christmas. What is your favourite Christmas Traditions?

Even though most of us are still having to deal with the on-going pandemic situation, we can still try to enjoy some holiday traditions.

One thing I look forward to at Christmas is eating panettone. In the Italian tradition, panettone is eaten during the Christmas season. During this time of the year, many Italian bakeries and food stores are filled with a large variety of panettone, some made locally, and many shipped directly from Italy.

Panettone is a century old tradition. This naturally leavened bread cake dates back to 1470s, and many believe the original recipe originated from the Milan area. The starter yeast (Italians call it “madre”, mother) used in many panettone have been kept from generation to generation for centuries. Some doughs are about 200 years old. In Italy, there are strict rules for making panettone. A traditional panettone must have no less than 20 percent candied fruit, 16 percent butter, and eggs that are at least four percent york. Italy produces more than 7,000 tons of panettone each year. That is almost enough to fill three standard Olympic sized swimming pools.

“Pane” in Italian means bread and some say the baker who invented the panettone was named Toni, and panettone really means “Pan de Toni” (bread of Toni).

Should we get rid of daylight savings time?

In 1895, a scientist in New Zealand suggested a two-hour time shift so that he had more time to go bug hunting after work. In 1916, Germany implemented a time change to save electricity. In 1918, the U.S. also adopted daylight savings time.

Today, daylight savings time change seems to have a minimal effect on energy savings, but it has a big impact on productivity. Studies have shown that daylight savings changes your sleep schedule and people can lose up to 40 minutes of sleep, enough to throw your body out of whack. As a result, it can impact work performance, concentration, and memory. There are statistics that show there are more traffic accidents and workplace injuries after a daylight savings time change.

Where do you think graphic design trends will go?

It is almost the end of the year. Christmas is just around the corner. We have two more months until 2022. The creative community is already starting to predict trends for 2022. What do you think the new design trends for 2022 will be?

Here are some of the trends predicted for next year:
• Brands in motion, we are already seeing more motion in 2021
• A new Wild West, funky and post pandemic, energized chaos
• Breaking down (design) borders, with a large number of creative people working online, global collaboration with people from different cultures are showing up in design
• Positivity, shift to more upbeat and lighthearted, very much need post pandemic life
• Back to the 90s, bringing back a feeling of couch surfing nostalgia of home entertainment
• Typography in motion, vibrant and playful letterforms in motion

Do you agree?

#2022

You can make a difference and change the world even at a young age.

Meet 10-year old, Siena, Founder of Treat Accessibly.

We have known Siena since she was a baby and we always thought she would do great things. Siena was named the winner of the Difference Maker Award by the Rick Hansen Foundation for her efforts in promoting Treat Accessibly on Halloween.

Did you know that 400,000 children in Canada and 4 million in the US with a disability that prevents them from Trick-or-Treating on Halloween?

Siena started a Treat Accessibly Halloween at her house in 2017. Last year, about 40,000 homes participated. This year, they hope to have over 100,000 homes in Canada participating.

If you want to have a Treat Accessibly Halloween, Treat Accessibly lawn flags are available at participating Remax Offices, at Kinder displays in selected Sobeys stores, or you can print your own lawn flag by checking out the Treat Accessibly website.

Many people, young and old lost their lives to Covid-19.

Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg, a social practice artist wanted to use art to help love ones honour memories of people they have lost in their lives. Suzanne’s art installation, titled In America: Remember is on display in Washington DC from September 17 to October 3 at the National Mall in front of the Washington Monument. More than 600,000 white flags with written personalized messages are displayed across 20 acres.

Let us all take a quiet moment and remember people we might know who have also lost this fight. I hope we will soon find a solution to this situation and be able to greatly reduce the number of people who will die of Covid-19 in the future.

14. First Live Video Shoot

Our city has a large industry in film, television and digital production. In 2018, there were over 1,400 projects shooting more than 6,000+ days of production. You can often see famous TO landmarks in your favourite show.

I had the opportunity to help out on set during a video production. There is definitely a lot to learn. Working on-set will help to develop my budding video editing skills.

Creative marketing while lifting people’s spirits.

Hugging is the most beautiful form of communication that allows the other person to know beyond a doubt that they matter.

James, and his freehugslambo travels around town attending events while sharing tons of hugs. If you are lucky, he will even take you for a ride in his Lamborghini.

If you want to learn more, check out his Instagram account and Youtube channel.