Gifts from the Heart

Santa Clarita’s Literacy & Arts Festival is just around the corner on December 3 at Newhall Park in Newhall.  In its fifth year, the festival is a community wide event with entertainment and sights to enthrall all ages.  As the name says, the focus is on literacy and arts of all types.  It is an event to promote the importance of reading and the arts in education and in our lives in a fun way.  Reading and being involved in some form of art is not only beneficial but it is fun and entertaining.
Instead of giving you studies and statistics that prove students do better in all subjects when they have some form of art in their lives, or remind you that the more you improve your literacy skills the better you will do in everything, I want to share with you what we are doing at the festival that will pull people into the wonderful worlds of reading and the arts.  

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church is proud to present Dancing with the Priests.  For the past two months, Fr. Richard Martini, Fr. Raymond Marquez and Fr. Norm Supancheck have been taking ballroom dance lessons from Wilfredo Mora of D’Wilfri DanceArt and Entertainment in preparation for a Gala to be held at the Hyatt Valencia on November 11.  Fr. Martini is the pastor of OLPH and Fr. Raymond, an associate.  Fr. Norm hails from Alemany High School.  Together with their partners, Ingrid Blanco, Toni  Krulisky  and Kathy Rakness, they will compete for the coveted OLPH Mirror Ball Trophy!

Here are some tips to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of fraud.  First off, what is fraud?  Fraud is the intentional deception for personal gain without regard to the welfare of another.  Fraud is a crime and a civil law violation.  Several types of fraud or scams exist, however the most prolific, according to the FBI, are: Investment, Internet, and those that target Senior Citizens.
Anyone is at risk, however, the elderly, children and young adults are more than ever being targeted.

With the holidays fast approaching, we are all looking for gift ideas.  Typically, most of us will give practical gifts like clothes and work related gifts.  But, this year, I recommend going out of your comfort zone and exploring the many gift ideas available at Valencia Art & Framing in Granary Square.  A new and unique custom frame shop, owned by Peter and Rhonda Smith, that offers limitless possibilities for creating a special piece of wall art for that special someone.
When you first enter Valencia Art & Framing, you will be impressed by a 40-foot wall of beautiful moldings samples and the open interactive design area of the store.  There is also a selection of exquisite photo frames and a gallery area soon to be filled with works from local artists.

Well happy holidays from FASTFRAME.  Yes, it’s that time again.  Holiday season is upon us and is in full swing.  If you have been to one of the big box retail stores lately you already know that the Christmas trees are fully decorated, holiday lights and festive colors are on display throughout the store.  We know you’re looking for the perfect gift this year, aren’t we all?

A few weeks back, I met this very nice lady at a store I was shopping in.  We hit it off immediately, and she gave me her phone number to set up a date.  That weekend we met up for coffee… what else.  I knew we were both attracted, so I asked to see her that night.  She said sure, let’s meet for dinner.  Now we are at dinner having a wonderful time, when I started thinking about what some of my friends said to me days before. 

There seems to be a new generation on the rise.  Not only on the rise, but very much in full swing as you read this now.  The tides have shifted and the way we live our lives today is far beyond the reminiscence of the past.
At the age of 24 my mother was chasing two children around while pregnant with her third.  As I watched my 24th birthday pass by, I realized I am closer to turning 30 than I am to starting a family.  Could I actually picture myself being able to support a family of five?  The answer is no.

Plus Judy will hand-embellish limited edition canvases at no charge. Sunday November 13, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., world-renowned artist Judy Larson will meet collectors in person, answer questions, and also hand-embellish limited edition canvases for the first 20 B & R customers to pre-order or order at the show.  Also the show display of Judy’s work will run from November 13 through December 15 at the B&R Gallery.

Finding the perfect gift for everyone during the holiday season can be an overwhelming challenge.  The key is to remember the spirit of the season and let Ma Maison, the gift professionals, help!  We are here to make it easier for those of us who go on the search for that one special thing.  You know the one; it jumps off the shelf at you and reflects how we feel about others by bringing a smile to ours and their faces.  Along with the broad selection of unusual gift products we feature at the store, this year we proudly introduce a custom retro sign company that can be the answer for all types of gifts.

Custom picture framing is an art service that has gotten the reputation for being very expensive and only necessary for valuable works of art.  But, a good picture framer welcomes the opportunity to help with all your framing needs, no matter how small, and can work with any budget.
Unfortunately, due to these times of economic struggle, people are looking for inexpensive alternatives to avoid custom picture framing.  One popular approach is to buy a mass market readymade frame from a department store and then try to install the picture yourself. 

Halloween is coming up.  Remember to drive slowly and watch out for all the ghosts and goblins.  Parents, please check your kid’s goodie bag at each residence.  Keep your eye on your kids at all times while at events.  Take a look at your neighborhood sex offender registry.  Accompany your child or know the route they are taking.  It’s dark and drivers can’t see as well.  Kids are wearing black costumes making it even more dangerous. 

A few months ago I was invited to entertain at a Father and Child Ice Cream Social that a local school was giving.  The activity that I presented was an interactive foam rubber assemblage of geometric shapes that I call “bots.”  They are big, colorful and require anyone who plays to use their imagination.  They look complicated but are actually easy and fun to assemble.
It seems that in any venue that I take them, the children really enjoy playing with them and are engrossed in all the parts and variations that they can create.
The “bots” require only imagination.

On October 18, M. Fredric will celebrate the grand opening of its Valencia location in a star-studded event including an appearance by Adam Levine.  Adam is son to M. Fredric storeowner Fred Levine.  For a chance to win VIP tickets to the upcoming event visit Westfield Valencia Town Center’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/WestfieldValenciaTown Center.

Many of our collectors have been waiting patiently for one of Morgan’s original paintings to become available.  Morgan’s artwork is in such demand there are more buyers than paintings, and often they are sold “by draw” to the collector whose name is picked from a box filled with names of hopeful collectors.
We are happy to let you know that we have a small original painting titled In Another World that just became available.  It is a 12” x 9” unframed image size. 

Looking for the perfect gift?  This holiday season consider giving a personal item that can be enjoyed each and every day of the year.  Whether you’re looking for something for a family member, friend or business associate, custom framing offers many options.
Consider a print that you know someone on your gift list would love to have or find a favorite photo that is precious to your loved one. 

As another year sweeps by, we at Ma Maison want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our loyal customers and the City of Santa Clarita for continuing to support our little boutique.  Recently we have garnered some positive press thanks to our community and we proudly wanted to share these accolades with you.
On September 3, the Signal newspaper wrote an informative article about the celebration of our eight-year anniversary and the challenges we have faced as a company to make it thus far. 

Self defense starts with you.  Last month we discussed some do’s and don’ts with regard to SA pertaining to self defense.  Fortunately crime is limited to the minority.  Therefore, the majority perceive crime as happening to others and unlikely to happen to them.  This is where you may get into trouble.  When it comes to SA the majority of people do not take sufficient precautions nor do they plan ahead. 

Not many people experience the death of a child; fewer yet face the possibility of having to do it twice. In her new memoir, Blood Brothers, Santa Clarita resident and author Lisa Solis DeLong shares what it has been like to have two sons with leukemia, a lifetime apart. As she struggles to understand how a loving God could allow this to happen, she searches for a way to keep her marriage, her family, and her own sanity together.