Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:24 AM PST

Canadian interior designer Samantha Pynn dishes out decorating advice to get your home ready for the festivities.

PUTTING up Christmas decorations can be a daunting task. I remember helping my sister with one of those pine swags last Christmas. The plan was to get it to sit on top of a curtain rod in the living room – don't ask me why, I was just following orders – and have the ornaments hang from it.

It looked great, but more importantly, Christmassy, as we took a step back and admired what we had done in under an hour.

Hoping to be greeted by the sight of a beautiful yule swag on Christmas morning, we instead found it had tipped the curtain rod and fallen onto the sofa. Thank goodness our guests hadn't arrived ... yet.

With that said, I'll leave interior designer Samantha Pynn with the job of dishing out decorating tips and advice.

Pynn boasts more than a decade's worth of experience in churning out home décor ideas and in keeping abreast of the latest happenings in the design world.

She began as a design editor of Style At Home magazine and has worked her way up to be the host and principal designer of her own cottage makeover series Summer Home today.

But Malaysian viewers will most likely recognise the gorgeous brunette from the eco-friendly interior design show Pure Design (airing on Li TV on Mondays at 10.30pm).

In a recent e-mail interview, the self-taught decorator said there's no excuse for people not to decorate their homes this Christmas if they want to.

"You don't really need to spend a lot to have a pretty Christmas. You can have a tree decorated all over with the same type of ornament which is simple, easy and inexpensive," Pynn shared.

What's more, for homeowners on a shoestring budget, Pynn suggested putting the bulk of the decorations in communal spaces like the living room and the kitchen. Just throw in a homemade centrepiece (instead of those overpriced, store-bought ones) and guests will be sure to gather around.

"Line a giant bowl with cedar and fill it with mandarin oranges or just get some clear glass jars and toss in some gingerbread men cookies and chestnuts. Those are all food items that definitely say 'holiday' and won't go to waste," she recommended.

For those living in small spaces with low ceilings, that's not an excuse as well.

"Forgo the (Christmas) tree and decorate with branches and ornaments, or you could opt for mini cypress and rosemary trees," she said.

Pynn believes it is also important for people to let their own sense of style come through in their decorations.

Instead of sticking closely to the traditional Christmas colour scheme and design, she strongly advises homeowners to celebrate their individuality: "This year's trend is all about expressing your personal style. If you want to hang ballet slippers on your tree and have an all soft pink décor – go for it."

However, coming from a family of six myself, it's easier said than done when each family member wants to incorporate his or her own distinct sense of style, resulting in a roomful of mismatched décor blunders.

"You can try to unify them with colour or a repetition of shapes. But even so, when everyone has a different style, you have to make everyone feel included. Let them express his or her holiday style even if it clashes a little bit – celebrate that.

"My mother used to let us decorate the (Christmas) tree any how we wanted. Once we even covered the tree with our small stuffed toys! It didn't match her traditional red and green scheme, but it worked somehow," she revealed. For readers eager to learn more decorating ideas for the holiday season, don't miss the one-hour special, Samantha Pynn: The Party.

The designer extraordinaire is hosting a Christmas party and is letting viewers in on how she goes about preparing for the occasion. She also visits the homes of her favourite designers and draws inspiration from their Christmas designs.

Another one-hour special will also be aired specially for viewers who are less adventurous when it comes to decorating their space with a mix of styles.

In Samantha Pynn: The Mix, she is tasked to style a stark, unfurnished apartment and tries to do that by mixing and matching seemingly conflicting styles.

"The trick to mixing a bunch of styles is to be very purposeful with your choices. You need statement pieces but you also need repetition of shapes and colours. That's what keeps your space looking pulled together and not like a big mess," she said.

In both shows, viewers will notice that Pynn comes up with her design ideas by drawing influences from other interior designers.

She stated being a design editor for 10 years at the home décor magazine certainly had something to do with it: "A big part of my job was to scout interiors for the magazine. I made so many design friends, but I also learned so much from them."

She is thankful to American designer David Overholt for taking her under his wing and is particularly fond of the works of Steven Gambrel, Thom Filicia, Nate Berkus and Kelly Wearstler.

Samantha Pynn: The Mix airs tonight at 10pm and Samantha Pynn: The Party airs on Dec 30 at 10pm on Li TV (Astro Ch 728).

Holiday specials

Posted: 23 Dec 2012 12:27 AM PST

From heartwarming family classics to hilarious cartoons, here's a rundown on what to watch this Christmas and New Year.

STARING into the fireplace, sipping a tall cup of hot chocolate, while the snow falls heavily outside is my idea of the perfect Christmas.

But of course, here in sunny (or rainy) Malaysia, the only thing I will be staring at is the television screen, sipping a cold drink with the air-con switched on for full enjoyment.

It's a good thing then that there's so much to watch this Christmas. Whether it is Christmas classics like Jack Frost and Home Alone, or Christmas episodes of your favourite cartoons like SpongeBob SquarePants: It's A SpongeBob Christmas!, there's something for everyone.

And of course, to ease our transition into a new year, be sure to check out New Year-themed shows like New Year's Eve, too.

Christmas treats

DORA The Explorer: Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure (Nick Jr/HyppTV Ch 132, Dec 23, 11am & 2.10pm): Swiper is at it again. This time, the mischievous fox is caught stealing Santa's Christmas presents! Swiper has just one more chance to make it on the nice list by helping Santa and Dora deliver Christmas presents.

Keeping Up With The Kardashians Kristmas Special (E!/Astro Ch 712, Dec 24 & 25, 1.30pm): Celebrate Christmas in style with the Kardashians. Catch up on all 16 episodes of Season Seven back to back, and relive the drama from Khloe's paternity test to Bruce and Kris' heated argument over managing Brandon's music career.

It's A Drink, It's A Bomb (8TV/Astro Ch 708, Dec 24, 5pm): This Hong Kong sci-fi Christmas flick directed by David Chung is a must-watch. Wong, an explosives expert, has thought of the perfect Christmas "gift" for his enemy – a concoction of explosive substances poured into a can of cola. But along the way, the can gets mixed up with other beverage cans. Three strangers come together to track the explosive can before someone gets hurt. Starring George Lam and Maggie Cheung.

Fred Claus (Warner TV/HyppTV Ch 162, Dec 24, 7pm): Fred is the selfish, fast-talking older brother of Santa Claus who got himself into a pool of debt. He asks Santa for a loan (literally) but he only agrees to give him one if Fred helps him deliver Christmas presents. As the two work hand in hand, cold-hearted Fred discovers the importance of relationships and the meaning of Christmas. Starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti.

Christmas At Castlebury Hall (Diva Universal/Astro Ch 702, Dec 24, 11pm): Ladies, ever had the fantasy of celebrating Christmas with James Bond? Here, Roger Moore stars as the lonesome Duke Of Castlebury who invites his estranged grandchildren and their young aunt Jules to his castle in Europe for the holidays. Little do they know, a beautiful love story is underway, as Jules is about to find herself a handsome prince. Co-starring Katie McGrath and Sam Heughan.

The Velveteen Rabbit (Ntv7/Astro Ch 107, Dec 25, 9am): A boy is given a stuffed toy rabbit on Christmas. Little does he know that the cuddly toy can come to life if the owner loves it enough. Starring Jane Seymour and Tom Skerritt.

Harry Potter Christmas Marathon (Warner TV/HyppTV Ch 162, Dec 25, 10am-8pm): Catch four back-to-back screenings of the Harry Potter film series, starting with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire and Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix.

Jack Frost (HBO/Astro Ch 411, Dec 25, 10.15am): A father perishes in a car accident but comes back to life as a snowman to spend time with his family. Heartwarming yet hilarious, Jack Frost is one of my all time favourite holiday movies. Starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston.

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (Fox Movies Premium/Astro Ch 413, Dec 25, 11.45am): The youngest son of the McCallister family is left behind once again in this second instalment of the Home Alone series. But this time, after a mix-up at the airport, the 10-year-old Kevin is headed to New York on his own. After realising that his father's credit card somehow slipped into his hands, Kevin is more than happy to spend Christmas alone ... until a pair of familiar criminals show up. Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.

SpongeBob SquarePants: It's A SpongeBob Christmas! (Nickelodean/Astro Ch 612, Dec 25 & 26, noon): Plankton plans to get everyone on Santa's naughty list by poisoning the inhabitants of Bikini Bottom with jerktonium – a substance that will turn anyone into a jerk. That's the spirit!

Beauty And The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (Disney Channel/Astro Ch 615, Dec 25, 7.33pm): Belle prepares a full-blown Christmas celebration to get Beast in the festive mood. However, things take a turn for the worse when Forte, the giant pipe organ, uses the celebration to execute his evil intentions. Voiced by Paige O'Hara and Robbie Benson.

Under The Mistletoe (Diva Universal/Astro Ch 702, Dec 25, 11pm): Single mother Susan is used to prioritising the needs of others. Things change radically when her son enters her in a dating game, sending her into the tender arms of one man after another. Starring Jaime Ray Newman and Michael Shanks.

Michael Bublé: Home For The Holidays (8TV/Astro Ch 708, Dec 26, 12.30am): Join Michael Bublé and his guests such as Carly Rae Jepsen, Rod Stewart and Blake Shelton, as they belt out Christmas standards.

New Year delights

FUTURE Cops (8TV/Astro Ch 708, Dec 29, 8.30pm): While we are about to enter 2013, this film, set in 2043, takes us way into the future. A crime lord is planning to take over the world. Fortunately, a team of cops catches wind of his evil plans and goes back in time (to 1993) to stop him. What a way to nip a problem in the bud, huh? Starring Andy Lau and Barbie Hsu.

Bella: New Year Edition (Ntv7/Astro Ch 107, Dec 30-Jan 2, 11am): Join the lovely ladies of women's talk show Bella – Daphne Iking, Elaine Daly and Vanessa Chong – as they look back at the issues affecting women in 2012 and share their new year resolutions. A little bird tells us that the talk show will be organising the country's first women awards show in March.

The Breakfast Show: New Year Edition (Ntv7/Astro Ch 107, Dec 31-Jan 2, 8am): Funny bunch Nazrudin, Aishah Sinclair, Rashid Salleh, Douglas Lim, Lisa Wong and Satira Diana will relive the best and worst moments in 2012 and share what to expect next year.

Top News Stories In 2012 (Ntv7/Astro Ch 107, Dec 31, 8.30pm): From the kidnapping of Dutch national Nayati Moodliar to our Malaysian athletes' achievements at the Olympics, find out what other happenings made headlines in the country throughout the year.

New Year's Eve (HBO/Astro Ch 411, Dec 31, 10pm): The film follows the lives of a group of New Yorkers – a single mother, a love struck teenager, a cancer patient and two couples who are competing to have their child born in the New Year – as they navigate through the last day of the year. A perfect movie to usher in the New Year! Starring Halle Berry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michelle, Robert DeNiro and Zac Efron.

Rolling Stones: Crossfire Hurricane (Sundance Channel/Astro Ch 438, Dec 31, midnight): Premiering on New Year's Eve at the stroke of midnight, this revealing documentary focuses on one of the greatest rock bands of all time, The Rolling Stones. It features unseen historical footage and no-holds-barred commentaries from band members.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Sabtu, 22 Disember 2012