Charity Begins At Gnome

Gnomes have always been misunderstood. Are they prankster with a mean streak? Or benevolent woodland creatures sent to protect people? Fresh off their century-long ban from the esteemed Chelsea Flower Show, (lifted in 2013), gnomes are making a comeback - and they're brighter and bolder than ever!

Ty Pennington, host of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and TNT's On The Menu, made this sweet little guy.

We are pleased to announce that the 2015 Salt Lake Tribune Home + Garden Festival will be participating in the Better Gnomes & Gardens DIY exhibit. Show attendees will have the opportunity to bid via silent auction on these quirky keepsakes: whimsical garden gnomes decorated by 12 personalities from HGTV (including Ty Pennington!) and Utah's local TV and radio shows. All of the proceeds will go directly to Primary Children's Hospital. Before you see them at the show, get a sneak peek at all the gnomes on our Facebook page - you can even vote for your favorite!

The Good Things Utah team made this gnome and Barbie versions of themselves - that's right, you can go home with Nicea, Jessie, Brian, Michelle, and Reagan.

The KUTV2 News team made some of these fun guys.

This project was designed as a way to promote sustainable urban farming and social enterprise initiatives in a unique and interesting way. Check out the fun gnomes at the show and bid on your favorite. You'll go home with something truly one-of-a-kind and help support sick children in our community. The silent auction will run during the Salt Lake Tribune Home + Garden Festival, March 6 - 8, at the South Towne Expo Center. Don't have tickets yet? Buy 'em early to avoid box office lines and get the best deals. Right now you can get 2-for-1 on Facebook.

MARCH 6 - 8, 2015.
SOUTH TOWNE EXPO CENTER

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That's a wrap! The Edmonton Home + Garden Show

The 2014Edmonton Home + Garden Show took the Edmonton Expo by storm, hosting thousands of visitors seeking real advice, real inspiration and real experts on all things home improvement. 

The State Farm® Main Stage presented by HGTV was brimming with world-class talent dispensing the best tips in the biz. Fan favourites including HGTV star Sarah Richardson talked decor and life in the home improvement limelight, while local personality Rosalyn Lazaruk and Vancouver’s Jennifer Scott walked guests through the dos and don’ts of design. 

The Better Gnomes & Gardens exhibit was a resounding (and adorable) success. Edmonton's most notable personalities joined forces in the name of charity, each turning a plain white garden gnome into a whimsical treasure. The bearded fellows were put up for auction at the show, raising more than $2,000 to benefit Inner City Children's Program, an organization that provides quality recreational and educational programming to children and youth in the McCauley/Boyle Street community. “Mr. Malin Bonaventure”, J’lyn Nye’s impressive military gnome, took home the top bid of $500. 

The Hockey Fan Cave stole the show with its sleek design and classic hockey paraphernalia. Consumers flocked to the large screen TVs and comfy seating to relax with ice cold beverages. Furniture was provided by The Brick, pool tables by Playmore Tables & Games and design by Edmonton’s Michelle Law. This favourite themed lounge gained the attention of local media partners including CTV and TSN 1260.

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The Calgary Home + Garden Show blew the roof off the BMO Centre & Corral

All good things must come to an end!

The 2014 Calgary Home + Garden Show took the BMO Centre & Corral by storm this past weekend, hosting thousands of visitors seeking real advice, real inspiration and real experts on all things home improvement. 

The Stage Farm® Main Stage was brimming with world-class talent dispensing the best tips in the biz. Fan favourites including HGTV stars Bryan Baeumler and Tommy  Smythe talked construction, decor and life in the home improvement limelight, while  local personalities Alykhan Velji and Heather Draper walked guests through the dos  and don’ts of design. 

The first-ever Better Gnomes & Gardens exhibit was a resounding (and adorable) success. Calgary’s most notable personalities joined forces in the name of charity, each turning a plain white garden gnome into a whimsical treasure. The bearded fellows were put up for auction at the show, raising more than $2,000 to benefit Grow Calgary, Canada’s largest urban agricultural farm dedicated to providing fresh produce to all Calgarians by way of the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank. Vincent Van Gnome, SHAW TV host Erin Strate’s colourful creation, took home the top bid of $325. 

Nu Automations stole the show with the Nu Smart Home, a next-generation dwelling complete with automatic thermostat, window coverings and entertainment system. Calgarians taking respite from the low temperatures warmed while learning how to control all parts of their home with just the tap of a touch-screen – thermostat included. 

A huge thanks to everyone who braved the cold to attend the 2014 Calgary Home +  Garden Show! 

See you in the fall for the 2014 Calgary Home + Design Show, happening September 18-21, 2014 at the BMO Centre. 

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Better Gnomes and Gardens @ The Edmonton Home + Garden Show

Ahh, the sweet smell of spring! The days are getting longer, the sun is shining brighter, and you know what that means… it’s time to wake those green thumbs from their hibernation! We've rounded up some of Edmonton’s most prominent personalities to take part in a fun design challenge at the Edmonton Home + Garden Show for a good cause!

Each participant will have the chance to dip his or her toes in the design world and turn an ordinary garden gnome into a unique DIY masterpiece. From paint to paper decorations, the creative possibilities are endless.

The final pieces of art will be on display and open for bidding at the Edmonton Home + Garden Show from March 20^th – 23^rd. 100% of the winning bids will be donated to Edmonton’s Inner City Children’s Program. Come by the show, check out these one-of-a-kind garden gnomes and be sure to bid on your favourites!

(Not that it really matters, but Calgary raised over $2000 for their charity. Come on Edmonton, let’s see what we can do!)

Participants:

• Chris and Jack from the CISN FM Morning Show
• Johnny Sullivan from the FRESH FM Morning Show
• Kari Skelton from the UP 99.3 Morning Show
• Bacon Guy @zoomjer
• Sean Burke Morning Show Host 93.1 FM The One - Leduc
• Kristi Sainchuk, Southgate Stylist
• Wanye Gretz from Oilers Nation
• Jamie Jones, wife of Edmonton Oiler Ryan Jones
• Julie Petry, wife of Edmonton Oiler Jeff Petry
• J'Lyn Nye from 630 CHED

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Don't miss your chance to bid on your favorite gnomes LIVE at the show! 

MARCH 20 - 23

EDMONTON EXPO CENTRE

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That's a Wrap! The 2014 BC Home + Garden Show enjoyed a successful week at BC Place Stadium

The 2014 BC Home + Garden Show hit BC Place Stadium this past week, showcasing real advice, real inspiration and real experts that drew huge crowds hungry for home improvement guidance.

   

The HGTV Main Stage abounded with top talent and insiders advice from both celebs and local experts. Much to the delight of fans, Bryan Baeumler made a triumphant return, this time (for the first time!) with his lovely and talented wife, Sarah Baeumler. Mike Holmes Jr. & Sherry Holmes also made their Vancouver home show debut, charming new viewers and dedicated followers of HGTV'S Holmes Makes It Right alike with tales of their famous father and life on-set. Jef Hancock, bad-boy artist of Parker Barrow, made his much-anticipated home show debut alongside design darling and business partner, Janette Ewen. Local talent including A Good Chick To Know’s Jennifer Scott and Friendly Decorator’s Christine Friend repped Vancouver’s design industry in fine form.

The first-ever Chopping Block challenge, presented by Urban Fare and 102.7 The Peak, was a huge success on Saturday, February 22. With four talented home chefs going head to head under the expert eyes of host Ned Bell, executive chef for the Four Seasons Vancouver, and judges Vikram Vij, co-owner and head chef for Vij’s and Rangoli, Ryan McDonald, executive chef for Urban Fare, and Clinton Herman, host at 102.7 The Peak, the challenge proved a culinary battle royale for the history books.

While all competitors sweated it out in true chef-like fashion, one by one they faced elimination until only one foodie was left standing: Debbie Calicetto from Abbotsford, a dedicated cook for a homeless youth shelter.

Another first at the 2014 BC Home + Garden Show was the Better Gnomes & Gardens exhibit. 16 of Vancouver’s movers and shakers transformed plain white garden gnomes into whimsical treasures auctioned off to benefit Sole Food Street Farms, a grassroots non-profit created to empower, employ and nourish underprivileged individuals in Vancouver. Funds raised totaled more than $1,500, with Christine Friend’s “East Side Elton” taking the top bid of $160 (pictured below).

Thanks to everyone who came out to the 2014 BC Home + Garden Show and helped make this exhibition of all things home improvement a huge success. See you in the fall for the 2014 Vancouver Home + Design Show, happening October 16-19, 2014 at BC Place Stadium!

 

OCTOBER 16-19, 2014

BC PLACE

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Green Thumbs Up: Better Gnomes & Gardens in BC & Calgary

Give a gnome a home!

Winning you points with both Mother Nature and your home base, the Better Gnomes & Gardens feature at the upcoming BC and Calgary Home + Garden shows is as good for your community as it is for your garden’s style-cred.

In an artistic venture that would get even Picasso’s palms sweating, Vancouver and Calgary’s top movers and shakers will put their artistic license to the test as they transform plain garden gnomes into whimsical, colorful treasures. Check out the final products on display at the BC Home + Garden Show and Calgary Home + Garden Show, then bid on your favourite to benefit local organizations dedicated to supporting urban-farmed food production in each host city. Give a gnome a home!

BC Home + Garden Show

All proceeds will directly benefit Sole Food Street Farms, a non-profit, urban agricultural community dedicated to transforming empty lots into fruitful farming plots while empowering and employing the underprivileged along the way.

Participating gnome designers include:

·       Andrea Bellamy, HeavyPetal.ca

·       Barbara Matson, Hodge:Podge by Markova Design

·       Christine Friend, Friendly Decorator

·       Coleen Christie, CTV Vancouver

·       Cory Ashworth, 102.7 The Peak

·       Dawn Chubai, Citytv Vancouver

·       Jody Vance, Citytv Vancouver

·       Johanna Ward, SHAW TV

·       Kaitlyn Herbst, Global BC

·       Laurie Logan, local radio personality with Jude Kusnierz of The Beaumont Studios 

·       Mallory Bromley, 4Cats Edgemont Village

·       Mary Zilba, entrepreneur & TV personality

·       Monika Hibbs, The Doctor’s Closet

·       Stephanie Rose, GardenTherapy.ca

·       Steve Darling, Global BC

·       Todd Talbot, Love It or List It Vancouver

Gnome bidding at the BC Home + Garden Show will be open from Wednesday, February 19 at 4PM until Sunday, February 23 at 5PM, on the concourse level of BC Place Stadium. Stop by and sign your name away for a great cause!

Calgary Home + Garden Show

All monies raised will enable access to fresh, local food for all Calgarians, by way of GrowCalgary, which cultivates fresh produce for the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank on Canada’s largest urban agricultural farm.

Participating gnome designers include:

·       Alykhan Velji, AlyVelji Designs

·       Bryan Bauemler, HGTV’s Leave it To Bryan

·       Carlos Cuevas, KooL 101.5

·       Cynthia Roebuck, CTV

·       Erin Strate, Go!Calgary on Shaw TV

·       Jason Gogo, Local Artist

·       Kait Kucy, Yuppie Love

·       Kim Flanagan, Fashion Stylist (www.kimflanagan.com)

·       Ryan Massel, I’m Mr. Fabulous

·       Ricky Zayshley, Avenue Magazine

Gnome bidding at the Calgary Home + Garden Show will be open from Wednesday, February 26 at 4PM until Sunday, March 2 at 5PM, in Hall D&E of the BMO Centre. Come down and get your bid on to show your support!

  

Stop by the upcoming BC and Calgary Home + Garden shows to show your support for two admirable, agricultural initiatives that are as empowering to the individuals they employ as they are to the communities in which they were created.

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