The Perfect Winter Remedy

If you’re ready to crawl out of the winter slump and jump into Spring, we know just the remedy!  It’s a joy flipping through vintage Vogue Magazines, and classic advertisements for a menagerie of housewares, services and businesses.  Back in the day, cheeky, lighthearted illustrations were a sign of the times.  Designed to brighten your day, these cheery echoes of the past appealed to a certain demographic and are always fun to have around.  They’re also what we find to be a perfect winter remedy for Spring Fever!  It was most certainly another time when drawings were a primary form of advertising.  It’s astounding that in today’s media and marketing world, ad messages are aggressive for the most part; practically screaming and jumping out at us on every corner to sell, sell, sell!  With all the competition in the modern marketing industry, it seems like if you’re not sounding a trumpet from the rooftops, your ad will get lost in a sea of heads.  Well that was not the case in times of old, when ads were much less abrasive and delivered with a more gentle approach.  Sometimes simple and clean, other times colorful and elaborate, elegant illustrations were popular displays.  Retro posters, postcards, and even billboards were often hand drawn images that didn’t shout, but instead whispered to onlookers.  You will also note the adamant presence of flowers throughout!  Antique flower, perfume, and garden ads in particular, are found high and lo in beautiful sketch form.  Cigars…  Cigarettes…  anyone?

 

 

Knock the Winter Blues Out!

It’s that time of year when winter has dragged on, and on, and on to no end.  We’re desperately waiting for spring to break on through to the other side, but it’s not quite in sight yet.   It has been scientifically proven that much like plants and botanicals, we respond to sunlight.  We begin to droop in gloomy weather just as flowers do.  This is because there are vitamins and biochemical responses we reap from solar rays, which enhance our mood and ability to function.  Sunlight actually affects the chemicals in our brain which regulate sleep and energy levels called melatonin and serotonin.  Since winter tends to be dark and dreary, we sometimes fall prey to seasonal depression and fatigue.  A low dosage of artificial UV rays have even been medically prescribed in some cases, to aide in these situations.  If you are one to suffer from the winter blues at all, this year has certainly proved itself to be a challenging one.

Please don’t lose hope little flowers, because although it’s been a dreaded and prolonged winter, Spring is within reach.  L’Atelier Rouge has taken on the task of sending Mother Nature the message: “Listen lady, it’s been fun and all but we’re OVER it!  Enough already with the cold, crappy weather.”  We haven’t heard back from her yet, but we’re confident that help is on the way.  Maybe you’ve done well this winter eating right, exercising, and staying active.  Or maybe you have struggled with it and are feeling down.  If you didn’t get as much exercise or nourishment as you needed this winter, it’s time to knock those winter blues’ teeth out!  Spring will creep up around the corner in another month or so.  In the meantime, here’s a list of helpful supplements and things to be conscious of the next few weeks, that will aide your efforts to stay positive, active, and healthy in the final stretch:

Vitamin D

Omega 3′s

Multi Vitamins

St. John’s Wort

Fish Oil

Anti-oxidants

Exercise

Socializing

Light Lamps

and of course, Flowers

**Flowers remind us of spring and make us happy!

Just remember, by forcing yourself to get out of the house, hang out with friends, do some traveling, exercise, start a project, visit family, or any number of activities that keep you occupied, will help you get through this nasty little tail end of winter!  Soldier on!

 

by Bernadette Lords