Author: Emmy Horstkamp

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Valentine Prep | Create a Photo Collage

Create a Photo Collage | Digital or using prints | Valentine Day |

For Today’s Valentine’s prep create a digital photo collage that tells a story, captures a vibe, or highlights a theme. Here’s a practical guide you can use right away, plus ready-to-use ideas.

The Basics:

Have a Purpose: Decide what the collage should convey. A memory? A mood?  Pick what idea you want to share with the collage. 

Choose a Format: Pick the size for the collage.  A size that your printer can print makes collaging and framing easiest.

Mix photos to have a variety: Mix the types of photos you are using -wide, medium, close-up.  Include both people and context to balance the collage.

Be Cohesive: Use a limited color palette or a single filter, if you are making a digital collage, to make images feel connected.

Text placement: Add a short caption or date if it helps tell the story, but don’t overdo it unless text is part of the collage.

Photo selection tips

8–15 photos is a good starting range for many templates; fewer for a bold, simple look, more for a full narrative. Include:

  1 main image 

  3–5 supporting images that add context or contrast

  2–6 detail shots (textures, objects, places)

Make sure to have a Balanced number of people, places, and things in the photographs to avoid a photo‑heavy collage that feels lopsided.

Choose at least one wide establishing shot and one close‑up or candid moment for the collage.

Check variety in lighting and color to avoid a jarring collage. For examples look at Pintrest or Adobe Express.

Layout ideas

Grids: Equal-sized images in a clean grid; good for social posts.

Main photo and a grid: One large center photo with smaller images radiating around it.

Timeline strip: A horizontal or vertical line of images that tells a chronological story.

Overlay and caption: One image with a semi-transparent color wash and a short caption/date. Easy to create with a digital file.

Design and editing tips

Aspect ratio: Decide early (square for IG posts, 4:3 or 16:9 for prints/wallpaper).

Color: Apply a unifying filter or adjust white balance so skin tones look natural and colors don’t clash.

Borders and shadows: Soft white/gray borders or subtle drop shadows help images separate without feeling busy.

Text: Use 1–2 fonts total; keep captions short (dates, locations, a few words). Ensure readability against any image.

Spacing: Leave consistent margins around images; avoid crowding—negative space helps the collage breathe.

Resolution: Export at least 300 PPI for prints; 1080×1080 or 1920×1080 for social, depending on platform.

Tools and templates to try

– Canva: Large library of collage templates; great for quick, polished results.

– Adobe Creative Cloud Express (formerly Spark): Easy templates and text options.

– Google Photos: Simple collage maker built into Photos app; fast for quick sharing.

Step-by-step easy workflow for a digital Collage

1) Define purpose and size: choose your final format (e.g., square 1080×1080).

2) Gather photos: pick 8–15 images that tell the story; grab a main photograph.

3) Pre-edit: lightly crop to the target aspect ratio; adjust exposure/white balance if needed.

4) Choose layout: pick a template or sketch a simple plan (hero center, others around).

5) Arrange and tune: place images, adjust sizes, add a subtle color wash if desired.

6) Add text only if it adds meaning: date, location, short caption.

7) Export: save high-resolution for prints; export optimized size for web.

8) Quick check: view on a phone and on a computer screen to ensure readability and balance.

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Today, Give Five Compliments – Written or Verbal

How to deliver a great compliment

First, be specific: Tie your compliment to a concrete example or behavior.

Second, focus on work ethic, empathy, problem-solving, or creativity.

Third, keep it brief using one or two sentences.

Fourth, center on actions, skills, or personality not looks.

Lastly, deliver in a personal way, through text or note or face to face, and in the correct context.

Here is a thoughtful compliment that doesn’t add flirting to the conversation to use as a template:

“I really appreciate your follow through on this commitment. It makes us feel more confident and able to keep moving forward.”

Customization ideas

Keep your compliments friendly and specific to your everyday.

If you’re uncertain about the tone: choose one compliment and deliver it in a straightforward, plain-spoken way without extra flourish. Do not use words that are not in your everyday vocabulary.

Genuine compliments focus on effort, character, and contribution can strengthen rapport and respect across genders.  Keep your comments specific, sincere, and non-romantic, you’ll make someone feel valued for who they are and what they do—no flirting required today.

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Create an Origami Note for your Loved One

Here is the link to the full article about Creating a Note for Valentines Day. Share the note today, February 3.

The full list of Valentine Countdown Activities | Today’s Article about Writing Notes

Simple origami note style you can create for Valentine’s day

Origami-inspired note formats are an interesting way to make the act of keeping a note feel special and decorative. Here are two simple ideas you can try today while writing a love note for Valentine’s day.

The pocket origami note 

– What you need: a square sheet of paper (4 x 4 inches works well).

Instructions: Folding the Note.

  1) Write your note on one side of the square.

  2) Fold the paper in half horizontally to make a rectangle; crease well.

  3) Fold the top edge down to meet the bottom edge, forming a smaller square; crease.

  4) Fold the left and right edges toward the center to create a little pocket at the bottom.

  5) Tuck the folded note into the pocket so you can pull it out when you’re ready to read it.

Why it’s worth creating an origami note: you get a tactile note you can carry in a binder or planner that invites you to keep it.

Idea 2: The origami bookmark-note  

– What you need: a rectangle sheet of paper.

– How to fold:

  1) Write your note on one side.

  2) Fold the sheet in half lengthwise to create a long card.

  3) Fold the top and bottom edges toward the center to form a slim, flat bookmark with a pocket in the middle for a small slip of paper containing your note.

This note doubles as a bookmark and a note carrier, so you can make the card again for different books or as your loved one finishes a chapter. The card is special but is still simple to make.

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12 Days to Valentine’s Day | Countdown

All my paperwork has been submitted for Trefuly. To celebrate, here is a countdown for Valentine’s Day on our sister blog:

I usually am not talking about my personal life but I am putting a little note in today, I have been appointed as Senator of Georgia, USA which is an inherited seat. I will be working in DC and Atlanta starting this month. Because of this unexpected change in my career path caused by inheritance, HealthStoreyUSA’s launch is delayed until I hire staff to work in my place.

Sincerely, Dr. Emmy Ann Horstkamp, JD, Senator from Georgia, Chief of Tribe America.

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| Packing for a Trip | Health Storey Newsletter 4 |

Daily goals to get you travel-ready and eating more vegetables this February.

As you plan trips and look toward a healthier routine, this week’s newsletter brings you a practical, easy-to-follow prep plan. We’ve lined up daily goals to get your space, your packing, and your meals on track—plus a February veggies spotlight to keep your plate vibrant even while you’re on the go.

This Week’s Daily Goals

– Monday, January 26: Empty Trash from House

– Tuesday, January 27: Organize a Drawer

– Wednesday, January 28: Vacuum the House

– Thursday, January 29: Prepare to Leave on a Trip

– Friday, January 30: Organize Travel Bags, Clean Them

– Saturday, January 31: Travel Luggage for a Weekend

– Sunday, February 1: February is About Eating More Vegetables

Healthy Travel Prep: Quick Tips

– Hydration on the go: Carry flavour packets. My favourite drink mix contains 3 grams of electrolytes that hydrate and add flavour to city tap water or bottle of water you purchase at the store. If you are packing light, you do not need to bring your own drink containers on your trip.

– Smart Lunch options: Before lunch or dinner, eat a handful of nuts to add protein to your meal. While traveling, your meals may not be as balanced or may contain less protein than at home.

-Focus on Neat Movement: You will be on a flight, spend the time at the airport standing or walking around. Track your mileage on your phone. Make sure to use the bathroom before getting on the plane and limit what you eat while flying. Grab a beverage when you land to drink while going through customs and picking up your luggage.

Sleep: Take ear buds and a travel pillow. You can buy a travel pillow at the airport for around ten dollars and give it to someone as a gift. Once you are at your destination, stay awake as long as you can to avoid jet lag. Carry a compact eye mask, earplugs, a small pillow, and a reusable tote for day trips.

Travel health kit: Grab the first aid kit you created for traveling and make sure it includes: basic bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, any personal meds, homemade ginger candy.

Focus of February 2026 Daily Goals

Vegetables

– Veggies of the Month: Bok choy Mushrooms, Peppers and Lettuce. Each week the focus will be on adding vegetables to our rice for breakfast and lunch.

Topics for Feb: Quick Prep for Veggies, Storage ideas and nutritional information and research on different vegetables being added into the Daily Story month.

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Weekend | Work On Home Office Layout | Hours

Best Office Layouts for a Productive, Adaptable Workplace


The layout of an office does more than just hold desks and chairs. It shapes how people collaborate, where deep work gets done, and how a company adapts to change. A great office layout supports your culture, keeps people engaged, and scales with growth. The challenge is balancing openness with privacy, collaboration with focus, and cost with comfort. Below are the most effective layouts you’ll see in modern offices, along with when they shine, common pitfalls, and practical tips to make them work for your team.

Open-Plan / Collaborative Layout
What it is: Long rows or clusters of desks with minimal walls, designed to enable quick conversations and spontaneous collaboration.

Pros

  • Fosters quick communication and teamwork.
  • Maximizes floor space and can feel more energetic and inclusive.
  • Easier to reconfigure as teams shift.

Cons

  • Noise and visual distractions can hurt focus.
  • Some employees may feel exposed or exposed to interruptions.

When it shines

  • Creative, design, and sales teams that rely on rapid feedback.
  • Startups or fast-growing teams that prioritize collaboration over privacy.
  • Use zones: dedicate specific areas for heads-down work and others for collaboration.
  • Add sound-absorbing materials: carpets, ceiling tiles, acoustic panels, and upholstered furniture.
  • Create “quiet corners” with taller furniture or screens for focused work.
  • Introduce visual cues to signal when someone is in deep work mode (e.g., desk nameplates, signals, or status indicators).

Activity-Based Work Layout
What it is: A campus-like approach with distinct zones for different activities—focus, collaboration, socializing, and breakout work—often with a mix of furnishings and clever wayfinding.

Pros

  • Supports varied work styles within one space.
  • Encourages collaboration in the right spaces and privacy when needed.
  • Flexible by design; easy to reallocate areas without major construction.

Cons

  • Requires thoughtful planning and clear usage guidelines.
  • Can feel chaotic if zones aren’t well defined or poorly signed.

When it shines

  • Teams with a mix of roles: developers who need deep focus, marketers who need collaboration, and managers who host meetings.
  • Companies undergoing frequent project shifts or process changes.

Practical Tips

  • Map activities to spaces: designate dedicated rooms or zones for focus, meetings, quick huddles, and social areas.
  • Plan sightlines and wayfinding: clear arrows, color-coded zones, and signage help people find the right space quickly.
  • Invest in flexible furnishings: height-adjustable desks, mobile whiteboards, and movable screens to morph spaces as needs change.
  • Consider acoustics in open areas: soft furnishings, wall panels, and ceiling treatments to keep background noise manageable.

Cellular Private Offices / Mixed Privacy Layout
What it is: A mix of private offices or enclosed workstations with doors, balanced by shared spaces for meetings and collaboration.

Pros

  • Strong privacy and reduced interruptions for deep work.
  • Clear delineation between management and staff in many designs.

Cons

  • Can feel isolating and reduce spontaneous collaboration if overused.
  • Higher real estate costs per employee and potential underutilization.

When it shines

  • Roles that require confidentiality or extensive concentration (legal, finance, R&D, senior leadership).
  • Teams that need predictable meeting rooms and private spaces for sensitive conversations.
  • Blend with open, collaborative zones to avoid isolation.
  • Use glass or transparent partitions to maintain a sense of openness while preserving privacy.
  • Create “office adjacencies” for quick interactions: place meeting rooms and quiet rooms near teams to minimize long walks.

Hybrid / Breakout-Heavy Layout
What it is: A flexible mix of small nooks, breakout lounges, informal seating, and short-task desks designed to support quick, informal work sessions and meetings.

Pros

  • Encourages informal collaboration and rapid problem-solving.
  • Feels modern and approachable, often improving employee satisfaction.

Cons

  • Can suffer from underuse if spaces aren’t inviting or properly scheduled.
  • Requires ongoing management to keep reservation systems simple and fair.

When it shines

  • Teams that brainstorm frequently, run standups, or host clients in-house.
  • Organizations embracing agile, sprint-based workflows.

Practical tips

  • Offer a spectrum of breakout formats: high-top tables for quick chats, lounge seating for relaxed discussions, and semi-enclosed nooks for privacy.
  • Implement a simple booking or “first-come, first-served” system to avoid crowding and overlap.
  • Provide writing surfaces and digital collaboration tools in breakout areas to capture ideas quickly.

Modular / Flexible Layouts with Movable Walls
What it is: Floor plans built with demountable walls, modular furniture, and easy-to-reconfigure components that evolve with your business.

Pros

  • Extremely adaptable to headcount changes or new workflows.
  • Protects long-term space value by enabling reconfiguration rather than relocation.

Cons

  • Higher initial investment and planning effort.
  • Requires ongoing management to keep the space coherent.

When it shines

  • Growing companies, firms that pivot often, or businesses planning frequent internal reorganizations.
  • Spaces that host rotating teams or cross-functional projects.

Practical tips

  • Plan for scalable zones: design core areas that can be expanded with modular inserts.
  • Choose modular furniture with multiple configurations to support different activities.
  • Keep electrical, data, and HVAC in mind; plan for future needs when you install partitions.

Deskless / Hot-Desking Layout
What it is: A system where employees don’t have assigned desks; they choose a workstation when they arrive, often guided by a booking app.

Pros

  • Maximizes real estate efficiency; good for hybrid or remote-heavy teams.
  • Encourages movement and interaction across departments.

Cons

  • Personalization can be tough; some people struggle to leave belongings behind.
  • Requires strong IT and facilities support to manage bookings, equipment, and entry access.

When it shines

  • Companies with strong hybrid work policies or limited on-site needs.
  • Teams that travel between client sites or work remotely part

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