This Saturday - The Made By Hand Show!

Did you know Canada.. the Made By Hand Show is THIS Saturday, April 20th at the International Centre, Hall 1 in Mississauga (with FREE Parking!).

Featuring over 190 Canadian exhibitors, this will make a fun day for the whole family.  Children enter free, there's free face-painting, balloon animals and a princess photo booth, lots to do and see for everyone!

What a great way to support local Canadian businesses, with free parking and only $5 to enter, you can browse, snack, chat and shop.

At the Made By Hand Show you'll find original artwork, baby/toys, body, candles, clothing, ceramics, fashion accessories, jewellery, photography, knitting, pottery, paper goods, wood and a range of gourmet goodies.  Click here for a preview of the 190 exhibitors; they include some friends we've featured in the past, like Warm Fuzzies and Lala Soap Company!

Buy tickets online for advanced entry, the first 100 families through the door also receive a swag bag!

Spring Trends with Luxe Box

Did you know Canada..  The beauty team at Loose Button have been working with Steven and Chris from CBC to create the Spring Luxe Box, and it's a good one!  A Luxe Box is a seasonal mail out with 7-8 deluxe size beauty samples, I've received these in the past and have found some awesome products that I now buy all the time.  It's a great way to be introduced to new products without spending the big bucks for full size bottles.

Arriving in a awesome shaped box, especially for us that get our mail delivered to community boxes, I also loved the bag the deluxe samples where stored in, both can be repurposed.

First up was browsing the Spring Trends 2013 booklet which gives you info on the products that were sent out in the Spring Luxe Boxes (you do not receive every product listed, everyone gets 7-8 of the available products, so you might end up a bit sad that you didn't get one of the products listed).

Here are my favourites from the box..

Moroccanoil's Body Buff - I'm a huge fan of Moroccanoil's hair products, which I first sampled from Loose Button and have been purchasing ever since.  The body buff arrives at the perfect time for spring to buff away our dull winter skin, because we are ready to shine!

Pandora's Makeup Box Mascara - which, check it out, is Made In Canada!  Developed for sensitive eyes and an exceptionally long handled brush, it goes on easy and really is clump free.  I also loved the clear strip on the side so you can see when it's running low.  I was glad to try this mascara, because at $19 a tube, I would have been hesitant to purchase it, but now I know it's a great product.

Eternity Aqua by Calvin Klein - I shared this one with my Mom as she is the queen of perfumes, she thought it was nice, light and refreshing.

Blending Sponge - this was a fun treat, not something I would purchase on my own thinking it wouldn't make a difference, but it does, it works fabulous at blending - can be used with liquid, cream, loose powder or pressed powder makeup in a bouncing motion.

I also received..

Lancome's Genefique Youth Activating Serum - while I know an expensive product, this one doesn't do much for me, and I already received one in the Loose Button Advent Calendar so it wasn't much of a treat.

Blue Lagoon Iceland rich nourishing cream - while just kind of a bonus item, I thought the sample packaging was silly and there wasn't enough to really see if it made a difference to your skin or not.

Chroma Captive by Kerastase - great shampoo for colour treated hair, no complaints there, but the price point is extremely high for a full size bottle, I personally wouldn't be able to afford it as a daily shampoo.

Are you a Luxe Box subscriber?  What did you think of the Spring Box?

Northern Biscuit

Did you know Canada..  my doggies, Maddie and Bailey, love to snack, as all doggies do.  We try our best to give them healthy treats but as our dogs like to tell us some of those don't taste so good.  Thanks to Northern Biscuit, we've found a Canadian Made treat that start with fresh foods and simple, honest recipes. No dough risers, no artificial anything.

Baked in small batches, our pups have sampled a few of Northern Biscuit's flavours, including their most patriotic flavour - Canadian Bacon!

Wheat-Free Canadian Bacon uses food-grade Ontario and Quebec Pork, Canadian maple syrup and blueberries for antioxidants. Pumpkin Pie features Pure Ontario pumpkin sprinkled with cinnamon is great to aid digestion and settle upset tummies.

Grain-Free Beef Tripe is Canadian beef tripe mixed with Manitoba-grown potatoes and is gluten free.  So is Grilled Bison, which features Alberta Bison from the ranches of Western Canada also with Manitoba-grown potatoes.

Our Maddie's favourite has been the Beef Tripe, and Bailey, well, she likes everything..haha..  for me, I like that these treats are dry, they don't get all gooey or gross up my carpet.  They actually smell pretty good too and the pups think they smell great!

I love that the ingredients are front and centre on the packaging - how often will you find a company, especially one producing for animals, that are proud of the ingredients they include in their product?!  Wouldn't these biscuits would be perfect for a sweet gift for a doggie friend? :-)

What a great company to support, supporting this Canadian company means you are supporting a whole host of Canadians, from Canadian growers providing their freshest, food-grade meats and vegetables. The packaging (which I think look great by the way) is made from compostable, recyclable, renewable Canadian paper, manufactured only one hour from their bakery.  Folks from Community Living Ontario groups affix the labels to their bags; Northern Biscuit also supports local animal rescue organizations and local environmental initiatives.

Find Northern Biscuit on the web, twitter, facebook and pinterest to keep up to date on their tasty treats!

Posterjack

Did you know Canada..  well of course you know we have a new little man in the house, 6 weeks old now.  When he was just a week old I took him over to a friends house where she took the SWEETEST photos of my little guy, they are so beautiful  I stare at them everyday.  One in particular was my favourite, and so I was SO excited to work with Posterjack.ca on a review to check out their service and get a print of our babe for the wall.

First up, Posterjack.ca offers the COOLEST services, all made from their Toronto location (get this, they actually produce more photo art than any other company in Canada!).  Not only can you get the more usual photo enlargements and mounted prints, but you can also get a canvas like I did, METAL prints (how cool is this?!), gorgeous acrylic prints, peel n' stick - I could redo all the wall art in the whole house with Posterjack's services!  The hardest part would be picking what photos I wanted.

Knowing I wanted to print this specific picture of my newborn I didn't have that problem this time, I decided on canvas because I thought it would really stand out and it's something different than other pictures we have on the wall.  So all I had to do was select Canvas Prints on Posterjack.ca - upload my image, pick a size and I was good to go!  I really liked the features on Posterjack that let me know my image quality was excellent, I could crop the photo right there if I wanted to, everything was very simple yet robust - not an easy combination!

Checking out was simple and talk about fabulous customer service - my image was just the right fit for the canvas, if any of the picture wrapped around the frame part of the baby's head would be cut off.  Posterjack emailed me to let me know about this and gave me options on how to do the wrap around frame, including the option they thought was best.  This means they actually LOOKED at my picture, they made sure something crazy didn't happen like just doing it and sending me an awful looking picture, I was so, SO very pleased with the fact they they obviously don't just run off the next project in the queue, they actually look at your photo, let you know if something isn't going to work, and give you options on how to make it look the best, THIS is customer service.  So I choose for them to use a mirror image of picture for the wrap around frame, and it looks fantastic!

When this arrived, my heart stopped, I was so happy, as any of my Facebook friends can attest, I posted about it immediately, praising my friend for the photo, Posterjack for the great work.  This canvas print will be on my wall for the rest of my life, I will always cherish this image of my baby boy, and thank you so much to Posterjack for making it happen, having amazing customer service and quality products.

Easy to hang, quality job done, I couldn't be happier!

I can't wait to order more prints in the future, would love to try a metal or acrylic print, what a great talking piece for your home! Truly, a work of art!

We tried a new dish with #CavendishFromTheFarm

Did you know Canada..  with our new baby on the way NEXT WEEK, I've been sending hubby and the kids to the grocery store, which means instead of wandering around and deciding my menu on the fly I've had to pre-plan everything.  Hubby is a great shopper, but he ONLY gets what's on the list, drives me nuts..haha..  So it's been a challenge to come up with some fun meals without looking around the store first.

Thankfully this past week I became a Cavendish From the Farm blogger, which introduced us to their 3 products - Cavendish From the Farm Wedges, Rustic Reds and Straight Cut potatoes.  Low in saturated fat, prepared with the skin on and are made with 100% canola oil and lightly seasoned with sea salt, they were a perfect addition to meal times.

Hubby had no problem finding the Farm Wedges and Rustic Reds at our local Real Canadian Super Store.

Instead of just a side dish we decided to try a main dish with the Rustic Reds, a potato casserole!

First we added a whole bag of Rustic Reds to a casserole dish.

Drizzled a little bit of olive oil over top and popped them in the oven for about 10 minutes.

While they were heating up I cut up a chicken breast, topped with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cooked it up.

Removed the potatoes from the oven, added about 1/4C of hot sauce to the potatoes, mixed well, added the cooked chicken, shredded cheese and a bit of green onion.

Popped it back in the oven for another 20 minutes and served, so good!  Even the kids, MY KIDS, loved it!!

Later this week we are thinking about making poutine with the Farm Wedges.

2 great ways to change up our dinners, easy to plan ahead even when you are off grocery duty and the kids loved them!!  I can think of so many more ways to change up a potato casserole with the rustic reds, the wedges and straight cuts are great side dishes on their own or easy to dress up.

Best of all - they are Canadian!!  Harvested exclusively from the rich red soil of PEI, they carefully select only the most delicious, premium potatoes for the Cavendish From the Farm line up.  The kids already heard my stories about our family vacations to PEI in my youth, such a beautiful place, I hope I can bring my own kids there some day.

Disclosure – I am participating in the From the Farm blog tour by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Cavendish. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Made in Canada home renovation

Did you know Canada..  a friend and her husband's Christmas gift to each other this year is to redo their kitchen.  Home renovation does not sound like the best thing during the Holidays, but it works for them as they are both off work for two weeks, they have been saving up the money and are doing much of the work themselves.  Plus, practically everything in on sale one way or another this time of year right.

Now is also the time to get in any last minute renovations that can be used towards the Home Renovation Tax Credit!

It got me to thinking about the best way to home renovate the Made in Canada way.  The first step would be to ask your local lumber yard where the wood comes from, and find a place that deals with local producers.  Visit locally owned shops like Home Hardware to purchase products and tools.  You won't be able to find everything you need Canadian made, but at least you are supporting local businesses.

If you are looking for garage doors in Burlington as part of a renovation, we found a company that sells and services Made in Canada products!

There's also Canadian made kitchen cabinets, flooring, furniture and more available from companies throughout Canada.  If you are using a contractor ask about ordering in Canadian made pieces.

Have you done a home reno this year?  Do you know where your new updates were made?

New Twenties tomorrow!

Did you know Canada.. tomorrow (Wed. Nov 7, 2012) is the day, Bank of Canada will begin circulating the new $20 polymer bills.

Here's a link to see the new bills, perfect for upcoming Remembrance Day, the images include red poppies and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

It's fairly easy to avoid 50s and 100s but I think we all have a few 20s in our wallet from time to time, how do you feel about the new polymer bills now that they will be part of most people's cash flow?

Wantizen

Did you know Canada..  have you heard about Wantizen?

Instead of just searching for hotels online and bidding on prices, you can now search for rental properties and bid to get amazing savings!  How cool is that!  Why search for rental properties instead of a hotel?  Well for one, packing!!  These days, vacation rental properties come with a host of amenities that you would otherwise have to pack if you were staying in a hotel.  Never worry about your iPod dock, sand toys or lawn chairs, and especially not cooking oil, spices, tea & coffee, paper towels, fresh flowers - everything you need to enjoy your vacation will already be available to you in  a rental property!

When you search for vacation rental properties on Wantizen you can type in all the amenities you want, so there are no surprises when you get there (no Mom needs surprises!!!!), and you will often get a lower rate than the one you offer to the property owners - since the property owners are "bidding" on your business and know they are bidding against other property owners, so they'll likely offer you back a price that is lower than your original offer.  Offering one price and getting it even cheaper?  This is the way to plan a holiday!

Wantizen absolutely makes things easier for busy Moms trying to plan a family vacation.  Wantizen helps to significantly reduce research time and it is the economical and practical solution when planning your next trip.

Not only perfect for those of us planning a trip, but if you own a rental property this is such a great place to list it and have access to so many potential renters!

I also, of course, love that this service is based out of Vancouver BC, that makes the service even more trusty worthy to me, knowing it's Canadian.

Not only did we want to share this fantastic new service with you, but we have TWO contest alerts for you!

Visit the Wantizen Facebook Page for your chance to win one of two iPads in their photo contest!

ALSO, visit the Wantizen website and enter their sign-up to win sweepstakes where you could win $500 off your next rental booking with Wantizen - wow!

Who is planning an upcoming vacation??

Made By Hand Show is almost here!

Did you know Canada..  mark your calendars, the Made By Hand Show is almost here!  On October 27 the Fall Made By Hand Show is being held once again at the International Centre, Hall 6 in Mississauga.

With Over 190 Handmade Exhibitors, FREE Face-Painting, Surprise Princess Visit, FREE Swag Bags to the 1st 100 families, and FREE Parking, this is one event no to be missed.  Only $2 for admission, and remember, door proceeds are benefiting Crafting for a Cure and children are free.

Get all your Christmas presents and be ready to wrap in no time!  Handmade gifts chosen with care make gorgeous gifts and they don't have to break the bank.  Plus, of course, they are all Made IN Canada!

I am loving the Made By Hand Show's Gold Sponsor - Curbside Cupcake Bliss! Curbside Bliss Cupcakes is where they bring you delectable, mouth watering, baked-from-scratch goodness...curbside from their mobile cupcake kitchen - how awesome is that??

So, visit the Made By Hand Show website so you can check out all 190 exhibitors and be ready to shop Canada!

MommiesFirst

Did you know Canada..  this September a new Canadian company began delivering care packages to the homes of new expectant and new moms. MommiesFirst sends its members a beautiful box each month filled with 4-5 of the most relevant products for a mom to discover during that particular stage of her pregnancy or her baby’s life (from 0 to12 month in age). MommiesFirst is the first service of its kind in Canada!

MommiesFirst was started by Lorena Pacheco Scott, a Toronto mother of two, in response to her own experience as a new mom.   Lorena says, three years ago when my first son was born I was scared, overwhelmed, and confused. At first I thought I was the only one who felt this way, but in talking to other mums, I very quickly discovered these are emotions many of us experience. I never forgot those feelings of despair and loneliness, and after my second son was born, I resolved to do something about it.  MommiesFirst was created to help make a difference for all the other new moms out there.

So, we are now on a mission to make lives for Canadian moms a little bit easier and a lot less stressful. How are we doing this?  With the help of the MommiesFirst Council, a group of moms, dads, and baby experts, we are doing a ton of research on behalf of our mom members.  The MommiesFirst Council is tasked with finding, testing, and reviewing the HUGE amount of baby and mom focused product out there in order to create the right care package for our members. It is our hope that sending MommiesFirst care packages that are both beautiful and helpful, we make it easier for moms to discover the best products for them and their babies.   We don’t pretend to be able to solve all of a new mom’s challenges, or worse yet, sugar coat these issues. Instead, we appreciate the difficulties because we’ve 100% been there too.

Overall it has been an unbelievable journey since launching our website in May and then shipping our first boxes in September, and the response from moms has been wonderful.  Their feedback serves as a constant reminder of why we started MommiesFirst.  Another incredibly rewarding aspect of creating MommiesFirst is supporting Canadian mompreneurs.  There are A LOT of Canadian businesses started by mothers who were inspired by their own personal journeys and decided to create great products to help other moms. MommiesFirst is giving these amazing women a platform to tell their stores and showcase their lovely products (many of which are also designed and manufactured right here in Canada). 

If you or someone you love is interested in signing up to receive a MommiesFirst care package, please visit www.mommiesfirst.com. A subscription costs $25 per month, with free shipping.  All of our boxes are delivered with love and care! 

Additional Information:
Company website:  www.mommiesfirst.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mommiesfirstbox
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MommiesFirstBox
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mommiesfirst/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mommiesfirstbox?feature=results_main

Apple Picking (or lack there of)

Did you know Canada..  you might remember back in May when we posted:


Did you know Canada.. some sad news going around Southern Ontario. With our unusually warm weather in March followed by cold April nights there has been devastating losses to farmers in Southern Ontario. Most apple farmers have lost almost their entire crop of apples for the season. As we've mentioned before Ontario is Canada's largest apple producer and an industry that is worth up $400 million in Ontario.

Environment Canada refers to this spring as one that has produced four seasons in one - I suffered the same thing in my garden. The warm weather had trees and flowers budding and blooms and the below freezing April nights killed them all off.

It's not going to be a happy fall season in Southern Ontario this year!

Well it has come to pass, MANY apple orchards across Southern Ontario have NO apples.  I've called around to a few local orcahrds, hoping to take the kiddos out picking this weekend and there are either absolutely no apples, or only a very minimal amount available.  I'm quiet sad about this, it's been a family tradition for years, we've been taking the boys since they were only two months old!

Ontario is Canada's largest apple producer and the McIntosh, which is the only variety grown in all apple-growing regions of Canada, makes up half of all Canadian apple production.  Apples are also Canada's largest fruit crop in terms of weight of food produced - so this is big (sad and frustrating) news in Canada!

Rustic Metal Creations

Did you know Canada..  I love jewellery, there, I said it :) Some woman love shoes, some love purses, I love bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, the works!  I don't mean I'm dripping in dimaonds, far from it, but I do love a funky ring, a sparkly necklace and hoopy earrings.

I was so happy to find Liz from Canadian company Rustic Metal Creations where all her designs are made in her private home studio.  She says the best way to describe her designs is a combination of rustic elegance and trendy styles. Each piece is custom made using non-tarnish stainless steel, aluminium, sterling silver, rustic copper, brass, swarovski and natural stones and the best components.  The end result is quality jewellery, at affordable prices that will last years to come and I completely agree!

I received the most beautiful necklace from Liz, in gorgeous packaging, with my boys initials stamped on small pendants.  She was also so nice to send a note letting me know the font she used so that when our new little one gets here we can get a matching pendant with his or her initial on it.

I also really appreciated the little cleaning pad that was include in the package, it's small things like this that make you feel that your business is wanted, appreciated and your new piece was made with respect.  Liz is very proud of her work and that makes me proud to wear it.

Rustic Metal Creations have items for every occasion, a necklace like mine for Moms, Grammas, Sisters and more; keychains, charm bracelets, wine charms, golf ball markers, she has something for everyone!  Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, the coming Holidays, new babies - what a sweet and thoughtful gift that can be cherished forever.

We are so excited to share a treat with our readers from Rustic Metal Creations as well, enter below for your chance to win a $25 gift code to get your own special piece!  Good luck Canada!!

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Life of Pi

Did you know Canada..  that famous novel, Life of Pi, was written by a Canadian!  I had no idea!

Written by Canadian Yann Martel, Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck, while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger. The novel has many zoology references and is partially educational.

Did you know that this famous novel was actually rejected by at least five London publishing houses before being picked up by Knopf Canada?  This Man Booker Prize winning novel has been talked about since it was first published in 2001.

Now living in Saskatoon, Yann was born in Spain where his father worked as a diplomat.  As an adult, Martel has spent time in Iran, Turkey and India. After studying philosophy at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Martel spent 13 months in India visiting masjids, churches, temples and zoos, and spent two years reading religious texts and castaway stories.

Over at The Good Shopper Blog, on BuyCanadianFirst.ca you can enter to WIN a copy of this prize winning novel, but hurry, giveaway is only open until Monday morning!!

Good Luck!!

Fall Made by Hand Show - Save the Date!!

Did you know Canada..  The Fall Made by Hand Show is just over two months away.  All summer long the team has been busy planning - As a media sponsor, we wanted to be the first to give you a little sneak peak about the upcoming fall show.

SAVE THE DATE! Saturday October 27, 2012 is the Fall Made by Hand Show, held once again at the International Centre, Hall 6 in Mississauga.  This fall their BIGGER and BETTER. 

Show Highlights:
Over 190 Handmade Exhibitors - full list of exhibitors
Free Face-painting - Farco Entertainment
Surprise Pricess Visit - Parties by Carrie

FREE SWAG BAGS to the 1st 100 families

FREE PARKING
ADMISSION $2.00 (Children free)

Door Proceeds benefiting Crafting for a Cure

With an expanded vendor line-up featuring just over 190 Canadian handmade exhibitors - It is a one-stop shopping experience not to be missed. There is something for everyone in every media: original artwork, baby/toys, body, candles, clothing, ceramics, fashion accessories, jewellery, photography, knitting, pottery, paper goods, wood and a range of gourmet goodies.  Click here for a sneak peak at the 190 exhibitors.

The Fall Made by Hand Show wouldn't be complete without their line-up of FREE children attractions.  Returning this year is Farco Entertainment who will once again be providing free face-painting and balloon animals.  You'll remember this spring Cinderella visited the Spring show, this fall there is a surprise princess provided by Parties by Carrie.  Who's the surprise princess? Visit www.madebyhandshow.com for a clue.

It's a fun family day, only $2.00 admission (benefiting Crafting for a Cure), children are free.  Best of all - FREE PARKING.

Don't delay, make it on your calendar and RSVP to the Fall Made by Hand Show facebook event - better yet invite your friends too.  More information follow them on facebook (www.facebook.com/

madebyhandshow) or visit their website (www.madebyhandshow.com) - See you there!!

Want More?

All summer long, the Made by Hand team has been out crafting with children and promoting the upcoming Fall show.  Come do a free craft with the Made by Hand team at the Momstown Mississauga Birthday Bash (Thur. Aug. 16 at Erindale Park in Mississauga), and at the Babeebloomz Family Expo (Sat. Sept. 29 at The Meeting House in Oakville). 

ZAMOOF!

Did you know Canada..  I have found an amazing Canadian magazine for children - ZAMOOF!

ZAMOOF! is, well it's just awesome!  I think the best way to tell you about it is to tell you about the amazing features that were included in just one magazine..

* comics
* puzzles
* stories
* posters
* quizzes
* recipes
* colouring
* pet horoscopes
* submitted art
* an interview

This is all in ONE magazine!  And there was only a couple of kid friendly ads at the back, that's it.

This was awesome, perfect for my boys to practice their letters and us reading as a family, it was funny to look up the pet's horoscopes, the boys loved looking at the comics, the funny pet pictures and reeeeally loved the Madagascar 3 take-out posters.

They accept all kinds of submissions for youths, including recipes, pet photos, drawings, puzzles, jokes and more.

A subscription would make a fabulous birthday or back to school gift this year, a magazine the entire family can enjoy!  Yes - I was giggling at the pet horoscopes and the "Mutant Cat Swallows Van" story.

Check out their website for some great articles on their blog as well, the cupcake recipe sounds fantastic!  I hope they update the blog more often to get some more great info.  I loved their article about The Little League Canadian Championships last year, my own boys play T-Ball, so we're going to be looking up info about this years Campionship!

I really recommend picking up a copy or subscribing to ZAMOOF!  This is fantastic for all Canadian families!  We are SO excited to share not one, but TWO one year subscriptions with our readers.  Enter below for your chance to win!!

Giveaway
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Weldbond

Did you know Canada.. have you heard about Weldbond?? It's a CANADIAN MADE non-toxic glue, that sticks to just about anything!

I had hubby give it a try on his unfortunately growing pile of broken toys the boys produce.  We have a couple favourite monster trucks that have been in one too many crashes.  Hubby has tried MANY times to fix these and they are a favourite of the boys, but they either don't stick at all or as soon as the boys use them they break again.

He is very happy to report the Weldbond was easy to apply and it stuck!  The Monster trucks are back in action and the boys are very pleased too.

As Mom I love that it's non-toxic!!!  Not only is it non-toxic, but it's also nonflammable, free of fumes, has low VOCs, is created without animal by-products and environmentally friendly!  I also, of course, appreciate that this product is Canadian made.  You can trust what's in it and you are supporting fellow Canadians when buying it.


Perfect for:

* Woodworking
* Model Building
* Scrapbooking
* Drywall
* Framing
* Mosacis
* Cement
* Fabrics

Find Weldbond across the nation at Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Home Hardware and Michaels craft stores.  Weldbond truly bond to most anything!

Bearhug.ca

Did you know Canada.. have you heard about Bearhug.ca?? They have the coolest shirts for Canadians, all t-shirts are designed, printed and made in CANADA. You not only get the SOFTEST and coziest shirt you've ever had in your life, not only get the coolest looking Canadian shirt around, you are supporting your fellow Canadians out in the work force.

These tees are hypo-allergenic, UV resistant, made from a blend of organic cotton and naturally sustainable bamboo - they are so soft and light, perfect for our hot and humid summers.

Not only are they of the highest quality, but they have the best designs, check these out..

Hockey Gold: the US vs Canada hockey game. Here’s that beautiful golden goal from start to finish. Each players movement plotted out from the moment Crosby picks up the puck!!

A tip of the hat to the Trans Canada, the highway that spans this vast land.

3 Children's designs available: The Polar Bear, The Beaver and The Loon.

My guys tried these ones, they are officially the coziest shirts they own they tell me, and they were so proud to wear them to school to show their friends. My boys are bursting with Canadian pride and that is so special!

They wash like a dream, keep their softness, clean up nice after messy dinners, you couldn't ask for a better shirt. And it's all made right here at home, I love it!!

Show your Canadian pride this coming Canada Day with one of these really cool shirts!!

We are SO EXCITED to let you know Bearhug.ca is giving us a chance to let one of our readers WIN a Bamboo Made in Canada t-shirt of their choice, enter below!!!

Giveaway
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Petite Tuques

Did you know Canada.. Petite Tuques is a Canadian small business that creates beautiful hats, mitts and scarves and creates her own patterns.  Owner of Petite Tuques, Lisa, lives in Quebec Canada where it gets cold A LOT and she started making hats for her children. Soon after she opened an online shop at iCraft and Etsy. Lisa specialises in cold weather garments, but is now branching out into warm weather garments like this fringe scarf. She has also started to write her own patterns, and has two published on Knit Picks!

Lisa made me the most beautiful fringe scarf - it's a nylon/cotton mix and is made in a ribbon. it's just so funky, and so light and airy. Fun for spring and summer, I've been having lots of fun trying it with different outfits. Makes me feel more put together standing for the school pick ups too. :-)  The quality is fantastic, and I know it's very sturdy because I fiddle with it all day long..haha..


Lisa also creates her own patterns, like this Bella Striped Hat - inspired by the Twlight movie (how cool!). She also offers free patterns, like a really cool “Bufanda” Neck Muff - perfect for our Canadian winters and freezing cold wind. I'm always yanking my scarf up to get it to cover my mouth and nose, this would be PERFECT!  Knitters, get over there right now and check out Lisa's patterns, you won't be disappointed.  Check out this great video showing off some of her work..






I looooove the fingerless mittens featured in Petite Tuques Etsy store as well, perfect for tweeting, texting and more while outside in the winter. With beautiful colours and unique patterns, Petite Tuques offers stylish, fashionable and much needed accessories for our Canadian weather!  Keep up to date with Petite Tuques on Facebook and Twitter.


We are so excited to share one of these beautiful scarves Lisa made with one of our readers as well!!  This will make a beautiful accessory to any spring or summer outfit, it's gorgeous!  The winning scarf is the same pattern as mine but in silver, check it out..

Can't wait to try and win?  Purchase one today in Petite Tuques Etsy store and save 25% off using code DYKC25!


We have one more treat for our readers as well, if you are a knitter, you can check out this pattern for free right here!

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Lala Soap - Liquid Foaming Hand soap

Did you know Canada.. our Toronto Representative Amanda, from Multi-Testing Mommy, has been trying out Lala Soap's Liquid Foaming Hand soap, she what she thinks..

Lala Soap was one of the wonderful products that I was introduced to at the Made by Hand Show this spring.

Immediately upon arrival at the Lala Soap booth, I was greeted in such a friendly way!

Lala Soap products are 100% biodegradable, made with natural ingredients and are packaged with minimal packaging using recycled materials.

We had the opportunity to try out the Flower Power Liquid Foaming Hand soap. This soap is vegetable based with oils of coconut and olive. We love how versatile this soap is with use in the kitchen and bathroom for our hands or in the bath as a body wash.

The lather that comes from this soap is wonderful with the perfect amount for your hands in one pump. Because it is foaming, a little bit of soap goes a long way.

We have started using foaming hand soap in all of the bathrooms as it lasts a lot longer with young children and is easier for them to effectively clean their hands.

We have been using this soap in the kitchen, for the most part and in a month, it isn't even half gone!

The lovely lavender scent is such a refreshing smell and makes this soap naturally anti-bacterial.

We love that Lala Soap is free of:

• petrochemicals
• parabens
• phthalates
• sulphates
• triclosan

The Lala Soap line offers bar soap, bath bombs, bath salt, body butter, essential oils, lip butter, liquid soap and more!

Feel free to follow Lala Soap on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

This post was written by Multi-Testing Mommy.

Mommy-To-Be Soiree!

Did you know Canada.. Mom n's Tot Deals is an awesome Canadian site that offers the best mom and tot deals on the web.  I LOVE that this site is for Canadian Mama's, offering you the best deals on the stores you already shop at.  We have some great news - the lovely ladies at Mom n’ Tot Deals are hosting a wonderful event for all you expectant Moms! Join them June 15, 2012 at 8pm-10pm EST for a fun night filled with mommy-to-be talk, giveaways and amazing deals for you and your little ones! This is an online event that will take place on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/momntotdeals. 

Just by liking participating stores’ and companies’, you have a chance to win great prizes, and you benefit by receiving all the latest sale updates from your favourites.  With over $1000 worth of prizes and featuring 50-90% off deals on products for mom and baby this will be a night to remember.

Fantastic as they are, the prizes were only part of it, though – the ladies will keep things interesting by throwing out questions to the attendees – things like “what is your number 1 craving?” – it will be hilarious, and occasionally touching – to read the responses from such a big and diverse group of moms (and dads, grandmas, aunts and caregivers – everyone is welcome!).This night will be a unique and fun experience!  With even more entertainment than any of their previous parties.

So on June 15, it’s time for the Mommy-To-Be Soiree!  Laughs with other moms and moms-to-be AND the chance to win free stuff? How can you resist?!?

Check out the event page to RSVP. See you there!